"... I told you to get lost, Monster."
Baek Museon said through rough breaths. The Vampire Queen only smiled seductively without showing signs of having heard him. Instead, she tugged the hem of her long kimono and approached him.
"How cute."
As she looked at Baek Museon, who was glaring fiercely at her, she murmured with a smile. Even with one less arm than others, Baek Museon was still at the Extreme Peak with far more strength than others at the same realm. Unless that ridiculous monster called Wijihoyeon was his opponent, there was no master with the ability to ridicule the Bloody Heavenly Demon: Baek Museon.
But what was now in front of Baek Museon now, was a non-human monster that has lived in this crazy world for hundreds of years. Of the non-human races, she was at the zenith of power of the vampire species. She was the vampire queen, the queen of blood, Geniella.
"Living while having to endure a crushing defeat and the pain of losing an arm? Is that living? The Bloody Heavenly Demon sect that once encompassed this metropolis collapsed to dust with nothing left of it, and the loyal ones who followed you disappeared because they were tired of bearing this kind of a shame."
Baek Museon did not answer. Geniella approached the silent Baek Museon.
"Personally, I like you now more than the Baek Museon, who reigned when the Bloody Heavenly sect was at its peak."
"... Haha!"
Baek Museon burst into laughter at her words. He grasped at his limp left sleeve with his right hand.
"Bloody Heavenly Demon Sect? Bloody Heavenly Demon? In the end, I was only a puppet. The memory of that time is by no means a glorious memory for me."
"What do you mean, a puppet?"
"Am I wrong? You... Monster."
His voice carried strong regret and a hint of venom. Bloody Heavenly Demon groped around with his hand and lifted one of the flasks that were rolling on the floor. He pulled out the stopper with his mouth and downed the toxic liquor like it was water.
"When the Bloody Heavenly Demon sect was still alive, I was called the Bloody Heavenly Demon. I... I didn't even have the faintest hint of the existence of a monster like you."
"I don't like to show myself."
"You left me alone since you could get rid of me whenever you felt like it. Huhu! So I'm just a puppet. I didn't even know that there was someone manipulating the strings behind the scenes, and I thought I was the best. Turns out, I am a loser!"
Baek Museon was intoxicated again. Geniella smiled joyfully as she watched Baek Museon. A non-human species that was once a human being, and had lived for many years would inevitably have some sense of madness. The Vampire Queen was a perfect example of this. She was drunk on Baek Museon's hostility and destruction.
"You should think of your health too."
Geniella reached out in front of Baek Museon. She grabbed the bottle that he was holding. Baek Museon placed the bottle down with both eyes flashing. Immediately, his outstretched hand pierced through her chest.
Geniella did not evade it. She laughed as she looked down at his hand that was piercing through her chest.
"Are you satisfied?"
"Monster... "
Baek Museon's attack had shot out in an instant and targeted vital points. It should have been a sure success. Baek Museon applied strength to the hand protruding through Geniella's back. Her heart, which was held in his clutches, burst with a puff.
"You always drink. Never eating properly... No matter how good you are, your body will have no choice but to break down at this rate."
Geniella placed her hand on his arm. Baek Museon's hand was slowly pulled out by her hand, and the hole in her chest immediately filled back up. Geniella smiled and embraced Baek Museon's shoulders.
"You want revenge, don't you?"
The voice whispering in his ear was like that of a devil. Baek Museon's shoulders trembled. It was not his first time hearing this temptation. Geniella would visit Baek Museon every day and say that.
"You are getting weaker. It's because you've given up on strengthening yourself. ... Don't you know? If you don't try something else, you won't be able to get rid of that bitch."
Baek Museon did not answer. He knew that best. The Minor Heavenly Demon that Baek Museon faced two years ago was a monster at the Extreme Peak. In fact, that alone should not have been enough to make him so desperate. Baek Museon had been regarded as a genius since childhood.
But this was different. That monster, the Minor Heavenly Demon... She was different. The moment two years ago, when the blows were exchanged, Baek Museon felt it. The time they had both spent in their lives was different. She was a real genius. A genius with an absurd level of talent that would send their opponent to a bottomless pit of despair by just confronting them.
Baek Museon was desperate. Revenge... He wanted to take revenge. It's not that he hadn't thought about it. It was the same now. But no matter how much he drank, the nightmare that he had every day wouldn't change. No matter how bad, he couldn't win against that monster. Since it was a dream, there should have been some possibility to him winning, but the match in the dream always ended with Baek Museon's terrible defeat. His subconscious had already given up, knowing he could not defeat Wijihoyeon.
"Your crippled arm. If you become a vampire, you'd get a new one."
Geniella's hand traced up his spine. Two long fingers rose up to Baek Museon's shoulders, behind his back.
"Your weakness. It's because you are human. If you become a vampire... You wouldn't have to be concerned with such a thing. Baek Museon, I like you. If you become my blood bridge, I promise you. I can give you the strength to go beyond Minor Heavenly Demon."
"No."
Baek Museon directly refused, and Geniella laughed. She would come to tempt Baek Museon each day. Up till now, Baek Museon had been rejecting her, but Geniella knew. There was a lot of difference between the first rejection and the rejection just now. Baek Museon was already fed up with despair. He was being destroyed bit by bit, and would soon give up everything.
'I like it so much.'
She swallowed down a laugh and felt her body getting hot.
It was fun to see humans who refused to form a blood bridge. It was fun to incite conflict in their mind and watch them break down. It was fun to see the process of them giving up their life as a human and choosing to become a blood-sucking monster.
Eventually, when they give up everything and make the final choice, she couldn't resist seeing the bitterness and determination of something.
'But that's it.'
Geniella thought as she licked Baek Museon's ear with her tongue.
'It's not interesting after that.'
That was the case with the old man she had reaped years ago too. Was it Ghost Blade? She put a lot of effort into making a blood bridge with him, but...
It wasn't fun anymore.
So she threw him away. It was always that way. It's fun until you get your favorite toy. But then, once you've gotten what you wanted, it gets boring because it's not fun anymore. That's why she let it go.
'But, I felt bad.'
Geniella's eyes narrowed.
Even if she got tired of it, it was still her toy. It was ruined, and she heard that the one who broke her toy was coming to Travia.
'Let's see what he is up to.'
She was also bothered by Juwon's concerns.
'Haomun.'
The wagon entered the central district. Lee Sungmin, crouched in the luggage compartment, recalled information about that sect.
Haomun, along with the Wandering Sect, was another leading information broker in . If the Wandering sect used beggars as their eyes and ears, Haomun employed a variety of occupations for the same purpose. Coachman, courtesans, thieves, servants – the list goes on. Haomun had all its spies in high-ranking places in the central district. Wandering Sect was part of the Orthodox Sects, but that wasn't the case with Haomun. Haomun was thought of as a Heretical Sect at the bottom of the barrel among all the sects in the Murim.
He wasn't certain whether the coachman belonged to Haomun. It was just a possibility. But the man seemed to have learned martial arts and looked like he was hiding his true ability that was far beyond what he appeared to have. It was suspicious. Lee Sungmin didn't think that he came forward to talk to him or to recommend staying at his place as a simple favour. Travia was a rotten city overrun by witchcraft, and it was clear that the coachman had a purpose.
"We've arrived."
The wagon stopped. The central district was divided into not only the outer wall but also the high wall. Originally, Travia's central district was home to nobles, wealthy merchants, and commoners higher than the middle class. The barren northern land used to have a wide gap between the rich and poor, and the treatment of those 'haves' and 'not haves' had a vast disparity. Those who were 'not haves' lived outside the central wall, where security and well-being were bad, and those who were 'haves' lived within the walls.
That was in the past. Two years ago, starting with the defeat of the Bloody Heavenly Demon, the distinction between the 'haves' and 'not haves' in Travia had been changed to 'power', rather than money. Previously, it was possible to control violence and defend against it using money, but that was no longer the case now. Of course, not everything was determined by power alone, but money alone could not help you.
The current central region of Travia had become a place full of those who had the power to protect what they have: non-human monsters, hordes of those from the Sama Order, and Black Mages who practiced the Dark Arts.
"It would be better to stay at my place rather than an inn."
"There's no need."
Lee Sungmin got off the wagon. The gates of the central district were open. No guards were to be seen there. But unlike the outer city gate, the door was not destroyed.
"Well... In that case, take care not to die."
After saying so, the coachman laughed out loud. He entered the city gates with his wagon. Lee Sungmin watched him leave first and then headed inside the gate.
[What brings you here?]
The moment he passed through the gates, such a voice sounded inside his mind. Lee Sungmin was not surprised and looked around. Someone was hiding in the shadow of the ceiling. It was quite the stealth technique, but could not get past Lee Sungmin's sharp sixth sense.
"Who are you?"
[Eus.]
The body of a man who was hiding from him trembled at the question. He quit hiding and fell in front of Lee Sungmin.
[It's a vampire.]
Heoju murmured. The man in front of Lee Sungmin had a pair of bright red eyes and pale skin. Lee Sungmin asked while looking at him.
"I asked you who you are."
"... You're a quick-witted fellow."
"Do you have any intentions of answering?'
"There's no need to repeat the question. Don't be too vigilant. I'm just asking because I've never seen you around before."
The vampire replied while taking a step back. Lee Sungmin could not be sure of the authenticity of his words. In Travia, there was an old monster present – the Vampire Queen, Geniella of the Predators. He had no way of knowing whether the man was a vampire under her, but he didn't intend to ask it here.
"... Then can I just go in?"
"As you wish."
The vampire shrugged and replied. Then he looked at Lee Sungmin strangely.
"You are not a vampire, are you?"
"No."
"Then, are you a Lycanthrope? You don't smell much like a beast... "
"I'm just a human."
"Hahaha!"
In response to Lee Sungmin's answer, the vampire burst into laughter.
"You don't seem to know it yourself. There's a strange feeling about you. It's not a feeling I'd expect to see on someone like you. Something like a non-human sort of vibe."
"I don't know what you mean."
"What... You should say that you are a human being. Welcome to the city of devils."
The vampire smiled as he said those words. Then his body disappeared into the shadows. Lee Sungmin walked through the gates, passing by the place where the vampire was just standing and then stopped.
'Ghost Blade was also a vampire, but he didn't tell me about any strange feeling. That means... '
Lee Sungmin sighed. It wasn't because of the black heart that Juwon or that vampire had felt a non-human feeling around him.
'Is it you?'
[Maybe it's because of the remnants of my powers at the bottom of your Dantian. Then again... A human with this kind of power would certainly seem strange. Someone who doesn't know could mistake you for a Halfling Ghost.]
'You're getting nastier.'
Lee Sungmin vented his anger inside his mind. Heoju chuckled.
[Isn't it something that can't be helped? It is impossible for human beings to use magical powers. Think of it as the side effects of deviating from the norm.]
"Bullshit."
Hearing Heoju's words, Lee Sungmin spat out in anger. He didn't fully trust Heoju yet. Even though his life was saved several times during times of fatal crisis thanks to Heoju's help, his mysterious and ambiguous attitude at times like this was enough to confuse Lee Sungmin.
[Come on, let's keep going.]
Looking at Lee Sungmin's annoyance, Heoju said in a pleasant voice.
"Bastard."
The sound of laughter coming from Heoju was faint.