Chapter 164
Chapter 164
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon Cult
-----------------------------------------------------------------
html, body { margin:0; padding:0; }
-Clop clop clop
"Hold it!"
"Heh, it's not like this is the first or second time. Do you really have to inspect everything so strictly every single time?"
"Shut up and unload the cargo. Then we'll check the goods."
This was the checkpoint managing goods entering the Demonic Cult.
The merchant bantered shamelessly with the guard, who still gripped his spear as if not even a needle could slip past.
"I've been doing business with you for years now. Isn't it about time you started trusting me a little? I always deliver exactly what you need."
"If you don't like it, we can end the deal. Of course, I'd take your life as the penalty fee."
"Ugh, when did I ever say I wanted to stop? Fine, fine. I'll open it up, so check away. Oh, and I have someone to introduce."
-Pop
"Hello?"
The guard tensed at the person who popped out from the carriage, then shifted his gaze to the letter they held out.
"They call me the Faceless Golden Ghost. I was invited here."
His eyes widened upon hearing a name he'd once caught in passing.
"Strategist! Strategist!"
"The door's open. Come in."
-Slam!
The strategist glanced at the frantic man who'd burst in, then finished sorting the documents in his hand.
This guy was always one for dramatics, so he figured it was probably nothing major, as usual.
"The Faceless Golden Ghost has arrived!"
-Freeze
Managing the vast Heavenly Demon Cult single-handedly in place of their absentee leader was no easy task.
Naturally, there were countless names he had to memorize, so recalling who someone was upon hearing their name always took considerable time.
But...
"Faceless Golden Ghost...?"
Fortunately, this was one name he'd kept in high regard, so it came to him quickly.
'The fortune teller the Leader was looking for goes by that moniker.'
However, it had only been about three weeks since word came that they'd set out from Shaanxi.
Considering the distance, no carriage could cover it that fast.
'...Carried here by a martial artist?'
Rumor had it they were a complete civilian with no martial arts training, so it wasn't impossible.
It defied common sense, so he half-joked to himself.
Whatever the case, their arrival was nothing but good news.
Faster was always better; no reason to complain.
"They're the Leader's guest, so treat them well and make them comfortable. I'll go inform the Leader now."
"The Leader's...! Understood!"
This was the first outsider the Leader had ever summoned.
With cultists starting to whisper doubts amid the Leader's total inactivity—save for rare forced appearances at events—this rumor of an outsider summon would do no harm.
Especially since it was that Faceless Golden Ghost who'd turned the entire Central Plains upside down not long ago. Even those doubting the Leader would spin wild theories about why they'd called him.
Not that he knew the real reason himself.
'Though I can guess one possibility.'
The reaction to the info about his love of liquor, calling him a drinking buddy...
He didn't want to believe the Leader—who could supposedly read the future—had summoned them just to share drinks.
But knowing the Leader as he did, it wasn't an unlikely scenario, and the thought lingered.
"They're rushing off in a huge hurry. Didn't expect me to show up, huh?"
"I did hurry a bit."
Skipping straight from Shaanxi to Kunlun? Yeah, I'd arrived ridiculously fast.
So it was only natural they hadn't anticipated me.
No martial artist, no matter how skilled, could cover that distance in a single day.
"Anyway, we made it safe. Good work."
"Aw, it was nothing. Gotta honor the contract, right?"
Per the original deal, payment was due only after I returned safely.
But...
"Here, take this for now."
-Jingle
I handed the merchant twenty gold coins.
"Sir...?"
"If I don't return in three days or things feel off, just head back. If I've truly been imprisoned or something, it's beyond what you can handle anyway."
"Sir..."
The merchant looked at me with touched eyes.
"Got it...! If that happens, I won't look back and will bolt...!"
He stuffed it deep into his bosom, as if afraid it'd be snatched away.
"Hey, you could at least pretend to refuse."
"Merchants never turn down offered coin!"
"...If I don't make it back, please deliver my letters."
"Of course!"
I'd prepared letters for Dang Ayoung, the Sword Empress, and Yeo Socheon in case I didn't return.
I'd even noted my master's mountain retreat and home location—just in case she emerged from closed-door training.
I'd asked Dang Ayoung to look after her too, so at least she wouldn't starve.
Knowing her murderous solo living skills, I couldn't leave her alone in the mountains.
'...I miss her all of a sudden.'
Love her or hate her, she'd raised me—her sole family in this world—for ten years.
Too long since I'd seen her.
If she hadn't suddenly gone into three years of closed-door training, I wouldn't have left the mountain; we'd just keep living together.
'...'
Then, unbidden, that weapon-like figure and face flashed in my mind.
'Am I insane?'
No indecent thoughts about family.
Sure, maybe weeks of nothing but beatings had built up some urges, but there were other fantasies—not fixating on that busty, ill-tempered woman's...
...but she was family, practically.
'She'd never see me that way anyway.'
Yeah. Truth be told, before family, I'd eyed her as a woman sometimes.
Impossible not to.
Dumped in this world, struggling, then rescued by someone with that body? What man wouldn't look?
But realistically, no chance.
Different world or not, who'd see a kid they raised from childhood as a man? Here, master-disciple bonds were near parent-child.
A parent-child equivalent from toddlerhood—how could romance spark?
And we'd seen every embarrassing bit of each other; nothing left to uncover.
That's why I teased with sexual harassment daily.
'Does she want me to get married or not?'
She tolerated it because I was family; otherwise, I'd be reported ages ago.
If she saw me as a man, no such antics.
Just a cute, fun-to-bully disciple.
'Tch.'
Anyway, I don't see her that way anymore.
Sure, I'd jerked off to that body and face in secret back then, unable to control myself.
But eventually, even seeing it stirred nothing.
Like my libido got yanked out.
"Looks like they're coming back. I'll be off."
"Safe travels back!"
"I'd like that."
As the merchant left, I tried calling the Saintess during this lull for some TRPG.
"...Saintess?"
No response.
Even trying to open the shop window as usual yielded nothing, like it'd vanished.
'...'
This had never happened before.
Anxiety surged at this unprecedented situation.
The 24/7 stalker Saintess ignoring my call?
'S-Saintess?'
...
'I-I can draw up a contract right now if you show?'
...Dead silence.
Normally, she'd leap up even from sleep at such bait.
No reaction meant something was seriously wrong.
She'd been fine just yesterday...
'...Inside the Demonic Cult now?'
Is the Saintess scared of the Heavenly Demon too?
-Drip drip
Imagining even her barricading the door from the Heavenly Demon had cold sweat beading.
Sure, she avoided showing when others were around, but I hadn't met anyone yet—just entered the Cult.
For mere entry to make her this cautious...
'...Please, no real Heavenly Demon encounter.'
I prayed skyward inwardly.
Let it be some other guy calling me.
An elder, division leader—any of the Cult's many experts.
And my wish...
'Fuck fuck fuck fuck.'
"I've brought the fortune teller you mentioned, Leader."
"Enter."
-Creak
The title of Leader.
A place deep in the Cult, requiring a long trek.
The air trembled enough before the door opened to confirm it, but...
The truth hit when the doors parted and she came into view.
"Well done, Black Wind Division Leader. You may go."
Overwhelming beauty at a glance.
Looks transcending the human realm, rivaling even my master's.
The moment our eyes met, an alien pressure clamped down—like prey before a predator.
Hard to see her as human.
More natural to think of her as something wearing human skin.
This was her.
The sky beyond the Central Plains that Yeo Socheon feared, the Sword Empress feared.
"Welcome. I've been eager to meet you."
The sky of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
The Heavenly Demon.