The next day…

“Y-Yoon Dae-in!”

The eyes of the cooks under the head chef, who were working in the palace kitchen, widened as they saw So-ah disguised as the law enforcement officer, Yoon Gyeon-oh.

“Ah! Don’t mind me. I just wanted to take care of the cult members’ meals myself today!!”

It was understandable.

Yoon Gyeon-oh was originally a person who never went near the kitchen.

But for some reason, he was taking on the menial task of taking out the cult members’ breakfast himself, so the kitchen maids couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

Of course.

‘I have to feed every single one of them, hehehe!’

Last night.

So-ah, who had spread the strongest ‘diarrhea medicine’ from the Manchu Pharmacopoeia in Qinghai on all the ingredients, was now excited as he thought of the hellish scene that was about to unfold.

“Yoon Dae-in!”

“Yoon… Dae-in?!”

“Dae-in!”

As expected, when So-ah (disguised as Yoon Gyeon-oh) personally took the breakfast to the dining hall, the cult members looked truly dumbfounded.

‘Shall I start my acting skills?’

Suddenly, So-ah’s expression and voice became solemn.

“Heroes of the White Lotus Cult! You all know that our cult is in a precarious situation! But don’t worry too much! Always remember that the Maitreya Blood God is protecting us! Only your faith, courage, and firm will can create the great plan! Also, the world domination of our cult.”

It was a shout full of tragic beauty.

In front of So-ah’s acting skills, the cult members all stood up and shouted with all their might.

“Blessings of the Maitreya Blood God!!!”

“The sacred fire of our cult will light up the world!”

“Long live the White Lotus Cult!”

“Long live!!”

“Long live!!!”

“The time will soon come!”

“Our world is coming!”

Their shouts were like a terrible madness.

Their two eyes were bloodshot, and their voices were filled with a vain and futile ambition.

‘Kekekek. You crazy bastards!’

What?

Our world is coming?

The sacred fire of our cult will light up the world?

Damn it!

You guys are going to be shitting your pants soon, right?

Kekekeke!

***

So-ah, who had distributed the diarrhea bomb to the cult members, soon headed to the stone room in the palace basement.

After scanning all parts of Potala Palace for the past few days, So-ah had been able to find out that the human sacrifices used for the White Lotus Cult’s rituals were confined in this stone room.

So-ah opened the door of the stone room and entered.

At that, a scene different from what he had expected unfolded.

‘Well, this place is a little better than I thought.’

Previously, So-ah had witnessed the hostages in the Sichuan cult branch, who were nothing but skin and bones and were covered in filth, but in contrast, the hostages here were in a relatively good condition.

‘I guess they were well taken care of because they were sacrifices to be offered to the Blood Demon.’

They were not covered in filth, nor were they in a shabby state with only bones left.

However, if there was one thing they had in common with the hostages of the Sichuan cult branch, it was that they were indifferent to life and death, and were exuding an atmosphere like corpses waiting for death.

‘Why wouldn’t they be? They must have been tortured a lot. To the point where they thought it would be better to die.’

As if to prove it, despite So-ah’s entry, the people showed no signs of agitation.

Even a young child who looked to be about eleven or twelve years old was looking at the wall with a detached face…

“Everyone.”

Unable to bear the gloomy and heavy silence, it was So-ah who spoke first.

“It may be hard to believe, but listen carefully. I am here to save you.”

In that moment.

The gazes of the people all turned to So-ah.

So-ah, in an instant, undid his disguise and revealed his original face.

In an instant, their eyes became as wide as lanterns, and their complexions turned pale with astonishment.

“A-Are you really here to save us?”

“Is it true?”

“D-Dae-in!”

Who had thought they would die without a doubt.

A ray of hope spread in the eyes of those who had given up on life.

“Yes. I am an official of the Martial Alliance and am currently disguised for intelligence activities. I will dismantle Potala Palace by today at the latest, so please bear with it a little longer. I promise. I will definitely save you.”

The people who heard the confirmation looked at each other with a flush of color on their faces and shed tears and laughter at the same time.

“Th-Thank you! Thank you!”

“How can we forget the grace of saving our lives!”

“Please save us!”

Soon, the people let out a cheer.

At that, So-ah brought his index finger to his lips and,

“Shh! Everyone, be quiet, be quiet. Someone will hear. I will send you a signal again in some way. Until then, you must act as you normally do. Do you understand?”

He gave them a warning.

“Yes, yes, we will.”

“We will keep that in mind.”

“Yes, Dae-in…”

Only after seeing the people muttering in a crawling voice did So-ah also smile and pat their shoulders.

Just then.

“But… Dae-in. By any chance, are the heroes of the Martial Alliance waiting near Potala Palace?”

A young man who looked the most intelligent among the hostages asked softly.

“No? The members of the Martial Alliance would have left for the Western Regions by now, but it will still take some time for them to arrive.”

“Y-You just said that you could save us by today.”

“So?”

At So-ah’s subsequent question, the young man’s face was filled with bewilderment.

“So… that is… I…”

“Ah! So. You’re asking how I can smash Potala Palace by today without any reinforcements, right?”

“Yes! That’s right.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“Yes?”

“I’m a bit strong.”

“What does that mean…”

“I alone. I will take over Potala Palace.”

***

Thump-thump—

So-ah’s heart was pounding like crazy.

‘Let’s do well… do well… it’s not like I’m acting for the first or second time.’

In So-ah’s two hands, there was a large tray and a bowl of porridge.

‘If I can just feed him this, the situation will be sorted out in an instant.’

The bowl of warm porridge, which was steaming, was food to be presented to the Blood Demon, Tae-ho-gong, and in it, a large amount of the diarrhea medicine from the Manchu Pharmacopoeia in Qinghai was contained.

‘This isn’t diarrhea, it’s a bloody shit angle, a bloody shit angle! Kekekek!!’

That’s right.

The diarrhea medicine of the Manchu Pharmacopoeia had the characteristics of being colorless, odorless, and tasteless, so no matter how much was contained, the user could not know that fact, and in the porridge to be offered to the Blood Demon, a large amount of diarrhea medicine, enough for 30 people to take, was added.

If he just drank it!

Even if it wasn’t the Blood Demon, but the Blood Demon’s grandfather, he would cross the Styx while shitting, that’s what!!

Laughing sinisterly to himself, So-ah opened the door of the palace lord’s room where the Blood Demon was staying.

***

“I have an audience with the Cult Leader!”

“Yoon Jip-beop… what is it?”

‘Phew…! I’m alive for now.’

So-ah was worried beyond measure.

Although he had performed the disguise art countless times until now, and he could be proud of its sophistication and perfection, a peerless master like the Blood Demon would have a different level of vision and observation skills compared to an ordinary person.

If he was caught by mistake, he would not be able to occupy a favorable position before fighting a life-and-death battle with the Blood Demon, so his heart was in his throat.

But fortunately, the Blood Demon, who was looking at So-ah, showed no particular expression.

How could he have imagined that So-ah, who should have been hovering between life and death at his hands, would have recovered his body in such a short time, would have come to Potala Palace, and would have performed the disguise art as Yoon Jip-beop?

“Cult Leader. The head chef and the head of the medicine hall have put their heart and soul into preparing the porridge to be offered to the Cult Leader. Please eat it before it gets cold.”

Even in the midst of his pounding heart, So-ah’s acting was performed so calmly that it was amazing.

But.

“I have no appetite. So, take it away…”

A variable unfolded.

Although it was before a meal, for some reason, the Blood Demon was refusing the food.

‘Ah! You old man. A brat who’s about to die is so picky.’

But this variable was something that So-ah had also expected.

‘The process of achieving great things is arduous and difficult.’

But.

…it didn’t matter.

Because I have ‘acting skills’.

At the Blood Demon’s order to leave, So-ah suddenly knelt down.

At that, the Blood Demon’s eyes flashed as if to ask what he was doing.

“My dear Cult Leader! How can you refuse to eat!!”

“You…?”

At the uncharacteristic behavior, a doubt spread on the Blood Demon’s face.

But this was also a situation that was limited to the scope of his expectations.

So-ah began to protest with a voice that was filled with gloom and tragic beauty.

“Cult Leader! Although the Martial Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and furthermore, the foolish people of the martial world have invaded the Gansu cult branch and our cult is in a precarious situation! How can the only being who will bring the Maitreya Blood God to the world refuse to eat? No. This is not right!”

As he said that, So-ah even bowed his head and shed tears.

‘What is this brat doing all of a sudden?!’

In an instant, the Blood Demon was so bewildered that he was at a loss for words.

To be sure, the law enforcement officer of Potala Palace, Yoon Gyeon-oh, was a person who feared him.

Therefore, he had only known how to read his expression, and there had never been a case where he had had an audience with all his loyalty.

The behavior of Yoon Jip-beop, who was worried about his well-being with a tragic expression like a person who had lost his country, could not help but be bewildering.

‘You’re still not eating?’

Seeing the Blood Demon, who was still motionless, So-ah began to put more effort into his acting skills.

“Cult Leader! The Cult Leader is now the only beacon of our cult! I and the cult members in the palace are only looking at the Cult Leader! But how can you refuse to eat? Rather! Rather, kill me!”

So-ah burst into tears and pleas at the same time and hit his head on the floor.

But isn’t this not expressing loyalty, but on the contrary, going against etiquette?

In any case, since he had already done this.

So-ah had no other choice.

If this crazy ‘acting’ worked and the Blood Demon swallowed the porridge, that would be a good thing, and if he didn’t succeed.

‘I’ll just have a good fight head-on!’

So-ah was in a state of being possessed by the law enforcement officer, Yoon Gyeon-oh, with a “I don’t care” attitude.

Fortunately, did the heavens help?

“Stop, Yoon Jip-beop.”

The Blood Demon stepped forward to stop So-ah.

“I see that the law enforcement officers of the cult, the head of the medicine hall, and the head chef have all gathered and had a meeting, thinking of me…”

A meeting, what kind of meeting?

Your subordinate brats are probably starting to fart by now?

“If that is your will, I will eat that porridge. Bring it here.”

The Blood Demon gestured with his hand.

Of course.

He could not see it.

That in an instant, the corners of So-ah’s lips were curling up sinisterly.

“Thank you, Cult Leader! Please eat quickly!!”

“Hmm…”

The Blood Demon’s expression was still not very bright.

But if he easily refused the request of the few remaining officials in the cult, the morale, which was already at rock bottom, would plummet even further, so the Blood Demon had decided to grant the request.

‘He’s raising the spoon! It’s going into his mouth! Chug, chug-chug-chug! Chug, chug-chug-chug!’

Seeing the Blood Demon take a spoonful, So-ah’s heart pounded much more violently than before.

It was now at hand.

The matter of taking the Blood Demon’s head!

‘One more spoonful! One more spoonful!’

The Blood Demon savored the taste of the porridge and stirred the spoon again.

“It’s a well-cooked porridge.”

As if the taste of the porridge was good, the Blood Demon uttered a word.

It was inevitable.

Because it contained precious seafood such as abalone and sea cucumber, which were hard to see in the Western Regions.

‘Our old man, he’s eating well, isn’t he? Ogu-ogu!! A little more. Yes, yes! Let’s eat a little more??’

The Blood Demon, who had swallowed half of the porridge that was full in a large bowl in an instant, finally put down his spoon on the round table and said.

“I have eaten this much, so I have received your sincerity well. Now, take it away.”

“Ah! Cult Leader. Don’t be like that, please finish it.”

Good words are only good when said once or twice.

Although he had shown tolerance, thinking of their sincerity, as the recommendation continued, the Blood Demon’s annoyance flared up.

“I said take it away…”

A faint anger was now in his voice.

But.

“Aww! Cult Leader!!”

“…?”

“Don’t be like that, please eat it all.”

“What… did you say?”

“You’ll have to eat dinner in hell. You should at least have a hearty lunch. Isn’t that right?”

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep