CDF Chapter 52

“Ugh… I’m dying, absolutely dying.”

Wi Hong-ryeon’s gaunt cheeks made for quite a sight.

Though most of her internal and external injuries had been treated, bandages still wrapped various parts of her body. However, her haggard appearance wasn’t due to her unhealed wounds.

She glanced sideways.

Seo Ryang sat languidly with his fingers interlocked, while Ma Dong-pil emanated his characteristic stoic atmosphere with eyes closed.

A pale expression crossed Wi Hong-ryeon’s face.

“Young Master, aren’t you tired?”

“Yaaawn! From what?”

“The interrogation.”

“What’s so tiring about that? You just answer the questions they ask, straightforward and simple.”

“Sure, except when they fire the same questions hundreds of times.”

Seo Ryang smirked.

An assassin symbolizes patience. Until their martial arts reach a certain level of completion, they live solely by their patience.

Naturally, this level of interrogation was nothing. If he could wait for a target drinking only water in the same position for ten days, what was three days of questioning?

“Well, I suppose that’s just how you are, Young Master.”

Wi Hong-ryeon’s expression turned sulky.

“But why are you so relaxed? Aren’t you tired?”

Ma Dong-pil opened his eyes.

He showed not even a speck of fatigue. Unlike Seo Ryang, he hadn’t slept for three days, yet his eyes weren’t even bloodshot.

“It’s perfectly tolerable.”

“Wow, you call this tolerable?”

“Staying awake for three days and nights to protect a charge is nothing. Much less an interrogation where safety is guaranteed – there’s nothing difficult about it.”

Assassin and bodyguard are opposite professions.

Yet they share one commonality – both require the cultivation of extreme patience and tension.

An assassin strives to penetrate the bodyguard’s defense to harm their target, while the bodyguard must remain vigilant against the assassin’s blade that could strike from anywhere.

Seo Ryang was known as the king of the assassination world, and Ma Dong-pil was a bodyguard of exceptional talent. For both men, three days of interrogation was, with slight exaggeration, closer to a rest.

Wi Hong-ryeon shook her head.

“I really can’t understand you two.”

Seo Ryang chuckled.

“The ones next door are the ones who can’t understand anything.”

“Hehe.”

Wi Hong-ryeon gave a thumbs up. Just moments ago she’d been claiming she was dying, but now her face beamed with delight.

“By the way, that was brilliant.”

“What was?”

“Right in front of that Seventh Guard Commander or whatever, you really sent those guys – I mean the Fourth Young Master and Song Gyeong – packing properly. It was so satisfying to watch.”

Seo Ryang rolled his eyes.

“Is that what you’re worried about? Because of you, what could have been settled moderately turned into something unnecessarily grand.”

“But thanks to that, you landed a solid hit, didn’t you?”

“Just got lucky.”

“It seemed like more than just luck? From what I saw, your way with words was absolutely killer.”

Ma Dong-pil’s eyes turned cold.

“Mind your words in front of the Third Young Master.”

“Fine, you boring bastard.”

After smoothly dissing Ma Dong-pil, Wi Hong-ryeon turned back to Seo Ryang.

Seo Ryang shook his head.

“That wasn’t about having a way with words. I could push through because of my position as Third Young Master.”

“Still, the result was good, wasn’t it?”

“That’s true.”

“What do you think will happen now?”

“Well…”

Ma Dong-pil, apparently curious too, looked at Seo Ryang.

After appearing lost in thought for a moment, Seo Ryang scratched his head.

“I’m not really sure either.”

“What? Why?”

“What do you mean why? Am I some fortune teller? How would I know what’s going to happen?”

“You seem to know everything else, so why not this?”

“Know everything my ass.”

Seo Ryang drank the water placed on the table. It was cold enough to freeze his throat down to his stomach.

“I just did my best to create the situation I wanted. If I could see the future, I would have known you’d act so recklessly.”

“That’s true.”

“But if I were to make a prediction for fun…”

Seo Ryang stroked his chin. Three days without shaving had left it quite rough.

“Hong Wi-moon will return to his residence after the interrogation.”

Both listeners nodded in agreement. The difference was that while Ma Dong-pil remained expressionless, Wi Hong-ryeon’s face twisted like a demon’s.

“Unless he commits treason or comparable violations, even the Criminal Court can’t easily touch the disciples.”

“That makes sense.”

While Seo Ryang thought it was due to the illusory power granted by status, Ma Dong-pil and Wi Hong-ryeon thought differently.

The disciples had no real power, and everyone in the cult knew this. They only had high status without any actual positions.

Yet the reason they were rarely charged with crimes was simply because they were chosen by the divine. Unlike ordinary cult members, they existed somewhat outside the boundaries of law.

At least on the surface.

“From what I can tell, Hong Wi-moon isn’t the type to forget grudges. That fellow has no patience in such matters despite being quite clever otherwise. Moreover, he’s been beaten by me repeatedly. When he returns, he’ll draw his sword with determination in the near future.”

Wi Hong-ryeon stuck out her tongue.

“Are you saying he wasn’t determined before?”

“He was determined then. But this time, an all-out offensive will come.”

“Will he really go that far?”

“Why wouldn’t he? After being humiliated in front of the Joyous Pavilion Master, his family members, and now the Vice Leader of the Criminal Court.”

“…”

“He’s past the point of weighing options now. Even before anger, he can’t let this slide if only for the sake of public perception, right?”

Ma Dong-pil, who had never deeply considered such relational aspects, wore a completely bewildered expression.

But Wi Hong-ryeon agreed with Seo Ryang.

“Perception, that’s crucial.”

Always worrying about how others see you can make life miserable.

But for those who dream of power, nothing is more important than face. If Hong Wi-moon doesn’t show something this time, he’ll definitely drift away from power.

“That Criminal Court Vice Leader, what was his name again? Geum something?”

“Geum Seong-ju?”

“Right, Geum Seong-ju. Don’t need to worry about him. The Criminal Court will handle him themselves.”

“Even without that, he’s just a side branch, so there’s no need to worry about him.”

“Right, good observation.”

“Then we just need to watch out for the Fourth Young Master?”

“Well…”

Seo Ryang stopped mid-sentence and stared at Wi Hong-ryeon.

Her expression turned sour.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“You’re not planning to keep hanging around with us, are you?”

“…Pardon?”

“Your business is done, isn’t it? We caught Song Gyeong, landed a hit on the Fourth.”

“…!”

“The money you took will be buried too. If Hong Wi-moon isn’t a fool, he won’t add another petty charge while he’s already on the defensive.”

Seo Ryang scratched his head.

“Seems like our training together ends here?”

“…”

“Wasn’t the dinner gathering supposed to be five days? Isn’t today the last day?”

“W-well, that’s true, but…”

Seo Ryang pulled the ceiling cord.

Shortly after, the door opened and a Criminal Court member entered.

“You called, Third Young Master?”

“Can’t we let Squad Leader Wi go now?”

“Pardon?”

“She’s clearly just a victim here. The interrogation’s over, so why keep her tired out here?”

“Ah, that…”

“Plus, the Demonic Light Corps’ dinner gathering ends today. They need to be back in the field tomorrow, so what’s the point of keeping someone who isn’t even a suspect?”

“…”

“Put in a word upstairs. Let’s send her out. If there’s anything else to investigate, we can summon her later, right? Besides, myself and the Third Captain of the Law Enforcement Court will still be here.”

After pondering for a moment, the member bowed.

“I’ll report to the superiors. An answer should come shortly. Please wait a moment.”

“Ah, thanks for your trouble.”

After the member left, an awkward silence fell over the room.

Ma Dong-pil, who had been watching Seo Ryang for no particular reason while feeling the air grow heavy, concluded that Seo Ryang wasn’t the cause of the atmosphere change. His expression was far too relaxed for that.

Then…?

Ma Dong-pil turned to look at Wi Hong-ryeon.

…

Wi Hong-ryeon’s face was expressionless. She didn’t seem particularly angry, nor did she look pleased.

Why is she acting like this?

As Ma Dong-pil was internally tilting his head in confusion.

“I can’t stand leaving things unfinished, like taking a dump without wiping.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If we started together, shouldn’t we finish together? How can I just slip away?”

Seo Ryang smirked.

“We started together but had different goals. Your fight is over, but mine is still ongoing.”

“…”

“Don’t meddle unnecessarily. Leave when told to leave. No need to stay tied up here tiringly.”

Another strange silence fell.

This time even Seo Ryang seemed uncomfortable, glancing at Wi Hong-ryeon. She was still staring at him with unreadable eyes.

“What? Got something else to say?”

“…Not really.”

“My, what a bland person.”

Just then, the member opened the door and entered. It was much faster than expected.

“Permission has been granted from above. Squad Leader Wi Hong-ryeon of the Demonic Light Corps, you may leave.”

As soon as those words finished, Wi Hong-ryeon stood and walked to the door.

But she didn’t leave immediately, stopping at the doorway. After standing there seemingly lost in thought for a moment, she turned around.

“I got beaten up quite a bit, but thanks to Third Young Master, it was fun.”

Seo Ryang waved his hand.

“Thanks to you, I got to feel my heart race for the first time in a while. It was a good experience.”

“Then take care of yourself.”

“You too, be careful. Train hard so you don’t get beaten up somewhere else.”

Wi Hong-ryeon bowed her head slightly and left the room.

Ma Dong-pil cleared his throat.

“Somehow Squad Leader Wi didn’t seem to be in a good mood.”

“You felt that too?”

“Yes. She seemed quite disappointed.”

“Come on, what’s there to be disappointed about?”

“…”

“…Surely I didn’t make her feel disappointed?”

“My apologies, but I’m not sure either…”

Seo Ryang grumbled.

“Well, if she’s disappointed, she’s disappointed. I don’t think I need to worry about that.”

“That’s true.”

“Anyway, let’s rest. You get some sleep too. Not sleeping for three days and all.”

Ma Dong-pil’s expression turned awkward.

“Actually, I can’t sleep.”

“Really? That’s strange. Are you sick?”

The truly strange one was Seo Ryang.

What cult member could sleep peacefully in the Criminal Court? Unless you had nerves of steel like Wi Hong-ryeon, even dozing off would be difficult.

“By the way, I wonder how Geum Ho is doing? Well, Aenghwa must be doting on him plenty.”

“He must be doing well.”

“Probably.”

As the two were passing time with various conversations…

Clank!

The door opened and someone entered.

Surprisingly, it was the Seventh Guard Commander.

“I greet the Third Young Master.”

“Long time no see.”

“There is someone who wishes to see you. Will you go?”

Seo Ryang tilted his head.

“Someone wants to see me? Who?”

“The Lord of our Hall.”

“…!”

“And the Fourth Young Master is already being moved there.”

Ma Dong-pil looked at Seo Ryang in surprise.

Seo Ryang grinned as he stood up.

“Dong-pil, you head back to your quarters too.”