Chapter 10: Overtime (1)

Il-mok couldn't write the things he knew as Seo Ji-hoon in Hanja. If discovered, Il-mok knew he couldn’t beat the allegation of being a traitor to the cult.

That's why Il-mok was writing these things in Hangul, so that only he could recognize them.

Jin Hayeon, who had been staring sharply as if trying to decode his writing, soon gave up her analysis and said, “Were you originally a scholar preparing for the state examinations, Young Master? This type of code seems like something an accomplished scholar would create.”

“How could an orphan abandoned by the heavens have the means to become a scholar? The elder who took me in taught me how to read and write, saying I should do greater things when I become an adult. These codes are something I developed while learning from that elder, trying to find more efficient ways to study."

Il-mok spat out the excuse he had prepared from the moment he came up with this plan. He had anticipated that using such writing might arouse suspicion, so he had this explanation ready.

However, Il-mok's reason for showing her Hangul wasn't simply for taking notes.

***

That night.

After finishing morning studies, learning martial arts from the Heavenly Demon, followed by the chilling massage and bath served by a certain aspiring psychopath.

“Young Master, I have prepared candles, ink, a brush, and a blank book in your room.”

“Thank you. You should retire for the night, Miss Jin.”

After bidding Jin Hayeon goodnight, I headed to my room.

Jin Hayeon’s quarters were in another hall within the Windrock Palace, so it was no different from living next door.

“Haa.”

I let out a light sigh while gazing at the candlelight illuminating what should have been a dark room.

There is one thing I must do before I go to sleep.

The single most important part of my day if I want to survive here.

The last task written at the end of my schedule was simple.

[9 PM – 10 PM: Review and Sleep]

Originally, it was intended as a review time, but its purpose had changed.

While entering the Hall of the Demonic Way was important, focusing too much on studying the Secret Record of the Heavenly Demon posed the risk of turning me into a cultist.

Seated at the candlelit desk, I picked up my brush and began writing in the blank book.

—Day 1 of life in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

So yeah, my new final task for the day was writing in a diary.

—The Heavenly Demon Cult is a batshit crazy cult.

A dialogue with myself to prevent unconsciously becoming absorbed into the cult.

—These lunatics seriously believed that the Heavenly Demon will bring salvation to save them all. And what’s with them combining Xunzi’s theory and Matreiya’s belief? These people are truly lunatics of the highest order.

If the contents of this diary were discovered, my neck would probably be in danger. However, I was confident that I would not be caught.

—And what the fuck is wrong with that maid? What? She’s going to kill me in a year? This is why cults are dangerous, Seo Ji-hoon. Get a grip. Don’t let them get to you.

Even if Jin Hayeon searched my room and found this diary, there would be no problem.

Because the diary was written in Hangul.

This was precisely why I showed Jin Hayeon the Hangul during the morning study under the pretext of an efficient way of studying.

Even if she saw this diary, she would have no choice but to think of it as a trace of my review.

After all, my schedule explicitly stated this time was for review.

—That old fart is also a problem. He should have explained beforehand that breaking free from the demonic influence of that art is so difficult! Fucking shit, what's the point of talking about the side effects and then telling me that only after I've already learned the Demonic Art?!

I poured all the anger and dissatisfaction I'd felt toward those damned cultists over the past two days into my diary.

"Phew. Now I feel like I can live."

With my mind much lighter, I closed the diary and went to bed.

***

Like a hamster on a wheel, my routine went exactly as I had written on my schedule.

About eight days passed like that.

“Hahaha. Your progress is quite faster than I expected.”

“It is all thanks to the Master’s teachings.”

As usual, I was receiving teachings about the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword from Master. And that's when my Master suddenly brought up an unexpected topic.

“Do you have any urgent matters this afternoon?”

“No. I was planning to review today's lessons briefly and then retire to bed, as usual."

“Hahaha. Forgo your review for today and come to this old man’s palace. It’s about time for you to greet your martial siblings.”

Come to think of it, Jin Hayeon mentioned on the first day that I had senior disciples.

It was said that none of the Heavenly Demon's disciples had ever failed to enter the Hall of the Demonic Way as the top student.

I'd been too busy keeping myself alive to give it much thought, but hearing Master's words brought up a question.

‘Usually, when a new junior joins, shouldn’t the master introduce the junior to the seniors first?’

The world I had awakened to was a world of medieval martial arts fantasy.

A world where the saying “A teacher for a day, a father for a life” was not a joke or the empty words of old fogeys.

In other words, the relationship between master and disciple was no different from that of father and his children, so if a new son was born, of course he’d introduce him to his other children right away.

‘…Is it because it's a cult that they don't follow Confucian teachings to the letter?’

Did my inner thoughts show on my face?

“Hahaha. You seem curious as to why I am only now introducing you to your martial siblings.”

Master seemed to have read my mind when he asked this.

However, I couldn’t just say ‘Yes, that’s right.’

“Ahem. I thought that the Master must have had his reasons.”

The Heavenly Demon’s will is always the truth.

One word wrong and Jin Hayeon who was standing behind me might start dancing with her sword.

Not to kill me, mind you, but to perform a suicide show while crying out, "My education was lacking, Heavenly Demon!"

‘Come to think of it, I heard that psychopaths put themselves first and can’t understand other people’s emotions, but she’s quite unique.’

She put the Heavenly Demon first, not herself. It felt like she couldn’t feel any emotions except for those related to the Heavenly Demon.

It was as if a cult zealot and a psychopath had a child, and the child also inherited all the bizarre characteristics of her parents.

“What a thoughtful response. There was indeed a reason. All of your martial siblings have been away from the cult on missions I assigned them. And today, they have all returned to the main base, so wouldn’t it be good to have a meal together and greet each other?”

Honestly, I wanted to refuse.

How could I have time to socialize when I had to pass the entrance exam for the Hall of the Demonic Way with only a year of preparation?

However, as a member of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, how could I dare refuse the Heavenly Demon’s invitation?

“I will do so.”

As I bowed my head, I thought to myself.

‘I wish I could log this as overtime.’

I guarantee you, these company dinners count as overtime too.

***

So, right after training ended, I broke my usual routine and went straight for the massage and bath with Jin Hayeon.

Since she couldn’t speak during the massage, I asked her a question while receiving the now-familiar bath service.

“Do you know anything about my martial siblings?”

The dinner I would soon attend after the bath was a very important issue.

Moreover, it was a "welcome party" for the new junior. And I was that "new junior."

As the youngest, I needed to know something about my superiors' characteristics.

Of course, calling myself the 'youngest' was a bit strange considering my position. Look at Jin Hayeon; she was technically my subordinate despite her capabilities.

However, this situation was quite familiar to me.

‘No matter how you look at it, a newcomer of 7th grade civil servant outranks a 9th grade old civil servant.’

If this were the military, I would be a newly commissioned lieutenant. The non-commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers would be my subordinates in terms of rank.

But you'd have to be insane to be that newbie lieutenant who tells the tough-as-nails sergeant major to drop and give him twenty. Even if you're the boss, if you're new, you have to learn to play nice with the people below you.

Also, this wasn’t a dinner with subordinates, but with superiors.

On top of that.

‘A dinner with people who might kill me.’

It was just common sense, really. There are a bunch of disciples, but there’s only one position of Heavenly Demon.

I don’t know how long Master will live, but when that time comes, competition among the martial siblings will be inevitable.

Moreover, this place was a gathering of insane cultists.

It was a gathering of people who wouldn't bat an eye at taking each other's heads in the fight for the position of cult leader.

So, my most important task at today's dinner was simple.

‘Show that I have absolutely no interest in the position of cult leader.’

I had to show that I was a harmless nobody.

Some people might say I should be sucking up to the strongest brother, hitching my wagon to his star.

That would be a stupid move.

Getting on someone's good side has the advantage of rapid promotion if done well, but it also carries the risk of falling into the abyss with one misstep.

Conversely, remaining unaligned might mean slower promotion, but it also reduced the risk of catastrophic failure.

It's what you might call becoming an average office worker.

Of course, being an average office worker means you are constantly fighting the anxiety of getting fired, but…

'I don't know who will be the next cult leader, but the position of being the Heavenly Demon's disciple is not one that can be easily dismissed or expelled.'

Especially since Master is still healthy.

There might be a shift of power during the struggle for the cult leader position, but that’s a worry for a later time.

And I hadn't completely ruled out aiming for the Heavenly Demon position myself, but that’s also for later.

‘But for now, staying neutral is safer than picking sides.’

Right now, my priority is successfully enrolling in the Hall of the Demonic Way. Focusing on anything other than that is equivalent to committing suicide.

In that sense, lying low by showing incompetence was not a bad strategy.

'Time to deploy the classic 'Youngest Brother Pretends to be Weak' strategy.'

While I was thinking such thoughts, Jin Hayeon, who was applying soap to my body, spoke in an indifferent tone.

“Including Young Master Il-mok, the Heavenly Demon currently has four disciples. From the oldest to the youngest, the First Disciple – Wi Jin-hak. The Third Disciple – Seo Wan-pyeong. The Sixth Disciple – Jong-ri Chu. Lastly, the Eight Disciple – Il-mok.”

"If I'm the eighth, why are there only three seniors above me?"

As she finished applying oil to my arms and moved to my back, she answered.

“I heard that the Second Disciple passed away due to Qi Deviation.”

“…….”

My spine shivered as I felt her cold hand moving on my back.

“The Fourth Disciple lost his life in a battle against the orthodox sects during a mission. Later, the Heavenly Demon avenged him to appease his spirit. The Fifth Disciple also passed away due to Qi Deviation. The Seventh died in a duel in his attempt to gain enlightenment.”

“Ahem. I, I see.”

I hastily cut off her words..

Four out of eight disciples were dead. A survival rate of only fifty percent. Moreover, two of the four dead died from Qi Deviation.

'What kind of madhouse has that crazy old fart dragged me into?'

For the first time in a while, my resentment toward Master surged.

"Ahem. Then, how are the relationships between the remaining senior disciples? Do you know which one Master trusts most?"

“I would assume he trusts the First Disciple the most. He’s been around the longest.”

She gave me a few more bits of intel on my senior brothers while she finished up.

"Please wear this."

After donning the clothes she gave me, we left the Windrock Palace.

Following her guidance through the cult’s grounds, she eventually stopped before a massive hall.

When she showed something like an identity token to the guards, they lightly bowed to me and cleared the way.

We walked through the huge corridor inside the hall for a while.

She stopped before the largest door at the corridor's end.

“You may enter here.”

She bowed her head, indicating this was as far as she could go.

Gulp.

Swallowing dryly, I put on a calm expression and opened the door.

Now was the time for dinner—no, overtime—where my future and my life were at stake.