Chapter 122: Reform (8)

"Aren't you all quite busy?"

When I circled back to the topic, Third Brother replied with a gloomy smile.

“What would we be busy with? Things won’t really get hectic for us until after the higher-ups finish their meetings.”

"The White Turtle Corps I belong to has also temporarily halted activities since our leader is attending the meeting, Young Master."

The answers from my Third Brother and Ouyang Mun just sparked another question.

“What meetings are you talking about?”

“What else? The meetings for that reform plan you devised, Youngest.”

"Yes. I heard the higher-ups have been constantly at each other’s throats over the personnel assignments, Young Master. Hahaha. You're truly remarkable. The best and brightest of the cult have been tearing their hair out for days trying to solve the problem you created, you know?"

Ouyang Mun's praise made my head throb.

‘So the reason these bastards are hanging around here day after day is also my fault?’

The unfairness of it all was getting to me. I had to change my way of thinking.

‘Right. This isn’t my fault. This place was a psycho ward to begin with.’

I want to smack my past self for thinking that getting shipped out of the Demonic Way via pretending to be sick would be a good idea.

I had forgotten one important fact.

If the Hall of the Demonic Way was an asylum for prospective mental patients, then the headquarters was a pandemonium crawling with genuine lunatics.

Just look at Sixth Brother over there.

He was staring blankly into empty space again when his eyes suddenly widened in shock.

“What a brilliant idea!”

"...What are you talking about?"

He answered my question. “As you know, brother, I don’t belong to any specific department yet. But since our Eldest Brother is so busy right now, that old man over there just suggested that I go and help him.”

"????"

The place my Sixth Brother was pointing at was a blank wall.

I felt another chill coming on, but I quickly forced my mouth to move.

“That’s a truly wonderful idea, Sixth Brother. Master and Eldest Brother would surely be overjoyed to see their sons working together. Hahaha.”

This was my chance.

A chance to kick out this patient and send him to Eldest Brother.

Of course, given Sixth Senior Brother's condition, I wondered if he could actually work properly.

‘But that’s not my problem.’

I could just chalk it up as petty revenge against my First Brother for using me as a Wikipedia.

"They say you should strike while the iron is hot. Why don’t you go and speak to Eldest Brother right now, Sixth Brother?”

“Your words ring true, Youngest.”

Sixth Brother nodded, mumbled something to the empty air, and then stood up and walked right out of the infirmary.

Maybe because Sixth Brother left first, Third Brother also left not long after.

"Since the Third Young Master has left, don’t you think it’s about time you left too?”

"I'm fine, though?"

“I’m not.”

"......."

With Jin Hayeon's blunt dismissal, Ouyang Mun finally left.

Thanks to the rare quiet moment, I lay down again to rest for a while.

After a moment, a random question popped into my head and I mumbled it aloud.

“It’s strange.”

“What is, Young Master?”

"It's been over ten days since I came to the medical wing, yet Seol-ah hasn't come to visit while everyone else comes by almost daily."

I hadn’t thought about it while being hounded by Master and Eldest Brother, but now that I did, I felt oddly disappointed.

They say kids grow up fast. Is this what it feels like to be a dad?’

I wondered if her interest had already cooled after not seeing each other for just half a year.

But that seemed to be a misunderstanding.

"If you mean Young Lady Seol-ah... it appears the Hyeokryeon Family is controlling the information she receives.”

"What do you mean by that?"

"According to rumors, Young Lady Seol-ah's achievements are developing at a rapid pace each day. They are likely cutting off outside information so as not to interfere with her training.”

"Hmm...."

That sounded exactly like something the Hyeokryeon Family would do.

Not that I had any intention of going to their place to raise hell about it. My body wasn't in good condition, and after dealing with all these psychos, all I wanted to do was rest.

'I'll see her when I graduate from the Hall of the Demonic Way.'

Though I had no idea how Seol-ah would react when she found out that I had been at the headquarters.

***

Nearly twenty days had passed since I was brought to the medical hall.

At first, even the slightest movement sent waves of pain through my body, but now I had recovered to the point where I barely felt any pain.

So, I boldly requested to be discharged.

“I think it’s about time I returned to the Hall of the Demonic Way.”

“Hmm. A few more days of rest wouldn’t hurt.”

“There will be an exam at the Hall soon, Elder Demonic Physician. I should at least participate in that, don’t you think?”

"Hahaha. It can't be helped then."

The Demonic Physician readily accepted my model-student excuse. Of course, the real reason was that I was just sick and tired of dealing with all the crazies.

But I wasn't leaving the medical hall immediately.

"Elder Demonic Physician, how is the production of that disinfecting alcohol we talked about?”

“We don’t have a large quantity yet, but just as you suggested, we are establishing a production system using the techniques for distilling spirits.”

“In that case, could you perhaps spare a bottle for me?”

"For hand washing, as you mentioned last time?"

"That's right."

When I nodded eagerly with a desperate expression, the Demonic Physician pondered for a moment and stood up.

“It was made thanks to you, Deputy Master. I suppose I should give you some.”

As he left the infirmary, he grumbled to himself, “We don’t even have enough for drinking and medicinal use. Tsk.”

"......."

He seemed quite reluctant to part with the alcohol, but I pretended not to hear.

The Demonic Physician who had gone to get hand sanitizer didn't return for quite some time.

'Good heavens, just how precious is this alcohol to him?'

Just as my head was filling with such thoughts, the old man finally returned.

Holding what looked like a liquor bottle in one hand, with a young physician beside him.

“Sorry for the delay. Hehehe. Since you’re returning to the Hall anyway, I thought I’d bring that physician I mentioned last time."

It took me a second to remember what he was talking about.

“You mean the physician for the Hall?”

"That's right. I agonized over who to send for a long time, but this fellow here actively volunteered. Hahaha.”

"Please take good care of me, Deputy Master!"

The young man who bowed while clasping his hands in greeting was someone somewhat familiar to me.

‘Wait a minute, isn’t this guy the one who suggested using narcotics to treat mental illness?’

I remembered that I had to talk him down from that crazy idea, which naturally led to the suggestion of using narcotics solely for anesthesia. Was his name Seo Jae-pil?

"Ahem. I've already stepped down from the Deputy Master position, Physician Seo. That was only temporary anyway. I am now just a simple student of the Hall of the Demonic Way.”

"How could I call the Young Master who gave me countless medical inspirations just an ordinary student?"

“You will have to be in the Hall.”

“Then I will address you that in public settings and as Young Master when we meet privately.”

It seemed pointless to argue, so I just accepted it. “Do as you wish.”

Now that it was settled that I would be returning to the Hall with this young, crazy physician, Jin Hayeon spoke up.

"Then I shall report to the Heavenly Demon."

She left to inform Master of my departure.

And after more than an hour had passed, she returned with Master.

"There was a meeting, so I'm a bit late. If we delay any further, the sun will set, so you should be on your way back to the Hall.”

It seemed he’d only come to see my face, because he gave a simple greeting and left almost immediately.

"Take care, Miss Jin."

“I will see you again after you graduate from the Hall, Young Master.”

After exchanging farewells with Jin Hayeon, I headed to the Hall of the Demonic Way together with Physician Seo Jae-pil and several martial artists who served as both guards and guides.

Paying no attention to the martial artists accompanying us, Physician Seo chattered incessantly.

"I heard about it from Elder Demonic Physician. The turbulent period of youth, what a fascinating theory that was, Young Master. In fact, I volunteered for the Hall specifically to research that subject.”

"This time, I plan to study the condition of children who learned Demonic Arts from a young age at the Hall of the Demonic Way, then compare them to the children who will enter later under the new system, to see if their minds are truly unstable during that period.”

Since it was a topic I had no interest in whatsoever, I just let it go in one ear and out the other.

‘Is this guy obsessed with medicine? Why am I surrounded by nothing but psychos?’

I shook my head and opened the bottle the Demonic Physician gave me and sprinkled the alcohol on my hands.

'Ahhh.'

The refreshing sensation of the disinfectant alcohol evaporating through my hands soothed my mind.

***

Around the time Il-mok was returning to the Hall of the Demonic Way.

In a corner of the Hyeokryeon Family estate.

Swish!

As Hyeokryeon Seol-ah swung her arm, the wooden dolls touched by her fingertips were cut down one after another.

It was a strange sight. Her hand had merely brushed against them, yet the cuts were razor-sharp.

She hadn't formed her Claw Qi yet, but the tips of her nails were already stained red, and a crimson light flickered in her eyes.

For a mere thirteen-year-old girl, she emanated a menacing aura.

"Whew."

Finishing her daily training, she let out a soft sigh and lifted her head.

'I should go see Big Brother.'

The brother she was thinking of was the doll, carefully sealed away in a corner of her room. A doll so precious that no one was allowed to approach or touch it.

Her daily ritual included thoroughly cleansing her body and mind with a bath before meeting her ‘brother,’ lest even a single drop of sweat touch him.

On her way from the training ground to bathe.

“Did you hear? In a few years, the age for entering the Hall of the Demonic Way is going to be raised.”

“You mean that? Isn’t that why the ban on Demonic Arts training was issued?”

She could hear the estate's martial artists chatting beyond the wall.

'A ban on Demonic Arts training?'

The decree sounded completely out of place for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, so she doesn’t think much of it.

It wasn't her concern, after all.

"Who would have thought that a few words uttered by the Eighth Young Master would bring about such great changes?"

But the phrase "Eighth Young Master" that followed caught her steps.

'As expected, Big Brother always accomplishes great things.'

Just a moment ago, she’d had no interest in the matter, but now she suddenly thought it was a magnificent affair.

But that thought was quickly replaced by a question.

To seek the answer, she didn't hesitate to use her movement technique and leap over the wall.

“Greetings, Young Lady Seol-ah."

The two warriors, startled by her sudden appearance atop the wall and saluted her.

Ignoring their greeting, she questioned them like an inquisitor.

“You’re saying new decrees were issued because of Big Brother Il-mok’s words?”

"That's correct, Young Lady."

It had happened before, so the two warriors reacted as if it were nothing special. But Hyeokryeon Seol-ah’s next question made them freeze.

"How strange. Big Brother is 'confined' at the Hall of the Demonic Way, so how could Big Brother's words cause changes at the headquarters?"

"...They say he sent a letter to the Heavenly Demon through an instructor at the Hall of the Demonic Way."

"Y-yes. That letter suddenly caused an uproar. Hahaha."

They quickly fabricated an excuse, but it didn’t work. Hyeokryeon Seol-ah hadn’t missed their momentary hesitation, and her intuition was screaming that they were hiding something.

“If you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll slit my own throat.”

At the sight of her suddenly raising her sharp nails to her own neck, the two warriors panicked and had no choice but to tell her the truth.

Knowing her side effects, they knew there was real danger she might take her own life if it involved the Eighth Young Master.

'...What will happen if the Young Patriarch learns of this fact?'

'This is getting more dangerous by the day.'

The two warriors thought of the Young Family Head of the Hyeokryeon Family—Hyeokryeon Seol-ah’s father—who was in seclusion.

He was such a doting fool that he’d spent all his time pampering his daughter instead of training. The Family Head, Hyeokryeon Cheongang, had finally forced him into seclusion over two years ago.

After listening to the two warriors’ full explanation, Hyeokryeon Seol-ah’s eyes glowed red as she murmured, “You said the name of the man who hurt Big Brother was… Chu Il-hwan?”

The direction her turned gaze pointed toward was where the Pure Mind Hall was located.

***

In a certain hall of the Pure Mind Hall.

Chu Il-hwan was in a counseling session with one of the physicians.

"Then, when are the side effects of the Black Thunder Demonic Palm at their worst?”

"Hmm.... They tend to be the worst when I meet someone who piques my interest. The thought of seeing their blood, of how fun it would be to kill them… it just keeps popping into my head.”

The counseling was a pretext to manage the side effects of his art, but it was also a trap to catch a tail if Chu Il-hwan was indeed the mole they were looking for.

After a few more questions and answers…

"Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

A sudden chill ran through Chu Il-hwan, and he shivered violently.