Seo Daeryong followed me out, holding a dead crow with a look that clearly expressed his lack of understanding of the situation.

“Hang it over there.”

Seeing his doubtful expression, I spoke firmly.

“Hang it in the middle, where it’s clearly visible.”

I had Seo Daeryong hang the dead crow in the corridor, the one most frequented by the Demon Corps.

The news spread quickly, and the Demon Corps members began gathering. Some wore intrigued expressions, but most scowled and spat curses.

“What the hell is that?”

“Why the hell are we hanging a dead crow here?”

“Is this part of the investigation?”

“Damn those Yellow Spring Division bastards.”

“Ugh, I had a bad dream this morning.”

“Isn't that the perfect place to tear apart a body and hang it?”

Their uniforms bore markings indicating their respective divisions, so I could tell which group was cursing the most. The ones I almost clashed with earlier at the entrance seemed to be the ones most displeased.

Of course, they didn’t directly mention me, but since the insults towards the Yellow Spring Division were basically insults directed at me, I knew who they were really talking about.

Just as the atmosphere became tense, one person could no longer hold back.

“Isn't this a bit much?”

His voice echoed down the hallway.

“Who said that? Everyone here is equally ugly, aren’t they?”

With everyone frowning, a man stepped forward.

“It’s Grand Lord Jang Ho of the Three Great Lords.”

Jang Ho was the largest among the Demon Corps members. His muscle-bound body almost tore his uniform, and his long sword scar across his face made him appear menacing to anyone who looked at him.

Seo Daeryong’s voice transmission came quickly.

Indeed, Jang Ho’s presence was overwhelming among the people there.

“What exactly is your issue with this?”

“Do I really need to explain? Why hang such an ominous thing in the path where people walk?”

“Isn’t it better than just throwing it on the bed?”

“Don’t bother ruining someone’s mood and just punish whoever did this.”

I stared quietly at Jang Ho. He showed no sign of backing down. The immense demonic energy he emitted pressured both me and Seo Daeryong. In that moment, I could barely breathe, and his overwhelming presence truly matched the reputation he had earned as the strongest among the Grand Lords.

“You make a good point. Seo Daeryong, take it down.”

“Yes.”

Seo Daeryong removed the crow from its hanging place, and the Demon Corps members watching openly mocked us.

“Afraid, are we?”

“Some people only listen to force.”

“Do they even know where they are causing trouble?”

Ignoring their crude insults and mocking laughter, I returned to the room.

As soon as we entered, Seo Daeryong asked.

“Why did you have me hang a dead crow if you were going to take it down so easily?”

He seemed a bit embarrassed, his face flushed with frustration.

“I wanted to find out who sent the petition.”

He looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Did you find out?”

“Yep.”

“Really?”

His eyes widened in surprise at my unexpected answer.

“How?”

I glanced at the crow.

“Thanks to this little guy. Now go out and bury it properly.”

The next day, the investigation began in earnest.

I gathered the Three Great Lords of the Demon Corps. Since Jang Ho had been the first to speak up about the crow incident, his discontent was only natural.

“What is this nonsense?”

“What nonsense? Haven’t you heard that I’m here to investigate?”

“Then why not start with the First Division and come to us Three Great Lords last?”

“That’s my choice.”

“You’re holding a grudge from yesterday, aren’t you?”

“What happened yesterday?”

Jang Ho bit his lip and glared at me.

“You will submit all your records. Not just recent activities, but even your business dealings will be investigated.”

At my words, the Three Great Lords of the Demon Corps began murmuring among themselves. Even an ordinary person would have their secrets exposed if you deliberately looked hard enough, and here we were with the Demon Corps. To add a bit of exaggeration, the most righteous person here would be the head of some small town’s black market.

Jang Ho shouted loudly.

“You can’t possibly do this!”

“I can.”

Bang!

Jang Ho slammed his hand down on the desk in front of me, shattering it.

“Hey, get excited all you want, but don’t forget that rebellion is a serious crime.”

The mention of rebellion made a few of the Three Great Lords rush in to stop him.

“Calm down, Grand Lord.”

“He’s not someone to deal with lightly.”

I further provoked Jang Ho.

“We’ll start with you, Grand Lord.”

“Fine! Let’s settle this face-to-face! Everyone else, leave!”

A whirl of demonic energy surrounded Jang Ho.

His subordinates tried to calm him down.

“Grand Lord! You mustn’t let your emotions get the better of you.”

“Don’t worry, just step outside.”

“Yes.”

His subordinates glared at me with fury before leaving the room. It was clear they followed him with unwavering loyalty.

Once they were gone, Jang Ho spoke coldly.

“You’ll regret treating me like this.”

The scar on his face twisted even more grotesquely.

I stared at Jang Ho and lowered my voice.

“How long are you going to test me?”

Jang Ho flinched in surprise.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re the one who sent the petition, aren’t you?”

For a moment, Jang Ho’s eyes trembled.

“What are you saying?”

He wasn’t a good liar. As his eyes wavered and his voice trembled, he quickly confessed.

“How did you know?”

His once aggressive tone now softened, as though he had become a different person.

“You stepped in yesterday when you didn’t need to. I think you did that to avoid suspicion from the Demon Lords.”

“That’s right.”

“Also, your Three Great Lords are the most disciplined. When we hung the crow, only your subordinates didn’t curse or mock it. And just now, ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) when they stepped forward to show concern for you. When you operate an organization like this, you can’t just ignore corruption within it.”

Actually, this wasn’t how I figured it out.

I had realized Jang Ho was the one who sent the petition thanks to a transmission from Seo Daeryong when Jang Ho first appeared.

The moment I heard that transmission, I recalled an event from before my regression.

There had been a time when a Demon Lord was killed. The reason it stood out was that this Demon Lord was considered the strongest among them. I wondered why such a powerful person had died. That thought had lingered in my mind.

I was certain that the person who died was Jang Ho. The one who sent the petition and tried to resolve the Demon Corps problem had ultimately been killed by someone inside the Demon Corps.

And, just as I had suspected, the one who sent the petition was indeed Jang Ho.

“The petition didn’t give detailed information because I didn’t know if it would work properly.”

He was also suspicious that the Yellow Spring Division might be under the influence of Blood Heaven Butcher.

“But I never imagined that this young master would come out for the investigation.”

“Did you think I wouldn’t?”

“To be honest, I thought you were finished.”

I turned to Seo Daeryong and said.

“Is honesty a trend among the younger generation these days?”

“You’re younger than us, though.”

“Oh, right.”

After a brief smile, I asked Jang Ho.

“Exactly what’s going on here?”

“Lord Demon is using the Demon Corps for personal gain.”

“How?”

Jang Ho explained the inner workings of this event, which was far worse than I had expected.

“He’s paying for assassinations and sending subordinates under the guise of vacation or special training.”

“What?”

Even I, who was hard to surprise, was shocked. I had assumed he was just taking bribes from regional sects. But no, this was something far worse.

The Demon Corps were powerful, so they wouldn’t be moved by a small sum. They were likely making enormous amounts of money from this.

Seo Daeryong asked in disbelief.

“How is that even possible?”

“They use vacations, or they send people under the pretext of special training.”

“Even so, I don’t get it.”

Unlike Seo Daeryong, I quickly realized how this was possible.

“The entire First Division is involved.”

“How did you know?”

When I deduced it instantly, Jang Ho was taken aback.

“They were the first to block us. They were the ones who cursed the most when the crow was hung. When something happens, they move quickly and in unison. Didn’t I tell you? If you see one thing, you know ten. Just look at the First Lord. If you understand that, you’ll know how I figured it out.”

“The investigator who was killed in the previous investigation was my friend. He was the one who sent the petition.”

“So, he didn’t commit suicide, but was made to do so.”

“That’s right. He told me about the petition a few days before he died.”

Before my regression, I hadn’t known about this incident. I only knew that Jang Ho had died. In the end, this event had been buried without anyone uncovering the truth.

“How close were you two?”

“We joined the sect together. He was like family.”

“Why didn’t you reveal it back then?”

“After they killed my friend and the investigator, they tightened the internal surveillance so strictly, we couldn’t breathe properly.”

“Who killed them?”

“The Demon Lord ordered it, and I think the First Lord, Go Dang, personally acted.”

If Jang Ho was telling the truth, this was an enormous corruption case involving the Demon Lord and the entire First Division. On top of that, the murder of an investigator. This was the largest crime in the history of the sect.

Would Father and Sima Myeong have been unaware of it?

They must have had some inkling. That’s why they sent me.

They likely wanted to test whether I could handle the Demon Lord and resolve the situation. Even though I could die, just thinking about it… it was too much.

Father, the saying that a tiger throws its cub off a cliff to raise it strong isn’t true. When the cub falls, it runs down with its quick legs and brings it back up!

I looked at Jang Ho.

“You had a good friend.”

“He was a good friend. If I had been a good friend, I would have stepped up when he died.”

“That’s a foolish friend.”

Not all Demon Corps members were trash.

Seo Daeryong, who had been watching, seemed deeply moved. The investigator who had died in the previous investigation was also a senior he respected.

Both of them were mourning the loss of someone close to them due to that incident.

I looked at the two of them and felt that there was still hope for the Demon Path I had lost. The Heavenly Demon Sect I wanted was a place where these people could take on important roles.

“Thank you for your courage.”

“After seeing you figure it out all at once, I decided to trust you, Young Master.”

“That was a good choice. By the way, is there anything problematic if I dig through your battle records?”

“No. Even if you go through it all, nothing will come up.”

“Everyone has their dust. What you think isn’t dust can be turned into dust. But don’t worry, I won’t dig that deep.”

I opened the door and left. The subordinates of the Three Lords were waiting outside.

“Grand Lord Jang Ho has agreed to release all records on your behalf. You may go back now.”

Jang Ho shouted in response, playing along with my act.

“We’ll see! If I’m innocent, I won’t let this slide!”

There was gratitude in his eyes. By having me speak on behalf of his subordinates, it strengthened their trust in him. The Jang Ho of the past had died, but the Jang Ho of today would not die.

Saving the one who should not die—that was the purpose of my regression.

As I closed the door, Seo Daeryong said to me.

“You’re much different than the rumors said.”

“What did the rumors say?”

“Just…”

“Just tell me honestly. You’re spreading the rumors, right? It’s not your own opinion.”

“They say you don’t suit the Heavenly Demon.”

“I’m fine with that.”

“It’s just... sorry.”

“It’s alright. Maybe it’s a compliment?”

“A compliment?”

“Do you think being suited for the Heavenly Demon is a compliment? I don’t think so. I believe ruling this sect with fear and terror is an outdated idea. It’s time for this sect to change.”

As I spoke of change, there was a flicker in Seo Daeryong’s gaze. But he soon spoke with a somber tone.

“Change isn’t as easy as you think.”

“That’s true. It’s not easy.”

“If you become the Heavenly Demon, will you try to change the sect?”

“Of course.”

“If it doesn’t change, our family will be destroyed, and this sect will remain closed. The result will only be waiting.”

But instead of speaking that thought, I said something else.

“Honestly, I’d rather travel through the Central Plains and have some fun than become the Heavenly Demon.”

In a way, this was partly true. Once I kill Hwa Mugi, I plan to travel the Central Plains and enjoy myself thoroughly.

“Everyone is selling their souls to become the Heavenly Demon…”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“I won’t deny it.”

“You’re just a power-oriented person.”

“Me?”

He blinked, surprised, and I suddenly asked.

“Do you feel happy when you help others?”

“…No.”

“Do you feel happy when you get promoted?”

“…Yes.”

Seo Daeryong sighed and muttered self-deprecatingly.

“Ah, I’m a power-oriented person, aren’t I?”

“We all have different conditions for happiness. Some people find it in money or power. Some in peaceful lives. Others in righteousness.”

“Do you think it’s possible to live by practicing righteousness and find happiness?”

“Does it seem fake?”

“Yes.”

In my previous life, I met a person who was so selfish that they disguised themselves in the form of righteousness. They were the type to deceive themselves to hide their selfishness. And in the end, they deceived themselves into believing they were walking the righteous path.

When I saw people like that, it was uncomfortable, but I didn’t blame them. It was just their way of living.

“There are many people in this martial world who truly live by righteousness. People too big for you or me to measure with hearts as small as our soy sauce dishes.”

Seo Daeryong stared at me for a moment before sighing.

“Since I’m a power-oriented person… I don’t really understand.”

I smiled a little at Seo Daeryong. Maybe people my age would see him differently, but to me, this side of him seemed rather cute.

“Enough with the self-reflection. Go dig up the records on Jang Ho. As I said, don’t dig too deep. And bring more Yellow Spring Division investigators. We’re setting the stage for a large-scale investigation from now on.”

“Understood.”

I stood by the window and looked outside. At that moment, I saw the Demon Lord standing at the window of the building across, looking this way. Our eyes met, but I pretended not to notice.

What I was looking at wasn’t the insignificant figure before me, but the Heavenly Demon War far off in the distance.