Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 462

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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 462
“Hey! Let go of me! I’m telling you, I’m not drunk!”
“Ah, well, this is…”
“Hehe! You say I’m fine, yet here we are!”
Namgung Hun, thoroughly intoxicated, shook off the support of the Dharma Protector disciple.
The moment he broke free, he staggered and let out an “oof” before steadying his breathing.
‘He was having such a grand time drinking by himself…’
Soon, Namgung Hun staggered forward and suddenly grabbed Dokgo Myeong’s hand.
“Hehehehe. Please take good care of our Sect Leader.”
“…”
“But you’re leaving early tomorrow morning? How can you depart so soon? I’m so disappointed!”
“You seem quite drunk…”
“Leaving without a proper farewell troubles my heart! We’re practically family now! Or rather, we are family, are we not?”
“Why are you suddenly speaking so formally?”
“Well… *urp*!”
“Ugh, seriously!”
This is disgusting!
Was this man really acting the fool all this time? Or is he actually a genuine fool?
“Hiccup! You’re to become the husband of our Sect Leader, so formal speech is only proper! I’ve been disrespectful all this time!”
“Ah, listen. That’s actually not… *cough*!”
A sudden sharp pain shot through his forearm, and Dokgo Myeong’s mouth fell open.
Glancing to the side, he saw Namgung Sohwa pinching his forearm as if she meant to tear the flesh itself.
“Then what should I call you now? Lord Dokgo Myeong? Sir? Or perhaps… son-in-law? Hehehehe! Ehehehehehe!”
Dokgo Myeong slowly closed his eyes.
I give up.
I truly give up…
* * *
Eventually, Namgung Hun, now completely unconscious, was finally handed over to the Dharma Protector disciples.
“I shall guide Gwan—ah, the Overseer well! Please have no worries!”
“Right. Not his original residence, but that high-class inn we rented entirely. You know?”
“Of course!”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“Wow, I’m receiving thanks from the Jin Cheon-sin-geom himself! This is the honor of my lifetime!”
It was the Dharma Protector disciple who had been serving as guide since the first day.
‘I see him often. The boy is quite diligent.’
Dokgo Myeong stared at Namgung Hun and the disciple’s retreating figures for a moment, then slowly turned his gaze toward Namgung Sohwa.
In turn, Namgung Sohwa naturally averted her eyes.
“Sect Leader Namgung? Why are you avoiding my gaze?”
“…”
“Don’t you have something urgent to tell me?”
“….”
“Madam, please turn your head for a moment.”
Namgung Sohwa jumped up in alarm.
“What, what are you talking about!?”
“Isn’t that my line to say?”
“….”
Namgung Sohwa wore an apologetic expression for just a moment, then decided to brazenly push forward, crossing her arms as she spoke.
“What can I do about it?”
“What?”
“You can see the situation for yourself, can’t you? An elder of the family spoke, and it wasn’t even incorrect. What am I supposed to do?”
“So lying to a family elder is acceptable?”
“Please understand. If I let this slide carelessly, there will definitely be more to come later.”
Her shamelessness was so complete that it actually left him speechless.
Then Namgung Sohwa lowered her voice slightly and continued.
“Just be my excuse for a while.”
“….”
“And besides… it’s not just an excuse I need, is it?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Captain, people have been bringing up marriage proposals for you for years now.”
“How would you know that?”
“How? Everyone in the unit knows about it.”
In the martial world, a person who didn’t marry was treated as strange, not much different from the common world. In civilian society, people held wedding ceremonies at fifteen, and in the martial world it was later, but most established families by their twenties.
Dokgo Myeong was well past the age of marriage. In truth, the inner sect had subtly inquired about his intentions through dozens of marriage proposals over the years.
“It’s only natural, really. Whether as someone seeking to form a connection or as the Dokgo Family, Dokgo Myeong is a premium commodity worth calling for.”
“Am I something you’re selling?”
“It’s not entirely wrong to say so.”
Neither knew who started walking first, but soon the two of them were strolling through the night streets.
For a while, only the sound of footsteps echoed. Though Hefei was the capital of Anhui, it wasn’t as bustling as Hangzhou or Wuhan, so the surroundings were dark and quiet.
“I wonder if my marriage prospects are being completely ruined by my fearsome subordinate.”
“That’s what I should be saying.”
“It’s something you caused.”
“So you did have someone in mind. You seem quite disappointed. Is there someone you’ve been hiding… Do you dislike this so much?”
“It’s not that….”
“I’m fine with it.”
Namgung Sohwa walked a couple of steps ahead. So her face wasn’t visible, only her swaying hair catching the moonlight.
“It’s not something else—it’s just a convenient excuse, isn’t it?”
Dokgo Myeong let out a soft laugh and murmured.
“I suppose I needed an excuse too.”
Namgung Sohwa smiled faintly as she spoke.
“See?”
* * *
Namgung Hun gazed ahead, trembling slightly.
“Grrrrrowwwl!”
Early morning.
I had come to see off Dokgo Myeong, who said he would leave right away, but there stood a creature as large as a house.
Could I even call that a creature?
That massive beast, which seemed a blend of lion and tiger, was having something like a conversation with Dokgo Myeong.
“Where have you been all this time? Huh? And what’s this blood on your mane? Are you hurt?”
“Grrrowl!”
“Ah, you say it’s not yours? Don’t tell me… you’ve been disciplining the mountain beasts again? Or are you just beating them up every time you move territories?”
“Yowl!”
“At this rate, you’ll become the supreme master among all beasts.”
“Krooooowwwl!”
Even its small cry made my knees buckle.
‘Even the pets he raises are no ordinary creatures.’
While Namgung Hun was feeling uneasy, a member of the Dharma Protectors came rushing over.
“Huff! Huff! You’re not late! Jin Cheon-sin-geom! Here are some simple provisions! Please eat them on your way!”
“Why did you prepare something like this?”
“I’ve also packed a bottle of liquor.”
“Thank you. Thanks to your thoughtfulness, I’ll rest well on the journey.”
“Please, think nothing of it!”
Dokgo Myeong loaded the supplies onto Hoa’s back and turned around.
“U-sa will handle things well on his own, so there’s nothing special to say about that. I’m counting on you to rebuild the Namgung Family.”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
“Sohwa, dedicate yourself to martial arts. I see it as an opportunity. Don’t be bound by those damaged secret techniques. You have the qualities to become a sect leader.”
“I was already thinking of dedicating myself to the Heavenly Thunder Divine Art.”
“And as for the Overseer…”
Namgung Hun’s eyes sparkled.
Dokgo Myeong closed his mouth and then said:
“Drink in moderation.”
“…Is that all?”
“…”
Dokgo Myeong leaped onto Hoa’s back.
Due to the weight of the Hyeonchul Heavy Sword, most ordinary horses couldn’t bear Dokgo Myeong for long, but Hoa’s expression remained unbothered.
“Then let’s meet again next time.”
Thump!
I thought he merely tapped the ground lightly, but Hoa and Dokgo Myeong’s figures had already grown distant.
Namgung Hun stood motionless, watching Dokgo Myeong’s receding silhouette grow smaller. Jo Ryang-ui, who stood beside him, asked:
“Why are you staring so intently?”
“Just… he’s a person who makes one think deeply about many things.”
Whether for better or worse.
Dokgo Myeong was a man like a typhoon.
“May I ask you something?”
“By all means.”
“Both the Golden King I saw back then and you… why do you serve Dokgo Myeong as your commander?”
“What do you mean?”
“Ah, I misspoke. I was just thinking that if I were in your position, I might have wanted to strike out on my own.”
Everyone wished to be the master of their own life, not a subordinate.
Moreover, everyone around Dokgo Myeong, including Namgung Sohwa, were all titans of the age who could have established their own clans.
Yet they all followed Dokgo Myeong without exception.
Jo-ryang smiled faintly.
“I think I understand what you’re getting at.”
“Is there a reason?”
Jo-ryang seemed to ponder for a moment before blurting out.
“My commander pays well.”
“…Money? Did I hear that correctly?”
“Do you know how important a monthly salary that comes in steadily is? It is proof of my labor and my value. Anyway, that’s why merchants are like this.”
“…”
Namgung Hun broke into a cold sweat at words that carried a certain poignancy.
Then Jo-ryang spoke with a faint smile.
“He acknowledges that.”
“Huh?”
“He recognizes my value and effort—things I didn’t know about myself, and the world certainly didn’t. And he trusts me as if it were the most natural thing.”
“…”
Jo-ryang still hadn’t forgotten the sight from that day.
The day when, as usual, he had his monthly wages withheld by the inn’s owner and was beaten until his nose bled.
Dokgo Myeong had suddenly appeared and told him to follow.
And perhaps the same was true for the Dharma Protectors, the Cheonma Sect Elders, and all the disciples.
He was a man who made you want to be loyal.
A man who made you want to do better the more you were recognized, who threw kindling into the dying embers of your heart.
“Don’t try too hard to understand. You’ll experience it soon enough anyway.”
“Why? I am not his subordinate.”
“But you’ve become the subordinate of someone who is practically his foremost disciple.”
Namgung Hun’s gaze turned toward Namgung Sohwa. She simply gazed silently at Dokgo Myeong’s back.
* * *
Dokgo Myeong rode forward on Hoa’s back.
“Hoa, let’s go that way.”
“Keng?”
“This time, that direction. Let’s take a longer route.”
“Krung…”
“Do as I say! When you were young, you were cute, but now you’re getting cocky.”
“Yelp!”
“Hey, hey! I’m falling! I’m falling!”
With my original companions gone, their absence left quite a void. Still, having Hoa around kept things from being dull.
Our first destination was the main branch.
It had been quite some time since I’d entered the family, and I missed my father.
‘I need to tighten discipline in the Enforcement Division.’
That’s how it worked—superiors had to show up unannounced to keep subordinates on their toes and working diligently.
The subordinates found it inconvenient?
If they didn’t like it, they could climb the ranks themselves, couldn’t they? Hehehehe.
“Grrrrrowl!”
Hoa let out a cry at that moment.
Dokgo Myeong chuckled and spoke.
“Right, just keep going. I know where we’re headed, so you can go faster.”
“…Whimper.”
The surrounding landscape blurred into streaks as we rushed forward.
We crossed several mountains in one breath.
Hoa ran all afternoon. With a body the size of a house, we couldn’t use the main roads, but that didn’t seem to matter.
We departed early in the morning, and by now the sun was setting.
When we were about half a day’s journey away from Honam, we arrived at a reed field located on elevated terrain.
I tapped Hoa’s mane.
Whoosh! Crack!
Hoa leaped nimbly and landed in the middle of the reed field.
I immediately jumped down from Hoa’s back and looked around.
“…”
On the other side of the reed field stood a man in a crimson robe with a bamboo hat pulled low over his face.
Whoooosh.
The wind blew, swaying the hem of his robe and the reeds back and forth.
The sunset was particularly red today, making the crimson fabric seem to blend with the glow of dusk itself.
“Where are you rushing off to in such haste?”
I let out a sigh.
“You’ve taken quite a detour, yet you still managed to catch up.”
“Thanks to that, I’ve had quite the ordeal. Especially since you abandoned this in the middle of the road.”
The man threw something at me.
Thud!
It was the bundle of provisions that a rat-ranked Enforcement Division member had given me back in Hapbi.
“So you pick up trash from the roadside and carry it around. You must be quite the virtuous person.”
“How did you figure it out?”
I scoffed.
“The thing I heard most often while dealing with those Bloodfiend bastards was exactly that. ‘How did you know? How did you figure it out?’ That sort of thing.”
“….”
“But wouldn’t you know it, he got caught red-handed trying the same trick again. Can’t he learn?”
“Hehehehe. Hehehehehehe.”
The man’s laughter spilled out.
It was an eerie laugh, like wind whistling through a valley.
“There’s no encirclement… but is there another one?”
“Your senses are truly impressive. Since you’ve already discovered us, come out.”
“Yes.”
Soon another presence appeared behind where Dokgo Myeong stood. It was an old man with deeply wrinkled skin.
This was no trivial opponent. Not quite at the level of the man who had appeared first, but at this point, I could sense the opponent’s identity, and a chill ran down my spine.
“You were far too fearless. Did you not know we would come?”
“….”
“You’re tense. You recognize our faces.”
Of course I do.
How many times had I clashed with them in my past life?
The old man who appeared later was one of the Six Divine Generals of the Bloodfiend Sect—Yumhyeol-gun.
And the man standing before me was the sixth of the Eight Heavenly Guardians, Yukho-beop Geukrak-sinjyo.

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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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