Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: The Reaching Demonic Claw
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The warrior from the Ho Heaven Squad explained in as much detail as possible what had happened in that bizarre moment.
"Slowly tightening the encirclement when suddenly, fog began to roll in. It was such a sudden change that we immediately knew something was off."
True to a warrior of the Zhuge Clan, he first suspected a formation array.
But he soon realized it wasn't one.
"There were none of the telltale signs of a formation. It was just fog."
Fog that appeared out of nowhere, without any formation involved.
No need to say it—it had to be an illusion spell.
Je-gal Geun-yeong seemed to have reached the same conclusion, nodding at me as our eyes met.
"And then?"
"...That's when the lecherous demon struck back. The fog thickened, scattering us before we knew it, and that's when he appeared, swinging his sword at me."
The lecherous demon's blade cut through the fog with considerable ferocity.
At least enough that the warrior couldn't end the fight easily.
"After a full hundred exchanges, I finally drove my sword into his chest. At that moment, I truly thought I'd taken down the lecherous bastard..."
But no.
The moment he pulled the sword from his chest, the demon's corpse dissolved into the fog and vanished into thin air.
Stunned by the surreal sight, the fog suddenly lifted all at once.
And in the cleared view that followed, what appeared were the cold, lifeless bodies of his comrades who had lost their lives.
"...Out of twenty-two squad members, only five survived."
Five out of twenty-two.
That meant seventeen—over half—had fallen to the Jade-Faced Yin Demon.
A loss tantamount to annihilation.
Recalling that agonizing, heartbreaking reality, the warrior twisted his face and bit his lip.
"......"
I took in the sight of his clenched fists and eyes trembling with unease.
"...I understand the situation. It must have been painful to relive those memories. You can go now."
"...Yes."
After the warrior gave a feeble bow and left, a heavy silence settled over the office.
Illusion spell.
The lecherous demon stabbed and then vanished.
The fog lifted to reveal dead comrades.
All of it pointed to one thing.
I turned to look at Je-gal Geun-yeong.
Her once gentle expression had hardened into something fearsome, the softness vanishing in an instant.
It seemed she too had grasped the 'truth' behind the Ho Heaven Squad's near-annihilation.
That said, I'd heard there were no fatalities in the Ho Heaven Squad. Apparently not.
Were they hiding it on purpose? Why?
"...I'm sorry, but can we end things here for today?"
In the end, Je-gal Geun-yeong requested we pause the discussion.
No surprise—her mind must be in turmoil on multiple fronts.
"Understood. I'll come back tomorrow. I'll leave these items with you."
"...Thank you."
I bid farewell to Je-gal Geun-yeong, who bowed her head gravely, then left the office.
*
Leaving the branch office and heading back to the Chang-cheon Merchant Guild.
Hwa-ryeon, her face once more concealed by the headscarf, spoke up.
"Our expectations underestimated the Jade-Faced Yin Demon's illusion skills."
"Yeah. And it turns out he's more vicious than we thought. To think he'd turn the Ho Heaven Squad against each other."
I'd assumed he was just a guy obsessed with women, since none of the female victims had died. This was unexpected.
"...Pardon? What do you mean? Turn them against each other?"
Gong Ak-sa, who had been listening quietly, voiced her confusion.
Her blank expression suggested she hadn't pieced together the truth about the Ho Heaven Squad.
I explained the details.
"You heard the story earlier, right? The fog rolled in suddenly, and they fought a lecherous demon that emerged from it."
"Yes. But didn't you say the Jade-Faced Yin Demon is just a sorcerer with terrible martial arts?"
I nodded at Gong Ak-sa's question and continued the explanation.
"Exactly. The Jade-Faced Yin Demon I faced myself had martial skills no better than an ordinary person's."
"But... "
The Jade-Faced Yin Demon either doesn't practice martial arts or is utterly inept at it.
The Jade-Faced Yin Demon fought the Ho Heaven Squad warriors and wiped them out.
Gong Ak-sa couldn't hide her confusion at the two contradictory statements.
I corrected the flawed premise to clear up her bewilderment.
"To cut to the chase, it wasn't the lecherous demon who annihilated the Ho Heaven Squad."
"It... wasn't the lecherous demon? Then who on earth...?"
Gong Ak-sa's eyes widened slowly as her face drained of color while she questioned me.
She must have realized the answer.
I nodded gravely and said it.
"Yes. The Ho Heaven Squad killed each other."
That was the truth behind their annihilation.
Under the illusion spell, they hallucinated and mistook one another for the lecherous demon, slaughtering their own.
"G-Good heavens...!"
Gong Ak-sa covered her mouth with both hands at the brutal truth.
Her clear eyes trembled with shock.
I recalled the Ho Heaven Squad warrior's demeanor.
Beyond the devastation of being brutally defeated by the lecherous demon, he couldn't hide his underlying anxiety.
He probably knew it himself.
What they had done.
But he couldn't accept it.
He'd claimed he couldn't report that day's events to Je-gal Geun-yeong because of Je-gal Cheon-sang's threats, but that likely wasn't the only reason.
For reasons different from Je-gal Cheon-sang's, they too wouldn't have wanted it known.
If Je-gal Geun-yeong uncovered the truth and revealed it to all, they'd have to face a reality they refused to acknowledge.
And that 'if' had become reality.
What would Je-gal Geun-yeong do about the Ho Heaven Squad?
I'd find out tomorrow when I visited.
Feeling the mood sink even lower, I resumed walking toward the Chang-cheon Merchant Guild.
Just as the guild branch came into view, Gong Ak-sa hesitantly called out to me.
"Y-Young hero."
"Hm? What's up?"
"...Is it really okay for me to keep burdening you all like this?"
"Pardon?"
I tilted my head at the out-of-left-field question.
Gong Ak-sa hesitated before continuing.
"If what you say is true, the Jade-Faced Yin Demon is a cruel monster who uses illusions to make allies slaughter each other. If he comes after me again..."
"You think it might get us hurt too?"
"...Yes."
Gong Ak-sa nodded with difficulty.
The story of the Ho Heaven Squad's infighting must have weighed heavily on her.
She was someone who could risk her reputation being ruined, yet here she was helping us.
Of course I'd take responsibility for her safety.
Perhaps for Gong Ak-sa, someone getting hurt because of her was even more painful than losing her chastity.
Even so, I couldn't just let her leave the guild and head home alone.
I stated firmly.
"It's fine. Neither you getting kidnapped again nor any of us getting hurt will happen."
"But..."
To Gong Ak-sa, who still couldn't accept it, I repeated myself clearly.
"No one—you, my comrades, or anyone from the guild—will get hurt. I'll stop that bastard. So relax."
"...Thank you. Truly."
Gong Ak-sa looked up at me pitifully, her eyes welling up red at my words.
Caught off guard by her strangely fervent gaze, Hwa-ryeon cut in.
"We don't know if that lecherous demon is watching from somewhere. Standing around here is dangerous—let's head inside."
Hwa-ryeon was the most at risk, yet she grabbed my collar instead.
Sensing her hidden feelings behind the cold face, I smiled faintly and let her lead me along obediently.
Back at the Chang-cheon Merchant Guild branch.
As Gong Ak-sa gave a wry smile and entered first, Hwa-ryeon's icy voice pierced my ear.
"Impressive. Going that far for a woman you just met yesterday."
Her voice was so frigid it felt like thorns digging into flesh.
But if that made my lips curl up involuntarily, it must be me that's strange, right?
Suppressing the twitch of my facial muscles, I replied.
"She's risking her reputation to help us. Of course I'd take responsibility for her safety. Don't you think?"
Hwa-ryeon fell silent at the irrefutable logic.
But her face remained stubbornly sullen, like something still bothered her.
Ah, I got the feeling.
If I didn't smooth this over now, it'd drag on for a while.
Pondering how to cheer Hwa-ryeon up, an unexpected question came flying.
"...Even if it had been me insulted like that, would you have done the same?"
It took me a moment to realize she meant the time Je-gal Cheon-sang had insulted Gong Ak-sa.
Je-gal Cheon-sang to Hwa-ryeon...?
My face hardened as I answered.
"No. I'd have killed the bastard."
Not just talk.
Even imagining him saying something vile to Hwa-ryeon made something boil inside me.
I wouldn't have stopped at breaking one shoulder.
Even if he survived, he'd never recover—permanently crippled.
"...Fine, then."
Hwa-ryeon's expression softened at my response.
Noticing her mood lift, I chuckled, and she turned to flee in embarrassment.
I grabbed her small, pale hand and yanked her close.
"Eek-?"
Hwa-ryeon let out a small cry as she tumbled into my arms.
Her petite face, now right in front of mine, began to flush red as she looked up.
"L-Let go...!"
"Why run away?"
"Wh-Who said I was running? I'm not!"
Hwa-ryeon stammered, struggling to wriggle free from my embrace.
But since I kept hold of her hand, she couldn't escape.
"...Could you let go?"
"If I do, you'll run again."
"I'm not! I was just going to see Lady Yeo."
"Then we'll go together. Problem solved."
Hwa-ryeon stared at me with exasperation.
"Why not just say we should stick together all day?"
"Hm? Sure, that works."
"...Pardon?"
Her eyes widened round at my casual reply.
I met her gaze, her pupils reflecting my face.
Wow, even though that's not what I meant(?), saying it like this feels kinda embarrassing.
"Soo... anyway, if you're okay with it, spend the day with me today."
"......."
After awkwardly forcing the words out, she gave me a look like I was crazy.
"Even I'd feel hurt if you look at me like that."
"...First, tell me why."
"I suddenly thought that lecherous demon might come after you too."