WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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Episode 26: SaMa Yeong (3)
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Across the Central Plains martial world, there were twelve masters known as superhumans.
Martial artists called the eight closest to the orthodox path the Eight Great Masters of the Central Plains, while the four closest to the evil path and the dark path were called the Four Great Evildoers of the Central Plains.
Those bearing the title of evildoer had countless tales horrifying enough to make one's skin crawl.
Moon-Evil Sword SaMa Chak was no exception.
One such tale concerned the Go-Wol Faction in southeastern Sichuan. In a single night, more than two hundred of its members were massacred.
SaMa Chak was the culprit. Enraged, the Go-Wol Faction and martial clans connected to it joined forces, found Gye-Wol Valley, SaMa Chak's base, and attacked it.
Yet not one of the more than four hundred martial artists who entered the valley returned alive.
- Wow... So he killed all those people by himself?
The SoDam Sword clicked its tongue.
None of the Four Great Evildoers were strangers to killing.
They considered killing people easier than eating a meal.
- Then is that person the child of that evildoer, SaMa Chak?
Most likely.
The youth said the surname was SaMa and the given name was Yeong.
If they came from Gye-Wol Valley and bore the SaMa surname, they had to be a descendant.
A descendant of one of the Four Great Evildoers was applying to join the Blood Cult.
It was truly surprising.
‘Wait... Something doesn't add up.’
- What doesn't?
Right.
I remembered now.
It had happened before my regression, when I was dispatched as a spy to the martial artists' alliance.
There had been a major incident involving Moon-Evil Sword SaMa Chak.
- What incident?
‘SaMa Chak clashed with Peerless Castle.’
- Peerless Castle? The place said to enjoy the greatest prosperity among all single factions?
It had been such a major incident that even the martial artists' alliance had watched developments closely.
Their alliance had already fallen apart at the time, so the martial artists' alliance had hoped Peerless Castle would suffer severe damage. But as I recalled, that had not happened.
- Why not?
‘Because SaMa Chak joined Peerless Castle instead.’
- Huh? He joined Peerless Castle?
No one had expected it.
The martial artists' alliance had assumed SaMa Chak joined because the Go-Wol Faction incident exposed the location of Gye-Wol Valley, his base.
But it later became known that the reason was that Moon-Evil Sword SaMa Chak's descendant was a member of Peerless Castle.
In the end, he had joined Peerless Castle to follow his child.
- Huh? Then that person is the child?
I could not be certain.
But if that was true, then the youth wearing a yellow head covering who called themself SaMa Yeong was fated to devote themself not to the Blood Cult, but to Peerless Castle.
In truth, Blood-Nurturing Valley being attacked by the martial artists' alliance had not happened before my regression either.
Yet it had suddenly happened now.
‘Has everything gotten tangled up?’
That was the only conclusion I could reach.
Someone meant to go to Peerless Castle had come to the Blood Cult instead.
If SaMa Yeong was not accepted here, would things proceed according to the original history?
Then the SoDam Sword pointed out something.
- But if what you say is true, doesn't that mean nobody knows Gye-Wol Valley is the base of that Four Great Evildoer, SaMa Chak, yet?
Huh?
The SoDam Sword was right.
Now that I thought about it, the Go-Wol Faction incident was also something that would happen later.
That meant no one yet knew that Gye-Wol Valley was Moon-Evil Sword SaMa Chak's base.
Then why was Seo GalMa surprised?
“Are you not from the SaMa Family?”
The SaMa Family?
Ah...
The SaMa Family was a prestigious martial family holding important positions within the martial artists' alliance.
Unlike me, who thought of Moon-Evil Sword SaMa Chak, Seo GalMa seemed to have heard the SaMa surname and assumed the youth was from the SaMa Family.
Of course, with the Gye-Wol Valley incident yet to occur, thinking of SaMa Chak would have been strange.
“A member of a prestigious martial family admires our main cult?”
If he mistook the youth for someone from a prestigious martial family that held an important position in the martial artists' alliance, Seo GalMa's reaction was understandable.
Then the youth wearing a yellow head covering raised their head.
“I have no connection to the SaMa Family!”
At the forceful voice, Seo GalMa's eyes narrowed.
There was an inexplicable resentment in the youth's voice.
Seo GalMa did not lower his guard.
“How will you prove that?”
“The SaMa Family is my mother's enemy.”
“Your mother's enemy?”
At Seo GalMa's question, the youth wearing a yellow head covering answered bitterly.
“...They caused my mother's death. I could not do anything to them alone while they remained within the martial artists' alliance, so I wished to devote myself to the Blood Cult.”
Sorrow seeped through the youth's voice, and their eyes grew moist.
It reminded me of my childhood.
When my mother died, I hated the people of the Yiyang So Clan, including my father, the Clan Head, enough to want to kill them.
Perhaps that was why.
I saw myself in the youth wearing a yellow head covering.
Seo GalMa must have sensed the sincerity as well, for the suspicion in his gaze lessened considerably.
“Then why did you hide your face with a Skin Mask? If you wish to join our main cult, you should conceal nothing.”
“...”
After hesitating for a moment, the youth wearing a yellow head covering brought a hand to their face.
They fumbled beneath an ear, and soon the layer of skin peeled away as if shedding a shell.
As the rubbery artificial skin came away, the original face hidden beneath it was revealed.
“Ah...”
Seo GalMa and I exclaimed at the same time.
I had suspected she was a woman from her voice, but her face was quite shocking.
Her face was as white as porcelain, her cheeks flushed pink. Her gentle eyes and the soft line of her nose, there was not a single feature that was not beautiful.
She possessed every quality of a great beauty.
- Is she pretty?
At the SoDam Sword's question, I nearly nodded without realizing it.
It would not have been an exaggeration to call her a beauty worthy of representing an entire province.
- Compared to Baek Ryeon Ha?
‘...Hmm.’
- Right, that answers my question.
No. I did not say anything. What are you talking about?
In any event, SaMa Yeong was beautiful enough to rank among the top three beauties I had seen within the martial artists' alliance before my regression.
I understood anew why she had worn a Skin Mask.
Then she spoke to Seo GalMa.
“I wanted to be recognized solely for my skill, not my gender or appearance.”
At those words, the SoDam Sword muttered.
- ...She knows she's pretty, doesn't she?
It was difficult to deny.
Still, she must have faced preconceptions based on her appearance.
Just as a nail in a sack sticks out, someone with looks like hers could not help standing out wherever she went.
Her skill could have been overshadowed by her appearance.
[Brat. What do you think?]
At that moment, Seo GalMa sent me sound telepathy.
I had not expected him to ask my opinion.
As I wondered why, he continued.
[You saw that child first, did you not? Do you believe her trustworthy enough?]
At Seo GalMa's question, I looked at SaMa Yeong.
When our eyes met, she conveyed through her gaze her unwavering determination to join the cult.
It made me feel as though I were the one judging her.
- But Un Hwi, isn't it dangerous if she's the daughter of one of the Four Great Evildoers?
The Southern Heavenly Steel Sword, which had remained silent until then, spoke to me.
Unlike the SoDam Sword, it had likely heard much about the Four Great Evildoers' notoriety through its former owner, the Southern Heavenly Swordmaster.
It was concerned about the risk.
- Or should we reveal her identity to the Chaotic Blade Demon Emperor and let him decide?
Reveal SaMa Yeong's identity?
If I did that, Seo GalMa would never accept her.
Who in their right mind would take in the daughter of one of the Four Great Evildoers?
He would surely refuse, if only because there was no telling what trouble might arise later.
- They are not called the Four Great Evildoers for nothing. In the past, none who tried to command them escaped without paying a price.
The Southern Heavenly Steel Sword described them as though they were wild horses.
Like one would likely be thrown from the saddle trying to tame them by force.
But this case was different.
Had she been the child of another of the Four Great Evildoers, or had I not known the future, I would naturally have advised against accepting her. But I knew both her path and Moon-Evil Sword SaMa Chak's path.
- Un Hwi, don't tell me...
‘Where else would I find a card like this?’
If things went well, I could raise Baek Ryeon Ha's power base to rival Baek HyeHyang's.
No, even if she did not join Baek Ryeon Ha's side, could she not be used as a card favorable to our side?
I could not let such a good opportunity pass.
First, I needed to reach an agreement.
[Lady SaMa.]
I sent SaMa Yeong sound telepathy.
She looked at me with expectant eyes.
I casually broached the matter.
[If I help you join the cult, what can you offer me?]
‘!?’
At those words, a crease formed between SaMa Yeong's lovely brows.
* * *
Deep in the mountains, about two hundred li from the mountain range containing Blood-Nurturing Valley.
There was an old temple here.
At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary temple, with Buddhist statues and monks praying with their palms together. But it held a hidden secret.
This temple had long been used as a temporary residence by the Blood Cult.
Normally, it fulfilled its duties as a temple. But when they came, it served as a residence where they could avoid public attention.
Inside one of the temple's buildings.
Five people sat around a round table.
They were Baek Ryeon Ha, Bizarre Oddity Evil Heaven, Blood-Hand Witch Han BaekHa, Escort Brigade Leader Jang MunWoong, and Tyrannical Blood Brigade Leader Gu SangWoong.
Without resting for even a moment, they had brought Baek Ryeon Ha here to take refuge.
Gu SangWoong cautiously spoke.
“Elder, only one two-hour period remains until the time we agreed to wait.”
Evil Heaven answered.
“I know.”
“...Would it be all right to depart when the time comes?”
At Gu SangWoong's words, Evil Heaven's expression twisted fiercely.
“Did I not say I know!”
Gu SangWoong tried to say more at the irritated voice, but Baek Ryeon Ha slightly shook her head.
She understood Evil Heaven's feelings.
Though he pretended otherwise, Evil Heaven had been in a foul mood for the past two days.
Baek Ryeon Ha spoke to him.
“Uncle Hae. Uncle Seo is risking himself to search, so let us trust him and wait.”
“Hehehe. It is all right, Young Lady.”
Evil Heaven forced out his distinctive laugh and said he was fine.
He looked like this now, but only yesterday he had caused a commotion, insisting that he would stay behind to search for So WoonHwi himself.
However, his huge frame made him impossible to miss, so Seo GalMa supported the search instead.
Seo GalMa also felt guilty, believing that So WoonHwi would not have fallen from the cliff if he had not let down his guard.
‘You brat. Are you truly dead?’
As time passed, Evil Heaven's heart burned blacker and blacker.
They had found only the corpse of a masked person floating downstream in the valley, which gave him hope that So WoonHwi was still alive. But there was a limit to how long they could wait.
Staying in one place for more than two days carried too much risk.
For Baek Ryeon Ha's safety, they had to move to their next destination.
‘Uncle Hae.’
Baek Ryeon Ha looked at Evil Heaven with pity.
Without So WoonHwi's efforts, they would have faced many obstacles in getting here.
That was why, in a corner of her heart, she too hoped that So WoonHwi was alive.
But realistically, there was no hope.
A master who had crossed beyond the wall of Expert had deliberately used a move meant to take both sides down together.
If one fell from such a dizzying height, even a master with profound internal energy could not be assured of survival.
‘Young Master...’
They had lost a truly regrettable talent.
Someone that clever could have accomplished far greater things.
She could only hope that this waiting would soothe Evil Heaven's heart, even a little.
Thus, one two-hour period passed.
Everyone watched one another cautiously as Evil Heaven rose from his seat.
“...It is time to depart, Young Lady.”
Everyone could not hide their regret at his calm voice.
Who would have thought that someone famous for being eccentric cared for his disciple so deeply?
“Uncle Hae.”
“What can be done if that brat's fate ends there? If we delay any longer, this place will not remain safe either, so let us depart...”
Before he could finish speaking, a murmur arose outside.
Puzzled, they opened the door and stepped outside.
‘!!!’
The five people's eyes widened.
In the courtyard before the building stood fifteen warriors in gray martial attire, Chaotic Blade Demon Emperor Seo GalMa, the youth wearing a yellow head covering, and...
“Young Master!”
“You brat!”
Evil Heaven's face, which had been so dejected moments ago, came alive.
So WoonHwi, whom he had given up for dead, had returned alive.
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