Moorim Pochang - Chapter 56

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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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Episode 56. No Good Days

‘Guests arriving this early in the morning?’
Kang Jo bowed respectfully to greet them.
“Welcome.”
The two guests were sharp-featured middle-aged men.
They glanced around the guest inn before speaking.
“We heard the cooking here is excellent, so we made the journey on purpose.”
“Is that so? Please, have a seat.”
Kang Jo couldn’t hide his delight.
Until now, he’d only served guests sent by the Murim Alliance, but now people were coming all the way here of their own accord.
“What does this inn specialize in?”
“Braised pork belly—I’m confident in that.”
“Then bring us the braised pork belly and rice.”
The guests nodded and took their seats.
Kang Jo headed into the kitchen and began cooking.
Cooking with both hands was one thing; doing it with just one was terribly awkward.
“They say this place stood abandoned and cursed for quite some time. You don’t find it difficult living here?”
Kang Jo smiled at the question.
Ha ha…
Their eyes held a melancholy warmth, and their voices carried a gentle ease—guests as pleasant as one could hope to meet in a long while.
“Living is much the same wherever one goes, isn’t it?”
Ha ha ha…
The guests broke into broad, hearty laughter at his reply.
“Well said.”
They rose from their seats and continued talking as they looked around the inn.
“Still, it’s quite a cozy place.”
“Yes. For two people, there’s nowhere better, I’d say.”
Kang Jo answered easily.
The guests sat back down.
Just then, Yang Jung returned to the kitchen carrying a bowl.
“I’ve finished washing the dishes.”
“Then go gather some wild greens for me.”
“I don’t know much about wild greens.”
“You know how to find Japanese spikenard and bellflower, don’t you?”
Yang Jung picked up a wicker basket and shuffled outside with drooping shoulders.
Soon after, Kang Jo brought the braised pork belly, rice, and dressed greens to the guests’ table.
“Enjoy your meal.”
The guests paused for a moment, gazing at the dishes, then picked up their chopsticks.
Ah…
“A delicacy indeed.”
“Truly remarkable skill.”
And they could not restrain their admiration.

*

“Come out now…! You lackeys of the Jamryong-hoe…!”
The skilled personnel of the Seongma-dan raised their voices.
The moment they did, the skilled personnel of the Jamryong-hoe appeared.
“We were just about to head out anyway, you Ma-gyo dogs…!”
Among the skilled personnel of both the Jamryong-hoe and Seongma-dan, many bore cloth wrappings around various parts of their bodies.
Sigh…
Baek Won-yeong let out a weary breath.
The conflict between the Jamryong-hoe and Seongma-dan showed no sign of ending.
Yesterday, wielding weapons in their clash, quite a few had sustained injuries.
Had he and Dok-go-il not intervened when they did, some would surely have been crippled or lost their lives.
Dok-go-il had no better strategy either—he simply shook his head.
Whoosh…
Clang…
The skilled personnel drew their weapons one by one, burning with fierce resolve.
Then the Alliance Leader appeared.
“Do you mock my words……..!”
Rumble…….!
His voice, accompanied by the Lion’s Roar, shook the halls.
Jamryong-hoe’s skilled personnel cowered and covered their ears, while Seongma-dan’s personnel merely furrowed their brows.
“Lower your weapons to the ground.”
At the Alliance Leader’s command, Jamryong-hoe’s skilled personnel set down their weapons.
Yet Seongma-dan’s skilled personnel still gripped their weapons tightly.
As the Alliance Leader turned his gaze toward them, Dok-go-il was first to unbuckle his sword and set it on the floor.
Following suit, Seongma-dan’s skilled personnel lowered their weapons to the ground.
“Fight with fists and feet. But if anyone takes the life of their opponent, I will sever their neck with my own hand.”
The moment the Alliance Leader finished speaking, one of Seongma-dan’s skilled personnel moved with a Body Technique.
Whoosh…..
Almost simultaneously, the other skilled personnel deployed their Body Techniques as well.
“Strike……….!”
Jamryong-hoe’s skilled personnel launched their Body Techniques without hesitation.
Thud…..! Thud……!
Grunt…!
Gasp…!
From all directions came the sound of fists and feet colliding, along with cries of pain.
Baek Won-yeong and Dok-go-il faced each other.
“Shouldn’t we begin as well?”
At Dok-go-il’s words, Baek Won-yeong raised both fists.
“It seems we should.”

*

Baek Moon-do watched the fierce clash between Jamryong-hoe and Seongma-dan with an impassive gaze.
Yet his heart was far from at ease.
‘That bastard Dok-go-il…………..’
He had wanted to send Jamryong-hoe to Ma-gyo precisely to avoid something like this.
But that cunning fool had made his move first.
‘I wish Dae-hyung were here now.’
Long ago, there had been a similar incident.
Each time, Dae-hyung would laugh heartily and actually incite the fighting.
Yet he had strictly forbidden anyone from inflicting grave wounds or taking lives.
“What are you doing now, Dae-hyung?”
Baek Moon-do summoned the image of Dae-hyung in a quiet voice.
Thud…! Thud…!
Gasp…!
Groan…!
The clash between Jamryong-hoe and Seongma-dan was drawing toward its end.
Jamryong-hoe had five or six skilled personnel still standing firm, while nearly ten of Seongma-dan’s skilled personnel rushed toward them.
Tsk, tsk….
Baek Moon-do clicked his tongue.
Though he claimed to treat them equally, secretly he hoped Jamryong-hoe would win.
‘Those Ma-gyo bastards are certainly brutal.’

*

Today had brought only the guests who arrived early in the morning.
Kang Jo and Yang Jung lay side by side on a bed, asleep.
Shnore…
As Yang Jung’s snoring faded, the night deepened, passing into the Hour of the Rat.
Kang Jo, who had been deep in sleep, suddenly opened his eyes wide.
Shnore….
Then he rose quietly from his seat and dressed.
As Kang Jo dressed, Yang Jung stirred and pushed himself up groggily.
“Ugh… come on… can’t we sleep a little longer?”
“Get up now, unless you want to die.”
Yang Jung noticed that Kang Jo’s expression was far from ordinary.
He hurried to his feet, threw on his clothes, and drew his sword just as Kang Jo opened the door and stepped outside.
‘What is this?’
The presence of the intruders was neither damp nor crude like that of ordinary Gangho masters.
Something was approaching, yet it was difficult to sense their presence clearly.
Ah…
Kang Jo suddenly recalled words his master had spoken.
‘The quietest ones in Gangho are assassins. To catch them easily, you throw bait.’
Yang Jung followed him out of the room, tilting his head in confusion.
“Something feels wrong.”
“Check the Stables first.”
Whoosh…
At Kang Jo’s words, Yang Jung drew his sword first.
He too had sensed the danger instinctively.
Neigh—NEIGH!
The horses in the Stables began to shriek wildly.
Swish…
The moment Yang Jung moved toward the Stables, something burst from the darkness.
Slash.
Kang Jo, materializing instantly, severed the dark figure’s neck.
Gulp…
Yang Jung swallowed hard, his face tense.
“Y-you… you’re not using me as bait, are you…?”
He glanced around, searching for Kang Jo.
Slash…
A head rolled across the ground.
In that instant, a cold blade drove into Yang Jung’s waist.
Clang!
Yang Jung instinctively swung his sword, deflecting the strike.
Slash…
Simultaneously, another head tumbled to the earth.
After severing the assassin’s neck, Kang Jo surveyed his surroundings.
The faint, elusive presences were rapidly fading into the distance.
Kang Jo unleashed his Body Technique toward the subtlest of those retreating auras.
Whistle…

*

A contract had come in to Salmun for three thousand silver coins.
It was quite a high sum for a contract to eliminate the owner of a Guest Inn and his younger brother.
The leader of Salmun personally led the assassins and moved into action.
Such contracts had to be finished quickly and cleanly.
Information scraped together from the village yielded only absurd and preposterous tales.
There was a man of unmatched beauty staying at that Guest Inn, and not only the young women of the village but even the wives of married men were drooling over him.
However, he also heard that the Guest Inn’s food was far too expensive, which is why people hadn’t ventured there.
‘Should I kill this man of unmatched beauty first?’
It was said the man of unmatched beauty visited the village every day or two, always early in the morning.
Because of this, the women of the village rose before dawn, finished their grooming, and pointlessly wandered the streets.
Ha…
The absurdity of it all drew a hollow laugh from him.
Mun-ju visited the Guest Inn first to verify the target.
Three thousand silver coins seemed a high sum for merely disposing of two men, which aroused his suspicion.
Indeed, as rumor had it, a man of unmatched beauty was present at the Guest Inn.
Yet he was washing dishes by the Riverside, while the owner of the Guest Inn, his left hand injured, was cooking with his right.
The cooking was so exquisitely delicious it could be called the finest under heaven.
‘Those two are absolutely not masters of the Martial Arts.’
Having confirmed his target, he gained confidence.
So he decided on an ambush at dawn the next day.
‘Damn it………damn it……..damn it………’
Mun-ju regretted that decision.
The innkeeper was formidable enough, but that handsome younger brother of his was a master too.
A master so formidable that assassins couldn’t even stand against him.
He withdrew swiftly, masking his presence.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
But the innkeeper blocked his path with a wicked smile.
The assassins retreating hastily rushed at him from all sides to save Mun-ju.
Screech…..screech……
Yet the assassins couldn’t even approach—their severed heads rolled away.
Mun-ju felt a bitter sense of injustice.
How could a master of such caliber be running an inn?

*

“Why……..? Why are you running an inn?”
Mun-ju, overwhelmed by indignation, opened his mouth and asked.
To this, Kang Jo turned the question back on him.
“Whether I run an inn or not—what business is it of yours, assassin?”
Hearing this, Mun-ju had to admit the logic was sound and found no ready reply.
Yet wouldn’t a master of Gangho naturally be expected to join the Murim Alliance or build renown through collaboration?
No matter how excellent one’s cooking skills, that would be the proper way.
“Who hired you?”
Mun-ju shook his head at Kang Jo’s question.
It was an unspoken law among assassins never to inquire into the client’s identity.
Once you received payment, your only obligation was to sever the target’s life.
“I don’t know the client.”
At that answer, Kang Jo’s smile turned glacial.
“They all say that at first.”
The moment Mun-ju saw that smile, his entire body broke into goosebumps.
The man before him was a merciless beast, breathing but holding back its nature.
Surely he would not meet as easy an end as his subordinates.
‘Then…’
Mun-ju moved first.
Whirrrrr………..
As he deployed his Body Technique, his form multiplied into four or five copies in an instant.
He abandoned any thought of escape.
Having discarded escape, there was nothing left but to stake everything on severing his target’s breath.
Yet that was merely his wish.
Screech..
The hand gripping the blade flew skyward along with the weapon.
In that moment, Mun-ju drew the Short Sword at his waist.
Screech..
But his remaining hand too rose into the air, Short Sword in its grip.
Thud…!
Having severed both wrists, Kang Jo kicked his chest.
“Brother……..”
Yang Jung appeared at that very moment.

*

Kang Jo looked down at Mun-ju of Salmun.
“Not even a cry of pain. Truly a ruthless one.”
This was his first time encountering such a man.
No matter how much torture he inflicted, this one seemed unlikely to open his mouth.
Mun-ju looked up at Kang Jo with pitiable eyes.
He had long known he would not live a full span of years.
Yet he had never imagined meeting his end in such a manner.
“Salmun never asks the identity of the one who hires us.”
“You must have some idea, though?”
Kang Jo was right—Mun-ju did have a suspicion about who had commissioned him.
But he didn’t want to say it aloud.
“I… can’t even guess.”
He’d lost too much blood. His mind had grown hazy.
“I’ll hunt down your Salmun assassins myself and slaughter every last one of them.”
“Even so… I don’t know.”
Kang Jo looked down at him coldly.
“Jin-ju, then. Is that right?”
“You are… truly… so cruel.”
At his answer, Kang Jo drew his blade.
Scrape…

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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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