Chapter 36: It's the Worst, Not the Strongest (4)

Chagwang tilted his head.

‘Third Prince? Was there such a position at this school?’

There was no such position. However, there were those called Prince and Princess.

- You are the disciple of the Great Master, aren't you!

Clank!

‘Huh?’

Chagwang blinked. His sword was already rolling on the ground.

What's going on? Did I lose my grip? I've never let go of my sword, even when I was about to die. What's happening?

When a person experiences a great shock, it takes time to accept reality. That was the case with Chagwang.

At that moment, the voice he least wanted to hear at that moment pulled Chagwang back to reality.

"Why should I listen to you?"

Xueliang, who had been stroking his chin, winked.

"Upon reflection, there's no absolute reason I have to. I just hope you'll consider it as a recommendation. Because..."

Pop!

He pulled the cork from the bottle.

"I might just twist your necks like this. Then it wouldn't be fun for either of us, right? Isn't that so?"

Wei Honglian's expression changed.

It's rare to find someone who speaks like that in front of the Great Demon Master. The problem was that he had just run into one of those rare people.

Xueliang looked at Chagwang.

"What did you say? You'll give it a try because it's a good day?"

"Uh... Uh..."

"Ha, kid. It's fine, man! There's no need to show unnecessary patience in a world where even a clear conscience can be a burden. Isn't that so?"

"That... That's..."

"Most importantly, I've completely lost the desire to give it a try. A sword needs to be in harmony to create a picture. Come in and see."

Chagwang felt his mind go blank.

- Is this lunatic trying to get himself killed?

- ...This bastard!

He had spouted nonsense without knowing the other was the Third Prince. He wanted to curse himself a hundred times worse than the insults he had just thrown.

At that moment, Wei Honglian knelt down.

"Invincible under Heaven, Revered by Ten Thousand Demons. I, the Great Demon Master Wei Honglian, pay my respects to the Third Prince."

Unlike Chagwang, who was frozen in shock and fear, Wei Honglian remained calm, though his neck was quite red.

Xueliang, who had been staring at her, shook his head.

Crack. Crack.

"Ah, now I feel more at ease."

"..."

"I don't like being treated with excessive respect. It's embarrassing and noisy. But today is quite sweet."

Wei Honglian didn't respond.

Even if he didn't know the young man in front of him was the Third Prince, it was still a sin. He should have prostrated himself on the ground and begged for mercy, but that was the end of his greeting.

Xueliang smiled.

"Great Demon Master."

"Yes, Prince."

"Can I take some of your time?"

"......What do you mean?"

"Tell the kids to have a drink, and let's have a drink together for a moment? It shouldn't take long."

At that moment, Wei Honglian realized.

'He already knew?'

He clearly knew that today was the Great Demon Master's drinking day and that it was held at Zhamilu. Otherwise, he wouldn't have said such a thing.

She looked up at Xueliang.

The young man, still smiling, looked down at her with transparent eyes.

Wei Honglian stood up.

"Chagwang."

"......"

"Chagwang!"

"Yes? Ah, yes!"

"Take care of the kids and have a drink. You don't need to be so proper just because the Prince is here."

It was hard to say such things in front of the Third Prince.

Chagwang, looking at Xueliang with an uneasy gaze, saw him nod as if it were natural.

"That's right. Otherwise, I'd be more uncomfortable."

Chagwang bowed deeply.

"Understood."

He walked towards the upper floor with a hesitant step.

At that moment, Xueliang's voice came from behind.

"Hey."

Chagwang stopped. The casual call made his neck damp.

"......Did you call me?"

Xueliang grinned.

"Try to live more freely from now on."

Chagwang bent over.

"I'm sorry!"

Xueliang turned to Wei Honglian.

"Sit down?"

"......Yes."

As the two of them sat down, Chagwang, who had been awkwardly standing, fled to the upper floor.

A moment later, murmurs spread from the upper floor. They had all heard what happened on the first floor but didn't dare to speak loudly.

Xueliang shrugged.

"I don't know what kind of food you like. I prefer light dishes."

"......"

"If it doesn't suit your taste, order something else."

Wei Honglian, who had been quietly watching Xueliang, called the waiter.

"Bring a Winter Melon Pot."

"......Yes."

As the waiter hurried away, Xueliang picked up his drink.

"A drink?"

"It's an honor."

He filled Wei Honglian's glass and then his own.

"Cheers."

"Cheers."

The two of them drank simultaneously.

Xueliang frowned.

"You brought a drink that's too bland."

If Dao Weijing had heard this, he would have fainted. Wei Honglian asked.

"Shall I order a different drink?"

"No need. It's just a drink."

Watching Xueliang sip his drink, Wei Honglian asked.

"Do you have something specific to say to me?"

"Hmm?"

"It seems you knew about our drinking session today."

"Wouldn't it be harder not to know? The news spread throughout the inner city."

It was easier to speak frankly. Wei Honglian asked.

"Let me be direct. Was I your target?"

Given the rather stiff tone, it felt particularly provocative.

"Well, wasn't I?"

"If you had something to say to me, you didn't need to wait until the drinking session."

"I'm sorry. I just remembered I had something to do with you today."

"It wasn't a matter that could wait until the end of the drinking session."

Xueliang smiled.

He clearly looked uncomfortable. He had heard that Xueliang had even argued with the Nine Great Demon Masters, and it seemed the rumors weren't exaggerated.

Given that he was reacting this way even to the Third Prince, it was clear he had an unusual temperament.

"I have a habit of acting immediately when I think of something. If I offended you, I apologize."

Wei Honglian's eyes sparkled.

This was the first time she had met the Third Prince. She rarely got involved in internal affairs and had no desire to tangle with high-ranking figures.

But she had heard rumors.

'A rare tyrant. Possessing outstanding talent and strong drive, but equally brutal and ruthless.'

It was a personality that made it hard to win people's hearts. That's how it seemed logically.

However, before he fell into demonic possession, many people quietly followed the Third Prince. They thought being brutal was better than being timid and indecisive. In the demon world, brutality was sometimes considered a virtue.

For such a person to apologize and even use the word 'apologize' was surprising.

'He must want something from me.'

Wei Honglian finished her drink.

"What do you want from me?"

"I like it when things are straightforward. I hate unnecessary chatter."

Xueliang filled his glass and said.

"Confess."

Wei Honglian's eyes flashed.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Confess. It's just a minor offense, so it'll probably end with a reprimand or a fine, right?"

"I have committed no crime."

"Really?"

Xueliang, having finished his drink, chewed on some meat.

"Does the Great Demon Master receive a monthly stipend of a thousand taels?"

"......!"

"You're the worst, not the strongest, right? The Heavenly Demon Army only gets eight hundred taels a month, yet you get over a thousand? Does that sound right?"

Swoosh.

Wei Honglian's demonic aura surged.

The emotion carried by the aura was panic. She was so shocked that the control over her demonic aura, which she had perfectly maintained, was lost.

Xueliang grinned.

"Go to the Criminal Law Hall and confess. You'll get a reduced sentence, right? It's not like you stole public funds; it was probably just something you received at a drinking session. With that kind of charge, even the Criminal Law Hall can't imprison the Great Demon Master."

"......"

"Also, make sure to reveal the name of the person who gave you the money. Got it?"

Pfft.

Wei Honglian's glass shattered into powder. Her emotions were boiling, and her demonic aura was raging.

"......How did you know?"

It was a clear admission. She seemed to be the type who couldn't pretend to be ignorant.

Xueliang smiled.

"I overheard it."

"......"

"Anyway, I've said what I needed to say. When the drinking session is over, go and confess. Got it?"

Thud.

The table shook, and the plates on it rattled.

At the same time, the third floor, which had been murmuring, fell silent. They had all been listening, even if they pretended not to.

Rumble.

Wei Honglian's pupils turned blue. Her demonic powers were about to fully manifest.

"So, I wasn't your target."

"Hmm?"

"Was the Third Prince your target?"

It was a statement proving that the person who gave the money was the Third Prince. Xueliang grinned.

"Correct."

He admitted it so easily. Wei Honglian was taken aback by his honesty.

"Are you trying to pressure me to get to the Third Prince?"

"Sort of, and there are other minor reasons too."

"Why... Why...?"

"There's no need to tell you."

At that moment, the waiter brought the Winter Melon Pot.

The waiter's face turned pale at the tense atmosphere. He placed the dish as respectfully as possible and fled.

"Still, you have principles. If I were you, I would have pocketed it all, but you shared it with your subordinates?"

"......"

"Come on, the food you ordered is here. Eat."

"I have no evidence."

"Huh?"

Wei Honglian smiled.

A smile close to mockery. Her eyes were filled with ferocity.

"I don't know where you heard it, but I have no evidence. If you came to pressure me, you should have brought evidence."

It was a more disrespectful statement. It indicated that she was becoming increasingly anxious.

Xueliang chuckled.

"Without evidence, a crime isn't a crime, is it?"

"Of course."

"Do you enjoy complicating things?"

"You're the one complicating things, Third Prince. Why did you come on a good drinking day and suggest I confess to a non-crime? I don't understand."

Wei Honglian stood up.

"I've had my drink. Then..."

"Chagwang, right?"

"......?"

"Did you give the order to stand by and not leak the information about receiving money to your subordinates?"

"......!"

"Are you really going to make things complicated? Should I check the accounts to see how much that troublemaker has eaten here?"

Shiver.

Wei Honglian's killing intent surged.

Regardless of the truth, the Third Prince's constant attempts to corner her were annoying. No, the entire situation was frustrating.

"Are you going to take it to the end?"

"Hey, what a mouth you have."

"Please leave. I don't want you to provoke me any further."

Xueliang asked with amusement.

"What will you do if I do? Draw your sword?"

"How could I?"

Crack.

Wei Honglian laughed and raised his fist.

"I can't leave a mark on a high-ranking person's body."

"Hmm? So you can leave a bruise?"

"If a Third Prince like you gets hit by a mere Great Demon Master, you'd be too embarrassed to tell anyone."

Strength is the highest value in the demon world. If it became known that a successor to the throne was hit by a Great Demon Master, it would be a fatal blow.

The problem was that Xueliang was a person who valued this principle less than a pebble on the road.

"It's fine. When people fight, bruises and blood are common."

"......You!"

"And, by the way, can you even leave a scratch on my body with those weak fists?"

Wei Honglian grinned.

Xueliang was secretly delighted.

'He's lost it.'

Rumble!!

The blue demonic aura spread throughout her body.

"I won't draw my sword, so don't worry... "

Crash!

"Ugh!"

Wei Honglian, who was hit hard, smashed a table and fell to the ground.

The atmosphere rapidly cooled in the face of this outrageous situation.

Xueliang, who had suddenly kicked, tilted his head.

"What? You weren't starting?"

"......"

"Damn, I thought you'd have some spirit as the Great Demon Master, but why are you so weak?"

Rumble.

Wei Honglian stood up from the broken table debris.

Her face, filled with killing intent and madness, was like that of a demon.

"You're dead."

Xueliang chuckled.

"Try it, bitch."

On the historical drinking day of the Great Demon Master.

The worst lunatic began to wreak havoc.