Chronicles of the Lazy Sovereign Novel - Chapter 110 (New)

Seomun Dayeon, unable to grasp the turn of events, fixed her gaze on Wei Yanho.

‘Could it be sheer terror?’

Though it sounded blasphemous, she began to suspect he might be losing his mind. Why was he addressing thin air with such a strange remark?

However, she quickly realized Wei Yanho was far from insane. A cluster of figures emerged from the dense undergrowth ahead.

“…How did you detect us?”

“Indeed, how did you know?”

Wei Yanho offered only a broad, satisfied grin, appearing to have no intention of providing an explanation.

The men who had revealed themselves said nothing more, their eyes locked onto Wei Yanho. They had been tracking the trail of Wei Yanho and Seomun Dayeon for some time. Their original mission was to terminate Seomun Dayeon, but Wei Yanho’s sudden arrival had forced them to pause and weigh the variables. They reasoned that if he had come to provide aid, his nonchalant demeanor might be backed by formidable skill.

“Are you an operative of the Righteous Martial Alliance?”

“Hardly,” Wei Yanho replied, waving a hand dismissively. “I have no ties to them. Truth be told, I’d prefer to stay out of this mess entirely.”

“No ties… and you expect us to take your word for it?”

“Whether you believe me is your choice, but the truth is I was simply napping up there when I happened across this lady.”

“I shall believe you,” the man leading the group nodded. “However, you can continue this explanation with King Yama.”

As the members of the Demonic Cult began to systematically form a perimeter, Wei Yanho turned to Seomun Dayeon with a look of pure annoyance.

“You failed to mention there were quite so many of them.”

“…I am deeply sorry.”

Seomun Dayeon found herself without any real defense. Wei Yanho was an innocent party. Had she not led the cultists to this spot, he would still be sleeping peacefully. If he were to come to harm here, the weight of the tragedy would rest solely on her shoulders.

“Hold on a moment.”

“…Hm?”

As Seomun Dayeon stepped forward, the cult members halted their advance. Since their prey was already encircled, there was no need for haste.

“This man is completely uninvolved. Please, let him depart.”

“On what grounds?”

“He is an outsider who stumbled into this.”

“The mere fact that he has seen our faces makes him an accomplice in our eyes.”

“He knows nothing. Even having seen you, he doesn’t understand who you are.”

“…Continuing this dialogue is a waste of time.”

Sensing their patience had evaporated, Seomun Dayeon shouted out in a desperate bid for his life.

“I will give you every piece of information you seek!”

The eyes of the Demonic Cult members flickered with interest. Seomun Dayeon was a key figure in the Righteous Martial Alliance intelligence wing. Given her status, she likely possessed countless strategic secrets. Usually, such agents reveal nothing even under the most brutal interrogation, but they were known for being scrupulous about keeping their word. There was no reason to refuse a deal for information they couldn’t squeeze out through torture.

“I am aware I cannot leave this place alive. In exchange for his safe passage, I will tell you everything. Our meeting was truly accidental. If he were a member of the Righteous Martial Alliance, I would be far from here by now.”

The lead cultist gave a short nod, finding the logic sound. “I accept those terms.”

Dispatching a lone witness wouldn’t disrupt their plans; the priority was keeping their presence a secret. Even if Seomun Dayeon’s death drew the Alliance’s gaze, it wouldn’t matter as long as the Demonic Cult’s involvement remained hidden.

Seomun Dayeon turned to Wei Yanho and bowed low.

“I apologize for the trouble I’ve caused you.”

In the same motion, she whispered urgently under her breath.

“They might change their minds, so flee as quickly as you can. I will buy you as much time as possible. Run far away and strike today from your memory. Do not attempt to alert the Righteous Martial Alliance; it will only put your life in peril.”

“Huh?”

Wei Yanho tilted his head. “But there’s a slight issue.”

“What is it?”

Wei Yanho pointed casually at the surrounding men. “I already know these fellows are from the Demonic Cult.”

The cultists stiffened and immediately tightened the circle, closing every gap.

“Why would you say that?” Seomun Dayeon cried out, horrified. “I just secured your safety…”

“…No, I simply thought you were mistaken, telling me I didn’t know something that I know perfectly well.”

“Oh, heavens.”

The world seemed to spin before her eyes. She had initially pegged him as a bit slow, but she hadn’t anticipated this level of stupidity. He had just personally incinerated his own bridge to safety.

“I give up,” Seomun Dayeon muttered, resigned. As an intelligence operative, she had done the unthinkable by offering a deal just to save him, yet he had sabotaged it himself. She had done all she could.

“Do not hold a grudge against me.”

Wei Yanho remained remarkably composed. “Is that what you say after waking someone from a sound sleep?”

Is the fact that I woke you really the priority right now?

Seomun Dayeon felt a surge of white-hot anger, but it quickly faded into defeat. What was the point of being angry now? There was nothing left but Wei Yanho’s impending death.

“Since we’ve reached this point, at least grant me a swift end.”

“Did you think we were the type to favor torture?” The cult members spoke in low tones as they unsheathed their blades.

“Do not lump me in with those low-level thugs,” Wei Yanho said with a nod. “My father always mentioned that, regarding the mindset of a warrior, the Demonic Cult types were superior to those from the noble clans.”

Seomun Dayeon’s eyes went wide with shock. Such a statement, if overheard by the wrong people, would be a massive scandal. What kind of person was Wei Yanho to say something like that so casually, and what kind of father would teach that to his son?

“Does your father know of us?”

“Mmm, well…” Wei Yanho scratched his head. “Is there anyone who hasn’t heard of the Demonic Cult? Perhaps the better question is, ‘Does your father have a history with us?'”

“Does your father have a history with us?”

“How discourteous; they don’t even know how to use formal speech.” Wei Yanho gave a mocking, malicious smile. “They have no history, no history at all.”

“We’ve lingered here long enough.”

A member of the Demonic Cult lunged forward, his blade aimed to strike.

“Hey, hear me out until the end.”

Watching the cultist dive toward him, Wei Yanho reached into his pack and produced a long, cloth-wrapped object that resembled a heavy staff or club.

“Mmm.”

Wei Yanho hesitated for a second, debating whether to strip the cloth from the item. As the cultist closed the distance, he sneered:

“You won’t feel a thing.”

Swish.

The blade wielded by the cultist cut through the air with a whistling sound, aiming directly for Wei Yanho’s throat. It happened in the blink of an eye. The sword moved so swiftly it seemed to stretch and shimmer like pulled taffy.

Clang!

But the edge never reached its mark.

“What?”

The cultist’s jaw dropped as he saw the staff-like object had perfectly intercepted his strike. Before he could recover, Wei Yanho’s leg snapped out in a powerful kick.

“Kugh!”

The sound of air being forced from lungs echoed as the cultist was sent sprawling backward, tumbling ungracefully across the dirt.

“Leader!”

The nearby cult members rushed to his side in alarm. Wei Yanho gave the club a casual couple of swings and looked over at Seomun Dayeon, who stood paralyzed with her mouth agape.

“Wait a moment. I have a message for these fellows as well.”

Wei Yanho shook the weapon and took a deliberate step forward.

“Kuh… who are you…”

“Oh, hold on.” Wei Yanho raised a hand to pause the recovering cultist. “Since our history is quite lengthy, I’ll inform you ahead of time. I hold no personal malice, but a man must have his standards. Once you know my identity, you’ll understand why this confrontation is necessary.”

“…….”

What on earth is he talking about?

“Is this… the result of my early schooling? Or perhaps just years of brainwashing? I don’t feel a grudge, but I’ve heard so much about you people that I can’t simply look the other way. I won’t let you off lightly. You see, I am the second son of the Wei Family of Guangdong. My name is Wei Yanho.”

“The Wei Family of Guangdong! Wei Jeonghan!”

The fallen cultist scrambled to his feet, his grip tightening on his sword as a look of pure hatred filled his eyes.

“The son of that damn Sword of the Righteous Hero! I’d love to tear you apart!”

“That’s exactly why I said this would be faster,” Wei Yanho replied with a smirk. It was much simpler to name his father than to explain the political landscape. His father and the Demonic Cult were blood enemies.

“Right then…”

Wei Yanho began to strip the cloth from the long object. “Though I’ve never claimed to be the most obedient son, I really should follow my father’s teachings on this one.”

As the fabric fell away, it revealed a scabbard as white as fresh snow.

Shhh.

Wei Yanho drew the blade.

It was the first time Wei Yanho had drawn his steel since embarking on his journey as a warrior.

My edge is even sharper than my father’s.

The blade of Wei Yanho glittered coldly under the silver moonlight.

“Oh?”

An elderly man perched high in a tree looked down at the scene and smiled. “Wei Yanho?”

“He claims to be the son of the Sword of the Righteous Hero.”

“Let me think… the Sword of the Righteous Hero… if it’s his son, shouldn’t it be Wei Sanho?”

“The Sword of the Righteous Hero has two sons.”

“I see. So this child is the younger one. But why are there no whispers of him in the martial world? A boy like that should stand out like a needle in a sack of rice.”

“From what I gather, the second son of the Sword of the Righteous Hero vanished long ago. Rumor has it he was taken in by a master of the unorthodox arts.”

“Wow.” The old man clicked his tongue. “It seems he stumbled into quite the fortune. Reaching that level of martial expertise at his age is no small feat.”

He looked down at Wei Yanho with a trace of pity. “What kind of trial by fire did he endure to gain such skill so young? Our own disciples could stand to learn from him.”

“How can you even compare him to our young masters?”

“Well, I’m not so sure. From where I’m sitting, our boys might find themselves in a real fight…”

The old man’s gaze suddenly sharpened. ‘Wait, that’s not all.’ If it were only that, he wouldn’t have uncovered the Red Moon sanctuary.

“Shall we eliminate him?”

“Mmm…” The old man hesitated, swallowing hard. Despite the complexity of the situation, he loathed the idea of snuffing out such potential. Isn’t it every elder’s joy to watch a gifted child flourish?

“Let’s observe for a moment.”

“If it becomes known the Demonic Cult was operating here, it will be disastrous.”

“True.”

At that moment, one of the guards behind the old man knelt down. “I await your command.”

“Are you familiar with the Demonic Cult?”

“…….”

“If the Demonic Cult were a simple matter, they wouldn’t use the character ‘Ma’ (Demon) in their name; originally, they should have been the ‘Rebel Sect.’ They are called the Demonic Cult because they are to be feared and shunned.”

“I shall keep that in mind.”

“Even if these are just remnants, they carry the weight of that name. We cannot afford to be careless.”

“Yes, sir!”

The old man turned his eyes back to Wei Yanho with intense curiosity. “But that child…”

Suddenly, the old man’s pupils contracted, and his frame began to tremble violently.

“That… what on earth is that?”