Chapter 50
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: The Demonic Cult Appears
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"The person who transported these bananas for us met with some misfortune?"
"That's right. And it wasn't someone who had any chronic illness either. I wonder if they caught some nasty local disease on the road. To top it off, this isn't the first time something like this has happened."
"Not the first time?"
"Lately..."
Ni Dae-ho opened up about the strange incidents that had been occurring over the past few months.
According to him, people doing business near the holy city had been going missing or turning up dead more frequently lately.
'Missing persons, dead bodies?'
I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
When the Demonic Cult expanded its territory, they quietly eliminated small shops and escort agencies first.
Most of the prime real estate in the Central Plains belonged to the righteous sects.
The Demonic Cult's only remaining option was underhanded methods like assassination.
They deployed their assassins to secretly remove powerful competitors in the area, then bought up the most useful ones at rock-bottom prices to gradually take over the surrounding commerce.
Having done similar jobs myself multiple times while attached to the secret sub-branch, there was no way I could miss their moves.
'Ha, these bastards... Now they're operating even in the holy city? With all the righteous sects gathered here.'
"Why the sudden change in expression? Is something wrong?"
"No, not at all. Thank you so much for your continued help, Vice Leader."
"Help? I've received far greater favors from you. I'm just glad I can repay even a little in this way. Let me know anytime if you need anything else."
"Thank you, Vice Leader."
I seethed at the realization that the Demonic Cult's tentacles had reached this far.
They'd already used bandits to tamper with the Thousand Gold Merchant Group's shipments before, and it seemed their infiltration of the Central Plains was accelerating.
'Hmm, can't let this slide.'
I was busy preparing for the martial tournament, but I felt the need to clean up the area a bit.
Once the real fight with the Demonic Cult began, I planned to cut off their funding first anyway.
But the thought that their rats were already scurrying around my vicinity made my blood boil.
The ones working hardest among the Demonic Cult would be those from the Shadow Squad, like me.
They were just tools raised... no, bred like I had been.
I felt a twinge of pity for them, but not enough to show mercy.
I decided to track them down and eliminate their leader first.
They were sharp and cautious, so locating them was key, but the method was simple.
I already knew their schemes and tactics inside out.
'Their ultimate target has to be this guy, right?'
I stared steadily at Ni Dae-ho before speaking in a low voice.
"Vice Leader."
"Hm? What is it? Speak."
"In my view, someone is deliberately targeting the merchants here."
"You sensed it too? I've suspected it's no ordinary matter."
"Exactly. And... I think their final goal is you, Vice Leader."
"Me?"
"The bandit raid last time, the attacks on the Thousand Gold Merchant Group's longtime partners— it looks like a plot to weaken your influence in the holy city."
"Such insolent bastards! Who would dare? Do you have any leads?"
"Who else in the world could scheme against a massive organization like the Thousand Gold Merchant Group?"
"Those guys, you mean?"
"Only the Demonic Cult."
Ni Dae-ho's face paled at the mention of the Demonic Cult.
The Demonic Cult was a force that required all righteous sects united to oppose— the strongest single faction around.
"The Demonic Cult? Why would they target me? Are they planning to do business in the Central Plains?"
I wanted to say, 'Didn't you know? Demonic Cult merchants are crawling all over the Central Plains already,' but that might raise suspicions like 'How do you know that?' So I glossed over it.
"A reasonable suspicion. Wasn't there something off about that bandit uprising? How many in the world could mobilize a group that large?"
"True, we weren't refusing tolls, and it wasn't like we were transporting anything particularly rare."
"The Demonic Cult is definitely making money in the Central Plains."
"Hmm, you're right. I've noticed more unfamiliar merchants lately too. Oh, and speaking of which— those bandits who attacked us? I heard all their bodies were found."
"Pardon? They're all dead?"
I feigned ignorance skillfully.
"General Won Dong-gi's unit and Murim Alliance experts joined forces to raid their stronghold. But when they arrived, all the bandits were already dead."
"Heavens, who could pull off something that massive?"
"And get this— they even cleaned out the stronghold's vault."
"My goodness..."
"Thieves robbed by thieves, eh?"
"Haha, indeed."
"But the real shocker? They found an incredible martial art there."
"An incredible martial art? What kind?"
"You probably wouldn't know, but when I was young, there was an expert who turned the martial world into a bloodbath. Word is he's back."
"Who is this person?"
"A guy called Shadow."
This was the first time I'd heard my master's name from someone else. It felt good.
But I hid my pleasure and played dumb.
"Shadow? First I've heard of him. Where's he from?"
"Nothing's confirmed. But they say the aura he exuded resembled demonic energy. And he slaughtered Demonic Cult members on sight with extreme brutality. So maybe someone who broke away from internal strife in the Demonic Cult."
A pretty accurate guess from fragmentary info.
'Master killed Demonic Cultists as cruelly as possible. Just like him.'
I urged him to double his guards and minimize outside activities.
He nodded with a worried expression and left.
'If this goes well, I can reel them all in without breaking a sweat.'
Feeling a bit guilty about using him as bait, I apologized inwardly.
That evening,
I ordered the guys into self-training and slipped out of the academy in night clothes to guard Ni Dae-ho's vicinity in secret.
He hadn't taken my words lightly either— he'd made solid preparations.
Ten peak-class warriors and numerous first-rate ones were on alert around him.
That level of security was beyond what Shadow Squad assassins could handle, but it also worried me.
'A bit overkill? Too tight, and they might not show. Still, scouts should come sniffing.'
If they appeared, I wouldn't kill them.
They were the clock rabbits to lead me to the big fish.
Four days passed with nothing.
I patrolled from dusk till dawn after daily duties, but my senses picked up no one.
In the morning, Yang Cho-gun and Sa Ma-ryang asked why I wasn't returning to the dorms at night.
I brushed it off as solo secret training.
Yang Cho-gun's eyes lit up fiercely at "secret training." The guy's weirder the more I see him.
On the third day,
The owner of Seju Trading, who supplied liquor and ingredients to nearby inns, died suddenly in his sleep.
'Hmm, still picking off the small fry?'
I hid near Ni Dae-ho's house as usual, scanning the area.
I'd barely slept in three days.
Training the finalists by day, watching over him by night.
My sleep totaled barely an hour a day.
But having surpassed the pinnacle realm, a quick meditation session gave me full rest, so no issues.
Perched in a tree, my senses finally caught a presence.
Movements more agile and silent than a cat, but they couldn't evade my sharpened senses.
I knew instantly they were Shadow Squad assassins.
'All first-grade or higher, at least ten.'
Considering I was a second-grade when in the Squad, this showed how much effort the Demonic Cult was putting into assassinating Ni Dae-ho.
The scout returned and reported.
"What? Ten peak-class warriors on guard?"
"Yes, Squad Leader."
"Weren't there only two or three until recently?"
"That's what it was then."
"They must've gotten spooked while we took out the other targets."
"Hmm. We need to kill without a trace... but ten peak experts? Impossible to do quietly. What now?"
As their Squad Leader fretted, I stepped in to end his dilemma.
"What now? Turn back, obviously."
"Who's there?"
"Who the hell are you?"
They drew blackened short swords from their robes.
I strolled toward them casually, like a guy out for a midnight snack, plucking a nearby blade of grass.
Snap!
I hurled it at one of them.
—Fwip!
Packed with internal energy, the grass blade flew true and struck one squarely.
—Pffft!
"Gahk!"
The hit assassin sprayed blood and tumbled back.
"Gasp! Leaf-Plucking Killer realm? A master! Everyone, throw daggers!"
They flung hidden blades at me.
I didn't bother dodging. Iron Body Technique bounced them all away.
Cling! Ting-ting-ting! Ting!
"Gasp!"
The assassins' eyes bulged in shock as they backed away.
"We can't take him! Scatter!"