When people face unexpected situations, their thoughts momentarily freeze.
Hong Yeo-rin was no different. Though she had somehow endured the chain of insults, she never imagined he would make such an extreme move.
She stared at Cheon Hajin with wide eyes.
His expression was calm. Though his eyes were on her, she sensed a determination as if he was looking at something beyond.
Could he really…?
Just then, the guard captain bowed his head.
“I will send word to the Divine Demon Palace[1]. However, how long it will take for entry permission to be granted…”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Understood. I will prepare the carriage as soon as permission is granted.”
The guard captain withdrew with quick steps after making a proper bow.
Hong Yeo-rin unconsciously held her breath.
He’s serious!
Actually, there was no need to ask again.
No one was brazen enough to make false entry requests to the Divine Demon Palace.
Even while the cult’s leadership engaged in all sorts of dirty power struggles, the Divine Demon Palace remained an inviolable sanctuary.
The Divine Demon Palace.
A massive divine temple that was itself considered sacred, serving as the residence of the Cult Leader who was the incarnation of Papiyas[[파순(波旬, bō, wave; xún, ten days)]. A devil, especially a devil king. Pāpīyas is often synonymous with the Sanskrit word māra, and is identified with the devil king of the sixth heaven in the world of desire. In Buddhist scriptures, Pāpīyas often appears as the proper name of this devil king, who is said to constantly harass Shakyamuni Buddha and his disciples. He attempts to obstruct people’s Buddhist practice and prevent them from attaining enlightenment. He is also said to lure people toward evil and on to destruction. The Sanskrit pāpīyas also means villain, or evil spirit.], the Celestial Demon who ruled the Realm of Desire (욕계(欲界, yù, desire; jiè, realm)).
This madman really intended to take that note to the Divine Demon Palace, to the Cult Leader’s chambers.
“Third Young Master!”
Cheon Hajin sat on the sickbed with folded arms, not responding. He had no interest in her to begin with, and now she truly meant nothing to him.
Hong Yeo-rin fidgeted with a pale face.
Though she had turned their one-on-one battle into a local skirmish, the Third Young Master had escalated it to all-out war.
And she lacked confidence in handling this all-out war.
“…Are you saying we should die together?”
Cheon Hajin smirked.
“I only do business that profits me.”
“What?”
“Why would I die with you when I’d be the only one losing? You think your neck is worth that much?”
Hong Yeo-rin’s face twisted sharply.
“What do you think the Cult Leader will say to you?”
“Is there a problem?”
“If the Cult Leader learns about your dealings with me, you won’t be safe either!”
“So what?”
“What?!”
“Tsk tsk.”
Cheon Hajin wagged his index finger side to side.
“I’ll tell you straight since I don’t want to waste more breath. You’re right. When this mess comes to light, I’ll probably get quite a beating. Might even get kicked out since I’ve lost my martial arts anyway.”
“…”
“That’s my situation, but what about you?”
Hong Yeo-rin’s pupils shook violently.
“Everyone knows your family is formidable, but that only works in certain places. At worst I’ll be expelled, but you could end up in prison at the slightest misstep. The Crimson Snake House will naturally be stripped bare for the crime of raising such a daughter.”
Don’t be ridiculous!
Hong Yeo-rin wanted to say that. But internally, she already acknowledged the truth in his words.
Blood runs thicker than water.
Though the Third Young Master would be branded incompetent if today’s events came to light, she would be buried in the demonic martial world.
And in the worst case, the Crimson Snake House would also fall from the Cult Leader’s favor.
How in the world?!
She couldn’t understand. The Third Young Master she knew would never make such a reckless bad move.
That’s why she too had been able to press hard.
The reason she was certain the Third Young Master wouldn’t make a bad move:
“You… don’t you want to grasp supreme power?”
His ambition that rivaled her own.
He was someone who would stop at nothing to become the next successor.
She was certain he would never do anything to damage his own reputation while crushing an opponent.
However, Cheon Hajin’s answer was remarkable.
“Nope.”
“W-what did you say?!”
All the previous shocks combined couldn’t match her current bewilderment.
“I don’t know how you saw me, but that’s in the past. I have no interest in supreme power now.”
“Why?!”
“You’re quite stupid, aren’t you? Could I become successor? With this body?”
Cheon Hajin laughed as if amused.
“Isn’t that why you came here?”
“…!”
“You knew there was no hope, so why were you so certain my desires would remain the same as before?”
For a moment, Hong Yeo-rin felt like she’d been struck on the back of her head.
Right. She no longer considered the Third Young Master a worthy mount.
Though a sick horse, he was once a famous steed that could cover a thousand li in a day.
She should have considered what desperate moves such a steed might make when cornered.
The arrogance of thinking she held the reins, the conviction of having the upper hand.
Crucially, her vague confidence that she would never be harmed had driven her into a corner.
“You’re an eyesore, just leave.”
Cheon Hajin even closed his eyes. Having calmed his mind, he regained his composure.
In contrast, Hong Yeo-rin couldn’t be composed at all.
As time passed, her heart pounded violently with anxiety. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, and her complexion grew noticeably pale.
No! Things can’t proceed like this!
The opponent was serious, and could only be serious. The guard captain had already gone to send word to the Divine Demon Palace.
She racked her brains frantically. She thought and thought about how to resolve this situation in the best possible way.
But she couldn’t find an answer.
What should I do? How…?
Just then, Cheon Hajin opened his eyes.
“What are you doing?”
“…”
“Should I call the guards to throw you out? Leave, quickly.”
Hong Yeo-rin bit her lip.
No answer?
No. There was one. But the contents written on that answer sheet were too shameful and humiliating.
An answer she would rather die than choose.
“What… what should I do?”
Cheon Hajin frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
Hong Yeo-rin bit her lip. Blood flowed from her bitten lip, but she didn’t even notice.
“What would it take for you not to tell the Cult Leader about this?”
“I told you to leave, and here you are spouting crazy talk. Take those muscle-heads and disappear, bitch.”
Her fists clenched involuntarily at the naked insults. But she could no longer threaten to raise the amount like before.
The tables had turned.
She who had pressured the Third Young Master with the deal now found herself in a situation where she had to make the deal disappear.
How could she make all their secret dealings vanish as if they never happened?
Rustle.
Hong Yeo-rin pulled out the contracts.
Two sheets of contract paper. Originals with both their seals.
Her eyes were bloodshot as she looked down at the contracts.
Until just moments ago they had seemed like the ultimate cards to pressure him with, but now they looked like swords to behead her.
Ziiiiip!
Cheon Hajin’s eyes gleamed.
Hong Yeo-rin tore the contracts in half, and then in half again. Then she held them to the candlelight beside her.
Whoosh.
Two sheets of contract paper burning in the flames.
The moment when twelve thousand taels of gold turned to ash.
Hong Yeo-rin spoke:
“Though you have the promissory note, with the contracts gone there’s no material evidence.”
Her faintly trembling voice held deep defeat and a trace of relief.
Cheon Hajin tilted his head.
“That’s true, but does it matter?”
“…?”
“Aren’t you taking the demonic martial world’s highest authority too lightly? Do you think the Cult Leader of the Great Heavenly Demon Divine Cult is someone who needs material evidence to deal with people?”
“…!”
“When that person points to a criminal, you become a criminal regardless of evidence.”
Tremble.
Hong Yeo-rin’s hands shook.
Cheon Hajin let out a derisive laugh.
“What matters isn’t scraps of contracts or notes, but what I tell the Cult Leader. Just like how you were going to manipulate public opinion with false rumors.”
“…”
“Why do you think I can’t do what you can? You really take life too easily.”
Cheon Hajin waved his hand dismissively.
“Too annoying to say more. Go, seriously.”
“I…”
“This one never listens the first time. Just get lost! I have nothing more to say.”
Hong Yeo-rin’s expression was now a complete mess, pitiful to look at.
At this point, she had no choice but to use her final move.
Something even more humiliating than destroying her own cards with her own hands.
The real answer sheet for resolving this situation that lurked in a corner of her mind, unconsciously ignored and excluded.
That was submission.
Submit? Bow my head?
I have to bow my head because I’m scared of this bastard’s mouth? Me?
Never!
She absolutely could not. It was a matter of Hong Yeo-rin’s personal pride.
But… if she didn’t bow her head, her future life would be ruined. Moreover, it would surely tarnish her family’s reputation.
This was the first limit Hong Yeo-rin had ever encountered, having always plucked only the fruits of success backed by her family’s power.
That wall called limits was much higher, broader, and harder than she had vaguely imagined.
Eek!
Should she truly submit? Must she really kneel because of this ridiculous situation?
Cheon Hajin called out to Aenghwa:
“Ah, how annoying. Aenghwa! Call the guards! These trash need to be dragged out…”
“…I will.”
“Huh?”
Thud.
Hong Yeo-rin knelt and bowed her head.
Her body trembled. But that trembling wasn’t from fear.
“This lowly one…”
She tightly closed her eyes.
A clear tear containing myriad emotions fell.
“This lowly one dared commit rudeness to the Divine Cult’s noble one. I earnestly beseech you to bestow mercy.”
Cheon Hajin looked down at her with cold eyes.
The trembling in Hong Yeo-rin’s body grew worse and worse. He could tell how much she despised this situation.
“…”
Deep silence fell.
In the long silence, only Hong Yeo-rin’s rough breathing could be heard.
How much time passed?
Whoosh!
The sound of something burning.
“Our debt relationship ends with this.”
“…”
“Leave.”
Hong Yeo-rin stood without answering. Her expression couldn’t be seen with her head bowed low.
Thus Hong Yeo-rin and her two escort warriors disappeared.
“Whew! What a stuffy neighborhood.”
He felt he could either report the deal with Hong Yeo-rin to the Cult Leader or not. But if he had to choose, not reporting would be safer.
Cheon Hajin’s expression grew serious.
“Now I just have to wait.”
Hong Yeo-rin was just a gnat not worth paying attention to anyway. What mattered to him now was the dialogue with the Cult Leader.
What if he refused to meet him?
Then there would be no choice. After perfectly conditioning his body, he would have to reconsider ways to escape to the outskirts.
But if the Cult Leader agreed to meet him?
If this cold master who hadn’t called for him in three months since awakening from deviation permitted his disciple’s palace entry?
I’ll have to take the direct approach.
Half a day later.
The guard captain’s voice came from outside the door.
“Young Master, word has come from the Divine Demon Palace.”
“What’s the result?”
“Permission has been granted. The carriage is ready, please prepare for palace entry.”
Cheon Hajin slowly stood up.
A faint tension could be seen on his smiling face.
“Shall we go?”
By now, the matter with Hong Yeo-rin had completely vanished from his mind.