Chapter 312: That Door Can Never Be Opened

TL: FoodieMonster007

Geom Mugeuk called out to Hwan Yeo in the flower shop's garden.

"Is the owner here?"

Just then, Hwan Yeo walked out from the back of the shop.

"Welcome, Young Cult Leader."

She greeted him warmly, having returned to her original appearance as the kind-hearted flower shop owner.

"So you were here, owner. I was about to call for an artist to draw a wanted poster. I thought you might have fled."

Hwan Yeo's expression froze slightly. Geom Mugeuk laughed.

"It's a joke. Why would our owner run away when she hasn't committed a crime?"

Geom Mugeuk walked over to a flowerpot in the corner as if he were familiar with the place.

"You have new flowers."

"They just came in."

Geom Mugeuk crouched down to admire the flowers.

This was the Young Cult Leader's third visit. There was clearly an intention behind it.

Is it because of the dream I had a little while ago? Hwan Yeo felt more anxious than during his previous visits.

Her subordinate had reported that the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had returned.

Perhaps he realized that the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme fell victim to the Yin Yang Reverse Soul Art.

Then why isn't he capturing and killing me? What is he hesitating for?

The Young Cult Leader could launch a surprise attack at any moment. She prepared to use her illusion arts instantly.

Despite the tension swirling in her heart, Geom Mugeuk remained calm.

"I understand why that dead martial artist kept coming here. For some reason, I feel at ease when I come here."

"I'm truly grateful that you see it in a good light."

"Do you know anything about that martial artist?"

"No. He was a man of very few words."

When she used Sa Woojong, she never imagined she would come under this much suspicion. Since he was having an affair with the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme, she had naturally thought the focus would be on that.

Why did things get so twisted?

The answer to that question crouched right before her eyes.

"Do you find it strange that I visit so often?"

"No. I knew you were already close with the people of the Demon Village. Aren't you on special terms with the owner of the Alluring Inn over there?"

A cold smile formed on Geom Mugeuk's lips. Her casual words held an underlying threat, a warning that he knew who she cared about.

Geom Mugeuk stood up and turned toward her. The cold smile vanished, replaced by a pleasant laugh.

"You know a lot about me."

"I know you're someone who doesn't care about another person's status. Since you're friendly with a tavern owner, you can be friendly with a flower shop owner too, right?"

Their gazes tangled in mid-air. Their behavior toward each other was perfectly natural.

"Do you have any family?"

It would be nice if she said, 'I have a twin brother'. However, she was not such an easy opponent.

"No, I don't."

"You must be lonely by yourself."

"I live considering the flowers and trees as my family."

While talking today, Geom Mugeuk felt certain. It would take a very long time for the name of the Illusion King to come from this flawless woman's lips.

It would not be easy even when winter passed and spring flowers bloomed. However, this woman was too dangerous to spend a long time working on.

"I have some news to tell you, owner."

If it would not work in a peaceful situation, he would have to corner her.

"What news is that?"

"There's good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"

"Let's hear the bad news first."

"The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader has returned to solve this case. Since it involves the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader will investigate the case himself. In a little while, he will lead the Demonic Army here personally and search the flower shop."

Because Geom Mugeuk exposed the information so openly, Hwan Yeo was confused. If he truly suspected her, he would have come with the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

"The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader is confident. He said that if he comes and looks himself, he will definitely find a clue."

She was not worried about the flower shop. There was no evidence here related to illusion arts or soul-controlling arts. There was also no evidence that could reveal her true identity.

The problem was herself.

What if the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader saw her in person? He might see through to her true nature. She could hide it from the Young Cult Leader, but she was not confident about the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

I have to leave before I run into the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.

The reason she had not left immediately after her subordinate reported the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's return was precisely because of this Young Cult Leader.

Couldn't she prevent him from releasing a wanted poster and sending a pursuit team after her?

What if he came here first and told her this because he truly trusted her? It was still suspicious, but what if it was true?

"I still think you're innocent. There's no such thing as an evil person who likes flowers."

Right, she had nothing to lose. After all, she was confident she could escape from the Young Cult Leader.

"What's the good news?"

"Let's have a meal together. I'll pay."

Hwan Yeo was surprised by the unexpected proposal. Why would he want to eat with her? To poison the food? There had to be easier ways to subdue her.

This man was truly impossible to figure out. Because she could not settle on an answer, she kept getting swept up in his pace.

"Isn't that even worse news? I'll get indigestion if I eat with someone as noble as you, Young Cult Leader."

Geom Mugeuk laughed out loud.

"Just as I thought. I had a feeling our owner was a pleasant person."

Despite Geom Mugeuk's pleasantries, Hwan Yeo was serious.

"You treat me comfortably, Young Cult Leader, but it's very difficult for me. Just meeting you is hard enough, but if I were to meet someone like the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, I would collapse. If you truly believe I'm innocent, please allow me to close the flower shop for a while and visit my hometown."

Even if a wanted poster was released and a pursuit team chased her, what were the chances she would be caught?

The problem was that the person who entrusted this job to her would consider her incompetent.

If her identity was exposed and the Demonic Cult chased her, her brother would take the lead role. She would be in a supporting role. That was not what she wanted. She wanted to be the light, not the shadow.

"You said you believed me, didn't you?"

"Of course."

"Then I'm asking you. Please let me go."

"I'll let you go after you meet the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. I'll be by your side, so don't worry."

Hwan Yeo stared intently at Geom Mugeuk. The look in her eyes changed.

"A noble person speaking with two tongues. You said you didn't suspect me, didn't you?"

"I don't suspect you."

Now, Geom Mugeuk moved the situation to the next phase.

"Suspicion is for when you're uncertain. You are the definite culprit, so why would I suspect you?"

"!"

Hwan Yeo was stunned. She had never imagined Geom Mugeuk would say something like this.

"To think a person who likes flowers was the villain."

Coincidentally, Geom Mugeuk said something similar to what he had said in the dream.

Hwan Yeo could tell.

He was playing with me from the very beginning!

However, there was one thing she was curious about.

"Since when did you know?"

Hwan Yeo's aura changed. Her true self emerged, the one who could cast a soul-controlling art on the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme and stand confidently before the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.

"From the beginning."

He meant he knew since he came to buy flowers for a woman.

Hwan Yeo sighed.

"So you were trying to find out why I orchestrated this."

She had thought that was obvious. However, Geom Mugeuk's answer was unexpected.

"You don't know the reason either, do you?"

For a moment, Hwan Yeo's expression hardened coldly.

"You're just doing what someone told you to, aren't you? You don't know what his purpose is, do you? Whether he's trying to kill me, or Father, he wouldn't have told an expendable pawn like you."

Hwan Yeo's aura grew rough. The anger in her changed aura admitted Geom Mugeuk's words were true.

"Until now, your status as the Young Cult Leader must have been a shield to protect your life. Will that shield work on me too?"

"I don't know about that either. I don't know what kind of spear you're holding."

It was at that very moment.

Beyond the flower shop's wall, a group of martial artists approached from a distance.

The person in the lead was the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, and those following him were the Demonic Army. The group was so large they were clearly visible even from afar.

"While they search the flower shop, let's have that meal."

Hwan Yeo coldly accepted the offer.

"I'll buy that meal."

The moment she clapped her hands!

The surroundings changed.

They were in a space within an illusion.

Before his eyes was a restaurant that sold alcohol and food.

The Ghost Restaurant.

Hwan Yeo stood in front of the restaurant, her appearance changed. Her eyes were slanted, and her lips had turned bright red. Her appearance in the illusion was the polar opposite of her usual one.

"If I'd known you had a face like this, I wouldn't have asked you to eat with me."

At my words, Hwan Yeo frowned and sneered coldly.

She walked ahead, and the door of the Ghost Restaurant opened wide on its own.

I followed her inside.

The restaurant was bustling with customers. As I entered, the laughing and chatting crowd fell silent. Everyone's gaze turned toward me.

Their unfocused, empty eyes held no souls. They were ghosts.

A powerful ghostly qi filled the restaurant. The Heavenly Demon Defense Art activated on its own and began to protect me.

I slowly walked to where Hwan Yeo was sitting. Her eyes were full of leisure. I could tell that she felt absolutely safe, at least here in the Ghost Restaurant.

An old man stood next to her.

"This is Gwisuk, the owner of the Ghost Restaurant."

Geom Mugeuk could feel it. This old man was also an absolute master of illusion arts.

Recalling events from before his regression, the Illusion King and Hwan Yeo, like the other Twelve Zodiac Kings, had many subordinates. This old man named Gwisuk must have been one of them.

"Gwisuk, the person who came with me today is a precious guest from the Divine Cult, so please take special care of him."

Gwisuk glared at me coldly.

"How could there be anyone of noble status in the Demonic Cult! They're all insignificant things."

A powerful ghostly qi could be felt in his voice. If Hwan Yeo was skilled in soul-controlling arts, I could feel that the old man specialized in ghost arts.

I shouted at the back of Gwisuk as he strode away.

"Hey, owner. Our Cult has changed a lot, so drop your prejudice!"

Hwan Yeo was impressed that I showed no fear.

"I really have to admit it. At your age, it's difficult to even imitate such an aura and composure."

"If you get tangled up with our Demon Supremes, you'll realize this is nothing. Phew, nobody knows what those people were like at first. Who could know how my insides have been burnt black?"

The energy of soul-controlling now flowed openly from Hwan Yeo's long, slanted eyes. She was attempting to read my inner thoughts using her soul-controlling art. However, her evil arts were ineffective because the Heavenly Demon Defense Art was active.

"If you weren't trying to figure out my intentions, then why were you watching me?"

"Because I was curious, of course. Who is the mastermind behind this?"

"Why did you give up without finding out? If you hadn't mobilized the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, you could have learned more about me."

"You're not someone who would answer easily."

She nodded her head with an expression that said he saw her correctly.

"And I decided that you weren't worth spending my precious time on."

I spoke as if I had given up on everything, but I hadn't. If this final gambit doesn't work, I will take her hostage to draw out the Illusion King. I will find out even if I have to torture her. I will find out no matter what it takes. This is a matter of life and death for the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. If all else fails, I will turn the target of revenge to myself and wait for the Illusion King.

This is my way of repaying the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, who gave me everything without holding back.

Just then, a waiter brought the alcohol. The waiter was also a ghost with two empty eyes.

I sniffed the alcohol.

"Isn't this the kind of alcohol that only the dead drink?"

When I mentioned the word 'dead', the noisy surroundings quieted down, and everyone looked this way.

The ghostly qi contained in their empty eyes. If it were not for the Heavenly Demon Defense Art, I would have been gripped by fear, my whole body trembling.

My eyes met with a ghost sitting next to me. I felt a desire to lunge at me coming from it. However, it did not dare to attack.

Hwan Yeo knew the exact reason why.

"Young Cult Leader, what you're trusting in must be the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. That's right, you, who have learned the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, cannot be killed by illusion arts."

This is the majesty of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. The majesty of an absolute demonic art that no evil arts or illusion arts can penetrate.

"If you knew, why did you bring me here?"

"Because even if I can't kill you, I can trap you."

I scanned the surroundings with the Bloodeye Holy Water and the Divine Eye Technique. There was no bluish light anywhere. Just like in the fight with the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme, it would not be easy to find a way to break the illusion.

"If I kill you, this place will disappear too, right?"

Even in the face of death, she was full of confidence.

"I can guarantee this. If you kill me in this place, Young Cult Leader, you will never be able to escape. You'll have to live trapped here with those ghosts forever. It's the same even if I kill myself. The moment I die, the method to break the illusion itself will disappear."

As if to prove her words were true, the ghosts all looked this way at once. Their empty gazes seemed to say, 'Stay with us forever'.

I looked at the door we came through. Hwan Yeo saw my gaze and said confidently.

"That door can never be opened from the inside."

"The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader will come to save me."

"You don't know what the situation is like outside that door, do you?"

Hwan Yeo boasted leisurely.

"That door can't be opened even if the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader's grandfather came, let alone the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader himself."

The moment her words ended.

CREAAAAAAAK.

The door began to open slowly with a loud noise.

Startled, Hwan Yeo shot up from her seat. Not only her, but the expression of Gwisuk, who peeked out from the kitchen, was also grave. The ghosts also stared at the door all at once.

The door opened, and a person stepped inside.

It was the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. A ghost that had been clinging to his shoulder fell to the floor with a THUD. A ghost's severed hand was stuck to his ankle.

"Who said that? That I couldn't open it?"

Beyond the open door, the outside was visible. Indeed, just as Hwan Yeo had said, the scenery was different from when I entered. It was the very image of hell, with flames soaring in the distance and a rain of blood falling. The corpses of ghosts were strewn endlessly as far as the horizon.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had broken through all those ghosts to come find me.

"I have quite a few things to get back from our villainous Young Cult Leader."