BXBX NOVEL Chapter 282: Competitor (2)
“Oh, bookkeeper…!”
He was the brain of their clan, who mastered everything and interpreted all their principles. He was also the person who gave Cheon-ma the wrong knowledge about love.
“Hmmm.”
Was Yoon-seok’s reaction surprising? Demon Brain smoothed his beard with a peculiar expression.
“I heard that you’re not familiar with the sect itself, but I guess you know my name?”
He seemed very happy Yoon-seok recognized him.
“Yes, I know. I’ve always wanted to meet you in person.”
To be exact, Yoon-seok swore at the time. If they met, he would strangle and throw him down. Well, that was how annoyed he was; he couldn’t do that.
“Hoho. Contrary to the rumors, the Co-Sect Leader seems interested in our sect, so I am relieved.”
The Demon Brain, who first eyed him sternly, burst into a great laugh. Yoon-seok quietly shifted his gaze to Cheon-ma. Why did she bring him here? Considering how he detected no magic, he wasn’t a warrior, let alone a challenger.
—Why did you bring this person here?
When he asked using sonic casting, an immediate reply returned.
—Why would you think I wanted to? He kept insisting that he wanted to meet you.
—…He said he wanted to meet me?
Taking his eyes off Cheon-ma, Yoon-seok squinted.
‘Somehow, I don’t feel good about this.’
Maybe it was because of the strict eyes he witnessed at first. This old man, smiling while looking at him, somehow felt iffy.
“…Then I will return to the Tower and prepare for the day as the Co-Sect Leader mentioned.”
Realizing he shouldn’t stay here any longer, Shama Liu read the room and left. The Demon Brain said sneakily.
“Co-Sect Leader, do you mind if I ask a question?”
As expected, he didn’t just come to meet him. Was he here to tell him that he couldn’t acknowledge an Earth challenger as Co-Sect Leader or something like that? Not everyone thinks they are equal. In addition, wasn’t this old man taking over while Cheon-ma was away?
“…Yes. I don’t mind, so go ahead.”
Yoon-seok nodded stiffly.
“I heard you gifted flowers to the Lord.”
“…What?”
“Was I mistaken?”
“No, that’s not it…”
When Yoon-seok trailed off, the Demon Brain’s eyes shone like a beast’s.
“Why are you surprised?”
He was surprised because it was an unexpected question. When Yoon-seok told him honestly, Demon Brain smoothed his beard with a knowing look.
“Ho. Unexpected question? I see.”
“…Is there something wrong with giving flowers?”
“In general, it’s not wrong. I’ll take the liberty to ask you one more question.”
Was this a public hearing?
“Yes, well… please do.”
When Yoon-seok nodded, Demon Brain asked in a trembling voice.
“Do you know what flower language is?”
“Flower language?”
“Don’t you know?”
“No. I know what it is.”
How could he not know? It meant the symbolic meaning attributed to flowers. For example, roses represent love; clovers represent luck.
’But why is he asking that?’
Yoon-seok began to wonder.
“Gasp…!”
As soon as he answered that he knew what flower language was, Demon Brain looked devastated. Come to think of it, Cheon-ma also said something about the flower language. However, the moment Yoon-seok tried to voice his doubt-
“…Father!”
Yongyong cried and jumped into Yoon-seok’s arms.
“…Is it true? Do you think I’m annoying…!”
It seemed that Lynn was bothering Yongyong again when he wasn’t looking.
“Annoying? Of course not.”
Once he patted Yong-yong’s head and glanced at Lynn, Lynn flinched back. So she knew what she did was wrong…
“I-I-It…”
As Yoon-seok tried to say something to Lynn, a voice stuttering like a broken record came from behind.
“Wasn’t…”
Turning to face the source of the sound, he could see Demon Brain holding his neck with a red-hot face.
“A dream…”
He was pointing at Yongyong with wide eyes.
Flop.
Without giving time to ask if he was alright, Demon Brain collapsed like a wooden doll with cut strings.
Demon Brain passing out was rather shocking for Yoon-seok, but…
“Tsk, fainting every time I do something, I guess it’s about time for him to go.”
Cheon-ma clicked her tongue nonchalantly. At first, he felt a sense of incompatibility as she joked about her subordinate’s death. But…
“But he’s showered in luck, isn’t he? Instead of being stabbed to death in a foreign place, he’s dying of old age.”
Perhaps this was a common reaction in Moorim. It wasn’t something to regret or be sad about since he enjoyed countless years in this bloody world. Well, Yoon-seok also couldn’t imagine her grieving over someone else’s death.
“Anyway, ignore everything he said. He’s getting a little too old.”
“I see…”
Apart from the pity, Yoon-seok felt it was understandable. Perhaps the reason why he asked about flowers earlier was that he wasn’t really in his right mind.
“…”
Feeling sorry for him, Yoon-seok approached Demon Brain to heal him with Skywrath Energy, but Cheon-ma stopped him.
“Let him be. When he wakes up, things will only get worse.”
That was true, but…
“We can’t just leave him here.”
“I’ll go back and throw him away… no, I’ll send him back.”
“That’s a wise choice.”
Cheon-ma used Yongyong to lift Demon Brain back to the sect headquarters.
“Lynn, if you bully Yong-yong one more time, I’ll get angry.”
—…
“Got it?”
—I understand…
Yoon-seok lost himself in thought after giving Lynn a stern warning.
Was it because he saw Demon Brain reaching old age? He suddenly became curious about what he would be like decades later.
“…”
Before Lee Su-yeon returned, he was treated like a slave and faced a miserable death. In the future, without signing with Elle, his body was stolen by the Heavenly Warrior. His original fate was to become an admin and live happily with various women.
What about now? What future would he face if they succeeded in killing the Queen and destroying the Tower?
“…”
No answers proved forthcoming. Therefore, Yoon-seok changed the direction of his thoughts. Instead of what might happen, what was the future that he wanted?
“Hey, what are you thinking about with such a serious face?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Yoon-seok broke from his thoughts at Cheon-ma’s question as she returned. Not what he had to do, but what he wanted. He had no answers to that either.
“Father! Father! Where are we heading now? I can follow you as long as you are with me!”
—fAtHeR, I cAn fOlLoW yOu wHeRevEr yOu gO.
“…Ms. Lynn! You promised Father not to speak like that when you were scolded earlier! Why do you keep being mean to me?”
“Grr, grr growl!”
Maybe this daily life wasn’t that bad.
「Lady of Liberation is calling you.」
「Would you like to accept it?」
Hmm…
「Grape Jam requested to communicate.」
「Would you like to accept it?」
Most probably.
‘…They’re not going to even give me time to rest?’
Elle and Lee Su-yeon contacted him at the same time. As no news was good news, something must have happened to both. Yoon-seok decided to talk to Lee Su-yeon first. Unlike with admin Elle, it could be an emergency.
“Can you wait a moment? I got a call from Su-yeon; something urgent seems to have happened.”
Yoon-seok told Cheon-ma that Lee Su-yeon had contacted him. Of course, she wasn’t the only one he had to ask for understanding…
‘Elle is also listening.’
“I will be watching after the kids, so go ahead.”
When Yoon-seok responded to the request, a translucent chat window popped up.
—Oppa, where are you right now? Are you busy?
—Moorim. I’m not busy. How about you?
—I’m in Taklan right now.
—…Taklan?
What?
Taklan was one of the newly added dimensions after creating the ranking system, a place where aliens with a third eye on their forehead lived.
—…Why are you there? Weren’t you going to the Tower?
—It’s a little complicated… it’s a long story.
To interpret it simply, she’s just lazy. Or, she didn’t have time to talk for long.
—Anyway, do you remember the healing specialist I mentioned?
—Yeah, what about them?
—I think I found them.
—What? Pierrendal… didn’t you say they’re from there? You said you’re in Taklan.
—That’s why I told you I think I found them. I’m not very sure right now.
She said she was unsure, but the fact that she got in touch proved she was certain.
—That’s good. Go check it out and try to persuade him to join us.
—…I’d love to, but I can’t do that right now.
—What do you mean you can’t right now?
—It’s called a space jail. I’m locked inside.
—…Space jail?
—The place where space pirates put you.
Yoon-seok was a little dumbfounded. Although he didn’t know why she was trapped in such a place… if she’s there, shouldn’t she ask for help, putting aside the healing specialist or whatever?
—Anyway, this isn’t what’s important… if it’s that person, I think you should come over. These weird bastards…
—Okay.
—What? I haven’t even told you everything yet.
—You said you were trapped.
As long as he knew Lee Su-yeon was in trouble, this was a good enough reason to go, even if it wasn’t for the healing specialist.
—…Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you okay?
—What? Yes! I’m fine. It’s just that the regular torture time is up. Dammit, why now…
—…Torture time?
—Ah, it’s nothing special… you won’t be able to contact me for about two days. So—
Tuk.
The call ended. Yoon-seok tried to talk over the line, but there was no reply.
“…What was that?”
Yoon-seok froze. Prison, torture or whatever was going on. It must be an issue, so why was she so calm? He had no idea how he should react.
’Since she told me to go, I should go, right?’
“Are you done talking?”
“Yes, I think so…”
At Yoon-seok’s ambiguous answer, Cheon-ma laughed.
“If you’re done, then you’re done. What’s with the I think?”
“…I know, right.”
“So what happened?”
Honestly, he still didn’t understand. But to summarize it quickly…
“Su-yeon seems to be in a difficult situation, so I think I should go there.”
The next destination was decided.
“…If it’s Taklan, it was the place that built this spacecraft?”
The base ship was the MTAE-014, which was from Taklan. As Yoon-seok nodded, a strange glint appeared in Cheon-ma’s eyes.
“Can I tag along?”
Her gaze was similar to the time she found Yongyong’s egg.