Book 25 Chapter 4

Reunion! Bilyeon and his gang!

—Friends Meet Again

When all the matches were over and the crowd had dispersed like the receding tide, leaving the arena empty, only Jang Hong and Hyoryong remained seated. Their eyes were fixed on the fighting arena, as if reviewing the battle between Yeonbi and Chil Sang Heun just moments ago, like reviewing a game of Go. Hyoryong, in particular, was still reeling from the shock of Chil Sang Heun's true identity being revealed. He too had a deep past connection with Chil Sang Heun. That was why Hyoryong couldn't bring himself to leave.

They were discussing something, and the topic was 'that person,' Chil Sang Heun, the first disciple of the God-Demon of Martial Arts, Gal Jung Hyeok.

"I never imagined Chil Sang Heun's identity would be 'that person'… I was surprised, Brother Jang."

"So was I, Ryong Ryong. Why did he abandon all his glory and live like that for seven years? Especially as a slave in this arena."

In a strict sense, he was Hyoryong's senior disciple. Furthermore, he was the first disciple of Gal Jung Hyeok, the God-Demon of Martial Arts, a legend in the martial arts world. Who would have imagined that such a distinguished individual, no matter how fallen, would be a gladiator slave in an arena like this?

"It's just speculation, but perhaps he was running away from something?"

"That's a plausible theory. It's highly possible."

"Then why so close…? This is Ganghorando. It's less than half a day's boat ride from Machon Pavilion."

Running away to a place within such close proximity was a contradiction in terms.

"It's like the saying, 'The darkest spot is under the lamp.' After all, no one discovered his identity for seven years, did they?"

"That's certainly true."

Jang Hong's words also made sense. If he hadn't revealed his identity himself in the fight with Yeonbi, Chil Sang Heun's true identity would have remained a secret among the public. However, several questions remained unanswered.

"The problem is, what was he running from? We can think of two possibilities."

"Two?"

"Yes. The first is if he was running from an incident. I heard he disappeared after the 'Night of Blood.'"

Thinking of that day, Hyoryong's heart ached as if it were being torn by a knife. That incident, which occurred in his childhood, was an unforgettable mental scar for him. He was indeed the person most closely connected to the 'Night of Blood' incident, which occurred due to the sudden madness of his brother, Gal Hyo Bong.

"That he was the culprit…"

"That's impossible," Hyoryong exclaimed with a firm voice. Jang Hong looked at Hyoryong with a surprised expression.

"It's absolutely impossible that he was the culprit."

Hyoryong repeated the same words, as if the second utterance was meant for himself rather than Jang Hong.

"But nothing has been definitively proven, has it? And I also know that there are still quite a few people within Machon Pavilion who suspect him of being the culprit?"

Although Chil Sang Heun was the senior disciple, Gal Hyo Bong, who inherited the direct lineage of the God-Demon, was a significant threat. Therefore, many still believed he was eliminated. The reason he disappeared was largely due to the mounting suspicions pressing down on him. However, Hyoryong still believed in him.

"Secondly, if he wasn't the culprit, it might be because his life was threatened by someone."

"By whom?"

"Perhaps he was the real culprit that day."

But to confirm that, they would have to ask him directly. Until then, everything would remain shrouded in darkness.

"Who could possibly instill such fear in the greatest expert of Machon Pavilion?"

"He wouldn't be an ordinary master. I suspect he was at least someone on par with the Four Heavenly Annihilators. Otherwise, he might not just be running from an enemy."

"What does that mean?"

"Yes, it means he was running from his master too."

"From the God-Demon…"

"Yes, that would make sense. Even a master on par with the Four Heavenly Annihilators would be inferior to the fame of the God-Demon. It's unlikely he fled out of fear of 'him'."

"N-no way, 'he' can't possibly still be alive, can he?"

"No one has confirmed his body, have they? You never know with the world. Wasn't the establishment of the Cheonmu Academy and Machon Pavilion a hundred years ago for reasons like that? It's a frightening thought, but the possibility that 'he' is alive is not zero. Well, it's just a hypothesis."

"…"

Hyoryong was so overwhelmed with thoughts swirling in his mind that he couldn't even reply properly.

"Perhaps he saw something he shouldn't have, and had no choice but to flee. We can see that from him being a gladiator slave here."

"What can we see from that?"

"He wanted to grow stronger. Training through fierce real combat in a life-and-death battlefield, he must have deliberately chosen this place for that purpose."

"Growing stronger implies he had a target he wanted to defeat."

"Exactly. The question is, who is that someone?"

"To find that out, we'll have to hear it directly from his own mouth."

As his thoughts reached this point, he wondered why he was just sitting there blankly. He wanted to rush to Chil Sang Heun's location immediately and hear the whole story. Hyoryong still didn't know that Chil Sang Heun had collapsed after being poisoned. While Hyoryong was restless, a finger tapped Jang Hong on the back.

Tap, tap!

Jang Hong initially brushed it off, but then suddenly flinched.

'Who, who is it?'

He thought without looking back. Who could approach him, a master of stealth, so silently? It was no ordinary person. If the other party had been holding a weapon, he would have been as good as dead. Fortunately, his life was still intact, otherwise, if the other party had malicious intent, it would have been a disaster. A moment's carelessness could lead directly to death in the perilous martial arts world.

Only after sensing no killing intent did Jang Hong cautiously turn his head.

"Gasp!"

Jang Hong's heavy rear lifted off the chair. Hyoryong's head also turned in response to his movement.

'What could have surprised him so much…'

And then, he too was stunned.

"Bilyeon!"

The exclamation burst from Jang Hong and Hyoryong simultaneously.

"It's been a while. Can you help me?"

To deal with the unprecedented situation of Na Yerin's kidnapping, Bilyeon's individual strength was not enough. He wasn't omnipotent. And there were limits to what an individual could do. That's why humans form groups and organizations. To resolve this situation as quickly as possible, they had to mobilize all the strength and connections they had accumulated. It was time to unleash his hidden potential that he had quietly accumulated. In that case, the appearance of 'Yeonbi' was a hindrance. The capabilities he had built in that form were almost non-existent. In that form, he couldn't help Yerin. He needed to return to his original self. After finding the members of the Suzaku Group, he immediately sought out Jang Hong and Hyoryong.

When it came to tracking techniques, Jang Hong was superior to him. Although he tried to hide it, everyone around him already knew about his skills. Therefore, it was better to entrust it to him. Tracking requires years of professional training, and if the opponent is a professional, they need a professional too. Bilyeon, resisting the urge to overturn Ganghorando immediately, sought out Jang Hong and Hyoryong. It could be said that this was his last shred of rationality.

"I almost lost my mind. But how did you get here?"

"There's not much use for a liver soaked in that kind of liquor. And that's not what's important right now."

Bilyeon said firmly.

"If not that, then what is important, besides you suddenly appearing like a ghost in Ganghorando?"

"A woman."

"A woman? Is something wrong? You don't seem like your usual self today."

Jang Hong was the first to notice something was off. He couldn't pinpoint what was different, but instinctively he felt that Bilyeon's state was somehow unusual. He looked fine on the outside, but something was boiling inside. The Bilyeon who was always indifferent, cynical, or bored with the world was not here now.

"What in the world is going on? Is there some kind of righteous war? Your sudden appearance like a ghost is proof that something outrageous has happened. I don't believe you when you say you're with peace. You're always the kind of person who brings a storm of mountains of problems. You're a natural disaster, so to speak."

"I heard similar words often in the past. I miss them,' I can't say so casually. Ah, you're right. Something outrageous has happened. Something that shouldn't happen in this world!"

And then Bilyeon explained his reason for coming. Each time he spoke of it, a pain like being stabbed with a dagger in the heart was transmitted.

The expressions of Jang Hong and Hyoryong, who had been listening silently, changed multiple times.

"…How could this happen… Miss Na…"

The woman who had just fought like a magnificent phoenix in the arena had been kidnapped. Jang Hong found it hard to believe.

"Who dares…"

"A ghost from the past."

Bilyeon replied in a voice filled with anger.

"I need your help."

Bilyeon said without a moment's hesitation.

"I never expected to hear such a pure request for help from you. To be honest, I'm a little taken aback by it."

"So you're not going to help?"

"Of course, I will. It's not often that I get a chance to owe you a favor. I can't let such a golden opportunity pass."

"Let me tell you in advance, it won't be easy."

"Of course, it won't be. We're already prepared for that, aren't we, Ryong Ryong?"

"Ah, of course."

When things were going well, anyone could join. But true friends are those who stand by you in adversity during difficult times. With their straightforward answers, Bilyeon finally smiled and said,

"Good. Then it's time for Bilyeon and his gang to reunite!"

Hyoryong's protest, "Why is only your name there, and we're a lump? Are we extras?" was lost in the wind.

"Well then, where should we go first?"

"I've already decided."

"Where?"

"The office of Don Wang."