Chapter 48: What's Lonely About Living Alone?

TL: FoodieMonster007

The objects around me wavered as if they were alive. The desk, the display cabinet, and the sword and fan leaning against the wall all began to melt downwards. They looked like they were liquefying in intense heat.

The floor rippled like waves. It was difficult just to walk, making movement arts seem impossible.

The walls and ceiling also undulated. Lines like a Go board appeared and distorted my vision.

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme's voice echoed deeply, as if from a cave. "The world you lived in was nothing but an illusion. This place you see now is the real world."

The Heavenly Demon Defense Art activated on its own.

If I hadn't learned the Heavenly Demon Defense Art, my mind would have already started to fall under his control.

However, I could not escape this situation by attacking recklessly. The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme standing before me was likely an illusion himself.

Since he hasn't yet unleashed his most powerful evil arts, I can still control the situation.

I calmed my demonic energy and spoke calmly, "This is a world where I can save money on drinks. I feel this dizzy even without any alcohol."

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme looked surprised that I was calmly making a joke instead of collapsing.

The next moment, I heard his whisper in my ear. It was a layered voice, like many people gossiping and spreading rumors.

"So the rumors were true. They say the Second Young Lord, the dormant dragon, has begun to ascend."

Somehow, he now stood right next to me, but I could not tell if the man standing beside me was an illusion or real.

I'll only know if I try to cut him, but can I even land a blow?

The thought crossed my mind before I even drew my sword. A fight against him would be incredibly difficult.

I now clearly understood why my father had come to warn me.

Even with the Heavenly Demon Defense Art active, my mind is this disoriented. If he were to attack me now, how could I possibly defeat the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme?

I turned my head toward the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme standing next to me. His face was so ordinary that it seemed extraordinary.

"I have no intention of ascending. I want to live a long and quiet life, enjoying this world for as long as possible. That's why I'm trying to become stronger."

This was the exact life the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme pursued. He had lived a long, quiet life and survived until the very end. He left behind many words before his death, and he often said the following.

"The reason I strived my whole life to become stronger was so that I would not be killed by anyone."

He was a man who truly cherished his own life. The Great Mind Control Technique was also an expression of that self-love.

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme grinned at me. "A fine thought."

Simultaneously, the wavering of my surroundings stopped. The world went dark and then brightened again. The scenery had changed.

The maddening space was gone. Now, a vast plain stretched out before me. The sight lifted my spirits just by looking at it.

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme stood far away in the middle of the field.

I shouted toward him. "That is a truly magnificent martial art."

Normally, I would've called it evil arts or trickery to get on his nerves, but I chose not to. In his world, it was wise to yield a step.

"It is a martial art that only I in this world can perform."

He said it proudly, but I knew that was not true. The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader could also perform the exact same martial arts. I had learned this in the past while acquiring the Echoing Thunder Bell. The roots of the martial arts they both learned were in the Blood Cult demonic art.

"What do you think? Don't you wish to live in a world like this?"

He stood far away, but his voice sounded as if he were right next to me.

"If you would teach me, I would be grateful to learn."

At that, the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme instantly reappeared in front of me. "You're more cunning than I thought. To think you'd try to get a world-renowned divine art for free."

"But in return, you would gain me, right?"

He looked into my eyes. His dark pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks.

"I can see right through what you're thinking. You may have fooled a moron like the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, but you can't fool me."

"What am I thinking?"

"You want to grab my hair and slap me across the face. While slapping my cheek, you're saying this. You bastard, who the hell do you think you are to not listen?"

"Similar, but wrong. It's, 'You bastard, who the hell do you think you are to kill people? Let's start by tearing out your shameless heart!' How about that? A little different, right?"

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme did not get angry. He was confident he could kill me, so he displayed the composure of the strong.

"Being the Cult Leader's son, it must be hard for you to die, right? Is that why you want to die by my hand?"

"Of course not. Isn't a living third-rate person better than a dead world number one?"

This, too, was something the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme often said.

The expression on the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme's face seemed to change subtly.

His pupils, which had shrunk to pinpricks, returned to their normal size. He withdrew all of his demonic energy.

My surroundings returned to normal. We were once again facing each other in the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme's room.

"What I just showed you was merely a taste. If I wanted, I could open a place like hell and trap you there for the rest of your life. Are you still not afraid of me?"

"I am afraid, very afraid. That's why I said I would persuade my father, isn't it?"

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme stared at me blankly for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Hahahahaha."

Even his laughter was not ordinary. It was a strange, unsettling laugh that churned a listener's heart. My insides roiled, and I felt nauseous.

"I suppose I have to acknowledge this. No wonder the Blade Demon was scrambling to get on your good side."

As I thought, he had been watching my relationship with the Blade Demon.

In fact, it was not just the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme. The other Demon Supremes were likely doing the same.

"Hey, Second Young Lord. You may leave now."

"For my father's sake, please restrain yourself for the time being! I will take my leave now."

It was a threat made using my father, so it would probably be effective for two or three months.

"If you see me again, you will never return to this world."

I walked out without another word. The verbal exchange with him was now over.

Seo Daeryong, who was waiting outside, asked me.

"Was the matter you came for handled well?"

"It went well if you could call it that, and it didn't if you couldn't."

"I think it's a good thing that you, Director, came to see the fearsome Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme for a solution. Whatever it was… no one else has ever done that. I believe there's meaning in it."

Consolation from this dark and cynical fellow.

"You were very angry, weren't you?"

"Do I look it?"

"……"

"I was furious when I first saw the body, but I'm fine now. I've already made up my mind."

Seo Daeryong stared at me for a moment before starting to walk again.

"Aren't you going to stay and hear what decision I made?"

"I've already heard it. It's the same look you've always shown me until now. The look you get before you achieve the impossible."

I laughed awkwardly.

"This is why a right-hand man is essential."

"You keep calling me your right-hand man, but isn't your right-hand man that martial artist?"

"Lee Ahn? Lee Ahn isn't my right-hand."

"Then does that mean I've beaten Martial Artist Lee to become your right-hand man?"

He seemed slightly hopeful.

"You're my right-hand man, but you can't beat Lee Ahn."

"What do you mean?"

"Lee Ahn is my heart, my heart."

"Now I feel disappointed even being your right-hand man."

I laughed loudly, and Seo Daeryong laughed along.

"I'll buy you a drink today."

"Really? Are we finally going to a top-class brothel?"

"It's the Alluring Inn."

I pouted, and Seo Daeryong lamented his meager salary.

"Alright, since our penny-pincher Detective Seo is buying drinks for the first time in a while, let's call my left arm, my heart, and my left wing to drink with us."

"The left arm must be the Demonic Army General, and the heart is Martial Artist Lee, so who is the left wing?"

"There is someone. Now, let's go."

I strode forward. After getting some distance, I looked back at Seo Daeryong.

"You coming?"

Seo Daeryong, still in the same spot, spoke with an apologetic face.

"I'm sorry. This is all I can do for you. If it were up to me…"

"If it were up to you?"

He glanced at the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme's residence. His eyes burned with the desire to go inside, grab the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme by the hair, and drag him out. I could feel the heat in his gaze, a passion that promised he would have done it if he were strong enough.

Our gazes met in the air.

Lately, I find myself relying quite a bit on this small, melancholic man.

"I'll just accept the sentiment."

"You should!"

Leaving the Western Illusion Sanctum, we headed toward the Alluring Inn together.

"Looks like it's going to rain."

Indeed, the sky was filled with dark clouds and looked as if it would pour at any moment.

"We picked a good day. With throwing knife coming, the price of drinks today is going to be no joke."

"It's fine if we're at the Alluring Inn. There are no women, so there's nothing to spend money on."

"Ah… that's such a sad story, isn't it? This won't do. I'll have to buy the drinks."

"You don't have a woman either, Second Young Lord."

"I have Lee Ahn, don't I?"

Seo Daeryong blinked, seemingly not expecting Lee Ahn's name to come up.

"She's your bodyguard, isn't she? By that logic, I also have…"

"You mean that junior colleague from back then?"

Seo Daeryong's face turned slightly red.

"It's not that junior colleague!"

We took the largest table on the second floor of the inn.

"Welcome, Director."

These days, I was the best customer for the owner, Jo Cheonbae. He said his sales had doubled thanks to the Sanzu River Hall Branch. Not only that, but he also said life was much better now that the tyranny of martial artists had greatly diminished.

"Don't worry today. No tables will be broken."

"Haha, what does it matter if another one breaks? As long as no one gets hurt, it's fine."

"Look forward to it. This friend here is breaking out his hidden stash of cash today."

"I'll prepare something delicious and bring it right out."

Jo Cheonbae brought out the alcohol first, before the main dishes.

We drank quietly for a while without any conversation. Seo Daeryong was lost in his own thoughts, and I in mine.

The Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme came to mind.

The thought of him ignites a fierce fighting spirit along with the desire to kill him.

If I were my old self, I wouldn't be sitting here drinking on a day like this. I would have run to the training grounds and swung my sword relentlessly.

In my youth, whenever I faced setbacks, I exhausted all my heart and mind in the effort to overcome the obstacle. I didn't know back then that a person could escape into effort when desperate.

But I don't do that anymore.

The more my anger surged, the more I tried to become calm. I now knew that drinking with my people was just as important for making me stronger as training is.

Just then, Seo Daeryong said.

"But I feel a bit strange today. My heart keeps pounding."

"Did you see a pretty woman? Where?"

As I playfully looked around, Seo Daeryong laughed.

"You don't even like women, do you?"

"Who said that? That I don't like women."

"Am I wrong? I thought you weren't interested in women, Director."

Women. In my past life, I lived alone my whole life. I was lonely, but for that same reason, I wasn't.

"Are you lonely these days?"

"What's lonely about living alone? It's just boring. Isn't loneliness a feeling you get when you're with someone?"

"Oh! I'll have to use that line later."

"Use it on that junior colleague you like."

"I told you I don't like her, and we have no reason to meet."

"Should I put you two in the same team to work together?"

"No, thank you. A connection should happen naturally."

"See, you do like her."

"That's not it… Never mind. Ugh, I should just stop talking."

He took a drink.

"Is your heart still pounding?"

"……"

"Maybe something fateful is about to happen today."

"I doubt it."

While we were talking, Jo Cheonbae brought the food.

At that moment, Seo Daeryong had no idea. He did not know what kind of change his decision to buy drinks today would bring to his life.

"Let's drink till we're wasted today!"

He said this even though he could not hold his liquor well.