Chapter 623: It’s Fine as Long as I Don’t Get Caught
Chapter 623: It’s Fine as Long as I Don’t Get Caught
“The First Young Master has arrived safely at the second residence.”
At the Chief Strategist’s report, both Geom Mu-geuk and Sama Myeong breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Beside the original map of the Central Plains, a detailed topographical map of Wuhan had been laid out, centered on the Murim Alliance Headquarters. Three flags stood upon it. Two flags that had nearly collided were now drifting apart: the flags of Geom Mu-yang and Hanwolgaek.
Between those two, a single flag had been planted. It was the one that had forced the two forces—which should never have met—to separate.
The Demon Lord Banner of the Poison King.
Yes, if not for that green flag, who else could have sent an enraged Hanwolgaek back alive?
Thank you, Poison King. When you return, I’ll gladly offer my own body for as many poison experiments as you wish.
Sama Myeong turned to Geom Mu-geuk. “The crisis has passed, so you should go and rest. I will handle the remaining affairs of the Heavenly Demon Hall.”
The two had been working in the Heavenly Demon Hall as usual when they received the emergency contact and rushed to Tongcheon Pavilion. Mu-geuk would have preferred to spend his time reading in the Heavenly Demon Library, but he had to fulfill his duties first. Taking his father’s place was far more important than personal study.
“No, I’ll handle the remaining work at the hall,” Mu-geuk countered. “You’re the one who looks like you need rest, Strategist.”
“I am fine.”
“Well, I’m not fine with it.”
Because Tongcheon Pavilion had been on high alert, Sama Myeong had barely slept lately. The accumulated fatigue was etched clearly into the lines of his face.
“Come this way.”
Geom Mu-geuk took Sama Myeong by the hand and led him away. They went to a room within Tongcheon Pavilion that Mu-geuk had shown him before—the one with a bed.
“Close your eyes, even if only for a moment. I’m not leaving until you lie down.”
When Geom Mu-geuk stubbornly refused to back down, Sama Myeong had no choice but to lie on the bed.
“Then I shall be so bold as to be rude to the Acting Cult Leader.”
Thinking Mu-geuk would only leave if he pretended to sleep, Sama Myeong closed his eyes. At that moment, Geom Mu-geuk’s hand moved with lightning speed.
Using the gentlest Finger Wind he had ever manifested, he struck one of Sama Myeong’s acupoints. It was a technique so sublime that the strategist didn’t even realize his blood flow had been manipulated.
Slipping away... Without even realizing he was falling asleep, Sama Myeong drifted off into a deep slumber.
Geom Mu-geuk stepped out of the room and spoke softly to the subordinate strategist assisting Sama Myeong.
“He will wake up naturally in four hours. Until then, do not wake him even if the Murim Alliance invades.”
“Yes! I shall follow your command!”
Knowing full well how much the elderly strategist had been overworking himself, the subordinate bowed deeply, his face full of gratitude.
Leaving Tongcheon Pavilion, Geom Mu-geuk returned to the Heavenly Demon Hall and processed the day’s tasks. Fortunately, he was now proficient in handling the Cult’s internal affairs. Whenever he had to make a choice, he always asked himself one thing:
What decision would Father make?
Then the choice became easy. He focused not on his own thoughts or opinions, but on what his father would have done. After all, he was merely acting as his father’s proxy.
Once the work was finished, Geom Mu-geuk headed toward the Heavenly Demon Library. His days were packed. Upon entering the library, he immediately began picking out books.
Nothing is as subject to personal taste as reading; usually, one ends up reading only the genres they enjoy. However, today, as always, Geom Mu-geuk pulled books at random. There was an unexpected wisdom to be found in non-selective reading. The unique knowledge and inspiration gained from books one would never normally touch—simply because they fell outside one’s interests—was an experience that could never be understood by those who hadn’t tried it.
Mu-geuk felt it instinctively. He wouldn’t gain something just by reading many books; he would gain something from the choice to read without discrimination.
After selecting his books, Mu-geuk snapped his fingers.
Snap!
In this breezy field, there was only a single desk and a single chair. He had tried various methods until now—lying in a hammock between trees, leaning against a bed, and even lying prone on a warm floor. But in the end, he chose to sit at a desk. It was the most comfortable for focus.
Today, Mu-geuk read and read again. He read martial manuals, history books, collections of poems and paintings, adventure novels, and the autobiographies of peerless masters. He simply read whatever his hand touched.
He had the strange experience of feeling like he knew less the more he read. With every page, he opened his eyes to a new field. In the past, he never would have touched a martial manual unless it was a special case. Between the Nine Calamities Demonic Art and the Flying Heaven Sword Technique, he already possessed extreme ascension martial arts that left no room for greed.
But this time, he read other manuals as well. They were well worth the effort. At the very least, they were martial arts worthy of being stored in the Heavenly Demon Library.
Mu-geuk set aside a finished book and opened the next one.
Principles of the Iron Weight.
It was a title that made him want to stop turning the pages. A "weight" referred to a plummet or a scale weight, and in the Murim, it was incredibly rare to find martial artists who used them as weapons. One might see such a warrior only once or twice in a lifetime. A normal martial artist wouldn't have even pulled it from the shelf, but Mu-geuk was different. He had resolved to read everything without exception.
As he flipped through the pages, Mu-geuk tilted his head in confusion. The content didn't match the title. This was a martial art for using daggers.
Mu-geuk examined the cover. Looking closely, he could see that someone had pasted a false cover over the original.
Riiip.
As he peeled off the cover, a new title was revealed beneath. Someone had disguised it with the name of a martial art that no one would be interested in. The moment he saw the newly revealed title, Mu-geuk was stunned. It was a manual he recognized—a technique that someone he knew had desperately longed for.
“So it was here!”
Geom Mu-geuk’s eyes deepened at the profoundness of the fate arranged by the heavens. He immediately deactivated the Space-Time Displacement Technique. After tucking away the hidden manual, he grabbed one more book from the shelf. Both of these were for him.
*
At that time, outside the Heavenly Demon Library, Jeok-yeon, the head of the guards, was setting down food. Since he couldn't enter and wasn't allowed to linger, he would leave the food at the entrance and collect the empty dishes later.
Geom Mu-geuk usually stayed inside for six to eight hours, but he consumed an enormous amount of food during that window.
Did he suddenly develop a gluttonous streak?
The amount of food Mu-geuk requested was enough to make one wonder if there were several people inside. Yet, without fail, the dishes always came back empty.
Jeok-yeon worried to himself. “Is it really alright for you to eat this much, Young Cult Leader?”
He didn't know. While only one meal’s worth of time passed outside, the activation of the Time Heaven Secret Technique meant Mu-geuk needed several meals. One hour outside was seven hours inside. The only saving grace was that he didn't gain weight. Does reading really take that much mental energy?
“What are you so worried about that you’re overeating like this?”
Just then, the doors to the library opened and Geom Mu-geuk stepped out.
“Whose worry do you think it is? It’s worry for my brother,” Mu-geuk said.
Jeok-yeon jumped in surprise. “Young Cult Leader! No, Acting Cult Leader!”
Geom Mu-geuk began running off somewhere in a hurry. “Don't ever have an older brother in your life!”
“That’s not exactly something I can control... But where are you going?”
“To the kitchen.”
“I just brought food here!”
“I’m not going to eat; I’m going to cook.”
“Pardon?”
Leaving a bewildered Jeok-yeon behind, Geom Mu-geuk vanished from sight in an instant.
*
A meal was set in the Heavenly Demon’s private dining area. It was a spread Geom Mu-geuk had prepared personally for one specific person.
That person soon entered. It was the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon, dressed in pure white martial robes and wearing a white mask.
Geom Mu-geuk, standing before the food, greeted him. “It’s been a while, Lord Smiling Demon.”
This was their first reunion since Mu-geuk had returned to the Cult. He had missed him dearly, but he had saved this moment for the right time.
“I greet the Cult Leader,” the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon said, bowing respectfully.
He addressed him as "Cult Leader," not "Acting Cult Leader." Mu-geuk understood the heart of the Smiling Demon, who pointedly omitted the word "Acting." It wasn't out of disrespect for his father, but out of respect for Mu-geuk, who had ascended to the position for the first time.
“Being called 'Cult Leader' feels awkward.”
“It is a title you will hear until you are sick of it in the future.”
“Don't even get me started on that position. I never knew there was so much work. I was so distressed that even I, someone who hates books, ended up reading everything in the Heavenly Demon Library.”
“I doubt that was the reason.” The Smiling Demon knew Mu-geuk’s true feelings. “You were likely suppressing your urge to run to the First Young Master by reading those books.”
“How did you know?”
That was indeed part of it. No matter how much he trusted the Poison King and the Demon Buddha, he was still worried about his brother. The eyes behind the mask seemed to say: How could I not know your heart, Young Cult Leader?
Geom Mu-geuk smiled and asked, “Have you ever been here before?”
“It is my first time.”
A dining area was perhaps the place that least suited the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon. That was why today’s meeting was all the more meaningful.
“Please, have a seat.”
Geom Mu-geuk and the Smiling Demon sat across from each other.
“I prepared all of these dishes myself.”
A flash of surprise crossed the Smiling Demon’s eyes. He knew of Mu-geuk’s cooking skills from their time camping, but to prepare such a magnificent feast?
“On the day you took off your mask, didn't I say I would treat you to food and wine? That day is today.”
The eyes behind the mask crinkled in a bright smile. Geom Mu-geuk hadn't forgotten a word spoken in passing. And there was a reason Mu-geuk had chosen this specific location.
“This is likely the quietest place to have a meal in the entire Cult—no, in all of Murim.”
It was an invitation to take off the mask and eat comfortably. A place where no one could steal a glance at his face. It was a gesture of consideration for the Smiling Demon. No matter how close they became, and no matter how much loyalty the Smiling Demon showed, Mu-geuk never took the relationship for granted. The closer they were, the more he strove to show proper etiquette and kindness.
The Smiling Demon gazed at Mu-geuk in silence before slowly beginning to remove his mask. The moment he took it off now felt different from when he had removed it after their last battle. He placed the white, smiling mask on the table.
His face was revealed. With kind eyes and features in perfect harmony, he was, as expected, a handsome man.
“I have looked forward to the day I could drink comfortably with you for a long time, Young Cult Leader.”
The Smiling Demon respectfully poured wine into Mu-geuk’s cup first, and Mu-geuk returned the gesture. The two cups met in the air with a clear, ringing sound. After a refreshing drink, Mu-geuk picked up his chopsticks.
“Please, try some.”
The Smiling Demon tasted the food and was genuinely impressed. “You made this yourself?”
Mu-geuk pulled out one of the two books he had brought. This was the second book he had taken from the shelf. “I found this in the Heavenly Demon Library.”
Taesuk's Record of Delicacies.
It was a culinary text written by Tae-jung, who had been the most famous cook in the Central Plains in the past. It was a legendary secret manual among professional chefs.
“I cooked according to the secrets written here. Of course, the Cult’s cooks helped me a bit. Even if I’m kicked out of my position as Young Cult Leader, I won’t starve. I’ll just be reborn as the world’s greatest chef.”
The Smiling Demon laughed at Mu-geuk’s joke. Seeing that smile made Mu-geuk feel good. The Smiling Demon looked cool and mysterious with the mask on, but his handsome smile brought a refreshing sense of joy.
“Oh, and I found a fated encounter in the library this time.”
“Congratulations. My sincere congratulations.”
The Smiling Demon rejoiced as if it were his own success. Indeed, the Smiling Demon was a man who could sincerely share in joy—a feat ten times harder than sharing in sorrow. That was why Mu-geuk could offer this gift with such a light heart.
“It wasn't a fated encounter for me.”
To the puzzled Smiling Demon, Mu-geuk presented a book from his robe. It was the martial manual that had been hidden under the false cover.
Laughing Fragrance Dagger Technique.
The Smiling Demon was stunned when he saw the title. It was the first time Mu-geuk had seen him so shocked.
“I brought this to give to you as a gift.”
The Smiling Demon asked in a trembling voice, “How did you know I was looking for this technique?”
Because you told me so.
The Smiling Demon from his previous life. The man who had wanted to be his friend.
The Demon Extreme Wild Rage Palm, the Blood Calamity Finger, and the Laughing Fragrance Dagger Technique.
He had said that if these three martial arts were harmonized, one could exert a peerless, invincible power. But at some point, the Laughing Fragrance Dagger Technique had been lost, and only the palm and finger techniques had been passed down to the later generations of the Smiling Demon.
Whatever the reason in the past, that lost technique had been hidden away in the Heavenly Demon Library.
Mu-geuk asked, pretending not to know, “Were you looking for this?”
“I was.”
“When we fought before, you used daggers against the enemy, didn't you? I thought then that it would be nice if you had a good dagger technique. Then, I happened to find this manual, and seeing the character for 'smile' in the title, I thought it might suit you.”
The Smiling Demon’s eyes wavered. Now that Mu-geuk could see his full expression, he could feel the depth of his emotion. The Smiling Demon was once again amazed by the deep bond he shared with Mu-geuk. He felt a profound sense of gratitude—a debt he felt he would have to repay not just in this life, but in the next.
“This is a manual I have desperately desired.” Even his voice trembled.
‘This isn't a manual I’m giving you.’
It was a gift from his past self, from the aged version of him in the distant future. If he hadn't mentioned it, Mu-geuk would never have thought to give this technique to the Smiling Demon.
Mu-geuk thought of the Smiling Demon from before his regression.
‘Don't be so sorrowful anymore. We’ve become friends like this.’
Mu-geuk smiled broadly and held out the manual. “I’m so glad. Since it’s something you need, I guess I really am lucky.”
However, the Smiling Demon hesitated to take it. He spoke with concern. “As you know, one cannot take martial manuals from the Heavenly Demon Library without the Cult Leader’s permission.”
“Am I not the Cult Leader? You called me that earlier.”
“No, that was...”
The Smiling Demon looked troubled by Mu-geuk’s joke. No matter how much he cared for Mu-geuk, his respect and loyalty to Geom Wu-jin remained steadfast. Receiving this manual in Geom Wu-jin’s absence weighed on his conscience.
Mu-geuk could have made a big deal out of his authority, but he wanted the Smiling Demon to accept it comfortably. He mimicked covering his mouth with his hand and whispered softly.
“I’ve already given a book from the library to Elder Blade Demon. And I’m going to give this cookbook to the head cook of the Heavenly Demon Hall. So, you can take it with a light heart.”
Mu-geuk added in an even smaller voice—though he doubted such a thing was possible in a Cult where there were no secrets.
“It’s fine as long as I don’t get caught by Father.”