Chapter 489
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 489
Chapter Title: What, What, Something?
As soon as Ha Mu-baek's figure vanished into the inn, the ruffians sprang back into action.
As if they'd never cowered in fear, they began intimidating the people around them once more.
Ha Mu-baek, enjoying his slightly late lunch, sensed every bit of their behavior through his keen perception.
The ruffians were rampaging even more wildly than before.
They picked fights with anyone who so much as glanced at the small roadside inn.
Having seen them shrink back in terror at Ha Mu-baek's appearance, they lashed out even more ferociously at the passersby.
As if to proclaim that they were the scary ones.
To Ha Mu-baek, it looked like frightened mutts barking loudly to make up for their fear.
Even frightened mutts disrupting business that diligently meant no customers in sight.
"Tch."
Ha Mu-baek clicked his tongue once more.
Even so, the fried chicken was delicious.
'Well, they said it's best if I don't step in.'
He wanted to break at least one limb of those ruffians, but...
After finishing his meal, Ha Mu-baek headed up to his room.
When had they cleaned it?
It was spotless, and the bedding had been freshly laundered.
'Her hands must be so chapped...'
Imagining Gong Hae-bin doing the laundry, worry clouded Ha Mu-baek's face.
He could have helped out of kindness, but the reason he didn't was simple.
He was afraid that if the kids saw his martial arts, they'd beg for his help.
And that they'd be disappointed if he refused.
So, he'd avoided showing his skills altogether to prevent that.
Giving hope only to take it away was devastating for others.
Better they never knew at all.
'They're leaving soon anyway. And that Mu-hyeon kid seemed like he'd figure something out.'
Ha Mu-baek sat cross-legged on the bed.
When he'd met Dam Mu-hyeon and talked, recalling his late father and master, something had felt different.
Unlike before, no murderous intent toward the Demonic Cult or Blood Cult welled up inside him.
That's why he was introspecting now.
To see what changes had occurred in the evil spirit within him.
It hadn't been long since he'd confronted this evil spirit, so he doubted there'd be changes, but there had clearly been some meaningful reaction.
Ha Mu-baek sank deep into his inner self.
And there, he faced the evil spirit once more.
His master had said it was nothing, but to Ha Mu-baek, it wasn't.
Still, his master's advice to rest had been right.
Finding this small roadside inn had been fortunate, and resting here had brought changes.
There, the evil spirit crouched.
The very one that had thrown its head back in mad laughter when he'd slaughtered the last remnants of the Blood Cult.
Now, it huddled with its head bowed, arms wrapped around itself.
Its form was obscured.
When it had laughed maniacally, it had taken the shape of himself, drenched in blood as he cut down the Blood Cult and Demonic Cult.
"You are the me of the past. The me obsessed with revenge, with blood. That's why I can't eliminate you. Erasing you would mean erasing myself. I don't know what the result of that would be."
Ha Mu-baek murmured, standing before the evil spirit.
In the depths of his inner world, his personal realm of imagery.
There were ways to destroy this entity that had manifested here.
He hadn't had them before, but now he did.
The Ten Absolutes Infinite he'd received from Infinite Ancestor.
It could be unleashed even in this mental realm, and its power could easily obliterate a mere inner demon like this.
But that wouldn't solve the root problem.
Even if he vaporized the evil spirit, it might rear its head again at some trigger.
Or, when destroying it, Ha Mu-baek's own self might vanish too.
Setting aside all those issues, he simply didn't want to resolve it by wiping it out easily.
This being was born from the bloody path he'd walked, so ultimately, it was his own responsibility.
He didn't want to shirk that responsibility like that.
Ha Mu-baek gazed silently at the cowering evil spirit.
"You must have suffered too. No, I suffered."
With those words, Ha Mu-baek turned his back.
As he walked away with steady footsteps from the world of imagery he'd created, his inner realm.
The cowering evil spirit slightly lifted its head and gazed at Ha Mu-baek's back.
Bangs hanging messily over its face obscured it, leaving only a hazy gaze directed at him.
"It's over! Damn it!"
Dam Mu-hyeon shot up from his desk, shouting loudly.
Loud enough to echo throughout the entire Hocheon Corps building.
"Excellent, Vice Corps Leader."
One of the corps members passing by his office responded thus.
Dam Mu-hyeon flung the door open and stormed out.
"Work's done for today! Off-duty guys! Those of you bored with nothing to do, gather up!"
Dam Mu-hyeon grinned, lips curling up as he shouted.
"What? What's up?"
"Something fun going on?"
They gathered one by one, slinking over cautiously.
Dam Mu-hyeon looked at them and bellowed.
"Dinner party's on!"
"Ooh!!"
About ten cheered at the shout.
The rest just shrugged and went about their business.
Dam Mu-hyeon scanned the group.
"This all?"
"Seems like it."
He waited a bit longer, but no more joined.
"Alright, let's go!"
Dam Mu-hyeon took the lead.
The ten who loved drinking and fun followed behind.
"Found a new spot?"
"You buying, Vice Leader?"
"Budget for dinners isn't tapped out yet?"
Questions flew at him, brimming with anticipation.
In truth, the trip to Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest had been grueling for them too.
They'd been on edge the whole time, witnessing the monsters' insane battles.
The mental and physical toll had been enormous.
After returning, they'd been buried in paperwork.
So...
Since departing for Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest, there hadn't been a single proper dinner gathering.
That's why they were so excited.
"Should just rest instead..."
Someone muttered watching his comrades.
And rightly so—while the former corps leader Ha Mu-baek was deemed a monster, making the vice leader seem normal by comparison...
"That guy's a monster too."
Drinking and partying with him meant brutal hangovers the next day.
The mutterer had experienced it once already.
After that, he'd never joined Dam Mu-hyeon's dinners.
They were insanely fun.
But the aftermath was too much to handle.
Especially if it was your turn for alliance leader escort duty.
Just imagining it was nightmare fuel.
"Three guys on alliance leader escort tomorrow. Tsk tsk."
Tongue-clicking, he hurried back to his quarters.
He too had alliance leader escort tomorrow.
Rest when you can, he thought, lying down on his bed.
Dusk was already settling over the grounds.
Stomachs rumbling accordingly, the corps members following Dam Mu-hyeon smacked their lips.
Wherever Dam Mu-hyeon led, the food was always great.
He knew every tasty inn, tavern, noodle shop, and restaurant in Luoyang.
Such Dam Mu-hyeon exited the Righteous Heaven Alliance's main gate and headed west along the boulevard.
"Huh?"
"That direction?"
'No good eats there...' They swallowed the words.
The vice leader knew the city better than they did.
All the good spots were south of the alliance.
Yet he stubbornly went west along the boulevard, then turned into a back alley.
Even in Luoyang, it was a poorly located area.
Not far from the alliance, yet inexplicably bad for business.
Dam Mu-hyeon glanced around.
There was decent foot traffic.
Not devoid of people, yet compared to Luoyang's other streets, the shops here didn't thrive.
Still, when the Jeon Merchant Group offered market price, they'd all sold.
It felt like a good spot for a manor.
No point trying to do business in a location that wouldn't prosper.
"Vice Leader."
Someone was about to blurt out their impatience when...
The inn's sign caught their eyes.
The corps members all saw it—and the ruffians lurking nearby.
The ruffians hurriedly averted their gazes, pretending not to notice.
And rightly so; eleven martial artists charging in? No courage to block them.
In Luoyang, groups of martial artists like that could only be from the Righteous Heaven Alliance.
So they desperately played dumb.
But they couldn't evade the Hocheon Corps' eyes.
The members had clocked their behavior.
[Shall we clean them up?]
One corps member transmitted telepathically to Dam Mu-hyeon.
[Nah, leave 'em.]
[Even so, pulling that filthy crap not far from the alliance...]
A Hocheon Corps member frowned in response.
[Ignore the trash. Think about stuffing ourselves today. Got a sponsor now.]
Grinning, Dam Mu-hyeon headed for the small roadside inn, and a boy of about ten years old burst out.
"Welcome! All our dishes are delicious! Come in and try them!"
Gong Hae-jun shouted with a beaming face.
They were clearly heading their way, but he rushed out just in case.
He'd been about to go hawk on the main street anyway.
Such a big group of customers appearing.
"Come on, let's head in."
Dam Mu-hyeon turned back, crossing the threshold first.
His eyes met Ha Mu-baek's, who was sitting at a table eating braised pork belly.
Dam Mu-hyeon smiled brightly.
[Bon appétit. Corps Leader.]
Ha Mu-baek frowned.
He could guess the implication.
'He wants me to stay out of it?'
Clicking his tongue inwardly, Ha Mu-baek gave a slight nod.
Since he'd led him here, he'd take responsibility.
The Hocheon Corps members filing in behind Dam Mu-hyeon startled upon spotting Ha Mu-baek.
As if they never expected him here.
[Pretend you don't see him. Come over here. No greetings.]
Dam Mu-hyeon's telepathic message rang in all ten ears.
They stole glances at Ha Mu-baek as they headed to where he sat.
Before long, Gong Hae-jun and Gong Hae-bin were huffing as they pushed tables together.
The corps members sat awkwardly.
It wasn't just because Ha Mu-baek was the former corps leader.
They kept peeking due to the insane prowess he'd shown in Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
Meanwhile, Dam Mu-hyeon was ordering food and drink like there was no tomorrow.
Gong Hae-jun alone couldn't handle it all, so Gong Hae-bin pitched in.
The kitchen buzzed and clattered busily.
"What?"
Jeon Dok-woo jumped at the sudden report.
"Eleven people went into that damn place? Shit. What the hell's Big Bong doing!"
Big Bong was the ringleader of the ruffians surrounding the small roadside inn.
They called themselves the Ten Wicked Factions, a black path sect, but they were just third-rate thug scum.
"They were Righteous Heaven Alliance martial artists..."
"Righteous Heaven Alliance? Martial artists? Why the hell there?"
Jeon Dok-woo asked, baffled.
Alliance martial artists stuck to the southern and eastern boulevards.
The Jeon Merchant Group had several businesses there too.
"No, I gotta see for myself."
Having bribed the magistrate to wrap things up, now this—martial artists gathering at the inn?
If they kept coming, everything went back to square one.
To prevent that, he needed eyes on the situation.
Jeon Dok-woo rushed to the small roadside inn, flung the door open, and entered.
In his eyes, eleven martial artists were eating and drinking happily.
They looked utterly content with the booze and food.
Even Jeon Dok-woo couldn't dare intrude.
Their black uniforms bore no faction marks or insignias.
He knew a few of them—terrifying figures, every one.
So he just watched anxiously, not daring to act or rage.
"That bastard..."
His gaze shifted, landing on Ha Mu-baek, eating and drinking alone.
That guy was the problem.
Ever since that bastard started staying there, things had felt off.
The last dish was brought out personally by Gong Yeop-myeong.
"Hm?"
Of course, his eyes caught Jeon Dok-woo.
Gong Yeop-myeong set the plate on Dam Mu-hyeon's table and headed straight for him.
When you resolve to pull the bull by the horns, better do it quick, he thought.
These customers devouring everything heartily were making him waver.
"What, what, something?"
Jeon Dok-woo stammered as Gong Yeop-myeong approached him suddenly.
And rightly so—it felt like the innkeeper was backed by those scary martial artists.