Chapter 101: Only Visible to My Eyes
Chapter 101: Only Visible to My Eyes
Blue Face took the shortest path to the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group, making an overnight camp unavoidable.
Lee An busied herself with chores—hunting for dinner, trying to start a fire—until I finally couldn't bear to watch her struggle any longer and stepped in.
"If you want the fire to catch, you have to stack the wood like this."
Surprisingly, Lee An had never started a campfire before. This was her first time traveling so far from the Main Cult.
"Now, let me show you how to dress the game."
I skillfully prepared the pheasant and rabbit I had caught.
"Young Master, you’re incredible at this. When did you learn all these skills?"
"I’ve always been good with my hands, haven't I?"
Leaning against a carriage wheel, the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon watched us in silence. Blue Face stood a short distance away, keeping a protective watch over him.
I skewered the prepared meat on branches and began roasting them over the flames.
"Keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn. You can let an assassin slip away, but you must never burn the meat!"
"Yes, sir!"
Lee An seemed to find the roasting process genuinely enjoyable, focusing intently on the task.
I sincerely hoped that even a moment like this would become a fond memory for her. She was likely tense due to the presence of the Smiling Demon and Blue Face; after all, this was her first real journey.
Once the meat was fully cooked, I offered some to the Smiling Demon.
"Would you like to join us?"
"I am fine."
"Are you not hungry?"
"I am alright."
After Lee An carved the meat, she seasoned it with salt and spices, wrapped it in paper, and brought portions to both the Smiling Demon and Blue Face.
"Please, keep this and eat it later."
She returned to us after handing them the food. Even though she was terrified of the Smiling Demon, she still made sure to look after him.
"Well then, we’ll eat first."
Lee An and I began our meal. I also produced some liquor I’d purchased while passing through a village.
"I’m alright."
Even when I offered her a drink, Lee An firmly refused. She clearly couldn't imagine the horror of acting drunkenly in front of the Smiling Demon.
Watching this, the Smiling Demon suddenly spoke.
"No matter how much I look, she isn't pretty. Just what exactly do you find beautiful about her?"
Lee An flinched. From those words alone, she could guess the nature of the conversation that had passed between the Smiling Demon and me earlier.
It was a rude remark to her, but in a way, it was a favor to me. He was essentially revealing the fact that I had called her beautiful.
Instead of answering, I looked out into the darkness in the distance.
"Do you see that weasel under the rock about thirty paces away?"
Not only the Smiling Demon but also Lee An and Blue Face looked toward where I pointed, but they saw nothing but pitch-black darkness.
"If you find it hard to believe, go check for yourself."
The Smiling Demon gave a nod to Blue Face. Blue Face leaped toward the spot. A moment later, he returned holding a weasel.
The Smiling Demon was genuinely surprised.
"You could actually see that?"
"My eyes see things that yours cannot, Lord Smiling Demon."
Of course, it wasn't just my eyesight; it was because my Qi Emission training, which I had learned from my father, had reached a high level of mastery.
"My guard’s beauty is a sight reserved for my eyes alone."
Lee An shook her head vigorously as if telling me not to say such things, then lowered her head deeply in embarrassment.
The Smiling Demon gave a mocking laugh.
"A grown man certainly knows how to say such embarrassing things with ease."
"A man should say what needs to be said. I won't stay silent just because it's embarrassing, or because I've said it once before. I won't stay silent out of fear of being a burden, or because I'm busy, or because I'm afraid of looking 'cheap.'"
That last part about looking "cheap" was a jab at the Smiling Demon. He had previously described the act of eating under a mask as looking cheap and undignified.
"Isn't a man who says what needs to be said a true gentleman?"
I looked at Lee An as I spoke. Whether it was from the campfire or her own shyness, her face was flushed a deep red.
Be proud, Lee An! Without you, I wouldn't have even been able to start this life.
*
Two days later, the carriage arrived at the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group.
As we stepped out, the Smiling Demon asked me, "Have you finished worrying about how you're going to stop me?"
"The answer wasn't inside the carriage, nor was it in my head. I suppose I'll have to find it in there."
I looked up at the large signboard of the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group. Blue Face and Lee An took the lead, with the Smiling Demon and me following behind.
I wore my mask here as well. Traveling with the Smiling Demon made wearing a mask surprisingly convenient. If I were alone, I would stand out, but with three of us masked, people simply assumed we were the type of group that always traveled that way.
When Blue Face knocked, a man who appeared to be a steward opened the door. One might have expected him to be startled by our masks, but he remained calm, as if he had been expecting us.
"The Merchant Group Leader is waiting. This way."
I expected to see hundreds of warriors waiting in the training ground, but there was no one. I released my Qi to scan the surroundings, but there wasn't a single person in ambush. It was a wise choice. Provoking the Smiling Demon half-heartedly would have only resulted in needless casualties.
The man led us to the main hall. Nine people were waiting for us there.
First, the leader of the group stepped forward to greet us.
"I am Seo Jeong-tae, the leader of the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group."
"I am Extreme Evil."
The Smiling Demon treated Seo Jeong-tae with utter coldness. He already harbored a distaste for those of the Unorthodox Faction, so Seo Jeong-tae must have looked particularly loathsome to him.
"It is an honor to meet a Demon Lord of the Divine Cult."
In contrast, Seo Jeong-tae was polite. He was calm and composed, showing no fear of the Smiling Demon. It was clear his confidence came from the eight masters standing behind him. Their presence also explained why there were no other warriors around.
All eight masters wore bamboo hats that concealed their faces. As if to prevent unnecessary conflict from the start, they wore clothing that clearly identified their affiliation. On their chests was the image of a wolf with its ferocious fangs bared.
The savage wolves of the Unorthodox Path Alliance—absolute masters of whom it was said that just two together could rival a Demon Lord. And no fewer than eight of them had come.
Even though the Smiling Demon recognized them, he didn't show the slightest hint of fear. Instead, he released a faint aura of his Laughing Evil Heart, exerting dominance over the room.
When that aura began to affect Seo Jeong-tae, the opposition did not stay idle.
As if by a prearranged signal, the eight masters released their morale all at once. Their combined pressure instantly pushed back the Laughing Evil Heart, forming a wall in front of Seo Jeong-tae. Their morale was wild yet disciplined, complementing each other to manifest an aura as solid as an iron fortress.
A battle of wills, with pride on the line, had begun.
The Smiling Demon pushed with his Laughing Evil Heart, but the wall of morale actually began to advance. No matter how powerful the Smiling Demon was, he couldn't easily withstand the combined internal energy of eight of the 13 Wolves.
I didn't want to see the Smiling Demon pushed back by warriors of the Unorthodox Path Alliance, so I discreetly released my Demonic Energy.
As my vast internal energy bolstered the Laughing Evil Heart, the tug-of-war between the two sides reached a tense stalemate. When the Smiling Demon didn't yield, they pushed even harder, but as I drew out more of my power, we actually managed to push them back once.
Just as they were about to flare their internal energy even further in indignation—
Knowing that pushing further would be difficult for us as well, the Smiling Demon and I withdrew our energy at the exact same moment.
By ending it while we were momentarily ahead, the Smiling Demon secured a complete victory in the battle of auras. A palpable sense of irritation radiated from the eight masters.
The Smiling Demon sent me a Voice Transmission.
— I didn't realize the Second Young Master's internal energy was this profound.
— It's only because your Laughing Evil Heart is so impressive. My Demonic Energy was merely an assist.
— If you 'assist' me a second time, those wolves will start wagging their tails. As I thought, you were the one who killed the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord.
— Lord Smiling Demon, look ahead, not at me. Our enemies aren't here; there are nine of them right in front of us.
The Smiling Demon’s gaze shifted toward Seo Jeong-tae.
"Since it seems you were expecting me, you must know why I've come. You’d best choose your words carefully."
"If you desire my life, Lord Demon Lord, I would gladly give it, but please, at least hear me out first."
"I'm listening. Speak."
"I'll get straight to the point. This merchant group intends to grow its business in Guizhou for the next eight years. And in the eighth year, we will fold all operations and withdraw."
Two years had already passed, and adding eight more meant that the Unorthodox Path Alliance intended to conduct business in Guizhou for a total of ten years as compensation for the past massacre.
"You intend to feast on my blood and flesh for ten whole years?"
"Those whom you killed, Lord Demon Lord, have already had their blood and flesh rot into white bones."
Though he was clearly displeased, the Smiling Demon did not act rashly. It wasn't just because of the eight Wolves. When it came to handling business, he was not a reckless man. The fact that he sought out the merchant group leaders immediately after leaving the Cult, rather than simply indulging his own desires, proved that.
Eventually, the Smiling Demon spoke to Seo Jeong-tae.
"Since you are also a man bound to an organization, fine. I will also make a concession. From this hour forward, you have exactly one year. If you are still loitering around Guizhou after one year, I will assume you wish to join your friends who have become white bones."
Despite the blatant threat, Seo Jeong-tae shook his head firmly.
"One year is a condition we absolutely cannot accept."
"Then let's settle this as martial artists. If you're scared, you can all come at me at once."
The Smiling Demon knew the 13 Wolves were men of pride; they wouldn't all swarm him at once.
Seo Jeong-tae appeared lost in thought, but using my New Eye Technique, I noticed his lips trembling ever so slightly. He was conversing via Voice Transmission with one of the eight masters behind him.
At that moment, the Smiling Demon also sent me a Voice Transmission.
— You must be disappointed. We should have had a proper fight.
— Disappointed? To see the Smiling Demon himself negotiating with the Unorthodox Path Alliance? This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This is a hundred times more thrilling than watching you trade blows. If the world I see now is dull, then the real world must be fast asleep.
The Smiling Demon laughed through the Voice Transmission. It was the first time I had heard him laugh this way, and it felt different—genuine.
— What will you do if they don't accept?
— I'll have to kill them all and spend about ten years locked away. You take three, and I'll take four. We'll let Blue Face and the Ugly Heart handle the last one.
I also laughed through the Voice Transmission. Of course, the talk of fighting was a joke—but what was funny wasn't the joke itself, but the fact that he called Lee An "Ugly Heart." He certainly knew how to hold a grudge.
Then, Seo Jeong-tae spoke firmly.
"That is absolutely impossible."
I knew he would say that. Enough with the unnecessary emotional sparring. It was time for me to step in.
"I'd like to hear that directly from the person who actually made the decision."
As I, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, everyone's attention shifted to me.
"What do you mean by that? And who are you to interfere in such an important meeting?"
In response to Seo Jeong-tae's question, my gaze fixed on one of the men standing in the back.
"Stop acting like the hidden leader and step forward to settle this."
I addressed the man standing in the center of the eight warriors.
"You know the Smiling Demon's personality well enough to know that anything could happen here. Will it be alright? For the successor of the Unorthodox Path Alliance to be caught in a fight and die in a place like this?"
At my words, the Smiling Demon, Lee An, and Blue Face were all shocked.
Clang!
Except for the man I pointed out, the other seven drew their swords in unison and shifted into a formation. It was a sword formation designed to protect the man at all costs.
As expected of world-class masters, they exuded a tremendous aura. It was incomparably more intense than when they had formed the wall of morale earlier. In terms of the Cult's hierarchy, it was as if four Demon Lords were protecting a single man.
The man standing in the center of the formation slowly removed his bamboo hat. He was a young man whose face was covered in scars. If Jang Ho's scars were stylish, this man's were hideous—cut, crushed, and distorted. He had an appearance that made one's heart turn cold, and his energy was equally dark and heavy. Between those scars, his cold eyes shone.
"How did you recognize me?"
His voice sounded like a nail scratching against metal, perhaps because his vocal cords had also been damaged.
He was Bi Sa-in, the official successor to the Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance. Since he was dressed exactly like the other 13 Wolves, the fact that I had recognized him meant a serious breach of secrecy.
"Who are you?"
To Bi Sa-in's cold question, I replied:
"I am someone for whom it would be a problem if you died, but also a problem if I died."
I spoke as I slid my mask up onto my head.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Geom Mu-geuk, the second son of the Heavenly Demon."