The Heavenly Demon Cult’s Strongest Maid - Chapter 203
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 203
Wuhan, Hubei Province.
The streets of Wuhan, where the Martial Arts Alliance Headquarters was located, were always bustling with countless martial artists.
Some came simply to see the Martial Arts Alliance, but most were there to find work.
Even entering the alliance as a low-ranking warrior meant living a better life than being a ronin.
Therefore, they would first get jobs as guard warriors at inns or taverns while preparing for the alliance entrance exam.
Where people gathered, there were naturally many stories that came and went.
Regardless of truth or falsehood, such stories became excellent snacks and drinking accompaniments to fill idle time.
“Brother Jang.”
“Where have you been, Brother Song?”
Song approached Jang, who was idly passing time on a straw mat laid out in the courtyard of a cheap inn, and plopped down beside him.
“Where else? I went to the Ronin Market.”
“Seeing you came back early, I guess there wasn’t any suitable work.”
“They were all long-distance jobs, so I declined. The entrance exam might be held soon, so how could I leave Wuhan?”
When Song finished speaking, Jang also nodded his head.
“Everyone thinks the same, so that’s why only those kinds of jobs are left. People’s hearts are all the same.”
“Usually around this time, the entrance exam announcement should be posted, but this time it’s strangely late.”
At Jang’s words, Song’s voice grew louder as if something had occurred to him.
“Oh right, I heard a very interesting story at the Ronin Market today.”
“An interesting story?”
“It’s a bit too good to tell with just words…”
“This fellow! Alright, alright. I’ll buy dinner and drinks tonight.”
When Jang generously declared this, Song grinned and straightened his posture.
“They say the reason the entrance exam is delayed is because there was a big fight within the alliance.”
“Inside the Martial Arts Alliance?”
When Jang asked in surprise, Song whispered in his ear.
“The Moryong Family and the Shin Chang-yang Family.”
“…!”
Those two families were the pillars of the Martial Arts Alliance.
Moreover, wasn’t the Grand Family Head of the Shin Chang-yang Family the former Martial Arts Alliance Leader?
“They say the Shin Chang-yang Family is practically annihilated. It seems there are almost no direct descendants left alive.”
“Huh, is that really true?”
Jang looked completely incredulous.
“But weren’t the Moryong Family and Shin Chang-yang Family originally close friends? Like with the Namgung Family.”
“I knew that too, but how could we know the detailed inner circumstances? If they fought a war, something must have gone seriously wrong.”
“Could it be… because of that?”
“That?”
Jang, who had been listening, lowered his voice secretively.
“Weren’t there noisy rumors about Gan-jang and Mak-ya, and the Honcheon-gi for a while?”
“You mean that incident at Sword Cry Manor 17 years ago?”
It was an incident that resurfaced when Dang Yeong-ryeong, who had been framed as the culprit at the time, returned and was declared innocent.
“Anyway, the way the world turns is truly frightening. Even though the Shin Chang-yang Family couldn’t be counted among the Five Great Families, they produced the former alliance leader, yet they collapsed so futilely.”
“The power accumulated over long years is different, isn’t it? They’re not called prestigious families for nothing.”
That was an undeniable reality.
“Sigh, the entrance exam will be even further delayed.”
“That’s right. It’ll probably take more than a month.”
“Hm?”
Just then, whatever news had spread, people who had been leisurely killing time nearby all rushed off somewhere.
“What’s happening?”
“They say a proclamation has been posted at the Martial Arts Alliance.”
When they grabbed a passerby to ask, they heard unexpected words.
“A proclamation?”
Jang and Song looked at each other and simultaneously jumped up.
“Is it the entrance exam?”
“That would be nice.”
They too hurriedly ran toward the Martial Arts Alliance Headquarters.
The Martial Arts Alliance has made it our highest duty to protect the righteousness of Gangho and set the truth straight. Therefore, we announce the following facts to the world.
First, the truth of the Sword Cry Manor annihilation incident.
Seventeen years ago, the Namgung Family and Moryong Family stole Gan-jang and Mak-ya that emerged from the ancestral grounds of Sword Cry Manor and massacred Sword Cry Manor. It has been revealed that Yang Gun-cheol, who was the Martial Arts Alliance Leader at the time, cooperated with them.
Second, the false accusation against Tian Shou Du Hua Dang Ying Ling.
The Namgung Family, Moryong Family, and Yang Gun-cheol framed Tian Shou Du Hua, who happened to witness the scene, branded her as a public enemy of the martial arts world, and hid their own crimes.
Third, Namgung Myeong’s confession.
Namgung Myeong, the Clan Leader Soo of the Namgung Family, repented his past mistakes and made a conscientious confession of his family’s crimes.
Fourth, the Martial Arts Alliance’s resolution.
Taking this incident as an opportunity, the Martial Arts Alliance has decided to have a time of painful reflection and deep repentance.
Once again, we express our deepest condolences to the victims of the Sword Cry Manor annihilation incident and promise not to stop our efforts to restore their honor.
The Martial Arts Alliance declares to the fellow practitioners of Gangho that we will lead in upholding the values of the righteous martial arts world.
Martial Arts Alliance Leader Yeon Un-jang.
The Martial Arts Alliance proclamation was also delivered to the Namgung Family through Jeon Seo-gu.
Namgung Myeong, reading its contents, could not hide his dejection.
“Changung Daejoo.”
“Yes, Clan Leader Soo.”
“Do you think I did wrong?”
Namgung Myeong sighed and looked at Namgung Min, who stood like a wooden puppet.
“I don’t think I can dare answer that question.”
Namgung Min’s posture was stiff.
Anyone watching might think he was disrespecting Namgung Myeong, but Namgung Myeong himself knew well that this was just Namgung Min’s personality.
“…The Shin Chang-yang Family was annihilated?”
What would change by complaining to him?
Namgung Myeong steeled his weakening heart and got to the main point.
“All direct descendants except Yang Ha-rin are dead.”
“Was there need to be so ruthless…”
Namgung Myeong, who knew Moryong Gil well, sighed and shook his head.
The fact that Yang Ha-rin was spared was likely because she was a woman who couldn’t continue the lineage.
“Was it because of Mak-ya?”
When the story that Yang Gun-cheol was behind all these incidents came to mind, a hollow laugh escaped.
“It probably wasn’t just because of Mak-ya.”
At his son’s voice, which had been quiet until now, Namgung Myeong turned to look at Namgung San.
“The Shin Chang-yang Family had no reason to suddenly covet Mak-ya. They wouldn’t have informed Sa Do-ryeon without reason either.”
“San-i, what do you know?”
“In my opinion, it’s about Yang So-hyeop and Lady Moyong…”
Namgung San couldn’t bring himself to say that they had slept together and trailed off.
Anyway, this was content that Namgung Myeong already knew about.
“I believe that incident became the catalyst.”
“I heard that the late Yang Ja-seong met with misfortune while visiting the Moyong Family to obtain permission for the marriage.”
With Namgung Min’s elaboration, Namgung Myeong roughly understood the situation.
If his grandson had met with misfortune, Yang Gun-cheol couldn’t have endured it.
The beginning of the tragedy seemed to have started from there.
“San-ah.”
Namgung Myeong dismissed the Changung Daejoo and stood before his son.
“…Yes.”
“Do you resent your father?”
What if Namgung Myeong had hidden the truth until the very end?
Namgung San was a grandson who took more pride in his grandfather than anyone else.
Though he was trying to endure it because he was before his father, he must have received quite a shock from this incident.
However, Namgung Myeong’s choice was solely for his son’s sake.
He wanted his son, at least, to live differently from himself.
“Father…”
“Yes.”
“…What should I do from now on?”
Now everyone would point fingers at the Namgung Family and curse them.
Since Namgung San had lived his entire life with pride and self-respect, tears naturally blurred his vision.
“From now on, it will be a difficult time.”
Namgung San looked down at Namgung Cheon lying on the bed like a corpse.
He still couldn’t believe what his grandfather had done.
“This father will endure those difficult times.”
Namgung Myeong spoke as if making a vow while looking at Namgung San.
“After that, you shall raise the name of the Namgung Family high in the world once again. You can surely do it.”
Namgung San did not answer.
In his moistened eyes, anger, sadness, confusion, and betrayal were all mixed together.
“San-ah.”
“…Yes.”
“Don’t hate your father, your grandfather, too much.”
“…Don’t you hate grandfather, Father?”
Namgung San also knew that Namgung Cheon usually didn’t think highly of Namgung Myeong.
“Still, isn’t he my father? And your grandfather.”
“…”
“Father simply took too much pride in the Namgung surname and wanted to place it at the highest point in the world. That was all it was.”
Not knowing that the end would be this miserable.
“Come to think of it, this father has never had a drink with you even once.”
Namgung Myeong smiled brightly on purpose and asked his son.
“Will you have a drink with your father this evening?”
“Yes…”
Though Namgung San usually stayed away from alcohol, today he felt like he would drink a lot.
“Good.”
Namgung Myeong glanced at Namgung Cheon once more before leaving the Gajujeon with Namgung San.
A moment later.
Namgung Cheon, with acupuncture needles densely embedded all over his body, suddenly opened his eyes with rough breathing.
“The order of the universe, the great earth of the flowing battlefield, the galaxy’s stellar formation and radiance…”
In his eyes was a red gleam.
His pupils shook mercilessly, and his entire body writhed strangely.
But soon he closed his eyes again and lost consciousness.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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