Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Wanted
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As Yong Cheon calmly explained, Neung Un-bi’s mind went blank.
It seemed that on the night the branch manager, Jong Se-in, was conspiring with Bae Hyo-gang, he had handed over Neung Un-bi’s portrait for reference.
During the five-day standoff before the war.
Bae Hyo-gang, busy pulling strings here and there, had apparently copied Neung Un-bi’s portrait countless times and distributed it everywhere.
So that no one could fail to recognize him, so that it would be strange not to.
Except for Yong Cheon…
In truth, it was a wise move.
Where would one find the most eyes?
The marketplace, of course.
Unless one sneaked in during the dead of night, even the most skilled individual couldn’t possibly evade so many pairs of eyes… son of a bitch!
No wonder people were glancing at him…
They had recognized his face.
And would that despicable bastard Bae Hyo-gang have only distributed his portrait in the marketplace?
He would have sent it far and wide, from this town to that, probably even to the Orthodox Murim Alliance.
“Hah.”
Suddenly drained of all strength, Neung Un-bi staggered. The startled Wang Cheon and Ju Seung supported him from either side.
“My—my lord!”
“My lord!”
“…”
Yong Cheon, unable to understand the situation, was simply bewildered.
My lord?
Had the way people addressed an agency master changed recently?
“Hey, are you alright?”
“…”
As Yong Cheon worriedly asked and tried to approach, Wang Cheon held out a hand to stop him.
“Back off. If you don’t want to die.”
“…”
Yong Cheon flinched at the low voice and icy gaze, but he soon adopted a scolding expression and chided Wang Cheon.
“Ahem! You escort! Do you know where you are? Do you not know who I am? I am Yong Cheon. Though we’ve fallen to the Demonic Cult, I am the Head Team Leader of the Northern Hall of the Heavenly Pillar Gate’s Outer General Affairs…”
“I’m tolerating you because of your connection to my lord. There won’t be a second time.”
“…”
A sudden coldness touched his neck. Yong Cheon’s eyes, wide as saucers, blinked as he nodded.
Wh-when did he draw his sword?
No matter how flustered he was, he hadn’t even seen it.
How could a mere escort’s draw be so fast?
“That’s enough. It’s not his fault…”
“Yes, my lord.”
At the urging of Neung Un-bi, who was now leaning against a wall with Ju Seung’s help, Wang Cheon sheathed his sword.
“H-Hey, Junggil. What’s wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?”
“…”
Yong Cheon asked again, cautiously eyeing Wang Cheon.
He really was an incredibly dense fellow.
My heart is wounded, you bastard!
One would think he’d have caught on by now… Did you just stuff the portrait in your chest without even looking at it?
“My lord, let’s have a drink some other time. For now, let’s return to Dancheon Gate and rest.”
“That’s right. You must be exhausted. The toll on your internal energy from fighting that Heavenly Pillar Gate Master must have been severe.”
“…”
Listening to Wang Cheon and Ju Seung’s worried suggestions, Yong Cheon repeatedly tilted his head in confusion.
“…Wait, hold on a moment. What are you two talking about?”
“…?”
“Go to Dancheon Gate? But you said that’s a Demonic Cult branch. And the toll on his energy was severe from fighting our Gate Master? Why would an escort agency master… huh?”
Yong Cheon, voicing his confusion, suddenly stopped.
Lord, Dancheon Gate, Heavenly Pillar Gate.
He had said it all himself.
Then he unfolded the portrait and meticulously compared it to Neung Un-bi’s face.
“Okcheong… no, Junggil? Are you that heinous… of the Demonic Cult…”
Yong Cheon couldn’t finish his sentence.
Because Wang Cheon’s re-drawn sword, along with Ju Seung’s, was now emitting a chill against both sides of his neck.
“Go on, keep flapping that loose jaw of yours.”
“…”
Even the most oblivious person would understand by now.
Wasn’t the situation clear enough for someone with eyes in the back of their head?
“P-Please spare me! I failed to recognize the almighty disciple of the Demonic Cult and committed a grave discourtesy!”
He may be clueless, but his reactions were fast.
Slipping out from between the two swords aimed at his neck, Yong Cheon prostrated himself flat on the ground, burying his face.
*Haa*, damn it all.
What was he to do about this?
He had never imagined his face would become so widely known.
Probably across the entire Central Plains.
Of course, if it were a normal portrait, it wouldn’t be much of an issue.
The Central Plains was home to countless people.
Unless someone was actively looking, they wouldn’t recognize him even if he walked right past them.
But Neung Un-bi’s case was different.
He was the third disciple of the Demonic Cult Leader.
Moreover, he was regarded as a hero of the Demonic Cult who had brought down the Heavenly Pillar Gate, exposed its corruption, and dealt a fatal blow to the Orthodox Murim Alliance.
Who wouldn’t recognize such a person!
He was sure of it; those beggars from the Beggars’ Sect had probably already copied his portrait countless times and spread it all over the Central Plains.
Then what about my life?
What about my future, where I hoped to leave the Demonic Cult and rejoin the Orthodox Faction?
“Haaa…”
A sigh escaped him involuntarily.
By now, even ‘her,’ whom he missed so dearly, would know.
When they met, she would surely draw her sword before even offering a greeting. Would he even get a chance to explain the situation?
“*Sob*, *khhh*.”
“…?”
Overwhelmed with resentment, Neung Un-bi finally gritted his teeth and began to sob.
“Hmm, he seems to be in great distress. He must be suffering so much to even shed tears…”
“I will carry him.”
“Ahem! That won’t do! Such a duty falls to me, the Guard Captain. Besides, I am far more experienced in this area. When he was afflicted with Qi Deviation, it was I who carried him to the infirmary.”
“Pardon?”
“Sakwol Grandmaster, you just drag that man along.”
“…”
Ju Seung stared blankly at Wang Cheon without a word.
It wasn’t because of the condescending tone.
From the start, Wang Cheon was destined to be his lord, and even now, having relinquished his position as the young master of Snow Mountain Manor to become Neung Un-bi’s Guard Captain, his rank was higher than his own as Sakwol Grandmaster.
The problem was that his gaze seemed to be filled with a sense of wariness.
As if he were looking at a soul rival or a competitor…
Why was he acting like that?
It seemed to have started sometime after the battle with the Heavenly Pillar Gate.
“What are you doing? What if that man goes around blabbering about our lord’s current condition!”
“Ah…! You’re right. It would be troublesome if rumors spread that our lord suffered internal injuries after fighting the likes of the Heavenly Pillar Gate Master. It would be best to silence him right here…”
Snapping to his senses, Ju Seung’s blade glinted. Yong Cheon, who had been prostrated all this time, turned pale.
His life was suddenly in danger. All for the crime of not recognizing Neung Un-bi’s face.
“Ahem! Sakwol Grandmaster!”
“Yes?”
“How can you be so rash! Are you about to take a life without an order from our lord?”
“…”
“Do you not know that our lord, unlike other demonic practitioners, does not delight in killing?”
“Ah!”
“He is the man who will one day become the Cult Leader. From now on, both you and I must be more mindful!”
“I will take it to heart, Guard Captain.”
“Good. Let us return then.”
“Yes!”
At Wang Cheon’s solemn words, Ju Seung nodded and approached Yong Cheon.
“W-Wait a moment. I’m not yet ready to die… *guah*…”
As Ju Seung approached, the terrified Yong Cheon shuffled backward on his knees, but a sharp sting on his neck sent him collapsing forward, unconscious.
Ju Seung then slung the fallen Yong Cheon over his shoulder like a sack of luggage. Wang Cheon nodded in satisfaction and squatted down in front of Neung Un-bi.
“My lord, I, your Guard Captain, will carry you with the utmost comfort, without the slightest jolt. Please, climb onto your loyal servant’s back!”
“…”
Wang Cheon presented his back expectantly, but Neung Un-bi just blinked his unfocused eyes.
Truly… what a bunch of clowns.
Fine, think whatever you want. I can’t even be bothered to correct you anymore.
Limp on Wang Cheon’s back, Neung Un-bi cried the entire way.
But there was no need to wipe his tears.
As they ran, the tears streamed sideways across his cheeks and scattered into the wind.
Meanwhile, Wang Cheon’s back was remarkably comfortable.
It was flat and steady, and just as he had boasted, the ride was exceptionally smooth.
* * *
“My lord! Would it be better to hang the sign here? Or over here?”
“…”
Just hang it anywhere.
What does the sign of a Demonic Cult branch have to do with me?
At Takbal Lyeo’s question, Neung Un-bi, looking utterly devoid of motivation, waved his hand dismissively.
“Ah, this side? No, this side?”
“…”
Every time he waved his hand, Takbal Lyeo misunderstood his intention and moved the sign.
Just hang it anywhere.
Please, just stop bothering me!
He had no choice but to stop waving and nod, and the sign was hung in that spot.
Demonic Cult, Giryeon Branch.
Everyone gathered before the proudly displayed sign could not hide their sense of pride.
In a way, this was Branch Number One.
The very first Central Plains branch of the Demonic Cult to hang its sign and operate openly.
It was truly a historic event.
With a heavyweight like Neung Un-bi gracing the occasion despite his illness(?), the warriors’ faces were overflowing with pride.
Hadn’t Neung Un-bi emerged as a powerful candidate to become the next Cult Leader?
And now, Dancheon Gate was at the center of it all, so their reaction was only natural.
Why else would it be Branch Number One?
A huge crowd had gathered.
Nearby merchant guilds, escort agencies, martial arts schools, and more.
Though they already had ties with Dancheon Gate, they had all rushed here, vying for a spot close to the action.
Their deliberation couldn’t have been long. The Demonic Cult openly hanging a sign and operating meant that even the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions acknowledged their existence.
Furthermore, while Dancheon Gate’s power was limited, the Demonic Cult was a different story.
Though considered a frontier power, were they not one of the three great forces of the Central Plains, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions?
With the fall of the Heavenly Pillar Gate, even those who had been affiliated with it had flocked here, packing Dancheon Gate to the brim.
Even the Unorthodox Faction members from the distant Great Snow Mountains were watching.
Just what kind of person was the Demonic Cult’s Third Young Master, the one who brought down the Heavenly Pillar Gate?
It was likely a matter of unprecedented interest.
Perhaps those beggars who came looking for handouts where people gathered were members of the Beggars’ Sect.
“Haa… Damn it.”
That’s why he cursed even more.
At a time when he needed to hide and conceal himself, his face was now known to the entire world.
“Th-Third Young Master.”
“…?”
As he was sighing, a small, young girl approached Neung Un-bi.
“Ah!”
Neung Un-bi, who had been lost in despair, shot up from his seat, then knelt to meet the girl’s eyes.
Another group of guests invited for the inauguration of the Giryeon Branch.
They were the ones who had been subjugated by the Heavenly Pillar Gate, sold off by Dancheon Gate, and had now returned.
Neung Un-bi had ordered Dancheon Gate to build them homes within its territory and had distributed the compensation funds secured from the Heavenly Pillar Gate among them.
The girl was one of them.
An eyepatch covered her right eye; a child who could now only see the world with her left.
It was an injury sustained during the Heavenly Pillar Gate’s demonic subjugation.
…If only he could restore even that eye.
The fact that all he could give them was a place to live and compensation money made him grind his teeth in frustration.
“This is…”
The girl held out a wildflower.
Taking the flower with a bright smile, Neung Un-bi stroked the girl’s hair.
“Thank you.”
“No. I’m the one who’s thankful.”
“…”
“Mommy and Daddy say thank you to you every day, Third Young Master. The old man next door said you’re a noble person sent from the heavens.”
Her bright smile brought a smile to his own face.
If even this little girl could be like this, then he…
Whatever the case, he had given them back their lives and made it possible for them to smile. That was enough.
There had to be a solution, and he would find it, no matter what.
“Up we go!”
Neung Un-bi lifted the girl into his arms.
His face, which had been listless just moments before, was now full of life.
“Then I’ll have to make you even more thankful. Let’s go. This big brother heard you were all coming and prepared lots of delicious food.”
“Really? Can I bring my friends too?”
“Of course! You all, come here.”
“Yay!”
At Neung Un-bi’s gesture, the children who had been standing with the adults ran over with expressions of pure joy.
The adults hesitated, surrounded by sword-wielding warriors, but the children were different.
Once the floodgates opened, they ran around as if it were their own home, treating Neung Un-bi like a friendly neighborhood brother.
“Alright, everyone, let’s wrap this up and head inside. We can’t keep our guests waiting.”
“Yes, my lord!”
At Neung Un-bi’s words, the Demonic Cult members answered vigorously.
The first day of the Demonic Cult’s Central Plains Branch Number One.
The first to step inside were the innocent children who had begun to settle and live nearby.