Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 68

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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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#068

The three men waved their hands in unison.
“If we’d seen it, we’d never have lost our minds like this! We couldn’t concentrate because we were too curious about what was inside!”
“That’s right! Even though we were curious, we didn’t look!”
They hadn’t been foolish enough to bring up Ma Gun-ja’s secret manual.
“Se-hwa could hold back her curiosity at her age, yet grown men like you couldn’t? How pathetic.”
Yeon Geum-hong clicked her tongue at the Gang Seo Samak and tilted her head.
“But what could your master’s treasure be? Does anyone have any idea?”
“No, I didn’t even know he had something like that.”
“Could it be our master’s martial art secret manual?”
At that, the three men’s Adam’s apples bobbed noticeably.
“It can’t possibly be our master’s manual. Did our master even have time to create something like that? And wasn’t it our master who said that creating a secret manual is the most foolish thing one could do in this world?”
At Yeon Geum-hong’s words, the three men nodded.
“That’s right. Our master said that when the martial arts are already in one’s head, why bother writing them down when direct transmission works perfectly well.”
Seo Seok-san took up Do Pyeong-su’s point.
“If there had been a secret manual, our master would have told us about it long ago.”
“It’s not a secret manual, so… what on earth could it be?”
As the Bloodwind Four Lions’ question trailed off, the Gang Seo Samak felt all the strength drain from him.
After turning the matter over in his mind again and again, he’d concluded it must be Ma Gun-ja’s secret manual, but hearing the Bloodwind Four Lions speak, that possibility evaporated entirely.
“Could it be something he had before he met us?”
“Before he was eight years old?”
A treasure from before he was eight years old. The Gang Seo Samak had spent all this time entranced by the words “treasure box” and “secret,” wearing himself out needlessly.
How important could the treasure of an eight-year-old child be, and how grand could any secret he kept be?
‘So this is what they mean by “not knowing being a blessing.”‘
Unlike the deflated Gang Seo Samak, the Bloodwind Four Lions’ curiosity grew like a rolling snowball.
“What secret is inside the box? Why didn’t he even tell us about it?”
“You could just ask him.”
“If it were something he’d tell us just by asking, it wouldn’t be a secret. And if it’s a secret to us that our master even has a secret, how are we supposed to ask him to tell us the secret we already know about? Why does the word ‘secret’ keep repeating itself? I’m getting tongue-tied.”
Rarely, Do Pyeong-su’s words made sense.
“Should we take a quick look?”
Yeon Geum-hong’s suggestion was hesitant, but no one refused. Only Seo Seok-san let out a murmur: “Sneaking a look at our master’s secret feels a bit wrong.”
“Then you sit this one out. We won’t tell you what we find, no matter what.”
“I was just saying it feels a bit wrong—did you have to shut me down so completely? You’re something else, old woman.”
“Isn’t this our master’s cultivation practice time?”
“You want to go right now?”
“Strike while the iron is hot, as they say.”
The Bloodwind Four Lions spoke to Hang Ju-sa-ung, who stood rooted to the spot as they headed toward Geom U-bin’s quarters.
“Why aren’t you coming along with us? What are you doing?”
Se-hwa, startled, asked a question.
“What? You want us to come too?”
“Of course. Keep watch.”
“Ah!”
Eight of them crept cautiously through the Estate, looking this way and that as if they were burglars, despite the fact that it was their own home.
“Watch carefully to see if our master comes.”
O Tong-su asked a question to the Bloodwind Four Lions, who was about to enter the building while leaving Hang Ju-sa-ung behind.
“What should we do if Seo-bang appears?”
“Mm… cry out that your stomach hurts and collapse. It works as a signal and buys us time to escape. Two birds with one stone.”
Yeon Geum-hong patted Do Pyeong-su on the head.
“Our Pyeong-su’s mind isn’t sharp, but you sure have a gift for these sneaky tricks. It’s a strange brain structure, really.”
“The box is under the bed.”
At O Tong-su’s words, Seo Seok-san’s eyes narrowed.
“You went through our master’s room?”
“Ah… no, we didn’t. We found it by accident while picking up some Iron Shackles that had fallen. We would never dare to….”
The Bloodwind Four Lions didn’t press further and entered the building. Seo Seok-san, grasping the door handle, asked:
“Are we really supposed to be doing this?”
Seo Seok-san’s question was like pressing a blade against a rope pulled taut.
The will to resolve her curiosity collapsed the moment resolution came within reach—her feet snared by the threads of conscience.
The Bloodwind Four Lions were people far removed from morality, but Geom U-bin was the single exception.
“We can’t sneak a peek at what you’re hiding, right?”
Seo Seok-san struck her own head again, and Yeon Geum-hong—who had wanted this most fiercely—turned away.
“Right. We’re going to stop, aren’t we? What were we even thinking?”
In the end, they didn’t so much as open the door. Yet their curiosity didn’t evaporate with the moment.
“Master, is this the correct form of the technique?”
Se-hwa’s question met only a vacant stare—Yeon Geum-hong’s eyes fixed on empty air.
“Master!”
“Hmm? What is it?”
By the look of her, today wasn’t the day for proper training.
“Never mind.”
Yeon Geum-hong wasn’t alone in her distraction. The rest of the Bloodwind Four Lions paid no attention to their practice at all.
“When we lose focus like this, the pain that follows is merciless.”
“If you’ve got a grievance, become a teacher yourself.”
Hang Ju-sa-ung and the others finished early, trading complaints and consolations in equal measure.
“We shouldn’t have brought up our master’s treasure box to the other masters.”
O Tong-su, muttering as he walked, caught sight of a man in his mid-fifties loitering near the brewery and barked out a challenge.
“What are you doing over there?”
The man with the deeply creased face scratched his head with an awkward laugh.
“I’m a laborer clearing the building debris, but I can’t find the outhouse.”
His gravelly voice sounded like that of a man in his eighties.
“Just go a little way from where you’re working toward the main gate—you’ve come far too far.”
“Ah, I see. Heheheh…….”
The man receded into the distance with a hollow laugh, soon vanishing from O Tong-su’s memory.

***

Do Pyeong-su spoke to Gal Ma-pyeong, who was checking the state of the liquor and recording the date it was stored.
“Lately, things keep happening that don’t sit right with me.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
Do Pyeong-su beckoned to Gal Ma-pyeong with a flick of his finger.
“Look—a full cup of wine is missing from this vat.”
There was no way Gal Ma-pyeong could have noticed a single cup missing from a large vat that produced ten bottles at a time.
“To me, it all looks the same.”
“You might think one cup pilfered wouldn’t be noticed, but this master’s eyes don’t deceive so easily.”
“But sir, we drink the wine we prepare separately—why would we steal from the aging stock?”
“That’s what you and the others made, which wasn’t up to standard.”
Gal Ma-pyeong looked on the verge of tears from the injustice of it.
“I only checked to see if it was aging properly—I haven’t wasted a single drop.”
Do Pyeong-su stared at him for a long moment before muttering.
“Your lying’s getting worse by the day. Either way, I’m warning you—if more wine goes missing, you’ll face the consequences.”
Gal Ma-pyeong wasn’t the only one to suffer such an unjust accusation. All the Hangju disciples sank into the gloom of false blame.
“How can he say wine is missing when it all looks the same to me?”
O Tong-su’s words drew a nod from Gal Ma-pyeong.
“Right. Isn’t he just taking his anger out on us because he couldn’t learn the master’s secret?”
Go Seo-bang spoke up.
“That can’t be it. He’s punished us harshly for small mistakes before, but he’s never fabricated one that didn’t exist.”
That was something all the Hangju disciples agreed on.
“So the wine really is disappearing cup by cup? Could the other disciples…….”
At Se-hwa’s suspicious expression, the Gang Seo Samak member waved both hands emphatically.
“I swear I never touched it! I stake my honor on it!”
Se-hwa glared at the shouting O Tong-su.
“Why are you staking that with me!”

***

“Pardon? Wine?”
“It’s not quite right for you to drink wine—how about some tea instead?”
Geom U-bin accepted Hyeolpung Saja’s invitation to a late-night gathering without hesitation.
“A gathering with my disciples is always welcome.”
To think that someone who smiles with such guileless innocence harbors a secret!
The pavilion by the pond was always a pleasant place to drink.
The recent collapse of a building bothered them with its swirling dust, yet they gathered there nonetheless.
Hyeolpung Saja saw to each person’s cup of Saegiuju, while fragrant Longjing Tea was set before Geom U-bin.
After some idle chatter and a round of drinks, Do Pyeong-su asked Geom U-bin in a subtle tone.
“Senior, have you been troubled by anything lately?”
“Not at all. My disciples and my juniors are all healthy, my martial cultivation progresses smoothly, and the new member of our household is quite agreeable. What could I possibly worry about?”
“Of course.”
“Then why do you ask?”
“It’s just that you’ve seemed rather fatigued of late. I wondered if perhaps you were keeping some secret from us…….”
“A secret between myself and my disciples? There shouldn’t be any. Though I suppose my disciples might have a few.”
In truth, it was Hyeolpung Saja who looked uncomfortable.
“Rather than a secret, there are matters it’s better you don’t know about. Haha!”
Seo Seok-san, with a dry smile, offered a suggestion.
“Senior, the gathering’s a bit dull. Would you like to make a wager with us?”
“What sort of wager?”
“We each pose a question, and whoever guesses correctly wins.”
“And if I can’t guess?”
“Then you must answer truthfully. Not a single lie.”
“Very well. Who goes first?”
Do Pyeong-su stepped forward eagerly.
“Allow me to ask you first, Senior. What is my favorite color?”
Yeon Geum-hong asked Do Pyeong-su with an incredulous look.
“You have a favorite color? You, who only knows that red is blood and blue is the sky?”
“Why do you say that? I’m a person with taste too.”
“White.”
At Geom U-bin’s answer, Do Pyeong-su’s mouth fell open.
“How did you know that? I don’t recall ever mentioning it. Or did I?”
“When studying, black is the characters and white is the paper, isn’t it?”
“That’s true.”
“Because you disliked the characters so much, you came to love the blank space of the paper, and naturally grew fond of white.”
“To think you understand me so well! You truly do love me, Senior!”
Seo Seok-san, wanting to share in Do Pyeong-su’s joy, quickly posed his own question.
“Then what is my favorite color?”
“Pale yellow.”
“How did you know that?”
“It resembles skin tone, doesn’t it?”
Yeon Geum-hong clicked her tongue.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk! That’s just like you.”
“One should respect others’ tastes. Hehe! For you to take such interest in me, Senior. I love you too.”
Since everyone had asked about colors, Yeon Geum-hong joined in.
“What about me, Senior?”
“Yeon Geum-hong’s favorite color is black.”
“What? There’s actually someone in this world who loves black?”
“Fitting for a woman with such a dark heart!”
Geom U-bin’s words cut off Do Pyeong-su and Seo Seok-san’s teasing.
“Yeon Geum-hong loves black because of the stars. To see the brilliant stars, the entire sky must be dark, mustn’t it? She loves the way something brilliant is set off by hiding oneself in shadow—and that is why Yeon Geum-hong is a good person.”
Yeon Geum-hong, with a moved expression, embraced Geom U-bin tightly.
“Then what is Man-dok’s favorite color?”
Geom U-bin glanced at Jang Man-dok and spoke.
“Pink.”
“Pink? Like the azalea blossom pink?”
“Yes.”
“A man likes that sort of color?”
“That’s what Jang says—that men have pink too.”
“How did you know Man-dok likes pink?”
“It’s written all over his face.”
An exclamation of understanding escaped his lips.
In the end, Geom U-bin answered every question the Bloodwind Four Lions threw at him.
They should have posed something more difficult, but when Do Pyeong-su brought up the matter of colors, everyone got swept up in it and ended up asking the same questions instead.
Still, there was no disappointment.
The fact that Geom U-bin knew which colors the Bloodwind Four Lions favored proved how deeply he loved them.
But that warmth didn’t last long.
Geom U-bin’s next question cut it short.
“And do you know what color I like?”
His gaze moved from Yeon Geum-hong to Jang Man-dok, paused briefly at Seo Seok-san, then settled on Do Pyeong-su.
Each time that look fell on them, they flinched, but none of them could offer an answer.
“Red!”
Do Pyeong-su blurted out the first thing that came to him.
“Wow! Master Do!”
“I got it right, didn’t I?”
“Wrong.”

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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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