Chapter 110: He's Your Subordinate, So You Earn Him

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Black Death Leader's eyes met the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's, and goosebumps erupted across his skin.

It took an evil man to know another. The feeling was so chilling that the Black Death Leader forgot the searing pain in his shoulder.

"I asked if it was you."

The Black Death Leader had forgotten the question. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon didn't wait for an answer.

PIING! THWACK!

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon unleashed the Blood Calamity Finger, piercing through the Black Death Leader's other shoulder.

"Uwaaaaaaack!"

The Black Death Leader screamed in agony. Even for a martial artist, the pain of torn flesh was hard to endure.

I watched this, then leaped from the wall and approached the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"Don't kill him. I have something to ask."

I looked down at the Black Death Leader.

"Who offered you a position in the Evil Alliance?"

Of course, I already knew the answer. I just needed the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon to hear the name, so I asked anyway.

The Black Death Leader clenched his jaw, determined not to answer.

"Excuse me, could you move your foot?"

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was still stomping on the man's shoulder.

When the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon moved his foot, he revealed a pierced and crushed shoulder. The man would never practice martial arts again, let alone use chopsticks.

I pressed the blood points on both shoulders to stop the bleeding and ease the pain. I made it clear this was not an act of goodwill.

"You can die here without saying a word, but it'll be a painful death for all the trouble you've caused. If you tell me, I'll let you live."

The Black Death Leader glared at me, his eyes filled with pain and disbelief.

I didn't rush him. He was only in this state because he faced me and the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. This man had endured many hardships and would not talk easily.

I picked up the hidden weapons he had dropped. It was his signature weapon, the Pungryun.

The owner was pathetic, but the Pungryun was an excellent hidden weapon.

I threw the Pungryun at the wall.

CHWAAAAAAK!

The Pungryun spun rapidly as it flew, scraped along the wall, and returned to my hand. It left a deep gash on the wall, like the claw mark of a strange bird.

The Black Death Leader stared, astonished that I could handle the Pungryun so easily. The Pungryun was a dangerous hidden weapon that could sever the fingers of anyone who wielded it carelessly.

The Black Death Leader asked in a trembling voice, "Who are you?"

"Looks like you're feeling a bit better, huh? You even have the composure to ask for a name."

"I asked who you are!" the Black Death Leader snapped. He had already decided he would not survive.

"Geom Mugeuk."

Hearing my name, the Black Death Leader looked horrified. Since I had arrived with the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, he had no choice but to believe me.

I showed the Pungryun to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"May I have this?"

"I wouldn't take a hidden weapon like that even if you gave it to me."

"Thank you."

I tucked the Pungryun away. I could use it on enemies not worth drawing my sword for, or gift it to a subordinate who used hidden weapons. It was a weapon worth keeping.

I squatted beside the Black Death Leader again and looked down at him silently. The Black Death Leader's face was a mask of despair and emptiness. He had been dreaming of a brilliant future just moments ago, only to plummet into an abyss. How immense his sense of loss must have been.

"As long as you're alive, another chance will come. Who knows? Maybe you'll undergo a Body Reformation tomorrow and become an absolute master, or meet a peerless beauty and change your life. Just give me the name."

How could he not want to live? Even with a shattered shoulder, it is human nature to believe there is a way to make a comeback.

"If I say his name, he'll kill me."

"If you say his name, we'll kill him."

"How can I trust that you'll let me live?"

"I'm sorry to say this, but you're of no value to me. What does it matter whether you live or die?"

This statement seemed more persuasive. I could feel the Black Death Leader contemplating. Then, he gave a name.

"Naengyap."

He meant the Ghost Hand Squad Leader Naengyap, who led the Evil Alliance's elite Ghost Hand Squad. Naengyap was the most prominent master in the Evil Alliance.

It was a lie. The Black Death Leader spoke from a vengeful desire for us to die trying to kill Naengyap.

"Fine. Lying is your freedom, and ripping off your arm is my freedom."

I shot up, stomped on his shoulder, and started pulling his arm.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaack!"

I pulled with the genuine intent to tear it off.

DUDUDUDUK.

No matter how venomous the Black Death Leader's heart was, he could not withstand the pain of his arm being ripped from its socket.

"Stop! Please, stop! Ugh! Seok Gwanchu, it's Seok Gwanchu!"

This time, he gave a proper answer. The mastermind was the Evil Alliance Head Elder, Seok Gwanchu.

"Is it really Seok Gwanchu?"

The Black Death Leader squeezed his eyes shut and said nothing.

Seok Gwanchu was a respected master from a previous generation of the Evil Alliance. He was a nearly forgotten figure who had long served on the council of elders. It was unimaginable that he would engage in a power struggle.

The Black Death Leader himself would never have disbanded his organization to join the Evil Alliance as the God of War if he had not been persuaded by someone of Seok Gwanchu's stature.

"Keep your promise to let me live."

"Of course…."

In that instant!

"……"

The Black Death Leader's head smashed like a watermelon slammed against the ground.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's palm faced him. He had killed the man with the Extremely Savage Demonic Palm.

I finished the sentence I had started.

"…we can't keep it. The person standing over you is the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon said nothing. The dead Black Death Leader was of no concern to him.

I searched the Black Death Leader's robes and found a thick envelope. It was filled with high-value bills that amounted to one million taels. Since he had received the full amount in advance, the success of the assassination must not have mattered.

I gave the money to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"This is the money he received for the contract to kill you, the Smiling Demon, so it's yours."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon took out five hundred thousand taels and gave me the envelope with the rest.

"We almost died together, so we should split it fifty-fifty. Don't refuse, take it."

"Then I'll accept it gratefully."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was not a man with excessive greed for wealth. If he were a person driven by avarice, he would be standing before me as a completely different man.

The luggage the Black Death Leader had been about to leave with was full of treasures. Given his line of work, it seemed he didn't deposit his money in a bank but converted it into precious treasures to keep with him.

"These should fetch a good price. Let's have Green Mask sell them when he arrives."

"You should take them, Second Young Lord."

"You should have these, the Smiling Demon."

"Consider it prize money for losing in movement arts."

"It's too big a prize. Buying me a drink would've been much cheaper for you."

"A drink with me is more expensive than that."

I laughed pleasantly. I didn't forcefully refuse his offer.

Go Wol once told me that money has no name tag. Its value is determined by how it is used at any given moment.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon asked me, "Do you believe it's certain that Seok Gwanchu is behind this?"

"Isn't that why you killed him without asking any more questions?"

"No. I killed him simply because I didn't like the look of him."

I chuckled, thinking he probably meant it.

"From what I saw, it didn't seem like he was lying."

"Seok Gwanchu. Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time. He must be ninety by now. I can't understand why an old man like him would covet the position of the Evil Alliance Chairman."

"Seok Gwanchu has a grandson he dotes on. I've heard his ambition is quite immense."

"Because of affection for his own blood?"

"The affection an old master nearing death has for his kin is probably beyond our comprehension. In any case, if Seok Gwanchu is the one behind this, taking him down won't be easy."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon nodded in agreement. However, he was actually pleased that his opponent was formidable. I could read great joy in his small eye sockets.

One hour later, Lee Ahn and Green Mask arrived.

"It must have been a tough journey, but let's take care of this first and then rest."

I took Lee Ahn to the marketplace.

There, we visited a few places and sold all of the Black Death Leader's treasures.

Even though we sold them for less than market price, they fetched a whopping four hundred thousand taels.

"He could have just lived well for the rest of his life with this money. Why was he so greedy? This is more money than he could have spent before he died."

"Human greed knows no bounds, right?"

"Lee Ahn. If you ever think I'm getting greedy, you have to stop me. You can mock me relentlessly, saying, 'If you were going to be like this, why did you curse the Black Death Leader back then?'"

"I might be too busy being greedy myself."

"……"

"I feel it while training in martial arts. That I'm a very greedy person. I'm tormented every day by the desire to quickly achieve complete mastery and fight strong opponents."

"That's not because of your greed, it's because of the Soaring Sky Sword Art."

"Because of the sword art?"

"A supreme martial art like the Soaring Sky Sword Art tempts and provokes a person. You know what happens if you get consumed by it, right?"

Lee Ahn nodded. She was smart enough to understand what I was saying.

I took her to the Continental Bank.

Of the total nine hundred thousand taels we acquired, I deposited six hundred thousand under my name. I gave Lee Ahn three hundred thousand to deposit for herself. Three hundred thousand taels was a large sum, and she was stunned with shock when I gave it to her.

"Young Master, I can't possibly accept this money!"

"I'm not giving you this money to buy drinks."

"Then what is it for?"

"Later, when you're running the Ghost Shadow Squad, there will be times you need to spend money for your subordinates. Use it then."

"But this is too much money, isn't it?"

"You need to know how to handle large sums of money."

"This is the most money I've ever seen in my entire life."

"From now on, anyone who wants to buy you over will need at least three hundred thousand taels, won't they?"

"No matter how broke I am, I wouldn't be swayed by that amount."

"Then how much would it take?"

Lee Ahn seemed to ponder for a moment, then held up three fingers.

"Three million taels?"

Lee Ahn shook her head.

"Oh, thirty million taels?"

Still, Lee Ahn shook her head.

"…Thirty thousand taels? Don't tell me, three thousand taels?"

Only then did she smile.

"It's three hundred million taels. Go get it. If you want to buy me with money, you just need to give me three hundred million taels."

"Even if you gathered all the money in the world, it wouldn't be enough."

"That's me."

We looked at each other and chuckled. Honestly, it felt good. A person who couldn't be bought with money was betting everything on me.

"If you have money left over, buy yourself something tasty to eat."

"I'll have a lot left over."

"You can leave it all."

On the way back, I casually asked Lee Ahn, "What do you think of Green Mask?"

"He seems like a good person."

"No, I mean as your subordinate."

"What?"

Lee Ahn was startled.

"My subordinate?"

"The Ghost Shadow Squad First Team's Division Leader, Green Mask. It sounds reliable and fitting. The organization's name is Ghost Shadow, and he's Green Mask who wears a blue mask. It fits well, doesn't it?"

I said this because I knew the extent of Green Mask's loyalty.

"It's not a matter of whether it fits or not, is it? Green Mask is someone aiming to be the next Demon Supreme. In fact, he's the most likely candidate."

However, he will never become the Demon Supreme in his lifetime. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon will live for far too long.

Wouldn't a life starting as the Ghost Shadow Squad's Division Leader be much better than a life spent taking care of the foul-tempered Extremely Evil Smiling Demon?

He could become a Division Leader, then a Captain, and who knows what else after that.

His current life is set for a frustrating conclusion, but a new life has an open ending.

"If it's really too much of a burden, you can just ask him to be the Division Leader until the Ghost Shadow Squad is established in its early days."

"Would he do it?"

"There's no reason he wouldn't."

"Ayy. Still."

"Lee Ahn. Do you think the Ghost Shadow Squad's Division Leader is a lower position than the successor to the Demon Supreme?"

"…Of course it's lower, isn't it?"

"Lee Ahn!"

"……"

"As my direct subordinate and the master of the Ghost Shadow Squad, you are in a higher position than the successor to the Demon Supreme. Because I am destined to become the Heavenly Demon."

Sensing my sincerity, Lee Ahn lowered her head.

"I'm sorry. I absolutely didn't say that to disrespect you, Young Master. It's just that the title of Demon Supreme still feels… too difficult for me to grasp."

"I know. From now on, you just need to change your standards. Then, making Green Mask a Division Leader won't seem like such a burdensome task."

"……"

"And right now, there's a high chance Green Mask will refuse. It's not something you can force. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon won't easily permit it either. You'll have to put in the effort slowly over time."

You probably don't know yet how difficult it is to win over a person's heart.

"He's your subordinate, so you make the effort and earn him."

"……"

We returned to the Black Death Leader's hideout.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was waiting for me and asked about our next steps.

"What do you plan to do now?"

"If we confront Seok Gwanchu directly, a war could break out between our Cult and the Evil Alliance. So, I'm thinking of putting someone else at the forefront to fight."

"Who would that be?"

"Bi Sayin."

Bi Sayin, the successor of the Evil Alliance, was the perfect person to put forward when dealing with Seok Gwanchu.

I gazed at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and said quietly, "You and I, the Smiling Demon, will intervene in the decision of the Evil Alliance's successor."