Chapter 496
“Ugh…”
Hyeok Mu-jin carefully picked up his brush.
The small booklet spread out on the table was already filled with tightly packed writing from the past few days.
—
X Month X Day. The weather was shitty, but then it cleared up.
I had a dream. A nightmare about a monster that looked like a dragon.
It was so terrifying that I wet myself in my sleep.
As soon as I woke up, I rushed to wash my underclothes and pants in secret by the stream, but when I got there, I found Gong So-hyeop already scrubbing his poop-stained trousers.
Disgusting. Even beggars have better hygiene than this guy.
I don’t know why our captain insists on keeping someone who shits himself around.
But why am I in the medical ward?
—
X Month X Day. The weather is clear.
The nightmare was real.
According to Moon Kyung, the monster was an Imoogi, and it had been so thoroughly corrupted by demonic energy that it committed unspeakable atrocities.
Thankfully, thanks to Captain stepping in, I was barely affected by its aura. Still, I was told to keep a journal to track my memories.
I can’t believe all that madness was real.
While thinking about it, a sudden question came to mind, so I asked Moon Kyung.
That dream… No, when I saw you fighting at the scene, was that real too?
Moon Kyung denied it. Gong So-hyeop had also been asking alongside me, but for some reason, he just dozed off right there. Must’ve been exhausted.
But then why does he have a bruise on his forehead?
I don’t know. Time for another nap.
—
X Month X Day.
We went to dispose of the corpse. I nearly shit myself once from the sheer size of the Imoogi, and then a second time watching Captain’s butchering skills.
I asked him to make me a bone sword, and in return, he smacked me hard enough to rattle my skull.
I heard the Imoogi’s remains—bones, scales, and flesh—would be secretly transported.
Oh, and for some reason, a significant portion of the remains just disappeared.
Hyun Gong Jin was furious and swore to track down the culprit, but come on. That stuff wasn’t small like a fist-sized trinket. How the hell would someone steal that much?
After that minor commotion, we boarded the boat to leave, and suddenly, the air was filled with a strong stench of feces.
I couldn’t hold back, so I brought it up—
Before I even finished my sentence, Captain pointed straight at Gong So-hyeop.
He vehemently denied it, but having personally witnessed him shitting himself a few days ago, I couldn’t believe a word of it.
Moon Kyung, sitting beside me, had an unreadable expression the whole time.
He probably wanted to let loose a string of curses over the smell but was holding back for the sake of Gong So-hyeop’s dignity.
What a kind guy. No matter when I look at him, he’s always so innocent and likable.
—
X Month X Day.
It’s been two days since we handled the Imoogi’s remains.
For some reason, Jeok Dae-hyeop hasn’t shown himself at all, and Captain is growing thinner by the day.
I jokingly said he looked like someone suffering from constant poisonings and assassination attempts, and he glared at me like he wanted to kill me.
Maybe he’s only losing his temper on me because he thinks I’m easy to push around.
That’s what I thought—until Gong So-hyeop said the same thing and got beaten up. That cheered me up.
—
X Month X Day.
I’m writing again after three days. There was nothing worth recording in between.
First, Jeok Dae-hyeop still hasn’t shown up.
Second, Captain is barely around either.
Third, Moon Kyung keeps disappearing somewhere.
With all this free time, there wasn’t much for a martial artist like me to do except train.
I found a decent training spot with Gong So-hyeop.
His breath reeks like a sewer, but if he keeps his mouth shut, he’s not the worst training partner.
On the other hand, Cheong So-hyeop somehow found us and tried to give advice, but all of it was completely useless.
Whenever I asked about martial arts, he always gave me one of two answers:
“That’s super easy.”
“Why can’t you do it?”
You idiot. If it were that easy, would I still be stuck at this level?
He must’ve gotten frustrated because he demonstrated it himself, but I still didn’t get it.
Meanwhile, that damn water snake, Mimi or whatever, kept swallowing Bloodfish nearby.
Maybe that’s why it’s been growing so much. Its horns, too.
No wonder the Bloodfish population is disappearing—this bastard ate them all.
—
X Month X Day.
I’ve built a decent rapport with some of the Zhuge Clan and Wudang Sect martial artists. Thanks to that, I heard some news.
Apparently, Zhuge Feng is leading an operation to completely seal a breach using a formation.
If they fail, grotesque creatures like the Bloodfish will keep appearing.
No one knows what kind of twisted technique Dark Heaven is using to create such abominations.
Meanwhile, the Wudang Sect is still hunting that Demon Slayer.
Even with the authorities joining in, they still can’t find him. He must be an expert at running away.
—
X Month X Day.
It’s been seven weeks since we arrived here.
When I finally saw Captain again after a long time, he looked peaceful.
Before, he always had fresh injuries, and his complexion was either deathly pale or tinged blue.
But now, he seemed fine.
The only difference was that his personality had gotten sharper, and he moved like a ghost.
He’s so silent that Gong So-hyeop and I were badmouthing him one time and got our asses handed to us.
How the hell did he even hear us from that distance?
Oh, and while I was getting beaten, I swear I saw Moon Kyung looking satisfied… Probably my imagination.
—
Hyeok Mu-jin paused there, staring down at the booklet as he gathered his thoughts.
He was just about to press his brush down for the first stroke when—
“It worked!”
“Patriarch! We did it!”
“What do you mean ‘we’? It was all me! I truly am a genius! Zhuge Wuhou himself!”
Splatter.
His concentration broke, and so did his calligraphy.
With his flow interrupted, his hand slipped, making his brush stroke go astray.
Hyeok Mu-jin, who had been writing with the mindset of a Grand Literary Master, scowled.
“Which bastard was that?!”
Just then, a familiar voice reached his ears.
“The bastard you’re looking for… sounds like Zhuge Feng. Want me to relay your words?”
“Go ahead. That’ll be the day when Gong So-hyeop dies, and I go with him.”
Hyeok Mu-jin, responding bluntly to Gong Gi-bang, who had barged into his tent without permission, put down his brush.
“What the hell is going on outside?”
“The Zhuge Clan finally succeeded in completely sealing the breach.”
“With a formation?”
“What else, rocks?”
“Tch. And what if they just blocked it off with something solid?”
“That wouldn’t be a real solution, would it? If that was an option, they would’ve done it ages ago. Try using your brain before you speak.”
“Oh, is that so? Maybe if you used yours more often, you wouldn’t have pissed yourself.”
“A dog that wet itself is mocking a dog that shat itself.”
“Pissing is still better than shitting. And Gong So-hyeop did it twice, didn’t he? Back when we were handling the Imoogi’s remains…”
“Wow. Seriously? It wasn’t me, damn it!”
Gong Gi-bang thumped his chest in frustration, causing Hyeok Mu-jin to click his tongue.
“You should at least try to be convincing when you deny things.”
“I’m telling you, it wasn’t me!”
“Then who was it? Huh? Do you think it was Hyun Gong Jin?”
“Jin Taekyung! That bastard reeked of sh—urk!”
Before he could finish, Gong Gi-bang instinctively shut his mouth and looked around in panic.
Just a few days ago, he had been beaten for saying something similar.
“…He’s not here, right?”
Hyeok Mu-jin swallowed nervously.
The Jin Taekyung he knew never cared who started the fight—he just made sure to end it in the most brutal way possible.
“A-Ah… probably?”
“You sure?”
“How the hell would I know? If I could sense Captain’s presence, I’d be an Peak Grandmaster by now. Either that, or he’s a ghost.”
Both men remained on high alert, scanning their surroundings.
After a long moment, they exhaled in relief.
And then, realization set in—
They had just been whispering in fear… over a conversation.
“How long are we supposed to live like this?”
“Until Captain dies.”
“…What if that bastard somehow regresses to his younger years?”
“Then we bite our tongues and kill ourselves. What other option is there?”
“Damn it. Jin Taekyung really is a monster. How is this even possible?”
Hyeok Mu-jin nodded vigorously in agreement.
Having known Jin Taekyung since his wild younger days, he completely understood.
“That’s true. And not just one, but two…”
“Cheong So-hyeop? Don’t even mention that guy. He saw Drunken Eight Immortals Fist a few times and started imitating it.”
“If his master knew, he’d kill him for leaking a sect’s secret technique.”
“Oooh…”
“…I know exactly what you’re thinking, and you’d better shut your mouth forever. I’d rather not die.”
“Oooooooh.”
“You bastard.”
Gong Gi-bang shook his head in exasperation before asking,
“By the way, where the hell is your master?”
“No clue. Maybe training, maybe not. Sometimes he stays in his tent all day.”
“Well, Jeok Dae-hyeop is always busy, but Jeok Cheon-Gang hasn’t shown himself at all lately.”
The Fire King had completely disappeared after arriving at this location.
Many were curious about his whereabouts, but no one was actually worried.
Because the name Fire King spoke for itself.
“Who in the world could possibly harm him?”
“Exactly. Even Dark Heaven wouldn’t dare. If they tried, half a mountain would be gone by now.”
Gong Gi-bang nodded in agreement before pausing.
“Wait… now that I think about it, I haven’t seen Moon Kyung around either.”
“Yeah. Every time I do see him, he’s with Captain.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. It’s probably because of some injury from training, but still…”
“Hm.”
“What is it?”
“…Something smells off.”
“…Did you shit yourself again?”
“You crazy bastard. I mean something’s suspicious between them.”
Gong Gi-bang narrowed his eyes in deep thought.
“…Wait. Don’t tell me—”
“What?”
“Are you seriously that slow? Haven’t you noticed why those two have been spending so much time together?”
Hyeok Mu-jin’s face twisted into a complicated expression.
Now that he thought about it… things weren’t adding up.
“Then could it be…?”
“Yes. It’s exactly what you’re thinking.”
“Hah… Unbelievable.”
“Think about it. Captain throws punches at us constantly, but he’s never laid a hand on Moon Kyung. Not even once.”
“…Now that you mention it, he barely even insults him. And back when we were handling the Imoogi’s remains, something felt off too.”
“When Jin Taekyung disappeared, Moon Kyung was missing too.”
“Right! Dammit, you really are the next Sect Leader of the Beggar’s Sect!”
“It’s confirmed. That bastard Moon Kyung…”
Gong Gi-bang took a deep breath before solemnly speaking,
“He’s learning martial arts from Jin Taekyung.” (T/N: WTH, I thought he would say something gae. lol)
“Ah, Moon Kyung! Why would you make such a terrible choice?!”
Hyeok Mu-jin genuinely lamented.
Moon Kyung, who had been pure like a blank slate, was being corrupted by the ink stain that was Jin Taekyung.
‘That poor kid! What did he do to deserve this?!’
“Tragic. We’ll have no face left when we meet the Divine Healer in Sichuan.”
“Moon Kyung, we can’t let him follow the same path as us!”
“It’s too late. Jin Taekyung is a devil. Now that he’s fallen into that bastard’s grasp, there’s no saving him.”
“Then right now, Moon Kyung is…”
“Haah…”
“Ahh…”
Both men sighed at the same time.
They could only imagine the horrors Moon Kyung was enduring under Jin Taekyung’s hands.
‘Moon Kyung, just survive.’
‘Someone, please save him…’
—
Swish.
A sharp breeze brushed past their necks.
It was cold as ice… then suddenly, burning hot.
A single bead of cold sweat trickled down a forehead before landing on the ground with a drip.
Swish. Tap!
Adjusting his stance mid-air, Jin Taekyung landed gracefully and locked eyes forward.
“That was a little dangerous.”
A voice—no, a transmission—responded.
—It was meant to be.
“No, seriously. That could’ve killed me.”
—Sounds like good news.
Where?
He scanned the area, but there was no one in sight.
Only the eerie, unknown voice lingered.
“…Fuck.”
—What ‘fuck’?
Jin Taekyung took a deep breath and gripped the shaft of his White Flame Spear tightly.
Then, toward the unseen enemy watching him, he muttered through clenched teeth—
“This shit is getting real annoying.”
Shiiing!
Instead of a reply, a dazzling sword strike came flying straight at him.