WeTried Translations
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Editor: Abstract
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 115: Persuasion (2)
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About ten li southwest of Changcheon Martial Academy, an old inn stood hidden within a bamboo forest.
A middle-aged man in a dark blue martial robe sat inside, drinking tea with immaculate posture.
There was a certain dignity to him.
He looked like an ordinary scholar at first glance, but the two men seated across from him gave off a very different impression. Both carried wooden sword cases on their backs.
They were disciples of the Eastern River Sword School. The man on the left appeared to be in his mid-thirties. He was the eldest disciple, Yeong Ga-dong, the Martial March Battle Sword, who held the lowest seat among the Ten Great Masters of the Force of Justice.
The man on the right appeared to be in his late twenties. He was the second disciple, Yeong Chu-seo, known as the Howling Sword.
‘Is that right?’
‘Those must be Yeong Ga-dong, the Martial March Battle Sword, and Yeong Chu-seo, the Howling Sword.’
‘Yeah. Eastern River Sword School disciples always carry those wooden cases.’
Several guests who looked like martial artists whispered quietly among themselves.
There was no martial artist who did not know the Eastern River Sword School.
It would have been stranger not to know it. The school had been founded by the Eastern River Sword Sage, one of the Four Immortal Masters who stood at the peak of the current martial world.
‘It really is him.’
‘It must be the Eastern River Sword Sage.’
Their eyes were not on the Eastern River Sword School disciples.
They were fixed on the dignified middle-aged man in the dark blue martial robe seated across from them.
The Eastern River Sword Sage, Shin Ui-gyeom.
One of the Four Immortal Masters who stood at the peak of the current martial world, he was called the greatest swordsman of this age.
‘I want to at least pay my respects to Hero Shin...’
‘Why does the atmosphere feel so heavy?’
Every master swordsman respected him.
Yet the strange tension between the Eastern River Sword School master and disciples kept anyone from approaching. It felt like looking at a dam that could burst at any moment.
-Tak!
Breaking the near silence, the second disciple, Yeong Chu-seo, the Howling Sword, set down his teacup and spoke.
“Master. How long do you intend to remain here?”
“Junior Brother!”
The eldest disciple, Yeong Ga-dong, the Martial March Battle Sword, lightly rebuked him.
Yeong Chu-seo looked at him with clear displeasure.
“Senior Brother, you should know when to stop.”
“What did you say?”
“Our youngest junior brother’s restless soul wanders the nine heavens. Yet we are sitting here leisurely drinking tea...”
“We are not here to be leisurely. Considering what has happened at the academy, we need to examine this matter calmly...”
“What if it was made to look like a coincidence?”
“A coincidence?”
“Yes. The academy was founded by the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle. The Academy Director and the academy masters are all under that person’s influence. What if they are using events that happened around the same time as an excuse to quietly bury this matter?”
“Hah! Do you think I had not considered that? The situation has unfolded far too perfectly, so of course I have my doubts. And I met the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle’s daughter myself...”
“Are you truly going to believe the words of that wench who killed our youngest junior brother?”
At last, Yeong Chu-seo raised his voice.
The Eastern River Sword Sage, Shin Ui-gyeom, who had only been quietly drinking tea, gently set down his cup.
Then he spoke in a low voice.
“Quiet.”
It was only one word, yet it carried life energy so deep that ordinary people could not begin to imagine it.
Even the other guests who had been watching them from the corners of their eyes were startled and overwhelmed by the pressure.
‘W-what kind of life energy is that...?’
‘He spoke softly, yet it sounded like thunder.’
In an instant, silence fell over the inn.
Yeong Ga-dong and Yeong Chu-seo rose at the same time and apologized.
“M-Master, forgive us.”
“We have been disrespectful.”
They knew.
They knew just how fiercely their master, the Eastern River Sword Sage Shin Ui-gyeom, was suppressing his anger.
If he truly lost his temper, nothing in the area would remain intact.
Then Shin Ui-gyeom turned his head toward somewhere in the distance.
“They have arrived.”
“Yes?”
“You two wait here.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Shin Ui-gyeom rose and left the inn.
* * *
In the middle of the dense bamboo forest, Dan Pil-hu, the Vice-Master of Changcheon Martial Academy, clasped both hands and bowed with a tense expression.
“It has been a long time, Hero Shin.”
Shin Ui-gyeom, the Eastern River Sword Sage, who had been standing with his hands behind his back, also lightly clasped his hands and lowered his head.
In truth, Dan Pil-hu was older and had spent longer in the martial world.
Yet in the martial world, martial prowess and reputation mattered more than seniority.
Before rank could even be considered, Shin Ui-gyeom was one of the Four Immortal Masters who stood at the peak of the current martial world.
That was why Dan Pil-hu showed him such respect.
“It has been a long time. It has been about ten years since the academy’s opening ceremony.”
“Yes. Time truly passes quickly.”
Dan Pil-hu tried not to show it, but he found it difficult to hide his tension.
As the person responsible for the academy after the Academy Director, he would have to bear the consequences if Shin Ui-gyeom decided to unleash his fury.
‘Damn it. I came to buy time, but what am I even supposed to say?’
This was an incredibly difficult situation.
If Shin Ui-gyeom had not been one of the Four Immortal Masters, it might have been more manageable.
But Dan Pil-hu had to choose every word carefully to avoid offending him, which only made things worse.
Before Dan Pil-hu could speak, Shin Ui-gyeom spoke first.
“If the Imperial Uncle has sent any message, tell me.”
‘!?’
The Imperial Uncle?
Dan Pil-hu furrowed his brow.
Did Shin Ui-gyeom believe the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle had sent word separately?
The question put Dan Pil-hu in an even more difficult position.
‘This is driving me mad. His disciple was killed by the Imperial Uncle’s daughter, so he must think the Imperial Uncle would have offered an explanation...’
Yet the Imperial Uncle’s whereabouts were unknown.
From the academy’s perspective, the only person who could settle this matter somewhat peacefully and calm the Eastern River Sword Sage’s anger was the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle.
But there was no way to find him.
Even Hong Hye-ryeong, his daughter, said that if he was neither at the Imperial Palace nor at his residence, he might have left to wander again.
It was enough to make Dan Pil-hu feel suffocated.
“W-Well, Hero Shin... the Imperial Uncle is...”
“Hoo.”
Before Dan Pil-hu could finish, Shin Ui-gyeom let out a deep sigh.
Looking up at the sky, he said, “Because of my old friendship with an acquaintance, I restrained my grief and anger when I could have come here at once. I wished to hear Brother Hong’s explanation first, but he is as indifferent as ever.”
“H-Hero Shin! You misunderstand. He is currently...”
“Enough.”
Before Dan Pil-hu could finish, Shin Ui-gyeom turned his head.
A sharp ki weapon rose from him.
-Pasassass!
The bamboo forest seemed to cry out in an instant.
Before the falling bamboo leaves could even touch the ground, every one of them crumbled and vanished.
It was an astonishing sight.
Then Dan Pil-hu’s eyes met Shin Ui-gyeom’s.
It felt as though a sharp sword were stirring through his organs, and his insides lurched.
‘...Urk.’
A metallic taste filled his mouth.
Thick blood rose up his throat.
‘Has he reached the realm of Sword and Body as One?’
A realm where the sword was him, and he was the sword.
Even during the War Between Justice and Evil, the Eastern River Sword Sage had been stronger than any other master swordsman Dan Pil-hu had seen.
When Dan Pil-hu saw him again at Changcheon Martial Academy’s opening ceremony over ten years ago, he could tell Shin Ui-gyeom had grown even stronger.
Now, seven years later, his depth was impossible to fathom.
Perhaps the current Eastern River Sword Sage had reached a level where he could defeat the Overlord of Blood and Slaughter alone.
‘...No.’
If Shin Ui-gyeom decided to kill Hong Hye-ryeong, no one at the academy could stop him.
Even Mumu could not. How could a monster still growing defeat a monster that had fully matured?
Dan Pil-hu hurriedly spoke.
“H-Hero Shin... please calm yourself. There was a conspiracy behind this. We have detained and are interrogating the true culprit who harmed your disciple...”
“The true culprit?”
“Yes. This is a scheme by the force of evil meant to destroy the old friendship between you and the Imperial Uncle. Please do not be deceived by it...”
“Who is it?”
Was he interested?
Dan Pil-hu calmed himself.
He needed to buy as much time as possible for that bastard Kang Mu-i to have a chance to confess.
“I will explain what happened. So...”
“Tell me who this so-called culprit is.”
At the firm question, Dan Pil-hu finally gave the name.
“It is an academy cadet named Kang Mu-i. At present, he is the most likely suspect in the attack on your disciple...”
“Enough. From this point on, I will see them myself and make my own judgment.”
“What?”
“Whether it is the scheme you claim it is, or a desperate measure by the academy to save the Imperial Uncle’s daughter, I will see for myself and decide. This is my final consideration for Brother Hong.”
-Sreuk!
Before the sound of his voice had even reached Dan Pil-hu’s ears, the Eastern River Sword Sage Shin Ui-gyeom vanished from before him.
Dan Pil-hu’s face hardened at the strange lingering aura left behind.
‘...Damn it.’
In the end, he had failed to buy time.
This was the worst possible outcome.
* * *
“Ah. I also found some time to visit the Paralysis Blade Estate. After we had a pleasant little talk, they even swore loyalty to me.”
“...”
Kang Mu-i was dumbfounded.
Mumu said he had visited the Paralysis Blade Estate as though he had simply gone for a walk.
Was he supposed to believe that?
“You do not believe me, do you?”
“You must want to make a joke of me. Get lost. I will not exchange another word with you...”
-Swish!
Before he could finish, Mumu pulled something from his clothes.
It was a round medallion.
‘!?’
Kang Mu-i’s expression stiffened as soon as he saw it.
A distinctive pattern was engraved on it, and he knew what it meant.
“You... How did you get that?”
It was the Estate Master’s medallion of the Paralysis Blade Estate.
Kang Mu-i had seen it when the heads of the House of the Eight Villains had gathered.
It had been made so they could identify one another.
Mumu tucked it back into his clothes and said, “I told you. The Estate Master of the Paralysis Blade Estate swore loyalty to me. They gave me this as proof.”
“...”
For a moment, Kang Mu-i had nothing to say.
After Mumu knocked him unconscious, he woke up here.
Not even a day had passed, and he knew he had not been unconscious for very long.
How could Mumu have gone all the way to the Paralysis Blade Estate in that time?
As Kang Mu-i wondered about that, Mumu spoke.
“You know the faces of all the other siblings too, right?”
“What the hell are you?”
“I asked first.”
“I have never heard of anyone like you. Where in the world did you come from?”
Kang Mu-i raised his voice.
Mumu scratched his head.
“I wonder about that too.”
“What?”
“Like I said, I wonder too. The Estate Master of the Paralysis Blade Estate said Mu Sam died during the war, and only Mu Il, Mui, Mu Sa, and Mu O survived. So what exactly am I?”
Kang Mu-i furrowed his brow at Mumu’s question.
Was this bastard playing with him?
Or did Mumu truly not know his own identity?
As doubts filled his mind, Mumu continued.
“I thought I had just fallen from the sky and been raised by my father, I mean, my adoptive father.”
“...”
“But just like in the books I enjoy reading, I suddenly have a real father and even half-siblings.”
“...”
“Yet it seems that most of my half-siblings and the retainers who knew my father do not know I exist.”
Kang Mu-i looked at him in silence.
He knew nothing of Mumu’s existence either.
The reason he had not been greatly surprised when Mumu first possessed the Jade Medallion was because he had heard that the Overlord of Blood and Slaughter fathered these half-siblings to find the most ideal womb.
That was also why, among the four, only Mu Il and Kang Mu-i had been recognized by the House of the Eight Villains as the future Master.
‘But why is he Mu?’
This was what Kang Mu-i understood the least.
They had been given names that were numbers, yet he could not understand why the Mumu before him had been given Mu, meaning nothing.
Staring at Mumu, Kang Mu-i said, “So what do you want me to do? Pity you?”
“No. I have never lived pitifully enough to deserve pity. In my opinion, the half-siblings who have lived obsessed with revenge and conquest of the realm are more pitiful.”
“What did you say?”
-Clank!
Unable to contain his rage, Kang Mu-i tried to move, but the restraints around his arms and ankles stopped him.
He glared at Mumu.
“You are weak and pathetic. Are you denying your own blood?”
“I have never denied it.”
“Then how can you belittle carrying on that person’s will in such a way?”
“Hmm... I did not belittle it. I just wondered whether it is right to live for a dead father instead of for yourself.”
Kang Mu-i could not believe what he was hearing.
This bastard seemed to think in a completely different way from them.
Once he knew where his blood came from, should he not have wanted to carry on that person’s will for the sake of his restless soul?
How could he think like this?
“You pathetic fool. You are not qualified to inherit that person’s will.”
“I do not intend to inherit it.”
“What?”
“If I followed the way my real father and all of you do things, it seems like nothing would remain in the end. If you kill and are killed, is that not just repeating everything that has happened until now?”
“What do you know...”
-Clank!
Mumu stepped closer to the furious Kang Mu-i.
“It seems meaningless to keep talking about this, so I will just make you an offer.”
“An offer, my ass. I would never...”
“I heard the Eastern River Sword Sage will be here soon.”
“What?”
Kang Mu-i stopped mid-outburst.
The arrival of the Eastern River Sword Sage, one of the Four Immortal Masters, at the academy meant the most important part of the Grand Plan was about to begin.
‘At last.’
Once Hong Hye-ryeong died at the Eastern River Sword Sage’s hands, a rift would form between the Four Immortal Masters.
The corner of Kang Mu-i’s mouth curled up coldly.
Mumu said to him, “Why are you happy when the Eastern River Sword Sage is about to kill you?”
Kang Mu-i frowned.
“What kind of nonsense is that? Why would the Eastern River Sword Sage kill me?”
“You are the real culprit who killed Young Chun.”
Kang Mu-i sneered at those words.
“There is decisive proof that Hong Hye-ryeong killed him. What are you talking about? Do you have proof that can overturn that?”
“It is right here.”
Mumu looked directly at Kang Mu-i.
Kang Mu-i was dumbfounded by his attitude.
“You really are an idiot. Even if that were the truth, do you think I would say it with my own mouth? The moment I speak, I will die at the Eastern River Sword Sage’s hands.”
“...”
“And if I die at the Eastern River Sword Sage’s hands, do you think the House of the Eight Villains will follow you after you pushed me into this?”
Kang Mu-i mocked Mumu.
Mumu was probably trapped with no way forward or back.
He had captured Kang Mu-i, but now that he knew the truth, Kang Mu-i was his half-brother.
If Mumu offered him up to death just to protect the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle’s daughter, he would become a traitor.
And he would be killing his brother.
‘In the end, you are fated to walk the same path as us...’
Then Mumu opened his mouth.
“It does not matter if they do not follow me.”
“What?”
“I only want to take them in because I am worried they might cause trouble. I do not want to become their Master. Are you not the one who wants that, Senior?”
“...Are you seriously saying that?”
Mumu tilted his head at Kang Mu-i’s question.
“Do you not work together to take revenge and make schemes because you lack the strength to do it alone?”
“What are you talking abou...”
-Kkiriririk!
Mumu turned the adjustment screw on the Ki-Restraining Bracelet around his right wrist.
His right sleeve tore apart, and his muscles swelled.
-Shoooooo!
Steam rose from his grayish, heated muscles.
At the sight, Kang Mu-i remembered how Mumu had knocked him unconscious with a single finger flick, and he flinched without realizing it.
Mumu reached out and gripped the restraint around Kang Mu-i’s wrist.
-Kwajik!
When Mumu tightened his grip, the black iron chain snapped apart.
‘!?’
Kang Mu-i’s eyes shook.
Black iron chains were unlike ordinary iron. No matter how much Force of ki someone used, they could not be broken through ordinary means.
That was why so many renowned treasured swords were made from black iron.
Yet Mumu had snapped one so casually.
-Kwajik!
As Kang Mu-i stared in shock, Mumu grabbed the chain on the other side and broke it as well.
“If you lack strength, would it not be better to train your muscles instead?”
What kind of nonsense was this bastard spouting?
Why was he suddenly telling him to train his muscles? What kind of logic was that?
Mumu continued when Kang Mu-i only stared at him in disbelief.
“You do not seem to understand. Then there is nothing I can do. Anyway, I only have one offer for you. Confess to killing Young Chun, go with me to the Imperial Palace, and tell me who Mu Il is. Then I will stop the Eastern River Sword Sage from killing you.”
“...”
Kang Mu-i was sincerely dumbfounded by Mumu’s proposal.
Who was this bastard to speak as if he could stop the Eastern River Sword Sage, one of the Four Immortal Masters, from killing him?
“You have truly gone mad. You think you can stop Shin Ui-gyeom, the Eastern River Sword Sage, who is called the greatest swordsman under heaven?”
“I should at least try to control my strength so I do not kill him.”
‘!?’
Footnotes:
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