The Heavenly Demon Cult’s Strongest Maid - Chapter 267

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 21

Ten days after leaving Sichuan, Bongwang Fortress and I finally arrived in Luoyang.

During those ten days, we thoroughly moved as disciples of Cheon-sin-mun. Occasionally there were slip-ups due to unfamiliar titles, but fortunately they hadn’t caused any major problems so far.

“Miss, that place over there looks good.”

Since Luoyang was a major city, it was bustling with people right from the entrance.

Seo-ryeon, who had hesitated to call me Miss as the First Miss for the first few days, now quite skillfully addressed me as Miss.

“If we want to gather information, a large-scale inn would be best.”

I nodded at Yu-un’s words and headed toward the inn Seo-ryeon had chosen.

As many as four of Maegyo’s secret branches had been discovered by the Martial Arts Alliance.

Among them, the Luoyang branch was the most recently exposed, which was also why I visited this place first.

‘I hope Hyeolcheon-hoe left something behind.’

“Welcome!”

As we entered the inn, a waitress hurriedly ran out and greeted us warmly.

“Please come this way. We happen to have exactly two tables left!”

As the waitress said, there were only two empty tables inside the inn. There were eight chairs in total.

When I frowned at this, the waitress quickly brought out chairs that had been stacked in the corner.

“It’ll be a bit cramped, but it shouldn’t cause much inconvenience for your meal. Hehe!”

I agreed with that assessment. Even if we moved to another inn, the situation would probably be similar.

Whether this was how Luoyang normally was, or if there was some event happening, there seemed to be an unusually large number of martial artists around.

“Let’s eat first.”

At my decision, the Bongwang Fortress members sat down without complaint.

It was cramped enough that our shoulders touched, but no one whined about leaving. In truth, everyone was quite hungry.

“I’ll have stir-fried noodles. Large portion!”

“I’ll add dumplings to that!”

“Sisters, you’re having rice balls too, right?”

“What kind of broth do you use for the noodles here?”

While the members were ordering according to their preferences, Song Mu-hyeon asked the waitress.

I’d noticed since Sichuan that Song Mu-hyeon was extremely picky about food.

All the members now understood Ma A-jin’s feelings when she grumbled that he never ate anything casually.

“I take it this is your first visit to Luoyang.”

Instead of answering the waitress’s question, he just smiled broadly.

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Haven’t you come to hunt down the remnants of Maegyo?”

Hunt down what?

“Look around.”

The waitress pointed around with her hand.

Most of those filling the spacious inn were martial artists.

And only then did I understand the current situation.

It wasn’t a coincidence that there were so many Gangho people in Luoyang.

It was us who had drawn them here.

More precisely, they had flocked here to catch the demon faction members who had fled after Maegyo’s secret branch was exposed.

Some came to uphold justice.

Others came to gain fame.

Gangho people, especially those from Jeongpa, were individuals who lived and died for honor.

I had expected this to some extent, but I didn’t know they would gather this severely.

“And one more thing I should tell you.”

The waitress bent her waist and pointed to the inn’s signboard.

“Inns and restaurants in Luoyang with the character for Buddha in their names don’t sell meat dishes.”

“So you only sell vegetarian dishes?”

“Yes, customer.”

“This isn’t even Deungbong County, isn’t that going too far?”

“It’s because there are many Shaolin affiliated sects in Luoyang. By the way, our inn’s head chef is from Shaolin Temple’s Vegetarian Hall.”

The waitress shrugged her shoulders as if this fact was very proud.

“Then the noodle broth is…”

Jeon Hye-yun, who loved meat, looked up at the waitress with a devastated expression.

“We simmer various vegetables including mushrooms for a full day. Thanks to that, the umami flavor is excellent.”

“No meat…”

Jeon Hye-yun buried her head on the table like someone who had lost everything in the world.

Her strength to freely wield a greatsword as tall as herself surely came from meat.

“Sister Hye-yun, at least have this.”

Baek Jin-seo, who doted on his senior sister, pressed a piece of jerky into Jeon Hye-yun’s hand.

‘That guy has an endless supply of jerky?’

“Yeah, I should at least eat this.”

While I was puzzled by Baek Jin-seo’s jerky, Jeon Hye-yun brought the jerky to her mouth and bit it with a vacant expression.

Then Ma A-jin, Im Cheong, and Yang Ha-rin simultaneously reached out their hands.

“Me too!”

“Hehehe!”

“Brother Jin-seo, there’s one for me too, right?”

Baek Jin-seo distributed jerky one by one as if he had expected this, like serving rations.

Song Mu-hyeon and Yun Ha-ram watched this scene as if they couldn’t stop them.

“If he’s from Shaolin Temple’s Vegetarian Hall, his cooking skills must be good. Do you have any dishes you’d recommend?”

Eok Hwi-gyeom deliberately averted his gaze from the jerky and asked maturely.

The guy also couldn’t resist meat, but he didn’t dislike vegetarian food either.

“Of course. Our inn’s signature dishes include Luohan vegetables, Kung Pao tofu, fish-flavored eggplant, spring rolls, and others. You can refer to what’s written on that wall over there. The taste is guaranteed no matter what you order.”

Literally all dishes made from plants.

The faces of the members, who had been looking forward to a proper meal after barely eating during our journey to Luoyang, showed disappointment.

But what could we do when there wasn’t any?

In times like this, we had no choice but to win with quantity.

“Regardless of cost, bring out everything that’s currently available.”

“Everything, you say?”

“Without missing a single dish.”

The waitress’s complexion visibly brightened at my generosity.

“What would you like for drinks?”

“Meat isn’t allowed, but alcohol is?”

“Oh my, I misspoke. What kind of grain tea would you like… hahaha.”

The waitress looked at me and subtly rubbed her hands together.

Since I was today’s big customer, she seemed to expect that I would order expensive alcohol too.

Grain tea was Buddhism’s term for alcohol.

Originally Buddhism prohibits drinking, but would people not drink just because they’re told not to?

At least having some conscience, they started calling it grain tea instead of using the word alcohol.

‘In other words, it’s wordplay.’

“We’ll skip the grain tea.”

I refused immediately, cutting off her hopes.

Evening would be one thing, but there were too many things to investigate to start drinking in broad daylight.

Shortly after, dishes kept coming from the kitchen without pause.

“It’s surprisingly edible?”

“Why is it delicious when there’s no meat?”

The waitress’s words about guaranteed taste weren’t empty promises.

While there was no meat, the dishes themselves tasted very good.

Seeing the smiles forming on the lips of the previously disgruntled disciples, I too was able to eat my meal with peace of mind.

Not far from Seolha’s group, three bear-like burly men were seated.

Their alias was Sanseosam-ung (Mountain West Three Bears).

They were three brothers who had made quite a name for themselves in Shanxi Province, which bordered the northern part of Henan Province.

However, as their alias suggested, the three brothers’ fame had never extended beyond Shanxi Province.

What they desired was one thing!

To capture the remnants of the Demonic Sect during this opportunity and gain prestige.

So as soon as they heard news that a secret branch of the Demonic Sect had been discovered in Luoyang, they rushed over in haste.

The problem was that they had accomplished nothing so far.

They hadn’t found even suspicious individuals, let alone remnants of the Demonic Sect.

Thanks to that, they were just wasting time doing nothing while squandering the money they had brought.

It was just moments ago that the Phoenix Corps entered the sight of Beok Gab-woong, the youngest of the Sanseosam-ung.

He had been watching them closely since the Phoenix Corps entered the inn, and now he sought out his older brothers.

“Brothers.”

“What?”

Gwang Pung-woong, the second brother who had been drinking heavily since morning, burped and raised his head.

“Over there, that group. Don’t they seem a bit suspicious?”

“Suspicious my foot. They’re obviously country bumpkins who came up from some remote place.”

Gwang Pung-woong scolded Beok Gab-woong, saying he was talking nonsense.

“Gwang Pung.”

Then the eldest, Cheol Jang-woong, put down his drink and called his second brother.

“Yes, brother.”

“That’s not what the youngest means, is it?”

“…Huh?”

“Let’s try thinking while we live.”

“As you know, brother, I don’t really like thinking. Just leave that kind of stuff to the youngest.”

“Good grief.”

Cheol Jang-woong chuckled as if dumbfounded.

“Well, what could come out of that head of yours anyway.”

“Just get to the point.”

“Second brother, we haven’t accomplished anything since coming to Luoyang, have we?”

It was the youngest, Beok Gab-woong, who spoke up in place of Cheol Jang-woong.

“If we return like this, it won’t make sense for the reputation of the Sanseosam-ung.”

“So?”

“What do you mean ‘so’? The youngest is saying that since we came all this way, we should at least make our names known.”

“Aha!”

Gwang Pung-woong finally seemed to understand and examined the Phoenix Corps that the youngest had targeted.

“Isn’t Gangho originally a place where misunderstandings happen and such?”

“Those youngsters seem to have some money. Why did they order so much?”

It meant they would make good prey.

“Their energy feels strange too.”

“They’re not ordinary, you mean.”

“Let’s see. One, two, three…”

“There are eleven.”

Beok Gab-woong had already finished counting their numbers.

“If it’s eleven people, eldest brother and I can take four, and you youngest can handle three.”

Gwang Pung-woong snorted and stood up from his seat.

“Second brother, but there are people watching…”

“Isn’t it when there are many eyes watching that we make our names known?”

Though they would be the ones starting the trouble first, such things tend to be forgotten if there’s justification.

Gwang Pung-woong grinned wickedly and pulled out his chopsticks.

And without a moment’s hesitation, he threw the chopsticks toward the Phoenix Corps like throwing hidden weapons.

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