“The Demon Army Lord. Name: Gucheonyang (具天壤). Younger sibling of the Blood Heaven Demon, Hyeolcheon Doma of the Gucheon Faction. It has been eight years since he ascended to the position of Demon Army Lord, and by carrying out all manner of dangerous missions, he has elevated the Demon Army to a position as an elite organization acknowledged by all in both name and reality.”
Seodaeryong was well-informed about the Demon Army Lord as well.
“You mean he did his job well.”
“That is correct.”
“May I see the anonymous letter that came in this time?”
“Yes. Here it is.”
He showed me the letter.
The contents, written crookedly as if to disguise the handwriting, were very simple.
*Serious corruption has occurred within the Demon Army. Requesting investigation.*
As I looked down at it for some time, Seodaeryong asked.
“Is something the matter?”
“Let’s imagine for a moment. There is corruption within the Hwangcheongak. And you come to know of it.”
Looking at Seodaeryong, I asked.
“Then, would you send an anonymous letter?”
“If it were me, I would not send one.”
Seodaeryong’s answer was without hesitation.
“Right? It’s none of your business.”
“No, that is not the reason.”
“Then?”
“Because even if I sent an anonymous letter, nothing would change.”
A certain defeatism could be felt in his answer, spat out nonchalantly.
“Doesn’t your Hwangcheongak exist to change the main sect?”
“To be precise, we are merely the blade used by those who wish to change the main sect. Not the agents themselves.”
“If the heads at the top don’t change, the main sect won’t change?”
“I have never said such a thing.”
But his expression said, *Is it not so?* He already exuded a gloomy atmosphere, so this cynical and pessimistic thought suited him well.
“Anyway, this person sent the letter. They think they’ll die if this gets out. You can tell just by how they disguised their handwriting. But why did this person send the letter? Even though, as you say, nothing changes from doing so.”
Instead of Seodaeryong, who gave no answer, Ian stepped forward slightly and replied.
“It’s unlikely they sent it out of a sense of justice…… Perhaps they have a grudge against the one who committed the corruption?”
“That’s reasonable.”
I nodded and returned the letter to Seodaeryong.
“Anyway, we must find this person no matter what. If we look easy, they’ll never reveal themselves.”
“Yes, I think so as well.”
“How about it? Can you do it?”
“I must. I’ve already received the order and come here.”
“I’m saying this is truly dangerous. The Demon Army Lord may be involved. Aren’t you afraid?”
“Yes.”
“You know about the investigator who died last time?”
“I know. The investigator who died then was my direct senior.”
“Ah, I see.”
“He was the mentor who taught me.”
A certain sorrow could be felt within his composed words. Perhaps the reason he had memorized the information on all the demons belonging to the Demon Army was because he wanted to avenge his dead senior.
“Are you sad when you think of him?”
“He passed away too vainly.”
“It was not a vain death. Because that death called you and me here. And you should be afraid. They are ones who killed a Hwangcheongak investigator and even murdered and annihilated their comrades. In short, they are those with nothing to lose.”
“I do not wish to be afraid of such filthy scum.”
From these words, I could tell for certain. He wanted to avenge his senior. Great anger slept within that small stature.
“Now then, shall we go investigate?”
As I was about to leave the quarters with Seodaeryong, Ian tagged along.
“Young master! Please take me with you.”
She was thinking that investigating the Demon Army was dangerous.
“No, it’s an official mission. Take this time to rest.”
She needed to distance herself from me.
Ian, who had been watching us leave with a worried gaze, suddenly looked around.
I had sent my qi behind me to pat her head once.
*Don’t worry, Ian. I have walked a very long road for days like these.*
* * *
The Maryongwon (Demon Dragon Courtyard), where the Demon Army resided, was located in the western district of the main sect’s outer compound.
Befitting an elite organization, the building was large and the facilities were excellent.
When I arrived at the entrance to Maryongwon with Seodaeryong, two demons blocked our way. Befitting the Demon Army, who boasted large builds, these gatekeepers also had physiques easily twice that of an ordinary person.
“Where have you come from?”
“I am Seodaeryong, Special Investigator of the Hwangcheongak. Step aside!”
Seodaeryong was small in stature but had fortitude.
But the two demons were not nervous or frightened in the slightest by his forcefulness. Rather, they mocked him.
“A special investigator? You don’t look special at all?”
One of them spoke quietly as if to himself, but since he meant for it to be heard, it rang clear.
Before Seodaeryong or I could say anything, the other quickly stepped forward.
“You cannot enter without upper-level permission.”
Seodaeryong held out the investigation order for this incident.
“The upper level is right here. Here, the order.”
“Wait a moment. We must report to the upper level.”
“We will meet your superiors ourselves. Step aside.”
I watched from behind to see how Seodaeryong would handle this.
“We said you can’t enter without permission.”
“This order IS the permission!”
Their voices grew louder.
“What nonsense? If you’ve come here, you must follow our rules.”
“Nonsense?”
Without hesitation, Seodaeryong ruthlessly kicked the shin of the one blocking the way.
Thwack.
“Ugh!”
The one clutching his shin raised his fist high.
“You little bastard!”
Seodaeryong stood his ground and glared at the man.
“Are you trying to strike a Hwangcheongak investigator?”
The bastard couldn’t dare strike Seodaeryong. No matter how overbearing a Demon Army soldier was, assaulting a Hwangcheongak special investigator meant immediate trip to the dungeons.
“Sigh, you want to beat up this tiny mouse and pay compensation?”
This was exactly the level of the Demon Army.
Indeed, was it only the Demon Army? Countless demons of the main sect were living according to their temperaments without regard for consequence.
We have no demonic path.
There must have been one at some point, but by now we have lost the demonic path.
There is no consideration for why the main sect should exist in the martial world, or what it must pursue in the future.
A gathering of villains bound by the warped prejudice that cruelty and strength are justice and truth. If someone were to curse the main sect in this way, I would be unable to offer any refutation.
Seodaeryong raised his voice.
“Step aside!”
“We said wait until the superior comes!”
They did not step aside.
It was because of this reality that Seodaeryong had said those words.
*Because nothing changes even if you send an anonymous letter.*
This current scuffle undertaken by that small stature was showing the reality of the main sect exactly as it was.
After watching for a while, I finally stepped forward.
“Do you know who I am?”
Even as I stepped forward, the two bastards’ momentum did not wane.
“We know.”
“It seems you don’t know well? If you knew it was me and still did this?”
Even before I finished speaking, I ruthlessly kicked the bastard’s crotch. Since kicking his shin didn’t seem to solve the matter, I kicked something more important.
Thud.
“Uwaaaaaack!”
The bastard clutched his lower body and rolled around.
“You babble about compensation while I’m watching?”
My fist planted itself in the other flustered bastard’s face.
Crack.
That large physique was sent flying in one blow.
Seodaeryong looked on with a surprised face. He seemed to have never imagined I would openly beat up Demon Army members like this.
“What are you doing? Lead the way.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
Seodaeryong took the lead and I followed behind.
Somehow word had spread, and before entering the main building, a group of demons swarmed to block the way.
“Step aside!”
When no one stepped aside, Seodaeryong held out the order and shouted loudly.
“Can’t you see this? You are all obstructing a formally ordered investigation right now. Do you all want to rot in Noeok?”
No matter how loudly he shouted, they only snickered; not a single one showed any fear.
Moreover, because Seodaeryong’s build was small, they looked down on him even more.
The crowd parted and a man walked out.
“Just what bastards came causing trouble?”
“I am Special Investigator Seodaeryong. Reveal your identity.”
“I am Godang (高黨), First Lord of the Demon Army. Is that enough, you bastard?”
Then Seodaeryong quickly sent me a telepathic message.
*This man is effectively ranked second. He is known to be the most vicious among the Demon Army.*
Godang seemed to have seen his lips moving as he sent the telepathic message.
“Has this bastard gone mad wanting to die? Daring to use telepathy in front of someone?”
Whether those at the main gate or this man, they were truly insolent.
The reason they disregarded me was because the Demon Army itself was an organization that supported the elder brother. Hyeolcheon Doma, the elder brother of the Demon Army Lord, was also known to be the backer of the elder brother. That was why they openly ignored me.
“Lord Godang, I am clearly a special investigator of the Hwangcheongak who has come down with an official order. Mind your tongue!”
Seodaeryong was dignified even before Godang.
*I like him.*
After seeing trash-like disciples of Hyeolcheon Doma and the insolent Demon Army, seeing Seodaeryong felt purifying.
Perhaps displeased by Seodaeryong’s attitude, Godang glared.
“Mind my tongue? What if I don’t?”
“I will arrest the lot of you for obstruction of a Hwangcheongak investigation and contempt of an investigator.”
“Arrest? Muahahaha.”
As he laughed loudly, the subordinates around him burst into laughter as well.
“Try it if you can!”
These were the kind of men who would have acted this way even if there were enforcement martial artists who could exercise force accompanying them.
Seodaeryong could do nothing more and looked back at me.
It was time for me to step up again.
“Lord Godang, it’s been a while.”
I strode up to Godang and took his hand as if in a happy handshake.
“When did we last meet? Was it at the last banquet? I’m glad to see you like this.”
In contrast to my delighted self, Godang’s expression was not very good.
“It seems I must urgently see the Demon Army Lord, so let us end the turf-guarding here and open the way.”
And with that, I walked inside with him.
Naturally, the way opened, and Seodaeryong and I entered together still holding hands.
Godang’s subordinates made puzzled expressions at how easily he opened the way compared to his initial momentum.
I walked down the corridor and parted with Godang in front of the stairs.
“Next time, I’ll buy you a drink.”
Because the way had opened so easily and we had ascended the stairs, Seodaeryong asked with a surprised face.
“Were you acquainted with Godang?”
“No. It was my first time seeing him today.”
“But then how?”
“He’ll have to eat with his left hand for a while. I broke his hand during the handshake earlier.”
“What?”
So surprised, Seodaeryong shouted.
He had broken the hand of a Demon Army Lord—moreover, without showing any sign of it. How could he not be surprised?
“I had no idea such a thing happened. But why didn’t he order his subordinates to attack?”
“Then it would be revealed that he was bested, wouldn’t it? His hand breaking during a handshake? He couldn’t show it out of embarrassment before his subordinates even if he wanted to.”
Of course, that was not the only reason. When Godang tried to counterattack after his hand was broken by the sudden assault, I quickly sent a telepathic message.
*If you act up, you’ll never be able to use this hand again.*
I held his broken hand with a grip that seemed ready to crush it completely. There was a precedent earlier where a disciple of Hyeolcheon Doma had his arm crushed beyond recovery, so Godang had been frightened.
“That foul-tempered Godang won’t let this go.”
“And if he doesn’t let it go?”
“He’ll attempt some kind of trick or scheme.”
“If he does, his head will burst and he’ll die. This is a prophecy.”
Seodaeryong looked at me with renewed eyes.
“Admirable, isn’t it?”
“Your personality is more…… than I thought.”
“Why did you stop mid-sentence? Did you mean filthy?”
“…….”
“You are the type who cannot tell lies?”
“That is why I am disliked by many.”
“Being disliked by someone can also mean being liked by someone else.”
Seodaeryong, who had been gazing at me silently for a moment, changed the subject.
“The Demon Army Lord’s office is on the seventh floor. Let us go.”
“It’s unnecessarily high. Let’s go.”
And so we walked up to the seventh floor.