Chapter 445: This is All Because Father is So Difficult

TL: FoodieMonster007

Father called me dependable, and I briefly pictured myself standing on a battlefield.

I thought of the countless fights before my regression and the battles after it. Even when added all together, they were just fights, not a war.

Once a war begins, the kind of battles that turn an individual's life into a living hell erupt every day all across the Central Plains. The initial cause, once as red and thick as blood, gradually fades, and people die without even knowing why they must fight. What's more terrifying is that it doesn't end easily. It could last for months, years, or even decades. War is easy to start, but difficult to end.

Is what's gained through so many sacrifices truly peace? Or is it greater conflict, deeper wounds, and a thirst for revenge?

What if I faithfully play the role of the vanguard in that war? Jin Hagun, the master of the Demon Slaying Brigade, would die by my sword. The image of Jin Haryong wailing before his corpse comes to mind. She would hurl cursed insults at me, launching herself forward with her sword drawn to kill me. In the end, she too would die by my hand.

Bi Sayin would be no different. Looking down at his dying form, what could I possibly say? Where would I have to discard all the words I had said to him?

This is the war for the unification of murim, something that makes my chest tighten just by imagining it. This thought alone tells me how I will have to live for the next five years.

Father, a war won't happen. That's why I'm so curious about what your new dream will be.

I was about to respond honestly, but I decided to act like my usual self instead. I feigned a pained expression and whined.

"This is too much! You conspired with the Demon Supremes from the start to trap me, didn't you? Elder Blade Demon laid the bait, Master and the Demonic Buddha dangled the lure, and today, you reeled me in. Right? This was a plan devised by the All-Knowing Hall, wasn't it?"

At my joke, my father glanced toward the entrance of the Heavenly Demon Hall.

"Ask the Strategist yourself."

Just then, Head Strategist Sama Myeong was entering the Heavenly Demon Hall. The fact that he appeared here told me everything.

There was another reason why Father had gathered all the Demon Supremes today. Right, he isn't the type to summon them all just because he missed them.

After paying his respects to my father, Sama Myeong politely greeted the Demon Supremes. They returned the gesture with a clasped hands greeting.

Finally, Sama Myeong greeted me.

"Young Cult Leader, I'm relieved you've returned safely from the North Sea."

"My greetings are late. I was a bit busy, having fallen into a trap prepared by our dear Strategist."

Despite the sudden accusation, Sama Myeong simply smiled. He seemed to guess what I meant by my words.

"The name of the trap I fell into is the unification of murim. Without even realizing I was in a trap, I declared with my own mouth that I would become the vanguard."

He was well aware that I had been meeting with the Demon Supremes, so he immediately understood what kind of promise this was.

Sama Myeong got to the heart of it.

"Of course, you must have set a time limit on becoming the vanguard, correct? How long did you set it for?"

"I set it for five years."

"Perhaps the name of this trap is 'five years'? From what I can see, it seems that's where you've fallen, Young Cult Leader."

He saw right through me, that I had bought myself five years. Just as my father had accepted the promise knowing this, he too had already guessed my intentions.

Indeed, the moment he finished speaking, I saw a faint smile grace my father's lips. He was pleased that Sama Myeong was assessing the situation accurately.

Sama Myeong also realized that there was a clever move hidden within the five-year period.

"If it had been seven or ten years, I believe it's a trap you wouldn't have fallen into. Five years is an exquisite period of time that's impossible not to fall for."

The Demon Supremes must have also understood what Sama Myeong was saying.

Immediately, a voice transmission from the Drunken Demon arrived.

[So this was all your plan. And here I was, worried that you'd made an unreasonable promise without realizing it.]

[It's an unreasonable promise. I'll have to work my butt off for the next five years. You have to help me too, Hyung.]

[Please, don't drag me into your business!]

Meanwhile, Sama Myeong revealed to everyone the reason he had appeared here today. "I came to see the various Demon Supremes today to directly report the findings of our All-Knowing Hall's investigation. After learning of the existence of those behind the scenes, our hall began tracking them independently. What our hall focused on was their source of funding. Moving this many experts and an organization of this scale would require enormous funds, and as a result of our covert investigation, we have found a clue to track those masterminds."

He had come here to deliver this information and request the help of the Demon Supremes.

"Considering the power they've shown so far, it seems the Demon Supremes will have to step forward and handle this personally."

Sama Myeong must have already decided in his mind who to entrust with this task. Before he could single out a Demon Supreme and make his request, I stepped forward first.

Before my father could make a decision, Sama Myeong stepped forward.

"That is not acceptable."

He was not one to interrupt a conversation with my father in such a manner, so I could tell his words carried a firm resolve.

"Do you realize what you have just requested, Young Cult Leader?"

He asked in a gentle tone, but his eyes were extremely serious.

"I do."

Sama Myeong shook his head.

"No. I don't think you do, Young Cult Leader. If you did, you couldn't have made such a request."

"Why not?"

I could feel everyone tense up amidst the palpable strain. The contest between my father and me had now shifted to a contest between Sama Myeong and me. The curtain had not yet fallen on today's stage.

"It's a rule of the Cult that the Cult Leader and the Young Cult Leader do not move together except in special circumstances. They must even eat different meals."

This is to guard against assassination or poisoning. If they were together and died, it would create a situation where the Cult Leader is absent.

"Are you trying to stop me because you're worried my father might be in danger? Your concern is misplaced. You should be worried about the murim, not my father."

At that, Sama Myeong replied as if he had been waiting.

"That's right. It's for that exact reason. If the Cult Leader makes a move, the murim itself will be in danger."

This was precisely what Sama Myeong was worried about.

"If the Cult Leader makes a move, the murim will grow tense and rigid. The sense of crisis will be heightened to the extreme, and small incidents can escalate into major ones."

I tried to persuade Sama Myeong in a pleasant tone.

"We can just go secretly. We'll say that Father has entered seclusion training for a while."

"If that were to be revealed, the murim would be even more shocked."

The Heavenly Demon's journey into the jianghu was a weighty move that carried such great responsibility.

Sama Myeong added a frightening remark.

"If things go wrong, the moment the Young Cult Leader has to stand at the vanguard might not be five years from now, but five days."

I understood well what Sama Myeong was worried about.

"Still, it's not as if my father has to stay in the Heavenly Demon Hall for the rest of his life."

To that, even Sama Myeong could not offer any rebuttal. After all, he was the one who understood my father's frustration better than anyone else in our Cult.

My gaze turned to my father.

"I respect the dream you have, Father. However, since that dream is for the world, I believe you must go out into the world to dream it."

Father looked at me without a word.

I spoke with my eyes.

Father, it is time for you to go out with me.

Father would know. He would know the feelings behind my actions.

Because this was a matter between my father and me, the Demon Supremes did not intervene, watching us with their own distinct expressions.

Sama Myeong let out a light sigh and remarked, "I misunderstood the name of the trap. It wasn't 'five years', it was 'leaving the Cult'."

It was a joke, implying that he was the one who had fallen into a trap.

Finally, my father spoke up. "Let us deliberate on this matter and discuss it again later. That will be all for today's meeting."

Father had surely already made his decision. However, he didn't announce it here out of consideration for the pride of the one whose opinion was not chosen.

And so, the Demon Supremes and I bid a respectful farewell and left the Heavenly Demon Hall.

At the entrance, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon said to me, "You really never get tired, do you."

He meant that after making the five-year promise with my father, I was now stirring up trouble again with the issue of leaving the Cult with the Heavenly Demon.

"Won't five years pass by in a flash? I have to move diligently while I have the chance."

Then, the Drunken Demon voiced the thought he had been holding back.

"No matter how I think about it, I don't think it's possible to change the Cult Leader's mind in just five years."

On that point, it seemed the Demonic Buddha's thoughts were the same.

"Didn't I say that today's stage was one created by the Cult Leader?"

A radiant light began to shine from his body again.

I looked at the Fist Demon. He didn't say a word, but it felt as if his gaze was saying this.

I sighed and lamented.

"I talked a lot and spoke loudly today, but it was really difficult. As you know, who am I up against?"

"It's my father. This is about changing my father's long-held wish. Can you even scratch the Heavenly Demon Sword by striking it with an iron sword? From now on, you all must help me. Where is there a Demon Supreme of my father, or a Demon Supreme of mine? You are our Demon Supremes. Now, in that spirit, since it's been a while since we all gathered, let's all have a drink… Huh? Where is everyone going? Elder! Master! Hyung!"

The Demon Supremes were already scattering in the eight directions toward their respective residences.

"Hey, I'm having a hard time here! Console me a little, help me strategize. This is really too much!"

They all disappeared without a single glance back.

However, from far away, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon sent a voice transmission.

[Isn't there someone else you should be drinking with right now?]

"Young Cult Leader."

Sama Myeong, who was working in his office, had an expression as if he had expected my arrival.

"It's just about the time you'd be getting hungry, isn't it? As expected, you're working late."

I had timed it for the evening and brought alcohol and food from the Alluring Inn. I bought plenty so he could share it with his subordinate Strategists.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon would draw attention just by carrying that large Heaven Destroying Dao. The Flower Sword Supreme was the most suitable choice, but as she was currently striving for the pinnacle of swordsmanship, she would not wish to leave the Cult.

"…There's no one to go with me. Even though there are eight of them."

As if he roughly knew what I was thinking, Sama Myeong smiled at me.

"This is all because my father is so difficult. You truly go through a lot assisting him."

"You don't have to try so hard."

A surprising fact flowed from his lips. "The Cult Leader has already made his decision. To go out with you, Young Cult Leader."

"Did he tell you, Strategist?"

"Not yet."

The reason for his confidence, despite that, was likely because he had been with my father for a long time.

"Word will probably come within a few days, so please keep that in mind and get some rest in the meantime. You haven't even had a chance to recover from your travels after returning from the North Sea and meeting with the Demon Supremes, have you?"

"Thank you, Strategist."

I knew that if my father made a move, everything would be handled in secret. His departure and his return.

"Are you happy that you'll be leaving with the Cult Leader?"

"My heart is already pounding."

"I could have opposed it to the very end, but do you know why I changed my mind?"

"What is it?"

"I liked what you said. The part about showing the Cult Leader a different scenery."

How could he not feel sympathy for my father, who was trapped by the name of the Heavenly Demon? It seemed that was what had moved his heart.

"Go and enjoy that scenery with the Cult Leader. I will guard the house well."

He wasn't worried at all about the masterminds they had to face. Then again, with my father going out personally, what enemy was there to worry about?

"It's because you were here, Strategist, that I could afford to be childish and insistent. Thank you so much."

As I was about to turn and leave, I suddenly asked him a question.

"Then what about your scenery, Strategist?"

It was a sudden question, but he immediately understood the meaning behind it.

"I quite like the view from this desk. So you don't need to worry about me."

I responded to his devoted heart with a clear, deep gaze, and then left his office.

Hoping that someday, when he wanted to find a scenery of his own, it wouldn't be too late.