Little Demon Reversion to Youth

Chapter 26

Hu Yeonjo stood up, leaning on his saber.

"For the Twin Swords of Meixian to plot such a vicious scheme. I will strike them down immediately."

"You don't have to act. From the sound of your voice, you don't have the slightest intention of doing so."

Baekji said, tearing at a chicken leg on the table.

"Brigade Leader Hu, you were planning to see who would win between Brigade Leader Mo and the Twin Swords of Meixian and then decide which side to join. You said that earlier, and now you're saying something else?"

"?"

"You were going to approach the winning side, put them at ease, and then stab them in the back. What was it, 'the fisherman's gain'? I think that's what it was."

"What are you talking about now?"

Hu Yeonjo, whose intentions had been exposed, blushed and shouted, "I am the Great Light Brigade Leader of the White Mountain Sect! To see me as a swindler from the dark path. If I remain silent after receiving such an insult, I am no man. Come out! Let's settle this."

Hu Yeonjo shouted.

"Why are you shouting? Your face is even red. Are those Great Light Brigade members coming?"

The sound of Hu Yeonjo's shout echoed beyond the ten-zhang security perimeter, and the Great Light Brigade was rushing over.

"Yes. Seeing Brigade Leader Hu, I think I'm right. Brigade Leader Hu is a person who sticks to the liver and then to the gallbladder. It's as I expected."

Baekji said, quickly gathering the food on the table into a bundle.

"The Great Light Hall's cook must be a master too. It's delicious. Not as good as Zhong Jia, but quite good. I'll take some. It's a waste, isn't it? It's okay, right?"

The food had been brought by the courtesan, Hongyan, herself.

Baekji muttered continuously as he packed the food.

Hu Yeonjo was bewildered, unable to understand Baekji's actions.

At this, Baekji wrapped the food in a cloth, stood on the windowsill, and then looked back.

"It is said that it is the nature of a weak person to be indecisive. But you don't seem to be completely shameless."

Baekji's words meant that Hu Yeonjo had not embezzled like General Manager Ximen. Of course, Hu Yeonjo could not understand what this meant either.

However, he flared up at the word 'weak'.

Weak.

For him, who prided himself on being the Great Light Brigade Leader of the White Mountain Sect and a hero, it was a truly fatal insult.

"Stop! Let's have a life-and-death duel!"

Baekji disappeared through the window without a word of reply.

* * *

The security at Mo Dahou's residence was even tighter.

The White Temple Brigade was guarding it in double and triple layers. It was partly because a White Temple Brigade warrior had died, but they were also originally more disciplined than the Great Light Brigade.

'One on the roof, one at each window... there's no way in.'

Baekji was at a loss. There were too many.

"A-ham. I'm sleepy...? What should I do? The food is all gone too."

He had also finished the food he had brought from Hu Yeonjo.

His stomach was full, and the night was deep, so he felt sleepy. But he had to satisfy his curiosity.

Baekji had been trying to predict how General Manager Ximen and the leaders of the Bai Guang Mun would deal with this incident, but he couldn't stand the curiosity and decided to ask them directly.

'General Manager Ximen was trying to take the money and run, and Brigade Leader Hu was aiming for the fisherman's gain. Brigade Leader Yu is a loyalist to the Sect Master, so I don't need to ask him. Only Brigade Leader Mo is left.'

'Brigade Leader Mo, unlike his appearance, is a master of cunning. He must have already come up with a plan.'

As he sat on a tree overlooking Mo Dahou's residence, dozing off, he heard a whispering voice.

"It's about time for the changing of the guard..."

"Shh. Be quiet. The Brigade Leader has sharp ears."

Instantly, Baekji's eyes sparkled.

He craned his neck and looked, and indeed, about ten people were coming from a distance. It seemed to be the changing of the guard.

Baekji's figure disappeared.

A moment later. As the changing of the guard turned a corner, the one who was lagging at the very back was dragged into the darkness without a sound.

A brief rustle. Baekji, wearing the White Temple Brigade's uniform, came out of the darkness and followed behind the changing of the guard.

When the changing of the guard appeared, the guards came out one by one to change shifts.

When the last guard came out, Baekji lowered his head deeply and went to stand in his place.

Fortunately, it was right under the window of the bedroom.

However, there were three more windows on either side, and there was one guard at each, so he couldn't sneak in.

Baekji stealthily peeked inside the window.

In the room, a bed could be seen in the darkness. The curtains were drawn, so Mo Dahou was not visible.

'I have no choice.'

Baekji sent a telepathic message towards where Mo Dahou was lying.

-Brigade Leader Mo!

-Brigade Leader Mo!

A telepathic message must be delivered directly to the opponent's ear.

But since he was doing it by guesswork, it seemed to be missing. Mo Dahou did not answer.

'I'll have to poke him with my energy.'

Baekji spread his energy and felt the bed. But there was no energy on the bed.

"Why isn't he here?"

He spread his energy and scanned the room. Then, there was an energy that caught in a corner.

'Huh? Why is he sleeping in that position?'

When he examined with his energy, Mo Dahou was not on the bed but was sleeping, squatting in the opposite corner.

When he listened closely, he could hear a faint breathing sound.

'Wow. Is he sleeping in the corner in case an assassin comes? He's more timid than I thought.'

Once Baekji confirmed where Mo Dahou was, he sent another telepathic message towards his head.

-Brigade Leader Mo!

"Mnya."

He could hear Mo Dahou smacking his lips in his sleep.

-Brigade Leader Mo, wake up!

"Who is it!"

This time, the telepathic message seemed to have been delivered correctly to his ear, as Mo Dahou shot up and shouted. He picked up the sword leaning next to him and even took a stance to draw it immediately.

At Mo Dahou's shout, the guard who had been dozing under the next window quickly straightened his posture.

-Be quiet! You'll wake the kids! It's me.

Baekji lowered his head and sent another telepathic message.

Since a telepathic message uses sound waves, it is a little different from the original voice. When Baekji called out so familiarly, Mo Dahou was bewildered and looked around.

But he couldn't tell where the telepathic message had come from.

"Who is it?"

Mo Dahou asked in a hushed, whispering voice.

-I have something to ask.

"I said, who is it?"

Mo Dahou asked, lowering his voice even more.

He was definitely a man whose head worked well.

For someone to enter his heavily guarded residence and send a telepathic message, they had to be a master.

If such a master were an assassin, they would have already made a move, so they wouldn't be sending a telepathic message.

He responded, knowing that there was another purpose.

-It's me, Baekji.

"Baekji?"

No matter how well his head worked, even Mo Dahou couldn't know who Baekji was.

It seemed he had heard it somewhere.

Since he was speaking so familiarly in informal language, it seemed they were close, but he couldn't figure it out at all.

-The Twin Swords of Meixian killed a White Temple Brigade member, right? You know?

"...!"

-You don't know?

"But who are you?"

-I said I'm Baekji. The important thing right now is not that I'm Baekji. What are you going to do now?

"...What do you mean?"

-The Twin Swords of Meixian killed your subordinate, so are you going to stand by? You have to get revenge, right?

Mo Dahou rolled his eyes.

He was already on the verge of his head exploding because his subordinate had died from the Blood Hand Grand Seal.

He had never seen the true palm print of the Blood Hand Grand Seal. Yet he was doubting its authenticity.

If it was the one who had harmed the Sect Master and the fake True Man Changshan, they were an immense master. Would such a master use even the Blood Hand Grand Seal to harm a trivial White Mountain Brigade warrior?

He had suspected both General Manager Ximen and the Twin Swords of Meixian, but when Baekji appeared and asked, he was immediately certain.

'Twin Swords of Meixian, those bastards...'

He wanted to finish off the Twin Swords of Meixian right away.

But those two were not easy. To kill them, he would have to join forces with Yu Mungwang, Hu Yeonjo, and even General Manager Ximen.

The other way was to mobilize the White Temple Brigade, but in that case, the damage would be great.

If the White Temple Brigade shrank while the Great Light Brigade and the White Mountain Brigade were intact, his own power would only weaken.

'No. This is actually for the better. The reason the Twin Swords of Meixian are doing this is because they intend to kill the Sect Master and the Young Sect Master.'

It was a pity that his subordinate had died, but it was like having a bad tooth pulled.

Mo Dahou's calculations were finished in an instant.

"The Twin Swords of Meixian did that?"

-You didn't know?

"The Meixian Fang is a righteous sect. They would not do such a thing."

-Ooh!

Baekji was amazed.

The one he had been most curious about in the response to this incident was Mo Dahou.

-It's Cao Cao.

"What?"

-You're like Cao Cao.

At the out-of-place words, Mo Dahou closed his mouth. He was already spreading his energy and tracking the hidden person.

-If you were a hero, you would face the Twin Swords of Meixian, avenge your subordinate, and strike the Meixian Fang's martial force outside the estate to clearly show your authority. That's how the White Mountain Sect members would revere you and enthrone you as the sect master.

-But you were a cunning hero. You pretended not to know and went along with the Twin Swords of Meixian's plan. If the Twin Swords of Meixian kill the Sect Master, you'll step in then, saying you'll get revenge, right?

Mo Dahou's mouth fell open. He thought he might be hiding in his own stomach.

'But where on earth is this brat hiding?'

No matter how much he circulated his energy, there was no hidden person. Only the guards on duty outside were caught.

"...!"

One of the guards at the window disappeared.

Mo Dahou kicked open the window and shot out.

"Brigade Leader! What is it?"

The guards who were guarding the next window ran over.

"Where did the guy who was just here go?"

"What?"

"Come to think of it, he's gone."

The guards were flustered and looked around.

"Have you ever seen such idiotic brats? A person disappeared right in front of your eyes, and you didn't see?"

Mo Dahou raised his cauldron-lid-like hand. He was on the verge of striking down the guards.

The guards hurriedly prostrated themselves.

"Please kill us. We were watching the front and did not see the side."

Mo Dahou paused for a moment and then lowered his hand. His subordinates could not have noticed a master that even he could not sense.

"Double the number of guards. Stand in pairs of two."

"Yes."

* * *

Baekji returned to his room and slept soundly. Baekji, who woke up after the sun had fully risen, went to find Yang Soryeong.

"This place is a complete den of bad guys."

Baekji relayed the information he had obtained during the night to Yang Soryeong.

"So, General Manager Ximen is trying to take the property and run, and Brigade Leader Hu is trying to make Brigade Leader Mo and the Twin Swords of Meixian fight. And Brigade Leader Mo wants the Twin Swords of Meixian to harm the Sect Master?"

"In a word, it's a mess. They're looking down on the acting sect master."

"It's because I have no power."

"What do you mean, you have no power? I taught you so diligently."

"Still, I can't beat the brigade leaders, can I?"

"No. I can't guarantee you'll win, but you won't lose without a fight."

"That's ridiculous. How long has it been since I started learning martial arts?"

"What are you talking about? I even boiled a spiritual medicine bath and made you undergo a metamorphosis. Don't worry."

"Is it that amazing?"

"Of course. You just don't have the knack for it yet, but you're a first-rate master now, Master."

"Is that really so?"

When Yang Soryeong couldn't shake her doubts, Baekji shot up.

"This won't do. What you need, Master, is confidence. Confidence comes from real combat."

"Real combat?"

"Yes. If you finish off a few brats, your confidence will soar."

"Gasp! Don't say such things. To harm people."

"Yes. You have to kill the ones who need to be killed."

"No. How can I kill someone?"

"It's simple."

Baekji pretended to hold a sword and stabbed.

"It's not difficult."

Yang Soryeong covered her mouth and laughed.

"Hoho. Baekji, you talk as if you've killed someone before."

"..."

Baekji tilted his head. He had never killed a person before. But for some reason, it felt very familiar.

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

"Ah! I killed a lot in my past life! I told you last time."

"That's ridiculous. A past life is a past life, and this life is different. You're so kind."

"Being kind and killing people are different."

"Still, you're not the kind of person who would just kill someone carelessly. The Baekji of this life is kind."

Yang Soryeong's clear, large eyes looked at Baekji, and they were full of faith, as if she were certain of her own words. Baekji's heart weakened.

"Yes. Am I kind? Let's just say so."

"Everyone makes mistakes and can have wrong thoughts. But you can't kill everyone for that. You have to give them a chance to turn over a new leaf."

"Turn over a new leaf..."

Baekji muttered and then nodded.

"Should I give General Manager Ximen, Brigade Leader Hu, and Brigade Leader Mo a chance to turn over a new leaf?"

"Of course. If they have done something wrong, it is right to give them a chance to correct it."

"Yes. It's difficult. How do I make them turn over a new leaf?"

(End of Chapter)