Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon's Sudden Visit
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"Yaaawn..."
The entrance to the main branch of the Myriad Gold Exchange in the capital of Sacheon Province was guarded by two martial artists.
However, their postures couldn't have been more different—one was lounging with his legs crossed, yawning widely, while the other stood ramrod straight, eyes fixed ahead.
The one on the right, Man Hyobom, who had been slouching and yawning out of boredom, finally spoke up with a listless expression.
"Feels like we won't even be needed here much longer."
To his surprise, Danri Hyang on the left nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. The exchange is back on track."
The Myriad Gold Exchange had now reached a stable state.
The damaging rumors had died down, and customers had returned to normal.
The troublemakers harassing the branches had mostly vanished, allowing the exchange's own hired guards to handle security.
As a result, the entire Divine Demon Blood Death Squad was now concentrated at the main branch, carrying out their duties while awaiting further orders.
"Still, Sacheon Province isn't a bad spot. The weather's great, and they've got some unique dishes."
Man Hyobom stuck out his tongue in disagreement at Danri Hyang's words.
"I'm not big on spicy food, so it hasn't suited my taste."
"Picky eater, huh."
"Not picky—refined."
As Man Hyobom tried to dress up his tastes, Danri Hyang's lips curved faintly.
"Just hold on a bit longer. The Leader met with the Secret Affairs Hall Master yesterday, after all."
With personnel coming and going, the topic of their return must have come up.
He could sense their time at the Myriad Gold Exchange was drawing to a close.
"That'd be a relief. Gatekeeping isn't my style."
For someone as free-spirited as Man Hyobom, the task had been pure torture.
Still, knowing a decision was imminent offered some comfort. He shot Danri Hyang a sidelong glance.
Scratching his head, he asked bluntly,
"We've come all the way to the Central Plains—don't you miss home?"
"Hah."
Danri Hyang let out a hollow chuckle at the question, which would have irked most people.
Then again, that's just how he was.
Having spent quite some time together in the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad, they had a good grasp of each other's personalities.
With a smirk, Danri Hyang shook his head.
"Not really. No fond memories there."
He didn't even mention "hometown" outright.
"..."
Man Hyobom stared at him for a moment before turning back to the front and changing the subject.
"Customers have been scarce for a while now. Lunchtime slowdown, maybe."
"Don't jinx it. You know saying that makes it happen..."
Before Danri Hyang could finish, they spotted a man in a bamboo hat approaching from afar.
"Damn it, how does this always happen?"
"All because of that big mouth of yours."
Despite their grumbling, they straightened up to receive the customer properly.
They stood tall and imposing, but an odd sense of unease crept in.
'What is this feeling?'
The intangible aura was hard to pin down, leaving them both tilting their heads.
As the man drew closer, a sense of familiarity hit them. The two men turned to each other simultaneously.
They jolted in shock and snapped their gazes forward.
"Lea—!"
"We pay respects to the exalted Leader."
Danri Hyang cut off Man Hyobom's outburst and bowed his head.
"It's been a while."
Hyeok Mulin's appearance left their heads spinning.
The Cult Leader had come all the way to Sacheon Province?
And without even the Left Protector's presence.
Did that mean he'd traveled here alone?
Unable to guess his intentions, they waited anxiously for him to speak.
Hyeok Mulin's gaze then fixed sharply on Man Hyobom.
"Even from a distance, your posture was a work of art."
"Ahem..."
Man Hyobom averted his eyes sheepishly, but Hyeok Mulin delivered his verdict.
"You're on gate duty for another month."
"What? Leader, please, anything but that...!"
Man Hyobom's face crumpled like the world had ended as he lunged for Hyeok Mulin's robes, but Danri Hyang brushed him off effortlessly.
"Allow me to guide you."
Leaving the despondent Man Hyobom behind, Danri Hyang led the way inside.
The Divine Demon Blood Death Squad members, lined up in perfect rows on either side, spotted Hyeok Mulin and gasped in unison.
"No way?!"
"Someone slap me."
"Am I dreaming?"
The Cult Leader had entered the heart of Sacheon Province without a single escort?
p>Stunned speechless, unable to even utter "Cult Leader," they rubbed their eyes and pinched their cheeks.
But Ji Wolhon alone had sensed Hyeok Mulin's approach earlier and was already waiting outside.
"We pay respects to the exalted Leader."
"Where's the Secret Affairs Hall Master?"
"This way, please."
Following Ji Wolhon, Hyeok Mulin was led straight to Cho Sa-hyeon's quarters.
"Right here."
Dismissing Ji Wolhon after the guidance, Hyeok Mulin knocked and entered the annex.
"Leader?!"
Cho Sa-hyeon reacted much like the others, leaping to her feet in shock and rubbing her eyes as her mind raced.
Why has he come all the way here?
Did I make a mistake? Is he here to reprimand me?
No, operations are running smoothly.
What could it be...?
As Cho Sa-hyeon pondered uncertainly, Hyeok Mulin spoke first.
"How's the work going?"
"Yes. Thanks to your generous support, Leader, we've overcome all obstacles without issue. We've fully revived the branches in Sacheon Province and are now executing a plan to re-expand to other regions within three years."
"Hmm."
"However, the Sacheon Dang Clan's attention, as you mentioned in your letter, persists. We're taking extra care to keep the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad's identity hidden."
She's reliable, as expected.
Not once referring to him as anything but "Leader" even alone, her meticulous nature was ironclad. And her initiative in already planning and advancing the exchange's expansion.
Sending her as Secret Affairs Hall Master here was undoubtedly the right choice.
"Keep pushing a little longer. We won't be here much more."
"Understood."
Cho Sa-hyeon nodded, then continued with a hint of concern in her voice.
"But Leader, what brings you to this distant place? Has something happened back at the cult?"
Problem?
"Not a problem, just a place I need to go."
"A place? Where?"
"Millennium Peach Pavilion."
"Ah, Millennium Peach Pavilion."
Cho Sa-hyeon nodded calmly at Hyeok Mulin's words.
But moments later, replaying them, her voice rose sharply.
"Pardon?! What do you...?"
The most bewildering statement she'd heard all year left her blurting out in shock.
Hyeok Mulin calmly explained the Lone Valley Heavenly Demon's family situation to her wide-eyed astonishment.
She nodded in understanding.
"So you've stopped by the capital to mobilize the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad."
"Exactly. I'll need some manpower for accessing Lake Dongjeong."
Sharp and capable, as always.
She grasped one point and inferred two, then delivered three.
"I'll be back soon, so hang in there a bit more."
Encouraging her, Hyeok Mulin added before leaving,
"One last person I need to see here."
"Huuu..."
Geum Hyeon-mong, manager of the Myriad Gold Exchange, was steadying his racing heart in his office.
The cause was the report he'd just received from his subordinate.
—A man called "Leader" by the guards protecting the exchange has appeared!
The true master of the Myriad Gold Exchange.
The one to whom the Dark Fragrance pledged loyalty, who overnight quashed rumors across Sacheon and effortlessly provided dozens of experts.
The benefactor who saved the exchange from crisis and entrusted it fully to them—he was here now.
'He went to see Hall Master Cho first, so I should prepare as well.'
Having taken over the exchange, the owner wouldn't leave without meeting the manager.
The thought of meeting the new master of the Myriad Gold Exchange made him tremble with both nerves and strange excitement.
Then, a knock came from outside.
"Manager, the Leader I mentioned earlier is here at the main branch."
"Show him in."
Geum Hyeon-mong stepped out, and Cho Sa-hyeon was waiting.
Following her across the compound, he arrived at the annex in no time.
'Calm down, calm down.'
Standing before the door, he tried to soothe his pounding heart.
But he couldn't stop the fierce beating.
No point delaying now that he was here.
With trembling resolve, he gripped the handle and entered.
A stranger came into view.
A strikingly handsome young man whose appearance seized the gaze instantly.
"Sit here."
Snapping out of his daze at the words, he moved to the seat and bowed politely.
Unable to speak easily, Hyeok Mulin opened first.
"Pleased to meet you."
"An honor, my first time seeing you. I am Geum Hyeon-mong, in charge of the Myriad Gold Exchange. It's shameful to host my benefactor in such humble quarters."
"I merely acquired the exchange, so 'benefactor' is too much."
"You alone saw the potential in our exchange and made that offer. You saved the lives of everyone working here—how could we not call you benefactor? Allow me to express my gratitude once more."
He bowed deeply, and Hyeok Mulin smirked.
Fine, if that's how he saw it.
Shifting his attention, Hyeok Mulin surveyed the room.
"The annex is neat and well-suited for work. Not easy to maintain—looks like you truly love this job."
"I've done it my whole life, so it's second nature."
Was it meeting the real owner?
Or the aura he exuded?
Either way, Geum Hyeon-mong found himself unexpectedly calm, waiting demurely.
As Geum Hyeon-mong offered an awkward smile, Hyeok Mulin set down his tea and spoke.
"You must have questions."
"Pardon?"
"Speak now. No second chances."
After a moment's thought, Geum Hyeon-mong steeled himself.
"Why offer us such favorable terms?"
Funding, experts, guaranteeing positions for the original staff, and no interference in operations.
The deal was suspiciously good, stirring doubts despite the temptation. He mustered the courage to ask.
Hyeok Mulin answered simply.
"I trusted the Myriad Gold Exchange's centuries of history and your demonstrated ability."
"Really? That's all?"
"Yes, that was it."
Different.
This man was cut from a different cloth than an ordinary person like him.
To invest so heavily based solely on a failing exchange's past and a stranger's potential.
His boldness was beyond measure—his very thinking was extraordinary.
Geum Hyeon-mong let out an admiring chuckle.
"Th-then, may I ask..."
Suddenly hesitant to inquire about name or title, he asked indirectly.
"Would it be all right to ask where you're from?"
"Nothing I can't say. From Shin-gang."
He felt no resistance to the answer.
Over time, he'd half-expected that if there was any chance, the "Leader" might be from the Demonic Cult.
The guards were all high-level experts with famous aliases, yet unknown in the Central Plains.
Their domineering aura had led him to that guess, and it fit—less shocking than anticipated.
But which house in Shin-gang?
Eyes on the sword at his waist, Geum Hyeon-mong spoke again.
"Do you have ties to the Hong Family Manor?"
His reasoning was sound.
The Hong Family Manor's main estate bordered Qinghai Province near Shin-gang, easing Central Plains access.
They had ample wealth and were a swordsmanship clan.
But Hyeok Mulin shook his head, raising one finger.
"Higher."
Not the Hong Family Manor?
Tilting his head, he pondered further before speaking.
"Then, from the renowned sword clan of the Divine Cult, the Woo Gyeong-seop Family...?"
"Even higher."
Huh?
Few clans rivaled the Woo Gyeong-seop Family, let alone higher.
Knowing it unlikely but hopeful, he asked,
"Th-then, are you... from the Seven Great Demon Clans?"
Hyeok Mulin didn't answer.
But his finger remained pointed skyward.
Seeing this, Geum Hyeon-mong felt a chill down his spine, cold sweat pouring.
Gulp.
What were the Seven Great Demon Clans?
The seven pillars upholding the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, idols every demon dreamed of.
They wouldn't yield to the Nine Great Righteous Sects or Six Great Clans, and both the Murim Alliance and Four Black Alliances checked them first when watching the Demonic Cult.
Higher than that?
Only one in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult stood above the Seven Great Demon Clans.
Geum Hyeon-mong's face paled instantly as he slowly raised his head.
Staring into the man's mesmerizing eyes, he barely parted his lips.
No way, no way, no way.
"...Could you be... the Heavenly Demon?"
At last, a smile curved his lips as the finger slowly folded down.