WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Episode 22: Dark Tread (1)
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Whoooosh!
Sweat and a faint haze rose from Mok YuCheon’s bare upper body.
As he performed ki circulation for the first time in a while, energy flowed through his exhausted muscles and organs, gradually easing his fatigue.
Now that the restriction had been lifted, he understood the value of internal energy all the more.
‘I feel alive again.’
The difference between performing ki circulation and not doing so was stark.
Sleep alone could relieve some tiredness, but ki circulation also dispelled the fatigue that had accumulated throughout his body.
Tingle! Tingle!
His fingers began to hurt as he continued.
After completing several Minor Heavenly Cycles, he opened his eyes and looked at his ruined hands.
His fingers, the backs of his hands, and his palms were covered in broken nails and bruises. There was not a single uninjured spot.
‘...’
Looking at them, Mok YuCheon had a strange thought.
He was not old, but had he ever fought so desperately to survive since the day he was born?
No. This was the first time.
It was also his first real battle, and the first time he had killed someone.
Until recently, all he had done was sweat alone while training in the training ground.
Yet now, it felt as though he had fallen into an abyss in an instant.
Clench!
Mok YuCheon curled his injured hand into a fist.
Whatever happened, he would survive this place somehow.
He could trust no one but himself.
‘Mok GyeongUn...’
He decided not to hold any futile expectations for that bastard anymore.
He did not know what had changed him so much, but Mok GyeongUn no longer cared about him, and neither did he have any reason to care about Mok GyeongUn.
Being half-brothers meant nothing.
‘The strong prey on the weak.’
That was what this place was.
He still did not understand why, as a hostage, he had to struggle for his life against these people. But to survive, he needed to become stronger.
‘The world is vast.’
He had thought that once his ki gateways were released, none of the boys could defeat him.
Yet the ki presences that pricked at his Ki sense from every direction had deeply surprised him.
He had believed that, among those his age, only rising talents from great martial clans could have reached the Expert realm besides himself.
He had been wrong.
Tap!
Mok YuCheon rose from his seat.
After glancing at Masang, who was performing ki circulation on the bed, he quietly assumed the form of Yeonmok Sword Manor’s foundational techniques.
The human mind was truly strange.
Though he was in an extreme situation where he could die at any moment, an intense competitive spirit rose within him instead.
Perhaps he really was a martial artist to his bones.
‘I need to become stronger.’
For that, training was the only answer.
No matter how much internal energy he gathered through ki circulation over a day or two, it would not have much effect.
It was enough to restore his body.
What mattered was spending the rest of his time training and gaining enlightenment.
Thwack!
Mok YuCheon slowly performed a movement from Yeonmok Sword Manor’s foundational techniques.
This Slow Practice Form, performed at less than half his usual speed, was a training method meant to improve the precision of each movement.
Since he shared a room with Masang, he trained while causing as little disruption to Masang’s ki circulation as possible.
Thwack! Thwack!
Though he moved slowly, sounds rang out wherever his fists struck.
Mok YuCheon had trained in the Slow Practice Form for so long that he could put his full strength into each movement even at that pace.
He was concentrating on his training when someone spoke.
“I suspected as much, but you really are from Yeonmok Sword Manor.”
‘!?’
Startled, Mok YuCheon stopped and turned his head.
The voice belonged to Masang.
The boy who had shared life and death with him from beginning to end during the second gate.
They had clashed briefly near the end, but they understood each other’s feelings and chose to share a room without blaming one another.
Though Masang belonged to the force of evil, he had loyalty and seemed like a decent fellow. Mok YuCheon had even felt a measure of fondness toward him.
Mok YuCheon asked Masang,
“How do you know that?”
“That isn’t what matters. Why is someone from the force of justice in Corpse-Blood Valley?”
“Th-that...”
Mok YuCheon was rendered speechless.
Whatever the reason, being here was a disgrace for someone of the force of justice.
That was why he could not answer.
Masang spoke again.
“Did Yeonmok Sword Manor betray the force of justice?”
“What are you talking about?!”
Mok YuCheon suddenly raised his voice, as though overcome with emotion.
He might have lost many things, but he had not lost his pride as a member of the force of justice.
His father, the Manor Lord, had not surrendered. He had chosen closing one’s gates to save everyone.
“Yeonmok Sword Manor... Yeonmok Sword Manor will forever remain part of the force of justice.”
Masang let out a scornful laugh.
“Don’t make me laugh. You came all the way to Corpse-Blood Valley, yet you claim you did not betray the force of justice? Didn’t you come here to become a direct disciple of one of the Heaven and Earth Society’s executives?”
“What?”
Mok YuCheon’s eyes shook.
What did that mean?
A direct disciple of a Heaven and Earth Society executive?
Seeing his bewildered reaction, Masang narrowed his eyes.
“What? Don’t tell me you really didn’t know?”
After a long pause, Mok YuCheon answered with a confused expression.
“I didn’t know. I was dragged here without a word of warning. I don’t know anything. It’s true.”
“You knew nothing?”
“...Yes.”
Masang looked at him suspiciously.
“That is absurd. You entered Corpse-Blood Valley without knowing anything?”
“I told you it’s true.”
“Would you believe it if you were me?”
“Then what is this place? Why is everyone risking their lives and causing all this chaos?”
He did not understand it either.
The red-sashed warriors did not care how many people died, while the boys risked their lives to clear the gates they imposed.
None of it made sense.
“Why are they risking their lives? Corpse-Blood Valley is the fastest path to becoming a direct disciple of a Heaven and Earth Society executive. Why do you think everyone is willing to risk their lives? If they overcome the danger, they have a chance to be chosen by one of the Heaven and Earth Society’s eight executives as a direct disciple. Even if that does not happen, the more gates they clear, the more benefits they receive. They could become a Squad leader or even a Brigade leader. Do you think an opportunity like this comes easily?”
‘A chance to become a direct disciple of one of the Heaven and Earth Society’s eight executives?’
Mok YuCheon’s eyes shook violently.
Now he seemed to understand why everyone was risking their lives to clear the gates.
Becoming a disciple of one of the eight executives, called the greatest masters of the Heaven and Earth Society, one of the three powers sharing the martial world, was a chance to gain a position capable of controlling the martial world in the future.
It was worth risking their lives for.
But he was different.
‘Damn it.’
Mok YuCheon bit down hard on his lip.
Then all his desperate efforts to survive until now had been efforts to become a direct disciple of an executive from the Heaven and Earth Society, the force of justice’s sworn enemy.
‘What the hell have I been doing?’
If that really happened...
‘Ah...’
Yeonmok Sword Manor would not have sent hostages. It would have sent its children to the Heaven and Earth Society’s training grounds for talented recruits.
Anything he did to survive would become poison to Yeonmok Sword Manor.
Mok YuCheon was truly confused.
What was he supposed to do?
Had the Heaven and Earth Society sent him here as part of a trap?
As he stood there in despair, Masang spoke.
“You... It seems you really did not come here of your own accord.”
Masang’s tone had suddenly become far more serious.
Mok YuCheon could not hide his confusion.
“How did you get here?”
Mok YuCheon hesitated.
Now that he knew being sent to Corpse-Blood Valley was no different from a trap, he thought it would be dangerous to tell someone under the Heaven and Earth Society anything.
Then Masang picked at the wound again.
“So you did betray them.”
Mok YuCheon’s face flushed with anger.
If not for the situation, he would have wanted to punch Masang in the face. He barely held himself back.
Then he finally revealed the truth.
“It was not betrayal. I was simply brought here as a hostage.”
“A hostage?”
“Yes.”
“Nonsense. Why would anyone send hostages to Corpse-Blood Valley?”
“I don’t know! I only thought they weren’t going to keep us safely. Like you said, I had no idea Corpse-Blood Valley was this kind of place.”
“You did not know?”
“If I had, I would not have struggled so desperately to survive... I would have tried to escape somehow.”
“Escape? Are you sure you should be telling me that?”
“...I don’t know. I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do now. The harder I fight to stay alive here, the more likely Yeonmok Sword Manor will be branded as having betrayed the force of justice. If that is true...”
Perhaps, for his honor as a member of the force of justice and for his Clan, the right thing would be to take his own life.
Escaping this place was practically impossible anyway.
Once his ki gateways had been released, he understood that clearly.
‘A monster.’
The man wearing the Evil Spirit Mask was a master beyond imagination.
Someone at Mok YuCheon’s level could do nothing against him.
‘Taking my own life...’
If that was the only answer, he was afraid.
He had lived for only sixteen years. Ending his life for the sake of his Clan was terrifying.
The thought of death sent chills through Mok YuCheon’s body.
Masang, who had been staring at him, suddenly rose from the bed, shut the window, checked outside the door, then closed and locked it.
He approached Mok YuCheon and whispered with a serious expression.
“You really did not betray them.”
“I told you I didn’t.”
“Shh. Keep your voice down.”
Mok YuCheon furrowed his brow.
Why was Masang acting like this all of a sudden?
As he wondered, Masang whispered again.
“I’m sorry for not believing you from the start. Yeonmok Sword Manor has long been a prestigious martial clan of the force of justice, but I could not afford to dismiss the possibility.”
“What are you talking about...?”
“Listen quietly. I am a spy dispatched by the Justice Alliance.”
‘!?’
Mok YuCheon’s eyes widened.
A spy sent by the Justice Alliance?
As he stared in shock, Masang continued.
“Have you heard of Dark Tread?”
“Ah, Dark Tread?”
He had heard of it.
The Justice Alliance took pride in four key organizations.
One of them was Dark Tread.
It was a secret organization said to exist as the Justice Alliance’s Dagger in the shadows and darkness, rather than in plain sight.
A secret organization was, by definition, an organization that could not be known.
However, Dark Tread’s existence had been exposed by a certain incident.
Its name became known, but the Justice Alliance vehemently denied the organization’s existence. People had remained divided over whether it was real.
But Masang was from Dark Tread?
“I heard Dark Tread might not even be a real organization...”
“It is real. The Justice Alliance pursues the orthodox path, so it could not acknowledge the existence of an organization that handles intelligence and assassination. That is why it denied it.”
“...Ha.”
Dark Tread truly existed.
It was astonishing.
“So Dark Tread really exists... But are you allowed to reveal your identity like this?”
Mok YuCheon spoke politely.
Masang shook his head.
“Just speak as you normally do.”
“But...”
“You would only raise more suspicion.”
“...All right. But is it really fine to reveal your identity to me?”
“Under ordinary circumstances, we cannot reveal our identities, even to members of the same force of justice.”
“Then why?”
“First, to identify allies and enemies.”
“Identify?”
“The gates in Corpse-Blood Valley often force us to kill one another, and we are surrounded by enemies. You need to know that we are allies.”
“Ah...”
So that was why Masang had revealed his identity.
Still, that alone made it hard to shake the feeling that he was being too casual for someone from a secret organization.
Wait, had Masang just said “we”?
Was Masang not the only member of Dark Tread here?
Masang spoke to the puzzled Mok YuCheon.
“Second, far too many of our people have died, contrary to our plans.”
“Your people?”
As expected, there seemed to be more members of Dark Tread than just Masang.
“So there are others besides you?”
“That’s right. Originally, around fifty people were dispatched.”
“Around fifty?”
Mok YuCheon’s eyes widened.
So many had entered without the Heaven and Earth Society noticing?
Masang continued.
“However, seventy percent were caught by the Heaven and Earth Society’s intelligence network and stopped beforehand or killed.”
“Ah...”
“Fifteen managed to enter Corpse-Blood Valley.”
That meant fifteen of the roughly eight hundred challengers in Corpse-Blood Valley were Dark Tread spies from the Justice Alliance.
Mok YuCheon knew nothing of how intelligence organizations worked, so he could not judge whether that was many or few.
Yet judging by Masang’s tone, even getting that many people inside appeared to be a considerable success.
Then Masang said,
“But a problem arose.”
“What problem?”
“All fifteen cleared the first gate, but eleven died in the second.”
Eleven dead meant only four remained.
With more gates still ahead, the chance of failure had become terribly high.
Mok YuCheon seemed to understand why Masang had revealed his identity.
“Could it be...?”
“Yes. We are asking for your help, Mok YuCheon.”
“...”
Mok YuCheon fell silent.
He did not know how to respond.
Who could have imagined that a member of Dark Tread, the Justice Alliance’s shadow organization, would reveal his identity and ask him for help?
“I know it will be difficult for you to accept. But we had no choice.”
“...”
“Based on information and experience from past failed operations, we only dispatched people capable of fighting others with external energy even without internal energy. But even we did not expect this situation.”
Mok YuCheon understood.
The wolf-shaped monster that squealed like a pig.
“Was it because of the monstrous beasts?”
“Of course, the monstrous beasts were a problem too. But the variable was that bastard... That bastard was the problem.”
“That bastard...?”
Grind!
Masang revealed killing intent and ground his teeth.
Masang seemed deeply enraged by whoever that bastard was.
Who could it be?
“You experienced him too.”
“Don’t tell me...”
“That lunatic who told us to kill each other caused most of our people to die.”
‘...’
Mok GyeongUn.
As he feared, it was Mok GyeongUn.
Because of that bastard, so many Justice Alliance spies had died?
‘This is insane.’
Seeing Masang unable to contain his anger, Mok YuCheon found it difficult to know what to say.
He felt uncomfortable even telling Masang that Mok GyeongUn was from Yeonmok Sword Manor.
Then Masang said,
“There is something I wanted to ask you because of that.”
“What is it?”
“You seemed to know that bastard’s name.”
“...”
Mok YuCheon could not answer.
He was afraid of how Masang would react if he said they were half-brothers.
Gulp!
He was so tense that he unconsciously swallowed his dry saliva.
Masang continued.
“It seemed you shared the Mok surname. Is he connected to Yeonmok Sword Manor, or did you meet him here?”
“What?”
“At first, since you shared the Mok surname, I thought he might be your brother. But that does not seem to be the case.”
‘Huh?’
“If you were brothers, he would not have made you do something as insane as killing each other. Do not worry. That is how I knew you were not closely related by blood.”
‘...’
It was not intentional, but Masang appeared to have misunderstood.
Still, it made sense.
Who would force blood relatives into such a slaughter?
“If you only got to know him after coming here, then remember this.”
“Remember what?”
What was Masang trying to say?
Masang lowered his voice even further.
“Only four of the people dispatched have survived, so we have no reason to hold back in our methods. During the time given to select a Group Leader, we will sever that lunatic’s limb tendons and destroy his dantian.”
‘!?’
They were going to sever Mok GyeongUn’s limb tendons and destroy his dantian?
Even if Masang learned the truth, Mok YuCheon felt he had to say something.
“Wait. He is...”
“Ah, don’t worry. No matter how much of a lunatic he is, the lunatic on our side is not someone to take lightly either.”
“What?”
* * *
On second thought, there was no need for them to move together.
After telling the Demonic Monk possessing Yeom Ga of Scarlet Slaughter Valley and Mo Ha-rang of Flower Hat House to gather group members, Mok GyeongUn returned to his room.
When he opened the door, a girl who looked to be around nineteen sat on the bed with her legs crossed. Her hair had a grayish sheen.
Mok GyeongUn stared at her, then spoke.
“Did you mistake the room?”
The girl smiled with her eyes and waved.
“Hello, Mok GyeongUn.”
“Do you know me?”
“Yes. How could I not?”
Mok GyeongUn tilted his head, then smiled.
“Is that so? Do you have some business with me? Or did you come because you want to join my group?”
“I thought we could have a conversation.”
“A conversation?”
At Mok GyeongUn’s question, the girl slowly rose from the bed.
Then she untied the ties of her clothes.
Rustle...
Perhaps she had only been wearing an outer robe from the beginning. In an instant, she stood naked.
Her body revealed beautiful curves without an ounce of excess flesh.
At the first sight of a naked woman, Mok GyeongUn’s eyes narrowed.
The girl seductively curled a finger at him, then nodded toward the bed.
“Let’s talk with our bodies.”
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