Chapter 278
Chapter 278
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 278
>Chapter Title: Confusion (3)
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Il-mok, at a loss for words, clamped his mouth shut, and Dan Bin spoke up with an admiring look on her face.
“As expected of you, Young Master. I merely thought it was to divert the Martial Alliance’s attention to the Blood Cult, but to think you foresaw things going this far?”
With the Blood Cult hunt not enough, now even infighting was breaking out within the orthodox factions, leaving the Martial Alliance with no spare attention for the Maitreya Divine Cult.
Was it because of how she’d observed him so far? She assumed Il-mok had anticipated everything up to this point and orchestrated it all.
It was a ridiculous misunderstanding, but Il-mok saw no need to correct her.
“Ahem. In any case, the Martial Alliance and Blood Cult will be too busy clashing with each other for a while, so we can just focus on our own affairs.”
“Indeed, Young Master.”
“Then, how’s the sewer project in Lanzhou progressing?”
At Il-mok’s question, Dan Bin produced a stack of letters as if she’d been waiting for it. They were daily records of the construction progress.
Il-mok skimmed through the stack she handed him, then opened his mouth as if something had occurred to him.
“Come to think of it, didn’t you say infighting broke out in the Hao Gate as well?”
“That’s right. Using the Hao Gate Leader’s revenge as an excuse, their elders are attacking each other.”
“Hmm.”
Il-mok stroked his chin for a moment, then set the letters down and spoke.
“The construction seems to be proceeding steadily, so it might be time to expand the Maitreya Divine Cult’s influence.”
While civil wars that weren’t quite civil wars were erupting across the Central Plains.
Il-mok intended to seize the opportunity—like watching a feast and eating well—and accelerate the expansion he’d paused for a while.
“Are you planning to start missionary work in other provinces as well?”
“With the Martial Alliance and Blood Cult both distracted, now’s our chance. For now, target Qinghai near Gansu Province and the northern part of Sichuan Province. Focus especially on the red-light districts.”
“Because of the Hao Gate’s infighting?”
At Dan Bin’s question, Il-mok nodded and added,
“On top of that, it’s from our experience in Gansu Province. There are some who become courtesans willingly, but most are sold off due to debts or kidnapped, right? When we forgive their debts and offer education, courtesans convert to the Maitreya Divine Cult the fastest.”
“Liquor gatherings leak plenty of information, so taking over the red-light districts will let us gather all sorts of Central Plains intel, just like the Hao Gate did. It’ll surely be a great help to our cult.”
* * *
Deep in some treacherous mountain somewhere in the Central Plains.
The black-clad man who had hastily gathered intel from the Central Plains returned to the Blood Cult Leader.
Upon hearing the bizarre rumor that his group had ambushed the Hao Gate Leader, the Blood Cult Leader had ordered a thorough investigation into its source.
The Blood Cult Leader asked the man prostrated before him.
“What did you find?”
“…The people in the brothel where the Hao Gate Leader resided were all found dead, drained of blood and with necks torn like wild beasts. Scattered there were also a few puppets and talismans that appeared to be ones used by our Blood Cult.”
“…So you’re saying there are people who ignored this cult leader’s order to stay put and acted on their own?”
At the Blood Cult Leader’s icy question, the black-clad man jerked his head up and cried out.
“That’s impossible, my lord. We confirmed no one ambushed the Hao Gate Leader.”
“Then it means someone disguised it to look like our doing.”
“…Yes, my lord.”
The man swallowed hard in terror and answered.
But what came back wasn’t a curse or rebuke—it was a hollow laugh.
“Ha. How absurd.”
He’d prepared all sorts of schemes and deceived the Martial Alliance, but this was the first time he’d been on the receiving end of such a plot.
“Could it be the Martial Alliance used us as an excuse to deal with the Hao Gate?”
The thought naturally occurred to the Blood Cult Leader.
“The orthodox factions have their daoists and sorcerers. Plus, they took the stolen goods we failed to clean up at Baekhak Mountain, so faking it as our work wouldn’t have been hard.”
It wasn’t just Baekhak Mountain.
Ever since the Gongdong Mountain incident, the Beggars’ Clan and Martial Alliance had been hunting the Blood Cult for a long time.
There had been occasional slip-ups where they caught tails, but the Blood Cult’s demonic artifacts recovered after killing those people weren’t just one or two.
The Blood Cult Leader hadn’t even considered it might be the Maitreya Divine Cult’s doing.
He knew the Beggars’ Clan had handled the demon at Gongdong Mountain, and as far as he knew, the Maitreya Divine Cult was busy dealing with the plague—the very one they had prepared.
Having concluded it was the Martial Alliance’s false flag, the Blood Cult Leader sneered coldly.
“As expected of those hypocrites.”
He found their attitude revolting—committing evils no better than his own while pretending to be righteous on the surface.
The problem was there was no way to explain it wasn’t their doing.
No one in the Central Plains martial world would believe them, and if it was the Martial Alliance’s scheme, denial was even more impossible.
As the Blood Cult Leader’s expression grew icier, the black-clad man who’d come to report hurriedly spoke up.
“Also, while gathering information, we came across some eerie news.”
“Eerie news?”
“Yes. Starting with the Hao Gate, there are reports of attacks on people accused of colluding with us across the Central Plains.”
“What…?”
The Blood Cult Leader’s cold expression twisted strangely.
It wasn’t as if there were no mid-to-small factions operating in hiding.
There were a few colluding with them.
But if attacks were happening across the Central Plains, he should have already heard about them through his own channels.
Frowning at the nonsensical report for a moment.
The Blood Cult Leader realized the truth behind the rumors.
“Infighting has broken out!”
“That’s right, Cult Leader.”
“Hahaha. They’ve hoisted themselves on their own petard.”
Mocking the Martial Alliance for falling into its own trap, a cunning idea flashed in the Blood Cult Leader’s mind.
“This works out perfectly. Tell the cultists to stop hiding so much and start some light activities from now on.”
“Understood.”
At his subordinate’s unquestioning agreement, the Blood Cult Leader furrowed his brow and asked.
“Do you understand why I’m suddenly ordering more activity?”
“W-Well…”
Seeing the man unable to finish, terrified, the Blood Cult Leader clicked his tongue and explained.
“It’s to shake the martial artists. Falsehoods are deadliest when hidden among truths. If we hole up completely, the Martial Alliance will eventually sort out this chaos.”
“…!!! So you plan to deliberately leave some traces? Even if they spark infighting, make it look like we’re truly involved.”
“Exactly. Might as well bury our demonic artifacts in unrelated factions now and then or leak false info.”
“Your wisdom blankets the heavens, Cult Leader! I’ll spread your will at once!”
Watching the black-clad man dash off, the Blood Cult Leader’s face soon hardened coldly.
He knew it.
No matter the scheme to shake the Martial Alliance, leaving traces would cost cultists their lives.
But the Blood Cult Leader didn’t care, even knowing that.
From the history of failure seventy years ago, he had learned one thing.
To defy heaven in the end, absolute power was needed.
“If your sacrifices perfect the Heavenly Blood Corpse, defying heaven won’t be a dream.”
Muttering to himself, the Blood Cult Leader turned and gazed at the corpse slumbering at the cave’s edge.
He would shake the Martial Alliance, drown the Central Plains in rivers of blood.
He didn’t care if Blood Cult followers died in the process.
If their blood could complete the Heavenly Blood Corpse, they’d rejoice to become offerings.
* * *
While blades clashed across the Central Plains under the pretext of Blood Cult unrest mixed with human greed.
Gansu Province’s atmosphere was strangely detached from the other provinces.
The Lanzhou sewer project progressed steadily, and missionary activities—paused for a while—were gradually expanding territory.
But the biggest change was in the people.
Twenty-some days since Il-mok and his group left Lanzhou.
“Hahaha. Need anything? Team Leader Dan Bin.”
“Hmm. Sitting so long, my body feels a bit off.”
“Then let me give you a massage. Hahaha.”
Compared to before they left, the mood between Dan Bin and Gu Yangmun had warmed considerably.
Gu Yangmun’s affectionate onslaught seemed to have thawed Dan Bin’s icy heart, if only a little.
From what Il-mok had overheard, when Dan Bin started being picky with food due to morning sickness, day or night, whenever she mentioned a craving, he’d fly off with lightness skill to another village or even climb mountains to fetch it.
Even if she barely ate a few bites due to nausea, he never complained or showed annoyance.
Hearing that tale of utter devotion, the first thought in Il-mok’s head was one.
‘As expected, when it works out, it’s pure love.’
Though when it didn’t, it’d be stalking.
“Looks good.”
Watching Gu Yangmun diligently massage Dan Bin, Il-mok later pulled him aside after it ended.
“Your relationship with Team Leader Dan Bin looks much better.”
“Hahaha. Isn’t it thanks to your advice, Young Master?”
At Gu Yangmun’s cheerful laugh, Il-mok smiled faintly and asked.
“But quite some time has passed, yet you’re still calling her Team Leader Dan Bin.”
“It’s become habit, so it comes naturally, Young Master.”
Il-mok felt oddly stifled by the answer.
‘Tch. Am I being too old-fashioned?’
But watching them, they felt less like husband-wife or lovers and more like pet and owner.
The age gap between the older woman and younger man probably amplified it.
“Hmm. I don’t know Team Leader Dan Bin’s tastes, but why not try a different form of address once, even if it feels awkward?”
“Different address like what?”
“It’ll be cringy, but there are those pet names lovers use? Or just calling her by name wouldn’t be bad.”
He thought if a much younger man kept using her job title, it might diminish her attraction to him as a man.
“By name?”
As Gu Yangmun tilted his head, Il-mok smiled awkwardly and added,
“Well, if she prefers the current dynamic, stick with it, but trying once wouldn’t hurt. You won’t know what she likes unless you try, right?”
Gu Yangmun seemed to mull it over, then nodded in understanding.
“Now that I think about it, I’ve only ever given what she asked for. I’ve never tried initiating. As expected of my master!”
Il-mok smiled wryly at Gu Yangmun, who often called him his love guru.
‘Who here hasn’t even dated once.’
Truth was, Il-mok had walls up too. He’d already exhausted himself maintaining relationships in the modern world.
Plus, tied to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the only women he saw were those whose romances seemed dyed in hardship and trials.
Finding a Transcending Demon woman? They were at least middle-aged.
Shaking off idle complaints, Il-mok smiled faintly with final advice.
“If you’re going with name or nickname, try casual speech once too. Hahaha.”
He’d inwardly cursed him mad several times, but after traveling together so long, Il-mok hoped Gu Yangmun could be happy.
And as they left the hall together.
Gu Yangmun, spotting Dan Bin by chance, immediately acted on Il-mok’s advice.
“Bin Mae. Feeling better?”
“…Bin? Were you calling me?”
Dan Bin’s face twisted at the sudden change.
Startled by her expression, Gu Yangmun bowed his head like a dog desperate to poop.
“S-Sorry, Team Leader Dan Bin.”
At the abrupt switch to honorifics, Dan Bin’s face showed subtle disappointment instead.
“Actually, Il-mok…”
As Gu Yangmun tried to confess, Il-mok hurriedly sent a transmission.
- Shut it!
“!!”
- Shut up and say exactly what I dictate!
To the flinching Gu Yangmun, Il-mok quickly added.
- Say since you’re about to become husband and wife, ‘Team Leader Dan Bin’ felt too stiff, so you wanted to try something else!
Right after Il-mok’s transmission, Gu Yangmun parroted it to Dan Bin like a parrot.
“Hmm. I see.”
Dan Bin nodded as if accepting, her expression peculiar, and Gu Yangmun, still anxious, spoke up.
“I’m sorry for offending you.”
“No. It wasn’t bad, Gege.”
At the term she added with a smile at the end, Gu Yangmun’s eyes widened.
“T-Then… may I call you casually now…?”
“Do as you like.”
“Ahem.”
Gu Yangmun cleared his throat awkwardly, then tentatively called, “Bin Mae.”
“Yes. Gu Yang Gege.”
“Ahem.”
Dan Bin smiled softly while Gu Yangmun flushed in embarrassment—a stark contrast.
The ticklish, fresh vibe had Il-mok smirking as a bystander.
“Anywhere uncomfortable, Bin Mae?”
“Hmm. My body feels stiff; might need a massage.”
“Hahaha. Just say the word anytime for a massage. I’m always ready for you, Bin Mae.”
Answering that, as Gu Yangmun approached to massage her, Dan Bin shook her head for some reason.
Her face oddly flushed, she eyed her room with a glance.
“Not here, but there would be better, Gu Yang Gege.”
“Hm? What’s the difference between here and there?”
At oblivious Gu Yangmun’s question, Dan Bin just smiled softly, lightly grabbed his arm, and led him to her room.
Watching their backs, Il-mok let out a hollow laugh.
‘I didn’t wish for them to be this happy.’
Then. Dan Bin, leading Gu Yangmun to her room, glanced back and mouthed something to Il-mok.
‘Thank you, Young Master.’
“…….”
Seems Dan Bin had noticed everything already.
‘Yangmun, looks like you’ll be henpecked for life.’
Truly, a bear of a husband and a fox of a wife.