Chronicles of the Demonic Cult Conversion-Chapter 62 : Chapter 62

Chapter 62: Then I'll Have to Beat You Down First, Senior Brother.
“Where? Where is it.”
As Jin Cheon shot up, Yeom Bi spoke in a low voice.
“Don't get involved.”
“Pardon?”
“Do you think the So Clan fellows would have picked a fight for no reason?”
Just then, Blood Qilin interjected with a comment.
“Absolutely not.”
Jin Cheon, not understanding the meaning of Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi's words, frowned.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said.”
Yeom Bi said with a slightly stiff face.
“If the So Clan fellows picked a fight first, it's definitely not an emotional issue. It's all part of a deliberate plan.”
“Right, right. It must have all been orchestrated by someone.”
Blood Qilin nodded in agreement.
“What do you mean, orchestrated by someone?”
“It must be Senior Brother So's doing.”
Blood Qilin said flatly.
“Senior Brother So……”
Jin Cheon had heard of him.
So U-bin.
The fifth disciple of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, known within the cult as the Evil Flower Young Master.
As the eldest son of the Puppet So Clan, one of the Seven Demonic Families, he was known to have the worst personality among the disciples of the Iron-Blooded Demonic God.
“Don't fall for that fellow So U-bin's tricks. It's obvious that he did this to deliberately draw you out.”
“I cannot do that.”
Jin Cheon shook his head.
“Are you telling me to stand by while my guards are being beaten?”
“What kind of guards get beaten up outside and come back to trouble their lord? That's putting the cart before the horse.”
“……That's.”
“If they are guards, they should be protecting you, not you protecting them.”
Yeom Bi's words were the very definition of sound reasoning, so it was difficult for Jin Cheon to refute them.
But Jin Cheon was not one to back down for that reason.
“Even if they are guards, subordinates are subordinates. Does a person who pretends not to see when the people who trust and follow him are being beaten have the qualification to be a lord?”
“That's also true.”
“So I must go.”
“Endure it this time. If you get involved, you'll only make things tiring for yourself.”
Just as Yeom Bi was once again trying to dissuade Jin Cheon.
“C-Captain Dan told me not to inform the Young Master…… but they grabbed Miss Baek and……”
As soon as Go-bong's words ended, Yeom Bi shot off as if he had never tried to stop Jin Cheon.
“Senior Brother Yeom……?”
Jin Cheon stared at Yeom Bi, who was becoming a black dot in the distance, with a dazed expression.
One moment he was telling him not to get involved…….
“Why is he suddenly acting like that?”
“You're asking because you don't know?”
Blood Qilin wore a meaningful expression.
“He's acting like that because he thinks his rice bowl is about to be smashed.”
“Pardon……?”
“If something happens to that A-rin girl, he won't be able to get his meals, will he?”
“Ah?”
“Just like a glutton.”
Blood Qilin shook his head as if he found it pathetic.
“Well…… whatever Senior Brother Yeom's reasons are, I must also go quickly.”
“Yes, let's go.”
“Are you going too, Senior Brother Sa?”
“Something fun has happened, how can I not go? Hehehe!”
“……”
“Let's goooooo!”
The thoroughly excited Blood Qilin ran off like a child.
***
The incident began when Baek A-rin visited the market to purchase ingredients.
Recently, Baek A-rin had to prepare an enormous amount of food for every meal.
Jin Cheon, Danmok Cheong, Yeom Bi, Blood Qilin, and sometimes even the members of the New Demon Squad.
Sometimes she had to cook for nearly twenty strong men, so it was a situation where even ten hands would not be enough.
But just as difficult was obtaining the ingredients needed to create such an enormous amount of food, and Baek A-rin couldn't carry it all by herself.
So Danmok Cheong and a few members of the New Demon Squad would help Baek A-rin buy the ingredients, and it just so happened that they ran into the martial artists of the So Clan.
“Who do we have here? The lackeys of the great Seventh Young Master.”
The martial artists of the So Clan picked a fight with Baek A-rin's group out of the blue.
“What brings you here? Did the pathetic Seventh Young Master order you to go to the market and beg?”
“Do not respond.”
Danmok Cheong calmly ordered his subordinates, then spoke to the one who had started the fight.
“We just want to do our shopping quietly and return. Let's not have unnecessary conversations with each other.”
“Just like the subordinates of that lord. Seeing you tuck your tails like scared dogs.”
“……”
Danmok Cheong did not bother to reply and turned to order his subordinates.
“It seems today is not a suitable day for shopping, so let's just go.”
“As you command.”
Danmok Cheong had discerned that the martial artists of the So Clan were not picking a fight for no reason and made the wise decision to quietly withdraw.
However, the martial artists of the So Clan seemed to have no intention of letting Baek A-rin's group go just like that.
“Look at this little wench?”
“Kyaaak!”
“Kyaak? I only grabbed your wrist, but anyone would think I was killing you? Hehehe!”
As fate would have it, one of the martial artists of the So Clan grabbed Baek A-rin's wrist and wouldn't let go.
“Let her go.”
“What if I don't want to?”
“You are all martial artists, are you going to harass a mere handmaiden who doesn't even know martial arts?”
“Are you getting all worked up over harassing a mere handmaiden? You, who are supposed to be the guards of the Seventh Young Master? If a handmaiden like this dies, you can just get a new one, can't you?”
“……Dammit.”
Danmok Cheong bit his lower lip.
He realized that since the opponent was so determined to cling to them like this, it was impossible to leave the market quietly.
“Do not inform the Young Master. We will resolve this matter ourselves.”
“As you command.”
After giving that instruction, Danmok Cheong turned back to the martial artists of the So Clan.
“If I ask you nicely to let go, you won't, will you?”
“That will depend on your sincerity. Strip naked right now in front of me and beg on your knees. Then I'll just let you g—”
Pow!
“Keok!”
Danmok Cheong's fist slammed into the face of his opponent.
***
Arriving at the scene of the incident, Jin Cheon could not hold back his anger at the disastrous sight that unfolded before his eyes.
Thwack, pow!
“Keoheok!”
Danmok Cheong was being held by several martial artists and was being beaten relentlessly, while the other members of the New Demon Squad, having exhausted their resistance, were stretched out on the ground, beaten to a pulp.
“P-please don't do this! Please!”
“Hey, where do you think you're going? You want to see something ugly? Kilkilkil!”
Baek A-rin, who was in the best condition, was surrounded by the martial artists of the So Clan, unable to move.
“If you are guilty of anything, it is serving the Seventh Young Master as your…………”
At that very moment.
Kwaang!
With a loud roar, the man who was holding Baek A-rin's wrist flew far away, crashed through a wall, and was buried under its debris.
It was obvious he was seriously injured; if he was unlucky, he would have died instantly.
“F-Fourth Young Master!”
The martial artists of the Puppet So Clan recognized the person who had smashed their colleague and were startled.
Chiiiiik!
A menacing sound, like water dropping on a heated piece of iron, flowed from Yeom Bi's reddened fist.
It seemed that Blood Qilin's words about his hands being suitable for smashing people's heads were by no means empty talk.
“Come here.”
Yeom Bi said to Baek A-rin.
“Ye-es?”
“I said, come here.”
“But……”
“It's alright, so come.”
“Y-yes.”
Baek A-rin hesitantly and carefully took a step.
The martial artists of the Puppet So Clan did not dare to block her path.
They too did not want to end up like the one who had just been smashed.
“Y-Young Master.”
Danmok Cheong saw that Jin Cheon had arrived and gave a bitter smile.
“I told them not to inform the Young Master…… Keuk!”
“Brother Dan!”
Jin Cheon hastily supported Danmok Cheong.
“For a group that calls itself a guard unit…… I'm sorry. I have no face to show you.”
“Don't say that.”
“We should be protecting you…… but we've only caused trouble for the Young Master…… Keuk!”
Danmok Cheong clutched his chest as if in pain.
His chest, like Go-bong's, was stained black.
“This one needs to be moved, quickly.”
Blood Qilin stepped forward, examined Danmok Cheong, then turned back to Jin Cheon.
“It seems he was hit by the Black Killing Demonic Art. If you leave it, the flesh will rot away.”
The martial artists of the Puppet So Clan could not hide their bewilderment as not only Yeom Bi but also Blood Qilin appeared.
They had expected at most Jin Cheon to show up alone, but for Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi to appear as well…….
“W-we greet the Sixth Young Master.”
The martial artists of the Puppet So Clan, sweating profusely, clasped their fists towards Blood Qilin.
“I'm truly sorry to say this but…… this is a matter between us and the Seventh Young Master, so if the Sixth Young Master would please……”
“Look at this.”
Blood Qilin gave an eerie smile as if he found it amusing.
“Are you lowly things daring to tell me what to do? Keukkeukkeuk!”
“N-no, that's not it! Absolutely not!”
The martial artist of the Puppet So Clan frantically waved his hands and took a few steps back.
Yeom Bi, although a bit blunt, was someone you could reason with, but Blood Qilin was not.
He was a man who, if he got upset, would not hesitate to kill all the martial artists of the Puppet So Clan present here…….
“I'm saying I'm going to interfere in my junior brother's affairs. Got a problem with that?”
“N-no, that is.”
While Blood Qilin was pressuring the martial artists of the Puppet So Clan, Jin Cheon took care of Danmok Cheong and the members of the New Demon Squad.
“Quickly, move Captain Dan to the Life Demonic Institute.”
“As you command.”
The other members of the New Demon Squad were also in a sorry state, but they were not completely immobile like Danmok Cheong, so it seemed they were capable enough of getting to the Life Demonic Institute.
Squeeze, Jin Cheon clenched his two fists and approached the martial artists of the Puppet So Clan.
“If you beat up my subordinates, then I assume you are prepared to be beaten up as well.”
At that very moment.
“What's with all the commotion?”
The Fifth Young Master, So U-bin, appeared, parting the crowd, and opened his mouth.
***
‘An abyss, it is an abyss.’
In Jin Cheon's eyes, So U-bin's demonic qi was like a black lake that seemed to suck everything in.
“We greet the Young Master.”
The martial artists of the Puppet So Clan knelt on one knee in unison towards So U-bin and paid their respects.
So U-bin, without even acknowledging his subordinates' greetings, sneered at Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi.
“What brings our dear sworn brothers to this humble place?”
“I believe you should be asking that side first, not this one.”
At Jin Cheon's sudden informal interruption, So U-bin's expression turned cold for a moment.
“Who are you to interfere?”
“I am Jin Cheon. You must be Senior Brother So?”
“Senior Brother So. Keuk. So, you're the new youngest one, is that it?”
“Yes, well. It just happened.”
“Your attitude is quite insolent for someone meeting their senior brother for the first time.”
“When the martial artists belonging to my senior brother's family have beaten up my subordinates, do you expect my words to come out nicely?”
“Is that so?”
So U-bin whirled around and looked at the martial artists of the Puppet So Clan.
“Explain.”
“The Seventh Young Master's subordinates were swaggering around, so we gave them a little warning, but a fight broke out.”
“So that's what happened.”
So U-bin turned back to Jin Cheon and grinned.
“You seem to be terrible at managing your subordinates. You should have paid more attention to their education.”
“It seems the one who is terrible at managing is not me, but you, Senior Brother So.”
“What?”
“Even if my subordinates were swaggering around, what right do your subordinates have to intervene? If anyone's going to beat them, it's me. So please step aside. I need to beat the ones who beat up my subordinates half to death.”
“I can't allow that.”
So U-bin scoffed as if it were absurd.
“How can I just stand by and watch my subordinates get beaten up by my junior brother?”
“You won't step aside, is that it.”
“And if I don't?”
“Then I'll have to beat you down first, won't I, Senior Brother?”
Jin Cheon said, taking another step toward So U-bin.