Emperor Namgung Mu of the Thousand Years - Chapter 94

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#094

Chaejoo’s face had turned deathly pale.

Bending iron coins with fingers. He couldn’t possibly not know what that meant.

I gestured for the middle-aged man to step back.

“Let me ask one thing before we start.”

I spoke calmly.

“Among you, if there’s anyone who has children to feed, or precious family worth swallowing your pride as a man for. Anyone carrying such weight in life, raise your hand. I’ll spare you.”

“What the hell is this bastard saying?!”

Chaejoo drew his blade.

The five guards standing behind him gripped their swords and stepped forward.

I said.

“None? Well, of course there wouldn’t be.”

“Step back, Master Chaejoo!”

“How dare this bastard…! Are you a martial artist? A bastard who doesn’t even seem to have a weapon dares to act recklessly?!”

I raised my hand to stop Guk who was trying to move in the distance.

“No need. Your traces are too obvious.”

“…!”

Understanding my words, Guk froze in place.

And I turned my head to answer the Black Dao members.

“I am being reckless. But do you have any? Drawing swords and charging at an unarmed person.”

“Shut up, you bastard!”

The five guards charged with fierce cries.

I struck the first sword upward with my palm. The blade flew up and embedded in the ceiling.

Before the second sword could reach my chest, my hand struck the opponent’s throat first.

“Gack…!”

The guard clutched his throat and dropped his sword.

I caught the falling sword with my front foot and kicked toward the two swords thrusting at my eyes.

-Clang!

With sparks flying, three swords tangled together and stuck in the wall.

-…!

In just three clashes, all five hands were empty.

“Th… This!”

The guards froze.

“Now we’ve evened things out a bit.”

I dusted off my hands.

I clenched my fists.

“Come at me. I’m still barehanded and there are five of you. Or do all of you really have…”

I said in a low voice.

“No pride as men?”

“…You son of a bitch!!!”

The five charged.

I rushed to meet them as well.

I dodged the charging warrior’s punch. My knee drove into his solar plexus.

“Gack!”

The guard collapsed, curling up like a shrimp.

I grabbed his hair and slammed him into the wall.

-Bang!

I kicked the table.

Food scattered everywhere.

A plate flew up in the chaos. I caught it, grabbed the second guard by the collar, and smashed it into his mouth.

-Crash!

With the sound of pottery breaking, blood spurted from his lips. My fist connected twice in succession. His nose bone twisted.

Behind the man falling while spurting nosebleed, another man was swinging his fingers toward my eyes.

-Whoosh!

I swung my elbow upward.

The third guard’s fingers snapped.

“Aaaah…!”

Before that scream could escape his mouth, my fist drove in.

I spun sideways and delivered a lightning-fast kick to the fourth guard’s face.

I grabbed the collar of the fourth man falling with a nosebleed.

I slammed him into the table.

-Bang!

A scream erupted with the sound of the drinking table shattering.

“This bastard… this bastard!”

The last remaining fifth guard swung his fist. Before his fist could reach my face, my palm struck under his chin.

-Smack!

The guard’s eyes instantly rolled back. I grabbed his collar and threw him down the stairs.

-Bang!

“Aaahhh!!”

The stair railing shattered and broke, and the man tumbled down to the first floor with screams.

“Whew.”

I dusted off my clothes.

“Now it’s just the two of us?”

Now only Chaejoo and the woman remained.

“You bastard… who are you!”

Chaejoo Seokmode drew the blade from his waist.

“D-don’t come closer…! Do you know who I am?! I’m the master of Yaxiang Guild! If you touch me, you’ll…!”

My hand shot out like lightning.

I grabbed Chaejoo’s wrist holding the sword. And twisted it.

-Crack.

“Kyaaaah!”

Chaejoo dropped his sword with a strange scream. His wrist was bent at an odd angle.

“You bastard… You bastard…!”

“Bite your tongue. Clench your teeth.”

I grabbed Chaejoo by the collar.

“I noticed earlier you seemed to enjoy looking at the scenery outside.”

“What…?”

“The window.”

“…?!”

-Crash!

Chaejoo’s body flew through the window frame and outside.

Wooden window bars scattered in the air. Chaejoo’s screams echoed through the alley.

“Aaaah, aaaah, aaaahhh!!”

I lightly jumped down beside him.

Chaejoo was writhing with both legs and one arm broken.

“You’re alive?”

Chaejoo raised his head. His terror-stricken eyes met mine.

“P-please spare me…!”

I grabbed him by the hair.

“I know well the nature of backstreet Black Dao scum like you.”

I said grimly.

“Either don’t get entangled from the start, or once you begin, you must crush them completely…!”

I dragged him by his hair.

“Aaaahhh!!”

Chaejoo screamed as he was dragged along.

I passed through the inn entrance and climbed the stairs. Each time Chaejoo’s body hit the steps, dull sounds accompanied his screams.

I reached the second floor.

“M-my lord!”

Yoehwa was staring at us as if she might faint.

I dragged him over beside her.

I looked around.

On the table were bottles of alcohol these bastards had left behind like a mountain after their feast.

I held Chaejoo’s hair firmly in place.

I grabbed a bottle.

“Huh…?”

I brought the bottle down on his head.

-Crash!

“Gaaahhh!”

I threw the first shattered bottle aside.

I immediately grabbed another bottle.

-Crash! Crash! Crash!

Chaejoo, now covered in blood mixed with spilled alcohol, could no longer even scream.

“Ugh…”

He looked up at me with dazed eyes, barely conscious.

I threw Chaejoo to the floor.

Then I looked to the side.

Yoehwa was crouched in the corner.

Trembling all over, she stared at Chaejoo with a face streaked with tears and snot.

I said.

“Your precious lord. Take him to a physician before he becomes half-crippled.”

The woman’s eyes widened.

“And do whatever you want. We’re leaving, and do you think you can catch us? Black Dao bastards are all cowards anyway, I know that much.”

“…”

The woman’s gaze changed.

Anger mixed with her fear.

“…You.”

“…”

“You, do you know who’s backing us?!”

Yoehwa shrieked shrilly.

“Just wait… Just wait! You’re nothing but a single martial artist, do you even have anyone watching your back? You can’t escape our eyes in this world!”

“…”

“Hide wherever you want. We’ll definitely find you. We’ll find you and kill you all so you won’t feel alive even while living!!”

“Who’s watching your back?”

I looked at the woman.

“I’m curious who’s backing you that makes you so confident even after seeing my skills.”

The woman bared her teeth and laughed. It was a laugh filled with venom.

“Why should I tell you who it is? Besides, you probably wouldn’t know even if I told you the name? He’s a noble from Anhui’s ruling family! The jade and gold we offer and provide him is worth so much…! Do you think anyone on the street would care if your corpse was found? That’s the kind of power he has!”

“…”

“Scum like you can be finished with the flick of a finger! Understand?!”

I wasn’t listening to the woman’s words.

My gaze was fixed on Chaejoo collapsed on the floor.

Specifically, on his waist.

The belt fastened there.

Intricate patterns embroidered with gold thread. The form of a dragon ascending through clouds.

It was familiar.

Very familiar.

“…Third Prince Namgung Taejin.”

It was a quiet murmur.

But that alone was enough.

The woman’s face hardened like stone.

“What…? How did you figure that out immediately… No! Ridiculous nonsense! Stop spouting bullshit!”

Her words trailed off before she urgently shouted.

“How do you know, what makes you jump to conclusions like that! You bastard!”

That reaction.

That alone was enough.

I said.

“Thank you. Thanks to your words and actions just now, I can decide my next move.”

“What did you say?”

I slowly turned my head.

“Everything that happens from now on is what you brought upon yourself.”

“…The same goes for me!”

The woman’s lips trembled.

“No matter how much you pretend to act confident, I know everything! You’re starting to get a headache, aren’t you? Your head must be aching wondering how to handle the aftermath! You don’t know, maybe from the moment you leave this inn you’ll try to run away like crazy! Haha! Yes, hide wherever you want…! We’ll definitely, definitely find you and kill you!!”

I gestured to Guk that we should leave.

As I moved to walk away, I suddenly stopped.

The middle-aged man was still sitting on the floor, staring at me blankly.

“…It wasn’t me.”

I said.

“But the day will surely come when your life receives its reward.”

I threw a pouch of silver coins at his feet.

“I can’t reveal my identity, but this should add credibility to my words. Go home and rest today. If you wait, good news will come soon.”

“…This is…!”

I couldn’t show the Boatman’s identification in the current situation.

But what I had just presented was money that couldn’t normally be offered either.

He seemed to understand the intention.

Tears welled up in the man’s eyes.

“I am… I…”

I quietly passed by him and left the inn.

As soon as I stepped out, I launched the chain of Dangcheonswaeya wrapped around my forearm upward.

-Whoosh!

The green chain cut through the night sky and wrapped around a protruding stone on the building wall, securing itself.

Pulling on it, I shot up into the sky and landed on the roof.

After waiting briefly, Guk followed up.

“My lord, that chain just now…?”

“Small talk later, look ahead.”

I look down at the street below from the rooftop, bustling like a city that never sleeps.

I pointed to the massive roads extending in four directions from where I stood.

“With this inn as the center, I’ll watch the front and left alleys from now on, so you focus on the right and back alleys.”

I knelt on one knee and pointed to the inn entrance below our feet.

“And simultaneously, the inn entrance below. Pay attention to the entrance.”

There, onlookers who had arrived late were murmuring noisily.

“From now on, first priority – a server will come running out. Then three people will return hurriedly with the server.”

As soon as I finished speaking, a server came running out somewhere in a hurry.

Guk asked curiously.

“Three… people, you said…?”

“Right. What happens next is important – among those three, there will be one who rushes out most urgently. The next one will also rush out almost simultaneously. We’ll ignore up to this point, and there will be a last person who rushes out one beat later – we’ll follow that guy.”

Guk said.

“You’re trying to find their main residence, aren’t you.”

“Exactly.”

Guk questioned back.

“I understand that the people the server runs out to bring are the contact agents of Yaxiang Stronghold, the rulers of this alley positioned closest to here. Since the main residence would naturally be hidden, I understand my lord’s intention to track them this way, but why ignore the first and second contact agents? Wouldn’t the first two people who rushed out most urgently be the ones going to contact the main residence?”

“No.”

I shook my head.

“The injuries of those left behind are too serious to afford such leisure. Moreover, one of them isn’t just a simple subordinate but also her man. And he’s the most severely injured.”

“Ah.”

“When people without medical knowledge look at injured people, they always gauge the severity by comparing relatively rather than by objective standards. I deliberately concentrated more visible serious injuries on Chaejoo than on the Five Guards. Especially since I delivered the visual vividness right before her eyes, that woman called Yoehwa must have her reason paralyzed by shock and hatred right now.”

“…!”

“Her precious husband is the most severely injured. In such cases, she’ll definitely severely urge the fastest messenger while unconditionally sending them to a nearby physician. Furthermore, since this is the Black Martial Arts Circle, there’s also a possibility the physician might refuse. The Black Martial Arts Circle can’t be unaware of this. Preparing for potential rejection, they’ll simultaneously send two messengers to the two most skilled physicians. That’s why I’m ignoring the first and second contact agents.”

Guk opened his mouth.

“Good… heavens.”

“After quickly sending two contact agents, once she catches her breath, what surges up in Yoehwa’s heart will be nothing but anger. Now she’ll contact the main residence. Telling everyone to find us, or to take revenge. This is exactly the third person who’ll come rushing out.”

Guk couldn’t hide his surprised expression and said.

“…Don’t tell me you deliberately didn’t lay a finger on Yoehwa earlier for this reason?”

“Those who aren’t trained martial artists, especially women, are extremely vulnerable regarding injuries. If she had fainted, all connections to finding the main residence would have been severed. And most importantly.”

I said.

“Unlike Chaejoo, her anger as she remains alone must not be broken. For that, it was essential to ensure she maintained a clear mind that wouldn’t be hindered by any pain.”

Guk swallowed.

“Even in the midst of all that, you thought that far…”

“Now the explanation for understanding should be sufficient.”

I stood up, dusting off my knee.

I looked down at the world below where the dim light of red lanterns rose.

“You need to focus and watch the alleys. The contact agents will be wearing grayish-white achromatic clothes, and even their appearances will consist of the most commonly seen people in this alley. This is also why I’m sharing the task with you, Guk, even though I can watch all four directions simultaneously. If we miss them-.”

After one breath, I said.

“That person called Oh Haengsu from earlier will definitely have his entire family massacred.”

“…”

“From the moment I decided to move, I never intended to end things halfway. This isn’t content to drag out either. You and I. We end everything tonight.”

I said.

“Focus with your life on the line. If tonight becomes wishy-washy, that family is finished.”

“…I understand.”

Guk answered resolutely.

“I will focus with my life on the line.”

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