WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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Episode 13: Ambush (3)
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The fighting between Yeonmok Sword Manor's warriors and the masked warriors temporarily came to a halt at the shout of Son Yun, the Saber King, one of the Heaven and Earth Society's Five Kings.
But it was still too soon to let their guard down.
The Heaven and Earth Society was an armed group that had not abandoned its ambition to unify the Central Plains. If Son Yun, the Saber King, changed his mind, the fighting would resume.
“...This is a grave matter.”
Lady Seok, the First Madam, spoke in a whisper to Ho Aeng, her bodyguard.
From what she had heard, they seemed to be after some secret manual the Manor Lord had found somewhere, supposedly hidden beneath the Medicine house.
Glance.
She discreetly looked at Mok GyeongUn, who was still circulating his ki.
That child... seemed to have found the personal secret manual the Manor Lord had hidden in the Medicine house.
Otherwise, how could he have bargained with her using it without taking even one step outside the Medicine house?
Ho Aeng spoke to her.
“My lady... should we not inform the Manor Lord?”
“We should, but...”
Lady Seok's eyes took on a strange look.
For Yeonmok Sword Manor's future, she should tell the Manor Lord now so he could deal with it quickly.
But then a clever idea came to Lady Seok.
‘That child sent me only two pages of the Yeonmok Sword-Forming Formula and said the remaining verse formulas were all in his head.’
Given that crafty brat's nature, there was a high chance he had destroyed and memorized that secret manual as well.
She was certain that was what he had done.
Then there was no need to tell the Manor Lord now.
If someone had memorized a secret manual precious enough for the Heaven and Earth Society to call it a treasure, how would they react?
“I think we can tell him a little later.”
The corner of Lady Seok's mouth rose slightly.
If things went well, she might be able to get rid of an annoying burden here.
Just then, Mok GyeongUn, who had been deeply immersed in ki circulation while events unfolded around him, finally opened his eyes.
“Young master!”
Go Chan, who had been standing guard beside him, called softly.
Mok GyeongUn glanced at Go Chan once, then surveyed the area.
Seeing the standstill between both sides, Mok GyeongUn smacked his lips in disappointment.
‘No wonder the deathly aura stopped midway.’
The fighting had stopped.
Mok GyeongUn actually found it regrettable that no one else was dying.
But understanding the situation seemed more important now.
“What happened?”
Come to think of it, what had happened to the Demonic Monk's possession of the Quartermaster's body? Why was it in the form of a vengeful spirit?
That was...
Go Chan whispered an explanation of what had happened into Mok GyeongUn's ear.
Mok YuCheon glanced at Mok GyeongUn with what looked like envy.
‘When did that bastard find a guard like that?’
He had never seen this guard before, so he could not hide his confusion when he learned Go Chan was Mok GyeongUn's guard.
Go Chan's appearance was exceptional, but Mok YuCheon had been especially startled by Go Chan's martial prowess.
Ignoring him, Mok GyeongUn, having grasped the situation to some extent, rubbed his chin and let out a low hum.
“Hmm.”
‘What are we going to do?’
Go Chan looked at Mok GyeongUn uneasily.
They were truly trapped between advancing and retreating.
The Heaven and Earth Society's masked warrior who had gone to search the secret location beneath the Medicine house would soon return.
Once that happened, disaster might strike.
“Young master... the Heaven and Earth Society is truly a dangerous organization. If things go wrong...”
“Wait a moment.”
“Yes?”
As Go Chan looked puzzled, Mok GyeongUn approached Manor Lord Mok InDan, who was waiting anxiously.
Mok InDan spoke in a low voice, trying to dissuade him.
“If you are injured, stay still and rest. Right now...”
“May I ask who inflicted that wound on your side?”
“What?”
At Mok GyeongUn's sudden question, Manor Lord Mok InDan furrowed his brow.
The situation was already impossible to predict. Why was this child asking about that?
The Manor Lord sighed.
“Now is not the time to talk about that...”
“There is nothing beneath the Medicine house.”
The Manor Lord nearly blurted something out in surprise, but barely held it in. His eyes shifted as he looked around.
Son Yun, the Saber King, stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall and watching him.
Mindful of him, the Manor Lord lowered his voice further.
“What do you mean? What do you mean, there is nothing beneath the Medicine house...?”
“Exactly what I said. So, if you tell me where, how, and from whom you received that wound on your side, I will handle this situation.”
At Mok GyeongUn's words, Manor Lord Mok InDan's eyes sharpened.
He glared at Mok GyeongUn.
“Did you go underground?”
“Yes.”
“How did you... Ha!”
For a moment, he felt like clutching the back of his neck.
How had this brat discovered that place and gone there?
And why was he so fixated on this wound?
But that was not what mattered now.
“Do not tell me you touched it.”
“Please answer me first.”
“You!”
Yeonmok Sword Manor was facing a life-or-death crisis. What was this supposed to be?
Fury rising in him, Manor Lord Mok InDan grabbed Mok GyeongUn's wrist.
Then he tightened his grip.
Grip!
“Where is it? Speak at once. This manor's future depends on it. This is no time to indulge your games...”
“Does this look like a game to you?”
‘!?’
Manor Lord Mok InDan frowned.
Was this really the child he knew?
He was gripping Mok GyeongUn's wrist this hard, pressuring him, yet Mok GyeongUn did not avoid his gaze in the slightest. There was not even a trace of fear.
“You...”
Just then,
Tap-tap-tap-tap!
A masked warrior came running over in a hurry.
Manor Lord Mok InDan's expression hardened.
It was the masked warrior sent to the Medicine house.
Son Yun, the Saber King, pushed himself away from the wall.
“Did you find it?”
“Here it is.”
The masked warrior dropped to one knee and respectfully presented a wooden box covered in layers of old talismans.
Son Yun accepted the wooden box with both hands, unable to conceal his excitement.
“It has returned to our Society's hands.”
Seeing that, Manor Lord Mok InDan asked Mok GyeongUn.
“You... did you lie to your father?”
Otherwise, there was no way the wooden box could be so intact.
Fearing a catastrophe, Mok InDan let out a relieved breath, as though the tension had suddenly left him.
If they took that and left, there would be no further harm...
Click.
Then Son Yun, the Saber King, raised one eyebrow and opened the lid of the wooden box.
It seemed he wanted to check whether something was inside.
But then,
Whoooosh!
An overwhelming killing intent burst forth from Son Yun, the Saber King.
It was so intense that everyone present, whether from Yeonmok Sword Manor or among the masked warriors, flinched.
‘Why all of a sudden?’
Manor Lord Mok InDan, who had been relieved moments ago, had no idea what was happening.
He looked at Mok GyeongUn.
Could it be empty?
“I told you.”
At Mok GyeongUn's words, Mok InDan felt not merely anger but utter disbelief.
Was this brat truly in his right mind?
Yet unlike him, there was one person who welcomed this situation.
It was Lady Seok.
‘Good!’
She had wondered whether Mok GyeongUn had not touched the wooden box after all.
But judging from Son Yun's reaction, that did not seem to be the case.
This was her chance.
Lady Seok took a step forward.
Just as she was about to speak, Son Yun, the Saber King, pulled something from the box between two fingers.
It was...
‘An earring?’
A lavish earring made of jade and silver.
There was only one, but it was clearly something worn by women.
‘!!!!!!!’
Lady Seok could not hide her shock.
That was supposed to be inside her jewelry box.
Why was it in there?
It was utterly inexplicable.
‘Wait, could it be?’
Startled, Lady Seok turned toward Mok GyeongUn.
She meant to look at Mok GyeongUn, but her gaze first met that of Manor Lord Mok InDan beside him.
Mok InDan wore an expression demanding to know what was going on.
After all,
‘Of all things...’
That was one of the ornaments he had given her as a gift.
It was only natural for Mok InDan to be suspicious.
As she panicked, she saw Mok GyeongUn beside him snicker and shrug.
‘You!’
Only then was she certain this was Mok GyeongUn's doing.
He was the only one who had gone to that place.
Then Son Yun, the Saber King, held up the earring toward Manor Lord Mok InDan and spoke, his killing intent unconcealed.
“Manor Lord Mok. What is this?”
At that question, Manor Lord Mok InDan was left speechless.
The missing secret manual wrapped in prayer beads was already a problem, and he could hardly say that the earring belonged to his wife.
“So you have chosen the wine of punishment after all.”
Shing!
Son Yun, the Saber King, drew the great saber on his back.
The masked warriors did the same.
As they drew their swords and sabers again after having put away their weapons, Yeonmok Sword Manor's warriors also drew their weapons with tense faces.
The situation was on the verge of exploding.
Then Mok GyeongUn shouted.
“First Mother! The manor is in danger, yet you intend to stand there in silence? Is that earring not yours?”
‘!?’
Lady Seok could not hide her alarm.
She had already been unable to say anything because she knew it was her earring. She had not expected him to suddenly drag her into this.
“You! W-What are you...”
“Oh? This earring belongs to the Manor Lord's wife?”
Son Yun, the Saber King, glared at Lady Seok as he spoke.
Frightened by his sharp gaze and overwhelming presence, Lady Seok staggered backward.
She waved her hands.
“G-Great Hero Son, I think there has been some misunderstanding. This is...”
“First Mother! It can end without bloodshed, so why are you doing this? If you have the secret manual, hand it over quickly.”
‘This bastard!’
Mok GyeongUn's shout made her feel as though she were going mad.
She wanted to tear his mouth apart at once, but that monstrous Heaven and Earth Society master, whom even the Manor Lord could not handle, was glaring at her as though he would kill her. Her lips would not move.
Grip!
Manor Lord Mok InDan clutched Mok GyeongUn's wrist and demanded quietly.
“Enough!”
“Yes?”
“What in the world are you doing? Even if she is not your birth mother, how could you...”
“You are more naive than you seem.”
“What?”
“That woman summoned a Taoist occultist to learn from you where the Manor Lord's personal secret manual was, then planned to have you killed. Yet it seems you still intend to protect her.”
‘!?’
Mok InDan's expression froze.
What was this supposed to mean?
As he stood there in shock, Mok GyeongUn whispered with a twitch of his lips.
“So you need not feel so guilty. If fortune favors us and we can save everyone by sacrificing that one woman, would that not be a good thing in its own way?”
It was a whisper like the temptation of a devil.
At that moment, chills ran through Manor Lord Mok InDan's entire body.
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