By Zephyria Sixth Young Master (3)
“I came to find someone who stayed here until a few days ago.”
“I, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Luzhu hurriedly composed himself, but it was already too late. His reaction was that of someone who knew Seong Mu-jae.
“Please, sit down. I’ve confirmed that the last place Demonic Cult Sixth Young Master Seong Mu-jae was seen is here at Immortal Moon Tower.”
“W-Wait a minute. Are you saying he’s really a Demonic Cult Young Master?”
Luzhu’s eyes widened like saucers.
Rather, it was Seong Mu-yeon who was dumbfounded.
“You let him stay at your brothel without even knowing that? Didn’t he explain who he was?”
“……He did say he was a Demonic Cult Young Master. But I didn’t believe him. Anyone can say anything, right?”
Well, he probably had no way to prove it.
Luzhu seemed to ponder for a moment before finally dismissing the others and sitting across from him.
“Then, could it be that you are…….”
Luzhu stared intently at Seong Mu-yeon. With such similar faces, there was only one answer.
“That’s right. I am Seong Mu-jae’s younger brother, and the Demonic Cult Seventh Young Master, Seong Mu-yeon.”
“……Ha, so Seong Brother was really a Demonic Cult Young Master.”
“……‘Brother’?”
At Seong Mu-yeon’s question, Luzhu replied awkwardly.
“We became sworn brothers.”
How colorful.
Luzhu, who became sworn brothers with someone claiming to be a Demonic Cult Young Master, and Seong Mu-jae, who did such a thing while running away after killing his brother, were all birds of a feather.
“But why are you looking for him?”
“It’s an internal matter of the Demonic Cult. It’s better you don’t know.”
“…….”
Luzhu didn’t pry further. He fiddled with the wine cup Seong Mu-yeon had offered and let out a long sigh.
“Unfortunately, Seong Brother already left a few days ago. I’ve also inquired around, but I can’t find any trace of where he went.”
“How did you two meet? Were you acquainted before?”
Luzhu shook his head.
“I hold gatherings from time to time, and Seong Brother attended one for the first time. We talked and got along well. That night, we got drunk and became sworn brothers. Then he said he had nowhere to stay, so I gave him a room in my brothel. That’s all.”
“Without any compensation? By the way, what’s the reason my brother left? Are you perhaps hiding something…….”
“I have no reason to lie! I’m the one who wants to find Seong Brother the most!”
Luzhu continued, indignant.
“Seong Mu-jae borrowed one hundred Gold Coins from me and ran away!”
“…….”
Of course.
Seong Mu-yeon pinched his forehead, and Gang Woong gaped.
Baek Ryeo-il also showed a rare expression of bewilderment at the enormous sum.
“That bastard dared to run away with my money?”
If he ran away because he couldn’t repay the debt, it was no wonder Luzhu didn’t believe Seong Mu-jae’s words.
Surely, it didn’t make sense that the great Demonic Cult Young Master was struggling over a mere one hundred Gold Coins.
“I suppose there’s no choice. Young master, as his brother, you should repay it on his behalf, shouldn’t you?”
The arrow turned to Seong Mu-yeon.
“N-No…….”
“You’re also a Demonic Cult Young Master, so you wouldn’t be without a mere one hundred Gold Coins, would you?”
“W-Well, that is.”
Of course, Seong Mu-yeon, who had been disowned, wouldn’t have that much money. Seong Mu-jae was also on the run, so just looking at the fact that he was staying at an unfamiliar brothel instead of the numerous Demonic Cult branches, it was obvious that there was no way he could get that much money, even if he died and came back to life.
Thus, one more piece of information that Seong Mu-jae was penniless…….
“Seong Mu-jae is one thing, but are you really the Seventh Young Master?”
Luzhu narrowed his eyes and stared intently at Seong Mu-yeon.
Seong Mu-yeon was wearing clothes made of reasonably good material, but it was not top-notch, only creating an illusion with his smooth face and atmosphere.
His gaze turned to the two martial artists, large and small, sitting on either side of him.
“Come to think of it, your escorts are a bit strange too……. Are you really demonic cultists?”
Baek Ryeo-il raised his eyebrows in dissatisfaction. He was already annoyed at having to play the role of a demonic cultist, which he loathed, but now he had to prove it?
Seong Mu-yeon was worried that he would overturn everything at any moment, but fortunately, Baek Ryeo-il replaced his answer by tapping the scabbard at his waist.
The sword blade, protruding an inch from the scabbard, revealed its blue-green aura, and Luzhu’s face changed completely.
“N-No! I believe you! I believe you!”
Luzhu waved his hands. Baek Ryeo-il snorted, withdrew his aura, and picked up his wine cup again.
Seong Mu-yeon stepped in to smooth things over.
“……M-My brother caused a big accident in the Demonic Cult, so his funds were cut off. And now he’s caused another accident……. Father will be furious.”
At the word ‘Father,’ Luzhu shut his mouth as if frightened. This was because the Demonic Cult Leader was an object of terror to second-rate, no, third-rate martial artists like Luzhu.
“It seems he had no way to get money, so he imposed on you, Luzhu. But don’t worry about the money. As soon as we find my brother, I’ll contact the branch right away and return every penny.”
Seong Mu-yeon continued, maintaining a relaxed attitude.
“Since my brother has imposed on you, the Demonic Cult should treat you accordingly.”
In other words, he meant to compensate him handsomely.
Luzhu’s pupils dilated.
“Ahem. Very well. Then I will also lend a hand in finding Seong Brother…… no, the Sixth Young Master. I’ll instruct the working girls as well, so tell me if you need anything.”
Hey there. Your tone suddenly became polite, didn’t it?
Luzhu changed his attitude as easily as flipping his hand and bowed deeply. It seemed he was now convinced that Seong Mu-yeon was a Demonic Cult Young Master.
Luzhu repeatedly asked them to let him know if they found Seong Mu-jae, and in their presence, he called Janggwi and the martial artists and ordered them to cooperate as much as possible. Then, he bowed deeply again and withdrew.
“Gold Coins…… one hundred…….”
Gang Woong was still unable to escape from the shock and muttered with a blank face.
“It’s, it’s okay. Once we find my brother, we don’t need to return to Immortal Moon Tower. We can just return to Mount Hua with the item. The debtor will repay it himself…….”
Seong Mu-yeon also trailed off. He had no idea how much money one hundred Gold Coins was, but judging from the reaction, it was definitely an astronomical sum.
……Anyway, it was good that they had obtained Luzhu’s cooperation.
They took the opportunity to sit there and call the servants one by one.
“Little Elder? It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen him.”
As expected of Luzhu’s sworn brother, Seong Mu-jae was known here as ‘Little Elder.’
“He……. mainly stayed in the private rooms. He didn’t mingle with the lower staff.”
“Escort? It was a young man, but I don’t know anything else.”
“He usually just drank alcohol. He would call performing courtesans and have them sing.”
The interrogation continued until late when the brothel closed, but on the first day, they had to return to the Flying Swallow Sect without any significant gains.
“Ugh, I’m going to die.”
The exhausted Seong Mu-yeon couldn’t even make it to his room and collapsed onto the platform.
“You seem very tired.”
Gang Woong, who had just finished washing up, looked at the sprawled Seong Mu-yeon and frowned as if feeling sorry for him. The structure was such that their respective rooms faced each other across a small hall.
“Do you think we can find him like this? It’s already been five days since the Sixth Young Master left. What if he’s gone far away in the meantime?”
Gang Woong said worriedly.
“Well, I don’t think my brother could have gone that far.”
“Yes? Why?”
Seong Mu-yeon lay down, resting his arm on his forehead.
“He only has one subordinate left, and he has no money. He may have been living by selling his possessions until now. But that also has its limits. He wouldn’t have been able to go to a branch and replenish his Gold Coins, so he ended up owing Luzhu.”
“One hundred Gold Coins……. Where did he spend all that money?”
“I don’t know, but it’s a lot of money to have squandered somewhere.”
“He’s nearby. Definitely.”
Baek Ryeo-il, who was cleaning his sword, also agreed with him.
“Unless he was sold off without anyone knowing. There’s no way it would be this quiet. He’s holding his breath and biding his time. We have to catch him before that.”
“I think so too. Let’s rest for today and look again tomorrow.”
He was exhausted.
Having rushed all the way here from Mount Hua, and then immediately starting the investigation without rest, Seong Mu-yeon’s eyelids grew heavy.
Seong Mu-yeon yawned widely. On the other hand, the two martial artists were enviably fine. Even if they stayed up for three days and nights in that state, they would look no different from now.
A quiet silence fell.
Seong Mu-yeon, who felt like he would really fall asleep if he kept lying down, was just about to get up when he witnessed a strange scene.
Baek Ryeo-il was staring intently at Gang Woong, who was sitting blankly. Gang Woong, who met his master’s eyes, had a dazed expression. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, he jumped up from his seat.
“Then I’ll go to bed first. Have a good night, you two.”
He went into his room as if someone was chasing him.
“……Didn’t Gang Dojo seem a bit strange just now?”
“Don’t worry about it. Kids usually sleep a lot. He must be tired.”
But Seong Mu-yeon had seen Gang Woong sitting upright with wide-awake eyes until just now.
Without him noticing, Baek Ryeo-il had already wrapped his arm around Seong Mu-yeon’s waist and moved him to his room.
Seong Mu-yeon was flustered.
He blinked once, and before he knew it, he was lying on the bed, and Baek Ryeo-il was burying his lips in his neck.
Why is this so natural?
“Excuse me……? What are you doing?”
“Didn’t Yak Seon say? We need to prepare your body as often as possible, in advance, for the medicine to work well, right?”
Baek Ryeo-il parted his collar with a brazen expression.
……Something, I feel like I’m getting caught up in something.
The tired and exhausted Seong Mu-yeon tried to push him away, but as a moist tongue licked his neck, even the will to resist disappeared.
In the end, Seong Mu-yeon deeply accepted Baek Ryeo-il and wrapped his arms around his neck.