Chapter 873: Isn’t the Real Thing Better?

The Insect Doctor bustled about energetically.

Even though she had not yet fully recovered her stamina, she was already like this, making it clear just how sick she had been until now.

“Gigwang, go check if the pork is fully boiled!”

“Yes!”

“Wash the vegetables quickly too.”

“I’m going!”

Pyo Gigwang was excited as well. Boiling, braising, stir-frying... delicious aromas soon filled the entire courtyard.

Lee Ahn offered to help, but the Insect Doctor firmly refused.

The Insect Doctor wanted to properly treat Geom Mugeuk to a meal with her own hands.

Even though she had recovered from her illness, she had her age to consider, and her guest was the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. No one could guarantee whether they would meet again.

Watching her move about so lively, Lee Ahn smiled and said,

“I don’t think I could live like that……”

Before she could finish speaking, Geom Mugeuk leaned his head against her shoulder.

Thud.

Lee Ahn turned her head slightly to the side. Geom Mugeuk, who had been grumbling and nagging at the Insect Doctor just moments ago, had already fallen asleep.

From the soft, steady breathing, it was clear how much mental energy he had expended during the treatment.

‘Yes, you should rest now, Young Master.’

Lee Ahn did not move, afraid he might wake. She released her energy, blocking out external noise. She was now skilled enough to create a barrier that shut out sound.

Just then, Han Seol, who had been coming out of the building, saw Geom Mugeuk leaning on Lee Ahn and quietly turned back inside.

At that moment, Jin Haryeong also stepped out of her room, and Han Seol spoke to her.

“It seems there’s still some time before the meal. Would you like to have a cup of tea in my room for a while?”

“Alright.”

Han Seol led her back into the room.

Meanwhile, Bih Sa-in was in the backyard, looking at the poisonous insects displayed along one side of the wall.

Pyo Gigwang had said that the truly lethal ones were stored separately, so he could look around freely.

As he was observing them, Jin Hagun walked over.

“Looks like we won’t have to eat those bugs after all.”

At his words, Bih Sa-in spoke to the insects he had been watching.

“You’re lucky.”

Jin Hagun stood beside him. Having faced the common enemy Geom Mugeuk, the two had grown close through shared hardship.

After silently watching the insects for a while, Bih Sa-in asked,

“Aren’t you worried about the Alliance?”

“I was worried on the first day, but now I don’t think about it at all.”

It was an answer that did not suit Jin Hagun, and Bih Sa-in smiled.

“And you?”

“I wasn’t worried even on the first day.”

This time, Jin Hagun laughed. Thinking about when they first met, it was hard to believe they were now having such a conversation.

“Do you remember? The day I asked Mugeuk what kind of demonic path he dreamed of.”

Bih Sa-in nodded. He had been there that day as well.

Jin Hagun continued,

“Back then, Mugeuk said the martial world he dreamed of was one where the Righteous Faction, the Unorthodox Alliance, and the demonic path all coexisted in harmony.”

Bih Sa-in responded,

“In the end, he’s been faithfully keeping his words.”

“He’s unbelievably tenacious.”

Bih Sa-in completely agreed. That kind of tenacity was what had brought them all this far.

Jin Hagun carefully asked,

“May I ask you something?”

“About Miss Han?”

Jin Hagun nodded.

“She’s a friend.”

There was an added nuance that showed how close he had become to Jin Hagun.

“For now.”

A faint smile formed on Jin Hagun’s lips.

“I hope things go well with her.”

“Thank you.”

Just then, Pyo Gigwang’s voice rang out from the courtyard.

“The meal is ready!”

---

The next morning, Geom Mugeuk bid farewell to the Insect Doctor.

“Stay longer! I’ll cook you more delicious food.”

“No matter how lavish yesterday’s feast was, the tastiest thing I ever ate was the bug from before! The one that taught me the pain of betrayal!”

At his joke, the Insect Doctor laughed.

Then Geom Mugeuk spoke to her with a serious expression.

“Please stay healthy until the next time we meet!”

She wondered if there would even be a next time, but thinking about it, there would be. If she heard news of her death, Geom Mugeuk would surely come to see her.

“Very well. Take care until then.”

Jin Hagun, Bih Sa-in, and the three women also said their farewells to the Insect Doctor and Pyo Gigwang.

After the goodbyes, Pyo Gigwang separately expressed his gratitude to Geom Mugeuk.

“You’ve saved my life twice, Young Cult Leader.”

Geom Mugeuk understood that saving his master was the same as saving him.

“The two people I saved today will go on to save two hundred... no, two thousand more lives.”

Pyo Gigwang’s eyes deepened. When he first met Geom Mugeuk, he had been living like a ruined man, but now he was living an incredibly meaningful life. Thank you, Young Cult Leader.

“Farewell.”

After moving some distance from the gate, Geom Mugeuk turned back. Pyo Gigwang was heading inside with his master, gently massaging her shoulders.

‘May you both live well.’

When Geom Mugeuk turned back again, everyone’s gaze was on him.

“Where are we going now?”

At Lee Ahn’s question, Geom Mugeuk replied,

“Let’s go wherever our steps take us.”

---

What stopped their steps was a single name.

“That’s quite a bold name.”

At Lee Ahn’s remark, everyone looked up at the signboard of the restaurant.

Heavenly Demon Restaurant.

It seemed audacious to use the name “Heavenly Demon,” but the Chinese characters were different.

天馬飯店.

It wasn’t the “demon” ma, but the “horse” ma. Either way, it was certainly a name that caught the eye of passersby.

“After seeing a name like this, how can we just pass by? We’re hungry anyway, so let’s eat here.”

At Geom Mugeuk’s words, everyone nodded. They were curious who would name a place like this and why.

They stepped inside. Judging by the number of customers, the food seemed decent.

A young woman who looked like a newlywed came over and guided them to their seats.

“One bowl of noodles each, please.”

Compared to the grand name, the taste was ordinary.

Since their visit was driven more by curiosity than flavor, after finishing the meal, Geom Mugeuk asked the woman,

“Does the owner like horses?”

Having likely been asked this many times, the woman immediately understood his meaning.

“Yes, he likes horses very much.”

At that moment, a customer at the next table cut into the conversation.

“Why are you lying?”

He revealed the real reason.

“The owner here has personally met the Heavenly Demon.”

At those astonishing words, Geom Mugeuk and his companions were all startled. Meanwhile, the man who spoke and his group burst into laughter, finding it amusing.

Just then, a voice came from the kitchen.

“I really did meet him!”

“Oh, sure you did.”

Judging by the exchange, the customer seemed to be a regular who knew the owner well.

With such a conversation unfolding, there was no way Geom Mugeuk would let it pass.

“Have you truly met the Demonic Cult Leader?”

Then a reply came from the kitchen.

“That’s correct.”

“Then tell us the story! And bring a bottle of liquor as well. Pour everyone here a drink. I’ll pay for it.”

At once, all the customers cheered. The atmosphere heated up instantly.

“You haven’t told that story in a while, have you? Come out and tell it.”

It seemed most of the customers present had already heard the story before. Another person urged him on, worried they might miss out on free drinks otherwise.

“Do it already!”

“Come on out!”

A moment later, a man walked out from the kitchen.

The moment he saw Geom Mugeuk, he flinched in surprise. It wasn’t because the other party was a martial artist, nor because the group with him had an unusual presence.

“Have we perhaps met before?”

When Geom Mugeuk shook his head, the man tilted his head in confusion. It was definitely a familiar face, yet he couldn’t remember where he had seen him.

“Alright, let’s hear the story about meeting the Heavenly Demon!”

At Geom Mugeuk’s words, the cook’s eyes turned distant.

“When I was younger, I worked as an investigator at the Heavenly Communication Pavilion. My job was to verify whether the family of someone borrowing money actually lived at the stated address and to secure a guarantor.”

Surprisingly, the man was none other than Deokchul, the very investigator who had once gone to collect money from Geom Woojin.

“Hard as it may be to believe, at that time, the son of the Demonic Cult Leader borrowed money from the Heavenly Communication Pavilion.”

Jin Hagun looked at Geom Mugeuk with an exasperated expression. Beside him, Bih Sa-in nodded with a face full of certainty. It was such an absurd story that it only made him more convinced that Geom Mugeuk had been the one involved.

Meanwhile, the listening customers had already started laughing. From the very beginning, it sounded unbelievable.

“Anyone hearing this would think the Young Cult Leader was some reckless brat.”

At one customer’s remark, another chimed in,

“If that were the case, he would’ve bought the entire Pavilion. Or just taken it.”

To ordinary people, the idea that the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult would borrow money from such a place was unimaginable.

Having seen this reaction many times, Deokchul continued calmly.

“I went all the way to the main headquarters of the Demonic Cult, saw the Demon Supremes, and even met the Great Young Master.”

How could anyone believe this? How could a mere investigator from the Heavenly Communication Pavilion meet Demon Supremes and the Great Young Master? Still, no one mocked him yet. The real part was still to come.

“In front of the headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, they were selling dolls of the Demon Supremes. Back then, I bought dolls of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Demonic Buddha.”

People were still holding back their laughter, as if this still wasn’t the real part.

“And then, at a tavern there, I met the Heavenly Demon.”

As if on cue, all the customers burst into laughter. Those who had heard the story before laughed, and those hearing it for the first time laughed as well.

How could someone tell such an absurd lie so naturally? The sheer ridiculousness of it made it funny.

Meanwhile, Deokchul’s wife felt distressed. She knew he would be ridiculed like this—why did he keep telling this story?

“It wasn’t an ordinary tavern. On its walls were writings left behind by the Demon Supremes and the Heavenly Demon.”

At those words, Geom Mugeuk and his group realized that what he was saying was true.

“I approached him while he was drinking alone and asked him to stand as guarantor for his son.”

Geom Mugeuk smiled and asked,

“So what did he say?”

“He laughed loudly. In the end, persuaded by my words that no parent can win against their child, he signed it.”

In truth, Geom Mugeuk had long ago heard from Joo Yang of the Pavilion that his father had met an investigator. That person was the very man standing before him now.

Deokchul spoke with deep gratitude toward the Demonic Cult Leader.

“Even though I committed a grave offense, the Heavenly Demon did not kill me. Instead, he gave me a thousand nyang and told me to buy his doll.”

At the part about buying his doll, laughter erupted again. Someone even remarked that no matter how many times they heard this part, it was still funny.

“Knowing people don’t believe you, why do you keep telling this story?”

At Geom Mugeuk’s question, Deokchul revealed his reason.

“Because it’s true. That day, I made a promise to the Cult Leader. That I would return to my hometown and live as a new man. I came back here with the money he gave me and opened this restaurant. I even married my wife.”

Just as his gaze turned toward his wife,

A deep sigh escaped from her.

“That’s enough.”

Tears streamed down her face.

Her husband was a good man, someone she could trust with her life. Yet this one thing, she could not understand. Why did he cling so stubbornly to that lie? It pained her to see him reduced to a laughingstock.

“I’m sorry.”

At his apology, she remained firm this time.

“Promise me you’ll stop telling this from now on.”

After a brief hesitation, Deokchul nodded. He knew she was upset, but he hadn’t realized it hurt her this deeply.

“I will.”

Then Deokchul looked at Geom Mugeuk and said,

“You will be the last people to hear my story. I’m sorry, my dear. I won’t say it again.”

“Thank you.”

Even as she said that, her heart did not feel at ease.

As Deokchul trudged back toward the kitchen, Geom Mugeuk called out from behind,

“So, did you buy the doll?”

Deokchul stopped and turned around.

“Why do you ask?”

“Because I believe you.”

For a moment, surprise flashed across Deokchul’s face.

“You believe me?”

Geom Mugeuk nodded with a serious expression.

From that expression, it was clear he wasn’t mocking him. He truly believed every word he said.

“Why do you believe me?”

“Because I think you told the truth.”

Deokchul’s face brightened. Not a single person had ever truly believed him before.

People said they believed him, yet not even his wife did. If that was the case... and if this truly would be the last time he ever told this story,

“Please wait a moment.”

Deokchul brought out a box from the kitchen. Aside from his wife, he had never shown it to anyone.

Inside were the dolls. Not just the Eight Demon Supremes, but also dolls of Geom Woojin and Geom Mugeuk.

The customers, seeing them for the first time, gathered around.

“Oh! These are well made.”

“Who is this supposed to be?”

“This Demon Supreme looks incredible!”

They were all the dolls that had been sold back then.

“Why did you buy all of them?”

He could have just bought the Cult Leader’s and the Fist Demon King’s dolls.

But the box contained all of them—Geom Woojin, Geom Mugeuk, and the Eight Demon Supremes.

“As for why I bought them all……”

Geom Mugeuk, who had asked the question, answered it himself.

“Because they offered a thirty percent discount if you bought them all at once.”

Deokchul looked at him in astonishment.

“That’s right. How did you know?”

But that wasn’t the only thing Geom Mugeuk got right.

“Was the amount your son borrowed ten nyang?”

“That’s correct, it was ten nyang. Huh?!”

Deokchul suddenly recoiled in shock.

“How did you know that too?”

Now all the customers’ gazes turned toward Geom Mugeuk.

“If the son borrowed the money, wouldn’t you go to the father to collect it?”

Everyone looked confused at his words.

Then,

Geom Mugeuk placed one of the dolls from the box onto the table.

“Whose doll is this?”

“It’s the Young Cult Leader’s doll.”

Geom Mugeuk stood beside it. Then he struck the exact same pose as the doll.

“Isn’t the real thing better?”

Everyone looked back and forth between Geom Mugeuk and the doll.

Back and forth,

“Ahhh!”

A scream burst out as someone realized they looked exactly the same.

Silence fell over the place.

When Geom Mugeuk raised his hand, all the bottles and cups of alcohol in the room floated into the air and filled themselves. With that single act, he proved he was the real Young Cult Leader.

Geom Mugeuk placed ten nyang beside the table, in addition to the cost of their meal. It was meant to cover the drinks he had promised, but he deliberately gave ten nyang.

His final words were to Deokchul’s wife.

“Your husband is neither a liar nor a braggart. He is a remarkable man who kept his promise to my father.”

Guilt and emotion mixed together on her face.

Geom Mugeuk left with his companions.

Deokchul, his wife, and the customers all rushed outside to see them off.

They were overwhelmed. To have seen the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult in person! To have been treated to drinks by him! To have drunk the alcohol he poured! It was an experience to be passed down through generations.

As they watched them disappear into the distance, Deokchul’s wife spoke first.

“I’m sorry, dear.”

“It’s alright.”

Not only his wife, but even the customers apologized. After witnessing something like this, their tongues were already itching to spread the story. How could they possibly keep it to themselves?

“I’m sorry for all this time.”

“I apologize as well.”

“Please forgive us.”

Deokchul looked at them and smiled. No matter how much they bragged about this to others, no one would believe them anyway.

“Now you’re all braggarts too.”

At his words, the customers laughed.

When they turned their heads again, the Young Cult Leader and his group had already vanished without a trace.

“If we tell even this part, no one in the world will believe us, right?”

His wife accepted those bittersweet yet overwhelming feelings with a smile.

“Tell me. I’ll listen for the rest of my life.”