The God of Death and the God of War - Chapter 20
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Evil Hegemon Martial God
Chapter 20
The core military force of Sadocheon is the Ten Heavenly Commanders.
The ten combat units serve as Sadocheon’s actual blade, carrying out Sadocheon’s will.
Of course, there are also unit leaders above the commanders, but that’s more in the realm of administration.
The actual combat is handled by the Ten Heavenly Commanders and their unit commanders.
That’s why what Heukpaesong primarily targeted through Noh Hwang-mun was precisely the position of a Ten Heavenly Commander.
There was only one way to rise to commander.
To accumulate achievements as a vice-commander in an existing Ten Heavenly unit and get promoted.
Well, there was also rooting out spies who could uproot the fortress entirely, but that was an impossible realm unless Noh Hwang-mun tied himself up with rope and brought himself in.
Anyway, Noh Hwang-mun accumulated achievements with Heukpaesong’s support and finally became the new commander of the Gold Axe Unit (Geumwol-dae).
This caused a stir in Sadocheon.
The reason lay in the application rates.
The Gold Axe Unit was a newly formed unit that had barely made it to the bottom rank of the Ten Heavenly Commanders.
Naturally, if a newcomer achieved good results in the entrance examination, they should have chosen a higher-ranking unit with history and tradition.
However, in recent years, most newcomers who passed the entrance examination wanted to be assigned to the Gold Axe Unit.
The reason was clear.
The moment they enlisted in the Gold Axe Unit, the salary and supplies they received support for from Noh Hwang-mun were enormous.
Sadocheon had fallen far behind compared to Heukpaesong recently.
In poor Sadocheon that was tightening its belt, the only place overflowing with abundance was the Gold Axe Unit.
They were raking in tremendous funds through the operation of Paejeon-bang, which they had received permission from the Sadocheon lord to run with various conditions attached.
Because of this situation, the Gold Axe Unit commander’s office was also splendid and luxurious, like the office of some wealthy merchant or great trader.
However, this large and spacious area was now.
Whoosh.
For some reason, filled with a chilling silence.
‘Damn bastard. What the hell is he going to find fault with today.’
Jong Yo-geuk, the vice-commander of the Gold Axe Unit and Noh Hwang-mun’s confidant, was constantly reading Noh Hwang-mun’s mood and worrying anxiously.
He was terrified.
The Noh Hwang-mun before his eyes was a madman who would kill anyone, whether vice-commander or confidant, by framing them if they fell out of favor.
Just as cold sweat was streaming down his back.
Finally, Noh Hwang-mun opened his closed mouth.
“It’s not enough.”
“Pardon?”
“No matter how I look at it, it’s not enough.”
“Wh-what might that be…?”
Noh Hwang-mun shot out a cold gaze and pointed to a section of the ledger on the table.
‘Why is this?’
But looking at it, he couldn’t understand.
The final net profit item, excluding operating expenses, had an absurd amount written on it.
An amount on a scale that no great merchant in Changsha could match.
Considering the type of business, it was somewhat understandable.
It was a well-known fact that gambling halls raked in money.
Anyone who could work an abacus would immediately realize.
That even for a gambling hall, the amount written in the ledger was on a scale that could truly be called ‘outrageous.’
There was only one reason this was possible.
What Noh Hwang-mun was looking at was Paejeon-bang’s secret ledger.
In other words, it was a ledger with the real profits from selling ‘drugs.’
Paejeon-bang was publicly known to make profits by providing venues and collecting fees.
But in reality, drug distribution was Paejeon-bang’s core business.
Unlike Heukpaesong, the Gold Axe Unit was directly producing and distributing goods that were absolutely forbidden by the Sadocheon lord’s orders.
And Jong Yo-geuk, as Noh Hwang-mun’s confidant, was a key figure deeply involved in this operation.
“The money those vermin spend keeps going out, but the income is only this much.”
“Ah.”
“Damn it, thinking about the new recruits coming in today, we’re running at a loss.”
“?!”
It was absurd. What loss was he talking about?
The money Noh Hwang-mun earned through drugs was beyond imagination.
He had obtained funds nearly equivalent to Sadocheon’s annual budget.
This was only possible because everything was a structure created through illegal activities and violence.
They had kidnapped beggars, vagrants, and even ordinary citizens to create farms for drug production.
Even though it was a fortune created through such terrible acts, Noh Hwang-mun was now unsatisfied, saying it wasn’t enough.
“Double the production. Then the profits will double too.”
“C-Commander. Even now the workers are working overtime production, wearing down their bodies. If we increase production from here, problems will definitely occur…”
“The only problem would be parts breaking down.”
“!!”
“And when something breaks, you just replace it. Go capture additional workers.”
A statement that didn’t see people as human.
Right after Noh Hwang-mun calmly uttered those chilling words.
“After a month, I’ll check again myself. If production and income haven’t doubled, tell them I’ll kidnap even their families.”
“…!”
“Those pig bastards won’t listen unless you do more than just feed them.”
He delivered his final warning with an eerie laugh.
Jong Yo-geuk, realizing that no words would get through anymore, kept his mouth shut.
Having finished what he had to say, Noh Hwang-mun fell into solitary thought.
‘Things are going well. Sadocheon’s budget is gradually becoming dependent on the funds the Gold Axe Unit brings in. At this rate, the unit leader position will be a sure thing in a few years.’
Becoming a unit leader would give him access to classified information that could shake Sadocheon’s foundations.
‘The moment I get that information, I can escape from this damn parasite in my belly too.’
Rising to the position of Sadocheon unit leader would remove the parasite.
That was the contract with ‘him.’
If only he could remove this shackle placed on himself and his only blood relative, his younger brother.
Whether countless warriors and citizens of Sadocheon died from drug addiction, or whether Sadocheon’s warriors were innocently massacred due to leaked classified information, it didn’t matter at all.
Besides, once the parasite was removed, it would be advantageous to side with Heukpaesong anyway.
‘Heukpaesong is the rising sun, while Sadocheon is clearly the setting sun.’
Just as Noh Hwang-mun was thinking this, Jong Yo-geuk carefully spoke up.
“…Um, Commander. But it’s about time you should head to observe the entrance examination finals.”
“Damn, is it already that time?”
Since the Heavenly Lord personally attended the entrance examination finals, all executives had to be present.
The moment Noh Hwang-mun grumbled and stood up from his seat.
Crash, bang – a commotion arose with loud noises.
Just as both men were puzzled, the office door burst open.
“Which bastard dares…!”
“C-Commander!!”
“…!”
Noh Hwang-mun, who was about to pour out curses at whoever dared open the door without his permission, was momentarily flustered.
‘Why is this guy here?’
It was an unexpected face.
It was Dogwi, who should have been by his younger brother’s side.
This guy, who was directly dispatched from Heukpaesong for Paejeon-bang’s success, absolutely should not have shown himself here.
But to barge in like this out of nowhere.
It was proof that something serious had happened.
“What’s the matter?”
“N-Noh Hwang-gu, sir…!!”
The moment he heard his younger brother’s name, Noh Hwang-mun’s eyes froze with a chilling coldness.
* * *
“Hmm, it should be about time for them to arrive.”
Jeok-un muttered to himself, sounding quite bored.
Having escaped from the underground, he had dragged over a chair that was lying around on the first floor and sat down.
The iron door that had been blocking the exit was blown away by a single punch from Jeok-un and now lay sprawled on the floor.
“M-My lord!”
“Hm?”
Just then, someone cautiously addressed Jeok-un.
The one person who had survived from the underground gambling den.
The mark, Go Bok-gil.
Normally, he would have met his death at the hands of Noh Hwang-gu’s subordinates, but Jeok-un had spared him while fighting.
‘Having one witness would be good.’
But it wasn’t for free.
In exchange for sparing his life, Jeok-un had given him one instruction.
“A-As you instructed, I’ve moved all the gold from underground to my carriage!”
“Mm, good. Well done.”
“T-Thank you!!”
Go Bok-gil, who had witnessed Jeok-un’s divine prowess underground, answered with military-like discipline.
The underground gambling den was completely destroyed, and its owner had long since died.
‘Then all the wealth inside belongs to me.’
Naturally(?), Jeok-un had obtained ownership of the gold, promissory notes, and treasures, having them all moved to Go Bok-gil’s carriage.
Go Bok-gil was the youngest son of Goga-jang, a renowned family even in Changsha.
This fellow would surely have at least one secret vault to hide the gold.
Then, as the fellow kept swallowing dry saliva, Jeok-un tilted his head and said.
“What’s your name?”
“B-Bok-gil! Go Bok-gil, sir!”
“Right, Bok-gil. What am I to you?”
“T-That would be… my life’s benefactor, wouldn’t it?”
“Right. But surely our Bok-gil wouldn’t dare covet his life’s benefactor’s wealth, would he?”
Saying this, Jeok-un rose from the chair he had been sitting on.
Go Bok-gil’s complexion turned deathly pale without a trace of blood.
With the carnage Jeok-un had created burned into his mind, he didn’t even dare think of stealing.
“Because I think I’d get a little angry.”
“N-No, absolutely not!! I-I’ll keep it all safely hidden until you come looking for me again!!”
“Mm, good, good. That’s a very good attitude. Well then, off you go.”
“Thank you!!”
With that, Go Bok-gil, who had been bowing so deeply his head nearly touched the ground, left.
Having frightened him this much, he wouldn’t try anything foolish.
But if he did, as payment for betraying his trust, he could just take over Goga-jang entirely.
Having finished up, he had been waiting boredly for quite some time when.
Aaaaah!!
Suddenly, a piercing scream came from outside.
“Finally arrived.”
At the sound announcing his next target’s arrival, Jeok-un slowly walked toward the door.
* * *
“No… kheuk. Little brother… my little brother. This can’t be…”
Going outside, Noh Hwang-mun was holding Noh Hwang-gu’s cold corpse and crying bitterly.
From Jeok-un’s single punch, Noh Hwang-gu’s heart had exploded completely, shattered to pieces.
Even if a great immortal came, he couldn’t be revived.
Whether from deep brotherly affection, tears like chicken droppings streamed down from Noh Hwang-mun’s eyes.
‘Disgusting bastard.’
Jeok-un felt no remorse toward him whatsoever.
He knew just how evil Noh Hwang-mun crying there so pathetically was, how evil those two brothers were, and what terrible atrocities they had been committing all this time.
“Little brother, my little brother…”
Noh Hwang-mun caressed his brother’s cheek with his tear-soaked hand, then spoke in a voice filled with deadly resolve.
“Please rest in peace. And watch closely. I will repay the pain you suffered hundreds, no thousands of times over, tearing him apart so brutally that not even a corpse will remain…”
Having finished his oath, Noh Hwang-mun laid down Noh Hwang-gu’s corpse and stood up.
From Noh Hwang-mun’s eyes, ghostly energy, killing intent, and venomous aura poured out in streams, all directed at Jeok-un.
“So it was you.”
“Why ask when you already know.”
From Jeok-un’s reaction, Noh Hwang-mun was certain that Jeok-un was the true culprit who killed his brother and shot out tremendous killing intent.
But Jeok-un just snorted and lightly deflected the killing intent.
“My brother, why did you kill him?”
“Because he deserved to die.”
“What?”
“He did things worthy of death, so naturally I killed him.”
“?!”
Grind-!
At the answer mixed with mockery and provocation, Noh Hwang-mun ground his teeth and said.
“…I swear. I will kill you so brutally that being torn limb from limb would seem pleasant.”
“Hmm.”
A declaration filled with murderous intent.
But Jeok-un’s expression didn’t show the slightest movement.
Shrugging his shoulders.
“Well, but neither the little brother nor the big brother are particularly scary.”
“You bastard-!!”
He simply continued his mockery to the end.
As soon as Jeok-un finished speaking, Noh Hwang-mun shouted while emanating killing intent from his entire body.
“Kill him!”
Swoosh swoosh swoosh-!
At the same time, the masters of the Gold Axe Unit came rushing at Jeok-un.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————