Chapter 126: I Will Fight While Taking Credit

TL: FoodieMonster007

Seo Daeryong grew flustered as the woman approached them. "Huh? Is she coming our way?"

"See? I was right," Geom Mugeuk said.

"She's only coming because you beckoned her," Seo Daeryong retorted. "She'll come over and ask, 'Why did you call for me?' Right? Then you'll have to say, 'I called you over to tease this friend of mine.'"

As the woman drew closer, Seo Daeryong's eyes glazed over and his mouth fell open. The face veil she wore gave her a mysterious aura. To Seo Daeryong, she looked like a celestial maiden descended from the heavens.

The woman was, of course, Lee Ahn. She walked up to the two men and stopped.

Geom Mugeuk said to Lee Ahn, "I told you I came with her, but you didn't believe me."

Lee Ahn's eyes smiled as she turned to Seo Daeryong. "You're Detective Seo, aren't you? I've heard a lot about you." She spoke in a disguised voice, hiding her original tone.

Startled that the woman recognized him, Seo Daeryong immediately sent a telepathic message to Geom Mugeuk.

[How does she know me?]

[Because I told her.]

[How? Why? You never once mentioned knowing a beauty like this! Knowing your personality, Director, there's no way you wouldn't have bragged! 'My heart is good, and my right arm is good, but I have the prettiest face!']

While Seo Daeryong was busy sending telepathic messages, Lee Ahn smiled and spoke. "You're the Director's right-hand man?"

An irrepressible joy surged across Seo Daeryong's face. The position of right-hand man was a precious and remarkable one that many coveted.

"Aish, why would he mention something like that?" Though he acted shy, Seo Daeryong's shoulders puffed up with pride.

"He told me this as well," Lee Ahn continued.

"What's that?" Seo Daeryong asked.

"That you're a power-oriented and cold-hearted man, but a true man who loves only one woman. That you're a nonconformist with a rebellious spirit who raises his hand alone when everyone else is silent, yet also a pacifist, and that you're the man who made a life-changing decision over a drink at an inn?"

Seo Daeryong was stunned. The beauty before him had just recited the very words he used to say as a joke. He shot Geom Mugeuk an incredulous look. "You certainly gave her a detailed introduction."

"Not only that," Lee Ahn added, "I heard you have regular drinking gatherings."

"He even told you that?" Seo Daeryong was flustered. This beautiful woman knew far too much about him.

Why did the Director tell her so much about me?

Still, he was not displeased. How could he be upset that a beauty one might see once in a lifetime knew so much about him?

He had always been confident he would never fall for a honey trap. He lived his life believing that the heart mattered more than appearances. This was especially true in the murim, where people faked their age with the Age Freezing Art and drained the life force of others.

Looking at the woman before him, however, he thought it would be difficult to resist if someone like her truly tried to seduce him. Even with no connection to her, he found himself wanting to make a good impression.

"Are you not having your drinking gatherings these days?" Lee Ahn asked.

"One person is missing, so we've postponed it for a while," Seo Daeryong replied. He then belatedly realized and asked Geom Mugeuk, "Ah! What about Martial Artist Lee?"

"Took you long enough to ask." Geom Mugeuk's expression immediately turned somber. "You won't be able to see him anymore."

Seo Daeryong flinched in shock.

"……"

"……"

"Don't tell me. Nothing happened, right?"

"What if something did?"

"Why are you being like this? It's not funny. You can joke about other things, but don't joke about this. It won't work on me."

"It's not a joke," Geom Mugeuk insisted. "You won't be able to see that Lee Ahn anymore."

Seo Daeryong stared intently at Geom Mugeuk, then laughed. "Shall I tell you the decisive reason why a joke like this won't work?"

"What is it?"

"It's because of you, Director."

"Me? Why me?"

"Something happened to Martial Artist Lee while he was out with you, Director? That's impossible."

Then, a thought suddenly struck Seo Daeryong. "Ah, now that I think about it, Director. You've gone too far."

"What now?"

His next words came via telepathy.

[Just because you met a beauty like her, you've already cast our Martial Artist Lee aside. As a fellow man, I understand, but you still can't do that to Martial Artist Lee. You know how much Martial Artist Lee thinks of you, Director. Where is he? Don't tell me you sent him to the training grounds as soon as you arrived? Ah, if you did that, I'll be very disappointed in you, Director.]

[Hey, let me get a word in.]

[Forget it. Bring out Martial Artist Lee! No, I'll go find him myself.]

Seo Daeryong smiled and asked Lee Ahn, "By any chance, have you seen a female warrior of a somewhat large build?"

"Ah, I have," she replied.

With an 'I knew it' expression, Seo Daeryong turned to Geom Mugeuk.

[Jokes like this don't work on me. I was the top entrant of the Sanzu River Hall, you know. From now on, I'm going to call you Director Lewd.]

[What did I do?]

[You abandoned Martial Artist Lee and brought this beauty back! Ah, you're really terrible. Suddenly, even this innocent beauty is starting to look hateful.]

Seo Daeryong bid farewell to Lee Ahn. "Well then, I'll see you next time."

He started walking towards Lee Ahn's quarters and sighed inwardly.

Ah, I didn't even get to ask for her name. Well, it's not like I'll ever see her again anyway.

Just then, Lee Ahn spoke from behind him. "He's not at the training grounds right now."

"Pardon?" Seo Daeryong stopped. How did this woman know he was about to look for him at the training grounds?

As Seo Daeryong looked surprised, Geom Mugeuk said something even more shocking. "I relayed everything you've been sending me via telepathy to her, word for word."

Seo Daeryong was stunned.

[Why?]

[Say it out loud, not with telepathy.]

Seo Daeryong spoke with utter confusion. "No, why? Why would you send telepathic messages to her? I know she's a beauty, but you were never this kind of person, Director. You've gotten really strange."

Then, Lee Ahn said, "I've gotten strange too, haven't I?"

What a strange thing to say. As Seo Daeryong blinked, Lee Ahn took a throwing knife from her robes.

It was the same throwing knife made from melting down Go Wol's Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron shackles.

The moment he saw the throwing knife, Seo Daeryong was shocked and confronted Geom Mugeuk. "Why does she have that throwing knife?"

Seo Daeryong looked at Geom Mugeuk with suspicion, then flinched. "Don't tell me you took Martial Artist Lee's throwing knife and gave it to this Young Lady? That's not it, right? That one is yours, Director, isn't it?"

"Mine is right here," Geom Mugeuk said, taking out his own throwing knife. "That one is Lee Ahn's."

Seo Daeryong roared. "You can't do this! You've gone too far!"

For the first time, Seo Daeryong erupted in fiery anger at Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Mugeuk merely smiled, which only made Seo Daeryong angrier.

"What in the world happened while you were away? Have you gone mad with lust? This throwing knife is something we who were there that day shared, isn't it? Of course, you gave it to us, but it still holds great meaning for all of us, doesn't it? And you took Martial Artist Lee's throwing knife to give it to that woman? Whose will you give to the next beauty? Here, I'll give you mine in advance. Take it. No, you can't have this. I'm going to give my throwing knife to Martial Artist Lee."

"I didn't know you cared for Lee Ahn this much," Geom Mugeuk remarked.

"He's a friend I can tell anything to. He's my drinking buddy."

Just then, Lee Ahn said, "Let's go for a drink."

Seo Daeryong flinched. The word 'no' did not come out immediately. He gritted his teeth and managed a refusal. "It's a little difficult right now."

He sighed inwardly.

To think I'm refusing a drink from a beauty I'll likely never see again in my life! Why did we have to meet in a situation like this? Ah, could my life be any more unfortunate?

But still, Lee Ahn came first. "Right now, I have to take care of my abandoned drinking buddy. So, if you'll excuse me."

"Thank you for thinking of me so much," Lee Ahn said.

Seo Daeryong looked at Lee Ahn, his expression asking what she meant.

Lee Ahn removed her veil. In that instant, light seemed to radiate from her face.

Seo Daeryong's eyes widened at the beautiful face, but he quickly hardened his expression. This was not the time to admire her beauty. "I'm still not going! I can't!"

"Didn't we promise to drink all night when I got back?"

"Pardon?"

"It's me. Lee Ahn."

Plunged into a crucible of chaos, Seo Daeryong could only blink.

"Didn't the three of us, with General Jang, promise to see the autumn leaves at the Great Sky Peak and drink, and to drink in the winter while watching the snow fall?"

Seo Daeryong jumped when Lee Ahn spoke in her original voice. "The voice is right. Are you really Martial Artist Lee?"

"Yes, it's me."

"…… You're not, are you?"

"I'll tell you everything about what happened over drinks, when General Jang is with us."

Because it was Lee Ahn speaking, Seo Daeryong finally realized it was her. "It really is you, Martial Artist Lee!"

For a final confirmation, Seo Daeryong looked at Geom Mugeuk, who gave a single, confirming nod.

"What's this about Director Lewd? Mad with lust?" Lee Ahn teased.

"Ahhh! I'm sorry!"

Geom Mugeuk smiled at the still-bewildered man. "No, you did well. You've scored a lot of points with Lee Ahn today."

At that, Lee Ahn announced loudly, "The drinks are on me tonight, all night long."

"Uwaaah! Excellent," Seo Daeryong cheered.

Lee Ahn looked at Geom Mugeuk. "Can we go for a drink? We'll bring General Jang, too."

Her face clearly showed she was dying to talk about the difficult Poison Self-Purification Art and her wonderful journey. The sight made Geom Mugeuk smile.

"Drink to your heart's content today!"

Watching the excited figures of Lee Ahn and Seo Daeryong, Geom Mugeuk slowly made his way toward the Heavenly Demon Hall.

The Heavenly Demon Hall was unchanged.

Beyond the path of blood, Father was seated. I slowly walked along the red carpet toward him.

I was so happy to see Father again. I never thought his blunt expression and gaze could be so welcome.

"Father, have you been well during my absence? I thought I might die without seeing you again." I offered Father a deep bow.

"You look as if you've returned from a war."

"I fought a great war."

"That's because you needlessly involved yourself in the affairs of the Evil Alliance."

"It was not a needless affair. I judged that Bi Sayin would be easier for us to control than Seok Gwanchu's grandson."

Normally, saying he was the better person would have been more accurate, but I said he would be easier to control. Father despised and was wary of making rash judgments about people.

"It would have been more advantageous for us if Seok Gwanchu's grandson had become the successor," Father said.

"Why is that?"

"Because that whelp is far more greedy."

"But wouldn't the murim become more chaotic?"

"What does that have to do with us?"

I knew he meant those words. Our Cult has always wielded greater power the more chaotic the murim becomes.

Father. Even so, we can't continue to grow by feeding on blood forever, can we?

"Why did you not return immediately? Were you not concerned about your brother taking control of the Demon Supremes?"

"I am concerned."

"Then why?"

"I had no intention of making all the Demon Supremes my people."

"……"

"Because then my brother would be cornered."

"!"

"If that happened, my brother would eventually make the worst, most irreversible choice. A choice that I could not simply overlook. Did I not tell you that I would stop the bloodshed in the succession struggle with my generation?"

Father could not hide his surprise. "You would give him breathing room for such a reason? Did you really think that far ahead?"

"I must. When I consider how great and significant what I gain from fighting is, I must think even deeper and further. I will fight like this, using my head while also taking credit before you, Father."

Father stared at me without a word. I quietly looked back at him.

"May I ask one thing as well?"

"What is it?"

"When Seok Gwanchu or his master, Baek Manggi, made their move, were you worried about me in the slightest?"

"I was not."

"Why not? Did you trust me that much?"

"I did not trust you. I trusted extreme evil."

"You trusted the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon?"

"Yes. Because if he was by your side, I was certain it would be a fight worth having. I trusted the judgment of extreme evil."

"From now on, please try to trust your son a little."

"If I had based my judgment on you at that time, our Cult would have had to march out to save you."

"Ah! When will I ever become a son who is trusted?"

At my exaggerated words, Father still wore an expression that said 'not a chance'.

I thought that even if I became an immortal and achieved Celestial Ascension, Father would still look at me with that same expression. He would probably watch me ascend to the heavens and say, 'Don't trust the immortals!'

"Go and rest."

"Then I will take my leave."

As I turned to leave, Father spoke from behind me. "Welcome back."

The moment I heard those words, my heart swelled with emotion. It was a short phrase, but it was what I had wanted to hear from Father more than anything.

I turned back toward Father and bowed my head without a word.

Thank you so much for steadfastly protecting your position, Father.

After leaving the Heavenly Demon Hall, I made my way toward the person I wanted to see most after Father.