Moorim Pochang - Chapter 50

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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 50. Sinister Plot (1).

“What do you mean?”
Gang Jo pulled out noodles and received her words.
“Gang Jo is… an extraordinary master, that’s the fact.”
At Ja Seol’s answer, Gang Jo’s hand froze mid-motion as he drew the noodles.
But it lasted only a moment.
‘So the martial artist who disappeared into the darkness before was Ja Seol.’
It was the moment a long-held doubt finally dissolved.
As Gang Jo fell silent, she spoke again.
“I thought I should reveal what I know.”
“Thank you, Ja Seol. But I’m merely the innkeeper and a cook.”
“Yes. I know that.”
She drank down her cup of wine slowly.

*

Sigh…
Yang Jeong, who had barely caught his breath, made his way back to the Inn.
The two horses, starved for several days, were eating fresh grass voraciously.
He’d made several trips into the forest in the middle of the night to gather the animals proper fodder.
Yet his mood was not unpleasant.
‘I’m starving. Huh? Ja Seol came alone?’
He stopped and straightened his clothes and hair.
Just as he began to move forward again, he quickly pressed himself against the wall.
‘Something about this feels off.’
Ja Seol was emptying her cup, but her gaze was fixed on Gang Jo.
Chuckle…
‘Could it be that Ja Seol has taken a fancy to Gang Jo?’
Yang Jeong stifled his laughter and perked up his ears.
“How old were you when you began studying martial arts?”
“Probably eight or nine, I’d say.”
At Gang Jo’s answer, Ja Seol wore a wry smile.
“I picked up a sword at four. Though it was a wooden one, of course, being so small.”
“I’m aware that you are a master, Ja Seol.”
Gang Jo set a bowl of chicken noodles before her.
At that, Ja Seol gestured to the seat across from her.
“If you haven’t eaten yet, please join me.”
“Then I’ll bring my own meal.”
Gang Jo went to the kitchen, portioned out his own chicken noodles into a bowl, and returned to the table.
The two began eating in silence.
Yet as Gang Jo ate, he clenched his fist and lifted it subtly.
Peering from his hiding place, Yang Jeong gave a small start.
‘He caught me.’
Yang Jeong applied a Body Technique to slip backward, then hugged the wall even closer, craning his neck to look.
After emptying half her bowl, Ja Seol reached for the wine bottle.
“Pour me a cup, would you.”
Gang Jo went back to the kitchen and returned with a cup.
Pour…
As she filled her cup, Gang Jo deftly took the bottle from her and poured for himself.
“Please, have some as well.”
Both of them drained their cups nearly at the same moment.
Gang Jo set his cup down and lifted his fist subtly again.
‘I’m done for.’
Peeking from his hiding spot, Yang Jeong pressed himself back against the wall once more.
“They say you were a prodigy from childhood. I was slow, by comparison.”
“In my eyes, you’re a genius, Young Woman.”
Hehe..
Ja Seol laughed aloud, but there was no warmth in it.
“I was simply fortunate. To be accepted as the Alliance Leader’s disciple.”
“I was fortunate too — born as the Alliance Leader’s son. Had I been born a farmer’s child, I’d be gripping a hoe by now instead of a blade.”
“That’s true. But the fact of genius doesn’t change.”
She resumed eating.
Gang Jo moved his chopsticks and clenched his fist.
Yang Jeong, who had leaned forward, quickly withdrew into the shadows.
Once Ja Seol had emptied her bowl, she spoke again.
“I thought I’d caught up to you somewhat, but you’re standing much farther away than before.”
Her heaviness of heart came from the martial duel that had taken place that day.
After so long, she’d faced Baek Won Young in a duel, only to find the gap in their abilities had grown far wider than before.
Gang Jo said nothing.
Ja Seol opened her mouth to ask.
“How did you cultivate your martial arts?”
It was a question terribly difficult to answer.
Yet looking at her face across the table, he found he had to give some reply.
“At first… I pushed a boulder up a mountain peak. Of course, I was young then, so the boulder wasn’t so large. After spending months pushing it up, my master would roll it back down the mountain. Then he’d tell me to push it up again.”
Yang Jeong, watching from his hidden vantage, nodded without thinking.
‘Brutal master. It truly was exhausting.’
Ja Seol stared at Gang Jo with astonished eyes.
Was such a method of training even possible in this world?
‘I was foolish to sulk.’
By comparison, her own martial training had been comfortable.
Even through pain that felt like her arms might tear away, she’d swung the sword — but it couldn’t compare to the agony of pushing a boulder up a mountainside.
And to repeat such work countless times at such a young age?
“I’m sorry, Gang Jo.”
“Sorry for what?”
At his question, she smiled.
That smile seemed considerably brighter than before.
“For letting you tolerate my petulance.”
At her words, Gang Jo smiled in return.
“I’m happy to listen to such stories anytime.”
“Thank you. I’ll come see you again soon.”
Ja Seol drew a purse from her pocket and placed two silver coins on the table.
“I won’t take payment for the drinks. I drank too.”
She smiled as well.
“Then I’ll settle the bill next time.”

*

Once Ja Seol had vanished into the darkness, Yang Jeong stepped out from hiding.
His lips were full of laughter.
“I’m happy to listen to such stories anytime. Haha… that was a splendid line, brother. I’ll have to use that myself.”
Gang Jo turned to face Yang Jeong and clenched his fist.
“It’s been a few days since we last met?”
Whiiiish………………
Before he’d finished speaking, Yang Jeong launched his body technique into the darkness.
Whiiiish……………..
“You bastard. If you want to keep breathing—”
Gang Jo pursued him relentlessly this time.
“What wrong have I committed? Brother..!”
Yang Jeong cried out as he fled at full speed.
“How many times have I warned you, you fool!”
“But how could I have stayed hidden in that mood? Brother…!”
“That mood…? What mood…!”
Yang Jeong, fleeing at full speed, suddenly halted his body technique.
Then he dropped to his knees.
“If it will ease your anger, strike me as hard as you wish.”
Gang Jo’s face twisted into a cold smile.
“You think I won’t hit you just because you ask nicely? You bastard.”
Crack…! Crack….! Crack…..!
“Ah, brother! Please….stop hitting me! I was wrong, brother……..!”

*

Sin Poong Gae reappeared almost ten days later.
He still hadn’t found his voice, but his face was not as dark as before.
It would take a little more time, but in all the Martial World, there was only one place where a lost voice could be recovered: Gae Bangg.
He walked toward the Murim Alliance with a pleased expression.
‘What should I ask in return? It would likely be free access to the Inn.’
Only by having unrestricted access to the Inn could he draw close to that man.
“Should I have breakfast at the Inn and then go in?”
Sin Poong Gae crossed the Stone Bridge, heading toward the Inn.
But Gang Jo stepped into his path.
“We don’t take beggars as guests.”
Ahem…
Sin Poong Gae accepted the words with a dignified cough.
“It seems you don’t understand—in all the Martial World, there’s only one place where a lost voice can be found: Gae Bangg.”
“Your services aren’t needed. Leave.”
“So it means nothing to you if I never find my voice?”
Rather than answer, Gang Jo turned his head and raised his voice.
“Yang Jeong! Go to the village and bring back some meat….!”
“Understood, brother.”
A bright voice came from inside the Estate.
Sin Poong Gae tilted his head in confusion.
‘That man’s voice should never sound so cheerful…’
After waiting a moment, Yang Jeong appeared on horseback.
The old beggar’s eyes widened almost beyond measure.
“D………did you find your voice?”
Yang Jeong hesitated briefly, then rode past him without stopping.
“I greet the Alliance Leader.”
Now he no longer wanted to flee from Sin Poong Gae.
‘I don’t even understand why I ran from him all this time. He can’t hit me the way he does.’
Just as his brother said, it seemed he could simply stand firm and face him.
If he had no attachment to becoming Gae Bangg’s successor, how could anyone make him one?
Sin Poong Gae could only stare blankly at Yang Jeong’s retreating figure.
‘This………….is far more difficult now.’
The man hadn’t run away at all.
This meant he would now refuse Sin Poong Gae’s demands without hesitation.
“Leave now.”
Even after Gang Jo returned to the Inn, Sin Poong Gae couldn’t move for a long while.
What had ten days of hardship accomplished?
Hahahahahaha………….!
He laughed like a madman.
Then, without reservation, he turned his body technique around.
‘It’s too early to give up yet. No, of course it is.’

*

Gang Jo jolted awake from his sleep.
As he rose, his hand shot out, and a sword from the pile of weapons stacked in the corner flew into his grip.
Ungh..
“Why……are you doing this, brother?”
Yang Jeong, who had been sleeping beside him, also woke.
“Someone climbed over the wall.”
Gang Jo left the room and moved toward the Estate.
But the sight before him was far different from what he expected.
A dozen martial artists were hurling torches at the halls, one after another.
“Samryong………..!”
Gang Jo’s voice cracked with urgency as he called out to Yang Jeong.
One of the martial artists hurling torches drew his sword and rushed forward.
Screech.
Gang Jo severed the man’s arm in a single motion.
“Why are you doing this? Brother!”
Yang Jeong burst from the room, startled by the commotion.
One of the martial artists was hurling a torch toward the stable.
“These bastards…………”
Thwack! A sharp whistle—
Moving with explosive speed, he kicked the falling torch away from the stable roof.
“They’ll all burn………..!”
Genuine fury coursed through him.
Screech.
Yang Jeong’s blade found the throat of the torch-thrower.
“Don’t kill them. I need to question them first.”
“Leave it to me, Brother!”
Yang Jeong launched himself forward, and the torch-throwers wheeled around to flee.
But his speed far outpaced them all.
Flames began to erupt from the half-collapsed pavilion.
Slash—
Gang Jo swung his blade toward the structure.
Crack-crack-crack…….Boom………..!
His blade sheared through pillars and beams alike.
The burning pavilion collapsed and crumbled to the ground.

*

The flames were spotted even from the walls of the Murim Alliance.
“That’s………..the forest where the inn is…?”
“Report it immediately.”
The martial artists hurried inside to deliver the news.
“Flames sighted in the forest, sir.”
The Chief Administrator, jolted awake, threw on his robes and rushed out, striking the bell.
Dong….! Dong….! Dong…..!
It might have been nothing—a simple fire.
But if it was an enemy stratagem, they needed to be prepared for anything.
As he rang the bell, the Murim Alliance blazed with light in seconds.
Sleeping martial artists erupted from their quarters, and members of the Jamyong Society and Rising Talents grabbed their weapons and rushed out.
“Prepare for enemy infiltration….!”
The moment the Chief Administrator raised his voice, the Alliance Leader himself appeared.
“What’s happened?”
“Flames have been sighted in the forest.”
Before the explanation finished, Baek Won Young was already moving with his body technique.
Ja Seol and Baek Ha Young followed close behind, racing beyond the walls of the Murim Alliance.
“I’ll go and see for myself.”
As the Alliance Leader activated his body technique, the Chief Administrator called out again.
“Jamyong Society—follow the Alliance Leader…!”

*

Whoooosh……..
Gang Jo stood silently, watching the raging flames.
Only two pavilions were burning.
Yet the fire blazed so fiercely that even the mightiest martial artist could not contain it.
All he could do was kick back the sparks that flew, keeping them from spreading to the other buildings.
A low groan—
Gang Jo turned toward the sound.
There lay the one-armed martial artist, writhing on the ground, gasping with pain.
“Why did you set fire to this place?”
Gang Jo’s question went unanswered.
“Well, I suppose that would suit me fine.”
Thunk!
Gang Jo drove his blade deep into the man’s thigh.
Aaaaagh…………!
The martial artist’s scream tore through the night sky.

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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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