742 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

"I pay my respects to My Lord!" Jo Hyun-il shouted as he lay prostrate. It wasn't an unexpected appearance. Having heard that the Lesser Demon Lord had arrived only a day after going out, it was quite unexpected that the captain didn't investigate further, despite his insistence that it couldn't be true. The injury of the Heavenly Sword Flower was precisely because of this, so with a little thought, one could have realized that the Lesser Demon Lord was nearby. The Lesser Demon Lord merely looked down at the top of his head with a shadowed old face. An old face void of any emotion, the grotesquely swollen aged flesh and deep wrinkles made it appear more monster-like than human. Jo Hyun-il shivered without realizing it, feeling an uncanny sense of unfamiliarity, as if looking at a monstrous illustration or a strange visage with a mask over its head, quite befitting the inhuman temperament of one of the most notorious Demon Lords in Zhongyuan. It was natural. For he was indeed wearing a head mask. The Lesser Demon Lord, wearing the human leather mask and tightly binding her chest, questioned sternly in a fabricated voice. "You fool. Does someone greet like that? Should I accept a deep bow without knowing who is greeting me?" "Yes, yes! I am Jo Hyun-il from Jomilgok. I am affiliated with the Grand Spiritual Heart Demon Cult led by Subduer Demon Sovereign!" Jo Hyun-il emphasized the Subduer Demon Sovereign, having heard of the infamous reputation of the Lesser Demon Lord. Though merciful to women and sometimes showing kindness even to Zhongyuan people, it was said that she would cut down men without a second thought if they displeased her, disciple or not. Thus, his attempt to use Subduer Demon Sovereign as a shield to save himself was bold. The Lesser Demon Lord, with her eyebrows trembling inside the mask. The mask, made from available materials, was not sophisticated enough to reflect subtle changes like eyebrow movement, so to others, it seemed she gazed down emotionlessly. Ah, this bastard, indeed a Blood Cult disciple. Why is it that no matter how many of these Blood Cult bastards are caught, more seem to appear, infiltrating everywhere? Should I eliminate him? She could instantly massacre him. But, hmm. Before that… "Heh. And what's that supposed to mean? Did you think you were the Demon Sovereign? No one should know of my covert operations, and the dead tell no tales. Blame your fate for catching my eye." "N-No, please!" "Why?" "Because I am on an important mission!" "Oh, a mission you say?" "Y-Yes, yes, indeed. My life is insignificant, but for the great ambition and long-cherished hopes of the cult, please…!" A truly unconvincing plea. His eyes darted in confusion as he trembled in fear of death while spouting such nonsense. Doesn't the Blood Cult have better candidates? The infiltration plan might be considered impressive, but they chose to send an idiot who's cowardly and talkative. The Blood Cult might feel wronged. The competent ones had long been eliminated, all due to her evaluations based solely on misdeeds, and she was the mastermind behind it all. Having cut off the smart ones and kept only the henchmen and errand boys, the situation of the cult's division was indeed dire. V3VHT2Y0cjEwSWV0clZ2dDdlV3ZEdWlvNVdoVHRsUlprdVRlSjNkUnFUZGlwWVZXRUErM29LQkxUNk5UNzRyUA Because the Hangzhou branch, which was the core of the division, had been annihilated, many promising Blood Demons and ghouls, along with creators and skilled warriors, were wiped out. Even that was ultimately due to her exploits. So, the Blood Cult had reason to be resentful. To scold about the lack of talent after being the cause of its loss—what a state of conscience! "Heh. Big words, let's hear them. If it's truly an important mission, I won't be too harsh." "Ah, infiltrating the Murim Alliance! My mission is to rise to a key position within the Murim Alliance, dispersing a special poison to intoxicate them. If successful, we could wipe them out in one fell swoop!" "Ha, that's amusing. How do you plan to rise to a key position in the Murim Alliance? You, who can't even win hearts in such a small school, aim for such lofty ambitions. Isn't it better for me to just handle you here and now instead of risking failure and raising their suspicions?" "No! No! I've already gifted rare elixirs to the Heavenly Sword Flower. Aren't the clans known for working in proportion to their benefits? I have elixirs for the school head and the Wise Virtuous Flower; surely, that would secure a position, no?" This is precisely why the righteous sects are called righteous. Unlike bureaucrats and unorthodox factions who often receive bribes but give little in return, righteous martial artists are known for adequately compensating when they accept gifts—how noble and just of them! Didn't matter if a question arose about whether a true gentleman would accept bribes; that notion didn't apply in Zhongyuan. In Zhongyuan, bribes are regarded as a legitimate means of communication, a display of wealth and power, as well as a demonstration of due diligence and etiquette. The imperial government even encourages bribes, given that the officials' salaries barely cover their family expenses, suggesting the emperor intends for them to make up the difference through bribes. Qing fell silent for a moment. The school head was indeed the school head, but wasn't Sima ChungBong boasting during the entrance ceremony as the Wise Virtuous Flower of one of the Five Forces of Murim, claiming to be at the center of the school's academic administration? If bribes were to be given, they'd be the right candidates. But those bribes containing poison? That's unacceptable. After briefly pondering, Qing feigned an outraged voice. "You, are you trying to aid the enemy by feeding them elixirs? So it turns out you aren't a spy for us but for the Murim Alliance?" Though her anger came a beat too late, it was still awkward. But even that awkward anger, when wielded by a martial artist of an unfathomable realm who holds the power over life and death, becomes not just unsettling but a profound fear that plummets one's heart. "No, no, it's a misunderstanding. The elixir is indeed an elixir, but it contains a special poison, said to be bestowed by the exalted." "Excuses, nothing but excuses. Enough. Hand it over." Qing extended her hand sharply. Jo Hyun-il's expression was one of bewilderment. Suddenly extending a hand wasn't an invitation to stand up, so why was it being offered? "What are you staring at? I'm going to feed it to you myself. Hand it over." "But, My Lord, our mission..." "You fool. Do you not understand how suspicious the martial artists are? Offering elixirs as a bribe? They'll surely wonder where someone like you acquired such things. Don't tell me you intended to spout absurd tales like they were heirlooms." At this, Jo Hyun-il flinched. He had indeed already barked out that nonsense. Qing clicked her tongue. "Tsk, tsk. A mere second-tier vagabond claiming to have heirloom elixirs? That's like expecting a dog to stop gnawing bones or a gambler to quit gambling. It's more reliable to leave a fish market to a cat or a mill to sparrows than to believe that. Wouldn't someone like you have consumed such an heirloom already?" "Ah, but it worked with the Heavenly Sword Flower." "Tsk, tsk. She's still young and naïve. But do you think it would work on the seasoned school head and the illustrious Wise Virtuous Flower? And do heirlooms keep appearing endlessly to be distributed?" "We, uh, each of us had one as an heirloom..." Jo Hyun-il trailed off. Now that he thought about it, it was strange, indeed. Qing's eyes gleamed, realizing that "we" must mean there were still two more of them. So, they say the three were always together, and all of them had suddenly improved dramatically. Then, it must be Bang Yuneol and Jang Jeosam, right? Are the two guys outside those guys? "You're talking about the two outside, aren't you?" It was then that two individuals hurriedly scurried into the warehouse. "Greetings to the Lord." "I am Jang Jeosam of Jangmil Family, here to greet My Lord." "Ah! I am Bang Yuneol of Bangmil Family." The term "mil" refers to hidden valleys, so when combined with their surnames, it indicates a place where they live in secrecy. Examples include places near Mount Tianzi like Zhangjiajie, Yuangjia, and Yangjia valleys. Notorious for being villages of traitorous descendants who couldn't venture out, they congregated in these hidden places. During a planned rebellion, the blood-curdling Lesser Demon Lord arrived, causing them to hide mid-action. The moment they heard their names come up, they decided to prioritize a greeting first. Realistically, a martial artist like the Demon Lord couldn't have missed their feeble presence and should have summoned them immediately, but they weren't recruited for the infiltration team for their sharp assessments. Qing nodded calmly and asked. "Is this everyone? What about the rest?" "Captain Dan is currently remaining, no, stationed at Nosan County, while the rest of the team has returned to Guizhou." Yet, these guys are surprisingly agreeable and obedient in their responses. Of course, Qing usually prefers to extract information through fear and pain, but it wasn't worth causing a commotion here. Believing her to be the Lesser Demon Lord, they weren't likely to spout nonsense. Isn't this a perfect opportunity? "Returned? You mean, leaving you behind?" "Captain Dan decided there was no longer a need for us..." Plans had changed. The original Blood Cult plan was for an elite combat team of the Spiritual Heart Division to enter the school, aligning a large-scale attack with their internal support to wipe out the entire school. But only three infiltrated, and none possessed the requisite strength, leading Captain Dan to decide it was better to release the special poison on the Murim Alliance. Qing agreed with the assessment. Indeed, relying on these fools for an attack would be folly. Even now, see how easily they spill information with a mere nudge, like water rushing out from a leak in a dam. So, what to do? When you have the wind, you must sail, and Qing planned to reap all possible benefits. ---- Qing gazed at the two wooden cases in her hand. The confiscated elixirs from the other two, the ones containing the special poison. Yet now, they belong to me. Even if they contain poison, her alcohol spirit would undoubtedly purify it, leaving behind pure elixirs. I always suspected my internal energy was insufficient to reach the Profound Realm, but now I have free elixirs rolling in. This is an incredible windfall. When the alcohol spirit sees through the poison, I'll consume them. I've sent the three stooges back quietly. Should they speak of my existence, they'll wish for death, so I've sternly warned them to speak to no one, not even the Demon Sovereign. Still, these guys are not entirely trustworthy. Though, it doesn't really matter. Whether the fake Lesser Demon Lord is discovered or not makes no difference. Plus, there's plenty of time before my next venture out, so what are they going to do, even if they escape, like rats trapped in a jar?