AR Chapter 105

“They say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. It feels quite empty without that martial artist.”

Jang Ho sympathized with Seo Dae-ryong’s wistfulness.

“The empty space is significant.”

They were currently on their way to the Flowing Wind Tavern in Maga Village.

Jang Ho was large in stature, while Seo Dae-ryong was small, making them such a contrasting pair that passersby would often give them a second glance.

“To think I’d miss that martial artist more than the Young Cult Master.”

They used to drink as a trio with Lee Ahn, but last time it was just the two of them. It was definitely less fun than drinking as three.

Lee Ahn and Seo Dae-ryong used to lead the atmosphere with all sorts of chatter, but with her gone and only the taciturn Jang Ho remaining, the mood inevitably became subdued.

Of course, there were good points too. In place of fun, seriousness entered, providing an opportunity to get to know each other better. It was during this time that he first learned Jang Ho’s childhood dream was to become a painter.

“I wonder if that martial artist is doing well?”

To Seo Dae-ryong’s question, Jang Ho was confident.

“Of course he must be doing well. Who did he go with? Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried. I’m just envious. That martial artist must be experiencing all sorts of unimaginable situations. I’m jealous. I want to be there with that martial artist, being surprised together!”

“Don’t forget that Extremely Evil Laughing Demon is also by that martial artist’s side.”

“Come to think of it… I guess it’s better to have Commander Jang by my side.”

Jang Ho chuckled. Seo Dae-ryong thought that this manly laugh alone was enough to make this drinking session worthwhile. He wished he could imitate Jang Ho’s laugh, at least.

Chatting about various things like this, the two arrived at the Flowing Wind Tavern.

Just as they were about to enter,

The owner, Jo Chun-bae, came out and made a shushing gesture.

“You can’t go in right now.”

“Why not?”

“The Demon Supremes are here.”

“Who?”

Seo Dae-ryong slightly poked his head in to look at the second floor of the tavern.

His master, the Blood Heavens Saber Demon, and Demonic Monk were sitting face to face, drinking.

Surprised, Seo Dae-ryong quickly retreated.

“We’ll drink somewhere else today.”

“Yes, please do.”

After sending the two away, Jo Chun-bae went back into the tavern.

He looked up at the second floor. Even from a distance, one could feel the strange tension flowing between the Blood Heavens Saber Demon and Demonic Monk.

“Why did you want to see me?”

To the Blood Heavens Saber Demon’s question, Demonic Monk gave no answer.

It was unlike the usual Demonic Monk. Instead of his sharp, quick-tempered nature, there was an inexplicable weariness about him. Demonic Monk drank alone.

“Aren’t we close enough to have a drink together, senior?”

“Senior? After badmouthing me as a traitor everywhere, you dare call me senior.”

“A traitor is a traitor.”

“Aren’t you the traitor now? Seeing as you’ve come to me, leaving the Eldest Young Master behind.”

“You’ve always acted like you know everything, senior. That’s why you looked down on me so disgustingly.”

The corners of the Blood Heavens Saber Demon’s mouth curled up. But instead of shooting back a retort, he drank. Until just recently, that’s how it was. He found Demonic Monk pathetic. Such a tiny guy, full of greed.

But this arrogance changed after meeting Geom Mu-geuk.

“It’s not easy, is it?”

Demonic Monk raised his head at the Blood Heavens Saber Demon’s words. He scrutinized the intent behind the words, but the Blood Heavens Saber Demon was just filling his cup with alcohol.

Feeling that it wasn’t meant as mockery, Demonic Monk found himself blurting out,

“…It’s not easy.”

After saying it, Demonic Monk regretted it. He had given the Blood Heavens Saber Demon an opportunity to mock him. Sure enough, the Blood Heavens Saber Demon prodded his sore spot.

“All this time you thought you were the Eldest Young Master’s right-hand man, but that’s not the case, right? You feel more like a caught fish. A golden carp, perhaps.”

“Is it so hard for you to have a pleasant drink with your junior? Does that petty and twisted heart of yours not allow even that much?”

“You should have behaved better usually. And if you’re going to call me senior, do it consistently, or use ‘you’ from the start.”

“You’re being difficult to the end!”

Bang!

Demonic Monk slammed the table. The table shattered, and everything on it fell to the floor.

“Next time, don’t break it. In our cult, we don’t break tables.”

“What are you talking about? Have you gone senile?”

Demonic Monk left the place irritably.

‘Damn it!’

He had already lost when he broke the table. What good did he expect to see by seeking out the Blood Heavens Saber Demon?

He hated that he had exposed his troubled heart to him. He was angry at the thought that the Blood Heavens Saber Demon would look down on him even more from now on.

‘Fine, you withered old man, look down on me all you want.’

After watching Demonic Monk’s retreating figure leave the tavern, the Blood Heavens Saber Demon also stood up.

But there was no trace of the contempt or mockery that Demonic Monk had imagined. Rather, the same sigh-laden words that Demonic Monk had uttered earlier now flowed from him.

“Yes, it’s not easy.”

As the Blood Heavens Saber Demon was leaving the tavern, he gave money to Jo Chun-bae. He added the cost of the broken table to the drink bill.

“It’s alright.”

When the Blood Heavens Saber Demon glared at him, he quickly accepted the money.

“Don’t tell the Young Master about the broken table.”

“What? Oh! Of course, don’t worry.”

And so, the Blood Heavens Saber Demon left too.

Jo Chun-bae watched his retreating figure for a moment before going up to clean the broken table.

Even without the Young Master, people were still coming. Not long ago, the One Sword Sword Ancestor came alone, stayed for a while, and left. He ordered alcohol but didn’t drink a single cup.

Jo Chun-bae knew.

The reason these people were visiting his Flowing Wind Tavern wasn’t because the alcohol tasted good, nor because the food was delicious, nor because the atmosphere was nice. They were all missing someone.

***

As I sat on a cart parked in an empty lot, looking up at the sky, I saw Bi Sa-in and seven members of the Unorthodox’s Thirteen Wolves walking from afar.

They had set this meeting place too.

An open field with clear visibility in all directions. I could tell they were worried about ambushes.

I understood him. When you’re constantly under threat of death, all your nerves must be on edge. Yes, one must be careful. Even with all this caution, he ended up dying in the end.

Seeing that I had come alone, Bi Sa-in wore a puzzled expression.

“You came alone?”

“Yes.”

Extremely Evil Laughing Demon had entirely entrusted this matter to me. I had left Lee Ahn behind even though she wanted to come along.

Bi Sa-in’s expression hardened slightly.

He seemed to feel insulted. Although he wasn’t yet the official successor, he was still of the Heavenly Demon’s bloodline, yet his counterpart was walking around alone like this. In contrast, he was moving around with as many as seven of the Thirteen Wolves, so he must feel like a coward.

I wanted to tell him. That all that pride is useless. That feeling insulted, that having things to feel insulted about, it’s all because he’s young.

“Don’t tell me you’ve already found a lead?”

“That’s right.”

Although he must have expected it, Bi Sa-in couldn’t hide his surprise at the affirmative answer.

“How did you find it so quickly?”

He asked with a suspicious look.

“We didn’t find them, they came to us.”

I opened the straw mat covering the cart. There were five corpses loaded on it.

“There was an assassination attempt, just as you warned.”

I didn’t mention that they had targeted the madam of Myriad Flowers Tower. Whether they knew about Myriad Flowers Tower’s existence or not, I judged it wasn’t something that needed to be deliberately mentioned.

“These are the Bloody Hand Five Shadows of the White Night Valley.”

“How did you find out?”

“Don’t underestimate our cult’s intelligence network. We know enough about you folks.”

Bi Sa-in’s face contorted. He merely frowned slightly, but his expression twisted as if he was angry. The scars on his face were too deep and ugly.

“The White Night Valley took on this contract. If you go to them, you should be able to find out who’s behind this. It’s up to you to figure out what methods to use to make the leader of the White Night Valley reveal the contractor. How about it? Is this enough of a lead as we promised?”

Bi Sa-in didn’t answer for a moment. He probably wanted to say that this wasn’t enough somehow, but would I allow that?

“Surely you didn’t expect me to find the mastermind and bring you their head?”

“There’s no need to provoke me like that. This is sufficient. From today, the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group will withdraw from Guizhou. We’ll also calculate and compensate for the losses of the past two years.”

“As expected of the Unorthodox Alliance’s successor! Well then, let’s meet again next time.”

Just as I was about to turn away, I heard Bi Sa-in’s sound transmission.

—Young Master.

But the sound transmission ended there. As if I had misheard, like a ghost’s voice carried on the wind, no further words were transmitted.

Bi Sa-in had tried to say something to me secretly but changed his mind.

I stared at Bi Sa-in’s face. I didn’t look at his scars. I only looked at his eyes.

Because of the scars on his face, he appeared much harsher and stronger than his heart actually was, but I could see it. The figure of a young man struggling to survive.

Speak, Bi Sa-in. Whatever it is, if you want to change your fate, speak.

But Bi Sa-in ultimately turned away without saying anything. The Thirteen Wolves followed behind him, pulling the cart.

After watching their retreating figures for a moment, I left the place too.

***

When I returned, Extremely Evil Laughing Demon was strolling in the courtyard of Myriad Flowers Tower. He looked calm, but I sensed it. He was still angry and was trying to calm his anger.

I walked alongside Extremely Evil Laughing Demon.

“The Hundred Precepts Merchant Group has agreed to withdraw from Guizhou. They’ve also agreed to compensate for the losses of the past two years.”

“The Young Master has handled in a few days what had been giving me headaches for two years.”

“They accepted our proposal because they fear you, Laughing Demon.”

“There’s no need for modesty. Thank you, Young Master.”

Extremely Evil Laughing Demon, who had expressed his gratitude, stopped walking.

“I will kill with my own hands the person who ordered the assassination of the madam of Myriad Flowers Tower. Even if it means I’ll be confined for a few more years because of it.”

Extremely Evil Laughing Demon looked at me. In response to his gaze that seemed to ask what I thought, I conveyed my thoughts.

“Of course you should kill them. If someone tried to kill a person I care about, of course I would kill them with my own hands. I would do the same.”

Perhaps it was an unexpected answer, as Extremely Evil Laughing Demon’s eyes lit up pleasantly.

“Don’t you want to return to the cult? Then you could be free from the responsibility of my misdeeds.”

“I’ve been so busy witnessing your world that I forgot why I came out in the first place.”

“Shall we go back?”

“No, please show me more of your world, Laughing Demon. Show me more, and let’s kill that mastermind before we return.”

I was endlessly knocking on his door. I don’t hope for that door to open wide, as I wish for Blood Heavens Saber Demon’s to.

I just hope it opens halfway, so that we can face each other at that point where we are neither friends nor enemies.

I know who you are. You regretted your life as you died. That empty life filled with evil.

Is the you now the same as the you then?

“Young Master, there’s nothing more to see in my world. This is all there is. Now I have to go meet the people managing the gambling dens, and meet the leaders of the black path groups under us. You’ve made my world sound grand as if there’s something to it, but my world is ultimately about intimidating people and receiving tribute money. Sometimes cutting off the arm of someone who embezzles money, or killing someone I don’t like.”

You’ve changed. The you in my previous life was never this honest.

The you I met in my previous life was old, and so old that you couldn’t change anymore.

How could I have become friends with you?

Perhaps I was just like you back then?

Maybe you felt a sense of kinship with me, who had become fossilized with the sole obsession of obtaining the materials for the Great Regression Technique, and that’s why you liked me so much.

“There’s only one way for Extremely Evil Laughing Demon’s world not to become boring.”

“What is it?”

“Only when war breaks out. The world would become a sea of blood, and you, Laughing Demon, would be flying through the sky. I don’t want to witness such a world. I still want to see this kind of world. How you handle the gambling den managers, how you deal with the black path thugs.”

A certain passion I had never seen before flashed through Extremely Evil Laughing Demon’s eyes and then disappeared.

I walked a few steps ahead, then turned to him and said,

“Well, shall we go? To cut off the arms of those who embezzle money.”