Namgoong the Sword Ghost - Chapter 37

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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 37. The Demon Swordsman’s Lightning
“Hmm…….”
“Ah…….”
Dang Se-gi and Sang Gwan Hae let out long sighs as they studied the youth before them—Seo Cheon-gi.
Four people sat gathered in the room, but Ho Yeon was nowhere to be seen.
“You’re telling me you came alone all the way from Heuk Ryong Gang-seong to Yeo Ryeong, searching for a friend?”
“……Yes.”
“Impressive. You don’t appear to have trained in martial arts, yet your loyalty runs so deep.”
Sang Gwan Hae nodded as if impressed, but Mo Yong Yul spoke with clear disapproval.
“That doesn’t excuse you for stealing someone’s Jeon Nang. Especially your friend’s.”
“I, I know. I’ve been reflecting on it. Na Rin and I made a promise to stop doing such foolish things…….”
“Na Rin?”
“The name of my missing friend, sir.”
At Seo Cheon-gi’s words, Dang Se-gi smiled mysteriously.
“Ah, so it’s not just any friend, then?”
“…….”
“But I don’t understand. How could you pinpoint that this friend Na Rin is here in Dan Dong, specifically at the Do Hwa Ma Bang?”
In response to Dang Se-gi’s question, Seo Cheon-gi turned to Mo Yong Yul with a request.
“Could you…… hold onto that cat for me?”
“Wol Myo, come here.”
“Meow?”
As Mo Yong Yul scooped up Wol Myo, who had been rolling about on the floor, and secured her in his embrace, Seo Cheon-gi slipped his hand into his sleeve and withdrew it.
“It’s thanks to this creature.”
“Hmm?”
“A rat?”
In the palm of Seo Cheon-gi’s hand, a small red rat huddled and trembled.
“Squeeak!”
“Mew-ew-ew!”
“Eeeee!”
The moment Wol Myo caught sight of the rat, her blue eyes gleamed and she lunged forward; the red rat shrieked in terror and dove back into Seo Cheon-gi’s sleeve.
“This red rat has a sense of smell sharper than a dog’s. Na Rin in particular carries a scent of her own making—a blend of peppermint, cinnamon, clove, and peony.”
“Interesting. Where did you obtain such an animal?”
“Na Rin and I were wandering the streets when… Na Rin pitied it and gave it some food…… and now…… ugh……!”
Seo Cheon-gi’s voice wavered as emotion welled up inside him, and he began to weep.
Creak!
Just then, the door swung open and Ho Yeon entered.
He glanced at the weeping Seo Cheon-gi, then clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“Tsk, tsk. A man shouldn’t blubber like that. Crying won’t change a thing.”
“Hup…….”
“Now, now, Ho Yeon.”
Hearing that gentle rebuke, Seo Cheon-gi held his breath and tried to suppress his tears, while Sang Gwan Hae waved Ho Yeon off with a calming gesture.
Ho Yeon shrugged and took his seat, then steered the conversation in a new direction.
“That Do Hwa Ma Bang you mentioned. Something’s definitely wrong with it.”
“D-did you go there and come back?”
Seo Cheon-gi asked urgently, and Ho Yeon nodded before continuing.
“I went, but I couldn’t examine it in detail. The security was severe—more than severe, in fact. It was extreme.”
“Ah…….”
“There were thirty hidden presences concealed along the walls alone.”
Ho Yeon’s eyes narrowed.
‘The concealment was of such a high standard that ordinary Hu Gi Jisu would never detect it. I only managed to grasp the full picture by deploying Ui Gi Yeom Dong myself.’
At that level, they couldn’t be called elite, but they could certainly be ranked as 1st Class Assassins.
“Thirty 1st Class Assassins could obliterate even a mid-sized sect in a single night.”
“Ahhh……!”
At Ho Yeon’s words, Seo Cheon-gi let out a groan of despair.
Dang Se-gi spoke with a stern, hardened expression.
“Young Ho Yeon. Assassins are a breed apart from ordinary martial artists. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Yes. A true Sal Su is ruthless. They regard even their own life as worthless.”
Which was precisely why Gyeok Sang Sal occurred most frequently when someone prepared for every contingency yet still fell to an assassin’s ambush.
“What do you intend to do now?”
Dang Se-gi turned his gaze to Ho Yeon with curious eyes.
Ho Yeon turned to Sang Gwan Hae with a question.
“Has there been any contact?”
“There has. I ran into Gong Woo Seon—the third son of the Gong Rae Clan—in the marketplace.”
“Excellent.”
Ho Yeon smiled.
While he and Mo Yong Yul had been gathering intelligence throughout the day, Sang Gwan Hae and Dang Se-gi had pursued their own assignments.
That assignment was nothing less than making contact with the Third Company.
“What are they saying the Third Company is doing now?”
“Nothing, apparently.”
“Nothing at all?”
Ho Yeon stroked his jaw and muttered something suspicious, and Sang Gwan Hae continued.
“The Third Young Master must know that Sal Mak is connected to the Goe Dong Jidan. If he received help from the Baek Yak San Jang, it would certainly be possible.”
“I’d say the odds favor that interpretation as well.”
Dang Se-gi agreed, and Mo Yong Yul nodded as if acknowledging the logic.
“The Third Young Master is a calculating man. If he came to Dan Dong, there must be a reason.”
“And that reason was Sal Mak?”
Ho Yeon, deep in thought, addressed Sang Gwan Hae.
“For now, tomorrow you meet with this Gong Woo Seon and leak some information to him.”
“What information?”
“That we’re planning to raid the Do Hwa Ma Bang tomorrow night.”
At Ho Yeon’s words, everyone present—Sang Gwan Hae included—opened their eyes wide.
* * *
The following afternoon.
“Sang Gwan Hae. A pleasure to see you again.”
“Ah, Gong Woo Seon.”
Gong Woo Seon, dressed in brocaded silk and possessed of a generous demeanor, approached Sang Gwan Hae with a warm smile.
“Gathering intelligence again today? Ha, I confess I don’t understand why you’ve come to Dan Dong at all. It’s such a peaceful town, after all.”
“And didn’t the Third Company also come to Dan Dong? Surely you had some information beforehand?”
“Ha, nothing of the sort. We simply decided to rest comfortably for a month at Mo Yong Hak’s maternal estate before moving on.”
Gong Woo Seon spoke evasively, as if he had no ambitions, and Sang Gwan Hae, smiling, ventured a cryptic remark.
“Hmm, the blind entering through the gate directly.”
“Pardon? What does that mean?”
“Ah, never mind—just thinking aloud.”
Sang Gwan Hae closed his mouth as if embarrassed by his slip, and Gong Woo Seon’s eyes lit up.
The blind entering through the gate directly.
A phrase meaning to stumble by chance directly into the door.
“Do you have some information for me?”
“Well……”
“If you do, please tell me. Aren’t we both of the Baek Ga Geom Dan?”
“Good heavens.”
Sang Gwan Hae, who had been considering for a moment, finally opened his mouth as if he had no choice.
“I’m reluctant, to be honest, but there’s an operation tonight.”
“……An operation?”
“According to intelligence, the leader of the Goe Dong Jidan may be Sal Mak.”
“……!”
“For that reason, Ho Yeon’s proposal is to raid the Do Hwa Ma Bang tonight and verify the facts. I argued against it as too dangerous, but……”
Sang Gwan Hae rubbed his cheek awkwardly as he spoke to Gong Woo Seon.
“Do you understand why I’m telling you this?”
“Of course. I’ll help in whatever way I can.”
“I’d appreciate it. Ho Yeon places too much faith in his own martial prowess, I fear.”
“That man’s arrogance is truly remarkable. I’ll speak to the Third Commander and counsel caution.”
“That would help greatly. And put in a good word for me as well, if you would.”
“Ha, of course I will.”
With the conversation finished, Gong Woo Seon hurried away.
A smile crossed Sang Gwan Hae’s lips as he watched him go.
* * *
“Hmm. Just one entrance? There was a stable on this side, and on that side……”
Early evening, as the sun began to slip below the horizon.
Ho Yeon sketched a map in preparation for the impending raid.
It was rough, but it depicted the structure of the Do Hwa Ma Bang.
“Tsk, well, that’s as far as I can get for now. If I knew the internal structure, it’d be useful.”
“……Hmm.”
Ho Yeon smacked his lips and set down his brush, while Mo Yong Yul gazed at him calmly from across the table, sipping his tea.
“Is that any good?”
“It’s decent enough.”
“Let me try… *slurp*. Ugh! That’s bitter!”
Ho Yeon, who had tasted the fragrant tea, screwed up his face and shoved the cup away.
Mo Yong Yul, watching the displaced cup, turned to Ho Yeon with a question.
“……Isn’t this too reckless?”
“What?”
“Thirty 1st Class Assassins. No matter how much of a genius you are, it’s impossible.”
Mo Yong Yul regarded Ho Yeon with worried eyes.
Ho Yeon let out a low chuckle and slung the Cheon Roe Geom across his shoulder.
*Click!*
“Assassins are all the same. Don’t worry. Honestly, I doubt anyone else could handle them better than me.”
‘I’ve slaughtered plenty of them back when I was with the Geom Gwi.’
Among the professions killed by the Geom Gwi unit, assassins boasted numbers high enough to be counted on a single hand.
And for good reason.
To master the Ui Gi Yeom Dong, one needed exceptional spatial awareness.
Ho Yeon’s psychometric field could detect the movements of assassins from all directions.
“……Is it because of that child?”
Though Ho Yeon spoke as if there was nothing to worry about, Mo Yong Yul continued in a low voice.
“Who?”
“The boy called Seo Cheon-gi.”
Mo Yong Yul spoke with certainty.
‘The reason you’re launching an immediate assault. As time passes, you can’t guarantee the safety of the kidnapped girl, Na Rin.’
But Ho Yeon shrugged and denied it.
“Not particularly. I simply thought swift action was the answer. Since that kid already let slip talk of the Do Hwa Ma Bang at the Poong Gae So, there’s no sense in giving them time to prepare.”
At that, Mo Yong Yul let out a soft laugh.
‘A lie. You’re too kind for your own good. Though I’m hardly one to complain, given that I was saved by that kindness.’
He wanted to protest.
What if something went wrong in this operation? What if you were hurt?
‘……I’d kill them. Whoever it is, I’d kill them.’
A chill radiated from Mo Yong Yul’s blue eyes.
“What’s wrong? Why the sudden killing intent?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Are you nervous? Don’t worry. You won’t need to lift a finger. I’m planning to finish it in a heartbeat. You’ll be shocked.”
As Ho Yeon smiled reassuringly, Mo Yong Yul stared at that smile, biting his lip.
‘Of course. I believe in you. Even if you used my secret against me, I’d accept it willingly.’
Resolve crystallized in Mo Yong Yul’s blue eyes.
He opened his mouth.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Hmm? What?”
“Actually, I……”
Mo Yong Yul’s words continued, and Ho Yeon’s mouth slowly fell open.
* * *
“Damn it!”
“What is this?”
“Faster! We need to arrive first and take credit!”
*Thud-thud-thud! Thud-thud-thud-thud!*
*Clang-clang! Clang-clang!*
Twenty or so Hu Gi Jisu raced down the main road.
They were the third unit of the Baek Ga Geom Dan.
“You said there was nothing to worry about! So how did the Nam Gung unit steal a march on us!”
“……”
“Say something! You guaranteed this unit would take first place in the Baek Ga Geom Hoe!”
“……”
“That’s right—we believed in you! You said opportunity would come, and now look at this!”
The surrounding Hu Gi Jisu voiced their accusations.
At which point, a thin-framed man at the head of the charge—Mo Yong Hak—a bloody smile played across his lips.
“Why are you acting like this? You followed me because you truly trust me, didn’t you?”
“Ha! If that weren’t the case, why would we have come to Group 3? We could have chosen Group 1 or 2!”
“If you go, you’ll at least take us with you, won’t you?”
“What, what did you say?!”
At Mo Yong Hak’s sardonic words, the faces of the Hu Gi Jisu members, who had been voicing their discontent, hardened visibly.
“Ah, let us be honest now. Even if you had joined Group 1 or 2, you would never have been valued, would you?”
“Why, I—”
“All members of Group 3 are third sons or fourth daughters—not the principal heirs of their clans. You needed a new opportunity, and that’s precisely why you chose me, isn’t it?”
At Mo Yong Hak’s cold analysis, the Hu Gi Jisu members began to seethe with indignation.
“We simply didn’t want to serve as decorations for the Sip Ga!”
“Exactly—which is why we believed in your assurances.”
“This is too much! None of this would have happened if you had just shared your information openly!”
“Heh, heh, heh.”
Mo Yong Hak laughed, amused by the indignant posturing of the Hu Gi Jisu members.
“I controlled the information to prevent chaos. The name ‘Sal Mak’ carries considerable weight, after all.”
At the mention of Sal Mak, the mouths of the angry Hu Gi Jisu members snapped shut like clams.
“Heh, fear not. My maternal grandfather is making all necessary preparations, so there is nothing to worry about.”
“Hmm.”
“Besides, Groups 4 and 5 combined amount to only four people. What could they possibly accomplish?”
“…Well, that’s true.”
“Indeed, Ho Yeon’s enlightenment was remarkable, yet he seems unable to manifest his inner force.”
“Was there no need to rush after all?”
With deft use of both carrot and stick, Mo Yong Hak’s rhetoric shifted the mood of Baek Ga Geom Dan Group 3.
‘Heh, heh—worms. If they would only sit still, merit would fall from the heavens, yet here they squirm and thrash about.’
To Mo Yong Hak’s mind, this Baek Ga Geom Hoe was a kind of theater.
For he had known the true identity of Goe Dong Jidan long before the competition began.
‘That Groups 4 and 5 obtained information about Do Hwa Ma Bang—I hadn’t anticipated that. It must have been due to that little brat who caused a commotion at Poong Gae So yesterday. Tsk.’
He had been waiting for the perfect moment, only to miss it by a hair.
This could work against him in later negotiations over merit.
‘Though I’ve lost the opening move, I remain the true protagonist of this Baek Ga Geom Hoe—Mo Yong Hak! For the reason is—’
At that very moment, a strange crimson glow flickered across Mo Yong Hak’s eyes.
“We’ve arrived!”
“Do Hwa Ma Bang!”
“Hmm, ghost lights.”
Group 3 had reached Do Hwa Ma Bang.
Beneath the signboard hung a red lantern inscribed with the character for ‘kill’—declaring that Do Hwa Ma Bang operated under the protection of Sal Mak.
“So you’ve come at last.”
“You’re later than expected.”
“Sang Gwan, when did you send word?”
“An hour ago.”
And before the establishment stood four figures.
“Heh, heh—it seems we are not late after all. I am pleased to meet you again. I am Mo Yong Hak, leader of Group 3.”
Mo Yong Hak offered a respectful bow to Ho Yeon, leader of Group 5.
But Ho Yeon, without even meeting his gaze, pushed forward Mo Yong Yul instead.
Thump!
“I am Mo Yong Yul, leader of Group 4. I offer my sincere gratitude to all of Group 3 for coming to assist us in eliminating this scourge.”
“…You.”
At Mo Yong Yul’s words, Mo Yong Hak’s brow furrowed.
Being dismissed by Ho Yeon was irritating enough, but the fact that Mo Yong Yul—who had always trembled and bowed his head—now met his gaze directly was far more galling.
‘What is this? What wind has gotten into this bastard?’
Just as Mo Yong Hak’s eyes sharpened at the sudden shift in Mo Yong Yul’s demeanor—
“Now that everyone has arrived, let us enter.”
Ho Yeon turned and walked toward the main entrance of Do Hwa Ma Bang.
‘Now, let us begin. The Nam Gung Declaration strategy!’
The reason he had entered this Baek Ga Geom Hoe was to announce to the martial world that the Nam Gung Clan still stood tall.
To that end, the most crucial thing was to unveil the Sin Gong Jeol Hak—the sacred technique that had once walked hand in hand with the Nam Gung Clan’s golden age.
“Huph!”
Whoosh!
As Ho Yeon channeled the Cheon Roe Jae Wang Sin Gong, he threw open his right palm wide.
His sleeve billowed, and from Ho Yeon’s hand arose a force of extraordinary intensity—one barely containable by human hands.
Crack-crack-crack―!
“Gasp!”
“That, that there……!”
“White…… lightning……?!”
The Cheon Roe Gi appeared before the Jianghu of the Central Plains for the first time in three hundred years.
“Hah!”
Ho Yeon expelled a palm strike with a sharp cry.
The first form of the Cheon Roe Sam Jang—a technique possible only through the Cheon Roe Jae Wang Sin Gong.
The Cheon Roe Gyeok.
Boom-boom-boom-boom-crash!
A blinding white flash seared across the vision, and the front gate of Do Hwa Ma Bang was utterly obliterated.
“Come out! The ferryman of the afterlife has arrived to collect his horse!”
Ho Yeon leapt into Do Hwa Ma Bang without hesitation, his voice ringing out with savage delight.
“The horse I want is your annihilation! You kidnapping bastards!”

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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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