Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 99

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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 99
“May I ask one thing before we proceed?”
“Go ahead.”
“Why do you keep people like me, Dokgo Ak, Dokgo Jo-hak, Jang Sam, and Geum Seok-du by your side?”
A money-obsessed fool, a madman, a failed parent, a servant, a gambler.
Around Dokgo Myeong, there were only people with some fundamental flaw.
Dokgo Myeong let out a soft chuckle.
“I don’t know either. Perhaps I’m one of those flawed people myself.”
Everyone loses their way at some point in life.
At first, it’s merely a single misstep to the side, barely deviating from the path one should follow.
But after a hundred steps, a thousand steps forward, when you look back, you realize you’ve strayed far from the original path.
The method to return is actually quite simple.
Someone merely needs to correct the direction that went awry from that first misstep.
What I did was become that someone.
“I… envy everything about you, from beginning to end.”
“Why?”
“I envy your discernment, your martial prowess, your way of handling people, and your decisive methods.”
Son Tae-im’s eyes gleamed with intensity.
“But even if you were reborn, you could never squander money the way I do.”
It was somewhat presumptuous, yet it carried an unmistakable pride.
Son Tae-im hastily drained a cup of wine and opened his eyes wide.
“So just as you elevated Dokgo Jo-hak for political maneuvering, please use this Son Tae-im as well.”
Thud!
Son Tae-im dropped to his knees and bowed his head.
“Why?”
“Pardon?”
“You could continue as you are now. Why create all this commotion?”
“Because I no longer wish to remain in this half-hearted state.”
“Then simply earning money well isn’t enough.”
Dokgo Myeong personally took the wine bottle and poured it into Son Tae-im’s cup.
“I don’t work with people who lack purpose—who don’t know what they’re living for or what they’re striving toward.”
“Does Geum have that?”
“That fool wants to become a sect leader. Even if his martial arts aren’t exceptional, he wants to be recognized like the great sects. He plans to gather people like himself and create a faction.”
“…!”
Son Tae-im’s eyes burned with determination.
“Then I shall become the wealthiest magnate in all of Zhongyuan.”
“Can you do it?”
“With your help.”
“Then excellent. Let’s go.”
“Pardon? Where are we headed?”
“The inn we saw earlier.”
Dokgo Myeong sprang to his feet.
Without warning, he seized Son Tae-im by the nape of her neck and leaped through the window, bursting out of the pavilion.
“Ahhhhh!”
Employing the Guangji Yun technique, Dokgo Myeong returned to the front of the inn in an instant, tossing Son Tae-im down carelessly.
“Open your eyes wide and watch carefully.”
Whoosh! Whish!
Dokgo Myeong loosened his shoulders lightly and positioned himself before one of the inn’s pillars.
It was one of the four thickest pillars that still supported the crumbling structure.
Before it, Dokgo Myeong’s foot pressed against the earth.
Boom!
His right foot struck with precision. The ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
The recoil and inner force rippled through his knees and waist, extending throughout his entire body.
Dokgo Myeong hurled himself toward the pillar with his full might.
Craaaaaash!
A deafening explosion erupted.
Dust and earth surged upward, wooden fragments scattered through the air.
And then.
Crack! Rumble rumble rumble!
The pillar supporting the building shattered, and the inn began to collapse.
“…!”
Son Tae-im’s mouth fell open.
She had known Dokgo Myeong’s martial prowess was exceptional, but she never imagined he could demolish an entire building so effortlessly.
“Why, why so suddenly!”
Even as Son Tae-im panicked, she felt something within her open up.
Dokgo Myeong left the collapsing building behind and leaped back to her side.
“What, what are you doing?”
“I’ve been frustrated since I first saw it, but watching it crumble like this feels so refreshing! Don’t you think?”
“…!”
“Everyone has a prison of their own making. Only by breaking free from it can you see further and wider.”
Son Tae-im’s eyes wavered.
The building she had visited whenever troubled, steeling her resolve, had collapsed—yet strangely, her heart felt utterly unburdened.
Only then did Son Tae-im realize that the building had been her prison, just as Dokgo Myeong had said.
Perhaps Dokgo Myeong had.
Just as he had pulled Geum Seok-du from the gambling den and dragged Dokgo Jo-hak from his chamber, freed her from the beggars’ alley and this inn.
“Have you ever confined yourself, sir?”
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly.
“Perhaps I remain confined even now.”
“….”
Son Tae-im exhaled a long breath.
And I bowed my head deeply.
“Thank you, Young Master.”
Son Tae-im lifted his head immediately.
“And from now on, I’ll do my best to serve you well.”
“Let’s do this right.”
“Yes!”
A moment later.
“There, over there! There! That building has collapsed!”
“Who dares! The law here is strict—how could anyone demolish a building!”
Chaos erupted in the area.
Dokgo Myeong scratched the back of his head and spoke.
“Go tell the magistrate’s office about that and have them clean up the mess.”
“…Me?”
“Should I do it instead?”
“…?”
Then why did you destroy it in the first place?
“You just knelt down swearing you’d dedicate yourself to loyalty, and already you’re having second thoughts?”
“That’s not it, sir.”
“Just wait. I’m going to squeeze every last drop out of you. Hehehehe!”
What is this?
This isn’t what I expected?
* * *
Dokgo Myeong returned to Saheongang with a bottle of wine.
Perched on a thick branch of a tree in the rear garden, I uncorked the bottle.
Gulp!
“Ahhh! This wine is exquisite. I should have brought some snacks.”
I drank the wine straight from the bottle, sipping leisurely. The quiet Saheongang was perfect for stargazing and drinking.
Soon I let out a soft chuckle.
‘That Son Tae-im fellow is quite something.’
When I think about it, people really do change a lot. It feels like just yesterday he was making sounds like a pig having its throat cut, desperate to tear apart the faction.
‘If he were the same as in his past life, he wouldn’t be like this.’
He probably would have spent his entire life with a noose around his neck, tied to that inn’s pillar.
‘The Chamma Society bastards were exactly like this too.’
The Chamma Society members were no better than Son Tae-im, if anything worse.
They were all either criminals who came in after committing crimes, those who came in unjustly, or those who came in as compensation—not a single decent or well-behaved one among them.
It was only after grueling treatment that they came to their senses again.
I took a sip of wine and let out a bitter smile.
‘…I wonder what he’s doing right now.’
I really hate feeling pathetic like this.
‘I miss him.’
Even if we were to meet, things could never be the same as before.
Still, I missed them.
That was when it happened.
“Drinking without food will ruin your stomach.”
“Sect Leader?”
Dokgo Wi-hak came trudging over with what looked like a bundle in his hands.
“Has adolescence struck again?”
“Pardon?”
“There’s a chair and table right below, so why are you climbing up into a tree to drink?”
Dokgo Myeong blinked and lightly jumped down from the branch.
“I’m just a rather sentimental person, you see….”
“A sentimental person who raises his hand against his own uncle?”
“….”
Dokgo Wi-hak chuckled softly.
“It seems you’ve already had a drink.”
“Yes, I had one with Sect Leader Son.”
“If you’re not too drunk, let’s share a drink as well.”
“Ah… yes.”
Dokgo Wi-hak untied the bundle he had brought.
Inside were simple snacks, a bottle of liquor, and drinking cups.
‘Come to think of it, drinking with the Sect Leader….’
This was my first time.
I glanced at Dokgo Wi-hak.
The white silk robe he wore seemed to shimmer softly under the moonlight.
“How are things progressing?”
“Yes, everything has unfolded largely as planned.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
Dokgo Wi-hak nodded.
“Let me pour you a drink.”
I hastily offered my cup.
“Now you pour one for yourself as well.”
I respectfully filled my cup.
The cups of uncle and nephew emptied simultaneously.
“The aroma of the liquor you brought is quite refined.”
“It’s something I procured from a rather upscale pavilion.”
“Pour me another.”
“Of course.”
Dokgo Wi-hak emptied his cup and spoke.
“Jo-hak came to find me separately today.”
“…Yes?”
“You asked me something strange—how I’ve been thinking of myself all this time.”
Dokgo Wi-hak let out a low hum.
“I said I found it regrettable that someone with such remarkable talent would only run away.”
“….”
“You glared at me for a long while, then suddenly apologized and withdrew. You looked so at peace.”
Dokgo Wi-hak smiled gently.
“Is this the line you drew?”
At that question, Dokgo Myeong’s eyes widened.
The teachings Dokgo Wi-hak had given him before going to the Jeongcheon Alliance came to mind.
“Yes, it is the line I drew.”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes shone brightly.
“Now the Sect Leader of Baek Ok-gak has also stepped within that line.”
“Yes, continue walking with others like this from now on. There is nothing left on the path walked alone.”
There was something like regret lingering in Dokgo Wi-hak’s voice.
Still, he soon continued to enjoy his drink without losing his smile.
Dokgo Wi-hak suddenly opened his mouth.
“I was quite surprised to hear about the Blood Cult.”
“….”
“An organization with such meticulous planning that they could plant people in the Black Dragon Unit of the Main Sect. And according to what you said… there’s supposedly another organization representing the martial aspect.”
“They are indeed frightening. But… originally, Zhongyuan shouldn’t be shaken by merely two such cults.”
“Because Gangho doesn’t unite its strength.”
“Yes.”
The signs of chaos had appeared in the Dokgo Family as well.
Gangho had been pushed back so helplessly because it was divided. Even when actual war broke out, Gangho could not unite its strength.
“You….”
Dokgo Wi-hak spoke carefully.
“Were you thinking of fighting them?”
“Yes.”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes deepened.
“Those bastards will set fire to the world I’m building. I know it clearly, so I cannot simply stand by and watch.”
“You….”
How do you know that?
Dokgo Wi-hak could not ask it.
Dokgo Myeong also sensed that Dokgo Wi-hak had swallowed his words.
A brief silence flowed between them.
“Do not worry.”
“….”
“I am not the kind of fool who throws away his body for others’ good deeds.”
“I see.”
Dokgo Wi-hak let out a bitter laugh.
“Will you have a drink?”
“Go ahead and pour.”
Dokgo Wi-hak murmured in a calm voice.
“Come to think of it, I said something similar back then.”
“Sir?”
“Back when I wasn’t paying you much attention. You got angry for the first time and told me not to worry about it, that you’d handle things yourself.”
Dokgo Myeong smiled bitterly.
“That did happen once.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Why would you say that?”
“I only ever gave you righteous words and never truly looked at you properly. When Ak-i was tormenting you, when you were isolated within the family—I never once paid attention to any of it.”
Dokgo Myeong waved his hand dismissively.
“It’s fine. Why bring up old matters….”
Seeing his son act so unbothered, Dokgo Wi-hak felt his throat tighten unexpectedly.
This child had grown up so well without any help from him.
“I heard you’re planning to leave the family.”
“Yes, I’m thinking of bringing along fellows like Seok-du this time.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’ll know once I see. I’m planning to bring along two or three people.”
“Are you planning to cause trouble again this time?”
“Sir?”
Dokgo Myeong tilted his head in confusion.
“When have I ever caused trouble?”
….
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Please… just let this one pass quietly. Even your father is finding things difficult now.”
“I don’t understand what you mean….”
“When your father speaks, you just answer yes, yes, that’s all.”
“Isn’t that what young people call being old-fashioned these days….”
….
“My apologies.”
Dokgo Wi-hak chuckled softly.
“Drink moderately and get some rest.”
“Yes, I shall do so.”
Pat, pat!
Dokgo Wi-hak reached out and tapped Dokgo Myeong’s shoulder before rising from his seat.
Dokgo Myeong grasped the bottle with a grin.
And just as he was about to pour, he paused.
‘I got angry at the Sect Leader?’
And told him not to worry about it? And he remembers that?
‘Did he get drunk from drinking that?’
Dokgo Myeong tilted his head in confusion and emptied his cup.

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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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