Abolition of the Wicked - Chapter 76

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

#Episode 76

“There are times in this world when choice becomes terribly narrow. These people find themselves in just such a circumstance.”
“Then all the more reason we should protect her.”
Do Pyeong-su spoke with a troubled expression.
“It would be simple enough if she were just any woman. But she’s nine months pregnant.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“A child will be born soon…”
For the first time, Geom U-bin saw something unexpected cross Hyeolpung Saja’s face—an expression that mirrored his own uncertainty.
“Is a baby really such a problem?”
“It’s rather strange, wouldn’t you say?”
At Yeon Geum-hong’s words, all three men nodded in quick agreement.
“Exactly. Strange indeed. They do nothing but wail, can’t do anything for themselves, can’t even control their own bodily functions…”
“We were all infants once, I suppose. Even my disciples passed through that stage…”
Of course they had.
But no one possessed imagination vivid enough to picture Hyeolpung Saja as a helpless baby, whimpering for milk with wiggling fingers.
“I confess, I don’t know how one is supposed to handle an infant.”
Geom U-bin found Hyeolpung Saja’s bewilderment oddly amusing.
“Exactly. You can’t strike it for disobedience, threats of your fearsome reputation mean nothing, and—”
“That’s precisely it! A newborn is something one simply cannot control. Which is why I feared having one in this estate would be rather… inconvenient.”
“So because the disciples would find it inconvenient, we’re to cast out a woman in her final month of pregnancy? She’ll be dead within a day of stepping outside.”
Hyeolpung Saja stared at Geom U-bin, and both released a long sigh in unison.
“I suppose it won’t do, then?”
“Perhaps use this as an opportunity to grow acquainted with the child.”
That would never happen.

***

Bang!
Dae-woong’s face struck the wall, his nose and teeth shattering, his body crumpling to the ground.
Around Gwak Bong, thirty thugs lay sprawled unconscious, and she shook the dust from her hands.
“Anyone else?”
She found herself reconsidering the notion that even a first-rate Murim master would struggle to dismantle Hangju’s underworld single-handedly.
In the span of two days, Gwak Bong had dismantled four criminal factions entirely.
Though Kang Chan-sik had gained twenty subordinates in the process, the actual fighting remained Gwak Bong’s sole responsibility.
The men who followed along did nothing but keep watch for officials or escort the wounded to physicians.
“We still have time. Shall we visit one more location?”
Since the next target was already decided, Kang Chan-sik spoke its name without hesitation.
“Baek Ho. A fox rather than a tiger. He might be making preparations. He’s widely considered the sharpest mind among Hangju’s underworld.”
“If he doesn’t know who he’s preparing against, his preparations are worthless.”
Baek Ho was indeed ignorant of his true opponent. Yet he was undeniably sharper than the other underworld bosses.
What awaited them at Baek Ho’s residence was not Baek Ho alone.
When Kang Chan-sik followed Gwak Bong inside and caught sight of the two men, he instinctively stepped backward—such was his fear of them.
“The Twin Sovereigns of the East. They oversee the External Factions of the Jaryong Sect and serve as lords of the Cheonji Yang Dang. The one on the left is Hwang Dong, the right is Seo Gwan. Both possess formidable martial arts.”
Kang Chan-sik’s explanation came swiftly, and as he spoke, his anxiety began to settle.
Once, the Twin Sovereigns had inspired such awe in him that he trembled at their names, but after encountering Hang Ju-sa-ung and Gwak Bong, that reverence had evaporated entirely.
‘She’ll win.’
Kang Chan-sik knew little of martial arts himself, but he was certain Gwak Bong was stronger than these two.
“These are the ones who’ve been stirring up trouble in Hangju.”
The pale-faced Baek Ho pointed toward Gwak Bong.
“This one in particular is the problem. Deal with her, and I’ll handle the rest myself.”
“How pathetic Hangju’s underworld has become. Unable to manage a single opponent, you had to summon us all the way here.”
“She is quite accomplished in martial arts.”
“Martial arts? Let’s see what real martial arts looks like.”
The Twin Sovereigns uncrossed their arms and advanced toward Gwak Bong.
“Only two? I’m disappointed. I thought ten would come.”
Gwak Bong moved the instant her words were finished.
There was no way a sect leader of an obscure evil faction could be his match.
Startled by Gwak Bong’s speed, Dong-gwan Ssang-woong’s eyes widened as he thrust both palms forward in defense.
Gwak Bong ignored him, extending both hands to strike the men’s ribs with her palms, then brought her elbow down hard on the bowed back of the head before her.
In just two moves, Dong-gwan Ssang-woong lay sprawled on the ground in a grand cross.
“Well, that’s like twisting a child’s wrists.”
Baek Ho proved right there that his pale face could turn even paler.
Kang Chan-sik, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, spoke to Gwak Bong.
“We’ll handle the rest, then.”

***

“I’m sorry—what did you say?”
Sang Nam-jae and Go Shin-ji exchanged bewildered looks.
Seo Seok-san didn’t mind repeating himself.
“The person you’ve been thinking of as our cousin is actually our senior martial brother. I won’t ask you to think about how to divide positions, but I’d appreciate it if you looked after him carefully while you’re here.”
Sang Nam-jae, who had been staring fixedly at Hyeolpung Saja, spoke almost like a groan.
“Is that so?”
“Why would we lie?”
Go Shin-ji asked.
“How did that come about?”
Sang Nam-jae said quickly.
“You needn’t explain. I’ll be more careful going forward.”
Of course, Sang Nam-jae was curious too. But it was clear that a guest asking what a host hadn’t volunteered was impolite.
“If you show proper respect to him, you should be able to stay at Oseong Jang-won without incident.”
He had felt from the start that Hyeolpung Saja did not welcome their visit.
But he had no choice.
For Go Shin-ji, alone and unprotected, Oseong Jang-won was the only safe place under heaven.
Do Pyeong-su asked Sang Nam-jae.
“When are you leaving?”
Sang Nam-jae looked toward the window, dark as if ink had been spilled across it, and answered.
“I’m leaving now.”
Go Shin-ji’s shoulders trembled slightly—she hadn’t expected him to leave so soon. But she didn’t try to stop him.
If he had to go, she’d decided to trust him completely.
“The sooner you go, the sooner you’ll return. At least say goodbye.”
Yeon Geum-hong stood, but the three men remained seated, watching Sang Nam-jae and Go Shin-ji.
“Get up, you oblivious fools.”
“What? Oh!”
Seo Seok-san rose, and Do Pyeong-su and Jang Man-dok followed after him.
As they descended from the Main Hall to the courtyard, Geom U-bin arrived, having just finished his Jincheon Reoigak training. He’d come running without even washing off the sweat.
“Are you finished talking with the two of them?”
“Yes. Sang Nam-jae will be leaving tonight.”
“So soon?”
“Delaying only leaves regret behind.”
At Seo Seok-san’s words, Geom U-bin climbed back onto the Main Hall and spoke.
“Waiting a little longer doesn’t increase the chances either.”
Geom U-bin went to his room, and after a quarter hour had passed, he came back out.
“Sang is leaving tomorrow instead.”
“Really? I didn’t think he’d change his mind so easily.”
“I’m pretty good at persuasion.”
There was no arguing with that. But there was something troubled in Geom U-bin’s expression as he descended from the Main Hall.
“Senior brother, is something wrong?”
Do Pyeong-su, oblivious to the mood, asked—and Yeon Geum-hong jabbed him in the ribs.
“Martial artists sometimes have stupid moments. Even knowing they might die, if it’s something that must be done, they throw themselves into it.”
She was speaking of Sang Nam-jae going to Seobaksalmuun.
By Sang Nam-jae’s own reasoning, Oseong Jang-won was the safest place in the world. Even if a hundred Seobaksalmuun came, as long as he stayed here, he could live peacefully, never knowing danger had arrived.
Yet he insisted on going to Seobaksalmuun anyway.
It was because that was the path of an assassin, and because that was the path to no longer living as an assassin.
“You didn’t try to stop him either, did you?”
“I can’t tell him to live like a coward.”
“Yes. Murim is a gathering of people who fear cowardice more than death. Sang Nam-jae is one of those Murim martial artists.”
At Seo Seok-san’s words, Geom U-bin asked as though speaking to himself.
“……It must have been a difficult life.”
Even at his strongest, Sang Nam-jae would be no more than the sect leader of Seobaksalmuun. But Seobaksalmuun harbors far more than its leader.
One must cut through over a hundred assassins before finally facing the sect leader of Seobaksalmuun.
There would be no life to be found on that path.
“Since he’s an assassin, when he chose love, he must have already accepted such a burden,” Yeon Geum-hong said.
Seo Seok-san nodded in agreement.
“A woman who chose to be an assassin would feel the same.”
“Murim can be terribly cruel sometimes.”
“Anywhere people live is like that.”
Do Pyeong-su offered what comfort he could, but Geom U-bin’s spirits did not lift.
She had not asked the Bloodwind Four Lions to help Sang Nam-jae. That was something they would have to choose for themselves, and it was not something Sang Nam-jae would have wanted.
Sang Nam-jae and Go Shin-ji woke early the next morning.
The day always began early at Oseong Jang-won.
Sang Nam-jae and Go Shin-ji passed among the servants cleaning the house and preparing the morning meal.
“Good morning. I’m Go Shin-ji, and I’ve been a guest here since yesterday.”
“I’m Sang Nam-jae, her husband. Thank you for your kindness.”
They were courteous, and the servants welcomed the guests of such a gracious master.
―If the lady is left behind alone, the people of Oseong Jang-won wouldn’t like that.
Those words from Geom U-bin had caught at Sang Nam-jae’s heel.
So he was staying another night at Oseong Jang-won, introducing themselves to the household in this way.
Sang Nam-jae did this so that, should he fall at Seobaksalmuun, Go Shin-ji would be somewhat more at ease.
And as Sang Nam-jae stayed, he came to realize that Oseong Jang-won was far better than he had expected.
The master’s heart and the servants’ hearts seemed of a kind, and Go Shin-ji, heavy with child, would surely receive good care.
Was he not blessed to have discovered such a place?
He thought it had been wise to stay the extra day, just as Geom U-bin had suggested.
Go Shin-ji was industrious and knew her place.
Though the servants protested earnestly, she slipped into the kitchen to help with the morning preparations.
In the meantime, Sang Nam-jae ventured deep into Oseong Jang-won. It was from that direction that the sound of metal being struck came.
Gong Seong-tak, whose body was as hard as the steel he worked, had been tempering blades since before dawn.
The sight of this massively muscled man swinging a hammer captivated not only women’s eyes but men’s as well.
After striking the metal for some time, Gong Seong-tak straightened and his eyes met Sang Nam-jae’s.
When Sang Nam-jae bowed respectfully, Gong Seong-tak spoke.
“So you’re the assassin who brought the heavy-with-child lady here.”
Even a blacksmith working at Oseong Jang-won spoke of assassins without particular emotion.
“Yes, sir.”
“The master mentioned it. Is your weapon a blade?”
“It is.”
“Bring it to me.”
“Sir?”
“Let me see your weapon.”
Sensing that asking questions would only prolong the matter, Sang Nam-jae went to his room and returned with his sword.
The blade, used for so long, had lost a few teeth along its edge here and there, but it remained sharp enough.
“You’ve used this a long time.”
“Yes, for fifteen years.”
Gong Seong-tak flicked the blade with his finger.
Twang!
At the sound of the ringing blade, Gong Seong-tak winced.
“This thing is exhausted.”
“A sword can become exhausted?”
“It’s not only men who grow old. Men’s aging shows on the outside, at least. You maintain it well enough—the surface still gleams—but inside it’s struggling badly. Want to see?”
Gong Seong-tak grasped the blade in one hand and applied force.
The muscles in his forearm bulged, and the blade snapped with a sharp crack.
Sang Nam-jae was startled.
A first-rate master of Murim might snap an ordinary sword with his bare hands. But this man was only a blacksmith.
‘Is there truly anyone at Oseong Jang-won who is ordinary?’
He felt no anger at having his cherished blade of fifteen years shattered.
“The hilt is comfortable to your hand, so you might as well keep using it. Come back when the sun begins to set.”
With those words, Gong Seong-tak turned and walked back inside.
Sang Nam-jae, who had suddenly lost his beloved sword, could only stare blankly at the Blacksmith’s Forge before turning away.
There was simply no atmosphere in which to press the matter.
As he circled back around the Estate, Gal Ma-pyeong, standing across from him, waved his hand.
“So you’re the assassin.”
Sang Nam-jae was no longer surprised.
The people of Oseong Jang-won regarded assassins as naturally as they might a silk merchant — no fuss, no questions.
“I’ve nothing more to give you…….”
Gal Ma-pyeong handed Sang Nam-jae a purse containing ten silver coins.
“Don’t go hungry on the way to Seobaksalmuun. A man fights better on a full belly.”
Gal Ma-pyeong, who had given ten silver coins to someone he’d never laid eyes on before, ended his words there, patted his shoulder once, and walked away.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————