Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Uninvited Guest (5)
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Sima Yul.
The legitimate son of the Sima Family, one of the renowned demonic clans in Shin-gang.
He was one of Chu Un-hwi's subordinates.
Chu Un-hwi looked down at his subordinate, who was prostrating himself with his vulnerable crown exposed like any martial artist would avoid, and let out a long sigh.
"So. What's this Lone-Eyed Divine Sword Dokgo Yul?"
The subordinate, who had been bowing deeply, raised his head and answered.
"It's an identity I created for wandering the jianghu."
"An identity for wandering the jianghu? Something like that exists?"
The corners of the subordinate's mouth tore into a grin.
"It's an identity I meticulously crafted to assassinate the Murim Alliance Leader."
"......"
"My lord! Just give the order now, and this Sima Yul will fetch the Alliance Leader's head at once!"
Oh man, my head.
Grabbing the back of his neck, Chu Un-hwi snapped.
"Hey, hey. Leave the Murim Alliance Leader alone. Why do you keep trying to take his head when he's just living his life quietly?"
"Isn't it standard to lop off the head first before a fight even starts?"
"We're not fighting!"
This was what he feared.
This reckless, no-retreat stupidity.
Dealing with someone who took jokes as orders and would leap into flames hugging an oil barrel was a headache.
This guy was a prime example.
The clever scion of the Sima Family, known for their wits, turned simple-minded the moment he saw Chu Un-hwi.
"Aigoo. My poor head. If there was something convenient like a fake identity, I would've used it ages ago."
Coming to Bronze Hall was just asking for hardship. But his subordinate looked skeptical.
"It would be difficult for you, my lord."
"Why wouldn't it work for me?"
The subordinate loyally added.
"To create this identity, we built a fake family from decades ago. And from a young age, I established a track record with periodic public activities. When needed, I'd attend righteous faction gatherings a dozen times a year. It took immense money, time, and effort."
Sima Yul was right.
Chu Un-hwi would've found it too bothersome and quit halfway.
"Why go through all that hassle..."
"All this to sever the Murim Alliance Leader's neck and offer you the jianghu."
"Enough! Enough!"
This time, he asked something else.
"Fine. I get why Lone-Eyed Divine Sword Dokgo Yul exists. But who came up with the perfect righteous hero persona?"
His subordinate Sima Yul loyally replied.
"Everything is based on the current Murim Alliance Leader's ideal image of a hero. Not just that. The current Leader eats with his left hand. That's included in the setup, along with his preference for Yungjeong tea, and even how he roughly uses the second silk cloth when relieving himself."
"Enough! Enough!"
"All this to sever the Alliance Leader's neck and offer you the righteous murim..."
"Shut your mouth! You madman!"
I give up. My mistake.
Rarely, Chu Un-hwi lost a fight. A verbal one, at that.
"Aigoo. My head."
Grabbing the back of his head, Chu Un-hwi grumbled.
"Didn't I tell you to help the cult leader? Why follow me!"
"I've eliminated all the Heavenly Net Society's lackeys."
"My reputation's already shaken once. Who knows what calamity might strike. You need to watch my back to the end."
"I've found suitable replacements and taken measures. Don't worry too much."
That figures.
Since it was an order, he'd grit his teeth, find successors, and work them to death.
My condolences to the replacements.
This time, Sima Yul protested as if feeling wronged.
"My lord, that's too much. How can a shadow be separated from its master?"
"It works for me."
Seeing his shadow fading at his feet, Sima Yul quickly added.
"Please leave the shadow be. You have to consider the shadow's pride too, right?"
Got me there.
'No comfort at all, that's the problem.'
Damn it.
"How'd you find this place?"
"I heard through Hao Gate that a one-million-nyang bill surfaced and investigated."
"One-million-nyang bills aren't common, but they exist."
"I focused on ones unrelated to merchant houses or prestigious families."
Since my lord hates pretentious formalities.
From the added explanation, he understood how Sima Yul pinpointed this place in the vast jianghu. Knowing him so well, he'd narrowed conditions and searched relentlessly.
Smart guy, as expected.
'That's why I avoided using bills.'
A moment's lapse left a trail after all.
'Though only someone like him would track it.'
Now, what to do with this.
"Yul-ah. You're not telling me the entire Dark Soul Blood Black Wind Division is coming, right?"
Dark Soul Blood Black Wind Division.
The organization he personally gathered and raised—those who guarded his back until the end in the past.
Thankfully, Sima Yul's answer was no.
"Not knowing your intentions, only I came for now."
"Good to hear."
"However. I doubt my father won't notice."
Figures. Damn.
Sima Yul's father, Sima Baek, had watched over him since childhood.
His perceptiveness was sharper than this guy's, if anything.
Getting caught was just a matter of time.
"Whew. What now?"
"My lord, that's too much. Why wander the jianghu alone, leaving us behind?"
"Man, what wandering alone?"
"You're trying to hog the whole jianghu by yourself, aren't you? I know it. It hurts."
"No, I'm not!"
Leave the jianghu alone!
Faced with his sniffling subordinate, Chu Un-hwi finally had to confess the current situation.
Sima Yul's eyes went wide as he listened.
"You came to find a lover?"
"Y-yeah."
"Which wife is she? The hundred-and-eighty-second spot is open right now."
"How'd you even get to a hundred-eighty-one?"
Sima Yul answered matter-of-factly.
"You know how it is. While you were away, marriage proposals poured in from the Heavenly Demon God Church's noble houses."
"I saw the birthday gifts from the Ten Demonic Clans—girls tied up like dried fish. Wasn't it four?"
"Competition heated up while you were gone. By your coming-of-age ceremony, it might exceed two hundred."
Ah, my head hurts so much it's melting.
'That's why I left Shin-gang.'
Opening his eyes to vengeance, stirring a blood storm in Shin-gang's millennium demonic cult was the root of it.
His greater mistake: not anticipating countless followers from such a earth-shaking revenge drama.
"The fifth? The daughters from the Ten Demonic Clans are exceptional beauties in a class of their own, so I set them aside separately like delicacies."
Who decided that?
Why pair him with faces he hadn't even seen?
The weary Chu Un-hwi retorted.
"No. One lover is enough."
"Then..."
Light gleamed in Sima Yul's eyes.
"The principal wife!"
"What else would it be if not the principal wife?"
"No, as expected of my lord. If it's for taking a principal wife, assassinating the Alliance Leader pales in comparison."
"It's not set in stone yet. Haven't found her, and can't guarantee she'll accept me."
"Our cult's corpse puppet arts are the best in the world. If not, make her one."
"......"
Sima Yul immediately lowered his voice.
"If you just act like you used to, everything will go smoothly. What is this getup? I thought some beggar was impersonating you."
"Beggar? Getup?"
As his voice sank, Sima Yul promptly banged his head on the floor.
"From now on, this subordinate will actively support my lord's romance endeavors. Hard as Sima Yul of the Dark Soul Blood Black Wind Division, but as Lone-Eyed Divine Sword Dokgo Yul, I can help."
He couldn't find an opening to snap at his subordinate spouting perfect logic.
This was why he hated it.
'He knows me too well.'
Pushes right to the limit, then flattens himself.
Everything stems from loyalty, so it's hard to berate him.
Just tiring.
'Sigh. My fate.'
Instead of reuniting with his eagerly awaited lover, he got tangled with the subordinate he least wanted to see.
"What now."
Back in his room, Chu Un-hwi rolled on the bed, groaning.
Loyal and stupid? No worry.
Just beat him and chase him off. The problem is a loyal guy who thinks smart.
"Here."
"What's this?"
"Raided a few black道 sects on the way."
"So the black道 sects you smashed one by one were..."
"Saw you using bills, figured you were short on cash. Besides, it fits maintaining Lone-Eyed Divine Sword's persona."
He hesitated to take it, but Sima Yul added.
"Won't you need it later to buy your principal wife a flower hairpin?"
He snatched it up.
The perceptive guy knew exactly what he needed.
And more.
"If you want to go to Silver Hall, let me know. As temporary squad leader, I have some pull with personnel."
Devilishly convenient.
The problem: get used to these conveniences, and suddenly his chambers would be packed with bear-like brave, snake-like sly subordinates.
They'd gather and push to conquer Shin-gang, devour the Murim Alliance, even Iron Chain Alliance.
"Even competence is a worry."
Because they'd competently conquer the jianghu.
Honestly, not impossible.
His subordinates alone had the power to rival the Alliance in full war.
"Hated this, so made uncle the leader, but none of them listen."
Right now, the Millennium Demonic Cult's leader uncle was probably shedding tears alone in an empty hall, eating solo?
[Why! Why do I have to be leader! Me too! I wanna join the Dark Soul Blood Black Wind Division!]
He remembered the clinging sobs, but shoved the unwanted memory away.
Immediate future worried him more.
"The other Black Wind guys won't notice right away."
Time to use desperate measures to avoid detection.
'How...'.
He was deep in thought when.
Clatter.
A presence, then a voice from beyond the wall.
"Instructor Chu. You awake?"
"No?"
"Try this."
A rustling sound, and a small lunchbox popped through the hole.
"What's this?"
"Working overtime, and surprisingly, Great Hero Dokgo Yul himself visited."
Dokgo Yul?
"Praised me for the hard work, then dipped into his own pocket for pricey lunchboxes. From the famous Baekga Guest House in Infinite Castle—super tasty. He ordered plenty, so I brought one for you too, Instructor Chu."
"Oh, really?"
Taking the lukewarm lunchbox handed through the wall half-heartedly, soon a small gourd bottle followed.
"Hehe. Secretly snuck this."
"Well done."
"It's late, but shall we toast?"
"Sure."
Clink.
Clinking cups, Chu Un-hwi tilted the gourd and shook his head.
'Buying righteous folks' favor with loot from raiding black道 sects.'
Do people know the perfect hero's dream is taking the Alliance Leader's head?
"Hehe. Nice day, huh?"
"Yeah. Sure is."
No idea what the righteous jianghu thinks.