“Let’s have a meal together before we part ways.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s suggestion, Pyeonjung stepped back, saying there was no need.
“I’m fine.”
“We ate together every day on the way here. Would it not be strange to skip it on the last day?”
It would be strange indeed. But Geom Mugeuk was already tugging at his sleeve cuff.
“Which inn around here has good food? Let’s go there.”
Thus, led by Geom Mugeuk, the two walked down the main street. Having met a good customer, his mouth would feast until the very last day.
As they were walking, a fierce-looking man blocked Pyeonjung’s path and held out his hand.
Pyeonjung handed over two-thirds of the money he had earned this time.
The man who took the money left immediately. No greeting, no curses, no threats. Geom Mugeuk found this even more heartless. Before any emotion like anger or sorrow could be felt, the hard-earned money had vanished.
Walking a few steps further, Pyeonjung sighed and spoke.
“At first, I protested that it was unfair and resisted.”
A difficult past followed.
“I was even beaten in front of my wife and children. I bore that, too. But when that bastard put a knife to my son’s neck, I gave up everything.”
Now, with a resigned heart, he endured each day by saving more and working harder.
Pyeonjung glanced at Geom Mugeuk. Geom Mugeuk said nothing.
“It’s right over there. That place has the best cooking.”
Entering the inn, Geom Mugeuk secured a room to stay for a while, then ate with Pyeonjung on the first floor. He ordered the dish the inn did best, and they ate together.
‘He has so much money, so why did he borrow ten nyang? He’s only going through unnecessary troubles.’
Pyeonjung spoke cautiously.
“If you are thinking of doing something to Tongjeonso, please do not. They are not ordinary bandits. Their organization is large. There is nowhere in the Central Plains they do not reach.”
Geom Mugeuk refilled his wine cup.
“You need not worry about me.”
As always, Geom Mugeuk silently ate and drank, and Pyeonjung also quietly ate his food.
After they finished eating, Geom Mugeuk bade farewell.
“You must be tired, so go and rest. Thank you for driving the carriage all the way here.”
Geom Mugeuk called for the innkeeper. There was a separate reason he had insisted on bringing him here. The innkeeper brought out a packaged dish.
“I asked for food that children would enjoy, so take it and feed them.”
Geom Mugeuk had noticed that Pyeonjung fell into thought with every bite, realizing he must be thinking of his children.
Being cared for down to his children moved Pyeonjung’s heart.
“Why do you treat me so well?”
“It is my gratitude for bringing me here safely.”
Pyeonjung choked up. One meets good people and has lucky days in life, but he had never before met someone who showed such kindness.
After thanking him repeatedly, Pyeonjung headed home with both hands full of food. His steps quickened at the thought of how much his children would truly enjoy it.
Pyeonjung would think that the relationship which began as coachman and passenger ended upon reaching the destination, but the bond was not yet severed.
Watching him leave, Geom Mugeuk silently took out ten nyang from his bosom and looked down at it.
* * *
Deokchul was nervous.
Having spent three months as a Tongjeonso probationary investigator, he was finally going on his first official investigation.
‘Let’s do this splendidly and be acknowledged.’
An investigator’s job was to go to the debtor’s address and confirm whether their parents or family truly lived there. This task was more important than collecting money. Because if family was not held hostage, the debtor could run away.
The closer he got to the address, the more tense Deokchul became.
‘They say the Demon Cult headquarters is in this area. This place really is a demonic den.’
He had lost count of how many demonic ones emanating demonic energy he had met on the way here.
He was afraid, but he could not turn back. He had to do this job well to become an official investigator.
Deokchul checked the address written on the paper and walked on. He acted as naturally as possible. It was obvious that if he made a mistake for no reason in the demonic ones’ territory, he would not get out alive, so he walked leisurely, like someone who came here often.
Thus, Deokchul entered Magachon. As he passed through the marketplace, peddlers were selling various goods.
“We have many fine wares, come and see!”
Unable to refuse the goateed peddler’s solicitation, Deokchul was drawn in. He feared that if he refused, the peddler would twist his goatee and some retired demonic one would jump out asking, “Do you know who I am?”
The display had all kinds of things: from dolls carved from the Heavenly Demon Spirit to products related to the Demon Lords. The white mask of the Extreme Evil Young Demon was also hanging there.
‘These Demon Cult bastards are truly mad. To think they sell things like this.’
The Heavenly Demon Spirit doll was truly terrifying. If he saw it while half-asleep, he thought it might trigger convulsions. Come to think of it, had the person who made this even seen the Heavenly Demon Spirit? Thinking about it, how could someone who merely made and sold dolls have seen it?
Beside it stood the Eight Demon Lords dolls.
What caught his eye first was undoubtedly the Fist Demon doll. With a build twice that of others, its face was as impressive as the Heavenly Demon Spirit.
The goateed peddler quickly explained.
“This is the Fist Demon, sir. It is really well made to actual scale.”
His fist was the size of a human head, and he called it actual scale? Who did he take for a fool?
Deokchul set down the Fist Demon doll and examined another doll beside it. It had caught his eye because its appearance was the complete opposite of the Fist Demon.
“That one is the Poison King, sir. He really is handsome, is he not? Look at those twelve poison pouches there. Every single wrinkle was made with such care.”
Though the goateed peddler spat saliva as he introduced it, Deokchul inwardly doubted.
‘The Poison King is this young and handsome? No matter how no one’s seen the real thing, is it really okay to scam people like this?’
And what of the Ilhwa Sword Venerable doll? Clad in snow-white martial robes, it fully radiated the beauty of middle age. How could Deokchul believe it was the Sword Venerable when he did not even know the Sword Venerable was a woman?
‘They really made these haphazardly.’
What decisively fueled Deokchul’s disbelief was the Demon Buddha doll. About half the size of the other dolls, it glowed golden.
‘They cut the cost by making it half-sized.’
Moreover, how could such a golden glow come from a human body?
This time, Deokchul picked up the Blood Heaven Blade Demon doll with its well-captured crooked, stubborn gaze, then drew the Heaven-Destroying Great Sword he carried on his back. Oh, this is cool.
When he saw the Extreme Evil Young Demon doll with its arms crossed arrogantly while wearing a white mask, his heart chilled, and he ended up trying on the hanging mask for no reason.
The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord doll manipulating a puppet, or the Drunken Demon doll sprawled on a rock drinking wine, were also quite cool in their own way. They were all made to their own taste, if nothing else.
“If you buy all Eight Demon Lords at once, I’ll give you a thirty percent discount.”
“I’ll buy them next time.”
As he was about to leave, the goateed peddler blocked him. He had already noticed that Deokchul was a greenhorn from out of town.
The goateed peddler’s eyes said: You looked at all this and you’re just leaving? You even drew the Heaven-Destroying Great Sword and you’re not buying? You even tried on the mask? Really?
Feeling like he had to buy something or else, Deokchul picked up the Blood Heaven Blade Demon doll.
“I’ll buy this.”
Only then did the goateed peddler break into a wide smile.
Just as Deokchul, having been forced to buy the Blood Heaven Blade Demon doll, was turning around.
From up ahead, a golden radiance walked this way.
Deokchul squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. He had not been seeing things. The real Demon Buddha was walking this way.
Deokchul looked at the dolls on the display stand.
‘He looks exactly the same!’
As the Demon Buddha walked past, he glanced at Deokchul. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon doll in Deokchul’s hand trembled.
‘Should I have bought the Demon Buddha doll?’
His heart pounded wildly. Surely he wouldn’t be killed for buying a different doll?
Just then, a voice came from the opposite direction.
“Welcome.”
Deokchul turned to see a young man standing there.
He was none other than Great Young Lord Geom Muyang.
“Great Young Lord.”
Deokchul held his breath.
‘Great Young Lord? Don’t tell me I’m standing at a meeting between the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s Great Young Lord and the Demon Buddha right now?’
Geom Muyang spoke to the Demon Buddha.
“The Demon Lord treated last time, so I’ll buy the drinks today.”
“Very well.”
The Demon Buddha walked with a bright smile. Rather, after Geom Mugeuk became the Young Cult Leader, the relationship between these two had improved.
The Demon Buddha had protected Geom Muyang to the end, though he had failed to become the Young Cult Leader. Having stepped away from power, a new friendship had begun between the two.
As the Demon Buddha passed in front of Deokchul, he glanced at him. Before Deokchul knew it, the goateed peddler had also thrust a Demon Buddha doll into his hand.
Having ended up buying the Demon Buddha doll as well, Deokchul hurriedly escaped that place.
Dawdling near the Demon Cult. He must be crazy wanting to die. Come on, let me check quickly and go back.
“Pass Magachon, walk five hundred paces west, turn the corner of Rock Mountain…”
When he arrived there, Deokchul’s mouth fell wide open. He checked the paper he was holding again.
‘It should be right here?’
Deokchul raised his head and looked at the scene before him.
The place where magnificent buildings stretched endlessly and giant evil ghost statues stood tall was the main headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. He had never been here before either. He checked the address written on the paper again, but indeed, it was this place.
‘What the hell!’
What kind of madman writes down this place as his address after borrowing money?
‘Ah! No way. Could it be someone who works at the Demon Cult headquarters?’
If so, he should go and check if the person written here was there.
Go to the main gate and ask, “Does a man named Geom Woojin live here?” And then they’d say, “We have so many people living here, why ask such a thing?” and cut his throat in one blow?
‘Ah, what should I do? It’s my first official mission!’
As Deokchul was clutching his head in worry beneath the huge wall of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, two people were walking toward him from afar.
‘If they look like good people, I’ll ask them.’
But they were people he could never ask.
The two were none other than Fist Demon and I-an, who had just returned to the headquarters.
As the gigantic frame approached, Deokchul realized where he had seen this man before. Where had he seen that build? The moment he recalled, the doll the peddler had sold came to mind. That doll whose fist was the size of a human head.
‘It’s the Fist Demon!’
Startled out of his wits, he stepped aside and bowed his head deeply. The two continued their conversation as they walked.
“Father.”
“What is it?”
Father and daughter? No way! Ah! She must have been kidnapped. Damn demonic bastards.
“I just called for no reason.”
“How dull.”
“Father!”
“Stop fooling around!”
Surely she wasn’t calling that scary man because she liked him. Could she be asking me for rescue?
I’m sorry, young lady! There are probably only a few people in the entire martial world who could rescue you from the Fist Demon!
Trying to steal another glance at the woman, he inadvertently raised his head and locked eyes with the Fist Demon.
It was truly the most terrifying face he had ever seen in his life. His knees buckled and all the hair on his body stood on end at once.
The terrifying doll the peddler had sold had not done the real Fist Demon justice. The real thing was far more frightening.
The dolls in his hands were the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Demon Buddha.
‘I should have bought the Fist Demon doll!’
In the meantime, the two passed in front of Deokchul.
Just as Deokchul was letting out a sigh of relief and turning around, this time an old man holding a massive blade walked toward him.
Deokchul looked at him, then looked again at the doll in his hand. They were identical.
‘Blood Heaven Blade Demon?’
Deokchul truly felt like screaming.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at Deokchul with his crooked, stubborn gaze and abruptly spoke.
“What are you doing there?”
Deokchul was startled out of his wits at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s question.
He had not expected the Blood Heaven Blade Demon to speak to him. Not knowing what to answer, Deokchul hesitated, then held out the Blood Heaven Blade Demon doll he was holding.
‘Please spare me! I bought your doll too.’
Just then, a voice came from above his head.
“I’m waiting for my drinking buddy to return.”
Turning around, he saw a man sitting on the high wall, drinking wine. Deokchul understood. The question had not been directed at him, but at the man on the wall.
The man on the roof was the Drunken Demon.
“I ran out upon hearing that you two had returned, but the person I wanted to see hasn’t come.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon walked on again.
“Don’t you know? He’s someone who sticks his nose into all sorts of worldly affairs.”
Then the Drunken Demon looked off into the distance where the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had come from.
“I know. Isn’t that why I miss him all the more?”
“If you miss him that much, stop drinking and go find him.”
In the past, he would have told him to stop acting like a drunkard, but the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had grown much more lenient toward the Drunken Demon as the three of them spent more time together with the Ilhwa Sword Venerable.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon walked toward the main gate of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and the Drunken Demon drank again.
Deokchul did not know how he got out of there. He ran and ran, dashing into some tavern in Magachon.
“Give me some wine.”
He ordered wine the moment he sat down. His throat was dry and his legs trembled. Yet he could not simply leave. If he returned without even confirming his first official mission, his probationary period could be extended.
The one who brought the wine was Jo Chunbae. The tavern he had dashed into was a pleasure tavern.
As he set down the wine, he spoke in a low voice.
“I took your order because you seemed to be in a hurry, but we have an honored guest present now, so you must drink quietly.”
Deokchul gulped down the wine. Honored guest or not, he had to save himself first. His heart had been trembling so much he thought he might die.
As Jo Chunbae was turning to leave, Deokchul asked.
“Proprietor, do you know where a man named Geom Woojin lives around here?”
In an instant, silence flowed through the tavern.
Everyone’s gaze turned to Deokchul, then to the second floor of the tavern. A man sat there with his back turned, drinking wine.
Judging by the surrounding reaction, Deokchul quickly asked.
“Is that him?”
Jo Chunbae spoke with a trembling voice.
“It is indeed him, but… I don’t think he is the one you are looking for.”
“That’s what everyone says.”
It was exactly what he had seen and heard daily during his probationary period. I don’t know such a person. He is not my child. We lost contact long ago. What do you mean he isn’t?
Without giving him time to intervene, Deokchul hurried up to the second floor.
‘There’s no law saying I’ll die.’
To think he would meet Geom Woojin here.
‘It is the will of Heaven for me to become an official investigator!’
Deokchul approached Geom Woojin, who was drinking alone on the second floor, and held out the paper as he asked.
“Are you the one who lives at this address?”