Chapter 53. Can't Stand an Uncomfortable Feeling (3)

"Hey! Bring me some alcohol!"

After returning to his quarters after several days, Weihonglian's words were brief.

Chagwang subtly checked the situation and gestured to the subordinates. It was a gesture telling them to move quickly, as he seemed to be angry.

The subordinates sprang into action. Their movements were as swift and tense as when they encountered a mortal enemy.

Chagwang stealthily approached Weihonglian's side.

"Are you hurt?"

"..."

"Haha, if you're in such a state, the opponent must have turned into a bloody mess..."

Thud!

"Ugh!"

Chagwang staggered. He had been hit so hard on the back of his head that he almost fell off his seat.

Weihonglian glared at him with a fierce look.

"Did something good happen? Why are you grinning like that? Huh?"

"I-I'm sorry!"

"Where's the alcohol? I told you to bring it right away!"

"The subordinates are bringing it."

"Then what about you?"

"Y-Yes?"

"What are you doing, just ordering the others around? If you have nothing to do, go make some snacks! Something with a strong flavor!"

"Y-Yes!"

Chagwang hurriedly left the room. He had tried to cheer her up, but ended up getting scolded, which made him feel extremely frustrated.

Weihonglian puffed out her nostrils.

"Damn, I feel so bad."

She lit a pair of candles and leaned back in her chair.

Tap, tap, tap, tap!

The speed of her tapping finger on the table reminded one of a swift sword technique. She tapped so fast and fiercely that it seemed as if she could drill a hole in the table if left unchecked.

Weihonglian was thinking about Xiliang. She recalled his blank expression and the words he had spoken matter-of-factly.

- It seems our joint training is over here.

- We started together, but our goals were different. Your fight is over, but mine is still ongoing.

- Don't meddle unnecessarily and leave when I tell you to.

"Hmph!"

She blew her nose so hard that snot dripped out.

Wiping her nose roughly, Weihonglian bit her lips.

"What? Different goals? Don't meddle unnecessarily?"

She thought it was very much like him.

Actually, he wasn't wrong. She had been the one to suggest the joint training, and although it was a bit different from what she had imagined, her goal had been sufficiently achieved.

Still, he didn't need to be so cold and ruthless, right?

Bang!

The table dented where she had punched it with her fist. She still had a grip on her last bit of sanity, so she didn't destroy the expensive table.

"Damn it! Hey, you guys! What are you doing, not bringing the alcohol quickly!"

As if waiting for this, the door opened, and the subordinates brought in the alcohol.

Even before the snacks arrived, Weihonglian hastily drank the alcohol. She was so eager that she didn't even pour it into a glass, just drank straight from the bottle.

The subordinates, who were subtly observing, quickly left. They knew from experience that if they got on the wrong side of the leader at such times, it could end badly.

After drinking for a while, Weihonglian snorted.

"Well, there's no need to worry. You'll do well on your own. Or, whether you do well or not, it doesn't matter anymore, does it?"

Yeah, that's fine.

Weihonglian, who was calmly sipping her drink, gradually distorted her expression with each sip.

"Damn it!"

* * *

"Here it is."

"Thank you."

"No, it's nothing. I'll take my leave then."

The Seventh Warden turned around.

Xiliang, who had been watching his back, spoke.

"How did it go?"

"What do you mean?"

"I asked how the investigation went. Wasn't one of the vice-leaders of your faction also involved, aside from the fourth one?"

"..." The leakage of confidential investigation details to outsiders is prohibited. Please understand."

Xiliang nodded.

"Stay strong."

The Seventh Warden's shoulders twitched.

But only for a moment, then he disappeared with his characteristic quiet and steady steps.

Xiliang smiled.

'Not a bad person.'

Indeed, not everyone in the Devil Sect is a demon. There are people like Anghua, Madongbi, and the Seventh Warden, who live by their own sense of justice.

'In that case.'

He looked at the door.

'I wonder what kind of person the Law Enforcement Chief is.'

He had simultaneously summoned the Third and Fourth Princes, the highest-ranking members of the New Sect. Even for the Law Enforcement Chief, this would be a daunting task.

The fact that he had summoned them despite the burden suggests there was a purpose that needed to be addressed.

Creak.

Xiliang opened the door and entered.

'Hmm.'

It seemed he had to pass through a long corridor to reach the room.

'An interesting structure.'

If there had been someone inside, he would have sensed their presence.

The true opening of the Dark Shadow Demon Technique, the first Hell Gate, the Earth Hell Gate, had activated, enhancing his senses.

Until now, he hadn't felt the need to open it. The reason was that the Earth Hell Gate revealed a demonic aura once activated.

He had sealed it to avoid drawing attention, but now his thoughts had changed.

To stand out, one must be special. His aura and martial arts needed to be even more impressive to leave a strong impression.

In this regard, Song Jing had been helpful. Thanks to him, Xiliang realized his presence was still lacking.

'Ch, to achieve my dreams, I must be willing to do things I don't like. I need to think positively.'

Being the Third Prince alone is enough to draw attention. There's no need to tiptoe around.

Xiliang entered the corridor.

Thud, thud.

The corridor was very quiet.

Lanterns hung on the walls at intervals, but they were dim, creating a gloomy atmosphere.

'Damn, these people always try to create a scary atmosphere.'

He really didn't like this.

For some reason, this dark and gloomy corridor felt like the thorny path he had to walk to gain freedom. A path that was damp, gloomy, and subtly frightening.

'Freedom... Damn, it's a long and difficult road.'

Although no one had noticed, his legs would involuntarily twitch several times a day.

He wondered if he could just go all out instead of wasting time on these complicated schemes. Honestly, with his current skills, he could probably use a secret technique to escape...

'Nonsense.'

He would definitely be caught before he could pass through the inner chambers.

Even if he managed to escape, the New Sect would send terrifying demons to find the missing Third Prince. Among them would be experts that even Xiliang couldn't handle.

He couldn't give up his future for a moment of freedom.

What he wanted was complete freedom, free from any interference. His experience of being trapped in the Heavenly Net by the Righteous Alliance and the Iron Blood City had made him more cautious.

Xiliang's eyes were slightly bloodshot.

'Everything I do will help me in the future. I have to believe that.'

While walking through the corridor, he made this resolve. A strong will surged within him, and he clenched his fist.

'I'll finish today's task, beat up Hong Weimin, and then see how things go. I can't rush, damn it.'

Finally, he saw an ancient door.

'Hmm, I've arrived... Huh?'

Xiliang frowned.

There were two presences inside the room. They must be the Law Enforcement Chief and Hong Weimin.

But one of the presences was very ambiguous.

'What is this aura?'

It was blurry yet distinct, stiff yet fluid. An aura that couldn't be described with a single word.

'...It feels really bad.'

Forget it, let's see what happens.

Creak.

Xiliang smoothly opened the door.

At the same time.

"Have you arrived?"

One of the two people sitting at a round table stood up.

Xiliang's eyes narrowed instantly.

"I have prepared a seat for you. Please, Third Prince."

The Law Enforcement Chief's subordinates only showed the minimum courtesy to the leadership, out of concern for maintaining a minimum level of equality due to the nature of their work.

This was evident from the Seventh Warden. His manners were precise, his words clear and neither excessive nor insufficient.

But the person who stood up was different. He acted as if they had been close friends for a long time.

"I have prepared some good alcohol. I wonder if it will suit your taste."

He was neither tall nor short.

Probably in his early fifties. Despite his gray hair, his face was almost wrinkle-free. His clothes were ordinary, neither particularly luxurious nor shabby.

His appearance was the same. Neither ugly nor handsome, he had a common look that one might see on the street.

The current head of the Law Enforcement Department, the Law Enforcement Chief, had a presence that was both ordinary and ambiguous. There was nothing unique or solemn about him, which made him seem extraordinary.

"Huh? Haha! Is there something on my face? Why are you staring at me so intently?"

"Are you the Law Enforcement Chief?"

The old man smiled kindly.

"Yes, I am the Law Enforcement Chief, Gogu."

Xiliang, who had been staring at him, turned his gaze to the side.

There, Hong Weimin sat with a blank expression. He had received a glass but hadn't drunk yet.

"Haha, it seems the Third Prince is not in a good mood."

"..."

"Regardless, you've come a long way. Please, take a seat. You must be tired from the interrogation over the past four days."

He kept smiling.

Xiliang shook his head.

"I won't sit there."

Confusion appeared on Gogu's face.

"Why not?"

"Calling someone like me and that fool means you have a purpose, right?"

Hong Weimin's expression turned cold. He wouldn't be happy to be called a fool in front of the Law Enforcement Chief.

Gogu showed a bewildered expression.

"Why are you saying such absurd things? I can't understand, Third Prince."

"I don't know what your purpose is, but I won't talk to someone who hides their true intentions. I might enjoy playing the fool, but I don't enjoy being the fool."

"Excuse me?"

A demonic aura flashed in Xiliang's eyes.

Rumble.

The Dark Shadow Demon Technique surged, and the Six Heavens Technique unfolded naturally. The Purifying Seal of the Wuai Technique cleansed the surroundings, making the Celestial Heart Sense even more sensitive.

"Quite an interesting mask, isn't it?"

"..."

"The Black Crow Guards wore masks, but they were not ambiguous. They felt like judges or executioners. But you are different."

Gogu's smile deepened.

"What do you mean by different?"

"You wear a mask, even though it's your true face. A mask ten times thicker and a hundred times more ambiguous than the Black Crow Guards' masks."

"Is that how you feel?"

"Isn't it obvious? You're hiding yourself."

The continuous, hard-to-understand conversation made even Hong Weimin frown, wondering what was going on.

But Gogu's reaction was different.

"Indeed, you are remarkable."

At that moment.

Crack. Crack, crack, crack.

Hong Weimin's eyes wavered.

Snap! Crack!

A cold aura emanated from Xiliang's expressionless face.

Sssss!

Gogu's face was changing.

Not metaphorically, but literally. His features were transforming. His bones twisted, and his muscles rippled. A murky gray mist rose from his changing face.

'Shrinking Bone Technique...'

It refers to a martial art that uses powerful inner energy to artificially alter a person's bones and muscles.

'I thought it was a fictional martial art made up by those who like to exaggerate.'

There are many strange techniques in the world, but he had never considered the existence of a martial art that could change the structure of the human body. Changing bones and muscles would inevitably alter the positions of internal organs and potentially damage nerves.

If such a martial art existed, why would assassins go to great lengths to obtain human skin masks?

Crack! Crack!

"Until now, only three people have recognized my transformation at first glance."

His voice and demeanor changed as his body transformed.

The Gogu that Xiliang had seen so far was a fabricated image. The current tone revealed Gogu's true personality.

"I wondered how you survived for eight months in Guchulim. Your unparalleled insight must have played a significant role."

Whoosh.

Finally, Gogu's true appearance was revealed. He looked like a man in his mid-thirties with a strong and rugged appearance.

"How is it? Are you satisfied?"

Xiliang pointed at the table with his chin.

"I'm hungry, so bring some snacks."