WeTried Translations
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Editor: Abstract
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Episode 45: Kidnapping (3)
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“Your chances of surviving are nonexistent, but whether you beg or run, struggle however you can.”
‘...’
-Gulp!
Yeong-jeon, the heir of the Moak Estate, swallowed hard, his face tense.
The pressure bearing down on him was so intense that goosebumps rose all over his body, and his will to fight shrank by the moment.
The other masked figures were no different.
Three of their companions had fallen in an instant.
‘Expert martial artists were defeated without being able to do anything.’
Every masked figure who had died was an Expert martial artist with plenty of real combat experience.
Yet none of them had even managed to make a move before dying.
That said a great deal.
‘...This is impossible.’
The monster before them could wipe them all out whenever he wished.
Yeong-jeon was strong as well, but he could not see the slightest chance of victory.
“Y-young master?”
The masked figures called to Yeong-jeon.
He raised a trembling hand, signaling them to calm down.
‘Oh?’
A flicker of interest appeared in Kang Mu-i's eyes.
Most people trapped in such a situation would be too overwhelmed to think rationally.
Yet Yeong-jeon was calming his retainers.
Perhaps he was not as incompetent as Kang Mu-i had expected.
‘How will he deal with this? He made that monster so angry, after all.’
Killing the Censorate officials had been one thing, but Inspector Censor Yu Jin-sung was another matter entirely.
They had gone after Mumu's family.
It would take far more than an ordinary trick to calm that rage.
-Thud!
Yeong-jeon dropped to one knee.
Then he lowered his head and clasped his hands in a respectful salute.
‘That makes sense.’
Kang Mu-i let out a quiet breath at the sight.
It was the right choice.
This was the only way they had even a slight chance of surviving. Had Yeong-jeon chosen to run, he would have brought death upon them instead. As far as Kang Mu-i could tell, this was their only option.
Yeong-jeon, still holding his salute, spoke.
“Yeong-jeon, heir of the Moak Estate of the House of the Eight Villains, pays his respects to the Owner of the Jade Medallion!”
He tried to put as much strength as possible into his voice, but he could not stop his hands from trembling.
For Yeong-jeon, this was a gamble.
His opponent was a monster who had defeated two of the Four Immortal Masters.
Fortunately, Yeong-jeon had obtained useful information from Kang Mu-i.
If the monster before him was the owner of the Jade Medallion, then they were not entirely unrelated. Yeong-jeon had to use that connection as much as possible.
-Swish!
Mumu raised a hand and curled a finger.
He was aiming at another masked figure's head.
“Eek!”
The masked figure panicked and tried to dodge.
“Stay still!”
Yeong-jeon barked.
Startled by the command, the masked figure stopped, their body trembling.
They wanted to flee, but Yeong-jeon was the only one who could settle this situation.
Yeong-jeon hurriedly said to Mumu, “Owner of the Jade Medallion. We are followers of your father. Please set aside your anger and hear me out.”
Mumu, who had been watching expressionlessly, spoke.
“Set aside my anger?”
‘Ah!’
Yeong-jeon's eyes flickered at the young voice coming from the grim-faced middle-aged man.
It truly did not suit that face.
Still, that was not what mattered now.
“I-I understand that you are angry over our mistake, but there was an error in the information we received.”
“An error?”
“Yes. We only learned from the other owner of the Jade Medallion here, young master Mui, that you are its owner.”
‘The other master here? Hah!’
Kang Mu-i snorted in displeasure.
Anyone listening would think they had treated him with the utmost respect.
Still, that was fortunate.
If they had actually treated him with such courtesy, he might have been lumped in with them.
‘I made the right call.’
Even in this situation, Kang Mu-i had not used the Three Spirit Beasts artifact.
He could have escaped whenever he wanted, and he could have killed these people as well.
Yet he had gritted his teeth and endured the humiliation of being loaded onto a horse like baggage.
He had been certain that this monster would come soon.
‘This is the grave you dug for yourselves.’
Strictly speaking, it was the failure of those above them.
Who could have known Mumu's identity, or that he would be among the Censorate escort?
These people could be called unfortunate as well.
“...If we had known your identity, young master, this never would have happened. Your anger is entirely justified, but please show mercy for his sake.”
“His sake?”
“The House of the Eight Villains, including the Moak Estate, is a group that swore loyalty to your father. Will you cast aside retainers who endured such harsh years to avenge the one who passed away, all because of one mistake?”
That was Yeong-jeon's aim.
Just as Kang Mu-i had said, Mumu's thoughts were impossible to read.
Still, if Mumu could become furious because someone had harmed his people, then once he realized they were retainers of his birth father, surely he would not try to kill them...
“So what?”
“What?”
Yeong-jeon was momentarily speechless at Mumu's response.
So what?
They had clearly revealed that they belonged to the House of the Eight Villains, followers of the Overlord of Blood and Slaughter. Why was this his reaction?
Could it be that Mumu cared more about his adoptive father's family than his birth father?
“Young master, how could you...”
While Yeong-jeon was bewildered, Mumu said, “If you kill someone by mistake, does that make it as though it never happened?”
“Young master... that isn't what I...”
“You already killed them, so are you saying it can't be helped?”
“That is not it. The Imperial Palace and the martial world of justice are no different from enemies to us. How could we harm someone who carries his blood...”
-Paang! Crunch!
Before he could finish, the head of the leftmost masked figure flew away.
The masked figures' eyes darted wildly.
Mumu had flicked a finger, and the force of the wind had blown off someone's head.
‘What in the world...’
‘Just from a finger flick?’
They had not known while the dust concealed it, but now that they understood what was happening, they were even more terrified.
This was on an entirely different level.
Yeong-jeon raised his head and shouted at Mumu.
“Y-young master!”
He had not expected Mumu to kill another masked figure here.
Even if Mumu's anger had not easily faded, Yeong-jeon thought they would reach some sort of agreement once Mumu knew they were connected.
Yet Mumu showed no mercy at all.
“Are you truly going to kill the retainers in the end...”
“That’s funny.”
“What?”
“You killed all the Censorate uncles, so why did you only kidnap my brother and Kang Mu-i?”
Yeong-jeon's eyes wavered at the question.
Mumu continued regardless.
“You said you did this to rescue Kang Mu-i, but you haven't treated him very well.”
‘Haa...’
Kang Mu-i felt relief well up inside.
His choice had been right after all.
Enduring that humiliation had been worth it.
“Then that means my brother was your objective from the start.”
“Y-young master, that...”
“You aren't Imperial Palace people, and since you tried to capture my brother, this doesn't seem to have anything to do with senior Na-yeon or His Highness King Jin. So it was me after all, wasn't it? Were you trying to take my brother hostage?”
“...”
Yeong-jeon's expression hardened.
He had hoped to bow his head and somehow get through this.
But even in his rage, Mumu was far more perceptive than Yeong-jeon had expected.
He had seen the situation almost perfectly.
‘Damn it.’
Whether they knew Mumu's identity or not, if Yeong-jeon had been among those above, he too would have taken someone precious to such a monster hostage.
Otherwise, Mumu would be too great a variable.
Yeong-jeon's breathing trembled.
‘There is no other way.’
Only one method remained if he wanted to live.
No, even if he was going to die anyway, he had to struggle.
‘I have to threaten him with a hostage.’
Inspector Censor Yu Jin-sung was still in their hands.
This might make that monster even angrier, but if they wanted to get out alive, using a hostage was their only choice.
“Ji-ung! Put your blade to the hostage’s throat!”
Yeong-jeon shouted urgently.
Ji-ung was the masked figure carrying Inspector Censor Yu Jin-sung on their horse.
Ji-ung immediately understood the young master's command and drew the Short Sword at their waist, moving to press it against Jin-sung's neck.
-Paang!
At that instant, Mumu flicked his finger.
Yeong-jeon, who had been watching closely, split his Lightning Club Spear apart, crossed the two halves, and threw himself forward.
-Crunch!
The crossed Lightning Club Spear crumpled, and Yeong-jeon's body was flung backward.
“Urgh!”
He flew roughly a hundred feet.
Only after rolling several times did he manage to stop.
“Guh!”
Yeong-jeon spat out a mouthful of blood.
He had raised Defensive Ki with the tenth level of his Force of ki while holding the Lightning Club Spear made of black iron.
Even then, the weapon had been smashed, and his insides had been violently churned.
‘M-monster...’
Yeong-jeon could not believe it.
He had reached the Master level, yet a single finger flick had inflicted internal injuries that nearly amounted to serious wounds.
His legs trembled so badly that he could barely get up from the ground.
Still, the gamble had succeeded.
“D-don't move, or I'll kill the hostage!”
Ji-ung shouted, pressing the Short Sword to the unconscious Jin-sung's neck.
The force of wind released by Mumu's finger flicks traveled at an absurd speed, but Ji-ung only needed to push the Short Sword in a little to kill Jin-sung.
Mumu stopped, his finger halfway through curling again.
‘It worked.’
Yeong-jeon staggered to his feet and walked forward.
Then he said to Mumu, “I-I'm sorry, but we had no choice. If you don't want the hostage to die, let us leave safely.”
“...”
“I give you my word. If you let us go, Inspector Censor Yu Jin-sung will not die...”
“You said this was the Moak Estate?”
Mumu suddenly asked.
Yeong-jeon looked puzzled, then nodded.
“That is correct.”
Mumu let out a deep sigh.
“I was going to deal with just you people and be done with it, but I've changed my mind.”
“...What do you mean?”
“I have to erase the Moak Estate from this world.”
‘!?’
Yeong-jeon nearly coughed in disbelief.
Mumu was saying something like that because the situation had turned against him. For all his perceptiveness, he was clearly still young.
He was provoking the other side instead.
Even if he had defeated two of the Four Immortal Masters, what could one person do to the Moak Estate, which had strength comparable to a great martial clan of the Nine Sects and One Clan?
“Young master... I understand that you are angry, but you brought this situation upon yourself. We also have to protect our lives...”
“Hooooo.”
Mumu took a deep breath.
Then...
“Huff!”
-Paang! Crunch!
A hole opened in the face of Ji-ung, the masked figure holding a Short Sword to Yu Jin-sung's neck.
‘!!!!!!!!’
Yeong-jeon's expression froze at what happened in an instant.
What had just happened?
Had Mumu blown a hole through the face of an Expert martial artist with his breath alone?
‘W-what...’
Yeong-jeon panicked, then realized something a moment later and shouted.
“Get him!”
-Pachichichichichik!
Blue lightning swept around the horse carrying Jin-sung.
The two masked figures nearby and the horses were shocked by the lightning.
“Gaaaaaah!”
“Guhhhh!”
-Neigh!
Someone kicked the dead Ji-ung, whose face had been pierced, off the horse, then climbed onto the saddle.
It was Kang Mu-i.
“What?”
Yeong-jeon furrowed his brow.
He thought Kang Mu-i's ki gateways had been sealed and that he could not use Martial Arts, so how was he wielding thunder ki like that?
As Yeong-jeon stared in confusion, Kang Mu-i shouted confidently at Mumu.
“I'll protect this guy!”
‘!?’
Footnotes:
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