Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 179

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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 179
Wi Jang-chun, the Overseer of the Moyong Family, stood before the Gaju Hall with trembling eyes.
“Master of the household. It is I, the Overseer.”
A voice came from beyond the door.
“Enter.”
Wi Jang-chun stepped into the Gaju Hall with his head bowed deeply.
Like a subject before a king, he prostrated himself flat on the ground and began his report in a trembling voice.
“Master of the household. A report has just arrived from the branch office.”
“….”
“Including Miss Moryong Sohgyo….”
When there was no response, Wi Jang-chun carefully raised his head and flinched in surprise.
Muyong Tae, seated in the high seat, seemed immersed in darkness. Even Wi Jang-chun, who had not trained in martial arts, could feel an aura so desolate it had become sinister and ominous.
Then Muyong Tae suddenly laughed and asked.
“Overseer Wi. Why do you stop speaking?”
It was an awkward smile, as if carved by an amateur sculptor.
Wi Jang-chun hastily bowed his head.
“I, I beg your pardon. I shall continue my report.”
“Time is precious, so make haste.”
“Yes. Currently, Miss Moryong Sohgyo and Elder Moyong Aejeon, who leads the Geongon Sect, have entered Hubei. It appears they have likely reached Wuhan by now.”
“They arrived at the right moment.”
“It seems somewhat delayed. The road to Wuhan was not smooth….”
“Then we should consider it timely arrival.”
“…?”
Muyong Tae asked.
“Is the report complete?”
“Not entirely, Master of the household. I have one question, if I may be so bold.”
“Ask.”
“May I inquire why you sent Elder Aejeon and the Geongon Sect as well?”
Muyong Tae chuckled softly.
“Did he not request that we come with proper courtesy?”
“Pardon?”
Muyong Tae rested his chin on his hand and spoke.
“That girl Sohgyo is quite useful. She is clever and beautiful, and she is a cunning woman who knows how to make good use of her beauty.”
Wi Jang-chun bowed his head even deeper, hiding his expression.
No matter that she was his half-brother’s daughter, such words toward his niece were unseemly.
“Moreover, Elder Aejeon, the master of the Geongon Sect, is a senior executive of the main family ranking in the top ten of the ceremonial hierarchy. Is he not more than sufficient to maintain proper decorum?”
Indeed, it was as he said.
Moryong Sohgyo, the sole legitimate heir remaining to the family, who held the affections of countless martial artists in her grasp.
In addition, he sent Elder Moyong Aejeon, a master of the previous generation, and the Geongon Sect, the main force of the Moyong Family’s martial artists under his command.
Such a delegation was befitting only when sending an envoy to a major organization.
“Are you saying you intend to suppress the initiative through seniority and standing in the Gangho?”
“That’s right.”
“However, Dokgo Myeong has Am Seong-ju and the Hidden Sword in his grasp. With Gae-bang present as well, the atmosphere may actually turn in his favor instead. Perhaps it would have been better to send only Miss Moryong Sohgyo, even if some suspicion arose….”
“He won’t have the chance for that. He’ll soon be dragged back to his own family.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The Dokgo Family has decided to tolerate his insolence no longer. Troops have already departed from the Dokgo Family to escort him.”
Does Muyong Tae know the circumstances of the Dokgo Family?
“Of course, the details matter little. What matters is how it appears.”
Muyong Tae muttered to himself as if organizing his thoughts.
In that moment, Wi Jang-chun felt a chill run down his spine.
Not from fear of Muyong Tae, but from a sinister premonition taking concrete shape in his mind.
‘Needless worry.’
It was the old man’s anxiety and baseless concern earned from long years as an Overseer.
Then Muyong Tae’s ominous voice broke through his reverie.
“Have you finished what you came to say?”
“That is….”
“Then you may withdraw.”
Wi Jang-chun’s lips trembled as he shook his head.
‘No. I should leave. Don’t they say all evil springs from the tongue?’
Yet what was this?
Though he had risen to leave and begun stepping backward, somehow he found himself standing upright with his mouth moving.
“Might I ask just one more thing?”
“….”
“Please, do not take offense. I ask this as the Overseer fulfilling my duties, though my understanding is lacking.”
Muyong Tae exhaled a short sigh.
“Must it be this way?”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind. Speak.”
Wi Jang-chun began as if possessed by something.
“In truth, since my days as a storehouse keeper, I have maintained a habit. I personally verify the inventory of all important goods, then keep my own ledger separate from the official records submitted above.”
“I see.”
“Yesterday, I discovered that the records for certain items stored in the main family’s armory differed from those in my ledger.”
“….”
“Consumables officially listed as not in possession. When I questioned the staff, they said Miss Moryong Sohgyo withdrew them by family order on the day she left the house. Yet no report reached me as Overseer, and I could not identify those who took them….”
“Say what you mean to say.”
“….”
“Isn’t this a waste of time when I already know the situation?”
Wi Jang-chun stood motionless, looking up at Muyong Tae seated in the high seat.
“Master. What exactly are you thinking? How could you, with Miss Sohgyo….”
“Jang-chun. Don’t.”
For the first time in decades, Wi Jang-chun was being called by his name. He stared at his old friend with vacant eyes.
“You’re a clever man. So pretend you saw nothing, or if you did see something, act as though you didn’t. If you can’t manage that, then treat it as an order and focus on the follow-up measures. I’m simply trying to clean up the mess you’ve created.”
“What do you mean by that, sir?”
A flash of three-colored light flickered across Muyong Tae’s pupils.
“I’m tired of dragging things out any longer. We are people of the Gangho. What does a little filth matter? We can resolve everything using that as leverage.”
“But there are principles to all things. Can there be meaning in achieving great ambitions through such methods?”
“Overseer Wi.”
An ominous solemnity returned to Muyong Tae’s voice.
“Meaning is irrelevant. What matters is accomplishing it.”
They say the Deng Yong Monument was built to commemorate the fallen heroes of the age of chaos.
This time would be no different.
It was time for the fallen dragon to crash to the earth.
* * *
Moryong Sohgyo could not understand Dokgo Myeong’s composure.
She pushed aside her sense of foreboding and continued speaking before the Martial Arts Alliance leaders.
“While the main family remained silent, we continued our investigation and uncovered the evil deeds you have committed.”
Moryong Sohgyo gestured with her eyes.
Moyong Aejeon, the middle-aged man standing behind her as if in escort, opened his mouth once more.
“I shall now reveal the evil acts of the Fallen Dragon that our main family has investigated. Members of the Geongon Sect, distribute what you have prepared to the leaders.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Geongon Sect martial artists pulled boxes from the carriage and scattered papers in all directions.
“Leaders, examine these carefully. Those who cannot read are asked to have their neighbors explain the contents.”
Dokgo Myeong casually gestured to a Geongon Sect martial artist standing below the arena.
“Why not give one to me as well? I’d like to see it too. I’m curious about the contents.”
“….”
The Geongon Sect martial artist looked flustered, glancing at Moyong Aejeon and Moryong Sohgyo.
Moryong Sohgyo nodded her head.
“Give it to him. If he wishes to see it, we should show him.”
“Ah, thank you, Lady Moyong.”
Dokgo Myeong unfolded the paper and read through it carefully.
Moryong Sohgyo, who had been staring at his composed demeanor in disbelief, continued speaking.
“As you can see, it lists massacres of entire families, arson, robbery, and twenty-three other shameful crimes I’m embarrassed to mention.”
“….”
“That is not all. You claimed the main family sent assassins? They were actually messengers sent to clear up misunderstandings. Yet you and your associates slaughtered them all. The number approaches nearly three digits.”
Even among the Gangho’s martial artists, who frequently kill, one earns the title of murderer for taking just ten lives.
But nearly a hundred deaths? That’s what we’re talking about here, isn’t it?
“The Fallen Dragon is not a righteous hero, but a blood-crazed murderer. This is the truth of the man called Dokgo Myeong.”
Moryong Sohgyo paused to catch her breath after finishing her words.
The Martial Arts Alliance leaders surrounding the arena below regarded Dokgo Myeong with strange eyes.
The atmosphere shifted exactly as she had anticipated, turning cold and harsh.
“This, this is outrageous!”
“Dokgo Myeong! What in the world are you saying! What is the truth behind the Guhua Blood Assassins!”
“Were the words you spoke in this place not the truth?! At least offer some explanation!”
The atmosphere erupted with a different kind of intensity.
Angry voices of Gangho martial artists echoed from all directions.
That was when it happened.
Snap!
I finished reading the paper and folded it audibly, nodding my head.
“How curious. Why does this contain only things I have no memory of? Nothing but deeds I never committed?”
“Do you have evidence? Or perhaps testimony?”
“How am I supposed to provide evidence for things I didn’t do? And by the way, a messenger?”
I chuckled softly.
“Does Moyong really send messengers who carry assassins and poison with them?”
“If you truly believe that, then provide grounds to support your claim.”
“Ask Gae-bang. I’ve entrusted them with evidence.”
“The entire realm knows that Gae-bang protects you. Its credibility is low.”
Moryong Sohgyo raised her voice with confidence.
“If you have nothing more to say, then give up now and be escorted quietly. At least the main family, unlike you, will not execute you on the spot but will conduct a proper trial with due process. The judgment will also be held with the Martial Arts Alliance leaders gathered, just as it is today.”
Silence descended.
I chuckled and then spoke in a voice so low that only she could hear.
“Moryong Sohgyo.”
“…How rude. Show some courtesy.”
“Aren’t you afraid for your life?”
Moryong Sohgyo flinched.
“Are you… threatening me right now?”
“No, I’m genuinely curious. You seem confident in your judgment, but do you really think you’ll survive by doing this? I’m just curious about that.”
“Are you saying you’ll kill me by breaking through the Geongon Sect? And with all these people you’ve gathered watching?”
“Ah, you misunderstood my words.”
“What?”
“I’m asking if you’re certain the Gaju won’t kill you for doing this.”
Moryong Sohgyo’s eyes widened.
“What exactly do you know…”
As she hesitated in confusion, she suddenly felt a sharp gaze from behind.
Moyong Aejeon, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, was staring at her with emotionless eyes.
She spoke with a resolute expression.
“Are you trying to sow discord at a time like this? He is my blood relative, and he is the one who gave me this opportunity.”
“If he truly meant to give you an opportunity, he would have sent you to the bottom instead. He wouldn’t have placed you before the man who killed his own children and brother, with the condition that you complete this task.”
“…!”
“And besides, why do you think I can’t kill you in front of all these people?”
“What do you suddenly mean by that?”
I gestured with my chin.
“That’s exactly where it happened.”
“Pardon?”
“That’s exactly where it happened, I’m telling you. Look carefully. There are still bloodstains.”
Moryong Sohgyo’s expression hardened like stone.
She slowly lowered her gaze to the ground beneath her feet.
There were blade marks there, along with dark, unidentifiable stains.
Dokgo Myeong whispered.
“In broad daylight, right here on this very spot, I killed your cousin and your uncle….”
Dokgo Myeong wore an odd smile.
“…So how can you be so certain I won’t kill you here?”
Moryong Sohgyo felt a chill creep up from her heels through the back of her knees and along her spine.
Her mouth fell open without her realizing it. Her entire body trembled violently without her awareness.
Dokgo Myeong chuckled and raised his voice again.
“Miss Moryong, it was just a joke—why react like that? If I slit your throat here, I’d become a true murderer. Surely you don’t think I’d do that? I’m a very rational person, after all.”
That was when it happened.
“Insolent!”
The Geongon Sect martial artist standing guard behind her let out a sharp rebuke.
“How dare you! I cannot stand to listen to such arrogant words!”
The man stepped forward and placed his hand on his sword.
That instant.
Flash!
A brilliant white radiance suddenly erupted, consuming the surroundings.
Only Moyong Aejeon and Hyeon Un-jin, who had been observing with their hands clasped behind their backs, stirred in surprise. But by then, it was already too late.
Whoosh!
“…!”
Dokgo Myeong now stood close enough for his breath to reach the man, looking down at him.
“You, you bastard! What—?!”
The man, who had been about to draw his sword in one motion, froze in shock.
His half-drawn blade was stopped by Dokgo Myeong’s palm and would not budge.
Then Dokgo Myeong gently pushed his palm forward.
Screech!
The blade slid slowly back into its sheath with a metallic sound.
Resistance was futile. No matter how much strength and inner energy he channeled, his hands only trembled helplessly.
Click!
The blade finally sheathed completely.
The man stared in disbelief, alternating his gaze between his own hand gripping the hilt and Dokgo Myeong slowly withdrawing his palm.
“Consider yourself fortunate—you owe your life to this location. But let me give you one warning.”
The man gazed at Dokgo Myeong with an expression of shame and despair.
“There won’t be a second time. If I ever see you draw your sword before me again, then location be damned—I’ll kill you.”
Perhaps it was because a desolate killing intent suddenly emanated from Dokgo Myeong’s entire being.
Clang! Clang-clang-clang!
The Geongon Sect martial artists drew their weapons in unison.
Clang! Screech-screech!
The Chamma disciples swiftly raised their weapons like a pack of hunting dogs.
A situation on the brink of explosion.
Moryong Sohgyo spoke, her face tense as she regarded Dokgo Myeong.
“Is this what I trusted you with? A show of force?”
“Your eyesight must be failing. Your side drew their blades first.”
Since his words were true, Moryong Sohgyo found herself at a loss for words.
Dokgo Myeong glanced around casually.
Since he stood closer to the Geongon Sect side, countless blades glinted before his eyes.
Dokgo Myeong turned his back to those gleaming blades and cast a sidelong glance at Moryong Sohgyo.
“Have you finished saying everything you came to say?”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“I’m asking if you’ve spouted enough of the deceptions and fabrications you prepared.”
“Fabrications and deceptions? We already have sufficient evidence and testimony. Are you attempting to refute it?”
Moryong Sohgyo was truly a formidable opponent.
Even in this murderous atmosphere, she remained unshaken.
“Your preparation was thorough. I’ll grant you that. But was it truly sufficient?”
“I…?”
“You should have prepared more carefully, without any gaps. Or does the Moyong Family still underestimate me? It’s truly a mystery.”
Moryong Sohgyo’s face hardened.
Were there flaws she had missed?
Where? How?
Dokgo Myeong’s lips parted.
“Well then, allow me to speak now. Esteemed Martial Arts Alliance leaders, are you all prepared to listen?”
All eyes turned toward Dokgo Myeong.
“The suspicions presented by the Moyong Family each contain grave flaws.”

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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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