The Request of the Heavenly Demon (3)
The head of the Seohwa Escort Agency was a man named Gyu Tae-bo.
He was a self-made man who had built the agency from the ground up, earning a reputation for integrity and reliability. He had never been involved in any scandal.
In contrast, Joo Yang, who had recently become the chief escort, had a history of causing trouble. Most of his issues were related to women, and there were times when he made mistakes due to drinking.
Despite this, Joo Yang had been appointed as the chief escort.
During my investigation into the Seohwa Escort Agency, I discovered that after Joo Yang took over, there were personnel changes, and several people had left the agency.
I sought out one of them, a man named So-gu, who had worked as an escort.
There was a reason I chose to speak with him.
He had been unfairly dismissed because he was known to be close to Baek Seong-won.
“I have some questions about Baek Pyo-du,” I said.
When I mentioned Baek Seong-won, he looked at me with suspicion.
“Why are you asking about something that’s in the past?”
“I’ll be honest with you. I owe a great debt to Baek Pyo-du from long ago. I wanted to visit him and pay my respects, but I learned about his current situation.”
“So, what do you plan to do?”
He still eyed me warily, as if trying to gauge my intentions.
“First, I need to understand the situation. Why did this happen to him? What I decide to do will come after that.”
My straightforwardness seemed to soften his stance. He sensed that I genuinely cared about Baek Seong-won.
“Baek Pyo-du isn’t someone who deserves this.”
As I expressed my indignation, So-gu sighed in agreement.
“Indeed. He was highly respected by many escorts here.”
“I heard rumors that Joo Yang used underhanded tactics to become the chief escort.”
“Shh!”
So-gu looked around in alarm.
“Do you want to get yourself killed?”
“Is it true?”
“There were such rumors, yes. But without evidence, speaking out could cost you your life.”
“Is there no way to uncover the truth? I want to clear Baek Pyo-du’s name.”
After a moment of contemplation, So-gu spoke quietly.
“Go see the head of the agency.”
“Why should I see him?”
“The head cared deeply for Baek Pyo-du. It’s baffling why he allowed this to happen. It’s strange that he let Joo Yang become the chief escort despite the rumors of his deceit.”
His words highlighted the suspicious nature of the situation.
“If you can find out why the head is turning a blind eye, you might uncover the truth. That’s all I can tell you.”
“Thank you.”
As I turned to leave, he called out with concern.
“Keep your visit here a secret.”
I reassured him with a simple question.
“Who are you?”
I began to dig deeper into Gyu Tae-bo’s background.
The process felt frustratingly slow, and the Heavenly Demon couldn’t hold back any longer.
[Just grab that Joo Yang and beat the truth out of him!]
[Sure, but handling it that way might make it harder for your son to return.]
[Who cares about that agency!]
[That’s our perspective.]
This place was Baek Seong-won’s lifelong workplace and home. If he could return, we should make it possible. Unless he didn’t want to, of course.
[Let’s meet the head first.]
If someone changes suddenly, there’s always a reason.
Under the cover of night, I quietly slipped into Gyu Tae-bo’s office.
He was deep in thought at his desk when he looked up to find me sitting across from him.
Startled, he jumped up and grabbed the sword beside him.
“Who are you?”
“I came to talk quietly. No need for alarm.”
I spoke firmly, not as someone seeking a favor, but as someone seeking the truth.
He pointed his sword at me. It was a fine blade, worthy of being called a treasured sword.
“If you want to talk, come during the day. Leave now, or else…”
At that moment, I grabbed the blade with my bare hand.
With a crunch, the sword crumpled as if it were paper. The twisted end pointed back at him.
Gyu Tae-bo stared at the sword in disbelief. He had never encountered such power before.
I looked at him coldly.
“A sword that remains silent in the face of injustice is useless.”
His face twitched with fear.
“Sit down.”
With a complex expression, he sat back down.
“What do you mean?”
“You already know what I mean, don’t you?”
“Who are you?”
“Does it matter?”
His gaze shifted to his crumpled sword on the desk.
“It matters. Who are you?”
The Heavenly Demon interjected.
[Kill him too!]
[No, we can’t. This is the world of the righteous. Your son lives in this world too.]
[Are you sure it’s righteous?]
[Let’s find out.]
I looked at Gyu Tae-bo and asked.
“Why did you make Joo Yang the chief escort? You’re not that kind of person.”
He wavered, as if I had hit a nerve.
He was psychologically cornered. The earlier display of strength had a significant impact.
Now was the time to press him.
“Why did you try to poison Baek Seong-won?”
“Poison? No! It wasn’t me.”
“Then who?”
His eyes trembled. I could tell he was burdened with guilt. His earlier deep contemplation was due to this very guilt.
He sighed deeply.
“It was Joo Yang.”
“And you still made him the chief escort?”
“Yes. I knew he used poison, but I turned a blind eye.”
“Why?”
He looked up at me, hesitating to answer.
I stood up.
“Fine. I’ll investigate on my own.”
Just then, Gyu Tae-bo shouted.
“He poisoned my granddaughter.”
I wasn’t surprised. I had suspected there was a reason, and it was often something like this.
In such moments, my blood runs cold, and I become calm. It’s a waste of energy to get heated when dealing with inhuman acts.
“I’m sorry. Truly sorry.”
He hung his head low.
“How long has Joo Yang been here? If he was a candidate for chief escort, he must have been here a long time.”
“Over twenty years.”
A question suddenly arose.
Why would someone who had worked for twenty years poison the head’s granddaughter just to become the chief escort? He wasn’t even aiming for the head’s position. Something felt off.
“What happened to your granddaughter?”
“Every month, she needs an antidote from him. Without it, she suffers excruciating pain and dies. I can’t let that happen to her.”
“So you’re letting Baek Pyo-du die after a lifetime of service?”
“I’m sorry. Truly sorry.”
Gyu Tae-bo clutched his head in agony, tears streaming down his face.
Good and evil seem worlds apart, but sometimes they’re within reach. Good can turn to evil at any moment.
Life-changing decisions are the same. Everything can change with a single decision.
I understood Gyu Tae-bo. With his granddaughter’s life at stake, how could he make a rational decision?
I neither pitied nor despised him.
“Your granddaughter can be saved.”
He looked at me. He could either trust me or betray me to Joo Yang.
“I hope you make the right choice this time.”
I stood on the wall overlooking Joo Yang’s office window.
Through the window, I saw Joo Yang talking to someone. It was the same man who had opened the door for me when I first visited the agency. He had also been spying on the Heavenly Demon’s son, confirming he was Joo Yang’s lackey.
[Why don’t you just go in and kill him? Take the antidote and end him!]
The Heavenly Demon was agitated. With his son and grandson involved, he couldn’t remain calm.
[I will.]
[Please! Stop talking and do it!]
[Isn’t it strange? He seems fine, so why did he suddenly turn into a madman?]
[What other reason could there be? He wanted the chief escort position.]
[Is that really it?]
[So what? What do you plan to do?]
[Listen, Cheon-gwang. This is important to me. It’s about your son, isn’t it?]
The Heavenly Demon hesitated.
He took a step back.
[When you kill him later, make it as painful and gruesome as possible.]
[Of course. Even a painful death is too good for him.]
At that moment, the man with Joo Yang left the building and exited the agency.
I leaped from the wall and soared into the sky.
From a high vantage point, I followed him using my martial arts. It was night, and from below, no one could see me clearly. Following him had become effortless.
He headed towards a nearby marketplace.
The man walked briskly.
It was late, and the shops in the marketplace were closed, with not a soul in sight.
He arrived at a butcher’s shop.
The man circled the closed shop and entered through a small side door.
He walked through the messy backyard and entered the building.
Beyond the drooping curtain of the storage room, he could see the back of a large man drinking. Remnants of slaughter were scattered around.
The man outside dared not enter, instead bowing respectfully from the doorway.
A voice came from inside.
“I’m bored to death.”
“You must endure it.”
“Do you think I don’t know that?”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s not your fault. Understand, I’m a bit on edge these days.”
“I understand. Should I come by every day starting tomorrow?”
“Do you even realize how dull you are?”
“Is that so?”
“Forget it. Just handle your tasks well. I heard a new guy showed up?”
“Yes, the one who visited the trading post also went to Baek Seong-won’s house.”
“Who is he?”
“Someone I’ve never seen before.”
“How convenient. A mysterious figure appears at a time like this.”
“I don’t think you need to worry. He didn’t seem particularly skilled to me.”
“If that’s your assessment.”
“In fact, this could work to our advantage. We should use him to expedite our plans.”
“How?”
“The original plan is this: Baek Seong-won, ousted from his position, harbors a grudge and hires assassins to wipe out the Pyo family. Then, he ends it all by taking his own life.”
“Sounds good.”
“We’ll frame today’s visit as a meeting with the assassin.”
“That could kill two birds with one stone.”
“Exactly.”
The man nodded several times, seemingly satisfied.
“And Ju Yang?”
“We’ve got a good hold on his weakness, so he’ll behave for now. We’ll use him for a year or two, then replace him with our own man. That way, Seohwa Trading will be entirely ours. Leave the details to me.”
“Good, that’s settled. Now, what about the new operations?”
“We have two in Shaanxi, three in Henan, one in Hebei, three in Hubei, and one in Hunan—ten in total, all major deals worth at least fifty million nyang each.”
“Handle them discreetly. You know the current situation, right?”
“Of course. I understand that, in principle, all external activities should cease once bankruptcy is declared.”
“Exactly. We’re breaking the rules here. If this gets out, the Grand Master will be furious. Do you know why I’m still moving forward?”
“Why?”
“Because this is the first bankruptcy declaration of our time. No one dares to think otherwise. They’ve never experienced anything like this. So, everyone is sticking to the rules. The opportunity is now.”
His words carried a confidence that set him apart.
The curtain parted, and the man stepped outside. With his hefty build, he fit right in with the butcher shop surroundings. He was none other than the Dark Master.
Gone was the sycophantic grin he wore around the Grand Master. In its place was his true, cold and ruthless demeanor.
“To make big money, you have to take big risks. So when the opportunity comes, seize it all!”