Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 250

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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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#250

The moment Seo Seok-san took a step forward, four figures who had been sprawled like corpses suddenly jerked their heads up.
“What—where are we? I just came to!”
“Same here! We were definitely unconscious in the forest!”
“Pathetic.”
Seo Seok-san grabbed one of them by the scruff and hurled him outward.
“Aaaaaahhhhh!”
As a long shriek tore from his throat, the other three followed the same arc through the air.
And far below, they splashed into the sea. Given the choice, they would have swum straight for shore.
But there was nowhere for them to return to except the Uninhabited Island.
“How did you know they were shamming, sir?”
The girl asking the question was Jang Seo-yeon. The five members of the Oseong Chungin Association had been given names taken from the individual characters of the Bloodwind Four Lions.
While they’d been experimental subjects for the Gui-myon Ma-do Technique—called 1 through 5—they had kept asking Jang Man-dok for proper names, so names had to be given eventually.
But among the Bloodwind Four Lions, Seo Seok-san was the only one with any talent for naming. Growing lazy, he’d put it off and off until finally deciding to just take one character each from four existing names.
That was how the pretty young girl had become Jang Seo-yeon.
“I didn’t know.”
“Sir?”
“Throw someone in the water, they wake up quick enough.”
Do Pyeong-su raised his thumb approvingly at Seo Seok-san.
“Just as expected—Seok-san’s got brains.”
The Oseong Chungin Association only sighed. Yeon Geum-hong spoke to the amused Seo Seok-san and Do Pyeong-su.
“You fools, what are you dawdling for? Get ready to leave.”
It was nearly twenty days since they’d arrived on the Uninhabited Island. Geom U-bin had said he’d send a carrier pigeon once a month, but it could arrive early.
So they’d decided to go ahead and wait there.
“You’re going to Oseong Jang-won today?”
“That’s right.”
“How long will you be staying?”
“Won’t know until we see. While I’m gone, keep those kids in line. If we come back and find they’ve stepped out of place, you’ll all bear the responsibility…….”
Yeon Geum-hong’s gaze lingered on the four figures who were swimming hard to get closer.
“This won’t be the end of it for them.”
But there was someone listening to their conversation—Park Bae-gil, a man who’d come as a sailor only to become a servant after his ship was wrecked.
“Uh…… are you heading to the mainland today?”
At Park Bae-gil’s cautious question, Seo Seok-san nodded.
“That’s right.”
“Would it be possible to take us with you?”
He was desperate to get off this island.
“No reason we can’t. Come along.”
At this casual permission, Park Bae-gil’s face split into a grin.
“Thank you! I’ll get ready right away!”
As Park Bae-gil turned to leave, something occurred to him and he looked back.
“But when did you build the boat?”
No matter how hard he racked his brains, he couldn’t recall them constructing any vessel to reach the mainland.
“What do we need a boat for? We’ll just run there.”
“R-run there, you say?”
Do Pyeong-su spoke up.
“I wish we could fly, but even we haven’t mastered that technique yet.”
Do Pyeong-su turned to the other three Bloodwind Four Lions.
“You lot, next time we have free time, should we try some training on flying?”
“Before Pyeong-su catches the idiot disease, let’s go.”
As they began walking toward the beach, Park Bae-gil came hurrying after them.
“Don’t say such impossible things—please, just take us with you! My elderly mother and small children are waiting at home!”
His parents had passed away long ago, and he’d never married, so he had no children.
But appealing to the compassion of the Bloodwind Four Lions was utterly futile.
“If you can keep up, then keep up.”
Do Pyeong-su said that and launched himself into the air. In a single bound he covered twenty zhang and splashed into the sea, leaving Park Bae-gil standing there with his mouth agape.
“I was thinking we could swim across…….”
But the Bloodwind Four Lions were people who existed outside the common sense of ordinary folk. He’d naturally assumed they would drown, yet they kicked off from the water’s surface and vanished in a single breath.
Not only Do Pyeong-su, but the other three as well moved the same way. Watching them race across the sea, Park Bae-gil murmured to himself.
“They really are running across it. So you can do it that way.”
Park Bae-gil, staring at the Bloodwind Four Lions now reduced to a distant speck, turned to the Oseong Chungin Association instructors.
“Masters, if I train here too, will I be able to cross like that?”
Man Seok-pyeong answered without much conviction.
“It might be possible.”
“Then I’ll train too!”
“Very well.”
Unaware that they’d gained one more trainee, the Bloodwind Four Lions continued their dash across the sea.
Each time they kicked off from the water’s surface, waves rose ten zhang high, and the surge swelled like a tidal bore. That some unfortunate fish perished in the impact lay entirely outside their concern.
About halfway through employing the Deung Pyeong technique, a scene unfolding in the distance captured their attention.
Two ships were racing at high speed—the one ahead appeared to be a merchant vessel, while the pursuing ship was unmistakably a pirate craft.
Moreover, these were no ordinary pirates from Zhongyuan, but Japanese raiders from the island nation to the east known as Dong-yeong.
“Children, shall we rest a moment?”
At Yeon Geum-hong’s words, Do Pyeong-su bristled.
“Are you already tired?”
Yeon Geum-hong flared up.
“Want to test your strength here?”
“When have you ever seen me avoid a fight that comes my way?”
If they left it unchecked, an unprecedented battle might well break out in the middle of the sea.
“Brother, let’s rest a moment first.”
Do Pyeong-su obeyed Geom U-bin’s words without question and gave in to Eun Bi-yeon’s wishes more often than not.
“Perhaps you’re right.”
The pirate ship drew closer rapidly. When the gap between the vessels had narrowed to about thirty zhang, the Bloodwind Four Lions and Eun Bi-yeon struck the water’s surface with tremendous force.
The five figures traced a long arc through the air before crashing violently onto the pirate ship’s deck.
Crash!
None of them spoke, but they resented the pirates’ plundering of the merchant vessel—Japanese raiders at that.
They harbored no particular notions of righteousness; they simply did as they pleased.
That unspoken purpose was fulfilled efficiently enough. The only problem was that their resting place vanished the moment they landed.
The ship split clean in two.
“You idiot! You should’ve landed with less force!”
When Yeon Geum-hong bellowed, Do Pyeong-su was no less loud in return.
“You’re the one who threw yourself down like a madwoman!”
“What? Madwoman? Watch your tongue! I was just saying we could test ourselves!”
Pirates scrambled from all sides, shrieking as the sinking ship emptied, while they stood quarreling upon the fractured deck.
“Stop this nonsense. We’re not children anymore.”
Do Pyeong-su and Yeon Geum-hong shouted at Seo Seok-san, who’d tried to reason with them.
“Get out of here, baldie!”
Splat!
A streak of blood bloomed across the left side of Seo Seok-san’s scalp.
“You dogs! Come at me together, then!”
Their irritation sparked so readily because they hadn’t seen Geom U-bin—withdrawal symptoms, in a sense.
“Don’t we need to hurry? We might have word from Lord Geom by now.”
Indeed, only matters concerning Geom U-bin could truly calm them.
Bang!
The pirate ship upon which all five had landed shattered into splinters, scattering like driftwood. The pirates aboard were no more worthy of the Bloodwind Four Lions’ notice than so many fish.
They reached solid ground without difficulty. Though they had crossed the sea, the Bloodwind Four Lions and Eun Bi-yeon did not pause to catch their breath before hurling themselves toward the Oseong Jang-won.
“I hope something has come up that requires our help,” Do Pyeong-su said.
Seo Seok-san took up the thought.
“If Senior Brother asked for our help, it would mean he’s in danger. We’d rather not have such a thing happen.”
“But then how would we get to see him?”
Yeon Geum-hong spoke up.
“It’s best if Senior Brother simply forgets to send word. Then we’d have a reason to go find him.”
“Even when Senior Brother sends a carrier pigeon, it doesn’t always arrive safely.”
Exchanging such hopeful words, they descended toward the hillside overlooking the Oseong Jang-won.
They’d been gone for barely twenty days, yet the place welcomed them as if it had been ages. The Oseong Jang-won was a place that made them feel, for the first time in their lives, what it truly meant to have a home.
Just as Yeon Geum-hong was about to leap forward, she pointed at the sky above the Oseong Jang-won and spoke.
“Isn’t that a pigeon flying toward the estate?”
Seo Seok-san, whose eyes missed nothing, answered.
“That carrier pigeon has a small pouch tied to its leg.”
“It could be something my senior brother sent.”
He’d said once a month, but it was possible he’d sent it earlier. Yeon Geum-hong drew a concealed blade from her garment.
“What are you doing?”
“Just watch.”
Yeon Geum-hong launched herself forward and hurled the blade at the carrier pigeon. The bird, which had been flying peacefully toward its destination, suddenly became a guest from which there was no return.
“What are you doing? If my senior brother sent it, how could you—!”
Do Pyeong-su shouted in alarm and moved toward the fallen pigeon, but Yeon Geum-hong blocked his path.
“It might have been something my senior brother sent, so I brought it down. The carrier pigeon never arrived.”
“But it’s right there—what do you mean it never arrived?”
Seo Seok-san gave Do Pyeong-su a sharp elbow nudge to the ribs.
“We didn’t see anything.”
Only after Seo Seok-san shook his head back and forth did Do Pyeong-su’s face light up with understanding.
“Ah, I see! That’s right. Hehehehe… So we just have to wait ten more days?”
In any case, the month promised to Geom U-bin had to be honored.
“Shall we head to the pleasure house now? I’m sure my senior brother must be well?”

***

The journey had been remarkably peaceful. Everyone believed Geom U-bin had stolen the Palgak-gyeong, so no one pursued them.
Geom U-bin remained at ease, while Ma-o-ryang, his traveling companion, burned with impatience. The unhurried Geom U-bin offered no opportunity to steal the Palgak-gyeong.
He also refused to disclose their route, so Ma-o-ryang had no way of knowing how much time remained to attempt the theft.
“Lord Geom, once your business in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province is concluded, where do you intend to go?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because I need to know how much longer I must steal the Palgak-gyeong.”
Geom U-bin paused, his expression thoughtful, before he spoke.
“It’s likely there won’t be much time left. Don’t trouble yourself unnecessarily—give up now.”
“I have never abandoned an attempt once begun. Had I been the sort to surrender easily, I would never have earned the name Shintu.”
When Geom U-bin suddenly stopped walking, Ma-o-ryang stopped as well. Geom U-bin regarded him quietly.
“What is it?”
“Be honest with me. Why do you covet the Palgak-gyeong so desperately when it’s worthless without the Cheon-gwang-an?”
“Well, even a half of such a precious treasure has value enough, and once I’ve set my mind to stealing something, I cannot abandon it.”
Geom U-bin nodded, seemingly satisfied.
“I see.”
“Is there anything else?”
“After chasing you for so long, a thought has occurred to me—could it be that the Cheon-gwang-an is in the possession of the great master Ma?”
“My, how fortunate that would be.”
“I understand.”
Geom U-bin resumed walking as he spoke.
“Wait here for a moment.”
“Here? In the middle of the road?”
“No—after an hour, let’s meet at the Nok-mok Daru you can see over there.”
“You’re not planning to abandon me and leave on your own, are you?”
“If I decided to shake you off, I could vanish this very instant.”
There was no denying such confidence.
“Understood. Then I shall see you after an hour.”
Once Geom U-bin confirmed that Ma-o-ryang had headed toward the Nok-mok Daru, he resumed his journey.
Before he’d taken ten steps, a beggar suddenly thrust both hands toward him.
“Spare a coin, kind sir.”
Geom U-bin had sent Ma-o-ryang away for precisely this reason. Judging by the six knotted cords tied about the beggar’s waist, he was a Six-Knot Disciple of the Sect.
Rather than a mere coin, Geom U-bin placed a silver coin into the beggar’s palm.
The beggar, startled, bowed deeply, then passed beside Geom U-bin while whispering.
“Come to the foot of Bajin Bridge where no one can see you.”
The beggar hurried away, disappearing into the crowd.
Geom U-bin asked a food vendor by the roadside for directions to Bajin Bridge, then made his way there.
Bajin Bridge was an arched stone bridge, quite wide and long, casting deep shadows beneath its span.
Deep within the shadows under the bridge, a figure crouched in the darkness.
The man, his gaunt torso bare as he picked lice from his clothes, was Noh Dae-sul. Though his face was hidden, his silhouette alone was enough to recognize him.
“Why did you summon me?”
Geom U-bin pressed his throat lightly with two fingers, producing a deep, gravelly voice.
“These days the bedbugs seem cleverer than they used to be. They hide with an uncanny knack in the armpits or the hem of a sleeve. When a master like me can’t even beat a bedbug, it makes you wonder if martial arts amount to anything at all. Wouldn’t you say?”
Noh Dae-sul, turning his head as the question hung in the air, wore an expression of surprise.

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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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