The Heavenly Demon Who Reigns

Cheon Myeong was sitting in his room, eating a meal.

A rather simple meal was placed in front of Cheon Myeong's eyes.

Although the number of side dishes was small, only side dishes that seemed to be eaten by Taoists such as Wudang or Kunlun could be seen.

Munch, munch-.

Somehow, the movement of his mouth as he chewed the food was slow.

Moreover, Cheon Myeong's face was full of disappointment, as if he was not satisfied with something.

Since there were only side dishes that seemed to be easily digested even with a little chewing, Cheon Myeong swallowed the food he had put in his mouth without chewing it a few times.

"..."

It had been four days since his staple food had become vegetables.

Because of Mihwa's skill, the side dishes were not tasteless, but now he was starting to miss the taste of chewing.

No matter how outstanding one's cooking skills were, one could not change the ingredients themselves.

Vegetables are vegetables, after all.

As he ate only vegetables as side dishes every day, Cheon Myeong even felt that he had no strength in his body.

'How do those Taoist guys live on just this?'

Cheon Myeong was unintentionally experiencing the life of a Taoist.

Although the degree would be slightly different for each sect, it was said that Taoists almost always ate a vegetarian diet.

Cheon Myeong was amazed at how they could train their martial arts by eating only this.

'To live without meat... now that I think about it, they are truly pitiful guys.'

Of course, if he was forced to eat it, Cheon Myeong could also live on just vegetables.

But hadn't he already tasted meat?

He didn't want to live while giving up that taste.

Phew-.

But still, since the situation was unavoidable now, he had no choice but to eat what was given with gratitude.

Cheon Myeong let out a low sigh and picked up a side dish with his chopsticks again and put it in his mouth.

"...I've finished eating."

It was a short mealtime.

Since there was no need to chew much, the time itself had become incredibly fast.

Moreover, since the amount itself was not that large, he was able to finish his meal in less than half an hour.

'I feel empty.'

Although the meal was over, this feeling of not having eaten anything.

Since the amount of side dishes was also small, that feeling was even stronger.

"..."

If he had his way, he wanted to eat more, even if it was just vegetables.

However, since he didn't know what would happen in the future, Cheon Myeong was trying to use the budget as sparingly as possible.

The side dishes he had just eaten would have been given out by Mihwa after calculating the given budget.

If he were to eat more here, Mihwa's calculations would be wrong.

Or the share for other people to eat would be insufficient.

For that reason, Cheon Myeong could not ask for more rice or side dishes.

"..."

As if something had come to mind, Cheon Myeong put his hand into his bosom.

And he took out a pouch from there.

'Should I eat this...'

In this pouch was an egg.

The egg that the dead spiritual beast had been incubating when he had gone to Musan.

At that time, he had brought the egg out of compassion and had been planning to at least hatch it.

But as the feeling of hunger came, Cheon Myeong's heart was wavering.

'It was quite sturdy.'

What would the egg of a spiritual beast taste like?

Just by looking at its appearance, it was much larger than a normal egg.

'I can break it and fry it, or I can boil it...'

Wouldn't it be much more nutritious and delicious than vegetables, at least?

As he was looking at the egg with such thoughts, Cheon Myeong was drooling without realizing it.

"Phew... no."

But in the end, Cheon Myeong shook his head and put the egg back into the pouch.

If he did this, the meaning of bringing this egg from Musan at that time would disappear.

At least at that time, he had no intention of putting it in his stomach like this.

This was a very sorry thing to do, both to the dead spiritual beast and to this egg.

'Now is not the time to eat it yet.'

If he really couldn't stand it later... let's think about it again then.

Cheon Myeong thought so and soothed the emptiness in his stomach with cold water.

'I wonder if Soyeon Sang is doing well.'

Recently, Soyeon Sang's figure had not been seen at the Socheongak.

It seemed that he was probably wandering around here and there to do a background check on the Head of the Finance Hall.

Since he had not heard an interim report in the meantime, Cheon Myeong did not know anything about how things were progressing.

'I hope he has brought some useful information, even if it's something trivial.'

Cheon Myeong thought so and put down the cup he was holding.

And at that moment.

From outside the door, a voice was heard speaking to Cheon Myeong.

"Young Master."

As soon as he heard the voice, Cheon Myeong immediately recognized who was outside.

The voice of the person Cheon Myeong had been waiting for day and night recently.

Soyeon Sang was right there.

"Come in!"

As Cheon Myeong said urgently, the door opened and Soyeon Sang came in.

It was a reunion after almost four days.

The moment Soyeon Sang bowed and raised his head, Cheon Myeong immediately asked the main point.

"How is it? Did you find out anything?"

"For now, I have come to tell you the facts I have found out so far."

"Yes, come closer and tell me."

When Cheon Myeong said that, Soyeon Sang closed the door and came closer to Cheon Myeong.

And still standing, he said to Cheon Myeong.

"Then I will report."

"..."

"Name Hong Yeorin, age forty-eight. She has been the head of the Finance Hall for about ten years."

So she wasn't fifty yet.

Hearing that from Soyeon Sang, Cheon Myeong was able to know Hong Yeorin's exact age for the first time.

"Then she became the head of the Finance Hall in her late thirties?"

"Yes, that's right. Even now, she is on the younger side among the heads, but at that time, it was truly exceptional. There are probably few cases of someone becoming a head at that age."

And since she had become the head of the Finance Hall, it could be said to be an even more exceptional case.

Since the Finance Hall was in charge of a very important role in the Demonic Cult, it would be that much more difficult to become the head.

Putting those points together, he could learn something about Hong Yeorin.

'She's a capable woman.'

Since the Finance Hall deals with money, it would be difficult to work there if one's personality was not meticulous and one's calculations were not fast.

And Hong Yeorin had become the head of such a place at an age of less than forty.

Just by looking at that, he could predict that she was a very shrewd and calculating person.

'She won't budge unless I present something decent.'

If she was that shrewd, this side would have to present something that was quite tempting to be able to attract her attention.

Cheon Myeong thought so and decided to listen to Soyeon Sang's words a little more.

"Her personality is quite eccentric, so people around her try not to get on her bad side if possible. Once, one of her subordinates made a slip of the tongue, and she tore out his hair and even shaved his eyebrows on the spot."

"Hair and eyebrows...?"

"Yes, it is said that there have been quite a few such cases."

"..."

She is eccentric, indeed.

Not hitting, but doing that to hair and eyebrows.

Depending on the case, it would feel much more humiliating than being beaten.

"And Hong Yeorin seems to be quite interested in her appearance."

"Appearance?"

"Yes, it is said that she buys all the cosmetics and accessories that are said to be good, no matter how expensive they are."

"Aren't all women originally interested in their appearance?"

"Hmm... how should I put it. It seems that she is extremely obsessed with it."

"For example?"

"It is said that she has never shown her bare face to people."

Isn't that quite possible?

Since makeup is originally done to be shown to others.

However, after hearing Soyeon Sang's following words, Cheon Myeong's thoughts immediately changed.

"It is said that she never shows her bare face to her servants even at home."

"...Does that mean she wears makeup even at home?"

"It seems so."

"..."

How can that be?

Generally, one would have to remove one's makeup at home.

No matter how much, there is no need to wear makeup when sleeping.

Although Cheon Myeong did not know much about makeup, he could tell that it was strange just by thinking about it a little.

"Does that mean... she wears makeup even when she sleeps?"

"I don't know about that. It is said that she doesn't let anyone into her room at that time."

"..."

"In the past, one of her servants saw Hong Yeorin's bare face... it is said that she killed him on the spot."

"For just that reason?"

"Yes, and after that incident, it is said that the servants do not enter her room if possible..."

Is there a reason why she can't reveal her bare face?

Thinking with the information he had heard from Soyeon Sang so far, that conclusion came out.

'Something is still not certain.'

It seemed that he could learn something from the stories he had heard so far.

However, since he was not yet sure, Cheon Myeong decided to listen to Soyeon Sang's story a little more.

"...Is there more?"

"This is not accurate information, so I don't know if it's okay to tell you, Young Master."

"It's okay. Tell me."

"Ahem, I understand..."

When Cheon Myeong said that, Soyeon Sang cleared his throat as if he was embarrassed.

And he cautiously approached Cheon Myeong and lowered his posture.

'Why is he suddenly whispering?'

Is it that confidential?

Cheon Myeong thought so and listened carefully.

And after hearing all of Soyeon Sang's words, Cheon Myeong asked with a puzzled face.

"Is that really true?"

"As I said earlier, it is not certain information."

"..."

After hearing the story from Soyeon Sang, Cheon Myeong seemed to know why he was saying it was not certain.

'But if that's true, I think I can use it sufficiently.'

No, frankly, he couldn't think of any other way to attract Hong Yeorin's heart other than this now.

Thinking so, Cheon Myeong decided to try and face her directly.

After all, hadn't he done that when he had met Cheon Jin?

Although it might be a bit of a gamble, since there was some basis, Cheon Myeong thought it was worth a try.

"You've worked hard."

"Was it helpful?"

"Yes, very much."

When Cheon Myeong said that, Soyeon Sang bowed his head lightly.

Swish-.

At that moment, Cheon Myeong suddenly got up from his seat.

And seeing this, Soyeon Sang asked.

"Where are you going?"

"To meet Hong Yeorin."

"Then I will accompany you."

"No, it's okay. I'm enough on my own."

That was not possible.

As he had said earlier, Hong Yeorin was a person with an eccentric personality.

No matter how much the opponent was Cheon Myeong, he didn't know what she would do.

So in an emergency, he would have to protect Cheon Myeong.

"That's not possible. As an escort, I will also accompany..."

"You should rest. You haven't been able to rest properly until now because you were doing a background check, right?"

"But..."

"You've done your part sufficiently."

If he was going to negotiate, he would have to talk to Hong Yeorin alone anyway.

Although he was sorry for Soyeon Sang, it would not be of much help even if he accompanied him.

Before leaving the room, Cheon Myeong looked at Soyeon Sang with a light smile and said.

"Look forward to it. Tonight's dinner will be a feast."

* * *

Thump-.

A huge main gate in front of Cheon Myeong's eyes.

Looking at the signboard hanging on the main gate, Cheon Myeong knew that he had come to the Finance Hall properly.

'It's incredibly large.'

At this size, it seemed to be the largest after the Heavenly Demon Palace where the leader's palace was.

As expected of a place that manages the money of the Demonic Cult, its exterior was of a considerable scale.

Since this was also the first time Cheon Myeong had actually come here, he stood in his place and slowly looked at the exterior of the Finance Hall.

Swish-.

But that was also for a moment.

Since he had not come to look around leisurely, Cheon Myeong immediately moved his steps.

"Stop."

At that moment, the gatekeeper guarding the main gate said to Cheon Myeong.

Cheon Myeong stopped in his place as he was told, and slowly moved his head towards the gatekeeper.

"For what purpose have you visited the Finance Hall?"

The gatekeeper asked first, as per the procedure.

Then, Cheon Myeong looked straight at the gatekeeper and said.

"I've come to collect a debt."

"What? What is that..."

"Tell the Head of the Finance Hall that. Then she will understand."

A long explanation is not necessary.

Cheon Myeong was saying that with his gaze at the gatekeeper.

(End of Chapter)