Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 70

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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 070

This was no work of a mere household servant.
Whoever could steal liquor under the watchful eyes of those standing watch would have to be at least several ranks above Hang Ju-sa-byeon in martial skill.
And yet the Bloodwind Four Lions remained like distant fire across the river.
They had simply shriveled Hang Ju-sa-byeon’s heart with the words that only one day remained.
“We really need to devise an extraordinary countermeasure now.”
“Wasn’t the watch our extraordinary countermeasure?”
“That’s not enough. I think I need to ask for help.”
“Help? Is there someone who would help us?”
Go Seo-bang broke into a grin.

***

Noh Dae-sul fired the Jipung through a gap no wider than a finger’s breadth.
Go Seo-bang, who had been standing watch with eyes wide open, struck an acupoint and buried his chin against his chest.
“It’s a shame to leave behind these treasures.”
Noh Dae-sul, having cleared away the ceiling boards, dropped down to the brewery floor. Go Seo-bang would wake in precisely half a double hour.
As Noh Dae-sul opened the lid of the urn holding the Yeo Geum-ju, he muttered to himself.
“This Saegiuju is a marvel, a true marvel. Turning a beggar into a thief.”
The fragrance of the Yeo Geum-ju that wafted over made saliva pool in his mouth every time he smelled it.
“Let me have just one cup first.”
He was about to dip a small ceramic cup with a handle into the Yeo Geum-ju when—
Yelp! Yelp!
The sound of a dog barking suddenly erupted.
In the Oseong Jang-won, which he had surveyed in disguise as a laborer clearing rubble, he had seen no dogs.
Yet suddenly there was barking?
The moment the sense that something had gone wrong struck the back of his head, the brewery door swung violently open.
“Hey, you thief!”
The person who rushed in with a sharp cry was Se-hwa.
He had been rebuked by a young girl, but this was not a situation to argue about it.
Noh Dae-sul stamped the ground in haste.
He had been caught, but escaping from them would be child’s play. However, Noh Dae-sul was underestimating Hang Ju-sa-byeon far too much.
Shwiiing!
A torrent of hidden projectiles poured toward the roof that Noh Dae-sul was trying to break through. The projectiles were so strong and fast that even the Hoshin Ganggi could not be relied upon to withstand them.
Noh Dae-sul had no choice but to drop to the floor, where he immediately faced a blade being swung before his face.
“Gasp!”
Startled, he bent his waist to evade, and another blade fell toward the back of his head. He had no leisure to assess his surroundings.
The only way to keep his neck intact was to retreat.
But where Noh Dae-sul retreated, there stood high stacks of ceramic urns.
The stand struck by Noh Dae-sul’s backside slid backward, and the urns tumbled down.
“No! This can’t be!”
Gal Ma-pyeong and O Tong-su, who had been attacking, cried out, but they could not save the falling urns.
Crash!
With a tremendous sound, blood-red Saegiuju soaked the brewery floor. Using the moment of Hang Ju-sa-byeon’s shock, Noh Dae-sul stamped the ground with all his might.
Se-hwa’s projectiles flew again, but he was already prepared and could easily deflect them.
The hidden projectile struck by the Tagu Bong scattered in all directions, and Noh Dae-sul safely mounted the roof.
‘Damn it! The sect master of Gaebang being chased by Gang Seo Samak. What an embarrassment!’
Of course, if they fought head-on, Gang Seo Samak would be no match for Noh Dae-sul, but it was Noh Dae-sul who had to flee now.
In one burst, he covered ten zhang before his feet touched ground again, and then a voice called out.
“When did Gaebang become a band of thieves?”
Noh Dae-sul, who had come to an abrupt stop, turned his body around.
Before him, five zhang away, stood four figures bathed in the brilliant moonlight.
They were the Bloodwind Four Lions—the four most skilled masters in all of Murim and the four greatest demon-heads of Murim.
“Master, did you catch the thief?”
As three figures and four dogs came rushing over, excluding the sleeping Go Seo-bang, Yeon Geum-hong spoke.
“You all go inside.”
“But… yes?”
“I said go inside.”
At the chill in her voice, Hang Ju-sa-byeon vanished with the dog in tow. Hyeolpung Saja and Noh Dae-sul studied each other for a long moment, their tension so thick that even the moon retreated behind the clouds.
After a time, Noh Dae-sul let out a long sigh and spoke.
“Long time no see. Hehehehe!”
Do Pyeong-su burst out shouting.
“You laugh? You worthless beggar! How did you even know this place was here? Crawling in to steal our liquor!”
“Didn’t crawl—came right through the roof, bold as day. And not a worthless beggar, either. A king of beggars, that’s what.”
Seo Seok-san, soothing the agitated Do Pyeong-su, asked a question.
“How long have you known we were here?”
“A few years now.”
“And yet no rumors spread—which means you told no one of us.”
“You’re keeping quiet, so why stir up trouble for no reason?”
“Then there’s no chance you’ll spread word in the future?”
“Why would I disturb a place brimming with fine liquor? Hehe!”
Hyeolpung Saja’s gaze shifted to the brewery, its ceiling wide open.
“You could have simply come and asked for a cup.”
“And you’d have given it to me?”
“You think we wouldn’t have?”
Noh Dae-sul laughed hollowly.
“Hyeolpung Saja? Are you really Hyeolpung Saja? The ones I knew would throw Amgi or swing blades if you asked them for a drink.”
Yeon Geum-hong spoke.
“There’s no need to say that who we were then and who we are now are different people. As long as you keep secret that we’re here, the Murim will remain quiet.”
“Well, the Murim isn’t exactly quiet the way you think, but I understand what you mean. So… I can leave now?”
As Noh Dae-sul’s backside began to slip away, Seo Seok-san spoke.
“You spilled dozens of jars of Saegiuju and wrecked the brewery.”
“Did you forget the help I gave when you were searching for Ma Gun-ja?”
“I remember it being completely useless.”
“Well, we didn’t actually find Ma Gun-ja at the Sect, but I did make the effort, didn’t I? And you all said you’d pay me back for my trouble.”
Do Pyeong-su asked.
“You’re calling it even with that?”
“I came out behind, not ahead. Thousands of Sect disciples alone were mobilized back then. Do you know how hard it is to get hungry beggars moving?”
They had never intended to pay what Noh Dae-sul had asked for in the first place, but now the situation had left them no choice.
After all, one couldn’t exactly demand compensation from a king of beggars.
The truly important thing was that Noh Dae-sul had been lurking near Oseong Jang-won. They couldn’t possibly reveal to him that Geom U-bin was Hyeolpung Saja’s elder brother.
“Fine. Our old debt to you and the Saegiuju you spilled today—let that settle our…”
The voice of Geom U-bin cut off Seo Seok-san’s words.
“Oh? Isn’t this that grandfather I borrowed liquor from long ago?”
Geom U-bin approached with a cheerful expression.
“Ah, what a good lad you are! We had fine drinking back then. I’m afraid I’m busy now, so I’d better be on my way—we’ll do this properly another time.”
“You’re trying to escape?”
Noh Dae-sul, who had begun turning, wore a baffled look.
“Escape? What do you mean?”
“You’ve wrecked our brewery. Surely you need to pay for the damage?”
“Hmph! I’ve already settled that with your teachers.”
Noh Dae-sul placed particular emphasis on the word “teachers,” watching the faces of Hyeolpung Saja and Geom U-bin carefully.
The probability that Geom U-bin was a disciple of Hyeolpung Saja was high, but it wasn’t certain yet, so he was testing their reaction.
“Yes, we owed that beggar from long ago, so with this we clear things up…”
Once again, Seo Seok-san’s words were interrupted.
“The debt was incurred by you four, not by me. Doesn’t my share of this liquor belong to me?”
Hyeolpung Saja was caught off guard by Geom U-bin’s sudden sharpness.
“W-well, of course it does.”
“Then even if we settle the old debt with eighty percent, I still need to collect my twenty percent. Bang-ju.”
With that final title, Geom U-bin revealed that he knew Noh Dae-sul’s true identity.
“Haha! Your disciple is quite bold, I see.”
“So the Sect’s information really is the finest under heaven—or so I’ve heard.”
“Eh? What’s that? You’re saying you’re not a disciple of Hyeolpung Saja?”
“No. My master is Ma Gun-ja.”
Crack!
Noh Dae-sul’s jaw dropped, and Hyeolpung Saja clutched at his forehead.
Geom U-bin offered no explanation for why he’d revealed his identity to Noh Dae-sul so plainly.
“You’re… you’re really saying you’re a disciple of Ma Gun-ja?”
“And these four people here are my fellow disciples.”
The shock gradually faded from his expression, replaced by a snort of laughter.
“You gave me quite a fright. The boy’s got nerve, spinning lies like that. Nearly had me fooled. You claim to be the senior brother of Hyeolpung Saja? That Ma Gun-ja never accepted Hyeolpung Saja as a disciple is common knowledge throughout the Murim.”
“Which is precisely why the Sect’s intelligence network is so pathetic.”
“The Sect may not be the greatest school under heaven, but our information? We have the finest in all the land!”
Noh Dae-sul, flushed with indignation, spattered spittle that flew almost to Geom U-bin’s feet.
“And even if we somehow missed the news that Hyeolpung Saja became Ma Gun-ja’s disciple—fine, it’s possible! But how could you possibly be his senior brother?”
“Because I became Ma Gun-ja’s disciple first.”
“Ha! So just because you became a disciple earlier, Hyeolpung Saja recognizes you as senior brother? Those monsters who sent terror through the entire Murim? Those demons—if Ma Gun-ja accepted someone as his first disciple, he’d probably dispose of that one quietly, bury him, and then let those beasts tear each other apart fighting over the position of senior brother!”
Noh Dae-sul, belatedly realizing his words had been far too candid, added hastily:
“Not that I meant it as an insult, you understand. Surely you won’t take offense at a little harsh talk?”
Noh Dae-sul quietly began drawing up his Martial Force.
If things went south, he’d need to bolt at the fastest speed he could muster.
Sure enough, Hyeolpung Saja’s aura had grown ominous. The demon looked genuinely affronted at being mocked by a child.
‘That’s why men who know fear live long lives.’
Fortunately, Seo Seok-san didn’t launch an attack immediately—he spoke first.
“We can tolerate disrespect toward us. But if you insult our senior brother again, you die.”
“What? What did you…… call him?”
Do Pyeong-su pointed with his thumb toward the back of the estate.
“Keep showing disrespect to our senior brother. We’ll use that old vagabond in the smithy over there as kindling.”
Noh Dae-sul could say with absolute certainty that in his ninety-five years of life, this was the most bewildering moment.
“Are you mocking me? You’re really telling me that little brat is your senior brother?”
“If our senior brother says he’s our senior brother, then he is. Why ask?”
“Because I have to! Hyeolpung Saja and that pint-sized—!”
The aura radiating from Hyeolpung Saja grew so savage it seemed to lacerate the very air.
Had Geom U-bin not intervened, Noh Dae-sul’s hard-lived vagrant existence would have ended then and there.
“Fellow disciples, show restraint. There’s a saying that ignorance absolves guilt.”
“Perhaps for others. But not for the leader of the Sect.”
“Exactly! I feel like I’m digging myself into a grave! A thirteen-year-old senior brother to Hyeolpung Saja—does that even make sense?”
Geom U-bin’s grin looked like a mockery of Noh Dae-sul himself.
“Whether the leader chooses to believe me or not is his affair. But the debt he owes me is no such matter. Let me calculate the amount, shall I? I stopped by the brewery just now, and I counted exactly thirty-two broken amphorae. With thirty bottles of Saegiuju per amphora, that’s nine hundred sixty bottles. At twenty silver coins per bottle wholesale cost, that comes to… well, why charge retail? I’ll give you the wholesale rate. Let me see… roughly nineteen thousand two hundred coins. You said eight-tenths of what your disciples owe would be forgiven, leaving two-tenths, which comes to exactly three thousand eight hundred forty coins. Let’s round down and call it three thousand eight hundred.”
After a brief silence, Noh Dae-sul spoke.
“You’re really asking this beggar, this gang boss, to produce three thousand eight hundred silver coins?”
“Yes.”
“But I’m a beggar.”
“You’re a gang boss.”
“Still a beggar, though.”
“Still a gang boss, though.”
Hyeolpung Saja watched with an expression of pure admiration, his thoughts running along the lines of ‘As expected, our senior brother’s mind is sharp’ and ‘It would’ve taken me a good three hours just to work out those calculations.’
Noh Dae-sul slowly peeled open the front of his vest, baring his chest.
“I’ve got no money. Just cut me open.”
Snick!
A dan-do blade slid from the sheath at Do Pyeong-su’s side.
“Senior brother, shall I cut, or will you do it yourself?”
“Cutting open a debtor’s belly is a last resort.”
In other words: if he doesn’t pay, we cut.
‘No question about it—he’s definitely Hyeolpung Saja’s senior brother. Ruthless as they come.’
“For now, we’ll send a bill to the Sect. Surely the leader won’t pretend ignorance of what he’s done?”

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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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