The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 68

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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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The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 068
“Bang Disciple…?”
The woman’s words brought the surroundings to a hush.
The bustling noise vanished in an instant, and the silence that settled was utterly jarring.
I rolled my eyes around, surveying the area.
I looked behind and beside me, but no one was there.
Yet the woman stared at me with unwavering intensity.
“…Pardon?”
With a bewildered expression, she pointed at me with her hand.
“Me…?”
“….”
I asked again, but no answer came.
All I felt was the silence, and all I saw was the woman looking at me, her pupils trembling.
She seemed equally flustered, at least.
‘…What is this woman?’
Perhaps she was more bewildered than I was.
This was the second time this year I’d felt such confusion.
The first was when I met Yoo Cheon-gil, that cursed old man.
This was the second.
‘…Who are you?’
Suddenly calling me Bang Disciple out of nowhere.
This woman looked at least ten years older than me—what nonsense was this?
‘Ah, could it be….’
I studied the woman intently, thinking.
‘Has she lost her mind?’
It was something I couldn’t say aloud, but it seemed the most likely explanation.
Though she didn’t appear to be at an age where that would happen.
How on earth did she know my name?
‘This is troublesome.’
I glanced away slightly.
All eyes around us were fixed on me and the woman.
Especially Dokuou’s gaze was piercing.
Ah, it seemed I’d made a terrible impression from the start of this banquet.
As I swallowed dryly over and over in my mind,
Dokuou, who had been watching me, turned his head to look at the woman and spoke.
“My lady.”
‘Damn it.’
Hearing Dokuou’s words, my heart raced violently.
My lady? Did Dokuou just call this woman his lady?
‘If she’s Dokuou’s lady….’
It must be the woman named Piyeonjin.
The eldest daughter of the Yeonryeon Trading Company, a considerably renowned merchant house in Sichuan.
I recall she had given birth to two sons and one daughter.
In her youth, she was apparently quite famous as a beauty throughout Sichuan.
‘Indeed.’
Her flustered demeanor aside, her appearance was undeniably striking.
If memory served, she was well past forty, yet she appeared scarcely older than twenty—barely into her twenties.
‘Which means….’
Looking at Piyeonjin, I turned my gaze to the other woman beside her.
She appeared to be just past her early twenties… and moreover.
‘She’s beautiful.’
She was beautiful.
Long natural hair and skin with a subtle tan radiated vitality.
Her slightly smiling expression carried a refreshing quality, yet.
The subtle alienation in her eyes—as if harboring unknowable thoughts—paradoxically drew me in as charm.
A woman who had inherited both Piyeonjin’s beauty and Dokuou’s distinctive presence in full measure.
The moment I saw her, I recalled her identity.
‘That woman is Dokwha.’
A flower that bloomed bearing poison.
Dokwha Dangyeran.
As the daughter of Dokuou and the precious jewel of the Dang Clan, she was a being called their treasure.
My gaze became fixed on her. Without realizing it, I found myself staring.
The feeling was peculiar.
Whoosh.
‘…!’
She turned her gaze toward me. Had she noticed I was looking at her?
We held each other’s gaze quietly, and then suddenly.
Smile.
Dangyeran looked at me and offered a slight smile.
A radiant feeling bloomed forth like a flower in full blossom.
Though somewhat startled, I regarded it calmly and lowered my head slightly.
It was my way of apologizing for staring so intently.
Dangyeran’s eyes widened slightly at that.
What? Why was she surprised? The question arose in my mind at that very moment.
“…I apologize.”
A voice came from Piyeonjin.
She had apparently regained her composure belatedly and was now composed in her posture.
“I was reminded of an acquaintance she resembles greatly, and I fear I was discourteous to our guest. My sincere apologies.”
Someone who resembles her, she said.
Yet she even mentioned the surname—was it truly just a coincidence?
“…Ah, no. It’s fine.”
Fortunately, she didn’t seem to be simply mad. I accepted her apology with an awkward smile.
Then.
“…But.”
Piyeonjin continued, looking at me.
“May I ask you something?”
“Yes? Ah, of course.”
Piyeonjin asked me a question.
“Your name is… Bang Disciple, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“May I ask… which family you belong to?”
“Yes?”
Something felt off there.
Honestly, I should have sensed it then. I should have noticed and lied.
“The Yoryeongbangga.”
“…!”
But I didn’t. I still don’t know why.
I have no idea.
Piyeonjin freezes upon hearing my family name.
Her eyes tremble far more than before. It was as if an earthquake had struck.
“Ah…. That… No… No.”
“…Madam? Are you alright?”
Wondering what was wrong, Piyeonjin suddenly approaches me.
‘What? Why is she coming closer—’
Grip—!
Then, without warning, she seizes my forearm.
“…Young Master.”
“Yes, yes?”
“Could it be… Could it be, what is your father’s name…?”
“…My father?”
The patriarch of our family—a man too shameful to present to others?
Why was she suddenly asking about my father? And with such a bewildered expression at that.
That’s when I began to sense something was amiss.
Because a memory surfaced.
The common reason behind why women would question me in this manner.
I should have felt it sooner, but I realized it far too late.
“…Why…?”
“…Please answer me.”
“….”
I glanced cautiously at Dokuou’s expression.
He was looking at me with those characteristically stoic eyes.
It might have been my imagination, but I sensed murderous intent in that gaze.
Damn it.
After swallowing hard, I spoke to Piyeonjin.
Desperately hoping otherwise in my heart.
“…Bang Disciple writes the character for ‘Heavenly Supreme.'”
“…!!”
Upon hearing my words, Piyeonjin collapsed as if struck by tremendous shock.
What the hell?
“Ah… Aah….”
Then she covered her mouth with her hand and drool began to flow.
“…M-Madam…. Why are you like this…!”
“…Bang… Bang Disciple…. Is it truly….”
“…Ah, damn it.”
Seeing that reaction, I finally had to utter a crude curse.
I knew this would happen.
As always, my Father was exactly the same this time.
‘…Damn it. In any case, he’s a useless bastard in life.’
I swallowed a curse while thinking of my handsome Father.
There are three Bang men.
Among them, I was somewhat less handsome than my older brother.
But I often heard that I was the spitting image of my Father.
Most women who showed this kind of reaction upon seeing me had similar reasons.
Either they had been infatuated with my Father in his youth.
Or they mistakenly believed they had shared a passionate love with my Father back then.
Or if neither of those.
‘They still love my Father.’
Whatever the reason, it was all equally terrible.
If possible.
‘…I hope it wasn’t the last one.’
If it were the last reason.
This place might become my grave.
Dokuou was glaring at me.
As if he could kill me at any moment.

* * *
The reception called a welcome banquet was far too chaotic to be called a proper gathering.
How could it not be chaotic? The mistress of the household had not only grasped a remarkably young man but had reddened eyes—and that was merely the beginning.
The gaze she cast upon him carried a longing that was unmistakable.
Fortunately, Piyeonjin quickly restored her expression and composure to their original state.
But it was already too late.
The damage to the atmosphere was too severe to repair.
Yet the banquet did not cease.
The host himself, the master of the household, would not permit it.
If I were in his position, I would have overturned everything out of spite.
Dokuou did not.
That made it all the more difficult.
“Ugh….”
I stepped outside and released the sigh I had been holding back.
“I nearly got indigestion.”
Or perhaps I already had.
My stomach felt heavy and bloated.
“Are you alright?”
Cheon Euijin asked with concern.
“…Yes, I’m fine. If it comes to it, I can just lance my hand.”
“…Lance your hand?”
Cheon Euijin asked as if not understanding.
Ah, that’s right.
‘They don’t do that here.’
In my past life, whenever I had indigestion, my grandmother would lance my hand for me.
Every time, my older sister would look at me with strange eyes.
When I explained it helped the indigestion go down, she insisted on trying it herself.
‘…Then she thrust a blade at my fingers, and we had a massive fight.’
Though calling it a fight was generous—I was the one who got beaten.
That lunatic was a woman even Father couldn’t handle.
‘…Ugh.’
The sudden memory of that face made my body shudder.
“It’s just something like that.”
I laughed it off and moved on. There was no point in explaining further.
The three of us continued walking.
After a moment of silence, Cheon Euijin turned to Do-hyeong and asked.
“Senior, what should we do from here on?”
We had delivered Manwol to the Dang Clan, and Dokuou had given his firm assurance that he would see it through.
So what remained? Do-hyeong answered expressionlessly.
“We wait.”
“Until Manwol’s repairs are complete?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“…I suppose I’ll need to stay in Sichuan for quite some time then.”
Do-hyeong nods in agreement.
I don’t know how Manwol will be repaired, but sword repairs don’t finish in a day or two either.
Looking at Manwol’s condition, it was obvious it would take at least several days.
Returning to Cheonwol Gate in this situation and coming back again seemed odd.
It seemed I’d have to stay until Manwol was repaired.
‘So exactly how long do I need to stay?’
I had no sense of how much time I’d need to spend at the Dang Clan.
‘Hmm…’
I scratched my cheek.
I wanted to leave as quickly as possible.
‘…It seems I should get out as fast as I can.’
Right now, I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles.
The timing of encountering Pacheongung on the way here was suspicious too.
And of course, the secret about Dokjon they had mentioned.
It looked like something was about to happen, or perhaps something was already unfolding.
Moreover.
‘Piyeonjin is the real problem.’
Piyeonjin collapsing as she mentioned Father, and Dokuou watching her.
And me.
‘…This is…’
Remembering that moment, my hands trembled involuntarily.
‘What on earth was he doing?’
My father comes to mind.
Out of three hundred sixty-five days a year, he was a man who had women troubles on three hundred of them.
Because of that, sparks have landed on me countless times.
He was a rotten man who enjoyed living beyond his means with his looks—my own father.
‘…Could he possibly be connected to the Dang Clan’s mistress as well?’
I didn’t want to know what was going on, and it seemed I shouldn’t know.
But.
‘…The truth is, whether I know or not, I’ve already seen it.’
Just by looking, I could guess what it was.
I can only hope it isn’t what I think.
‘Somehow.’
What my father had said about Sichuan now sounds different.
He said Sichuan was a dangerous place and I should never get entangled with the Dang Clan.
‘…Could it be.’
Was Piyeonjin the reason why?
The woman he’d flirted with happened to be the mistress of the Dang Clan.
Could it be that my Father, knowing this, had warned me about it?
‘Ah, no way.’
He couldn’t be insane enough for that.
I desperately hoped that was the case.
‘….’
But somehow, it felt right.
My Father was actually a madman.
“…Damn it.”
How did he manage to create such a dog’s life of a situation? As I cursed like I was sighing, Cheon Euijin flinched.
“…Bang Disciple?”
“Ah, my apologies. I’m just feeling unwell.”
“Would you like to go rest first?”
“No, I’ve already received your consideration. I should do what needs to be done.”
Right. I had to go anyway.
We were currently heading toward the Training Hall that the Dang Clan had provided.
They must have realized this wasn’t work that could be finished in a day or two, so they’d given us a separate place to use.
If there was one regret.
‘I wish that old man were here.’
It was that Yoo Cheon-gil wasn’t present during training.
I could get a feel for things when he watched over me.
But he kept disappearing somewhere right after we arrived in Sichuan.
As a result, I’d been training alone. Of course, that wasn’t entirely bad.
Just a bit disappointing.
“Bang Disciple.”
“Yes.”
“Would you perhaps like to spar…?”
“Ah.”
I nodded at Cheon Euijin’s words.
“Let’s do it.”
“Ah!”
At my response, Cheon Euijin breaks into a bright smile.
Does he really enjoy it that much?
I couldn’t quite understand it myself.
Right after I’d defeated Cheon Euijin last time, we’d sparred several times during the journey to Sichuan.
I’d won those matches too.
Partly because I had Wol-an’s power, and partly because something had changed after I defeated Yoo Cheon-gil’s younger self.
‘But it’s not like I’m completely dominating.’
I could feel Cheon Euijin growing steadily.
It was amusing that I, who was weaker than him back then, was even discussing growth.
Indeed, that was the case.
Cheon Euijin grew stronger with each passing day.
It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with him.
‘At this rate, won’t I be exposed?’
I was worried that my true lack of strength might be discovered.
Yet still, I continued our sparring matches.
The reason was simple.
‘It’s actually fun.’
More fun than I expected.
Swinging the blade, being placed in those precarious situations—all of it.
Warriors used to curse that martial artists had no sense of normalcy.
I felt myself gradually becoming abnormal as well.
I clenched my sore hands and released them as I walked.
Just thinking about our sparring made my body tense involuntarily.
Walking along the path while loosening up slightly.
“Bangseong-yeon.”
Suddenly, Do-hyeong called out to me.
“Yes, Senior.”
When I looked at Do-hyeong, he was contemplating something while watching me.
He seemed to have something to say.
I waited for him to speak. A moment passed.
“This sparring match—”
Just as Do-hyeong was about to tell me something.
“-!”
The metallic ring of a blade being drawn.
Suddenly, Do-hyeong stopped speaking and drew his sword.
A blue aura bloomed from the edges of his body.
“Who goes there?”
As Do-hyeong spoke with cold eyes, Cheon Euijin belatedly grasped his own blade.
As for me, I couldn’t even react and simply stood still.
‘What is it?’
Following Do-hyeong’s gaze toward the trees, I examined that direction.
“…Oh my.”
Someone emerged from there with an embarrassed expression.
It was a face I recognized.
Of course—I’d just seen her.
“You are…”
Do-hyeong frowned as he looked at her.
Then the woman.
“I’ve been caught. How embarrassing.”
Dokwha Dangyeran laughed.

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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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