Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: TrueDetective
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: 7. Martial World Public Enemy (2)
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-World Rank 0 #1 Sword: This stage was straight-up legendary. Won't share a table with anyone who didn't watch the showcase.
└Great Enlightenment: Don't get petty about meals, guys ㅠ
└Alliance Duo Master: Jealous you saw the Alliance Leader in a suit live ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└Living Bodhisattva: Can't even celebrate
someone else's live sighting,
just jealous,
envious,
hateful,
angry,
outraged,
despairing,
hurting,
└Five Chambers Fan: LMAO the username above is Living Bodhisattva ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Great Enlightenment: That's why he's the Living Bodhisattva—full of worldly afflictions. Otherwise he'd be a dead one in nirvana.
└World Rank 0 #1 Sword: ㅅㅂㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Five Chambers Fan: This title track is next-level god-tier. Thanks for the concept, thanks for the outfits, thanks for the pecs.
└Martial World Merit: Why thanks for the pecs ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Shaman Slayer: Can't believe they self-produced this.
└Not Our Beloved Baldie: Lyrics and composition by Heavenly Demon—what's going on;;
└TrustMen: Changing nick soon.
└108 Arhat Hwajin: Hwajin's seriously amazing. Choreo last time, now title track too;;;
└Jaha Marry Me: Lol, you really think Heavenly Demon made it? CEO threw money at it and slapped his name on. You've seen all the Heavenly Demon pushing but still believe that ㅋㅋ
└World Rank 0 #1 Sword: Delulu cash-grabber.
Jaha Marry Me: Jaha black hair insane Jaha black hair insane Jaha black hair insane Jaha black hair insane Jaha black hair insane Jaha black hair insane Jaha black hair insane
└Great Enlightenment: Jaha black hair too stimulating.
└JinJinJahaJinJinJa: Jaha black hair heterochromia ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└Martial World Enemy: Gotta bow to whoever suggested Jaha black hair heterochromia. No clue where they live so bowing east west south north every day.
└Martial World Merit: How'd you snag that nick ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Circulate Qi Breakfast Lunch Dinner: So who's the Martial World Enemy? Alliance Leader? Heavenly Demon?
└Baby Heavenly Demon: MV shows Alliance Leader as the betrayed friend, choreo even points sword at him.
└World Rank 0 #1 Sword: Heavenly Demon's the Martial World Enemy. Pretended to be Guanyin Bodhisattva to seduce him.
└Below Heavenly Hwajin Above Hwajin: Heavenly Demon-nim was MV protagonist, so Heavenly Demon-nim's the Martial World Enemy.
└Alliance Duo Master: What nonsense? MV protagonist was Alliance Leader?
└108 Arhat Hwajin: MV protagonist might be me? Shaolin backdrop, song from betrayed friend's POV.
└Murim Unifier: My take: MV protagonist was Namgoong Joon. Never imagined he'd get a vocal part.
└Murim Idol Newbie 10-Year Fan: Why? Joon did great tho?
-Shaman Slayer: Taeguk's screen time insane ㅠ
└Five Chambers Fan: Was foreshadowed since new member joined.
└I'm a Shaman Beetle: Suit outfits and sword dance still there, so satisfied.
-World Rank 0 #1 Sword: But manager looked super busy.
└Five Chambers Fan: Saw that too, bolted right after stage ㅋㅋㅋ
└World Rank 0 #1 Sword: Right? Like being chased by something ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Great Enlightenment: Damn you guys saw Jaha black hair and Heavenly Demon pecs live? Jealous ㅠ
└Baby Heavenly Demon: I saw too! Hwajin came and took him—upperclassman Heavenly Demon ㅠㅠ
└Five Chambers Fan: That was unexpected. Newest member but close with manager.
-Baby Heavenly Demon: First saw CEO real life at showcase—handsome but kinda scary.
└World Rank 0 #1 Sword: Usually smiling, Woong-level ㅋㅋ Seemed in bad mood that day ㅋㅋ
└Baby Heavenly Demon: Why bad mood? Kids tore up the stage?
└108 Arhat Hwajin: Decadent concept was held back till now cuz CEO opposed—maybe disliked it?
└Baby Heavenly Demon: Ah, makes sense ㅇㅇ
* * *
After the comeback showcase.
The CEO guy, who according to the Heavenly Demon was seething with killing intent.
Was only handling official matters like preparing the Heavenly Demon's passport for the flight, without showing his face to us.
We were now at the airport heading out for the Japan showcase.
Even with fans and reporters swarming into total chaos, the CEO didn't so much as show his face.
He'd assigned multiple backup managers, so transportation was fine.
I sat side by side with the Heavenly Demon, buckling my seatbelt, and said.
“Seems certain the CEO's involved in summoning you, Heavenly Demon-nim.”
“This Seat thinks so too.”
The Heavenly Demon watched what I was doing intently, then successfully mimicked buckling his seatbelt.
I watched to make sure it was done right, nodded, and continued.
“But his reaction was more intense than expected....... Any idea why?”
“The Zhongnan Sect guy's words gained credibility, so hearing from him will tell.”
The Heavenly Demon was right.
That day, before Shin Tae-eul explained how the CEO could summon the Heavenly Demon, he'd demanded to know my relationship with the CEO first.
He definitely knew why.
What happened to the other ex-members too.
And why Ami couldn't speak.
Just one worry.
“But... will Shin Tae-eul really show up?”
Would Shin Tae-eul have caught the message in 'Martial World Public Enemy'?
Even if he did, if he didn't believe we weren't the CEO's side, he might not appear.
“For that matter, did Shin Tae-eul even watch the Nine Chambers' showcase?”
“You worry about everything.”
“Watching an ex-group's stage... isn't exactly pleasant.”
The Heavenly Demon, who had been staring at me, asked.
“Are you talking about yourself?”
I reflexively furrowed my brow.
“What do you mean.”
“You're not much different from the Zhongnan Sect guy. You once aimed for idol debut too.”
As the Heavenly Demon said, I once aimed for idol debut.
But after 8 years as manager, I'd never once found the Nine Chambers' stages unpleasant.
“My situation's different from Shin Tae-eul's.”
I no longer wanted to get on stage.
The idol profession, watched up close for 8 years, was an extreme job.
Now knowing what happened to the ex-members, even less so.
Making stages to put on was pretty fun, though.
Even so, a chance to create something like 'Martial World Public Enemy' wouldn't come twice.
It was a stage raised using the Heavenly Demon's personal flair, the CEO's favoritism, and money.
The Heavenly Demon replied indifferently.
“Well, if that's how you see it, fine.”
“If Shin Tae-eul didn't watch the stage......”
“No need to worry about the Zhongnan Sect side.”
The Heavenly Demon spoke with unusual conviction.
“With something lost, he'll definitely show.”
“Something lost?”
“There is.”
...This Heavenly Demon definitely knew something too.
The intense reaction the CEO showed to that Heart Sutra verse.
Somehow felt like the Heavenly Demon had steered me to quote it.
He was the one who suggested inserting the sutra.
As I was about to ask if he knew something.
The Alliance Leader sauntered over and grabbed the headrest of the seat the Heavenly Demon was leaning on.
“Heavenly Demon-nim.”
From his expression, he was here to prank again.
The Alliance Leader had been pranking the Heavenly Demon more lately.
Sharing a room made them close?
The Heavenly Demon looked up at the Alliance Leader with annoyance, and the Alliance Leader grinned and said.
“Know this? In a bit, this giant thing we're on will fly through the sky.”
The Heavenly Demon scoffed.
“Such exaggeration. To levitate something this massive with Air Grasp would require at least This Seat's level.”
“Not exaggeration.”
“Best among you vermin is you. You reached that realm?”
Surprisingly high evaluation of the Alliance Leader.
...After losing a few bets, decided to acknowledge him a bit?
The Alliance Leader flashed a grin.
“You'll see.”
Then returned to his seat.
From the side, I heard the Heavenly Demon grumbling.
“Guy with nothing but Instant Divine Skill, yet so boastful......”
...Why did the Alliance Leader keep pulling these pranks?
More than that, the Heavenly Demon binged N-Tube but didn't know what a plane was?
Well, he mostly watched mukbang channels, so no planes there.
“Heavenly Demon-nim, this giant thing is called an airplane... Airplanes fly through the sky without Air Grasp.”
“That figures. The Alliance Leader's pulling another lame prank.”
So he knew it was a prank?
Then, after pondering a moment, the Heavenly Demon asked unexpectedly.
“But how does this massive thing fly without Air Grasp?”
“Hm? Well... It speeds down the runway, then suddenly lifts off......”
“Using momentary force to briefly soar, then.”
“Ah, yeah, something like that......”
The Heavenly Demon, face cleared and leisurely enjoying the flight, gradually stiffened as time passed.
Looking out the window at the clouds, the Heavenly Demon asked.
“...It's been afloat a good while, why hasn't it fallen?”
“Airplanes are meant to fly, after all.”
“Ha! Nonsense. Even flying beasts need rest to stay airborne! Let alone something carrying dozens of people lingering in the air this long? Must be some sinister spell at work.”
“Like I said, this is......”
I'm a liberal arts major. Don't know the principles of flight, and not curious.
Phone off for the flight, can't search.
Even if I did, how to explain lift, gravity to a Murim native?
I closed my eyes briefly, then gave a dry laugh and said.
“They tie up multiple super experts and use Air Grasp.”
“What?!”
* * *
Rooftop of an abandoned building.
Six black-clad figures stared coldly at the unstably streaming screen.
Scared
You brought me all the way here
What they watched intently with serious faces was the popular idol group Nine Chambers' comeback showcase stage uploaded to N-Tube.
Pulling out his earbuds, Shin Tae-eul muttered lowly.
“Heavenly Demon seems to have caught on too.”
“How far?”
The man beside him pulled out his earbuds and asked.
A gust swept across the rooftop, making the man's empty sleeve flap.
Shin Tae-eul glanced at the fluttering sleeve briefly, then replied slowly.
“All the way to the CEO being the mastermind behind the Heavenly Demon summoning.”
“From the lyrics, seems they know the risks of a failed summon?”
“Can't tell yet if they figured it out or if it was coincidental lyrics.”
The grim-faced man opposite roughly yanked out his earbuds and tossed them irritably.
“Are they idiots? Coincidental my ass? Look at my face, huh? Coincidental lyrics?”
The noseless man's face twisted even uglier.
“Heavenly Demon bastard knows something, but what do these idiots know? Wasn't planning to do shit with them... If they'd stayed quiet, CEO would've tossed 'em scraps... These useless idiot bastards......!! Lifelong worthless shits......!!”
Unable to contain his rage, spewing curses, the man pawed at his own face, then suddenly flipped, muttering like a madman.
“Ah, no, I'll kill him. I'll, kill him. I'll do the killing. That CEO motherfucker, I'll rip to shreds......”
Yu Ami, standing beside the noseless man, signed something.
“What's Ami saying?”
Yuk Jong-nam, head on Ami's shoulder, asked, and the earless man opposite, who had been watching Ami's signs, spoke for her.
“Ami says she'll cut off the CEO's nose just like yours, so calm down.”
At the man's words, the noseless man's expression visibly softened.
“R-Really? Ah, Ami'll cut it off?”
“Promised.”
“Ah, got it. Then I, I'll cut the tongue, yeah. I'll definitely......”
Yu Ami added more signs with a blank face, and the earless man glanced at her gestures and translated.
“Says thanks.”
Maha Prajna ya ya
Paramita da da
Meanwhile, the stage on screen ended.
These people here once danced and sang on stages like that.
Memories now left only with regret.
Shin Tae-eul, tearing his gaze from the screen, looked at the others—the fellow ex-members like him—and said lowly.
“Let's go. To see the tiger raised by the Martial World Public Enemy.”