Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: An Unwitting Informant
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The next day, Neung Un-bi finished circulating his energy around sunrise and had his first meal as an early lunch.
“Did you tell Yongcheon I wanted to see him?”
“Yes. I relayed the message as you commanded... but please, reconsider.”
Ju Seung advised, his brow deeply furrowed.
“Reconsider what?”
“You know what I mean.”
“So you're going to argue? I thought I made myself clear last night.”
Ju Seung sighed deeply under Neung Un-bi's sharp glare.
“I am not trying to deny my defeat.”
“Then what is it?”
Unlike Wang Cheon, Ju Seung didn't whine about it being unfair or demand a rematch; he cleanly admitted his loss.
However, there was something he could not accept.
He was worried that Neung Un-bi might put himself in danger with his reckless plan.
Little did he know that his master's fortes were once infiltration and assassination.
“My lord.”
“Ahem, I told you to call me Head Escort.”
“Head Escort!”
“…”
“I understand that you have grown stronger. As your subordinate, it is truly a joyous thing. But this is a different matter. It's too dangerous. If something were to go wrong, there would be no one there to help you, would there?”
“It almost sounds like you're willing to bet your life to stop me.”
“If you would listen.”
“…”
His eyes were so intense, he looked ready to take his own life if his words were not heeded.
“Ju Seung.”
“Yes.”
“This is an order.”
“An... an order?”
“Don't you understand? This is an order from your lord. Which means you are currently defying it.”
As Neung Un-bi stated his will with finality and fell silent, Ju Seung sighed with a frown and looked for someone to help.
“Guard Captain! Don't just stand there, say something! We have to stop our lord somehow!”
“…”
Scrape, scrape.
But Wang Cheon, as if his ears were plugged, just kept scraping the innocent ground with a twig.
“Damn it all! Hey! Escort Ok! Hey! Wang Cheon!”
“…”
Ju Seung, seemingly quite frustrated, uncharacteristically tried calling him by various titles, but the glance Wang Cheon threw his way was utterly devoid of motivation.
“Don't be like that, say something!”
Just as Ju Seung was about to press him again, a visitor arrived at the guest hall.
“Hey there! Is Jung-gil around?”
“Oh? Brother!”
Neung Un-bi greeted the timely arrival of Yongcheon with a broad smile.
“Haha! Did you sleep well last night?”
“Don't even ask. I don't know what possessed me to drink so much yesterday. My head is still throbbing from the hangover.”
“Tsk, tsk, a young fellow like you with such a low tolerance. I should have bought you some hangover soup.”
“I know, right? My stomach was in such a bad state that I had no choice but to send a subordinate, but I see now I should have come myself.”
“Not at all. How could an honored guest of our Gate be expected to run errands? I'm fine, so don't you worry.”
“Thank you.”
“Anyway, why were you looking for me so early in the morning?”
“Actually... I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor?”
As Yongcheon tilted his head, Neung Un-bi blushed as if embarrassed and scratched his head.
“I may have been lucky enough to perform a great service and catch the Gate Master's eye, but how often does one get a chance to see the Heavenly Pillar Gate? And it feels strange to wander around by myself…”
“Ah! Right. Of course. I hadn't even thought of that.”
“Would you have the time?”
“My friend, if a younger brother asks, an older brother must make time even if he has none. Besides, the Outer Superintendent asked me to look after you during your stay.”
“Oh! How grateful I am.”
At those words, Neung Un-bi looked moved, even clapping his hands in delight.
“It looks like you've finished your meal, so let's go right away. I'll give you a grand tour and buy you a drink to cure that hangover.”
“Gasp, a drink for my hangover?”
“Why the long face? A young man shouldn't pretend to be so weak.”
“Sigh, don't even say it. You're the amazing one, brother.”
“Well, you certainly have a way with words.”
Greatly pleased by Neung Un-bi's flattery, Yongcheon readily led the way.
“I'll be back, so don't cause any trouble. Stay put. Got it?”
“…Yes.”
“…”
Wang Cheon replied with a sigh, while Ju Seung, utterly dumbfounded, could only stare at him blankly.
Was this something to just meekly say… yes to?
Was it okay for the mad dog who charged at anything that went wrong to act like this?
But on the other hand, it was too strange.
Wasn't this the same Wang Cheon who had been even more vehemently opposed than him just last night? What on earth had happened between them after he lost consciousness…?
“Escort Cheong! Keep the men in line.”
“My..., Head Escort!”
*It's an order.*
“…”
*Aren't you going to answer?*
*…Understood.*
Though he answered the mental command through gritted teeth, he had acknowledged the order and would not do anything foolish. That was the kind of man Ju Seung was.
However, after watching Neung Un-bi leave through the gate with Yongcheon, his face scrunched in a deep frown, Ju Seung whipped his head around to glare at Wang Cheon.
“Escort Ok! Are you just going to stand there and watch? We don't know what he might do out there!”
“…Hey, Escort Cheong.”
“Yes!”
“He said it was an order.”
“What kind of nonsense is that! Even if it's an order!”
“Just… let it be.”
“What?”
“I just… don't want to do anything.”
“…”
“I lost. I gave it my all, but it was a perfect defeat. I'm a loser. It feels like my entire being was negated. My life… *sob*!”
His listless muttering was incoherent.
On top of scratching the ground furiously with the twig, he even started to tear up, leaving Ju Seung unable to hide his bewilderment as he blinked his eyes.
He lost?
Not because of loyalty, like me? For real? A perfect defeat?
A question suddenly arose in his mind.
Just what kind of defeat could make a man lose all his will to live?
“So… how exactly did you lose?”
“…”
At Ju Seung's question, Wang Cheon heaved a deep sigh with unfocused eyes and went back to scraping the ground.
“Don't ask. It's too embarrassing to talk about.”
“…”
* * *
“That over there is our Gate's Grand Hall. It's where all the major and minor affairs of the sect are decided.”
“It's... it's truly massive!”
“Massive? That's the Patrol Hall, and next to it is the training ground.”
“Wow!”
Each time Yongcheon introduced a place with a smug air, Neung Un-bi let out a string of dramatic exclamations.
He thought it might be a bit much, but what could he do when the man seemed to enjoy it so?
“My friend, you're this impressed by this? You'll be absolutely shocked when you see the Orthodox Murim Alliance headquarters.”
“What? Brother, you've been to the Orthodox Murim Alliance too?”
“Of course, I have. Just once! I was part of the Gate Master's escort procession. I was so amazed when I saw that huge main gate. My heart still pounds just thinking about it.”
“Ooh!”
Impressed by the mere Orthodox Murim Alliance.
He would have fainted if he saw the Demonic Cult's main fortress.
But there was a mountain of questions I needed to ask now.
A guy who treats me like a brother is the best kind of informant if you coax him right. So, naturally, I had to hide my true intentions and play along.
“By the way, brother.”
“Hm?”
“What happened to those demonic practitioners?”
“They're in the dungeon, of course.”
“You didn't kill them right away?”
“Ahem, you're so naive.”
“…?”
“What good would it do to kill the ones we worked so hard to capture?”
“Then?”
“We put them to work.”
“To work?”
“That's right. Even slaves are money, you know.”
“…You use them as slaves?”
“Of course. It's a relief that we don't waste resources in the process.”
“I... I see.”
Bastards…
They capture people and work them to the bone.
Even if they were the Hwan-ui people, they had simply chosen a different path; they must have had their own lives, no different from the common folk.
“But, are the Demonic Cult bastards just staying quiet?”
“Hm?”
“It seems too quiet, considering their people were captured.”
“You know, I did find that strange myself.”
“…?”
“But you know what kind of people the Demonic Cult are, don't you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think those vile fiends have any shred of human decency?”
“…”
“They couldn't care less about their captured comrades.”
These people know nothing about the Demonic Cult.
Where did such a ridiculous rumor even come from… Damn it, I used to be the same.
This is why you shouldn't judge people based on rumors alone.
“I see. But they didn't seem to have practiced any martial arts… To my eyes, they looked no different from ordinary people.”
“…!”
At this observation, which sounded like a thought spoken aloud, Yongcheon flinched in surprise, clamped a hand over Neung Un-bi's mouth, and whipped his head around.
“Friend! Watch your tongue.”
“Huh?”
“What if someone heard you? How can you say such things so carelessly?”
“…”
“The demonic path is simply the demonic path! Do not entertain any other curiosities. And you must not say such things to anyone else here.”
“But…”
“Hah! Have you never heard that curiosity killed the cat!”
“…”
Yongcheon repeatedly warned him, conscious of their surroundings.
Judging by his expression and his eyes… it was clear that they knew, too.
That the captured people hadn't practiced martial arts.
“I'm sorry. I was careless. Please don't be angry, brother.”
“Sigh, I'll let it slide because it's me. Because it's me.”
“Thank you. But, in that case, the dungeon must be heavily guarded, then?”
“Of course. See that over there?”
“…?”
Yongcheon raised a finger and pointed to the roof of a pavilion quite some distance away.
“I've never been there myself, so I don't know for sure, but I hear it's guarded by some of the most renowned masters in our Gate.”
“I see. It certainly looks imposing.”
“They're also under heavy guard when they're sent out for labor. I heard no one is allowed to approach them at all. While you're staying here, don't even think about going that way. You could get into serious trouble. Now, that's enough sightseeing. Let's go get a drink.”
“Thank you for the warning. Well then, let's go! It's my treat.”
“Again? My friend, how can I, as the older brother, let you pay every time? I'll be the one paying today.”
Empty words… The way he said it while cautiously watching my reaction made it obvious he was just saying it to save face.
“Brother, if you say that, I'll be disappointed. Do I look like someone who can't even treat his brother to a drink?”
“No, it's not that, I just feel bad…”
“Don't say that. Just meeting someone like you at the Heavenly Pillar Gate is an incomparable blessing to me.”
“A blessing, you say… Alright, alright. I won't turn away your kindness.”
“Yes!”
Neung Un-bi bowed politely, a cunning smile on his face.
What a helpful fellow.
They say one well-cultivated brother is better than ten spies, and here he was, telling me the location without me even having to ask.
But this was likely the extent of what I could learn through him.
Despite being some kind of top disciple, his treatment at the Heavenly Pillar Gate was probably that of a mid-level warrior at best—someone they wouldn't miss if he were gone.
Still, I'll pay for the drinks.
Thanks to you, I found the dungeon's location without much effort, and if things go wrong, you'll have to be the witness to my whereabouts.