HSA 56

What exactly was this ‘severe act’? As Ak Mujin looked, the group standing behind Seo-mok were faces he didn’t recognize. However, their murderous aura made it clear they were after Ak Mujin’s life.

Now that they knew he was alive, had Elder Yeo or the Cult Leader ordered him to be brought back to the Demonic Cult, dead or alive?

Ak Mujin slightly furrowed his brow. Seo-mok, immediately noticing his discomfort, hastily added, “…If you come along quietly, Elder Yeo won’t say anything. I know what Young master is thinking. Elder Yeo will speak well of Young master to the Cult Leader.”

Knowing that was unlikely, Ak Mujin had no other choice. He closed his eyes, exhaled a small sigh, and then nodded.

“…Now that things have come to this, what can I do to resist?”

Ak Mujin obediently watched as Seo-mok bound his wrists. A thick rope wrapped around his wrists several times, then his arms were tied tightly to his torso, binding his entire body.

Only then did the four men, who had been radiating murderous intent, begin to approach.

“More importantly, is your body… alright?”

At those words, Seo-mok’s eyes flickered slightly as she checked the rope to ensure it wouldn’t come undone. She paused for a moment, lost in thought, but then gave a bright smile. She nodded emphatically.

“I’m fine, so don’t worry about me.”

Right. Who was in a position to worry about whom? Ak Mujin was in a dire situation himself.

*

Elder Yeo hurried, perhaps to avoid repeating the mistake of letting Ak Mujin escape. Even if Ak Mujin couldn’t use Light Body Skill, the other Demonic Cultists could, so they took turns carrying Ak Mujin, and it was only a matter of time before they arrived at Heavenly Mountain.

Ak Mujin stared blankly at the increasingly close, crimson buildings, lost in thought.

He had finally returned.

The red roof tiles shimmered, looking as if they were on fire.

Ahn Do-hyun’s martial arts journey had come to an end.

He felt a greater sense of fondness for his time with Jin Geum-ryeon. Although his daily life was constantly tormented by his protagonist, he seemed to have had more enjoyable times, sightseeing in various places.

Would Jin Geum-ryeon think the same?

Ak Mujin smiled self-deprecatingly and was led into the main Demonic Cult headquarters by Elder Yeo.

The Grand Hall of Purity, where the Cult Leader resided, seemed even more magnificent and grotesquely twisted than Ak Mujin remembered.

As the purple lanterns faintly illuminated the Cult Leader’s face, who was sitting on the throne at the far end, Ak Mujin slowly felt fear rising within him. Until now, it had been a vague feeling of ‘I don’t want to go back to the Demonic Cult,’ and ‘I don’t want to die like this,’ but facing the Cult Leader directly was a different kind of terror.

“Elder Yeo greets the Cult Leader. I have brought Second Young Master Ak Mujin.”

“……”

Inside the main hall were the Cult Leader, Elder Yeo, Ak Mujin, and five Demonic Cultists, including Seo-mok, but no one spoke, and it was utterly silent.

The Cult Leader sat silently for a long time, then gestured and whispered something to a Demonic Cultist standing beside him. The Demonic Cultist respectfully bowed and quickly left the main hall.

Only then did the Cult Leader lean forward and look down at Ak Mujin.

Ak Mujin remained kneeling, his head bowed and his body bound.

“…Why did you not return immediately?”

“Second Young Master lost his memories…”

“Do not interrupt.”

“…Yes, Cult Leader.”

Elder Yeo spoke on behalf of Ak Mujin, who couldn’t bring himself to speak, but at the Cult Leader’s sharp glare and rebuke, he had no choice but to bow his head and step back.

The Cult Leader turned his gaze back to Ak Mujin and asked, “‘Lost his memories,’ you say… Is that true?”

“…No.”

Ak Mujin couldn’t bring himself to lie in front of the Cult Leader. The oppressive aura he exuded made his teeth feel like they would chatter, but he barely managed to endure it and avoid looking unsightly.

“A pathetic excuse.”

From afar, Elder Yeo made a small clicking sound with his tongue.

The Cult Leader stared intently at Ak Mujin with an arrogant expression, then leaned back against the throne and changed to a more relaxed posture. He didn’t seem angry about the lie. He maintained a relaxed attitude, tapping his index finger on his knee.

“I have already received a report that your constitution has changed. Is that also true?”

Ak Mujin flinched. He momentarily racked his brain, but knowing that lying would be useless, he told the truth.

“…Yes.”

He replied obediently this time as well.

With his head bowed the whole time, Ak Mujin was frustrated because he couldn’t tell what the Cult Leader was thinking or what expression he was making. But even if he could figure out the Cult Leader’s expression, what could he do? He could only hope that by being as compliant as possible, the Cult Leader would grant him the least painful death possible.

At that moment, the Demonic Cultist who had left the Grand Hall of Purity at the Cult Leader’s command returned with someone.

“Did you call for me, Cult Leader?”

“Come and sit down, Mu-jeong.”

At the voice that called out ‘Mu-jeong’ so affectionately, Ak Mujin blinked his eyes widely, his head still bowed.

Joo Mu-jeong paid his respects to the Cult Leader, then glanced at Ak Mujin before slowly sitting down in the seat below the Cult Leader. Ak Mujin could only see the tips of Joo Mu-jeong’s shoes, but even from the shoes he was wearing, he could tell that his status had risen quite high.

Did Joo Mu-jeong really orchestrate all of this? In fact, he had never desired the position of Vice-Leader from the start, so he didn’t feel any resentment towards him, but pure curiosity remained.

“I have a gift for you.”

The Cult Leader said.

“…What is it?”

At Joo Mu-jeong’s question, the Cult Leader slowly rose from his seat and descended three steps below the throne. Then, he circled Ak Mujin, scrutinizing him with his eyes as if observing him. He seemed to have some injuries, but nothing too serious. He was still capable of functioning as a person.

The Cult Leader spoke in a clear tone, as if he had come to a conclusion.

“I will give you your Senior Brother.”

“…Yes?”

It wasn’t just Joo Mu-jeong who was surprised. Ak Mujin, Elder Yeo, and the four Demonic Cultists, including Seo-mok, were also taken aback, and the atmosphere instantly became agitated.

No, they’re giving me to Joo Mu-jeong?

Why?

To do what?

The countless questions swirling in Ak Mujin’s mind began to subside thanks to the Cult Leader’s subsequent answer.

“To be honest… among my three disciples, the most talented one was Second Young Master Ak Mujin. I valued that ability and promoted him to Vice-Leader, but it seems I will no longer have the opportunity to see that…”

The Cult Leader’s voice sounded somewhat forlorn as he said those words. A voice that seemed genuinely disappointed. For a moment, Ak Mujin briefly wondered what it would have been like if he had stayed in the Demonic Cult, but it was only for a moment. Even in this situation, he swore he had no lingering attachment to the Demonic Cult.

The following voice was less forlorn. Rather, it was closer to being welcoming. The Cult Leader wore a faint smile on his lips and looked down at the top of Ak Mujin’s head.

“But it’s fortunate. That he is a ‘Yin Person.'”

‘Yin Person.’

Ak Mujin’s eyes trembled uneasily. Joo Mu-jeong flinched slightly, as if the news was unexpected.

“That means we can preserve that excellent talent for generations to come, wouldn’t you agree?”

Seo-mok also looked at Elder Yeo in surprise, but Elder Yeo was staring at the Cult Leader with an indifferent expression, as if he had already expected it.

The Cult Leader spoke with a somewhat bloodshot gaze.

“That means, if there are talented individuals among the Demonic Cultists, we can graft them onto him to create even more outstanding talents.”

No, why!

No, why does it have to be like this!

There were other talented female Demonic Cultists besides me, so why is this crazy Doujinshi plot suddenly unfolding!

Ak Mujin could no longer keep his head bowed and looked up at the Cult Leader in a fluster, stammering. He felt like his soul was leaving his body in this unexpected situation.

“C-Cult Leader!”

“But it would be good for you, the Vice-Leader, to have him first. Otherwise, what would become of your Senior Brother’s honor? You should save your Senior Brother’s face.”

However, the Cult Leader ignored Ak Mujin’s call and continued to speak his mind.

What good were honor and face? In a situation where he was about to become a ‘seed bearer’ for a group, were those things important issues? Ak Mujin, who had only been thinking about the death that would soon befall him, thought that it would be better to die as soon as possible.

“C-Cult Leader. What are you saying…? I…”

“I accept.”

Confused, Ak Mujin was trying to stop the Cult Leader by rambling, but Joo Mu-jeong rose from his seat and bowed deeply to the Cult Leader as he spoke.

Ak Mujin was horrified. From Joo Mu-jeong’s perspective, he might have said he would accept because he couldn’t refuse a gift that the Cult Leader was directly bestowing, but this was unacceptable.

Seo-mok also seemed very shocked, as if she hadn’t expected this situation.