Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Gathering Evils
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Exactly ten days before the ambush. The moment the anesthetic wore off, Nam Woo-i—who had been kidnapped by someone—snapped awake, his eyes flying wide as he hastily drew up his demonic energy.
How dare they! Which bastard kidnaps me, the contractor of a great demon!
Such thoughts lasted only a moment. He glanced around, then tilted his head and looked down at his own body.
Clean. No traces of being bound, beaten, or subjected to anything else.
He lifted his head and scanned his surroundings. An unfamiliar living room. But even compared to the living room in his own five-billion-won house, it didn't fall short—in fact, it seemed even grander.
"What the...?"
Was it a dream? Had he been so exhausted from days of sleepless surveillance that he'd wandered into someone else's house and passed out?
Those doubts vanished as Deriax's voice echoed in his mind, jolting Nam Woo-i back to reality.
-You idiot. What good are you if you can't even fend off a simple ambush? You're lucky that worthless worm had no intention of killing you!
At Deriax's words, Nam Woo-i banished his idle thoughts and summoned even more demonic energy. He couldn't let his guard down. Right now, he was a marked man—whether it was the association, a guild, or a freelance hunter, getting caught by any of them meant instant execution.
It was just as he began to creep slowly out of the living room. Bang! A door on the second floor flew open, and a man appeared.
"Oh! You're up?"
The man looked so perfect that the word "handsome" slipped out naturally. He descended the stairs with light steps and stood before Nam Woo-i.
Compared to the short Nam Woo-i, the man was at least ten centimeters taller. As he approached, Nam Woo-i instinctively backed away, radiating hostility as if ready to attack at any moment, while beginning to sketch a magic circle.
"Whoa, whoa, easy there. I brought you here because we have business to discuss. And you're an idiot. Lingering around like that? You'd get spotted for sure. Even if there's no one around that mansion, you stick out too much. Black hat, black mask—what, advertising yourself as the culprit?"
The man casually offered advice as he brushed past, heading familiarly to the wine fridge. He pulled out a bottle that caught his eye and settled onto the sofa.
"Have a seat. It's something that won't be bad for you either."
At those words, Nam Woo-i canceled the completed casting of his spell and sat across from him.
-That guy's perfect as a demon contractor. Incredible aptitude for demonic energy, and his personality... the others would love it. The desires he harbors in his heart... tch! Deliciously tempting.
Nam Woo-i frowned slightly at Deriax's words, stared for a moment at the wine glass in front of the man, then took a sip.
"Hahaha. Good, I like that. So obedient—no need for us to butt heads needlessly. Like I said, I have business with you."
The man—Lee Ji-yong—grinned slyly and revealed the purpose of this meeting.
"Shin Juha."
At that one name, Nam Woo-i's eyebrow twitched, and Deriax began chuckling as if greatly amused.
"You're after that guy too, right? Why is it? Why do the demons target that bastard?"
Nam Woo-i scowled at the question, delivered with feigned curiosity.
"Do I have to tell you why? And does it matter if I'm after Shin Juha? If it does, I have no intention of backing down, so if you plan to stop me... stake your life on it...!"
Lee Ji-yong cut him off with a shout.
"No! No, no, no. I have no intention of stopping you. In fact, I'd love for you to kill that damn bastard. That's why I brought you here—to a place out of sight. We can help each other fill in the gaps."
In his voice, laced with madness, Nam Woo-i realized this man also wanted Shin Juha dead.
The gentle chaebol heir image Lee Ji-yong usually feigned had never existed. Pure, primal emotion—the same spoiled brat from his delinquent days—he was thrilled just like back then.
-Fun. So much fun. Same target, huh? Teaming up with him will make killing him even more entertaining. Join hands with him. He'll help you a lot. His killing intent and desires dwarf yours. Even the higher demons might take notice. Kekekeke.
True to his demonic nature, Deriax instantly saw through Lee Ji-yong's ambitions, desires, and his bratty personality.
Selfish, arrogant, destructive, willful. With a temperament like that, he fit perfectly with demons.
To the point where one wondered why he hadn't become a demonkin yet.
"I've been screwed over by that bastard twice."
The first time was in the association lobby. At his grandfather's request, he'd picked a fight with the novice who had just gotten his license. But that arrogant prick had turned it around, self-harming and acting like he was the victim.
Thanks to that, the image he'd built—shedding the delinquent label to be hailed as "saintly"—had crashed to rock bottom in an instant.
How many heads had he bowed to, how many smiles had he forced for those pig-dogs to build that image!
And one of those mere pig-dogs had ruined it all.
The second was helping that bastard Moon Kang-won. The lunatic had gone berserk with the support he'd provided as requested, even launching a terrorist attack on the association.
Not making contact after the initial setup to avoid suspicion had backfired.
The result? Failure. The trust he'd built with his grandfather crumbled, and he endured a scolding laced with curses he'd never heard even during his delinquent phase.
His plans—to rise steadily, become the guild master of Changseong Guild, a ranker, and head of Changseong Group—had collapsed.
Just two entanglements, but Shin Juha had ruined his life. Of course he was furious.
Though both incidents were his own doing, his mindset dismissed such trivialities.
"So this time, I'm handling it personally. I need him dead, but if I hire someone again and it blows up..."
"Then why drag me into it? You know I'm demonkin. The moment you're linked to me, you're done."
Lee Ji-yong downed his wine in one gulp and flashed a sinister smile.
"As long as we don't get caught. And if we do? Gouge out their eyes, rip out their tongues—whatever it takes to keep it from leaking. In the end, just succeed. Succeed, period."
Lee Ji-yong clapped his hands. From the adjacent room, his secretary—the only one aware of this meeting—opened the door with a stiff expression. She'd been waiting.
Inside lay a dozen or so people, unconscious on the floor.
"Don't demonkin need sacrifices? Ask me. This country is full of worthless pig-dogs no one will miss."
For a moment, seeing Lee Ji-yong's words and expression, Nam Woo-i absurdly thought he might be the demonkin, not him.
-Kekekeke. I agree. That guy's insane. Wrap up this plan well, then offer him to a higher demon. We'll all receive grace and advance another step.
It was that level of madness. Having crossed the line one shouldn't, Lee Ji-yong was already spiraling out of control.
-Kuhuhu. Still not enough. To bind him perfectly, we need more sacrifices. At least three times that many.
Nam Woo-i nodded. They joined hands. Naturally. No fool of a demonkin would pass this up.
The risk was all on Lee Ji-yong's side. Even if he betrayed them, exposure of his demonkin contact would ruin him irreparably.
No matter how big Changseong Group is, they can't cover up demonkin ties.
Demonkin were that kind of existence. Evil beyond villains. Regardless of circumstance, instant kill authorized upon discovery—the ultimate criminals.
"We need more sacrifices. About three times that. And other preparations."
Nam Woo-i no longer guarded against him. Like old partners of a decade, he explained his simple yet solid plan.
"Kekeke. That's some insane power. Do all demons grant abilities like that?"
"If you become an avatar, absolutely. The one I serve is mid-to-low rank, but higher beings can bestow even greater, stronger powers. If you're interested, say the word. I'll put in a request."
"Puhahaha. No, no. Why would I become a demon? I'm going to be the king of Changseong. I won't do something that stupid."
Nam Woo-i shook his head unwittingly at Lee Ji-yong's words. No matter how he thought about it, that guy had already crossed the line.
A slight deviation, and becoming demonkin was only a matter of time.
But he didn't voice it, to avoid souring the mood. Their goals aligned for now, and he could provide much.
"I'll join you. I want to tear that bastard apart with my own hands."
"Leave some for me, and we'll talk."
"Ah~! Of course. I'm not that greedy. Once I've had my fun, he's all yours."
Their deal was sealed. Nam Woo-i stayed at Lee Ji-yong's house, offering the sacrifices he procured to prepare for killing Shin Juha.
Lee Ji-yong, with his secretary, gathered more sacrifices and bought various items for additional prep.
"This the last batch?"
"Yeah, with these, we're set."
"Hehehe. Good, perfect. Finally, today."
In the end, on the tenth day, after offering over forty sacrifices, preparations were complete. The two exchanged sinister grins.
No trace of worry over failure on their faces. Only ecstatic anticipation for what was to come and the thrill of vengeance, twisted into mad smiles.
The secretary, silently watching from behind, caressed her glasses with a deadpan expression.
Soon after, they headed to Shin Juha's house.
"Begin. Get ready."
Lee Ji-yong issued orders to Nam Woo-i and the secretary. Nam Woo-i stepped forward with a grin.
-Come on! Show this world the power of Nam, the insidious pit-digging worm—Deriax's power! Power to warp space and sow curses!
The power, bolstered by devouring forty lives, manifested.
Kwaduduk! Kkuduk! Waduk!
Empty air twisted, stretched, shrank, repeating endlessly under the force—until it morphed into a black void, swallowing the mansion before them whole.
Insidious Pit [Ancient-A+] LV 7
Demon Deriax's ability: Dominion over space manifests on this land.
The demon Deriax's ability—a power to rule space—had manifested on this earth. Though merely a unique ability beyond a mid-to-low demon's authority, it wielded tremendous might.
A dungeon formed. An artificial dungeon. His domain, forged by demonic power: the Insidious Pit.
The pit engulfed Shin Juha's mansion on the surface—and Shin Juha himself.
"We go in."
"Kekeke. Yeah, let's go. Old man, start it up."
Lee Ji-yong and Nam Woo-i vanished into the artificial dungeon. The lone secretary activated the prepared perception-blocking barrier, then habitually adjusted her glasses and melted into the shadows.
Thus, no one saw it. Another puppet slipping into that dungeon.