AR Chapter 27

A few days later, I officially took up the position of Underworld Pavilion Master.

Early in the morning, martial artists from the Underworld Pavilion arrived at my quarters.

Leading them was Special Investigator Seo Daeryong, who had conducted the Demon Supreme investigation with me.

“We’ve come to escort you, Pavilion Master.”

“Investigator Seo. You came.”

“I volunteered.”

In fact, this small, gloomy-looking man in front of me played a big role in my becoming the Underworld Pavilion Master.

“Let’s go.”

I decided to bring Lee Ahn along.

“Lee Ahn, come with us. You need to learn how to run an organization.”

“Thank you!”

She was overjoyed, as if she had expected not to be taken along this time too.

“We’re not going for fun. Go and learn. Learn how the organization operates and how to treat subordinates. Don’t miss a single thing.”

“Yes!”

When we arrived at the Underworld Pavilion, all the investigators were lined up at the entrance. It seemed this was how they welcomed a new Pavilion Master.

As I passed by, they all saluted with cupped hands and greeted loudly.

“We greet the Pavilion Master!”

I had expected them not to welcome my appointment. But their gazes were more favorable than I had thought.

So I quietly asked Seo Daeryong, who was standing beside me.

“Did you tell them their salary would be cut if they didn’t pretend to welcome me?”

“No.”

“Then why is the atmosphere so good?”

Seo Daeryong then mimicked stomping the ground with his foot.

Seeing that, I could understand the reason for their warm welcome. It was because of the Demonic Army First Squad Leader Go Dang. Go Dang had killed the investigator who first went out to investigate, and this time he had injured an investigator.

In that situation, I had smashed Go Dang’s head and killed him, so for them, I had exacted a satisfying revenge. On top of that, any resistance to me being too young for the Pavilion Master position was somewhat offset by my Heavenly Demon bloodline, and my martial arts skills were also proven by killing the Demonic Army First Squad Leader.

“Why don’t you say a few words?”

At Seo Daeryong’s suggestion, I turned to face the subordinates before entering the building.

I slowly looked at each of their faces one by one before delivering a brief message.

“I don’t know if you’ll be happier or unhappier with me as Pavilion Master. But one thing is certain. Your hearts will beat faster than before.”

After saying just that, I turned and entered the building.

I could hear murmuring behind me. There was no need to worry about how they would take my words. They would soon find out.

When Seo Daeryong, who had guided me to the office, was about to leave, I kept him back.

“Investigator Seo, I didn’t expect we’d meet again like this.”

“Honestly, I was very surprised.”

“I came because I missed you, Investigator Seo.”

As if to say that flattery wouldn’t work, Seo Daeryong’s expression didn’t change at all.

“Lee Ahn, you should absolutely avoid such an unsociable man. He’ll be boring for life.”

“But he could be a real gem inside.”

Lee Ahn took Seo Daeryong’s side.

“No, this friend is just a clear broth without any substance.”

This time, Seo Daeryong spoke up himself.

“Well, I may not be a rich broth, but I’m not tasteless either.”

“Oh, you have character. We’ll need that character a lot in the future.”

The quick-witted Seo Daeryong immediately understood what I meant by this.

“No. I’m tasteless broth. Please don’t seek me out for dangerous tasks.”

“I’m going to eat rice with that clear broth. With lots of spicy seasoning.”

Seo Daeryong took a step back. He’s pretending to be scared, but Seo Daeryong is a brave man. I know that great courage and spirit dwell in that small body.

“Now, tell me about this pavilion. I don’t know anything.”

As if he had been waiting for this, Seo Daeryong explained.

“As you know, the Underworld Pavilion is an institution that protects and enforces the cult’s rules and laws. We handle various incidents that occur within the cult, as well as root out corruption. The total number of personnel is one hundred, with thirty investigators and seventy enforcement martial artists.”

The enforcement martial artists were in charge of assisting and protecting the investigators, as well as arresting criminals.

“That’s not as many as I thought.”

“It’s an organization that doesn’t need large numbers.”

The Underworld Pavilion was an authoritative organization feared by all. Of course, there were exceptions like the Demon Supreme, but most demonic cult members feared the Underworld Pavilion.

“Among the thirty investigators, there are five special investigators. Special investigators mainly handle difficult and important cases, but usually, they’re considered the same as regular investigators. Enforcement martial artists are not assigned to specific investigators but are deployed as needed.”

After hearing the explanation, I asked him,

“Investigator Seo, what do you think is the biggest problem with the Underworld Pavilion?”

After hesitating for a moment, Seo Daeryong answered.

“No organization in our cult can escape the influence of the Eight Demon Supremes.”

He didn’t specifically point out the Underworld Pavilion, but it meant that the Eight Demon Supremes were indeed the biggest problem.

“Are you also under that influence?”

“I’m not. As I said, I’m a loner.”

At least, it meant he didn’t engage in internal politics for money or promotion.

“But I’m not someone with great conviction either. Just think of me as a complaining malcontent.”

“That’s why I like you. I don’t like people who are too idealistic either.”

I glanced at Lee Ahn as I spoke.

“I like rational people. Those who take care of themselves first.”

Knowing I was referring to her, Lee Ahn just smiled faintly.

My gaze turned back to Seo Daeryong.

“Didn’t you say? That our cult won’t change. How about it? Want to try changing the cult with me from now on?”

“What if you leave after displaying such passion? Just as suddenly as you came?”

“Well, I’ll have to go when it’s time.”

“And I, who burned with passion alongside you, will be left alone in the ashes?”

“That’s not my concern. Weren’t you already a loner? Well, want to do it?”

At my shamelessness, Seo Daeryong sighed heavily as if to show me, but his answer was different from his action.

“I’ll do it.”

“Why?”

“Didn’t you already show me the reason during the process of handling the Demon Supreme case?”

“I’ll be counting on you from now on.”

“Yes. Leave it to me.”

I happily extended my hand to him, and Seo Daeryong grasped it firmly.

‘What will you do when I leave, you ask? What else, you’ll sit in my place.’

Anyway, I took up the position with a warmer welcome than expected. Now what’s needed is to make people clearly recognize who I am.

For that, an example was needed. A very harsh and bad one.

“Among recent cases related to the Eight Demon Supremes, are there any that I should revisit?”

The phrase ‘should revisit’ was a roundabout way of saying ‘unfairly handled’.

Seo Daeryong immediately understood what I meant.

“Of course… there are.”

The word ‘of course’ echoed the problem with the Underworld Pavilion that Seo Daeryong had mentioned earlier.

“Bring it to me.”

Shortly after, Seo Daeryong brought the documents.

After confirming the contents of the case, I let out a long sigh.

“Are you deliberately trying to get me killed?”

The case Seo Daeryong brought was, of all things, related to the Blood Heavens Saber Demon.

“I don’t want to do this either, but… it’s a recent case, and it fits what you asked for.”

“But why the Blood Heavens Saber Demon of all people!”

Lee Ahn, who was watching, quickly interjected.

“Young Master, you must endure this time. The Blade Master must be on the verge of exploding.”

I handed the documents to Lee Ahn.

“The story written there is too unjust to cover up for that reason. Lee Ahn, read it and try to cover it up if you can.”

After reading the contents, Lee Ahn couldn’t bring herself to cover it up and sighed.

“This can’t be tolerated.”

I jumped up from my chair.

“Let’s go, if destiny calls me, I must go.”

In fact, this isn’t something like destiny. It’s an inevitability caused by an old man who left trash around him.

***

Gwak Su was drunk.

He was in deep despair that even alcohol couldn’t alleviate.

His son, who attended a martial arts school, had been severely beaten by his friends. His son, who had suffered a head injury, hadn’t regained consciousness for ten days.

Jo Chun-bae^[1], the owner of the Flowing Wind Tavern^[2] who knew his situation well, sat in front of him.

“Is it true that those bastards have been released?”

Gwak Su drank repeatedly.

“Damn it! Damn it all!”

A Underworld Pavilion investigator had investigated this incident. He had naturally thought that the culprits would be locked up in the Internal Prison^[3]. But those three bastards were judged innocent and released. It was handled as if his son had been injured during a friendly martial arts match with friends.

“It’s all wrong. I heard that the father of the kid who led this incident is the Hundred Demonic Blade^[4].”

The Hundred Demonic Blade was the leader of a hundred blade ghosts.

“Oh no!”

Jo Chun-bae exclaimed. If the opponent’s father was a subordinate of the Blood Heavens Saber Demon, and not just a Ten Demonic Blade^[5] but a Hundred Demonic Blade, this incident was over just like that.

“The Underworld Pavilion investigators are all the same. Those bastards are even worse.”

“Shh! Lower your voice. What if someone hears?”

Jo Chun-bae looked around and tried to calm him down.

“Let them hear! Tell those Underworld Pavilion bastards to kill me first! Tell the Hundred Demonic Blade to come and kill me himself!”

Bang!

Gwak Su slammed the table. Jo Chun-bae quickly caught the wine bottle that was about to fall from the shaking.

“My friend! Please endure it.”

“If my son doesn’t wake up, my wife won’t live out her natural lifespan.”

Jo Chun-bae knew this wasn’t an exaggeration. This was Gwak Su’s only son, and he had seen how preciously this couple had raised him over the years.

“He will wake up.”

“If he doesn’t wake up, I’ll kill that bastard and then take my own life.”

It was at that moment. A voice from behind.

“Can you kill him?”

The two turned their heads to see three young men standing at the entrance of the tavern.

“Who are you?”

The one who had just asked in a mocking voice was the middle youth, and this youth was Yang Ho^[6], the one who had led the assault.

“What gives you the right to talk about killing someone else’s precious son, old man?”

Gwak Su jumped up from his seat.

“You! You!”

Finding himself suddenly face to face with Yang Ho in an unexpected situation, he was surprised and flustered. But soon he shouted angrily.

“You bastard. Because of you, now… Save my son! Save him, I say!”

His emotions were so intense that he hardly knew what he was saying, but Yang Ho was indifferent.

“You bastard! We didn’t even get an apology from you!”

Then Yang Ho stepped forward and bowed politely.

“I’m sorry. I really committed a mortal sin. It won’t happen again. There, satisfied? I clearly apologized. So stop with the ‘you bastard’ talk, old man.”

“What? What did you just say?”

“I’m not your son, am I?”

The two beside him snickered, and Yang Ho was also trying hard to hold back his laughter.

Gwak Su, mixed with drunkenness and anger, couldn’t hold back and tried to draw his sword, but Jo Chun-bae rushed in and desperately tried to stop him.

“Endure it. Endure! For the sake of your family, endure!”

If Gwak Su drew his sword here, it was obvious he would be killed by Yang Ho. Gwak Su was a low-level martial artist from the outer cult, while Yang Ho, though young, had been properly trained in martial arts from an early age.

“Old man, are you crazy? I apologized when you asked, and now you’re trying to kill me.”

Yang Ho could have just left, but he seemed determined to keep provoking Gwak Su.

“How shameless. Come on, kill me. Kill me if you can.”

How could a human be so brazen? Gwak Su wanted to stab him right then and there.

But he couldn’t. Not only could he not win, but even if he managed to kill Yang Ho, it would be an even bigger problem. At that moment, everything would be over. Not only himself, but his son who hadn’t regained consciousness and his grief-stricken wife would all be killed by Yang Ho’s father.

“You all should leave now. Hurry.”

Jo Chun-bae tried to send Yang Ho and his friends away, but Yang Ho acted like he had given up on being human.

“I wondered who our Dong-i took after to be such a coward, turns out he takes after his father.”

At that moment, Gwak Su lost his reason.

Gwak Su drew his sword, and as if he had been waiting for this, Yang Ho’s fist flew.

Gwak Su, hit in the face, fell backwards, crashing into a table behind him.

“He clearly drew his sword first!”

The two standing behind shouted as if they were witnesses, saying they saw it.

Yang Ho rushed in and started beating Gwak Su.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

“A mere warehouse guard dares to report me to the Underworld Pavilion?”

This was the reason he hadn’t left and had picked a fight. He had been severely scolded by his father for being reported to the Underworld Pavilion, and unable to control his anger, he had come to vent his frustration.

Only after beating him thoroughly did Yang Ho get up from Gwak Su’s body.

“This is all your fault, old man. I told him to go home and steal money. He said he couldn’t because it was money his father earned with blood and sweat. The idiot pretending to be good alone. Am I the only trash? So how could I not beat him? This is all your responsibility. Got it?”

“… You just confessed with your own mouth!”

Gwak Su’s lips were split and blood was flowing from the wound under his torn eye, but at this moment, he found some hope.

“What confession?”

“Everyone here heard it! Why you beat my son. You confessed that it wasn’t a martial arts match but an assault.”

Yang Ho looked around fiercely.

“Alright, is there anyone here who heard what I said?”

There were several customers there, but no one dared to speak up. Even Jo Chun-bae, the tavern owner, couldn’t step forward. The moment they did, not only would they have to close their business here, but their lives would be in danger. The same was true for the customers present.

“No one heard anything, huh? Hehehe.”

At Yang Ho’s laughter, Gwak Su finally shed the tears he had been holding back.

“Ugh… huk!”

He couldn’t hold back because he was so angry. The reality of not being able to do anything while the bastard who had put his son in a coma was mocking and laughing at him was too miserable. He was ashamed and so sorry as a father. He didn’t want to cry, but the tears kept flowing.

“Crying like an idiot adult. Like father, like son indeed. Hahaha.”

The guys who came with Yang Ho also giggled and laughed.

It was at that moment. A young man’s voice clearly rang out from the second floor of the tavern.

“I heard it.”

1. 조춘배(曺春培)[↩]
2. 풍류주점(風流酒店)[↩]
3. 뇌옥[↩]
4. 백도귀(百刀鬼)[↩]
5. 십도귀(十刀鬼)[↩]
6. 양호(梁湖)[↩]