'This is boring.'
Looking at Jang Hyeon, who was rambling on and on in front of him, Cheon Myeong felt like he was about to yawn.
Although Jang Hyeon was continuing to speak to provoke him somehow, without even realizing that fact.
It was over now. No matter how much more he listened, it seemed that he would not feel any interest in this guy's words.
"When you were away from the main headquarters, Young Master, I held a drinking party in your room."
"..."
"Every day was a feast. Is that all? I called women there every day and..."
"So?"
As Cheon Myeong said with a tone that showed no interest, Jang Hyeon's words were cut off.
"So... aren't you angry at me?"
"I already knew that you were doing such things every day at the Little Heaven Pavilion."
"..."
"And it doesn't matter. Because I've cleaned up the room you used."
"Cleaned up...?"
"Of course, it's dirty. Because a dog in heat was rolling around there every day. If a person is to live there, they have to clean it cleanly."
Twitch-.
Hey, what are you going to do if you get angry instead?
It seemed that meeting this guy was a waste of time.
But still, since he was a fair person, he had been planning to listen to each and every one of the guys' stories.
Since another guest seemed to have arrived outside, this guy was eliminated here.
"Do you know?"
"...?"
"Who do you think cut down all the budget of the Jeok-un-gak where you live?"
"This... as expected, you..."
He's angry. He's angry.
Although he had been using honorifics until just a while ago, it seemed that he had now forgotten even that.
Then he was quite curious about what kind of reaction would come out if he were to say this.
"But what should I do?"
"...?"
"It seems that not a single penny will go into the Jeok-un-gak in the next quarter... and the quarter after that, and the one after that, and the one after that, forever."
"You devil-like bastard...! Give me back my money, you son of a bitch!"
"This son of a bitch?"
At that moment, a coldness was felt in Cheon Myeong's gaze.
"Did you just speak to me, the first in rank, in that way?"
"What does that have to do with anything!"
"Oh, really? Then you're just going to ignore the ranking that the Leader himself has decided?"
"...!"
At that moment, Jang Hyeon realized that he had made a slip of the tongue.
Although Cheon Myeong, who was in front of him now, was not scary at all, Cheon Jin was different.
In the Demonic Cult, the act of defying the ranking and committing insubordination was an act that led to a considerable capital crime.
Although there had been no officially decided ranking between him and Cheon Myeong until now, since Cheon Jin had designated the ranking between them at the leader's palace just now, it was different now.
In other words, his rude words to Cheon Myeong could be said to be an act that ignored the ranking.
Jang Hyeon knew that that crime was quite heavy.
"Are you going to ignore the laws of this cult now?"
"T-that's not it..."
"Ah, I misunderstood. You're going to ignore the Leader, not the laws of this cult?"
"..."
This is dangerous.
He had come to provoke Cheon Myeong, but he might end up in a difficult situation without even getting his money back. That thought came strongly to Jang Hyeon's mind.
"...I'm sorry."
"What? I can't hear you because it's small."
"I'm sorry. My slip of the tongue just now... please forgive me."
"Then I'll have to accept that."
Swish-.
Cheon Myeong said and pointed to the floor with his finger.
At that moment, Jang Hyeon immediately realized what that gesture of Cheon Myeong meant, and he bit his lip and looked at Cheon Myeong.
"Kneel."
"...Young Master, just that."
"Why? You've done it once before, so wouldn't it be easy the second time?"
"..."
"I declare. If you don't kneel and beg for forgiveness, I will hold you responsible for your crime. Furthermore, I can't just let go of the statement that ignored the Leader."
As Cheon Myeong said that, Jang Hyeon stood still with a blank face.
However, one knee slowly began to go down, and at some point, Jang Hyeon said to Cheon Myeong with both legs on the floor.
"...I was wrong. Will you... forgive me?"
To think that he would kneel to Cheon Myeong not once, but twice.
Although a tremendous sense of humiliation came over Jang Hyeon, since it seemed that another problem would arise, he could not do anything more.
"Good. I'll forgive you. Because I'm generous."
"...Thank you."
"Then will you leave now? It seems that another guest is waiting for me outside."
"..."
Jang Hyeon got up from his seat without a word.
Creak-.
As he opened the door and went outside, Jo Seokjin was standing there.
'This guy, his face...'
Jo Seokjin was startled when he discovered Jang Hyeon's face as he came out.
His face was red and blue, and he looked very angry.
Even Jo Seokjin, who had known Jang Hyeon for a long time, seemed to be seeing Jang Hyeon that angry for the first time.
'What on earth happened inside...'
He had thought that Jang Hyeon, just like him, had come to provoke Cheon Myeong to have a Demonic Position Battle.
But didn't that look as if Jang Hyeon had not provoked Cheon Myeong, but rather Cheon Myeong had provoked Jang Hyeon?
And that too, it was not a simple provocation, but a provocation to the extent that his face color had changed.
Trudge- trudge-.
Jang Hyeon passed by Jo Seokjin's side without a word.
What on earth had he heard inside that he was so out of his mind that he couldn't even notice his own presence?
As Jo Seokjin was thinking so and watching Jang Hyeon's back as he walked away, Cheon Myeong's voice was heard from inside.
"Come in."
"..."
As the voice was heard, Jo Seokjin turned his head to the open door.
Was it really okay for him to go in there?
Since Jang Hyeon's expression, which he had just encountered, kept lingering in his head, Jo Seokjin's feet did not move readily.
"I said come in."
As Cheon Myeong urged, Jo Seokjin had no choice but to cautiously walk into the room.
"Sit."
"...Thank you."
As Jo Seokjin sat down, Cheon Myeong asked.
"What business do you have with me?"
"..."
The reason why Jo Seokjin had come here was the same as Jang Hyeon.
He had come here to provoke Cheon Myeong so that Cheon Myeong would choose him among the three, but after seeing Jang Hyeon's appearance, his thoughts had changed.
'A clumsy provocation won't work on this guy.'
Jang Hyeon had probably tried to provoke Cheon Myeong to make him choose him, just as he had first thought.
But it seemed that that provocation had not worked on Cheon Myeong and had rather come back to him.
Although it seemed that he could provoke Cheon Myeong more systematically than Jang Hyeon, he had a strong feeling that the result would be the same as Jang Hyeon.
'Cheon Myeong... although I hate to admit it, his mind is considerable.'
Then he would just have to change his method and make a more certain choice.
"Young Master, would you not choose me as your opponent in the Demonic Position Battle?"
"You?"
"Yes."
Oh, this is a little fresh.
To think that he would make a request to him so directly.
Looking at him, it seemed that Jo Seokjin was not planning to induce a choice from him through provocation like Jang Hyeon.
Cheon Myeong hid a subtle smile in his face and said to Jo Seokjin.
"Why should I do that?"
"If you choose me, I will give you what you want, Young Master, as a reward."
"So you're telling me to negotiate with you?"
"That's right."
To think that he would propose a negotiation in this situation.
No, in a way, was it a suitable means for Jo Seokjin?
Rather than clumsily provoking him, inducing a negotiation in this way would be more effective.
'Shall I listen to him for now?'
But still, he was drawing his interest much more than Jang Hyeon.
Cheon Myeong thought so and said to Jo Seokjin.
"What I want... then that would also be possible?"
"Are you talking about the Blood Ginseng?"
"Yes, that."
"..."
As expected.
Jo Seokjin had already expected that Cheon Myeong would demand that.
'As I wished.'
In the negotiation with Cheon Myeong last time, he had been defeated.
But this time, he would not lose.
Coincidentally, since the type of item that this side was offering was also the same, Jo Seokjin was planning to get his revenge for that time in this place.
"I understand."
"..."
"Then please state the number you want, Young Master."
This time, he would end the negotiation at the number he wanted.
And with that, he would repay the humiliation of the past.
'Three. I will make him accept this negotiation for less than that.'
Now, speak.
The number you will propose first.
"Ten."
"..."
Phew-.
A laugh came out from inside Jo Seokjin.
To think that he would say the same thing as last time.
If it were his past self, he would have refused right in this place, but this time, it was different.
Since he already knew all of Cheon Myeong's inner thoughts, he would not be fooled by the same trick twice.
"I understand. So please state the number you really want, Young Master."
"The number I really want?"
"Yes, after all, isn't ten just a number you threw out? So your true intention..."
"That is my true intention."
"...?"
"Ah, you told me to state my true intention? Then give me all the Blood Ginseng that your family has."
All the Blood Ginseng that the family has...?
Since it was such an absurd joke, Jo Seokjin did not even laugh.
However, there was a big blind spot in this negotiation from the beginning.
Although it seemed that Cheon Myeong was saying that without noticing that fact, Jo Seokjin had already realized that blind spot.
'Anyway, this guy will die to me in the Demonic Position Battle.'
There is no need to keep a promise to a dead person.
So even if this negotiation were to be established, he would not have to give Cheon Myeong anything.
'I was going to get my revenge for that time, but it seems that he had no intention of taking this negotiation seriously from the beginning.'
So he's saying an absurd condition like giving him all the Blood Ginseng.
Then he also no longer needs to take this negotiation seriously.
Anyway, his fate would be a dead man from the moment this negotiation was established.
Although he had wanted to get his revenge before killing him, he would be able to repay him more than that at the moment his sword pierced his heart.
"Good."
"..."
"If you choose me, I will give you all the Blood Ginseng that the Snake Jo Family has."
"Is that for real?"
"Of course. I will swear on the name of the Snake Jo Family."
Grin-.
Jo Seokjin was making one mistake.
The blind spot of this negotiation, which he thought he had realized and Cheon Myeong had not.
Cheon Myeong did not think that that was a blind spot for him.
Why?
Because he had no intention of dying to Jo Seokjin at all.
But Cheon Myeong knew better than anyone else that Jo Seokjin would not be thinking so.
'This, it seems that an unexpected windfall is about to fall?'
To think that Jo Seokjin would come to him on his own and say that he would give him all the Blood Ginseng that his family had.
Then wouldn't it be polite to accept it even if he disliked it?
Although he did not need the Blood Ginseng right away, if he were to collect it, it would be useful someday.
So it was good to receive it all when Jo Seokjin was desperate to give him the Blood Ginseng.
'As expected, there is this good point if I hide my skills.'
Look at that guy in front of him now.
If he maintained this state, a fool would come in on his own even if he just stood still, but to think that he would have to give that up in a little while.
It seemed that it would be a great regret.
'A true fool is a guy who doesn't know that he is a fool.'
And that was Jo Seokjin. And there was something that Cheon Myeong wanted to say to such a Jo Seokjin.
Burp-.
I've had a good time.
(End of Chapter)