Chronicles of the Martial God’s Return - Chapter 96

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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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Man Hu-ryang sat in his private study, sipping tea while observing the figure across from him. Though his visitor wore a face mask that obscured his features, the sharp, crackling energy that emanated from him suggested this was no ordinary man.
Man Hu-ryang’s gaze rested upon him as though he were regarding an insect—barely dignifying the masked figure with his attention. He took a long, deliberate sip of tea before speaking.
“Well? How did it go?”
“The contact with our men was lost.”
“……Hmm. Then it must have been the Sword Emperor?”
“That…… appears not to be the case.”
“Not the case? And why is that?”
For the first time, Man Hu-ryang’s indifferent gaze fixed upon the masked man. His expression betrayed genuine curiosity about what this subordinate would say next.
“We discovered corpses—our own men. It appears the incident occurred during the assault on the Estate and their escape from it.”
“The assault did take place?”
“Yes. Upon investigation, the Estate had been reduced to near ruin—the signs of struggle were fierce. Moreover, the location where our men fell was not far from the Estate itself. The traces of combat at that site are inconsistent with the Sword Emperor’s methods.”
“You’re certain of this?”
“I would stake my life on it. From examining the bodies, while blades were indeed used, the brutality exceeds anything the Sword Emperor would inflict. There were also traces of Demonic Energy.”
“Demonic Energy…… Demonic Energy, you say. Then this was a place where a master of the Demonic Cult lay hidden.”
“That would appear to be the case.”
Man Hu-ryang nodded slowly.
He did not believe his subordinate’s assessment was mistaken. Yet something about the situation felt unsettled, unclear—unable to pinpoint precisely what troubled him, he had no choice but to accept the conclusion for now.
“And what of the people at the Estate? Are they dead?”
“……From the start, we ordered all bodies disposed of—save the Sword Emperor’s corpse. Whether they live or perish remains unknown. However, their whereabouts cannot be traced.”
“The Demonic Cult master may yet live, but those traveling with him have vanished? Perhaps they’re all still alive…….”
“My apologies!”
“No, no. It’s fine.”
Man Hu-ryang waved his hand dismissively, breaking into a smile. The order given to them had been simple: kill the Sword Emperor. Though the circumstances suggested failure, the confirmation that the figure at the Estate was not the Sword Emperor at all was sufficient. What was the use in spilling unnecessary blood?
He let out a short laugh and reclined in his chair.

“But then…… is that man truly dead?”
Man Hu-ryang’s brow furrowed.
Had he truly witnessed the Sword Emperor’s corpse with his own eyes, he would not now harbor such doubts. In truth, the loose end of the cleanup was Man Hu-ryang’s own failure.
“It can’t be helped. Withdraw your hand from Honam affairs and pull back your men. There’s no profit in stepping on a landmine.”
“Understood!”
“And how fares the other matter?”
“Proceeding smoothly.”
This time, Man Hu-ryang nodded with a satisfied smile.
In truth, whether the Sword Emperor lived or died mattered little to him. He had been merely a thorn, and his corpse was needed only to shake Mo Yong Hyuk-moon’s resolve more deeply.
There were far greater priorities awaiting Man Hu-ryang now.
He straightened in his seat and spoke.
“Go to Anhui as things stand.”
“Yes!”
“It is time at last to take down the Namgung Clan’s sign. Haha.”

Late into the night.
Dan Woo-hyun stood gazing upon the ruined Estate.
Beside him stood Hong Won-chang, Namgung Cheon, and Gwon Mu-jin, along with Jang Sam-tae—all watching in silent witness to Dan Woo-hyun’s contemplation.
The Estate had become a wasteland.
The walls had largely collapsed, no longer worthy of the name, and the once-magnificent buildings had vanished without trace.
Though it had been a brief haven, a place of respite, the bitter sting of its loss was beyond words.
“I remember the day we first built this Estate.”
At those words, all four men’s eyes widened in shock.
Dan Woo-hyun’s voice carried a hollowness that was almost unbearable. Those who heard it felt their bodies tremble involuntarily.
‘So he really did build it!’
‘He said it was repaired…… though honestly, no one believed that.’
The four exchanged awkward glances.
In that moment, it became undeniable fact: Dan Woo-hyun had constructed this entire Estate in a single day.
“You needn’t worry, Master. This old Sam-tae shall put it right again, I assure you.”
“Haha, is that so?”
“Yes! That old fool seems wealthy enough, and his limbs work fine—I’ll simply work him to the bone, and that’ll be that, won’t it?”
Jang Sam-tae approached quietly, speaking with a smile.
He, too, had grown as attached to the Estate as Dan Woo-hyun.
From the moment he first arrived until now—just over a year by strict accounting—so many memories had accumulated that listing them all would be endless.
And so the Estate had become his nest as well.
To him, with nowhere else to go, this place was home, native soil, and the embrace of family.
This was a thought shared equally by Dan Woo-hyun and Jang Sam-tae.
“We ought to repair it soon. We can’t impose on the government’s charity forever.”
“Ha ha ha! What are you saying, sir? This Hong Won-chang’s house is your house, is it not?”
Dan Woo-hyun regarded Hong Won-chang with an odd look.
Surely not long ago he’d been calling him “Great Hero”—where did this sudden “sir” come from? He’d thought only Gwon Mu-jin spoke that way.
Then Dan Woo-hyun’s eyes lit up. Ah!
Of course—he’d written out a Secret Manual for him.
Was that it?
The word “sir” still felt odd on the tongue, but he decided not to dwell on it.
“I’m grateful you say so. But it seems we’ve had a visitor.”
Dan Woo-hyun glanced down at the ground beneath his feet.
Several strange footprints marked the earth. Whoever had left them had tried to erase the evidence, but they’d failed to cover every trace completely.
“Here too.”
Namgung Cheon had found signs elsewhere.
It was as if the interior of the collapsed Estate had been thoroughly ransacked.
Not a single intruder, but several. They weren’t Constables or anyone sent officially—that much was certain.
“No doubt about it. Those men you mentioned. They likely came to verify something.”
Thump-thump—
Dan Woo-hyun nodded and made a circuit around the Estate.
Wherever he found traces they’d missed, he recalled their Lightness Skill and studied the footprints with care.
There was no doubt.
“What sort of men are they…”
“Shall we pursue them?”
“No. It’s already too late. We’ve missed our chance to catch their trail.”
Four days had passed since the Estate collapsed and they’d taken shelter in Hong Won-chang’s house. In that time, pacifying Dan So-mi and caring for the fallen Sa Do-hak had consumed all their attention, leaving none for the Estate itself.
Had he discovered this sooner, he might have caught them.
Dan Woo-hyun clicked his tongue in frustration.
It was a bitter regret, but nothing more.
There would be another chance to seize them one day.
“Let’s return for now.”
Repairing the Estate had become urgent.
Dan Woo-hyun could have managed such work alone without difficulty, but living in Hong Won-chang’s house had taught him something.
‘That’s right. I knew nothing back then.’
Dan Woo-hyun was no professional carpenter. He’d never built a house before.
His clever hands had allowed him to construct a house matching the image in his mind, but he could not achieve the flawless work of true craftsmen. The Estate he’d built looked grand enough, yet it was riddled with gaps and structural weaknesses.
Winter’s approach had made this clear.
Cold winds had blown through relentlessly, and Dan So-mi had shivered more than once.
This time, he resolved to correct all such flaws and build the Estate perfectly.
For the first time in a while, determination kindled in Dan Woo-hyun’s eyes.

Sa Do-hak’s eyes opened.
A sensation as though his entire body might shatter washed over him.
He couldn’t move so much as a single finger.
The impact had been that severe. He searched his memory, trying to recall what had happened.
After a moment, remembering, he laughed hollowly.
“I lost… me…”
It seemed impossible.
He attributed everything to the ambush, yet replaying the events moment by moment, he felt the difference in skill overwhelmingly clear—completely overwhelming.
He laughed again in disbelief.
He, the Demon Emperor renowned across all heaven and earth…
“You’re awake?”
Startled by the sudden voice, he turned his head.
He’d felt no sign of anyone, yet there was a child. Or rather, it wasn’t that he hadn’t sensed them—his body’s senses had simply been dulled.
That was the extent of the shock he’d taken.
“You’ve only slept for four days.”
Her round eyes fixed on Sa Do-hak with an intensity that seemed to bore right through him.
That gaze was pure and guileless, overflowing with nothing but concern for the person standing before her.
Sa Do-hak furrowed his brow.
“You’re surely…?”
“I’m Dan So-mi!”
“I see.”
“And you, Grandfather? Or should I say Grandfather?”
“…Sa Do-hak.”
Sa Do-hak answered with a tone of reluctance.
He despised children.
They chattered endlessly, acted thoughtlessly, and caused nothing but trouble to those around them. And when they threw tantrums—that was beyond the pale. He’d seen children wailing in the middle of Market Street with such force that he’d felt the urge to box their ears.
And now here stood a child before him. Never mind that it was a girl—he disliked them just the same.
“Would you like some water?”
“No.”
“How about some food?”
Suddenly, a memory surfaced.
Sa Do-hak turned his gaze away with a look of utter weariness. There had indeed been such an incident, he thought, and a long sigh escaped his lips.
“…”
“…”
The two fell silent.
Since Sa Do-hak offered no response, Dan So-mi had no idea what to say next. She fretted and thought for a long while before finally lowering her head.
“Um, I’m so sorry!”
“Hmm? What are you talking about?”
His reply came flat and unenthusiastic.
What had she done now?
His heart already lurched with dread.
“That beard… So-mi did that.”
“Did what exactly…?”
“I… but I had no ill intent. It just looked a bit unkempt, so I thought I’d tidy it up…”
Sa Do-hak’s brow deepened. Anger was building inside him, but he couldn’t very well raise his voice at a child who stood there with her head bowed and tears welling up.
He let out another sigh.
“It’s done. Let’s speak of it no more.”
“H-hehe.”
“Don’t laugh. And a child who has done wrong must face punishment. Go stand over there and look at the wall with your hands raised.”
“What?”
Dan So-mi was taken aback.
No one had ever said such a thing to her before. Whatever mistakes she’d made, most people simply smiled and accepted them.
Not just Jang Sam-tae, but Gwon Mu-jin and Namgung Cheon as well.
Dan Woo-hyun went without saying.
Dan So-mi hesitantly got to her feet. She thought it might be a joke, but seeing Sa Do-hak’s eyes sharpen intently, she couldn’t quite bring herself to ask, “You’re joking, right?”
On her small legs she pattered over to the wall, and just before raising her hands, she cast one more glance back at Sa Do-hak.
“Are you… really making me do this?”
“Of course! If you’ve done wrong, you must be punished.”
“…Yes.”
Dan So-mi raised her hands.
Even so, she kept peeking over her shoulder to gauge Sa Do-hak’s expression. Watching her like this, he realized she had never truly experienced proper punishment.
How thoroughly she had been sheltered and indulged.
“Hehe.”
Then came the sound of Dan So-mi’s laughter.
Hearing her giggle even while being punished made him wonder if she was up to mischief, so he shot her a sharp look.
“What’s so funny?”
“Well… it’s just that I feel kind of happy. No one else has ever done this to So-mi before.”
“Hah! That’s because everyone’s indulged you far too much. If you grow up like this, what do you think you’ll become?”
“Mm-!”
A small murmur escaped Dan So-mi.
After thinking for a while, she suddenly turned to look at Sa Do-hak. A bright smile bloomed across her face.
“A beauty?”
“Good grief, the impudence of children knows no bounds.”
Sa Do-hak shook his head slowly, side to side.
The thought crossed his mind that this was no ordinary simpleton.

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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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