WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Order
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◈ The Heaven-Slaying Sword ◈
Chapter 71: Chapter Nine - Mission, Espionage (2)
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What Kwon Pyo-wol taught Mok Ri-won was nothing grand.
In fact, it was simple enough for even someone as innocent as Mok Ri-won to do.
"Click your tongue while imagining filth smeared across the thing you treasure most. And keep your eyes on the other person the whole time."
It was merely clicking one’s tongue. Mok Ri-won was puzzled.
He could not understand how clicking his tongue once could make him look like a scoundrel.
Kwon Pyo-wol offered no further explanation.
"Just try it first."
That was all he said.
And now, the day had come.
Though still doubtful, Mok Ri-won trusted Kwon Pyo-wol and did as instructed.
Keeping his eyes on Namgung Jin-cheon, he imagined water pouring over Tales of Martial Heroes and clicked his tongue.
A change came over him.
"Tsk..."
To state the obvious, Mok Ri-won was handsome enough that it would not have been an exaggeration to call him one of the most beautiful men alive.
The moment his expression changed, though, his beautiful face furrowed and took on a strange air.
A crease formed between his brows, and fierceness settled over his innocent features. His lowered eyelids and upturned eyes lent his expression a cold edge.
Then there were the crookedly tilted corners of his mouth. They were defiant, arrogant, and elegant.
"...Good heavens."
Dang Hwa-seo muttered without realizing it.
She startled, her face flushing as she covered her mouth.
Thump. Thump. Her heart continued to race.
It was an unavoidable reaction.
Rebellious and prickly Mok Ri-won had struck the unguarded Dang Hwa-seo with tremendous force.
The new side of the man who always smiled so brightly was simply too appealing.
'I... I like this sort of thing?!'
It was enough to awaken a preference Dang Hwa-seo herself had never known she possessed.
Unable to look at Mok Ri-won any longer, Dang Hwa-seo lowered her head.
Yeom So-so also let out an impressed sound.
Was that face simply the sort that caused trouble no matter what he did? Even Yeom So-so, who had weathered every hardship imaginable, felt the emotions of her girlhood stir at Mok Ri-won's rebellious expression.
She did not make a fuss over it, but she could not stop her admiration from slipping out.
'For a disciple of that Mok bastard, he's far too handsome.'
As such thoughts crossed her mind...
"...Hah."
Namgung Jin-cheon gave a hollow laugh.
The emotion on his face was difficult to define.
If it had to be put into words, he looked like someone who had just been slapped by a neighborhood child he had never thought capable of harming him.
Namgung Jin-cheon had never imagined Mok Ri-won was capable of contempt.
The sudden scorn aimed at him left him too stunned even to open his mouth.
It was such an unexpected attack.
Still, the shock did not last long.
Namgung Jin-cheon's mind swiftly pieced together what had happened.
Mok Ri-won had clicked his tongue. He had frowned. All while looking at him.
It was a provocation. A humiliation.
That left only one thing to do.
Shing.
A sword was drawn.
"A martial arts match, Ink Dragon."
Namgung Jin-cheon's eyes widened, bloodshot veins standing out in the whites.
That was when Yeom So-so moved. Flying forward too quickly for the eye to follow, she smacked Namgung Jin-cheon squarely on the crown of his head.
Crack! A sharp sound rang out.
"A match, my foot."
Thud.
Namgung Jin-cheon's knees hit the ground.
Rubbing the top of his head, he glared at Yeom So-so.
But Yeom So-so was hardly an old woman who would be cowed by a glare.
"Look at this brat glaring at me."
When Yeom So-so raised her fist, Namgung Jin-cheon's gaze quietly dropped.
'...When I become stronger.'
Today, too, Namgung Jin-cheon promised himself a future reckoning.
Mok Ri-won, who had been frozen until then, trembled all over before finally giving up and relaxing his expression. Looking eagerly at Dang Hwa-seo, he asked,
"Miss! What did you think?!"
He had even clenched his fists, his eyes shining with anticipation.
Dang Hwa-seo was in no state to answer.
Her heart was still racing from the expression Mok Ri-won had shown moments earlier, leaving her dizzy.
"Th-tha..."
"Hm?"
"She says it was splendid."
Yeom So-so said with a smile.
Mok Ri-won blinked, then broke into a radiant grin.
"Then I passed?!"
"Yes, you passed."
"Yes!"
Mok Ri-won threw his arms into the air.
Yeom So-so gave a hollow chuckle as she watched him.
'I should just shove this one into the carriage too.'
Passed? As if.
If clicking one's tongue made someone fit for espionage, every inn attendant would be an agent.
Yeom So-so decided to give up.
There was no helping it. Mok Ri-won would be carriage-bound alongside Namgung Jin-cheon.
* * *
Despite the many incidents along the way, time passed, and the day of the mission arrived.
Mok Ri-won gaped at the enormous carriage before him.
"O-oh...!"
A golden carriage covered in every manner of lavish ornament stood before the Dragon Phoenix Unit's hall.
Mok Ri-won had never seen or even heard of such a magnificent carriage, and his mouth would not close. Dang Hwa-seo spoke beside him, draped in lavish accessories like the daughter of a wealthy merchant.
"The Alliance provided this carriage. One of these costs three months of our operating funds, so we must use it carefully and return it intact."
"Three, three months?!"
Mok Ri-won's eyes began to tremble as though an earthquake had struck.
Even Mok Ri-won, who had little sense for money, knew one thing.
The Dragon Phoenix Unit received more funding than other Alliance units through outside sponsorship, and one month's funding was enough for an ordinary family to live comfortably for years.
Yet this was not one month, but three.
Mok Ri-won swayed, feeling faint.
Then Dang Hwa-seo added,
"The clothes Young Hero Mok is wearing cost one week's operating funds."
Mok Ri-won immediately straightened.
He carefully smoothed his black robe.
"...Miss, I have lost all confidence."
"You will spend nearly all your time inside the carriage, so do not worry."
"What if dust from the carriage gets on my clothes?"
"The Alliance is not a loan shark. It will not charge us for something like that."
As their banter continued, the three attendants approached.
They were Jegal San, Il-un, and Hye-un.
Il-un, the only one who needed a disguise, wore a wig.
"Good heavens, Venerable Il-un! You look so much more striking with hair!"
"Thank you for the compliment, Benefactor Mok."
With his palms pressed together, Il-un looked quite handsome with his sturdy build, neat hair, and warm expression.
Hair really was that important.
As Mok Ri-won came to this fresh realization, he looked toward Hye-un and Jegal San.
The two had only changed their clothes.
"Jegal San will be the coachman, and White Phoenix will play my maid."
"I see!"
"Brother Mok! Does that robe not suit you far too well?"
"Brother Jegal, everything suits you! You truly are a master of disguise!"
"Khahah! You flatter me!"
Since this was their first mission since joining the Alliance, everyone was in high spirits.
Dang Hwa-seo felt a little worried, but soon decided against scolding them.
If she started nagging now, it might sour the mood for the entire mission.
"Come to think of it, where is Sword Dragon?"
Il-un tilted his head.
"Did he not come ahead of us? He left the quarters before I did..."
Il-un trailed off.
An indescribably strange expression appeared on his face.
The other unit members followed his gaze.
"...Sword Dragon?"
Mok Ri-won asked blankly.
He could not help it.
"That disguise..."
Namgung Jin-cheon's disguise was deeply bizarre.
Whatever had been stuffed beneath his human-skin mask had made his cheeks bulge, his nose round and swollen, and his lips puff up. That was not all. So much flesh had been layered over his eyelids that his eyes could not be seen at all.
Everyone stared at him in utter disbelief.
Yeom So-so answered their unspoken question.
"His eyes were too blue, and I could not think of a good way to hide them. So I just ruined his whole face."
There was an inexplicable delight in her laughing expression.
Dang Hwa-seo glanced at Namgung Jin-cheon.
Someone with his personality would never tolerate a face like that, or so she thought.
Yet there was no expression for Dang Hwa-seo to read.
All she could see was a face that looked as if it had been thoroughly beaten with a dog-beating staff.
"Pfft...!"
Hye-un finally burst out laughing.
Namgung Jin-cheon's mouth opened.
"...Who said you could laugh?"
His voice alone made it clear.
Namgung Jin-cheon was in an extremely foul mood.
Still, it was a relief that he was not throwing a tantrum over the human-skin mask.
Feeling oddly sorry for Namgung Jin-cheon, Dang Hwa-seo did not look at him again.
"...Let us depart."
Dang Hwa-seo was a considerate woman.
* * *
Two weeks had passed since Mok Ri-won and the others set out.
They had arrived in Guanzhong, Shaanxi.
For ages, this plain had been like the heart of the Central Plains, a place impossible to separate from its history.
The unit members' faces brightened as they looked over the Guanzhong Plain.
After all, what sort of place was the Guanzhong Plain? It had served as the capital and strategic heartland of states that ruled the Central Plains since ancient times. Countless histories and hidden tales slept beneath its soil, and countless travelers came here seeking that past.
"Brother Mok, did you know? Playing in the Yellow River has a charm all its own."
"I want to see Mount Hua more than that! It is one of the Five Great Mountains of the Central Plains!"
"Both of you, quiet."
Jegal San and Mok Ri-won promptly shut their mouths at Dang Hwa-seo's words.
She let out a long sigh.
"We will soon enter the checkpoint. We will be among people before long, so focus on your roles."
It was something she had said countless times over the past two weeks.
Dang Hwa-seo could not hide the concern welling up inside her.
'Can they really do this?'
No matter how firmly she kept them in the carriage, Mok Ri-won and Namgung Jin-cheon would have to show their faces when they entered the checkpoint.
She could not be certain the two would act according to their false identities.
Her expression naturally darkened.
Mok Ri-won flinched, then spoke with a determined look.
"D-don't worry! I would never betray your expectations, Miss..."
"Miss?"
"S-sister!"
Mok Ri-won's face reddened slightly.
That was right.
For this disguise, Mok Ri-won, Dang Hwa-seo, and Namgung Jin-cheon were playing three siblings.
Dang Hwa-seo was the eldest, Namgung Jin-cheon the second, and Mok Ri-won the youngest.
Because of their roles, Mok Ri-won had to call Dang Hwa-seo sister, but it was not easy.
Even though Dang Hwa-seo was truly older than him, he found it most comfortable to call her Miss.
"I will remember, and I will certainly..."
Mok Ri-won gathered his resolve again, muttering, "Sister, sister," to himself.
Dang Hwa-seo found herself listening closely.
It was only an act, but hearing Mok Ri-won call her sister had a strangely special effect.
In other words, embarrassingly enough, Dang Hwa-seo was using the mission as an excuse to satisfy her own feelings.
"Ahem. Please be careful. No, be careful."
"Understood, Sister!"
From the driver's seat, Jegal San watched them with narrowed eyes.
Only he had picked up on the general situation.
'She should worry about herself first.'
What kind of older sister blushed while looking at her younger brother?
Well, perhaps such people existed, but could that possibly be called a healthy relationship?
Jegal San had plenty to say, but he said none of it.
He knew that speaking up would only earn him painful diarrhea.
"Benefactor Jegal... no, Brother Gang. The checkpoint is ahead."
At Il-un's words, Jegal San looked forward.
As Il-un had said, the checkpoint was in sight, with a long line of people waiting before it.
"We have arrived!"
At Jegal San's words, the previously relaxed atmosphere tightened.
The mission had begun. Their first step was passing through the checkpoint.
Footnotes:
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