Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 117

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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 117

Just then, Chuyeong Dan’s voice rang out.
“Open this door for me!”
What Chuyeong Dan pointed to was the entrance to the Underground Cultivation Chamber.
“Should I throw them out?”
“If those people say they’re searching the smithy, just step aside, please.”
“I don’t like it.”
“It’s only good for Jegal Jong-ryeo.”
“Hmm?”
Geom U-bin simply smiled and unlocked the door to the Underground Cultivation Chamber.
Chuyeong Dan, who had descended into the underground chamber, asked Geom U-bin as he opened the double iron doors.
“What is this place for?”
“Nothing you need to know.”
Geom U-bin entered the Underground Cultivation Chamber first. When he lit the lamp on the wall, its glow banished the darkness in a single breath.
The Underground Cultivation Chamber was slightly different from the last time Geom U-bin had seen it.
For one, the bedding on the cot was rumpled, and there were clear signs that the medicinal pot had been used.
‘Someone was here.’
It was something only Geom U-bin knew, while Chuyeong Dan searched the underground chamber with meticulous care.
After checking under the bed and even the ventilation shaft, Chuyeong Dan cast a glance at Geom U-bin before heading back outside.
“Hmm. Looks like the disciples caused some trouble again.”
Geom U-bin, shaking his head, also left the Underground Cultivation Chamber.
After two hours of searching, Chuyeong Dan ultimately found nothing.
Du Baek-jin’s heart burned like he’d swallowed a bowl of vinegar, walking out empty-handed from a place he’d been certain would yield results.
As he turned to leave, Noh Dae-sul’s voice hit his back.
“Keep your word now!”
After seeing Chuyeong Dan off, Noh Dae-sul spoke to the Bloodwind Four Lions.
“You owe me a real debt now.”
“The debt belongs to those bastards whose lives we saved.”
“I kept you from fighting the Murim Alliance!”
“So go show off to the Murim Alliance. If those dogs come here, all they’ll do is stack corpses.”
“Bang-ju. I’ve got your drink ready.”
Just as Noh Dae-sul was about to shout something, he broke into a wide grin at Geom U-bin’s words.
“That’s why there’s no one like you, Lord Geom. Really, the ingratitude of people.”
“Does that beggar king never die?”
“Why should I die when you lot, older than me, are still kicking? I’ll live longer than you all just out of spite.”
Noh Dae-sul took the wine Geom U-bin had prepared and left Oseong Jang-won with a cheerful laugh.
“Whew! Things are finally quiet again.”
“Yes. We should ban that beggar king from entering the estate from now on.”
“The disciples have something to say to me, don’t they?”
“What? What do you mean, Lord?”
“The person the Murim Alliance is looking for is here at our estate.”
“How did you know that, Lord?”
The three exchanged glances with Do Pyeong-su, who had confessed far too easily. Though it was bound to come out eventually, whether easily or with difficulty.
“Where are they hidden? It seemed like they were in the Underground Cultivation Chamber.”
The three looked at Jang Man-dok, and Geom U-bin read his expression.
“In the Underground Cultivation Chamber? Ah! Hidden behind the medicine cabinet, right? That would certainly be the perfect place to hide someone.”
Geom U-bin headed toward the Underground Cultivation Chamber and asked.
“Who is it? A remnant of the Blood Cult, as the Murim Alliance claims?”
Yeon Geum-hong spoke.
“We don’t know who they are, but it doesn’t seem like they’re a remnant of the Blood Cult.”
“You hid someone without even knowing who they were?”
“I wasn’t particularly curious, but once the Murim Alliance started making such a fuss, I suddenly became interested.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this? No, never mind. I can guess well enough. Their wounds have healed?”
“How did you know that woman was injured?”
“The medicine smell is overwhelming in the Underground Cultivation Chamber. How could I not know? So it’s a woman?”
“Yes. But I’m not sure it’s necessary to know why the Murim Alliance is hunting you.”
“If you don’t want to ask and I don’t want to tell, there’s nothing to be done about it.”
Still unable to move freely, she lay quietly on the bed.
When five people rushed in, tension flickered across her face.
“You don’t need to be afraid. Um… what should I call you?”
When she didn’t answer, Do Pyeong-su spoke.
“We fished you out of the water, so let’s just call you the Nun.”
“I’m Jeon Mi-ryeo.”
She clearly didn’t care for the title.
“I’m Geom U-bin. These people are my disciples—it’s a bit unusual, but somehow that’s how it turned out. You know the Murim Alliance just visited our estate, yes?”
“What? I was just thrown into a closet and then pulled out.”
“Why are you being hunted by the Murim Alliance?”
“Before that, I should ask—why didn’t you turn me over to them?”
“Because I wasn’t certain you were a bad person.”
“You deceived the Murim Alliance for that reason alone? If we’d been caught, everyone here would be dead.”
“Such a thing wouldn’t have come to pass. But can you tell me why you’re being hunted by them?”
Jeon Mi-ryeo closed her mouth.
She seemed to be thinking of something, but when she didn’t open her mouth again, it became clear she had no intention of speaking.
“Very well. Focus on your recovery for now.”
“What is it that you want from me?”
“Why do you assume we want something from you?”
“You saved me because you want something.”
“People often do good deeds without reason. Jang—when do you think our young guest will be fully recovered? Ten days for her to move about again?”
Geom U-bin turned to Jeon Mi-ryeo.
“Did you hear? In ten days, you’ll be able to leave this place. Oh, one more thing—are you connected to the Blood Cult?”
“The Blood Cult? No.”
“Understood. Take care of yourself.”
Jeon Mi-ryeo watched Geom U-bin leave for the Underground Cultivation Chamber without asking anything further.
She couldn’t grasp where this place was or who these people were.
It seemed they had rescued her by chance, but she knew better than to trust everything she saw.
Ten days later, Jeon Mi-ryeo had recovered to the point where she could move about, just as Jang Man-dok had predicted.
During that time, neither Geom U-bin nor Hyeolpung Saja asked her anything.
“It seems you’re fit enough to take to the road.”
Yeon Geum-hong selected clean clothes from her own wardrobe and gave them to Jeon Mi-ryeo.
“Change into these and come out.”
As she left the Underground Cultivation Chamber, sunlight flooded in, forcing her to shield her eyes.
Yeon Geum-hong led Jeon Mi-ryeo to the Reception Room where Geom U-bin and Hyeolpung Saja were waiting.
“How’s your body?”
“It’s fine. Much better.”
Even as she answered, Jeon Mi-ryeo still couldn’t make sense of the hierarchy among these people.
“Then you’re free to leave now. But first, I need one promise from you.”
‘I knew there was something.’
“If you’re ever caught by the Murim Alliance, don’t mention you were here. We’d rather not be bothered.”
She had expected more to follow, but that was Geom U-bin’s entire request.
“Of course. I won’t say or do anything that would trouble you.”
“Good then.”
Geom U-bin handed her a pouch.
“This should be enough to get by for a while.”
Receiving this signal that the business was concluded, Jeon Mi-ryeo couldn’t hide her bewilderment.
“Is it really alright if I just leave like this?”
Yeon Geum-hong spoke.
“No one’s going to stop you. And don’t get caught by the Murim Alliance. There’s no surveillance nearby, but just in case—avoid the center of Hangju.”
Jeon Mi-ryeo left the Reception Room and headed toward the Main Gate.
From the moment she opened her eyes after escaping death until now, it all felt like a dream.
‘Is it really alright to just leave like this?’
Only Yeon Geum-hong saw her off, and there was no sign of any intention to hold her back.
Jeon Mi-ryeo’s right foot crossed the threshold of the gate, but her left foot wouldn’t lift. She realized the reason she couldn’t move was fear, and the realization startled her.
Perhaps fear was an emotion that should naturally arise.
The Murim Alliance lurked outside, ready to drive her to death at any moment. So why did this space where her left foot remained, this Oseong Jang-won, feel so impossibly safe?
She had believed there was no place in this world safe from the Murim Alliance, yet Oseong Jang-won, which had given her refuge, seemed like another world entirely—one that even the Murim Alliance’s reach couldn’t touch.
‘If I leave this place now, won’t the Murim Alliance eventually track me down?’
It was as inevitable as death itself.
“So what are you going to do if you don’t leave?”
Jeon Mi-ryeo turned her head quietly.
“Well… couldn’t I just stay here?”
Yeon Geum-hong’s face darkened at once.
“Listen! I told you last time not to get involved with us! So just go, will you?”
“I happen to know something extremely important.”
“What’s important to you isn’t necessarily important to us. Just carry that importance of yours and leave.”
Being pushed on the back only made her more reluctant to go.
“It really is important. If I stay here, it wouldn’t be a loss for you all.”
“Listen! You’re being hunted by the Murim Alliance! That’s already a loss!”
“As long as I’m not discovered, it doesn’t matter. And you don’t seem that afraid of it anyway…”
“It’s not fear—it’s annoying. Why should we burden ourselves with trouble because of you?”
“Have you ever heard of the Saeoe Five Kings?”
“Jeon Un-ja’s disciples?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you bringing that up?”
“I can’t tell you that yet.”
“Which means you don’t trust us yet.”
The Saeoe Five Kings was a name grand enough to stir Yeon Geum-hong’s concern.
“Come with me.”
When Yeon Geum-hong brought Jeon Mi-ryeo back to the reception room, Do Pyeong-su asked with a bewildered expression.
“Why did you bring her back?”
“Looks like this girl has the Secret Technique of the Saeoe Five Kings.”
The one most surprised by that remark was Jeon Mi-ryeo herself.
“Wait—I never said I had a secret technique!”
“You didn’t say it in words, but there’s no other reason why the Murim Alliance would move heaven and earth to find you.”
Seo Seok-san, his face startled, asked.
“Do you really possess the Secret Technique of the Saeoe Five Kings?”
When Jeon Mi-ryeo gave no answer, Geom U-bin’s voice filled the silence.
“Who are the Saeoe Five Kings?”
“They were five Absolute Masters who dominated the Murim of Saeoe. The five disciples of Jeon Un-ja, who was an Absolute Master of Saeoe Murim—when Jeon Un-ja died, they each went their separate ways and became tyrants ruling their own regions.”
Yeon Geum-hong picked up where Seo Seok-san’s explanation left off.
“Their martial arts were so formidable that the Murim folk trembled at the thought they might cross over into Zhongyuan. But those five brothers were not on good terms with each other. Their constant conflicts only eroded each other’s power. To make matters worse, they couldn’t even properly nurture their own disciples. The kingdom of Jeon Un-ja, who was called the greatest master of all time in Saeoe, crumbled like that. Eighty years have already passed.”
“If the Murim Alliance covets it this much, Jeon Un-ja’s martial arts must have been formidable indeed.”
Jeon Mi-ryeo spoke.
“It’s not the entire Murim Alliance. The Mudang Sect, the Jongnam Sect, and the Moyong Family are the main culprits. They hunted down those who possessed the Secret Technique of the Saeoe Five Kings under the pretext of tracking down remnants of the Blood Cult. Three of those martial arts have already fallen into their hands. What remains is what I possess and Iwhagung.”
Jeon Mi-ryeo’s story was certainly shocking. If this incident became known, the entire Murim would be turned upside down.
“So Iwhagung is involved as well.”
“That’s all I can tell you for now.”
To Geom U-bin and Hyeolpung Saja, the Saeoe Five Kings were merely martial artists of the past with formidable skills, and they had no interest in their techniques.
They were disciples of Hwa-jeok-san, whom they believed surpassed Jeon Un-ja.
So Jeon Mi-ryeo was not a person bearing treasure, but merely an uninvited guest who would bring trouble.
Yet Geom U-bin, thinking carefully, summoned his disciples.
“Disciples, shall we discuss this for a moment?”
Geom U-bin led the three outside.
“I think we should let the young lady stay at the estate.”
“It’ll only cause more trouble.”
“Both Iwhagung and the Murim Alliance—the way things keep connecting, it doesn’t look like this will end quietly. If Jeon Mi-ryeo is captured by the Murim Alliance, the fact that we harbored her could be exposed. Rather than being dragged in and forced into a fight we don’t want, it seems better for us to take the initiative and lead however things unfold. That way, we can decide our own course no matter what happens.”
“Are you saying we might end up fighting the Murim Alliance?”
“I don’t wish for it. We need to be careful that it doesn’t become known that she’s here. But I think we’ve already crossed a line we can no longer avoid.”
At Geom U-bin’s words, Do Pyeong-su spoke.
“The Murim Alliance or whoever—what does it matter? If it comes to it, we can crush them all.”
Now that things had come to this, Yeon Geum-hong chimed in as well.
“Right. Let’s burn those hypocrites down and be done with it.”
They had willingly accepted the burden of trouble. Returning to the room, Geom U-bin spoke to Jeon Mi-ryeo.
“If you wish to stay at Oseong Jang-won, then do so.”
Her delighted expression vanished at Geom U-bin’s next words.
“But there is one condition.”
“Should I hand over the secret technique?”
Do Pyeong-su let out a sharp laugh.
“What use is some trifling Secret Technique of Saeoe Five Kings? Jang Man-dok could use it as kindling instead of a banknote—that’d suit it perfectly.”

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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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