episode 5 of the special side story,


    and I and Tang Seo-yeon, who were watching, looked surprised.


    I’m going to buy the ownership of the ruins.


    “Small cooperative. “To the point of going that far…”


    “This is the cleanest.”


    A faint smile appeared on Hwadaerang’s lips.


    To briefly summarize his exnation, it was as follows.


    Anyway, I can’t give up on conquering the ruins.


    However, it is a waste of time to stay here for a month and wait for the gunpowder to be removed.


    The biggest problem is that the unmanned workers at the manpower center here cannot be trusted.


    Although they are cooperating obediently for now, we must keep in mind that they will change their minds at any time when the threat to their safety disappears.


    “So the most obvious solution is to take over the ruins themselves with the Hwayang Sangdan in the lead.”


    “…….”


    “Also, if Hwayang Sangdan officially purchases and manages the ruins, there will be no need for us to be tied down here.”


    “Hmm.”


    “Without having to waste time waiting for the gunpowder to be removed, we can move along and follow other traces left behind by the first Heavenly Demon.”


    “I understand what you mean.”


    I nodded and looked away.


    The manpower director and his adjutant, who could not understand the conversation in the centralnguage, were looking at us with puzzled expressions.


    “But is there any need to increase spending?”


    “……?”


    “Is there any reason to pay a lot of money? “If you coax and console him appropriately, he will give it to you for free.”


    “It’s a waste, but it’s a necessary expense. “If we do not go through the normal procedures and announce the transfer, the government officials as well as the nearby martial arts forces will not remain silent.”


    “In other words, it just needs to be known to the outside world that a sufficient price has been paid.”


    “…Sometimes I feel scared of the elder.”


    “I will take it as apliment.”


    I don’t know why they paint their faces with gold because it’s such a big deal.


    If you are an elder of the Murim Alliance, you should definitely be like this.


    He nced at Cheon Ga-ryeong with a sinister smile, and she shook her head and approached the director.


    Just like that, one thing waspleted.


    * * *


    Late at night.


    A shabby lodging I stopped by to avoid being homeless.


    “Yeonsoun!”


    “what’s the matter?”


    As I was unpacking my luggage in my guest room, I tilted my head and looked back.


    The identity of the woman who opened the door and rushed in was Cheon Ga-ryeong.


    She rarely seemed this urgent.


    “Look at this!”


    “……?”


    When I opened the note she handed me, I fell into deep sleep.


    Information sheet sent from Haomun.


    There was something written in it that was truly unexpected.


    『Recently, a group of demons appeared in the area.


    It is presumed that the group was dispatched not by wandering demons but by demon cultists from Cheonsan.


    I couldn’t figure out the personal details of each individual, but the outward characteristics of the leader who leads them are simr to Seolyegeom.』


    My eyes widened.


    The fatigue that had umted froming this far disappeared, reced by confusion and doubt.


    Seolyegeom (舌銳劍).


    He was one of the two confidants who served the demonic cult leader of the time, Sosalmagun (Laughing Demon Lord).


    I never thought he would show up at the police station.


    ‘Should I call this a trick of fate?’


    It’s not anyone else, but Seol Ye-geom himself.


    I don’t know what brought me to this point, but one thing was certain.


    He must be carrying out a very important mission.


    Now that the situation in the Demonic Cult is unstable, there is no way the cult leader’s right-hand man can easily leave the position.


    ‘if.’


    A thought suddenly crossed my mind.


    Could it be that he, like me, followed the traces of the first Cheonma and came to the chief?


    It was a fairly usible assumption.


    Sosalmagun knew about the existence of the Three Gods.


    Even the fact that I returned.


    It would not have been surprising at all if he had formed a special task force to solve the secrets surrounding the first Heavenly Demon.


    ‘Things are going well.’


    Perhaps from now on, we might have topete with the elites of the Demonic Cult.


    But strangely enough, rather than feeling anxious or nervous, I first felt happy.


    Is it because I have a golden opportunity to screw over the second person who killed me in my past life?


    “Where are the demons now?”


    “In an area 240 ri northeast of here. “Considering when the letter was written, it may have already moved to another ce.”


    “Remind me to keep an eye on them. “I ask you not to get too close.”


    “I’m doing it even if you don’t tell me. “The opponent is a master of flower scenery, so of course we have to be careful about this as well.”


    Cheon Ga-ryeong added an afterword as if to exin that he was observing my movements only with a thousand-mile mirror while keeping a sufficient distance ording to the rules, and crossed his arms to check my reaction.


    Sitting on the edge of the bed, I massaged my chin and was lost in thought for a while.


    How should I respond?


    Should we go straight to them and attack them?


    It wasn’t going to be easy.


    Hao Wen’s intelligence power was obviously great, but this was a chief where their influence was low.


    Didn’t Cheon Ji-ryeong say that a little while ago?


    Considering the date the letter was written, it would not be surprising if the demonic cultists had already moved to another location.


    The rapid transmission and reception of information, which is the lifeblood of the chase, could not be expected.


    If the warriors of the central ins were chasing each other in the west, the nearby martial arts forces would feel displeased.


    ‘More than anything, unlike the Geogwon (巨刀鬼), Seolyegeom has a prudent and cautious personality.’


    Even if there is an unexpectedly talented person among the demonic cultists, this side will not lose.


    But rushing in blindly wasn’t a good idea.


    If you’re not careful, not only will you not achieve any results, but you may just put the other party on notice.


    ‘wait.’


    A thought suddenly urred to me.


    If the demonic cultists really came to the chief to solve the secrets surrounding the first Heavenly Demon, would the amount of information they have be equal to this one?


    This side was moving with the support of Hao Mun and the Huayang Merchant Marine.


    Of course, they would have an overwhelming advantage over the demonic cultists in collecting andpiling local information.


    However, the demon cultists must also havee here after receiving some kind of exnation from the Sosalma army.


    Now it was Sosalmagun who had ascended to the position of religious leader.


    Currently, there was no one in the Demonic Cult who could stop him.


    He would have probably searched through the secret archives hidden in Cheonmagung (天魔宮) and looked at the records left by past religious leaders.


    ‘The quantity and quality of information possessed by the demonic cultists will neverg behind ours.’


    When I thought about it that way, it became clear.


    What should I do next?


    I thought that I might gain more from this journey than I expected.


    “What sinister thoughts are you thinking again?”


    “If anyone hears it, they will misunderstand it. When did I…”


    “I can tell just by looking at your expression.”


    “Is it that bad?”


    “I’ve been your dedicated handler for several years. Of course you know that much.”


    Cheon Ga-ryeong uncrossed her arms and smiled.


    She came and sat next to me, brought her face closer, and asked.


    “So what do you n on doing?”


    * * *


    I immediately called Hwa Dae-rang and Dang Seo-yeon and informed them of the situation and exined the n.


    The gist of the n was this.


    We chase down the demon cultists based on information from Haomun.


    However, instead of attacking them, they just follow them at a distance.


    “What does that mean? “They chase, but they don’t fight.”


    “Isn’t it true that they also came to the police station for a purpose?”


    “Of course it is.”


    “What if they swoop in and steal the results right before they achieve their goal?”


    “…!”


    “For us, there couldn’t be a more ideal oue.”


    Hwadaerang was impressed and said it was a brilliant idea.


    Tang Seo-yeon nodded and expressed her agreement.


    Cheon Ga-ryeong, who heard about the n earlier,ughed and said, ‘At this point, I don’t know which side is the viin.’


    “If you do so, I will assume that everyone has agreed.”


    Afterwards, my group and I chased the demon cultists for six days.


    I gave up my original itinerary and followed them, even willing to live on the street.


    Fortunately, the demon cultists did not notice our presence until the end.


    It was worth paying double and triple attention.


    ‘A chase taking ce in the front, not the midfield. If you look at it this way, it doesn’t necessarily have only drawbacks.’


    It was an unfamiliar ce and environment not only to us but also to the demonic cultists.


    Therefore, it was easy to follow along without being detected.


    ‘by the way.’


    I narrowed my eyes as I was examining the demonic cultists using the telescope.


    I knew it intuitively.


    Their destination is getting closer.


    Pk.


    I opened the map I got from Hwayang Merchants and checked what was in the direction they were heading.


    There was nothing there that made me feel ufortable.


    An area that has not yet been visited by humans.


    An undevelopednd with no roads, let alone viges.


    For some reason, the vige I visitedst time was working so hard to secure supplies that I thought it was excessive.


    It seemed like they had in mind that supply would not be possible for a while.


    ‘I guess I can’t expect any help from Hao Mun from now on.’


    It is said that Hao Mun’s eyes and ears are everywhere, but their influence would not reach deep into such a no-man’snd.


    I decided that it would be a good idea to go back to the group and inform them of the movements of the demon cultists and discuss the future.


    ‘huh?’


    It was when I got up from the rock I was sitting on and turned around.


    A sharp energy wave that instantly irritates the skin.


    I immediately picked up the telescope again and looked at the demon cultists.


    You could say I’m overreacting to insignificant things, but somehow I felt like I shouldn’t ignore this feeling.


    One of the demonic cultists, who covered themselves with blood-covered clothing, was arguing with the leading man, who was presumed to be Seol Ye-geom.


    The distance was so far that I couldn’t tell what was being said, but I could definitely feel that the atmosphere was harsh.


    ‘What’s going on?’


    It was clear that it was strange.


    The Demonic Cult is a group that advocates strong self-respect.


    As such, it was rare for subordinates to protest against the leader who led the group.


    If you make a mistake, you could lose your life.


    However, there is a demonic cult who is having such an open fight with Seol Ye-geom, an expert in the flower world.


    ‘Seol Ye-geom is a confidant of Sosalmagun, the leader of the cult of the time. There must be very few beings in the entire Demonic Cult who can stand up to him like that, right?’


    It didn’t take long for the question to be resolved.


    The man who was grinning as if he had been pushed out of an argument suddenly took out a weapon from his pocket.


    “…!”


    As I checked the man’s German weapon exposed under the sunlight, I inwardly fell into a deep sleep.


    I was quite surprised when I heard that Seolyegeom had appeared at the police station, but even that was nothingpared to the surprise of this moment.


    I never thought he would be included among the demonic cults led by Seol Ye-geom.


    An extremely sharp wheel made from a single piece of iron.


    It was rare for someone within the Demonic Cult to use such a weapon.


    Among them, there was only one strong person who could stand against Seolyegeom.


    Emperor Surama (修羅魔帝).


    An absolute master who upied the first ce in the Eight Great Demon Lords.


    Now that most of them are dead, the name of the Eight Great Demon Lords has be meaningless, but his skills can never be disparaged.


    Is an absolute expert an absolute expert for nothing?


    This was an opponent that should never be taken lightly.


    ‘Huh. They even dispatched Surama Emperor?’


    I raised the corners of my mouth and smiled.


    I became more and more interested.


    What did the Sosalma army dispatch the maximum strength of the religion to the chief to achieve?