Chapter 58 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: The Heavenly Demon and Shin Chaeyoung (1)
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A bustling alleyway behind the main street, in a certain hongeo restaurant.
Shin Chaeyoung sat in a quiet room equipped with floor seating, staring blankly at the side dishes placed next to the soju bottle.
On a large plate, steam rose gently from bossam pork and aged kimchi.
And beside it was a plate tinged gray. Looking closely, it was densely sliced gray chunks.
"Hmm."
Shin Chaeyoung wrinkled her nose, pointing at the large plate emitting an indescribably pungent smell.
"What's this?"
Then Nameless hopped down from the Heavenly Demon's shoulder and said,
[It's hongeo samhap. This place is one of the top-rated spots in the city, with over 1,300 reviews excluding those that seem like viral marketing...]
Ignoring Nameless's rambling explanation, Shin Chaeyoung said,
"Is this expensive food?"
[Yes. This Black Mountain hongeo samhap for two costs a whopping 100,000 won. That's about the price of fourteen standard meal sets.]
Shin Chaeyoung stared intently at Nameless's round, white face before picking up her chopsticks.
With a very serious expression, she placed a piece each of aged kimchi, bossam, and hongeo on them, took a deep breath, and put it in her mouth.
"Ugh."
The moment she chewed, Shin Chaeyoung's face twisted as if she'd been punched in the nose. Her increasingly distant gaze made it clear this was her first time eating hongeo.
"Eugh."
Frowning deeply, she still wrapped another piece of hongeo and ate it. Unable to watch any longer, Nameless said in a subtle tone,
[Doesn't suit your taste?]
"Yeah."
[I-is that so? Should I order something else?]
"No. Too expensive."
With an indifferent face, she filled her empty glass to the brim with soju.
"Hmm."
Watching Shin Chaeyoung force down the hongeo, the Heavenly Demon's gaze grew peculiar.
Before conquering the murim, the Heavenly Demon had met countless people. Among them were monks who had left the secular world, Taoists transcendent of life and death.
And a young swordswoman who not only possessed flower-like beauty but had also attained the Way of No-Mind.
'No wonder she seemed familiar. She looks just like that kid from the Sword Pavilion.'
The Sword Pavilion Master who dwelled solely in the way of the sword in the untouched solitude of absolute isolation. She had a mysterious aura like a veil of mist, and she resembled the Shin Chaeyoung before him like twins.
"Gulp."
Having forced down the hongeo samhap, Shin Chaeyoung downed the soju in her glass in one go. Staring at the empty glass, her gaze soon turned to the Heavenly Demon's red eyes.
"Why do you break the law, Uncle?"
"What nonsense."
"Why don't you register as an awakener when entering dungeons?"
"None of your business."
"I need to know."
The dim lighting of the hongeo restaurant, casting a yellowish glow, created deep shadows around Shin Chaeyoung's eyes.
"That's why I came today."
The word "today" grated. It sounded like a threat that she would come multiple times.
The Heavenly Demon, sitting like a stone statue with arms crossed, felt puzzled.
There was no curiosity in Shin Chaeyoung's eyes. Why was she prying into facts she clearly wasn't curious about?
"What a strange one."
Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon felt a spark of curiosity toward this impudent woman.
"Why ask about things you're not curious about?"
"Because my team is breaking the law because of you."
Shin Chaeyoung's eyes, fixed on the Heavenly Demon, were like a lake frozen in the north wind of midwinter.
Normally, the Heavenly Demon would never tolerate such a gaze. But for some reason, facing this small, skinny woman stirred an unfamiliar patience within him.
"My team knows you're sneaking into dungeons but looks the other way."
"Is that so."
"Is it true?"
"What about it."
The Heavenly Demon's expression showed no change as he listened. Watching him intently, Shin Chaeyoung spoke again.
"The reason you enter dungeons unregistered. Is it to secretly do good deeds?"
"You're mistaken."
The Heavenly Demon responded immediately.
"This Seat doesn't enter dungeons for such reasons."
"Then why do you enter dungeons?"
"None of your business."
The conversation went nowhere.
Shin Chaeyoung fixed him with a cold stare before opening her mouth.
"A while ago, I saw someone like you in a dungeon. Wearing a mask, sneaking in, treating people."
'She's talking about One Good Deed a Day.'
The yokai god who firmly believed in doing one good deed a day. As the Heavenly Demon narrowed his eyes, Shin Chaeyoung continued.
"For the first time in my life, I let an illegal entrant go. Just like how the team treats you."
Refilling her glass with soju, she said in a low voice,
"A lawbreaker is a lawbreaker. Those who break the law must be punished."
Her head bowed, Shin Chaeyoung's eyes were filled with turmoil. The Heavenly Demon, arms still crossed, said flatly,
"Break the law, receive punishment... Why receive punishment?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Slowly downing her soju, Shin Chaeyoung muttered like a sigh,
"Because it's the right thing."
The Heavenly Demon reached out, grabbed the soju bottle, and chugged it down in one go.
Then he picked up his chopsticks and methodically ate the remaining hongeo, bossam pork, and aged kimchi.
"You're wasting time."
Standing up, the Heavenly Demon placed Nameless on his shoulder and said flatly,
"Don't come seeking this Seat again."
As the Heavenly Demon opened the door to leave, Shin Chaeyoung muttered while staring into space,
"I haven't heard your answer yet."
"No answer is worth giving."
The Heavenly Demon looked down at Shin Chaeyoung with eyes full of contempt.
"You haven't attained the Way of No-Mind. Your soul's just lost. Or maybe you just want to live without thinking and need an excuse."
"What did you say?"
"For you, the law must be the measure of right and wrong."
"You're wrong. The law isn't about right and wrong—it's something that must be followed. Without law, the world would turn into hell."
"Hahaha!"
Laughing heartily, the Heavenly Demon said with a solemn expression,
"Who made the law? Is the righteous path good and the demonic bad? Who defines right and wrong?"
"That's sophistry. Everyone can judge right and wrong."
"You're wrong. Humans cannot judge right and wrong."
The Heavenly Demon looked down at Shin Chaeyoung with solemn eyes.
"What is good, and what is evil? When the Murim Alliance Leader Jeong The Heavenly Demon kills a demonic cultist, it's upholding justice. When this Seat kills a righteous faction member, they point fingers calling me a cruel demon."
Born in the worst environment, reaching the highest realm, walking the path of hegemony his entire life.
To him, always living on the edge of life and death, right and wrong were no different from dog farts.
"What are you trying to say?"
"Right and wrong don't actually exist. Humans merely judge according to their own beliefs."
It wasn't entirely wrong.
Cho Hong, Han Manjae, Yoo Eunho... They were upright people by any standard, yet they turned a blind eye to the Heavenly Demon's crimes.
Simply because they believed it was the right path.
"That's why people like you stagnate. Content with forcing yourselves to follow rules, bound by birth, aging, sickness, and death, living like worthless chess pieces."
Sneering, the Heavenly Demon turned away.
"Don't impose your man-made laws on this Seat. This Seat doesn't care for such laws."
"Then what are you, Uncle? Good? Or evil?"
"Neither exists."
Heading out, the Heavenly Demon glanced back.
"This Seat simply walks his own path."
With that, the Heavenly Demon slowly walked out.
Shin Chaeyoung watched his departing back with an unsettled expression.
"What was that, some middle school edgelord phase? He's definitely weird..."
The Heavenly Demon had spouted endless nonsense and sophistry before vanishing.
She realized his thought process was utterly different from ordinary people. No, it clashed entirely with the world's values.
"Can't touch someone who's not right in the head."
Even the law doesn't punish the insane. If he keeps that bizarre mindset without harming others, she should be grateful.
"Haa."
Letting out a deep sigh, Shin Chaeyoung slowly left the hongeo restaurant.
"Um, excuse me!"
Just then, a middle-aged woman in an apron hurried over to Shin Chaeyoung and held something out. The bill.
"You left without paying."
"..."
The furious Heavenly Demon had forgotten to settle up.
"He's definitely not right in the head."
Waves of turmoil rippled in Shin Chaeyoung's eyes, which usually maintained cold composure.
* * *
Vroom.
In front of the villa that served as the Special Response Team's base and situation room.
A silver large pickup truck emitting a loud exhaust noise pulled up. It was twice the size of Han Manjae's pickup—a monster truck.
Yoo Eunho, lounging in a camping chair in the front yard enjoying the breeze, spotted Cho Hong in the truck and ran over in surprise.
"Team leader. What's that truck?"
"You don't know this? Dungeon monster truck, M903."
Nicknamed the old nine-three, this truck used special paint and materials, designed to be safely driven even in dungeons that rejected modern tech intensely.
"I'm asking because I don't know cars. Wait... no way?"
As Yoo Eunho grinned widely, Cho Hong stepped out, shrugging.
"Right. We've been going all the way to the dungeon outskirts lately. So I got one. Can't keep running everywhere."
Yoo Eunho gaped at the gleaming silver pickup, caressing it.
"With what money? Lottery win?"
"Nah, used one."
"Even used, that's insane. How much?"
Dungeon gear is always pricey. Nanobots, suits, weapons—everything.
A used dungeon motorcycle alone fetched the price of a mid-size car.
"Ahem."
Cho Hong cleared her throat and winked.
"Bought it with the relic from that Ice Golem. Turned out to be super valuable."
"Wow. Team leader's gone rogue. You pocketed it?"
"Shut up. Reported to the Association, got recognized as found property—30% of the value."
"Fair enough. Doesn't matter. We have a team truck now."
Yoo Eunho grinned, stroking the hood.
"Being Association-affiliated rocks. With our own vehicle, no toll worries—just drive into dungeons freely."
Even with a dedicated vehicle, driving in dungeons cost a fortune. That's why even wealthy awakeners used porters.
Just then, Shin Chaeyoung, who had been on her computer inside, came out at the noise.
"What's going on?"
As the front door opened and Shin Chaeyoung walked out, Yoo Eunho shouted,
"Chaeyoung! See? Dungeon truck. Ours now."
Cho Hong smiled at Shin Chaeyoung.
"Chaeyoung. Give it a drive."
"Huh?"
"You hurt your leg in that Gigant Pep incident, remember?"
Shin Chaeyoung was a healer who could inject Healing Factor into others, but oddly, she struggled to heal her own injuries.
It was just a slight sprain, nothing major, but Cho Hong remembered.
"I'm fine now."
"Still, try it. You love chilling at Dungeon Rest Areas, right?"
Shin Chaeyoung's one hobby was sipping coffee and relaxing at Dungeon Rest Areas.
Knowing this well, Cho Hong beamed and held out the keys.
"Take it for a test drive."
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