Chapter 224: This Time, I Will Assist You

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon lay on the roof, looking up at the sky.

He had only ever stared at white walls, so looking at the sky felt very unfamiliar.

Someone spoke from beside him.

"Even when you look at the sky, you only pick out the white clouds to see, don't you?"

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon recognized the welcome voice, and his eyes smiled brightly behind his mask.

"Did you have a good trip?"

"Thanks to you, it went well."

The speaker was Geom Mugeuk.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon sat up. The Poison King followed, entering the courtyard. The Poison King always had a clear and fresh appearance.

Geom Mugeuk now knew for certain how terrifying the Poison King was, despite his bright and youthful appearance. His use of poison was an art with fatal results. He was skilled enough to reach into the poison pouch of the greatest poison master in the unorthodox sects.

The Poison King sensed their gazes. He entered, snapping his fan open with a CHWAAAK and fanning himself gently.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon rose and gave him a light clasped-hands greeting.

"You've worked hard."

"Don't mention it. I just followed the plan. The plan was excellent."

Geom Mugeuk then said, "If it weren't for the Poison King, we never would've accomplished this."

Geom Mugeuk now understood why his father valued the Poison King and why the murim feared him.

The Poison King looked up at Geom Mugeuk and asked, "Are you going to say that to everyone you meet?"

Geom Mugeuk knew what the Poison King meant. This was what the Poison King wanted to hear.

"Yes. Until the very last time I report to Father."

A flicker of satisfaction crossed the Poison King's eyes. He had heard what he wanted to hear.

CHWAREUREUK. The Poison King snapped his fan shut and went inside.

Geom Mugeuk said, "Ah, it feels so good to see the sky after being in prison."

Geom Mugeuk sat down. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon remained standing. Together, they looked up at the sky.

After a moment, someone entered through the main gate.

"I'm back."

It was Seo Daeryong, returning from the market. His arms and chest were full of cooking ingredients.

"I'll prepare the meal. Please wait just a moment."

Seo Daeryong spoke while looking at the ground.

A long green onion covered his face, but that was not why he looked away. He could not meet the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's eyes.

"There were a lot of fresh ingredients today. I learned a new dish from an inn's cook that I haven't made for you before. I'll make it delicious for you."

Geom Mugeuk smiled, watching Seo Daeryong babble without meeting their eyes. Seo Daeryong did not even know Geom Mugeuk was there.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon said, "Thank you, as always."

At the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's words, Seo Daeryong's gaze dug into the ground.

"It's only natural I do my job. Ah, and yesterday, I dreamt you returned, Director. Our Director has a knack for making people miss him."

Geom Mugeuk said to him, "I should've waited to come back until you missed me desperately."

Seo Daeryong looked up, surprised.

"Director!"

The ingredients tumbled from the wide-eyed Seo Daeryong's arms.

"……"

Geom Mugeuk used his telekinesis, and the falling ingredients floated in mid-air. In the prison, a key had floated. Now, it was green onions, vegetables, and meat.

Seo Daeryong hurriedly gathered them.

Seo Daeryong held the food, unable to hide his delight. Geom Mugeuk could tell. If the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had not been there, Seo Daeryong would have flown to the roof and hugged Geom Mugeuk tightly, burying him in green onions.

Geom Mugeuk said, "Go to that boy and tell him we've taken revenge, so he should go and live his life."

Seo Daeryong felt a surge of emotion. He had been thinking of that boy throughout this vacation.

"Yes, I'll be sure to tell him that this is the demonic path of the next Heavenly Demon."

Geom Mugeuk said with a smile, "That might reach my brother's ears."

At that, Seo Daeryong quickly corrected himself.

"I'll be sure to tell him that this is the demonic path of the Second Young Lord."

Geom Mugeuk leaped down lightly.

"Let's eat. I'm hungry, but are you crying?"

"Crying? No. It's because the onions are so strong."

Seo Daeryong went inside with the unpeeled onion.

Before following, Geom Mugeuk looked up at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon on the roof.

Their eyes met. They gave each other a slight nod.

Geom Mugeuk always ate separately from the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, but he always made eye contact like this before a meal. It made Geom Mugeuk feel like they were eating together.

That evening, Go Wol and the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader joined us.

"Young Lord!"

"Second Young Lord!"

The two of them were unchanging, as always.

"I suppose a filthy and dangerous drug won't be circulating anymore."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader praised my efforts and the Poison King's.

"You also worked hard, Poison King."

"It was a good experience."

"It must have been fun."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was inwardly envious.

He's been so devoted to me. I should make time to be with him separately someday.

After finishing our greetings, we all sat down.

While we dealt with Aecha and the True Venom Sage, Go Wol had finished investigating the next target.

"The next target is Yeo Bulgae."

Before Go Wol explained, I asked a necessary question.

"With two people dead in a row, won't Yayul Han be suspicious?"

"Of course he'll be suspicious, but what can he do? Plenty of subordinates saw the two of them fighting with swords. Plus, one was addicted to Berserk. In the end, he'll have no choice but to think it was just a string of bad luck."

"So there's no chance he'll recall the remaining two?"

"No. Besides, Yayul Han's personality is one that hates bending to external pressure."

Go Wol took it a step further.

"Since it's already happened, he'll probably look for someone new to fill the positions. He's not one to look back."

"There must be plenty of people. Masters from the unorthodox sects will be lining up to join the second-in-command of the Evil Alliance."

Just then, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader stepped forward.

"Once Yeo Bulgae is also dead, he'll think differently. He won't believe a coincidence can happen three times."

At those words, Go Wol presented the next part of the plan.

"Therefore, I propose we eliminate Yayul Han before he learns of Yeo Bulgae's death."

"What about the last one of the Four?"

"He's always by Yayul Han's side. We'll have to deal with him at the same time anyway."

Kill Yeo Bulgae, then eliminate Yayul Han and his last subordinate before the death is known. In other words, Go Wol suggested we handle all three almost simultaneously.

"Good! Let's do that."

I accepted his opinion without hesitation.

"Thank you. I'll present the detailed plan soon."

The Poison King, who had been listening, suddenly asked a question.

"Once we kill Yayul Han, the Evil Alliance will suspect us, won't they?"

I answered instead of Go Wol.

"I have one solution for that. I don't know if it'll work yet, though."

The Poison King gave me a look that asked if I could really pull it off. In truth, I did not know either. I could not know what events awaited me.

"First, tell us about Yeo Bulgae."

Go Wol began his explanation.

"Yeo Bulgae has a rat tattoo on his chest. He manages hundreds of brothels in the Central Plains and is truly called the king of the night. The rat tattoo shows his will to earn money at night without sleeping."

"What's his personality like?"

"This man is also incredibly vicious. He built the current Nightless City by kidnapping women, taking daughters from families indebted to King Yama Loan, and using all sorts of vile methods. Furthermore, his lust is incredibly strong, and countless women have suffered at his hands. There are even rumors he sells the bodies of aged courtesans to practitioners of bizarre evil arts."

Just as Jisaeng died because of the Miracle Deity Loan, and Aecha and the True Venom Sage died because of Berserk, this man also deserved to die.

Father had given me permission to handle Yayul Han and all of the Four, so I intended to deal with every single one of them. If not me and the Demon Supremes, who else could eliminate a man who had become the king of the night? Especially one protected by the Evil Alliance's second-in-command.

"He's been expanding his brothels throughout the Central Plains and is now trying to expand his territory into Guizhou."

At that very moment, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon spoke.

"Did you say Guizhou?"

"……"

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's eyes turned cold.

The Thousand Flower Palace was in Guizhou. The woman who liked the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman Yeo Jong, was also there.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon looked at me. I spoke without a second thought.

"This time, I will assist you, Smiling Demon."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon nodded, then rose and left.

Everyone looked at me, wondering what was happening, but it was not my place to say.

"We'll depart for Guizhou early tomorrow morning. Everyone, get ready."

After the meeting, I had tea alone with Go Wol.

"We need to be extra careful with this one."

I told Go Wol everything about the Thousand Flower Palace, Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman Yeo Jong, and her relationship with the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. Others might not know, but the strategist had to.

"Truly, the net cast by heaven misses nothing."

I nodded silently.

Go Wol grew worried when he learned of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's deep connection to the Thousand Flower Palace.

"One wrong move and our identities could be exposed."

"The Smiling Demon is well aware of that. There's no need to worry too much."

"When someone you care about is involved, unexpected variables can arise."

"There won't be any variables. You can trust me."

Go Wol smiled at my conviction.

"Why are you smiling?"

"I was just wondering if there was anyone the Young Lord trusted this much."

"There's you, isn't there? There's Detective Seo, too, and Lee Ahn, and General Jang. I trust them all the same."

Still, Go Wol seemed to sense a special difference in how I thought of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

"May I ask you one thing?"

"What is it?"

"Have you never considered that the people you just mentioned might betray you?"

Go Wol seemed worried because I tended to form such deep relationships with people.

"Betrayal that's planned from the start isn't common, is it? Unless someone is swayed by another, don't people usually come to feel betrayed for one reason or another as they live their lives?"

Go Wol nodded, listening intently.

"The feeling of betrayal can be perceived differently depending on the person. Someone might leave because they're disappointed in the other person, but they could be branded a traitor just for leaving. It might be that the person letting them go is the real traitor."

I revealed my beliefs about parting with people to Go Wol.

"If someone wants to leave me, I'll send them off with more courtesy than when we first met. I won't make the person who leaves into a traitor."

A smile spread across Go Wol's face.

"At times like this, you seem more like an older brother than I do."

"It's because I'm an old soul."

I need to have many sincere conversations with Go Wol. The more accurately he knows what kind of person I am, the better a strategist he'll become. If I just hope he becomes a good strategist without this effort, that's when a traitor is made.

Just then, someone appeared.

"Can I join you?"

It was the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

"Of course."

He sat down with us.

"Come to think of it, you seem to have lost some weight."

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's expression brightened, as if he had been waiting for me to say that.

"Someone nags me so much. I have no choice but to lose it. A man should have a dependable charm, you know."

Go Wol, who had been so serious with me, showed a different side.

"The Cult Leader was fat."

"I know. That's why I'm training so hard!"

The nature of his martial arts meant the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader did not move much, which caused him to gain more weight.

"You need to lose more. You're not there yet."

"Enough nagging! Bring me alcohol and meat! I'm going to devour it all today!"

If you only heard this conversation, who in the world would think this man was the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader? Who would think he was the man who was shackled back then?

Seo Daeryong joined us then.

"How was it? With the Smiling Demon?"

"It was scary."

"It didn't seem like it was just scary, though?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were talking a lot when you came in with food from the market?"

"Don't you know that people talk more when they're scared?"

However, it seemed it was not just scary.

"Honestly, I'm a bit sad about it too. Every time I brought the Smiling Demon his meal, my heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. That strange tension was addictive."

Just then, someone else spoke from behind.

"Addiction is my specialty, isn't it?"

I turned and saw the Poison King.

"What are four men doing gathered around drinking tea?"

The Poison King sat down, commenting even though he did not particularly like alcohol.

"We were just talking about how our Detective Seo is addicted to the Smiling Demon."

"It couldn't have been easy to please that man."

Seo Daeryong seized the opportunity to tattle.

"I wasn't going to say this, but… the Smiling Demon is pickier about food than he looks. He doesn't really eat the same food twice in a row. So I had to wander the market forlornly like a wolf in the rain, wondering what side dishes to buy today and what to cook for him tomorrow…"

Just then, Seo Daeryong saw it. Everyone was looking behind him.

Seo Daeryong said with a mournful face, "…He's not here, right? Please tell me he's not."

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon sat down next to Seo Daeryong.

"I was raised preciously, so I'm a bit of a picky eater."

Seo Daeryong hung his head low.

"And I have a big mouth. Please kill me."

"Your lifeline has shortened as much as my mouth has, so it's fine."

Seo Daeryong clutched his head at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's joke, and everyone laughed.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon did not look offended at all. In fact, he seemed a little more cheerful and in a better mood than usual. That was how I knew.

Yeo Bulgae, you're in big trouble.