Chapter 123. That Damn Hegemon Fortress.

Originally, the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief was the daughter of poor slash-and-burn farmers, but one day, a plague broke out and she lost her parents.

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief had an older sister, and after their parents died from the plague, the sisters left the mountain.

Since it was nearly impossible for two young sisters to manage a slash-and-burn farm, they headed to Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province to find any menial work.

However, the world was not as easy as they had thought.

“We ran into bandits. I barely managed to escape with my life, but my sister was caught. After that, I was never able to see my sister again. I found out later they were the Green Wolf Fortress bastards.”

“A common story.”

Jin Cheon’s commentary was utterly dry.

His attitude was as if there was nothing to be surprised about, but the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief didn’t seem particularly offended.

“Yes, a common story.”

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief nodded with a bitter expression, as if agreeing with Jin Cheon’s words.

The reason she said that was because that was the reality.

The world, the heavens, were not so beautiful.

Although some thirty years had passed since the end of the last Righteous-Demonic War, an era of peace was a distant dream.

Bandits still swarmed in various parts of the world, barbarian tribes from the north were covetously eyeing the Central Plains, and Japanese pirates were rampant in the southern seas.

Moreover, due to various problems, the Imperial family’s control over the Central Plains weakened, making the lives of the common people extremely difficult.

Especially for someone like the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief, the daughter of poor slash-and-burn farmers, the world would have been an exceptionally harsh law.

Having spent a childhood similar to the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief’s, Jin Cheon knew this fact all too well.

The only difference was that he had met his master, the Azure Heaven Divine Warrior, and had come to walk the path of martial arts.

“I entered the Rogues’ Guild. I worked there as a pickpocket.”

It meant she had become a pickpocket.

“Then one day, I was caught trying to steal an old man’s wallet, and it just had to be….”

“The previous generation’s Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief.”

The reason Jin Cheon said that was because the previous Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief, who had been active for decades, could not have been this young woman of marriageable age.

However, if she had inherited the alias Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief, didn’t that story fit perfectly?

“That’s right. The old man just had to be the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief.”

“You were lucky.”

“Yes, I was lucky.”

“So you became the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief’s disciple, and you found your sister later? Is your sister at Hegemon Fortress?”

“That’s also right.”

Jin Cheon nodded his head.

“Right now, my sister is the concubine of the Hegemon Fortress Lord. She even has a daughter with him.”

“Why are you trying to rescue your sister? If the daughter of poor slash-and-burn farmers became the concubine of the Hegemon Fortress Lord, hasn’t she made it in life?”

“The problem is that it’s not like that.”

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief’s eyes shone fiercely.

“The current Hegemon Fortress Lord is a complete madman. Not only does he abuse my sister, but he’s also trying to give her to his subordinate as a gift. As if she’s an object. And that’s not all. I also heard that he’s already trying to make his daughter… my niece, kill people.”

“My head is spinning.”

Jin Cheon frowned.

He had heard rumors that the current Hegemon Fortress Lord was no different from a demonic practitioner, but he never thought he would be this crazy….

“Things went wrong when I tried to rescue my sister and niece. I somehow got out, but the problem was what came next.”

“The Hegemon Fortress Lord took your sister and daughter hostage and proposed a deal. If you bring the secret manual of the Nine Heavens Hegemon Qi, he will release your sister and niece.”

“That’s right.”

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief nodded her head.

“My master taught me that the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief should never accept any requests, but how could I do that when it’s about my own flesh and blood.”

“Hmm.”

Jin Cheon was lost in thought for a moment.

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief’s story?

To be honest, it was none of Jin Cheon’s business.

Who in this world didn’t have a story?

However, if it was to secure the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief’s assistance, there was more than enough reason to help.

“What if I help you?”

Jin Cheon asked the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief.

“If I get your sister and niece out of Hegemon Fortress, will you help me?”

“……That is.”

“Honestly, do you think the Hegemon Fortress Lord will let you go even if you bring him the secret manual of the Nine Heavens Hegemon Qi?”

“……”

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief was at a loss for words at Jin Cheon’s statement.

To be honest, she didn’t trust the Hegemon Fortress Lord either.

“Why not join hands with Our Cult instead?”

“Join hands with the Demonic Cult? Are you even serious right now?”

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief looked at Jin Cheon with eyes full of disbelief.

‘The perception of Our Cult is really bad.’

Jin Cheon gave a bitter smile.

And it was understandable, for no matter how atrocious the Hegemon Fortress Lord’s evil deeds were, they could not compare to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

As seen from the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief’s reaction, the public perception of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was the absolute worst.

In the past, during the reign of the first Heavenly Demon Dokgo Seong, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was no different from a group of devils, committing human sacrifices and large-scale massacres.

Of course, in its early days, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was not a terrifying evil cult but a collective of merchants and ethnic minorities active around the Silk Road. However, after the first Heavenly Demon gradually became corrupt and began to disseminate various evil demonic arts, it reached a point where they could not even claim to be wronged.

That perception had not changed much even after the Iron-Blooded Demonic God took power, and in the Central Plains, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was still perceived as a group teeming with devils who had given up on being human.

How bad must it have been for even the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief, a figure who belonged to neither the Righteous, Unorthodox, nor Demonic factions, to show such a reaction?

“Well, I can see why you would think that.”

Jin Cheon said as if he understood.

“But isn’t it a little different in my case?”

“What’s so different?”

“Because I can find you anytime, and I even caught you.”

“That is….”

“You should know that if I put my mind to it, killing you would be no trouble at all, right? I could take the secret manual of the Nine Heavens Hegemon Qi right now and kill you.”

“……”

“But the fact that I’m having this conversation means I’m not trying to crush you with force, but I intend to make a fair deal, doesn’t it?”

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief seemed to be lost in thought and said nothing for a while.

However, it was as good as the conclusion already being drawn.

To the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief, Jin Cheon was practically a natural enemy.

Unlike others, wasn’t he someone who could track her, recognize her, and even forcibly undo her Disguise Art with extreme ease?

To be brutally honest, it went without saying that Jin Cheon was a more terrifying opponent than the Hegemon Fortress Lord.

“No matter how skilled you are as the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief, it’s impossible to escape the grasp of the Hegemon Fortress Lord. His martial arts are one thing, and you have no forces. But if you join hands with Our Cult, the story is different.”

“……”

“If you join hands with Our Cult, I will guarantee the absolute safety of your sister and niece. And of course, I will keep the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief’s secret.”

“What do you want to steal?”

“That can be discussed after we rescue your sister and niece.”

“You’re saying I’m the priority?”

“Of course.”

“Hmm.”

“You know better than anyone that this isn’t a losing deal, don’t you?”

“Alright.”

The Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief accepted Jin Cheon’s proposal.

“I’ll join hands with you.”

“It will be a choice you won’t regret.”

“We’ll have to see about that. Do you know how strong the Hegemon Fortress Lord is?”

“Of course I know.”

Jin Cheon shrugged his shoulders.

The current Hegemon Fortress Lord, Gal Mu-wi, was a person who could never be taken lightly.

He, who was called by the alias Hegemon Emperor, was a martial artist who had reached the Mysterious Realm.

Befitting the master of Hegemon Fortress, the sky of the Unorthodox Faction, he was an absolute master who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Righteous Heavenly Alliance Leader.

No matter how much Jin Cheon had reached the realm of Extreme Demon, it went without saying that if he fought him now, he would lose every single time.

“And you, do you know how strong Our Cult is?”

“Th-That is.”

“You have joined hands with the Seventh Young Master of the great Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. I will mobilize the full power of Our Cult to help you, and then, that damn Hegemon Fortress will be nothing.”

At Jin Cheon’s words, the Heavenly Evasion Divine Thief’s expression brightened.

Yes, no matter how powerful a force Hegemon Fortress, the sky of the Unorthodox Faction, was, and no matter how high Hegemon Emperor Gal Mu-wi’s might reached, it could not compare to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

In the past, wasn’t the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult the only single force that had coveted the world?

“Send a letter to Gal Mu-wi. Tell him to delay the trade a little, on the pretext of an injury.”

“For how long?”

“As long as possible.”

“What if Gal Mu-wi threatens to kill my sister and niece?”

“Keuk.”

Jin Cheon laughed.

“Will he really do that? To Gal Mu-wi, your sister and niece are just consumables that can be replaced at any time.”

“……!”

“He can just get another concubine, and he can just have another child, that’s what he’ll think.”

Like a true Demonic practitioner, Jin Cheon knew the psychology of the Hegemon Fortress Lord, who pursued the path of the hegemon, all too well.

“But the Nine Heavens Hegemon Qi is different. Right now, you hold the initiative in this deal. So you don’t have to worry about threats. What’s important is the day of the negotiation.”

“I understand.”

“Good. Then let’s just lie low somewhere quiet for a while and pass the time. We still have some time until the deal.”

Jin Cheon smiled.

***

Jin Cheon immediately rejoined his companions.

Since the situation was over, there was no need to stay apart any longer.

“Squad Leader Dan.”

“Yes, Liege.”

“I need to send a letter to the Cult Leader, please send it as quickly as possible.”

“I obey your command.”

Danmok Cheong immediately contacted a nearby secret branch on Jin Cheon’s command and sent a letter to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult using a carrier pigeon.

As it was from the Seventh Young Master, Jin Cheon, to the Cult Leader, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, the letter was delivered to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult at a truly frightening speed, showing a surprising delivery speed of reaching the Iron-Blooded Demonic God in just three days.

The Iron-Blooded Demonic God burned the letter sent by Jin Cheon using the True Fire of Samadhi technique and immediately gave an order to her handmaidens.

“Tell the Head of the Senate to come.”

“We receive your venerable command.”

The Head of the Senate immediately entered the Cult Leader’s hall upon hearing the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s command.

It was a very rare occasion for the Cult Leader, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, to seek out the Head of the Senate.

And for good reason, as the Senate was a group of Old Demons who had retired from the front lines, so they rarely had any reason to get involved in the great and small affairs of the cult.

“Heavenly Demon’s Advent! Ten Thousand Demons Bow in Submission! Long live, long live, long, long live! I see the Cult Leader.”

The white-haired Head of the Senate prostrated himself before the Iron-Blooded Demonic God in a full prostration.

“Well, Head of the Senate. How is your retirement life.”

“Am I not just spending each day with trivial tasks, waiting for the day I die. Hoho.”

“Then it seems your retirement life is not boring.”

“That is not so. Although retirement is peaceful, these old men were once demonic practitioners whose bloodlust overflowed to the heavens. How could we not be restless?”

“Is that so?”

A faint smile appeared on the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s lips.

The Old Demons belonging to the Senate were very capricious beings.

They, being old men of at least seventy, were weakened in strength and had various bodily ailments, making it impossible for them to be active on the front lines.

Moreover, perhaps due to their age, they lacked the same ambition as in the past, so even if they were given a mission, they were not particularly enthusiastic.

Having survived to old age as martial artists of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and retired, their only goal was to spend their remaining years in comfort.

However, a tiger is still a tiger, even if its teeth have fallen out.

The masters in the Senate all possessed martial arts skills at the supreme level, and having lived for a long time, they were very experienced.

In the first place, no matter how old they were, they were all masters who had once been a force to be reckoned with, so their complaints about being old and frail were nothing more than moans.

And in their hearts, there still remained a fighting spirit no less than that of young martial artists.

It was just that there were no interesting events that would make them lead their old bodies to step forward….

“Restless… This One has a favor to ask of the Senate.”

“…!”

The eyes of the Head of the Senate, who heard the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s words, flashed.

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