Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 102

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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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Chapter 102
“Ugh.”
“Here, there’s an egg. At least roll it over your eye.”
“Truth be told, rolling an egg doesn’t help much in cases like this. It might just make the bruise worse, actually….”
“Ah, is that so?”
“Still, give it here. I’m grateful.”
Ju Won-gwang’s eyes were swollen shut and his lips were split open.
He held the conviction that a beggar never refuses what is given.
Ju Won-gwang cracked the eggshell and swallowed it down his throat without hesitation.
Then Dokgo Myeong clicked his tongue and spoke.
“You swallow it after getting beaten that badly?”
“You were the one who beat me.”
“If you deserved a beating, then you deserve it.”
“I’m the Lord of Hugu Hall….”
“And I’m the head of one of the three great factions of the greatest family under heaven.”
“Three great factions? Doesn’t your household only have the Outer Sect faction and the Elder faction?”
“Does this man even know about Hugu Hall? Why is his information so outdated?”
“….”
Ju Won-gwang coughed a few times.
“Ahem! Well, I suppose my youthful appearance fooled me—I’m about ten years older than you, actually. Show some respect.”
“Oh, how impressive. Getting beaten by someone younger and bragging about it.”
“….”
As Dokgo Myeong spoke while twirling his clenched fist, Ju Won-gwang’s hands balled into tight fists.
‘Damn it! How can I, Ju Won-gwang, be losing a battle of words!’
Meanwhile, Dokgo Myeong watched Ju Won-gwang grumbling with a slight smirk.
‘So I meet the top man of the Martial Arts Alliance’s intelligence division like this.’
The cunning face from his memories overlays itself upon the young, clumsy face before him now.
The man who would seize control of the Martial Arts Alliance’s intelligence organization and even take charge of the Inspection Bureau, wielding greater influence than the elder Lord of Hugu Hall.
A man with schemes but who adapted to reality, who profited but knew shame.
He was a man to whom the phrase “cunning hero” fit better than anyone else.
-Understood. Even if I can’t do it officially, I’ll make sure you receive battlefield intelligence without discrimination. The Alliance Lord has agreed to this, so don’t worry.
-In exchange, you’ll need to bring me what I need. Anything will do. My influence needs to grow so you can obtain smooth intelligence as well.
The image of Ju Won-gwang, who seemed like an incarnation of skilled political maneuvering, soon disappeared. Before his eyes sat only a clumsy young man.
Dokgo Myeong chuckled.
“You were this clumsy back then.”
“…What did you say?”
“Nothing. Just glad to see you.”
“If you’re glad, why do you beat me?”
“I beat you whether I’m glad, whether I like you, or whether I don’t. That’s my way.”
Right, he really is a madman.
Ju Won-gwang let out a deep sigh.
“Ah, I understand. But give me a drink instead. I’ll settle for that.”
Ju Won-gwang naturally reached toward the wine bottle sitting on the table.
Thwack!
At the same moment, Dokgo Myeong mercilessly swung his sleeve and struck the back of Ju Won-gwang’s hand.
“How dare you touch the wine bottle with those filthy hands?”
“Is this really something worth using martial arts over?”
“If you want to drink, you pay for it.”
“How petty you are…”
Ju Won-gwang sighed in displeasure and held out his cup.
Dokgo Myeong poured the wine himself.
Clink!
The cup was quickly filled, but Ju Won-gwang didn’t empty it.
He simply set the cup down on the table and nodded.
“Well then, ask away.”
“There were beggars following me around for quite some time—surely you sent them?”
“You knew?”
“My senses are rather exceptional.”
“Since when did you know?”
“Hmm, let me think… After Zhejiang, I suppose. They started trailing me one by one just before the Hugu Hall incident.”
Ju Won-gwang let out a hollow laugh.
“So from the very beginning.”
“Why did you follow me then?”
“Tracking information about people to watch in the Gangho is also the Hugu Hall’s duty. We simply took interest in the young dragon of the Dokgo Clan who rose to prominence from the Jeongcheon Alliance onward.”
“So you’ve only been following until now, but why approach me directly this time?”
“That is… well, I simply wanted to see for myself once.”
In that instant, my eyes flashed with light.
Whoooosh!
A surge of qi erupted violently.
Observing Ju Won-gwang’s peculiar reaction, my upper dantian sent me an intuition bordering on certainty.
“Could it be you’re already suspecting the truth of what happened at the Main Sect?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re suspecting it.”
“Suspecting or not, your family has already announced the purge of traitors…”
“The Jeongheol Sect.”
“…!”
At the suddenly uttered words, Ju Won-gwang’s expression cracked.
“That’s right. You know about the Jeongheol Sect too.”
* * *
Ju Won-gwang’s eyes grew calm as a still lake.
Gone was any trace of his playful, mischievous demeanor. In the gleam of his eyes, I could glimpse the brilliance befitting the youngest Master of Hugu Hall.
“…So the internal purge within the Dokgo Family was indeed aimed at the Bloodfiend Sect.”
“That would be correct.”
“But why would you tell me such a thing so directly?”
“Consider it a mistake on my part.”
Ju Won-gwang let out a derisive snort.
‘A mistake? How amusing.’
On the surface, it appeared I had struck at Ju Won-gwang’s weak point, but in reality, I was the one who had lost. By directly mentioning the Jeongheol Sect, I had handed over considerable information.
First, that the Dokgo Family was aware of and hostile toward the Jeongheol Sect.
Second, that the core of this incident involved the expulsion of the Jeongheol Sect.
Third, that I understood far more than mere surface knowledge.
Had I been an ordinary young man, it could be dismissed as naivety, but I was not one to make such careless mistakes.
“Speak plainly. You are not the sort to make such errors.”
I chuckled softly.
“Let us skip the tedious process of sparring with words.”
“You wish to omit the probing phase?”
“Precisely.”
“What if I were a member of the sect?”
“I am certain you are not, so do not worry.”
Ju Won-gwang released a weary laugh.
“…It seems the Main Sect’s assessment of you requires considerable revision.”
“How have they evaluated me?”
“A beast that thinks like a human—someone who appears unconventional but meticulously calculates gains and losses in all matters. That was the Main Sect’s judgment.”
“And now?”
“It appears you are not merely a greedy individual obsessed with profit and loss.”
Ju Won-gwang exhaled sharply through his nose and nodded.
“Good. I have had many questions about you as well.”
At that moment, Ju Won-gwang’s gaze slowly shifted toward Geum Seok-du.
I shook my head.
“He is my right arm.”
“Surely he is not ignorant of the Jeongheol Sect….”
“No one walks about with their right arm severed. Should he need to leave, this conversation ends here.”
Both Ju Won-gwang and Geum Seok-du widened their eyes in surprise.
“Hmph, you are serious? You truly care for your subordinates this much?”
“If you continue speaking nonsense, I will leave this instant.”
“Very well.”
Ju Won-gwang waved his hand in reluctant acceptance.
Then, after taking a deep breath, he picked up the wine cup he had not yet brought to his lips.
“Should I die in any manner within seven days of this meeting, the Dokgo Family will become the enemy of the Meng.”
“What are you suddenly saying?”
“I’m saying that I’m prepared to make that commitment.”
Gulp!
Ju Won-gwang drained the cup in one breath.
“Ahh! Excellent taste!”
It was a principle of the Gangho—one did not carelessly consume food or drink offered by others.
And yet, with the name of the Jeongheol Sect having been mentioned, Ju Won-gwang had drunk without hesitation.
“Pour me another cup, would you? And may I ask something first?”
“By all means.”
“Truth be told, I suspected as much. The way the Dokgo Family handled this matter—it wasn’t the style of the Sword Sage, the Sword King, the Elder Council Leader, or anyone else I know.”
Ju Won-gwang’s eyes gleamed.
“It was you, wasn’t it? Young Master Dokgo Myeong.”
“It was.”
“From what I gathered, you eliminated quite a high-ranking member of the sect. Am I correct?”
“You are.”
“…You answer so readily. What will you do if I refuse to answer in kind?”
“I’ll make you answer, so don’t worry.”
Dokgo Myeong grinned wickedly, flexing his fingers.
Ju Won-gwang let out a hollow laugh.
“Then, one final question… Why did you eliminate them?”
…
“The Dokgo Family could have chosen to join hands with them or strike a deal.”
A flicker of intent crossed Ju Won-gwang’s eyes.
He was testing me once more. The very thought of dealing with or allying with members of the Jeongheol Sect was something that couldn’t be trusted.
Dokgo Myeong’s expression hardened like stone.
“I’ll let that question pass for now. We still don’t know each other well enough.”
“Hmm?”
“But I warn you clearly.”
Crack! Crackle!
In that instant, a vicious killing intent erupted from my entire body.
“Never again entangle those trash with me.”
Crack! Shatter!
Cracks spread across the chair I sat in and the dishes on the table between us.
Ju Won-gwang trembled visibly.
‘What kind of vicious….’
Such killing intent could not be feigned or acted. It was an emotion that could only emerge from a deep, visceral loathing and hatred toward another.
Ju Won-gwang himself had no confidence he could display such killing intent toward the Bloodfiend Sect.
Ju Won-gwang forced his lips open with difficulty.
“I… made a mistake. You said to let the testing go, but it’s an occupational habit of mine.”
“I understand.”
Whoosh!
The murderous intent dissipated slowly.
Ju Won-gwang took a deep breath.
“How dreadful. What in the world happened between you and them? Surely you had no connection to them.”
A cold smile played at the corners of my mouth. It was my way of saying I wouldn’t answer.
Ju Won-gwang let out a hollow laugh.
“Now it’s my turn. How much does the Gaebang know?”
“…Do you trust me? Are we skipping the preliminaries and diving straight into the main topic?”
“Didn’t you say we should get past that tedious part?”
“Very well. You’re diving in headfirst from the first cup. Hah!”
Ju Won-gwang laughed hollowly and drank again.
Clack!
When he set down the cup, his expression had hardened completely.
“We’ve been tracking them for quite some time.”
“That alone doesn’t balance the scales.”
“The identity of the organization called the Jeongheol Sect, its structure, doctrine, key figures, internal information… We know quite a lot.”
My eyes gleamed.
‘Surely not.’
I felt as though I was glimpsing a facet of truth I had never known in my past life.
Things that even a mere lord could never have imagined.
‘Were there those who had been wary of the Jeongheol Sect since those days? Or….’
When I thought about it, it was only natural.
Dokgo Cheon knew of it too. The Gaebang, the greatest information organization under heaven, could not possibly be ignorant of it.
In that moment, I voiced the thought that crossed my mind.
“The Gaebang has already been compromised. Actually, thinking about it, there’s no organization easier to infiltrate than the Gaebang.”
“…!”
“How rotten is it on the inside?”
“…We’re still assessing the situation.”
“Could it be that the Hugu Hall is the organization opposing them?”
My heart skipped a beat.
‘He deduced that much from just this conversation?’
The taste of the wine turned bitter. No, it felt astringent enough to pucker the mouth.
‘I’ve revealed far too much. Should I never have come to this meeting in the first place?’
Ju Won-gwang swallowed dryly.
Then I opened my mouth.
“Don’t be too surprised. You may not know it, but I’ve been holding more cards from the start than you realize.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“If you knew that even that monstrous family head of ours was outmatched by me, perhaps you’d find some consolation.”
“…!”
I knew the future, I knew people, and I knew enemies. The result of all three combined was something that even the great Dokgo Cheon himself would be astounded by.
Someone as inexperienced as Ju Won-gwang simply could not be my match.
“Come now, let us share a drink.”
“….”
Dokgo Myeong and Ju Won-gwang clinked their cups together.
Ju Won-gwang let out a hollow laugh.
“Stripping a beggar of his last coin. I’ve truly found myself a worthy opponent.”
“It’s difficult to say that only my capital has been stripped away.”
“What do you mean?”
“I know far more than you believe I do.”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes gleamed with intensity.
He then picked up the wine bottle and refilled Ju Won-gwang’s cup.
“And perhaps, I may be of use to you.”
“…!”
“Of course, you must prove useful to me as well.”

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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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