SYM 25

After leaving the restaurant, Cheong-un lightly stepped onto the rooftop, avoiding people’s gazes. His movements were so skillful that his form was practically invisible.

While he had appeared as Ha Yeo-un when with Eun-hyeon, as soon as he left the tavern, he dispelled his disguise and returned to his true form – that of a strikingly handsome man. He flew like a bird above the crowd, stopping beneath a pavilion with a clear view of the Chuihwa Pavilion. A figure in black covert ops clothing approached, kneeling beside Cheong-un and prostrating themselves.

“The Heavenly Devil returns, ten thousand demons bow!”

“Skip the formalities. What’s the situation?”

Tension filled the air at Cheong-un’s irritated voice.

Though he had been in unusually good spirits spending the past few days with Eun-hyeon, this morning’s unexpected news had soured his mood. Someone had the audacity to interfere with his careful operation involving the Danmok family and was trying to frame him for it.

“Who dared to meddle in my affairs?”

“…Well. I apologize.”

Cheong-un’s eyebrows rose at his subordinate’s hesitant response.

“I’m sorry, Master. Until our surveillance last night, we confirmed there was no one there.”

“Impressive… to fool the eyes of the Dark Shadow Clan…”

Cheong-un smiled coldly. The cult members, knowing he smiled more when in a bad mood, prostrated themselves even lower.

“Master, I deserve death. Please kill me.”

Cheong-un waved his hand dismissively. He couldn’t be bothered arguing with subordinates who acted ready to die at his slightest word. Though famous for his ruthlessness as the Heavenly Devil, he wasn’t so cruel as to take lives over a single mistake.

“If they acted right after the Dark Shadow Clan withdrew, it means shadow forces were secretly watching you. Have you looked into that military officer?”

“Yes. Zhang Wuling, age 27, an officer of the Imperial Guard. Originally from Beijing, we’ve determined he stopped in Hefei while carrying out some kind of mission.”

“For someone so young from Beijing to be able to interfere at his own discretion without specific orders, he must have powerful backing.”

“We’re looking into it. He’s one of the more covert operators in the Imperial Guard, so we can’t determine exactly what orders he’s following. If we get too close, our identity might be exposed…”

“The military’s untouchable, eh… Assign one Dark Shadow to watch that officer.”

“Yes!”

“It seems the government is involved in this matter. But why would they do such a thing…”

Cheong-un drummed his fingers on the railing.

From the moment he first infiltrated as a guest of the Namgung family, he had intended to take Danmok Yeo-gang’s life.

All this time, Cheong-un had been taking the lives of those who had wronged his master as punishment.

His master had been a simple man.

Someone who believed in the world as he saw it, and would never do anything against his principles, even at the cost of his life.

At first, he thought his master lived that way because he wasn’t clever enough.

Later, he was dumbfounded to realize his master knew everything but chose not to show it.

But it was precisely because of this that he truly respected his master. He thought, “The righteous faction hasn’t completely rotted away since they have someone like him.”

However, it was also the righteous faction that brutally murdered such a master.

While his master had known but overlooked things and pretended not to notice, he would not do the same.

He had resolved to exact bloody revenge on all those who had wronged his master.

“How are things at the Danmok household? They should have received the news by now.”

“There’s still no reaction.”

“It’s a shame I couldn’t see Danmok Seguk’s face when he heard about his son’s death.”

The prostrating Dark Shadow members didn’t dare move a muscle as Cheong-un’s demeanor grew increasingly cold.

They knew well that while the Heavenly Devil showed little interest in other matters, he was terrifyingly obsessed with anything related to his master.

“Contact our spies in Beijing immediately and tell them to investigate the palace situation in detail.”

“By your command.”

Here’s the complete English translation:

“It bothers me that the government office took all the bodies. Infiltrate the office and investigate any traces left on the corpses.”

“By your command. Then, Master… do you suspect Beijing is behind this government involvement?”

Yoon Jumyeong, the Dark Shadow Clan leader, was startled by his own words.

Though non-interference with government affairs was an unwritten rule of the martial arts world, that didn’t mean there had never been conflicts.

Long ago, the demon cult had been forced to hide deep in the Tianshan Mountains because of their clash with the government. For the demon cult, the government was like a dragon’s reverse scale in many ways. Now that same government was pointing to them as the masterminds behind these crimes. No wonder the Dark Shadow Clan was on edge.

“Well, we can’t jump to conclusions, but we should be careful.”

“Should we contact headquarters?”

“Tell them not to act rashly until I give the order.”

“Yes, Master.”

Cheong-un gazed briefly at the Chuihwa Pavilion. The usually bustling tower was eerily quiet. Without another word, Cheong-un turned away. The Dark Shadow Clan, sensing their master’s orders were complete, instantly vanished.

Cheong-un began to run.

Just because the government was involved didn’t necessarily mean it was the Emperor’s will. Still, given the long history between the government and the demon cult, they couldn’t help but be sensitive to the situation.

He had only wanted to clean up some trash from the righteous factions, but the situation was becoming strangely complicated, which he didn’t like.

Then Cheong-un suddenly remembered Eun-hyeon, whom he’d left at the tavern, and smiled. He was surprised at his own smile, but he couldn’t help it when thinking of Eun-hyeon from last night.

Since becoming the demon cult’s leader, he hadn’t had many occasions to be surprised, but yesterday was one of those rare days.

He could have just observed the flow of energy from afar. There was no need to actively help Eun-hyeon. Why had he done it? Was it because Eun-hyeon was an attractive beauty?

No. Cheong-un shook his head. There were many stunning beauties in the demon cult too. If any of them had asked for such help, he would have beheaded them without hesitation.

“Have I changed after all this time?”

Cheong-un flinched at his own words.

After his master’s death, he had never shown interest in anyone. Even when beauties threw themselves at him, he didn’t bat an eye and felt no desire. Finding his own behavior strange, he’d even visited a doctor, but there was nothing physically wrong with him.

When was it?

When had he realized his desire for his master?

It was probably during his first wet dream.

He had been so shocked when his master appeared as his partner that he couldn’t eat for days.

He had secretly cried at night, disgusted with himself for being such trash.

But soon he accepted his feelings.

The fact that this unremarkable man had stirred his desires and become his everything.

But Cheong-un was robbed of even the chance to have his feelings rejected. His master’s death was like his own death.

Afterward, he couldn’t remember how he lived for about three years, his memories fragmented.

When he came to his senses, he found himself back in the demon cult. That detestable demon cult.

He focused solely on martial arts training because it allowed him to avoid other thoughts.

He hadn’t forgotten.

He had merely covered up an unhealed wound.

Thus he trained in martial arts and somehow rose to the position of cult leader.

Then shortly after, he heard news that traces of his master had been found.

That’s when he began taking revenge on the righteous faction members who had tormented his master.

Part of him hoped that if he took revenge for his master, his master might come looking for him.

But his master never came.

No matter how long he waited.

* * *

Cheong-un headed toward the restaurant where Eun-hyeon was waiting.

His steps naturally quickened at the thought of Eun-hyeon waiting alone.

Cheong-un strode into the tavern.

When he entered, there was a smile on his face. Though Cheong-un didn’t realize he was smiling, it was his brightest expression in years.

He quickly climbed the stairs and flung open the door to the private room where Eun-hyeon should have been waiting.

“Young Master, did you wait long?”

But the Young Master he had been expecting was nowhere to be seen.

Only the disturbed dishes on the table indicated a hasty departure.

Cheong-un’s face darkened ominously.