Chapter 307
Chapter 307
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 307
Chapter Title: Certainty (2)
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As Dokgo Cheol cautiously entered the dormitory office, Master spoke up.
- The atmosphere feels a bit strange?
'Does it?'
It seemed the trust we'd built up over time, combined with the misunderstandings that had piled on, had finally started to bear fruit.
'Was the daytime fire the decisive blow?'
I'd been worrying about how to naturally demonstrate the blood manipulation technique anyway.
The chaos had made everything fit perfectly.
'There was some property damage, but no one got hurt... The restaurant owner's accidental fire was a big help.'
Anyway.
Dokgo Cheol seemed to have fully bitten on the bait I'd scattered.
But in fishing, the real skill came when reeling in the line.
'Especially when hooking Dokgo Cheol.'
To thoroughly grasp the Blood Cult through him in the future, I needed complete control over our relationship.
'He's come here confident in his own way, but it's time to make him feel the hot and cold swings.'
As part of that groundwork, without even glancing at him, I pointed to the small table we used for receiving guests.
"In a hurry? This won't take long, so if it's not urgent, have a seat over there and wait a bit?"
"Yes. I'll wait."
Sarahk- sarahk-
They were documents I'd already reviewed, but I dragged it out to make Dokgo Cheol anxious.
Gulp.
The moment he swallowed dryly, I shot him a glare and spoke.
"All done. So, what is it you want to say?"
"......"
After what must have felt like an eternity, Dokgo Cheol met my gaze but couldn't speak right away.
Sweat beading on his forehead, he backpedaled.
"On second thought... it's too personal a worry to burden the Chairman with."
Dokgo Cheol's attitude proved my prediction spot on.
It wasn't incomprehensible.
No matter how convinced he was when coming to see me, actually broaching the Blood Cult topic would naturally bring fear and anxiety.
"Sorry for bothering you so late. I'll head out now..."
Now was the time to reel in the line.
I smirked and opened my mouth.
"No, I think spilling that personal worry right now would be for the best. Trust me. Let it out."
"......"
A brief silence fell.
Then Dokgo Cheol's tightly sealed lips slowly parted.
"...Are you a follower of the Blood Cult?"
At Dokgo Cheol's words,
Master let out a gasp of admiration.
- Whoa. Did that punk just admit he's a demon with his own mouth? He knows your position in the orthodox martial world. That's basically begging to be killed... How on earth?
'Now do you see why I stuck to my guns despite your worrying?'
- You're unmatched at toasting people. You should've gone into politics... no, the intelligence agency.
'...Intelligence agency? What kind of talk is that to your disciple?!'
Setting aside that last bit, Master was right.
He knew my standing in the orthodox martial world, yet admitting he was a demon himself was as good as offering his neck.
Considering the original story's Blood Cult, run with iron discipline, that was taboo even under the Blood Demon.
In other words, Dokgo Cheol had just handed his life to me.
'Now I can mold him using what I know about the Blood Cult.'
I wanted to cheer, but I kept my composure and replied casually.
"You're not clueless."
At my response, Dokgo Cheol shot up from his seat with a sigh of relief.
"I knew it!"
"Shh."
I held a finger to my lips, creating a secretive atmosphere.
Dokgo Cheol asked me,
"Then the reason you took out Sang U-cheong and Baek Ri-gyeom..."
"We who follow the Blood Demon and those guys are on different paths. Having them in the academy could become obstacles to the main cult's events someday."
"...I see!"
"And you? You didn't report suspicions about my identity to the higher-ups, right?"
"Of course not!"
Dokgo Cheol, who must have felt like he was on the edge of a cliff moments ago, answered straightforwardly.
"Compared to you, Chairman, I'm as dim as a firefly to the full moon. But I have enough brains to know that talking would put both of us in danger."
"Not just now, but always."
"Yes."
"You get it properly? The pure-blooded cultists raised in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains..."
"They don't acknowledge white path folks like you or me. It's just a difference between showing it openly or keeping it inside."
"Right. They especially don't want the likes of us teaming up. No benefit in them knowing."
"...I understand."
Dokgo Cheol, now firmly convinced I was Blood Cult, nodded eagerly.
I grinned and said,
"Then let's get to the real 'proposal.' Our organization is all like that, but I know nothing about your line."
"That makes sense."
"Whether you or I, dipping into the Blood Cult is a shackle. If they expose us, it's the Martial Alliance's prison. No escaping the cult's grip."
"Yes."
"Can't go sideways, so climb up."
"...Up meaning?"
"Right under the Blood Demon."
"......!"
"For that, we need the big picture, and our only weapon is the white path martial world info I handle. We need to selectively leak it, so..."
"I need to sync perfectly with you, Chairman. If the higher-ups cross-check and our stories don't match, we're done."
"Exactly. So, I want you to consult me on everything Blood Cult-related, incoming or outgoing contacts included."
I paused for breath here.
Then, with a serious expression, I spoke again.
"You can refuse, but I'd really appreciate your help, Cheol."
Dokgo Cheol nodded firmly in response.
"Yes. I'll follow. I came here to team up with you in the first place."
"Good. Any contact from them since the entrance exam?"
"None on my end since taking the exam."
"Really?"
"Yes. As you know, policy is not to relay rumors. No need to report my passing or the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult examinees getting axed."
Then there was nothing immediate to discuss.
But being too businesslike wouldn't do.
'After all, Dokgo Cheol and I haven't known each other that long.'
I gave a dry chuckle and shifted to small talk.
"Phew. So how'd you end up like this?"
"...After the last Orthodox-Demonic War, my family really struggled. Your Eon Family lost the corpse servants but kept the fist experts, right?"
"Yeah."
"We lost our core techniques entirely. So..."
Dokgo Cheol explained how he'd gotten involved with the Blood Cult.
"...That's why, like you, Chairman, I want to restore my family's secrets and raise it big."
As I listened,
I realized there was something to discuss after all.
"Oh, Cheol, how much stipend do you get?"
"Whatever they give."
"That's no good. You suck at money management? Entrust it to me. I'll return it with interest after graduation."
"...Pardon?"
"What? Afraid I'll run off with it?"
"N-no, it's not that. Is that really okay?"
"If we're nitpicking that, teaming up at all wouldn't fly. We're already set to consult on everything cult-related anyway."
"...True."
"If you give it to me, I won't just blow it on living expenses. I can grow it. Got silver vein and maternal clan info. You want to revive your family—think that's cheap?"
"W-well, yes."
"Eon Family shrank but had backing in Jinju. You have to build Dokgo Clan from the foundation. Entrust it to me."
As we talked, Master clicked his tongue at me.
- Hearing his life story, it's rough. You're eating the flea liver raw.
'Flea liver? Haven't eaten it yet.'
- ......
'And technically, it's not his money—it's the Blood Cult's. Using the enemy's funds against the enemy. Correct that.'
- ...Well, meeting you was his life's hardship to begin with.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Having Dokgo Cheol in my pocket didn't change my daily routine much.
No contact from the Blood Cult side.
So, the same busy days continued.
-Alliance Leader, sir. Progress on the previously approved plan. Planning to include Cadet Dokgo Cheol in the upcoming freshmen Martial Alliance tour. Note it.
'All set. Encrypted too.'
I wrote the report on Dokgo Cheol for the Alliance Leader.
"Yong-a. Deliver this to the Alliance Leader."
Horu ruk!
Trained the freshmen.
"One, spirits! Two, one! One!"
"Spirits!!!!"
Drilled the upperclassmen.
"Upperclass night owls! After the spring dorm showdown, you'll train with the chicks! Want to be embarrassed then!?"
"Nooo!!"
Attended classes.
Handled student council duties.
In that utterly ordinary routine, if I had to pick one incident,
it was buying more Blood Spirit Venom Wine for Dang Ok-gi.
"Here."
"What's this? Kyaa! Blood Spirit Venom Wine?!"
"Around now, the medicine market booms."
"Our pomegranate and ruby got friends! Where's Ha-seong? Went to pick up the kids?!"
Not a tough task.
Of the two forces blocking Blood Spirit Venom Wine in the original at this time, Ha-eum Room vanished last year, and the Demonic Cult was in hibernation lately.
"Heh. Bet with Yong-un hyung on whether you could tell ruby from pomegranate or the others. And you do."
"Of course! Eye shapes and leg sizes are totally different."
"To me, they all look gross the same..."
"Kyaak! Take that back! They understand! Put your hand here, pet them, and apologize to Yeonji and Dansim!"
"Eek! No! You even named them?!"
"What's that attitude? Want a acupuncture taste?"
"...Dang Ok-gi. Instead of catching Ha-seong, do research. Who else babies second-years like this?"
"Going! Go!!"
"...Only Yong-un hyung."
"Cough up your bet silver."
"......"
Days passed like that.
Time flew, and the spring dorm showdown began.
"Today's tournament is the freshmen stage. Compete hot and healthy like new flames, showing the world these young sparks will lead the orthodox martial world!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Freshmen who passed the needle-eye entrance exam in white uniforms now donned colored dorm robes to clash skills and wills in the Righteous Martial Academy's spring dorm showdown.
"Green Bamboo Cavalry crushed Cloud Plum!"
"Man, without Gwa-ryong's generation and that Go Wan-san guy, Cloud Plum had the edge, but Green Bamboo?!"
"Yun-guk barely won for joint first, but now Green Bamboo pulls ahead solo!?"
"Green Bamboo! Green Bamboo!! Green Bamboo!!!"
As Green Bamboo dorm freshmen carried on last year's historic overall win,
"Pretty, Nangong Young!"
"Stalwart, Jang Seon!"
"Handsome, Dokgo Cheol! Dokgo Cheol cadet, autograph please!"
Competitors exiting the arena got massive cheers and autograph requests.
'Jagi?!'
One man's paper held the name of the place where Dokgo Cheol had been invited to join the Blood Cult.
Confirming it, Dokgo Cheol signaled Eon Yong-un on the central podium,
autographed, and followed the spectator somewhere.
They arrived at the betting area.
"One tael on Hyangran!"
"Two on Yun-guk!"
Amid the bustling bets,
the man sent Dokgo Cheol a transmission.
"[Originally thought safe passage through entrance was enough, but you entered the student council core... Impressive. Exceptionally, Blood Demon conveys high expectations.]" "[Lucky. Sang U-cheong and Baek Ri-gyeom got caught, forcing Eon Yong-un to accept me politically.]" "[Main cult's fortune. Then, your report please.]" "[Lowly branch, but becoming student council exec exceeds initial goal. Thus, avoiding risky info hunts, focusing on earning trust from seniors and peers.]" "[Well done. No useful info then?]" "[Of info through me helpful to cult... After spring tourney, freshman rep Martial Alliance tour led by Jeon Gal-seolji senior.]" "[Got it. Anything else notable?]" "[Ah.]" "[Something?] [...Could you raise my stipend a bit?]