AR Chapter 30

Seo Daeryong, who had gone out with the enforcement martial artists, returned empty-handed.

“Yang Tae resisted arrest. He used the pretext that blade ghosts can protect themselves in the Southern Blade Sect’s territory. When we tried to forcibly bring him in, his subordinates intervened, so we had to retreat.”

As a Hundred Demonic Blade, he had a hundred direct subordinates. If he resisted, it wouldn’t be easy to arrest him.

The investigators, whose morale was already sky-high, were agitated.

“They’re disrespecting us.”

“We should forcibly arrest him even if we have to bring all the enforcement martial artists.”

Gok Myeong calmed down the excited young investigators and presented a cautious argument.

“You must handle this carefully. If a conflict breaks out with the blade ghosts, many enforcement martial artists will get hurt.”

“But we can’t just let this slide, can we?”

While the investigators were debating back and forth, I handed them a document.

“Here, send this to him.”

“Gasp!”

What I showed them was a summons, but the reason everyone was surprised was the charge I had written on it.

Treason.

“Does resisting arrest qualify as treason?”

Even Gok Myeong, a veteran, didn’t know this.

“It does. We hold positions directly appointed by the Cult Leader, while the Hundred Demonic Blade holds a position appointed by the Blood Heavens Saber Demon. Our orders and the Blood Heavens Saber Demon’s orders cannot conflict. In the end, he’s essentially defying the Cult Leader’s orders. We don’t even need to go there ourselves. If we send the summons by messenger, he’ll come running on his own.”

He will come. If he makes a mistake and the charge of treason spreads to the entire blade ghost group, he’ll be killed by the blade ghosts themselves.

“Yes, understood.”

Seo Daeryong, who received the summons, immediately ran out.

Indeed, less than half an hour after the summons was delivered, Yang Tae appeared at the Underworld Pavilion in person.

The word ‘treason’ was a magic word that made even the most ill-tempered opponent docile.

However, while it could make him come here, it couldn’t make him confess.

Even after the investigators had been interrogating him for an hour, he wouldn’t admit to threatening to kill Jong-hwa’s younger sister.

As I had expected this, I entered the interrogation room myself.

Yang Tae was sitting in a chair with his inner energy suppressed, and he flinched when I entered. No matter how good the Hundred Demonic Blade’s momentum was, it couldn’t compare to my current momentum after killing a Demonic Army Commander.

“Second Young Master.”

“You should call me the Underworld Pavilion Master, not Young Master.”

“I was disrespectful. Pavilion Master. The summons said treason. What on earth do you mean by that?”

“I thought this was the only way I could see our very own Warrior Yang.”

As I spoke softly with a smile, Yang Tae also responded gently.

“I apologize for resisting arrest. As you know, when you’re in an organization, there are many things you have to be mindful of, right? There’s face to maintain in front of subordinates.”

“I understand.”

“This wasn’t a matter that should have grown so big in the first place. It happened because of the kids’ mischief.”

“There is that aspect, indeed.”

Seeing that I was going along with his words, Yang Tae seemed to think he was on the right track and started trying to persuade me.

“I knew you were someone who could be reasoned with. We can resolve this amicably.”

“How?”

“Aren’t you taking on an important responsibility for the first time, Pavilion Master? As you run the Underworld Pavilion in the future, you’ll need a lot of external help. It will cost a lot of money too.”

Although he was speaking indirectly, he essentially meant he would give me a bribe.

“And that’s not all. Later, when you officially become the successor, you’ll absolutely need our side’s help. After all, everyone is currently aligning themselves with the First Young Master…”

“If you help me, that would be great. Please help me a lot.”

At this, Yang Tae’s expression immediately brightened.

“As expected, you’re a magnanimous person. I’ll serve you well from now on. And soon, I’ll set up a good meeting for you.”

He glanced at me and slowly stood up from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“Wasn’t our conversation over?”

“Did you mean you’d help me after you get out of the Internal Prison?”

At the mention of the Internal Prison, Yang Tae’s expression hardened.

“What kind of hurtful joke is this?”

I looked up at him and revealed a cold aura.

“Does this sound like a joke to you? We’re talking about the crime of threatening to kill a Underworld Pavilion investigator’s family.”

“I clearly told you I never made such a threat.”

“Your statement doesn’t matter. The threatened investigator’s statement has already been accepted.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our cult has this rule. The statements of Underworld Pavilion martial artists take precedence over any contradicting statements. It’s a clause created to protect the authority of the Underworld Pavilion investigators who enforce the cult rules. You probably didn’t know. I only learned about this law this time too. This is all because of people like you. There are quite a few who think they can get away with anything if they just insist.”

Flustered, Yang Tae couldn’t say anything. Until he came here, he probably never imagined this situation would unfold.

Then came another bolt from the blue.

“If you confess willingly, I’ll reduce your sentence to ten years. If you deny it, it’s twenty years. There’s no further negotiation.”

“W-what? Ten years?”

Yang Tae was so shocked he even stuttered.

“Make your choice.”

“Are you crazy?”

As Yang Tae’s restrained true nature came out, his words became rough.

“If I need to be crazy, gladly. It seems difficult to deal with people like you while sane. Now, I’ll give you half an incense stick’s time to think.”

Finally, Yang Tae’s composure broke. He spoke with blazing eyes.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Forget ten years, I have no intention of entering the Internal Prison even for a single day.”

There was no more value in talking, so I stood up.

“The trial will be held in a few days.”

“Who decides that?”

“I do. You live as you please too, don’t you?”

His urgent words caught me as I was turning away.

“Wait! Second Young Master! Pavilion Master! Why are you doing this?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know? Your son almost killed his friend through assault. It wasn’t just a one-time fight where he got hurt, but daily bullying for years. And then the parent threatened to kill an investigator’s family to cover up the incident. So why am I doing this, you ask?”

“Are we the same as those warehouse keepers? Shouldn’t you at least treat us as superiors? Until now, we’ve turned a blind eye to this much.”

It was a sad statement, and at the same time, a frightening one. It was also a statement that became the driving force pushing me forward.

“Not anymore.”

“If you touch me, the Demon Supreme won’t stand by idly.”

“He will. He stood by when I cut down the Demonic Army Commander, so why would he care about you?”

Finally, Yang Tae exploded. He had drawn the wrong conclusion that he was being treated this way because he had approached nicely.

Bang!

Yang Tae slammed the desk and said through gritted teeth.

“Listen here, Underworld Pavilion Master! I have many friends who would share their lives with me!”

“I guarantee no one will stand up for you. Who would risk their life genuinely liking someone like you?”

I threw one last remark at him as he trembled.

“Why? Why don’t you try threatening to kill our family too?”

Yang Tae was in an excited state but didn’t dare say anything.

Watching him grind his teeth and swallow his anger, a thought suddenly occurred to me.

Maybe our collapse wasn’t because of Hwa Mu-gi.

The discipline had crumbled to the point where even a mere Hundred Demonic Blade could threaten a Underworld Pavilion investigator and subtly threaten even me.

“Confess willingly.”

I calmly said this and left the room. As the door closed, I could only hear the sound of him slamming the innocent desk.

***

That very day, the Blood Heavens Saber Demon came to see me.

He was sitting in the front yard of my residence, drinking alcohol with his large sword stuck in the ground in front of him.

“Welcome, Second Young Master. Or should I call you the Underworld Pavilion Master now?”

“Call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“I’m more comfortable with Second Young Master, so I’ll call you that.”

“As you wish.”

“Come here and have a drink.”

I obediently sat down across from him. Although he said to drink together, he didn’t pour me any alcohol.

“I’m sure I warned you. That it wouldn’t be good to see me often.”

“It’s always you who comes to see me, Elder.”

The Blood Heavens Saber Demon, who had been staring at me for a moment, suddenly brought up a past event.

“There was a moment recently when I felt something new about you. When you won the martial arts tournament and made a wish to the Cult Leader, I shouted inwardly like this. Yes, that’s it. If he’s smart, that’s the kind of wish he should make.”

“I think it was quite a good wish too.”

“Yes, it started from that day.”

The Blood Heavens Saber Demon emptied his cup and refilled it with alcohol. He still hadn’t offered me a cup. He took another sip of alcohol.

The Blood Heavens Saber Demon was leaning against his Heaven-Destroying Great Saber stuck behind him like a wall, and the overwhelmingly large great sword compared to his skinny frame was awe-inspiring.

“It’s really a magnificent sword.”

“Aren’t you afraid of that sword?”

“Why should I be afraid?”

“You make my sword cry.”

I didn’t avoid the Blood Heavens Saber Demon’s piercing gaze.

“How could the sword be crying because of me?”

“Then why is it crying?”

“It’s crying out of lamentation.”

“For what?”

“Your disciple poisoned me with mountain poison in the martial arts tournament, and another disciple came to find me and disgraced my subordinate. Your younger brother used Demonic Army for personal gain, and your subordinate threatened to kill me, an Underworld Pavilion investigator. The sword is crying out of lamentation, seeing that those around its master fall short of the master’s character.”

The corner of the Blood Heavens Saber Demon’s mouth curled up.

“You have quite a silver tongue.”

“I just recited the facts, yet I’ve become an eloquent speaker.”

“Your words are wrong.”

“Please enlighten me.”

“First, you said those around me fall short of my character, but that’s not true. They fit my character perfectly. I’m only that kind of person.”

Indeed, he’s not an easy old man to deal with. It’s usually easier to handle those with high pride or desire for honor.

“And strictly speaking, it’s not those people’s fault. It’s your fault.”

“My fault?”

“When a dragon ascends to heaven, it brings storms and rain.”

“Who’s the dragon?”

“Who else, it’s you. Aren’t my people being swept away by that storm and rain?”

“What ascension? It’s just a loach stirring up trouble in muddy water.”

“The loach becomes a snake, and the snake becomes a dragon.”

The Blood Heavens Saber Demon emptied his cup again. He was still drinking alone.

“Damn it! Everything’s good, but why does it have to be my people getting swept away?”

With a lament, the Blood Heavens Saber Demon put down his cup and directly revealed the purpose of his visit.

“Release the imprisoned Hundred Demonic Blade. Because of you, our Southern Blade Sect’s morale is at rock bottom these days.”

“If the investigation shows he’s innocent, he’ll be released.”

The Blood Heavens Saber Demon started to emit demonic energy. As I had felt the intensity of this demonic energy before, I could understand why Father said I couldn’t handle the Blood Heavens Saber Demon yet. Indeed, the martial arts of the Demon Supremes are on a different level.

“Let me give you a piece of advice.”

“Don’t.”

“What?”

The Blood Heavens Saber Demon’s expression distorted for a moment, but I calmly continued.

“If you came to make a request, just make the request. Don’t both make a request and give advice. Don’t do that. Young people these days consider such people unlikeable.”

It was a situation where he could have burst out in anger, but the old ginger was indeed spicy. Instead, he withdrew the demonic energy he had been emitting.

“You’re right. It’s rare to have someone give such frank words these days.”

“You should be wary. Stagnant water is bound to rot.”

“Who would want to stagnate? As you soak in it, you grow attached, and you miss opportunities to let it flow.”

“But we don’t soak our bodies in rotten water, do we? Take this opportunity to let the rotten water flow away. He’s not worth protecting.”

The Blood Heavens Saber Demon emptied the cup he was holding. After emptying the cup cleanly, he held it out to me.

“Will you accept a drink from me?”

It was the first drink he offered since we sat together. I readily accepted the cup.

As he poured the drink, the Blood Heavens Saber Demon said,

“Alright, I’ll let the rotten water flow away.”

“Indeed, you are wise.”

Just as I was about to empty the cup, the Blood Heavens Saber Demon threw out a meaningful remark.

“Instead, from now on, Second Young Master, you become my water.”