Chapter 15: Because They All Look Similarly Ugly
Chapter 15: Because They All Look Similarly Ugly
Seo Dae-ryong followed me out, clutching the dead crow with a look of utter bewilderment.
“Hang it there.”
Seo Dae-ryong’s eyes practically screamed, Are you serious? I didn't blink.
“Hang it right in the middle, where it’s impossible to miss.”
I had him string up the carcass in the center of the hallway, the busiest thoroughfare for the warriors of the Demon Army.
Word spread like wildfire. Soon, a crowd began to gather. A few looked intrigued, but most scowled, spitting curses as they passed.
“Damn it! What the hell is that?”
“Why is someone hanging a dead crow? It’s bad luck.”
“Does being an investigator give them a license to do whatever they want?”
“Those Huangquan Pavilion bastards...”
“Pah! I woke up from a nightmare just to see this shit.”
“That’s a perfect spot to string someone up, though. Maybe we should hang the person who did it right next to the bird.”
They wore martial robes embroidered with numbers representing their respective divisions. It was easy to tell who was who—the warriors of the 1st Division, the same ones I’d nearly clashed with at the entrance, were the ones barking the loudest.
They didn’t mention me by name, of course, but an insult to Huangquan Pavilion was an insult to me.
Just as the atmosphere turned toxic, one man reached his breaking point and stepped forward.
“Isn’t this going a bit too far?”
His voice boomed, echoing through the corridor.
“Who said that?” I asked, looking around. “Everyone here looks similarly ugly anyway.”
The crowd grimaced. A massive man pushed his way to the front.
“I am Jang Ho, Leader of the 3rd Division.”
Jang Ho was a mountain of a man, easily the largest in the Demon Army. His muscular build looked ready to burst through his robes, and a long scar cutting across his face gave him a chilling, predatory air.
Seo Dae-ryong’s voice transmission reached me instantly.
— 3rd Division Leader Jang Ho. He’s known as the strongest among the division leaders. He’s got a hell of a temper, too.
Indeed, the pressure Jang Ho exuded was on a different level from the others.
“And what is our Division Leader Jang so dissatisfied with?”
“Do I really have to say it? What were you thinking, hanging such an ominous thing in a public walkway?”
“It’s better than tossing it onto someone’s bed, isn’t it?”
“Stop ruining everyone's mood for no reason. Catch the person who did this and punish them instead.”
I stared at Jang Ho in silence. He didn't flinch. The powerful demonic energy he radiated began to press down on Seo Dae-ryong and me. For a moment, it felt like the air was being squeezed out of my lungs; he certainly lived up to his reputation as the strongest.
“You have a point. Investigator Seo, take it down.”
“Yes, sir.”
Seo Dae-ryong moved to remove the crow. The watching warriors began to jeer openly.
“Look at him. What a coward.”
“Exactly. You have to show these types the rod before they listen.”
“Acting all high and mighty when he doesn't even know where he stands.”
Ignoring the blatant insults and ridicule, I turned and walked back to my room.
As soon as the door closed, Seo Dae-ryong burst out, “Why did you even hang that carcass if you were going to fold so easily?”
His face was flushed red. His pride had clearly taken a hit.
“To find out who sent the petition.”
He blinked, looking lost. “And... did you find out?”
“Yeah.”
“Pardon?”
Startled by the immediate answer, Seo Dae-ryong’s eyes widened. “How?”
I looked at the crow. “Thanks to these little guys. Now, go out and give it a proper burial.”
*
The investigation began in earnest the following day.
I summoned the 3rd Division of the Demon Army first. Since their leader, Jang Ho, had been the one to challenge me during the crow incident, his outrage was expected.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“What do you mean? Haven’t you heard? I’m here to investigate.”
“Then why start with the 3rd Division instead of the 1st?”
“Because I felt like it.”
“Are you doing this out of spite because of yesterday?”
“Did something happen yesterday?”
Jang Ho bit his lip, glaring at me with murderous intent.
“You will all submit every record you have,” I continued. “Not just your recent movements, but your financial records as well.”
The warriors of the 3rd Division began to stir. Even an ordinary person would have a few skeletons in their closet if you looked hard enough, but these were demonic practitioners. To put it bluntly, the 'kindest' person here was likely the equivalent of a Black Path boss in some backwater village.
Jang Ho roared, “Even if it’s you, you can’t go this far!”
“I can.”
Slam!
Jang Ho smashed the desk in front of me into splinters.
“Hey, feel free to get worked up,” I said coolly, “but don’t forget that treason is a capital offense.”
At the mention of treason, several practitioners from the 3rd Division rushed forward to restrain their leader.
“Please, endure it, Leader!”
“He’s not worth it!”
I pushed him further. “I’ll start the investigation with you, the Division Leader.”
“Fine! Let’s settle this between us! The rest of you, get out!”
Demonic energy swirled violently around Jang Ho.
His subordinates tried to calm him. “Leader! You mustn’t lose your temper!”
“Don’t worry about me. Get out.”
“Yes, sir.”
The subordinates shot me murderous glares before filing out. I could feel their genuine loyalty; they weren't just following a rank, they were following a man.
Once the room was empty, Jang Ho spoke with a voice like ice.
“You will regret treating me like this.”
The scar across his face twisted hideously.
I stared at him for a moment, then lowered my voice to a whisper. “How long are you going to keep testing me?”
Jang Ho flinched. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re the one who sent the petition, aren’t you?”
For a split second, Jang Ho’s eyes wavered.
“What on earth are you saying?”
But he wasn't a man built for deception. When his voice began to tremble along with his gaze, the truth finally came out.
“How did you know?”
As he spoke softly, dropping the aggression, he seemed like a completely different person.
“Yesterday, you stepped forward in a situation where you didn’t have to. Wasn’t that to avoid the Demon Monarch’s suspicion?”
“It was.”
“Also, your 3rd Division has the best discipline. When I hung that crow, your subordinates were the only ones who didn't curse or mock me. And seeing how they worried for you just now... you can tell a lot about a man by his shadow. A man who runs an organization like this wouldn't be able to just overlook corruption within the ranks.”
In truth, that wasn't the only way I figured it out.
The moment I realized Jang Ho was the petitioner was when Seo Dae-ryong sent me that voice transmission.
— 3rd Division Leader Jang Ho is known to be the strongest among the division leaders. He has quite the personality, too.
The moment I heard that, a memory from before my regression surfaced.
There had been an incident during this period where a division leader of the Demon Army died. I remembered it because the leader who died was said to be the strongest among them. How could someone so powerful die? I had wondered back then.
I was certain that man was Jang Ho. He must have sent the petition and tried to resolve the issues within the Demon Army, only to be silenced by someone on the inside.
As I suspected, the whistleblower was indeed Jang Ho.
“I didn’t know if the petition would actually reach anyone, so I couldn’t risk writing down the details,” he admitted.
He had suspected that even Huangquan Pavilion might be under the thumb of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
“However, I never imagined that the Second Young Master himself would come to investigate.”
“What did you think when you heard I was coming?”
“If I may be so bold... I thought we were doomed.”
I turned to Seo Dae-ryong. “Is honesty a trend among the youth these days?”
“The Young Master is younger than we are, sir.”
“Ah, right.”
I turned back to Jang Ho with a smirk. “What exactly is happening here?”
“The Demon Monarch is using the Demon Army for his own private gain.”
“How?”
The details Jang Ho provided were far more serious than I had imagined.
“He is taking commissions to deploy his subordinates for assassination contracts.”
“What?”
Even I, who was rarely surprised, was shocked. I thought he was just taking bribes from some local sect. But this? This was a line that should never be crossed.
When experts of the Demon Army moved, they didn't do it for pocket change. They must be raking in an astronomical amount of money.
Seo Dae-ryong asked in shock, “How is that even possible?”
“He uses their vacation time, or sends them out under the guise of 'special training.'”
“Even so, I don’t understand how he hides it.”
Unlike Seo Dae-ryong, I realized the one condition that made it possible.
“The entire 1st Division is involved.”
“How did you know?” Jang Ho was stunned.
“They were the first ones to block our path. They were the ones who cursed the most at the crow. When something happens, they move in perfect sync. Didn't I tell you? You can tell a lot from one action. You can see it just by looking at the 1st Division Leader. So, how did you find out about this?”
“The warrior who killed an investigator and then committed suicide during the previous probe was my friend. He was the one who sent the petition.”
“He didn't commit suicide,” I corrected. “He was 'suicided.'”
“Exactly. A few days before he died, he told me that he had sent a petition.”
In my previous life, I didn't know the details. There was only the fact of Jang Ho’s death. This meant the case had remained buried and forgotten.
“How close were you?”
“We joined the Cult at the same time. We were like family.”
“Why didn't you speak up then?”
“After they killed my friend and the investigator, they monitored the ranks with terrifying strictness. We could barely even breathe.”
“Who killed him?”
“I believe the Demon Monarch gave the order, and the 1st Division Leader, Go Dang, carried it out personally.”
If Jang Ho’s words were true, this was a massive corruption scandal involving the Demon Monarch and the entire 1st Division. On top of that, the murder of an investigator. It was arguably the largest crime in the history of the Main Cult.
Did my father or Sama Myeong really not know?
They must have had an inkling. That’s why they sent me.
They sent me to test whether I could handle this while going head-to-head with the Demon Monarch. Since the opponent is the Demon Monarch, I could have died... Come to think of it, that’s a bit much.
Father, they say a wild beast drops its cub off a cliff to make it strong, but that’s actually a lie. If the cub falls, the parent runs down with those fast legs, catches it in its mouth, and brings it back up!
I looked at Jang Ho. “You had a good friend.”
“He was the good friend. If I were a good friend, I would have stepped forward when he died.”
“That would have just made you a foolish friend.”
It seemed not everyone in the Demon Army was trash.
Seo Dae-ryong, who had been watching, seemed moved as well. The investigator who died in the previous probe had been a senior he respected. Both men were suffering from the shared pain of losing someone close to them.
Looking at these two, I felt hope for the 'lost Demonic Path.' The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult I wanted was a place where people like them held the reins.
“Thank you for having courage.”
“Seeing how you identified me immediately, I decided to trust you, Young Master.”
“A good choice. By the way, will there be a problem if I dig through your bank records?”
“None. You won't find a single speck of dust even if you shake me dry.”
“Everyone has dust. I can turn something you don't think is dust into dust if I want to. But don't worry. I won't dig that deep.”
I opened the door and walked out. The subordinates of the 3rd Division were waiting in the distance.
“Division Leader Jang has agreed to hand over all records on your behalf,” I announced loudly. “You may all return to your posts.”
Jang Ho roared, playing along with the act. “We’ll see about this! If I’m found innocent, I won’t let this slide!”
There was gratitude in his eyes. By saying he was being investigated in place of his subordinates, I had helped them trust him even more. The Jang Ho of my previous life died, but the Jang Ho of this life would not.
Saving those who shouldn't die—that was the purpose of my regression.
Once the door was closed, Seo Dae-ryong said to me, “You seem very different from the rumors, Young Master.”
“What do the rumors say?”
“Just...”
“Just be honest. You’re just relaying rumors, right? It’s not your own opinion.”
“There are sayings that you aren't suited to be the Heavenly Demon. I apologize.”
“It’s fine. Maybe it’s a compliment.”
“Pardon?”
“Is being 'suited to be the Heavenly Demon' really a compliment? I don't think so. I believe ruling the Cult through a reign of terror is an anachronistic idea. Isn't it time for the Cult to change?”
At the mention of change, a strange light flickered in Seo Dae-ryong’s eyes. But he soon spoke in a somber tone.
“Change isn't as easy as it sounds.”
“True. It isn't.”
“If you become the Heavenly Demon, will you strive to change the Cult?”
Of course.
If it doesn't change, my family faces annihilation, and the Cult faces only the result of sealing its gates forever.
But instead of my inner thoughts, I said something else.
“Actually, rather than becoming the Heavenly Demon, I’d rather just travel around the Central Plains and have fun.”
This was also true to some extent. Once I killed Hwa Mu-gi, I planned to play to my heart's content while touring the world.
“Everyone else is willing to sell their souls to become the Heavenly Demon...”
“So you're saying I sound like a spoiled brat?”
“I won't deny it.”
“That’s because you’re a power-oriented person.”
“Me?”
To him, who widened his eyes as if wronged, I suddenly asked, “Are you happy when you help someone?”
“...No.”
“Are you happy when you get promoted?”
“...Yes.”
Seo Dae-ryong let out a sigh of self-deprecation. “Ah, so I was a power-oriented person after all?”
“Everyone has different conditions for happiness. For some, it’s money or power. For others, it’s living quietly. And for some, it’s chivalry.”
“Is it really possible to be happy by practicing chivalry?”
“Does it sound like a facade?”
“Yes.”
In my past life, I had seen such a person. Someone so selfish that they wore the mask of chivalry to hide it. Someone who eventually even deceived themselves. He wasn't good, but he believed until the end that he was walking the path of righteousness.
Seeing someone like that was more uncomfortable than seeing someone who honestly revealed their ambition, but I had no intention of criticizing him. That, too, was just a way of living.
“There are many people in this Murim who live by true chivalry. There are people far too great to be measured by the narrow minds of people like you and me.”
After staring at me for a moment, he let out a sigh. “Since I’m a power-oriented person... I’m not sure I understand.”
I chuckled. I don't know how he appeared to his peers, but to me, he looked almost cute.
“Stop with the out-of-character self-reflection. Go and dig up the records on Jang Ho. Like I said, do it moderately. And bring more investigators from Huangquan Pavilion. We’re going to set the stage—make it look like a massive investigation is underway.”
“Understood.”
I stood by the window and looked outside. Just then, in the building across from us, the Demon Monarch was standing by his window, looking this way. Our eyes met, but I feigned ignorance.
What I was looking at wasn't his insignificant self, but the Heavenly Demon Hall visible far beyond him.