Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker/Notes : Saphartlantis
========================
Akhirnya, hari pertemuan itu pun tiba.
Jo Chunbae, yang mulai bersiap-siap untuk berbisnis lebih awal dari biasanya, menulis sesuatu di secarik kertas dan menempelkannya dengan jelas di pintu masuk.
Tutup hari ini, mohon maaf atas ketidaknyamanannya.
Sambil menatap pengumuman yang baru saja ia pasang sendiri, Jo Chunbae menarik napas dalam-dalam. Akhirnya, hari ini tiba! Kau pasti bisa, Chunbae.
Pemilik toko kain di sebelah, Tuan Yang, bertanya dengan penuh perhatian.
“Ada pertemuan Sekte di kedai hari ini.”
Ia telah merahasiakannya sampai hari ini, tapi sekarang ia akhirnya bisa mengungkapkannya.
Tentu saja, Tuan Yang terkejut.
“Selamat, selamat.”
Karena semua orang sudah tahu bahwa Jo Chunbae dekat dengan Young Cult Leader, dan bahwa bukan hanya para Demon Supremes dari Sekte Iblis Surgawi, tetapi bahkan Heavenly Demon sendiri yang terkadang mampir, tidaklah mengejutkan jika sebuah pertemuan akan diadakan di sana.
“Bolehkah aku mampir nanti untuk sekadar mengintip?”
Tuan Yang tertawa terbahak-bahak, mengakui bahwa itu memang benar.
“Lakukan yang terbaik.”
“Terima kasih.”
Songyi, yang membantu di dapur, juga tiba lebih awal dari biasanya. Sebenarnya, tidak banyak lagi yang perlu disiapkan. Jo Chunbae sudah mengurus semuanya terlebih dahulu. Bahkan jika pesanan langsung datang, makanannya bisa segera disajikan.
Songyi tampak jelas gugup menghadapi pertemuan hari ini.
“Akan ada banyak sekali iblis di sini hari ini, bukan?”
“Jangan takut. Kita bersama Young Cult Leader. Orang paling bisa diandalkan di dunia ada di pihak kita, jadi apa yang perlu ditakutkan? Lagi pula, orang-orang piciklah yang suka menindas orang lain—para master sejati memiliki wibawa.”
Sebenarnya, Jo Chunbae sama gugupnya. Melayani tamu yang datang tanpa diundang dan menjadi tuan rumah dalam pertemuan yang diatur secara formal adalah dua hal yang sangat berbeda tingkat tekanannya.
Tepat pada saat itu, seorang lelaki tua masuk melalui pintu belakang.
“Tuan, kami tidak buka hari ini. Lagi pula, Anda tidak boleh masuk lewat sini.”
“Apakah kamu pemilik tempat ini?”
“Aku punya satu-dua pertanyaan, dan kakiku sedang sakit, jadi biarkan aku beristirahat sebentar sebelum pergi.”
Pria tua itu duduk di sebuah bangku kecil di halaman belakang.
Menilik kerutan di wajahnya, usianya sudah sangat senja, namun tubuhnya sangat kokoh. Matanya yang tajam bagaikan harimau menyiratkan bahwa ia pasti merupakan sosok yang berapi-api di masa mudanya.
Selain itu, ia tampak biasa saja. Dengan intuisi dan persepsi tajam yang diasah selama bertahun-tahun berbisnis, Jo Chunbae mengamati pria itu. Ia tidak terlihat seperti seorang seniman bela diri. Ia juga tidak terlihat seperti orang jahat.
“Wah, Anda sudah datang dari tempat yang jauh. Ada keperluan apa sampai datang jauh-jauh ke sini?”
“Aku datang untuk menemui seseorang.”
“Di usia Anda, perjalanan ini pasti sangat melelahkan. Perlukah kubelikan segelas air?”
“Siapa yang kau datangi jauh-jauh ke sini untuk ditemui?”
“Jika Anda menyebut mereka musuh, ya memang begitu. Tapi jika Anda bilang kami dekat, ya kami memang dekat.”
Mendengar itu, Jo Chunbae bertanya dengan hati-hati.
“Jangan-jangan, Anda datang untuk menemui anak Anda?”
Jo Chunbae merasa tebakannya benar. Hal seperti ini sering terjadi. Para lansia yang terpisah dari anak-anak mereka terkadang melakukan perjalanan panjang, berharap bisa melihat wajah anak atau cucu mereka setidaknya sekali sebelum mereka mati.
“Sudah berapa lama sejak terakhir kali Anda melihat mereka?”
“Mungkin sudah lebih dari sepuluh tahun sekarang.”
Jo Chunbae merasakan simpati yang tenang bergelayut di dalam hatinya. Bukankah ia baru saja melewati masalah besar dengan keluarganya sendiri?
“Di kedai ini.”
“Oh tidak! Dari sekian banyak hari, kenapa Anda memilih hari ini? Kedai sedang tutup hari ini. Jam berapa seharusnya kalian bertemu?”
“Aku punya waktu luang, jadi aku datang lebih awal. Aku juga penasaran trik macam apa yang membuat mereka memilih tempat ini.”
Mendengar kata “trik” saja sudah memperjelas semuanya. Hubungan antara lelaki tua yang pemarah ini dan anaknya tidaklah baik.
“Haruskah aku?”
“Saat Anda menjalankan bisnis seperti ini, Anda melihat berbagai jenis orang. Orang-orang yang saling membenci setengah mati, yang berdebat dan berkelahi. Tapi nanti, mereka semua akan menyesalinya. Yang diperlukan hanyalah menahan diri sejenak, sedikit lebih memaafkan, dan mereka akan bertanya-tanya mengapa mereka begitu mempertahankan harga diri mereka. Anda dan saya, orang tua, kita sudah melewati usia untuk mengasah pedang, bukan? Bukan, ini adalah masanya untuk membuang pedang kita.”
Pria tua itu menatap Jo Chunbae dalam keheningan.
“Jika Anda terus berkata ‘nanti, nanti’, maka itu benar-benar akan menjadi terlambat. Saat Anda bertemu, katakan saja bahwa itu adalah salah Anda lebih dahulu. Bukankah itu yang membuat seseorang menjadi seorang tetua? Lembutkan sedikit emosi itu.”
“Kami bisa tahu hanya dengan melihat wajah Anda. Bukankah Anda cukup pemarah di masa lalu?”
Orang tua itu tersenyum tipis dan aneh.
“Aku memang begitu.”
“Bagaimanapun, kami tidak buka hari ini, jadi tunggulah di penginapan di bawah sana. Jika seseorang datang mencari Anda, aku akan pastikan untuk menyuruh mereka pergi ke sana.”
Mengingat situasi hari ini, menyampaikan pesan itu pun mungkin tidak mudah. Haruskah ia meminta tolong kepada salah satu iblis yang menjaga pintu masuk? Ia sedikit khawatir mereka akan saling terlewat dan tidak pernah bertemu lagi.
Tepat pada saat itu, pria tua itu bertanya secara tiba-tiba,
“Aku dengar markas Demonic Cult ada di dekat sini. Pernahkah kau melihat Heavenly Demon?”
“Beraninya Anda mengucapkan kata-kata seperti itu tentang Sekte? Jika Anda mengatakan hal seperti itu sembarangan di Maga Village, Anda tidak akan mati dengan tenang.”
“Maaf.”
Ia sempat berpikir untuk mengusir pria tua itu saat itu juga, namun di sisi lain, ia merasa kasihan pada seorang tetua yang telah datang jauh-jauh hanya untuk melihat anaknya, jadi ia menjawab.
“Aku pernah melihatnya. Cult Leader juga pernah mengunjungi kedai kami.”
“Beliau mungkin menakutkan bagi faksi ortodoks dan sesat, namun bagi kami, beliau adalah sosok yang dermawan. Dan beliaulah yang paling sangat ku hormati.”
“Karena beliau melindungimu dari kaum ortodoks dan sesat?”
Lalu Jo Chunbae memberikan alasan yang mengejutkan.
Itu adalah pertama kalinya Jo Chunbae mengatakan hal seperti itu. Ia bahkan tidak secara sadar menyadari bahwa ia berpikir seperti itu sampai detik itu.
‘Tapi mengapa pria tua ini menatapku seolah ia tahu sesuatu? Apa yang kau tahu tentang Young Cult Leader?’
Tepat pada saat itu, suara Songyi terdengar dari dalam.
“Tuan, seorang tamu telah tiba!”
Jo Chunbae berdiri.
“Anda harus pergi. Jika Anda berkeliaran di sini hari ini, sesuatu yang buruk bisa terjadi. Tunggu saja di penginapan di bawah, ya?”
Tamu yang datang adalah sosok yang tak terduga.
“Oh? My lord.”
Tidak lain adalah Demonic Army Commander, Jangho. Berbeda dari biasanya, ketika ia mengenakan pakaian bela diri biasa dan datang untuk minum, hari ini ia mengenakan seragam resmi Demonic Army.
Begitu Jo Chunbae melihat lambang iblis yang menakutkan terpampang di dadanya, ia merasakan gelombang ketakutan—dan teringat, ah benar, dia adalah pemimpin Demonic Army yang mengerikan.
“Aku di sini untuk mengatur tempat duduk untuk pertemuan hari ini.”
Jangho naik ke lantai atas.
Jo Chunbae merasa bingung di dalam hati.
‘Hanya tiga orang yang menghadiri pertemuan hari ini?’
Ia mengira ini akan menjadi pertemuan besar. Tapi ternyata tidak. Namun untuk pertemuan yang hanya dihadiri tiga orang, Wang Sooksoo datang untuk memeriksa dapur, dan Demonic Army Commander datang secara pribadi untuk mengatur tempat duduk?
‘Ya ampun! Jangan bilang—jangan-jangan Cult Leader yang akan datang?’
“Tapi, mengapa my lord melakukan ini secara pribadi? Mengapa tidak menyuruh bawahannya saja yang mengurusnya?”
“Bawahanku tidak akan datang ke sini hari ini.”
Jo Chunbae sama sekali tidak tahu. Tidak ada seniman bela diri di bawah tingkat Division Leader yang diizinkan menginjakkan kaki di Flowing Wind Tavern hari ini. Di antara mereka yang hadir di sini hari ini, para Division Leader adalah yang ‘paling rendah’.
Para Division Leader dari setiap organisasi telah dikerahkan di seluruh pasar seolah-olah mereka adalah seniman bela diri biasa.
Jo Chunbae hendak menyebutkan tentang pria tua itu, tetapi ia mengurungkan niatnya. Orang itu toh sudah pergi. Jika ia mengatakan sesuatu yang tidak perlu dan pria tua itu akhirnya diseret oleh para kultivator iblis untuk diinterogasi, ia mungkin tidak akan pernah bisa melihat anaknya lagi.
Pada saat itu, seseorang melangkah masuk ke dalam kedai.
Yang mengejutkan, itu tidak lain adalah Fist Demon King. Begitu ia melihat wajah yang menakutkan itu, jantung Jo Chunbae berdegup kencang.
‘Bahkan Fist Demon King pun tampaknya menghadiri pertemuan ini.’
Ketika keduanya berdiri berdampingan, rasanya kedai itu menjadi sangat penuh. Bukankah mereka berdua adalah orang-orang dengan wajah paling menakutkan di seluruh Heavenly Demon Divine Cult? Dengan kedua pria menyeramkan itu berdiri bersama, Jo Chunbae bahkan tidak berani menatap mereka secara langsung.
Setelah percakapan singkat dengan Jangho, Fist Demon King mendekati Jo Chunbae.
‘Ah, seharusnya aku masuk ke dapur lebih awal tadi.’
Saat Dan Woo-gang berjalan tepat menghampirinya, ia mengajukan pertanyaan yang tak terduga.
Fist Demon King menanyakan tentang makanannya?
Jo Chunbae mendongak dengan kaget, lalu dengan cepat menundukkan kepalanya. Wajah itu terlalu menakutkan untuk ditatap langsung.
Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker/Notes : Saphartlantis
========================
At last, the day of the meeting had dawned.
Jo Chunbae, who began preparing for business earlier than usual, wrote something on a piece of paper and posted it large at the entrance.
Closed for today, sorry for the inconvenience.
Looking at the notice he had put up himself, Jo Chunbae took a deep breath. Finally, today! You can do this, Chunbae.
The fabric shop owner from next door, Mr. Yang, asked with concern.
“There’s a meeting of the Divine Cult at the tavern today.”
He had kept it secret until today, but now he could finally reveal it.
Naturally, Mr. Yang was startled.
“Congratulations, congratulations.”
Since everyone already knew Jo Chunbae was close with the Young Cult Leader, and that not only the Demon Supremes of the Divine Cult but even the Heavenly Demon himself passed by sometimes, it wasn’t surprising that a meeting would be held there.
“Can I stop by later for a peek?”
Mr. Yang burst into laughter, admitting it was true.
“Do well.”
“Thanks.”
Songyi, who helped in the kitchen, also arrived earlier than usual. In truth, there wasn’t much left to prepare. Jo Chunbae had taken care of everything in advance. Even if an order came in right away, the food could be served immediately.
Songyi was visibly nervous about the meeting today.
“There’ll be tons of demons here today, won’t there?”
“Don’t be scared. We have the Young Cult Leader with us. The most reliable person in the world is on our side, so what’s there to fear? Besides, it’s the petty ones who bully people—true masters are dignified.”
In truth, Jo Chunbae was just as nervous. Serving guests who showed up unannounced and hosting a formally arranged gathering were worlds apart in terms of pressure.
Just then, an elderly man entered through the back door.
“Sir, we’re not open for business today. Also, you can’t come in through here.”
“Are you the owner of this place?”
“I’ve got a question or two, and my legs are aching, so let me rest for just a bit before I go.”
The old man sat on a small bench in the backyard.
Judging by the wrinkles on his face, he was quite old, but his build was very sturdy. His sharp, tiger-like eyes suggested he must have been quite the firebrand in his youth. 1
Other than that, he seemed ordinary. With the keen intuition and perception honed through years of business, Jo Chunbae observed the man. He didn’t look like a martial artist. He didn’t look like a bad person either.
“Oh wow, you’ve come a long way. What brings you all the way out here?”
“I came to meet someone.”
“A man your age must’ve had a hard trip. Shall I get you a glass of water?”
“Who did you come all the way here to meet?”
“If you call them an enemy, they are. But if you say we’re close, we are, too.”
At that, Jo Chunbae asked cautiously.
“Did you come to see your child, by any chance?” 2
Jo Chunbae felt his guess was right. This sort of thing happened often. Elderly people who had been separated from their children would sometimes make a long journey, hoping to see the face of their child or grandchild at least once before they died. 3
“How long has it been since you saw them?”
“Maybe more than ten years now.”
Jo Chunbae felt a quiet sympathy stir within him. Hadn’t he just gone through something big with his own family?
“At this tavern.”
“Oh no! Of all the days, you picked today? The tavern is closed today. What time are you supposed to meet?”
“I had some time, so I came early. I’m also curious what kind of scheme made them choose this place.”
Just hearing the word “scheme” made it clear. The relationship between this short-tempered old man and his child wasn’t good.
“Should I?”
“When you run a business like this, you see all kinds of people. People who hate each other to death, who argue and fight. But later on, they all regret it. All it takes is holding back for a moment, being a little more forgiving, and they wonder why they clung to their pride so much. You and I, old-timer, we’re past the age for sharpening blades, aren’t we? No, it’s the age to throw away our blades.” 4
The old man stared silently at Jo Chunbae.
“If you keep saying ‘later, later,’ then it really becomes too late. When you meet, just say it was your fault first. Isn’t that what makes someone an elder? Soften that temper a little.”
“We can tell just by looking at your face. Didn’t you have quite a temper back in the day?”
The old man gave a faint, peculiar smile.
“I did.” 5
“Anyway, we’re not open for business today, so wait down at the inn below. If someone comes looking for you, I’ll make sure to tell them to head there.”
Given today’s situation, even delivering that message might not be easy. Should he ask one of the demons guarding the entrance for help? He was a little worried they might miss each other and never meet again. 6
Just then, the old man asked suddenly,
“I heard the headquarters of the Demonic Cult is nearby. Have you ever seen the Heavenly Demon?”
“How dare you speak such words about the Cult? If you say something like that recklessly in Maga Village, you won’t die a peaceful death.”
“Sorry.”
He thought about kicking the old man out immediately, but then again, he felt bad for an elder who had come all this way just to see his child, so he answered.
“I have seen him. The Cult Leader has visited our tavern too.”
“He may be frightening to the orthodox and unorthodox factions, but to us, he is a benevolent person. And he’s the one I respect the most.”
“Because he protects you from the orthodox and unorthodox?”
Then Jo Chunbae gave a surprising reason.
It was the first time Jo Chunbae had ever said such a thing. He hadn’t even consciously realized he thought that way until that moment.
‘But why is this old man looking at me like he knows something? What do you know about the Young Cult Leader?’
Just then, Songyi's voice called from inside.
“Sir, a guest has arrived!”
Jo Chunbae stood up.
“You should go. If you hang around here today, something bad could happen. Just wait at the inn below, alright?”
The guest who had arrived was an unexpected figure.
“Oh? My lord.”
It was none other than the Demonic Army Commander, Jangho. Unlike usual, when he wore plain martial garments and came to drink, today he was dressed in the official uniform of the Demonic Army.
As soon as Jo Chunbae saw the fearsome demon emblem emblazoned on his chest, he felt a wave of dread—and remembered, ah, right, he is the terrifying leader of the Demonic Army.
“I’m here to arrange the seating for today’s meeting.”
Jangho went upstairs.
Jo Chunbae was inwardly puzzled.
‘Only three people are attending today’s meeting?’
He had assumed it would be a large gathering. But apparently not. And yet for a meeting of only three people, Wang Sooksoo had come to inspect the kitchen, and the Demonic Army Commander had come personally to arrange the seats?
‘Gasp! No way—could the Cult Leader be coming?’
“But, why is my lord doing this personally? Why not have your subordinates handle it?”
“My subordinates won’t be coming here today.”
Jo Chunbae had no idea. No martial artist below the level of Division Leader was allowed to set foot in Flowing Wind Tavern today. Among those present here today, the Division Leaders were the ‘lowest’.
The Division Leaders of each organization had been deployed throughout the marketplace as if they were ordinary martial artists.
Jo Chunbae was about to mention the old man, but stopped himself. That person had already left anyway. If he said anything unnecessary and the old man ended up being dragged in by the demonic cultivators for questioning, he might never get to see his child again.
At that moment, someone entered the tavern.
To his surprise, it was none other than the Fist Demon King. The moment he saw that terrifying face, Jo Chunbae’s heart pounded.
‘Even the Fist Demon King seems to be attending the gathering.’
When the two of them stood side by side, it felt as though the tavern had become completely full. Weren’t these the two scariest-looking individuals in the entire Heavenly Demon Divine Cult? With the two fearsome men standing together, Jo Chunbae didn’t even dare to look directly at them.
After a brief conversation with Jangho, the Fist Demon King approached Jo Chunbae.
‘Ah, I should’ve gone into the kitchen earlier.’
As Dan Woo-gang walked right up to him, he asked an unexpected question.
The Fist Demon King was asking him about the food?
Jo Chunbae looked up in shock, then quickly bowed his head. That face was too frightening to meet head-on.
"There’s no need to be startled. I’ve been assigned to ensure the safety of today’s meeting."
The Fist Demon King was in charge of security? He wasn’t attending the gathering as one of the main participants? Why?
"Before serving, one of our cult’s martial artists will inspect the dishes for poison. It’s not that we suspect you—it’s just protocol, so please understand." 8
"Of course."
Jo Chunbae headed into the kitchen. His legs already felt weak.
Why would a Demon Supreme—especially someone as terrifying as the Fist Demon King—bother to explain all this to a mere tavern owner? Normally, he wouldn’t. He never would have. If it weren’t for the Young Cult Leader.
Another Demon Supreme entered the tavern.
It was the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, a massive saber strapped to his back. He, too, was dressed differently from usual.
He wore a crimson robe symbolizing the blood-colored sky. This was no longer the same Gu Cheonpa who used to banter with Geom Mugeuk while reading poetry.
His eyes were sharp and unyielding, and a chilling aura radiated from him like frost.
Songyi asked with her eyes.
‘Still not scared?’
Terrified. Absolutely terrified.
But pride kept him from saying it aloud.
"Have you seen the Young Cult Leader?"
"He was at the Cult Leader’s Hall."
"Understood."
The Blade Demon slowly walked back out. The Heaven-Extinguishing Saber on his back gleamed more coldly than ever before.
‘Whew, get it together. For the Young Cult Leader’s sake, I need to keep my head straight.’
He opened a small window in the kitchen that faced the main street and took a deep breath.
Just as he was calming his mind while gazing up at the sky, he saw someone.
A person stood with arms crossed atop the roof of the building across the street. There was no mistaking who it was. The white mask gleamed under the sunlight. 9
At that moment, Soma’s gaze slowly turned toward Jo Chunbae.
“Gah!”
Startled, Jo Chunbae quickly ducked below the window. Had their eyes met?
He cautiously peeked out again to look at the spot—but the Evil Smiling Demon was no longer there.
"Whew. Master Soma is the scariest after the Poison King."
When Songyi didn’t respond, Jo Chunbae turned around without thinking.
“Hweygh!” 10
He was even more startled than before.
The Poison King was also in formal attire. Dressed in a refined robe where green and white harmonized elegantly, he looked every bit the charming young noble.
Even in her shock, Songyi found herself thinking that the twelve zodiac designs on the Poison King’s poison pouch were quite cute. If one knew what was inside, however, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine those adorable animals’ eyes turning blood-red as they leapt out as monsters.
The Poison King carefully placed the bug onto a leaf and carried it outside. 11
Once he was gone, Jo Chunbae finally let out the breath he had been holding.
Then Songyi, still staring at the spot where the Poison King had been, said,
"Me, I’m not scared anymore."
"What?"
"He’s cool." 12
Just then, they sensed someone entering the tavern. Jo Chunbae peeked out through the small window from the kitchen to see who it was.
The one who entered wore a pristine white martial robe—it was the One-Slash Sword Supreme. On a day like today, one might expect she’d wear makeup after a long time, but she arrived with a bare face. The natural signs of age were visible.
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