Whoosh
A refreshing wind blew and tickled Cheon Myeong's hair.
Cheon Myeong, who was lying on his back on the hill, receiving that wind with his whole body.
Compared to the bloody wind that had been raging for the past few days, it was a truly relaxing wind.
"..."
Being like this, the events that had happened in the North Sea and Seoha all felt like a lie.
A feeling as if all the events that had happened over the past few days were all a dream.
However, Cheon Myeong knew well that the bloody wind that had recently raged in the Demonic Cult was by no means a dream.
Because the one who had caused that wind was none other than himself.
Also, Cheon Myeong knew well that he had officially lit the fuse with this incident.
'By now, their feet must be on fire.'
The other four of the Five Great Demonic Families, excluding the Jeonsu family. No, should it be called the Four Great Demonic Families now?
Anyway, one of the five families that had maintained a balance for several hundred years had collapsed.
And by his own hand.
If the balance were to collapse, a change would inevitably occur in some way.
Whether it was for the better or for the worse, since this side had broken one pillar first, the other four places would not be able to remain as they had been until now.
"..."
Especially the family that had ordered Hong Daeyeon to kill Su Yijeong.
Cheon Myeong thought that the family that had taught the Jeonsu family the Star-Sucking Great Art would be the first to show its movement.
'The family that tried to kill me by using the Jeonsu family from behind...'
Perhaps it would be okay to exclude the Seongyu family.
Because the one who had led the Chunguidae to the North Sea was none other than Yu Eunseong, a member of the Seongyu family.
Of course, although it could not be said that the head of the Seongyu family was the same just because Yu Eunseong was on his side, it would be okay to think that it had the lowest possibility among the four places.
'I should ask Yu Eunseong about this part later.'
If possible, this side also did not want to have the Seongyu family as an enemy.
Of course, although the fact that the Seongyu family was Yu Eunseong's family would also be a reason, he also did not want to be at odds with all the families of the Five Great Demonic Families.
He had done that to the Jeonsu family because he had no choice.
If the other side were to extend a hand to him first, this side also had the intention of accepting it enough.
The family with the highest possibility was the Seongyu family, and if the other three places were to request a peace treaty first, he would gladly take their hand.
'Of course... the family that tried to kill me by using the Jeonsu family is an exception.'
That family also had the same sin as the Jeonsu family.
No, since it had not come forward itself but had just used the Jeonsu family from behind, it could be said to be more vicious.
Such a guy would surely betray him at any time later, even if he were to make a temporary peace treaty.
So wouldn't he be able to be completely at ease only after finding it out by any means and pulling it out by the root?
As long as he knew that such a being existed, Cheon Myeong was thinking of finding it out no matter how much time it took.
Flap- flap-
It was then.
A heavy flapping of wings heard from somewhere.
As that sound got closer, Cheon Myeong raised his upper body and sat up straight.
"Peep... peep..."
In the place where Cheon Myeong was looking, a bird was flying.
A rough breath flowing from its beak, as if it would stop breathing at any moment.
In the sky visible in front, Baekjo was getting closer to Cheon Myeong with a difficult flapping of its wings.
"Slow! You have to move faster!"
At that moment, Cheon Myeong shouted at Baekjo.
In fact, the reason why Cheon Myeong had come here was all because of Baekjo.
He had finally started Baekjo's exercise, which he had been planning for a long time.
Since it seemed that Baekjo would get so fat that it would not even be able to fly if he postponed it any longer, he had come out to exercise it while it was still maintaining the form of a bird.
"Peep... peep..."
Because of that, Baekjo was now really in a mood to die.
Had it ever flown in the sky for this long since it was born?
No, it hadn't.
It could be said that it usually moved its feet more than it moved its wings.
Recently, as the position of the cage was lowered to the floor, there had been quite a few days when it had not flown all day.
But to suddenly exercise so hard like this, Baekjo now felt as if its heart would burst.
"Hurry, hurry! Are you slacking off now?"
"...Peep."
Hearing Cheon Myeong's words, Baekjo was dumbfounded.
Did he think that flying in the sky was comfortable just because it was a bird?
If he could, he wanted to make Cheon Myeong do the same thing as him now.
Then he wouldn't say such things from that mouth.
Swallowing his resentment in his mind, Baekjo was barely able to arrive at his destination.
Thud-
Baekjo, which landed on the field as soon as it arrived at its destination. No, it collapsed.
An appearance as if it had been hunted by someone.
However, the trembling wings of Baekjo were telling him that it was not yet dead.
"How is it? Do you feel like you've lost some weight?"
Cheon Myeong approached Baekjo and asked.
Then, Baekjo, which suddenly stood up.
Although he had thought that he did not have the strength to even move a feather, as Cheon Myeong asked, a strength that Baekjo himself did not know was soaring up from somewhere.
"Peep-peep-peep!"
"What? Why are you breaking your promise?"
"Peep-peep!"
The promise Cheon Myeong had made to Baekjo.
Cheon Myeong had said that if he found something satisfactory in the North Sea, he would let him eat ten meals of top-grade beef a day.
"Peep-peep!"
In fact, since he had discovered the Heavenly Demon Sword due to Baekjo's performance, shouldn't Cheon Myeong give Baekjo meat as promised?
But far from beef, since he was just making it do an absurd exercise like this, from Baekjo's perspective, it was very unfair.
"When did I break my promise?"
Cheon Myeong said with a calm face.
Then, Baekjo, whose words were blocked for a moment.
After returning to the main headquarters from the North Sea, Baekjo had not even smelled meat, let alone top-grade beef.
Of course, since Cheon Myeong had also had things to do recently, he had waited quietly like a good bird without any complaints.
The result is this mess now.
Although he was doing as he was told without complaint because Cheon Myeong was his master, those words of Cheon Myeong had touched Baekjo's reverse scale.
"Peep-peep-peep-peep-peep-!"
"Ah, no... calm down a bit."
"Peep-peep-peep-!"
"..."
In front of Cheon Myeong, there was now a mad bird.
Since this was the first time Baekjo had been this angry, even for Cheon Myeong, this situation was a little bewildering, and Baekjo continued to chatter on his own for a while.
Grumble-
At that moment, a loud sound was heard from somewhere.
At that moment, Baekjo's movements also stopped.
As Baekjo became quiet unintentionally due to hunger, Cheon Myeong cautiously opened his mouth.
"Are you hungry?"
"...Peep."
"Baekjo, I'm saying this because I'm genuinely worried as your master. You, if I give you ten meals of top-grade beef as promised, what will you do?"
"..."
"Will you leave some?"
No way.
Leaving meat was something that was never allowed in Baekjo's beliefs.
"Peep."
"Right? You'll eat it all, right?"
"..."
"If you eat with the reins off like that, you'll get even fatter than now. Then you might not even be able to fly like now."
As Cheon Myeong said, Baekjo snorted as if it were ridiculous.
Was he saying that he might not be able to fly in the future?
What did he mean by that to him, a spiritual beast? Baekjo was sure that that would never happen, even if the sky were to split in two.
"Peep-peep."
"Hah... what do you mean, it's okay? You collapsed after flying for just two hours now."
"Peep-peep-peep."
"...You don't care if you can't fly?"
Was this guy really saying that?
Seeing that, it seemed that he had somehow forgotten the fact that he was a bird.
'I've been raising Baekjo wrong until now.'
Because he had raised it too indulgently, the child had become like this.
If it were to come to the point where it could not even fly anymore in this state... What would be the difference between Baekjo and a chicken?
No, it would be different.
Because it would be much plumper than an ordinary chicken, so there would be a lot of meat.
Although he had usually said jokingly that he would make Baekjo into a white chicken soup, for some reason, it seemed as if a white chicken soup were really shimmering in Baekjo's appearance.
Shake- shake-
Cheon Myeong, who shook his head violently and looked at Baekjo again.
Then, the white chicken soup that had been shimmering in front of his eyes disappeared, and Baekjo's appearance finally became clear again.
"Baekjo, let's lose some more weight than now and then eat to your heart's content. At that time, I'll give you as much as you want to eat, as promised. Of course, with top-grade beef."
"Peep-peep..."
"Even if you're hungry and tired, you have to do it. There is always a reward at the end of hardship."
"...Peep."
"Why do you have to lose weight... if you ask that..."
Cheon Myeong had nothing to say to Baekjo.
Because for Baekjo, eating would be the greatest happiness.
It seemed that there was a limit to continuing to force such a guy to exercise and not eat.
'...I can't help it.'
Since it has come to this, there is no choice but to use the last method.
Although he had wanted Baekjo to realize it on his own and exercise.
Since that seemed impossible, it seemed that it was time to take out what he had prepared for a time like this.
Swish-
At that moment, Cheon Myeong took something out of his bosom.
At that moment, Baekjo's beak, which reacted automatically.
The moment he saw the jerky in Cheon Myeong's hand, Baekjo drooled without realizing it.
"...!"
If it were the usual, Baekjo would not have even looked at that jerky.
However, due to the excessive exercise, Baekjo was now very hungry, and because of that, even that jerky looked very delicious in Baekjo's eyes.
"Peep!"
In the end, Baekjo, who could not endure its hunger, rushed at the jerky that Cheon Myeong was holding.
However, Cheon Myeong lightly turned his body and dodged Baekjo.
At the same time, his two hands, which were moving quickly.
Soon, the jerky disappeared from Cheon Myeong's hand.
Dangle-
The jerky that had disappeared from Cheon Myeong's hand was now floating in front of Baekjo's eyes.
Looking closely, something like a ring was attached to Baekjo's head, and the jerky was tied to a string and was hanging from the part that was sticking out from there.
"...!"
The jerky that seemed as if it would touch, but did not touch, barely.
Since the jerky was flying in front of its eyes at such a distance, Baekjo was on the verge of going crazy.
"Peep-peep-peep-peep-!"
In the end, Baekjo began to run around to catch the jerky that was shimmering in front of its eyes.
Since it still couldn't be caught, Baekjo soon began to fly.
And now, it was flying here and there in the sky without being told to.
'As expected, it's effective.'
Cheon Myeong watched him with great satisfaction.
If he made it move like that by using food, Baekjo's fat would also be lost on its own.
No matter how simple a guy he was, he had been wondering if this method would work, but it was a good thing that Baekjo was a much simpler guy than he had expected.
Swish-
It was then.
A presence that was approaching Cheon Myeong's side.
Cheon Myeong's gaze, which had been on Baekjo, was now directed at the place where the presence was felt.
"Young Master Cheon Myeong. You were here."
Saying that, Bang Gitae was approaching Cheon Myeong.
From the looks of it, it seemed that he had some business with Cheon Myeong.
Cheon Myeong seemed to be able to know what Bang Gitae would say to him.
"Is the Leader looking for me?"
"...How did you know?"
"Because in most cases until now, when you, the head of the hall, came to see me directly, it was because of that."
"..."
Was that so?
As Bang Gitae was thinking that in his mind, scratching his head, Cheon Myeong continued to speak.
"Let's go."
"Ah... yes."
It was then.
At the strange sound from somewhere, Bang Gitae turned his head to that side without realizing it.
Then, there, a strange creature was flying here and there in the sky.
'That is... the bird that Young Master Cheon Myeong is raising?'
Since its appearance was different from usual, Bang Gitae had noticed that fact rather late.
Because Bang Gitae had almost never seen Baekjo fly in the sky like that until now.
Moreover, the suspicious object attached to Baekjo's head... is that jerky?
Bang Gitae was getting more and more confused.
"Young Master Cheon Myeong... why is that bird doing that over there now?"
"It's exercising."
"...Pardon?"
"Don't mind it."
"..."
Even if he said not to mind it, he couldn't help but mind it.
Because Baekjo's appearance now could be said to be very bizarre.
However, as Cheon Myeong moved his steps first, Bang Gitae also had no choice but to take his eyes off Baekjo and follow him.
"Peep-peep-!"
The cry of a bird of prey towards the jerky.
At this moment, Baekjo's wildness, which had been hidden until now, was awakening.
Just for one piece of jerky.
After looking at that once, as if it were strange, Bang Gitae soon turned his head and followed Cheon Myeong again.
(End of Chapter)