CDF Chapter 53

“Hey! Bring me some alcohol!”

Wi Hong-ryeon’s first words upon returning to her quarters after several days were succinct.

Cha Gwang cautiously glanced around and gestured to the corps members. His gestures urged them to move quickly since she seemed upset.

The members scrambled into action. They moved with the same urgency usually reserved for encounters with life-or-death enemies.

Cha Gwang carefully approached Wi Hong-ryeon.

“Were you injured?”

“…”

“Haha, if our Squad Leader ended up like this, your opponent must have been beaten to a bloody pulp…”

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

Cha Gwang staggered. The blow to the back of his head was so severe he nearly collapsed where he sat.

Wi Hong-ryeon glared at him with fierce eyes.

“Did something good happen? Why are you grinning and acting like an idiot? Huh?”

“I-I’m sorry!”

“Where’s the alcohol? I told you to bring it right away!”

“The members are bringing it now.”

“Then what about you?”

“…Pardon?”

“Why are you just ordering others around? If you’ve got nothing to do, go make some side dishes! Make them extra spicy!”

“Yes!”

Cha Gwang rushed out of the room. Having tried to cheer her up only to get thoroughly scolded, he felt frustrated enough to go mad.

Wi Hong-ryeon snorted heavily.

“Dammit, this pisses me off.”

She sat askew in her chair, burning with anger.

Tap tap tap tap!

Her index finger drumming the table reminded one of swift sword techniques. She tapped so quickly and forcefully that it seemed she might drill a hole through the table if left unchecked.

Wi Hong-ryeon was thinking about Seo Ryang. She kept replaying his blank expression and words spoken as if everything were obvious.

• Seems like our training together ends here?

• 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.

“Hmph!”

She snorted so hard that even mucus came out.

After roughly wiping her nose, Wi Hong-ryeon chewed her lips.

“What? Different goals? Don’t meddle?”

It felt truly typical of him.

Actually, he wasn’t wrong. She had been the one to first propose the training, and though things turned out differently than imagined, her goals had been sufficiently achieved.

Still, did he have to cut things off so coldly, like slicing radish with a knife? Right?

Bang!

The table dented under her punching fist. She still maintained her last thread of reason, stopping short of completely destroying the expensive table.

“Damn it! Hey, you lot! What’s taking so long with the alcohol!”

As if on cue, the door opened and members brought in drinks and dishes.

Even though the side dishes hadn’t arrived yet, Wi Hong-ryeon gulped down the alcohol desperately. She was in such a hurry that she didn’t even bother pouring it into cups, drinking straight from the bottle.

The members who had been cautiously observing slipped away quietly. Experience had taught them that getting caught by the Commander in this mood would lead to disaster.

After drinking heavily for a while, Wi Hong-ryeon sneered.

“Well, I shouldn’t care. He’ll do fine on his own. No, whether he does well or not doesn’t matter anymore, right?”

Yeah, that’s enough.

Wi Hong-ryeon drank quietly.

With each cup, one after another, her expression gradually twisted more and more.

“…Damn it all!”

***

“Here it is.”

“Thank you.”

“Not at all. Then I’ll take my leave.”

The Seventh Guard Commander turned around.

Watching his retreating back, Seo Ryang spoke.

“How did it go?”

“What do you mean?”

“I asked how the investigation went. Never mind the Fourth, but wasn’t one of your Vice Leaders^[1] of the involved?”

“…Investigation details are classified and cannot be leaked externally. Please understand.”

Seo Ryang nodded.

“Keep up the good work.”

The Seventh Guard Commander’s shoulders twitched.

But only briefly, as he soon disappeared with his characteristic quiet, proper gait.

Seo Ryang smiled.

Not a bad person.

As expected, not everyone in the Demonic Cult was like demons. Like Aenghwa, Ma Dong-pil, and the Seventh Guard Commander, there were people who lived by their own righteous values.

Then.

He looked at the door.

Leader of the Criminal Court, I wonder what kind of person you are.

He summoned both the Third and Fourth Young Masters, the highest-ranking disciples in the Divine Cult, simultaneously. Even for the Criminal Court’s Leader, this must be burdensome.

Yet he still called both of them, which means he has some purpose that needs resolving even at the cost of bearing this burden.

Creaaak.

Seo Ryang opened the door and entered.

Hmm.

Instead of leading directly to a room, there was a long corridor to traverse first.

Unique structure.

Well, if someone were inside, he would have sensed their presence.

After opening the First Hell’s Gate of the Shadow True Demonic Arts, the Hell’s Official Ghost Gate Formation (지저옥관귀문식), his energy sensitivity heightened significantly.

Until now, he hadn’t felt the need to open it. The reason being that from the moment the Hell’s Official Ghost Gate Formation is opened, demonic energy noticeably reveals its nature.

He had kept it sealed thinking whether he really needed to draw that much attention, but now his thinking had changed.

If you want to raise your profile, you need to appear special in every way. From atmosphere to martial arts, everything needed to become more magnificent to create an unmistakably powerful impression.

In that sense, he was grateful to Song Gyeong. Thanks to that fellow, he realized his presence still wasn’t enough.

Tch, to achieve your dreams, you need to do things you don’t like too. Let’s think positively.

The position of Third Young Master already draws attention by itself. No need to hesitate and draw lines bit by bit.

Seo Ryang entered the corridor.

Step, step.

The corridor was extremely quiet.

Every ten feet, lanterns hung on the walls, but their middling brightness only served to create an eerie atmosphere.

Shit, they have everything else but always try to create this horror atmosphere.

He really didn’t like this sort of thing.

Somehow this dark corridor felt like life’s thorny path that must be walked for freedom. A damp, gloomy, and somewhat frightening path.

Freedom… shit, thinking about it, this is quite a roundabout way.

Though no one had caught him, his legs would unconsciously twitch three or four times a day.

He wondered if he couldn’t just leave instead of wasting time with all these complications. Frankly, with his current abilities, it seemed possible to secretly unleash his movement techniques and escape…

That’s nonsense.

He would surely be caught before even passing through the inner palace.

Even if he managed to escape without being caught, there would still be problems. The Divine Cult would certainly dispatch fearsome cult members to find their missing Third Young Master. And among them would be experts that even the current Seo Ryang would struggle to handle.

He couldn’t sacrifice his future for momentary freedom.

What he wanted was complete freedom without interference from anyone. His experience of being trapped in the Heaven-Piercing Alliance and Iron Blood Star’s web of intelligence made him even more cautious.

Seo Ryang’s eyes became slightly bloodshot.

Everything I’m doing now will be a great help in the future. I have to believe that and keep going.

He hadn’t expected to make such a resolution while walking down this neither long nor short corridor. Seo Ryang clenched his fist at the sudden surge of strong determination.

Let’s finish today’s business well, beat the crap out of that bastard Hong Wi-moon, and then watch how things develop. Don’t rush things, you fool.

After properly encouraging himself, he finally saw an antique door.

Hmm, we’re here… eh?

Seo Ryang furrowed his brows.

Two presences could be felt from behind the door. Surely the Criminal Court’s Leader and Hong Wi-moon.

But one of the auras was extremely ambiguous.

What’s with this energy?

Something both hazy yet distinct, stiff yet fluid. It was an energy that couldn’t be described with any single expression.

…This feels really unpleasant.

Well, let’s face it head-on.

Creaaak.

Seo Ryang opened the door wide.

Simultaneously.

“You’ve arrived.”

One of the two people sitting at the round table stood up.

Seo Ryang’s eyes instantly darkened.

“We’ve prepared a seat here. Please join us, Third Young Master.”

Criminal Court members maintain only minimal courtesy to their superiors due to concerns about maintaining at least minimal equality given their job characteristics.

This could be seen with the Seventh Guard Commander. He used speech that was clearly respectful but maintained clear boundaries, neither excessive nor insufficient.

But the person who stood now was different. He acted without formality, as if they had been close acquaintances for a long time.

“I’ve prepared some good wine, though I’m not sure if it will be to your liking.”

His build was neither large nor small.

He appeared to be in his early fifties. But unlike his graying hair, his face barely showed any wrinkles. His clothes too were ordinary, neither particularly luxurious nor cheap.

His appearance was the same. Neither ugly nor handsome. He had the kind of face you might commonly see in the marketplace.

The current head of the Criminal Court, the Hall Lord’s appearance was full of such ordinariness and ambiguity. He seemed extraordinary precisely because he lacked any distinctive or solemn energy.

“Hmm? Haha! Is there something on my face? Why are you staring so intently?”

“You’re the Criminal Court’s Leader?”

The gray-haired man showed a kindly smile.

“Indeed. I am Go-gu^[2], Master of the Criminal Court.”

Seo Ryang, who had been staring at him blankly, shifted his gaze to the side.

There sat Hong Wi-moon with an expressionless face. Though he had a cup, it seemed he hadn’t drunk yet.

“Haha, Third Young Master seems to be in a bad mood.”

“…”

“In any case, since you’ve come all this way, please sit first. Weren’t you tired from three days of interrogation?”

He keeps laughing and laughing.

Seo Ryang shook his head.

“I won’t sit there.”

Confusion appeared on Go-gu’s face.

“Why is that?”

“Calling a madman like me and that fool means you must have some purpose, right?”

Hong Wi-moon’s expression turned cold. Being called a fool in front of the Criminal Court’s Leader couldn’t have pleased him.

Go-gu showed a bewildered expression.

“How can you say such hasty words? You’re hard to grasp, Third Young Master.”

“I don’t know what your purpose is, but I have no intention of talking with someone who hides their true nature. I might fool others, but I don’t enjoy being fooled.”

“Pardon?”

Demonic energy flickered in Seo Ryang’s eyes.

Woong.

The Shadow True Demonic Arts churned and the Six Directions Heaven-Net Formula naturally unfolded. As the Boundless Art’s True Formula of Purification naturally arose to purify the surroundings, his Transcendent Body Observation activated even more sensitively.

“My, what an interesting mask.”

“…”

“The Black Watchers, despite wearing masks, showed no ambiguity. They simply felt like judges and executioners. But you’re different.”

Go-gu’s smile deepened.

“How am I different?”

“You wear a mask though it’s your real face. A mask ten times thicker and a hundred times more ambiguous than those of the Black Watchers.”

“You feel that way?”

“Isn’t it obvious? You’re hiding your true self.”

Even Hong Wi-moon frowned at this seemingly incomprehensible conversation.

But Go-gu’s reaction was different.

“…Indeed, impressive.”

That’s when it happened.

Crack. Crack crack crack crack.

Hong Wi-moon’s eyes wavered.

Crack! Crunch!

A cold chill emanated from Seo Ryang’s expressionless face.

Screeeech!

Go-gu’s face was changing.

Not metaphorically – his features were literally changing. Bones twisted and muscles rippled chaotically. At some point, a grayish haze rose from his rapidly transforming face.

Bone Contraction Miraculous Art^[3]…

It refers to a martial art that artificially alters a person’s muscles and bones using powerful internal energy.

I thought it was a fictional martial art made up by gossip-loving enthusiasts.

Though there are many strange arts in the world, he hadn’t thought a martial art that could change body structure actually existed. When bones and muscles change, internal organs must shift too, and furthermore, nerves could be damaged.

If such a martial art really existed, why would assassins go crazy trying to obtain human skin masks?

Crack! Crunch!

“You are the third person to instantly recognize my transformation.”

His manner of speech changed along with his body.

The Go-gu that had been shown to Seo Ryang until now was literally a fabricated appearance. This current speech pattern revealed Go-gu’s true personality.

“I wondered how you could survive in the Dead Bamboo Forest for eight months, but it seems that incomparable insight played a major role.”

Whoosh.

Finally, Go-gu’s true appearance was revealed. He was a man in his mid to late thirties with a strong, imposing countenance.

“How about it? Satisfied?”

Seo Ryang gestured to the table with his chin.

“I’m hungry, so bring out some side dishes.”