WeTried Translations
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Editor: Abstract
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 109: The Secret of the Jade Token (5)
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"I killed them both. It's all right now."
'...That's impossible.'
Ja Muk-hyun could not hide his shock at Mumu's words.
They were inside an auditorium enclosed by the building's walls.
Of course, Ja Muk-hyun could sense the presence of people beyond the auditorium walls and attack their location. But what Mumu had just done was on an entirely different level.
'Several layers of walls... distance... countless obstacles...'
And people, the greatest obstacle of all.
He had overcome every one of those obstacles and struck down his intended targets.
More importantly, how had he sensed their presence from here?
Was he truly human?
Ja Muk-hyun had often heard that hidden eccentrics and extraordinary people existed in the martial world, but Mumu was only seventeen years old.
'Blood...'
Ja Muk-hyun's eyes trembled.
Could inheriting that person's blood alone create such a monster?
Every holder of a Jade Medallion possessed extraordinary martial talent.
Yet Mumu was completely different, even from them. Bloodline alone could not explain it.
Then Ja Muk-hyun recalled something Ja Hyang-gyeong, Lord of the Paralysis Blade Estate, had once said.
[Do you know what a predator is?]
[...An animal that feeds on other animals?]
[Yes. A predator is born with the ferocity and strength to devour others.]
[I understand. The mindset of such a predator...]
[Enough.]
[What?]
[A true predator is not raised, nor is it perfected through training.]
[What do you mean...?]
[A predator is that kind of being from the moment it is born. That person was such a being.]
At the time, Ja Muk-hyun had not understood what that meant.
He had merely assumed it was an expression of longing and loyalty toward that person, who had dominated an era before falling in vain.
Ja Muk-hyun believed there was no true strongest or absolute strength in this world.
Everything had its counter, and even the strong could fall.
Had that person not fallen as well?
'He was brought down by the Four Immortal Masters, the pinnacle of another era.'
That was why Ja Muk-hyun had believed they needed to think differently.
Only when strength and relentless determination became one could everything be made to submit.
But what was this strength?
It had crushed that conviction with ridiculous ease, no, so completely it felt empty.
-Flutterrrrr!
'This is not someone I can do anything against.'
The strength left Ja Muk-hyun's hand, which held a sword to Ha Ryun's neck.
He had decided to serve that person as Master, yet his mind had already been branded with the truth. The true Master stood before him.
Just then...
"Hoo. Hup!"
Mumu took a deep breath, puffed out his cheeks like a balloon, then blew through his mouth.
-Crack!
'!?'
The sword blade in Ja Muk-hyun's hand snapped in two from the impact.
Everyone's eyes went wide.
It was so absurd that no one could even speak.
'C-crazy!'
Even Ha Ryun, whose life had just been saved, was stunned speechless.
The technique of firing hidden weapons from one's mouth was known among the force of evil and various assassins.
But Mumu had filled his mouth with air and shattered a sword blade with it.
'He's not human.'
No words came out. Ha Ryun could barely part his lips.
Then Mumu spoke.
"Do you have anything else prepared? It's troublesome, so tell me everything at once."
-Clang!
Ja Muk-hyun dropped the broken sword.
-Trickle!
No, the broken blade had sliced open the palm gripping the hilt, making it difficult for him to hold anything.
This was not someone against whom he could try any tricks.
Ja Muk-hyun hurriedly dropped to the floor and bowed his head.
"Ja Muk-hyun of the Paralysis Blade Estate greets the true Master."
'Look at that change in attitude.'
Mo Il-hwa clicked her tongue inwardly at the sight.
After witnessing such an overwhelming feat firsthand, it would have been stranger for Ja Muk-hyun's fighting spirit to remain.
Ha Ryun, freed from Ja Muk-hyun's grip, also lay flat on the ground.
"Ha Ryun of the Valley of White Death greets the true Master."
'Heh heh. I knew you would bow too.'
Even while lying face down, Ha Ryun mocked Ja Muk-hyun inwardly.
Seeing Ja Muk-hyun submit to Mumu's overwhelming strength was deeply satisfying.
After acting so arrogantly, Ja Muk-hyun was now groveling to survive. He was no different after all.
'But can you be forgiven?'
Ja Muk-hyun had threatened the future Master.
Could he truly be forgiven now simply because he had submitted?
Then Ja Muk-hyun spoke.
"I have committed an unforgivable sin against Master and should rightly repay it with my life. But please allow this subordinate to complete the Grand Plan before repaying it with my life."
Ha Ryun frowned at those words.
Was he struggling to survive?
He was using the Grand Plan as collateral while begging for his life.
'He's scheming.'
Mumu spoke then.
"From now on, I hope you'll answer my questions properly. Otherwise..."
-Bang! Crash!
Mumu flicked a finger, and a hole appeared in the floor directly in front of Ja Muk-hyun.
Cold sweat ran down Ja Muk-hyun's forehead.
Ja Muk-hyun struck his forehead against the floor.
"...Command me as you wish."
"Ha Ryun."
"Y-yes!"
Mumu had suddenly called Ha Ryun as well, and Ha Ryun answered loudly.
"If it seems like he's lying, tell me immediately."
"I-I will obey your command!"
Ha Ryun could not hide his thoughts at those words.
The situation had been completely reversed.
Ha Ryun had thought he had grabbed hold of a rope through a misunderstanding, only for it to turn out to be a true lifeline.
Mumu carefully took something from his waist, as if afraid it might break.
"Do you know exactly what this means?"
-Swish!
Ja Muk-hyun cautiously raised his head and slightly furrowed his brow at the two Jade Medallions resting in Mumu's palm.
[Mumu]
[Mui]
Ha Ryun reacted the same way.
Ha Ryun looked at them without thinking, then grew puzzled.
'What's that on the back of the Jade Medallion?'
Ha Ryun had believed there was only one Jade Medallion, so the reaction was natural.
'It wasn't an alias. It was his real name?'
This was the first time Ha Ryun had learned that these were the true names engraved on the Jade Medallions.
Ja Muk-hyun, on the other hand, was puzzled for a different reason.
It was because of the one marked Mumu.
'What is this?'
Ja Muk-hyun had never heard of this medallion.
No, the holders of the medallions Ja Muk-hyun knew of numbered four.
Those four were the only surviving bloodline of that person, who had somehow lived through the war seventeen years ago.
But among them...
-Bang!
Another hole opened in the floor directly in front of Ja Muk-hyun.
"I'd like you to answer right away. Don't think."
"Th-that..."
"If you don't answer right away from now on, I'll send it straight at your body."
'Good!'
Mo Il-hwa inwardly approved of Mumu's words.
The longer someone took to answer, the more likely they were to think up a lie, so it was better to pressure them like this.
Perhaps Mumu's pressure had worked. Ja Muk-hyun hurriedly opened his mouth.
"Master should understand that meaning better than this subordinate, so I do not understand why you would ask..."
"I'm asking because I don't know either."
'You're being too honest.'
Mo Il-hwa clicked her tongue inwardly at Mumu's answer.
Contrary to her concern, Ja Muk-hyun was under such overwhelming pressure and threat of death that his thoughts were simpler than usual, without his normal cunning.
"I-I do not know everything, but as far as I know, those who received that person's seed were given Jade Medallions."
"Seed?"
Mumu tilted his head slightly at Ja Muk-hyun's words.
Then he asked what had come to mind.
"If they received his seed, does that mean we're all brothers?"
Ja Muk-hyun hesitated at Mumu's question.
Something was strange.
A holder of the medallion should naturally know at least this much, so why was Mumu asking...
-Crunch!
'!?'
Ja Muk-hyun's left arm flew off in that instant.
It happened in the blink of an eye. Ja Muk-hyun was overwhelmed by excruciating pain and nearly screamed.
But he quickly covered his mouth and barely held it in.
"Ghhhhh!"
Mo Il-hwa frowned in surprise at the sight.
She had not expected Mumu to actually do that simply because the answer had been delayed.
'He's really merciless.'
Mo Il-hwa clicked her tongue inwardly.
Ordinary people would show some emotional reaction after doing something like that, but Mumu's expression and eyes did not change in the slightest.
'...It would be terrifying to make him an enemy.'
The fact that Mumu showed no emotional disturbance while Ja Muk-hyun suffered like that was frightening.
Still, she felt no sympathy.
Ja Muk-hyun had threatened the life of her father, Mo Yun, Minister of Justice.
"Ghhhh..."
Ja Muk-hyun suffered while covering his mouth, then pressed his own blood pressure points and chi to stop the bleeding.
With difficulty, he spoke.
"H-half-brothers."
"Half-brothers?"
"Yes. As I understand it, that person bestowed the Jade Medallions to prove this."
For the first time, one of Mumu's questions had been answered.
The man called his father was one person, while Kang Mu-i was a half-brother born from a different mother.
Brothers were still brothers, no matter what.
Mumu's expression turned strange.
'...Mumu.'
Jin-hyeok looked at Mumu with pity.
Mumu had learned the secret of his birth for the first time, only to hear the answer he had least wanted.
Then Mumu spoke again.
"Then aside from Senior Mui, are there other brothers too?"
Ja Muk-hyun immediately answered.
"Yes."
"How many?"
"As far as this subordinate knows, there were five, but Young Master Mu Sam lost his life during the war seventeen years ago."
"Mu Sam? His name was Mu Sam?"
"That is what I understand."
Mumu tilted his head at those words.
Then he asked, "Does the Sam in Mu Sam mean the number three?"
"...That is what I understand."
Mo Il-hwa thought at Ja Muk-hyun's answer.
'Then they all share Mu as part of their names, with numbers after it? But why is only Mumu different?'
While she was puzzled, Mumu seemed to be thinking the same thing and asked Ja Muk-hyun, "Then are there also Mu Il and Mu Sa?"
"That is correct."
Mumu asked, unable to understand.
"Then why is my name Mumu instead of Mu O?"
Ja Muk-hyun hesitated briefly at Mumu's question, then hurriedly spoke before Mumu's hand could move again.
"F-forgive me, Master. There is also a Mu O."
"What?"
Mumu furrowed his brow.
What did that mean?
Ja Muk-hyun had said that one of the five brothers, Mu Sam, had died seventeen years ago.
But there were Mu Il, Mui, and Mu Sa.
That should have made five including Mumu, yet there was apparently someone called Mu O.
Then what was Mumu?
Ja Muk-hyun cautiously spoke to the puzzled Mumu.
"This subordinate has never personally met Mu O, but as far as I know, Mu O is currently at the Imperial Palace with Mu Il."
'What?'
Jin-hyeok and Mo Il-hwa were inwardly shocked by those words.
Then they were not limited to the academy.
What kind of organization was this, to have spread its reach from the academy all the way to the Imperial Palace?
Mumu spoke then.
"...Then there aren't five."
"Even this subordinate does not know why. It is clear that possessing a Jade Medallion means Master is that person's bloodline..."
"You keep saying that person. Who exactly is that person?"
Mumu finally asked, unable to endure it any longer.
There was no point in continuing to piece things together bit by bit.
At Mumu's question, both Ja Muk-hyun and Ha Ryun, who had been the first to swear loyalty, stared wide-eyed.
'He doesn't know that person?'
How could a holder of the Jade Medallion not know that person?
As they stood there in bewilderment...
"Your answer is slow."
Mumu began to flick his finger.
Startled, Ja Muk-hyun answered without time to think.
"Th-that person is the Overlord of Blood and Slaughter, the council leader of the Mighty Conqueror Council and the true strongest under heaven."
'!!!!!!!!'
The moment those words ended, Jin-hyeok and Mo Il-hwa were stunned beyond belief.
For a moment, they doubted their own ears.
They had assumed Mumu's father was some notorious member of the force of evil, since Mumu was called the future Master. But they had never imagined Mumu's biological father was the Overlord of Blood and Slaughter, the great demonic fiend who had caused the Great Orthodox-Hertic War seventeen years ago.
'How could this be...'
'...This is insane.'
This was information that could turn the entire martial world upside down.
Footnotes:
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