The Demonic Cult Serial Murder Case: The Night of Murders Without a Culprit
The music lesson that followed was quite enjoyable.
“Please, just once more. Just one more time. Hmm? You have to master it within a month. Please.”
“Ah, there! Right there on the calf, just now! Aah……”
Cheong let out a suggestive moan. But it couldn’t be helped. Lady Gang’s specialty was the seven-stringed zither, and the strength in her fingers was extraordinary. She was currently kneading Cheong’s calf with desperate pleas. The teaching assistant—no, the maid Soyeong—watched with a thoroughly satisfied expression.
“Ah. That feels amazing. You really are the best teacher. Kneading your crippled disciple’s legs like this… I’m getting weak in the knees again. Well then, shall we play one more phrase?”
Cheong finally rose slowly and put the Boksinjeok to her lips. Then she blew with all her might, as if trying to make it burst. Lady Gang ground her teeth inwardly. She couldn’t do it outwardly. Before the rod, age meant nothing.
Lady Gang’s insides boiled as she listened to Cheong’s performance. The Cheonsim Hwaeum was supposed to be a sorrowful, delicate, and exquisitely refined melody meant to soothe a lover’s resentment. Yet Cheong played it at a rapid tempo, with a bold, rhythmic style that felt as solid and imposing as a mountain range—like a marching tune for an army.
What enraged her even more was something else entirely.
And yet, she played it well! The sound of a flute was said to resemble a beauty’s weeping. Playing it like that was absolutely forbidden. So why was it so good? Why did it sound pleasant? It was like crafting the finest cuisine from rotten meat and rancid oil. Fifty-five years of dedication to music and ritual were being directly denied.
“Th-that’s enough! That piece isn’t meant to be played like—”
“What? Did I make another mistake? Oh no! It seems my teacher lacks the ability, so her disciple made an error. Then the teacher who failed to instruct properly should be punished, right?”
Cheong tapped the Boksinjeok against her palm. Lady Gang flinched but refused to yield.
“I meant you played it well! It was excellent!”
“Really? It still feels like something’s off.”
“No, no. There was nothing to criticize in your performance.”
Cheong nodded with a satisfied look.
“Right? I must have had some hidden talent I didn’t know about. This is all thanks to how outstanding the disciple is, isn’t it? I should have practiced the danso more diligently during music class.”
Lady Gang shed bloody tears in her heart. What a vicious wench. In this world, there were unfilial sons who beat their parents, but never a disciple who beat their teacher. Yet the law was far away, and the fist was close. It was a law that transcended time and space.
Lady Gang finally couldn’t hold out any longer.
“Since you’ve mastered two phrases today, let’s end the lesson here.”
“Aw, but it was just getting fun.”
Cheong licked her lips regretfully.
“No. Anything in excess is never good. You need time to internalize what you’ve learned today. You must. So don’t be greedy and……”
“Fine. Whatever.”
Cheong waved her hand as if to say she understood. Then she grabbed her legs, crossed them into a lotus position, straightened her back, and spoke.
“Then show some respect and take your leave before your disciple.”
“……?”
“What are you doing? If there’s no disciple, there’s no teacher. I am the very reason for your existence as a teacher, don’t you know?”
“Th-the Boksinjeok……”
“What about the Boksinjeok?”
Cheong growled with a smiling face.
“What’s wrong with me holding what’s mine? Ah! My mistake! Did the disciple make another error?”
“N-no. It’s a precious item, so take good care of it……”
“Of course. Now, greet me and go.”
In the end, Lady Gang awkwardly bowed her head and scurried away in a panic. She had been beaten four times, given a full-body massage with all her soul, flattered, and begged, just to teach two phrases. If she had stood her ground with her upright nature and pride, she would have been split lengthwise like bamboo. In the end, by smiling subserviently and hiding her true feelings, she had at least achieved a little of what she set out to do. She was a true teacher of the era—one who shouldn’t be carelessly called foolish or weak-willed.
Cheong stretched.
“Ah. That was fun.”
Only then did Cheong summon the mission window that had been flickering and glowing in the corner of her vision.
Demonic Cult Heavenly Demon Crisis — Middle Chapter
You have become the key to opening the Cheonma Tomb of the Demonic Cult. Assist the cult in finding the Heavenly Demon Soul, or destroy it to permanently eliminate the cult’s greatest power.
Master the Cheonsim Hwaeum to gain entry into the Cheonma Tomb. Decide the fate of the cult within the tomb.
Good Karma) Destroy the Heavenly Demon Soul
Demonic Cult) Deliver the Heavenly Demon Soul to the Cult Leader
Heavenly Slaughter Star) Slaughter everyone
[This choice may influence the entire world.]
Cheong was starting to understand the mission window’s conditions. The main branch appeared when she encountered a major incident. And if she obtained a certain level of information about an upcoming event beforehand—by any means—it would pop up in advance and cause trouble. Last time it was the first chapter, this time it was the middle chapter. There was probably a final chapter after this. Maybe even an ultimate chapter.
But this time, she didn’t feel particularly annoyed. Why? Because the Demonic Cult bastards were all bad guys anyway.
Cheong’s eyes grew cold. Her goals were roughly set now. First priority: rob people with good lightness skills, learn everything she could, and raise her speed stats. Since more internal energy was always better, she might as well rob anyone with decent internal energy cultivation methods too. Then head to the Cheonma Tomb, smash the Heavenly Demon Soul—or horn, or hoof, whatever—and be done with it.
“Kekeke……”
Cheong chuckled to herself. It was a high-level joke playing on the homophone between the Western Regions word for “horn” and the Central Plains word for “soul.”
Wow, this hilarious joke. She had no one to tell it to. What a shame.
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Demonic Cult Serial Murder Case
Written by Internal Affairs Investigator Seok Humhum
First Day Victims:
— Pungrangja O Suheon. Cause of death: heart rupture. The killer crushed the heart bare-handed. Additional note: full-body compound fractures. The perpetrator tortured the victim while alive.
— Pawunjak, chief disciple of the Demon King’s Path Sect. Cause of death: asphyxiation. The killer strangled the victim with their own intestines. Additional note: full-body compound fractures. The perpetrator tortured the victim while alive.
Second Day Victims:
— Divine Thief of the Medical Pavilion, Yang Ryeong. Cause of death: exsanguination. The killer split open the victim’s stomach and large/small intestines, stuffed them with stolen items (mostly women’s undergarments), roughly stitched them shut, and hung the victim upside down. The victim survived for about two hours before dying.
— Special-class assassin of the External Affairs Shadow Division, Shipil Ho. Cause of death: poisoning. The killer flayed the victim’s skin and alternately poured the victim’s own poisons and antidotes over the wounds, then left them unattended.
Third Day Victim:
— Night Patrol Captain of the Divine City Guard, Bamneungje. Cause of death: shock from ruptured blood vessels.
IMPORTANT: Traces of Sosu Magong were found on the corpse. Re-examination of all previous victims confirmed blood vessel rupture due to Sosu Handok infiltration. Circumstantial evidence suggests a Sosu witch from the Blood Sect has infiltrated Tianshan Shinshi. Requesting assistance from higher authorities. Additionally, only one victim appeared today; it is presumed another victim exists somewhere. A missing person report for Gangnam Saekma Bang Dojun has been received.
*Gangnam Saekma Bang Dojun was confirmed dead at the hands of Gyeon Po-hui, second disciple of the Palace of Joy. Gyeon Po-hui testified that Bang Dojun attacked first under the pretext of teaching bedroom arts. Given the victim’s usual conduct, it was ruled a legitimate duel.
Cheong checked the martial arts she had newly acquired. From the guy named O Suheon, she obtained the red-grade movement technique Pungjinbo and a few miscellaneous arts. But why would anyone ever learn a white-grade internal energy method? She wouldn’t even bother out of sheer embarrassment.
The successor of the Demon King’s Path Sect had been quite the catch. Because he lasted so long, she had a truly delightful time. She lost consciousness about three times, and her whole body was trembling so badly she nearly collapsed and fell asleep instead of returning to the Palace of Joy. She got too excited. She really needed to restrain herself……
For now, she had hastily raised Ice Heaven Asura Demonic Art to the fourth star. As expected of a successor, he spat out two golden-grade arts, but only one was useful: the internal energy method Blood Demon King Divine Art. The other was Blood Shadow Thunderbolt Reverse Sword Art, a reverse sword technique. Why bother with a half-sword that only had one blade and half the power? Cheong registered it for now.
From the underwear thief, she obtained the golden-grade movement technique Cheonri Bihaeng. What a pathetic bastard, using such a precious golden movement art just to steal underwear. When she snuck in, he wasn’t even sleeping—he was sucking on women’s undergarments while waving his stick around. She granted his wish and stuffed him full of underwear until his stomach nearly burst.
There had also been a ninja-like guy. He used some ninja-esque technique and nearly got away. When she poured poison all over him in return, he was so moved that he taught her the red-grade divine technique Heukyeong Tusim.
And last night, Seolgajik’s information had been wrong. He said the previous owner of the peerless lightness skill Gwiyeong Manyubo would definitely know it. But when she asked, the guy confessed he had spread the rumor and then sold fake manuals. And all he produced after that were one white and two blues. Furious, she hit him once, but failed to control her strength. No, her happiness-charging time! It flew away just like that, leaving her feeling somewhat empty. She must have been exhausted. Not being able to sleep at night was too tiring……
To lift her spirits, she caught the color demon and delivered him to Pedestal Number Two.
Oh! Her intuition had been spot on! Wow, she couldn’t even put it into words. It was on a completely different level from videos—well, of course, since it was literally a different dimension. Wow, this, how, oh. She couldn’t express it. She’d have to catch another one next time.