Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 210
>Chapter Title: Communal Hall (1)
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“How did you manage to get here?”
At Il-mok’s question, Seo Jae-pil replied with a face full of sorrow.
“After the Young Master completed his studies at the Demonic Path Academy, I sent a letter to the Pure Heart Garden Lord and had a meeting with the Academy Head. It was decided that I would return to the headquarter. However, handing over duties to my successor took a bit of time, and by the time I arrived back at headquarters, the Young Master had already left.”
Seo Jae-pil spoke in a mournful tone, as if the shock of that day still hadn’t faded.
“But I couldn’t just give up like that, so I begged the Garden Lord every day. I pleaded to be sent to wherever the Young Master was.”
“Did you know where I was and what I was doing when you made that request?”
“No matter where it is, if the Young Master is there, wouldn’t there be an abundance of research subjects?”
He truly was a mad physician.
“Sigh. So, after begging so earnestly, the Garden Lord sent you here?”
“That’s right. Since the Young Master requested reinforcements, the Garden Lord said he’d give me this chance!”
“…I see.”
Realizing it was all because of the Pure Heart Garden Lord, the Demon Physician, Il-mok let out a light sigh.
Of course, it wasn’t a situation he hadn’t even imagined.
He had requested one physician from the start, saying he needed one, and thanks to his obsession, calculating various possibilities was second nature.
It was just…
‘I thought he’d stay holed up at the Demonic Path Academy until I left, so of course he wouldn’t come.’
The worst-case scenario, where he’d quit the academy’s infirmary and return to Pure Heart Garden in the meantime, had simply seemed unlikely.
“So, what should I do from now on, Young Master?”
Unaware of Il-mok’s inner thoughts, Seo Jae-pil asked with an innocently bright face.
It was the face of someone asking which people he should use as test subjects.
“From now on, we’ll operate a clinic under the name ‘Maitreya Illuminated Church.’ Physician Seo, you just need to provide free consultations and prescribe treatments for the locals here.”
This was precisely why Il-mok had specifically requested a physician from headquarters.
What could be better for missionary work than medical services?
At Il-mok’s command, Seo Jae-pil’s eyes sparkled as he replied.
“Then, may I conduct interviews during the consultations and treatments? I’ve gathered quite a few cases on the psychology of those who trained demonic arts at the Demonic Path Academy and headquarters, so now I’d like to compare them with people who haven’t trained in demonic arts.”
“Do so. Oh, but don’t go dissecting living people or cracking open their skulls for experiments. These are ordinary civilians, after all.”
“Hahaha. You jest too much, Young Master. As if I’d ever do such a thing?”
Il-mok eyed the brightly laughing Physician Seo Jae-pil with deep suspicion.
“Sigh. You may go now. Jin Sojeo, please escort Physician Seo to the manor. I understand the clinic construction is already complete.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
After sending off Physician Seo Jae-pil with Jin Ha-yeon, Il-mok looked at those remaining in the hall.
Excluding Seon-a, who had stayed for protection, they were all unfamiliar faces.
“I am Kang Yul, Third Squad Leader of the White Dragon Squad.”
“I am Ya Yul-pae, Fourth Squad Leader of the Red Tiger Squad.”
“I am Won Sul, Deputy Division Head of the Main Doctrine Division of the Teaching Demon Pavilion.”
“Pleased to meet you. I am Eighth Young Master Il-mok. Could you tell me how many subordinates each of you brought?”
“The White Dragon Squad’s Third Squad, including myself, totals nine.”
“The Red Tiger Squad’s Fourth Squad also totals nine, including myself.”
“For the Teaching Demon Pavilion, there are three including myself, and since we were short on numbers, we brought three additional warriors from the Protectorate Courtyard.”
A total of twenty-four. Including Physician Seo Jae-pil, that made twenty-five reinforcements.
Il-mok issued orders to the White Dragon Squad’s Third Squad Leader and the Red Tiger Squad’s Fourth Squad Leader.
“From now on, the White Dragon Squad’s Third Squad and Red Tiger Squad’s Fourth Squad will tour the counties of Gansu Province and clean up the black道 groups tormenting the common folk.”
The Nancheon Society had seized Lanzhou, the provincial capital of Gansu.
And those bastards engaged in kidnappings and loan sharking for human trafficking, and even ran red-light districts with the women they bought and sold.
Naturally, with such scum nesting at the heart of Gansu, similar vermin were committing atrocities in various counties, just like the Red Yarn Room in Goryang County.
Since any sect that didn’t pay tribute had been wiped out by the Nancheon Society, the remaining ones were mostly black道 thugs backed by them.
“The locations of these black道 groups, their villainous deeds, and their approximate strength have been compiled by the Lanzhou Branch Leader. Meet with him first and discuss.”
Il-mok had already roughly grasped these black道 groups. Through the Nancheon Society’s ledgers.
They contained detailed records of the factions paying tribute or exchanging women and slaves.
Based on those ledgers, he had exchanged letters with branches in other counties of Gansu and compiled all the approximate information.
He simply hadn’t had the manpower to wipe them out yet.
And now, the blade of judgment would fall on these black道 scum who had been rampaging like they owned the place.
“Understood!”
At the order to fight evildoers for the sake of the common folk, Kang Yul and Ya Yul-pae replied in solemn voices.
It was a mission perfectly in line with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s doctrines.
After those two left the hall to get information from the Lanzhou Branch Leader, Il-mok turned to the middle-aged man, the Deputy Division Head of the Teaching Demon Pavilion’s Main Doctrine Division.
For some reason, a faint smile played on his lips.
‘Heh heh heh. Sorry to the others, but it can’t be helped.’
He was thinking of his comrades still back at headquarters.
The Teaching Demon Pavilion was already the busiest department at headquarters right now. With himself and two others absent, the ones left behind were probably being torn limb from limb by a storm of work.
But in his eagerness to escape the hell of the Teaching Demon Pavilion, he had forgotten one crucial fact.
That the very reason the hell called the Teaching Demon Pavilion existed was the Eighth Young Master standing before him.
“There are three tasks for the Deputy Division Head and those from the Teaching Demon Pavilion. First, create the doctrines for the ‘Maitreya Illuminated Church.’ Blend our Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s teachings bit by bit into Buddhist scriptures in a way that the Central Plains people can easily accept.”
“Y-You want me to create doctrines?”
“That’s right. Second, from now on, you will handle the sermons at gatherings. Teach the doctrines you’ve researched and prepared to the new followers. By teaching the Maitreya Illuminated Church’s doctrines, gradually familiarize the followers with our Divine Cult’s teachings.”
“…….”
“Finally, teach the Thousand Character Classic to those who came with you and the locals here. Just as Physician Seo handles medical services, you will be in charge of educational services.”
“…….”
Won Sul’s face, which had been beaming with joy moments ago, had now turned ashen.
Ignoring his expression, Il-mok turned to look at Seon-a.
“Tell Squad Leader Dam Bin to spread the word in the red-light district. If any courtesans or errand boys wish to learn to read, have them come to the manor.”
The former Nancheon Society manor.
Where former beggars and laborers were still working on construction, a school hall and clinic were already prepared.
He had specifically requested those two be completed first, and since they were merely repairing and renovating existing buildings rather than building new ones, they had been finished quickly.
Having gifted Won Sul this new hell, Il-mok said in a bored tone.
“What are you waiting for? Get going.”
“Y-Yes, I shall obey.”
As Won Sul shuffled off with the face of a cow being led to slaughter, Il-mok gave instructions to Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a.
“Have Squad Leader Dam Bin guide him. It might be better to stop by the red-light district first, then head to the manor’s school hall.”
“I shall do so, brother.”
In this way, Il-mok had instantly dumped all the work onto the new arrivals joining the Lanzhou Branch. He stretched languidly once more.
“Yawn.”
Having roughly offloaded all the tasks, he thought of taking another nap.
“Young Master! There’s one problem!”
The squad leaders of the White Dragon and Red Tiger Squads, whom he had sent off earlier, returned to the hall. Along with the Lanzhou Branch Leader, whom he had told them to meet.
“What problem?”
As Il-mok asked with an air of annoyance, the two squad leaders answered in turn.
“Dealing heavenly punishment to the black道 groups is no issue, but missionary work is the problem, Young Master.”
“Among our squad members, there’s no one suitable for honey traps.”
“…….”
It was a problem even Il-mok, tormented by his obsessions, hadn’t considered.
‘…Damn. Of course handsome or pretty people aren’t that common. Especially in combat units, where they’d pick for fighting ability first.’
Surrounded by so many exceptional people, Il-mok had come to take it for granted.
Pondering briefly under the urgent gazes of the two squad leaders and the branch leader.
Il-mok quickly came up with a solution and replied indifferently.
“Go find Squad Leader Dam Bin and visit the red-light district together. The courtesans there have already started believing in the Maitreya Illuminated Church anyway, so just pay and hire a few for a few days, no?”
After dumping the work, this was subcontracting.
* * *
Around the time the new Heavenly Demon Divine Cult members arrived in Lanzhou.
Sam-gyeol-gae, who had received orders from Hong Gae, the Lanzhou Beggars’ Sect Branch Chief, also arrived at the sect’s main headquarters.
A long journey leaving Gansu, passing through Shaanxi and Shanxi Provinces, and reaching Hebei.
Though Sam-gyeol-gae was a first-rate expert in his own right, by the time he reached Tianjin, where the headquarters was located, his appearance was indescribable.
He had started as a beggar, so he was already ragged, but now he looked so pitiful even the sect leader might take pity and toss him a coin.
Among all the beggars Sam-gyeol-gae had seen in his life, his current state was one of the most wretched. As he approached headquarters, a beggar standing guard under the pretense of begging eyed him warily.
As befitting the main headquarters, the guarding beggar’s clothes had four knots tied.
But the suspicion lasted only a moment.
Confirming the three knots on Sam-gyeol-gae’s pitifully wretched clothes, the Beggars’ Sect disciple stood up and said.
“Where’d you come from?”
“I’ve come to deliver a letter from Lanzhou Branch Chief Hong Gae.”
“Let me see… Lanzhou, huh… Information related to the Nancheon Society?”
“That’s correct, but it’s information about those who brought down the Nancheon Society.”
At Sam-gyeol-gae’s response, the four-knot beggar looked startled and approached to whisper.
“No way—did the Demonic Cult invade or something!?”
Normally, a beggar coming close to speak would reek terribly, but Sam-gyeol-gae smelled nothing. His own stench was far worse.
“It’s people called the Maitreya Illuminated Church. Branch Chief Hong Gae said he couldn’t judge them himself and asked the headquarters to make the call.”
Realizing it was a significant matter, the four-knot beggar stepped aside.
“Come on in.”
Sam-gyeol-gae finally entered the headquarters, but there was nothing particularly special about it.
The Beggars’ Sect was a gathering of beggars, so the headquarters was just a beggar village.
As Sam-gyeol-gae entered the beggar village, a beggar with five knots tied, just like Hong Gae, approached and exchanged similar words as at the entrance.
Then, O-gyeol-gae took the letter—not quite a letter—from Hong Gae that Sam-gyeol-gae handed over and headed somewhere.
“Sect Leader. Branch Chief Hong Gae of Lanzhou has sent a letter.”
That place was the hovel where resided the owner of the Drunken Jade Manor and the supreme leader of all Central Plains beggars—the Beggars’ Sect Leader.