The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 539

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 539.
As the sun descended toward the horizon.
In the office of the Elite Division Master outside the North Gate of the Murim Alliance.
Bu Eunseol, who had been writing correspondence at her desk, stopped mid-motion upon receiving an urgent message from Tae Mu Ryong who had suddenly entered.
It was because Baek Mu Sung, the Master of the Cheon Jeol Team belonging to the Yong Ban Jeon, had come to visit.
‘So he’s finally arrived.’
Yet Bu Eunseol was hardly surprised.
Two tigers cannot dwell upon the same mountain.
From the moment she learned he had come to the Murim Alliance, she had already prepared herself mentally.
“Enter.”
Click.
The door opened, and a tall man dressed in white robes stepped inside.
It was none other than Baek Mu Sung, the next generation successor known as the Golden Divine Dragon.
The moment Baek Mu Sung entered the conference hall, Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened in shock.
The man she had encountered by chance in the ruins where Sa Ha Manor once stood.
The very man who had shared fine wine with her and conversed through the night—could it be him?
‘So he was Baek Mu Sung all along.’
Bu Eunseol felt troubled.
Seon Woo Jin was known to speak respectfully even to his subordinates, with a gentle and cheerful disposition.
But when they had met at Sa Ha Manor.
Despite wearing Seon Woo Jin’s appearance, Bu Eunseol had treated Baek Mu Sung with her true personality and manner of speech.
Because she had believed they would never meet again—that even if they crossed paths, it would only be a brief encounter somewhere in Gangho.
‘I never imagined I’d see him again at the Murim Alliance.’
If she suddenly changed her manner of speech now?
It would become utterly suspicious.
He would certainly have heard detailed accounts about Seon Woo Jin from Yuk Cheong Ah.
‘No, it doesn’t matter. We’ve already parted ways anyway.’
If Yuk Cheong Ah were still assigning her missions, this could have become problematic.
But she had already suspected that Gong Son Dan Gyeong and Seon Woo Jin were in league together, and had brought Baek Mu Sung here.
From Yuk Cheong Ah’s perspective, Seon Woo Jin’s true nature was of no consequence whatsoever.
“Huh?”
Baek Mu Sung, too, recognized Bu Eunseol’s face wearing Seon Woo Jin’s disguise and burst into laughter.
“What are the odds of such a coincidence?”
He approached with a delighted expression, flashing white teeth in a smile.
“You wouldn’t reveal your sect or name, so I thought you had some secret—but you were a Master of the Murim Alliance!”
Before Bu Eunseol could even respond, he continued rapidly.
“I came to apologize because the Master of Yeonseong Hall stole my mission. Now I’m the one in debt.”
“….”
“I still haven’t gotten that drink from you, after all.”
Baek Mu Sung, laughing playfully, clasped his hands together.
“Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Baek Mu Sung, newly appointed to lead the Cheon Jeol Team.”
“Seon Woo Jin.”
At the curt reply, Baek Mu Sung’s thick brow furrowed slightly.
“You speak to me thus, knowing full well my station?”
Though he held the rank of First-Class Lord, Baek Mu Sung was a disciple of Bul Jon.
In other words, his standing was equivalent to an elder of the Gudaemun Sect, and having reached his thirties, he was older than Bu Eunseol by years.
“You seem to be mistaken.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with measured calm.
“This is the Murim Alliance. If you wish to discuss seniority, I suggest you return to the Gangho.”
Baek Mu Sung, who had worn a stunned expression for a moment,
“Ha ha ha!”
burst into hearty laughter and nodded approvingly.
“Yes, that’s right. That’s exactly how it should be!”
Baek Mu Sung’s laughter rang with genuine delight.
Until now, his lofty standing had prevented him from mingling comfortably with peers his own age.
Everyone who encountered him trembled with apprehension, and even the elders of the Gu Pa Sect never dared treat him casually.
He had always lamented this isolation.
Now, having met someone who addressed him without such formality, he could scarcely contain his joy.
“Had you shown deference, I would have felt a bitter emptiness.”
As Baek Mu Sung spoke his honest thoughts aloud, a smile graced Bu Eunseol’s lips.
“In any case, within the Ben Maeng, unless one is a direct subordinate, we set aside rank and station, treating one another with mutual respect and proper courtesy.”
Bu Eunseol spoke matter-of-factly.
“So let us not concern ourselves with first-class or second-class distinctions. Speak freely with me, as you do now. Brother Baek.”
At this, Tae Mu Ryong, who had lingered near the entrance without departing, watched with a tense expression.
No matter how rapidly Tae Mu Ryong had ascended to First-Class Lord, compared to Baek Mu Sung, his renown and standing were as different as heaven and earth.
Yet here was Bu Eunseol, suddenly proposing they address each other as brothers?
“I like that.”
Baek Mu Sung smiled brightly as he spoke.
“You haven’t forgotten the promise we made before, have you?”
Bu Eunseol, whose eyes held the clarity of a child’s, sighed and nodded.
“So you mean to collect on it.”
“Of course.”
Bu Eunseol had promised that when they met again, he would treat Baek Mu Sung to a proper drink.
And Baek Mu Sung intended to have that promise fulfilled immediately.
Baek Mu Sung spoke to Bu Eunseol with a solemn expression.
“What are you waiting for? Fulfill your promise at once.”
Bu Eunseol led Baek Mu Sung to a shabby Inn located in a small Village, quite distant from the Murim Alliance.
Having discerned that Baek Mu Sung disliked crowded places,
Bu Eunseol deliberately guided him to this remote and unpopular shabby Inn.
Only an Old Innkeeper worked there, and there were but five tables in total.
Bu Eunseol and Baek Mu Sung sat in a corner, passing a bottle back and forth as they drank.
Both of them used large cups, yet they drank with such precision that not a single drop was spilled.
“Hmm.”
After downing three cups in succession, Baek Mu Sung let out an exclamation of appreciation.
“I wondered why you were repaying the debt so meticulously, but it seems there was another reason.”
The liquor served at this modest Inn wasn’t exceptional enough to be called a masterwork, but it was certainly no cheap rotgut that tasted of vinegar.
“This village has a famous Liquor Shop. The Inn sources its alcohol from there.”
Bu Eunseol said, refilling Baek Mu Sung’s cup while glancing around the establishment.
“When I crave good drink, I often come here with the members of my division. The atmosphere is pleasant, and the prices are quite reasonable.”
“That contradicts the rumors I’ve heard.”
Baek Mu Sung wore a faint smile.
“They say the Chief of the Elite Division speaks and behaves with the softness of silk.”
He was pointing out how Bu Eunseol’s manner and speech differed from what the rumors suggested.
“I am the Chief of the Information Division. Since I operate discreetly throughout Gangho, I cannot reveal my true nature and habits.”
“Ah, I see.”
“That’s a lie.”
“What?”
Bu Eunseol drained her cup calmly, then released a deep sigh.
“In the Murim Alliance, where connections and distribution are everything, if I acted according to my true nature, I would have been expelled within a day.”
“Hmm.”
“Without backing or connections, I had to appear sincere and gentle to gain favor from both superiors and subordinates, didn’t I?”
“Ha.”
Baek Mu Sung sighed.
“Was it truly necessary to go that far? With your abilities, you could have risen steadily without resorting to such measures.”
“The Murim Alliance is not that kind of place.”
Bu Eunseol stared directly at Baek Mu Sung as she spoke.
“You know that well enough yourself, don’t you?”
“Hahahaha.”
Baek Mu Sung burst into hearty laughter.
“So you’re the dragon of the Merchant Realm, as they say. Truly remarkable.”
“It’s bitter praise to receive such a title.”
“Of course not. What astounds me is your depth of mind.”
Baek Mu Sung’s eyes gleamed.
“You said you altered your speech and demeanor because you are the Chief of the Information Division—that alone would have been sufficient reason. Yet you offered another explanation by mentioning the atmosphere of the Murim Alliance.”
“….”
“My master once told me that the people most skilled at lying are those who offer two or more reasons for any given question.”
A flash of light crossed Baek Mu Sung’s eyes.
“Are you a liar?”
“An amusing question indeed.”
Bu Eunseol drained her cup in one long draught, her expression utterly unbothered.
“Now that I think about it, it seems Bul Jon has been burned by people quite a bit as well.”
“What did you say?”
In that instant, Baek Mu Sung’s expression turned cold and rigid.
“What did you just say?”
“I said it seems Bul Jon has been burned by people quite a bit.”
Flames ignited in Baek Mu Sung’s eyes.
No matter how bold a person might be, to speak such irreverent words by alluding to what Bul Jon had said?
“It seems I’ve misjudged you.”
Baek Mu Sung rose from his seat with cold disappointment.
“I don’t mind if you speak rudely to me. But I absolutely cannot tolerate even the slightest disrespect toward my master.”
“Don’t overdo it.”
Bu Eunseol chuckled softly and refilled Baek Mu Sung’s cup.
“Surely Bul Jon would never speak such words to his disciple, would he?”
“What?”
“Ah, now that I think about it, I found this written in Moo Ae Ja’s secret manual.”
Bu Eunseol stared directly at Baek Mu Sung.
“The easiest way to tell a lie is to borrow the mouth of someone with high authority.”
Baek Mu Sung, who had been wearing a blank expression,
“Heh, hahahaha.”
laughed heartily and sat back down.
“How did you know my master didn’t say such things?”
“A sage like Bul Jon, who understands the complexities of the mundane world so well, would surely teach his disciple how to identify liars?”
Bu Eunseol drained the cup and spoke with a bitter smile.
“I simply found something suspicious about it, so I suspected you had said such things.”
“You’re truly impossible to deal with.”
He then raised his cup and extended both hands.
“I apologize for testing you with meaningless words.”
After drinking, he spoke with a bitter expression.
“Truth is, I don’t trust people easily. Because from childhood until now, so many people have tried to use me.”
“Isn’t it the way of the world to seek out useful people?”
“I was only ten years old then. I was far too young to understand such ways of the world.”
Baek Mu Sung had been recognized for his exceptional talent and became Bul Jon’s disciple at the age of ten.
But because of that, countless people approached him, and he witnessed endless attempts to exploit him.
As a result, he had become distrustful of people and always verified the truth of what was said to him.
“So you suspected that my approach at Sa Ha Manor was intentional.”
“Well, there’s no such thing as coincidence in this world, is there?”
“I agree with that sentiment.”
Bu Eunseol shook his head.
“I never expected to see you again at the Murim Alliance.”
Baek Mu Sung smiled faintly.
I realized that Bu Eunseol was speaking the truth.
“What was your childhood like?”
It was a rather unexpected question.
Bu Eunseol answered without hesitation.
“Ordinary. Like the heirs of other merchant guilds, I simply studied and studied again.”
“I envy you.”
Baek Mu Sung narrowed his eyes.
“If I could return to my childhood, I would never have become my master’s disciple. This is sincere.”
His pupils grew increasingly dark and hollow.
It seemed he harbored some unspeakable anguish.
“I see.”
Bu Eunseol nodded and, shifting the conversation, asked casually.
“Is Bul Jon well?”
Bu Eunseol had in fact been searching for Bul Jon’s whereabouts all along.
There was no way Bul Jon could be unaware of the Absolute Demon Blade Plan.
Yet no matter how extensively I deployed my intelligence network, I could not locate him.
“I’m not sure.”
Baek Mu Sung shook his head.
“It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen my master.”
“Is Bul Jon staying far away?”
“He stayed at the Murim Alliance for a while previously, but has now entered Dal Ma Cave again. He despises lingering in the mundane world.”
A gleam flashed across Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
Dal Ma Cave was the Face Wall Cave located on Songshan.
‘That can’t be right.’
If Bul Jon were there, how could my intelligence organization have failed to detect him?
‘He doesn’t seem to be lying.’
“But it’s unfortunate.”
At that moment, Baek Mu Sung spoke with a bitter tone.
“I thought I’d finally met someone whose temperament matched mine, only to face him as a rival.”
‘Did he realize that I’m aiming for the position of Danjoo?’
Bu Eunseol could not hide his astonishment.
That I had boarded the same ship as Gong Son Dan Gyeong was one thing.
But that this was for the sake of becoming Mu Cheon Danjoo was something no one could have discerned.
Yet Baek Mu Sung had seen through my ambitions?
“Wasn’t this something you anticipated as well?”
At that moment, Baek Mu Sung uttered an unexpected remark.
“From the moment you began courting Gong Son Dan Gyeong. Hehehehe.”
He laughed faintly and drained his cup with bitterness.
“You and I are romantic rivals.”
A romantic rival is a competitor who vies with another over the affections of a single person.
“Dating the Chief? What are you talking about?”
“Haven’t there been rumors between the Chief and her multiple times?”
Bu Eunseol nearly burst into laughter at the absurdity of it.
‘So the Chief has some history with her.’
The rumors between Bu Eunseol and Gong Son Dan Gyeong had started because of the Ha Nam Manwha Shop incident.
However, the forgery case at Ha Nam Manwha Shop was a matter related to Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s position.
Because of this, for security reasons, Bu Eunseol had no choice but to go there alone with her in secret.
But since those circumstances were kept confidential, Baek Mu Sung was harboring a misunderstanding.
“The Chief and I are absolutely not in that kind of relationship.”
Bu Eunseol made a solemn vow, as if dispelling Baek Mu Sung’s worries.
“If I’m lying, may I be struck dead by lightning.”
“Hearing you say that, it must be true. But I know her temperament better than anyone.”
Bu Eunseol fell silent.
Judging from the seriousness in Baek Mu Sung’s eyes, it was clear that something complicated had happened between the two of them in the past.
“She would never handle a mission alone with a man of the opposite sex.”
“Baek.”
Bu Eunseol sighed deeply and let out a snort.
“If I may offer sincere advice, if you wish to win a woman’s heart, never make such assumptions again.”
And she offered sharp counsel to Baek Mu Sung.
“Do not judge the woman you love by yourself, nor disappoint yourself alone.”
“….”
“That is the very thing women despise most.”
Baek Mu Sung tilted his head and craned his neck forward.
“Are you truly saying it’s not the case?”
“I am.”
“Then why….”
“There were circumstances that warranted it.”
Bu Eunseol dismissed Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s situation with those words.
There was no need to speak of the Manwha Shop matter.
“Hmm.”
Baek Mu Sung hummed in acknowledgment.
He was pure-hearted, but not a fool.
Just by looking at Bu Eunseol’s eyes, he could sense she was not lying.
No one would tell such an obvious lie with such confidence.
“I apologize.”
Baek Mu Sung scratched his cheek awkwardly.
And he began to reveal the story he had kept in his heart.
“The truth is, I was once in a romantic relationship with her. But… the ending was not a happy one.”
Most people would have asked for details about the reason.
But Bu Eunseol was not the type to be curious about others’ pasts.
“So that’s how it was.”
Bu Eunseol tilted her cup with apparent indifference.
Humans truly are peculiar creatures.
When someone shows curiosity, we desperately wish to withhold our words.
Yet the moment we receive no interest whatsoever, we become seized with the urge to divulge everything.
From this perspective, in the matter of cultivating friendships, eloquence is silver, but silence is gold.
“Are you not curious how we met?”
“Why should I concern myself with Baek’s personal affairs?”
As Bu Eunseol waved her hand dismissively, Baek Mu Sung began to speak.
“No, it’s nothing remarkable really. She and I studied together for a time during our childhood.”
“I see.”
For those of noble houses and prominent families, it was hardly unusual to receive instruction from multiple renowned scholars during their youth.
“She was a year older than me, and she insisted I address her as ‘Senior.’ She had a cold demeanor and desired to be treated as someone of high standing.”
A gentle smile graced Baek Mu Sung’s lips as he reminisced.
“In truth, from our first meeting, I held her in my heart.”
“Why is that?”
“Though she appears distant and aloof on the surface, her heart is actually as soft and tender as silk.”
Bu Eunseol let out a quiet laugh.
‘His eyes are truly blind.’
If Gong Son Dan Gyeong—one who would exploit even human goodwill for her purposes—possessed a tender heart…
Then not a single person in this world would lack one.
“And when Senior took the position of Director of the Dae Rim Won within the Murim Alliance, we happened to meet again by chance. I seized that opportunity and pursued her relentlessly until we became lovers, but due to unavoidable circumstances….”
Baek Mu Sung, who had been rambling about his romantic history, shook his head with embarrassment as he continued.
“In any case, the reason I joined the Murim Alliance was to give things another chance with her.”
Bu Eunseol’s expression turned incredulous.
“You became a Lord of the Murim Alliance because of her?”
“Yes.”
Baek Mu Sung smiled bitterly.
“When love blinds you, you become foolish and obsessive. You cease to think of the future as well.”
A moment of silence fell between them.
After clearing his throat, Baek Mu Sung looked at Bu Eunseol and spoke.
“Please do not speak of what I’ve told you today to anyone else.”
“Have no concern.”
Bu Eunseol replied with confidence.
“I am the Chief of the Information Division. I understand the value of secrets better than anyone.”
“Thank you.”
“There is no need for thanks.”
“Hmm?”
“I said I understand the value of information.”
“What?”
Bu Eunseol spoke with firm resolve.
“I said I understood the importance of information. I never said I wouldn’t share it.”
“Then you’re asking for compensation.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes gleamed as if to say it was obvious.
“Precisely.”
Baek Mu Sung led Bu Eunseol out of the Inn and into the bustling Market Street.
When they emerged from Market Street, Bu Eunseol’s hand held a single Bing Tang Ho Ro, a candied fruit skewer that children loved to eat.
“That’s far too cheap a price for silencing me.”
Bu Eunseol shook her head as she gazed down at the Bing Tang Ho Ro.
“Even as an outer disciple, I’ve maintained a life of austerity. Besides, I haven’t been with the Murim Alliance for very long.”
Baek Mu Sung spoke confidently, gesturing to his empty coin purse.
“I’ve heard the Murim Alliance’s finances have improved recently, so I can only hope it’s not as dire as before.”
“Were you with the Murim Alliance in the past?”
“For a brief time.”
The movements of young practitioners like Baek Mu Sung were always of interest to the Intelligence Organization.
But the fact that Baek Mu Sung had once been part of the Murim Alliance in the past—
Even Bu Eunseol, who operated the Intelligence Organization, knew nothing of this.
“I see.”
“The truth is, I came to find you not so much out of apology for taking your mission, but because Yuk Dang Ju spoke so highly of you.”
Baek Mu Sung spoke honestly about what he had kept in his heart all along.
“She said you were someone who could rival me. I thought—what kind of person could earn such praise? Perhaps I should come test your mettle.”
In truth, he hadn’t come merely to apologize for Yuk Cheong Ah’s overreach.
That brilliant talent had praised someone so highly.
Seon Woo Jin—a person who might very well become his rival. He had come to meet this person face to face and gauge their abilities.
And when he discovered that Seon Woo Jin was,
Someone who had once promised to buy him a drink, he created a more natural opportunity.
“But it seems there’s no need for that.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve caught my fancy.”
Baek Mu Sung rubbed his nose somewhat awkwardly as he spoke.
It was an unguarded display of genuine affection toward Bu Eunseol.
“Because of you, I’ll face even greater displeasure from Yuk Dang Ju.”
“What are you talking about?”
“If she sees us continuing to get along well, won’t she be absolutely furious?”
“Continuing….”
Baek Mu Sung’s expression went blank.
Didn’t that remark mean Bu Eunseol also fancied him?
“Hehehehe. I suppose so.”
A bright smile spread across Baek Mu Sung’s lips.
Two people who could never grow close.
They shouldn’t have grown close, and yet they did.
The two of them paid no mind to such concerns, their affection for each other blossoming naturally.
Munch, munch.
Bu Eunseol turned her gaze from Baek Mu Sung and brought the Bing Tang Ho Ro to her lips.
As she ate about half of it, she felt a piercing stare upon her.
When she turned her head, there was Baek Mu Sung, his mouth agape, watching her intently.
“Do you have something else to say?”
“Are you going to eat it all… by yourself?”
“…”
“Delicious things taste even better when shared, you know.”
Bu Eunseol reluctantly held out the remaining Bing Tang Ho Ro.
Baek Mu Sung then bit into the remaining Bing Tang Ho Ro as if he’d been waiting for exactly this moment.
―Delicious things should be shared!
In that instant, Bu Eunseol’s vision blurred, and a memory from her childhood surfaced.
It was a bustling Market Street, and before young Bu Eunseol stood a boy in white garments who seemed slightly older.
―Then it tastes even better!
With the sunlight at his back, his face was obscured, yet his radiant smile was unmistakable.
And that smile overlapped perfectly with Baek Mu Sung’s smile in the present.
‘Did I have such a moment?’
There had been a childhood filled with nothing but happiness.
“Why do you have that expression?”
Baek Mu Sung blinked as he gazed at Bu Eunseol.
“Are you upset about sharing?”
As she watched him lick his lips, Bu Eunseol found herself shaking her head with a gentle smile.
“No, it’s nothing at all.”
Even now, Bu Eunseol had not yet remembered.
That she and Baek Mu Sung shared a connection that stretched back to their childhood. And that it would take a little more time before she would come to understand this truth.

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