Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 145

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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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#145

Five beasts—that’s what they resembled.
Iron collars hung with iron chains that bit deep into the walls.
Like tethered dogs, except these were human.
Clad only in undergarments, their faces and ages were indecipherable.
Their entire bodies were covered in grotesque cysts and swellings. Yet from their frames, they could not have been more than sixteen years old.
Gaunt and skeletal, they lay sprawled on the cold stone floor. From the look of them, the state of things—they had gone without food for at least five days.
“Open the door! Quickly!”
The subordinates fetched stones and struck the lock a dozen times before the door finally gave way.
As they entered, the children watched with half-lidded eyes, barely awake.
Though their bodies were hideous with cysts, Yang Dae-gong was not a man to abandon life because of appearance.
While giving them water for their exhaustion, he searched for the key to their collars.
Fortunately, a bundle of keys lay just outside the iron door.
Once freed and fed, the children gorged themselves like possessed things, shoveling food down their throats.
Only then could he listen to their story with any coherence.
As Yang Dae-gong had suspected, all five were fifteen years old. After hearing their halting, fragmented account, he let out a long sigh.
“This is beyond me. We’ll need to bring in Oseong Jang-won.”

***

When the workers saw the children Yang Dae-gong had brought back, they gasped in horror. The Bloodwind Four Lions, however, remained unmoved.
“What happened to them?”
Do Pyeong-su posed the question, and Yang Dae-gong explained again.
“They were test subjects for treating the side effects of the Gwi-myeon Ma-do-beop.”
Geom U-bin turned to Jang Man-dok.
“Can you heal them? You won’t know until you try? Fine. Please care for these children well.”
With that, Geom U-bin turned and walked inside.
As Jang Man-dok led the five children down to the Underground Cultivation Chamber, Se-hwa asked Yeon Geum-hong a question.
“Master, you seem to be in a foul mood?”
“Do I? I suppose it’s because he killed someone for the first time, and it’s weighing on his mind.”
“What? Master killed someone?”
“Yes, it happened. That’s what’s troubling him.”
Se-hwa murmured to herself.
“I forgot about that ages ago.”
Go Seo-bang, overhearing, offered a pointed remark.
“That’s because you’re not known for kindness, are you?”
“I apologize for being wicked, Senior.”
“Is there no way to lighten Master’s mood?”
At Go Seo-bang’s words, no one could think of anything concrete.
“Why…… some people retire, unable to bear the shock of their first kill…….”
“Must you tempt fate?”
O Tong-su cut off Go Seo-bang’s words. But Seo Seok-san also spoke, his expression creased with worry.
“It’s fine. Even if that were to happen, it would be his choice. He doesn’t have to become a Murim martial artist if he doesn’t wish to.”
“That’s true. There’s nothing wrong with staying clear of the Murim, where it’s nothing but constant fighting.”
Yeon Geum-hong agreed.
Everyone nodded, though they all fervently hoped Geom U-bin would recover from the shock quickly.
Contrary to their concern, the psychological impact on Geom U-bin was not as severe as they feared.
The source of his dark mood was not murder itself, but the reason murder had become necessary. He had stepped in to prevent his fellow disciples from running amok and had succeeded, but knowing the truth was the problem.
Killing Dong Tam-rap had been unavoidable, but the matter of continuing to deceive the disciples was another thing entirely.
Regardless of what Ma Gun-ja had asked of him.
Those who must act and decide were the disciples themselves—the Bloodwind Four Lions. After much deliberation, Geom U-bin made his decision: he would tell them everything.
The moment he left his room, he encountered Seo Seok-san.
“After dinner, meet me at the Pavilion. I have something to tell you. Bring wine.”
Though Geom U-bin smiled thinly at the end, Seo Seok-san felt a chill run through him. The sense that Geom U-bin was about to drop a bombshell flooded over him.
Seo Seok-san immediately convened the Bloodwind Four Lions.
“He wants to talk with us?”
“That’s right. He even said to prepare wine.”
“What? Then this isn’t just about having fun.”
Do Pyeong-su spoke with an anxious expression.
“You don’t think he’s saying he can’t survive in the Murim, do you?”
“He hasn’t even left the Murim yet—how could he not be able to survive?”
“What’s so special about stepping into the Murim? Once he killed that bastard with the Murong Blade, he’s already a Murim martial artist!”
“We can’t argue over such trifles now. What if he says he won’t enter the Murim?”
“What then? That’s his choice to make.”
Everyone nodded at Yeon Geum-hong’s words.
“True enough. It’s disappointing, but we have to respect his decision.”
It was far more than mere disappointment—it felt like the world was crashing down.
Their ambition to make Geom U-bin the greatest martial artist of all time would wither before it could even blossom.
“Then we’ll have to change our direction.”
At Seo Seok-san’s words, Yeon Geum-hong asked.
“Change our direction?”
“If he won’t become a Murim martial artist, then the greatest martial artist of all time is out of reach, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“But we can’t abandon that dream, so we could make him the greatest artist instead——”
“Blast it, you stubborn fool!”
Before he could finish, a teacup thrown by Yeon Geum-hong struck Seo Seok-san on the head.

The evening meal was dominated by an awkwardness punctuated only by the clink of bowls and chopsticks.
“Jang. How are those friends who learned the Gwi-myeon Ma-do-beop getting along?”
Fortunately, Geom U-bin had broached a suitable topic.
Though it could hardly be called conversation—he was speaking and answering himself.
“Is that so? The way Jang says it’s not easy makes me think that Gwi-myeon Ma-do-beop isn’t ordinary martial arts. I’m not sure about its power, but you say the side effects are unprecedented? Ah! Could Jang’s research into the side effects of Gwi-myeon Ma-do-beop be connected to the side effects you disciples suffer from? I see! If it were an illness, I wouldn’t know, but if it’s a side effect of martial arts, there might be some connection. In any case, I hope you find a cure soon—to heal those friends and to cure the side effects plaguing you disciples as well.”
The meal ended, leaving behind only a frustration held just short of indigestion. Then Geom U-bin and the Bloodwind Four Lions settled themselves in the pavilion.
After one round of cups and two sips of tea, Geom U-bin spoke.
“There’s something I need to tell you all. When I say this, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed in me.”
Yeon Geum-hong said.
“No matter what you say, we won’t be disappointed in you.”
Do Pyeong-su chimed in.
“That’s right. Your decisions have always been correct, so this one will be too.”
“No, this time I’m truly uncertain. I don’t know if I’ve done well, or if I’m doing well.”
Yeon Geum-hong squeezed Geom U-bin’s hand.
“We’ll always be on your side, no matter what you decide.”
“Thank you for saying that. I was worried you might hate me for this decision.”
“How could we hate you? We understand the decision you’ve made.”
Geom U-bin asked in surprise.
“You already knew?”
Seo Seok-san smiled gently and spoke.
“We’ve spent enough time rolling through the Murim—did you think we wouldn’t notice?”
“I see. So you knew all along and just pretended not to. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what? The one who suffered most was you.”
“You’re right. Hiding things from you all was truly painful. Now that it’s out in the open, I feel so much lighter. So what do we do now?”
“That’s something you must decide.”
“But that’s not my decision alone to make.”
Geom U-bin and Seo Seok-san spoke simultaneously.
“It concerns our master, so we must gather everyone’s opinion.”
“It’s your life, so you must decide.”
Both Geom U-bin and the Bloodwind Four Lions wore bewildered expressions.
“My life?”
“Our master?”
“Yes. What were you disciples talking about?”
“We thought you might give up entering the Murim because you were tormented after killing someone for the first time…… Wasn’t that it?”
“I can’t say that killing Dong Tam-rap was nothing, but I never intended to abandon becoming a Murim martial artist because of it.”
“Then what you want to tell us concerns our master?”
“Yes. I heard something strange from the dead Dong Tam-rap.”
Do Pyeong-su asked.
“What do you mean?”
Geom U-bin began by explaining how Dong Tam-rap had come to harbor resentment against Ma Gun-ja.
“So Master went to considerable lengths while purging the remnants of the Blood Cult.”
“But the timing is peculiar. Master left after teaching Dong Tam-rap martial arts for two years. That was twenty-eight years ago.”
The Bloodwind Saja’s face hardened as the calculation sank in.
“That’s exactly when he disappeared.”
“Yes. And this I happened to hear by chance—when Master was captured by Baek Lim Mun, his condition was already compromised.”
“Compromised?”
“I don’t know the details, but if Master had been at full strength, he could never have been taken by Baek Lim Mun, could he?”
“That’s true. So something must have happened between when Master left Myogang and when he was captured by Baek Lim Mun.”
“That’s how I see it.”
Yeon Geum-hong asked a question.
“But why are you telling us this only now?”
Geom U-bin drew a long, weary breath.
“Master made us promise not to tell the disciples. He said he had finished all his work, and his karma was his to bear alone. He was very emphatic that we tell no one.”
“Master foresaw what would come.”
“Yes. He worried that if we tried to uncover the truth of his death, we would only accumulate karma of our own.”
She could fully understand why Geom U-bin had kept this from them.
His bright eyes were asking the Bloodwind Saja what they should do, but it was not a question that could be answered immediately.
She wanted to honor Ma Gun-ja’s wishes, yet this was far too grave a matter to simply let rest.
They had believed that destroying Baek Lim Mun had repaid Master’s debt of blood.
His capture had always struck them as strange, but since Ma Gun-ja had said nothing when he died, they had let it pass.
To ask how he had been taken by Baek Lim Mun would have been to touch his pride.
Now Ma Gun-ja’s death, long forgotten, rose again to the surface.
“Tell us once you’ve decided.”
Geom U-bin left those words behind and rose from his seat.
The Bloodwind Saja remained, silent for a long time, staring into the wine cup.
Splash!
A carp in the pond leaped suddenly, then sank back beneath the surface.
“We can’t just let this go, can we?”
At Seo Seok-san’s words, Yeon Geum-hong drank and then asked.
“Are you suggesting we defy Master’s wishes?”
“We’ve learned there’s a secret behind Master’s death—and you want to let it lie?”
Do Pyeong-su spoke.
“No, we can’t.”
“Do you have a way to find out?”
Do Pyeong-su gestured to Yeon Geum-hong and Seo Seok-san.
“The decision is yours. But Man-dok first needs to decide whether to investigate Master’s death or not.”
Seo Seok-san let out a bitter laugh.
“I never thought I’d hear myself say this, but I think we need to vote on it.”
Do Pyeong-su raised his hand first.
“I’m in favor.”
A moment later, Seo Seok-san and Jang Man-dok raised theirs. Instead of raising her hand, Yeon Geum-hong picked up her wine cup.
“Then I’m against.”
“What? Why?”
“Unanimous agreement doesn’t sit right with me. It makes us look too tight-knit.”
“Now we need to find a way.”
“We need to investigate Master’s movements from twenty-eight years ago. And we know just the right person to ask.”
At Yeon Geum-hong’s words, Seo Seok-san said the name “Poop Fly.”
“I’ll go fetch him.”
Yeon Geum-hong pushed Do Pyeong-su back down as he tried to stand.
“Not you or Man-dok.”
“Then I’ll go. But we’ll need to grease some palms—how much coin do you all have?”
Just then, Gong Seong-tak, passing by the pond, tossed down a crumpled piece of paper.
“This was in the pocket of the bandit leader who attacked Oseong Jang-won. I didn’t think I should keep it.”
They watched Gong Seong-tak hurry away, then turned their attention to the paper.
It was a 500,000 silver tael voucher.
“That should do it.”

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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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