Chapter 609: What Were You Thinking, Sitting Here?

TL: FoodieMonster007

"Father has entered seclusion training?"

Geom Mugeuk wasn't the only one who was tense. The Fist Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme, who had accompanied him, also stared at Sama Myeong with worried expressions. It had been a very long time since his father had entered seclusion training.

"Did something happen?"

In response to Geom Mugeuk's concern, Sama Myeong shook his head with a gentle look.

"No. He entered seclusion training for the sake of his cultivation."

He was aware that his father had also changed since his own regression. His father had been concentrating more on his martial arts training, unlike in his previous life.

For a father like that to enter seclusion training meant he was clearly on the verge of a significant breakthrough in his martial arts.

Could he be advancing past the tenth stage of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art and into the eleventh? Or was he attempting to reach the twelfth stage of complete mastery?

One thing was certain. His father's skill level before and after the seclusion training would surely be completely different.

"When Father emerges, our Cult's power will grow even stronger."

At those words, Sama Myeong looked at Geom Mugeuk and asked, "Are you anxious?"

How could he be? More than anyone, he wished for his father to become so powerful that no one could challenge him.

However, the question implied that this strength was directly tied to the unification of murim. Since Geom Mugeuk had already officially declared he would stop his father's ambition, he answered honestly.

"Overflowing power is bound to erupt someday."

Geom Mugeuk glanced back at the Fist Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme.

They're truly overflowing with power.

Of all people, these two Demon Supremes who had come with him today were the ones most loyal to his father. There was the Fist Demon, whom his father trusted the most, and the Flower Sword Supreme, who respected his father the most.

If it were their father's command, they would charge into a war tomorrow, even if it meant countless sacrifices.

"I shouldn't have told you about the Big Dipper Body."

The two Demon Supremes understood the meaning behind Geom Mugeuk's joke and offered only faint smiles.

When Geom Mugeuk turned back to Sama Myeong, the strategist relayed his father's message.

"He told me to relay this if the Young Cult Leader returned in his absence. While I am gone…"

Geom Mugeuk raised a hand, gesturing as if he could guess the rest.

"Take good care of our Cult? I believe in you, my son!"

With an expression that said, 'You wish!', Sama Myeong imitated his father's deep voice.

"Don't cause any trouble."

The sound of the Flower Sword Supreme's laughter echoed from behind.

"You still don't know me. I'm not a troublemaker, I'm a trouble-fixing expert!" Geom Mugeuk turned and appealed to the Flower Sword Supreme for support. "You saw, didn't you? How well I handled this whole affair."

At that, the Flower Sword Supreme glanced at the Fist Demon beside her.

"The Fist Demon was the one who handled it. Our Young Cult Leader only slunk out from the underground after everything was over. Am I wrong?"

Geom Mugeuk felt as wronged as the mischief sparkling in the Flower Sword Supreme's eyes.

"You too, Sword Supreme? This is really too much! I suffered so much down there, breathing in dust and dirt. Don't even get me started, have you ever slept on a hard wooden bed? Have you ever been hit by a shoe? It's just because I'm taciturn that I don't say everything…"

As Geom Mugeuk's complaints threatened to drag on, the Fist Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme bid farewell to Sama Myeong.

"We'll be taking our leave now."

Sama Myeong politely returned the gesture with a clasped hands greeting.

"Go and rest well."

As the two turned to depart, Geom Mugeuk started to follow them.

"Let's go together. I'm not finished talking yet. Well then, I'll see you again, Strategist."

Just as Geom Mugeuk was about to follow them out, Sama Myeong called to him.

"Where are you going, Young Cult Leader?"

"Where am I going? I'm back after a long time, so now I have to meet people and have some fun. Please believe me, I went through a lot."

"I believe that, but there is something the Young Cult Leader must do."

"Me?"

"Starting today, the Young Cult Leader must take over the Cult Leader's duties."

The unexpected words flowed from Sama Myeong's mouth.

"From this moment on, the Young Cult Leader is the Acting Cult Leader."

Geom Mugeuk's eyes widened.

"You're joking, right?"

"The Cult Leader gave that order before he entered seclusion training."

"Until when?"

"Until the Cult Leader emerges from seclusion training."

With seclusion training, no one knew if he would emerge tomorrow or in ten years.

"What if he comes out a year from now?"

"You'll have to do it until then."

It was at that very moment.

SHHHHHHH.

Hwi, who had been concealed, revealed himself.

CHAK CHAK CHAK CHAK CHAK CHAK!

Behind Hwi, a line of martial arts masters in the same attire appeared. They were the martial artists of the Heavenly Demon bodyguard unit led by Hwi, specifically the Group Leaders permitted inside the Heavenly Demon Hall. It was the first time even Geom Mugeuk had seen them all in one place.

On the chests of their uniforms was a shield, and within it was a depiction of a demon modeled after the Heavenly Demon Soul.

Hwi showed his respects politely and pledged his loyalty.

"I, Bodyguard Captain Hwi, will serve the Acting Cult Leader with my life from this day forward."

No, Uncle Hwi. Why are you doing this?

SHHHHHHH.

After their formal greeting, they vanished in an instant.

As they disappeared, the Fist Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme, who had been about to leave, turned back and offered a polite clasped hands greeting.

"We greet the Acting Cult Leader."

Their attitude was incomparably more formal than before. Although he was not the actual Cult Leader, the two Demon Supremes showed him the respect due to one. They were not teasing him.

Geom Mugeuk could tell. He could see how they thought of his father. There was an insurmountable wall between the Young Cult Leader and the Cult Leader.

"Hey, isn't your attitude changing a little too much in an instant?"

He hoped they would take it as a joke, but the Fist Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme were completely serious.

"You two are discriminating against me!"

At that, the two Demon Supremes performed a sharp clasped hands greeting and said in unison, "Please give us your command."

Since they refused to play along, Geom Mugeuk sighed. He had intended to joke, 'So who was it that handled the trouble?', but he couldn't bring himself to say it in the face of their seriousness.

"Go and rest."

"We accept your command."

The Fist Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme walked down the path of blood and exited the Heavenly Demon Hall.

Far away, at the door, the Fist Demon looked back. His gaze seemed to say, It's an important position, so do well.

Geom Mugeuk nodded once, his playful expression gone.

Yes, Master.

Since it was an order from his father, this matter could not be a joke to his master. Of course, that did not mean Geom Mugeuk would meekly accept the acting role.

Geom Mugeuk spoke to Sama Myeong with a stern voice.

"As the Acting Cult Leader, I command you. I will entrust the acting position to the Head Strategist. Please take charge of our Cult from now on."

Of course, it didn't work.

"He said that the Young Cult Leader would surely say that, and he ordered me to tell you it is absolutely impossible."

Really, Father. Are you really doing this?

"I have people lining up waiting for me!"

"Tell them to wait."

"I haven't even unpacked my travel bags yet!"

"Do it after your work is done."

"This won't do. I'll have to enter seclusion training too. Honestly, I'm the one who should be entering seclusion training."

This time, too, Sama Myeong answered leisurely.

"He anticipated that as well and said it is absolutely impossible."

"Father! This is too much!"

Sama Myeong looked up at the grand chair.

"Shouldn't you ascend to the grand chair now?"

"Do I have to work from Father's seat? Can't I just handle things comfortably from here?"

"You cannot. Even as an acting leader, you are filling the dignified Cult Leader's seat."

At Sama Myeong's firm words, Geom Mugeuk had no choice but to climb the stairs.

Geom Mugeuk did not sit down right away. He stood beside the grand chair and looked down at the empty seat for a moment. The image of his father, who always sat here, came to mind.

Father. You should have been sitting here, sneering at me. I missed that sneer so much.

The absence of the one who always occupied the seat made the sense of loss feel even greater.

Geom Mugeuk carefully sat down in the grand chair. Then, he silently looked around at the view from his new position.

Not long after he had regressed, his father had let him sit in this seat. When his father asked him how he felt, he had replied that he felt nothing. At the time, that was true.

However, it felt completely different now. A strange tremor spread through his entire body.

Father, why did you entrust this task to me?

He didn't have to give him the acting role. It would have been fine to leave it to Sama Myeong. Hadn't he left things to Sama Myeong and gone on a journey with him before?

And yet, the fact that he had entrusted the role of Acting Cult Leader to him meant what?

Are you perhaps testing me?

To see if he was qualified to become the Cult Leader.

Eventually, Geom Mugeuk's gaze turned to Sama Myeong.

"Looking down on you like this, Strategist, feels both overwhelming and apologetic."

"Please don't say that. You are currently filling the Cult Leader's seat."

"What should I do first?"

Sama Myeong walked over to a table in the corner where a large pile of documents was stacked.

"Is this a lifetime's worth of work?"

To Geom Mugeuk's words, Sama Myeong replied bluntly, "This is the work that needs to be handled today."

Geom Mugeuk shouted into the air again.

"Uncle Hwi! Are you listening? Please make sure to tell my father! I'm going to cause trouble! Tell him things are going to get chaotic and messy!"

Hwi was likely the only person who could enter the place where his father was in training.

Of course, there was no way this message would be delivered. Unless a war broke out, nothing could be urgent enough to disturb his father's training.

Sama Myeong began his report in earnest.

"First, I will report on the major incidents and accidents in the Central Plains."

Only the most important incidents from across the Central Plains were reported. This included information on the movements of the Murim Alliance and the Evil Alliance, the trends of major sects, and even the flow of the merchant world. All sorts of information was reported.

Where and how the masters of the Murim Alliance and the Evil Alliance were moving. Which sects were in conflict with each other. Which Trading Company had joined hands with which sect.

After he heard all the reports, matters requiring a decision were waiting.

"Next are the matters that require your approval. First, it seems we need to increase the forces at our Henan Branch. This is to respond to the increase in personnel at the Murim Alliance's Henan Branch."

"How many did the Murim Alliance increase by?"

"Ten people."

Henan was the territory of the orthodox sects. For that reason, both their Cult and the Evil Alliance operated their branches with relatively small numbers. It was a mutual recognition of each other's spheres of influence.

"Is there really a need to react to a change of just ten people? Won't it needlessly provoke the Murim Alliance?"

He wondered if they were concerned because Henan was far from the Headquarters.

Sama Myeong gave an unexpected answer.

"On the contrary, doing nothing will be what provokes them."

"What do you mean by that?"

"This response is akin to a conversation. It lets them know that we are also watching their movements. That they increased by ten people, we know it well. So we will increase by this much as well. However, if we show no reaction, that becomes a danger signal. It would mean that our Cult's internal information network is not functioning properly."

"Then isn't that good news for them, not a danger signal?"

"No, they do not want any changes within our Cult."

He didn't know that the All-Knowing Hall paid attention to such delicate details.

Was it because it was the first decision of the first day? Sama Myeong left the choice to Geom Mugeuk.

"How many should we send?"

He was about to say, 'Let's just send five people,' but then he had another idea.

"Should we send about a thousand to surprise them?"

"Let's do that."

As if he really meant it, Sama Myeong picked up the next document, and Geom Mugeuk quickly backtracked.

"I'm joking!"

How could Sama Myeong not know it was a joke?

"A pity. It was a golden opportunity to station a thousand men at the Henan Branch."

On the other hand, Geom Mugeuk knew well that the strategist's words were not just a joke.

"Do you wish for it too, Strategist?"

"What are you referring to?"

"Father's unification of murim."

"Why do you suddenly ask that?"

"Because I thought you would give me the most honest answer if I asked while sitting here."

After a brief pause, Sama Myeong answered.

"I want to see the Cult Leader's jianghu."

This meant he wished for his father to unify murim. Perhaps Sama Myeong, more than anyone, wanted to help his father achieve unification under the heavens. That would be the greatest achievement for a strategist, after all.

He didn't probe any deeper. It wasn't a topic to be discussed while looking down from above.

"Now, what's next?"

Was it because he was doing this work for the first time in his life?

Time passed in an instant.

"Time is up. Let's stop here for today."

It seemed there was a set time for handling work with Sama Myeong.

"But there's still a lot of work left?"

He hadn't even finished a third of the documents that had been brought over.

"Let's continue tomorrow."

"When you do this with my father, do you finish everything within the allotted time?"

"Usually, yes."

Geom Mugeuk stood up from the grand chair.

"Now I understand. I know why Father guarded that grand chair so closely. He wanted to run away, but he couldn't because there was too much work."

He had vaguely known that his father had a lot of work, but he never knew he was handling this much. Truly, these were tasks that one could not possibly attend to one by one without a heavy sense of responsibility.

"You did well for your first day."

Working together today, Sama Myeong saw a new side of Geom Mugeuk.

"You're much more meticulous than I thought."

Geom Mugeuk immediately asked about things he didn't know and didn't handle matters carelessly. He deliberated two or three times before deciding.

"It's not because I'm meticulous, it's because I have anxiety. What if I make the wrong decision and things go wrong? What if Father or the Head Strategist are disappointed?"

Sama Myeong stared at Geom Mugeuk for a moment.

"The greater the anxiety, the greater the results. Though it must be difficult for the person involved. Now, please rest."

Sama Myeong bowed politely and then left the Heavenly Demon Hall.

There was still time left before the workday was over. His father would have remained here alone, guarding this seat even after Sama Myeong left.

What were you thinking while sitting here? What did you think about the most?

I didn't really know when you were here.

He felt that his father's absence, paradoxically, had become an opportunity to understand him better.

Still, I miss you, Father.