“Cult Leader.”

A man was kneeling on one knee, head bowed low. He stared only at his own feet, waiting for the Cult Leader to speak.

“Left Guardian Wi.”

The man addressed as Left Guardian Wi responded without lifting his head.

“Yes.”

“What are the other Cultists supposed to do when the Left Guardian of the Cult is groveling like that? Stick themselves to the floor? Stand up.”

“My apologies.”

Only after apologizing did Left Guardian Wi rise and clasp his hands respectfully in front of him. Even as he stood, he didn’t look directly at the Cult Leader. He kept his gaze lowered and mouth shut. He wasn’t particularly handsome.

He didn’t have the presence of a seasoned warrior either, but he was fairly tall. His eyes drooped downward, which was his defining feature, and his ears were unusually large—bent at an exaggerated angle, as if his hearing had developed too much. Overall, his build gave off the impression of a long-limbed monkey standing upright.

The Cult Leader, lounging on the Grand Chancellor’s seat with his chin resting on one hand, said,

“As Left Guardian, there’s no need for excessive courtesy.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Your household?”

Left Guardian Wi replied,

“They are joining in two waves. The vanguard has already entered the Cult. The rear party is currently handing off business operations across various regions and will join once that’s done. I apologize for the delay.”

The Cult Leader said,

“There’s no need for the rear group to enter. There’s no need to involve your entire clan in the Cult at the cost of your business.”

Left Guardian Wi lowered his head slightly.

“Thank you for your generous consideration.”

“Left Guardian Wi, were you always so submissive in business too? That groveling posture of yours is revolting.”

Left Guardian Wi smiled and replied,

“To be honest, I’ve never lived submissively anywhere. Cult Leader, I’ll grow more accustomed to this role with time.”

The Cult Leader responded with a bored expression.

“I hear your family, the Myeongcheon Wi Clan, has been a wealthy merchant house for five generations. Compared to the other tycoons in the Central Plains, where does your standing fall? Are you the wealthiest under heaven or something?”

“Not the wealthiest, but if you gathered all our assets, we’d rank within the top ten. There are many hidden tycoons in the world, so it’s hard to say for sure. But among Cultists, I’ve worked the hardest to earn money.”

“There’s a rumor that your wealth exceeds even the Cult’s, and that you could match our military strength by hiring vagabonds with that money. Who started that?”

Left Guardian Wi kept his head bowed as he replied.

“Cult Leader, that rumor did not originate from us.”

“Did you look into it?”

“Yes. We believe it came from the Outer Hall. Specifically from Lord Geumho of the Outer Hall, and the Jungcheon Trade Group he works with.”

“How did you respond?”

“I sent a letter explaining that it was a misunderstanding and asked them to refrain from spreading such rumors.”

“What did they say?”

“They didn’t respond.”

The Cult Leader laughed.

“Then I suppose Lord Geumho and the Jungcheon Trade Group must be the most surprised to hear that you’ve become the new Left Guardian.”

“They probably are.”

“Now that you have power, are you planning to send them a warning?”

Left Guardian Wi responded immediately.

“I’ll leave them alone.”

“And why is that?”

“After the letter, no more misleading rumors have spread. And now that I’ve been honored with the role of Left Guardian by your command, I believe Lord Geumho’s side will be more cautious.”

The Cult Leader chuckled at that.

“I can see now why the Right Guardian didn’t like you.”

“Yes.”

“You knew?”

“I’ve heard it a few times.”

“Do you know the reason?”

Left Guardian Wi nodded slightly and, still staring at the floor, replied.

“I understand he despised those obsessed with money.”

“If he returns, do you think you can work well with him? When I’m not around, the two of you will have to manage Cult affairs together.”

“I’ll cooperate as best I can.”

“You weren’t put in that seat to be dragged around by him.”

“Understood. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Just then, a voice came from outside.

“Cult Leader, the Young Lord you summoned has arrived.”

“Have him wait.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Cult Leader smiled and said,

“So, Left Guardian... you amassed all that wealth over five generations. What were you planning to do with it? Build a tiny nation or something?”

Left Guardian Wi replied,

“When you start making money, it feels like being swept away by a river.”

“What do you mean?”

“At first, I was satisfied with a single rowboat. But to catch bigger fish, I needed to move to wider rivers. The nausea from the waves led me to get a bigger boat.”

“And then?”

“As the crew increased, I needed multiple boats. As I traveled along the currents, I saw other ships better than mine—ships where money seemed to flow more freely. So I built even bigger vessels. Eventually, my ships were so large they couldn’t even navigate narrow rivers. So I crossed the sea. That’s when I realized just how vast the world truly is—and that there were tycoons far richer than me despite suffering just as much.”

The Cult Leader asked,

“Did you throw those tycoons into the sea?”

“When necessary. I have too many kin on board who would sink with me if I went down.”

“Is there an end to the path of amassing wealth?”

“There is no end.”

“Then I assume you learned martial arts to gather more wealth?”

Left Guardian Wi nodded.

“That’s correct.”

“And you bought your seat as Left Guardian with that money.”

“I won’t deny it.”

The Cult Leader tapped the Grand Chancellor’s armrest with his finger.

“Left Guardian Wi, I’ll now give you your orders.”

“I’m listening.”

The Cult Leader waved his hand casually and said,

“Wield full authority.”

“......”

“Use the Cult to make even more money. Fill vacant seats with your people. Be ruthless. Clash with the Right Guardian or any of the Lords if you must. Appoint the Four Heavenly Kings as you see fit. Let the Cultists protest if they want. As Left Guardian, you must have the strength befitting your position. And one more thing.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The only token granted to the Left Guardian is the Bright Sword. The previous Left Guardian still holds it. You’ll use it from now on.”

Left Guardian Wi raised his head slightly and looked at the Cult Leader.

“Understood.”

“Dismissed.”

“Yes, sir.”

He bowed slightly, took three steps back, turned, and opened the door himself. There, he locked eyes with the Cult Leader’s eldest son. His face was tanned like a farmer, likely from a long journey. Left Guardian Wi glanced at the small box tucked under the Young Lord’s arm and said,

“...Young Lord, it’s been a while.”

The Young Lord nodded.

“I heard you’ve become Left Guardian.”

Left Guardian Wi gestured toward the door and replied,

“Yes. Please go in—he’s expecting you.”

As the Young Lord passed by, he muttered,

“A money grubber climbing to the Left Guardian’s seat. You’ve made quite the leap.”

Left Guardian Wi smiled and replied,

“Thank you, First Young Lord.”

As the Young Lord shut the door behind him, he glared at Wi.

Left Guardian Wi smiled until the door closed completely. Only then did his expression turn cold. He glanced around and began walking slowly. Even as he walked, his large ears twitched habitually.

But he couldn’t hear the Cult Leader and Young Lord’s conversation. Only after he exited the building did his subordinates approach.

“Clan Head.”

Left Guardian Wi looked at his newly joined men and said,

“Seems I’m not truly the Left Guardian until I get the Bright Sword. Keep that in mind.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And stop calling me Clan Head from now on.”

“Understood.”

As he led the way forward, he said,

“Good. We’ve got plenty to do. I like being busy.”

***

The Cult Leader’s second son was taking a piss facing the woods. His entire right arm and shoulder were wrapped in white cloth, making him look like a defeated soldier returning from war. He had held it in for so long that the stream lasted a while. Just as it seemed to end, it started again, repeating three or four times. After finally pulling up his trousers, he limped back toward the carriage.

He climbed in, sat down, and closed the door behind him.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir.”

He waited for a moment, then said again,

“I said, let’s go.”

He was about to say something else when he looked toward the carriage door. It suddenly swung open, and a man holding a cloth bundle stepped inside.

Startled, the second son stared in disbelief...

“......”

Across from him sat the Bright Right Guardian, covered in «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» blood, staring directly at him.

“Taking the most obvious path back, aren’t we? Young Lord.”

The second son immediately channeled inner force into his left hand and examined the Right Guardian. Only the face, wiped clean with a hand, was free of blood; the rest of his clothes and body were drenched.

The Bright Right Guardian shook his head and said,

“I told Lord Yang I’d let you live. Since your father showed me proper courtesy, that much I can allow.”

The second son asked,

“Then why did you follow me?” 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

The Right Guardian placed the cloth bundle on his lap and began to unwrap it. The second son expected to see Lord Yang’s severed head inside. But instead, the bundle revealed several white dumplings and a bamboo bottle of liquor.

Seeing the white dumplings, the second son felt as if he were about to lose his mind.

When the Right Guardian picked one up, blood smeared onto it. He ate the blood-smeared dumpling and said,

“...Lord Yang ran away. How could he flee so quickly while his men were dying around him? I said I’d spare you, not him.”

He devoured one dumpling in the blink of an eye, then picked up another and offered it to the Young Lord.

“Want one?”

“No thanks.”

The second son managed to calm his panic enough to speak.

“So what now? What’s the meaning of all this? What will you tell the Cult Leader—killing Lord Yang’s men?”

The Right Guardian chewed a dumpling and asked,

“Is that a reproach?”

“It’s not a reproach. I’m trying to understand.”

The Right Guardian took a swig from the liquor and said,

“I’m letting you live, and I planned to kill Lord Yang. That was the deal. Since he ran, others will bear the consequences. Take me to Simwongok.”

“......”

The Right Guardian continued,

“If Lord Yang is there, I’ll kill him. If not, the martial artists of Simwongok will pay the price. Don’t worry, I spared the servants at the safehouse. They’re innocent.”

The second son stared at the Right Guardian’s hand as he sorted through the dumplings. With each movement, the dumplings turned red from blood.

The Right Guardian picked one up and held it toward the second son.

“...Will you take me to Simwongok? Or will you bear Lord Yang’s sin in his place? As the Cult Leader’s second son, you should make the wise choice. Your father never offered such choices—he just killed everyone. The world must be changing, seeing guys like Lord of Haomun popping up. I won’t harm women or children. Either you die, or Lord Yang does. So, what’s your choice?”

The second son glared at the Right Guardian, then suddenly stared at a dumpling that slipped from his fingers. At the same time, the Right Guardian tilted his head slightly—just then, a longsword shot through the carriage wall. He caught the blade with his fingers and yanked it out with force.

The sword, flying too fast to dodge, drove deep into the second son’s shoulder with a dull thud.

“Khk...”

As the second son stared at the blade, the Right Guardian said,

“See? This is your family’s fate.”

“......”

“Coachman, restrain yourself. If you die too, I’ll have to find another driver.”

After finishing the dumplings, the Right Guardian tossed the rest onto the floor and looked at the second son.

“So, have you decided who dies?”

The second son stared at the Right Guardian with a face that looked as if he had descended into hell. The stench of blood pierced his nostrils with every breath. The Right Guardian tilted his head, scrutinizing the second son’s expression.

“...So there was a bit of decency in you after all. That you’d hesitate like this. Then you’ll pay the price in his place.”

The second son shouted to the coachman,

“To Simwongok. Now.”

“......”

He roared again.

“Go!”

“Yes, sir!”

The Right Guardian reached out and pulled the sword from the second son’s shoulder. He shoved it back into the wall and said to the coachman,

“Your sword. How dare you stab the Young Lord. If the Cult Leader finds out, it’s the death penalty for you.”

“......”

Apparently amused by his own joke, the Right Guardian burst out laughing. After a while, he turned to the second son and asked,

“Think Lord Yang is at Simwongok?”

The second son unwrapped the cloth from his shoulder and began bandaging it again.

“I don’t know.”

“Doesn’t matter. If we wait, he’ll show up eventually. Everyone needs to cooperate to make sure Lord Yang doesn’t catch on and flee. Understood, Young Lord? You should answer.”

“I got it.”

The Right Guardian laughed.

“The Cult Leader’s second son... what a sight. If I were you, I’d have bitten my tongue and died already. If you’re ashamed, go ahead and kill yourself. I’ll find Simwongok with the coachman.”

The second son glared at him, then picked up one of the fallen dumplings and ate it with his left hand. The dumpling, with its bloody aftertaste, oddly clung to the palate.

“Let’s go, then.”

The Right Guardian covered his mouth to suppress a laugh. He had a feeling the second son would muster some spirit and try something in Simwongok.

Cornered, the second son spat out something childish.

“Right Guardian, can you handle the Cult Leader’s wrath?”

The Right Guardian gave him a look of disbelief.

“You really don’t know your father. Have you ever seen him truly angry? I haven’t.”

“......”

“Have you?”

“No.”

The Right Guardian nodded.

“Exactly. A man who enjoys life knows no rage. He calls it amusement. Even if his head gets chopped off, he’ll die with a smile. He’s already given up most of his attachments. I didn’t understand that when I was the Right Guardian, but now that he’s the Cult Leader, I get it a little. If you and your father are still alive later, let’s have a drink together.”

“Why not just return to the Cult now and share an honest drink?”

The Right Guardian shook his head seriously.

“Not today. You should keep improving yourself.”

The second son stared at the Right Guardian blankly.

He really was insane—no doubt about it.