Chapter 121: Heavenly Thunder Corps (2)

However, I couldn’t reveal that emotion outright.

This was the Heavenly Thunder Corps, and Cheon Jumyeong was its Corps Commander.

No matter how I felt inside, if I wanted to return alive, I had to be skilled at maintaining a composed expression.

Having lived a long time in my previous life as a powerless internal administrator, I had become quite adept at flattering those in power.

“Hmph, I thought you’d at least get angry, but you’re not reacting at all. How boring.”

Cheon Jumyeong shook his head with a disappointed look.

“Well, whatever. Let’s talk business.”

His expression returned to normal.

“The current situation with the Ma Clan is on the brink of eruption. The Second Son, Ma Chulsoo, was completely defeated in a surprise attack, and if things continue like this, the Grand Heir Ma Jeongcheon will win the succession battle.”

“That kind of urgent development isn’t what the Cult Leader desires, is it?”

Cheon Jumyeong crossed his arms, a rare look of seriousness on his face.

“That’s right. You’re well informed.”

“What do you plan to do?”

I secretly looked forward to what Cheon Jumyeong would propose.

After all, he was the so-called demonic brain of this generation, so I believed he would come up with some ingenious solution.

However—

“Regrettably, we have no choice but to give up on the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan.”

“…Excuse me?”

“There’s no way to intervene in the current situation.”

“You won’t interfere like you did during the incident with the Sa Clan?”

At my question, Cheon Jumyeong let out a scoffing laugh.

“That time, the Thunder Essence Fiend was cornered politically, so we were able to exploit that gap. But it’s different now. Surely, the Sword Demon is observing the entire situation from deep within the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan.”

Clan Lord of the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan—Sword Demon Ma Seonghwan.

To be honest, if he had intervened, Ma Jeongcheon’s ambush would’ve been resolved in an instant, but he didn’t seem inclined to move at all.

“That sly serpent is surely reconsidering the situation—whether to end the succession issue now or let it drag on.”

“…I see.”

Indeed, if the Sword Demon was watching with sharp eyes, even someone like Cheon Jumyeong had no room to maneuver.

If you clumsily tried to meddle, you’d definitely suffer huge losses.

At that moment, Cheon Jumyeong muttered regretfully.

“It’s unfortunate. Ma Jeongcheon is close to the old folks of the Cheon Clan, so he’ll surely become a political rival during the Young Cult Leader’s reign…”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Must I repeat myself?”

“I’ve never heard that Ma Jeongcheon was close with the elders of the Cheon Clan.”

“It’s a recent development.”

Cheon Jumyeong smiled brightly and shut his mouth, clearly indicating he wouldn’t give more information.

Seeing that sly look on his face made my insides boil with frustration.

‘Who’s calling who a sly serpent, huh?’

Anyway, if Ma Jeongcheon had joined hands with the Cheon Clan, it was no trivial matter.

He originally had a timid personality that didn’t match his overbearing demeanor—he wasn’t someone who would make such a bold move.

Cheon Jumyeong continued to stare at me with an unshakable smile.

A look full of expectation—waiting for something from me.

Since I was the one in need here, I eventually let out a deep sigh and raised my white flag.

“If I manage to resolve this situation, what can you offer me in return?”

As if he had been waiting for this, Cheon Jumyeong asked back.

“Is there something you want?”

Something I want?

Of course there was.

“I want the personnel registry of the Heavenly Thunder Corps.”

“Oh?”

That seemed to catch him off guard. His eyes widened.

“If it includes detailed personal information and not just names, all the better.”

“The personnel registry… Do you believe you’re qualified for that?”

“I’ll soon be officially affiliated with the Heavenly Thunder Corps, won’t I?”

Our gazes met in the air.

“It’s not like I plan to leak the registry somewhere else.”

“……”

The reason I wanted the registry was simple.

First, to establish my position within the Heavenly Thunder Corps as quickly as possible.

Second, to swiftly identify and gather information on the elders from the Cheon Clan who were on the Young Cult Leader’s side—my primary objective.

And lastly…

“The personnel registry. Haha, the registry?”

His sarcastic tone cut into my thoughts.

His eyes had turned cold and sharp.

“You’re truly someone I can’t let my guard down around. Elixirs, martial arts manuals, money, promotions… No, instead you ask for a personnel registry…”

“None of those other things really matter to me right now.”

“Well, I suppose that makes sense if you’re the Grand Heir of the Jin Clan.”

Perhaps still conflicted, Cheon Jumyeong tapped his desk lightly with his index finger and fell silent.

After some time had passed—

“I can’t give you everything.”

“When you say ‘everything’…?”

“Even within the Heavenly Thunder Corps, there are secret units directly under the Corps Commander. No matter who you are, I can’t reveal their existence lightly.”

I smiled inwardly.

‘So he’s admitting that such units exist.’

If they really existed, even if they weren’t listed in the registry, I could find them another way.

“As long as the profiles of the Cheon Clan elders are included, that’s fine.”

I made it clear that this was my only concern.

Cheon Jumyeong nodded.

“Alright. If you handle this matter well, I’ll grant you the personnel registry you want, and appoint you as a ‘Mid-level Scribe.’”

“Thank you.”

Interestingly, members of the Heavenly Thunder Corps used the title ‘scribe’ for their positions.

Being a mid-level scribe wasn’t a bad start at all.

***

After the deal was made—

“Honestly, I’m curious. How do you plan to handle this?”

Cheon Jumyeong asked with clear intrigue on his face.

“The moment the Clan Lord finds out about our junior brother’s existence, he’ll try to eliminate you.”

“That won’t happen.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

“Because the Clan Lord of the Ma Clan is the type of person who sees making external allies as a skill.”

“Ally? Between you and Ma Chulsoo?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“The point is that as long as it doesn’t become public, it’s fine. I’m not mobilizing the power of my clan—just moving on my own as a post-stage cultivator.”

The Clan Lord of the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan was, after all, a strict meritocrat. As long as the conflict didn’t escalate into a full-blown clan-to-clan matter, he was someone who would tacitly allow it within reasonable bounds.

“Besides, it was the Grand Heir Ma Jeongcheon who broke the rules first.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You said it yourself, didn’t you? That Ma Jeongcheon has joined hands with the elders of the Cheon Clan.”

“I did, yes.”

“The Ma Jeongcheon I know isn’t the type to act so recklessly without covering his rear. He clearly made a move because he has a solid backing.”

“And you believe that backing is the Cheon Clan elders?”

“At the very least, it’s not the Ma Clan elders. They wouldn’t dare move without gauging the Clan Lord’s mood.”

A firm backing from the Cheon Clan.

And if he could crush Ma Chulsoo in a matter of days, then it was a gamble worth taking for Ma Jeongcheon.

“We have to rescue Ma Chulsoo and somehow bring him back into the clan. If we can find evidence of the Cheon Clan elders’ involvement and present it to the Clan Lord, it would be ideal.”

“Hmph, easier said than done.”

He wasn’t wrong. It did sound easy.

But how many hills would I have to climb to make that a reality?

More importantly—

‘Ma Jinyoon… that guy is the biggest variable in all this.’

The one who went berserk after the demonic qi soaked into his very bones and then disappeared.

He might have done it to protect Ma Chulsoo, but if he truly lost his mind in the process?

I had no way of predicting how that variable would manifest.

“Very well. I’ll be looking forward to your performance.”

Clap!

Cheon Jumyeong clapped his hands to give me a morale boost.

“I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations.”

I bowed respectfully with a feigned expression of gratitude.

But unlike my posture, my mind was racing.

‘There’s no way that’s the whole truth.’

From the moment Cheon Jumyeong approached Ma Jinyoon and passed on some major technique, it was certain that he had directly or indirectly influenced this incident.

I didn’t know why he was putting on such a sly act in front of me, but depending on how he intervened, my entire strategy might need to change.

‘Cheon Jumyeong, there’s no way you’re simply following the Cult Leader’s orders.’

After leaving his office, I stood for a moment, staring at the closed door.

***

A late night sky, not a single cloud in sight, lit by moonlight and stars.

Despite the beauty above, the atmosphere in the Lesser Demon Hall remained wrapped in a bitter coldness.

The training grounds were illuminated by torches on all sides.

In the center of the grounds sat the Young Cult Leader, Cheon Yura, gazing blankly up at the sky.

She sat there, completely devoid of will or fighting spirit.

The attendants and guardian lions waiting near the torches watched her with visible concern in their eyes.

They even realized that her earlier cold and burning wrath had been preferable to this.

It all began when Cheon Yujeong came to see her.

Fortunately, Sa Biyeon arrived just in time to prevent a major incident.

However, even Sa Biyeon didn’t stay long and had returned to her main residence.

“Young Cult Leader…”

The attendants watched their mistress with pity.

Sa Biyeon had definitely said something comforting to her before leaving, but no matter how they looked at her, it didn’t seem to have had much effect.

One hour passed. Then two.

The chilly breeze blew across her body, and the attendants tried to drape her with thick robes, but she refused to let anyone approach.

And then… as a third hour passed, and the time could finally be called dawn—

A young man appeared in front of Cheon Yura without anyone realizing.

“……”

“Who are you!”

The guardian lions drew their weapons in alarm, shocked that someone could bypass even their senses.

“Stand down. And withdraw.”

With just a few words from Cheon Yura, the guardians hesitated but followed her order.

Cheon Yura calmly looked at the young man standing before her.

Then she quietly spoke.

“You’re a mess.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t have the luxury to check my appearance…”

The young man smiled weakly and nodded.

His martial robe was not only torn, but soaked in dark red blood.

Even though it was originally dyed crimson, the evidence of fresh blood was so clear that it was hard to imagine what kind of torment he’d endured.

“According to the Divine Ghost Unit, you had gone missing. You actually managed to sneak past the guardians.”

The young man replied,

“If Wang Cheongeol had been on duty, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

“True. Still, that doesn’t diminish your achievement.”

For the first time in half a day, Cheon Yura stood from her seat.

“Ma Jinyoon. Why have you come here?”

Ma Jinyoon of the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan, the one who had been reported missing after going mad.

He had now appeared, not anywhere else, but right in the middle of the Lesser Demon Hall.

Covered head to toe in wounds, Ma Jinyoon gave a bitter smile and said,

“To see the one I love… one last time.”

***

Ma Jinyoon.

The third son of the Ma Clan and, among the direct heirs, effectively the youngest with a valid claim to succession.

During the first Exchange Ceremony held by Cheon Yura, aside from Jin Yeomyung, he was the only one who truly caught her eye.

It wasn’t just his talent—his passion, tenacity, and dedication to martial arts shone so brightly that even Cheon Yura found herself giving him a second look, if only for a moment.

But Ma Jinyoon was not a lucky man.

The first stroke of bad luck: he was born into the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan, where internal power struggles among the Six Great Demonic Clans were fiercest.

The second: he was born the youngest in such a clan.

And the third: above him stood a brother who possessed all the qualifications necessary to become the next Clan Lord.

If all the successors were as useless as those from the Black Gold Sa Clan, then maybe he could’ve dreamt of it—but his second brother, Ma Chulsoo, was a talent so brilliant it extinguished such dreams entirely.

Even so, Ma Jinyoon didn’t resent his brother.

Rather, he admired him.

Perhaps it was mainly because, when their eldest brother—driven mad by jealousy—sent poison and assassins to kill him, it was Ma Chulsoo who protected him without hesitation.

That’s why Ma Jinyoon sincerely wished for his second brother to become the next Clan Lord.

And not just in thought—he wanted to actively help him.

But Ma Jinyoon, young and without supporters in the clan, had little he could actually do for Ma Chulsoo.

However—

At one point, a lifeline was thrown to him.

It was the position of the Demonic Faction Lord.

***

“At first, I only wanted to stand by your side for the sake of my brother.”

“……”

Ma Jinyoon confessed calmly.

“But as time went on, the Young Cult Leader’s presence began to grow within me.”

In truth, that too was related to his brother, Ma Chulsoo.

The cold yet confident demeanor that Cheon Yura always carried—

It overlapped with the image of his brother.

For Ma Jinyoon, who had lived a life buried in the clan’s shadow as if already dead, that kind of rational strength was a dazzling light that nearly blinded him.

He dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

“I revere you… Young Cult Leader.”

“……”

“Will you… accept my heart?”

For the first time in his life—

Ma Jinyoon offered his feelings to a woman.

Normally, he would never have had the courage to say such a thing.

But now, with his life hanging by a thread, he finally found the resolve.

However—

There was never a case where such feelings were accepted.

“I’m sorry.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep