Chapter 414

Chapter 414 – Evil Fate Continues Endlessly (2)

Won Seol-hwa walked straight toward Eun So-cheong. This was evidence that she already knew Eun So-cheong.

Eun So-cheong's expression hardened stiffly. Because she too recognized Won Seol-hwa. They had met a very long time ago.

At that time, Eun So-cheong was still a young girl, and Won Seol-hwa wasn't in such a prominent period either. But because their very presence itself was so intense, they had looked at each other impressively and become acquainted.

Won Seol-hwa was the first to speak.

"You're Eun So-cheong of Silver Treasure Escort Agency, right?"

"That's right. You still remember? Sister!"

"How could I not remember? The only daughter of Silver Treasure Escort Agency."

Won Seol-hwa smiled gently. It was a bright smile as beautiful as her pretty face, but Eun So-cheong felt an inexplicable chill and shivered.

"How did you come here? It wouldn't have been easy to enter Hunan Province. Did you come to make a deal with the Divine Cult?"

"You seem to have forgotten. Originally Silver Treasure Escort Agency has its roots in Hunan Province. I've come home."

"Ah! That's right."

Won Seol-hwa nodded as if she was just now learning a new fact. Her reaction was so natural. But Eun So-cheong wasn't fooled.

'Every breath, every smile – it's all fabricated. I absolutely must not be taken in by that outward appearance.'

A merchant uses everything they have to sell even one small item. Eye smiles, smiles, and seductive gestures were the basics of basics. Viewers accept it as natural behavior, but all of it was actually highly calculated conduct.

Since Eun So-cheong had also built her foundation as a merchant, she knew this fact well and could do it too. But she couldn't naturally incorporate it into all her actions like Won Seol-hwa did.

"You must be returning after a long time. Since I came to this place, I haven't seen Silver Treasure Escort Agency's merchant group at all."

"Yes!"

Won Seol-hwa's gaze turned to the cargo wagons lined up behind Eun So-cheong.

"What did you bring?"

"Rock salt."

"Just when Yueyang is very short on salt too, you'll make some good money."

"I hope so."

"Please take care of me in the future."

"What do you mean?"

"As you know, sister, our Divine Flower Merchant Group has also made its nest here in Hunan Province. Since Silver Treasure Escort Agency is the original owner, naturally we guests should ask for understanding."

Won Seol-hwa's bright smile deepened. In contrast, Eun So-cheong's face hardened even more. Because she felt Won Seol-hwa's words were mocking her.

Hunan Province was completely controlled by the Demon Cult. Therefore, Silver Treasure Escort Agency's influence, which had been a traditional powerhouse of Hunan Province, had pathetically shrunk to an incomparable degree compared to before. For Divine Flower Merchant Group, backed by the Demon Cult, to say they were asking permission from such Silver Treasure Escort Agency was no different from deceptive behavior.

Eun So-cheong's eyes trembled, and Won Seol-hwa smiled even more deeply watching such Eun So-cheong.

Eun So-cheong suppressed the surging anger and tried to speak nonchalantly.

"If Divine Flower Merchant Group is going to make its nest in Hunan Province, we greatly welcome it. When the world's greatest merchant group enters, won't the market naturally expand? The small crumbs that Divine Flower Merchant Group spills are enough for us."

"Hoho! So modest. Anyway, I'll take it as permission. Thank you!"

"Not at all."

Won Seol-hwa's eyes curved like crescents.

It wasn't only men who liked to create hierarchies and take superior positions. Women also had such instincts, and Won Seol-hwa had particularly strong such tendencies.

By putting Silver Treasure Escort Agency, which had once challenged Divine Flower Merchant Group with fierce momentum, under her feet, she confirmed her own position. Her position seated far higher than Eun So-cheong.

Won Seol-hwa's gaze, which had been enjoying superiority for a while, suddenly turned toward Cho Yeon-woon standing behind Eun So-cheong. At this, Cho Yeon-woon put on a deliberately calm expression.

"Who is that person?"

"He's called Cho Il-gyeong of Silver Treasure Escort Agency."

Cho Yeon-woon spoke his alias with a calm expression. Since he was lightly disguised anyway, there was no worry about his real face being discovered.

Won Seol-hwa looked closely at Cho Yeon-woon's appearance.

"Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing. He seems to resemble someone I know, but I guess I was mistaken."

At Cho Yeon-woon's calm expression and question, Won Seol-hwa slightly shook her head.

Won Seol-hwa looked at the escort agency people visible behind Eun So-cheong one by one. A merchant's basics were observation and analysis, and Won Seol-hwa had made all of this a habit.

The strike force including Jang Jin-myeong acted calmly. At first it was awkward to disguise as an escort agency, but after traveling together for a long time, they had become much more natural.

Won Seol-hwa didn't seem to feel anything strange and soon turned her head. She said to Eun So-cheong:

"Then since you've returned home after a long time, enjoy your freedom. Home is always the best place anyway."

"Thank you, sister."

"Then I'll be going. I need to enter the main base."

Won Seol-hwa openly said she was entering the Demon Cult's main base. This meant there was nothing more to hide or any reason to conceal. Her confidence had reached its peak to that degree.

Won Seol-hwa turned around and rejoined her companions.

"Let's go."

"Yes!"

The group departed with their answer.

"Miss!"

When they had gotten somewhat far away, Divine Flower Merchant Group's inner hall leader Cho Gwan-seo approached her side. He had cold reason and an excellent brain, enough to have earned the epithet Cold Ice Scholar.

He noticed that Won Seol-hwa's expression was different from usual.

"Is something wrong? Miss."

"Hall Leader Cho."

"Please speak."

"Assign people to Silver Treasure Escort Agency."

"You mean to monitor them?"

"That's right."

"Understood."

Cho Gwan-seo didn't make the mistake of asking tediously for reasons.

Though not very old, Won Seol-hwa had seasoned herself in the merchant world for a long time. In martial world terms, she was no different from a veteran martial artist who had experienced all battles.

When she said something was strange, something strange had certainly occurred. There was nothing bad about preparing in advance.

Won Seol-hwa's eyes shone sharp as a blade.

'Escort agency martial artists, they say.'

She recalled the appearance of some martial artists who had been lined up behind Eun So-cheong. They acted as naturally as possible, but they couldn't deceive Won Seol-hwa's eyes.

General martial world people and escort agency martial artists are different.

Most martial world people don't watch others' reactions. Because they think it's natural for the strong to have everything.

If they think they're even slightly strong themselves, they naturally don't watch others' reactions. Such thinking naturally manifests in their behavior.

On the other hand, escort agency martial artists were different.

They were people hired with money to sell their martial force to merchant groups as bodyguards. Since they were employed with money, their behavior was naturally cautious, and they tended to humble themselves.

They were especially careful in front of their employers and didn't commit the error of putting themselves forward. At least most escort agency martial artists Won Seol-hwa knew had such tendencies.

Therefore, she could detect the strange atmosphere of the escort agency martial artists lined up behind Eun So-cheong.

'They are definitely not simple escort agency people.'

Her merchant's intuition whispered so. Her intuition had been wrong only once so far.

'Fist Demon.'

She had misjudged the size of his vessel from the beginning, so she committed a grave error. She was confident she could wrap Dam Ho in her skirt, but it didn't work out as intended.

Everything was because she hadn't properly grasped his caliber from the start. But since then she had grown a lot. She wouldn't make such a mistake again.

Won Seol-hwa suddenly looked back. Far away she could see Eun So-cheong and the escort agency watching her.

'She's definitely suspicious.'

Eun So-cheong clenched her small fist tightly.

She recalled Won Seol-hwa's gaze from just before. It wasn't simply because of a woman's intuition. Won Seol-hwa had certainly assessed the members of the escort agency in that brief moment. And she had certainly felt that the escort agency Eun So-cheong led was different from ordinary escort agency martial artists.

"What's wrong?"

At Eun So-cheong's serious expression, Cho Yeon-woon's face also hardened.

"We need to be careful."

"We're already being careful."

"Won Seol-hwa is definitely suspicious."

"That can't be… Are you certain?"

"I'm certain."

When Eun So-cheong answered without hesitation for even a moment, Cho Yeon-woon's gaze also became serious.

Until just before, he had thought he had successfully deceived Won Seol-hwa's eyes. The same was true for Jang Jin-myeong and the other strike force members.

"Everyone worked hard. Just keep acting like that from now on."

Jang Jin-myeong was praising the strike force that had acted calmly. The strike force was also smiling and naturally accepting Jang Jin-myeong's praise.

"Phew!"

Cho Yeon-woon unconsciously let out a sigh.

***

The Demon Cult's main base was built on the site of the former Martial Alliance.

Befitting the Demon Cult's main stronghold, the base's scale was enormous. Massive palace complexes stretched endlessly out of sight, and the high walls resembled a giant fortress.

It had taken decades of time, determination, and sacrifice to occupy this place. Therefore, the pride that Demon Cult martial artists had in the main base was indescribably tremendous.

Like the nine-fold depths of a palace, the Demon Cult's main base was also composed of complex structures.

The Elder Council where the elders gathered.

The Military Department where Military Advisor Sang Han-cheon resided.

The Inner Court where core forces were stationed.

Besides these, countless organizations occupied one place in the main base forming a giant fortress. Among them, the deepest place was where Cult Leader Cheok Gwan-hyeol resided.

A secret land surrounded by walls several times higher and thicker than human height. A forbidden zone where the inside could never be seen from outside and unauthorized persons could never enter – that was Cheok Gwan-hyeol's residence.

Those qualified to enter the Cult Leader's residence could be counted on one hand. One of them was precisely Military Advisor Sang Han-cheon.

Sang Han-cheon had the qualification to freely enter the Cult Leader's residence at any time.

Entering the Cult Leader Hall, Cheok Gwan-hyeol's residence, Sang Han-cheon straightened his attire and took a deep breath.

Though he had a supreme status second only to one person and above ten thousand, he was always nervous when facing Cult Leader Cheok Gwan-hyeol.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol was a god to him.

The reason the fallen Demon Cult could be raised again was because the god called Cheok Gwan-hyeol firmly held his position. Without him, the current Demon Cult couldn't exist.

A massive iron door blocked his way.

It was the entrance leading to the Cult Leader Hall.

There were no ordinary guard warriors in front of the massive iron door. Because there was no need.

This massive iron door leading to the Cult Leader Hall couldn't be opened by human strength. Thanks to the massive iron door that could only be opened using mechanical power, guard warriors protecting the perimeter weren't necessary.

Sang Han-cheon spoke toward the iron door.

"Cult Leader, this is Han-cheon."

Groan!

Instantly the massive iron door slowly opened with a heavy sound.

Beyond the iron door, a corridor swallowed by darkness was visible. Like a passage leading to hell, it extended endlessly toward the underground. Without the torches hanging on both sides of the corridor walls, it would be dark as pitch, unable to distinguish even one's own hands.

Sang Han-cheon took a deep breath and stepped into the passage. He walked for a while following the torches. The corridor continued endlessly, to the point where he thought he might really reach the end of hell.

Only after walking for a long time could Sang Han-cheon reach his destination.

That place filled with pitch-black darkness was a massive underground cavern. As soon as he arrived at the underground cavern, Sang Han-cheon's face stiffened. Because his breath suddenly became choked.

Demonic energy filled the massive underground cavern. Like a hungry demon craving prey, the demonic energy was rippling while devouring light.

In the center of that space that concentrated all the world's darkness, one man sat in meditation posture.

The moment he saw him, Sang Han-cheon knelt and shouted.

"This subject Sang Han-cheon pays respects to the Master of Ten Thousand Demons."

Thunk thunk!

Sang Han-cheon struck his forehead against the floor made of blue steel stone. Though flesh tore and blood flowed, Sang Han-cheon didn't dare show even one expression of pain.

The one before him was precisely the Master of Ten Thousand Demons and Demon Cult Leader Cheok Gwan-hyeol. And the demonic energy filling the underground cavern was emanating from his body.

One who harbored tremendous demonic energy in his body beyond the limits the human body could contain.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he had already reached the Demon God Realm – that was his lord and the Demon Cult Leader.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol was emanating such powerful demonic energy that just facing him made one's body tremble and mind go blank.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol's form was only faintly visible, obscured by darkness. Nevertheless, his presence dominated the entire underground cavern. Before that massive presence, Sang Han-cheon felt as if he had become an ant.

"Han-cheon."

Finally Cheok Gwan-hyeol's voice flowed out.

Rumble!

At that moment the massive underground cavern cried out as if it might collapse at any moment.