Chapter 224: This Time, I Will Assist You
Chapter 224: This Time, I Will Assist You
The Extreme Evil Smiling Demon lay on the roof, staring blankly at the sky.
For someone who had spent a lifetime staring at nothing but white walls, looking up at the open sky like this was a deeply unfamiliar experience.
Just then, a voice spoke from beside him.
"Even when looking at the sky, do you only pick out the white clouds?"
At the sound of that welcome voice, the Smiling Demon’s eyes crinkled into a bright smile behind his mask.
"Have you returned safely?"
"I have, thanks to you."
The person speaking to him was Geom Mu-geuk.
The Smiling Demon sat up. Shortly after, the Poison King entered the courtyard. The Poison King’s appearance always gave off a clear, refreshing impression.
However, Geom Mu-geuk had truly experienced it this time—just how terrifying the man was, despite that bright and youthful exterior. His poisoning was an art, and the results were fatal. He was a man capable of reaching into the poison pouch of the Unorthodox Faction’s greatest poison master and coming out on top.
Feeling their gaze, the Poison King snapped his fan open with a sharp thwack and fanned himself rhythmically as he walked in.
The Smiling Demon stood up and offered a light fist salute in greeting.
"You’ve worked hard."
"Not at all. I simply followed the plan. The plan was excellent."
To this, Geom Mu-geuk added, "We never could have pulled this off without the Poison King."
He had realized clearly this time why his father valued the Poison King so much, and why the Murim feared him.
The Poison King looked up at Geom Mu-geuk and asked, "Are you going to say that to everyone you meet?"
Geom Mu-geuk knew exactly what he was getting at. The man wanted to hear those words.
"Yes. Until the moment I report it to my father for the last time."
A flicker of satisfaction at hearing what he wanted crossed the Poison King’s eyes.
Snap. Folding his fan with a sharp sound, the Poison King headed inside.
"Ah. After being stuck in a dungeon, looking at the sky feels wonderful."
Geom Mu-geuk sat down, and while the Smiling Demon remained standing, they looked up at the sky together. They stayed like that for a moment until someone entered through the main gate.
"I’m back!"
It was Seo Dae-ryong, returning from the market. His arms were overflowing with ingredients.
"I’ll get dinner ready. Please wait just a moment."
Seo Dae-ryong spoke while looking at the ground. A long stalk of green onion was partially obscuring his face, but that wasn't why he couldn't see them. He simply couldn't bring himself to meet the Smiling Demon's eyes.
"There were so many fresh ingredients today. I even learned a new dish from an inn cook that I haven't made for you yet. I’ll make it delicious."
Geom Mu-geuk watched with a smile as Seo Dae-ryong rambled on without making eye contact. He hadn't even realized Geom Mu-geuk was there.
"I’m grateful every time," the Smiling Demon said.
At those words, Seo Dae-ryong’s gaze seemed to dig even deeper into the dirt.
"It’s only natural that I do it. Oh, and I had a dream last night that the Pavilion Master returned. Our Pavilion Master has a knack for making people miss him, strangely enough."
Geom Mu-geuk finally spoke up.
"Maybe I shouldn't have come back until you missed me desperately."
Seo Dae-ryong looked up, startled.
"Pavilion Master!"
His eyes went wide, and the ingredients tumbled from his arms.
Whoosh.
The falling ingredients froze in mid-air, suspended by Geom Mu-geuk’s Telekinesis. In the dungeon, it had been keys; now, it was green onions, vegetables, and meat.
Seo Dae-ryong hurriedly gathered them back up. Clutching the food, he couldn't hide his joy. Geom Mu-geuk could tell—if the Smiling Demon hadn't been standing right there, the man would have leaped onto the roof and pulled him into a crushing hug, green onions and all.
"Go to that boy and tell him. We have taken his revenge, so he should go live his own life."
Seo Dae-ryong grew choked up the moment he heard those words. Throughout this entire journey, he had been thinking of that boy.
"Yes. I will be sure to tell him that this is the Demonic Path of the Next Heavenly Demon."
Geom Mu-geuk said with a smirk, "My older brother might hear about that."
Seo Dae-ryong quickly corrected himself. "I will be sure to tell him that this is the Demonic Path of the Second Young Master."
Geom Mu-geuk hopped down from the roof.
"Let’s eat. I’m hungry. Wait, are you crying?"
"Crying? No. These onions are just very pungent."
Seo Dae-ryong hurried inside with the unpeeled onions. Before following him, Geom Mu-geuk looked up at the Smiling Demon still standing on the roof. Their eyes met, and they shared a slight nod.
Though he always ate separately from the Smiling Demon, Geom Mu-geuk always made eye contact like this before a meal. It made him feel as though they were eating together.
*
In the evening, Go Wol and the Pungcheon Cult Leader joined them.
"Young Master!"
"Second Young Master!"
The two were as consistent as ever.
"I suppose those filthy and dangerous drugs won't be circulating anymore."
The Pungcheon Cult Leader praised the efforts of Mu-geuk and the Poison King.
"The Poison King worked hard as well."
"It was a good experience."
"It must have been interesting."
The Pungcheon Cult Leader seemed secretly envious. Seeing how devoted he was, Mu-geuk felt he should make some separate time for him eventually.
After the greetings, they all sat down together. While they had been dealing with Aecha and the True Poison Recluse, Go Wol had finished investigating their next target.
"The next target is Yeo Bul-gae."
Before the explanation continued, Mu-geuk asked a question he wanted to address first.
"Two of them died in a row. Won't Ya Yul-han be suspicious?"
"He will certainly have his suspicions. But what can he do? There were plenty of subordinates who witnessed the two of them fighting with blades. Furthermore, one of them was poisoned by Wild Rage. In the end, he’ll have no choice but to think it was a string of bad luck."
"So there's no chance he'll recall the remaining two?"
"No. Besides, Ya Yul-han’s personality is such that he loathes bending under external pressure."
Go Wol went a step further.
"Since it’s already happened, he’ll likely look for new people to fill those spots. He isn't the type to look back."
"There will be plenty of candidates. Unorthodox masters will be lining up to hold hands with the second-in-command of the Unorthodox Path Alliance," the Pungcheon Cult Leader chimed in.
"Once Yeo Bul-gae dies, his thoughts will change. He won't believe that a coincidence happens three times."
At that, Go Wol revealed the next phase of the plan.
"That is why I plan to eliminate Ya Yul-han before the news of Yeo Bul-gae’s death reaches him."
"What about the last of the four?"
"He is always by Ya Yul-han’s side. He’s someone we have to deal with anyway."
Kill Yeo Bul-gae, and before his death is known, take out Ya Yul-han and his final henchman. In other words, they would eliminate all three almost simultaneously.
"Good! Let’s do that."
Geom Mu-geuk accepted the suggestion without hesitation.
"Thank you. I will present the detailed plan shortly."
The Poison King, who had been listening, suddenly asked, "Once Ya Yul-han is dead, won't the Unorthodox Path Alliance suspect us?"
Geom Mu-geuk answered in Go Wol's stead.
"I have a solution for that. Though I don't know yet if it will work."
The Poison King looked at him with a gaze that asked if he could really pull that off. In truth, Mu-geuk didn't know either. He couldn't predict everything that lay ahead.
"First, tell me about Yeo Bul-gae."
Go Wol began his explanation.
"Yeo Bul-gae is a man with a rat tattoo on his chest. He manages hundreds of brothels across the Central Plains and is known as the King of the Night. The reason for the rat tattoo is to show his resolve to earn money at night without sleeping."
"What is his personality like?"
"He is an utterly atrocious individual. He kidnaps women, seizes the daughters of families driven to ruin by the Immortal's Debt, and used every foul means imaginable to build the current Nightless City. Furthermore, his lust is immense; countless women have suffered at his hands. There are even rumors that he sells older courtesans to those who practice bizarre Evil Arts."
If Ji-saeng had to die because of the Immortal's Debt, and Aecha and the True Poison Recluse had to die because of Wild Rage, then this man also deserved death.
Since he had received his father's permission to deal with Ya Yul-han and his four henchmen, he intended to eliminate every single one of them. If not for him and the Demon Lords, who could take down a man who had risen to be the King of the Night? Especially one protected by the second-in-command of the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
"He has been expanding his brothels throughout the Central Plains, and recently, he has been trying to expand into Guizhou."
It was then. The Extreme Evil Smiling Demon spoke up.
"Did you say Guizhou?"
"I did."
The Smiling Demon’s gaze turned cold. The Heavenly Flower Pavilion was in Guizhou. And the woman who liked him, the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master Yeo-jeong, was also there.
The Smiling Demon looked at Geom Mu-geuk. Without a second thought, Mu-geuk said to him:
"This time, I will assist you, Lord Smiling Demon."
The Smiling Demon nodded, stood up, and walked out. Everyone looked at Mu-geuk, wondering what was going on, but it wasn't his place to say.
"We leave for Guizhou early tomorrow. Everyone, get ready."
*
After the meeting, Mu-geuk shared a cup of tea with Go Wol.
"We need to be even more careful with this mission."
Geom Mu-geuk told Go Wol everything—about the Heavenly Flower Pavilion, its owner Yeo-jeong, and her relationship with the Smiling Demon. Even if no one else knew, the strategist had to be informed.
"Truly, the net cast by Heaven misses nothing."
Mu-geuk nodded silently. Upon learning of the Smiling Demon’s deep connection to the Heavenly Flower Pavilion, Go Wol grew concerned.
"If we aren't careful, our identities could be exposed."
"The Smiling Demon is well aware of that. There’s no need for great concern."
"When someone you care for is involved, unexpected variables tend to arise."
"There won't be any variables. You can trust him."
At Mu-geuk's conviction, Go Wol smiled.
"Why are you laughing?"
"I was just wondering if there was anyone else the Young Master trusted this much."
"There’s you, isn't there? And Investigator Seo. And Lee An. And Commander Jang. I trust you all the same."
Nevertheless, it seemed Go Wol felt a different kind of special consideration for the Smiling Demon.
"May I ask one thing?"
"What is it?"
"Have you never considered that the people you just mentioned might betray you?"
It seemed Go Wol was worried because Mu-geuk formed such deep relationships with people.
"Premeditated betrayal isn't that common, is it? Unless someone is being bribed or coerced, isn't it mostly just people feeling a sense of betrayal for one reason or another as they live their lives?"
Go Wol nodded, listening intently.
"The feeling of betrayal can be perceived differently depending on one's perspective. Someone might leave because they’re disappointed in the other person, but they might be branded a traitor simply because they left. When in reality, the person who let them go might be the real traitor."
Mu-geuk shared his philosophy on parting ways with people.
"If someone wants to leave me, I will send them off with even more courtesy than when I met them. I won't turn someone who leaves into a traitor."
A smile spread across Go Wol's face.
"At times like this, you seem more like an older brother to me."
"It’s because I’m an old soul."
He needed to have many sincere conversations with Go Wol. The more Go Wol knew exactly what kind of person he was, the better strategist he would become. If he expected him to be a good strategist without such effort, that was when traitors were made.
Just then, another person appeared.
"Can I join in?"
It was the Pungcheon Cult Leader.
"Of course."
He took a seat with them.
"Now that I look at you, it seems you’ve lost some weight."
As if he had been waiting for those words, the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s expression brightened instantly.
"Someone keeps nagging me so much, I have no choice but to lose it. A man should have a certain reliable charm to his physique, you know?"
Go Wol, who had been serious in front of Mu-geuk, showed a different side.
"The Cult Leader was just fat."
"I know! That’s why I’m training so hard!"
Due to the nature of the Pungcheon Cult Leader’s martial arts, he didn't move much, which had caused him to put on weight.
"You need to lose more. You’ve still got a long way to go."
"Enough nagging! Bring out the wine and meat! I’m going to finish it all today!"
If anyone heard this conversation, who would think this man was the Pungcheon Cult Leader? Who would think this man was the shackled prisoner from back then?
Seo Dae-ryong joined them as well.
"How was it? With Lord Smiling Demon?"
"It was terrifying."
"It didn't seem like it was just terrifying."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You were talking quite a bit when you were coming back with the food."
"Don't you know that people talk more when they're scared?"
But it seemed it hadn't been purely fear.
"To be honest, it’s also a bit thrilling. Every time I brought food to him, my heart would pound so hard I could hear it in my ears. That strange tension... it’s addictive."
Then, someone else spoke from behind.
"Addiction is my specialty."
They turned to see the Poison King.
"What are four men doing gathered here drinking tea?"
Even though he didn't particularly like alcohol, he sat down while tossing out a comment.
"Our Investigator Seo was just talking about being addicted to Lord Smiling Demon."
"It couldn't have been easy to cater to the Smiling Demon’s tastes."
Seeing an opportunity, Seo Dae-ryong began to vent to them.
"I wasn't going to say this, but... the Smiling Demon is a much pickier eater than he looks. He doesn't like eating the same thing twice in a row. So every day, I wander the market like a lonely wolf in the rain, wondering what side dish to buy today, what to cook for him tomorrow..."
It was then that Seo Dae-ryong noticed everyone’s gaze was fixed on something behind him. He made a tearful face.
"...No, right? Please tell me it’s not him."
The Smiling Demon sat down next to Seo Dae-ryong and spoke.
"I grew up pampered, so I’m a bit of a picky eater."
Seo Dae-ryong hung his head low.
"And I have a big mouth. Please just kill me."
"Since my appetite has shortened, your life span has shortened as well, so it’s fine."
At the Smiling Demon’s joke, Seo Dae-ryong clutched his head, and everyone laughed. The Smiling Demon didn't seem offended at all. In fact, he seemed a bit more cheerful and in a better mood than usual. Because of that, Mu-geuk knew.
Yeo Bul-gae, you’re in big trouble.