Urban Vagabond: Reload

For a while, Yeo Pilgeuk said nothing in response to Choi Geon’s resolute declaration. At last, he spoke with difficulty.

“...You mean to make yourself bait in order to draw the evil out?”

“Heh heh. This old man’s reputation is still useful. You heard the story, didn’t you? The Nine Dragons Society leader and the Black Night Gang boss pissed themselves in front of me.”

“I did not call you here to joke around.”

As Yeo Pilgeuk’s expression hardened, Choi Geon gave an awkward smile.

Then, before long, he spoke in a low voice.

“Alliance Leader. Even now, I still have the same old nightmare from time to time. The day twenty years ago, when I set out to wipe out the heretical cult’s leadership... I cannot forget it. It is still as vivid as ever.”

“...”

It had been a secret operation in which Choi Geon led an elite force to destroy the heretical cult.

A nightmare of the day he had fallen into the enemy’s trap, lost most of his comrades, and barely returned alive.

“I can still see the faces of my comrades as they died, one by one.”

Among them were disciples Choi Geon had personally taught the sword, as well as promising young rising stars called the future of the Martial Alliance.

Many renowned heroic swordsmen from the Eight Great Sects had joined them. There were also people from mid-sized and smaller sects—men with strong heroic spirit who knew how to keep their mouths shut.

“Isn’t it strange, now that I think about it? Only trustworthy people took part in that operation. Righteous men of the orthodox martial world... It was an operation that should have succeeded without fail.”

Grind.

A cold killing intent settled in Choi Geon’s eyes as he quietly ground his teeth.

The Alliance Leader nodded as well, his face strained with the effort of containing his boiling rage.

“Someone carefully manipulated the selection. They gathered the most righteous martial artists of the orthodox martial world in one place... in order to wipe them out.”

“That man is the deep-rooted evil.”

Choi Geon’s voice was absolute.

The orthodox martial world had suffered irreparable damage because of that incident.

Heroic swordsmen who never yielded to injustice. Masters who spoke the truth no matter whom they faced. They died.

The spirit of the orthodox martial world was shaken to its core, and their places were filled by people who valued their own wealth and glory over justice.

After that, it was only natural for the Martial Alliance to weaken and the Eight Great Sects to become corrupted.

“...The person who leaked information to the heretical cult back then—the ones now revealed to be the Heavenly Demon Cult—is still hiding within the orthodox martial world.”

“I have continued searching for him as well.”

Yeo Pilgeuk nodded with a grave expression.

But even now, they had found no definitive proof of the traitor.

“I suspected Jang Jinmyeong, but it was not him. He would not have remained in the Martial Alliance when it was nothing but an empty shell. That leaves only...”

“He is probably in one of the Eight Great Sects. One of the sect leaders, or one of the senior figures who attended that meeting. There may be more than one.”

Choi Geon still remembered that list perfectly.

It was the kill list he had carried in his heart for many years.

He had not acted on it until now only because he did not know who, among them, he needed to kill.

“Alliance Leader. If not now, when will another chance come? We must draw him out.”

Choi Geon’s eyes churned with pent-up emotion.

The bitterness he carried ran that deep.

“I want that with all my heart as well. As desperately as you do...”

Yeo Pilgeuk deeply understood Choi Geon’s fury.

But he could not help worrying about Choi Geon, who intended to throw himself alone into the fire in order to catch the traitor.

“You may not even get the chance to tear his throat out. This time, he will try to bury you completely. He will fabricate convincing charges for crimes you never committed and frame you for them. This is a fight in which the circumstances are far too unfavorable for you...”

“Do not worry. I will not be taken down so easily.”

“How can you be so calm? If things go wrong, you could be transferred to the World Martial Alliance underground prison!”

Driven by frustration, Yeo Pilgeuk had no choice but to mention the worst possible outcome.

The World Martial Alliance underground prison.

It was an infamous facility that imprisoned and reformed the most dangerous martial-artist criminals in the world, a place so terrifying that even martial-world public enemies shuddered at its name.

Some people chose to take their own lives rather than be transferred there.

“The World Martial Alliance accepted the Eight Great Sects’ request. Investigators will be dispatched soon. In the worst-case scenario, you could be saddled with countless false charges and sent to the underground prison. Did you think I told you to hide for no reason?”

Despite Yeo Pilgeuk’s desperate expression, Choi Geon did not waver.

“Heh heh. Wouldn’t that be heaven for me instead? A prison overflowing with villains...”

“Choi Geon!”

The Martial Alliance Leader’s roar shook the entire office as though it might collapse.

Yeo Pilgeuk was genuinely furious.

One of the few old friends he had left in the Martial Alliance was about to walk into the jaws of death, and no matter how much he tried to persuade him, he could not stop him.

“This is far too dangerous a gamble! Can you guarantee that you will find the traitor we failed to uncover for twenty years this time?”

Choi Geon slowly shook his head.

“I cannot guarantee it. But it will be enough if I can find even a small clue about him.”

“What good is one clue? It may take years after that to actually catch him! And during that time, you will... Wait.”

As though he had realized something, Yeo Pilgeuk stared blankly at Choi Geon.

Choi Geon was smiling with an expression of complete detachment.

“Alliance Leader. The person who finds the traitor does not necessarily have to be me.”

“...What do you mean?”

Choi Geon smiled as though Yeo Pilgeuk already knew the answer.

“I have a trustworthy disciple. Does this old man really need to remain in the field?”

A clever kid who possessed a spirit more righteous than anyone’s, yet would not hesitate to employ corrupt-path methods when necessary.

Though the way he carried out justice differed from Choi Geon’s, Choi Geon trusted his disciple more than anyone.

Muhyuk will...

With even the smallest clue, Kim Muhyuk would surely find and punish the deep-rooted evil Choi Geon had spent so long searching for.

That alone was enough for Choi Geon.

That was why he had made up his mind.

To find the man who still hid behind the mask of the orthodox martial world, he would willingly become a tempting piece of bait.

Even if he were transferred to the World Martial Alliance underground prison, it would be fine.

If he could punish evil and comfort the souls of the comrades who had died twenty years ago, he could go there smiling.

“Please keep this from Muhyuk. He does not yet fully understand what kind of thing this special audit is, or what I am planning.”

“You really are...”

Yeo Pilgeuk paused as he chose his words, then let out a long sigh.

“Of all the orthodox martial artists I have seen, you are the most extreme, most relentless, most impossible-to-reason-with stubborn fool. You have no idea how many headaches you have caused me.”

Whenever Choi Geon caused trouble through his violent and ruthless methods in the past, the one who had cleaned up after him and defended him was Yeo Pilgeuk.

“Heh heh. I am grateful. I was able to run wild to my heart’s content because I trusted you, Alliance Leader.”

But Yeo Pilgeuk had not defended him merely because of their friendship or out of a sense of responsibility.

“It was because I believed your convictions were true. I thought the orthodox faction needed at least one mad bastard who danced with a blade like that... so that the corrupt-path filth would not dare run wild.”

At the time, Yeo Pilgeuk had no way of knowing what consequences his decision—his decision to make Choi Geon into the Sword Demon—would bring.

But there was one thing he could say for certain.

“I will take responsibility in my own way. So do not think about dying alone. Even if they send you to prison, I will not let you go there alone.”

For the first time, Choi Geon looked flustered.

“Alliance Leader? What are you saying? I alone am enough bait. Why would you step forward with me for no reason?”

“Shut it. Do you think you are the only one with a temper?”

“Urgh...”

Yeo Pilgeuk dismissed Choi Geon’s objection in an instant, then grinned.

For the first time, he looked as though something had finally lifted from his chest.

“Anyway, the investigator will enter the country today. Judging by the time, he should arrive soon.”

Before long, the World Martial Alliance’s investigator would arrive in Korea and begin cross-checking the materials submitted by the Eight Great Sects to determine whether their allegations were true.

The Martial Alliance had already submitted the materials requested by the other side, as well as documents explaining its position.

“Who is the investigator?”

The investigator dispatched by the World Martial Alliance would possess enormous authority.

His disposition was therefore extremely important.

Was he the sort to prioritize rules and regulations? The kind who placed value on subjective judgment? Someone who could be bought with money? Or perhaps—

“Ivan Volkov. I hear he is a fairly young investigator from Russia. Have you heard of him?”

Choi Geon shook his head.

Having lived in seclusion for nearly twenty years, there was no reason for him to have connections within the World Martial Alliance.

“What is he like?”

“I hear that wherever he goes, blood follows. A hatred of crime, an obsession with perfect evidence, and an exceptionally persistent nature...”

Yeo Pilgeuk’s expression was far from pleasant as he explained the investigator Choi Geon would soon face.

Then he looked at Choi Geon uneasily and finished.

“They say he once broke a suspect’s jaw during a confrontation interrogation because the man refused to speak.”

“Oh? He sounds rather to my liking.”

Even after hearing that a formidable investigator was coming, Choi Geon looked pleased instead.

His eyes gleamed coldly.

“I hope he digs into everything. Every last thing. Whether it is the crimes I committed, or the crimes committed by others...”

Having resolved to throw himself out as bait, Choi Geon feared nothing.

“Everyone who has committed a crime must be punished.”

*****

Viiiiing—

The immigration gate opened, and a foreign man in a coat arrived at the airport.

His platinum-blond hair was swept neatly back. His green eyes gave him a cold, impassive impression.

His gray coat swayed heavily with every step. Something that appeared to be a weapon was concealed beneath it.

People from the Eight Great Sects and the Martial Alliance who had come to receive him hurried toward him.

“Welcome, Investigator Ivan Volkov.”

“You have traveled a long way. Please allow us to take your luggage.”

The interpreter from the Eight Great Sects, who had requested the special audit, and the interpreter from the Korean Martial Alliance greeted him in Russian at the same time.

Ivan stopped for a moment, looked at both sides in turn, and spoke.

“Your affiliations. Please tell me.”

“You speak Korean...?”

Though somewhat awkward, Ivan’s Korean was more than adequate for communication, startling the people who had come to receive him.

“We are from the Korean Martial Alliance. We will escort you to your accommodations.”

“No. The Eight Great Sects will ensure your safety, Investigator. Please use our vehicle—”

“Excuse me, but it is customary for the Korean Martial Alliance to host guests from the World Martial Alliance!”

“We requested the special audit. How can we leave his safety to the Martial Alliance when we do not know what tricks you might pull?”

“What did you say? Tricks? You bastards—!”

But while the two sides argued, Ivan walked straight between them.

“No escort is necessary. I will travel to my accommodations alone.”

The World Martial Alliance investigator refused both sides’ prepared vehicles and called a taxi.

The flustered people hurried after him, but he never once looked back.

“Investigator! Investigator!”

Thoom.

Closing the taxi door, Ivan gave the driver his destination.

Then he pulled a tablet from his bag and began reading through the documents again.

Materials accumulated over more than twenty years, submitted separately by the Martial Alliance and the Eight Great Sects.

In particular, Ivan immersed himself in the records concerning the illegal conduct and suspected crimes of Choi Geon, the martial artist known as the Sword Demon—the central issue of the special audit—as though he were devouring a detective novel.

“...Richard. I remember something that friend once told me.”

After reading for a long while, a smile appeared on Ivan’s lips.

He murmured to himself in Russian.

“Korea is a far more interesting country than you might imagine.”