“So they cannot pay on time?”
“Given the air around, it seems like it…”
“Didn’t you guarantee it was certain that they would pay before?”
“That… I thought the same too. You know, right? The Justice Faction people are those who uphold their values.”
“Ah, so you handed our assets to the Mount Hua Sect?”
“All the assets?”
Puak!
After receiving the punch, Dujin turned his head.
As expected, it hurt no matter when he was hit. The fists were strong but the part that made it hurt that much was that he knew how to hit someone to specifically cause an injury.
To the extent that one could say he truly belonged to the Demonic Sect.
“What do we do now?”
“Hmm.”
When Yong Jin asked, Seol-Hwi crossed his arms and thought for a moment.
“I will handle it. After all, the purpose of those who took the money is obvious,”
Jeok Song said as if he had been waiting.
“I will come too,”
Yong Jin also expressed his intention to participate. If one had money, all they had to do was use some funds.
“Nice. You two can go.”
“Yes.”
“We are always happy to do it.”
Jeok Song and Yong Jin smiled.
Was it the joy of being able to exercise their skills for the first time in a while? Their bodies were itching for it?
“But, extreme actions like murder should be stopped. If we do that, then we will end up fighting Mount Hua and the Demonic Sect.”
“What if they are stubborn?’
“Just go now. It is better not to confront them for now. Jeok Song? Yong Jin has a temper which makes him excited. So take responsibility and judge the situation.”
“I understand.”
“Wait, what do I get excited about…”
Yong Jin mumbled something in disapproval, and seeing him, Seol-Hwi turned.
This much was enough.
What was more important than money was to not be discovered by the Demonic Sect.
He was trying to live life without getting into trouble, but there was nothing good about attracting attention for no reason.
“What is happening?”
Clack
Seo Ryeong offered tea to Seol-Hwi, who entered the room.
It did not seem strange that the baby would be born in a month’s time, as her stomach was bulging out.
“Nothing. Well, there is a problem… but it will get resolved soon.”
“Do not work too hard. Even if we have money, health comes first.”
“Just the thought of that makes me happy.”
In the past, Seo Ryeong’s personality had a lot of ups and downs. She had this blunt manner of speaking. But after having this child in her, she became gentle.
The ups and downs in mood had decreased, and she spoke in a cautious tone.
Of course, there were still times when she could not control her emotions.
“Anyway, I have been thinking about it… the name of the child.”
“You decided?”
Seol-Hwi nodded and said.
“Taei… how about that?”
“What does that mean?”
“The character Tae means both nose and mouth, and means life. Also, it isn’t too odd to say the fetus is the one who holds the child. This child is a happy one.”
In other words, Seol-Hwi added that he was thinking it would convey their joy at the birth of the child.
“Taei…”
“How is it?”
When Seol-Hwi asked, she smiled.
“Nice. I like it too.”
“Me too.”
Seol-Hwi got up from his place. He then gently placed his hand on her stomach and said,
“Taei… I am your father.’
“…”
“You must be feeling suffocated. But it is fine. Soon, we will meet you, until then… be patient.”
As Seol-Hwi said, something felt emotional to him. Having a child of his own had this indescribable feeling.
The comfort and safety and the countless emotions he was going through.
“Ah.”
He looked at Seo Ryeong with tears in his eyes.
If he said even one wrong word, it felt like tears would fall down.
“Lady…?”
“Ah, I seem to have gotten emotional.”
She wiped those tears off.
Probably because she was pregnant, but she seemed to be much more emotional than Seol-Hwi. And after a couple breaths she said,
“Actually, it is so tough. So much that I cannot say it. I cannot believe that a day like this has come for…”
Shhh
Seol-Hwi held her hand and looked at her.
“This is the reality. The fact that we met and the fact that Taei is ours.”
“…”
“All miracles done by reality.”
“Right. miracles…”
Weik
She eventually cried. And Seol-Hwi hugged her.
Perhaps because of her body temperature which rose, but the embrace was unusually cozy for them.
And so this happiness.
He felt at ease. And it felt the best among the many lives he had.
And he hoped that these little emotions he felt now would continue.
The inner happenings of the Sichuan branch of Mount Hua Sect—
In a place which held the most luxurious interior and carpets, there was a man bleeding.
“Ughh.”
The man who was groaning was Lee Kang.
As one of the first disciples, he was in charge of managing the funds in the Sichuan branch of Mount Hua.
“Are you out of your mind?”
“…”
Lee kang blinked.
Tightly bound, and his last memory was being beaten out of his mind. There were two intruders who did this.
They were talking amongst themselves.
“Hmm, now we can finally have a nice conversation. Where is the money?”
“W-what money! You thieves, do you know what this…”
“Huh? Did we hit him too hard? Looks like he cannot remember.”
One of the two scratched their heads.
“We are no thieves. We came here to collect the money we lent earlier, but now you make a fuss.”
“Lent…? Are you joking? All the debts have been paid…”
“Flame King.”
Tuk
The disciple of Mount Hua who was about to get angry, Lee Kang, made an upset face.
It was like something he forgot had come to his mind.
“You remember now? That is the face you need to make.”
“Pay it back quickly. Do not get angry for no reason.”
“…”
But Lee Kang looked stubborn.
He glanced at the people ahead and said,
“Look here, the sect has no money now.”
“Uh…?”
“The scale of what this sect is doing is not normal. I guess you don’t know our situation, but it will take a while for the funds to be paid. So I will pay back when things get better… kuak!”
And he got hit.
With one kick, even the chair he was tied to was shattered.
“Ehhh. Do not waste time.”
There was someone who stopped Yong Jin. It was Jeok Song.
“So? You want to listen to this guy and leave?”
“No. There is no need to waste time with him. See.”
Jeok Song looked around. He continued to look at the decorations and the closets around.
“It is known to fool us. You say you don’t have money to pay us back, but what is all this?”
“…!”
The expression of Lee Kang changed.
Perhaps he did not think they would understand it at a glance.
“Well. How could it be that the guy who manages money doesn’t have anything in the room… of importance.”
“…”
Seeing that Yong Jin was convinced, Jeok Song nodded.
“Let us take a break now and take the money. No more nonsense.”
“Huh.”
Lee Kang snorted.
“This is the Sichuan branch of Mount Hua. How can mere lenders know anything about… uh?”
Drip
A couple things were moved and then a few objects shook, and soon the ground disappeared.
Kukuk
Then came up a huge storage wall.
“Is it is open?”
“T-this…!
Puak!
After taking another hit from Yong Jin, he fell down, with white foam in his mouth.
Kiik
“Woah.”
Yong Jin and Jeok Song looked shocked as they opened the cabinet.
The cabinet was full of gold and silver bars. There was much more money than they lended. Yong Jin was counting it but then frowned.
“Well, this is too much money. The source is suspicious.”
The Mount Hua Sect has said that externally they take down demons and snatch their belongings. But to those on Seol-Hwi’s side, they knew this was utter nonsense.
Would the Demonic Sect simply give such a huge amount of money for nothing? And that too, to those who are killing them?
“There are slips too. Around one for a medium sect level… and looks they looted a lot of places and destroyed the evidence. So odd.”
“Ah, these dirty bastards.”
Yong Jin agreed with Jeok Song’s guess.
Sichuan was a wide land.
There were many underdeveloped areas beyond the reach of the central government, and there were many small and medium sized sects which opened their sects in small villages.
Some of them may have actually been massacred by demons and had their property stolen, but judging from the amount collected…
It seemed like the Mount Hua Sect had killed quite a huge amount of people, and they hid it all. Furthermore, it seemed like the damage of that was blamed on the Demonic Sect.
The dead might hate it, but the dead cannot speak.
Tuk
Yong Jin unfolded the cloth he brought along and began to take the gold and silver bars.
“Only take some of them.”
“Why? We should take more for the effort we had to put in.”
“Seriously.”
Not only did Jeok Song stop him, but he also filled the bag he took out.
And then glanced back.
“A face we never saw.”
“…!”
“…!
Suddenly, men of Mount Hua appeared behind them.
This.
Jeok Song, who saw them, had this feeling. This would not be an easy deal.
There were five in total. And all three of them had masks.
Jeok Song quickly glanced at them and turned his eyes. He felt like one of them specifically would be the most difficult to handle.
A warrior… a lot better than me.
As he had just recently learned a couple things, his strength had grown amazingly, and his internal energy had greatly increased.
In his view, the guys in front of him were around Supreme Demons in terms of the Demonic Sect’s power level. No, maybe more.
“Who are you?”
Chak
Yong Jin stepped ahead and he frowned.
Dujin, the loan shark—
The guy who told them about this place, was with the masked men.
“Is it them?”
“Yes, elder. I am sure.”
Elder?
Jeok Song frowned at their discussion.
Dujin was one of the Ten families and under the Demonic Sect, but to call him elder…
While he was thinking, the masked person ahead and the other masked person were talking.
“As I thought well. Now I have a rough idea.”
He nodded to himself.
“Ehh, what are you people… you won’t answer?”
Yong Jin was feeling annoyed and he rushed ahead.
“Yong Jin. No!”
Jeok Song stopped him but it was too late.
Wheik!
Yong Jin aimed at the masked person in front. He quickly stepped to the side and aimed for the face, and at that moment, he witnessed this shocking scene.
Shhh.
“…!”
Something as swift as lighting passed by, and Yong Jin stumbled, his balance shaken.
“Kuak!”
And soon he saw this fist-sized hole in his shoulder. Suddenly, of the three masked men, one in the back moved and attacked, injuring him too.
Wheik!
“Kuaaa!”
And then three attacks in a row. Yong Jin quickly took a step back and collapsed backwards, screaming.
If he were not treated right, he would suffer fatally and die.
‘One mistake and you die here.’
But Jeok Song could not attack.
They were warriors on a different level from him. Judging by the energy, it was the Mount Hua Sect. But he was not a low level demon like Dujin.
They don’t give off Demonic energy. An opponent who has experienced it all…
But he could feel very faint demonic energy. Then, they would be people of the sect sent for a purpose.
“Kuaaa…”
With Yong Jin’s faint groan, towards the frozen Jeok Song—
“Hey. I came looking for someone…”
The masked person in the front stepped ahead and opened his mouth for the first time.
“Will you cooperate?”
“…”
And it was a clear threat, not a request.
