Chapter 28 - Hold On Tight, We're Setting Off

At the words from the second floor, Yang Ho snapped irritably, "Which bastard was that?"

The same voice spoke again.

"You haven't even checked who I am, and you're already swearing at me?"

This time, a woman's voice followed.

"That's not courage. It's recklessness."

Her voice was so lovely that it made clear why people compared beautiful voices to rolling jade beads. Even being cursed at by this woman would probably feel pleasant.

"What on earth is inside that head of his to make him act like that?"

"He must have been raised badly."

"Some children grow up perfectly well even when their parents neglect them. So we can't blame the parents for everything."

"You're quite right."

Ordinarily, Yang Ho would have flown into a furious rage, but his mind was elsewhere. Right now, his head was full of lust.

'Judging by her voice, she must be an incomparable beauty. If things go well, I might have a steamy night ahead of me!'

He was thinking of smashing the man with her to pieces and taking the woman for himself.

There was a reason he could entertain such fearless fantasies. In Demon Family Village, people generally frequented particular inns, taverns, and brothels according to their status and martial ability.

The Merry Life Tavern, run by Jo Chunbae, catered to low-ranking martial artists. Not only would his father never come here, even the Saber Fiends serving under him stayed away.

Nor was Demon Family Village a place where passing martial artists from the orthodox or unorthodox factions would stop. Naturally, he assumed the other man was a low-ranking martial artist of the Cult.

Meanwhile, the conversation upstairs resumed.

"For the mere son of a Hundred-Saber Fiend to behave so outrageously in broad daylight... The Saber Fiends certainly wield impressive power."

"He can only do it because he has the Blood Heaven Saber Demon's influence behind him."

Yang Ho was puzzled. This was the first time anyone had dared belittle his father, but these people were even mentioning the Blood Heaven Saber Demon.

"I can imagine what his childhood was like."

"He grew up without learning to fear anything in this world."

Unlike before, Yang Ho now spoke with decorum.

"Might the esteemed master who has graced us with his presence reveal himself and instruct this foolish junior in his errors?"

No sooner had he finished than he added,

"You dumbass, did you think I'd say that? I don't know what bastard and bitch are playing mysterious masters up there, but show your fucking faces right now or you're dead."

A man promptly poked his head out from the second floor.

Seeing how young he was, Yang Ho relaxed.

"Was it you?"

"Yes, me."

"Where's the bitch who was talking with you?"

This time, the woman leaned out. Yang Ho cried out at the sight of her.

"Aagh! What the hell?"

"Why so startled, young hero?"

"Was that really you? Was it you?!"

The voice belonged not to a peerless beauty but to a fat woman. With his happy fantasy shattered, Yang Ho roared,

"You pieces of shit! Get down here right now if you don't want to die!"

* * *

"Shall we go down now?"

At Yi An's suggestion, I finished my drink.

The person drinking upstairs was none other than me. I had come to meet Gwak Su, the victim's father, only to unexpectedly land a prize catch.

I leaped down from the second floor, and Yi An followed. Despite her heavy body, she landed lightly using her lightness arts.

Yang Ho flinched at our movements. He had thought us third-rate martial artists, but we were far too agile.

I helped the fallen Gwak Su up and seated him.

"I'm sorry I didn't intervene sooner. I thought that fool's mouth would get him into trouble, so I waited a little. Thanks to that, we have his confession."

"Second Young Master?"

"Oh, you recognize me."

"Actually, I recognized your bodyguard. She's very well known within the Cult."

I looked at Yi An and stuck out my lower lip.

"How does that make sense? You're more famous than I am!"

"It's hardly because I'm famous. I'm so big that he recognized me at once. Hmph!"

Yang Ho's face turned pale as he listened.

"You're... the Second Young Master?"

"Relax. I'm here today as the Pavilion Master of Yellow Springs Pavilion. No, wait—that means you should be even more nervous."

Yang Ho, who had been strutting and shouting as though the whole world belonged to him, lowered his voice and spoke respectfully.

"I failed to recognize so distinguished a member of the Cult. Please forgive my rudeness. I'm still young."

"Your behavior didn't look young and innocent to me."

"No, I'm a fool who knows nothing."

Yang Ho bowed his head low. The young bastard was so cunning that he knew uncannily well when to bow.

"May I leave now?"

"Wait. I came here because I have business with you."

"What business would that be?"

"I'm here to investigate the assault you committed."

"But Yellow Springs Pavilion already found me innocent."

"This case is being reinvestigated in full."

While Yang Ho recoiled in shock, Gwak Su's face lit up. Beside him, Jo Chunbae jerked—he had been about to cheer, then abruptly checked himself.

I listed Yang Ho's offenses one by one.

"You took money from him every day: habitual extortion. You forced him to steal money: instigating theft. You beat your friend and left him at death's door: attempted murder. And as though that wasn't enough, you came here and assaulted the victim's father as well. Your crimes are utterly heinous. You'll need to spend at least twenty years in prison."

"Twenty years?"

He couldn't have endured two days, let alone twenty years. Yang Ho went white as a sheet.

"No! It just happened while we were sparring!"

"Too late. You confessed directly in front of the Pavilion Master of Yellow Springs Pavilion."

Cornered, Yang Ho invoked the man who had shielded him through all his wrongdoing.

"Do you know who my father is?"

"I do. A Hundred-Saber Fiend."

"If you frame me, my father won't stand for it."

"Frame you, my ass. Shall I really frame you for something?"

He shrank back under my intimidating presence.

"Besides, your father will be too busy to look after you. I intend to arrest him too, for pressuring a Yellow Springs Pavilion investigator."

The teenage Yang Ho couldn't bear the pressure of the situation.

"My father won't let you get away with this. He'll get out of prison and take revenge on you. No, he can kill you even from inside prison! So you'd better think caref—"

THUD!

Before he could finish, my fist drove mercilessly into his stomach.

As Yang Ho crumpled to the floor clutching his belly, another thunderbolt struck him.

"Add threatening the Pavilion Master of Yellow Springs Pavilion, and that's thirty years."

Yang Ho looked up in terror.

"... No, please spare me!"

"I'm feeling generous. I'll drop that charge."

"Please forgive me."

"Fine. Give me one reason I should forgive you. And stop going on about your father."

"Well..."

"Have you ever saved anyone? Helped someone? No? Then tell me something even vaguely good you've done. Make something up if you have to."

"..."

"You can't even invent anything, can you? It's hard to come up with something on the spot when you've never done it. Why should I forgive someone like you?"

"F-from now on, I'll live a good life!"

"Good. Serve your sentence, then live that way when you get out."

WHOOSH! THWACK!

I struck him across the face without mercy. His jaw twisted sideways, and he collapsed unconscious.

"Take him to the pavilion."

I could have beaten him half to death here, but I didn't. His true hell would be twenty years locked in prison. That hadn't been an idle threat. I really intended to slap him with a twenty-year sentence and throw him inside.

The Cult's prison was a hellish place where human rights were utterly disregarded. I could guarantee that this bastard would kill himself before he lasted even a month.

'Turn over a new leaf? If he were capable of that, he wouldn't have done such vicious things in the first place.'

The two bastards near the entrance backed away, trying to flee.

But martial artists blocked their way: Seo Daeryong and the enforcement martial artists of Yellow Springs Pavilion. Only the likes of the Demon Army dared defy them; they were known to be more frightening than any other martial artists in the Cult.

The pair wet themselves and sank to the floor.

"We only did what we were told!"

"Please spare us!"

Punishment could wait. First, they had a role to play.

"Unless you tell us exactly what happened, you'll take the blame for all of it."

"I'll tell you everything!"

"I'll tell you!"

My tone suggested I might forgive them if they testified, but nothing could be further from the truth. Once I had their testimony, these bastards were going to prison too. Their sentences would be shorter than Yang Ho's, since he had led the abuse, but I intended to give them at least five years.

If I made examples of them, would anyone at a martial academy or school dare torment their fellow students again?

"Take them to the interrogation room and get their statements!"

"Yes, sir!"

The enforcement martial artists sealed the three prisoners' pressure points, then transported them to the Cult.

One of the watching customers could no longer contain himself and began to applaud.

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

The others immediately erupted in cheers, giving the cries of celebration Jo Chunbae had held back.

They probably wouldn't have reacted this way if it had been anyone else. But wasn't I the Heavenly Demon's son? In these circumstances, it was safe to cheer.

I addressed them loudly.

"If you suffer an injustice in the future, report it to Yellow Springs Pavilion. As long as I am its master, no outside pressure will sway us."

The applause grew louder. Since I wasn't afraid of a Demon Supreme, how could they believe any other outside pressure would work on me?

I finished with a joke.

"If anyone threatens to bring their father like that brat did, I'll bring mine too!"

Laughter broke out all around.

Just then, a subordinate came over and reported something to me. I immediately passed the good news on to Gwak Su.

"Before we came here, the Demon Physician treated your son."

"Is that true? Someone so distinguished treated my son?"

"Your son is more precious to me. And I've just been told he's awakened, so you should hurry to him."

"Aaaah!"

Overwhelmed by the surprise, Gwak Su cried out.

"Oh! Dong, Dong! You're alive! My son is alive!"

Jo Chunbae, the tavern owner, threw his arms around him.

"What wonderful news. Wonderful!"

People who knew the two men gathered around to congratulate him.

Gwak Su wept with joy.

"I'll never forget this kindness."

I stopped him as he tried to prostrate himself.

"Haven't you devoted your whole life to the Cult? Of course the Cult should protect you."

The Cult had survived because of people like him, quietly serving somewhere within it all their lives. Yet the Cult of today had lost even that basic gratitude.

"The Cult thanks you."

I bowed my head to him. Sensing my sincerity, Gwak Su shed more tears.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

"You should hurry to see your son."

"Yes. I'll be going now."

He rushed off to see his son. Jo Chunbae said to me,

"Whenever you visit, your drinks and food will be on the house."

"Thank you. I'll come back and take you up on a drink."

"It would be my honor."

Jo Chunbae bowed at the waist. All the customers bowed as well. They had probably never experienced anything as gratifying as today's events.

Once they too had paid their respects and withdrawn, Yi An and Seo Daeryong approached from behind me.

Looking worried, Seo Daeryong cautiously asked,

"But... will this really be all right?"

We would be arresting not only Yang Ho but his father, the Hundred-Saber Fiend. That would thoroughly offend the Blood Heaven Saber Demon all over again.

"All right? There'll be another uproar, of course."

"I'm worried."

"You're the one who brought me this case, aren't you? Trying to send me to my grave under the Saber Demon's great blade."

"Well, yes, but..."

Seo Daeryong sighed. Regret showed on his face, as though he were wondering whether he should have kept this case to himself.

To Seo Daeryong, who desperately dreamed of change, and Yi An, who still feared it, I declared with vigor,

"We haven't even properly begun yet. So don't waver—keep your wits about you and hold on tight!"