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Translator: uly
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Double Interior Disaster
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"Demon Essence Iron-Severing Sword? What's that?"
"It's a demonic sword worth a whopping five thousand nyang of gold. They say it can slice through iron like tofu and absorb the enemy's vital blood once severed."
He was speaking our language clearly, but I couldn't understand half of it.
"Sounds like some seriously sinister artifact..."
"Don't worry. Its monetary value is certain. You can sell it here for a good price."
"Sell it?"
For a moment, she sensed something ominous.
"Why sell it here? Sell it yourself and bring back the cash."
"Impossible."
"What?"
"I am the Heavenly Demon."
"So what?"
The Heavenly Demon stared solemnly at the ceiling.
"How could I, who achieved dominion over the demonic path, haggle over an ancient relic left by the Divine Demon Great Emperor?"
Jang Chaewon nearly lost her sanity but took a deep breath.
"Don't you know anyone? Like consignment sales or something? There has to be a way."
"The Demon Essence Iron-Severing Sword is one of the demonic swords banned for use in the martial world. Even if I tried to sell it, no bloated martial artist would buy it. It'd make me a public enemy."
"Then what do you expect me to do?"
"This is a different world, so it doesn't matter. Sell it without worry. I permit it."
A brief silence fell.
Jang Chaewon shook her head, discovering her own astonishing patience buried deep within.
"Anything else? Like gold or jewels?"
"There is."
"Then that's fine. Bring those."
"How could I report such a personal matter? It would invite ridicule from my subordinates."
Snap.
The rope of patience barely holding Jang Chaewon's sanity together snapped pitifully.
"Ah, I see. I get it now."
"Have you accepted?"
As the Heavenly Demon smiled faintly, Jang Chaewon's eyes rolled back wildly.
"Yeah, yeah. I totally get it. That you're beyond saving."
Her wide-open eyes seemed to pour out millions of blue blades.
"That you're like a Terminator sent from your world to drive me insane!"
A tremendous aura poured from Jang Chaewon's body as her eyes rolled back—even the Heavenly Demon couldn't handle it.
'I'm dead!'
The energy emanating from her body was beyond what even the Heavenly Demon could endure.
Death held no fear.
But failing to reach higher realms was regrettable.
"Wait!"
The Heavenly Demon extended one hand and spoke with a serious expression.
"If my proposal doesn't please you, let's find another way."
Jang Chaewon was strong.
The Heavenly Demon wanted to grow even stronger.
He yearned to reach her level, where he could tear open the heavens and shake the earth.
This desire led the Heavenly Demon, for the first time in his life, to consider concepts like 'persuasion' and 'negotiation.'
"Ahem."
Clearing his throat, the Heavenly Demon looked into her pale eyes and said,
"Isn't compensation the key? I'm willing to make amends sincerely."
Her eyes, now pale as if she'd regained her senses, slowly lowered.
"Then how will you compensate?"
"Direct monetary payment is difficult right now. Instead, I'll handle tasks of equivalent value."
The Heavenly Demon whispered confidently.
"My mind holds one hundred eight thousand volumes of demonic secret manuals. In other words, even without inner energy, I can manage various tasks."
"Various tasks?"
"Exactly."
The Heavenly Demon smirked coldly and licked his lips.
"If there's something you can't handle directly... I can deal with it discreetly."
"Something troublesome..."
After a moment's thought, Jang Chaewon nodded.
Then came a response utterly unlike what the Heavenly Demon expected.
"Fine. Then work at my shop from now on! Until you cover one hundred million won!"
Pointing at the Heavenly Demon's rock-like face with her long finger, Jang Chaewon declared,
"Use your inner energy or whatever however you like."
"Work at the shop? You mean that 'trust' thing?"
"Are you crazy? I'd never trust you with that. Just work on interior job sites."
"What exactly do you want me to do?"
"Obviously interior work. Can't you read? It says house repair specialist."
The Heavenly Demon stared blankly at the business card she'd placed on the table.
"House repairs... You're telling me to become a carpenter?"
"Pretty much. It includes woodworking."
"Ha! Hahaha!"
Laughter boomed from the Heavenly Demon, cold bloodlust spreading like mist from his eyes.
He didn't want to die without reaching the Heaven Beyond Heaven realm, but he refused to live humiliated.
"That's too much of a joke."
"Does this look like a joke?"
"You'd use me as a laborer?"
"Not even that. Not just anyone can do this job."
"Not just anyone?"
Jang Chaewon sneered.
"Yeah. How long do you think it takes to master this? Even with good dexterity and quick wits, it takes three years of effort to become an A-grade technician."
"Hah! Hahaha!"
The Heavenly Demon burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Three years to learn mere house repairs?"
"Mere house repairs?"
Now flames flickered in Jang Chaewon's eyes.
"Interior construction requires top-notch proficiency and skill. You think it's something you pick up in one go?"
"That applies to mere mortals. As I've said many times, I am the Heavenly Demon. Don't compare me to those with mediocre talents."
His indifferent remark pricked her pride.
"What did you say? Mediocre?"
"Indeed."
With a serious face, the Heavenly Demon continued,
"Three years for one skill? I can master any skill in a single day."
He smirked arrogantly.
"I'm the unparalleled genius who mastered all demonic martial arts created since the founding of the demonic path."
In just over a decade, the Heavenly Demon had perfected all one hundred eight thousand demonic techniques in the Demon Vault to their ultimate realms.
A genius of talent and effort. The heaven-sent prodigy of martial arts, the supreme master at the pinnacle.
That was the Heavenly Demon.
"Genius?"
Jang Chaewon scoffed at his smug smile brimming with pride.
"You can do it in one day? What if you can't?"
"I told you. I am the Heavenly Demon."
"So if you can't in one day, then what?"
"I'll accept your earlier proposal. I'll work without complaint for three years."
His eyes gleamed.
"But if I complete it in one day?"
"Fine. Then the one hundred million won debt is gone."
"Hahaha! I like your boldness."
Though she looked like a young girl, Jang Chaewon exuded the poise and daring of a battle-hardened veteran.
The Heavenly Demon bared his long fangs in a confident smile.
"Then let's start right away."
* * *
Screech.
A white van loaded with rolls of linoleum flooring stopped in a residential neighborhood.
Click.
The two who stepped out were none other than Jang Chaewon and the Heavenly Demon.
"Where is this?"
The Heavenly Demon looked up at the multi-unit house with its red brick walls.
Jang Chaewon opened the trunk and pointed to a large roll of linoleum.
"Linoleum installation site."
"Linoleum?"
"Never mind. First, grab this and follow me."
"Hmm. Very well."
The Heavenly Demon effortlessly hoisted the roll weighing well over 100 kilos onto his shoulder.
Jang Chaewon, staring at her notepad, punched in the code for the front basement entrance door.
Ding.
With the electronic door lock's chime, the empty living room of the two-room unit came into view.
"I'll demonstrate once. No complaints?"
"Of course not."
"Good. Watch closely."
Jang Chaewon pulled a tape measure from her pocket and measured the room.
"Hmm, this room is 3,400mm wide and 3,500mm long. The linoleum is 1,800mm high, so two widths will fit."
After measuring, she took out a utility knife and sliced open the paper wrapping on the linoleum.
"This is linoleum. Floor covering material—the price varies by thickness. Got all that so far?"
"Understood."
His answer was curt, his expression sour.
'To think I, the Heavenly Demon, must do such trivial work.'
But Jang Chaewon assumed he hadn't grasped it and repeated herself.
"Alright, I'll explain again. Watch."
The linoleum backing had the manufacturer's logo and grid lines with numbers.
"Each square is 10 cm. Ten squares make a meter."
"Roughly four cun per square. Understood."
"Good. Cut it to size, lay it out first..."
She expertly cut the linoleum, then donned gloves and a mask.
"Now, remove the existing linoleum."
She peeled up the old flooring, rolled it neatly, and set it aside.
Then swept the floor clean with a broom.
"Next, apply adhesive to the floor."
"Adhesive?"
"Like glue? Sticky stuff."
Jang Chaewon sliced open the front of a white plastic tub of floor adhesive with her utility knife.
She scooped a heap onto a white trowel.
"Watch closely now. Adhesive isn't slopped on haphazardly."
She began spreading adhesive where the linoleum would go.
Swish swish.
Twirling the trowel, the clumped adhesive spread evenly in long wave patterns.
"Then just lay the linoleum on top."
She positioned the precut piece.
She trimmed the edges neatly with the knife, then repeated for the remaining areas.
"Now connect the overlapping parts into one."
With the utility knife, she cut straight through the overlapped section at a right angle.
The two pieces now fit seamlessly, as if they'd always been one.
"There, last step."
She pulled a small bottle and plastic container from her pocket.
"What's that?"
"Seam sealer. Like adhesive, but it seals the gaps perfectly."
She applied sealer from the bottle into the seam.
The overlapped area bonded flawlessly, like a single sheet.
"How's that? Think you can do it?"
"A simple action not worthy of being called a skill."
"What?"
Grinding her teeth so her front ones showed, Jang Chaewon pointed to the next room.
"Then do it now."
"Fine. Watch."
The Heavenly Demon followed her steps confidently, removing the floor covering.
His strength made it peel off like tissue paper.
"Adhesive, right."
He scooped adhesive with the trowel and spread it diligently.
But unlike hers, it clumped in round globs everywhere.
"Not even worthy of a skill, huh? Can't even spread adhesive properly?"
At Jang Chaewon's jab, the Heavenly Demon replied flatly.
"Worry not."
He began unrolling the linoleum slowly.
When he reached the cut line, he suddenly crouched low, eyes flashing red.
A familiar stance.
"Hey! Wait!"
Before Jang Chaewon could shout,
"Fist Demon Four Forms, Soaring Wind Dragon Fist!"
Leaping up, his fist grazed the linoleum.
Boom!
With an explosion, the linoleum tore as if bombed.
"What the hell are you doing!"
"Poor durability."
Jang Chaewon snatched the shredded rag-like linoleum.
"Why destroy it? I gave you a knife to cut it properly!"
"Knife? A weapon?"
Jang Chaewon pointed to the utility knife at his waist.
"This! Cut smoothly with this."
"No need. I can cut without it."
"Just use it and cut properly. This costs money too."
"Very well."
Casually gripping the utility knife, the Heavenly Demon spun it at high speed and thrust his hand out.
Flash!
A cold gleam flashed, and the linoleum split cleanly into two pieces.
"What..."
Jang Chaewon gasped at the glass-smooth cut edge.
"Form's awful... but the cut's laser-precise."
"I'm proficient in all weapons under heaven. This is nothing."
Smirking, the Heavenly Demon laid the cut pieces.
But the more he applied, the more it wrinkled like an old donkey's belly.
"Wow, such amazing talent. Truly astonishing. Even wrinkling it this bad takes skill."
At Jang Chaewon's sarcasm, the Heavenly Demon said stoically,
"Do you know the saying 'Horizontal Step Good to Capital'?"
"No."
"As long as you reach the capital, direction doesn't matter. Meaning, achieve the goal by any means."
Thud.
He slapped the other piece down forcefully. Still wrinkled.
"Now, cut the overlap."
Grabbing the knife, he cut again.
Overcompensating in surprise, he used excess force.
Screech.
Sparks flew from the floor with each cut.
The linoleum grew increasingly grotesque.
"Hmm."
The Heavenly Demon stood with a stiff expression.
"Complete."
Jang Chaewon gaped at the wrinkled, crooked mess.
"Are you blind? It's bunched up like a sackcloth rag!"
"As long as it's on the floor."
"You kidding? What kind of job is this? It has to look good."
Dodging her gaze, the Heavenly Demon said shamelessly,
"That's the hallmark of my martial arts—no, demonic arts. Prioritize utility over appearance."
"Kidding? You said you could mimic it perfectly after one look?"
Jang Chaewon sneered at the rock-solid Heavenly Demon.
"Loves calling himself a genius, huh? In your world, do they call dunces geniuses?"
"Hmm."
Truthfully, even the Heavenly Demon couldn't comprehend this.
He could grasp and execute complex techniques or mechanisms instantly. Why couldn't he do interior work?
'Because it's another world? Or no inner energy?'
The reason eluded him.
But the pride of the supreme under heaven remained.
"I'm better with swords than knives."
"What?"
"Spears over fists. Well, without inner energy, I'll stick to Fist Demon Four Forms for now..."
"What are you talking about?"
"Like martial arts, everything has aptitudes."
"What?"
"That task didn't suit my aptitude."
Narrowing his eyes, the Heavenly Demon told Jang Chaewon,
"Let's try something else."
Afterward, the Heavenly Demon tried various construction tasks under Jang Chaewon.
He realized something shocking.
He had zero talent for interior work.
"This can't be!"
Prostrated on the floor, the Heavenly Demon wailed.
"I read ten thousand martial manuals in the Demon Vault and, before thirty, mastered reverse extreme divine arts to the twelfth stage through decades of training. And now... I can't handle mere manual labor?"
"Mere manual labor? Watch your words."
Arms crossed, Jang Chaewon addressed the wailing Heavenly Demon.
"No more excuses, right? From now on, no backtalk. Learn the ropes with demolition and cleanup."
"Demolition? Trash? What?"
"Forgot? Our bet?"
Grinning ear to ear, she leaned close to the Heavenly Demon.
"If you can't do it perfectly in one go, you work for me three years."
Her crescent-moon smile looked like a demon's eyes from hell.