Chapter 216: Are You Afraid of the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon?
Chapter 216: Are You Afraid of the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon?
Under the cover of dawn the following day, a single carriage secretly departed from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Inside were Geom Mu-geuk, the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon, and the Poison King.
Two men watched the carriage vanish into the distance: the Heavenly Demon Geom Wu-jin and Chief Strategist Sama Myeong.
“I believe it is time for me to step down from my position as Chief Strategist,” Sama Myeong remarked.
When Geom Wu-jin turned to him with a questioning look, Sama Myeong flashed a self-deprecating smile.
“I never imagined the Second Young Master would be able to make the Poison King bark in the Great Training Ground. I knew the Second Young Master was extraordinary, but I didn't expect him to actually break the Poison King.”
Geom Wu-jin nodded slowly. “I felt the same.”
“There is one more shock. I truly did not expect you, Cult Leader, to permit this undertaking.”
“What else could I do? I made a promise.”
Sama Myeong knew that Geom Wu-jin was a man who never broke his word. That was exactly why he should have shut the matter down from the start, but instead, he had left an opening by mentioning the Poison King.
Could it be that the Cult Leader anticipated this outcome? Sama Myeong wondered.
When it came to Geom Mu-geuk, he could never quite fathom what was in Geom Wu-jin’s heart.
“While this operation is underway, grant my second son full access to all information,” the Cult Leader commanded.
“Understood. Tongcheon Pavilion will provide absolute support.”
“And prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.”
Among the potential "unforeseen circumstances," two were particularly grave. First, the mission succeeds, but it is revealed that the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was responsible for eliminating Ya Yul-han. Second, Geom Mu-geuk and the two Demon Lords fail to kill him and find themselves in peril.
Both cases would have severe repercussions. While the Unorthodox Path Alliance might not be able to wage an all-out war against the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, they would demand significant compensation. If those demands weren't met, they might join forces with the Murim Alliance. If Geom Mu-geuk or the Demon Lords were killed or severely injured, it would be an equally disastrous blow to the Cult’s power.
How could Geom Wu-jin not know this? Yet, he had given his permission regardless.
Do you perhaps wish for the Murim to become unstable through this incident?
Sama Myeong knew that Geom Wu-jin would one day draw his sword against the entire Murim. The thought suddenly occurred to him that the Cult Leader might be using this event as the catalyst.
Regardless, one thing was certain: it wasn't just the Demon Lords who had changed. Though he couldn't quite put his finger on it, the Heavenly Demon had clearly changed as well. The mere fact that they were standing here together, watching a carriage depart that normally would never have been allowed to leave, was proof enough.
Second Young Master, you must succeed and return safely.
The winds of change were blowing not only within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult but across the entire Murim.
*
The man driving the carriage was Seo Dae-ryong.
When I went to him last night and told him we had to leave the next day, he immediately started complaining.
“No way! Where are you trying to take me this time? How dangerous is it?”
“It’s no big deal. You just need to drive the carriage for a bit. Maybe run a few errands later.”
“That makes it sound even more suspicious! I can smell the danger from a mile away.”
“It’s the scent of adventure,” I countered. “The scent of growth, and the scent of memories.”
“When you add all those up, it just smells like a death trap! I’m sorry, but I’m not going! My life’s worth of adventure ended when I won the Young Dragon Tournament. I told you I was going to spend the rest of my life just bragging about that, didn't I?”
“It has to be you.”
“There are countless martial artists in this cult!”
“This matter involves my fate, the fate of the Cult, and the fate of the Murim. I need someone I can trust to keep a secret until the day they die. At the very least, I can promise there won't be any wicked women trying to seduce you.”
“You’re poking at my wounds again!”
The final blow that moved him was this:
“We’re going to settle that incident.”
At those words, the playfulness vanished from Seo Dae-ryong’s face.
“Then I have to go.”
And so, Seo Dae-ryong arrived at the carriage this morning with a heart set on punishing the mastermind behind that tragedy.
“But why are we taking a carriage? Can’t the two of us just use lightness skills?”
“Because it’s not just the two of us going.”
“What?”
Seo Dae-ryong took a peek inside the carriage and jumped back in shock. He dragged me away from the carriage and whispered urgently.
“Why are those two in there?!”
“Because they’re coming along to help me.”
“You didn't tell me the carriage I’d be driving was carrying the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon and the Poison King! Tell me everything right now. Who exactly is the enemy?”
“Ya Yul-han.”
Seo Dae-ryong blinked for a moment before asking, “There’s only one Ya Yul-han I know of… It’s not him, right? Hey, that’s a bit too much for a joke. Please tell me it’s not him.”
The moment he tried to turn around and bolt, I spoke.
“You should be the one to tell that child. Tell him that we went and got revenge for his family.”
Seo Dae-ryong stopped. With slumped shoulders, he walked toward the driver’s seat and muttered, “If you put it like that, how can I not go?!”
I knew Seo Dae-ryong was just blustering. He might be scared, but he wasn't the type of man to back out of something like this. He wanted to avenge the child, and more than anything, this was a journey with me. During our last trip outside the Cult, he had become the disciple of the Blade Demon and the winner of the Young Dragon Tournament.
I needed Seo Dae-ryong for this mission. Even just for this carriage ride—if I had been the one driving, the silence inside with the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon and the Poison King would have been suffocating.
Since they first greeted each other upon boarding, the two Demon Lords hadn't uttered a single word. They really did not get along.
I had expected as much. I didn't go out of my way to try and make them friendly. If an opportunity arose, they might bond; if not, they would return just as coldly as they left.
“I’ve received all the current intel on our targets from Tongcheon Pavilion, and we’ll be receiving additional updates as we go.”
Though I didn't mention it to them, I was also receiving active intelligence from Eun-wol, led by Go Wol and the Pungcheon Cult Leader. Those two were scheduled to join us on-site to assist.
“Our current destination is where Ji-saeng, the 'Golden Pig' who created the Immortal's Debt, is located. I will explain the plan once we arrive.”
“I will follow your lead, Second Young Master,” the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon replied politely.
The Poison King glanced over at me. He looked like he wanted to say something but was holding back because of the Smiling Demon’s presence.
— Let me ask one thing. Why does the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon like you so much?
— Why are you using Voice Transmission instead of speaking aloud?
— I’m not exactly close with that man, so how can I ask out loud? Does he have some kind of leverage over you? Why is he being so nice to you?
— I won't answer if you keep using Voice Transmission. Be a man and just ask!
The Poison King turned his head toward the window, huffing.
The Extreme Evil Smiling Demon, noticing that the Poison King had sent me a Voice Transmission, looked at me. I smiled and gave him a small nod. Surprisingly, just exchanging looks like this made me feel good.
The Poison King eventually asked something else, unrelated to the Smiling Demon.
“Will a plan that doesn't exist now suddenly appear when we arrive?”
“Because a strategist who isn't here now will be there when we arrive.”
“A strategist? You mean Strategist Sama?”
The Poison King didn't know that Go Wol and the Pungcheon Cult Leader had become my people.
“No, I have my own strategist.”
“You already have a strategist?”
“To survive in this treacherous Murim, one needs a strategist. Doesn't everyone have at least one strategist who’s terrible at Go?”
The Poison King looked baffled. Normally, he would have let out a sharp remark, but he seemed to be restraining himself because of the Smiling Demon. Having the two of them together did have its benefits.
— Are you afraid of Lord Smiling Demon?
I expected him to tell me not to talk nonsense.
— Of course I am. Just looking at that mask makes my heart race.
It was an unexpected answer. I hadn't realized the Poison King feared the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon this much.
— Right now, Lord Smiling Demon is probably trembling while looking at your poison pouches.
— No way. That man isn't someone who fears death.
I hadn't expected him to hold the Smiling Demon in such high regard, either.
— What about you, Poison King?
— I’m terrified of dying. Why do you think I never left the Thousand Poison Forest?
Are you afraid of dying? Or are you afraid of killing?
Instead of the question I wanted to ask, I asked him something else.
“How does it feel to be out of the Cult after so long?”
The Poison King’s gaze drifted out the window of the moving carriage. “What feelings? I used to roam the Central Plains until I was sick of it.”
“You did?”
“Do you think I earned the title of Poison King while sitting in the Thousand Poison Forest? In my youth, I traveled the entire Central Plains searching for poisonous substances.”
Why, then, had he shut himself away in the Thousand Poison Forest?
I didn't ask. When we eventually became close enough to share our hearts, I would find out naturally. I’d listen to his story on the day I revealed that I possessed a Body Immune to All Poisons.
It was then.
With a sudden, frantic neighing of horses, the carriage screeched to a halt.
Ordinary people would have been thrown forward, but Demon Lords were Demon Lords. The two of them remained calmly in their seats.
Seo Dae-ryong called out urgently from the driver’s seat. “I’m sorry! A deer suddenly jumped out from the bushes by the road.”
“Since we’ve stopped anyway, let’s take a break. The horses seem spooked.”
I stepped out of the carriage with the two Demon Lords. Seo Dae-ryong bowed deeply to the two of them, apologizing again.
He had been terrified that the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon might have been sent flying into the front of the carriage. What if the impact had chipped the mask? Seo Dae-ryong looked pale, as if he were imagining exactly that.
To help ease the tension, I formally introduced Seo Dae-ryong.
“He is the top disciple of the Elder Blade Demon. He is currently being initiated into the Elder’s unique martial arts.”
The Extreme Evil Smiling Demon didn't seem surprised, likely already knowing this, but the Poison King was startled.
“The Blade Demon’s disciple?”
It seemed he found it unexpected that this small, scrawny man was the successor to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
I gave Seo Dae-ryong another boost. “He is also my right-hand man.”
The Poison King’s gaze shifted to me. His eyes seemed to say, Even your right-hand man?
I spoke firmly. “I feel very reassured having him by my side.”
The Poison King’s gaze returned to Seo Dae-ryong. Naturally, the pressure on Seo Dae-ryong increased a hundredfold.
“You flatter me,” Seo Dae-ryong said, bowing politely. At the same time, a Voice Transmission flew my way.
— Stop it! Please, don't make the Demon Lords notice me! Just treat me like I’m invisible!
When Seo Dae-ryong looked up, I said with a smile, “He even won the Young Dragon Tournament, where the best rising stars of the Orthodox faction compete.”
Seeing Seo Dae-ryong cursing me with his eyes to stop, I made sure to finish strong.
“You two will meet him again much later at the Eight Demon Gathering.”
Having given up on everything, Seo Dae-ryong looked up at the sky with a face of enlightenment and laughed. I’d teased him enough; it was time to go.
“Well then, let’s head out.”
We climbed back into the carriage. Seo Dae-ryong, who had been driving enthusiastically until a moment ago, now drove as cautiously as a novice. He was terrified of having to make another sudden stop.
I called out loudly toward the driver’s seat. “If you go this slowly, we’ll have to switch places. Do you want to come sit inside?”
The next moment, the carriage began to race forward at a furious pace.
*
The carriage traveled on and on.
To avoid leaving tracks as much as possible, we didn't stop at villages and instead camped out. When the prepared liquor and food ran out, I hunted and cooked personally to serve the Demon Lords. The Poison King, tasting my cooking for the first time, marveled that I was good at everything.
Eventually, we arrived in the region where Ji-saeng, the Golden Pig, was located. At a safe house there, Go Wol and the Pungcheon Cult Leader greeted us.
Seeing the Pungcheon Cult Leader alongside Go Wol, the Poison King asked me:
— Why is the Pungcheon Cult Leader here?
— He is very close with my strategist.
— I heard the Pungcheon Cult Leader stepped down from his position; I suppose that was because of you.
— But why do you keep using Voice Transmission? Speak up proudly. 'Pungcheon Cult Leader, what are you doing here?' What is the great Poison King so afraid of?
— It’s not because I’m afraid. It’s just awkward.
— Barking in front of all those people was fine? Being bold in front of my father was fine?
— That was because it was something I had to do. I just find all these people uncomfortable.
Still, I felt our relationship was progressing. He was being honest with me about his feelings.
After letting the two Demon Lords settle into their respective rooms, I sat down privately with Go Wol.
“Impressive. To think you’ve even moved the heart of the Poison King.”
“Their movement is less about loyalty to me and more about goodwill or curiosity.”
“I believe that goodwill can sometimes exert a greater power than loyalty.”
“I hope so.”
I felt that my relationship with the Demon Lords was only just beginning. Truly becoming close to someone is difficult. But what is even more difficult is maintaining that relationship. Once the freshness and interest in a new person fade, boredom and disappointment inevitably creep in. I still had a long way to go with the Demon Lords.
“This matter must be handled more cautiously than anything else,” Go Wol said, understanding the gravity of the situation better than anyone. “In truth, considering your skills and those of the Demon Lords, eliminating the four subordinates is not difficult. The problem is leaving no trace of our Cult in their deaths, and ensuring that it doesn't put Ya Yul-han on high alert.”
It seemed Go Wol had already given it a great deal of thought.
“I will follow your plan.”
I wasn't saying it just to make him feel good. I intended to follow Go Wol’s words strictly. How to raise a good strategist? It’s simple. Follow his plan and make it succeed. As a strategist’s confidence grows, his next plans will become even more brilliant. I would only need to improvise if parts of his plan went awry.
“Our first target, Ji-saeng, is currently trying to create a new batch of Immortal's Debt. He recently found someone to entrust with the task.”
This was why executing the underlings was useless. Only by eliminating Ji-saeng, who had tasted the wealth brought by Immortal's Debt, would the drug truly disappear.
With an expression that said the plan was already set, Go Wol spoke. “It is said that he who chases the deer does not see the mountain. In the end, it will be his own greed that kills him.”
I guessed his plan and said with a smile, “We should let that man who loves Immortals know that among them, there are also Evil Immortals.”