The Way to Save the Crazy Returnees – Chapter 55 – Return of the Heavenly Demon: Ten Thousand Demons Bow (2)

Author: CleiZz

I felt the stun gun in my hand. Maybe just having something to defend myself with was enough—my heart, which had been beating out of control, finally began to settle.

After taking a deep breath, I asked Kang Ye-seong, “What exactly happened?”

“I’m not sure.” He shrugged. “Everyone just collapsed the moment dance practice ended.”

“Then why are you completely fine, Kang Ye-seong?”

“No idea.” That was all he said—before adding, “Is it strange that I’m okay?”

He sounded genuinely curious.

“Shouldn’t you be relieved that at least I’m fine?”

Seeing him ask that with such an indifferent expression—when the members who were like family to him had collapsed—reminded me of the Kang Ye-seong from before he lost everything to Kim Sang-cheol.

But the current Kang Ye-seong wasn’t that person anymore. Kim Sang-cheol, who had taken his family and destroyed his brilliant future, was now rotting in prison. So something was definitely wrong with Kang Ye-seong.

And there was only one way to confirm it.

“Kang Ye-seong.”

“Yes, CEO?”

“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to be a little rude.”

“What do you mea—”

Bzzz—!

First, I had to shock him.

Only two returnees could twist Kang Ye-seong like this: Lee Man-deuk and Han Yeong-won.

Seo Do-hwan could technically do it too, but he’d need to eat dozens of candies a day to manipulate someone’s mind to this extent, so he was off the list. And Lee Man-deuk would never lay a hand on Kang Ye-seong—so that left only one person.

“Are you crazy?”

It was Han Yeong-won.

Even on low voltage, the stun gun didn’t affect him at all.

“As expected. There’s an uninvited guest inside you, Kang Ye-seong.”

“Hmph.”

Bzzz—!

Blue sparks burst around Kang Ye-seong’s body and—

“Ugh…!”

—I was the one sent flying.

Crash!

I tumbled across the floor, barely managing to get back up.

What Kang Ye-seong—no, Han Yeong-won—had just used was something known as Rebound Qi, a skill that reflects an opponent’s attack back at them. Calling it a mere “technique,” though, was an understatement.

Han Yeong-won’s power was, in a word, martial arts.

Arms crossed while occupying Kang Ye-seong’s body, she said,

“Just so we’re clear, he was moving on his own before you poked him with that filthy little toy. In perfect condition, at that.”

Perfect? More like the worst.

“Why are you possessing Kang Ye-seong’s body?”

“You know who I am?”

“Of course, Ms. Han Yeong-won.”

Han Yeong-won—from The Return of the Mad Heavenly Demon. As the title suggests, she once possessed the body of the Heavenly Demon, lived an entire life as the leader of the lunatic Demonic Cult, then returned.

Maybe because she spent most of her life revered by madmen and committing massacres out of boredom, Han Yeong-won came back broken in a very different way from Lee Man-deuk. The fact that she, a woman, had lived a lifetime in the body of a man—the Heavenly Demon—was likely the root of her issues.

Anyway.

“When did you start taking over his body?”

“Since the hospital.”

“Since the hospital?”

Impossible.

“There’s no way Mr. Lee Man-deuk wouldn’t notice you inside Kang Ye-seong.”

Even wounded, he wouldn’t miss something like that.

“Lee Man-deuk? Oh, that Sapa guy?”

Looks like she’s fated to call Lee Man-deuk ‘Sapa’ again this time around.

Han Yeong-won tilted her head, then smirked.

“Well, that was before my Soul Dominion Art (我魂大法) fully adapted to this body.”

Soul Dominion Art (我魂大法)—a martial art she invented herself, allowing her to seize control of someone else’s body and use it like a puppet.

“…Was it Ji Geon-hyuk?”

“Hm?”

“I’m asking if Ji Geon-hyuk told you to do this.”

“Oh?”

Han Yeong-won pursed her lips, then stepped toward me.

“As expected—Ji Geon-hyuk. You know that bastard, don’t you?”

“Answer my question first.”

My first encounter with Han Yeong-won was supposed to be just before winter. Back then, unable to endure the boredom of a peaceful life—so unlike her life as the Heavenly Demon—she would either try to kill herself or…

‘Shatter that peace herself.’

Through terrorism.

To Han Yeong-won, human lives were no different from insects—things you crushed with a finger when bored.

Which was why her showing up before me now was unexpected. It was fortunate she appeared before attempting suicide or committing some terror attack that would harm civilians, but still—

‘Why is Han Yeong-won here? In front of me?’

There was only one answer:

Ji Geon-hyuk.

The two must have joined hands. Especially since she mentioned his name so casually.

“No,” Han Yeong-won said. She smiled. “Do you really think I’d take orders from that scum?”

“…No.”

“Good. You answered well.”

Han Yeong-won chuckled.

“It’s true that I entered this body because of Ji Geon-hyuk. But it was my own choice.”

“Why did you do it?”

“To assist with his plans—but on my terms.”

“But it looks like you failed.”

I inferred it from her use of the past tense. Han Yeong-won smirked, the corner of her mouth lifting.

“Yes, as you said. My original intention was to use this body to sabotage the plans you’re trying so hard to accomplish. But…”

But?

“I ended up getting trapped in this body.”

“What?”

The Soul Dominion Art—a possession technique—should have allowed Han Yeong-won to leave the host whenever she wished.

Trapped?

“It seems my power is still incomplete.”

“Ah…”

Just as Seo Do-hwan had limitations—requiring candy to enhance his abilities—Han Yeong-won had hers as well: her dantian.

To wield the power she once possessed as the Heavenly Demon, she needed to continuously train the core where internal energy was stored.

“I thought that with around three hundred years’ worth of accumulated internal energy, I’d be able to use at least a portion of my strength, but…”

She clicked her tongue.

“So you can’t leave on your own?”

“No. Unless this trash expels me himself, it’s impossible.”

We were screwed.

Tomorrow was Victory’s final music broadcast for their comeback track, Cheol-i. No—since midnight had already passed, it was today. It was far too late to contact the broadcasting station and tell them the group couldn’t perform.

‘What do I do?’

Still, they say that even when the sky collapses, there’s always a crack to slip through. Taking a deep breath, I picked up my phone.

***

“Oh, fuck.”

That was all Lee Man-deuk said the moment he arrived at WF Entertainment’s practice room after receiving my call.

Lee Man-deuk asked, murderous intent flickering in his eyes, “What the hell are you?”

Wearing Kang Ye-seong’s face, Han Yeong-won smiled and said, “You recognized me right away. As expected of Sapa—your eye for these things is sharp.”

“Sapa?”

Lee Man-deuk hesitated only a beat before grabbing her by the collar.

“Answer me first. Who the hell are you, you fucking bastard? And what are you doing in Muse’s body?”

At the harsh words spilling from his mouth, Han Yeong-won’s lips curled into a grin. She looked like she’d found an amusing opponent and was ready to pick a fight, so I quickly stepped between them.

“Mr. Lee Man-deuk, calm down. If you move recklessly, your wounds will reopen.”

“Calm down? You think I can calm down right now? Who the hell is inside Muse’s body?!”

“I’ll explain. Just—later.”

“It’s Ji Geon-hyuk, isn’t it? That bastard, right?”

“You think I’m that scum?” Han Yeong-won scoffed, her expression darkening with disgust. “My name is Han Yeong-won. I also lived for years as the Heavenly Demon under the name Mahagyeong.”

“Mahagyeong? Heavenly Demon?”

T/N: Mahagyeong refers to one who reached the Supreme Realm or Great State.

Lee Man-deuk blinked, clearly lost, then shot me a look demanding clarification. I spoke up.

“Ms. Han Yeong-won is also a returnee.”

“Hah.” Lee Man-deuk snorted. “Why are there so many returnees in this world?”

I wondered the same.

“So? Do you want something from me? Did you call me here to ask if there’s a way to force her out?”

“Yes.”

“Impossible.”

He said that and snapped his fingers.

Snap!

In an instant, Victory’s collapsed members disappeared—sent back to their dorms, he said, so I shouldn’t worry.

“If you try to force her out of Muse’s body—”

“It’ll severely damage his mind,” Han Yeong-won finished for him. “He’ll end up living the rest of his life like the version you saw.”

The version I’d seen…

“Is it strange that I’m fine? Shouldn’t you be relieved that at least I’m okay?”

Absolutely not.

I’d gone through hell to stop Kang Ye-seong from turning into a sociopath.

“So then, the only option left is—”

“For the owner of this body to drive me out himself,” Han Yeong-won said.

“And how exactly do we do that?”

“This guy’s name is Kang Ye-seong, right? You’ll have to snap him back to his senses and make him reject me.”

“That’s easy,” Lee Man-deuk said.

Easy?

I looked at him in disbelief, but he only smirked. “We just need to make Muse kick out this Heavenly Demon or whatever she is, right?”

“He’ll need a strong mental shock,” Han Yeong-won added.

Not physical harm—mental.

“Then we just do something Muse hates,” Lee Man-deuk said.

“Something Kang Ye-seong hates?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

If it was something Kang Ye-seong hated…

“Muse hates being the center of attention. Not on stage—but being noticed for the wrong reasons. He also can’t stand acting cutesy—it’s not him. He’s secretly really shy and gets embarrassed easily. He’s also awkward with physical contact.”

Lee Man-deuk listed everything he knew about him without hesitation.

“How do you know so much, you Sapa bastard?” Han Yeong-won asked.

“Because I’m Nike.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Victory’s fandom name.”

“…How peculiar.”

“You bastard—!”

Lee Man-deuk’s eyes blazed. He looked ready to blast her with magic, so I rushed to stop him.

“Mr. Lee Man-deuk, please. She may be the one talking, but that body still belongs to Kang Ye-seong.”

“Fuck…!”

He spoke through clenched teeth but eventually backed down.

“Anyway, I’ve told you everything Muse hates, so hurry up and get out of that body already.”