Chapter 54

Even though it was midday, the Demon Inquisition Corps was as dark as night.

A chill, even a grim aura, hung in the air, making it feel like a world apart from the Demon Cult.

‘I cannot believe I actually ended up coming here.’

The Demon Inquisition Corps was as infamous as its atmosphere suggested.

They said those dragged here never returned in their right mind.

And there was someone close to me who had proved those words with his own body.

It was Yuk Ja-heung.

It was probably at the next Sacred Flame Festival.

He had taken on some mission during the Great Sacred Flame Council, and his grumbling about it had reached the sky.

So that day, dead drunk, he said something he should never have said.

– What’s so great about the Sacred Flame Festival that everyone goes crazy like this? The Sacred Flame is just a torch that burns a bit longer, isn’t it?

The Sacred Flame was the very foundation of the Demon Cult.

Yuk Ja-heung was seized by the Demon Inquisition Corps for desecrating it.

He was released half a month later.

For quite a while after that, he muttered like this.

– The Sacred Flame is a holy fire. The Sacred Flame is a holy fire.

Back then I loathed Yuk Ja-heung, so I remember finding his state hilarious.

Looking back now, it feels like such a typical Yuk Ja-heung story.

And it makes me think that the Demon Inquisition Corps is merciless, even if the one at fault is a Little Demon.

‘I have no need to be scared.’

My case was different from Yuk Ja-heung’s.

Bringing Ak Mu-jin along did weigh on my mind a bit.

The fact that his subordinates had followed as well too.

On top of that, it bothered me that I had arbitrarily absorbed the Longevity Cult followers into the Demon Cult.

‘Seen this way, maybe getting dragged here is not entirely undeserved.’

My cheek itched for no reason, so I scratched it and squared my shoulders.

Even if they nitpicked every single thing I had done, I was confident I could push through somehow.

‘So long as I get to meet the Deputy Corps Leader.’

“Please wait here for a moment.”

After a long walk, we were led to a small building deep inside the compound.

Inside, it was a rather neat space, brightly lit by oil lamps.

It seemed they were giving me special treatment because of my status.

Im Yeon or Ak Mu-jin’s group might have been sitting on a cold floor somewhere.

– Young Lord, Young Looord!

I remembered Im Yeon crying out like a subject who had lost her country when our destinations split.

Sometimes she really overdoes it.

It’s not like I’m being dragged to my death.

I don’t know how long I waited, lost in various thoughts.

The snake-eyed man came back.

Behind him were two scribes, one holding a thick bundle of documents and the other holding brush and ink for taking records.

They looked like assistants for the interrogation.

‘They said he was the Third Unit Leader, right?’

On the way here, I had heard who the snake-eyed man was.

He was the Third Unit Leader among the three units in the Demon Inquisition Corps.

There were several organizations above the units, so it was an ambiguous position.

It meant he had barely a speck of decision-making power and simply moved according to orders from above.

Whatever I said here would have to go through him before it reached the real decision-maker.

That was not ideal.

‘I cannot let myself be dragged back to the Demon Inquisition Corps again later.’

If I handled this clumsily, I would get neither this nor that.

To achieve the purpose for which I had walked into the Demon Inquisition Corps on my own feet, I needed to drag out someone far above the Third Unit Leader.

At that moment, the snake-eyed man sat down across from me.

I deliberately furrowed my brows as much as I could.

“What do you think you are doing?”

“I intend to interrogate the Seventh Young Lord.”

“And why would you be the one doing that?”

“What do you mean?”

The snake-eyed man asked back with a blank face.

I deliberately raised my voice.

“Do you not know who I am?”

“I know. You are the Seventh Little Demon, Young Lord Baek Su-gyeong.”

“You know that, and you stick the Third Unit Leader on me? On me, who has just returned? Is this how the Demon Inquisition Corps does things?”

The snake-eyed man’s expression stiffened noticeably.

They said the Demon Inquisition Corps had neither blood nor tears, but that was only after guilt had been proven.

They could not treat me carelessly when the investigation had not even begun.

The status of being a Little Demon was precisely for times like this.

It had been the same in front of the Patriarch of the Hundred-Succession Heuk Clan, and it was the same now.

“I have the qualifications to interrogate the Seventh Young Lord.”

“You have the qualifications but not the authority. The authority to make important decisions.”

“…What is it you want?”

“I want to meet the Deputy Corps Leader.”

“That is impossible.”

“Why? I hear the Demon Inquisition Corps Leader seat will soon be vacant. Is he already too busy playing Corps Leader?”

“……”

The snake-eyed man was at a loss for words.

He must have been wondering how I knew that.

“Look here, Snake… no, Third Unit Leader. Go to the Deputy Corps Leader and tell him this clearly. That I came along out of consideration for the Demon Inquisition Corps’ face, so the Demon Inquisition Corps should show some sincerity as well.”

The snake-eyed man hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

“If the Young Lord refuses the investigation, your stay here will only grow longer.”

“I can stay half a month or a month if I have to, so just go and deliver my words properly.”

“The Deputy Corps Leader is a very strict man. Having me conduct the interrogation will be far better for the Seventh Young Lord as well.”

“I will bear that myself.”

I did not give an inch.

Where did this man think he was trying to sell that nonsense?

It was not as if I had only met the Deputy Corps Leader once or twice.

“Even so, I will see the Seventh Young Lord through to the–”

<Enough.>

At the bizarre voice that rang out suddenly, the snake-eyed man’s face darkened sharply.

At that moment, the lamps inside went out weakly and darkness fell.

At the same time, an indescribably grim aura appeared.

How should I put it, it felt like the crystallization of the unpleasant aura surrounding the Demon Inquisition Corps.

It was sticky, chilling, and so eerie it made my bones ache with cold.

The owner of that aura used a drifting movement art like a ghost and sat down in front of me.

Perhaps because the distance between us was so short.

The abnormal Demonic Qi pouring off him made it feel like my breath would catch.

This was Jo Yi-gyeong, who would soon rise to the seat of head of the Demon Inquisition Corps.

‘He is always such a burden to look at.’

He himself always hid within a dense fog, yet it felt like he was trying to lay bare the very essence of whoever sat before him.

And I knew this because there had been a small connection between us.

When I failed on my second attempt to escape the Demon Cult, I had nearly had my mind ‘reformed’ by Jo Yi-gyeong.

He always appeared with his whole body wrapped up, trying to break my will to escape with all sorts of sermons.

Though in the end, he had not been able to stop my escape.

“Deputy Corps Leader, I will remain in charge of the Seventh Young Lord to the end.”

Just as he looked, the snake-eyed man seemed rather tenacious.

Or perhaps it was out of fear of being branded incompetent.

“The Seventh Young Lord is not a vessel you can handle.”

“Even so–”

“Will you make me say it twice?”

In an instant, a suffocating murderous aura spread thickly.

“Deoheok!”

Kwadadang!

“Deoheok” was the strange groan from the snake-eyed man, and the second “Kwadadang” was the sound of people collapsing in succession.

It seemed the two scribes had fainted.

It was literally a man-killing murderous aura.

“I will withdraw, Deputy Corps Leader.”

I heard the sound of the snake-eyed man roughly hauling the scribes up as if he were picking up a few coins.

I spoke to him with a smile.

“Snake… no, Third Unit Leader.”

“Please speak.”

“You no longer have the qualifications to interrogate me. Because of the size of your vessel.”

The snake-eyed man showed no reaction.

To be precise, he made no sound.

I could not see in the dark, but he was surely making a face like he had just eaten a mouthful of dirt.

“…If the chance arises, I will see you again one day.”

“Even if we meet again, with your vessel you will not be able to do anything.”

“…Grit.”

The snake-eyed man left.

Even at the end he had to add a word, the type to always take a few extra hits because of his mouth.

‘It’ll really be like that when I see you again later, just so you know.’

I was grinning in satisfaction when Jo Yi-gyeong spoke in a low, gloomy voice.

“Are you satisfied now?”

“Very satisfied. Are you the Deputy Corps Leader?”

I knew perfectly well he was, but I asked as if we were meeting for the first time.

“I am. I am Jo Yi-gyeong, Deputy Corps Leader of the Demon Inquisition Corps.”

For someone dealing with a Little Demon, his tone was extremely stiff and rude.

He had always been someone who feared nothing except the Heavenly Demon.

The way to deal with him was simple.

‘Show thorough logic.’

The Demon Inquisition Corps was a den of fanatics.

They would do anything to protect the Sacred Flame and serve the Heavenly Demon.

They did not hesitate to manipulate Demonic Qi artificially, dangerous as that was.

In that den of fanatics, Jo Yi-gyeong was almost the only person with whom common sense worked.

– Seize violators of doctrine regardless of their status.

That was the order he gave as soon as he rose to the seat of Demon Inquisition Corps Leader.

Because of that order, not only those of high rank but even a Little Demon like Yuk Ja-heung had been dragged into the Demon Inquisition Corps.

Perhaps because he had been excessively upright.

He had many enemies, and one day he suddenly disappeared.

Many people speculated that he had been assassinated and dumped somewhere no one could find.

Because he was this kind of person.

Even if I had acted against doctrine, if I could convince him of my reasons he would gladly strip away the charges against me.

Because Jo Yi-gyeong had the authority to do so.

‘I have more than one or two things to do from here on out, so I cannot let this keep dragging at my ankle.’

If I did not clean things up properly now, I would be dragged to the Demon Inquisition Corps at the slightest thing.

Then one day I might not be released for a long time, and I would end up muttering, just like Yuk Ja-heung had in my previous life, “The doctrine must be observed. The doctrine must be observed.”

“You know who I am, so I will skip the introduction. But is it not too dark right now? I think it would be nice to light the lamps again.”

“I do not prefer brightness.”

It was the answer I had expected.

For some reason, Jo Yi-gyeong always wanted to hide himself.

“Were you perhaps eavesdropping on the conversation here? You appeared at a very convenient moment.”

“Of late, the Seventh Young Lord has been repeatedly stirring up the Cult. I was curious what sort of person you were.”

“Was it close to what you expected?”

“Completely different. The rumors did not capture you properly. Most violators of the doctrine turn into drugged chickens once they enter this place. Especially in front of me.”

Jo Yi-gyeong’s sticky Demonic Qi flickered in place of the extinguished flames.

“Yet the Seventh Young Lord looks very much at ease.”

I had only heard it as a rumor as well, but there was said to be a special absolute formation set up in the Demon Inquisition Corps.

So just being here was said to have a negative effect on the mind and body of any martial artist below the Extreme Demon realm.

‘Come to think of it, everyone else’s complexions did look bad.’

I thought of Im Yeon and Ak Mu-jin.

Their faces had clearly changed the moment we entered the Demon Inquisition Corps.

The strange part was that I was perfectly fine.

I just felt that it was unpleasant, that it gave me goosebumps.

I had that level of sensation, but nothing beyond it.

“What could be the reason? The Seventh Young Lord does not seem to have reached the Extreme Demon realm, so why are you unaffected?”

His voice sounded as if he had discovered some mysterious object.

It was a different reaction from my previous life.

Feeling an unknown sense of unease, I answered.

“Who knows. I don’t really know either.”

Unlike those words, I inwardly had a guess.

What set me apart from other Demon Cult members were the True Blood Severed Meridians, the Nine Heavens Demon-Ascension Art, and Perfect Demonic Qi.

The Demon Inquisition Corps’ absolute formation would work by disturbing Demonic Qi and affecting the mind and body.

If so, would Perfect Demonic Qi, which was far more stable than Pure Demonic Qi or Chaotic Demonic Qi, not remain unshaken even by such effects?

Well, it was only a conjecture, so I would have to speak with the Demon Valley Lord to know for sure.

If I had discovered a new function of Perfect Demonic Qi, I would have to develop this aspect further.

‘That is a matter for later.’

“We are both busy people, so let us get to the point. What business does the Demon Inquisition Corps have with me?”

“Your deeds in Shufu were quite impressive. Why did you not only spare the apostates but even bring them with you all the way to the main altar?”

“Because that is the path that benefits the Cult.”

“It would be better to offer a more plausible excuse. The Seventh Young Lord has broken the doctrine. All apostates must be killed. Even as a Little Demon, you may not arbitrarily grant them absolution.”

He had not raised his voice, nor did he release killing intent.

Yet each and every word carried a weight that could not just be brushed aside.

It felt like receiving a solemn judgment from the King of the Underworld.

But if I shrank back and stammered here, I would truly become a “violator of doctrine.”

I answered while pretending to be as composed as possible.

“Even so, are you going to beat tens of thousands of them to death? That is not realistic, and there is no need.”

“They should not have been accepted into the Divine Cult. Our Cult is not so generous as to accept apostates. By your foolish actions, you have diminished the authority of the Cult.”

Only then did Jo Yi-gyeong’s voice rise.

The entire building shook as if it were about to collapse.

There were two things to be learned from this scene.

First, Jo Yi-gyeong possessed profound internal energy.

Second, he clearly regarded me not as a Little Demon but half as a violator of doctrine. If not, he would not be bearing down on me like this.

‘What comes next is what matters.’

I stared straight at Jo Yi-gyeong’s pupils, faintly gleaming in the dark.

“Is the authority of the Cult really that important?”

“Is that something that should come from a Little Demon’s mouth?”

“It is not something I cannot say. Do you perhaps know what the Cult’s financial state is like?”

“What nonsense is that supposed to be?”

“It’s said to be in dire straits. Because of debt.”

To turn the Demon Cult into a warm place, the Eight Great Ancestors had created an absolute formation that wrapped around the entire city.

To do that, they had not only exhausted the Cult’s finances but also taken on enormous debt.

Even now, the Demon Cult was running a vast household while struggling every year.

“What is the yearly budget of the Demon Inquisition Corps? It must be enormous, right?”

“……”

“Judging by your silence, I must be right. With such a massive organization, it can only be that way. Where do you think that huge budget comes from?”

The aura wrapping the room around us quivered faintly.

He was unsettled by a rebuttal he had not expected.

“How much profit do you think the Cult will gain from accepting the people of Shufu? Just in terms of money, their yearly offerings will be at least ten thousand nyang.”

“……”

“Do you see now? The Demon Inquisition Corps is maintained thanks to people like me who go outside and bring in money. Yet you are trying to deny these tremendous results and brand me a violator of doctrine? Is that not going too far?”

Jo Yi-gyeong did not answer for a long time.

I did not press him and simply waited.

I was a little tense.

How would Jo Yi-gyeong respond?

Would he admit there was sense in it, or would he explode and tell me to stop spouting nonsense?

‘Well then, what answer will it be?’

At last, his voice rang out.

“Refreshing.”

A short, dry answer.

I tilted my head.

Was that the former, or the latter?