“Won’t you move? You damn bitch!”

Yeobulgae went mad, starting to beat relentlessly. The middle-aged woman, despite taking the blows, shielded another woman. It wasn’t just about satisfying lust—Yeobulgae tormented her so pervertedly that she couldn’t bear it and stepped forward to help. Having suffered the same herself, she knew all too well how painful and humiliating it was.

Yeobulgae grabbed the woman’s hair and flung her backward. Though called the King of Night, when enraged, he was nothing more than a wild brute. No, it would have been better if he were just a savage, but Yeobulgae was obsessively cruel.

“Excellent, excellent. An old hag has to play a role like this just to survive among you, huh?”

Yeobulgae infused his energy to inflict pain on the woman’s body.

“Ahhhhh!”

The woman screamed in unbearable pain.

“You must endure! You volunteered to sacrifice yourself, didn’t you? Were you only pretending to resist?”

The younger woman she tried to protect stepped forward, pleading.

“I’ll do it! I’ll do it! Please stop!”

Tears streamed down her face. The watching women bowed their heads and wept.

Their inability to move against Yeobulgae wasn’t just because they were captured.

Yeobulgae threatened their families’ lives. There were children, siblings, and parents. Whether they resisted, ran away, or committed suicide, he threatened to find and kill their families. He even brought the family of a woman who fled and brutally killed them before her eyes.

What saddened them most was their gradual adaptation to this humiliating, beastly reality.

“You are nothing but flesh that exists for me. How can flesh protect anyone?”

The middle-aged woman squeezed her eyes shut, tears flowing. She thought daily that she wished she were dead but couldn’t because of her son. If she killed herself, he would bring her son as an example and kill him in front of the women.

‘Please! Save us!’

The woman’s desperate gaze turned toward the deep blue sky outside the window.

‘Please!’

At that moment, a subordinate reported from outside.

“The Black and White Twin Swords and Cheonha Ruju have arrived.”

Yeobulgae hurriedly opened the door and stepped out as if he had been waiting.

Cheonha Ruju entered the large courtyard. Behind her walked the Black and White Twin Swords, wearing death caps. Of course, they were Geom Mugeuk and Geukak Soma.

They had anticipated various obstacles upon entering. Geom Mugeuk had prepared to rely on quick wit, but surprisingly, it was too easy.

One of the warriors guarding the entrance guided them here as if it had always been so. Since it wasn’t the first time the Black and White Twin Swords brought women, no one suspected they were fake. Also, the real Black and White Twin Swords were so terrifying that no one dared even to look at them, much less investigate.

So they comfortably reached right in front of Yeobulgae.

The moment Yeobulgae saw Cheonha Ruju, he exclaimed in admiration.

“Oh! You’re killing it!”

He liked Cheonha Ruju’s presence—noble yet proud. Breaking that pride and making her his slave was the greatest pleasure in the world.

He reentered the room, then dragged the middle-aged woman’s hair and flung her outside without mercy.

“See? A beauty like her is coming here. Even if you lick my toes all day, it wouldn’t be enough—who’s protecting whom?”

Yeobulgae had no intention of flattering Cheonha Ruju. Rather, he aimed to instill fear.

He threw the door wide open, revealing his palace of debauchery—hell to the women. Women kneeling, women sprawled in corners, women lying on beds, all looked up at Cheonha Ruju.

“They’re all women who once ran gisaeng houses like you.”

Cheonha Ruju’s expression stiffened. Usually calm, she now showed genuine anger.

“You! Not only did you steal their gisaeng houses, but you try to steal their souls too.”

Yeobulgae laughed with satisfaction.

“Your words are so refined! I like you. I will love you the most!”

The women inside gave her pitying looks.

Cheonha Ruju spoke in a calm tone.

“I’m good at seeing people’s futures.”

It was one of those moments when a truly angry person becomes even calmer.

“Can you see my future too?”

“You will be skinned alive, skewered, and thrown into the fires of the Hell of Endless Torment.”

She described falling into Muganjigok, said to be the most painful hell.

Yeobulgae’s expression hardened for a moment, then he laughed nonchalantly.

“Even the King of Flames in hell wouldn’t accept me. Hell would get dirty.”

He repeated his usual words and mocked Cheonha Ruju.

“Weaklings always yammer about hell. So you enjoy imagining me burning in hell?”

“You’re a coward. You pretend to be brave, but you fear death more than anyone.”

“The women over there were all like you at first. Proud, loud-mouthed. They didn’t know what I’d become in an hour, what pleas they’d make. You think, ‘No way I’d end up like that,’ or that someone will come save you? That’s how people are. They don’t see an inch ahead.”

Then a situation unfolded where no one saw an inch ahead.

Hwangyeom appeared with his masters, blocking Yeobulgae and guarding him.

“Who are you?”

Hwangyeom coldly asked Cheonha Ruju.

Only then did Yeobulgae realize they were the fake Black and White Twin Swords. He had been too captivated by Cheonha Ruju’s appearance to inspect them carefully.

“Fakes? You crazy bastards!”

Realizing he’d almost been fooled made Yeobulgae’s heart sink, and anger flared to the top. He quickly regained composure.

Snapping his fingers, Yeobulgae summoned the women in the room. They poured out and knelt, pressing their chests to the floor.

Yeobulgae sat on them as if they were chairs. Not because he needed a seat or to show authority, but to have hostages if necessary. That was Yeobulgae.

“If they’re fakes, then he must be fake too.”

“Does it matter if I’m Cheonha Ruju or not?”

“Of course it matters. Beautiful women are everywhere, but the master of my territory is only one.”

“I am the real Cheonha Ruju.”

Yeobulgae thought that was true. Women capable of such an aura were rare.

“The dumb Black and White Twin Swords must be dead by now.”

“My pillar husband isn’t ordinary.”

She laughed at her own words. Yeobulgae’s passion flared at her laugh—it was his type. Despite seeing countless women, she was the first who attracted him like this.

His gaze turned to the Black and White Twin Swords.

‘So they came believing those fools.’

They looked unimpressive at first glance.

“If you’re the real Cheonha Ruju, why are you here?”

“I heard you were looking for me.”

“How is it?”

“Ugly, worthless, pathetic. I came for nothing.”

Yeobulgae’s expression froze cold.

“I don’t know what you believed coming to me and causing this mess, but if you thought the Black and White Twin Swords were all my subordinates, you made a huge mistake.”

Yeobulgae was not afraid. Or rather, he wanted to be but could not.

First, three subordinates standing to his left were the Black Night Three Ravens (Heugya Sam-o). They were his longtime followers, far stronger than the Black and White Twin Swords. Next to them was a tall spear-wielding man, the spear master Hyeolmyeongchang. With these four and the Black and White Twin Swords, six masters made Yeobulgae the King of Night.

But today, there were more. Because Jisaeng and Aecha had died, other masters were brought in from outside. The Evil Shadow Five Warriors (Agyeong Osa), notorious even among the Sapa faction, were hired for big money. Though not witnessed fighting, their reputation was fearsome.

And most importantly, there were the most reliable ones.

A man and woman sitting on a rock before the flower garden. Both wore bizarre makeup, making it hard to tell who was male or female.

They were the Yin and Yang Ghosts.

These demons used strange sorcery to absorb opponents’ internal energy. Naturally, the male Yang Ghost absorbed women’s yin energy, and the female Yin Ghost absorbed men’s yang energy.

They loved fighting as much as absorbing energy. Their internal power was so great that many masters were mercilessly ravaged and died drained.

Moreover, their personalities were cruel and violent, slaughtering entire families or groups if displeased. Even the Sado Maeng disliked using them due to the trouble they caused. Yet in this situation, they were the most trustworthy.

So who was there to fear? Yeobulgae was supremely confident.

“So you’re mad that I’m taking you and came personally for revenge?”

Yeobulgae grew sexually excited. Hwangyeom felt an unknown unease but, having nearly died intervening in women’s affairs before, never interfered again. When it came to women, it was a strictly forbidden territory.

Cheonha Ruju spoke instead to the women lying on the floor.

“Everyone, close your eyes. When you open them again, you will be able to go home.”

The women’s pupils flickered.

Looking at Cheonha Ruju’s calm and gentle gaze, they truly believed it. They all closed their eyes and prayed to the sky, begging to be allowed to return.

That only made the old lecher more lustful.

“What a charming old hag.”

Yeobulgae said to the Evil Shadow Five Warriors.

“Five heroes, kill these imposters and prove your worth.”

In other words, do your job.

As the Evil Shadow Five Warriors stepped forward, Geom Mugeuk stepped out. While Cheonha Ruju talked with Yeobulgae to buy time, Geom Mugeuk and Geukak Soma planned via silent communication how to fight, how to protect Cheonha Ruju, and how to save the women.

Yeobulgae asked Geom Mugeuk,

“If that’s your pillar husband, then what are you?”

Geom Mugeuk replied,

“I’m his pillar husband’s friend.”

The gathered warriors burst out laughing. None of them showed tension.

“No matter how close a friend you are, why follow him all the way to hell?”

“I like that pillar too. He’s the pillar of my life.”

Though hidden beneath the death cap, Geukak Soma’s eyes shone brightly.

Yeobulgae sensed an ominous feeling from Geom Mugeuk’s ease. So he ordered louder and stronger,

“Break all those damned pillars!”

The moment Yeobulgae gave the command, the Evil Shadow Five Warriors drew their swords.

Geom Mugeuk walked toward them leisurely, as if on a stroll.

He lightly dodged the first attacks from the three warriors, then punched one in the abdomen.

With a thud, the warrior collapsed, and twisting his body, Geom Mugeuk punched another warrior in the face who was stabbing him from the side.

He dodged lightly, tapped lightly.

To the onlookers, it looked like a suspicious fight.

The fourth warrior jumped to attack because the third was down, but Geom Mugeuk had anticipated this.

Leaning back, Geom Mugeuk lightly stabbed the spear into the fourth’s heart.

The pierced warrior flew forward. The fifth warrior shielded him, so the first warrior dodged and avoided.

But Geom Mugeuk’s fist struck the first warrior’s chest as expected. The first collapsed, and as Geom Mugeuk turned, the fifth clutched his neck and fell, pierced by an unknown dagger.

Geom Mugeuk combined the techniques of Kwonma’s fist style, Pungsin Sabo, and Bido technique to fight them. His supreme martial spirit was so great it was hard to recognize.

There were no complicated moves or flashy footwork. Just fast and precise movements. No effort apparent.

Thus, to everyone’s eyes, it looked like a staged act to fall easily. Even punches seemed light, but they couldn’t get up.

Yeobulgae was confused. The Evil Shadow Five Warriors looked like amateurs, but their opponent seemed like a master. It was the first fight like this.

The Yin and Yang Ghosts judged the fight most accurately.

They smiled at each other. # Nоvеlight # They immediately recognized Geom Mugeuk as a formidable opponent and were eager to taste his internal energy.

At that moment—

Bang! Crackling thunder!

Thunder sounded from the sky. Dark clouds gathered, threatening rain.

Geukak Soma slowly stepped out and stood beside Geom Mugeuk. A flash of light revealed the white mask beneath his death cap glowing brightly. Geom Mugeuk knew how furious Geukak Soma was at Yeobulgae.

“You pathetic old lecher.”

Geukak Soma spoke for the first time since arriving here. Not wanting to speak even one word with Yeobulgae, his following words were the last necessary ones.

“You keep yammering about hell—I’ll send you there for real.”