WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 11: Bizarre Oddity (2)
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Two figures climbed a steep mountain peak.
They leaped several jang at a time as though the cliff face were level ground, performing feats impossible for ordinary people.
As they climbed, one of them spoke.
“I apologize. This was my failing, Brigade leader.”
It was Hae OkSeon, the squad leader.
She had suffered a terrible ordeal while leading the training cadets up the mountain.
Gu SangWoong, the Tyrannical Blood Commander, climbed the cliff with an even lighter step and shook his head.
“There was nothing the squad leader could have done.”
Though he told her not to worry, Gu SangWoong's expression was grim.
After hearing Hae OkSeon's description of the person who had stormed the mid-rank training ground, he knew he had become entangled in something troublesome.
‘Tch. I knew that mad old man came here from time to time, but...’
He had never imagined the man would lay hands on training cadets.
Among the Four Venerable Ones, the four absolute powers of the Blood Cult, he possessed the strangest disposition.
Even the other Venerable Ones avoided dealing with him because he was mad.
Everyone feared his unpredictable nature.
“He didn't kill them, did he? They aren't low-rank cadets. Mid-rank training cadets are difficult to find.”
“I don't know.”
Even Gu SangWoong could not be certain.
He had heard from his predecessor that Evil Heaven, the Bizarre Oddity, was so eccentric that, depending on his mood, there was no telling what he might do even to fellow members of the Blood Cult.
As they hurried up the mountain, they found a cave near the peak.
There was a presence inside.
‘This is it.’
Their faces grew tense as they stood before the cave.
Thump!
Gu SangWoong knelt on one knee and performed a fist-and-palm salute. Hae OkSeon followed suit.
“Hail the Blood! Hail the Blood! Blood, Hail the Blood! Venerable One, I am Gu SangWoong, the Brigade leader appointed to oversee the cadets of Blood-Nurturing Valley this year. I offer my greetings.”
No sound came from within the cave.
Hae OkSeon asked through sound telepathy.
[What should we do? Should we go inside?]
[Wait. There is nothing to gain by disturbing the Venerable One's mood...]
Just then,
Whoosh!
Something like a concealed weapon flew from the cave.
Gu SangWoong drew his blade at tremendous speed and blocked it.
Clang!
The force shoved him back around five steps.
Screeeech!
“Hup!”
After being pushed back five steps, Gu SangWoong barely regained his balance by concentrating internal energy beneath his feet.
Had he been pushed back any farther, he would have fallen straight off the cliff.
But Gu SangWoong's eyes widened as he examined his blade.
“A seed?”
What clung half-split to his blade was a fruit seed.
It was astonishing.
The power contained in the seed had been so profound that he had failed to cut through it and had instead been pushed back.
‘A monster.’
As he marveled at it, a voice came from the cave.
“You call yourself a Brigade leader, yet you are rather capable. Heh heh.”
Thump!
Gu SangWoong knelt again and cried out.
“You praise me too highly. Someone like me cannot even follow in the Venerable One's footsteps.”
“Hmph. You are merely stating the obvious.”
Gu SangWoong frowned at the irritated voice.
He had not expected such a response after flattering the man.
‘He truly is eccentric.’
The rumors were true.
It felt as though one wrong word might bring disaster upon them.
Still, having come all this way, he could not simply leave the training cadets behind.
Gu SangWoong spoke carefully.
“Venerable One. The cadets under our care...”
“Are you afraid I might harm those children?”
“N-no, sir.”
“Then stop worrying about it and go back down the mountain.”
“But, Venerable One, those children are meant to be raised as warriors of the main cult...”
Whoosh! Thud!
“Urk!”
A fruit flew over and struck Gu SangWoong in the chest.
He could have blocked it if he wished, but he accepted the blow because repelling the man's attacks twice might make matters even more complicated.
His insides churned, as though he had suffered an internal injury.
“Heh heh. The children I brought here seem to possess passable talent, so while I remain here, I intend to teach them a few tricks.”
‘!!!’
Gu SangWoong and Hae OkSeon could not hide their surprise.
For Evil Heaven, one of the Four Venerable Ones, to personally teach them was practically the same as accepting them as personal disciples.
‘That old man has never taken disciples before.’
He was the only one among the Venerable Ones with neither followers nor disciples.
“I did not understand your intentions...”
“Do not misunderstand.”
“Pardon?”
“I merely wish to relieve my boredom while I remain here.”
He had no intention of accepting them as disciples.
Still, the teachings of such a supreme master were no different from a fortunate encounter.
Moreover, who would dare treat lightly someone who had received the teachings of Evil Heaven, one of the Venerable Ones?
Yet there was one strange point.
“However, Venerable One. Among the cadets you took, there is a child named So WoonHwi whose dantian has been destroyed. It would be difficult for the Venerable One to teach him...”
“Heh heh. Who said I would teach this brat? He will attend to me while I remain here.”
In other words, he intended to use So WoonHwi like a servant.
Gu SangWoong looked troubled.
Then Hae OkSeon sent him a sound telepathic message, saying this was for the best.
[Isn't this fine, Brigade leader? Even if he received a mid-rank token, he would only become a low-rank warrior at best, no matter how well he was taught. Let him have the brat, so he won't turn his attention to the other cadets.]
[Hmm...]
After considering it, Gu SangWoong gave a slight nod.
As she said, perhaps it was acceptable to give up So WoonHwi, who was of little use yet not so easily discarded, so that the mad old man would not harm the other cadets.
[Since he is from the Radiant Earth Clan, I thought we might use him as a spy in the martial artists' alliance later. But it cannot be helped. Let us do so.]
Had So WoonHwi heard this, he would have leaped in shock.
The Blood Cult had already planned to use him as a spy.
Gu SangWoong performed a fist-and-palm salute and spoke respectfully.
Thump!
“Understood. Then we shall take our leave.”
* * *
‘This is insane!’
Gu SangWoong's voice from outside left me dazed.
Those bastards were leaving me behind to wait upon this mad old man.
Song JwaBaek snickered at my devastated expression.
‘Damn it!’
This bastard still hadn't come to his senses.
After waking up, he had charged at Evil Heaven like a madman and been beaten senseless.
Yet he was delighted because the old man said he would teach him tricks while using me like a servant.
“A disciple greets his master. What are you doing?”
“Uh... I-I greet you, Master.”
Song JwaBaek and his twin brother tried to bow to Evil Heaven.
Now that they knew his astonishing identity, they seemed desperate to gain his favor.
But unfortunately for them...
“Who said I was your master?”
Thump!
“Argh!”
Evil Heaven kicked the bowing brat in the head.
He really was a mad old man.
There was a reason he was called the Bizarre Oddity.
‘Ah...’
I had never expected such a variable.
This was the worst possible situation.
I did not know how long Evil Heaven intended to remain here, but if he stayed for more than a year, my plan to restore my dantian would be completely ruined.
‘What should I do?’
Running away was difficult because this mad old man was such a monster.
Even if I escaped, I could not return to the mid-rank training ground, since the Brigade leader had already decided to hand us over to Evil Heaven.
As I panicked, Evil Heaven suddenly said to me,
“Bring me food within two two-hour periods.”
“Pardon?”
“I want meat. Heh heh.”
“...”
Was this old man insane?
I had seen it earlier. This place was practically a sheer cliff.
It was so steep that climbing or descending it looked extremely difficult for anyone who had not learned a movement skill.
“How am I supposed to do that in two two-hour periods...”
‘Wait.’
Would it be better to run away instead?
There was something I had heard until my ears hurt in my previous life.
The bizarre deeds of Evil Heaven, the Bizarre Oddity, were enough to make even members of the Blood Cult avoid him.
If I had already caught this man's attention, perhaps I should stop trying to accomplish anything in the Blood Cult and attempt to escape somehow.
‘Phew.’
I calmed myself, hid my emotions as best I could, and spoke.
“...Understood. However, I have not even learned Martial Arts. Without a weapon, I would have trouble catching anything, let alone meat.”
It was a petty scheme to reclaim the SoDam Sword.
Though I did not know whether he would return it.
“Heh heh.”
Then Evil Heaven flicked a finger at me.
Crunch!
A fruit seed grazed my cheek and embedded itself in the cave wall.
Blood ran down my face, but I could not turn my head.
“You are a brat full of tricks. Heh heh. You will not bore me, but remember this. The more tricks you play, the shorter your life will become.”
“...”
I silently nodded.
I was not even lying. I felt like I was about to piss myself.
Thwack!
Evil Heaven threw something at me as I stood frozen.
I caught it without thinking.
It was the SoDam Sword.
My eyes widened as I looked at Evil Heaven, and he sneered.
“Take it. I have no need for some rusty Short Sword.”
I was truly glad I had left the rusty SoDam Sword untouched.
Then the SoDam Sword's voice rang in my head.
“Aaaah! That furry savage kept pawing at me. Maximum ick.”
Maximum ick? What the hell did that even mean?
I was happy to have it back, but this was not the time to indulge its complaints.
I had to escape somehow.
As I fastened the SoDam Sword at my waist and headed outside the cave, Evil Heaven's voice pierced my ears.
“If you are caught trying to run away, you had best be prepared to die.”
Goosebumps rose all over my body.
The human mind was truly strange.
The more he threatened me not to run, the more I wanted to run.
Outside the cave, I looked down.
I swallowed hard.
“It is really steep. Can you escape quickly from here?”
‘I'll have to try something!’
I gripped the rocks along the cliff and cautiously lowered one leg.
It was too steep to simply climb down.
As I carefully lowered myself, one trembling hand and foot at a time, a scream suddenly came from above.
“Waaaah!”
“Uaaah!”
I looked up and saw an unbelievable sight.
‘!!!’
Evil Heaven had tucked the twin brothers beneath his arms and was racing up the steep mountain peak as though walking across flat ground.
The figure that had been right before me turned into a dot and vanished in an instant.
The SoDam Sword asked in a grave voice.
“...Can you really escape?”
Fuck. Way to kill my motivation.
Footnotes:
“Maximum ick” recreates a modern Korean internet abbreviation meaning extreme disgust, which So WoonHwi does not recognize.
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