Chapter 699: Why Do You Think Father Kept the Demon Lords Around?
Chapter 699: Why Do You Think Father Kept the Demon Lords Around?
Cha Yi-ran stood by the window, her eyes fixed on Geom Mu-geuk as he walked away.
As if sensing her gaze, Mu-geuk paused in the distance, turned back, and offered a casual wave.
Cha Yi-ran didn’t return the gesture, but Mu-geuk simply gave her a bright, effortless smile before continuing on his way.
Her gaze drifted upward toward the dawn sky. The stars that had reigned over the night were now dissolving into the pale light of the breaking morning.
“Don’t smile like that at someone you’re about to kill.”
At her words, a figure revealed himself from the roof of the building across the street.
It was Hwa Do-myeong. He was dressed in his usual extravagant, stylish robes, his face covered in a thick, mask-like layer of snow-white makeup.
“Don’t come over here. Spectators are supposed to watch from across the street.”
She threw his own words back at him—recalling his earlier claim that he had only come as an observer this time.
Ignoring her completely, Hwa Do-myeong leaped lightly through the air, gliding through the open window to stand beside her.
“How could I resist when you were so drunk you were practically crawling on the floor?”
“If the Young Cult Leader catches sight of you, your head will be rolling on that very floor.”
“He seems like a benevolent man. He spared you even after witnessing those drunken antics of yours, didn't he?”
Cha Yi-ran couldn't help but let out a short laugh at Hwa Do-myeong’s jab. It truly had been an extraordinary night.
“It’s a waste to just watch, don’t you think?”
Cha Yi-ran glared at him. “You intended to get involved in this from the start, didn’t you?”
Hwa Do-myeong neither confirmed nor denied it.
“Don’t. If you die too, things will get even messier. You know what the consequences will be.”
“We just have to win.”
“They already knew the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader was the target. They didn't even try to stop him from coming here.”
“So they’re keeping us alive because they want to know why he’s being targeted?”
Cha Yi-ran nodded.
“If we let our guard down—”
Cha Yi-ran cut him off. “I’m not letting my guard down.”
After a brief pause, she added with even more emphasis, “And neither does the Young Cult Leader.”
Hwa Do-myeong could see it in her eyes—she was genuinely afraid of Geom Mu-geuk.
“Are you finally scared? Even after hearing what happened to all those who died before you?”
“I hadn't seen it for myself back then.”
The aura he projected as a bodyguard was worlds apart from the one he held as the Young Cult Leader. The gaze he wore after revealing his identity was one that seemed to peer into the very depths of one's soul.
“You’ve never failed a mission before, have you?”
“Because this face and this body have always worked.”
At her self-deprecating remark, Hwa Do-myeong offered a cryptic reply.
“Aren’t you more terrifying when they don’t work?”
His makeup was thick enough to look ridiculous, but Hwa Do-myeong’s eyes were more serious than she had ever seen them.
Cha Yi-ran pulled an object from her robe. It was the box Hwa Do-myeong had delivered to her earlier.
She flipped the lid open.
Inside the box lay a single red bead.
“He must have known I had this.”
If he had, the bead should have been gone the moment she opened the box. He should have replaced it with a useless stone and feigned ignorance. But Mu-geuk...
“He held back.”
Her gaze deepened as she stared at the bead.
“He didn't even try to open it once.”
She had assumed that even if he could resist killing her, he wouldn't be able to resist the temptation of this treasure. At the very least, she knew she wouldn't have been able to help herself.
“So don’t hang around too close. If I’m about to die at the Young Cult Leader’s hands, I might just point out your hiding spot because I don’t want to go to the afterlife alone.”
A soft laugh echoed from behind Hwa Do-myeong's fan.
“Pay for my drinks here while you're at it. Consider it the price of admission for the show.”
“Where are you going?”
“To wash up and buy new clothes.”
Cha Yi-ran turned and walked out of the room.
“And to find something for this damn hangover.”
Watching her back, Hwa Do-myeong fanned himself gently. The painting of the beauty on his fan seemed to dance with the rhythmic movement.
*
When Mu-geuk returned to his quarters, Lee An was already awake and waiting for him.
She always felt a sense of relief when he returned safely, but today, that relief was exceptionally heavy.
“How is Miss Cha?”
“I saw her wake up before I left.”
It meant he hadn't killed her. Lee An had been worried when Mu-geuk said he would stay behind with her—though not because she feared Cha Yi-ran’s attempts at seduction.
“Her drunken behavior was so extreme it felt suspicious. I was worried it might be some kind of trap.”
“It probably was.”
Lee An looked at Mu-geuk with a startled expression. “It was?”
“They planned something, but it didn't go as intended. Otherwise, she wouldn't have shown us that side of herself. Even if she had actually tried to kill me, it wouldn't have been easy.”
In truth, the Cha Yi-ran of yesterday had been more terrifying than any hidden weapon.
Mu-geuk lay down on his bed, cushioning his head with his arms as he stared silently at the ceiling. His expression was uncharacteristically solemn.
“Is something weighing on your mind?”
“Does it look that way?”
When Lee An nodded, Mu-geuk sat bolt upright.
“As expected! You’re the only one who truly knows me, Lee An.”
No, anyone could see you have something on your mind!
The fact that he was showing it so clearly meant he wanted to discuss it with her.
And Mu-geuk’s concern was something she hadn't expected at all.
“She said the person she trusts most is Instructor Ak.”
Lee An was surprised. She knew Ak Gun-hak well. She had taken his classes at the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall alongside Seo Jin. She also knew that Mu-geuk’s relationship with him had grown deep since then.
“It seemed like Cha Yi-ran has feelings for him. Honestly, that’s not the problem, but...”
A one-sided crush wasn't the issue. The problem was...
“You’re worried that Instructor Ak might feel the same way about her.”
Mu-geuk nodded.
If Ak Gun-hak loved her, Mu-geuk wouldn't be able to kill her easily. He would have to find a way to resolve this situation without taking her life.
“May I tell you what I think?”
“Of course.”
Lee An carefully posed a question.
“Is Instructor Ak the kind of person who would just stand by and watch while the woman he loves fights a life-and-death battle against his best friend?”
She meant that if he truly loved her, he would have found a way to be here. Such logic might not apply to an ordinary person, but Lee An had experienced firsthand just how incredible a master Ak Gun-hak was.
“What if he doesn't know about this situation?”
That was exactly what Mu-geuk was worried about.
“You have to find out through Miss Cha.”
“How?”
“Go to Miss Cha and tell her that you are friends with that man. That you’re very close. Her reaction will be completely different if it’s just a one-sided crush versus a mutual affection.”
Lee An spoke with conviction.
“I believe you’ll be able to see the difference, Young Cult Leader.”
“You’re brilliant, Lee An!”
“You were already thinking the same thing, weren't you? Weren't you just asking to hear it from me for confirmation?”
“I wasn't. I couldn't. My brain stops working when it involves my own affairs.”
“Is this the moment my hidden tail finally does its job?”
“Let’s go. Don’t tuck that tail away just yet.”
“Where to?”
Mu-geuk said something incomprehensible as he walked out of the room.
“I’m going to make you the World’s Most Beautiful.”
*
An Hu-pyeong woke up with a groan.
Huh?
He opened his eyes to find himself in his own bed. He had definitely been drinking with the Young Alliance Leader at the Hwamyeong Pavilion.
Was it a dream?
He couldn't tell if the present was a dream or if the drinking had been one.
“Sa Chu! Sa Chu!”
An Hu-pyeong shouted for his aide. Usually, the door would fly open immediately. But Sa Chu didn't enter. Instead, another subordinate stepped in.
“Warrior Sa is not here.”
“Where did he go?”
“We haven't seen him since we parted at the Hwamyeong Pavilion yesterday.”
“Hwamyeong Pavilion?”
It wasn't a dream. Come to think of it, his last memory was meeting Sa Chu in the kitchen yesterday.
“He told us you were drunk and instructed us to take you back to your quarters.”
“That bastard!”
An Hu-pyeong rushed to the Hwamyeong Pavilion with his subordinates. The people from yesterday were gone, and the pavilion was busy preparing for the day's business.
After badgering the cook and the waiter, he learned that Sa Chu had suppressed his acupoints and left, and that the remaining four had stayed late drinking.
“Dammit! I should have been there!”
An Hu-pyeong regretted missing the drinking session more than he cared about Sa Chu’s disappearance. He had already forgotten how alienated he had felt while he was actually there.
“Find that bastard! Now!”
He sent his subordinates out to find Sa Chu, but the man was already long gone.
He went straight to Bi Sa-in’s quarters. He had to make an excuse for leaving without a word yesterday.
But Bi Sa-in wasn't there. And he didn't dare go to the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader to ask where the Young Alliance Leader was.
An Hu-pyeong headed straight for the inn where Lee An was staying. If Bi Sa-in wasn't around, he thought he should at least try to earn some points with her.
However, both she and that obnoxious bodyguard were gone.
“Sa Chu! Where did they all go?”
He shouted, turning around out of habit to look for his aide.
“Why aren't you answering?”
An Hu-pyeong flinched. Sa Chu was not among the subordinates looking at him.
Now that he thought about it, he didn't even know the names of these subordinates—only their faces. Sa Chu had always handled the management. None of these fierce-looking men gave him a sense of reliability.
Suddenly, the words Sa Chu had said before leaving came back to him.
— Hide in a burrow and come out only after the typhoon has passed. The only reason you are safe right now, Young Guild Master, is because you are in the eye of the storm.
Was there anyone among these men who would say such things to him now?
“Find that bastard no matter what! Find him and bring him back alive!”
*
The people An Hu-pyeong was desperately searching for were all gathered in one place.
Mu-geuk had taken Lee An and Bi Sa-in to the guest hall where the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master was staying.
“Welcome, Young Cult Leader.”
The Extreme Evil Smiling Demon could sense the shift in the air. With only two days left until the final stage, Lee An and the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master were people who shouldn't be meeting openly.
The fact that they had come meant the moment of the decisive battle had arrived. Furthermore, Bi Sa-in was with them.
After greeting the Pavilion Master, Mu-geuk relayed what had happened the previous night.
“Cha Yi-ran revealed her identity of her own accord.”
The Smiling Demon’s eyes flashed sharply behind his mask. The enemy had changed their plan.
Originally, their plan was for Cha Yi-ran to win the title of the World’s Most Beautiful and assassinate the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader at the celebratory banquet.
But with Cha Yi-ran revealing herself, the situation had become unpredictable.
“Have they changed their target to you, Young Cult Leader?”
A flicker of worry crossed the Smiling Demon’s eyes.
“Perhaps. But it would be more accurate to say I’ve been added to the list, rather than replacing the original target.”
He meant their goal was still the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader.
The decisive reason was Cha Yi-ran asking Bi Sa-in what the Alliance Leader liked. It was a question meant to gauge their reaction and see if they knew the target. She wouldn't have asked if the Alliance Leader wasn't the goal.
“Revealing her identity means they are ready to fight. Therefore...”
Mu-geuk had already made his decision before coming here.
“We strike first.”
Bi Sa-in asked, “When?”
The timing was much sooner than anyone expected.
“Today. Right now!”
Not only Bi Sa-in, but Lee An and the Pavilion Master were also shocked.
Only the Smiling Demon had a faint smile around his eyes, as if he had expected this.
Yes, this is how it should be. If you’re going to move, you must move in a way that even your allies can't predict.
Cha Yi-ran would never expect this. How could she imagine that he would move immediately today, after they had parted from drinking like that last night?
Lee An finally understood what Mu-geuk meant when they left the room earlier.
If an incident occurred during the final stage, she wouldn't be able to become the World’s Most Beautiful.
So, his plan was to take care of this matter beforehand, so she could participate in the finals two days later and win the title fairly.
Assignments were given to each person.
“The Unorthodox Path Alliance will handle the Sinhwa Guild.”
Bi Sa-in nodded.
The Sinhwa Guild Master, the experts he had brought in, and the guild’s warriors—they were by no means easy opponents, but the Unorthodox Path Alliance Leader was on their side.
Next, he gave Lee An her task.
“While the work is underway, Lee An will protect the Pavilion Master.”
In other words, he had separate orders for the Smiling Demon and the Faceless Guests.
“Yes, leave it to me,” Lee An answered spiritedly, exchanging a nod with the Pavilion Master.
Finally, Mu-geuk spoke to the Smiling Demon.
“I will handle Cha Yi-ran. Lord Smiling Demon, please take care of the assassin organization she brought with her.”
“Consider it done.”
As the Smiling Demon readily accepted the command, Lee An spoke up cautiously.
“But we don’t know who they are, do we?”
They were said to be Cha Yi-ran’s subordinates—top-tier assassins who knew how to hide themselves perfectly.
They had no idea how many had been mobilized or where they were hiding. Moreover, many of them were likely among the women participating in the tournament.
“And you’re going to find and deal with them all by today? That’s impossible!”
It was a task more difficult than tearing down the entire Sinhwa Guild. Mu-geuk readily admitted it.
“Yes, it is impossible.”
“Then why...?”
Mu-geuk said with a smile, “Why do you think Father kept the Demon Lords around? He kept them so he could say this whenever something impossible came up.”
Mu-geuk looked at the Smiling Demon and mimicked his father’s deep, commanding voice.
“Smiling Demon, go take care of it.”
The Smiling Demon offered a respectful fist salute, as if addressing the Cult Leader himself.
“I obey your command.”
Clack, clack, clack!
The Faceless Guests standing behind him offered a fist salute in perfect unison.
Lee An could see that Mu-geuk’s joke contained a profound level of trust in the Smiling Demon.
Still, she wanted to help.
“There are a few women I flagged in the waiting room who might be assassins. If we tail them, there will surely be a moment when they contact the others. Though I don’t know if they’ll do it today.”
Of course, that method wouldn't allow them to deal with all of them by the end of the day. She had only mentioned it to be of some help.
“I appreciate the thought, but there is no need for that.”
The Smiling Demon spoke with a gentle smile in front of the lined-up Faceless Guests, as if he already had a method in mind.
“We will handle it our way.”