Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 115

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#Episode 115

“The Murim Alliance?”
Geom U-bin, who had just finished breakfast and was sipping tea, furrowed his brow at the mention of the Murim Alliance.
Go Seo-bang, who had come to announce Jeung Seok-pil’s arrival, spoke.
“He looked furious about something. We have no business with the Murim Alliance, do we?”
Geom U-bin turned to the Bloodwind Four Lions.
“Does anyone have an idea what this might be about?”
Three pairs of eyes converged on Do Pyeong-su. The bewildered Do Pyeong-su suddenly burst out.
“It wasn’t me!”
“Really? You didn’t cause some trouble? If the Murim Alliance shows up, you’re always the reason.”
Seo Seok-san nodded in agreement with Yeon Geum-hong’s words.
“That’s right. If it weren’t for troublemaker Pyeong-su, why would the Murim Alliance come here at the crack of dawn?”
Jang Man-dok nodded as well.
“Where is that bastard? I need to ask him myself.”
Do Pyeong-su jumped to his feet, but Se-hwa’s voice came from outside.
“May I come in?”
Se-hwa entered the room and bowed deeply with a long sigh.
“I just heard that someone from the Murim Alliance has arrived. I’m terribly sorry.”
Yeon Geum-hong asked.
“You’re apologizing, so it was you who caused this?”
“See? I told you it wasn’t me!”
“I believe you.”
“Aren’t you going to apologize to everyone?”
“If I apologized for every little mistake, I’d spend my entire life bowing.”
Seo Seok-san asked Se-hwa.
“How did we end up tangled up with the Murim Alliance?”
Se-hwa recounted what had happened at the Oseong Pavilion the previous evening.
“I apologize. As someone who runs the pavilion, I made a mistake I should never have made.”
“A mistake indeed. You should have gouged his eyes out or torn out his tongue. That’s why he dared to come all the way here—because you were too gentle.”
The other members of the Bloodwind Four Lions nodded at Do Pyeong-su’s words.
“What do these Murim Alliance dogs think they are, coming to our Oseong Pavilion and throwing their weight around? Better late than never, so let’s go now and take care of his eyes……!”
Geom U-bin stopped the savage-looking Do Pyeong-su.
“I’ll handle this myself. You stay here.”
“You’re not planning to apologize, are you, Master?”
“Se-hwa wasn’t at fault. They made the mistake. But I don’t think it’s serious enough to gouge eyes or tear out tongues.”
As Geom U-bin left with Se-hwa, the Bloodwind Four Lions called out.
“The Murim Alliance is nothing! If needed, we’ll just crush them flat!”
Bolstered by their somewhat questionable encouragement, Geom U-bin headed to the Reception Room where Jeung Seok-pil was waiting.
“Master.”
“Hmm?”
“I didn’t really do anything wrong, did I?”
“Of course not. The members of Oseong Jang-won must never bend their pride, not even before the emperor.”
“Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. Hehe.”
When they entered the Reception Room, Jeung Seok-pil, who should have stood to greet them, remained seated and merely stared.
“I understand you’ve come from the Murim Alliance.”
A deep crease formed between Jeung Seok-pil’s brows.
“I sent word for Hang Ju-sa to come. Why did a child show up instead?”
Geom U-bin took a seat across from Jeung Seok-pil and replied.
“I’ve been given full authority by my elders. If you have business, you can tell me.”
Jeung Seok-pil cast a glance at Se-hwa standing behind Geom U-bin and spoke.
“I see that woman is here, so you must have heard everything.”
Both Geom U-bin and Se-hwa winced at the word “woman,” but Jeung Seok-pil didn’t notice.
“When I go somewhere, the Murim Alliance goes there too. In that sense, the Oseong Pavilion’s treatment of me yesterday was an insult to the Murim Alliance itself.”
“The Murim Alliance went to the pavilion? Does the Murim Alliance enjoy liquor, or does it prefer courtesans? Or perhaps timber beams?”
Se-hwa burst out laughing, and Jeung Seok-pil’s expression crumpled like a discarded tissue.
“So yesterday it was a woman mocking me, and today it’s a child? Do you truly have the confidence to handle what comes next?”
“What exactly are you asking us to handle by visiting our estate at such an hour?”
Jeung Seok-pil was the one caught off guard by this sudden, blunt intrusion.
“Hmph! When you’ve done wrong, you must pay the price. The cost of holding the Murim Alliance in contempt won’t be trivial.”
“I see. It seems you’re after money, then?”
Geom U-bin glanced at Jeung Seok-pil, who made no effort to deny it.
“Money overflows in Oseong Jang-won in abundance.”
Jeung Seok-pil laughed at Geom U-bin inwardly.
To boast of wealth to someone who’d come demanding payment—truly, just a child.
“Well, it’s not that I’m demanding money outright, but if you were to make a contribution, it wouldn’t hurt Oseong Jang-won either.”
“What would be the benefit?”
“When conducting various enterprises, the backing of the Murim Alliance would be of considerable advantage.”
“If we don’t need the backing of the Murim Alliance, then we needn’t give money either.”
Geom U-bin stared at him steadily.
Only then did Jeung Seok-pil realize he’d been toyed with. He’d exposed his true thoughts for nothing.
“You impudent brat, daring to mock me? You’ll weep when you gaze upon a coffin yet!”
Se-hwa’s low voice cut through the air.
“Mind your tongue. A guest who barks at his host won’t even get treated like a dog.”
“W-what did you say?”
“Want me to tear out those beady eyes of yours?”
Since Geom U-bin had taught her never to bow her pride even before an emperor, Se-hwa made her threat boldly.
The two guards standing behind Jeung Seok-pil were about to step forward.
The door opened, and Noh Dae-sul entered, reeking of alcohol since early morning.
“Where’s that stinking bug smell coming from?”
Noh Dae-sul’s gaze settled on Jeung Seok-pil.
“Ah, there’s a money-grub here after all.”
At first Jeung Seok-pil didn’t recognize him. But his mind wasn’t slow—he remembered the old man he’d seen once three years prior.
“B-Bang-ju, why are you here?”
“Why else would a beggar come to a rich man’s house but to beg?”
Noh Dae-sul sat in an empty chair and asked the two guards, “Why are you standing like that? Trying to fight?”
The two guards, startled, quickly released their sword hilts.
“N-no, sir.”

Whether by bearing or martial prowess, Noh Dae-sul occupied a position near the very summit of the present Murim. Even the leadership of the Murim Alliance yielded a step to him—men like these lower-ranking guards could barely afford to look upon him.
“Drinking since early morning, I see?”
At Geom U-bin’s question, Noh Dae-sul let out a bitter laugh.
“Hehehehe! Oseong Wine is such a drink that I could eat it instead of rice and die without regret. I wonder if I could just settle here for a while—”
“Bang-ju.”
“What is it? Lord Geom.”
“If you’re finished with your business, you ought to leave.”
“S-surely you don’t mean to issue an Expulsion Order?”
“An Expulsion Order only applies to guests. Counting just the Saegiuju and Oseong Wine you’ve consumed, the bill already exceeds two thousand silver taels. It’s rather excessive. I think we ought to receive payment starting now. Of course, as a customer, I won’t charge lodging.”
“You’re asking a beggar for money?”
“You’re a gang leader.”
“Even a gang leader is still a beggar, though?”
“There are ranks to these things.”
“You truly have a gift for grieving an old man. Ah! How about this—if I stay here a few more days, I’ll cleanly resolve the dispute between the Murim Alliance and Oseong Jang-won.”
“Has there been a dispute between Oseong Jang-won and the Murim Alliance?”
Geom U-bin glanced at Jeung Seok-pil, whom Noh Dae-sul had indicated with his chin. A smirk played across her lips.
“Let’s just have a dispute then. What of it?”
“Ah, don’t be like that. That money-grub turns out to be a tenacious one.”
“Are you worried about our estate, or about the Murim Alliance?”
“Well… both, I suppose.”
Jeung Seok-pil couldn’t follow the conversation between the two at all.
Noh Dae-sul’s obsequious manner toward Geom U-bin didn’t seem to stem from drink alone.
“Understood. If you take care of that person, I’ll send you off with some Saegiuju and Oseong Wine.”
Noh Dae-sul’s face broke into a broad smile.
“You’re truly one to see reason! Just as my disciple’s closest friend should be!”
When Noh Dae-sul turned toward Jeung Seok-pil, his face had turned cold.
“Hey, money-grub.”
“Pardon?”
Jeung Seok-pil knew that people called him a money-grubber behind his back. But no one had ever used that epithet to his face, and certainly this was his first time hearing it demanded as an answer.
“This isn’t the place for you to come shaking down coin. I’ve already squeezed the Murim Alliance’s coffers dry—don’t show your face here again. Do you understand?”
He couldn’t dare shake his head at the master of a Sect like this.
“Ah, yes. I understand.”
“Good?”
Noh Dae-sul’s face bloomed with a smile as he glanced at Geom U-bin.
“Master.”
“Mm?”
“These people are still here.”
“You lot! What are you still doing here! Get out this instant!”
Jeung Seok-pil and his two guards bolted from the reception room like dogs with their tails on fire.
“All good now?”
“Goodness, really. You’re being far too careless. Gi-cheon’s martial arts training is going well, though, yes?”

***

Jang Man-dok was staring intently at Jeon Mi-ryeo.
Jeon Mi-ryeo was staring back at him just as fixedly.
Silence stretched between them—Jeon Mi-ryeo lying on the bed, Jang Man-dok standing over her, neither speaking.
After his initial attempt at animated facial expressions, Jang Man-dok had abandoned the effort, thinking: ‘There’s no way there’s another person like Hang Ju-sa or Do Pyeong-su in this world.’
‘I think I’ve fallen into the hands of a lunatic. What am I going to do?’
That was the worry running through Jeon Mi-ryeo’s mind as she watched him. But as the saying goes, the one in a hurry digs the well first, and it was Jeon Mi-ryeo who, unable to bear the silence any longer, finally spoke.
“Where… is this place?”
Her voice came out strained, as though leaking through a cracked throat.
Wondering if he hadn’t understood her poor articulation, she swallowed several times and posed the same question, but received no answer.
“What are you… planning to do with me?”
She could ask such a question because it seemed unlikely she’d been captured by the hypocritical orthodox practitioners.
From her last memory, there was a high chance this man had pulled her from the river.
Of course, it was too soon to feel grateful for being saved. There were far worse fates than death.
She needed to hear an answer to make sense of the situation, but he merely gazed down at her in silence.
“Do you know who I am?”
Still she asked, and still no answer came.
Since regaining consciousness, she’d taken inventory of her body—it was too weak even to move easily. Escape was out of the question, so she decided to at least assess the situation.
‘The wound in my ribs seems treated. The injuries from the crossbow bolts have healed. Even the broken bones appear to have been set.’
Whoever he was, she had to acknowledge his medical skill.
Squeeeak.
The sound of an iron door opening echoed, and a woman entered.
“Oh? You’re awake?”
As Yeon Geum-hong stepped in, Jang Man-dok left the underground cultivation chamber.
‘They’re taking shifts watching me. These must be people who know I possess secret techniques.’
There was no other explanation for such thorough guarding.
‘I kept my secret so carefully, yet not only those hypocrites but also these mysterious people know of it. Where did the information leak from?’
Yeon Geum-hong examined Jeon Mi-ryeo carefully.
“The treatment’s holding up well. That Man-dok—he’s infuriatingly skilled with medicine. Your vitality seems quite resilient too.”
Jeon Mi-ryeo spoke with all the firmness she could muster.
“You will never obtain what you desire from me.”
Pop!
Yeon Geum-hong’s flick on her forehead stung enough to bring tears to her eyes.
As Jeon Mi-ryeo barely managed to raise a hand to her brow, Yeon Geum-hong spoke:
“I don’t know what nonsense you’re spouting, but that’s no way to speak to someone who saved your life, is it? Show some manners.”
“But… you only saved me because you want something from me… right?”
As Yeon Geum-hong’s hand rose again, Jeon Mi-ryeo hastily added the softening particle to the end.
“You don’t seem much older than me anyway.”
“Hehehehe! So you do know how to flatter.”
It wasn’t flattery, but since she seemed content to take it as such, Jeon Mi-ryeo decided to leave it alone.
“Then tell me what you… want?”
“I’d have preferred if you were dead.”
“What?”
“You were struck by the Samji Hyeolhwa of the Moyong Clan, and your other wounds come from a different school. It looks like you’re tangled up with those second-rate orthodox practitioners, so I thought keeping you alive would be troublesome. Ah well—you lived anyway.”
“Why didn’t you just let me die?”
“Then I’d catch hell from him. You’re completely recovered now, so there’s no point killing you anyway. A corpse is far simpler to dispose of. So just keep quiet, and once you’re able to move, disappear. Got it?”
“That’s all?”
“Don’t even dream of sheltering here. There are already enough tangled threads with this lot. Even setting that aside, I’ve no appetite for entangling myself with orthodox faction fools on top of dealing with you.”
“You’re not asking… anything at all? Why we fought, or…?”
“I don’t care about children bickering. Stay quiet and leave quietly.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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