“Big things?”
Soo-oh looks at me with a puzzled expression.
I pointed to the north. However, instead of pointing at the forest like Soo-oh did, I pointed a bit further. To a very distant place.
“People trying to kill monsters are coming here.”
“Monsters? You mean they’re targeting Choseol?”
It’s been a few months since I talked about being a monster, but she understands quickly. I nodded while looking at Soo-oh.
“Then can’t we just tell Master? Master will easily take care of them.”
Soo-oh speaks as if Heavenly Demon could obviously do it.
Come to think of it, Soo-oh is ultimately someone who lived under the influence of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. It’s not strange for her to think Heavenly Demon can defeat any enemy.
In reality, Heavenly Demon is strong.
I don’t know much about martial arts to say this or that compared to Eunjae, but assuming they’re similar, there’s a high chance she could conquer Murim alone.
Even if they’ve created something to counter such a Heavenly Demon, Oh Myeongseong is here too.
The problem is that the top of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, which seemed well-sealed, is splitting apart.
Is this really okay?
“Do you know about the Nine Sects?”
“Yeah. I learned from Master. You mean those guys who act all high and mighty as if they’re guardians, right?”
Several words sparkle in the faded man’s memories. He grumbles about why it’s called Nine Sects instead of Nine Sects Alliance, but checking the memories of the spy who came here, the Nine Sects are not composed of nine sects.
It started as nine sects, but as moderately sized sects joined, including all the small branch sects, there are quite a lot.
Above all, how could beggars join a gangster group?
The Nine Sects earn enormous money from territory fees in their areas and collections from sects that have come under them.
It’s obvious how the wealthy despise the poor, so it’s rather strange to think that would be possible.
So even if the word “division” sparkles…
“They’re not guardians, but a violent group. As I briefly explained before, they’re those who protect people by force in places where the government’s administrative power doesn’t properly reach. Of course, since those there are human, they end up becoming exploiters.”
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult is the same.
Because they can’t lead people with ideology alone, in the sense that they control by putting insects in people’s bodies, this place is rather more unstable.
It means there’s no clear blueprint for people to follow.
And I know the reason.
There’s no specific god here. What they believe in is Heavenly Demon, the strong one.
And behind that is the truth that it’s a farm where an immortal raises sacrifices and subordinates for itself.
And to the extent that they don’t even know they’re being farmed.
It’s twisted from birth.
And the immortal behind it was shattered not long ago. It means the one who could protect this place has died.
Now the owner of the farm has died and the gates have opened.
It’s obvious what will happen.
Even if we win right away, the future is not visible.
This group that’s barely maintaining itself will eventually collapse, unable to suppress all the people. Because the immortal holding it together has disappeared.
“They suffered greatly from the Martial God. Some sects even disappeared entirely. When they realized there might be a second Martial God, what choice do you think they’ll make?”
“Can’t they just submit without being hostile for no reason?”
Soo-oh speaks very much like a Heavenly Demon Divine Cult person.
Submit to the strong.
“If that Martial God is not a single genius but spreads like a plague, what should the Nine Sects do?”
“So, they’re trying to kill Choseol.”
Though the explanation wasn’t finished, Soo-oh realized from my words why the Nine Sects are attacking us.
I didn’t mention that the Nine Sects have become a larger group called the Murim Alliance.
And that those presumed to be government troops are watching this war.
In fact, even explaining about the Nine Sects is out of bounds.
Because it’s information I shouldn’t know.
But because I predict the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult will be too broken to find out, I told Soo-oh facts I shouldn’t know.
If the upper echelons of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult were functioning properly, I wouldn’t have thought to say this…
They’re thinking of just giving up one of the strongest people?
He may not have the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique, but he knows techniques like the Qi Absorption Technique and the Evil-Warding Sword Technique.
These are martial arts so powerful that martial artists of this world would do anything to obtain them.
No.
In the sense that he can use me, he can use the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique too.
Because now, including Heavenly Demon, people in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult think the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique used by the Martial God is the real Heavenly Demon Divine Technique.
They think the original Heavenly Demon Divine Technique Eunjae used was the still incomplete technique used before. That’s what could be called the real Heavenly Demon Divine Technique.
Anyway.
More than that, I gave Soo-oh one guideline for action.
“If it’s dangerous, running away is also an option.”
I subtly handed Soo-oh one choice for what to do from now on.
“What are you going to do, Choseol?”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“What could I do? I can only give myself away. Like I did with Soo-oh.”
Right now in the conference room, the Earth Management Hall Master is taking the lead in forcing Heavenly Demon to make a choice. However, the problem is that he brought up the time when Jeonyang was around.
He brought up the time when Heavenly Demon gave all power to Jeonyang, criticizing if she was going to ruin the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult like then.
Of all things, he said a harsh word insulting Jeonyang. With emotion.
Emotions are intense.
Heavenly Demon immediately raised her hand.
The Earth Management Hall Master’s right arm was torn off.
It wasn’t cut. Heavenly Demon just stretched out her hand, but as if a huge hand grabbed and twisted it, the right arm was compressed in mid-air and then twisted off while spinning.
Like a child tearing off an insect’s limbs.
I can’t feel it, but Oh Myeongseong and Yin Simwon there are suffering from the enormous pressure.
From my view, it looks like they’re having difficulty breathing for mental reasons, but probably qi is raging inside there.
Suddenly Soo-oh came up to me, grabbed my waist, and pointed to a high place in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s main building.
“Choseol. Right now, Master is… extremely angry.”
It can be felt even from here, it seems.
I agreed with Soo-oh.
“Someone must have touched Heavenly Demon’s sore spot.”
In other words, the meeting was shattered. Moreover, Oh Myeongseong tried to draw his sword towards Heavenly Demon with Gu Milmil by his side.
Surprisingly, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult might disappear like this.
“No, what could make Master angry? Master is a very calm person, what on earth did they say?”
“Ask her directly when she comes next time.”
I’m curious how she thinks about her past too.
Anyway, the meeting ended just like that due to Heavenly Demon’s mood issue.
The man in the faded memories laments saying it’s ruined. He says it’s really hard to turn things around if you just waste the beginning doing nothing.
He’s only ever clicked through strategy simulation games, what does he know to say such things.
Such impressions come out, but it’s not entirely wrong.
The memories of people who can actually use strategies and tactics are reaching similar conclusions.
“Master hasn’t been coming lately. Since Master is the cult leader, she seems too busy to come because of that work. Hmm…”
Soo-oh stepped away from me a few steps. Then she looked at me straight on.
“I’m strong enough to be praised by Master, so when bad people come, I’ll protect Choseol!”
And she declared proudly.
“Good luck.”
“Why are you talking like it’s someone else’s business!”
Soo-oh rushed over and hit her hands against me.
“Soo-oh is weak, you know.”
Ah.
Soo-oh’s expression twisted. Then she ran to where the iron sword was on the porch and drew it.
“I’m strong! At least stronger than Choseol!”
Dark purple mist flowed from the sword.
It’s quite small compared to the crystal-clear Heavenly Demon or Oh Myeongseong. Or maybe I just can’t see the rest of it.
“First of all, Soo-oh. I can’t see qi, so even if you do that, I can’t see it.”
Ah. Her expression became like that. Then it changed to an expression like “Oh right, that’s true”, and she quietly returned the sword to its scabbard.
And seeing her quietly put it back on the porch, it’s hard to say she’s a proper martial artist. The memories of martial artists sparkle saying a martial artist should never put their sword away from their side.
Now it’s not just the faded man’s memories that sparkle, but other people’s memories sparkle too.
“And what’s the use of being stronger than me? You need to be stronger than the enemy.”
But there are many memories that agree with this statement.
At my words, Soo-oh sat on the porch with a very angry face.
“You’re right! You’re right, but hearing it from Choseol is annoying!”
In terms of force, that’s right.
Of course, I can also steal warmth from living beings and turn them into monsters, but I’ll never do that again.
“Is it annoying because it’s true?”
Ah, she’s sulking.
I guess I teased her too much. While pondering how to soothe her, I stealthily checked the views of other harvesters.
The group of harvesters using spears like guns.
They’re hunting martial artists well.
Mediocre skills result in death with holes pierced in the body from the volley fire, and those who can deflect that and approach are dealt with by harvesters with strong martial arts behind them.
However, if there’s a problem, it’s that they’ve gone too far.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s sphere of influence. The boundary.
There should have been other orders originally, but the command that should be giving orders now is temporarily paused.
It’s heartbreaking because I can see the future.
If possible, I’d like to see something special the Murim Alliance has prepared using them as bait. Thinking that, I approached Soo-oh.
“Soo-oh.”
She turns her head sharply.
So I grabbed Soo-oh’s cheeks with both hands and made her look at me.
“Oof!”
My simple strength is stronger. The strength from my build is considerable.
“It’s going to get really dangerous from now on. If something unfortunate happens, live only for yourself then. I’ve always said that, right?”
I often told Soo-oh to do what she wants. When there was something to choose, I waited until Soo-oh deliberated and chose.
Sometimes I didn’t wait and just went.
To use me properly, it’s best to do what you want to do. When you move for your own ideals, and when that’s a good thing, you can go the farthest.
Like Tis did.
“Why are you talking like you’re going to die soon?”
Soo-oh complained with her cheeks still held by me.
That was really a funny thing to say.
“Hehe, die… Soo-oh, do you know?”
I lowered my hands from her cheeks.
“Even if this body disappears, I don’t die. I can’t die.”
Even the Great Kraken, who was once called a god of a world and has fallen to an immortal in this world, couldn’t kill me.
“Don’t worry about me. Move only for yourself. Until Soo-oh dies…”
How should I explain this?
I could say I’ll come when you die like in the first world, but predicting that Soo-oh might easily give up her life if something happens, I said this instead:
“I’ll be with you. Rather, I’ll leave when you die, so know that.”
This gnashing opportunity.
Once.
Thinking that, I put my hand on Soo-oh’s head, then lowered it.
Since I’m not this child’s parent, such actions would be rude. Instead, I pinched her cheek once and sat down nearby.
Time passes.
Along with the sound of peaceful daily life breaking behind us.
Hehe.
The harvesters are moving fiercely.