Chapter 221
Chapter 221
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 221
>Chapter Title: Joy (1)
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After the meeting with the Beggar Clan's Rear Beggar concluded.
Il-mok deployed his stealth technique just in case, returning cautiously to the Lanzhou Branch.
Il-mok asked Jin Ha-yeon about Danbin's whereabouts since he had instructions for her, and upon hearing she was in the main hall writing some letter, he headed there.
"Did the conversation with the Rear Beggar go well?"
At Danbin's question, Il-mok nodded and asked,
"But what letter are you writing?"
"Ah.... I was compiling the missionary methods Young Master applied for the Divine Cult's revival. It seemed too good to limit to just Lanzhou, so I was thinking of reporting it to the Supreme One."
"Ah...."
Il-mok responded half-heartedly to her answer.
"Even things like the hymns and all?"
"Yes. I even asked Young Master Baekcheon about how to read sheet music and compiled all the hymn sheets. On top of that, things about the medical quarters and schools. Methods to aid the masses with the money recovered from punishing evildoers. It has been quite the study."
Danbin imagined it.
What would happen when these countless missionary methods conceived by the Eighth Young Master reached the main headquarters and were then disseminated to the branches, including Singang.
Even more masses would be saved, and naturally, she pictured them all praising the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult together far in the future.
It was a sad thing.
Because in her imagination, there were no scenes of people at headquarters being torn apart once that letter arrived.
Of course, Il-mok wasn't imagining people being torn apart either.
'They won't pile on more work for no reason, right?'
He was merely worried the Heavenly Demon wouldn't assign him even more tasks.
Il-mok thought as long as he himself wasn't the one getting torn apart, it was fine.
Shaking off stray thoughts, Il-mok soon pulled a neatly folded letter from his sleeve and held it out to her.
"That's perfect, then. Once you've finished all those letters, please enclose this one too. But make sure only Master sees it."
The letter Il-mok handed over contained various matters. It included information learned through the Rear Beggar, as well as a request for support in handling the Pingliang County incident.
The main headquarters had physicians researching drugs similar to ghost cap mushrooms, and especially one warrior who had recovered from poisoning by a similar mushroom.
"I'll keep that in mind."
As Danbin received the letter with a respectful demeanor, Il-mok added,
"Oh, and in two days, we'll head to Pingliang with the Beggar Clan disciples, so until then, find me some skilled carpenters capable of surveying and construction."
"You're going personally?"
At her question, Il-mok nodded, slightly lowering his head to glance at the sword sheath at his side.
Inside that sheath, the demonic sword slumbered.
To save those poisoned by ghost cap mushrooms because of the Ghost Valley Elder and his disciples, and to resolve the demonic sword's grudge, he needed to step up first.
'Well, once things get properly underway, I won't have to do anything myself.'
Il-mok planned to set the framework and then bail.
"Then we'll prepare to depart in two days as well."
At Danbin's words, Il-mok shook his head.
"We've dispelled the Rear Beggar's suspicions for now, but moving together might raise them again. I'll spend today deciding who to take."
"Understood, Young Master. Then, how many carpenters should I select?"
"Since we'll recruit manpower through the Beggar Clan anyway, three or four master craftsmen to oversee should suffice."
"I'll ask Deokgwang, the carpenter handling the believers' construction and the manor work."
"Ah. And check with the red-light district—ask if any chefs want to work somewhere other than brothels. Also, look for any point earners or chefs with farming knowledge."
It was supposed to be a journey to spread Blood Cult information to the Beggar Clan. Or a journey to aid Pingliang County's masses. Yet Il-mok's requests were quite peculiar.
But Danbin didn't ask why.
"I'll do so."
Having observed him all this time, she believed there must be a reason.
* * *
Having given Danbin her instructions, Il-mok returned to his hall and sat at the table, deep in thought.
'I can use Beggar Clan disciples and regular beggars for the grunt work, and I've prepared minimal self-sustaining measures, but something still feels lacking.'
Pondering if there was a better way, Il-mok let out a light sigh.
"Is this cursed obsession too?"
It felt like he was pointlessly chasing perfection.
As Il-mok shook his head side to side to clear his mind, he sensed footsteps beyond the door.
"Young Master. May I enter?"
It was Baekcheon's voice.
No sooner had Il-mok given permission than Baekcheon entered, eyes sparkling brighter than usual.
"Young Master. There's an assembly tonight. But it's completely different from the usual ones."
Il-mok furrowed his brow at that burdensome gaze and asked,
"What's so different?"
"It's because this Baek prepared a special performance. And since that performance was made entirely thanks to Young Master's advice, I came hoping you'd watch the premiere."
Il-mok's first thought was what insane nonsense this madman had prepared this time.
But Il-mok didn't refuse the invitation.
'It's been a while since I skipped assemblies, so it might not be bad to go cool my head.'
After driving out the Beggar Clan disciples, he hadn't attended any assemblies.
And that night.
As before, Il-mok hid in that same tree, watching the assembly.
'Heavens. The numbers are swelling like cockroaches.'
The crowd at the assembly site had multiplied several times since his last visit.
The stream banks were now packed with people, so it seemed time to change locations.
'I hope construction there finishes soon.'
As Il-mok thought that inwardly, Won-sul, deputy sub-leader of the Preaching Room in the Demon Slaughter Pavilion, appeared masked and began the sermon.
For a while, the time teaching Maitreya Bright Cult's unique doctrines—Buddhist scriptures subtly blended with Heavenly Demon Divine Cult teachings—continued.
"Today, instead of hymn time, we'll present a special play!"
Baekcheon stepped forward, capturing everyone's attention with his inner force-infused voice.
The crowd's reaction was subtle. Likely because the eagerly anticipated hymn time was gone.
And in that subtle atmosphere, Baekcheon's play began.
"......"
Il-mok watched the scene with a half-dazed expression.
Baekcheon's play was no mere theater.
'This madman actually made a proper opera.'
As musicians who brought instruments played, a woman would narrate the backstory in passionate tones.
"Fine nobles drowned in pleasure, ignoring state affairs for drink and lust, leaving us wallowing in mud, scraping one meal a day—no, three days for one was tight."
No sooner had her narration ended than the man playing the protagonist—Baekcheon again—launched into a one-man show.
"Oh, the control! The masses' screams and grudges, cries reached Maitreya, so this body descends to the mortal world as Maitreya's seventh incarnation to save them!"
He drove the play with soliloquies or dialogues with minor roles, seeking evildoers. Then evildoers gathered and ambushed him.
"You scum are the infamous Yunwu Association villains!"
Facing masked villains, he suddenly froze and burst into song.
"We fight the villains, brothers freed of sin. Boldly battle those wicked foes there."
Absurdly, the song he sang was a hymn.
Perhaps recognizing it, the audience joined in one after another.
"Glo~ ry, glory! Maitreya Bright~ Cult!"
"Glo~ ry, glory! Maitreya Bright~ Cult!"
Watching that absurd scene, Il-mok realized.
'Not enough time to compose all new songs for the opera, so he crafted the play around existing hymns!'
As Il-mok inferred Baekcheon's intent, the play continued.
Whether Baekcheon planned it or not, built around familiar hymns, the believers' immersion peaked.
Whenever hymns played mid-play, backed by the musicians, believers belted them out like mad.
Boosted by the hymns' immersion, the audience soon dove into the play.
When low-rank Yunwu Association warriors—play villains—fell, cheers erupted repeatedly.
As the story progressed further and a supporting character appeared to aid protagonist Baekcheon, women's cheers filled the air.
"Waaaah~!!"
Recognizing him, the women cheered his name.
"Jade Face Young Master!"
The supporting role was Jeong-hyeon in male disguise.
No lines needed, Baekcheon had half-forced her—his theater partner from the Demonic Path Academy—into the play.
'...I'm insane. Why did I agree to this....'
Jeong-hyeon regretted it, face pale white.
- Junior Jeong! You asked me to teach you theater to overcome demonic arts' side effects and mingle with people! This is your chance! Don't worry—I made you a silent character for your sake!
Cursing her past self for falling for Baekcheon's sweet talk.
"Look at that pure white skin!"
And the women admired Jeong-hyeon's pallid face.
Forcibly thrown into the play by Baekcheon, Jeong-hyeon moved stiffly, lips sealed.
"Even that stoic demeanor!"
"And those eyes brimming with melancholy."
Oddly, the women praised disguised Jeong-hyeon's every move.
As women's praise intensified, Jeong-hyeon's face blanched further, body stiffening more, but for some reason, the culprit Baekcheon smirked.
Not because of Jeong-hyeon's distress.
He wasn't one to care about others anyway.
'Heh heh heh heh heh. Everyone's praising me!'
In his terminal attention-seeker phase, he even twisted praise for Jeong-hyeon into praise for himself.
"Join me to crush these villains and save the masses!"
Ever more excited, Baekcheon shouted in exaggerated tones.
And silent Jeong-hyeon stiffly nodded.
"Kyaaaaah!"
Amid women's frenzied screams, Baekcheon shivered in delight.
Watching that mad spectacle from the tree, Il-mok's lips had unwittingly curled upward.
Not from being engrossed in the play.
'Why didn't I think of this?'
A way to help Pingliang County's poisoned victims.
He had found the final missing piece for that rehabilitation plan that felt lacking.