Chapter 18: Not Everyone Lives a Life of Revenge

TL: FoodieMonster007

I woke Yang Gu, who was asleep in the chair.

Yang Gu looked around drowsily and belatedly realized he had been captured.

"Is the spot where you were hit okay?"

"Huh? Ah, yes."

Yang Gu was flustered by my gentle approach.

"Honestly, I like smart people like you. It's frustrating to deal with simple-minded fools who are impossible to reason with, the kind who push their stubbornness as if it were some grand conviction. You're not like that, are you?"

"Why did you capture me?"

"I think you know the answer better than I do. Frankly, I don't want to torture you. As you know, our methods of torture are a bit extreme. We turn perfectly fine people into wrecks and throw them away, don't we?"

"Threats are useless. I don't know anything."

"I know. I don't think you know much. You probably just did as you were ordered. Just be honest about that, and we're done."

"I don't know anything. I wasn't ordered to do anything."

"Then I suppose I'll have to speak with the other you."

"The other me?"

"The you that cares more about you than you do."

At my signal, an old man entered from outside.

"This man has spent his entire life as a torturer. What was your confession success rate again?"

He was a short old man, but the aura he exuded was truly terrifying.

"Ninety percent, sir."

"That makes you a master of interrogation."

"Not quite, sir. Half of that ninety percent died after confessing."

"And the other half?"

"They live on as beggars, complete wrecks."

The old man's raw killing intent was so thick that Yang Gu could not bear it and cried out.

"Please, spare me!"

I lightly patted Yang Gu's shoulder. "You can go now. I need to call out the other you, the one who is less brave and wants to avoid unnecessary pain. His loyalty or conviction might be weaker than yours, but at least he'll love you more. So, you can step aside."

Meanwhile, the old man lit a fire in a brazier. He began heating iron skewers of various thicknesses over it. His businesslike demeanor, not even humming a tune, amplified the sense of dread.

Terrified, Yang Gu pleaded, "If I talk, I'll die."

"You'll die at the hands of the Demonic Army General even if you don't talk. Think about it. How will the Demonic Army General react when he hears you've been captured by me? He'll try to eliminate you by any means necessary. You know what kind of person he is better than I do, don't you?"

Agitation and fear churned in Yang Gu's wavering eyes.

"You know, don't you? That no matter where you hide, he'll eventually find you and kill you. There's only one way for you to survive."

"What is it?"

I brought my face close to Yang Gu's. Staring into his terror-stricken eyes, I whispered like a demon.

"Strike first before you get struck. Of course, you'll have to leave our Cult. Still, with your level of martial arts, you should be able to live well anywhere."

In that moment, I was a true demon. I was tempting him while simultaneously lying. I had no intention of letting him go. If you commit a crime, you must be punished.

"There's no time to hesitate. By now, the news that you're in our hands has probably spread."

In truth, the Demonic Army General did not know about his disappearance yet. Yang Gu, having just woken up, had no sense of time, but only two hours had passed since his capture.

"Or you can test your willpower."

I turned away immediately, giving him no time to think.

Just then, I heard Yang Gu's voice from behind me.

"…What do I have to do?"

"When the Sanzu River Hall investigators come in, just state all the facts as they happened."

"And after that?"

"We'll arrest the Demonic Army General. You'll leave our Cult with a new identity."

Yang Gu's hesitation was not long.

"Alright. I'll do it."

I left the room at once and had the waiting Sanzu River Hall investigators go inside. I ordered the old torturer to keep heating the iron skewers at the side.

A short while later, Seo Daeryong came and reported the contents of Yang Gu's confession.

Just as Jang Ho had suspected, the Demonic Army General had ordered the killing of the Sanzu River Hall investigator and Jang Ho's peer. The one who carried it out was Godang, who was already dead. Besides that, there were countless other evil deeds.

"He's killed so many people, one way or another."

Because of this, Seo Daeryong was worried.

"The Demonic Army General won't allow himself to be arrested peacefully. He knows he'll be beheaded if he's caught."

"I'm not going to arrest him."

"What?"

"I'm going to kill him."

Seo Daeryong gasped in shock, his mouth hanging open.

"If the Demonic Army General is arrested, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon will definitely make a move. He won't just stand by and watch his own brother be beheaded. If that happens, the situation will get complicated."

It would be nice to expose his crimes before everyone and deal with him through a formal trial, but that is just an ideal. Fabricated evidence proving his innocence would pour in, a scapegoat would take the fall for his crimes, and slander and all sorts of conspiracy theories about me would start to circulate.

"However, if the Demonic Army General dies during the arrest, things will be different. All that will remain is the evidence proving his guilt."

"The Blood Heaven Blade Demon will seek revenge."

"Not everyone lives a life of revenge just because a family member dies. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon, especially, won't waste his life on vengeance."

"How can you be so sure?"

Because I know the kind of life he has lived.

"I can't be certain, but even if he does seek revenge, he won't be able to act immediately. If I get hurt or die, it will be obvious who did it. In fact, to avoid suspicion, he might even have to protect me."

"And later?"

"By then, I'll be stronger, so there's no need to worry."

I left Seo Daeryong standing there blankly, his expression a mixture of disbelief and confusion, and walked out of the room. As I walked down the corridor, Seo Daeryong belatedly threw the door open and rushed out.

"Where are you going? Surely… you're not?"

"What if I am? Want to come with?"

Seo Daeryong flinched.

"I'm going to buy some alcohol. Don't worry, just wait here."

That 'surely' was correct. It was also true that I bought alcohol.

The Demonic Army General who greeted me had a relieved expression.

"Is the investigation over?"

"Yes, thanks to you, it wrapped up nicely."

"It's a shame to think of parting with you, Second Young Lord."

To his insincere words, I gave an equally insincere reply.

"When I become the successor, I will be sure to repay the kindness you've shown me."

"That's my line. I will never forget the favor of you letting this go so smoothly."

Yes, he would never forget this. The greedy man had suffered a huge loss. He lost his subordinate, First Captain Godang, and handed over the evidence with his own hands. If the investigator had not been me, he would have died several times over.

"In that spirit, shall we have a drink?"

I poured the alcohol I had brought into the cups prepared on a table in the corner.

"Here, let's drink."

I toasted with him and drank. For him, it was a celebratory drink. For me, a farewell drink.

"Why did you do it?"

"What?"

"You must have more money than you could ever spend in your lifetime. I'm asking why you were so greedy that you used the Demonic Army as hired killers."

For a moment, the Demonic Army General's expression hardened.

"You should have asked the dead First Captain that."

"What would a puppet know?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm just curious about our general's disposition."

"Disposition? Did you just say disposition?"

"Then again, what could possibly be inside that black heart of yours? Nothing but the desire to have more, I suppose."

"This bastard, I've let you go on for too long…"

The agitated Demonic Army General roared. In that very instant, my sword, which had been waiting for an opportunity, was drawn.

SHIIING!

THWACK!

A flash of sword light flared as my blade pierced the Demonic Army General's chest. I had closed the distance, stealing his breath, and my strike was so fast that the Demonic Army General could not avoid it.

The Soaring Sky Sword Art Fifth Technique, the Blue Sky Strike.

It was the swift sword form, one of the eight techniques of the Soaring Sky Sword Art.

Even with his heart pierced, he did not die instantly.

With the sword still through him, he slowly sank to the ground. His face was blank, as if he could not comprehend what had just happened. Then, he looked up at me with lifeless eyes. The moment I pulled out the sword embedded in his heart, he would die.

I spoke softly in a calm tone.

"Demonic Army General Gu Cheonyang, I hereby arrest you for the private misuse of the Demonic Army and for over twenty counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder."

Only then did the Demonic Army General's gaze fall to the sword stuck in his chest.

"…This isn't… an arrest, is it?"

"You were going to be beheaded anyway. For the sake of those who remain, let's just call it this, Patriarch. I apologize for the surprise attack."

I pulled out the sword, and the Demonic Army General died on the spot.

I could have made it look like he died after a fierce battle, but I did not. It was better to let people think I got lucky and killed him in a single blow.

I summoned all the Demonic Army members and the Sanzu River Hall investigators to the location. Everyone gathered, except for the First Division of the Demonic Army, who were under probation.

"The Demonic Army General, who committed grave sins, died while resisting arrest."

My resonant voice echoed through the hall.

Everyone stared back and forth between me and the Demonic Army General's corpse with horrified faces. They probably never imagined the Demonic Army General would die at my hands.

Among the shocked faces was Third Captain Jang Ho. A flicker of ecstasy passed through his eyes as he gazed at the Demonic Army General's body. This was the moment his friend's death was avenged.

It was the same for Seo Daeryong. The moment had finally come when all his efforts, memorizing the personal details of every Demonic Army member to avenge his senior, had paid off.

I immediately commanded Seo Daeryong.

"You will arrest all members of the Demonic Army's First Division, lock them in the prison, and formally investigate this case."

"……"

Next, I gave an order to Jang Ho.

"Third Captain Jang Ho, under your command, all Demonic Army members, excluding the First Division, will assist the Sanzu River Hall investigators in arresting the First Division! I have been granted the authority of summary execution, so this order carries the same weight as one from the Cult Leader. Carry it out immediately."

"Yes, I understand."

Jang Ho led the Demonic Army and followed Seo Daeryong.

The problem would have been if the Demonic Army General were alive, feverishly ordering them to catch this person and kill that one, but he was already cold. Loyalty maintained by fear is bound to crumble like a sandcastle with the death of its leader.

As he was turning to leave, Jang Ho looked back at me.

We shared the emotions of the moment with faint smiles.

Thank you.

It was all thanks to you.

After the arrest of the Demonic Army's First Division was complete, Seo Daeryong returned to the residence where we were staying.

"We've arrested all members of the Demonic Army's First Division, suppressed their inner arts, and locked them in the prison. Six of the First Division's martial artists were injured in the process, but there were no deaths."

"Well done."

Even though the work was done, Seo Daeryong still looked worried.

"You really killed the Demonic Army General."

"If I had let him live, many people would have been killed to destroy evidence. Jang Ho, who sent the petition, would have eventually died. Many of the Third Division's martial artists who tried to protect him would have been sacrificed as well, and you would be no exception."

"Ah, you thought that far ahead."

Seo Daeryong could not hide the surging emotion.

"Young Lord, you are a truly righteous person."

"Righteous? Don't be ridiculous! I was just angry that he was messing with what I'm supposed to inherit. I'm a selfish person like that. So don't get the wrong idea."

Seo Daeryong, who had been staring at me silently, bowed his head respectfully.

"You've worked hard."

"You too. You went through a lot."

As he was turning to leave, Seo Daeryong suddenly said, "Still… I hope that you become the successor, Second Young Lord."

I thought that perhaps those words were the highest praise a person like Seo Daeryong could offer.

As soon as he finished speaking, Seo Daeryong immediately left.

As I was about to follow him out, something caught my eye, and I sat down on the edge of the bed for a moment. The bedding on the bed where the crow's corpse had been was replaced with a clean, new set. It seemed Seo Daeryong had changed it despite being so busy.

I stood up and looked out the window to see Seo Daeryong, having left the building, crossing the training grounds.

I stuck my head out the window and shouted.

"Couldn't you say something like that to my face next time?"

Seo Daeryong's pace toward the entrance quickened.

Beyond his retreating back, I could see the place I needed to go. Was it because this incident had brought me a few steps closer? The Heavenly Demon Hall looked more magnificent than usual.