Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 193 - Trial (3)
Chapter 193 – Trial (3)
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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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“Well? Would you care to become my fourth disciple?”
‘!!!!!!!’
At the Society Leader’s words, every person in the training ground looked stunned.
Only moments earlier they had been worried he was using too much force and that a disaster might break out.
None of them had expected this.
‘A disciple? What is he talking about?’
Among everyone present, Mong Mu-yak’s reaction was the strongest.
As the Vice Society Leader’s son, he stared back and forth between the Society Leader and Mok Gyeong-un with wide eyes.
That was because Mong Mu-yak, who took enormous pride in his swordsmanship, had cherished one wish his entire life.
He had always wanted to receive the Society Leader’s personal instruction.
-Clench.
His fist tightened.
True, his father’s influence had helped him enter the inner city of the main hall, but after arriving he had worked tirelessly to catch the Society Leader’s eye.
Even after becoming one of the Five Tigers, the title given to the Heaven and Earth Society’s greatest younger-generation talents, the Society Leader had never once looked his way.
That was why this offer made him burn with frustration and jealousy.
‘Hah.’
Seop Chun, another of the Five Tigers and Third Guard Captain of the main hall, reacted very differently.
The way he looked at Mok Gyeong-un had become almost admiration.
He felt the same envy, but unlike Mong Mu-yak, he had already been inwardly impressed just by watching Mok Gyeong-un endure the Society Leader’s test.
‘That boy is remarkable.’
Most impressive of all was how Mok Gyeong-un had not so much as groaned or shown a pained expression even though his blood vessels had clearly burst under the pressure of the internal-energy test.
It made Seop Chun wonder what he himself would have done in that situation.
‘Is this what it means to be someone who can rise to the top?’
At that point, it seemed perfectly natural that the Society Leader would covet such a disciple.
Still, while it was certainly a thing to congratulate Mok Gyeong-un for, Seop Chun could not help feeling uneasy.
If he remembered correctly, had the boy not become the Shadow Sect Master’s disciple only fifteen days ago through the graduation ceremony in Corpse Blood Valley?
With a worried look, Seop Chun turned his gaze toward Hwan Ya-seon, the Shadow Sect Master.
After all, his disciple was about to be taken from him. Naturally, he could not be ple… hm?
‘Is he… fine with this?’
Contrary to expectation, the Shadow Sect Master’s expression looked perfectly calm.
If anything, he had been restless with concern over what might happen to his disciple just moments earlier, but now his lips twitched as if he were trying to hide excitement.
Seop Chun’s guess was correct.
‘Ahhh. To think such an opportunity would come.’
Any other executive would have objected violently in such a situation.
It was only natural.
Who would gladly surrender a disciple with that much talent?
Of course, Hwan Ya-seon too felt some regret in that sense.
But to him, Mok Gyeong-un was not only a disciple but also a fellow member of the Paehwa Cult.
If such a cult member became the disciple of the Heaven and Earth Society’s ruler, then it would become a golden chance for the Paehwa Cult to reach the center of the society.
There was a saying that the darkest place lay beneath the lamp.
If Mok Gyeong-un became the Society Leader’s disciple, Hwan Ya-seon believed it would lay a great foundation for rebuilding the Paehwa Cult.
So he gave Mok Gyeong-un a slight nod.
It meant, do not worry about me.
“Society Leader!”
At that moment the Vice Society Leader, Mong Seo-cheon, cut in.
“What is it?”
“Please stop for a moment.”
“Stop? Are you objecting to my authority right now?”
The Society Leader’s tone turned uncomfortable.
Mong Seo-cheon hastily bowed with both hands together.
“That is not what I mean. If the Society Leader, ruler of our society, desires it, who would dare raise complaint?”
“Then why are you interfering?”
“It is only that I am concerned.”
“Concerned?”
“Yes.”
“Cough, cough. And what exactly concerns you?”
Mong Seo-cheon answered carefully.
“This child, Mok Gyeong-un, became the Shadow Sect Master’s disciple through the Corpse Blood Valley graduation ceremony.”
“So?”
“A person having multiple teachers is not itself a problem. But if you, Society Leader, take him in, the meaning changes. It becomes an act of taking another man’s disciple by force.”
“……”
At that, the Society Leader’s visible eye narrowed between the bandages.
He did not look pleased.
Even so, Mong Seo-cheon pressed on.
“Even if you were to ask the Shadow Sect Master for his understanding and accept the child as your disciple, in this case the Elder Hall and the executives may still strongly oppose it.”
“The Elder Hall and the executives would oppose it? What are you saying?”
“All of the disciples you have taken in until now came from the distinguished martial families within this society. They are the children of those who rendered great service from the time of the society’s founding.”
At that, the Society Leader gave a derisive snort.
He had already understood what the Vice Society Leader meant.
“You mean to say that his background is the problem?”
“Yes. On this point, even your decision, Society Leader, will draw backlash from the Elder Hall and the executives.”
“Backlash, is it?”
“Though he has sworn loyalty, that child comes from among the orthodox hostages. He has not yet accumulated clear merit, nor has he been fully verified. To accept such a person lightly as a disciple would, I believe, be unwise.”
Mong Mu-yak nodded as though agreeing with his father.
On this matter, at least, he felt his father was correct.
If someone from the orthodox hostages became the Society Leader’s disciple, dissatisfaction would erupt everywhere, and many would begin doubting the Society Leader’s true intentions.
Given that he had not even appeared in public for so long due to his illness, expecting zero resentment from such a decision would have been a serious miscalculation.
-No.
At the same time that the Vice Society Leader opposed the idea aloud, someone else was objecting as well.
That was Cheong-ryeong.
The moment the Society Leader made the offer, she flew into a rage and sent her refusal to Mok Gyeong-un.
-Ignore his proposal. That clan specializes in playing with people through sweet words. It will only make things more dangerous.
Mok Gyeong-un found her agitation strange.
In truth, from his perspective, this was an excellent opportunity.
Without having to go through the other disciples, he could now gain direct access to the Society Leader.
Moreover, since he was already on bad terms with Great Young Master Na Yul-ryang, becoming the Society Leader’s disciple would strip Na Yul-ryang of any open excuse to strike at him.
Under that protection, Mok Gyeong-un could expand his own base of power.
There was no way Cheong-ryeong did not understand that.
If she still opposed it this strongly, then there was only one explanation.
‘Resentment?’
Even from her voice alone, he could hear how furious she was.
And because of that, Mok Gyeong-un became certain.
She wanted the destruction of the Heaven and Earth Society itself out of deep-blooded resentment, but at the center of that resentment lay the Society Leader.
Or more precisely, the Society Leader’s predecessor.
A hundred years had already passed. The former Society Leader would of course have died of old age.
That meant, for Cheong-ryeong, the living focus of all her hatred was now that bloodline.
‘…So for her, entering beneath the bloodline of the enemy is intolerable.’
It was clearly something like that.
Mok Gyeong-un was not someone well accustomed to the emotions of others.
But he had personally experienced hatred after losing his grandfather, so he understood at least this much: there was reason for Cheong-ryeong’s emotional reaction.
Even so,
-Calm down.
-Calm down? This is not something that can be solved by calming down. Even if you don’t become his disciple, there are plenty of other ways for you and me to settle our grudge. So don’t be fooled by sweet talk.
-That would take too long.
-Sentient one, you…!
-Cheong-ryeong.
-Are you really going to ignore my advice again and do whatever you want?
-Your emotions are clouding your reason.
-Nonsense. I am being perfectly ration…
-Becoming his disciple means we gain official access to him. We can build strength right under his nose and use his carelessness against him. Cheong-ryeong, you’re more than capable of seeing that too.
-…
At those words, Cheong-ryeong fell silent, still fuming.
Her resentment ran too deep for her to restrain it easily, but she knew full well that Mok Gyeong-un’s reasoning was stronger.
-Rather than reject it, shouldn’t this be something to enjoy?
-Enjoy?
-Yes.
-You think this is something to enjoy?
-Of course. Once I become his disciple and win his trust, what could be better for you than driving the sword of betrayal into his heart?
-!!!!!!
At the almost excited tone in Mok Gyeong-un’s voice, Cheong-ryeong’s fury cooled.
Until now, all she had wanted was to kill him simply because he carried that bloodline.
But listening to Mok Gyeong-un, she realized he was right.
‘Teaching that bloodline what betrayal truly is?’
Yes.
The sentient one’s words were correct.
Simple death would not be enough.
She wanted to strip away everything connected to that bloodline and make them taste the same despair she had carried.
Only then would this hundred-year grudge feel satisfied.
-Can you truly do that to him?
-If that’s what you want.
-…Then do as you will.
Cheong-ryeong relented.
Mok Gyeong-un’s lips twitched faintly. Then he dropped to one knee, saluted the Society Leader with cupped hands, and raised his voice.
“Since the Society Leader is willing to accept me, how could I refuse such honor? Please take me in as your disciple!”
At that, the Vice Society Leader shook his head.
“Please reconsider.”
Though he said it aloud, Mong Seo-cheon had already half given up.
The Society Leader never withdrew words once spoken.
And throughout the entire time Mong Seo-cheon had presented his reasoning, the Society Leader had stared at him with a gaze that clearly disliked what he was hearing.
That alone made the outcome obvious.
He would carry through his will in the end.
Then the Society Leader spoke.
“Do you think I would concern myself with something so trivial?”
‘Ahhh.’
Just as expected.
Was it going to proceed exactly that way after all?
But then,
The Society Leader suddenly frowned and fell silent before finishing his thought.
It lasted for a short moment.
No one understood why.
Then he continued.
“…Still, the Vice Society Leader’s argument does have merit.”
“What?”
“Though he has sworn loyalty, there is still the matter of his origins, and his service has not yet been sufficiently proven. Naturally the elders and executives would resist.”
‘What is this?’
Now the Society Leader was openly supporting Mong Seo-cheon’s objection.
True, he was capricious, but in situations like this he almost never retracted his initial inclination.
So why was he doing this?
Then he added,
“However, this child is the sole inheritor of the Moon Sword Forms.”
“……”
“That alone is enough to soften the matter of his birth. Is it not?”
“…It is.”
The Moon Sword Forms.
Ah, he had forgotten.
The Elder Hall and most of the executives still knew nothing about that fact.
But if it became known that Mok Gyeong-un had inherited the Moon Sword Forms, a sword art lost for a hundred years, the impact would be enormous.
Overlooking something that important had been a mistake.
Then the Society Leader continued.
“Even so, this time I will respect the Vice Society Leader’s opinion.”
“What?”
“If this child completes the coming mission successfully, then both his merit and his mindset will have been sufficiently tested. Is that not so?”
“That is…”
“That is?”
“…The Society Leader speaks correctly.”
This mission was extremely important.
Its success or failure might determine whether the Society Leader could truly return to the front lines.
If Mok Gyeong-un succeeded in it, then such merit would indeed deserve recognition.
And beyond that,
‘Once he goes to the imperial palace, he will be surrounded by Alliance of Justice people. If he neither seeks their aid nor attempts to flee, then he will be proven a true man of the Heaven and Earth Society.’
Mok Gyeong-un’s rapid growth was one thing, but his attitude also bothered Mong Seo-cheon greatly.
He had even begun to think the boy might eventually become a poison to the Society Leader.
But if all the above were satisfied, then there was no issue in the Society Leader taking him as a disciple.
If anything, it would be a blessing to the society to gain such a talented disciple.
Still,
‘I will need to instruct Mu-yak just in case.’
He would have to order his son to watch the boy carefully.
If Mok Gyeong-un showed even the slightest sign of harboring other intentions, he would need to be dealt with quickly.
At that moment, the Society Leader turned toward Mok Gyeong-un and said,
“Did you hear?”
“Yes.”
“Then complete the mission successfully. If you do, I will accept you as my fourth disciple.”
“A mission?”
Mok Gyeong-un asked in puzzlement.
He had been brought here without hearing anything about one beforehand.
The Society Leader let out a short laugh and tilted his head toward the Vice Society Leader.
“The Vice Society Leader will explain it.”
Then he stepped closer to Mok Gyeong-un and whispered,
“I hope you will live up to my expectations.”
With that, the Society Leader clasped his hands behind his back, turned, and walked out of the training ground.
Watching him leave, Mok Gyeong-un clicked his tongue inwardly.
‘How troublesome.’
He had thought this might be a chance to become the Society Leader’s disciple immediately.
If so, he believed he might soon learn something about the Ghost Sword.
But things had not become easy so simply.
Now he would have to carry out that so-called mission first.
Only then could he become the fourth disciple.
* * *
-Tok, tok.
As the Society Leader walked down the corridor, he placed a palm against the wall and began coughing violently.
“Cough, cough.”
The coughing went on longer than usual.
At his side, someone who had been hiding nearby stepped out from the shadows.
“You overexerted yourself.”
“It seems that way. It has been a long time since I pushed like that.”
The Society Leader wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
The boy had been more exceptional than expected, and drawing up that much true qi had required real effort.
The figure who had emerged from hiding moved to support him.
But the Society Leader shook his head.
“No. That’s enough.”
“But…”
“There is no need to make a fuss. I know my own body better than anyone.”
“Understood.”
The man in the shadows bowed slightly.
Then, as though something had just occurred to him, the Society Leader asked,
“By the way, what was that thing you said earlier? That it seemed you had seen him before?”
The Society Leader had reluctantly held off on taking Mok Gyeong-un in as a disciple because of that urgent secret transmission telling him to pause.
Otherwise, he would never have accepted the Vice Society Leader’s objection.
At the question, the shadowed man answered,
“…I am not certain.”
“Not certain?”
“He definitely resembled someone. But his name, status, everything about him is too different.”
“Resembled whom? Cough, cough.”
The Society Leader staggered as another harsh fit of coughing took him.
The man hurriedly stepped forward and supported him.
As he did, the lantern light finally revealed his face.
He was a middle-aged man with a long scar above his left eyebrow, and in his right hand he held a blackened sword as dark as if it had been burned.
Supporting the Society Leader, he answered the question at last.
“The Sickle Killing Ghost.”
“The Sickle Killing Ghost? Who is that?”
The title meant nothing to the Society Leader. He had never heard it before.
The scarred man replied in a meaningful voice.
“A dead man who should have remained dead.”
End
© Hanjung Wolya