Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Friend
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How long had I been waiting? I was tapping my fingers on the table out of boredom when it happened.
Swoosh. Slither.
Before I knew it, I was completely surrounded. The faint rustle of clothing brushing together came with a chilling killing intent from all directions. In their hands were scythes, axes, swords—every kind of weapon specialized for killing. They were skilled at suppressing their presence, but since I'd already sensed them all with my energy detection, it wasn't surprising.
Instead, I was just letting it play out, curious about what they were planning.
I glanced at the sharp axe blade aimed at my neck and opened my mouth.
"What do you think you're doing?"
The waiter who'd rushed upstairs to the second floor earlier came down the stairs with a hardened expression.
"We should be the ones asking that. Why do you have the sect master's token?"
What? Sect master?
I was caught off guard for a moment, but I didn't let it show on my face. So Ha-eun was the Hawon Sect's sect master? She hadn't mentioned a word about that. How was I supposed to explain this? If word got out that I was living with her—especially that she was a woman—it could spell trouble. Definitely.
"The sect master and I are friends. She gave it to me in case I ever needed the Hawon Sect's help."
Hmm. Sounded a bit too made-up.
But surprisingly, the waiter's expression softened a little at my answer. Ah, right—the sect master was such an eccentric, so it made sense. He still didn't drop his guard, but his tone was much more polite now.
"I see. If I may ask, when exactly did you receive that token?"
When was it? She'd given it to me in the secret cave when she decided to follow me... about ten days ago, give or take.
"Around ten days ago."
A sneer curled at the corner of the waiter's mouth.
"Hah!"
He barked sharply.
"Our sect master has been missing for over ten days now! And it just so happens you received the token ten days ago? Doesn't that sound suspicious even to you?"
Ah...
The situation spiraled into the worst possible scenario in an instant. The men gripping their weapons stepped closer from all sides, tightening the encirclement. Irritation welled up inside me.
"Fine, then. I'll go fetch the sect master, so just wait a moment."
"What? You think we won't notice you trying to run?"
A burly man nearby readjusted his axe grip, looking ready to charge at me.
No helping it.
I lightly tapped the floor with my right foot.
Shock Foot.
The wave of suggestion infused with my mental energy rippled out across the entire inn, like ripples spreading over a still pond.
"...!"
"...?"
The man raising his axe, the warrior steadying his sword, the waiter glaring at me—everything in the inn froze as if time itself had stopped. Like finely crafted wax figures, they were locked in their poses, completely rigid.
I stood up and approached the frozen waiter. He barely rolled his eyes, looking up at me in terror.
I shoved my face right in front of his and whispered softly.
"Okay, let me explain. Everything I say is true, everything you say is wrong, and if you understand that completely... just blink."
Blink.
Okay.
"I'm really, truly friends with your sect master—the closest of friends. Close enough that... yeah, we could even pee together holding it. But if you don't trust your friend's word like this, I'll have no choice but to use force out of disappointment, right?"
I patted his shoulder and continued.
"Think about it. If I'd killed your sect master and stolen the token, would I be stupid enough to waltz in here openly? And if I were really an enemy, a ragtag bunch like you would've turned this place into a bloodbath already. The fact that I'm leaving you all alive and well should tell you I'm a friend of the sect master."
I stared straight into his eyes.
"Got it now? Blink if you understand."
Blink blink blink blink blink!
Okay. Finally, some sense is getting through.
Satisfied, I smiled and released the suggestion binding them.
The frozen world began to move again.
"Hah...! Hah...!"
"Kuhuk, hng...!"
The inn filled with ragged breaths. Someone dropped their axe to the floor with a thud, while another staggered against the wall as their legs gave out. Their eyes were filled with fear and confusion, not even understanding what had happened to them.
I spoke to them softly.
"Now that you're calmed down, shall we talk again? I said I came here for information."
The waiter snapped out of it at my words, trembling as he nodded toward the axe-wielding man nearby. The man hurriedly ran to the inn entrance, slamming the heavy wooden door shut. Not content with that, he dropped the metal shutters with a metallic clank.
'Even closing the shutters. How considerate.'
The inn plunged into dimness, lit only by faint lanterns. Whatever happened here now would stay secret from the world. I returned to my seat and got to the point.
"Give me information on the Demonic Cult."
All eyes turned back to the waiter. He really was the one in charge here. After a gulp of dry swallow, he finally spoke. His voice was parched, unlike before.
"Information on the Demonic Cult... isn't much. As you know, their last uprising was ages ago. Since they were wiped out by the Orthodox Alliance, there hasn't been any notable activity."
He caught his breath and continued.
"The most recent thing was the demonic cultists that appeared from the secret cave uncovered by the treasure map that stirred up the martial world not long ago... but even that turned out to be not true Demonic Cultists, just orthodox and unorthodox warriors whose minds were corrupted by the Mad Demon Sword."
That was something I already knew. I'd confirmed it through Jeoksuseo. I furrowed my brow slightly and mentioned another name.
"Any information on someone named Cheonha Young or Black Elder?"
His eyes flashed at my question.
"Are they connected to the Demonic Cult as well?"
"Yes."
The waiter seemed lost in deep thought. After some deliberation, he cautiously spoke.
"If they use the Cheon surname... they're probably from the Demonic Cult's..."
'Heavenly Family, right.'
Something I already knew.
"...blood relatives of the cult leader."
What?
It was unexpected. I'd never heard that before. Master had only said she was from the dangerous Heavenly Family. Maybe Master hadn't told me everything on purpose. But Jeoksuseo? As the leader of the Vermilion Bird Squad, she couldn't possibly not know such crucial info.
'Gonna have to give that tenryeon girl some special training later.'
That mentally unstable girl. In my view, she needed regular mental reconditioning. Jeez. Teats peekaboo and butt peekaboo just weren't cutting it anymore.
"Is that true?"
"Almost certainly."
The waiter asserted confidently.
"Long ago, the Demonic Cult fell, but they have ironclad rules among them. The Cheon surname is absolutely forbidden except for the cult leader's direct bloodline. If someone not of the leader's blood claims the Cheon name... they either change their surname on the spot or get killed by the cultists right there."
Hmm. That's pretty scary.
With an overwhelming master like Black Elder as her bodyguard, she clearly wasn't ordinary. Blood relative of the cult leader... I'd been marked by someone even more terrifying than I thought.
A new question arose.
"Then... do you know where the Demonic Cult is?"
Ah, right—he'd said there wasn't much info on the Demonic Cult. I hadn't expected much from the casual question.
"The Demonic Cult is in the Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang."
What? They knew the location?
"Is that true?"
"Yes. It's true they fell, but they haven't vanished completely. They still exist. Even before they were toppled by the Orthodox Alliance, their base was in Xinjiang, and even after their fall, they haven't left. They're probably still hiding there, building their strength for the day they emerge again into the martial world and expand their influence across the Central Plains."
"Then why haven't they been wiped out yet?"
"There are several reasons. Both orthodox and unorthodox sects have grown complacent in the long peace and don't want to start a bloodbath first. Plus, everyone's busy looking out for themselves."
"But the biggest reason is... the terrain is far too treacherous. The Demonic Cultists, familiar with the land, would use the geographic advantage for defense. To breach that iron fortress..."
His voice dropped low.
"Even at the minimum, it'd take at least ten times the force, by simple calculation."