Chapter 82: The Shackles of Then, The Cult Leader of Then

TL: FoodieMonster007

When I arrived at the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's residence, his first question was direct.

"If I were to join hands with you, what would change from how things are now?"

His question sounded more sincere than impatient. He was serious, and I could tell Go Wol had nearly convinced him. Though I wanted to offer words full of conviction, I told him the truth instead.

"Nothing will change."

"Nothing will change?" the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader asked.

"Of course. What could possibly change? Do you think I can open a Heavenly Wind Cult branch without my father's permission? Are we going to publicly announce we've joined hands? It's just a promise between us."

"Is that all?"

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader looked bewildered. He glanced at Go Wol, his gaze asking, What is this? Is this why you brought me here?

Go Wol, however, simply waited quietly for me to continue.

"However, there is one thing. If I truly think of you as one of my own and you find yourself in danger, I'll drop everything and run to save you."

"I've never been in a crisis," the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader said. "One doesn't often fall into crisis during their life, do they?"

"That's how smooth a life you've lived."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader glanced at Go Wol. Go Wol's presence had likely made much of that smooth life possible.

"On the other hand, you will fall into crisis if you join me. People will say, 'What? The Second Young Lord and the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader joined hands? Get rid of the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader first!' There's no guarantee enemies like that won't appear."

"Then why would I be crazy enough to join you?" the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader demanded.

"Joining hands with you wasn't my idea. To be honest, I find you a burden."

"Don't use difficult words to confuse me," he said. "Speak simply."

"You're aware my father doesn't think highly of you or the Heavenly Wind Cult, aren't you?"

"Of course."

"Even so, I still associated with you. Now, even Go Wol has become one of my people. Do you really think my father is unaware of that?"

"He must know."

"It means I chose this relationship even if it meant defying my father. Of course, I was also greedy for the divine artifact…"

I held out my left hand, showing him the Top-Quality Heavenly Silk wrapped around my wrist.

"No matter how precious this scrap of cloth is, it's not worth risking my father's favor."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader couldn't refute my words. He knew as well as anyone that becoming the Heavenly Demon meant possessing everything one could ever desire.

"So why all this commotion?" the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader asked. "Why do you two keep visiting me, trying to sway my heart?"

"Didn't I tell you? It wasn't my idea. It was Strategist Go's."

I glanced at Go Wol, who was lost in thought with his eyes half-closed.

"The idea of bringing you to my side was entirely Strategist Go's. So, I'll ask Strategist Go." I turned to him and asked seriously, "Why must I accept the Cult Leader, even at the risk of conflict with my father?"

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader waited for the answer, looking even more curious than I felt.

At last, Go Wol spoke calmly.

"I apologize, Young Lord, but this decision isn't for you. It was for my former master."

Go Wol gazed at the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

"I want to give you a new life and share it with you. Please, entrust the position of Cult Leader to your successor and come with me."

"You want me to abandon my position as Cult Leader and come?" the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader asked, his voice uncertain.

"Yes. I don't want the Heavenly Wind Cult. I want you."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's eyes wavered.

In truth, he was not a man suited to lead a group. His selfishness and greed were not vicious enough to deceive everyone. The ruler of the Outer Regions, once content with his reality, now stood on a precarious tightrope suspended high above countless spears and blades.

However, the man himself did not realize how dangerous his situation was.

Would he really abandon his position as the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader for one person? Can a relationship like that truly exist in this world?

"Without me, our Cult will…"

"It will run even better," Go Wol interrupted. "Don't worry. Just come."

"Let me think! Just a little! Please!" the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader pleaded.

Just then, I ordered one of the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's subordinates outside to fetch Seo Daeryong from the Sanzu River Hall. My sudden action confused both the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader and Go Wol.

A moment later, Seo Daeryong rushed in like the wind.

"You called for me?"

He was extremely tense from the sudden summons to the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's residence. I skipped any playful greetings and asked him a serious question.

"Where did you recently make a life-changing decision?"

Sensing the atmosphere, Seo Daeryong answered with equal seriousness.

"I made it at a tavern."

"How long did it take you to decide?"

"Probably less than a quarter-hour."

"Do you regret it?"

"No."

"What if you hadn't decided that day?"

"I would've never been able to."

"Tell us what happened."

Seo Daeryong hated stepping forward, but once he did, the smart man knew exactly what to say.

"In my experience, life-changing decisions happen in an instant. When I left home, and when I joined the Sanzu River Hall, I didn't think for long. I'll agonize for days over a single set of clothes, but I changed my life in less than a quarter-hour. If I'd postponed it, I wouldn't have been able to decide. I would've woken up a different person the next day."

I looked at the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. "What do you think?"

He stared back in disbelief. "You planned this, didn't you? You rehearsed everything before coming here. You practiced all night yesterday, right?"

Then, Seo Daeryong carefully added one last thing.

"If I may say so, Cult Leader, I've had many similar experiences with the Second Young Lord. Situations where it feels like everything is staged just to mess with me. I'll be wondering, 'What's this, what's that?' and before I know it, it's over. I'll run around frantically, doing as I'm told, and again, it's over. It's the same right now. Why am I giving this kind of answer in front of you? This feels like another setup to mess with me."

Seo Daeryong looked at me accusingly.

"Right? You're doing this to mess with me, aren't you? I may not look it, but I was the top entrant at the Sanzu River Hall. I can tell what's going on with just one look!"

I beamed at him.

"As expected of my right-hand man! I like everything from start to finish. You don't need to plan with a right-hand man. That's why he's the right-hand man."

Seo Daeryong smiled back.

"A lot of people are aiming for the right-hand man position these days, so I'm glad I scored some points. Well then, since I've confirmed my right arm is still attached, I'll be leaving."

"Wait a moment," I said. "This could be a historic moment."

"It's not a bloody battle, is it? I still haven't moved past the basics of my martial arts."

"A bloody battle might be raging inside the Cult Leader's heart."

All eyes focused on the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

"What?" the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader exclaimed. "Are you really telling me to decide right now? To give up the position of Heavenly Wind Cult Leader in less than a quarter-hour? Not just any position, but the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader?"

Seo Daeryong flinched and gasped. He had been explaining things excitedly, never dreaming the decision was something like this.

"Good heavens! If it were me, I'd agonize over it for a hundred years. Please don't decide now!"

His honest words, however, seemed to spur the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader on.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader asked Seo Daeryong, "Do you truly not have any regrets?"

"You'll regret it, Cult Leader! Go back and think about it for a year! At least a hundred days!"

"Insolent whelp! Just answer my question."

"Yes, I don't regret it," Seo Daeryong said. "Meeting the Director might have shortened my lifespan, but I'm very happy right now."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader rose from his seat. He walked slowly around the room, looking at the displayed divine artifacts.

Then, for some reason, he began to strike the Echoing Thunder Bell.

DONG!

A deep sound spread in all directions.

As the sound faded, he struck the bell again, and again, and again.

He contemplated while listening to the bell's toll. Is the demon carved into the Echoing Thunder Bell offering me advice?

After the bell had tolled several times, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader suddenly turned to me.

"If I go, will you give me your right-hand man position?"

Seo Daeryong gasped, covering his mouth with his hands. He was not shocked that the man wanted his position, but that the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was truly about to give up his title.

I decided to push the man even further.

"You can't. My right-hand man is Detective Seo here. You'll have to get in line behind General Jang and fight for it."

Seo Daeryong's eyes widened as he desperately shook his head.

After Geom Mugeuk and Seo Daeryong left the residence, only the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader and Go Wol remained.

The two men sat side by side before the Echoing Thunder Bell.

"What does the demon say?" Go Wol asked.

"It says I'm a madman."

"I think so too. Are you really coming?"

"Are you the madman? Why are you saying that after trying so hard to persuade me?"

"Because I never thought you'd actually come. I didn't expect you to tell the Second Young Lord so decisively that you would go with him."

"My mind might change tomorrow, or the day after, or even next year. You know I'm not a man of firm principles, right? Since it's come to this, let me ask you one thing."

"……"

"Why do you want to be with me? Is it just affection?"

Go Wol stared at the Echoing Thunder Bell for a long time before he spoke.

"I suppose I was afraid to go alone."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was startled by the unexpected words.

Go Wol kept his gaze fixed on the Echoing Thunder Bell.

"I suppose I'm afraid I'll go alone and do something foolish. I'm scared of going to the Second Young Lord and being looked down on by his people, but if you're with me, I feel like I'll have strength. Wasn't I always the smartest one when I was with you, Cult Leader?"

Go Wol slowly turned to look at the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

"I'm the narrow-minded and selfish one. I'm the kind of man who would make you step down as Cult Leader for my own sake."

It was the first time Go Wol had ever revealed his inner thoughts to him. Because of this, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader did not get angry. Instead, he smiled.

"I prefer that to any other reason."

"……"

"Because it means I'm going to protect you, doesn't it?"

Go Wol let out a small laugh.

"You can think about it more," Go Wol said. "The Second Young Lord is fated to command the winds and clouds, so we don't know how our lives will be swept up. We could really end up like the shackles of then, the Cult Leader of then, cornered and cast aside. We could be utterly ruined and end up selling medicine in the marketplace."

"As long as we survive, that's enough. You said we'd sell that medicine together, right? Then that's fine."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader also revealed his inner thoughts.

"Do you think I'm not selfish? That I'd go just because someone told me to? I'm going because I've already done the thinking and finished my calculations. I'll say I'm going to establish a new Cult Leader and help our Cult advance into the Central Plains. I won't just be stepping down. I'll be leaving in a way that looks like a sacrifice for our Cult's great cause, so I can go back if I ever change my mind. How long would it take to establish the Heavenly Wind Cult in the Central Plains? A long time, wouldn't it? While the next Heavenly Wind Cult Leader suffers in the sandstorms of the Outer Regions, I'll be having all the fun in the Central Plains. The kind of tense, thrilling fun that makes your heart drop."

"You thought of all that in such a short time? You're quite clever yourself, Cult Leader."

"You can say it honestly. That I'm quite selfish, too."

"Cult Leader."

"What?"

"Let's do well together."

"I'm getting nervous."

"What does the supreme ruler of the Outer Regions have to be nervous about?"

Then, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader made an unexpected joke.

"Because I don't think I'll be able to become the right-hand man."

"What?" Go Wol asked.

"You know how obsessive I get when I fixate on something, don't you? I will definitely take that position."

Judging by his eyes, it was not just a joke.

The two men looked at each other and laughed openly.

"You said it yourself," the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader continued. "That if I stepped down as Cult Leader, I'd be a pretty cool person. Let's see if you were right. Ah, I guess I won't be seeing this Echoing Thunder Bell anymore."

He had been affectionately stroking the bell, but he suddenly shouted.

"Shut up, you damned demon!"

The demon must have told him it was looking forward to the breathtaking showdown with a mere investigator from the Sanzu River Hall over the position of right-hand man.