Chapter 200
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: An Unpleasant Seed (6)
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I recalled Go Gu's words.
"He is a dragon. But a demonic dragon, possessed by a devil. He's more brilliant than anyone, but he'll stop at nothing to achieve his goals."
"That's because he's a true demon, devoid of even the most basic morality."
The most basic morality meant conscience. In other words, Jin Gwan-yong was the kind of man who would readily abandon his conscience to achieve his goals.
He knew no shame, nothing of the sort. He was reveling in a vicious freedom, unbound by any constraints.
"Did you kidnap my people?"
Gwan Pyeong's eyes darkened.
"The word 'kidnap' is a bit much. I merely..."
"It's kidnapping."
Jin Gwan-yong said without hesitation.
"I kidnapped them. Your guard, your guest, and even the maid who was sick in bed—I took them all."
"..."
"I didn't kidnap the Commander of the Berserk Demon Unit. To be precise, I couldn't. It wouldn't be right to involve the commander of a combat unit in such an unscrupulous affair."
No. He said he couldn't, but strictly speaking, he 'didn't'. There was simply no need.
Seo Ryang frowned.
He didn't bother to hide his feelings.
"You're playing this game far too dirty."
"Dirty? How naive. Stopping at nothing to win is the law of the battlefield. Whining about how cowardly or petty it was won't change the fact that a loser is still a loser."
Jin Gwan-yong lifted his teacup and grinned.
The dignified air he had maintained was gone, and his face, now twisted with wickedness, no longer held the grace of the First Young Master.
"Winning, no matter the cost. In the end, the victor takes all. It's not that the strong win, but that the winner is strong."
I agreed with that sentiment, though I hadn't thought it could be interpreted that way.
"You're no different. Didn't you collude with outside forces to become the heir?"
"I did."
"You placed no limits on your battles, and I placed no limits on good and evil. In the end, you and I are the same. We simply chose different methods of attack. And..."
*Ssssss.*
A black haze rose from the hand he held up before his face. The dense demonic energy seemed to cause the temperature of the entire top floor to drop in an instant.
"You can dress it up with all sorts of nonsense, but didn't our Cult originally reign as the terror of the Central Plains through evil?"
Seo Ryang shook his head.
"You're not wrong, but those words shouldn't be coming from your mouth."
"Why do you think so?"
"Even if everyone else thinks that way, we shouldn't. Not unless we want to disgrace our ancestors."
Jin Gwan-yong scoffed.
"Those words don't suit you, either."
"Well, you have a point."
"In any case, I believe you now fully understand the situation you're in."
"I understand it perfectly."
"Good."
Jin Gwan-yong interlaced his fingers and rested his elbows on the table.
"You have two choices. One is to give up the succession. If you do, you'll see your people's smiles again. As for the other... well, I don't need to spell it out, do I?"
To fight without giving up. But if he did, the hostages' lives would be forfeit.
Moreover, this was a fight where Seo Ryang was at an absolute disadvantage, because Gwan Pyeong had sided with Jin Gwan-yong.
"Choose now. Will you fight, or will you give up?"
The tables had turned.
Chae Yeomin looked up at Seo Ryang with anxious eyes. She didn't fully understand the tense exchange, but she could tell that her third brother was in a bad situation.
Seo Ryang, who had been staring blankly at Jin Gwan-yong, glanced down at Chae Yeomin.
"Brother..."
Chae Yeomin tugged at the hem of Seo Ryang's clothes. It was a plea for him not to fight.
Seo Ryang smiled faintly and mouthed some words.
Chae Yeomin's eyes widened.
*'I told you, didn't I? You need wisdom to overcome a crisis.'*
*'Yes.'*
*'And wisdom isn't something that's difficult to apply.'*
*'Huh?'*
After reassuring Chae Yeomin with a smile, Seo Ryang looked back at Jin Gwan-yong.
"I'll choose right now."
"I like your decisiveness. Now, what choice will you make?"
"Before that, I'd like to confirm one thing, if you don't mind."
"If you're talking about the hostages' safety, don't worry. I'm not foolish enough to destroy the very card I'm using to pressure you..."
"I know. You're not that stupid."
"...Then what is it you want to confirm?"
"You, what's your relationship with the Head of the Hall of Punishments?"
"..."
"I know the man a bit. He might be a real piece of work, but he's not the type to bare his fangs at the Cult Leader's disciples for no reason. Yet when he faced you, he was as sharp as a razor."
Seo Ryang tilted his head.
"Is there some uncomfortable past between you that we don't know about?"
Jin Gwan-yong frowned.
"Why do you want to know that now?"
"Because I'm curious, of course. I'd usually ignore it, but it's been stuck in the back of my mind, piquing my curiosity."
Gwan Pyeong spoke with a mocking tone.
"If this is a trick to buy time, you'd best stop."
"The audience should shut its mouth, shouldn't it?"
"What?!"
"Your older brother said it himself. Those who give up the succession have no right to be on the stage. A dog that tucked its tail and crawled between its competitor's legs should stop barking and just watch."
Gwan Pyeong's face turned beet red.
*Ssssss.*
His rain-soaked body dried in an instant. Extreme rage had fueled his demonic energy.
Just then, Jin Gwan-yong raised his hand.
"Stop."
"..."
"Second Brother. I said stop."
Clenching his teeth, Gwan Pyeong slowly quelled his demonic energy. He probably wanted nothing more than to blow Seo Ryang's head off right then and there.
Seo Ryang said with a smile.
"Good boy."
*Flinch!*
Gwan Pyeong's demonic energy flickered unstably.
Jin Gwan-yong said coldly.
"Don't provoke Second Brother needlessly."
"Stop worrying about your little brother and answer my question. Why is your relationship so strained?"
"Is there any reason I should answer that question?"
"Is there any reason not to? Let's not be so cold."
Jin Gwan-yong's eyes deepened.
*'What is this?'*
Why was this guy asking about his relationship with Go Gu at this moment?
*'Does he have another motive? Unlikely.'*
After a moment of thought, Jin Gwan-yong shook his head.
"If you're planning to call the Head of the Hall of Punishments with a Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission like last time, you'd better give up. He was dispatched to the outer fortress last night."
"Oh, is that so?"
"It seems you have some sort of connection with the Head of the Hall of Punishments. If you're thinking of pinning the crime of kidnapping on me to get your way, you should abandon that thought."
Jin Gwan-yong's smile returned.
"Did you think I would kidnap your people without confirming something like that?"
"I see just how thorough a demon you are. So just answer the question. What's your relationship?"
"Hmm."
Jin Gwan-yong shook his head.
"It's not a particularly strained relationship. We've had no disputes or contact. However, he is a man who can't help but see me in a negative light."
"Why is that?"
"He is..."
It was then.
*'...?'*
Jin Gwan-yong's brow furrowed.
*'What is this?'*
What was it? The atmosphere had changed.
He couldn't put his finger on it, but he suddenly felt uneasy. An inexplicable sense of discomfort crept up, feeling as if it were grabbing at his legs.
"Hey."
Jin Gwan-yong flinched and looked at Seo Ryang.
Seo Ryang said with a smile.
"What are you doing, stopping at the crucial moment? I'm curious. Finish your sentence. What kind of man is the Head of the Hall of Punishments?"
"He is... he is..."
What was it? What could it be?
The sense of foreboding, anxiety, and discomfort grew stronger. Explaining their trivial relationship to this guy wasn't difficult, but he was seized by the feeling that he had to stop talking right now.
What was the reason?
"In any case, one thing is certain, right?"
"...?"
"That to the Head of the Hall of Punishments—who would jump at any chance to tear into the Cult Leader's disciples—you are a person of particular interest."
"...!"
"Good, the minor details don't matter. That's enough for me."
Jin Gwan-yong's eyes wavered.
"You bastard, did you summon the Head of the Hall of Punishments in advance? Did you anticipate this?"
"Anticipate? How could I have anticipated this when I couldn't even imagine you'd kidnap my people?"
"Then?"
*Vrrrr.*
Suddenly, the teacup on the table began to tremble gently.
Internal energy? A wave of qi?
No. It wasn't trembling due to someone's qi.
It was for a much more fundamental reason.
An unusual vibration that spread from the teacup to the table, the chairs, and the entire Zami Pavilion.
As Jin Gwan-yong stared at Seo Ryang with trembling eyes, he suddenly noticed an formless demonic energy shimmering around Seo Ryang's body.
*'Demonic energy?'*
It was powerful demonic energy. But why? Was he going to fight?
*'Why the sudden demonic energy... ugh!'*
No. It wasn't sudden.
That incredibly subtle demonic energy was a veil of qi that had been in place since they started talking.
A veil of qi emitted by a master who had reached the pinnacle of demonic arts. A high-level technique to disrupt an opponent's senses.
*'Veil of Sensory Confusion!!'*
*Krrrrrrumble!*
An immense demonic energy erupted from Jin Gwan-yong's entire body.
*Crack!*
The formless demonic energy Seo Ryang had deployed shattered instantly. It seemed he never intended to maintain it for long.
"Gwan Pyeong! Check outside!"
Gwan Pyeong, who quickly turned his gaze to the window, widened his eyes as if they would tear.
"Those are...?!"
An innumerable number of demonic cultists were marching toward the Zami Pavilion.
That's right. It was a march. Masters dressed in uniform and armed with weapons were approaching at a terrifying speed, in perfect formation.
It wasn't one or two hundred. A force of nearly three thousand demonic cultists could be seen swarming toward them, radiating a fierce demonic energy.
"It's the... the Heavenly Demon Army!"
The Divine Cult's strongest combat unit, the great demonic army that the martial world of the Central Plains still shuddered at, even after decades.
The legendary army of the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon, which had never once relinquished its position as the strongest in a thousand years, had appeared.
*Krrrrrumble!!*
As if the heavens were enraged, thunder and lightning raged violently.
"That was a good lesson."
The two men looked at Seo Ryang.
Slowly rising to his feet, Seo Ryang gave a chilling smile.
"You placed no limits on good and evil, and I placed no limits on battle... You're right. Until you told me, I didn't realize what I'd been doing all this time."
"You bastard! What have you done?!"
"I merely relayed some information."
"What?"
"Information that there are two traitors on the top floor of the Zami Pavilion. Information that the traitors' names are Jin Gwan-yong and Gwan Pyeong. I sent it out via sound transmission. In every direction."
"...!"
"It seems the Office of the Grand Marshal has declared a state of emergency. Looks like every unit in the Heavenly Demon Army has been dispatched. What a spectacle."
Meet force with overwhelming force.
Jin Gwan-yong's jaw dropped.
"You... are you truly insane?"
"You're just figuring that out?"
*Rumble!*
A thunderous sound erupted from the red demonic energy enveloping his two fists.
"This is the great thing about our Cult. When a serious incident occurs, they don't bother with the details; they just arrest first and ask questions later. It's not a method I particularly like, but it's helpful to me right now."
"...!"
"The Hall of Punishments will soon arrest your subordinates as well. You said my people were safe, right? I'm counting on it."
A victorious army wins first, then seeks battle?
In the face of a sudden natural disaster, even the art of war is useless. Friend and foe alike are swept away and killed.
"Did you like the impromptu stage I set up?"
"You crazy bastard!"
*Fwoosh!*
Chae Yeomin flew toward a side chamber. It was Seo Ryang's Spatial Grasp.
"Preparations are complete."
*Fwoooosh!*
Seo Ryang's eyes glowed crimson.
"Let the show begin."
*KWAANG!*
Grabbing Jin Gwan-yong by the collar, Seo Ryang burst through the wall of the Zami Pavilion and flew out.