The next day, when I entered the Yellow Spring Division office, Seo Daeryong was already waiting.

He sighed with relief as soon as he saw me.

“You’re safe.”

“Why? Were you worried I’d drown in Chima’s liquor and die?”

“You don’t drink well, do you?”

“I’m good ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ at drinking. I just had to be careful when drinking with you guys.”

“Why?”

“Afraid I’d get drunk and cause trouble.”

“Does the Division Leader get drunk?”

“I do.”

“What kind of trouble?”

That was something I couldn’t tell Seo Daeryong. I’d sunk into a deep depression and despair. If I hadn’t met Seo Jin during my wanderer days, I would’ve become a wreck from drinking or would have gone drunk to kill Hwa Mugi—never meeting him and instead dying at the hands of his supporters.

I twisted my own troubles into a joke.

“Drinking, singing, dancing—a real ruckus.”

“Can’t imagine that!”

“Even nagging my right hand a lot.”

“I don’t want to imagine that.”

“Now do you get why I restrain myself from drinking?”

“No, drink on! Let loose in front of us. You’ve got to release your anger. This right hand will take half the nagging!”

I suddenly remembered the first time I met Seo Daeryong—how he entered my room with a gloomy aura. He was truly gloomy and twisted then, but now he was comforting me like that.

“We’re meeting again tonight. You should come. Lord Jang wants to see you.”

“All right. See you tonight.”

“I’ll just water the flowers by the window and leave.”

Seo Daeryong watered the plant by the window.

“Now that the number one is back, you’re number two.”

“What do you mean?”

“The number one has hidden worries.”

At that moment, Seo Daeryong, who was casually looking out the window, suddenly gasped in surprise.

I went to see and found someone entering the Yellow Spring Division. Like when Geugak Soma crossed the martial arts ground before, another Ma Jon was walking in.

Everyone recognized who it was. The liquor bottle dangling from his waist gave away his identity.

Surprisingly, it was Chima entering the Yellow Spring Division. Behind him followed a woman—the top three drunkard Yeobin from Dae Chirim, who had rowed the boat for me.

At Chima’s arrival, investigators and execution officers passing by held their breath.

Since becoming the Division Leader, I had been seeing Ma Jons here more frequently than ever before.

Seo Daeryong looked at me and asked,

“How is it that when you go meet Ma Jons, they come looking for you here? What did you do yesterday?”

“Maybe the drink wasn’t enough.”

“He’s staggering as he walks.”

Even from afar, it was clear he was drunk. Chima had been drunk all day.

“Go greet the guest.”

Soon after, with Seo Daeryong’s guidance, Chima and Yeobin entered.

“Welcome, Chima.”

“Seeing you again, young master.”

He greeted me familiarly, even using the term “our.”

“After drinking together yesterday, shouldn’t it have been a few days before meeting again?”

“Today, I came on official business.”

“Are you here to see Doho?”

“Indeed. Though he caused trouble, he’s still my man. I must see him once before sending him to the brain prison.”

It was a reason I hadn’t expected.

“I’m not the one seeing him; this person is.”

“Fine.”

I told Seo Daeryong,

“Guide Doho to him.”

“Understood.”

Seo Daeryong took Yeobin outside.

Left alone with Chima, I asked,

“You seemed very drunk yesterday. How’s your stomach?”

“Not good. Let’s have a hangover drink.”

Chima shook the bottle.

“I’m still working, so no.”

“Didn’t I say things go better when you drink? Drink and send everyone to the brain prison!”

“Wouldn’t that be the cause of Doho’s trouble? Luckily, I’m the only one dead. The problem is innocent people dying.”

“What about Doho?”

“He’ll be locked in the brain prison for a very long time, likely the maximum sentence.”

“Must be hard without alcohol.”

“Then he shouldn’t have caused trouble. But did you really come because of Doho?”

“That’s just an excuse. Forgot? We promised to be sworn brothers.”

Since yesterday, he had said “sworn brothers” three times. His eyes were serious, and it almost seemed he meant it sincerely. But I didn’t trust either his words or his gaze.

The drunks I’d known were only truly sincere and serious when drunk—almost to an unbelievable degree.

But once the drinking session ended, it was clear those talks weren’t important. There were many lies and boastful exaggerations. His heart was empty, masked by all sorts of stories.

Chima, what about you? Are you the same? Standing precariously at the edge of that empty void? Just the ultimate leader of the drunks? Or if not... why are you so drunk?

“Why do you want to get close to me?”

“Probably more because you dislike the young master. You broke my bottle and sent it back; now you must pay.”

“Why did you break the bottle? You must have known I’d be upset.”

“How would I know? Maybe if we had a drink together, I’d understand.”

“Do you understand people better when drunk?”

“I do.”

“What kind of person am I?”

He looked at me, but his drunken eyes made it hard to read his mind.

“That evaluation means nothing. Yesterday’s you and today’s you are different people.”

“How can a person change in one day? I’m the same person.”

“Are you sure? Does yesterday’s you see me the same as today’s you?”

He didn’t answer. Having heard Blood Heaven Butcher call Chima sly, strictly speaking, it’s unlikely they see him the same way.

“So today we drink again. Another us, another day drinking. Let’s make another history.”

Yes, if fate pushes me to drink with you, then let’s drink again.

“We’ll drink tonight at the tavern. Come there. But bring that female guard who came with you.”

The intent was to watch Chima through Yeobin and prevent him from dominating the mood alone.

“Good, I’ll bring her.”

Chima seemed genuinely happy when the drinking plan was set. Was it the alcohol? Or the drinking session with me? I couldn’t tell.

Then the door opened and Seo Daeryong and Yeobin returned.

Chima stood up.

“See you later.”

“Just a heads-up, there’s nowhere to swim in the tavern.”

That was a warning not to cause trouble. But Chima, lost in his cup, mimicked swimming as he left the office.

After they left, Seo Daeryong urgently asked,

“What’s going on?”

“Told him to come to the tavern. Bring Yeobin too.”

“Why?”

“He said he wanted to drink.”

“Don’t you worry about the Division Leader?”

“Who should I worry about? The Demon Corps Lord? Blood Heaven Butcher’s disciple? My guard Ian? Who should I worry about?”

“Since you say that... I guess there’s really no one to worry about.”

“Scared? If you’re scared, don’t come.”

Seo Daeryong sighed.

“As you know, I’m the type who never gives in to provocation. The old me would have backed off to the door and waved goodbye, since my guts were the size of a bean.”

“And now?”

“That bean has swelled and popped out of my belly. It’s only the size of a walnut, but I feel like I could drink and duel with Chima now. Confidence in martial arts brings foolish arrogance—the perfect time to die.”

“I know everything already. No need to teach me. Just descend now.”

“The old me would have taken your words as a farewell to this world. I’d have grabbed your pants to not go down. But now? Guess what? What is the martial world? What is Chima? Just fight like a man. Worst case, you die. I’m feeling crazy like that. Please stop me. Am I possessed?”

Though joking, Seo Daeryong was aware of his own arrogance and warned himself. That’s why smart people survive longer.

“What did Yeobin and Doho talk about in the interrogation room?”

“Not much. Yeobin asked Doho if she could give him a drink, checked for poison, then gave it.”

Was it the custom of Dae Chirim? Or did the liquor have other meanings?

Just then, a hurried report came from outside.

“Division Leader, Doho committed suicide.”

Startled, Seo Daeryong and I rushed to the interrogation room. Doho lay on the floor with a cracked skull.

“He killed himself by smashing his head against the wall.”

The subordinate guarding him reported, and Seo Daeryong blamed himself.

“Should I have stopped him from drinking?”

I shook my head.

“Not the liquor, but Yeobin must have sent a secret message telling him to die.”

“Why order him to die? He’ll suffer long in the brain prison anyway.”

I suddenly recalled what Chima said.

It must be hard to live without liquor.

Did they really kill him to relieve his suffering?

“Will you still come tonight?”

Seo Daeryong looked angry, probably feeling like he’d guided an assassin.

“I will. What is the martial world? What is Chima? Worst case, death. Don’t stop me.”

That’s why smart people sometimes die sooner.

“I think you’re possessed.”

Before going to the tavern, I went to see my brother.

When I entered his office, he was hard at work.

Being descended from the Heavenly Demon bloodline meant no slacking. Just as I took charge of the Yellow Spring Division, my brother was handling affairs from the Heavenly Demon War.

The massive Heavenly Demon Sect required many people to manage their duties, and my brother excelled at organizing and running the group.

Even though he knew I had entered, Geommuyang didn’t lift his head from the towering stack of papers.

“How have you been? That pile of papers doesn’t say to greet visitors first, does it?”

He ignored me and focused on work.

“Right, since you’re someone who handles multiple tasks well, keep working while I talk. Why did you reject Chima? Even after he sent the broken bottle?”

Geommuyang’s hand paused briefly, then moved again.

“I went to him with a bottle full of liquor. He really liked it. But he was angry with you.”

I watched his reactions carefully, reading his face and body with Divine Eye Technique. He thought he showed no reaction, but there were subtle signs.

“Do you know what Chima said about you?”

Geommuyang finally looked up.

“You’re curious.”

“What did he say?”

“Ask him yourself. Ah, maybe he won’t meet you.”

I noticed his lips quivered slightly. He wanted to say something but held back.

“There’s no reason for him to reject you. Even if there was, he’d have accepted you anyway. There’s something going on here.”

Geommuyang’s reaction strengthened my conviction.

“I got Chima for free thanks to you. He came looking for me today too, wanting to get close. We’re even drinking tonight.”

Geommuyang looked back to his papers.

“If you’re done talking, go.”

If he teased me like that, he would have followed with a cold remark. But he held back until the end, like the bottle would break if he said one more word.

That reaction alone was enough to fulfill today’s purpose.

A while after Geommuyang left, Mabul entered.

“I heard young master came.”

“He came to probe. Wanted to know why we rejected Chima.”

“Did you know about the bottle?”

“No, it seemed we didn’t.”

Then a surprising revelation came from Mabul.

“Then young master should remain unaware. It wasn’t us who rejected him, but Chima who rejected us.”

Originally, the broken bottle wasn’t sent by Geommuyang but by Chima. The empty bottle Chima sent Geommuyang was broken.

Geommuyang took that as a refusal from Chima to join forces.

“Why did Chima choose Muguk? He could have swung between us and Muguk, weighing his options.”

“I don’t know either.”

“We must find out why and make Chima ours.”

“No need to rush.”

Mabul saw this as an opportunity.

“Chima is unpredictable. If he stirs things up, even young master won’t easily handle him. Blood Heaven Butcher and Geugak Soma dislike each other, but both hate Chima more. Eventually, the Ma Jons young master gathered will split. If we get Chima, we’ll lose someone else among the Ma Jons. Perhaps we’ll lose all three.”

Mabul’s eyes shone with conviction, just like his golden body.

“It’s a chance to overturn a losing game.”

Geommuyang held back words he wanted to say.

‘What if, smoothly, Chima even joins Muguk?’

But once you receive a broken bottle, you have no choice.

One only hopes Chima will cause more trouble than expected.