Chapter 17: The Reason for the Escape (2)

Ma Dongphil bowed to Gi Yang.

"Inspector Lee is here as well. It's been a long time."

Gi Yang couldn't continue speaking. The same went for Lee Gunseong.

It had been eight months since they last saw Ma Dongphil.

His stern expression remained, but there was a scar running vertically along the left side of his eye.

It wasn't a cut from a weapon. It was a deep mark from something sharp yet blunt. Fortunately, his eye didn't seem to be damaged...

However, the two men were shocked not just by the scar.

Swoosh.

The air in the room rapidly turned cold.

The dangerous aura emanating from Ma Dongphil made the two men jump.

'...Killer intent?'

The intent was mixed with an extraordinary murderous aura.

Even the two strongest experts in the Law Enforcement Bureau, excluding the Chief, felt a chill from the intense killer intent.

Ma Dongphil turned his head toward Lee Gunseong.

Startled.

Lee Gunseong felt his tightly clenched fists become damp without realizing it. He was already tense just from Ma Dongphil's gaze.

Confusion appeared on Ma Dongphil's face.

"Are you not feeling well?"

'He doesn't know?'

Indeed, Ma Dongphil was unaware of how intense the killer intent he was emitting was.

"Third Inspector."

"Yes."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine, but—"

"Alright then."

Ma Dongphil's confusion deepened as he looked at the hesitant Lee Gunseong.

"..."

"..."

"..."

An inexplicable silence.

Ma Dongphil bowed respectfully.

"I seem to have come at the wrong time. I'll take my leave now."

Lee Gunseong was startled and waved his hands.

"No, no. We haven't seen each other in a long time. How can I let you go like this? Sit down."

"Is it alright?"

"Of course."

"I'm sorry, but I have to leave soon, so I can't chat for long. I came to see you for a favor."

"A favor?"

"Do you happen to have any Gulsong tea leaves?"

Lee Gunseong tilted his head.

Gulsong tea, made from leaves dried and brewed from the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, had a heavy aroma that few people enjoyed.

"I do have some, but—"

Lee Gunseong was one of the few who did.

"Can I have a little then?"

"That shouldn't be a problem, but what do you need it for? You don't like Gulsong tea, do you?"

"It's needed by Third Young Master."

"Third Young Master?"

"Yes."

"Alright, wait a moment. I'll bring it right away."

After Lee Gunseong left, the office fell silent again.

Gi Yang felt awkward. He was very happy to see his junior after a long time, but he found it hard to start a conversation.

'Why?'

Because of the intense killer intent? No. The terrifying scar? In the Cult, such scars were common.

'This isn't the Third Inspector I know. He has fundamentally changed.'

Ma Dongphil had transformed into someone who seemed to belong to a different world.

Not the Third Inspector of the Law Enforcement Bureau, but someone who seemed to belong to a different realm. And this change happened in just eight months.

The bond between the Law Enforcement Bureau inspectors, the rapport between the boisterous senior and the serious junior, had been severed. It felt as if they had always lived in different worlds.

'Besides...'

Gi Yang looked at Ma Dongphil's hands.

There were many small scars that he hadn't seen during the Law Enforcement Bureau days. Even the palms showed signs of repeated healing and scarring.

'What kind of life did he lead?'

Even outside of missions, Ma Dongphil had trained intensely. But he had never had such scars before.

The more he looked, the more puzzled and concerned he felt, and the more awkward the situation became.

Then, Ma Dongphil, who had been silent, spoke.

"You must feel conflicted."

"Huh?"

"I heard that Inspector Lee is getting married."

"Oh!"

Gi Yang shook his head.

"Go when it's time. By the way, you must have been busy at Gaozhu Lin. Where did you hear that rumor?"

"I enter the inner palace a couple of times a month to collect supplies."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

Gi Yang said with a hint of frustration.

"You should have visited earlier. Why now?"

"I'm sorry."

Ma Dongphil scratched his head awkwardly.

Seeing his junior's relaxed expression, Gi Yang's face also relaxed.

"How is Third Young Master? Is it difficult?"

"The harder it is for me, the easier it is for Young Master. It's only natural that it's difficult."

Gi Yang smiled slightly.

'That's right.'

He thought that the strange feeling he had earlier might have been a misunderstanding.

Ma Dongphil's appearance and demeanor had changed, but he was still Ma Dongphil.

"It's a shame you don't have much time. Come by soon. We can have a drink and catch up."

"Understood. Please tell Deputy Inspector that I'm sorry for not being able to attend the ceremony."

"Don't worry about it."

A moment later, Ma Dongphil, holding the tea leaves Lee Gunseong had brought, stood up without delay.

Watching Ma Dongphil's departing back, Gi Yang said.

"Did you feel it, Senior?"

"I did."

Worriedness appeared on Gi Yang's face.

"No matter how I think about it, that killer intent is not normal. Even a serial killer wouldn't emit such intent."

"..."

"Is there something wrong?"

"He must be living a life dangerous enough to naturally emit such intent."

"Of course, but what I mean is—"

"When the environment changes, people change. Third Inspector has adapted to his new environment. And he's still alive and well."

"..."

"Though it's unfortunate, at least he looks healthy. That's a relief, isn't it?"

Gi Yang sighed.

A look of concern appeared on Lee Gunseong's face.

'He's gotten stronger.'

Ma Dongphil's strength after eight months was unbelievable. His internal energy had increased remarkably, and his control over his aura had become much more skillful.

'That's why I'm worried.'

Even with his controlled aura, such killer intent still leaked out. It was unimaginable how intense it would be if he intentionally emitted it in battle.

'What kind of life has he led?'

He must have fought many demons frequently. But it was unknown what kind of demons he had fought.

Even the Law Enforcement Bureau members who had managed Gaozhu Lin for years had never entered its core. The same went for Lee Gunseong.

'The role of personal guard to Third Young Master. He must feel the burden. He probably risked his life countless times to protect Young Master.'

Gi Yang asked quietly.

"Will he be able to handle it in the future?"

"Of course."

Lee Gunseong forced a smile.

"He'll come back even stronger. I believe that."

* * *

Swoosh.

At the entrance of Gaozhu Lin.

Ma Dongphil checked his condition once more.

'I have everything I need.'

He had new weapons, herbs from a Blood Soul Horn classmate, and Gulsong tea leaves from First Inspector.

'Shall I go?'

Whoosh!

Ma Dongphil's body turned into a white streak and shot forward.

Even without using his ultimate technique, he seemed twice as fast as eight months ago. His posture, once rigid, had become more free-spirited, and his field of vision, once focused forward, had widened to the sides.

The ease with which he used his martial arts was a sign of his deep understanding. The intense experiences of the past eight months had further advanced his martial path.

Ma Dongphil, who had found his identity as a proud martial artist rather than just a bodyguard, was a promising expert with great potential for growth.

How long had he run?

Aaaaah!

A beautiful woman's voice echoed from somewhere in the forest.

Of course, it wasn't a real woman. It was a sound made by a demon that had crawled out to the edge of the forest.

A strangely eerie and beautiful voice.

'It's a Zhu.'

It wasn't a particularly dangerous demon. If someone with weak internal energy heard the sound, they might have a seizure, but it had no effect on Ma Dongphil.

He passed by the sound familiarly.

Before adapting to the forest, he would track down and capture the source of the sound out of fear of future trouble.

But not now. Ma Dongphil and Xiliang were not weak enough to be caught by such a demon. There was no need to waste energy.

Whoosh!

After another moment of running, he finally saw his residence, Chengzhu Yuan.

Creak!

He stopped and activated his senses.

Rumble!

The spreading demonic aura was of a quality far superior to before.

Ma Dongphil, who was checking his surroundings, tilted his head. He couldn't sense Young Master's presence.

"Did he go out?"

He sighed deeply.

"He's moving alone again."

Young Master wouldn't go to dangerous areas. They had even made a promise not to do so without each other.

Still, he couldn't help but worry. What if something happened?

"But he's not someone who can be caught by demons anymore."

Ma Dongphil's eyes flickered.

The admiration and respect on his stern face were unmistakable.

Ma Dongphil had grown stronger. The spirit bamboo he had collected by luck had been refined into high-quality spirit medicines by Xiliang's Wuai Gong, and a few of them had entered Ma Dongphil's stomach.

The power of the medicines was so great that he hadn't even digested half of it. Still, his dantian had doubled in size.

A larger dantian didn't necessarily mean stronger martial arts, but it would greatly help his future development. It was a tremendous stroke of luck and growth.

Meanwhile, Xiliang had surpassed even that level.

'Even with his enlightenment...'

Ma Dongphil shook his head.

Everything about Young Master was incomprehensible. It was full of things that ordinary people couldn't understand.

"I should clean up while he's away."

Ma Dongphil entered Chengzhu Yuan, organized the items, and picked up a broom.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Leaves flew with each sweep. The dirty courtyard became clean in an instant.

He easily cleaned the courtyard and then tidied up Xiliang's room, his own room, the storage, and the kitchen. His sweeping and mopping skills were almost at the level of a master.

"This should do."

He glanced at the sky, having finished cleaning in less than half an hour.

"It's almost sunset."

Rustle.

Ma Dongphil's eyes deepened.

The bamboo in the distance was swaying. It seemed the demons were eating the bamboo.

"They're getting closer."

Chengzhu Yuan was the safest place in Gaozhu Lin.

But that was no longer the case. The frequency of demon appearances in Chengzhu Yuan was now similar to the middle region of Gaozhu Lin and was expected to increase.

"It's going to get harder."

At that moment.

Scream!

A demon's scream came from where the bamboo was swaying.

Ma Dongphil, looking at the spot with a calm face, placed his hand on the hilt of his long sword, ready to draw it if necessary.

How much time had passed?

Rustle. Rustle.

An unknown presence was approaching slowly.

Tension filled Ma Dongphil's eyes. The demonic aura in Gaozhu Lin was so strong that he couldn't sense the presence until it was within a certain distance.

'The steps are heavy and steady. It's not a Xingxiong... but it's dragging something?'

Rumble.

A faint demonic aura rose from Ma Dongphil's body.

The unknown presence was getting closer, little by little, but surely.

Grip.

The hand on the sword hilt tightened with strength.

A moment later, the presence revealed itself.

"Ah? You're already back? I told you to take your time and catch up with your colleagues."

Seeing the familiar face, Ma Dongphil relaxed and sighed in relief.

"You're back—"

Suddenly, he stopped speaking.

The young man's body was drenched in blood, and the demon he was dragging was brutally mutilated.

"Lu Shu?!"

"I finally caught it. Damn, it was tough."

The young man, Xiliang, smiled.

"Boil some water. Let's have some horse meat."