Chapter 142: The Answer Lies with You

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Moon Wind Sect Leader, Chu Saeng, struggled to suppress his boiling anger.

Seok-hyung, a man Chu Saeng trusted, spoke. "Please don't worry too much. Several sects in Hunan have promised to cooperate with us."

The words only infuriated Chu Saeng more.

"Cooperation? How? Be specific. Did they say how many people they'd send, and when and where?"

Seok-hyung could not answer. The sects had only promised to help, offering nothing specific. Though they had maintained secrecy, rumors already spread that the Demonic Cult was involved.

"Put yourself in their shoes. Would they send their own people to face those bastards from the Demonic Cult? They'll pretend to be worried, but they'll be too busy locking their own doors."

Chu Saeng shot to his feet. Seok-hyung sensed an aura that suggested Chu Saeng was about to smash something and quickly tried to stop him.

"Compose yourself."

"How can I calm down when I'm this angry? These Demonic Cult bastards! I'll chew them up alive!"

"……"

Chu Saeng punched a hole in the wall with a palm strike. More than twenty holes had appeared since the incident. They would patch one, and another would be punched through.

Indignation and resentment filled Chu Saeng. He could not contain his surging anger, and fear lay at the root of it all.

Afraid that bastard would return.

Chu Saeng could not sleep at night. His nerves were stretched to their breaking point.

"You should ask the Murim Alliance for help, even now."

The Moon Wind Sect was a sect that straddled the line between orthodox and unorthodox. It belonged to neither the Murim Alliance nor the Evil Alliance.

"If we do that, we'll be at the mercy of those Murim Alliance bastards. If they solve this problem, they'll use it to demand our unconditional submission. Even if they fail, they'll use some excuse to subordinate us."

Sects in the Murim Alliance had to pay a fixed amount of money every year. The same was true for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the Evil Alliance. In return, they could receive help when problems arose.

It was not just about the money. Chu Saeng did not want to belong to the orthodox sects.

At that moment, someone spoke Chu Saeng's innermost thoughts aloud. "You wouldn't want to be under bastards who do nothing for you but regularly extort your money. Isn't that right?"

Chu Saeng and Seok-hyung spun around in surprise. A young man stood in the main hall. He had entered without them noticing.

Seok-hyung drew his sword and stepped between the Sect Leader and the man. "Who are you?"

The two men tensed. They had not noticed someone entering.

The young man stated, "I'm from the Divine Cult."

The person who startled the two men was me.

I could have announced myself at the entrance, but I chose not to. The Moon Wind Sect was in a chaotic state, bustling with martial artists from the entrance to the inner halls.

"Please understand. I dislike crowds, so I came in quietly."

Chu Saeng waved Seok-hyung back. He knew that if I had intended a surprise attack, they would already be dead.

"I am Chu Saeng, the Sect Leader of the Moon Wind Sect."

He had lost his father early and, in his late twenties, was one of the youngest sect leaders in Hunan province.

I did not reveal my identity.

"I've come to handle the incident that occurred in your esteemed sect. I can't reveal my identity due to circumstances, but you should recognize this, shouldn't you?"

I showed them a token engraved with the demonic ghoul that symbolized our Cult.

Chu Saeng was naturally suspicious. "A token can be forged, so I can't trust you based on that alone."

"How did someone as suspicious as you get fooled by those bastards?"

"You've gone too far!"

Seok-hyung stepped forward, and I extended my hand.

SWAAAAA.

Demonic qi erupted from me and constricted Seok-hyung's body.

He cried out, "Keuk," unable to move. His face turned crimson as he struggled to breathe.

"Sometimes, skill can serve as proof of identity, can't it?"

As demonic qi dominated the surroundings, Chu Saeng said urgently, "Stop! I've lost many subordinates this time. I can't lose another. Let him go."

I withdrew the demonic qi. Seok-hyung gasped for breath and could move again. He glared at me with fearful eyes but still stood protectively before Chu Saeng.

"I too have loyal subordinates like you. If I were to lose them, I'd feel like my heart was being torn out. I'm sure it's the same for Sect Leader Chu, so the two of you shouldn't act rashly."

Though I spoke to Seok-hyung, my words were meant for Chu Saeng. The quick-witted Chu Saeng sent Seok-hyung away.

"You may leave."

"……"

Seok-hyung left so obediently that it seemed Chu Saeng had sent a telepathic message. It was likely an order to gather all the masters of the Moon Wind Sect, since the two of them alone could not handle me.

Chu Saeng remained composed, even though we were now alone.

"You cause all this trouble, and now you show up saying you'll clean it up? What exactly are your intentions?"

"Not to clean up, but to investigate. The recent incident wasn't our doing."

Chu Saeng scoffed. The Heavenly Enlightenment Society had deceived him by impersonating one of our Cult's Demon Supremes, and he firmly believed we were responsible.

Several similar incidents had occurred recently, but not all the sects in the Central Plains were aware of this fact yet.

In other words, this was a time before the Heavenly Enlightenment Society had fully emerged.

"Tell me what happened. If I'd come to harm you, would I be standing here arguing with you like this?"

My words seemed to reach him, and Chu Saeng finally began to speak about the incident.

"A while ago, a man came claiming to be from the Divine Cult."

"Who did he say he was?"

"He was the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon."

I knew those bastards were impersonating a Demon Supreme, but I did not know it was the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

A dry laugh escaped me.

What were they thinking, impersonating the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon of all people? What would they do if they ran into the real one?

"What did he look like?"

"He wore a white mask."

Right. Since he wears a mask, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon would be the easiest Demon Supreme to impersonate.

"You believed him just because he wore a mask?"

Chu Saeng stated with conviction, "He was the real Extremely Evil Smiling Demon."

"Why do you believe that?"

At that moment, rage consumed Chu Saeng.

"He killed my sect's masters in an instant. His finger qi bullet pierced their faces, and his palm technique blew their torsos to pieces. One of the top three masters in our sect was among the dead. If he wasn't the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, then who in the world could he be?"

It seemed they had even mimicked the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's unique demonic arts, the Extremely Savage Demonic Palm and the Blood Calamity Finger. Under such circumstances, Chu Saeng had no choice but to believe.

"After turning the place into a sea of blood by killing those who tried to protect me, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon forced us to submit and pledge loyalty to the Demonic Cult."

The bastard committed unnecessary slaughter just to intimidate his opponent. That act alone makes him an evil that deserves to die.

"And do you know what else he did? It would've been less absurd if the bastard had just massacred us. We would've just thought we were unlucky to be caught and killed."

"What did he do?"

"He stole our money as he left. He demanded we hand over all the money we had on hand and cleaned out the sect's funds. You people are nothing but thieves! How dare you!"

I could understand any curse that followed.

"How much money did he take?"

"About sixty-two thousand taels."

Now I understood Chu Saeng's anger. I also saw why so many holes were punched in the wall.

"If we'd fought and lost for any other reason, I wouldn't feel this wronged. Submit to the Demonic Cult? Don't make me laugh! That was just an excuse. He killed my men just to steal our money. Do you understand what I'm saying? My men died for mere money! He should've just asked for the money from the start!"

Unable to hold back, he roared.

"UAAAAAARGH! I'm so angry I can't stand it. I'm not going to die a natural death."

From the way Chu Saeng spoke, I gathered he was usually a cheerful and pleasant person. If things continued like this, he would never return to how he was. The families of the dead, their friends, the survivors. The number of victims was not yet final.

"Right now, Sect Leader Chu, you're too angry to utilize your strengths."

"And what strengths are those!"

I took a piece of paper from my robes and read it. "The Moon Wind Sect Leader, Chu Saeng. Bright and has good judgment. Has strong pride and a hot-blooded side."

"Which bastard made that assessment?"

"The chief of our Cult's All-Knowing Hall, the Hunan Branch. Would you like to meet him?"

Chu Saeng looked at me, his expression torn between belief and disbelief. He then reproached himself in a drained tone. "What good is being bright and having good judgment? I was just helplessly defeated like this."

"Still, you must have your revenge, mustn't you?"

At the word 'revenge', strength returned to Chu Saeng's eyes.

"I will. I absolutely will."

There was a time when I felt the same. Revenge when I slept, revenge when I ate, revenge when I saw people. A time when I could not live a normal life, my mind consumed with the single thought of how to get revenge.

Chu Saeng was the same. He could not face his enemy through normal means.

However, just as I was fortunate enough to meet Seo Jin, he was fortunate enough to meet me.

"That revenge, I will help you with it."

Chu Saeng went to the table and gulped cold tea straight from the pot.

"Was it really not your doing?"

"Doesn't it seem strange to you too? If the real Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was after your money, would he have left after taking only sixty-two thousand taels? He would've taken everything down to the foundation pillars."

"What if it was just some kind of game to him?"

"If he enjoyed such a game, he'd be killed by the hands of our Cult Leader, the Heavenly Demon. Let's say it was a game. If that were the case, who here would've been left alive?"

"To be honest, I thought it was strange too. That's why I thought the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had gone mad."

Though he might go mad one day if he keeps staring at that white wall.

"He's still sane. I met him not long ago."

Chu Saeng flinched in surprise when I said I had met the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. Because of the skill I had shown, however, he did not seem to think I was bluffing.

"Is the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon really in your Cult?"

For a moment, I hesitated to answer. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was not in the Valley of Evil when I departed.

"He was."

I did not answer this way because I did not want to argue with Chu Saeng. I was certain it was not the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's doing. Father says you can never truly know what is inside a person, but some things you can know. No matter how evil the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon is, he is not the kind of person to do this.

"If that man was a fake, then the one in your cult must be a fake too."

I wondered what a powerful impression the imposter had left to make him say such a thing.

I walked slowly around the main hall. I tried to picture the situation from that day, the killing of the Moon Wind Sect's martial artists, the theft of the money.

Why on earth did they do this? For money? Or to draw us in? I have to find a clue about them in this incomprehensible incident.

"Fine. Let's say he was a fake, as you claim. Then why on earth did that fake bastard do this? Was he trying to drive a wedge between us and the Murim Alliance? To start a war?"

"If that were the case, he would've targeted one of the orthodox sects belonging to the Murim Alliance."

"Then what is it?"

"That's why I'm here. To find out what's going on."

After staring at me for a moment, Chu Saeng opened the door and went outside. Seok-hyung and dozens of the Moon Wind Sect's martial artists had formed a perimeter there.

Chu Saeng went out alone and spoke to Seok-hyung. "Have the men stand down and prepare a guest room. We'll be treating him as an honored guest for the time being."

"Yes, I understand."

Seok-hyung looked relieved. It seemed he had gathered the martial artists but judged they could not handle me.

Chu Saeng came back inside.

"The thought that you might be in league with that bastard won't leave my mind. Still, I'm going to trust you. Do you know why? Because right now, I have to grasp at any straw I can find."

Then he suddenly looked up at the ceiling and shouted, "Father! Grandfather! Please help me! Please don't let me be toyed with any longer! Please watch over our sect! Please save my subordinates!"

Seeing as it was his fate to meet me, his ancestors were already helping him enough.

After his outburst, he revealed his true feelings. He lowered his voice so his subordinates outside could not hear. "Your arrival has ruined me. If he's a fake Extremely Evil Smiling Demon like you say, then I can't give up on revenge. If it were the real Demonic Cult, I could at least give up, telling myself it can't be helped. Because of you, I've stepped onto a bridge I can never turn back from. I have to cross this endless bridge of revenge for the rest of my life!"

"I will help you cross that bridge."

In the past, I had arrived too late and left this place in my haste without a proper investigation. In those days, I did not see Father, and I did not see Lee Ahn. It was a time when I only saw myself, not others, so naturally, I did not see Chu Saeng either.

"There are countless sects in the murim, so there must be a reason they chose your sect. Why you? Young, bright, hot-blooded, and proud. Besides what's written on this paper, what else is there to you?"

I approached him, stared intently into his face, and demanded, "There must be a reason those bastards chose you. Now, give me the answer!"