Chapter 147

By the time the meeting began.
Around thirty people had gathered inside Return-to-Origin Pavilion.
The Little Demons, including me, the Patriarchs of the Seven Demonic Houses, and high-ranking Cult officials including the Elder Council Lord.
Among them, Gal So-ye had singled out three possible collaborators.

First, Gu Cheong-won.
The Heavenly Demon’s third disciple and Young Patriarch of the Dark-Shadow Gu Family.
He had provided the auction house as a stepping stone for the Heaven Rebelling Society to build its strength, then killed Lord Yong outright before I could ask the man I had subdued a single question.
His actions were suspicious enough that it would almost be stranger if he had nothing to do with the Heaven Rebelling Society.

“Gal So-ye is probably about ninety percent certain.”

Either way, right now he was peacefully nodding off without a care in the world.

Second, Yuk Gyeong-cheon.
The Violet Lightning Yuk Family Patriarch and Yuk Ja-heung’s father.
In my previous life, three of the Seven Demonic Houses had their strength cut in half in connection with the Heaven Rebelling Society.
They were the Hundred-Succession Heuk Family, Dark-Shadow Gu Family, and Radiant Moon Jin Family.
I didn’t know which of them had actually been collaborating with the Society.
Gal So-ye’s actions had been closer to a political maneuver to reduce the bloated influence of the Seven Demonic Houses than a true act of punishment.
And now the Violet Lightning Yuk Family Patriarch, who hadn’t even been mentioned back then, was on the suspect list?
From my perspective, it felt rather out of nowhere.

“Where is the Sun Wheel Unit Commander?”

Gal So-ye’s cold voice brought my thoughts to a halt.
The main base was divided into eastern and western sectors, guarded respectively by the Sun Wheel Unit and Moon Wheel Unit.
From the look of things, the commander of the Sun Wheel Unit, which guarded the east, had failed to appear.

‘What the hell? Has he lost his mind, or is this deliberate?’

As it happened, he was the third suspect.
The security had been breached badly enough for notices to be plastered everywhere, yet the Sun Wheel Unit Commander hadn’t even shown his face.
That was unthinkable.

“Ah, w-well, the Commander is unwell, so I came in his place.”

The shrill voice belonged to the Sun Wheel Unit Vice Commander.
Gal So-ye’s gaze fixed on him.

“Is that so?”

Her expression was so calm it bordered on emotionless.

“Sun Wheel Unit Vice Commander.”
“Yes, Grand Strategist.”
“Go tell the Sun Wheel Unit Commander that he no longer needs to report for duty.”
“……Pardon?”
“I mean I’m kindly allowing him to spend the rest of his life recuperating.”
“Huk.”

The atmosphere in the hall froze instantly.
The Sun Wheel Unit Vice Commander’s face turned blue as though he had been trapped inside a glacier.
He hurriedly gave a fist-clasp salute and bolted through the doors. He was going to fetch the Sun Wheel Unit Commander.
The sound of his frantic footsteps gradually faded.
Gal So-ye said,

“We will suspend the meeting until the Sun Wheel Unit Commander arrives.”
“Ahem.”
“Hmm.”

Displeased grunts sounded from around the hall.
There wasn’t a single person gathered here who wasn’t a bigger figure than the Sun Wheel Unit Commander.
Yet they were being made to wait for a mere unit commander.

‘She really is terrifying.’

Whether or not the Sun Wheel Unit Commander was connected to the Heaven Rebelling Society, he was definitely in for a rough time.
Once the meeting ended, everyone would be tossing him around like vegetables in a hot pan.

Wi So-rang, seated beside me, whispered,

“Sajae, I guess the Sun Wheel Unit Commander’s had life too easy.”

I nearly burst out laughing.
How did an expression like that come out of a ten-year-old’s mouth?

The Sun Wheel Unit Commander appeared nearly thirty minutes later.
His entire body was drenched in sweat, and he reeked of alcohol.
Apparently, he had drunk himself senseless last night.
So his excuse about feeling unwell had just been a hangover?

‘Unless even this is an act.’

If he really were a Heaven Rebelling Society collaborator, he shouldn’t be this careless.
At the very least, he wouldn’t have sent his vice commander and created an unnecessary problem.
He wasn’t an idiot. There was no way he wouldn’t know what consequences this would bring.
But what if he was using that very assumption against us?
Pretending to be an idiot to avoid suspicion.
Bloodshot eyes. Slightly unsteady steps.

“M-my apologies. I have not been feeling well……”

The Sun Wheel Unit Commander bowed repeatedly.
Gal So-ye stared at him without replying.
Fierce gazes poured in from all around him.

“Take your seat.”

The Sun Wheel Unit Commander sat in the empty seat, sweating like rain.
Only then did the meeting resume.
Gal So-ye gave a brief explanation.

“I assume all of you are aware of the situation. Proclamations containing unspeakable slander were posted throughout the main base and its surroundings overnight.”

Given the gravity of the matter, everyone wore deeply solemn expressions.

“They were first discovered around dawn, and removal efforts are underway, but many appear to remain.”

As Gal So-ye continued speaking, I watched the suspects’ reactions.
At least one of them was a collaborator.
If we investigated that person thoroughly, there was a good chance we would find a link to the Heaven Rebelling Society, and that would eventually lead us to whoever had written the proclamations.

‘But their reactions are too ambiguous like this.’

To judge them more easily, we needed to give them a strong stimulus.
Exactly what Gal So-ye had asked me to do.
I opened my mouth.

“Hmm. I don’t understand.”

Every gaze in the hall immediately turned toward me.
I was about to continue calmly when someone beat me to it.
The Elder Council Lord.

“This meeting was not convened for Seventh Young Lord’s understanding. If you intend to say something childish, keep it to yourself.”

I was inwardly impressed.
What was with that reaction speed?
He snapped at me as though he had been waiting for the moment I opened my mouth.
At this speed, the Heavenly Demon might still be out of reach, but he could probably beat the Murim Alliance Leader or the Unorthodox Alliance Leader with ease.
But I didn’t even pretend to listen and spoke again.

“Proclamations were posted in that many places, yet no one from the Sun Wheel Unit, the Moon Wheel Unit, or any of the other warriors saw anything? And they weren’t even discovered until early dawn? That means someone slipped through our security all night and wandered around however they pleased. Is this really all the Cult is capable of?”
“What exactly are you trying to say, Seventh Young Lord?”
“Either the security was lax, or someone already knew the guards’ patrol routes. I’m saying there might be a collaborator inside.”

Many faces stiffened.
Raising the possibility of an internal collaborator.
That was something Gal So-ye, as Grand Strategist, couldn’t say herself.
Her words carried too much weight and could easily throw the Cult into turmoil.
Any collaborators would also raise their guard at once and pull their heads in like turtles.

But what about me?
I had been rising steadily ever since joining the Cult, but I still wasn’t in a position where every word I spoke carried the meaning and weight of the Grand Strategist’s.
I could say just enough to shake the collaborators’ composure without plunging the entire Cult into chaos.
After all, I was merely raising a reasonable question from the perspective of a Little Demon.

“A collaborator? Watch your words. You could end up sowing division within the Cult!”

The Elder Council Lord cut in.
I ignored him again.

“As all of you have probably heard, I’ve had quite a few run-ins with the Heaven Rebelling Society.”

Heads nodded around the hall.
My attack by dozens of Heaven Rebelling Society members and what happened at the Golden Resonance Vault auction were already widely known.
Naturally so, considering how many witnesses there had been.

“At the Golden Resonance Vault, I encountered one of their pawns spending a fortune to buy up treasures belonging to the Cult. A man called Lord Yong.”

I glanced at Gu Cheong-won.
He was still dozing without showing anything unusual.

“We found something strange among his possessions.”

The hall stirred.
Gal So-ye narrowed her eyes as well. I hadn’t told her this part in advance.
But she quickly seemed to grasp my intention and played along naturally.

“There was a secret letter. Correct?”

Gal So-ye said exactly what I had been thinking.
As expected, we didn’t need many words.

“Exactly. I obtained it and handed it over to the Grand Strategist. The letter contained plans to throw the Cult into chaos, along with information about collaborators on the inside.”

It was a lie.
There had been no secret letter among Lord Yong’s possessions.
But the collaborator wouldn’t know that.
They would be wondering exactly what the letter said and whether their own name appeared in it.

“Collaborators? Who?”
“Reveal the names at once!”

The people in the hall shouted in agitation.
Gu Cheong-won had opened his eyes at some point and was smiling faintly at me.
Apparently, he had realized I was up to something.

In contrast, the Sun Wheel Unit Commander remained perfectly still with a rigid expression.
Or so I thought.
The teacup in his hand trembled.
So faintly that I would have missed it if I hadn’t been watching closely.

The final suspect, Yuk Gyeong-cheon, was glaring with a deep frown.
Something clearly displeased him.
Kwaang! He slammed the table and shouted harshly at me.

“So what!”

Yuk Gyeong-cheon shouted harshly at me.

“There was a secret letter? It contained plans to throw the Cult into chaos? If you intend to make such claims, shouldn’t you first prove that this so-called letter even exists?”

His tone rose slightly at the end, but for the most part he spoke as though addressing a subordinate.

“Of course it exists. I told you, I gave it to the Grand Strategist.”
“Which means you cannot show it here and now! Then how are Seventh Young Lord’s claims any different from the Heaven Rebelling Society’s?”

I tilted my head.
Yuk Gyeong-cheon had always been forceful to the point of being overbearing.
And he probably didn’t think much of me either, considering how often I got involved with Yuk Ja-heung.
But even taking that into account, wasn’t this a little too aggressive?

‘Almost like he has something to feel guilty about.’

Only after hearing what Yuk Gyeong-cheon said next did I understand his intention.

“Seventh Young Lord has recently come into conflict with several families that have contributed greatly to the Cult. First the Hundred-Succession Heuk Family, then the Radiant Moon Jin Family and Demon Bell Geuk Family. Surely this talk of a secret letter isn’t another scheme to frame someone?”

Did he think I was trying to frame the Seven Demonic Houses?
For a moment, I was dumbfounded, but then I understood.
From the perspective of a Seven Demonic Houses Patriarch, the word ‘collaborator’ could hardly sound pleasant.
One wrong move and the sparks could land on him.

“You must have some grudge against me to make an accusation like that.”
“My point is that you should not stir up suspicion without objective evidence! By that logic, what the Heaven Rebelling Society spouted could be true as well.”
“The proclamations are obviously false. Surely you don’t think nonsense like Master becoming a demonic being is worthy of even a moment’s consideration?”

Yuk Gyeong-cheon shut his mouth with an expression that said he had realized his mistake.
He had realized he had chosen a terrible example.
But perhaps he didn’t want to admit that in front of me.
He raised his voice again.

“My point is that even the Supreme should explain himself if doubts are raised! There will be people who assume the Heaven Rebelling Society must have some basis for risking their lives to make such claims!”

A heavy silence descended at the absurd sophistry.
Within the Demon Cult, the Heavenly Demon was the absolute ruler and sole god.
And yet he had spoken with such irreverence toward the Heavenly Demon.

But that was all.
No one rebuked Yuk Gyeong-cheon.
Yuk Gyeong-cheon swept his gaze around the hall with confidence, as though daring anyone to say he was wrong.
His attitude practically said they should thank him for speaking on behalf of the Seven Demonic Houses.

“…….”

Suddenly, I felt deeply bitter.
No one had rebuked Yuk Gyeong-cheon.
Only Gal So-ye’s gaze had turned cold. The Elder Council Lord and the other Patriarchs remained silent.
What did it matter if he was the absolute ruler?
What did it matter if he was their sole god?

‘He’s alone.’

Aside from Gal So-ye’s reverence, all anyone directed toward the Heavenly Demon was fear and discomfort.
And the Heavenly Demon allowed none of them close, not even Gal So-ye, who respected him more than anyone.

“Then it sounds like you owe us an explanation too, Patriarch.”

I stared calmly at Yuk Gyeong-cheon.
He openly furrowed his brow.

“What explanation?”
“I heard the Heaven Rebelling Society secretly promised to install you as Cult Leader if they succeeded in overthrowing the Cult’s current order.”

For a moment, Yuk Gyeong-cheon went blank as though his thoughts had stopped.
Then his face flushed red, and savage killing intent erupted from him strongly enough to seem to distort the space.
In an instant, the hall was filled with killing intent.

“You dare brand me a traitor! I’ll rip out your tongue!”

Even the nearby Patriarchs recoiled under his pressure, but I didn’t so much as blink. I simply smiled.

“Why are you getting so worked up? By your logic, shouldn’t this claim have some basis too?”
“What?”
“I’m risking my life by saying it too. So how am I any different from the Heaven Rebelling Society?”
“Y-you……!”
“Even a Patriarch of the Seven Demonic Houses should explain himself if there are doubts, shouldn’t he?”

I looked away from Yuk Gyeong-cheon, who could only open and close his mouth in rage.
I looked around the hall and said,

“That reaction is exactly what people spreading false rumors want. The thought, ‘Could it actually be true?’ All they have to do is say something, anything, and people start talking about it. Given enough time, it begins to feel like the truth. Master will become a demonic fiend. Master’s origins are supposedly this or that. They’re all claims anyone can simply throw out.”

Before I knew it, I was speaking passionately.
Why?
Was it because, unlike the Grand Strategist presiding over the meeting, I was the only one who could speak for the Heavenly Demon?

‘No.’

The sight of the Heavenly Demon after he truly became a demonic fiend.
The sight of the world he had driven to the brink of destruction.
That final image of us killing each other as he stared at me with empty eyes containing nothing at all.
Every image from my previous life.
Because they were all seared vividly into my mind.

Because I had sworn that this time, I would never allow that future to happen.
Because I had sworn that my one and only master, different from me in almost every way, would never become a demonic fiend again.
I couldn’t tolerate anyone who made light of that resolve, no matter who they were.

“But his origins……!”

His origins?
I looked at Yuk Gyeong-cheon.
He squeezed his eyes shut and dropped into his chair as though deciding not to say another word.
What had he been about to say?

‘……Either way, he’s not the collaborator.’

I was certain.
It made no sense for Yuk Gyeong-cheon to be the collaborator.
Someone who repeatedly made remarks that would have cost him his head several times over if he weren’t a Patriarch of the Seven Demonic Houses could hardly be a secret collaborator.
There was no way the Heaven Rebelling Society would recruit someone that reckless.

“I issue the following order to everyone present.”

A gentle yet frost-edged voice rang through the hall.
It was Gal So-ye.

“As of today, I am imposing a gag order across the entire main base. Anyone who speaks of or spreads the contents of those proclamations is to be arrested regardless of rank. If necessary, you may execute them on the spot.”

It was a terrifying order that effectively authorized killing anyone who violated the gag order.
Personally, I wondered whether she really needed to go this far, but Gal So-ye clearly thought otherwise.
She wasn’t the Grand Strategist of the Demon Cult for nothing.

“In addition, we will conduct a full-scale internal inspection of the Sun Wheel Unit, Moon Wheel Unit, and several other organizations. There are too many suspicious aspects to this incident. We will determine responsibility with absolute clarity.”

The Sun Wheel Unit Commander’s shoulders twitched.

“Anyone who dares challenge My Lord should be prepared for the consequences. Whether they belong to the Heaven Rebelling Society or are traitors acting at its direction.”

Gal So-ye’s icy gaze swept over everyone.
It passed over Gu Cheong-won, moved across Yuk Gyeong-cheon, and finally stopped on the sweating Sun Wheel Unit Commander.

“Because even their lives will not be enough to pay the price.”

Silence settled over the hall.
Gal So-ye said,

“That concludes today’s meeting.”

People let out heavy sighs and began rising one by one.
I casually tossed out one remark that stopped them in their tracks.

“Just in case, if any of you know someone exceptionally fast and skilled in stealth, please let me know. There’s someone I absolutely need to meet.”

Their reactions varied.
Some tilted their heads. Others looked at me curiously.
And one man hurried out of Return-to-Origin Pavilion as though he had heard something he never should have.
The Sun Wheel Unit Commander.

‘That bastard is definitely involved.’

His reactions had been strange from the beginning.
Unless someone possessed truly genius acting skills, no matter how hard they tried to conceal their identity, they couldn’t hide everything perfectly.

At that moment, my eyes met Gal So-ye’s.
She was also following the Sun Wheel Unit Commander’s retreating back with her eyes.
We were thinking the same thing.

[Thank you, Seventh Young Lord.]

A sincere voice transmission came from her.
Probably because I had done what she asked.
Or perhaps because I had spoken in defense of the Heavenly Demon in her place.
I gave a small nod.

‘Now we just wait for the fish to bite.’

Panic creates mistakes.
Gal So-ye would catch that mistake, and it would lead us to whoever had pasted up the proclamations.

‘But there’s something I need to do first.’

I hadn’t been able to because of my condition these past few days, but I needed to trade the No-Return Blood I obtained in the No-Return Cave for another elixir.
My absorption efficiency with this one wasn’t very good.

‘I should visit the True Demon Market tomorrow.’

The True Demon Market was where rare elixirs and treasures were traded.
If I added the money I had painstakingly saved, I should be able to trade it for something decent.

Lost in various thoughts, I returned to the Hidden Cloud Pavilion.
But unlike usual, Ak Mu-jin, the Longevity Ten, the maids, the servants, and everyone else
from the Hidden Cloud Pavilion were standing outside the gate.
All of them completely frozen in place.

“What’s going on? Why is everyone standing out here?”

No one answered.
I tilted my head and stepped inside.
It wasn’t as if some vicious spiritual creature had gotten inside, so what the hell was-

“Kek, kek.”

I coughed without meaning to.
Something had caught in my throat.
There was someone in the Hidden Cloud Pavilion courtyard I never expected to see.

“You skipped your training.”

It was the Heavenly Demon.
His tone was no different from usual, yet my spine went so cold I wondered whether that was even healthy.

“Ah, w-well. As you know, Master, there was that whole incident today-”
“Follow me.”
“……Now? Why?”
“We will make up for the training you missed today. At five times the usual intensity.”

My mouth fell open.
The training I did every day was already killing me, and now he wanted five times the intensity?

‘……I’m screwed!’