The Hwangbo Clan’s Beloved Live-In Son-in-Law - Chapter 45

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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 45

 

This crazy bastard!

 

Fighting spirit and killing intent. Beyond that, the madness radiating forth made Xie Baowei’s body freeze.

 

He thought he’d encountered quite a few crazy bastards in his life, but this one was insane in a different sense.

 

He was worse than Jingtianhao, who would throw soldiers around saying they were worthless anyway if they couldn’t survive.

 

At least that bastard desperately cherished his own body.

 

Keuaaak!

 

Watching Tougui press his bleeding arm against the burning wood and sear it, Xie Baowei glanced at his own arm.

 

Though blood was flowing again from the earlier impact…

 

It was still usable.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

Looking at Tougui writhing in pain, Xie Baowei hesitantly asked.

 

Even though he was gritting his teeth until they bled, his eyes were gleaming, making it difficult to approach carelessly.

 

He should have rushed in when the arm was severed…

 

However, Xie Baowei never expected to see a madman cut off his own arm.

 

So this was force majeure.

 

“Huh.”

 

Tougui said nothing in particular.

 

After letting out a groan-like word, he just shook his body with the same hardened expression.

 

Though he swayed back and forth as if losing balance, his eyes were alive.

 

He’s coming.

 

Clang!

 

In an instant, Tougui charged forward.

 

As if his arm hadn’t been cut off, no. Even faster than before!

 

Clang! Clang!

 

Xie Baowei swung his spear and continuously retreated.

 

The audacity to charge forward unfazed despite missing an arm, and the strength to give no opening even while charging like that.

 

Truly living up to his reputation.

 

Whoosh!

 

Tougui’s slash greatly split the air. At this large motion different from before, Xie Baowei didn’t dare block the blade and leaped backward.

 

Tougui’s eyes gleamed as he charged forward.

 

Thud! Crack!

 

A thick tree, still burning, stood in the path of Xie Baowei’s retreat.

 

With nowhere left to retreat, Xie Baowei’s back struck the tree trunk hard and used that rebound to spring in the opposite direction.

 

“Excellent!”

 

Thwack!

 

Tougui cried out as if truly impressed. His great sword embedded in the tree then pulled free.

 

Targeting that gap, Xie Baowei’s body kicked off another tree on the opposite side and leaped.

 

Movement upon irregular movement.

 

But Tougui’s body no longer had a dangling arm to interfere.

 

Tougui spun like lightning and swung his blade like a thunderbolt.

 

This is the end.

 

Xie Baowei gritted his teeth.

 

-Wei. Watch carefully. This old body can only show you once.

 

With the short breath he drew in, his body swelled as if he’d become a divine general.

 

Then.

 

Crack!

 

Thunder roared,

 

Riiip.

 

The air was torn apart.

 

Huff. Huff.

 

The bodies of the two men who had been fighting fiercely stopped again.

 

Xie Baowei leaned against a tree, standing as if about to collapse, while Tougui stepped back several paces and lowered his blade.

 

Both men lost their words and only stared at each other.

 

After a brief moment passed.

 

Thud.

 

Tougui’s hand released his great sword.

 

The moment the chipped and battered blade touched the ground, it shattered.

 

“…How?”

 

“Because I saw it.”

 

From Martial Arts Alliance Leader Fang Maqing, and though inferior, hadn’t Tougui also shown it before?

 

“…Ha. Truly brilliant talent… What’s the name?”

 

“Thunderbolt Divine Martial Arts .”

 

“…Hwangbo. I remember… now.”

 

Thump.

 

Tougui collapsed.

 

His chest was split lengthwise.

 

Blood poured out in chunks.

 

“It was fun. Damn it. It was… fun.”

 

Huff. Huff.

 

Xie Baowei couldn’t answer further. He couldn’t even hide his trembling hands.

 

The aftereffects of forcibly unleashing techniques he was still far from mastering gnawed at his entire body.

 

“Farewell.”

 

Even so, he had to do what needed to be done.

 

Supporting his staggering body, Xie Baowei stood leaning on his spear.

 

With stumbling steps, he went to Tougui’s side.

 

“This is… my… end…”

 

“So it seems.”

 

“Heh… Heh. I…”

 

Stab.

 

Tougui’s mouth moved as if he had more words to say.

 

But there were no more words to hear.

 

If there was anything to say.

 

“Fall into Yenok, you damn bastard.”

 

Ptui.

 

Xie Baowei spat on the dead Tougui’s face and deeply bowed his head.

 

He just wanted to sleep like this.

 

But he couldn’t do that either.

 

Because he had seen something dark between the forest and flames earlier.

 

The flames kept spreading, yet those Yukgwi bastards were still causing trouble.

 

Damn it. Really.

 

Sigh.

 

Xie Baowei let out a long sigh and moved his limping steps.

 

He opened the water bottle he had kept, poured water all over his body, and covered himself with the fire-resistant cloth he had thrown aside, making it somewhat bearable.

 

Ah. Damn it.

 

Then he took another deep breath and leaped into the flames.

 

***

 

“Young Master Namgung!”

 

Xie Baowei called out to Namgung Bin through the acrid smoke.

 

This should definitely be the right direction.

 

Considering the direction Xie Baowei had rushed out from and the position where Namgung Bin had charged in, he should have been collapsed around here.

 

Damn it.

 

The inside was more bearable than expected. What should have been full of obstacles blocking the path had all burned away.

 

The firepower had been so intense that some things had already turned to ash.

 

Places like huts were still blazing, and though the view wasn’t clear due to black smoke and flames, it was still just bearable.

 

In other words, before this it had been absolute hell…

 

If he had become a corpse, he should at least take back some belongings.

 

He wondered why he was going through this trouble for that arrogant friend…

 

Well.

 

Well, Lady Namgung was also Yulhui’s friend… Hmm. Xie Baowei’s own form of atonement.

 

You know.

 

He had heard rumors too.

 

Something about this damn arrogant bastard hovering around Bingbong?

 

…Damn it.

 

“Namgung…!”

 

Cough. Cough!

 

He tried to raise his voice again but choked on the smoke he inhaled.

 

He decided not to shout anymore. The forest was screaming from the flames anyway, so it wouldn’t be heard well.

 

The dead wouldn’t have ears to hear anyway.

 

Ah, this is killing me.

 

Should I have just run away?

 

No, but still. A star of the martial arts world has fallen. And he even sacrificed himself, so I should take something back…

 

How far has this bastard gone?

 

Could he have survived?!

 

Having thoughts that seemed to hope he wasn’t alive, Xie Baowei moved his steps while turning his head this way and that in a low posture.

 

Then.

 

He doubted his eyes.

 

…What is that?

 

What?

 

Huh?

 

What?

 

“Namgung…?”

 

Alone and seemingly calm in the center of the flames. No, literally as if dominating the fire.

 

It was Namgung Bin.

 

“Whoo…”

 

Namgung Bin stood with his eyes closed, sword held diagonally downward.

 

At first glance he seemed defenseless, but there was an unapproachable dignity about him.

 

Xie Baowei had seen generals above ten thousand men, advisors below one person, and even the pure crown prince.

 

So he could recognize it all the more.

 

The aura that only those who had stood above countless people possessed.

 

It could truly be called an imperial aura.

 

Behold, the flames surrounding him in submission, encircling him.

 

However, on the other hand, it was also precarious and dangerous.

 

The flames held back purely by martial power and presence would surely surge and consume the unburned gunpowder and firewood beneath Namgung Bin the moment he released his hold.

 

It was truly like those who lived in the demon realm.

 

“Why are you just watching?”

 

Namgung Bin released his aura with a long sigh and looked back at Xie Baowei.

 

As his body leaped away, the flames that had been suppressed by his presence surged up and intensified the fire.

 

Fortunately, thanks to the time that had passed, the surrounding flames had also weakened and their firepower was reduced.

 

Xie Baowei stared silently at the arrogant bastard, speechless.

 

He hadn’t known because he’d only looked at him with disdain until now—no, he had known but couldn’t acknowledge it—but he was indeed quite impressive.

 

…Damn it. What an annoyingly impressive bastard.

 

“…There was no need to come.”

 

And here he’d come in a battered state, using his spear as a walking stick.

 

Though singed here and there, his relatively neat appearance irritated him.

 

“Thanks to you, I survived. How could I have made it through these flames alone?”

 

Namgung Bin answered with a slight smile.

 

What’s gotten into this expressionless bastard?

 

While Xie Baowei tilted his head in puzzlement, Namgung Bin suddenly came under the fire cloak.

 

The fire cloak Jegal Seolhye had prepared was quite large, but it was far too small for two grown men.

 

Especially since both Xie Baowei and Namgung Bin were on the larger side.

 

“My feet are burning.”

 

“Then shouldn’t we hurry?”

 

This arrogant man remained calm no matter how much Xie Baowei grumbled.

 

It had been like this throughout the entire journey.

 

He was a truly irritating bastard.

 

“There are enemies.”

 

Still, he had to convey what needed to be said.

 

There was no need to rush out and get ambushed and killed by some random blade.

 

Of course, it didn’t seem like this superficially polished arrogant bastard would fall for that.

 

Nod.

 

He already knew?

 

“Did you see them?”

 

“At least that there were watching eyes. Thanks to that, I had to pretend to be burned by the fire.”

 

Wait, how do you even do that?

 

And why is your body so perfectly fine?

 

Xie Baowei stopped walking and looked to the side again.

 

When that handsome face looked back as if asking what he was looking at, he turned his head away.

 

“Yingying and Huashen escaped on horseback. …They probably got away safely.”

 

Chun-gil was a smart horse.

 

Though old, there was a reason he had survived rolling around as a war horse until now.

 

He would have done well on the rough mountain paths… probably.

 

“What about Aset?”

 

“I saw him escape the flames. I even saw Wei Zibai desperately trying to stop him from jumping back in.”

 

He didn’t know beyond that.

 

Probably, he had withdrawn. He was a smart person.

 

But there was no knowing what happened after.

 

“He’ll be fine.”

 

“…He will be.”

 

Yet it was Namgung Bin who comforted Xie Baowei instead.

 

What could he say to that?

 

So they walked trudge by trudge, wordlessly.

 

The front grew hot.

 

They had to enter the forest where flames were spreading again.

 

Damn it.

 

“…Hey. Brother Xie?”

 

As he was shaking his head with his exhausted body, Namgung Bin called to him.

 

He didn’t answer, just shifted his gaze slightly.

 

Brother Xie? He’d been saying Young Master Xie, Young Master Xie all along.

 

Acting friendly now that he came to help?

 

“That.”

 

But he couldn’t continue his words.

 

What is it.

 

Namgung Bin was also someone whose inner thoughts weren’t easily revealed.

 

As if an indifferent face was always fixed like a mask.

 

He didn’t easily waver or shake.

 

Rather than a great tree, yes. Like that sky.

 

What was such a guy doing.

 

His expression was strange.

 

“What.”

 

“That…”

 

“What.”

 

“…Would it be alright to serve you as my elder brother?”

 

Thud.

 

Xie Baowei’s knees buckled.

 

Namgung Bin caught him firmly as he was about to collapse.

 

Xie Baowei groaned and barely managed to stand.

 

“What.”

 

“…Ugh. I’m fine.”

 

Namgung Bin’s face hardened.

 

It was because he discovered the wounds. Fresh wounds at that.

 

“Did you encounter enemies?”

 

“…I said I’m fine.”

 

Xie Baowei shook his head with effort.

 

Rather than that, what should I say…

 

Thud.

 

Damn. No more strength was going into his legs. His hands were the same.

 

Clatter. The spear fell first.

 

Now he was leaning against Namgung Bin almost as if being held.

 

“Who on earth did you, where did you!”

 

Even though only ashes remained of the mountain retreat, it wasn’t in a state to lay down an injured person.

 

There were still embers and the debris was rough.

 

Namgung Bin examined the wounds while holding Xie Baowei with one arm.

 

Even at a glance, they were large and deep.

 

“…This is.”

 

Not a sword, but a blade.

 

And from a great blade at that.

 

“…Did you encounter Tougui?”

 

Ugh. Now even hearing that name made him feel disgusted.

 

Xie Baowei trembled with a pale face.

 

Namgung Bin looked up with a hardened expression and surveyed the surroundings.

 

Why. Wondering how he escaped?

 

I won. You bastard.

 

But the words wouldn’t come out.

 

So he squeezed out strength to sneer.

 

Namgung Bin’s eyes wavered.

 

Right. By his standards, it wouldn’t make sense.

 

Alone defeating Shihuo and Geomhoe’s guards, deflecting arrows shot in another direction in mid-air, calming blazing flames with energy.

 

The excellent legitimate son of the great Namgung Family, with the alias Nam Gilin and title of Heavenly Sword, handsome enough to remind one of Song Ok and Ban An, with an upright character, wealthy, and strong.

 

And young.

 

-Ah why. You know, that thing. They say Nam Gilin fell head over heels for Bifeng?

 

-Come on. If anything, it’d be the opposite. Why would Nam Gilin?

 

This damn…

 

Xie Baowei looked at Namgung Bin with a sharp glance.

 

Huh.

 

Namgung Bin appeared as two people.

 

“Brother Xie.”

 

What. Why.

 

Ah. I know what it is.

 

Did you fight a strong enemy? Yes.

 

Did you overexert yourself? Yes.

 

Did you suffer serious wounds? Yes.

 

Did you have to flee? Yes.

 

Were you caught and had to fight again? Yes.

 

Did you overexert yourself again? Yes.

 

Did you suffer serious wounds again? Yes.

 

Did you have to save a comrade? Yes.

 

Xie Baowei nodded.

 

It would be reasonable to overdo it.

 

Finally.

 

Did reliable support arrive?

 

…Yes.

 

He looked at Namgung Bin one more time.

 

Mm.

 

It would be reasonable for tension to be released.

 

Damn.

 

Thud.

 

And then he collapsed.

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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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