Chapter 6: The Extinguished Sacred Flame
Yu Gyeongseong turned his head toward the window.
The amount of light streaming in was different from before.
'The sun must've climbed pretty high by now.'
Seems like he’d been moving around since dawn. He'd needed to carefully go over all the information he'd gathered, so after returning to his quarters, he'd stayed holed up in his room for quite a while. Even so, it was only now that the day felt as if it were growing fully bright.
"..."
Those Six Demons had gathered at that ungodly hour. Not a single one of them had been absent.
A thought suddenly crossed his mind.
'...Are they keeping each other in check?'
Along with that thought came the memory of their argument from last night when he'd been hiding in the shadows. The Illusion Demon's interrogation of the Mind Demon still echoed in his ears.
[This dead guard here. He was working for you, wasn't he! Trying to sneak the target away on your orders!]
Yu Gyeongseong nodded to himself inwardly.
That seemed about right.
The Six Demons were keeping tabs on each other.
But over what, exactly?
He had a pretty good idea.
It was about preventing any single one of them from securing him alone.
'So that's why they all came running the moment I wanted to see them.'
Hmm.
If he was right about this, then things were going to stay that way. From now on, he wouldn't get to meet any of them alone. It would always be him meeting with all six of them at once.
"..."
If his inner thoughts could be drawn on his face right now, he'd be frowning hard.
This wasn't a good situation at all.
It wasn’t that he needed to meet them alone to fact-check what they were saying. He had the Grand Grotto Mystic Mantra for that, so it wasn't a problem.
It was simply because meeting them individually would give him access to far more information. If he could meet with them one-on-one, he could steer each conversation toward topics he hadn't yet explored.
What came to mind now was what the Six Demons had said just moments ago.
[We don't have much time left in the first place. You need to spend as much time as you can with us.]
'This is... problematic.'
He needed more information. But it didn't look like he'd get many chances to assess the situation at his own pace.
Conversations with the Six Demons alone definitely wouldn't be enough.
Having made up his mind, Yu Gyeongseong rose to his feet.
Then came a quiet voice.
"Where are you planning to go?"
It was the guy outside his door.
He'd been stationed there since Yu Gyeongseong had entered his bedroom last night.
He was a fair-skinned man with an average build, sharp nose, and golden hair. He looked a bit like the Life Demon or the Illusion Demon. And he looked too young to be called middle-aged.
[If there is anything you require, speak to this child here. You can think of him as your attendant.]
It was the Life Demon who'd introduced him.
'Her subordinate, then?'
An attendant, huh...
He almost wanted to let out a snort.
More like a babysitter.
Come to think of it, that guy's presence was peculiar. The Six Demons were busy keeping each other in check, weren't they?They probably wanted to stick six guards on him, but even they must have thought that was overkill. So they settled on just this one guy... which meant the other Clan Lords had no choice but to accept it.
What came to Yu Gyeongseong's mind was the Life Demon's white teeth gleaming in the darkness last night.
[Found him.]
That must be why.
‘So they gave her this as a reward for catching me when they almost lost me?’
If it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t have shown himself to the Six Demons like that. He would’ve stayed hidden in the shadows much longer, gathering intel and getting a better feel for things.
[A shadow can’t run from the body that casts it.]
Shadow Bind, huh... Just as the Life Demon said, it felt like there was some kind of unknown power stuck to him now.
What a pain in the ass.
With this thing sticking to him, sneaking around was pretty much impossible. The moment he slipped out of their sight, they'd probably use that spell immediately.
Yu Gyeongseong made his decision.
Rather than moving around half-assed, he should move openly, as if saying "watch all you want." And he had to get closer to the truth while doing it.
Once he went outside, their watchful eyes wouldn't leave him. He'd have to keep that in mind at all times.
He could feel the guy waiting silently outside as he spoke. His brain was going a mile a minute, but his answer came out slow.
“I want to take a look around the cult grounds. See if it helps me remember anything.”
From the outside, it would probably seem odd. His reaction would appear a beat too slow.
They might think, 'Is he sick?' or perhaps, 'He's definitely not in his right mind...'
Creak
When he opened the door and stepped out, what caught his eye was the man standing at attention. His face revealed no emotion. His attitude and voice were the same.
"I'll guide you."
Yu Gyeongseong nodded at him as he fell into step behind.
"What's your name?"
"Wu Wonta."
As they walked out of the building, Yu Gyeongseong started talking. Since he couldn't get rid of the guy, he figured he might as well use him as an informant.
"Do I have family?"
It was something he'd thought about several times now. And the conclusion he'd reached.
'I... probably don't have any family.'
He figured as much because nobody had ever said a word about them. If he had family, wouldn't they have come looking for him by now? Or if not that, wouldn't the Six Demons have arranged a meeting? It’d be way easier for them to control him if they were holding his family hostage.
"Both your parents passed away when you were young, Squad Leader Yu. You have no siblings either."
It was the answer he'd expected. And he confirmed that the words were true as well.
A mixture of regret and relief filled his heart.
What was surprising, though, was how well Wu Wonta knew about his personal history.
"Were we close?"
"I'd have to say we had no particular relationship."
“Then… were we on bad terms?”
Wu Wonta shook his head.
“Publicly or privately, you and I never had any significant contact, Squad Leader Yu.”
"Well, that's a relief at least."
A faint smile appeared on his face at that response. Yu Gyeongseong continued questioning him.
"But then how...?"
How do you know so much about me, he meant.
"I didn't know much before. But Squad Leader Yu knows now too, right? At this very moment, you're the most important person in the Divine Cult. And since I'm in a position to assist you from the sidelines, naturally I should know such basic information."
As Yu Gyeongseong nodded, Wu Wonta asked him.
"Is there somewhere you'd like to go?"
Since they'd left the quarters, shouldn't they decide on a destination? As if he'd already thought about it, the answer came without hesitation.
"Where's the Heavenly Demon Palace?"
"Over there."
Without batting an eye, Wu Wonta immediately pointed toward a tall tower attached to one side of the main compound's grand training ground.
Yu Gyeongseong took the first steps in that direction. But at this moment, his attention was focused on the babysitter following behind him.
'...'
The guy didn't talk much, making it hard to find any kind of opening. Even though he'd mentioned the Heavenly Demon and was heading there now, he gave no reaction.
Is he just good at keeping a straight face, or does he know this is a dead end?
His mind was busy with all sorts of thoughts. But even in the midst of that, his ears skillfully picked up the murmuring sounds from far away. To be honest, the buzz was so loud you'd have to be deaf to miss it.
"No way!"
"Did the Sacred Flame really go out?"
Every single one of them wore expressions of utter disbelief.
Yu Gyeongseong let out a low voice.
“I take it the Sacred Flame was here?”
"Yes, do you see that place over there?"
The spot Uwonta indicated was the very top of the six-story, octagonal stone pagoda. It was the tallest structure in the main compound.
“The Sacred Flame was located at the pointed peak of that tower. Despite not being a stone lantern and having no fuel whatsoever, it always shone there. It has been so ever since the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was established. For it was no mundane fire; it burned as if it were alive.”
Yu Gyeongseong stopped walking and looked up. His eyes caught the pillar rising at the very top of the stone pagoda. Coincidentally, what hung there now was the sun, having risen high into the sky.
'The Sacred Flame... was there?'
There'd been no lie in what Wu Wonta just said. So if that story was true... wasn't this a completely surreal situation?
'...'
But he couldn't remember anything about it. Since he was staring directly at the sun, Wu Wonta squinted as he looked up toward the sun and kept talking.
"The Sacred Flame that never went out suddenly disappeared, so it's not strange that the cult members are stirred up like that."
"But... why now?"
He was asking if Wu Wonta knew the reason it went out.
"I don't know."
Yu Gyeongseong looked around at his surroundings.
The atmosphere wasn’t good.
He could see how much the cult members depended on that flame.
For it to just vanish like this had to feel like the sky was falling.
Combined with the fact that the Sword God is on his way, this was no different from an ominous sign before a calamity arrive.
He could hear talk that the Cult Leader was nowhere to be seen, and that the same was true for his royal guards.
Voices tinged with anxiety tickled his ears.
"Where is the Cult Leader?"
"Why hasn't he said anything to us!?"
"Listen here! What's so important about showing his face to us! He’s probably in there praying his heart out for us to get through this crisis!”
“The Sacred Flame went out just as the Sword God is coming for us. Oh, please... I hope the Heavenly Demon hasn't abandoned us..."
Yu Gyeongseong stood still, just staring at the Heavenly Demon Palace.
There was no need to go any closer.
He could tell from here.
There was no one inside.
'...'
The Cult Leader has vanished.
When he'd asked about him, what the Six Demon Clans had said:
[Someone had to protect the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. He had to stay here at the Tianshan Mountain Range.]
And the Sacred Flame had been extinguished.
'Does the Sacred Flame... respond based on the Heavenly Demon's whereabouts?'
He didn't know the reason.
But what was clear was that both the Cult Leader and the Sacred Flame had disappeared at the same time.
Yu Gyeongseong turned his head and looked at the massive stone statue.
A face that might have just reached middle age. His features weren't that rough, but you could see his firm resolve within them. And there was that perfectly strong, powerful body.
Without taking his eyes off it, he spoke.
"The cult members... don't know anything about the Great Law, do they?"
Then came Wu Wonta's answer from beside him.
"Correct. Only a truly small number know about the Great Law."
"Why?"
It was strange.
A powerful enemy was coming. On top of that, even the objects of worship that formed the foundation of the Divine Cult had disappeared. If you wanted to calm people down and boost morale before a war, shouldn’t you let them know you have a countermeasure?
"It's the will of the Six Demons."
"..."
He understood what Yu Gyeongseong meant. But he also avoided mentioning his own thoughts.
Yu Gyeongseong felt like clicking his tongue. At this rate, wouldn't the Grand Grotto Mystic Mantra's abilities be unable to fulfill their role?
In any case, he learned one thing for sure.
'One of the Life Demon Clan's key figures, then?'
How else would he know about the Great Law's existence and be the one to babysit to him right now?
His calm disposition had a similar feeling to the Life Demon.
And here he was, needing to get to the truth while dodging this guy's watchful eye.
What should I do?
Whether he knew what Yu Gyeongseong was thinking or not, Wu Wonta just kept following him silently.
***
Yu Gyeongseong spent a while wandering around all over the place.
And he'd deliberately chosen only places with a fair number of cult members.
The gazes that reached him... There seemed to be quite a few who recognized him. If they'd been meeting for the first time, their eyes would have lingered a bit longer. But the glances that the cult members threw at him and at Wu Wonta beside him didn't differ much in duration.
'So I wasn't particularly sociable, huh?'
Not a single person had greeted him with even a friendly look. In the end, he hadn't met anyone who knew about him in detail.
'Guess I wasn't that high up either...'
It didn't feel like they were particularly intimidated by him. If anything, they seemed more conscious of Wu Wonta.
[Oh, by the way, the Law Enforcement Hall doesn't have higher martial authority than the elite combat units.]
The Six Demons' explanation was spot on.
Yu Gyeongseong suddenly asked the guy who was tailing him quietly.
"What does the Law Enforcement Hall do?"
“We investigate various cases and incidents.”
It was an exceedingly short answer.
Of course, it was the reaction he'd expected.
Then, as if to make a point, Yu Gyeongseong hesitated in his steps. Turning his head halfway, a voice that sounded somehow cold flowed from his lips.
"Is that all you know?"
He had an attitude that basically said, I have no idea why you're the one walking with me.
"..."
After staring into Wu Wonta's eyes for a moment, Yu Gyeongseong turned away. He started walking again and said over his shoulder,
"Tell me everything you know."