Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 197 - Loyalty (3)

Chapter 197 – Loyalty (3)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Mok Gyeong-un curled the corner of his mouth into a sinister smile and said,

“Kill Mong Mu-yak.”

‘!?’ In an instant, Seop Chun’s expression hardened. He had been curious to see what sort of thing Mok Gyeong-un would demand as proof of his loyalty. But this was a demand he had truly never expected. Seop Chun whispered urgently,

“Hey. Are you doing this on purpose right now?”

“On purpose?”

“Even if it is to prove I am prepared to be loyal, this is not the time to kill Mong Mu-yak.”

“Pfft.” At those words, Mok Gyeong-un let out a mocking laugh. Then he immediately said,

“As expected, it is only words.” At that, Seop Chun’s brow twisted. Do not tell me he had not been testing him on purpose, but had really meant to tell him to kill him? Suddenly Seop Chun’s eyes met Mok Gyeong-un’s. In that instant, it even felt as though every hair on his body stood on end. Quite literally, a chill ran over him.

‘This bastard…’ Is he really in his right mind?

“Hey. We are in the middle of a secret mission right now. Are you really saying this without thinking about that?”

“So what if we are?”

“W-what do you mean, so what? If Mong Mu-yak dies, then we will not be able to meet up with the advance party at the first contact point, nor receive help from the Society Leader’s direct-agent spies in the imperial palace.”

“……”

“Are you even listening to me?”

“Well.”

“Not ‘well.’ Proof of loyalty. If that is what you want, it can be done in any number of ways. But to tell me to kill Mong Mu-yak, the Vice Society Leader’s own son, right now means making enemies of both the Vice Society Leader and the Society Leader. Did you not think about that at all?” Seop Chun truly could not understand. The mission had not yet been completed, so Mok Gyeong-un had not even become the Society Leader’s fourth disciple yet. And yet he was making this kind of demand, as though he had already become the fourth disciple and were waging internal factional struggle. That was the worst possible judgment.

“Hmmm.”

“Think carefully. This truly is not right.”

“This is troublesome.”

“What?”

“Admonition and all that is fine, but fundamentally I want a dog that obeys its master’s command without fail. You seem unsuited to that.”

“You!”

-Flinch! Suddenly Seop Chun’s eyes met Mok Gyeong-un’s again. Until now he had not been conscious of it, but now he understood why he had felt that this fellow resembled Great Young Master Na Yul-ryang. Even while speaking such arrogant and provoking words, no emotion could be felt in those eyes. To the bewildered Seop Chun, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“There are only about ten counts left now.”

“……” The rustling of the brush was drawing closer. Mong Mu-yak would be arriving here at any moment.

It meant he had to decide.

‘He is insane.

Truly insane.

If Mong Mu-yak dies, the mission will fall apart and everything will be tangled beyond repair, so how does he intend to deal with the aftermath?

Even if it is about proving loyalty, this is not it.

Before even getting started, he is making too many enemies…!?’

In a split second, countless thoughts passed through Seop Chun’s head.

Proof of loyalty.

There should surely be methods other than this for him to prove loyalty to this fellow.

And yet, for him to insist on killing Mong Mu-yak, the Vice Society Leader’s son, by pushing this far…

‘He never trusted me from the start.’

That was right.

The reason Mok Gyeong-un gave such an order was simple.

It was because of Seop Chun’s position.

By virtue of holding the post of Third Guard Captain of the main hall, he could have acquaintances among the other successor candidates, and he was also in a position to come into frequent contact with those in power.

Moreover, in the near view, he could also be regarded as one of the Vice Society Leader’s people.

Taking all of that into account, Mok Gyeong-un was in a position where, even if Seop Chun swore loyalty, he had no choice but to doubt him.

But if, here and now, Seop Chun killed the Vice Society Leader’s son?

‘Leaving all other circumstances aside, the moment I become estranged from the Vice Society Leader, I become someone he can trust?

Ha!’

If the point was only to test loyalty, then there was no method more certain than this.

Because by doing this, he too would become an enemy of the Vice Society Leader.

‘Damn it.’

Now that he had grasped the intention, it was even more troublesome.

Even if he proved his loyalty, doing such a thing might destroy any hope of becoming a successor, even after Mok Gyeong-un became the Society Leader’s disciple.

Can he truly bear that… Ah!

‘No.’

This is a test and a trial.

Thinking it over, it seemed he had taken it too seriously.

Since Mok Gyeong-un was not an idiot, there was no way he did not understand the things Seop Chun was worrying about.

If that was the case,

‘That is right.

He only wants to see my resolve!’

Seop Chun now became convinced that he had finally grasped Mok Gyeong-un’s true intention.

He was saying that if Seop Chun proved he was someone who, upon command, could kill even the Vice Society Leader’s son without complaint, then he could be trusted.

However, this fellow would surely have no real intention of killing Mong Mu-yak right this instant.

Because if he did, then there would be more to lose than to gain.

‘Then the matter is different.’

All he had to do was show resolve.

Since this fellow would prevent the very worst outcome, there was no need to fear.

Even so, he had to at least show that he would obey the command, so while it was not in his nature, it seemed he would have to become somewhat hostile with Mong Mu-yak.

“Fine.

I will do it.”

Seop Chun said that to Mok Gyeong-un.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged and answered,

“I said that doing it only with words would be meaningless.”

“I said I will do it.

Stop pressing me.”

-Rustle!

Before long, Mong Mu-yak appeared, carrying dry kindling wrapped in spare clothes.

Originally a man of few words, Mong Mu-yak silently looked at the three rabbits lying on the ground.

‘So he got some.’

He did not show it, but after going hungry for three days, he was starving.

Though high-level martial artists could endure to some extent by regulating their appetite through circulating qi or internal power, if there was no food intake, then the hunger would inevitably grow more difficult to bear.

Mong Mu-yak said to them,

“Who is starting the fire?”

Though he asked it like that, the one he was looking at was Seop Chun.

He was telling Seop Chun to do it.

At those words, Seop Chun walked toward Mong Mu-yak without complaint and said,

“You found some after all?

Good work.”

“……”

As expected, no answer came.

At Mong Mu-yak’s attitude, a little heat rose in Seop Chun.

‘This bastard really has no idea how another person feels… No, actually, this is good.’

He had been reluctant to simply attack him outright, but if Mong Mu-yak would scrape at him like this, then it would provide him with a fitting pretext and allow him to act emotionally as well.

“Hoo.

Fine, whatever.

Give me the firewood.”

So Seop Chun held out his hand toward Mong Mu-yak to take the kindling.

But instead of handing over the firewood he was carrying, Mong Mu-yak set it down on the ground as though saying that Seop Chun should pick it up himself.

-Thud!

“Take it yourself.”

And he turned as though to walk away.

That was the moment.

“Pick it up.”

‘!?’

Mong Mu-yak, who had been turning away, frowned.

Usually, even when he treated him coldly, Seop Chun only grumbled and let it end there.

But the words just now were clearly barbed.

Was he that offended?

Well, after moving north without rest for three days on empty stomachs, all of them were in a state where they were exhausted and irritable.

Should he just pick it up?

‘……’

No.

The thought crossed his mind, but he did not especially want to pick it up.

Because the moment he did, it would mean he was yielding.

So Mong Mu-yak replied sharply,

“Do not get prickly over something like this…”

At that very moment,

-Pap!

Seop Chun launched himself at Mong Mu-yak.

Because it was such a sudden surprise attack, Mong Mu-yak was startled and tried to pull back, but Seop Chun’s hand blade charged with sharp force had already partly cut into his left shoulder.

-Slash!

“Ugh!

What are you doing!”

Mong Mu-yak, whose shoulder had been cut, twisted his body with footwork and hurriedly threw a kick toward Seop Chun.

Of course, Seop Chun easily evaded it with a mere twist of the body.

And the instant he dodged it, the force discharge from Seop Chun’s left hand struck Mong Mu-yak in the abdomen.

-Bang!

“Kuheup!”

-Skrrrr!

Mong Mu-yak’s body, struck by the force discharge, was driven back about five paces.

Mong Mu-yak’s expression twisted viciously.

Up through the first exchange, he had thought Seop Chun had attacked out of anger and heightened emotions.

But that force discharge just now went beyond that.

Thanks to it, he had suffered internal injuries.

“Cough.”

-Drip.

Black blood flowed down from the corner of his mouth.

‘So this is how you want it.’

“You bastard!”

-Pap!

Mong Mu-yak, his eyes reddened with rage even through his internal injuries, hurled himself at Seop Chun.

-Papapapapapapapak!

In an instant, the two masters who had received the title of Five Tigers exchanged around ten moves.

Though neither drew out his unique personal weapon, sword or saber, they each raised sharp force and targeted the other’s vital acupoints as if trying to kill him.

As befitted two men who had long existed almost as rivals within the main hall, each knew the other very well.

Because of that, each and every move was, for the time being, nearly neck-and-neck.

-Papapapapak!

Until the moment nearly thirty seconds had passed, neither side was pushed back.

But no matter how equal their martial power seemed, as the clash lengthened, their difference in superiority began to show little by little.

-Slash!

‘Keup.’

Small wounds began appearing on Mong Mu-yak’s body.

By contrast, Seop Chun had still not been touched even once by Mong Mu-yak’s sword forms.

From this alone, one could tell who among the two was superior in instinct and experience.

Seop Chun was ahead by about half a move.

-Slaash!

After using dazzling footwork to cut part of Mong Mu-yak’s back, Seop Chun glanced over at Mok Gyeong-un.

Mong Mu-yak’s clothes were gradually being dyed with blood.

If the clash continued, there was a high chance that he would win in the end.

‘You saw it, right?’

Though they had not used sword and saber, neither had held back, so he thought this much was enough to prove his resolve.

Now he wished Mok Gyeong-un would tell them to stop soon.

But

‘What?’

Mok Gyeong-un was leaning against a tree with his arms folded, watching.

And his eyes looked as though he found the whole thing not very satisfying.

At this, Seop Chun inwardly found it absurd.

‘Any further is dangerous.’

By now he had grasped most of the flaws in the sword forms Mong Mu-yak was unfolding.

If he truly set his mind to it, he was confident he could settle the match within three forms.

Of course, that settlement would mean driving the other man to his death.

‘How much more am I supposed to prove?

Now that you have confirmed my resolve, tell us to stop.’

Seop Chun openly sent that look to Mok Gyeong-un.

As if to say, was this not enough?

But then

-Slide.

Mok Gyeong-un made a motion of cutting his own throat.

The instant Seop Chun saw that, his eyes shook.

‘What, what is that?’

Instead of stopping them, what did that gesture mean?

Did this bastard truly mean to have Mong Mu-yak killed?

‘This is driving me crazy.’

If Mong Mu-yak died, everything would be tangled.

Before he could even properly enter the successor struggle, he might gain enemies and be unable to do anything.

Determined that this was impossible, Seop Chun spoke by lip-reading technique.

‘This is enough already.

We have to stop here.

If it goes any further, everything will…’

It was at that very moment.

-Slash!

In the middle of their clash, someone intervened between them.

‘!!!!!!!!’

At that instant, Seop Chun’s eyes widened until they looked as if they would split.

Something had passed through and fallen to the ground.

And what it was,

“Kkaaaaaaak!”

was Mong Mu-yak’s left arm.

His arm had been severed below the elbow, and a scream burst from Mong Mu-yak’s mouth.

Receiving a simple wound was one thing and could be endured, but the pain of having an entire arm cut off went beyond imagination.

Seop Chun turned his head with a face full of disbelief.

There stood Mok Gyeong-un, holding up a hand filled with sharp force and looking on with utterly indifferent eyes.

“You…

You really…”

“Did my words sound like a joke?”

“The Vice Society Leader…

If the Vice Society Leader’s son truly ends up dead, then the aftermath…”

“Do you think pretending while dragging out time proves loyalty?”

“……”

Seop Chun was left speechless for an instant.

It seemed he had judged this fellow wrongly.

This bastard Mok Gyeong-un was not someone similar to Great Young Master Na Yul-ryang, but something even beyond him.

For a moment, Seop Chun went blank.

‘…Did I make the worst gamble of my life?’

This was not the picture he had wanted.

He had not wanted to start out by trampling over severed limbs, only to begin together with this fellow even if he lacked a foundation.

To the flustered Seop Chun, Mok Gyeong-un smiled faintly and tapped his own head.

“Do not think too much.

I have no use for a dog that interprets things on its own.

If I order it to bite, then I want a dog that can certainly tear into the other party’s throat.”

“You…”

“Ah.

I said words are meaningless, did I not?”

“……”

Mok Gyeong-un crooked a finger toward Mong Mu-yak.

The meaning was perfectly clear.

It meant for Seop Chun to finish it.

“Guuuuh.”

Mong Mu-yak, clutching the cut end of his severed arm and staggering back in agony.

For the first time, that same Mong Mu-yak wore a face filled with fear as he spoke urgently,

“W-why are you doing this?”

At the sight, Seop Chun’s expression twisted even further.

The water had already been spilled.

Even if he had held something back, he had still driven Mong Mu-yak almost to his limit, and though he himself had not done it, the arm had been severed as well.

From that moment onward, there had been no way to mend the situation.

‘Was it I whose resolve had been half-hearted?’

The moment he had wanted to become the right arm of one who would walk the path of the hegemon, perhaps he should already have been prepared for this result.

-Clench!

Seop Chun bit his lip hard, and then with a sigh,

-Sreung!

he drew out his personal weapon, the Frenzied Dance Saber.

‘Blame me.’

Inwardly, he apologized to Mong Mu-yak.

There had been no grudge between them, but from the moment he had tried to enter beneath this fellow Mok Gyeong-un, he had already crossed a river from which he could not return.

Seop Chun swung his saber toward the neck of Mong Mu-yak, who was stumbling backward as he tried to flee.

Having cleared away all idle thoughts, there was not the slightest hesitation in the slash of his saber.

-Clang!

That was the moment.

The slash that had sought to cut off Mong Mu-yak’s neck in a single stroke stopped directly in front of him.

‘!?’

Seop Chun looked toward Mok Gyeong-un with widened eyes.

Because the one who had blocked the blade of the Frenzied Dance Saber was none other than Mok Gyeong-un’s hand.

Seop Chun stared at him with an expression that plainly said he could not understand.

To him, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“See?

You can do it after all.”

“What?”

“Tsk, tsk.

If you had been like this from the beginning, there would have been no need to cut off his arm.”

“You!

You!…”

-Flinch!

Seop Chun had been about to say something in total disbelief, but could not continue.

The moment he saw that face, with the corners of its mouth pulled all the way to the ears and filled with pure malice, a chill rose from his spine and his lips would not move.