Chapter 138: If I Just Let Him Go, Would I Be the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon?

TL: FoodieMonster007

"Where have you been?" Seo Daeryong asked.

I told him my destination.

Seo Daeryong blinked, no longer even surprised. "You went there in just four days?"

"……"

"You're not joking, are you?"

I nodded, and Seo Daeryong shook his head.

"I won't ask any more questions. I won't even try to understand. If I think about it too much, I'll just be the strange one. You're the kind of person who could suddenly say, 'I'm joining the Murim Alliance tomorrow,' and it wouldn't be strange at all."

"Good that you know. By the way, what about the Drunken Demon?"

"He hasn't come once since you left, Director."

I remembered how the Drunken Demon looked when we last parted, sitting alone on a ferry and drinking. I had told him to cut the nonsense about peace and tell me his real reason for approaching me. It occurred to me that my words might have angered him.

As long as you're not honest, we can never be sworn brothers.

He might genuinely wish for peace, but I could clearly feel that wasn't his only reason.

"But Detective Seo, why are you limping?"

"The Master put me through hell training yesterday."

"Suddenly?"

"Yes. He seemed to be in a bad mood."

Just then, another investigator guided the Blood Heaven Blade Demon into the office. Seo Daeryong startled, since we had just been talking about him.

"Master!"

To Seo Daeryong, he was always a respected and welcome Master. It would have been nice if the Blood Heaven Blade Demon treated him more warmly, but he just gave a slight nod.

"You may leave for a moment," the Blood Heaven Blade Demon said.

"……"

Seo Daeryong went outside. He had been limping badly in front of me, but now he gritted his teeth and walked out steadfastly.

Hang in there, Detective Seo. It's not easy to open your stubborn Master's heart.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's small, sharp eyes looked even fiercer today. His bad mood from yesterday seemed to be continuing.

"Welcome, Elder."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon got straight to the point. "The Drunken Demon came to see me yesterday."

I knew then. Seo Daeryong's hell training was because of the Drunken Demon.

"He brought a bottle of liquor. A very expensive one."

Although he spoke calmly, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's expression showed his displeasure.

"Why did he say he came?"

"He said he just bought it because he wanted to give it to me, then left after handing it over."

He had begun his effort to reconcile with the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. It took him five days to decide to go and give him a bottle of liquor.

"It was similar to when the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon came and asked me to deliver a mask to you."

"That's different. He had business with me then, but this time, he has business with you, Elder."

"I still thought it was business with you."

He's so incredibly sharp.

"No, this is the first I'm hearing of it. So, did you drink the liquor?"

"How could I drink it without knowing what's in it? I just poured it out and threw it away."

"How could you throw away someone's sincerity like that?"

"Why do you care about someone else's sincerity?"

"Because you said it was expensive liquor. You should have just given it to me."

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon glared at me suspiciously. "It was you, wasn't it? You pulled some strings. Otherwise, there's no way that drunkard would do something he's never done in his life."

I considered telling the truth but decided to deny it. For this reconciliation to work, the two of them had to sort it out themselves.

"No, I don't know anything about it. Perhaps he was impressed by you, Elder, while drinking at the Alluring Inn that day."

"Impressed by what? I did nothing but curse at him."

"Who else in the world would curse at him like that? Maybe he had a change of heart."

"Don't defend the Drunken Demon. I told you clearly, didn't I? The Drunken Demon is a sinister man. Second Young Lord, don't give your heart to the wrong person. If you go too far, the road back will be arduous."

After saying what he had to say, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon left the office.

Their reconciliation now depended on the Drunken Demon's actions. In that process, the Drunken Demon would shed another layer of prejudice, and I would have an opportunity to learn more about him.

That night, I sat on a branch of a distant, giant tree and watched Lee Ahn train. I was far enough away that she wouldn't notice me, but I could still see the expression on her face.

Sweat dripped from Lee Ahn as she practiced the Soaring Sky Sword Art with the utmost seriousness. She performed the same technique again and again, refusing to rest until the repetition finally yielded a response.

Just then, someone entered her training ground.

Surprisingly, the visitor was Green Mask, a subordinate of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"Martial Artist Lee."

"Ah, Green Mask."

"I'm sorry to come at such a late hour."

"Not at all. What brings you here?"

"That offer you made for me to join as a Division Leader, is it still valid?"

"Until you give a definitive refusal, Green Mask, the position of First Division Leader will always be empty."

Lee Ahn's voice trembled. Green Mask's sudden visit had flustered her. Green Mask, however, continued with his prepared questions.

"What kind of work will the Ghost Shadow Squad do in the future?"

"The Ghost Shadow Squad will operate as an organization solely for the Second Young Lord."

"What if the Cult Leader's orders and the Second Young Lord's orders conflict?"

Lee Ahn simply gave a faint smile, as if she had already answered.

"Do you know what answer you're giving right now?"

"I didn't say anything, did I?"

Their gazes locked. I could sense the conflict in Green Mask's eyes behind his mask.

When this strange woman, who had transformed from incredibly fat to incredibly beautiful, suddenly asked him to be a Division Leader, he had honestly thought, Is she a crazy bitch?

She had saved his life, even destroying a carriage to do so, yet she was asking him to give up the future position of Demon Supreme to become a Division Leader?

At that moment, he truly thought, Heaven doesn't give a person everything. To be so beautiful, yet a crazy bitch!

As time passed, however, he found himself thinking more and more about that 'crazy bitch'. The thought of stirring up the murim with her seemed more appealing than waiting twenty or thirty years to become the Demon Supreme. The more he tried to shake the thought, the more he thought of Lee Ahn.

Would he have hesitated like this if she had made the offer before her transformation? He berated himself for being a fool mesmerized by beauty, but he couldn't help the thoughts that came to him. The idea that he would have been dead if not for her added strength to the temptation.

Lee Ahn chose honesty over pleasant words meant to entice Green Mask.

"I believe in the Second Young Lord. If he looks at the sky and says it's the ground, from that day on, I'll live thinking of the sky as the ground. If he tells me, 'Die in my place,' I'll die for him. I even practice in front of a mirror, thinking about what last words I'll say then."

"I've prepared several. There are words to make him remember me for a long, long time, words to let him send me off without a burden, and even words to hurt him. I guess I won't know which I'll say until that moment comes. This is the kind of person who leads the Ghost Shadow Squad. If you're going to join, you should know that."

The more she spoke, the more her trembling subsided.

"You don't have to decide right now. Please make a careful decision, for my sake as well."

"For your sake, Martial Artist Lee? What do you mean by that?"

"Because the position I offered you, Green Mask, is truly important and precious to me. It's the First Division Leader position in the first organization I've ever led. I don't want to see you regretting it in that position. I don't want to turn that precious position into a place of someone's regret. So please, take your time and make a decision you won't regret."

"I intend to keep the First Division Leader position vacant until you decide. Even if all the other Division Leader positions are filled, the First Division Leader's will remain empty."

Their gazes locked again.

"If I join the Ghost Shadow Squad, can I continue to wear this mask?"

"Yes, but in return, you'll have to talk to me a lot. So that if someone appears before me wearing that green mask and pretending to be you, Green Mask, I'll be able to recognize them immediately."

Green Mask stared at Lee Ahn silently for a moment, then bowed his head respectfully and left.

Only after he disappeared did Lee Ahn clutch her chest in relief.

"Ugh! I thought I was going to die from nervousness. What did I even say? Ahh! I'm doomed. I rambled on and on and said way too much!"

Watching her from afar, I burst out laughing.

Just then, someone leaped through the air and landed on the branch next to me.

To my surprise, it was the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. He had apparently followed Green Mask here.

"He was losing sleep over it for a while, and now he's finally come here."

It seemed the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had already noticed Green Mask's dilemma.

"Foolish bastard! What is he doing, bewitched by a pretty face?"

"It's a face worth being bewitched by, isn't it?"

"First you take my mask, Second Young Lord, and now you're taking my subordinate."

"Now, let's get this straight. You gave me the mask as a gift, and it's not me who's taking Green Mask, it's Lee Ahn over there."

"Then I suppose I'll have to take revenge on that pretty heart."

"Let's just say I'm the one taking him."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon laughed softly. He sounded displeased, like a growling beast.

"What do you intend to do if Green Mask says he's leaving?"

"If I just let him go, would I be the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon? I'll have to cut off at least an arm before sending him off."

I couldn't tell if he was serious or joking. When Lee Ahn first made the offer, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had watched without saying much. I thought he might let Green Mask go peacefully, but now it seemed that might not be the case. I had no way of knowing how he truly felt about Green Mask.

"Wouldn't it be all right to let him go in peace?"

"Are you saying that being a Division Leader in that nonexistent organization is better than being the future Demon Supreme?"

"In this respect, yes. Becoming the Demon Supreme is a matter of the distant future, while wanting to be a Division Leader is a desire of the present."

Actually, there was another reason. Green Mask would not be able to take the seat of Demon Supreme even when he grew old.

The current Extremely Evil Smiling Demon wouldn't know that he himself would hold the position of Demon Supreme for so long. He wouldn't know that Green Mask would spend all those long years just supporting him from behind.

"Both you, Smiling Demon, and I are bound by our given fates and cannot live as we please, can we? Why not let Green Mask, at least, live as he chooses?"

"He'll regret it later. What about that?"

"What can be done? It was his choice, so he'll have to regret it. He might regret it then and come back to you, Smiling Demon. Asking you to take him back."

"Not a chance."

"Please take him back. There's a good enough reason to."

"What reason is that?"

"Because the Green Mask of now and the Green Mask who has lived his own life will surely be different. The Green Mask who returns after wandering will be stronger. The sword of a man who has known regret will be faster."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon stared at me intently.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You were always curious about what's under my mask, weren't you? I'm always curious too. About what's inside you, Second Young Lord."

I was inwardly startled but answered calmly.

"Sometimes I wonder myself. What's inside me that makes me talk like I've lived a full life already. Being this talkative and preachy probably won't make me popular with the ladies these days, right?"

"So you do know."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon laughed, and I laughed along with him.

"While we're on the subject, let me ask one favor. If Green Mask chooses to become a Division Leader, and you, Smiling Demon, get angry enough to want to cut off his arm, please meet with me first."

"Why? Are you going to cut off my arm so I can't cut off his?"

"I like you more than Green Mask, Smiling Demon, so why would I do that?"

"Then why do you want to see me?"

"For Lee Ahn's sake, if for no other reason, I have to try and stop you and persuade you somehow, Smiling Demon. I'm being sincere."

"I'll think about it."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon leaped away and left.

My gaze returned to Lee Ahn. She had calmed her excitement and resumed her tedious martial arts training.

You're doing well, Lee Ahn. In the end, Green Mask will come not because of your persuasion, but because he's captivated by your skill. I think the Smiling Demon's forgiveness also depends on that.

The next day, Seo Daeryong burst into the office with an excited face.

"Director, have you heard the rumor?" he asked immediately.

"What rumor?"

Seo Daeryong had brought a truly surprising rumor. "They say the Master is going to have a showdown with the Drunken Demon."

I was stunned. "Is that true?"

"I'm not sure if it's a false rumor or the real thing. It started from the Southern Blade Sect, though, but isn't it an unwritten rule that Demon Supremes don't fight each other?"

Seo Daeryong seemed worried that the rumor might be true.

"Are you worried?"

"Honestly, yes."

"What's there to worry about? Your Master has been training his martial arts like crazy lately."

"Still, he's getting on in years."

Does the Blood Heaven Blade Demon know? That his disciple is this worried about him. Then again, if he knew, would he have put Seo Daeryong through hell training just because he was in a bad mood?

As I stood up from my seat, Seo Daeryong asked, "Where are you going?"

"To buy liquor. A very strong one today."

"Ah! Are you going to stop the Drunken Demon?"

I spoke as I left the office.

"There won't be a duel. Because he'll die by my hand first."

I told them to reconcile, and instead they're having a duel? This is unbelievable, truly unbelievable.