Chapter 403: Do You Think Selling Noodles Is Easy?
Chapter 403: Do You Think Selling Noodles Is Easy?
The middle-aged man in blue robes wanted to scream.
Do you really have to ask? He’s the damn Drunken Demon; of course they’re both dangerous.
Naturally, he couldn't say that aloud, so he spoke as politely as possible.
"I had no idea the Demonic Cult was involved in this. Had I known, I never would have lent my assistance."
He meant it. Nothing good ever came from getting tangled up with the wretched Demonic Cult.
The Drunken Demon eyed him. "And who might you be?"
The man glanced at the masked man standing nearby. He wasn't looking at a subordinate; he was gauging the other's reaction. When the masked man remained silent, the middle-aged man identified himself.
"I am Hwang-su. I am a scholar who studies human anatomy."
"Scholar, my foot! You’re a butcher. How many people have died by your hand?"
Hwang-su couldn't offer an excuse. Too many had died. He didn't even know the exact number anymore.
"What kind of tests were you performing on them?"
Hwang-su hesitated.
Just then, Yang-yi, who was still on the bed, plucked up his courage and spoke.
"He said they were looking for a specific constitution. What was it called? Ah, right. The Extreme Cold Body. He said if I possessed the Extreme Cold Body, I could live."
The Extreme Cold Body.
A constitution naturally born with a high resistance to cold is known as the Ice Cold Body. Those born with it can live their entire lives without ever catching so much as a common cold.
And among those with the Ice Cold Body, the constitution specifically specialized for extreme temperatures is the Extreme Cold Body.
A person born with the Extreme Cold Body will, at the very least, never die from the cold. For instance, if they were to enter icy water naked in the dead of winter, they might die of starvation, but they would never freeze to death.
"This bed... it became terrifyingly cold," Yang-yi added, shivering at the memory.
At Yang-yi's words, the Drunken Demon examined the bed. It was no ordinary piece of furniture.
"I see. This must be the device used to identify the Extreme Cold Body."
The Drunken Demon turned back to Hwang-su.
"Why are you looking for the Extreme Cold Body?"
Seeing Hwang-su remain silent, the Drunken Demon’s expression turned contemptuous.
"I believe I told you. I haven't had a drink today, so my nerves are quite frayed."
Hwang-su looked at the masked man beside him again.
The Drunken Demon had realized from the start that the masked man was not a subordinate. The look in his eyes wasn't that of a follower.
"He’s the one sent to keep an eye on you, isn't he?"
Finally, the masked man stepped forward.
"If you thought we would be intimidated just because you're a Demon Lord, you've miscalculated."
The "we" he referred to clearly did not include Hwang-su.
Two more masked men entered the room.
Their momentum was different from the warriors the Drunken Demon had dealt with earlier. Their gazes were as intense as the masked man who had been speaking.
Originally, the three of them had come to take turns monitoring Hwang-su and assisting with the mission. They were equal in skill and similar in temperament.
Hwang-su’s expression brightened at their appearance. The reason the first masked man had remained quiet was that he had been waiting for his comrades to arrive.
If the three of them are together...!
He thought they might actually stand a chance, even against a Demon Lord. But right then—
Whooooosh.
In the next instant, the Liquor Qi wavering around the Drunken Demon’s body scattered in all directions. A thick, intoxicating mist instantly blanketed the area.
Hwang-su could see nothing.
Please! Kill the Drunken Demon!
After a moment of heavy silence, Hwang-su saw the glint of a blade. It belonged to one of the masked men.
Then.
Crack.
The sound of breaking bones echoed. The sword visible in the air jerked violently before being sucked back into the mist and vanishing.
They’ve been hit!
Silence fell once more.
Whirrrr.
Another masked man infused his sword with internal energy and swung it through the air, trying to blow the mist-like Liquor Qi away.
His intention was to use his internal energy to clear his vision, but the Drunken Demon’s Liquor Qi was no ordinary fog.
It seemed to coil around his sword for a moment, but then it scattered in all directions, becoming even denser and more suffocating.
In that moment, Hwang-su saw it—a glimpse of the Drunken Demon through the haze.
He was moving leisurely with his hands behind his back, even flashing a smirk toward them.
Watch out!
Before the words could even leave his mouth—
Crunch.
The neck of the masked man who had tried to clear the Liquor Qi snapped under the Drunken Demon’s palm. He collapsed instantly.
Before the body even hit the floor, the Drunken Demon vanished back into the mist.
The last thing Hwang-su saw was a sword flying toward his own chest.
Killing to silence the witness!
The remaining masked man, realizing he couldn't handle the Drunken Demon, had decided to kill Hwang-su first. It seemed he had been given such orders from the start—to eliminate the scholar if the mission failed.
The flying sword stopped inches from Hwang-su’s heart.
Crr-ack.
The sound of crushing bones erupted right before his eyes.
As the thick mist dissipated, the masked man came into view. The one who had lunged at him with the sword had his neck twisted at a grotesque angle, the life already drained from his eyes.
As he slumped to the ground, the Drunken Demon stood behind him. It was a truly overwhelming difference in skill. He hadn't even touched his unique weapon, the Blood Tear, which hung at his waist.
Three of them could take him? It was a delusion of the highest order.
So this is the strength of the Demon Lords I’ve only heard stories about!
Hwang-su’s heart hammered against his ribs.
The Liquor Qi flickered around the Drunken Demon like ghostly flames before vanishing into his body.
"Why are you trying to find the Extreme Cold Body?"
Hwang-su no longer had any reason to protect his employers.
"I don't know that either. I was simply paid to find someone with the Extreme Cold Body."
"By whom?"
As Hwang-su hesitated, the Drunken Demon reminded him of his precarious reality.
"You were already dead a moment ago. I'm the only reason you're still breathing."
Hwang-su looked at the corpse of the masked man and finally decided to reveal the truth.
"The person who gave me the money was..."
It happened right then.
Voom.
Both of Hwang-su’s temples suddenly bulged.
Pop! Splat!
His head burst open, spraying blood across the room.
Hwang-su died instantly. A restriction had been placed on him—a deadly seal that would trigger the moment he tried to mention his backer.
The Drunken Demon looked down at the corpse with a grim expression.
A restriction or suggestion that kills someone when they attempt to give a specific answer was incredibly difficult to implement. It meant a formidable individual—or organization—was behind this.
The Drunken Demon spoke to Yang-yi, who was sitting there, paralyzed with fear.
"Get dressed."
Yang-yi, who had been naked until then, hurriedly scrambled into his clothes.
This wasn't a dream.
Once dressed, Yang-yi followed the Drunken Demon out of the room.
He realized anew how reckless his plan to ambush the warrior who brought him here and escape had been.
As they turned the corner of the hallway, a dozen warriors lay collapsed.
It was the same outside the building. Dozens of warriors were strewn about everywhere, unconscious or dead.
Seeing so many warriors guarding the place, Yang-yi realized that this matter was of immense importance.
If I really had the Extreme Cold Body, what on earth were they going to make me do?
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't fathom the answer.
A carriage was waiting a short distance away. It was a carriage from the North Sea Branch of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, prepared to take Yang-yi back to his hometown.
The people taking him would coordinate with the local branch in his hometown to protect his family, so there was no longer any need to worry.
"You don't have to worry about retaliation. Go live well with your family."
Even if that weren't the case, by the time Yang-yi reached home, everything here would be over.
Yang-yi still couldn't believe he had survived.
"It still feels like a dream. To think a Demon Lord, of all people, would save me!"
"I wasn't the one who saved you."
"What do you mean by that?"
"If not for your wife's desperate heart to save her husband, who would have sent someone all the way to the North Sea? You can hear the details from her when you get back."
At the thought of going home, Yang-yi was overcome with joy. To see his wife and children again!
While imprisoned, he had made countless resolutions. He would no longer be greedy for happiness all at once. Instead of the greed of wanting to make money to make them happy, he would cherish every moment of his children growing up.
Thank you. I will live exactly like that.
He bowed deeply.
"Thank you so much for saving my life."
Yang-yi intended to remember the Drunken Demon every year on this day over a glass of wine.
"I'll make sure this bow reaches the person who deserves it."
The Drunken Demon began walking in the opposite direction of the departing carriage.
Crunch, crunch.
His footsteps, leaving the first marks on the pristine white snow, gradually quickened. Soon, his feet left no prints at all.
*
Geom Mu-geuk and Lee An rented a carriage and returned to Eun-wol’s safe house.
The three-man group, whose acupoints had been sealed, were still unconscious.
The two of them loaded them into the carriage.
"Let's head to the Ice Palace as soon as Lord Drunken Demon returns."
Lee An could tell. Geom Mu-geuk had absolute faith that the Drunken Demon would handle the matter and return. Though he usually treated him like a comfortable older brother, at least for now, he viewed him as a Demon Lord.
Lee An wasn't worried about the Drunken Demon either. If anything, she was worried about the Young Palace Master they had met.
"But will the Ice Palace accept the Young Master's proposal?"
Even if the Drunken Demon rescued the captive, it would be a problem if the Ice Palace refused to cooperate.
"They'll accept."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Didn't you tell the Young Palace Master? That she should trust you because you're a transcendent being!"
"Don't tease me. Why is it?"
Geom Mu-geuk explained his reasoning.
"Our conditions were twofold: that you wouldn't be punished, and that the Ice Palace would allow us to investigate the Institute Head's death."
"Right."
"First of all, they can't touch you anyway. Not only can they not lay a hand on you, my subordinate, but there was a valid reason for kidnapping their child. Crucially, the North Blood Sect wants to keep this matter quiet; they can't blow this up just to punish you."
"What about the second condition? The Ice Palace could still refuse us."
"The Ice Palace Master likely already knows about the relationship between their Institute Head and Brother Chui-ma. It’s a bond forged over years of exchanging letters and liquor. If such a person shows interest in the death, can they really refuse? If they did, Brother Chui-ma would only become more suspicious and dig deeper. In the process, he might uncover information the Ice Palace wants to keep hidden. The Ice Palace Master will anticipate that, so he won't be able to refuse easily."
Lee An was impressed. She hadn't thought of any of the reasons Geom Mu-geuk mentioned.
"I think I'll retire. I don't have the confidence to survive in this Murim. It's a miracle I'm still alive. I'll retire to the countryside where no martial artists go and sell noodles for a living."
"Do you think selling noodles is easy? After being jostled by people all day, you'll find yourself thinking, 'Ah, those were the days, swinging my sword beside the Young Master without a care in the world,' and you'll want to come running back immediately."
Lee An let out a sigh.
"Speaking of which, do you want some noodles? There are ingredients in the kitchen."
"You know how to make them?"
"I can manage noodles, at least."
"Let's eat. I was starting to feel a bit hungry anyway."
"I'll go whip some up right away."
As Lee An disappeared into the kitchen, Geom Mu-geuk lightly leaped onto the roof of the carriage. Even as he landed, not even the sound of a falling feather could be heard.
Geom Mu-geuk lay there and looked up at the sky.
Suddenly, he missed his father.
He missed the Demon Lords too, but his father was always the first person he missed.
He was probably sitting stoically on the Grand Tutor’s Chair in the Heavenly Demon Hall, tending to business.
Father, your son misses you so much. Are you thinking of me?
While he was reminiscing, Lee An quickly prepared the noodles.
"Where would you like to eat?"
"Let's eat up here."
Lee An leaped onto the carriage roof with the noodles. Her light body technique was so smooth that not a single drop of broth was spilled. Her martial realm was improving by the day.
"Here, eat."
For something made so quickly, the taste was excellent.
"It's delicious. With this kind of talent, you won't starve even if you retire. Let me invest in that noodle shop too!"
Lee An felt good. She had been secretly worried that Geom Mu-geuk might find them tasteless.
It was while the two of them were slurping their noodles that the Drunken Demon arrived.
Geom Mu-geuk and Lee An looked at him. The Drunken Demon gave them a single nod. Seeing that gesture, Lee An felt relieved. She knew he had successfully rescued the man.
Of course, there was also unfortunate news.
"I only managed to save that one man."
Lee An felt a pang of regret, but there was nothing to be done.
She wouldn't blame herself, thinking she could have saved more people if she had done better. She intended to channel that anger into punishing the one who had orchestrated this.
"Are there any noodles left?"
"I can make some for you right away. But will noodles be enough? I'll buy you something delicious later."
After all, he had stepped up for her sake.
"It's fine. Noodles are plenty."
"Understood. I'll go boil some more."
"Another bowl for me too!"
"Yes!"
As Lee An ran back to the kitchen, the Drunken Demon leaped onto the carriage roof.
"Good work, Brother."
"It was nothing."
"But why were they kidnapping people?"
"They were looking for the Extreme Cold Body."
"The Extreme Cold Body?"
Among the various human constitutions, the Extreme Cold Body was exceptionally rare.
"The moment he tried to answer who gave the orders, his head exploded. It was a very powerful restriction."
Hearing those words, Geom Mu-geuk recalled an organization he had known before his regression.
The Blood Death Alliance.
Bound by blood, they did not fear death. They would throw away their lives without hesitation for the sake of the organization.
Everyone feared the Blood Death Alliance.
But it was later revealed that they didn't sacrifice their lives out of sincere loyalty. They were under a powerful restriction that caused their bodies to explode if they betrayed the group.
The figure who led the Blood Death Alliance.
The 9th King among the Twelve Zodiac Kings.
The Blood King.
Another one of the Twelve Zodiac Kings had appeared.
Being a lower-ranked King didn't necessarily mean they were weaker than those above them.
The Blood King was the one who best exemplified this. It was said he became the 9th King simply because he liked the number nine.
The Blood King was a powerful individual. For one, he commanded countless subordinates, and those subordinates did not fear death. They couldn't betray him and wouldn't hesitate to use self-destruction arts.
Because of this, it wasn't actually known what kind of martial arts the Blood King used or how strong he was. All history related to the Blood King was the history of his subordinates—a history written in their blood.
That Blood King is looking for the Extreme Cold Body? Why?
Geom Mu-geuk looked around at the snow-covered surroundings.
I wonder how much blood will have to be spilled on this pristine snow.
Lee An, returning with the noodles, saw Geom Mu-geuk’s serious expression.
She could tell from that look that this Ice Palace matter would be far from easy. Her heart burned with fighting spirit.
Just then, her eyes met Geom Mu-geuk’s.
"I'll just stick to boiling noodles diligently."
Geom Mu-geuk gave a faint smile at her banter.
Then, the Drunken Demon spoke up abruptly.
"Don't worry."
When Geom Mu-geuk turned to look, the Drunken Demon was lying back, looking up at the sky as if he were drinking at the Drunken Dream Pavilion.
His posture was relaxed, but his gaze, visible through his stray hairs, was deeper and more intense than ever before.
"Your big brother will take care of everything."