Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: The Golden Demon Knight at the Funeral
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Shin Kangnam Jeongun Hospital.
The funeral hall for Chairman Bae Jeong-su was here, with his younger brother, Director Bae Jung-su, serving as the chief mourner.
He was the kind of man who should have had business and political figures lining up to pay their respects, but since his cruel hobby had been exposed just yesterday, the ceremony was being held quietly in a corner of the hospital.
‘…What a shame, brother. I don’t know what you touched to piss someone off, but father and son gone one after the other. Tsk tsk tsk.’
Along with regret over his brother and son dying in succession, joy bubbled inside Bae Jung-su, now the real power in the company and a member of the Shin Kangnam sponsors.
Sure, he was a director, but his life had been nothing but sitting in meetings and raising his hand whenever his brother said so. This tragedy had changed everything for him.
‘Once I get through this funeral smoothly, I’ll absorb all of brother’s subordinates and slide right into the chairman position.’
He lacked his brother’s drive, but his bloodline gave him legitimacy, and his support for the Shin Kangnam hardline faction aligned perfectly with the former chairman’s men, making him the ideal unifier.
‘Anyway, if I handle this well, I’ll be sitting in the chairman’s seat…’
“Gah! W-Why the hell are you here?”
“Th-The Golden Demon Knight! What the—?”
“What?”
His pleasant fantasies were cut short as the bodyguards and funeral guests suddenly cried out in shock.
The Golden Demon Knight had appeared—the one redesignated as an SS-rank demon just today.
Even from afar, that golden plate armor was unmistakable.
Someone might think it was just some guy in costume causing trouble, but with two awakener bodyguards beaten to a pulp and dragged behind him, no one could dismiss it as fake.
‘W-Why is he here? No, more importantly, why hasn’t anyone called the Seoul Guild or anyone else?’
Thud!
No one filming his terrifying approach as he cracked the floor tiles was calling for backup.
He’d nearly wiped out Shin Kangnam yesterday—no one wanted to summon him again and risk another war.
The Golden Demon Knight strode right up to Director Bae Jung-su, thrusting out his Titan spike and asking,
“You look like Chairman Bae’s brother. That right?”
“Y-Yes, but…? Wh-What brings you here? Y-You’re not here to offer condolences, are you?”
“If you’re taking over his seat, shouldn’t you clean up his shit too?”
“Th-That’s… Ah, aah! You mean those people in the basement. W-We’re contacting the families right now…”
Rumble! Groooar!
As Bae tried to dodge, the Golden Demon Knight slammed his Titan spike into the ground.
The entire hospital shook, the earth trembling.
Now no one could doubt the Golden Demon Knight for a second.
With the unprecedented SS-rank demon confirmed real, Bae Jung-su forgot all about face and dropped to his knees, kowtowing desperately.
“I-I’m sorry. I’ll take responsibility and clean up my brother’s mess. The legal stuff was probably the company acting on its own. I-I’ll handle compensation for the victims and take care of their lives too.”
‘…Why is this so easy?’
‘…I have to live. I have to live. I have to live. I have to live. I don’t want to end up headless in a coffin like brother.’
“Good. And I hope you don’t have your brother’s hobbies.”
Surprised at how quickly it went, Yoo Seongwon had nothing left to do but give one last warning before turning away.
No one dared stop the Golden Demon Knight after that display of power.
As the crowd parted for him without being asked, Yoo Seongwon felt his heart race despite trying to play it cool, struck by the awe power commanded.
‘…This is why people crave power.’
“Damn… What kind of monster is that…?”
“Shh! Just… please leave quietly.”
“No one called the Seoul Guild, right?”
“You want to turn this into a battlefield again? He’s done his business—let him go.”
Passing murmuring, terrified people bowing or kneeling on their own, Yoo Seongwon left the hospital.
Outside was the same.
No one moved to block him or do anything. No one wanted yesterday’s hell to return.
Everyone stayed silent, and Yoo Seongwon finished his business and left Shin Kangnam behind.
***
Association Investigation Room.
While Yoo Seongwon was quietly causing a stir, Shin Somi was still haggling with the staff back at the association’s investigation room.
With a golden opportunity for a deal, she wasn’t budging a single won, dragging out the negotiations.
“This is too much!”
“…Ten billion for info like this? Are you insane? The Golden Demon Knight’s an SS-rank demon now—this is outrageous.”
“Take it or leave it. I can sell to the Big Three guilds. After all the taxes you skim off, can’t you cough up this much? We took heavy losses in the last subjugation—we need cash. Lots of it.”
She acted defiant, but she didn’t need to push this hard.
Normally, she’d haggle lightly, grab the fee, show the video, and be done. But she was doing this for Yoo Seongwon.
If they thought the info was vague or insufficient after a normal deal, they’d come sniffing around him again.
‘Better to earn their resentment now and keep them off his back.’
Sure, it might complicate procedures or case handling later, but she didn’t care.
Compared to the debt she owed for saving her daughter from near-death by an S-rank monster, the association’s petty backlash was nothing.
Worst case, she’d quit the guild life altogether.
‘Might even be better that way. Hmm, maybe I’ll suggest we both go off-grid?’
“Is this funny to you right now?”
“To me? Hilarious. You couldn’t say a word to Chairman Bae while he was alive, do nothing after he dies, and now you’re puffing up at me, some mid-tier guild master. Even though I’m an apostle of a constellation, no less. Heh.”
Being a guild master chosen by a constellation meant she was the top pick among their apostles.
It was a jab at the association’s incompetence with Bae and a reminder to know their place.
“Th-That’s…!”
“Public servants like you are best off quietly collecting pensions after retirement. Guess haggling isn’t your strong suit.”
“No, it’s just too much… We don’t even know what’s in it. What do you expect us to do? It’s not a random box…”
“Then at least pretend to negotiate. No effort at all… As for the contents, it includes the Golden Demon Knight’s purpose. Does that make you want to haggle?”
Satisfied she’d stirred them up enough, Shin Somi eased into the deal.
Teasing room for negotiation while dangling the contents hooked their curiosity.
Hearing about a “purpose” finally made the staff crunch numbers.
“Hmm, info on the Golden Demon Knight isn’t easy to come by…”
“If we know his goal, maybe we can negotiate with him?”
“Finding him’s one thing, but what then? He’s on another level… Still, ten billion’s steep.”
“The chairman said get it no matter what, so let’s negotiate down a bit…”
They whispered thinking she couldn’t hear, but as an A-rank hunter, every word reached her.
A bit sneaky, sure, but using her skills here was fair game—no shame in it.
As they muttered, she plotted her next move, weighing if they’d bite.
“How about five billion?”
“Halving it is too harsh. Seven billion.”
“Hmm, fine.”
“Prepare the paperwork first.”
It wrapped up dramatically, as if seven billion had been her target all along.
They handled documents, stamps, inventory storage—done.
Thrilled at seven billion for one piece of info, Shin Somi pulled out her tablet PC to show the video.
“One thing upfront: Yoo Seongwon harbors deep resentment toward the ‘association’ and nearly died by Chairman Bae’s hand, so he’s emotionally unstable—it shows. Expect uncomfortable talk from your side, but please watch to the end. After, you’ll get the USB with the raw file too.”
“Phew~ Got it. Record it.”
“Seven billion’s got my nerves up.”
The statement video started, showing Yoo Seongwon seated with a sullen expression.
As scripted, he vented about the association, detailing his capture by Chairman Bae and the horrific treatment of the basement prisoners due to the man’s vile hobbies.
『…Anyway, the Abyss Knight named Gaulp who appeared in that secret room killed all the enemies and saved me. He said he fights evil alongside the ‘champion of chivalry,’ the Golden Demon Knight, seeking honor. As a victim, I was saved because of that… Bottom line, the ‘Golden Demon Knight’ is a damn good guy to bottom-feeders like us.』
“Fights evil and seeks honor? What is he, Don Quixote?”
“Now that you mention it, he took out Jeong Min-su and Leghorn too…”
It was Shin Somi’s scripted scenario, tough for Yoo Seongwon to swallow at first.
But he was already forced down the path of chivalry, and a positive public image would make operations smoother—not to mention a buffer if his identity leaked later.
『…Anyway, if I see anything suspicious, I’m going full scavenger mode, got it… Gah! What the hell! Let go! Betrayal! How can you do this?! Gaaah!』
“For freshness and rarity, I had my B-rank Academia Heaven Class daughter hold him captive. Three months should do. Anyway, we swear on my constellation’s name not to leak this.”
“Hmm… Good.”
An awakener swearing on their constellation left no room for doubt.
If she leaked it, the consequences would be dire.
“Then I’m off~ Good luck.”
“You too. Run your guild well.”
Deal done, Guild Master Shin Somi and the staff parted ways outside the office.
Heading back, the staff turned on the news—and breaking reports hit.
『Golden Demon Knight Appears at Chairman Bae’s Funeral.』
『Secures Promise for Victim Relief, Departs Peacefully.』
『Who is he, and why do this?』
“Hmm… As expected!”
“Boosts the info’s credibility. If he’s after rescuing those basement victims…”
The perfectly timed breaking news on the Golden Demon Knight validated their fabricated scenario without prior planning.
Convinced the info was legit, the association staff hurried back.
And this misunderstanding and deception would soon spark even bigger waves.