Chapter 111 Red Dragon Incarnate
“P-Please, try this as well. It's our family's specialty, roast duck that our head chef is most proud of.”
Hyeok Mun fawned over me, piling food in front of me. The table was laden with so much that it looked ready to collapse.
“Ahem, that duck glistens so invitingly. It'll pair perfectly with this liquor.”
Cheol Mu Geuk reached for his chopsticks with a sly expression—
Pzzt!
—but his face fell at the ferocious aura sparking from Hyeok Mun's eyes like literal fireworks.
“Sigh. Guess it's time to die when you're old. What a pitiful sight.”
I shook my head and pushed the roast duck in front of me toward Cheol Mu Geuk.
“As expected, only you, Sado Family Head.”
Hyeok Mun didn't mind my gesture. But then—
“D-Does the roast duck not suit your taste? I'll chop off that chef's arm!”
“Reckless fool. I just want to eat in peace.”
“I-I'm sorry!”
Hyeok Mun clamped his mouth shut. He looked itchy with unspoken words.
It was absurd.
Just a few hours ago, this guy had been snarling about killing me, and now he was whimpering like a puppy desperate to poop.
[The problem is that the Red Dragon's energy bowed its head to you.]
Pa Cheon was right.
The Red Dragon's energy, which should have naturally dispersed into the world after Pa Cheon unleashed it, had submitted to me.
The reason was probably—
[Because you didn't destroy the Red Dragon Tablet.]
Only black-haired beasts forget favors. Even a divine beast close to an evil dragon had shown gratitude for my actions.
The issue was that Hyeok Mun had no idea about any of this backstory.
Instead, he'd witnessed the scene and started treating me with utmost reverence, calling me the “Red Dragon Incarnate” or whatever.
He seemed to think I was the Red Dragon's manifestation, which made the energy submit.
I could correct the misunderstanding, but—
“Yes, of course you should. I'll keep silent until you've fully recovered your strength.”
It had led to an even bigger misunderstanding.
'Embarrassing, but...'
Misunderstandings like this were nothing now.
A few months ago, when I had zilch to my name, I'd leveraged a misunderstanding with Dang Si Hyeok to impersonate a descendant of the Medicine Immortal.
Compared to that, this was tame.
Though the scale had grown a bit.
With Hyeok Mun acting so deferential, even Hyeok Gon—who'd picked a fight with me—couldn't meet my eyes.
The funny part was my crew. For some reason, they were just rolling with it, enjoying the situation.
Cheol Mu Geuk was even drinking, and Cheol So Pyeong was inhaling his food like a vacuum.
Mugyeok-i was sucking flames from the small campfire next to Cho Ryang.
Sa Wol was the only one by my side as my guard, but her pleased expression suggested she liked the food. I'd thought Sado Family meals weren't bad, but maybe I needed to step it up.
Anyway.
'Normally, wouldn't they wonder why he's suddenly so reverent?'
[Because you're strong. At least on the surface.]
Fair enough. When others couldn't even react, things exploded around me—makes sense.
As the meal wound down and we'd even had tea, Hyeok Mun cautiously spoke up.
“Red Dragon Incarnate—.”
“Sado Family Head.”
“Sado Family Head. Might you dismiss your entourage for a moment?”
I nodded.
“Everyone, step out for a bit.”
Sa Wol tried to go invisible, but—
“Even your guard—I must ask her to leave as well.”
Maybe he wasn't all hot-blooded bluster.
Hyeok Mun pinpointed exactly where Sa Wol had hidden.
'Something to do with handling electricity developing his detection skills?'
I nodded. Once Sa Wol revealed herself and left, Hyeok Mun—
Thud!
“Red Dragon Incarnate! Forgive my rudeness!”
—dropped to his knees before me. And went further.
“Punish me for failing to recognize the Red Dragon Incarnate and acting arrogantly!”
Hyeok Mun slammed his head against the floor.
Left like that, he'd bash it until blood poured, as per wuxia cliché.
“Enough.”
He stopped dead at my word. Lifting his head, his forehead was already beet red.
“It's fine.”
“I am deeply grateful for your mercy!”
Now it was getting burdensome. He looked at me like a fanatic zealot.
“May I humbly ask your next course of action? Are you set on driving out the Heavenly Demon?”
“The Heavenly Demon?”
“Yes, the Heavenly Demon! You must lift the curse tied to that name.”
“Curse. What do you mean?”
“You don't know of the curse...?”
Question marks filled Hyeok Mun's eyes, like how could you not know?
I didn't flinch. Instead, I continued calmly.
“I asked what you mean.”
I rose, channeling Heavenly Demon Divine Art qi. Hyeok Mun recoiled.
I spoke in a low voice, feigning restrained anger.
“Hyeok Mun.”
“Yes?”
“Your Hyeok Clan inherited my will and built your house. Yet why do you think I awoke in the Sado bloodline, not yours?”
“Th-That is—.”
“Because of that pathetic doubt.”
Hyeok Mun looked stunned.
“Your Hyeok Clan doubted me, so I couldn't manifest fully.”
“W-We have committed a mortal sin!”
Maybe because the scene was already set.
Even my half-baked bluff made him kowtow like he was atoning on stone.
[What are you doing? This'll bite us later.]
'Just wait.'
I sank back into my seat like my strength had ebbed.
“I'm not here to judge right and wrong. As I said, manifesting imperfectly means my memories are incomplete.”
“Gasp!”
“Worse, this body's original owner sometimes regains consciousness. That's why I asked not to call me Incarnate.”
“So you've returned in a possession form. Indeed.”
“Contact with the dragon egg briefly restored my mind, but time is short.”
[Tsk tsk. I knew you were a con artist.]
'This'll do.' I asked Pa Cheon, who just tsked. He called me a definite scammer.
Well, it was possession, sort of.
“So. What's the link between this body and the Heavenly Demon?”
“It's... due to a contract with the First Heavenly Demon.”
According to Hyeok Mun, the Red Dragon had made an unfair pact with the First Heavenly Demon, binding most of its power.
That explained why the Hyeok Clan obsessed over the Heavenly Demon.
“Remove the Heavenly Demon name, and you could return in full body, not possession.”
“I see. Is that why you schemed to become head of the Six Families?”
“Yes. As an old house, I learned the true purpose of the Six Families Alliance, passed down in secret.”
I nodded. Classic wuxia—secrets everyone but the protagonist knows until later.
“One more question.”
“Ask away.”
“How much do you know of Chu Tae Su's plans?”
Hyeok Mun tried kowtowing again with “kill me,” but I threatened to actually do it if he begged once more. He whimpered and answered.
“Truth is...”
His confession matched my guesses, mostly.
Slight difference in details.
Chu Tae Su had tipped him off about Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa.
The alliance conflict was staged too.
Normally, I'd spot the acting, but sorcery must've clouded his judgment.
“Falling for sorcery? Idiot.”
He didn't cry mortal sin, but trembled at my scolding.
“Chu Tae Su can't be trusted. He never acts without gain. What does he get from reviving me?”
“Offering himself as your slave, of course. Infinite glory!”
“...”
That's why fanatics are scary.
“No. He has other schemes.”
“What is it?”
“Jiangshi.”
“Jiangshi! That guardian whose energy you can't sense?”
“Exactly.”
Hyeok Mun nodded in admiration.
I probed subtly.
“Any countermeasures for sorcery? Treasure artifacts, items, jades?”
“Nothing like that. But...”
Hyeok Mun's eyes blazed.
“Grant me part of the Red Dragon, and I could overcome it.”
I shook my head.
“Chu Tae Su wants to empower his jiangshi. Imagine if he got my part.”
“Gasp!”
Hyeok Mun shook his head at the horror.
“Can't allow that.”
“I have a plan.”
“Command me.”
“Sado Family, form a blood alliance with Iron Family. Befriend Kwak Family too.”
“Oh! You plan to enslave them!”
“...Yes. But hide it until I fully revive.”
“Wise words. I'll treat future slaves kindly.”
[Should've smacked him once in the mental world. Annoying even as an ally.]
'This is strategy. Strategy.'
Now three of five families excluding Sado were mine. Yin Blood Jin was already terrified of me.
Chu Tae Su's range would shrink.
In a novel, it'd be slammed as breakneck pacing.
Impromptu, but I got everything I wanted.
Time to head back.
“Mm...”
“Wh-What's wrong?”
“No. This Sado body is reclaiming control. Hyeok Mun, one warning.”
“What?”
“Don't defy this body's owner. Even I struggle against him.”
“Wise words.”
“He's waking soon. Act natural.”
Last safety net in place—
“Mm?!”
—I began acting like I was coming to.
[Tsk.]
'Breaking immersion.'
Despite Pa Cheon's interruption—
“Where...?”
“You're awake? Sado Family Head.”
“Hyeok Mun?”
“Yes, that's right.”
Hyeok Mun greeted me with a warm smile, faithfully following my “Incarnate” instructions.
“Seems I blacked out briefly. Misjudged you, Sado Family Head. Haha!”
Plan perfect.
I pretended to grasp the situation, nodding vaguely to Hyeok Mun's fabricated tale.
[Demon. If tongue could be a martial art, you'd be beyond Super Peak. Maybe the world's best.]
Maybe my real weapon wasn't Pa Cheon Sword or treasures, but this tongue.
Back at headquarters, I stood before the Heavenly Demon once more.
Acting as the Heavenly Demon