Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 88
>Chapter Title: Forgetting Self (1)
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In response to the proposal from the old man across from him, the elder replied resolutely.
“Impossible.”
“…May I know the reason?”
Suppressing a sigh with effort at the distrustful tone, the elder opened his mouth.
“We’ve already crossed the point of no return. We attempted to assassinate the youngest Young Master, didn’t we?”
“…What if we hide it?”
This time, unable to hold back, the elder let out a sigh before speaking.
“Hoo. As you say, the youngest Young Master is absurdly brilliant. Do you think such a genius would fall for it so easily? He might be fooled at first, but in the process of being together, he’d inevitably catch on. Can you be certain he’d still side with us then?”
“…….”
“On the contrary, it would only heighten the risk of betrayal at the most critical moment when we’ve joined hands. He already has a solid connection with the eldest Young Master, making it all the more dangerous.”
At a loss for rebuttal, the old man across from him pondered for a moment before cautiously speaking.
“…If we can’t make him an ally, then eliminating him swiftly is the best course.”
“Indeed.”
“Then, are the preparations underway? To handle it without leaving any traces of us.”
At the elder’s question, a faint glint of white appeared from the opposite side.
It was moonlight reflecting off teeth bared in a cruel smile.
“A message has arrived via homing pigeon. We’ll disguise it as sporadic incidents. Even the youngest Young Master isn’t immune to misfortune, is he?”
* * *
A few days later, at dusk, one academy cadet visited the Academy Master’s hall in the Demonic Path Academy.
“This is Academy Cadet Baek-cheon, come to pay respects to the Academy Master.”
It was Baek-cheon, who had carried out the punishment imposed by the Academy Master over the past month or so.
Stroking his beard as he gazed at Baek-cheon, whose eyes were clear unlike during the sparring tournament, Yeom Ga-hwi remarked,
“You seem to have gained some realization.”
“It’s all thanks to the Academy Master and Cadet Il-mok.”
Yeom Ga-hwi felt a strange sensation.
‘Thanks to Cadet Il-mok, he says.’
Unaware that Baek-cheon and Il-mok had spoken privately, Yeom Ga-hwi couldn’t understand why the youngest Young Master’s name suddenly came up here.
Of course, lately, odd rumors had spread within the Demonic Path Academy. Rumors that Baek-cheon would burst into mad laughter midway through his punishments or keep grinning to himself.
This had led to weird gossip that Baek-cheon had gone insane from the punishments.
But, just as with Il-mok before, Yeom Ga-hwi was not a man swayed by rumors.
‘Indeed. So that’s how it is.’
He was a man who judged based solely on what he saw and felt himself, so Yeom Ga-hwi assessed the situation from his own perspective.
‘He’s truly broadened his vessel. To feel gratitude even toward Cadet Il-mok, who got him into such punishments.’
Nodding as he looked into Baek-cheon’s clear eyes filled with conviction and certainty, Yeom Ga-hwi thought,
‘As Cadet Il-mok suggested, it was wise to spare him.’
Yeom Ga-hwi believed a single upright, excellent Demonic Cult disciple had been born. And thanks to the youngest Young Master, no less.
“I shall release the restriction.”
“Thank you, Academy Master.”
As Baek-cheon bowed his head once more in gratitude, Yeom Ga-hwi rose and approached him, unfolding his technique.
For a moment, as Yeom Ga-hwi’s fingers struck various points on Baek-cheon’s body.
“Hoo.”
Once the powerful energy suppressing Baek-cheon’s inner power and dantian vanished, Baek-cheon closed his eyes and began to subdue the rampaging demonic qi.
And Baek-cheon managed to fully contain the demonic qi without much difficulty.
This, too, was a realization gained during the punishments.
When Baek-cheon opened his eyes after containing the demonic qi, a fierce light emanated from his already clear gaze.
Gazing at such a Baek-cheon, Yeom Ga-hwi offered words laced with both warning and advice.
“Releasing the restriction now doesn’t mean I believe you’ve fully repented and reflected on yourself. It’s only temporary, for tomorrow’s expedition.”
The second-year cadets of the Demonic Path Academy periodically set out on expeditions. To join one of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s various combat units or organizations and observe and experience their operations firsthand.
And since nearly two months had passed since returning from the last expedition, they were scheduled to depart tomorrow for a new training expedition.
“If any unfortunate incident occurs during this expedition, remember that you’ll face an even greater punishment then.”
“I shall keep it firmly in mind, time and again.”
At Baek-cheon’s response, Yeom Ga-hwi nodded once and issued the dismissal.
“Then, prepare yourself for tomorrow’s expedition.”
Baek-cheon offered one final bow before turning and leaving the Academy Master’s hall.
But the place he headed to was not the Black Tiger Lodge.
Unlike his peers, who had spent the past month compiling insights from the previous expedition, filling in their shortcomings, and preparing for the next, he had simply repeated prostrations three times a day for that entire month.
With his preparations lacking, he needed to gear up for the expedition right away.
Yet Baek-cheon thought there was something far more important.
And that important matter was something Baek-cheon couldn’t accomplish alone.
The place Baek-cheon headed after leaving the Academy Master’s hall was to seek someone’s help.
“Cadet Il-mok!”
The place he sought was a shabby clearing in a corner of the Demonic Path Academy.
Startled by Baek-cheon’s sudden shout, Jeong-hyeon let out his signature bizarre scream, while Il-mok, who had been enjoying a nap, scowled and turned his head.
“Haa. What is it?”
Il-mok openly showed his annoyance, but Baek-cheon paid it no mind.
“I’ve come to ask my Young Master something urgent.”
“Me? Is it about the expedition?”
Il-mok knew Baek-cheon’s group was departing tomorrow, which prompted the question, but Baek-cheon shook his head.
“It’s far more important than that.”
“???”
“I’ve been pondering the advice you gave me all this time.”
Il-mok, who had been wearing a puzzled expression, finally let out a soft “Ah” of realization.
He recalled the advice he had given Baek-cheon last time.
‘Career counseling? But why come to me of all people?’
Sure, he had given advice back then, but he was still a year younger than Baek-cheon physically, if not mentally.
No matter that he’d offered advice before, Il-mok wondered if it was necessary to seek him out again like this.
But whether Il-mok looked bothered or not, Baek-cheon continued with his eyes shining brightly.
“What I truly love. What I consider most valuable. After agonizing through the punishments from the Academy Master, I finally realized it.”
“I-I see.”
“There was only one thing I truly desire! That is—attention!”
“…”
“I find nothing in the world more enjoyable than attention! I’ve realized that the gaze of others makes me feel truly alive!”
Watching Baek-cheon’s eyes gleam with conviction, Il-mok was certain.
‘He’s a madman.’
Realizing they were utterly incompatible, Il-mok said,
“Congratulations. You’ve found your true self, so that should be enough, right? Be on your way.”
He wanted to end the conversation quickly, but it didn’t work on Baek-cheon.
“Didn’t you tell me, Young Master? To aspire to great ambitions. So I’ve set my own ambition. To become the most famous man in the world. A man everyone pays attention to!”
“…Mad.”
At Il-mok’s unwitting mutter, Baek-cheon, who had been proclaiming like an orator with shining eyes, tilted his head.
“What was that?”
“Ahem. Oh, nothing. Anyway, you’ve even set a great ambition, so that’s that, right? Good luck.”
He clenched his fist in a gesture urging him to leave, but the madman showed no sign of going.
“But after setting that great ambition, there’s a problem I’ve agonized over for over half a month without resolution, which is why I’ve come to you.”
Sighing at the madman who kept blabbering on, Il-mok asked,
“Haa. What problem?”
“I’ve set the ambition, but I can’t find a way to achieve it. The first method that came to mind was becoming the Heavenly Demon in the future and earning everyone’s awe, but that’s too far off.”
Jeong-hyeon, listening from behind, was stunned by Baek-cheon’s bold declaration of becoming the Heavenly Demon, but Il-mok was indifferent.
Caring about what a madman said was a loss. Besides, Il-mok himself had urged him to harbor great ambitions.
“So that’s why I came to you. I figured a wise Young Master like you might know a good way.”
“You mean, you want to know a way to become famous and draw lots of attention?”
“Exactly.”
Il-mok averted his gaze from the madman’s gleaming eyes and thought.
‘Who’d have thought the Baek family’s good-for-nothing would turn into an attention whore.’
Chuckling in disbelief at the unforeseen development for a moment.
‘Hm? Good-for-nothing?’
A thought struck him.
‘Aren’t good-for-nothings the ones who draw a ton of attention too?’
Not in a good way, sure, but before chopping off a criminal’s head, they’d dance with their sword and spray some booze, drawing crowds.
‘Hm. Still, recommending the executioner profession to someone once called a good-for-nothing feels off…’
Pondering similar professions to executioner, Il-mok suddenly exclaimed “Ah!” and said,
“Have you ever heard of face-changing or Peking opera?”
The face-changing of Sichuan opera, famous in the Sichuan region. And Peking opera, developed in Beijing. Both were performances put on before audiences, much like an executioner.
In other words, a kind of theater actor.
‘No matter how I think about it, for an attention whore, there’s no better job than entertainer.’
Not all entertainers are attention whores, but for one, nothing could be better.
“…I’ve heard of them, but are you saying I should do Peking opera or face-changing?”
“Exactly. Didn’t you say receiving attention is the greatest joy? Imagine people watching Academy Cadet Baek perform. Imagine them gasping in admiration and immersion as they watch you.”
At Il-mok’s words, Baek-cheon seemed to spread his wings of imagination, his eyes glazing over, before suddenly shuddering violently.
The sight was so creepy that Il-mok nearly shuddered himself.
But when Baek-cheon snapped out of it, he unexpectedly wore a negative expression.
“However, how could a warrior of the Divine Cult do such a thing? Others’ gazes don’t matter, but it wouldn’t aid the Divine Cult’s cause, would it?”
“What nonsense. Doesn’t Academy Cadet Baek already have the Divine Cult’s history and doctrines memorized? Then you could stage plays before audiences about the great deeds of past Heavenly Demons.”
“!!!”
“That would make you the vanguard proclaiming the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the achievements of its Heavenly Demons.”
“And on top of that, you’d gain endless attention and fame! It’s perfect for me!”
Baek-cheon’s clear eyes flashed, and thrilled by mere imagination, he shuddered all over again as he shouted.
“As expected, coming to Cadet Il-mok was the right choice! Thank you so much!”
As the ecstatic Baek-cheon stepped forward to express his gratitude, Il-mok hurriedly backed away.
Il-mok’s gaze was fixed on Baek-cheon’s lower abdomen.
‘…He’s not leaking, is he?’
The constant shuddering triggered Il-mok’s hygiene obsession alarm.
“Ahem. No need for thanks. Now be off.”
It smelled like he might.