Chapter 125 - Well, You're a Man After All

Seo Daeryong was watering the flowers in the pot in the office of the Pavilion Master of Yellow Springs Pavilion.

“Hey, Number Two, when on earth is the Pavilion Master coming back?”

He called the flowers the Single Flower Sword Supreme had left in their care Number Two. The nickname had come from a joke about his being the third-most-important presence in the office.

“He could have taken me along. How much fun is he having without me that he hasn't sent a single word?”

Without Geom Mugeuk and Yi An, life certainly felt only half as enjoyable.

His regular drinking sessions with Jang Ho had stopped last month, too. They had agreed to postpone them until Yi An returned. Honestly, it was only fun when all three of them were there. Only then did it feel complete.

“Hmph! You can be Number One from now on. Starting today, I'm Number Two. Let's run the whole show ourselves, us abandoned souls!”

In truth, he was already doing just that. Seo Daeryong handled most of Yellow Springs Pavilion's important business. There were colleagues senior to him, but they knew he was the one Geom Mugeuk supported most strongly, so he had naturally become acting Pavilion Master. And he handled the work better than anyone.

Geom Mugeuk's absence had been a time of growth for him, and a time when he truly began to earn recognition.

He had also continued learning saber techniques from the Blood Heaven Saber Demon without missing a single day.

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon never spoke of Geom Mugeuk. He seemed to think that mentioning him would give away how much he missed him.

Even when Seo Daeryong brought Geom Mugeuk up, he pretended not to hear and said nothing.

'Master, that only makes it stranger.'

As he stood by the window, trying to soothe his longing for Geom Mugeuk and Yi An, an enforcement martial artist opened the door and entered.

“We're ready.”

“Let's go.”

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, my slacker Pavilion Master, I'm off to work again.

No fewer than ten enforcement martial artists were waiting outside the building. Normally, two accompanied each investigator, so their numbers alone showed how important—and dangerous—today's operation was.

“Have you all put on your White Tiger Armor?”

“Yes, we have.”

White Tiger Armor was the standard-issue protective garment supplied to enforcement martial artists. It could not compare to a true treasure garment, but it could still stop ordinary swords and sabers.

“Let's go. Stay alert. There may be a confrontation.”

He led the enforcement martial artists to Great Drunken Grove, where the Great Drunken Demon resided.

The Great Drunken Demon.

One of the Eight Demon Supremes, he was always drunk, which had earned him the name Drunken Demon. Numerous rumors surrounded him.

Some said he was perpetually drunk because of a deep emotional wound; others said his unique martial art made use of intoxication. Whatever the truth, one thing was certain: the drunker he became, the stronger he grew.

The martial artists who followed him were called the Drunken Warriors. They, too, were heavy drinkers who loved their liquor and could hold it well.

The gates of Great Drunken Grove were firmly shut.

When an enforcement martial artist knocked, the Drunken Warrior guarding the entrance opened the gate and appeared.

“Who are you?”

“We're from Yellow Springs Pavilion. Open the gates.”

“What brings you here?”

Seo Daeryong held up the document he had brought.

“We've come to arrest the Drunken Warrior Do Ho.”

While drunk, the bastard Do Ho had driven a carriage straight into a marketplace, killing two people and injuring more than ten. He had then abandoned the carriage and fled to save his own skin.

The Drunken Warrior answered without hesitation.

“Do Ho isn't here. Go back.”

“How would you know whether he's somewhere in this vast grove?”

“If I say he isn't here, take my word for it and leave.”

He promptly shut the gate and went back inside.

Seo Daeryong had been prepared for something like this. The Demon Supremes' followers apparently felt that obeying meekly would make them look weaker than the followers of the other Demon Supremes. Once one group refused to listen, none of them would.

Especially lately, as Geom Mugeuk's absence dragged on, the authority of Yellow Springs Pavilion's martial artists had begun to lose its force.

“Give them a warning, then break down the gates.”

“Yes.”

An enforcement martial artist stepped forward and issued a warning, projecting his voice with internal energy.

“If you don't open before I count to ten, we'll break down the gates and enter. One, two, three, four... nine, ten.”

Just as they were about to break down the gates—

CREAK.

The gate opened and someone appeared. It was a different Drunken Warrior from the one before: Ho Yang, the man in charge of the Drunken Warriors guarding the entrance.

He glared at Seo Daeryong.

“Do you think you can invade our grove and get away unscathed?”

“A Drunken Warrior named Do Ho has committed a crime. This isn't something you should blindly cover up. Hand him over, and we'll leave.”

“Do Ho isn't here.”

“Don't underestimate our pavilion's intelligence network. We have reliable information that he returned here. If it's discovered that he's here, you'll be guilty of harboring a criminal as well. Are you prepared for that?”

Suddenly, Ho Yang stirred up cold demonic qi.

As befitted the man in charge of the Drunken Warriors on duty that day, his presence was sharp. He was confident he could make a mere investigator from Yellow Springs Pavilion retreat, but Seo Daeryong did not budge.

Instead, Seo Daeryong's presence overwhelmed his. It was the result of learning saber techniques from the Blood Heaven Saber Demon every single day and training diligently.

Just as Ho Yang unwittingly stepped back, a fierce-looking middle-aged man walked out of Great Drunken Grove.

SMACK!

The man struck Ho Yang mercilessly across the face.

“You fucking idiot! You're letting a pathetic investigator push you around?”

Knocked sprawling, Ho Yang scrambled to his feet and bowed his head.

“I'm sorry!”

The newcomer was Gu Mayeong, one of Great Drunken Grove's Three Great Drunken Warriors, notorious for his foul temper. His infamy was widespread. Hotheaded by nature, he was said to lash out first without considering the consequences.

Recognizing him, Seo Daeryong's expression hardened.

'Of all people.'

Reeking of liquor, Gu Mayeong walked right up to Seo Daeryong.

“Why the fuck are you making a fuss and spoiling my drink?”

“A man here named Do Ho caused an accident while driving a carriage drunk.”

“A Drunken Warrior being drunk is only natural, and accidents can happen when you drive a carriage. Why the fuck have you all come swarming here?”

“The law prohibits driving a carriage while intoxicated, even for a Drunken Warrior.”

“What bullshit. Do you obey every law?”

“At least I don't get drunk and drive a carriage into people, killing them.”

Gu Mayeong thrust his face close to Seo Daeryong's. The overpowering stench of liquor made Seo Daeryong frown.

“Look me in the eye.”

Seo Daeryong did not avert his gaze.

“Go back, find some suitable bastard, and write it up as if he drove the carriage. Look at me. Understood?”

“I can't do that.”

“What? Say that again.”

“I said I can't do that. If you don't move aside, I'll arrest you too.”

Gu Mayeong's face twisted, and he pulled out the liquor bottle hanging at his waist.

He raised it high to pour it over Seo Daeryong's head.

Behind Seo Daeryong, the enforcement martial artists all grasped their sword hilts. At a command, they were ready to charge forward and fight.

Gu Mayeong turned his gaze on them.

“Fucking ridiculous. Draw those swords if you want to die.”

The Drunken Warriors behind him also readied themselves to draw their weapons.

With violence about to erupt, Seo Daeryong raised a hand to stop his men. He could not allow a sword fight to break out here.

Sneering as if to say, Just as I thought, Gu Mayeong was about to pour the liquor over Seo Daeryong's head when a quiet warning came from somewhere.

“Pour that liquor, and I'll cut off your wrist, fill that bottle with your blood, and pour it over your head.”

Recognizing the voice, Seo Daeryong's face lit up.

“Pavilion Master!”

He turned to see Geom Mugeuk walking toward them.

“My boys. You've been having a rough time.”

Seo Daeryong and the enforcement martial artists greeted his arrival with great delight.

“Welcome, Pavilion Master!”

“Pavilion Master!”

“It's good to have you back.”

They welcomed him so warmly that one might have thought no other leader had ever received such a reception.

After greeting them, Geom Mugeuk approached Gu Mayeong.

“Did your Demon Supreme teach you to waste liquor by pouring it over people's heads?”

At the mention of the Great Drunken Demon, killing intent flared in Gu Mayeong's eyes.

But Geom Mugeuk's presence overwhelmed him. Without emitting any demonic qi, he held Gu Mayeong in his grip through sheer presence alone. Every fine hair on Gu Mayeong's body rose with fear.

'The Second Young Master's qi presence was this powerful?'

He felt abruptly sober. He had heard all sorts of rumors about the Second Young Master, but facing him in person brought an entirely different sense of pressure.

“And you were going to pour it over a Yellow Springs Pavilion investigator's head, no less. Have you only just emerged from secluded training somewhere? Haven't you heard the rumors about me? Or did you think that because I'd been away for a while, I was never coming back?”

Gu Mayeong could only glare fiercely at him, not daring to offer an excuse. When he'd heard the rumor that Geom Mugeuk had cut down the Demon Army commander, he'd thought it absurd. He had assumed the story was exaggerated simply because Geom Mugeuk was a successor. Now he realized he really had done it.

“Go inside and...”

Geom Mugeuk turned to Seo Daeryong.

“Who was it?”

“Do Ho.”

He turned back to Gu Mayeong.

“You heard him. Bring that bastard Do Ho out. Now!”

Gu Mayeong remained motionless, his face contorted.

Without hesitation, Geom Mugeuk drew the Black Demon Sword. The keen force emanating from the blade made the Drunken Warriors' hearts contract with cold fear.

“You may be a drunk, but I'm a madman.”

When Geom Mugeuk took one step forward, Gu Mayeong could no longer hold out.

“I'll bring him out!”

He went inside.

I had deliberately treated Gu Mayeong harshly, for the sake of Seo Daeryong's and the enforcement martial artists' morale. Word of today would spread throughout the Cult, and in the future they would not dare try something like this just because I was absent.

Seo Daeryong and the enforcement martial artists gathered around me.

“When did you arrive?”

“Just now. I changed clothes and was about to visit Father, but I heard you'd come here, so I stopped by on my way to Heavenly Demon Hall.”

Seo Daeryong was so moved that tears welled in his eyes.

“Are you that happy?”

“I didn't realize I'd be this happy to have you back, either.”

“It's not just relief at being spared humiliation by a drunk?”

“From the smell earlier, that was expensive liquor. When would I ever get to drink something like that on my meager salary? I should at least taste it as it runs down my face.”

Geom Mugeuk smiled at him. Seo Daeryong had grown further while they had been apart. Not only had his martial skill and presence improved, he had gained composure as well. That was precisely the calm one needed when dealing with a bastard like Gu Mayeong.

“Perhaps I should leave the Cult more often.”

“Please don't! I nearly died of boredom without you here.”

The enforcement martial artists laughed at Seo Daeryong's remark. Geom Mugeuk was glad to see them again. He hadn't realized it while they were together, but seeing them after time apart made him immensely happy.

Meanwhile, the gate opened again, and Gu Mayeong dragged Do Ho out. His face was split open and bleeding. Apparently Gu Mayeong had taken his anger out on him.

“Arrest him!”

The enforcement martial artists took Do Ho into custody.

Gu Mayeong glared fiercely at Geom Mugeuk, as though making a final stand for his pride.

In contrast to earlier, Geom Mugeuk spoke gently.

“You're Drunken Warriors, so I won't stop you from drinking. Just make sure you don't harm anyone else while you're at it. Thank you for cooperating.”

You couldn't simply keep pushing an animal like this into a corner. Eventually, he would cause someone serious harm and destroy himself in the process.

Once you had broken his pride in front of his subordinates, letting him recover a little of it was part of managing the relationship.

“Let's have a drink sometime. I'll pay.”

Gu Mayeong merely snorted at his words and went inside.

The enforcement martial artists returned to Yellow Springs Pavilion with Do Ho, while Geom Mugeuk and Seo Daeryong walked slowly toward Heavenly Demon Hall.

“You weren't injured while you were away, were you?”

“No.”

“That's a relief. I was terribly worried when I heard the Wicked Laughing Demon had returned alone.”

“You thought he might have killed me and come back by himself?”

“I really wanted to go to Villains' Valley and ask him.”

“Then a different investigator would have been standing here today.”

“That's why I didn't go. Now that you're back, I'll take a few days off.”

“I'll tell the venerable Saber Demon that his beloved disciple has even taken leave and is all ready for training from hell.”

“... What leave? I have work to do.”

“Exactly. I've finally come back. You can't go off somewhere now, can you?”

We looked at each other and laughed. Trading jokes with him made it truly sink in that I was back at the Cult.

“Oh!”

Seo Daeryong suddenly stopped walking and whispered.

“To the northwest. Look without making it obvious.”

A woman stood there who drew the eye at once.

“Did we have a beauty like that in the Cult? I mean, how can a person have a figure like that? Ah! She must have descended from heaven.”

“Do you like her?”

“Who wouldn't?”

“Want to meet her?”

“Goodness, I don't think I could even meet her eyes. What? What did you just say? Meet her? How?”

“She came back with me this time.”

“What? What?”

Startled, Seo Daeryong looked at Geom Mugeuk, then shook his head.

“Oh, don't lie.”

“It's true. We're close.”

“You know a beauty like that? You're close? Why put on airs with me, of all people? Well, you're a man after all, Pavilion Master.”

Geom Mugeuk beckoned to the woman.

She began walking lightly toward where the two of them stood.