Chapter 417: A Battle of Wits and Hearts (2)

Strategist Bang was being treated with the utmost courtesy by the Sect Leader.

Yet despite the lavish hospitality, his reputation within the Killing Moon Sect was far from good.

Of course, some of that was thanks to the former Chief Steward — Wang U, who had eventually been demoted — who would make up insults just to have more to hurl at him.

But mostly, it was because Strategist Bang simply didn’t mingle with the sect members.

In the Dark Sects, mingling with fellow members meant only two things — women and wine.

They didn’t do those prim, tea-sipping, idle-chatter get-togethers like the Orthodox bastards.

The way of Dark Sect camaraderie was to drink deeply in the brothels, carousing with courtesans and building brotherhood in wine-soaked revelry.

And Strategist Bang? From the start, he’d kept his own mistress and never once came out for a single night’s drinking.

Naturally, as time went on, he remained an outsider.

But this was no different from the far-future world of Qing’s homeland.

It was like refusing to attend the freshman welcome party at university and eating alone, or in a mid-sized company, skipping company dinners and refusing to join the auto-hunting clan.

Maybe the big corporations were different, but human society had a way of repeating itself.

So add to his distance the grudges he’d earned, and you could imagine what rumors were flying.

That he preferred men.

That the Demonic Alliance’s lofty strategist couldn’t be bothered to mix with the dregs of a minor sect.

That every time he opened his mouth it was “In the Demonic Alliance this” and “In the Demonic Alliance that,” and that he looked at the Killing Moon Sect as if it were a pile of dog shit.

From Strategist Bang’s point of view, it was unfair.

He was wronged.

He liked women! He liked wine!

But he couldn’t!

Why?

“Rangrang, I’m really begging you here. Just for tonight, let me drink with the Sect Leader. Huh? Just one drink.”

A ridiculous sight — a strategist of the Demonic Alliance clinging to his own subordinate and pleading.

But Rangrang, her face utterly devoid of expression to the point of being unsettling, answered flatly:

“Impossible.”

“What? Why, huh?”

“Alcohol is the root of all evil. I cannot risk the mistakes and loose talk that come with drunkenness.”

“I’m telling you, just one drink.”

“You can have it here. Shall I bring it to you?”

“That’s not what I mean. What’s the fun in drinking alone?”

“Shall I pour for you?”

“And this is, in a way, part of my mission. You know I’m an outsider here. For men to build true brotherhood, you’ve got to eat together, grope a few women, strip down and bond. That’s how friendships are made. You know what I mean?”

“This distance suits me. If you wish to grope a woman, you may grope me.”

“No, I mean women.”

“Do you wish it now?”

With that, Rangrang tugged down her clothing in one motion.

Strategist Bang let out a long sigh, grimaced, and shook his head.

The union of man and woman was supposed to be an act of intimacy — but Rangrang’s expressionless face was enough to make any man go limp.

Her skin was cold, without resilience; press it and the mark would remain.

No matter how desperate a man was, he wouldn’t take a woman like this.

She was the kind of woman whose expression wouldn’t change even if you stabbed her with a knife — and in fact, it really wouldn’t change, even if you burned her.

“Just one drink, okay? Just one.”

Rangrang tilted her head back to look at the sky.

It had been a long time since Strategist Bang had felt hope.

It was a reaction she only showed when she was thinking something over for herself.

He swallowed hard, waiting for her decision.

After what felt like an eternity, Rangrang looked back at him.

“Very well. The risk of drunken mistakes is extremely high, but it is also possible that this will improve rapport and interpersonal relations. However, you are not to consume more than one bottle of alcohol.”

“Right, just one bottle. The drink isn’t the point, it’s about building rapport, like you said. Don’t worry, just wait here.”

With a bright, almost glowing expression, Strategist Bang hastily threw on his outer robe.

He was about to run straight to the Sect Leader and pester him to spend the night drinking and making merry — truly making merry.

Just as he was dressed and about to rush out, Rangrang grabbed him.

“Wait.”

“What now? Why? Don’t you know once the die is cast there’s no taking it back? You already said yes, so if you change your mind now—”

“Contact.”

At that, Strategist Bang’s expression changed in an instant.

His face went pale, all color draining, as he dropped to his knees before Rangrang and bowed his head.

“Lying half-reclined in a chair, kneading a woman’s body. ‘Have you made contact with that one? Ah. You have? No, don’t tell him I said that. Ahem. You there, disciple.’”

“‘Your lowly disciple greets the One and Only, Most Honored Heart-Devouring Demon King.’”

“‘Bowing respectfully. Your lowly disciple greets the One and Only, Most Honored Heart-Devouring Demon King.’”

Rangrang was narrating Strategist Bang’s actions and lines aloud.

After a pause, she spoke again.

“‘Kneading the woman’s breasts. So, how far along is the great work? Leaving out the Golden Pavilion and the Gwangju Zen Hall, how many Blood Devils do you have?’”

“‘With a baffled expression. What, you can’t even start a report? If you’re going to piss yourself, piss yourself and then speak, but start talking.’”

“‘Snapping in anger. Fuck, I’m talking to you! This useless monster can’t even deliver a simple message properly. I should swap you out for one without defects. That bitch Ungayeon is probably off playing with those Manchurian bastards right now.’”

Strategist Bang waited silently for the tirade to end.

“‘Turning the wrath on someone else. What, why aren’t you answering? I asked when the Blood Devils would be complete and how many there would be.’”

“‘About twenty, and if we feed them the Ten Hearts in three days, they will be complete, O Great Demon King.’”

“‘Eyes narrowing, then shaking his head. I sent you five hundred hearts and you’ve got only twenty? Hah. No, forget it. We’ve known since forever that messing with the wrong passerby will fuck you over. I won’t blame my disciple.’”

“‘Your master’s mercy is as vast as the sea.’”

“‘Smirking. Cut the flattery. Just get it done. You know you can’t control the ones who’ve eaten the Core Heart, right? Don’t get distracted — stay right there and finish the job. That’s it. Cut the connection.’”

Only then did Strategist Bang lift his head.

Rangrang, still staring down at him with a blank face, tossed out one last remark:

“The Heart-Eating Demon Lord told you not to get distracted. And yet you intend to go drink and partake in group sexual intercourse of a filthy nature?”

Of course she had to phrase it like that.

Strategist Bang grimaced.

“You said no changing your mind.”

“I do not take orders from the Heart-Eating Demon Lord. I follow my master’s orders, which are to serve as the Demon Lord’s messenger and as the bodyguard for you, a pathetically weak man.”

“Ahem. Pathetically weak, is it.”

Strategist Bang scowled and grumbled.

Then he paused with one foot over the threshold.

Should he endure a few more days, heeding his master’s warning? Or should he seize the first chance since arriving in Gwangju to join a proper debauched revel?

He’d gone without for too long.

Unable to resist his desire past the point of self-control, Strategist Bang finally stepped over the threshold and vanished.

****

Two days after the completion of Jin Family Manor’s reconstruction, the Martial Alliance’s support troops arrived.

If they’d been any later, the lingering stench of blood might have forced the guests to be quartered outside — so the timing was perfect.

The combat unit had stopped briefly in Nanning, Guangxi, before heading straight to Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, and they entered the newly refurbished Jin Family Manor.

After greeting the Clan Head, the unit unpacked their gear.

While they did, Qing was wandering through the manor’s guest quarters, wondering if she might see a familiar face.

“You heard the Clan Head, right? Starting tomorrow, our Fire Dragon Squad will also be assigned to help manage Jin Family’s worksites. Sorry there’s no real rest after the long trip, but this is the righteousness of the Orthodox Murim! Hm? You help each other in times of need, and when I’m in trouble, you’ll all help me! That’s the Martial Alliance spirit — you and I become us! Jin Family isn’t some stranger, right?!”

“No, sir!”

“Exactly! We’re all one Orthodox Murim family! No need for overthinking or calculating when it comes to helping each other, right?!”

“Yes, sir!”

“But! Tonight, we’re free! And what does that mean? It means this big brother here is going to drink you all under the table! Sure, we’ll have to burn the alcohol out with internal energy before work tomorrow, but are we going to throw away a night of brotherhood between men for that?!”

“Brother Jo! Brother Jo! Brother Jo!”

“Tonight, we drink ourselves to death at Jin Hae-ru (Ocean Pavilion)!”

“Waaah! Brother Jo! Brother Jo! Brother Jo!”

The place was a cauldron of frenzy, young men roaring their commander’s name.

Qing’s expression soured slightly as she peeked around, looking for someone she knew.

Ah hell. It was Brother Jo.

Grandson of the Martial Alliance Leader, heir to the Black Dragon Clan.

One of the foremost young tigers of the current generation — manly, bold, a dashing hero.

And also infamous as a woman-crazy bastard — Jo Hakche.

Should she go say hello or not?

Still... Ocean Pavilion did sound tempting.

Wandering martial artists who’d traveled the lands always said Guangzhou was a boring city.

Why? Because there were no real scenic spots nearby.

Historically, Guangzhou had been a backwater of backwaters. Development came late, and it wasn’t a city with a long history.

The overwhelmingly Han Chinese population ratio showed that they’d only migrated there after developing the Guangdong lands.

Add in the frequent raids by Japanese pirates, and the fact that voyages to the open sea were banned by imperial law...

So while Guangzhou was the largest city in southern Central Plains by population and scale, in terms of tourist attractions? Not so much.

If you had to pick one, it would be Ocean Pavilion — the finest restaurant in Guangzhou.

When Jin Family’s fortunes were low, she couldn’t go because it would have seemed inappropriate.

When things improved, unless Jin Family invited her, it wasn’t the kind of place she could just walk into alone.

And even if she paid her own way, the only acceptable time would be right after arrival, like now.

Go later during her stay, and it would look bad — as if Jin Family’s hospitality were lacking.

Not because Jin Family treated Qing poorly, but simply because they were too busy managing their worksites with a small staff to spend much time on guests.

So... what could she do?

She had the money. Why shouldn’t she go?

Gold and silver overflowing, and she couldn’t visit the top restaurant in the city?

So when the Martial Alliance support unit, fresh off arrival, started shouting about Ocean Pavilion, it was hard to just walk away.

Though... Brother Jo was a bit much.

Just then, her eyes landed on a familiar face among the men chatting.

“Ocean Pavilion’s the top place in Guangzhou, right? Bet there’ll be plenty of beauties there. And you’re the master at joining tables, Master Sword — the Drunken Demon Blade who won’t drink without women, isn’t that right?”

“Of course. The true taste of wine comes only when a woman’s delicate hands raise the cup and tilt it toward you. Tonight, this master—”

“Well, look who it is! Chang Bin!”

At the cheerful cry, all the young warriors of the support unit turned their heads at once.

The sound of sharp breaths, whispers of Heavenly Flower Sword, Lady Seo Mun, filled the air as Qing strode confidently over and set her hand on Chang Bin’s shoulder.

“Oh, Lady Seo Mun? Uh... how have you... been?”

Chang Bin turned awkwardly, like a puppet being rotated by a child.

“Wow, look at you getting all stiff just because we haven’t seen each other for a while. I told you to relax, didn’t I? Relax.”

“Uh, um. This is... relaxed...”

“Doesn’t look relaxed to me.”

“No... it is. Uh... have you been... well?”

“Of course. I’m always fine.”

Qing chuckled and jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.

“What’s with you all? Didn’t you hear from the Rooster Forest Sword Sect that Lady Seo Mun was staying at Jin Family Manor? Acting all provincial, tsk. Drunken Demon Blade, you dare act friendly with Lady Cheonhwa—”

Jo Hakche ground his teeth.

And Qing thought to herself, Mm, still the same as ever.