Chapter 658
Ding.
– Sudden Quest Generated: [Choice Between Two Paths]!
The system notification rang out without warning. At the same time, a translucent holographic window shot up from the empty air.
【Choice Between Two Paths】
Only two options remain for you.
Will you resist with all your strength and escape this place?
Or will you surrender and be captured?
The choice is yours alone—and every decision brings its own consequences.
Grade: None
Restriction: Jin Taekyung
Objective: [Surrender] or [Resist] (Incomplete)
Reward: ???
Failure: ???
– This quest contains two possible choices, and you must select one.
– Depending on your choice, various factors in the surroundings will change. During the process, certain individuals may die.
– [Will you surrender?] Y / N
– [Will you resist?] Y / N
Only one thought crossed my mind as I stared at the system window.
‘What a shitty situation.’
Choice Between Two Paths.
The quest was exactly what it sounded like.
Surrender or resist.
Only two options, and I had to choose one.
The situation itself—and the voices echoing all around—were demanding an answer.
“I agree with Great Chief Baek Sang!”
“Indeed! If the Lord believes this is not unilateral, then let’s hold the Assembly right here and now!”
“If he’s innocent, he can surrender and stand trial. What’s there to fear?”
Hearing the shouts of the tribal chiefs aligned with Baek Sang, a bitter laugh slipped out of me.
What’s the problem, they said?
The problem was that this wasn’t the modern world—it was Murim.
Even in the twenty-first century, there were endless cases of judicial corruption. I didn’t need to imagine what kind of treatment I’d get once I was imprisoned under Baek Sang’s authority.
‘They branded me a criminal from the start, and they’ll drag me down to the end the same way.’
There would be no such thing as fairness or justice here. My one careless lie had already been exposed, and Baek Sang now had a witness and evidence to back it up.
This was a meticulously crafted trap. Once you stepped in, you could only fall.
Of course, even now, there were still those reaching out a hand to me.
“This is madness! Have you all lost your minds? You’d really execute Jin Taekyung? Do you plan to wage war against the entire Central Murim?”
“We don’t even know if he’s truly the culprit! He’s a pavillion leader of the Murim Alliance and a disciple of the Flame King! Why would he commit such an atrocity?”
“He rescued over two hundred warriors from Mount Aino! And now you call him a murderer? You’d have to be beasts without honor to act like this!”
The voices of the tribal chiefs aligned with the Beast King rang through the hall.
But among those dozen or so, only a few actually stepped forward. Many others simply watched with uneasy eyes or kept their mouths shut.
‘Of course. To them, I’ll always be an outsider.’
The Southern Barbarians never liked the Han people.
The only reason I was allowed to attend the Assembly in the first place was because of my deeds at Mount Aino. That was as far as their tolerance went.
I didn’t blame them. They were simply following the flow of power.
Even if the Assembly were to open this very moment, as Baek Sang said, not even the Beast King could overturn the situation.
– I think I’m completely screwed.
At my transmitted thought, a deep line formed between the Beast King’s brows.
—You’re insane.
—Why?
—How can you still joke in a situation like this?
—I’m just stating facts. And it’s not like bawling my eyes out will change anything.
Hearing my calm response, the Beast King bit down on his lip.
—I’m sorry. If Baek Sang really calls for the Assembly… even I can’t stop it.
—Well, at least that’s something. Feels nice to know that you believe me, Lord Yal Mok.
—Of course I believe you. That’s why I’m even sorrier.
—Then don’t just be sorry. Punch those bastards in the mouth for me, will you? Or if that’s too much, I’ll do it myself.
—You’re seriously insane.
—Or maybe I’ll just use the Flame God Palm.
—…You sound more like the Flame King’s blood relative than his disciple.
The name Jeok Cheon-Gang crossed my mind, and a bitter smile tugged at my lips.
If it were him, how would he have handled this?
‘No, if it were the old man, it would never have gotten this far in the first place.’
I wasn’t nearly as strong as him. My so-called familiarity with Murim was meaningless in front of such cunning, thorough enemies.
‘In Go terms… this was a bad move.’
I didn’t even know how to play Go, but I remembered my father used to sit at the computer playing online matches.
His nickname was Jin Sedol, but his win rate was terrible. Whenever he lost to Chinese players, he’d mutter, “Damn it, these Chinese bastards play Go like shit… Taiwan number one,” before my mom would smack him on the back for swearing in front of me.
Those were old memories.
My father had died years later during a monster wave, and his Go account became inactive—a string of losses frozen in time.
And yet, somehow, I remembered that day. Watching him lose.
‘Dad, you’re losing again?’
‘Losing again? This is just one game. It’s not even over yet.’
‘But you lost yesterday, and the day before, and earlier too!’
‘Ha… my kid’s old enough to stab me in the heart with words now.’
‘But why do you always lose?’
‘Because I made a bad move.’
‘A bad move?’
‘Not that kind of bad move. In Go, a bad move means a mistake. Like when you kicked Minjun instead of the ball during the soccer game and lost the match. A poor choice. Do you understand?’
‘Mm-hm. So if you make a bad move, you lose?’
‘Not always.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because one bad move doesn’t end the game. It’s when you keep making bad moves that you lose. I shouldn’t have done that.’
‘But I got kicked out of the game right away.’
‘That’s because you broke Minjun’s leg, kid.’
‘Oh.’
‘Oh, he says… His parents almost broke my back from bowing to apologize. Anyway, the point is: don’t keep making bad moves.’
‘What happens if you do?’
‘In Go, you lose your precious stones. You lose everything you built. That’s the price of bad choices.’
‘I get it! That’s why you always lose, huh?’
‘…Honey! Take Taekyung away! Honey!’
I didn’t know why that memory surfaced now—but maybe I did.
Because it helped me make up my mind.
—Can I ask one favor?
—Why so serious all of a sudden? A favor?
—Yeah. A promise.
I looked straight at the Beast King and sent my voice.
—No matter what happens next, promise me that the others—my people—will return safely to the Central Plains.
—That’s all I ask.
—You… you’re not thinking…?
—I’ll take that silence as a promise.
The Beast King widened his eyes, seeming to grasp my intent, then lowered his head heavily.
—I promise. I’ll do everything I can to protect your men and clear your name.
Good enough.
Murmuring inwardly, I started toward Baek Sang.
Or rather, I tried to.
Grab.
Two hands caught my clothes from behind.
“Jin Taekyung. What do you plan to do?”
Yal Mok’s voice was grim. And Nam Ho, having already read my intent, spoke quietly.
“You idiot. You’re walking straight into the tiger’s jaws.”
“Whether it’s a tiger’s jaws or a dog’s, I’m not sure,” I shrugged. “But it’s too late to care.”
Nam Ho’s gaze sank deep.
“You’re doing this for us, aren’t you? Because if you run, we’ll all be targets.”
“Who knows.”
“If that’s what you’re thinking, stop it. None of us would want that—”
“I know. I know you all wouldn’t.”
I cut him off gently.
“But it’s the same the other way around. If any of you were in my shoes… if the old man Nam were standing here instead of me, he wouldn’t run either.”
“……”
“See you later.”
His eyes wavered instead of answering. I pried his hand off my clothes, gave them both a faint smile, and stepped forward.
Step. Step.
The silence was heavy.
My lone footsteps echoed like thunder. Baek Sang, staring at me, remained calm as still water.
“So, you’ve finally accepted reality?”
“Someone once told me this: if you keep making bad moves in Go, you’ll lose your precious stones.”
If this were a game of Go, I’d have thrown all that out the window and played however I pleased.
Even if I lost—so what?
Some famous player once said, -it’s just Go in the end.-
For me, it was the same—it was just Go.
And after losing, I’d just follow my father’s example—smash Baek Sang’s skull with the Go board while saying, “You Chinese bastard, play like crap!”
But this wasn’t a game.
A bad move here meant losing my people.
‘Ju Hwaran. Hyuk Mu-jin. Song Ilseom. Sama Pyo. Taesan. Nam Ho…’
Even if I somehow escaped, getting all of them through the Southern Barbarian Palace’s Heaven’s Net was impossible.
They’d followed me this far, believing in me. I had to keep them alive—whatever it took.
“If you keep making bad moves, you’ll lose your precious stones and be defeated… whoever said that was wise.”
“He was a good man. At least better than a bastard like you.”
Shing!
Weapons were drawn from every direction at once.
As the tightening formation surrounded me, Baek Sang lowered his sleeve slightly.
“I’ll commend you for not making another bad move this time. Even the Flame King’s disciple couldn’t have avoided this fate.”
“I’m not doing this for your damn praise.”
“Whatever you say. Soon, you’ll be in chains.”
“Chains, huh. Can’t say that sounds exciting.”
“We’ve prepared thousands of iron weights for your cell. You’ll find it… invigorating.”
“Yeah. My balls are already trembling with anticipation.”
I answered calmly.
Then, looking at Baek Sang, who was slowly sheathing his sword, I spoke again.
“But you’re not looking forward to it, are you?”
“What?”
“You said earlier—if I ran, you’d kill my people too.”
“What are you—”
He didn’t get to finish.
Because I didn’t need to hear it.
‘You say something like that to me, you should at least expect a punch.’
Before anyone could react, my fist shot out like a flash.
Crack!
And without even checking the result, I shouted—
“Ah, I surrender! I surrender, damn it!”
What are you gonna do now, huh? Damn it.