Myst, Might, Mayhem - Chapter 77

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Episode 21: Group Leader (3)

──────

“Ah. Don’t mind me. Please continue what you were doing.”

Mok GyeongUn spoke nonchalantly, waving his blood-smeared hands.

The boy did not know what to do.

He had been glad to share a room, if only briefly, with Yeom Ga of Scarlet Slaughter Valley. Yet in no time at all, Yeom Ga had been reduced to that state.

‘W-what the hell is that bastard?’

He could acknowledge that Mok GyeongUn had stood out until the second gate.

But now, the restriction on their internal energy had been lifted.

And he had done this to Yeom Ga of Scarlet Slaughter Valley after Yeom Ga’s restriction was lifted.

Was he a monster?

Mok GyeongUn paid no attention to the boy’s reaction.

As if he had finished what he came to do, he grabbed the unconscious Yeom Ga by the hair and dragged him into the corridor.

“Ah!”

As the boy rose, wondering if he should stop him,

“Why? Do you want to come too?”

Mok GyeongUn asked.

Startled, the boy rapidly shook his head without thinking.

“N-no, that’s not it...”

“Wise choice. Then stay where you are.”

Bang!

When the door closed, it was as if the boy’s legs had given out, and he sank onto the bed.

He could not bring himself to follow and help Yeom Ga.

Outside the room, Mok GyeongUn looked at Yeom Ga’s face and let out a quiet hum.

“Hmm.”

His face had nearly been pulped.

The moment Mok GyeongUn saw Yeom Ga’s tattoos glow red, he instinctively felt that Yeom Ga meant to kill him. That was why he had beaten him so badly.

“You should not have gone so far.”

“True.”

Mok GyeongUn muttered softly at Blue Spirit’s voice.

He had intended to beat Yeom Ga just enough to make him join his group, but this had gone well beyond “just enough.”

Still, something about the outcome differed from what he had expected.

“Were Experts always this weak?”

After the restriction on their internal energy was lifted, seven of the eighty boys seemed to have reached the Expert realm.

One of them was Yeom Ga of Scarlet Slaughter Valley.

Mok GyeongUn had chosen Yeom Ga as his first target not only to recruit him, but also to test his own strength against someone who openly bore him ill will.

Yet Yeom Ga had been weaker than expected.

‘He was slow.’

Even when he had been at Yeonmok Sword Manor and could see the movements of those called Advanced masters, his body had been slow to react.

But now, even Yeom Ga’s movements, despite being in the Expert realm, seemed slow.

‘...’

‘That is what I wish to say, mortal.’

Blue Spirit was also inwardly surprised by the result.

Although Mok GyeongUn had opened his Central Dantian through the principles of the Eight Forms of Force Breaking, and his deathly aura had reached true Expert if measured as internal energy, he lacked enlightenment. She had expected him to be evenly matched with Yeom Ga, or perhaps slightly stronger.

Yet Mok GyeongUn had completely overwhelmed him.

‘Has this boy’s martial talent surpassed even my expectations?’

Having confirmed it, she could not suppress her excitement.

He still had far to go, but at this rate of growth, he was certainly worth looking forward to.

She wanted to reveal her thoughts, but if this mortal became too arrogant, he might neglect enlightenment...

“Do not jump to conclusions. You subdued him rather easily, but that fool had also let his guard down.”

Mok GyeongUn shrugged at Blue Spirit’s words.

She had a point.

It was too early to judge the strength of Expert masters based on Yeom Ga alone.

“More importantly, this has become interesting.”

“What has?”

“I had wondered how deathly energy would function. Now we have confirmed it.”

At those words, Mok GyeongUn recalled what Yeom Ga had said.

[It isn’t Ki Nullifying Poison, so why does my internal energy dissipate whenever I touch you?]

That had indeed puzzled him.

“Do you know why?”

“It seems to be canceled out by deathly energy.”

“Canceled out?”

“Yes. You said that whenever others infused life energy into you to seal your acupoints or inspect your condition, their energy scattered, correct?”

“Yes.”

“The energy you possess is utterly opposed to the energy of living humans.”

“So because it is completely opposed, it canceled their energy out?”

“That would seem to be the case. Life-giving Yang energy bolsters living vitality, while your deathly aura brings death.”

That likely caused their energy to dissipate even more.

That was their guess so far.

There had never been such a case in the history of the martial world, so even Blue Spirit could not know exactly how this deathly energy would affect things from now on.

However, if it truly could dissipate an opponent’s energy like Ki Nullifying Poison, then martial artists had gained a terrifying natural enemy.

“Useful.”

Blue Spirit spoke to the pleased Mok GyeongUn.

“You should learn to control it, just in case.”

“Control it?”

“Yes. If people learn that you can dissipate an opponent’s Force of ki, everyone may become wary of you before you have fully matured.”

“Hmm. That could happen.”

As she said, martial artists might be wary.

Unless they possessed superior strength, fighting Mok GyeongUn would put them at a severe disadvantage as their internal energy dissipated.

“How do I control it?”

“...Haa. Your order of learning is a complete mess.”

Blue Spirit clicked her tongue.

If he had reached the Expert realm through the normal path, he would have properly mastered methods of transmitting ki.

Yet despite being an Expert, Mok GyeongUn could not even use external force to transmit ki directly, nor internal force or an internal force strike to send it into the body.

‘I will have no choice but to drill it into him whenever there is time.’

The proper order had already been ruined. There was nothing else to be done.

By then, they had reached the lodging room.

No one else was inside.

Everyone else used rooms in pairs, but Mok GyeongUn was an exception.

They had all refused to share a room with him, and fortunately, an extra room was available, so he used it alone.

“Ugh...”

Yeom Ga, who had been unconscious, groaned and woke up.

Mok GyeongUn looked down at him as if the timing was perfect and met his eyes.

Yeom Ga flinched.

The first thing he saw upon waking was Mok GyeongUn’s face.

After being beaten so badly that he thought he might die, he could not help reacting that way.

“Are you awake?”

“Y-you... what the... Ugh. Ptooey.”

Pain and something foreign in his mouth made Yeom Ga spit something out.

It was one of his broken teeth.

It seemed he had bitten his tongue several times, and his entire mouth was numb and filled with the taste of blood.

“Does it hurt badly?”

“...”

Was that even a question?

Yeom Ga looked at Mok GyeongUn in disbelief.

Mok GyeongUn scratched his head and said,

“I hit you a little too hard for someone I wasn’t planning to kill. Still, you have a more manly face now, so it isn’t all bad.”

‘This bastard...’

Was he mocking him?

Even the slightest movement of his facial muscles hurt as if he were being seared by fire.

Mok GyeongUn had beaten his face until he could barely open his eyes, and now he spoke as though he were teasing him.

“How about it? Will you join my group?”

Yeom Ga clenched his teeth and barely forced out his voice.

“G-get... lost!”

He would rather die than do anything with this bastard.

He knew he was no match for Mok GyeongUn, but Yeom Ga did not want to submit to him simply because he had lost.

Mok GyeongUn lightly clapped his hands as he spoke.

Clap! Clap!

“You have a strong will that refuses to yield.”

“...”

“What a shame. You seemed rather useful, so I wanted you in my group.”

At those words, Yeom Ga, who had been tense inside, let out a breath of relief.

He had been worried that this lunatic would ignore the rules and kill him simply because he was displeased.

But he did not seem that impulsive.

At least that was fortunate.

‘Never get involved with him.’

This incident made Yeom Ga realize it for certain.

This bastard was exactly what he had first felt him to be, a madman who radiated nothing but ill omen.

Nothing good would come of provoking or getting entangled with him.

Yeom Ga trembled as he tried to rise and leave the room as quickly as possible.

Mok GyeongUn placed a finger against Yeom Ga’s forehead and lightly pushed.

It was not a strong push, but Yeom Ga fell back down.

Thud!

“Wh... what are you... doing?”

“Who said you could leave?”

“What?”

What had he just said?

Had he not just spoken as if he had given up on making Yeom Ga join his group?

Then there was no reason for him to remain here.

So what was this about?

Rustle.

Mok GyeongUn took a wooden doll from his robes.

He formed a hand seal with one hand and chanted a spell.

“Force of Fateful Origins, Ninefold Return to the Peach Garden, Release!”

‘!?’

What had he just done?

Yeom Ga knew little about occult arts, so Mok GyeongUn’s strange actions left him baffled.

He tried to draw upon the energy in his dantian.

‘Damn it!’

Without realizing it, his acupoints had been sealed.

No wonder his body had felt so weak.

Then a strange sensation sent chills down his spine.

Ssssss...

Something seemed to seep into his body. The sensation was so unpleasant and cold that he could barely endure it.

“Gasp! Y-you... What did you do to me? Ugh!”

Pop! Pop!

Yeom Ga’s back bent like a shrimp.

Mok GyeongUn smiled brightly at him.

“I’ll put that body to good use.”

“W-what does that even... Urk!”

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Black veins bulged across Yeom Ga’s neck and face, making him look grotesque.

But it did not last long.

Yeom Ga twisted his body and convulsed with his eyes rolled back. Before long, his body returned to normal.

Of course, when he opened his eyes, someone else occupied them.

“How is the body, Demonic Monk?”

“It seems useful enough.”

The vengeful spirit possessing Yeom Ga was the Demonic Monk.

Having gained the young body of an Expert, the Demonic Monk wore a satisfied expression.

“I should have given you one in better condition.”

At that, the Demonic Monk touched the face several times. The broken bridge of the nose straightened, and the face somewhat regained its original shape.

“Oh.”

That was rather fascinating.

The broken bones could not be completely restored, but the condition had improved greatly.

Blue Spirit spoke at Mok GyeongUn’s reaction.

“It is not difficult to adjust a possessed body into a suitable state. Unlike humans whose souls are bound to their bodies, we can freely handle the bodies we occupy.”

“I see.”

There seemed to be a useful way to make use of that as well.

Then,

Step. Step.

Mok GyeongUn turned toward the door at the sound of approaching footsteps.

Someone was coming toward his room.

The steps were light, but they sounded slightly unnatural, suggesting that whoever approached was not in good condition.

Knock. Knock.

Someone arrived at the door and knocked.

“Come in.”

The door opened, revealing an unexpected visitor.

It was Mo Ha-rang of the Flower Hat House.

She had received treatment, but Mok GyeongUn had thought she would be focused on recovering through ki circulation after her injuries. Why had she come here?

Then Green Spirit Gyu Soha’s voice sounded beside his ear.

“Master! Master! Give me that human body!”

It seemed Gyu Soha liked Mo Ha-rang’s body.

Blue Spirit responded,

“You little brat. You insisted you were a man, so why are you making such a fuss about wanting a girl’s body?”

“...”

Gyu Soha fell silent.

Ignoring their conversation, Mok GyeongUn smiled lightly.

“What brings you here?”

Swish.

Mo Ha-rang’s gaze shifted to the body of Yeom Ga from Scarlet Slaughter Valley, now possessed by the Demonic Monk, standing behind Mok GyeongUn.

Mok GyeongUn spoke casually.

“Ah, this person has decided to join our group.”

The Demonic Monk, pretending to be Yeom Ga, nodded.

Mo Ha-rang turned back to Mok GyeongUn.

“...What did you do?”

“What do you mean?”

“That is not Yeom Ga.”

One of Mok GyeongUn’s eyebrows rose slightly.

What made this woman so certain?

He spoke as though nothing were amiss.

“What are you talking about?”

“...That proud fool would never submit to you so easily. And Yeom Ga is absolutely not the type to serve under anyone.”

Mok GyeongUn’s lips twitched at her words.

Come to think of it, she had been clever enough to swiftly guess his purpose after seeing his actions during the flag battle.

And...

‘Did she say she made eye contact with Gyu Soha?’

Mo Ha-rang had said she had made eye contact with Gyu Soha, the Green Spirit.

At the time, he had not paid much attention, thinking it might have been a coincidence.

But if that was true, did this woman perhaps possess talent as a Taoist occultist?

Interested, Mok GyeongUn gestured at Yeom Ga and spoke.

“Then if this person is not Yeom Ga, what could they possibly be?”

“...I don’t know.”

“You don’t know, yet you say that?”

“I saw it.”

“What did you see?”

“That thing beside you, wearing chains...”

“That thing?”

“A ghost-like thing.”

She spoke as though she herself was only half-convinced that she was right.

She wanted to know whether what she had seen was real.

If it was, then this man was controlling a ghost, an aberration.

“Something ghost-like...”

“My mind was hazy then, but I saw you talking to it.”

Even as she spoke, Mo Ha-rang trailed off, seemingly uncertain about what she had seen.

Mok GyeongUn stared at her with a smile.

Mo Ha-rang grew confused at the sight.

As someone from the Flower Hat House, one of the assassin groups known as the Four Great Assassins, she had received countless forms of training. One of them involved reading a person’s mind through their expressions and eyes.

‘...I can’t read him.’

Yet she could not gauge Mok GyeongUn’s thoughts from his expression or eyes.

She could read simple emotions, but nothing beyond that.

She bit her lip tightly.

‘Was I mistaken?’

She had told him what she had seen and guessed, yet Mok GyeongUn showed no notable reaction.

If anything, he only looked interested.

That made her wonder whether she had done something unnecessary.

In the end, she said,

“Sorry. I must have hallucinated because I lost too much blood then.”

With that, she turned to leave the room.

Then,