Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 244

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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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#244

Everyone was startled, yet genuine shock and feigned surprise were worlds apart to those who knew how to look.
Geom U-bin, who had already marked the suspicious one, withdrew a Palgak-gyeong from his robe.
“I bought this instead. The fact that Shintu stole the Golden Buddha Statue turned out to be my good fortune.”
All eyes fell on the strange object with bewilderment.
“What is that?”
“You’re not Murim martial artists, so you might not know. This is called the Palgak-gyeong…”
Before he could finish, Byeon Tae-bong, one of Ha Sang-du’s men, cried out as if seized.
“Hwa-ryong Seonin!”
“You know of him.”
“I’ve heard the name of Hwa-ryong Seonin before. They say he was a master from several hundred years ago, rivaling Ma Gun-ja.”
Byeon Tae-bong picked up Ha Sang-du’s thread.
“From what I heard, he was said to be even more skilled than Ma Gun-ja.”
“Regardless, since I’ve purchased the Palgak-gyeong, which grants access to Hwa-ryong Seonin’s martial arts, there’s no need to regret losing the Golden Buddha Statue.”
Ha Sang-du asked.
“Then the theft of the Golden Buddha Statue…?”
“It’s not my loss, so it’s none of my concern. In any case, I’ve obtained something fine thanks to this, so I should offer some compensation.”
Geom U-bin tossed ten silver coins to Ha Sang-du—far less than the sum he would have received for recovering the Golden Buddha Statue, but in a situation where merely saving one’s life was fortunate, ten coins were more than adequate.
“If I’m not mistaken, the Lord appears to be a broker. Can you procure the object that pairs with this octagonal mirror?”
“The Palgak-gyeong has appeared occasionally over the years, so many Murim martial artists know of it. But the thing that pairs with it… what was the name again?”
Nam Cheon-yang, one of his trusted men, answered swiftly.
“The Cheon-gwang-an.”
“That’s right. The Cheon-gwang-an disappeared roughly four hundred years ago and hasn’t surfaced since.”
“Is that so?”
“That’s why Murim has remained relatively peaceful. If both were to appear simultaneously, a bloodwind would certainly sweep through Murim.”
“Still, just in case, could you search for this ‘Cheon-gwang-an’? I’ll be staying here through the day after tomorrow.”

***

“The Palgak-gyeong? Truly?”
“Yes, it was undoubtedly genuine.”
“How did you determine it was genuine?”
Nam Cheon-yang scratched his head.
“I cannot guarantee it, but it appeared to be authentic.”
Ma-o-ryang fell into contemplation. He was supposed to steal the Golden Buddha Statue cleanly and slip away, yet of all moments, the Palgak-gyeong appears now?
Something about it reeked of suspicion. But the Palgak-gyeong was far too sweet a temptation to simply pass by.
‘There’s a chance this could be a trap.’
Ma-o-ryang was no safety-first man. Had he been that sort, he would never have become a thief in the first place.
There were times when he couldn’t steal something because he didn’t know where it was, but he had never once failed to steal when he did.
Even if it were a trap, he was confident the one who laid it would live to regret it.
“What is his name?”
Nam Cheon-yang, who had been thinking hard, finally answered.
“I don’t know. I have no memory of hearing a name.”
There were several nagging uncertainties, but once his mind was set on stealing, there was no turning back.
“Where is he now?”

***

Jang Man-dok had taught Geom U-bin much beyond martial arts alone, and the Gyeonpichui was among them.
Once the materials were gathered, making it wasn’t particularly difficult, and he could readily obtain them from a nearby apothecary.
Geom U-bin applied the Gyeonpichui to the Palgak-gyeong, then smeared the Gyeonchuchui—which could track the Gyeonpichui—beneath his nose.
“Ugh! Pungent stuff.”
Without the Gyeonchuchui applied beneath the nose, the Palgak-gyeong would emit no scent at all, but Geom U-bin could detect the Gyeonpichui from ten leagues away.
Perhaps Shintu would even suspect this was a trap. The timing of the Palgak-gyeong’s appearance was too convenient.
But the truly capable often trusted themselves too much, overflowing with the confidence that they could succeed.
“I might as well get something out of this stench. Or rather, shouldn’t I endure it to catch Shintu? It’s hardly a loss.”
Still, if he could catch Shintu, he could bear far worse than a little foul air.
The hours dragged on for Geom U-bin. He’d set a two-day deadline, and if Shintu didn’t appear within it, he’d have to resort to other methods.
Those methods would displease him greatly—and they would displease Gils-angdo Jangju most of all.
He waited through one day, and the night deepened. Geom U-bin lay in bed like an ordinary man, and he actually did fall asleep.
But unlike an ordinary man, his ears remained alert even as he slept.
Rousing slightly from sleep, Geom U-bin noticed the window closing.
‘What? Surely not!’
He slipped from the bed and opened the wardrobe door, only to find it empty. He clicked his tongue in frustration.
Though he’d been asleep, his senses were sharper than a first-rate master’s open eyes. Yet Shintu had opened the window, slipped in, stolen the Palgak-gyeong, and vanished.
To be caught knowing full well what was happening—he had to grant the name “Shintu” its due. Of course, Geom U-bin had insurance; there was no fear of losing him.
“I’ll have to meet him in the night dew.”

***

It had been far too easy, which left Ma-o-ryang with a lingering unease. His own skills were extraordinary, true, but he couldn’t shake the feeling: ‘Something isn’t right.’
So he changed direction several times and sniffed the Palgak-gyeong to check whether anything had been planted on it.
By the time he reached the rented estate on the mountain slope, he must have glanced backward two hundred times.
Only after confirming that no one was pursuing him did Ma-o-ryang enter the estate.
The Palgak-gyeong inside the flat wooden box looked genuine. He’d only heard descriptions of it; this was his first time seeing the actual object, so he couldn’t judge its authenticity himself.
Fortunately, Ma-o-ryang knew someone who could verify it.
“I’ll need to hurry to reach Sichuan Province.”
Ma-o-ryang retrieved the Golden Buddha Statue and Palgak-gyeong he’d buried in the ground, packed them into a bundle, and left the estate.
“An honor to meet the legendary Shintu.”
At the voice from behind, Ma-o-ryang felt his entire body go cold.
As a master of the Lightness Skill, Ma-o-ryang’s senses were equally keen. Yet he hadn’t detected anyone until a figure appeared barely ten paces away.
As he turned, all trace of shock vanished from Ma-o-ryang’s face.
A young man—no more than his late twenties—stood there, one shoulder leaning casually against a tree, a faint smile playing at his lips.
Such composure meant confidence—the confidence of someone who held the advantage.
‘This is bad.’
Ma-o-ryang decided to bluff first.
“You’ve mistaken me for someone else, whoever you are.”
“A true master like Shintu should have the grace to admit defeat cleanly.”
“We haven’t fought. What defeat are you talking about?”
“Isn’t having your identity exposed itself a defeat for Shintu?”
“I’ve said it before—I’m not Shintu. Why are you trying to slap me with a false accusation of theft?”
“If you’re not Shintu, then I suppose I’m a bandit instead.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I’m taking that bundle you’re carrying.”
The moment those words left his mouth, Ma-o-ryang bolted. Whoever this man was, he’d made a mistake.
If he’d meant to capture Ma-o-ryang, he should have attacked immediately. They were barely ten paces apart, but now that Ma-o-ryang had the first move, he was confident he could escape.
‘An inexperienced fool!’
As he deployed his Lightness Skill, he glanced back to see only a green forest receding behind him.
After running for a quarter hour, Ma-o-ryang finally felt confident that he’d shaken him off completely.
“Phew! That was close.”
Breathing hard, Ma-o-ryang dropped onto a rock. As he reached for the water gourd at his waist to drink, he heard the young man’s voice.
“I was waiting so long I nearly fell asleep.”
Like a startled cat, Ma-o-ryang leaped to his feet and spun toward the sound.
The young man was leaning against a tree just as before, that same smile on his face.
“Impossible! How is this—!”
He’d sensed no pursuit whatsoever. No matter how skilled his opponent’s Lightness Skill, it was impossible to fool his senses.
“I didn’t feel anyone following……”
“Following? I’ve been waiting here since a quarter hour before you arrived.”
“You knew I’d come this way?”
“I can know wherever you go.”
“You expect me to believe such absurdity!”
The young man shrugged.
“Then run again if you don’t believe me.”
The moment he finished speaking, Ma-o-ryang ran. This time, he deployed his Lightness Skill as though his life depended on it.
He swore he’d never run faster in his life. After a quarter hour at full speed, his breath came hard and his chest was heaving.
At this speed, even the sect master of the Gudaemun Faction couldn’t catch up to me.
He stopped and gasped for breath, his stomach churning violently. After heaving raggedly for some time, Ma-o-ryang straightened his bent spine.
“You’re spouting absurd lies, boy.”
He had started to drink but instead rinsed his parched throat with water and stretched his aching legs when a voice reached him.
“You’ve kept me waiting quite a while.”
His heart nearly burst through his chest. The young man stood there in a crooked stance, bearing that habitual smirk like worn armor. He was mocking him outright.
“Damn it all!”
The young man yawned as though bored.
“I’ll give you one last chance to run. Beyond that, even I’ll grow tired of this.”
He had failed twice already; there was no way a third attempt would succeed. Instead, Ma-o-ryang chose another path.
“Let’s see how remarkable your martial arts truly are!”
The boy was barely in his late twenties. Though Ma-o-ryang had earned the title Shintu, his mastery extended far beyond stealth and lightness techniques alone.
He possessed sufficient martial skill to protect his own life in any circumstance.
Yet after taking a blow to the chest and crumpling to the ground, the entire exchange had lasted merely three seconds.
Cough, cough!
The young man’s voice fell upon Ma-o-ryang’s bowed head as he knelt coughing.
“Don’t overact. You might actually die painfully if you’re not careful.”
There was no choice but to believe the young man’s words now. He was no one Ma-o-ryang could contend with.
Yet Ma-o-ryang still possessed one final trump card. After steadying his breath, he staggered to his feet and settled his weight against a boulder.
“I can’t deny you’re formidable. But you’ve chosen the wrong person.”
“You’re going to claim you’re not Shintu again?”
“I am Shintu, that’s true. I couldn’t show such cowardice after coming this far. But listen—if you lay a finger on this Shintu, you’ll make yourself an enemy of the most terrifying force in the world.”
“And who is this most terrifying force in the world that you speak of?”
“Don’t go having a heart attack when you hear this.”
Ma-o-ryang swallowed hard and spoke each word with measured force.
“The Bloodwind Four Lions.”
Surprise flickered across the young man’s face, as expected.
“The Bloodwind Four Lions?”
“That’s right. I’m a close friend of the Bloodwind Four Lions.”
“How old are the Bloodwind Four Lions that you call them a close friend?”
“Friendship transcends age, you see. The Bloodwind Four Lions do whatever I ask of them. What do you think will happen if I ask them to kill you?”
“Do you know who I am?”
“Of course I don’t know right now. But the Bloodwind Four Lions will certainly track you down. Since they’ve already found me, finding you will be no trouble at all.”
The young man’s lips curved into a smile.
“That only matters if you survive to go to the Bloodwind Four Lions and tell them to find and kill me. If you die here, how will the Bloodwind Four Lions ever know that I’m the culprit?”
“They’ll find the culprit too! Because they’re the Bloodwind Four Lions!”
To Ma-o-ryang, the Bloodwind Four Lions were almost a matter of faith.
“If I’d wanted to kill you, you’d already be dead. If that bundle were my goal, I would’ve killed you and taken it.”
He had no choice but to acknowledge that the young man possessed the ability to kill him.
“So there’s a purpose to keeping me alive.”
“I hear you take commissions and steal things from time to time.”
“If the price is fair.”
The young man tossed a silver coin.
“Commission payment.”

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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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