Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 40

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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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Third-rate Martial Arts Family, Greatest Under Heaven – Episode 040
How was I to discover why the Nameless Assassin’s Valley was monitoring Yuga Manor?
And after learning the full truth, how could I extract Chu Dal without leaving a trace?
For ten days I had racked my brains, yet found no suitable method.
My frustration had reached such heights that even Yang Hwi was driven to say such things.
“Brother Gu, this simply won’t work. I’ll just infiltrate the Nameless Assassin’s Valley myself.”
“Have you lost your mind, little brother?”
“Of course I haven’t.”
“Infiltrate to do what? And how do you even plan to infiltrate?”
“If I just loiter conspicuously in front of them, they’ll naturally capture me. They couldn’t possibly let a prodigy of my caliber slip through their fingers.”
…
Gu Ak simply fell silent. It was nonsensical talk, yet somehow it felt as though it might actually come to pass.
‘Truth be told, even I couldn’t resist taking in and raising a child with talent like little brother’s if I spotted one.’
Of course, in that process, I would need to ensure the Nameless Assassin’s Valley felt nothing amiss, maintaining perfect naturalness.
It was an obvious point, but as one tasked with Yang Hwi’s protection and responsible for returning him safely to Baek Manor, this plan was something Gu Ak could not accept.
“Absolutely not. Far too dangerous.”
“Ah, it won’t be dangerous if I do it well.”
“Hmph. I’ll report this to the Family Head.”
…
A trump card Gu Ak had discovered after being toyed with by Yang Hwi’s silver tongue all this time.
The moment Baek Moo-ryang was mentioned, Yang Hwi, who had been ranting in frustration, instantly became docile.
“Being kidnapped and educated here in Gu Gang is one thing, but I could end up locked away in some remote mountain valley instead. Abandon that method.”
“That’s a fair point, so I’ll give it up. Let it be known that I’m not capitulating to your threats, brother. But then how should we proceed? It seems we’re critically short on information.”
Yang Hwi kicked at the leg of the bed sitting in the corner of the room.
“Blast it! Gathering intelligence is your job, brother Gu! Why have you learned so little?”
“…Is that really the proper way to speak? I’m more than twenty years your senior.”
“Baek Ik-gak-ju! As the eldest son of Baek Manor, I’m responsible for all matters here—don’t bring up age!”
The veins on Gu Ak’s forehead bulged prominently.
Yet instead of retorting, he simply sighed and fell silent.
‘I didn’t volunteer for this protection detail because I was deceived by the Director’s eloquence.’
Gu Ak felt deeply wronged.
While Yang Hwi played the beggar and narrowed the distance with Lee Hu, I had been conducting drinking sessions at Juru, gathering rumors from the market.
Through that effort, I had discovered that the Yuga-jangju’s hobby was collecting antiques.
So I certainly wasn’t simply idling away my time.
‘This brat is going to make me age prematurely.’
“Little brother, I’ll mobilize my connections from my Black Island days to gather more intelligence. Fortunately, I have ties with Bangpa, who controls the black market here in Gu Gang.”
“You mean you haven’t made contact until now? So you really have been slacking off with your drinking sessions. I’m telling Sister Rang everything.”
…
Ever since entering Baek Manor, I’ve been treated as a traitor by all the Black Island operatives—and this brat knows it!
…A silent scream I could never voice aloud.
“In any case, let’s wait a few more days and see.”
“Tsk. There’s no other way. That fellow Chu Dal has such a guarded nature that it’s difficult to extract information directly, sigh.”
“But why do you keep calling that child Chu Dal? Isn’t his name Lee Hu?”
Yang Hwi grinned widely.
“Because to me, he is Chu Dal.”
Regardless of what his name was, or what aliases he might gain in the future.
To Yang Hwi, Chu Dal would always be Chu Dal.
The sole sworn brother I had gained after nearly two decades of wandering the martial world.
“In any case, I’ll go investigate the area around Yuga Manor more thoroughly.”
“Let’s go together. I’ve been drinking for several days straight, so I’d like to rest today.”
Besides, starting tomorrow, I had planned to gather information primarily through the black market.
One day without holding a drinking session wouldn’t hurt.
Thus, Yang Hwi and Gu Ak went out to the market together.
It was when they had gotten close to Yuga Manor.
‘Hmm?’
My keen qi-sensing detected something amiss.
Gu Ak didn’t seem to have noticed yet, but something was definitely different from usual.
‘I see. I can feel qi fluctuations.’
I heightened my qi-sensing. I traced the source of the qi ripples undulating in the air.
As a result.
‘Assassins are hiding here.’
Though they had suppressed their momentum and even their breathing while concealing themselves, assassins of the Muryeong Musalgok level could not deceive my qi-sensing.
Yang Hwi immediately sent a sound transmission to Gu Ak.
-Brother Gu. It seems today is the day they plan to strike, as fortune would have it.
Gu Ak’s eyes widened.
Now that I thought about it, the only person who knew I could use sound transmission was the Old Man.
-Little brother. How are you using sound transmission?
-We can discuss that later. It appears the assassins plan to strike tonight.
Judging by how they had surrounded and ambushed the area, it was clear.
‘What’s their objective? Theft? Robbery?’
Judging by the fact that they were setting up an ambush, it was likely the latter.
No, based on the experience I had gained from living as a wanderer for so many years.
Murder and elimination.
They were definitely trying to hide the very fact that something specific had gone missing.
‘Damn. I should have known beforehand.’
If things continued as they were, the residents of Yuga Manor could be slaughtered to the last person.
I was deliberating whether I should give them a warning right now.
Two figures walking along the distant mountainside happened to catch my eye.
Chu Dal, and the innkeeper where Chu Dal was staying.
-Brother Gu. Let’s split up.
I conveyed to Gu Ak through silent transmission what he needed to know and how to act, then immediately launched myself forward.
‘I’m not heading to Yuga Manor—I’m climbing the mountain.’
The picture became clear. I understood what they were aiming for.
Narrowing the distance between myself, Chu Dal, and the Inn Keeper while simultaneously reducing my presence with each step.
During my wanderer days, I had learned concealment techniques among other skills, so it wasn’t particularly difficult.
‘Where are they going?’
The moment that thought crossed my mind, Chu Dal and the Inn Keeper came to a halt.
We stood at a mountain pass where a path stretched downward, connecting from behind Yuga Manor to this very spot.
‘Are they targeting someone fleeing?’
If I had to guess, it seemed like a plan to drive the Yuga-jangju to escape in this direction.
If that were the case…
‘Was today Chu Dal’s first kill?’
I watched as the Inn Keeper concealed himself from view.
I closed the distance further, taking every precaution to ensure he wouldn’t notice my presence.
Ready to ambush at any moment, prepared to handle any unexpected situation.
‘I’m fortunate he belongs to an obscure assassination sect.’
My current martial ability was only slightly above the middle tier of third-rate standards.
Had he belonged to a massive assassination faction like Salsoo, renowned throughout the realm, my concealment technique would have been exposed long ago.
But the Nameless Assassination Valley was merely a minor assassination sect that operated in the Gu Gang region at best.
‘If I could be detected by someone like that, I wouldn’t have earned the title Nangjoong Jeil-geom in my past life.’
Nangjoong Jeil-geom—a moniker meaning the finest swordsmanship among wanderers.
In another sense, it meant possessing all the qualities necessary to be a wanderer.
And wanderers were those who could only survive by being skilled at many things.
Then, from below, I spotted the Yuga-jangju desperately fleeing upward.
‘Just as I predicted—they were luring the Yuga-jangju to this location.’
“Gasp! Gasp! Is anyone there! Anyone!”
The Yuga-jangju’s cries were cut off as Chu Dal blocked his path.
The Yuga-jangju quickly grasped the situation, his face contorting with terror.
“Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!”
Chu Dal, who had raised his short blade, suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed.
Simultaneously, the assassin revealed himself.
“Tsk. I had a bad feeling about this. Defective goods, it seems.”
I felt a slight sense of confusion.
‘He said his first kill haunted him for the rest of his life. Was today not the day?’
Or perhaps my existence as a variable had altered the future in some small way.
With such thoughts, I gripped the sword at my waist.
“It’s a shame to waste such talent, but I’ll have to dispose of him. How convenient. Yuga-jangju, you can say this child killed you out of greed.”
The moment the assassin raised his small blade to strike downward—
I drew upon the true energy of my dantian with all my strength.
My legs, brimming with the Hwacheon technique, pushed off the ground as I took the Gicheon stride.
“It’s you who’s being discarded, you bastard!”
Thwack!
The blade pierced precisely through the center of the spine.
“Ugh!”
Salsoo collapsed with eyes wide open.
I first checked the condition of Chu Dal and Yuga-jangju.
‘Both seem unharmed.’
“Yuga-jangju.”
“Huff, huff, I, I’m grateful, young hero. I owe you my life.”
I turned my head to look at Salsoo.
With his spine pierced, his nerves severed and limbs paralyzed, he stared at me with wide, unblinking eyes.
“Let’s skip the pleasantries. What is it that Yuga Manor is after?”
“Ugh, who are you?”
This is why reasoning politely never works.
I severed the tendons in his arm with my blade, and the muscle bunched up in a tight knot.
“Aahhh…!”
“You may have no emotions, but pain still registers, doesn’t it? We’re short on time, so let’s get to the point. What are you after? Tell me, and I’ll let you go peacefully.”
I cut the tendons in his other arm as well.
“Aahhh, ahhhhh!”
“Are you under a seal? If you are, speak quickly. We don’t have time, so I’ll sever your leg tendons too and leave you to die slowly.”
A threat to let him die in extreme agony.
“It’s a round iron ring that Yuga-jangju always carries with him.”
Whether from some emotionless technique or something else, Salsoo’s face remained expressionless.
Yet he clearly didn’t want to die slowly in extreme pain.
‘So there’s no seal after all. This just got simpler.’
I immediately drove my blade between Salsoo’s eyebrows and turned to Yuga-jangju.
“If you have the iron ring, please give it to me. In exchange, I will save the people of Yuga Manor.”
I wouldn’t be able to save everyone, and some were likely already beyond saving, but I intended to do my best.
“I, I’ll give it to you. I only carried it because it kept my body healthy, but how could such a terrible fate befall me…?”
I took the iron ring Yuga-jangju offered and hoisted Chu Dal onto my back.
‘Fortunate that he handed it over without resistance.’
In truth, even if Yuga-jangju had refused, I would have done my best to save his people.
I couldn’t simply stand by while these assassins committed such atrocities.
It went against my principles.
“Hide nearby. By tomorrow at the latest, before dawn breaks, this will all be over.”
I launched myself forward, biting my lip.
‘If I’d known earlier, I could have prevented the massacre itself.’
I didn’t feel guilt, exactly.
I hadn’t lived a life light enough to harbor guilt over the past.
So instead of guilt, what I should carry was.
Chivalry.
‘Save as many people as possible. But Gu and I alone don’t have enough strength.’
I need to devise a strategy.
Total annihilation. At minimum, a retreat. I need a way out.
‘Nothing comes to mind immediately. First, I’ll rendezvous with Gu and adapt as circumstances demand.’
I draw forth even more vital energy and execute the Heavenly Steps.
In an instant, my form reaches the wall of Yuga Manor.
The moment I peer over the wall into the interior, shock washes over me.
‘What? Why are we surrounded?’
Gu Ak stands in the center of the manor courtyard, encircled by assassins.
The household members of Yuga Manor kneel before the largest main hall.
‘Brother Gu! This is hardly helpful—being surrounded like this, what do we do?’
At this point, it’s all or nothing.
I lay Chu Dal down beneath the wall and climb back up.
Then I shout.
“Hey, you assassin bastards!”
The assassins’ heads snap toward me in unison.
Holding the iron orb aloft with both hands, I shout again.
“The thing you’re looking for is here! If you don’t want to see it destroyed, back off!”
To prove I’m not bluffing, I infuse the iron orb with vital energy.
I’m prepared to smash it to pieces if necessary.
But then.
Click!
“Huh?”
The iron orb opens.

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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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