He Became the Genius Blacksmith of the Namgung Family - Chapter 138

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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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Chapter 138

Episode 138

“But why are we running away?”

While frantically fleeing from the attack of 100 monster pigs.

Namgung Jia leisurely ran up beside Namgung Cheon-gang and asked.

‘Does this sister not understand the situation right now?’

It was bewildering.

But thinking about it carefully, it made sense.

When monster pigs suddenly appear in droves and charge recklessly, it’s hard to grasp reality, isn’t it?

In times like this, it’s right for someone with even a bit of sense to explain.

So Namgung Cheon-gang kindly explained the current situation while frantically running away.

“Why, what do you mean why, Sister! Giant pigs are chasing us from behind! We have to run to survive!”

“But with our strength, couldn’t we catch them?”

“…!?”

A wake-up call hitting hard.

‘That’s right? Isn’t it?’

Peak-level strength with one transcendent warrior and one transcendent blacksmith.

What’s there that couldn’t handle 100 monster pigs?

Namgung Cheon-gang’s legs, which had been moving frantically to escape, came to an abrupt halt.

Screech!

Then he set Baekseol down.

He took out the Cheonryeo Paseong Soo that was hanging on his left side and released its compression.

The Cheonryeo Paseong Soo growing larger and larger.

He gripped the handle firmly with both hands.

Then rotating his body powerfully—

Whooom!

One charging monster pig couldn’t even scream before exploding and flying sideways with a whoosh.

Thanks to Namgung Jia’s wake-up call, he clearly realized that monster pigs were prey, not hunters.

Then his eyes blazed fiercely.

Raising the Cheonryeo Paseong Soo high, he charged toward the monster pigs.

“Let’s crush them!!!”

Namgung Cheon-gang’s fury echoing during his charge.

Clatter clatter clatter!

The Namgung warriors, snapping to their senses at the angry shout, rushed toward the pigs.

“These pig bastards!!”

“They startled us!!”

“By Namgung’s sword… die.”

“Haaaaat!!”

Namgung martial arts unfolding amidst the monster pigs.

Every time silver flashed, pigs fell like autumn leaves, getting cut and exploding.

Defense was a luxury.

Only attack!

‘Ah, how embarrassing!’

‘Running away from mere monster pigs!’

‘Why did we do that?’

It was shameful.

Being Namgung warriors.

Peak-level ones at that.

Getting scared of monster pigs and turning tail to run.

‘Let’s forget!’

‘We must forget!’

‘To do that, we eliminate the witnesses!’

The witnesses were the monster pigs.

The ones who made them embarrassed were also the monster pigs.

They would eliminate them all!

“Uaaahhh!”

“Dieeeee!”

The attacks of the Namgung warriors and one blacksmith became even more spectacular.

Except for Namgung Jia.

“Hehehe! Oh, this is fun! I’ll tease them about this forever, hehe!”

Rolling around holding her stomach laughing next to Namgung Sohye.

“….”

Namgung Sohye’s reddened sword was reaching its limit.

Kwaang, crack, scrape, whooom!

Squeeeeal!

* * *

People get swept up in atmosphere more than expected.

Look at gyms.

Someone who can’t do a single push-up somehow manages one when doing it with others around.

Even poor students can concentrate when among those focused on studying.

The saying about Mencius’s mother moving three times because atmosphere shapes people isn’t just empty words.

So when someone runs past frantically shouting “Run away!”, you unconsciously run too.

Even though you could defeat them in one second if you fought.

Getting swept up in the atmosphere.

This was the story of Namgung Cheon-gang and the Namgung Family warriors.

“Hehehe!”

Namgung Jia really loved this story about how when she got swept up in the atmosphere and went “Eek!”, Namgung Cheon-gang, Namgung Sohye, and the 5 Namgung Jeonggeom Dan members came out to greet her.

“Hiiiek! Run awaaay! Uaaah!”

Jumping up with a pale face and screaming, Namgung Jia.

Seeing the group staring blankly at her, she laughed again, hehehe.

“….”

Then patting Namgung Cheon-gang’s shoulder and pointing at Namgung Sohye.

“Did you see Sohye’s face while frantically running away, younger brother? It was my first time seeing that. Hehehe.”

Teasing her younger sibling like that and laughing again, hehehe.

‘Bad sister.’

‘Bad older sister.’

‘Bad second young lady.’

Namgung Cheon-gang, Namgung Sohye, and the Namgung Jeonggeom Dan all thought the same thing.

If they could, they’d want to scold her.

But they couldn’t.

Namgung Jia was stronger.

If they picked a fight, they’d end up lying down like the monster pigs.

‘Damn! This awful world that favors the strong!’

What could they do.

A powerless transcendent-level blacksmith just had to grit his teeth and console himself inwardly.

Namgung Cheon-gang, the Namgung warriors, and Namgung Sohye pretended not to hear and vented their frustration by poking at the dead pigs.

‘Are there any still alive?’

‘We dealt with them all too indiscriminately.’

‘Damn! Damn!’

With only dead ones around, there was nothing they could do.

“Oh my, is everyone alright!!”

While venting anger by beating the dead pigs.

A voice could be heard.

Looking back, they saw a cheerful handsome man with narrow eyes.

‘That bastard!’

‘The culprit who drove the pigs here!’

‘The criminal who made us embarrassed!’

Fire blazed in the eyes of the Namgung Jeonggeom Dan.

‘If not for that person… we wouldn’t have been embarrassed.’

Namgung Sohye’s eyes turned cold.

‘Hosiu… sir.’

Namgung Cheon-gang’s hands trembled.

A living target for venting anger had appeared.

“Thanks to you, we survived. Phew, I really thought I was going to die! But Master Namgung Cheon-gang, to meet all the ladies of Namgung here, what kind of fateful connection is this!”

Talking about fate and such.

“Th-this! The narrow-eyed guy is really bad! Attack him!”

“What? Suddenly what— Gwaeak!”

Namgung Cheon-gang pounced.

“Uaaaah!”

“Die!”

“Culprit of the pigs!!”

After that, the Namgung Jeonggeom Dan and Namgung Sohye also drew their swords and attacked.

“Uaaaak!”

“Hehehe!”

Thwack thwack, crack! Thud!

Namgung Jia’s laughter grew louder.

The more she laughed, the louder the sounds of beating someone became.

“P-please spare— Gwaeak!”

“Die! Dieeeee!”

Leaving Anhui Province, Namgung Cheon-gang and Hosiu coincidentally met again in Galbok.

“For Namgung!”

“Hehehe!”

The scene of their reunion was a complete mess.

* * *

“So, originally those pigs were domestic pigs raised in Sami Village and wild boars from the nearby mountains, right, Hosiu sir?”

“Yes, yep, that’s right, Master Namgung Cheon-gang.”

“The reason they became like that is because they ate stone chunks imbued with blood energy?”

“Yep! That’s right. It’s a fact I learned while saving the people of Sami Village, Master.”

“But why didn’t you catch them?”

“Yep?”

“Why didn’t you catch them and make us embarrassed? Don’t tell me, was this a scheme to become the pigs’ accomplice and humiliate us, Hosiu sir!?”

“Wh-what nonsense are you talking about, Master! How can a human become an accomplice to monster pigs! This is slander!”

“It’s possible! Don’t make excuses! Put your hands up!”

The cheerful handsome man with narrow eyes, Hosiu, felt wronged.

Who would have known that after barely escaping the monster pigs, he’d be misunderstood as their accomplice?

No, isn’t the very idea of a human being misunderstood as a monster pig accomplice absurd?

But communication had to work first.

“A person should. Catch monster pigs, not run away. Then confuse people? That’s not right. You know?”

“Th-that’s, yes, th-that’s right?”

“If you hadn’t just run away, huh? We wouldn’t have, huh? Suffered such humiliation, you know? Right? Isn’t that so?”

“Th-that’s right, of course, sure, sure.”

“Someone who knows would do that? Did you do wrong? Or didn’t you do wrong?”

Sitting hunched like a neighborhood thug, holding a giant hammer in one hand pressed under his chin, intimidating him so he couldn’t even make excuses.

If he made one wrong move, that hammer would head for his skull and he’d be a burst watermelon that very day.

Or else, he’d be finely chopped by the six warriors behind the thug with the giant hammer, who had drawn their swords and were glaring murderously.

In this situation, what could he say?

He could only do as told and apologize for doing wrong.

“I-it’s all my fault. Sure, of course it is.”

“Someone who knows that, why did you do it? Tell me.”

“…”

Being chased by monster pigs would have been better.

‘Why are you doing this to me…’

Not knowing that all this happened because Namgung Jia was laughing so hard it made things even more embarrassing, Hosiu could only go crazy and want to cry.

After that, only after being beaten for about another hour did Namgung Cheon-gang move on to normal conversation with Hosiu.

“So, the reason Hosiu sir ran away was because you used up your internal energy saving all the people of Sami Village, right?”

“Yes, that’s right, Master. If not for that, I would have beaten all those pigs to death! Without causing harm to Master, the ladies, and the warriors of the Namgung Jeonggeom Dan!”

“Mm. You certainly know your sin now. I’m satisfied.”

“…”

“But why are you here, and how did you come to save the people of Sami Village?”

How quickly he asked.

Words that had risen to his throat.

He couldn’t dare say them.

If he spoke carelessly, he’d get another hour of scolding.

The art of scolding someone was perfected.

Where did he learn that?

Rather than endure that scolding again, he’d bite his tongue.

“Do you remember when we met in Anhui Province, I said I had business here, Master?”

Hosiu’s words from when he learned about the blacksmith’s kidnapping, that the Blood Cult being chased by the Muyong Family was connected to Hoyogyo, and headed to Galbok.

Why?

Because Hoyogyo was his home and hometown.

So he said he was going to solve the problems that arose in his hometown.

Namgung Cheon-gang remembered well, so he nodded and answered yes.

“That’s the reason. The blacksmith of this Sami Village belongs to our Haomun.”

“Huh? I heard he learned technical education from our Master, but he belonged to Haomun?”

“Yes. Elder Mak Noya taught techniques to anyone who was sincere, diligent, and good regarding right and wrong.”

“Ah.”

‘Well, with Master’s personality, that’s possible.’

He’s just bad at expressing himself, but he’s a person with deep affection.

“Moreover, the blacksmith of Omichon who disappeared first also belongs to us.”

“So you came to check because all those blacksmiths disappeared?”

“Yes. Since they belong to Haomun, I thought they would definitely leave some trace before disappearing.”

“Because they’re blacksmiths and also informants?”

“Ah, that’s not it. They’re just educated to leave some trace if problems arise with their safety, but otherwise they’re the same as ordinary people.”

“Ah.”

Namgung Cheon-gang understood.

‘Well, if they were all informants, Aeso would also be a secret intelligence agent of Haomun.’

Isn’t she living well as a tavern keeper without any trace of learning martial arts?

‘They must distinguish well between agents and ordinary people.’

This way, no one knows who the informants are.

Since they can’t be simply dismissed as martial artists, they can’t be caught and interrogated just for being Haomun.

‘They’ve categorized it professionally.’

Indeed, it could be called one of the top information organizations in the Martial Arts World, alongside the Beggar’s Sect.

“Information that Haomun obtained through traces… Then, it must be difficult for you to reveal it to us right away.”

“That’s not the case, Lady Namgung Sohye. The Haomun disciple is a blacksmith who previously received teachings from Elder Mak Noya, and he’s an ordinary person. Therefore, since it involves the kidnapping of civilians, it’s right to inform you.”

“It sounds like this is something that would be difficult for Haomun to resolve with their power alone. Am I mistaken?”

“Haha. You caught us. Well, it’s hard to fool the eyes and ears of the vice-captain of the Cheoncheon Sword Division. Yes, that’s correct. We’re asking for help.”

While Namgung Cheon-gang thought for a moment.

Namgung Sohye, Namgung Jia, and Hosiu exchanged such words.

The difference in perspectives between the Orthodox and Heterodox factions.

Normally, Haomun, being a Heterodox faction, wouldn’t share information with the Orthodox faction, and Namgung, being Orthodox, wouldn’t particularly get involved in Haomun’s affairs.

However, since villages and kidnapping incidents were involved.

This wasn’t a matter to be viewed in terms of Orthodox versus Heterodox, so it was right to help each other and resolve it.

This could be seen as these people having righteous hearts that wouldn’t stand by and watch those in difficulty, as people living in the Martial Arts World before being martial artists.

“For now, I have one piece of information. Before the blacksmiths disappeared, people from Hoyogyo, which had changed its name to ‘Hyeolyogyo,’ came to the village and made a proposal to the blacksmiths.”

What that was.

“They asked them to join in refining a new ore.”

“A new ore?”

“Yes, Master. This is exactly it.”

Hosiu, finishing his words, took something out from his chest.

It was a palm-sized stone of pale red color.

“Oh? That is?”

Namgung Cheon-gang showed recognition upon seeing the stone Hosiu had taken out.

“Huh? Do you know this ore, Master?”

“Yes. Isn’t this it?”

Namgung Cheon-gang took out a blood stone from the front pocket of his clothes.

It had a deeper red color than what Hosiu had shown.

However, there was a commonality.

A very faint ‘blood energy’ could be felt from both stones.

So, it was impossible not to recognize that they were the same type of stone.

“Huh, how do you have that?”

“Earlier, you said a pig ate a stone imbued with blood energy, and it was a stone like this, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“It would have been found in farmland, right?”

“No, how do you know so well? Did you perhaps meet our Haomun disciples?”

“That’s not it, I found this in Sammi Village and Imi Village. From the looks of it, the same thing happened in Omichon and Sami Village too. The earth veins of land used for farming being contaminated with blood energy.”

“That’s exactly right. Then, you already knew what I was going to tell you.”

Namgung Cheon-gang shook his head.

“Not everything. Even though I heard that people from Hoyogyo, no, Hyeolyogyo came and went, this is the first time I’m hearing from you, Hosiu, that such a proposal was made to the blacksmith.”

“In the end, this means that those who spread these blood stones kidnapped the blacksmiths to refine the blood stones, Master.”

Hosiu’s words.

The incidents at Sammi Village and Imi Village.

Namgung Sohye summarized and spoke, and Namgung Cheon-gang nodded.

“Yes. It seems to be like that.”

They were getting somewhat closer to the full story of the kidnapping.

* * *

The people of Omichon village.

The people of Sami Village.

They had something in common.

They were victims whose villages had been devastated by attacks from monster pigs.

It was fortunate that they were rescued by Hosiu, who happened to have business in Galbok.

Otherwise, they would have been mercilessly ravaged by the monster pigs.

Also, due to earth veins contaminated with blood energy, they suffered from depression, lethargy, and so on.

They also had in common that they were losing their will to live due to various physical deterioration abilities.

Of course, not now.

“I’m overflowing with energy!”

“The fog in my head is clearing!”

“Ah, this is what life is!”

They had regained their vitality with Namgung Cheon-gang’s nutritious food, ‘Beginner’s Nutritious Ginseng Chicken Soup.’

They also served meat to the people whose energy had risen.

“What’s the point of just leaving the monster pigs after catching them? If they rot, that’s another headache, so since we caught them anyway, we should grill and eat them to restore even more energy.”

As for the blood energy, Baekseol could just wash it away with purification water.

Thus, an unlimited meat buffet was set up in the center of Sami Village.

Firewood was prepared.

Namgung Cheon-gang’s purified iron cauldron lid was placed on top.

Then the prepared unlimited pork was placed on it.

Sizzle!

The sense of taste began with hearing.

A savory, mouth-watering aroma gradually spread throughout the entire village.

“Vegetables to the center!”

There were no wraps.

There were vegetables to grill and eat.

Onions, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and so on.

Grilling them in the meat oil that gathered in the center of the pot lid was a delicacy in itself.

“Uh, when do we eat?”

“When do we eat?”

“Gulp!”

The aroma became thicker.

Sizzle, the cooking meat seemed to glisten golden.

It tempted them to eat it quickly.

Unbearable hunger came over them, and everyone became one and asked.

Namgung Cheon-gang looked at the meat grilling on the pot lid with very sharp eyes.

While butchering and washing, he picked it up with the tongs he had made.

And with the scissors he had made while making the tongs, he cut it into pieces and placed them neatly at the edge of the pot lid.

Soon he showed a benevolent smile, spread his hands, and said.

“Please eat.”

“Wooooooh!”

“Waaaah!”

People rushed forward, aiming for the chopsticks.

The moment they picked up the meat and put it in their mouths.

“…!?”

“…!!”

Surprise, admiration, and amazement spread across everyone’s faces.

It melted away smoothly, and they fell into ecstasy.

Namgung Jia collapsed as if falling, sitting down with a thud.

“The meat, the meat I’ve eaten all this time wasn’t really meat…”

An exclamation that came naturally from tasting the true taste of meat.

“Is this meat, or is it art?”

“Ahhh. The pig, the god of pigs is dancing on my tongue…”

“This is cooking that has reached a realm beyond being delicious!”

Admiration, wonder, and praise continued in succession.

What comes after that?

Charging toward the meat.

One pot lid isn’t enough.

Since the people from Omichon village had evacuated and were staying together, there were over 400 people just in numbers alone.

We need more.

“Please find and bring pot lids from all around the village!”

“Understood!”

“Just leave it to us!”

At Namgung Cheon-gang’s request, everyone united and swiftly brought pot lids like arrows.

We were short on grilling surfaces, but we had plenty of meat.

But now we’ve got the grilling surfaces too?

There’s enough for everyone to eat and still have leftovers.

If we’re still short, we can just use the cauldrons.

“Got it? The meat should be cooked to this degree! If you cook it more, it burns! If it burns… it’s still tasty, but it gets tough! Meat needs to be even! Evenness is important! What’s important for meat!?”

“Evenness is important!”

“Even!”

“Even!”

“But what does ‘even’ mean!”

Someone raised their hand and asked.

It was Hosiu.

“It’s an abbreviation for being deliciously and obviously cooked like this!”

Namgung Cheon-gang answered shamelessly.

“Ooh! I see!”

“That was a very good explanation!”

“Even!”

“Even!”

The sound of “even” echoed throughout the center of Sami Village in Galbok.

“What, what is the name of this dish, Master?!”

Namgung Sohye asked happily, her cheeks puffed out as she held them with both hands after stuffing her mouth full of pork.

“It is Cauldron Lid Grilled Pork, Lady Sohye.”

“Ah. What a truly wonderful name.”

“Of course, it’s very wonderful and very delicious too. Isn’t that right, Lady Cheonying?”

“…!”

Cheonying, who like Namgung Sohye had stuffed her mouth full of pork and was holding her puffed cheeks with both hands in happiness, nodded vigorously.

‘Hehe. With this, my past mistakes have been erased.’

Namgung Cheon-gang had finally eliminated the disgraceful behavior of looking like he desperately wanted to eat cauldron lid pork.

Afterwards.

“Dig! Strike! Excavate!”

“Dig! Strike! Excavate!”

“Are you listening, blood energy!”

“The song of angry Sammi Village!”

“The cry that we can never be powerless again!”

“Namgung’s Blue Sky shall also settle upon this land!”

It was only natural that the Purification Baekryeon Jeonggang technique rippled over the blood-soaked farmlands, and the Namgung work song echoed through the air.

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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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