CMP ECX, 9A
6 bytes, comparison between CPU register and constant, changes CPU Flags register
If your hook does not prevent default behavior or changes comparison logics and return address, it's safe.
0075DE31 seems to be less usable:
0075DE31 |. /75 08 JNE SHORT 0075DE3B
0075DE33 |. |B9 54024400 MOV ECX, 00440254
Two commands will be overwritten, I do not see any advantages. Moreover, the first address was the beginning of IF ... ELSE block, while daemon's variant is just in the middle of IF construction. It's easier to control block start logics.