The Return of The Crazy Demon

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I was the one who ate three meals a day inside the Murim Alliance and Demon Cult's nets.

There's no need to say this aloud as a boast, though.

“That's also true.
It's bound to happen anyway now that the leader is dead.
Then I'll keep an eye on the procession, you guys carry the money.
We should commit crimes together.”

Thinking he had just saved his colleagues, Sima Bi happily advises him like a loyal soldier.

“There are several ways to weave about the missing leader.
His relationship is turning sour with the Black Hurricane Castle recently and they also have the Twelve Generals.”

“Advisor Sima, don't get involved with the Twelve Generals, they're trouble.”

“Advisor?”

I look at Sima Bi seriously.

“You said your surname is Sima.”

“Yes.”

“Then you're Advisor Sima.
Although you're not an Advisor General (大軍師) yet.”

“Hm.”

Traditionally, when a sect recruits an advisor, those from the Sima or Zhuge families are the best.[^n1]

I don't know why.

How can I know everything about the world?

Whether Sima Bi likes it or not, I am recruiting this guy as an advisor.

“I will arrive in Ilyang Prefecture within one hour.
Advisor Sima, join me in overseeing the procession.
You take the lead, and I'll secure the back.
If bandits get in the way, I'll kill them.
Let's go.”

Sima Bi replies.

“Yes, sir.”

Sima Bi assembles his colleagues for a moment and consoles them as if to dissolve the chaotic atmosphere.

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“This is our only way to survive.
It's been a close call lately anyway.
The cabin would have been robbed if we got a leader from another faction to take over.
We will die since our leader died anyway.
What do you all think?”

Sima Bi is a man who had no way out after receiving bribes from the Golden Phoenix Pavilion Leader.

“Let's do that.”

I leave the slush fund operation to Sima Bi, lift my chopsticks again, and resume eating.
Then, I call Hyeok Ryeon-hong, who is walking around with a pale expression.

“Messenger Hyeok Ryeon-hong, it's nice to see you again alive like this.
Come here.”

“Ah, yes.”

Hyeok Ryeon-hong, who'd once presented himself as a messenger, approaches timidly.
He is intimidated after watching the Golden Phoenix Pavilion Leader die without much struggle.

I ask.

“Are you going to run when you see a chance? Your eyes are wavering.”

“No, I have no intention to do so.”

“Right? You better not.
I'm way faster than you.
The only place you can run to is the afterlife.
The weather is sunny today, so I'm ending my killing with the Golden Phoenix Pavilion Leader.
Don't try to show off your agility here, or else someone will die.”

“Yes.”

“As you know, I feel sick when I see blood when I eat.”

Hyeok Ryeon-hong's expression turns ghastly.

“This is for the best.
I can only kill all of you if anything goes wrong.
If you've killed as much as your leader, I'd be annoyed since I have to keep killing sloppy bastards.
So don't push it.
Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

I am not exactly happy because I'm not interested in money.

Hence, this money will be spent on rebuilding the Zaha Inn to resemble a Murim Clan building, with the remainder going into buying placebo supplements to serve as a palate cleanser.

Money will be distributed to moneymakers, like petals flowing down the sky.

Money isn't important to a Kangho warrior who might lose their life someday.

Remember.

Money is to be earned and spent.

I would be satisfied if I could just eat rice soup for every meal and beat up crazy bastards every day.

This is what seeking pleasure in poverty means.

I return with the Golden Phoenix Pavilion Leader's subordinates and wealth like a triumphant general.
All the merchants came out to see the prizes I came back with.

While the slush fund is safely transferred to the Plum Blossom Pavilion, I tell Sima Bi.

“The embezzlement plan was a success.”

Sima Bi replies.

“Yes, now that we've moved the money we took together, there's no reason for us to go back.
Thank you for your generosity.”

I reply in an aloof tone.

“You don't have to thank me.
I don't intend to spare anyone who causes trouble under my nose.”

“I'll keep everyone in check so it won't happen.”

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“You should also think about what these useless bastards will work on at this point.”

“What jobs are available?”

“The market here is currently developing, so they can't focus only on training martial arts like members of the Unorthodox Factions.
They can work in vendor shops, smithies, inns, and construction.
They can't work in the pavilions since many women work there, as there's bound to be a problem.
Go discuss with those morons.”

“Yes.”

“I have a lot of sub-sects under me.
Please note if more people from Unorthodox Factions want to join us in the future, we will create a temporary Black Sect (黑門).
Until then, we'll operate normally.
For useless idiots who can't do anything normal…”

My stomach prickles as I say those words.

It prickles as I am reminded of chicken noodle soup.

“Understood.
You said there were many sub-sects.
What's the name of the main sect?”

I look at Sima Bi's face and say.

“We are the unrivaled Low-Down Sect.”

“The Low-Down Sect……
I've never heard of it before.”

Furrowing my brows, I reply.

“Is that so? You've never heard of it?”

“Ah, yes.
My apologies.
I'm not very knowledgeable about things like these…”

“It's okay.
It's a sect I threw together not long ago.
But the point is I created it, I didn't just make it up randomly.”

Sima Bi, who did not understand what I was saying, hurriedly puts his expression under control and replies.

“Oh, I see.”

The name 'Low-Down' gives a connotation of a nasty and low status making Sima Bi think that it is unfit for s faction's name, but he couldn't voice this thought out loud.

As Sima Bi is wearing a blank expression, I ask him.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Ah, yes… I was thinking how you said it was unrivaled.”

“I mean that no one in this world can stoop lower than us.”

Sima Bi immediately understands.

“Ah…”

“What? You don't agree?”

“No, that applies to me.
I'm the same.
Ranked at the bottom.”

I nod with a serious look on my face.

“Then that's fine.”

I then added after a moment.

“You passed.”

Sima Bi smiles for the first time and then responds, hurriedly trying to control his expression.

“Thank you.”

[^n1]: Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang are famous military advisors in the Chinese dynasty.