The Strong Rule
Who’s holding a sword… Being shorter than his peers was Ji Seungju’s tightly hidden inner thought. Of course, because his inner thoughts occasionally slipped out, there were hardly any Demonic Cult members who didn’t know. Yet no one dared to mock the Jijon’s right-hand man over his height. Today, however, he had met his match.
“Fine. Then let’s make our little one have a long upper body at least.”
“……If you have nothing else to say, I’ll take my leave.”
“No! Stop! I’ve got something to say, you know?”
“What is it?”
Ji Seungju’s voice was curt. Cheong asked with a gentle smile.
“That thing you said. The Demonic Cult follows the Strong Rule, right? The strong are justice, and those who survive are the strong?”
Looking at the black fingers, Cheong immediately realized she had been tricked. When she asked if he had deceived her, he had explained that with her skill and promising future, she could enjoy power at the core of the Demonic Cult, and in the process had explained the Strong Rule. It had been a fascinating story to Cheong. The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult followed the Strong Rule—a group that worshipped raw power. The strong could have anything, while the weak had the right to prove themselves through challenge. Perhaps it was only natural that Cheong took an interest. After all, she was a master. Though lately her confidence had taken a bit of a hit. In any case, this was the worst possible time to ask about the cult’s laws. As a high-ranking member, he could not skip explaining the law.
“Yes. That is correct.”
“I’ve been thinking about it carefully. So, strictly speaking, I didn’t really do anything wrong to you people, did I? That Vanguard…… something-or-other?”
“Are you referring to the Vanguard Azure Wave Unit?”
“Yeah! Them. Wiping them out and killing the Joy Palace Lord—that was all because I was strong, wasn’t it? According to your rules, since the strong one killed them, there’s no problem, right?”
“That is correct.”
“Oh?”
Cheong had been about to launch into a detailed explanation of the Vanguard Azure Wave Unit’s wretched state and how she had dealt with them. She had been planning to needle him further, but now her eyes widened. What? There’s no problem? Then why? Cheong suppressed her rising anger and asked.
“If there’s no problem, then why did you turn people into this state?”
“How shameless. Did you not arbitrarily take the Jijon’s belongings? Furthermore, you even talked back. You should be grateful for the Jijon’s mercy in sparing your life at all.”
“Ah. So that’s it? Because even though you’re weak, you defied the Jijon’s messenger?”
Cheong’s face twisted. That son of a bitch.
“Calling him the Jijon’s messenger is blasphemous.”
Cheong cut off Ji Seungju’s words.
“Then you’re saying you have no particular regrets about me killing your people?”
“The cult’s law is the Strong Rule. It is merely that Lady Seomun was stronger.”
Cheong smiled brightly. It was a smile that somehow felt extremely ominous.
“Got it. Anything else you want to say? Can I go back to the carriage now?”
“No. Please return.”
“Ah. I used up all my strength getting here. I wish someone would help me walk.”
Ji Seungju waved his hand expressionlessly, though the annoyance was clearly visible. A Silent Killer from the Secret Pavilion slipped soundlessly to Cheong’s side. Cheong spread her arms as if asking to be carried. The moment the killer bent at the waist—
Crack!
With a cheerful sound, the killer’s head exploded like a burst watermelon, scattering in all directions.
“Hah. Black Killing Demonic Palm? This thing’s got quite the feel to it.”
Cheong, now covered in the remains right in front of her, laughed. Then she felt around her own head, spotted an eyeball dangling by its optic nerve, and crushed it in her fist. Even to Ji Seungju, who had witnessed the Jijon’s cruelty countless times, it was a sight that made his knees weak. He merely hid it behind his usual trained expressionlessness. His startled shout came a beat late.
“W-What have you done!?”
“Me? I’m strong.”
Cheong pointed at the headless corpse with her finger.
“That one. Was weak. This is the Strong Rule. Yeah. Yeah.”
Then she shamelessly nodded. A righteous heroine of the Orthodox Faction? This? It was the kind of thing only a murderous fiend would say……! Ji Seungju had, without meaning to, hit upon the correct answer. However, unaware that he had answered correctly, Ji Seungju shouted in fury.
“That is not the Strong Rule! The strong must not torment the weak without reason!”
“Oh? Is that how it works? Wow. I didn’t know that.”
“It is only natural! If it were otherwise, no one in this world would survive!”
“Alright, alright. Don’t get so worked up. You should’ve explained it properly then. I thought the strong could do whatever they wanted.”
Ji Seungju’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly. So now it’s my fault? Yem-byoung, what the hell is wrong with this bitch!
“Using force made me tired. Carry me.”
“You say that after causing this massacre?”
“Ah. I said I didn’t know. How petty. Then I won’t go either. Seungju, you live in the Demonic Cult. I’ll stay here.”
“Yem-byoung, what the hell is wrong with this bitch……”
“Ah. I don’t care. I’m tired, so should I just sleep here?”
Cheong then jumped down from the chair. Since she couldn’t support herself on her legs, “jumped” was quite accurate. She rolled across the blood-soaked floor and lay down with her head pillowed on the headless corpse’s torso.
“Then wake me when it’s time to leave.”
A deep crease formed between Ji Seungju’s brows. It was an event that would shock any cult member. The Secret Pavilion Master’s expression had twisted! And then—
“You dog of a bitch! Someone take this woman away!”
Yet the Silent Killers of the Secret Pavilion only glanced at one another and did not move. They had reason. The comrade they had been eating with moments ago was now rolling on the floor as a lump of meat.
“What are you doing!”
“Right, right. I made a mistake once, okay? I just didn’t understand the Strong Rule properly. Don’t be so scared. Yeah?”
Cheong chimed in. Ji Seungju opened and closed his mouth, then drew a deep breath and exhaled.
“Haa. Escort the young lady. Quickly.”
Anger laced Ji Seungju’s voice. In the end, the unfortunate youngest member, unable to withstand his seniors’ gazes, approached with clear reluctance. The young killer lifted Cheong with trembling hands. Then a voice reached him.
“Oh. You get one hundred and fifty points. You’re decent enough, but—disappear, head head. Yap!”
It was the last sound the killer heard in this world. Because without a head, one can no longer hear sounds.
Thud!
Cheong rolled on the floor. Because the one supporting her was no longer alive. The headless youngest collapsed on top of her. Hurk—suddenly buried, Cheong let out the sound of air escaping her lungs and flailed.
“W-What……!”
Cheong pushed the corpse away and answered.
“Hup. Why? What?”
“What is the meaning of this? You clearly said it was a mistake—”
“No, listen to me. Some guy I’ve never seen before dared to lay hands on a woman’s body so carelessly.”
Ji Seungju’s mouth clamped shut. What on earth—
“A weakling dared to molest the strong, so I killed him. This is the Strong Rule, right? Do you acknowledge it? Yes. I acknowledge it. Then not guilty. Bang bang bang.”
Cheong spoke matter-of-factly and rolled over again to use the corpse as a pillow. Her entire body was drenched in blood, and the white and yellowish flecks splattered about were fragments of brain.
“That is not the Strong Rule! What kind of dogshit are you spouting to defile the cult’s laws!”
Cheong answered indifferently.
“Why? The Jijon’s messenger was going to take an eye and two legs just for talking back once. If he does it, it’s the Strong Rule, but if I do it, it’s tormenting the weak?”
“How dare you speak of the Jijon……!”
Cheong shook her head. With each movement, blood spurted pop pop from the corpse’s neck.
“See? You need to clearly explain why the Jijon can do it but others can’t, or how am I supposed to understand? What’s the standard? Can anyone above Transcendent kill freely? From Harmonious Realm onward? Profound Realm is…… no, probably not.”
“The Jijon will fulfill the cult’s long-cherished wish.”
“Aish. Who asked about the Jijon? So what exactly is the Strong Rule? You said it’s the cult’s law, right? Is that law something everyone follows except the Jijon?”
“How many times must I say the Strong Rule is not like that!”
Cheong overpowered Ji Seungju’s shout with her own.
“Shut it!! So what is it then? You just yell and that’s the answer?”
“The Strong Rule is, the Strong Rule is……”
Ji Seungju’s words caught in his throat just as he was about to answer. The Demonic Cult’s law was that the strong survive. The cult worshipped strength as justice, and as a result had obtained the power to challenge the Murim. The history of four invasions proved it. The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had waged war against the entire Central Plains Murim as a single organization. Even though it was one against all, even though they ultimately lost, they left their mark in history four times. The strong could dominate the weak. Complete domination, holding life and death in their hands. Yet the weak had the right to resist. Thus, they could devour the strong and grow to claim that authority as new rulers. Then what about this woman? According to the law of the Strong Rule— Ji Seungju’s heart sank. Had the Jijon’s actions been excessive? No one would call them excessive. Even if it was only a single combat unit, an entire unit had been annihilated, the Boksinjeok had disappeared and the grand plan had been delayed, the Joy Palace Lord was dead and the essence of an entire sect had burned away. By that measure, the Jijon had shown mercy. But had the Jijon always acted that way? What about the other Pavilion Masters and the Demonic practitioners? The late Joy Palace Lord would rape any handsome man she passed and extract their true essence before killing them. The Demonic Physician had recently taken a liking to refining jiangshi. The Asura Demon Sword was a madman who could not sleep unless he beheaded a virgin each day. Yet no one criticized them. They were the cult’s greatest forces and the vanguard of conquering the Central Plains. Powers perfected under the Strong Rule. In the end, Ji Seungju could not answer. Cheong looked at him and let out a soft, mocking laugh.