Chapter 119: Resurrection of the Demonic Cult (2)
“The Demonic Cult has been resurrected?”
What kind of sudden, out-of-the-blue news was this?
So-mu wondered if he had misheard him.
“It’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth. They’ve unusually made a public announcement and have already begun to act.”
“What actions?”
“Three sects affiliated with the Wulin Alliance were attacked on the same day. According to the survivors, there is no doubt.”
“Did the remnants of the Demonic Cult still have that kind of strength left?”
Heo-gyu hesitated, casting a subtle glance at Yeon Seo-hwa.
The former Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult was sitting right in front of him. He had been curious about her opinion.
Watching silently, one corner of Seo-hwa’s mouth curled up slightly.
“Those bastards who lost the Great War of Orthodox and Demons and were subsequently pushed out by the Spirit Cult? They have no such power. From the looks of it, the Spirit Cult is using the name of the Demonic Cult to formally reveal themselves to the world.”
Heo-gyu looked surprised.
“We had our suspicions, but we couldn’t find a connection. As you said, Cult Lea—”
“I am no longer the Cult Leader.”
“Ah, yes… My apologies. Do you happen to have any information?”
Heo-gyu bowed his head politely, showing no awkwardness. He knew very well that if he weren’t a friend of the Sword Saint, this woman might have snapped his neck the moment she saw him.
Furthermore, as the former Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, her status in the martial world was equal to the heads of the Nine Great Sects and the Beggars’ Sect. A mere regional Branch Leader was in no position to speak to her on equal terms.
“The Spirit Cult was originally a faction that split off from the Demonic Cult anyway. It’s not strange for them to operate under their original name.”
The information he had desperately sought was flowing so easily. For Heo-gyu, there was no better opportunity.
“Why would they change their name to start operating now?”
“You already know, don’t you? The Spirit Cult is connected to the Hui Dynasty. I’m sure the military command is aware of this too.”
So-mu nodded in agreement.
“Indeed. If they operated under the name of the Spirit Cult, the government forces would intervene immediately. But since the Demonic Cult was originally a martial world entity, they can avoid government scrutiny. But I wonder why they chose this specific moment to draw their blades.”
Heo-gyu spoke cautiously,
“It’s a top-secret matter, but I actually have an idea.”
“Spill it.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Heo-gyu sent a telepathic transmission to So-mu.
— Is it really okay to talk about this here?
— There are no secrets between Seo-hwa and me. She is on our side, so you can speak freely.
— Phew. You, who never showed any interest in women, managed to seduce this goddess of terror. And at your age, too.
— Love knows no borders or age. Just spit out what you were going to say.
— Fine. Having the Jade Flower Saintess on our side feels like gaining a million soldiers.
Heo-gyu cleared his throat and spoke with a serious expression,
“The Wulin Alliance has decided to support General Jang-yang. If that information was leaked to the Spirit Cult, the current situation makes perfect sense. They want to dismantle the Alliance beforehand to prevent them from participating in the war.”
It made perfect sense, but one detail bothered So-mu.
“How would they get their hands on internal information? Is there a traitor within the Wulin Alliance?”
As Heo-gyu hesitated to answer, Seo-hwa offered a meaningful smile.
“There was a spy for the Demonic Cult within the Wulin Alliance even during the Great War of Orthodox and Demons.”
It was a shocking revelation. But there was no reason for her to lie.
“Unbelievable. No wonder our operations kept failing back then. Who was it?”
“The Heavenly Dragon Saber Master, Baek Mu-seong.”
Both So-mu and Heo-gyu widened their eyes in shock.
He was a master who had surpassed the peak realm and had fought in the war more passionately than anyone else. Although his disappearance after the war had been a mystery.
“Why would a man like him act as a spy for the Demonic Cult?”
“At the time, the Cult Leader, the Venom-Blooded Demon Lord Dokhyeol Sinma, held his family hostage.”
They could only shake their heads at the Demonic Cult’s vicious methods.
“If the Spirit Cult has been secretly controlling the Jin Dynasty for decades, they might be doing even worse things now.”
“Of course. They were a faction made up of the most vile elements within the Demonic Cult.”
Although the presence of a spy was confirmed, it was a problem they could resolve. So-mu turned his gaze back to Heo-gyu.
“But why is the Wulin Alliance trying to align with the government forces now? They didn’t care about the war before.”
“They had no choice but to hesitate. The late Emperor rejected the very existence of the martial world. If they had helped back then, they would have been stabbed in the back eventually.”
“Now that the Emperor has been assassinated, the playing field has changed. But why choose General Jang-yang?”
“Even within the confines of the martial world, we know how the world turns. The Emperor died without an heir, but someone must take the throne. We are simply betting our fate on the person with the highest probability of success.”
Weakened after the Great War of Orthodox and Demons, the Wulin Alliance could not afford to remain passive observers if they wanted to survive. Whatever the outcome, they had to choose a lifeline to cling to—someone trustworthy.
So-mu understood this well.
“It won’t be as easy as you think. He is a man who has zero interest in the throne.”
“His personal desires do not matter. Go out into the streets. The world already wants him to rule.”
So-mu chuckled.
“It’s not that simple. How many military governors are eyeing the throne right now? To make them submit, one needs not just virtue, but overwhelming martial power.”
“Haha. But we have you, don’t we? Though they keep it quiet, the core leadership of the Wulin Alliance knows that the Commander of the Wolf Fang Squad is the Sword Saint.”
Doubt flashed in So-mu’s eyes.
“How?”
“How long did you think you could hide it while slicing through enemy commanders like tofu?”
“True… but I’d prefer if they kept quiet. I want to avoid troublesome matters.”
“Don’t worry. We are keeping a tight lid on it within the Alliance.”
In any case, they couldn’t deceive everyone forever. As long as it was kept among the tight-lipped leaders of the Wulin Alliance, there would be no issues.
“So, in the process of the martial world choosing General Jang-yang, I was factored in as well.”
“That was the most crucial part. Who could handle the Sword Saint, who possess the martial power to match an entire army by himself? Ah, there is one person: Han Se-chung, the Military Governor of Muan.”
“I’ve met him once. I couldn’t guarantee victory without crossing blades with him.”
“He is indeed a remarkable figure. But we have placed our bets on you. So, please make sure General Jang-yang becomes the Emperor. A man who won the Sword Saint’s heart deserves it.”
After a brief silence, So-mu changed the subject.
“Since the immediate issue is urgent, we should discuss this later. What do you plan to do next?”
“We cannot handle the Spirit Cult operating under the name of the Demonic Cult on our own. I suspect their martial power might be even stronger than before the Great War of Orthodox and Demons.”
If Heo-gyu was correct, it was a force the Wulin Alliance could not face alone. Yet, So-mu’s expression actually brightened.
“This is actually a good thing. The pests we were looking for have crawled out on their own.”
“Just like you.”
“I will find a way to assist, so the Wulin Alliance should focus on rooting out the spy first.”
“I plan to start with that as well. We must secure our house before we plan our next move.”
“We will both be busy for the time being.”
Heo-gyu nodded and stood up.
“We have set up a new Beggars’ Sect branch in Chang’an Fortress, so I will contact you soon.”
With a mountain of tasks ahead, he couldn’t afford to leisure. He cast a final look at Yeon Seo-hwa.
“Then, I shall take my leave.”
Just then, the silent Seo-hwa stood up. To So-mu’s surprise, she politely cupped her fists in a martial salute.
“Have a safe journey.”
Startled by the unexpected gesture, Heo-gyu quickly returned the salute.
Once he had gone, So-mu asked in surprise,
“Unbelievable. To think my Seo-hwa would offer a martial salute to an Orthodox martial artist.”
“I can see you two share a deep bond. Any close friend of my husband deserves respect.”
He couldn’t help but find her incredibly lovely. Warmth filled his heart.
“Thank you…”
“Just words?”
So-mu took a step closer and whispered softly in her ear,
“I’ll return tonight, so wait for me…”
Seo-hwa’s face flushed slightly.
A moment later, her gaze drifted toward the wooden platform.
“When will they wake up?”
Il-gwang and So-so were fast asleep, completely dead to the world. They couldn’t bring themselves to wake them.
“I’ll head down alone. They should wake up within two hours. I’ll drop by the military camp first.”
Her slender arms gently wrapped around his waist from behind.
“Come back quickly.”
***
So-mu headed straight for General Jang-yang’s office.
The General was currently struggling with a mountain of documents piled high on his desk. Looking at his hollow eyes, he didn’t seem to have slept at all.
“Why don’t you hire more administrators?”
“Haha! Welcome, So-mu. I was just thinking about that. In the past, I only had to manage Hanzhong, but now that I must oversee the administration of all of Shaanxi, I cannot handle it alone.”
So-mu looked at the paper the General was holding. It was filled with complex texts that only scholars would read.
“Could it be… you are preparing for the Imperial Examination?”
“For a region to develop, we must not stop recruiting talented individuals. It is a task that must be done.”
Recruiting officials was the sole authority of the Emperor in the capital. However, because of the war, the process had been stalled for years, and now that the imperial court had vanished, it was impossible to proceed.
Yet, Jang-yang was moving forward with it now. Within Shaanxi, he wielded the absolute authority of a king.
Although other military governors would object, Jang-yang was not one to care about others’ opinions. His relentless drive surprised So-mu once again.
“Fascinating. I heard that while the administrative offices in northern Shaanxi have been normalized, there is a severe shortage of local officials.”
“Precisely because of that. Anyone who wishes to take the exam will be allowed to do so, and anyone with talent will be recruited, regardless of gender, age, or status.”
So-mu nodded with a smile.
“So women will finally be able to take the exam too. That is a wonderful idea. There should be no restrictions of gender or age when it comes to serving the country.”
“Haha! I am overjoyed that you agree. The realm is starved of talent, yet talented women have had no opportunity to showcase their skills due to outdated customs. This must change. I hope to see a female hero like General So-so emerge from this.”
Hearing his daughter’s name, So-mu felt a sudden chill run down his spine.
“What subjects are you preparing for the exam?”
“For the military branch, tactical capability and martial arts must take priority. For the civil branch, it used to be Confucian classics, history, and literature, but what use are those in these chaotic times?”
“Practical capability must be prioritized so they can be deployed immediately.”
There was no greater joy than meeting a like-minded person. Jang-yang was in high spirits.
“Haha! It is wonderful to speak with someone who understands so clearly. We will prepare to evaluate their personal moral values rather than what is written in books, ensuring we select those with true capability and talent.”
“I am certain it will yield excellent results.”
“Indeed it will. Now, it is my turn to listen. I assume you had a separate reason for visiting me today.”
It was time to get to the point. So-mu explained everything he had heard from Heo-gyu regarding the Demonic Cult.
As he finished, Jang-yang’s expression turned grave.
“So, the Spirit Cult behind the Hui Dynasty has changed its name to the Demonic Cult and is attempting to dismantle the Orthodox martial world.”
“Yes. If we do not assist, they will surely fall.”
“Then there is no reason to hesitate. If we want to gain a reliable ally in the Wulin Alliance, our government forces must show good faith first.”
So-mu’s eyes gleamed.
“Then, may I intervene in their conflict?”
“How can we allow enemy forces to roam our territory under the guise of the martial world? You must handle this as thoroughly as possible.”
“Understood. Please leave this matter to me.”
“I will. There is no better fit than you. But you seem to have a plan, what do you intend to do?”
“I will root them out and arrest them by any means necessary. Those who resist will be executed on the spot depending on the situation.”
Jang-yang nodded readily.
“I will leave it to your judgment. You may deploy all the forces you need, but be careful. From what you’ve said, they do not seem like easy opponents.”