I Will Become a Phoenix More Noble Than the Emperor - Chapter 31

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

31.

At those words, Seon-o’s face became bewildered.

However, after a moment, Seon-o realized that his gamble had succeeded.

Hwan had created an opportunity for him to interrogate the Maehwagak member!

Seon-o clenched his fists tightly, sprang up from his seat, and quickly knelt down in front of the man to meet his gaze.

“What did you do at Maehwagak?”

The startled man tried to flee backward, but the area around him darkened and his body froze so he couldn’t move an inch. Surprised, Seon-o looked back at Hwan.

Hwan was quietly savoring his remaining alcohol without looking this way, as if feigning ignorance. At that sight, a faint smile bloomed at the corners of Seon-o’s mouth. The feeling of having gained an ally wasn’t unpleasant.

Hwan’s subordinate sternly berated the man.

“Answer this person’s questions in detail!”

Only then did the man stammer out an answer.

“I, I was in charge of managing those who were captured.”

At that answer, Seon-o looked back at the man and withdrew his smile.

“By those who were captured, you mean superhumans.”

“Y-yes, superhumans too… of course superhumans are included…”

“Included?”

“Maehwagak is originally a place that deals in human trafficking. Sob… please spare me.”

Human trafficking. Seon-o’s eyebrows furrowed.

“When you say it originally dealt in human trafficking, that sounds like you haven’t been selling superhumans as slaves for very long.”

As Seon-o sharply pressed with his question, Hwan’s eyes, which had been sipping his drink, darkened.

“Y-yes… it’s been less than two years…”

That’s why they hadn’t been caught until now. Seon-o quietly held his breath.

“How do you suppress superhumans?”

“S-sir! I truly, truly don’t know about that part. All I know is that we always mixed drugs into the superhumans’ meals. But I really don’t know what that drug was or where it came from!”

At those words, Seon-o’s eyes widened. When Seon-o looked back at Hwan again, only then did Hwan also put down his drink and leisurely meet Seon-o’s gaze.

Only then did Seon-o realize the reason for the celebratory drink Hwan had given him, and goosebumps rose on the back of his neck.

If Yin Power could be suppressed simply by putting drugs in food, capturing and selling superhumans wouldn’t have been very difficult. Superhumans who stopped at inns for rest and meals wouldn’t have suspected anything.

Seon-o stood up abruptly and looked at Hwan.

“Where are Maehwagak’s ledgers?”

“We searched the inside thoroughly, but no ledgers came out. We’re assuming they used ledgers created through special sorcery.”

“Special sorcery?”

“It’s a method of carving records into the Pavilion Master’s body. Unless he brings them out himself, they can’t be found.”

Seon-o recalled Byeon Jang-chun’s final moments. He had definitely been unconscious.

“Where is Byeon Jang-chun now?”

“He’s dead.”

At the matter-of-fact answer, Seon-o’s breath froze.

“He tried to confess immediately after being captured. Then the sorcery placed on his body manifested and killed him.”

Seon-o immediately understood the meaning of Hwan’s words. It meant that whoever controlled Byeon Jang-chun had anticipated his betrayal and placed sorcery on him to make him commit suicide if he confessed. It was a thorough and cruel method. If so, the ledgers no longer existed.

Seon-o looked at the man again. The man was trembling with his face pale as a sheet. He didn’t seem to have the character to maintain loyalty in the face of death, so all the answers he’d given now would be true. Also, since the man didn’t know the truth anyway, they hadn’t bothered to place the same sorcery on him that they’d placed on Byeon Jang-chun.

Suddenly, Byeon Jang-chun’s voice flashed through Seon-o’s ears.

“We deliver this method in utmost secrecy. Even brainwashed superhumans keep silent in front of those guys. And also, this method is very dangerous and secretive, requiring materials, and it will take some time to bring those materials… So if you wait just a moment, I’ll quickly bring that secret technique.”

The method for taming superhumans would also be the same method, so Byeon Jang-chun had said he would bring that drug.

“That drug probably remained at Maehwagak.”

Then Hwan smoothly looked at the man. It meant for him to answer instead. Frightened by that gaze, the man hastily answered.

“Th-th-the Pavilion Master didn’t keep that drug inside Maehwagak.”

“Then where did he keep it? He definitely said he’d bring it to me that day.”

“Th-that’s a scheme.”

“A scheme?”

“If things had gone as usual… he would have made an excuse that there was a problem with the drug so it couldn’t be sold. Then, customers would return with only superhumans who were less brainwashed and had their Yin Power suppressed. But their goal is to use completely brainwashed superhumans like slaves. So superhumans who can’t use Yin Power would be meaningless, wouldn’t they…? Then they’d gradually become anxious and desperate for drugs to quickly brainwash them. At that time, under the pretext that the drug had been modified to be more powerful, they’d send the drug at double the price…”

Ha. Seon-o was dumbfounded by the vicious scheme.

“So you’re saying you don’t know where it is?”

“They absolutely never shared it with us. It’s the truth. That’s all I know. Please believe me, sir! Please spare me!”

The man wailed as if proving his innocence. As Hwan’s brow subtly hardened at the ear-piercing noise, the Yawolbang superhumans dragged the crying man away.

Left alone with Hwan again, Seon-o had no time to pay attention to the disappearing man and fell into deep thought. Soon Seon-o looked back at Hwan.

“Can I take back what I said about not needing any more help?”

Hwan looked at Seon-o as if he had been waiting for those words.

“I would like you to track down the superhumans sold from Maehwagak. If they need to tame the superhumans, they would have bought at least several months’ worth of drugs. Perhaps we might be able to find the drugs there.”

It was a statement that perfectly matched Hwan’s reasoning. Of course, tracking them down would be extremely difficult without any ledgers existing.

Even so….

“I shall do so.”

When Hwan readily agreed, Seon-o’s serious expression brightened considerably.

Those drugs were most likely related to the Yin Cult. The sorcery as well.

It was too much for me to handle alone. Moreover, since I needed to focus on the competition, an ally was absolutely necessary. If that ally was Sa Hwan, a Super-Deity and the sect leader of Yawolbang, there was nothing more to say.

“I will definitely repay the debt I owe to the sect leader.”

Then Hwan looked at Seon-o for a moment. Just when I was wondering if I had done something wrong under that obvious gaze, Hwan moved his lips.

“However, I am not your sect leader.”

It was a gentle murmur as if talking to himself.

“…Pardon?”

When the flustered Seon-o carefully asked back, Hwan gazed at Seon-o intently again instead of answering. Only then did Seon-o realize that Hwan didn’t like the title he had used.

As he said, Seon-o wasn’t a member of Yawolbang, so he wasn’t really Seon-o’s sect leader. But there was no other title to call him.

Master? Great Hero? Young Master?

“Then what should I….”

Hwan’s gaze moved smoothly toward the air. Hwan, who had been pondering as if taking his time, looked at Seon-o again.

“I’ll think about it by the next time we meet.”

A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“How I want to be called by you.”

At those words, Seon-o was momentarily bewildered but soon nodded.

“Th… yes, by all means. I’ll call you whatever you prefer.”

Well, it’s not like that’s difficult?

At that dumbfounded answer, Hwan swallowed a quiet laugh and spoke again.

“May I request payment for this matter now?”

Then tension appeared on Seon-o’s face again.

‘I came empty-handed.’

Of course, he had become wealthy thanks to what Ji-woon had entrusted to him, but Seon-o still had nothing in his possession to give to Hwan. Moreover, what more could he give to the sect leader of Yawolbang who already had everything?

But unable to refuse, Seon-o held his breath instead of answering.

However, what came from Hwan’s mouth was unexpected.

“Please pass this trial.”

At those words, Seon-o’s tense eyes froze with a start.

The bewitching man, like the subtle darkness that filled the room, smiled faintly while looking at Seon-o.

“I will accept that as payment.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————