Chapter 40
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Act First, Think Later (4)
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“...”
“...”
“Hey.”
“...”
“Hey!”
“You’re hurting my ears.”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“I told you I didn’t care if you turned yourself in or not.”
“You did.”
“I also said I’d drop it after that one punch I threw.”
“You did.”
“So why are you causing such a scene and making my life difficult?”
“Just because.”
Seo Ryang was dumbfounded.
“Is this your choice?”
“That’s why I’m sitting here.”
“What a stupid choice. If you wanted to die that badly, you should have said so back then. I could have slit your throat myself.”
“It is my choice.”
This was going nowhere.
Seo Ryang and Wi Hongryeon were left alone in the solitary cell. Seo Ryang was dressed as usual, but Wi Hongryeon was not.
She was in a prisoner’s uniform. Her wrists and ankles were bound in cuffs made of Forbidden Sea Iron, preventing her from even using her internal energy. Her lips had turned blue from the chill that filled the cell.
Yet, seeing her talk back to him so sharply, it seemed she hadn’t gone mad from the Demonic Arts after all.
Should he be grateful she was at least using honorifics?
“I just can’t wrap my head around it. Turning yourself in for fighting with the Third Young Master? If I admit to the facts, your head will fly. You won’t just lose your job, you’ll lose your life.”
“If that is what you wish, then so be it.”
“Wow, I’ve never seen a crazy bitch like you in my life.”
“...I am not a crazy bitch.”
“If you’re not crazy, then who is?!”
Wi Hongryeon, who had been glaring at Seo Ryang, turned her head away. The swelling had gone down considerably, but her still colorful face was quite amusing.
“Attempted murder of the Third Young Master, and blasphemy. You might get away with blasphemy depending on the circumstances, but attempted murder? There’s no mercy for that. Do you even get it?”
“I do.”
Staring at her blankly, Seo Ryang suddenly clasped his hands.
As his expression grew more serious, a strange tension crept onto Wi Hongryeon’s face.
“Enough with the games. Tell me what you’re really thinking.”
“...”
“Why are you doing this?”
“There is no such reason.”
“There is.”
“I said there isn’t.”
“If you look at people without prejudice, they’re all pretty much the same. You, me, the members of the Hall of Punishments who locked you up—we’re all just people.”
Wi Hongryeon’s eyes wavered.
To hear someone chosen by a god say that everyone was the same... It was somewhat random, but utterly shocking.
“You’re not an irresponsible person, are you? It looks like your subordinates follow you well. Are you just going to abandon them and suddenly drop a bomb like this?”
“...”
“What’s the reason?”
“Even if I have a reason, I have no obligation to tell you, Young Master.”
“You do.”
“Why? I have my own free will, you know.”
This was ridiculous.
Just as Wi Hongryeon was surprised by Seo Ryang, he was surprised by her. To be precise, he was surprised by her way of thinking.
For someone who’d lived in the Divine Cult since childhood, she had a surprisingly open mind.
‘And she’s not even worked up.’
Seo Ryang opened his mouth.
“Because you dragged me into this.”
“I didn’t drag you into anything. I simply stated the facts.”
As resolute as ever. It seemed her firm character would never change, not even in death.
But Seo Ryang realized her gaze wasn't as hard as it used to be.
“Is it because of the Fourth?”
“...!”
“Are you keeping your mouth shut about the money you took to keep your promise with him?”
“...”
“Then again, your subordinates are involved too, so it must be hard to talk.”
Wi Hongryeon’s eyes grew cold.
Seo Ryang tilted his head.
“What I’m curious about is why you’d turn yourself in and involve me... Ah!”
A sudden flash of realization.
Seo Ryang looked at Wi Hongryeon with a peculiar expression. Meeting his gaze, Wi Hongryeon naturally felt uneasy.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“...”
“I asked why you’re looking at me like that.”
“You won’t tell me your reason, so why should I tell you mine?”
“...”
“Damn, I just thought you were a loyal crazy bitch, but you actually know how to use your head, huh?”
“...”
Staring at her silently, Seo Ryang pulled a rope on the ceiling.
A moment later, the cell door opened and a member of the Hall of Punishments entered.
“You called, Young Master.”
“Release this woman.”
“Pardon?”
“I said, release her.”
The bewildered member’s expression hardened, but he spoke as politely as possible.
“Regarding the clear-cut case of attempted murder and blasphemy...”
“I was personally giving a lesson to a follower I've taken a liking to. Her face is a mess because I couldn't control my strength.”
“...Pardon?”
“Do you really think this woman tried to kill me? No matter how crazy she is, she's still a follower of the Cult. Would she try to murder the Cult Leader's disciple? Does that make any sense?”
“Well, that is true, but...”
“You think so too, right?”
“Of course. However, considering the circumstances of the incident and the testimonies of witnesses like the lord of Zami Pavilion...”
In that instant, Seo Ryang's expression twisted.
The change was so startlingly fast and natural that even Wi Hongryeon flinched, so it was no surprise the member’s face turned pale.
“Do I need to go and confront those people myself?”
“...”
“The person involved is saying it's not true, so what's the problem? Did this woman run off with your money or something?”
“Of-of course not!”
“Then what is it? Do my words not carry enough weight?”
“No, sir! That’s not it at all...!”
“Do I look like a joke to you?”
It took less time than sipping a cup of tea for the once-confident member's eyes to turn into those of a dead fish. Even Wi Hongryeon felt a momentary pang of pity for him.
Since his return, he was said to have mellowed out considerably, but the Third Young Master was still the Third Young Master. Where would the temperament of a man once called a tyrant of the age go?
Just as the member was about to part his trembling lips, Seo Ryang rose from his seat.
“If you must, then go get the Head of the Hall of Punishments. I'll tell him myself.”
“...!”
“I just go out that door, right? Was it to the left?”
A threat more terrifying than a promise to kill him made the member quickly bow his head.
“No, sir! I will see to it that Commander Wi Hongryeon is acquitted and released!”
Seo Ryang, who had been glaring daggers at the member, immediately relaxed his eyes.
“Hmph, I got a little carried away.”
“...”
“My apologies. I have a tendency to go a bit wild when I lose my temper.”
“I am deeply sorry!”
“Enough with the apologies already... Well, let's at least greet each other if we cross paths in the future.”
“It would be my honor!”
Seo Ryang glanced down at Wi Hongryeon.
“Do you like to drink?”
“...”
“Looks like you do. Come by when you have time, we'll have a drink. And bring your own snacks so you don't bother my maid.”
Without waiting for her answer, Seo Ryang left. The member hastily followed him out.
Left alone, she stared at the door with a complex expression before closing her eyes.
* * *
“Why on earth would the Commander do such a thing?”
“A crazy bitch did a crazy thing, what else?”
“...That may be so, but.”
The Wi Hongryeon Ma Dongpil had seen was so unhinged that even calling her crazy felt like an understatement. No matter how much the Third Young Master had provoked her, a follower of the Cult couldn't possibly act so recklessly.
“Could she have been aiming for something?”
“Maybe she was bored.”
Ma Dongpil glanced at Seo Ryang.
Stroking Geumho’s chin, Seo Ryang asked.
“What’s with that insolent look?”
“Ah, it’s nothing, sir!”
“Are you curious?”
“Pardon?”
“About why that woman went to the Hall of Punishments to turn herself in.”
“So she did have her reasons.”
“Of course. You think she won her position as Commander of the Berserk Demon Unit playing mahjong? No matter how strong you are, you can’t become the head of an organization if you don’t know how to use your brain.”
“That is true, but... then, why did Commander Wi turn herself in?”
“Why else? To survive.”
“What?!”
She turned herself in to survive? Did that even make sense?
“What? Doesn’t suit her?”
“...To be honest, yes.”
“This isn’t about what suits her or not. She was making a bet of her own.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Seo Ryang smirked.
“What else could she have done?”
“Pardon?”
“The fact that she took money from the Fourth was exposed to me. A promise is a promise, so she couldn't just spill the beans like I told her to. It seems she shared it evenly with her subordinates, and she couldn't let them get dragged into it. Knowing her personality, she would have rather bit her own tongue off.”
“Then she could have just not turned herself in at all...”
“And then what? How would she shut the mouths of the Zami Pavilion’s lord and the waiters? Should she just kill them all?”
“...Ah!”
“Alright, let’s say she got that far. But there was one threat she couldn't ignore.”
“One threat?”
“The Fourth.”
Ma Dongpil’s eyes widened.
“She knows the Fourth and I don’t get along. Naturally, if he found out that she met me at Zami Pavilion, what good would that do her?”
“...!”
“Getting locked up in the Hall of Punishments was her best option. The Fourth can’t touch her there, and her subordinates are safe.”
“But the attempted murder and blasphemy charges against you, Young Master...?”
“That’s why she dragged me into it.”
“You mean she knew you would react this way, Young Master?”
“No way.”
“She bet her life without knowing how you would react?”
“Yeah.”
“But, why would she make such a reckless move...?”
“That’s how that bitch has lived her life until now.”
“...!”
“Viciously, crazily, as if every day were her last.”
“Still, it was an excessively aggressive gamble. Wasn’t it just leaving everything to luck?”
“Why is that a gamble? Wasn’t it a game where she at least broke even?”
“Broke even, you say...?”
“She protected her own people, didn’t she?”
Ma Dongpil gasped.
Seo Ryang let out a smirk. The more he thought about it, the more he found it amusing.
“She’s unique, but she takes damn good care of her people. She might seem reckless on the outside, but she doesn't just have a head for decoration.”
“...”
“Though, as you said, she is quite aggressive.”
Ma Dongpil looked at Seo Ryang with admiration.
“You are incredible.”
“Huh? What is?”
“It sounds simple when you explain it, but it must not have been easy to figure it out.”
It wasn’t something one could easily say to the Third Young Master, no matter how close they had become. That was how great Ma Dongpil’s surprise was.
Seo Ryang shrugged.
“I was lucky. I know a few guys who lived in a similar way, despite being different genders and ages.”
“What? Who are they?”
“You, and me.”
“...!”
“We just seem more sensible. But when we snap, we dive in headfirst without a second thought, just like her.”
Seo Ryang removed his hand from Geumho’s chin. The creature had already drifted off into a soft sleep.
“In the end, we’re all similar, us humans.”
Ma Dongpil’s eyes wavered.
Though the Young Master was younger than him, there were times he gave off the feeling of a seasoned veteran of the martial world. It had become so natural that he’d even started taking it for granted.
But this time was different. It wasn't just that he had a wealth of experience; the man himself seemed profound. He felt like a mature adult with insightful wisdom.
‘As expected...’
He was worthy of being the Cult Leader’s disciple.
Ma Dongpil was moved beyond mere admiration.
Just then, Seo Ryang flashed a wicked smile.
“Hehehe. Since I saved her, I’ll have to make her buy the drinks.”
“...?”
“I’m going to clean out her entire salary. She’ll learn just how scary the world can be, that bitch.”
Ma Dongpil bowed his head deeply. No one could know what he was thinking.
“Ugh! Well, another day comes to an end.”
“Ah, yes.”
“You should head back and get some sleep too. You must be tired.”
“I will return tomorrow morning.”
“What for? Go and enjoy what’s left of your vacation.”
“Still...”
It was then.
Seo Ryang raised a hand.
“Dongpil.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Aeng-hwa’s asleep. Go to the kitchen and prepare some cups.”
“Ah, are you planning to have a drink before bed?”
“A drink, my ass.”
Seo Ryang rose from his seat.
He looked past the window toward the main gate.
A moment later.
Bang! Bang!
Seo Ryang shouted.
“You’re going to break the door, you bitch!”
Muttering, he walked over and opened the gate.
Beyond the open gate stood Wi Hongryeon, holding a large bundle.