Chapter 18: Not Everyone Lives for Revenge
Chapter 18: Not Everyone Lives for Revenge
I shook Yang-gu awake. He had fallen asleep slumped in his chair.
He looked around dazed, the reality of his capture finally sinking in.
“Are you alright? Where you were hit, I mean.”
“What? Oh… yes.”
Yang-gu looked flustered by my gentle tone.
“To be honest, I like smart people like you. It’s a headache dealing with those simple-minded, ignorant fools who cling to stubbornness as if it were grand conviction, even when it’s clear they’re beat. You’re not like that, are you?”
“Why did you bring me here?”
“I think you already know the answer to that. Honestly, I don’t want to torture you. As you know, the methods on our side are a bit… extreme, aren’t they? They turn perfectly healthy people into cripples before tossing them away like trash.”
“Threatening me won’t work. I don’t know anything.”
“I know. I don’t expect you to know much. You probably just did as you were told. Just be honest about that much.”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t given any orders.”
“Then I’ll have to speak with the other you.”
“The other me?”
“The one who cares about your life more than you do.”
At my signal, an old man entered the room.
“This man has spent his entire life doing nothing but breaking people. What did you say your success rate was?”
The man was short and stout, but the aura he radiated was truly terrifying.
“Ninety percent, sir.”
“He’s a master of interrogation.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, sir,” the old man rasped. “After all, fifty percent of that ninety died immediately after confessing.”
“And the other fifty?”
“They’re barely clinging to life as cripples, begging for scraps in the gutters.”
The raw, visceral killing intent emanating from the old man was so thick that Yang-gu couldn’t help but scream.
“Please, spare me!”
I lightly patted Yang-gu on the shoulder.
“You should step back for now. I’ll call out the other you—the one who isn't quite so brave and wants to avoid unnecessary pain—and hear what he has to say. That version of you might have less loyalty, but at least he’ll love you more. So, you can step aside.”
Meanwhile, the old man lit a brazier and began heating iron skewers of various thicknesses. His businesslike demeanor, devoid of even a hum or a whistle, only heightened the sense of dread.
Terrified, Yang-gu pleaded, “If I talk, I’m a dead man!”
“You’ll die by the Demon Monarch’s hand even if you don’t talk. Think about it. How will he react when he hears you’ve been captured by us? He’ll try to eliminate you by any means necessary. You know what kind of man he is better than I do, don’t you?”
Agitation and terror surged within Yang-gu’s trembling eyes.
“You know it, don’t you? No matter where you hide, he’ll eventually find you and kill you. There’s only one way for you to live.”
“What is it?”
I leaned in close to Yang-gu’s face. Staring into his fear-stricken eyes, I whispered like a devil.
“Strike first before you get struck. Of course, you’ll have to leave the Cult. But with your level of martial arts, you’ll be able to live well enough anywhere else.”
In that moment, I was a true demon. I was tempting him while simultaneously weaving a lie. I had no intention of letting him go. If one commits a crime, one must pay the price.
“There’s no time to hesitate. By now, word must have spread that you’ve fallen into our hands.”
In truth, the Demon Monarch didn’t even know he was missing yet. Having just woken up, Yang-gu had no sense of time, but only about two hours had passed since his capture.
“Or, you could try testing your willpower against the skewers.”
I turned away immediately, giving him no time to think.
Then, I heard Yang-gu’s voice from behind me.
“……What do I have to do?”
“When the Huangquan Pavilion investigators come in, just state everything that happened.”
“And after that?”
“We will arrest the Demon Monarch. And you will leave the Cult with a new identity.”
Yang-gu’s deliberation didn’t last long.
“Fine. I’ll do it.”
I left the room immediately and sent in the Huangquan Pavilion investigators who were waiting outside. I told the old man to keep heating the skewers right next to them while they took the statement.
A short while later, Seo Dae-ryong arrived and reported Yang-gu’s confession.
As Jang Ho had suspected, it was indeed the Demon Monarch who had ordered the deaths of the Huangquan Pavilion investigator and Jang Ho’s comrade. The one who carried out the deed was the already deceased Go Dang. There were countless other atrocities listed as well.
“He’s killed so many people, one way or another,” Seo Dae-ryong muttered, his face grim. “The Demon Monarch won’t go quietly. He knows he’ll be executed if he’s caught.”
“I’m not going to arrest him.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m going to kill him.”
Seo Dae-ryong was so shocked he let out a sharp gasp. His mouth hung open, unable to close.
“If the Demon Monarch is arrested, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon will definitely move. He won’t just stand by and watch his younger brother be executed. If that happens, things will get complicated.”
It would be nice to expose his crimes before everyone and deal with him through a formal trial, but that was nothing more than an ideal. Fabricated evidence proving he wasn’t the mastermind would pour out, scapegoats would be found to take the fall, and slanders and conspiracy theories about me would circulate.
“But if the Demon Monarch dies during the arrest process, the situation changes. All that remains is the evidence to prove his guilt.”
“The Blood Heaven Blade Demon will seek revenge.”
“Not everyone lives a life of revenge just because a family member died. Especially not the Blood Heaven Blade Demon; he won’t waste his life on vengeance.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Because I knew what kind of life he had lived in my past.
“I can’t be certain. However, even if he does seek revenge, he won’t be able to move immediately. If I’m injured or killed right after this, everyone will know he did it. In fact, he’ll have to protect me just to avoid suspicion.”
“And later?”
“I’ll be stronger by then, so there’s no need to worry.”
Leaving behind Seo Dae-ryong, who stood there dazed with an expression that asked if any of this was sane, I stepped out of the room. As I walked down the hallway, Seo Dae-ryong belatedly opened the door and ran out.
“Where are you going? Surely… you’re not, right?”
“And if I am? Want to come along?”
Seo Dae-ryong flinched.
“I’m going to buy some wine. Don’t worry and wait here.”
*
That "surely" turned out to be correct. And it was also true that I bought wine.
The Demon Monarch, who welcomed me into his quarters, looked relieved.
“The investigation is all finished?”
“Yes, thanks to you, it was wrapped up nicely.”
“I’m saddened to think of parting with the Second Young Master so soon.”
To his insincere words, I gave an equally insincere reply.
“When I become the successor, I will surely repay the favor you’ve shown me.”
“That’s my line. I won’t forget the favor of letting this pass smoothly.”
Yes, he would certainly never forget this. Greedy as he was, he had suffered a massive loss. He had lost his right-hand man, 1st Squad Leader Go Dang, and had handed over evidence with his own hands. If the investigator hadn’t been me, he probably would have died several times over by now.
“In that spirit, shall we have a drink?”
I poured the wine I had bought into the cups prepared on a table in the corner.
“Come, let’s drink.”
We toasted and drank. For him, it was a celebratory drink; for me, it was a parting one.
“Why did you do it?” I asked casually.
“Do what?”
“You must have more money than you could ever spend in a lifetime. What kind of greed drove you to use the Demon Army as mercenaries?”
The Demon Monarch’s expression stiffened instantly.
“You should have asked the deceased 1st Squad Leader that.”
“What would a puppet know?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I was just curious about our Monarch’s true nature.”
“Nature? Did you just say nature?”
“Well, I suppose. What could possibly be inside that black heart of yours? Nothing but the greed to have even more.”
“You little… I’ve been patient, but—!”
At the very moment the enraged Demon Monarch roared, my sword, which had been waiting for its chance, was drawn.
Shhhhk!
Thwack!
With a flash of sword light, my blade pierced the Demon Monarch’s chest. Having caught him at close range and striking with incredible speed, the Demon Monarch could not avoid it.
Flying Heaven Sword Technique, Fifth Form: Azure Heaven Form.
The fastest form among the eight forms of the Flying Heaven Sword Technique had been unleashed.
Even with his heart pierced, he didn’t die instantly.
With the sword still impaling him, he slowly sank to the floor. He had a dazed look on his face, as if he couldn’t comprehend what had happened. Then, he looked at me with fading eyes. Once that sword was pulled out, he would be gone.
I spoke in a calm, low voice.
“Demon Monarch Gu Cheon-yang, I arrest you on charges of private misappropriation of the Demon Army and over twenty counts of murder and solicitation of murder.”
Only then did the Demon Monarch’s gaze drift toward the sword embedded in his chest.
“…This… isn’t an arrest… is it?”
“It would have been execution anyway, so for the sake of those remaining, please go like this. My apologies for the surprise attack.”
I pulled out the sword, and the Demon Monarch died instantly.
I could have framed it as him dying after a fierce struggle, but I didn’t. It was better to let people think I had killed him in a single strike through sheer luck.
I summoned all the Demon Army warriors and the Huangquan Pavilion investigators to the scene. Everyone gathered except for the 1st Squad, who were already under house arrest.
“The Demon Monarch, who committed grave crimes, died while resisting arrest!”
My voice rang out thunderously across the grounds.
Everyone looked back and forth between me and the Demon Monarch’s corpse with expressions of utter shock. They surely hadn’t expected the Demon Monarch to die at my hands.
Among the shocked was 3rd Squad Leader Jang Ho. A flash of joy crossed his eyes as he looked at the body. It was the moment revenge for his friend’s death had been realized.
The same went for Seo Dae-ryong. For the sake of his senior’s revenge, the effort he had put into memorizing the profiles of every member of the Demon Army had finally reached its conclusion.
I immediately gave an order to Seo Dae-ryong.
“You are to arrest all members of the 1st Squad, imprison them in the dungeon, and formally investigate this case.”
“Yes, sir!”
Next, I issued an order to Jang Ho.
“3rd Squad Leader Jang Ho! Under your command, all Demon Army warriors except for the 1st Squad will assist the Huangquan Pavilion investigators in the arrest of the 1st Squad! Since I have been granted the right of summary execution, this order carries the same weight as a command from the Cult Leader himself. Execute it immediately!”
“Yes, I understand!”
Jang Ho led the Demon Army and followed Seo Dae-ryong.
It would have been a problem if the Demon Monarch were alive, shouting to bring this person or kill that person, but he was already cold. Loyalty maintained through fear tends to crumble like a sandcastle upon the death of the leader.
As he was turning to leave, Jang Ho looked back at me.
We shared the emotions of the moment with faint smiles.
‘Thank you.’
‘It’s thanks to you.’
After the arrest of the 1st Squad was complete, Seo Dae-ryong returned to our quarters.
“After arresting all members of the 1st Squad, we suppressed their internal energy and imprisoned them in the dungeon. Six warriors from the 1st Squad were injured in the process, but no one died.”
“Well done.”
Even though the work was finished, Seo Dae-ryong still seemed worried.
“You really killed the Demon Monarch.”
“If I had left him alive, many people would have been killed to silence them. Jang Ho, who sent the tip, would have eventually been killed too. Many warriors from the 3rd Squad who tried to protect him would have been sacrificed as well. You would have been no exception.”
“Ah… you thought that far ahead.”
Seo Dae-ryong couldn’t hide his surging emotions.
“Young Master, you are truly a righteous person.”
“Righteous, my foot! I was just angry that someone was messing with what I’m supposed to inherit. I’m a selfish person like that. So don’t misunderstand.”
Seo Dae-ryong, who had been staring at me silently, bowed politely.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“You worked hard too.”
As he was turning to leave, Seo Dae-ryong suddenly spoke.
“Still… I hope the Second Young Master becomes the successor.”
I felt that those words might be the highest praise a person like Seo Dae-ryong could give.
As soon as he finished speaking, Seo Dae-ryong hurried outside.
About to follow him, something caught my eye, and I sat on the edge of the bed for a moment. The blanket on the bed where the crow carcass had been placed had been replaced with a clean, new one. It seemed Seo Dae-ryong had changed it even in the midst of all that chaos.
Looking out the window, I saw Seo Dae-ryong walking across the training ground.
I leaned my head out the window and shouted.
“Can’t you say something like that while looking me in the eye?”
Seo Dae-ryong’s pace toward the entrance quickened.
Beyond his retreating figure, I could see where I needed to go. Was it because I felt a few steps closer after this incident? The Heavenly Demon Hall looked more magnificent than usual.