Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 102

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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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#102

“I first learned martial arts when I was seven years old. I went to the mountain with a friend to dig kudzu roots and got lost. There we met an old man. He said he would teach us both martial arts. For ten years, I went to the mountain every day to learn martial arts. On days when I had work, I would visit even at night. If it got too late, I would sleep in the cave where he stayed.”

On the day that marked ten years.

The old man disappeared, leaving only a short letter behind.

-The martial arts you have learned are from the Chaomiao Sect. However, since you are not official disciples, there is no need to reveal your sect affiliation anywhere. This means you have no obligations or responsibilities, so live freely without being bound by anything.

The Chaomiao Sect was a sect that emerged from the northern foreign powers and was said to have been destroyed long ago.

“Some of the martial arts continued to be passed down from person to person. Since they were barbarian martial arts, he told us to hide them because we might face persecution if we revealed our sect affiliation.”

“He was just preventing the martial arts from being lost.”

“That’s right. After he left, we wanted to prove something. We seemed to want to be proud of our martial arts. So we set out on a martial journey.”

This was the story behind the martial journey of the Bimu Ghost.

“It was a time when I was recklessly running wild. When I won martial contests, I was as happy as if I had gained the whole world, and when I lost, it was the opposite. At some point, the number of wins increased and something called fame was born. Then when I was thirty, an accident happened. No, at that time I thought it was an accident.”

One day when the martial journey was entering its thirteenth year.

Mugyeong received news that his friend had died during a martial contest.

“It happened in Henan Province. A man named Seo Iwon was the first to request a martial contest with my friend. He was the master of a manor called Iwon Manor, but he wasn’t someone with particularly high fame.”

When he went to the place after hearing the news, he witnessed his friend’s corpse.

“Seo Iwon repeatedly apologized. He apologized not only to me but also to my friend’s family and even promised sufficient compensation. It was frustrating and unfair, but I had to endure it since it was a natural risk that came with martial journeys.”

He thought everything was over. However, his friend’s seven-year-old son was not.

“That kid Daewung, in his young heart, managed to get one promise from Seo Iwon. He asked for a martial contest when he became an adult. He said he would definitely win then. Seo Iwon also promised to accept a martial contest anytime he came after turning twenty.”

Han Dae-woong learned martial arts from Mugyeong from that time on.

“He was exceptionally talented. So I told him to endure just five more years. He definitely promised he would… but…”

Han Dae-woong, who had been listening to the story, lowered his head.

“I left Deungmyeong Manor to bring that kid back. I thought if he endured five years at the manor, he could easily defeat someone like Seo Iwon. But that kid went to find Seo Iwon alone. When I heard the news, I rushed to Seo Iwon’s manor.”

When he arrived, the martial contest was already in progress. But something was strange.

“It wasn’t a fair fight. Among those watching the martial contest, there was an assassin.”

“What? What do you mean?”

Mugyeong bit his lower lip hard, still angry even thinking about it.

“He hired an assassin to ambush during the martial contest in order to win.”

“Why would he do such a thing?”

“He needed fame. In fact, after defeating my friend in the martial contest, Seo Iwon was called a martial arts master and enjoyed great success. What was infuriating was that he was even called a gentleman for showing proper courtesy not only in martial arts but also regarding my friend’s death.”

It was a well-orchestrated scam.

He lured in a wanderer who was famous for his martial journey at the time, killed him, and even packaged the funeral well to show his character.

“Fame is something that can’t be bought with money, but he thought of a way to buy it with money. And he was trying to do the same thing to my friend’s son.”

Although Mugyeong realized this belatedly, his internal energy was almost depleted from rushing over.

“Somehow I gritted my teeth and killed both of them together with Daewung. But perhaps due to insufficient skill, I was severely injured. After that, I was continuously pursued by Salmak.”

Han Dae-woong, who had been quietly listening, pointed out the incorrect part.

“You did everything, sir. All I did was kill a few manor warriors.”

“Didn’t you cut Seo Iwon’s throat?”

“That was thanks to your consideration, sir.”

Ja-gang-cheon finally understood everything that had happened to them.

“You both went through a lot.”

After saying that, Ja-gang-cheon was silent for a while.

“What do you think is the reason Salmak mobilized even the Osalsaeng?”

“I was curious about that point too. It was also strange that the pursuit came immediately. It seems Seo Iwon had a deep relationship with Salmak.”

“It would have been good if Cheon-gu were here.”

It was a name that naturally came to mind whenever he had worries.

“Let’s focus on what we need to do for now.”

Ja-gang-cheon took out a list from his chest.

“We’re going to deal with all the people on this list.”

“What? Who are these people?”

“They’re assassins from Salmak. I’m thinking of dissolving Salmak.”

It was said that Salmak never gave up on a target once set. So to escape the threat, there was no choice but to eliminate them.

“Now it’s time for us to hunt.”

Ja-gang-cheon declared that the offense and defense had switched.

***

A man in his early fifties with rolled-up sleeves and an axe in one hand entered an abandoned temple.

Looking at the A-frame carrier loaded with branches and the herb pouch tied to his waist, he was unmistakably a woodcutter.

However, in the abandoned temple he entered, there were corpses scattered about that had been partially eaten by wild beasts.

Even at that gruesome sight, the woodcutter had a remarkably calm expression. He seemed completely unaffected from the beginning.

“Amheo was killed?”

He frowned while looking at a particularly small corpse.

The woodcutter had recognized Amheo Salseong, one of the Osalsaeng.

“Since he brought Jeok Hwa-sal-seong and got Amheo killed, does that count as killing two people?”

Two of the Osalsaeng had died.

This was something no one had expected.

“They couldn’t have gone far.”

That’s when it happened.

“Why do you think they ran away?”

It was surprising.

A person had appeared from inside the guest quarters.

‘That can’t be.’

He had checked for presence before coming.

Not only that, but he had also seen animals eating the corpses.

‘Animals being here means there are no people.’

Animals react sensitively to scents different from their own. The most distinctive body odor that could be seen in the mountains was that of humans.

So they either run away or attack.

Therefore, animals eating corpses without wariness meant there were no people around.

Apart from this fact, he couldn’t believe that his senses, which were most sensitive to human presence, had been deceived.

“Looking at the burn scar under your left ear, you must be Hyeonsu Saseong.”

The woodcutter’s eyes, which had been calm even in front of corpses, wavered for the first time.

It was possible to guess he was an assassin, but it was strange that his identity was clearly recognized. And with clear evidence too.

‘Did another Osalsaeng betray us? That can’t be.’

He tried to stay calm while looking at the man who had suddenly appeared.

“Ja-gang-cheon.”

Since he had already received information about him, it wasn’t difficult to deduce his identity.

“If you know who I am, then conversation isn’t necessary.”

The woodcutter slowly put down his A-frame carrier and then threw his axe to the ground.

“Wasn’t that your weapon?”

Swoosh.

The woodcutter’s body seemed to sway and then disappeared from that spot.

His ghostly movement technique made him the strongest assassin in direct combat even among the Osalsaeng.

The reason he had dealt with targets and survived many dangers was because he had this excellent movement technique that could be used without hiding his body.

But something was strange.

A grayish shadow appeared in front of him as he moved quickly.

He could see it with his eyes, but strangely, he couldn’t sense any presence. This created an odd sense of alienation that made his opponent seem like a ghost.

There was no presence, yet he displayed tremendous movement technique.

‘No presence even though I can see him? Could it be!’

As far as he knew, there was only one person like that.

‘Makju-nim!’

Come to think of it, Ja-gang-cheon was wearing the same clothes that the makju had worn and absorbed.

“You finally recognize me? Then you know your fate too?”

“Makju-nim went to Gwigokdo…”

Ja-gang-cheon didn’t bother explaining and employed the Bicheon Shinbo.

The Woodcutter was confident in his footwork too, but not enough to keep up with the Bicheon Shinbo.

When his prized footwork failed to show its advantages, there was nothing more he could do.

Bang!

In the end, Ja-gang-cheon’s fist struck his chest.

Crack!

The Woodcutter collapsed to the ground with his chest bones shattered. Even in this situation, he didn’t scream.

Even while clutching his chest as pain overwhelmed him, he glared at the approaching Ja-gang-cheon.

“You can’t kill someone with just a look.”

Ja-gang-cheon showed no emotional change either. Still, he gave him one chance.

“Seo Iwon. What was his relationship with Salmak?”

The Woodcutter gave no answer.

“I didn’t expect one anyway.”

Tap tap!

Ja-gang-cheon approached his left side as he lay fallen. At that moment, he quickly swung his hidden hand.

But Ja-gang-cheon leaped cleanly over the Woodcutter’s body, avoiding his last move. Then he kicked the opponent’s face.

Thud!

With that single blow, the Woodcutter moved no more.

“Now there are two left from Osalsaeng?”

Ja-gang-cheon, thinking of the remaining members, began searching through the Woodcutter’s belongings.

“He really hid things in all sorts of places.”

His robe was literally a hidden weapon warehouse.

From thin needles to awls, his waist pouch contained iron caltrops, and inside his pants he wore a belt that concealed daggers.

“Wasn’t this guy the leader?”

It was when he thought he couldn’t find what he was looking for.

‘Wait.’

The inside of the belt where the dagger was inserted caught his eye. While removing the dagger, one part had been slightly turned inside out.

“So this is where you wrote it.”

Ja-gang-cheon carefully removed the belt and looked at the inside.

There, someone’s personal information was densely written in very small letters.

“Found the list. So you were the new makju.”

The makju who died at Gwigokdo had carried the assassins’ list on his own body. He had judged that to be the safest place.

‘The next makju would probably do the same, wouldn’t he?’

If the assassins had similar tendencies, that would likely be the case. That’s why Ja-gang-cheon had searched the body so thoroughly.

‘Several names have been added to the original list.’

However, there was no information about the retired Osalsaeng members. He hadn’t been able to find out that much.

“Now this makes a complete list.”

Having both pieces, Ja-gang-cheon had secured the identities of all Salmak assassins.

“I’ll kill you guys for free. It doesn’t seem like it’ll be difficult enough to charge money for.”

Ja-gang-cheon left the Woodcutter’s corpse behind and departed from the abandoned temple.

***

Ten days later in Taiyuan.

Gye Ju-man, the branch chief of Taiyuan’s Heukjeom branch, was humming as he headed toward Giru Street.

“That guy called Ja-gang-cheon I met half a month ago is a lucky charm. Ever since I got those two hundred nyang from him, everything’s been going well.”

Today was the best of all.

In the morning, he had won twenty nyang of silver at a gambling hall he’d visited out of boredom, and a gisaeng he’d been courting for a while had sent word asking him to come alone tonight for some reason.

At the inn he’d stopped by during the day, a customer who had ordered expensive dishes left in a hurry, so he got a free meal, and his subordinate who always caused trouble had brought in a mark.

That’s why tonight was even more anticipated.

“Ye-hyang, you wench. Tonight I’ll show you what kind of man I really am.”

Having bought an expensive ornament with the twenty nyang he’d won at the gambling hall, he was just ten steps away from the giru where Ye-hyang was waiting.

“Hello there.”

It was then that an unwelcome guest blocked his path.

“Huh? How did you get here…”

“I said we’d meet again, didn’t I? I have a lot to discuss, so cancel tonight’s appointment.”

Ja-gang-cheon gave Gye Ju-man a friendly greeting.

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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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