Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 199 - Loyalty (5)

Chapter 199 – Loyalty (5)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“So this mission means that if that orthodox hostage named Mok Gyeong-un makes contact with other orthodox sect members in the imperial palace or shows anything suspicious, I’m to use it then, right?”

In that instant, Mong Mu-yak’s face stiffened.

How did this bastard know about the secret order his father, Vice Society Leader Mong Seo-cheon, had given him just before he left on the covert mission?

When masters spoke about confidential matters, they controlled the surroundings with true qi so that sound would not carry.

That made it difficult to discern what had been said unless one was close enough to read their lips.

‘Father had his back turned, and he was far away.’

Then how could he know it word for word without missing a syllable?

It was so absurd that Mong Mu-yak was left utterly flustered.

As he stood there speechless, Mok Gyeong-un smiled faintly and whispered,

“Secret orders like these, you know, do they not depend on the will of the one carrying them out, even if there isn’t any real justification?”

“W-what are you talking about…?”

“After all, something being suspicious is just circumstantial suspicion. So it is interesting that such an order was given.”

“No. That isn’t it. This really was only in case…”

“In case… It is a very useful phrase. But I am not the sort of merciful person who leaves alone someone who intends to take my life based on arbitrary judgment.”

At those words, Mong Mu-yak felt as though his heart would burst.

He was an arrogant and haughty man by nature, but that did not mean he was bold in all things.

‘Is he planning to kill me?’

If someone else had been in this situation, he would have tried to escape it even by using his father as a shield.

Yet for some reason, those words would not come out.

Then again, if this bastard had cared about something like that from the start, he never would have cut off his left arm.

‘This bastard will do it no matter what.’

Convinced that Mok Gyeong-un truly intended to kill him, Mong Mu-yak finally yielded.

“I-it really isn’t like that. Even if I received the order, it truly was only to prepare for the worst. I never intended to frame you.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s true!”

“Hmm.”

Mok Gyeong-un stroked his chin as if in thought.

That made Mong Mu-yak all the more restless, and he pleaded with him almost desperately.

“Believe me. On the honor of my family, I had no such intention.”

“You stake your honor rather cheaply.”

Flinch.

A sharp edge of sword intent could be felt from Mok Gyeong-un’s hand.

‘D-damn it.’

Seeing that Mok Gyeong-un left not the slightest opening, Mong Mu-yak grew frantic.

It felt as though Mok Gyeong-un would cut off his head at any moment.

Then Seop Chun’s voice reached his ear.

“If you truly bear no such intention, then swear loyalty to my lord.”

“What?”

What had he just heard?

Swear loyalty?

“What in the world are you saying right now… My lord? Did you just say my lord?”

Mong Mu-yak’s eyes widened.

Come to think of it, although they had always behaved like rivals, he knew Seop Chun well.

Seop Chun, the Third Guard Captain of the Society’s main hall, was in a different position from the executives and other members, and so was not in a place where he could openly support anyone.

He was the man directly responsible for guarding the current Society Leader, so it could not be helped.

And yet now he was saying my lord?

“Yes. I said my lord.”

“You…”

“I have decided to serve Young Master Mok Gyeong-un as my lord.”

“Ha?”

Mong Mu-yak was genuinely dumbfounded.

The covert mission had not yet succeeded, so he had not become the fourth disciple.

And yet the guard captain of the main hall, who should not be supporting anyone, had decided to serve this fellow as his lord?

For what possible reason?

He could not understand it at all.

Shhk.

At that moment, Seop Chun clasped his hands toward Mok Gyeong-un in a cupped-fist salute and apologized.

“Forgive me, my lord. This is not my place to interfere, but since he is the Vice Society Leader’s son, I thought it would be better to make him an ally rather than an enemy…”

As he said that, Seop Chun glanced sideways at Mong Mu-yak.

‘This is the best consideration I can extend to you.’

He had already lost his left arm because of him, and now even his life was in danger because of that secret order.

The only way he could live was to swear loyalty to Mok Gyeong-un.

They had always been bitter rivals, but he still hoped Mong Mu-yak would make the wise choice.

‘No, please do.’

If Mong Mu-yak died here and now, all suspicion would naturally be directed toward them.

And then the Vice Society Leader would become their enemy.

Just then, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“That is unnecessary.”

“Pardon?”

“No matter what, he is still the Vice Society Leader’s son.”

“That may be, but…”

“Would the Vice Society Leader’s son really submit to another by force and swear loyalty? Come now, of course not. A man like him would preserve his pride. He would commit suicide for his father’s sake before he ever did such a thing. Am I wrong?”

“…”

At those words, Mong Mu-yak could not answer at all.

If he agreed, then he would have no choice but to choose death.

Certainly, preserving his pride was the proper thing to do, but death was the end of life.

The thought of everything ending was simply too terrifying.

“No answer? Then I suppose you really do mean to preserve your pride. See? Just what one would expect from the Vice Society Leader’s son. Rather than waste time, it would be cleaner to kill you here on the spot…”

“W-wait!”

“Wait?”

“I… I’ll swear loyalty.”

“Pardon? I didn’t quite hear that. What did you say?”

“I-I swear loyalty.”

Thunk.

Mong Mu-yak hastily slammed his forehead flat to the ground.

His pride was wounded, but for now surviving at all costs came first.

Thinking about it, all he had to do was pretend to swear loyalty, then look for an opportunity once he returned to the Heaven and Earth Society.

In any case, with his left arm severed, it was no longer possible for him to continue the mission.

‘Yes. Humiliation lasts only a moment.’

The moment he got away from here and reported to his father, this bastard would be finished.

Mong Mu-yak steeled himself to endure only this moment.

Then Mok Gyeong-un lifted his head.

Shhk.

Mok Gyeong-un was smacking his lips.

The moment Mong Mu-yak saw that expression, his heart pounded madly at the chill crawling up his spine.

What exactly is this bastard?

His expression looked exactly like that of someone disappointed that he could not kill him.

Mok Gyeong-un then said to him,

“Life is better than pride, after all.”

“…”

“You have no answer?”

“Th-that’s right! Exactly so.”

“But do you know something?”

“What would that be?”

“Sometimes it may be better to die.”

“What?”

Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly.

That smile was so full of malice that Mong Mu-yak felt nauseated.

He forced himself to endure it, but this was the first time in his life he had been so afraid of another person.

He simply could not believe that such a man had come from the orthodox faction.

‘I want to get away from here as fast as possible.’

He wanted to return to the Heaven and Earth Society.

Then Mok Gyeong-un said,

“Well, in any case, since you say you are going to become one of my people, I should at least reward that.”

At those words, Mong Mu-yak frantically waved his hand.

“N-no, that isn’t necessary. How could I dare hope for a reward?”

Just send me home.

That was all he wanted.

Only then could he reveal this mad evil ghost’s true nature to his father and to the Society Leader.

But then,

Shhk.

When Mok Gyeong-un stretched out his hand, something flew into his grasp.

Pak.

It was none other than…

‘T-th-this is…’

Mong Mu-yak’s severed left arm.

“Urk.”

It was truly strange.

He had been able to look at other people’s corpses without issue, yet the moment he saw his own severed arm, he had trouble suppressing the urge to vomit.

‘What a sick hobby.’

Seeing this, Seop Chun clicked his tongue inwardly.

The man was already suffering enough from having lost his arm. If this was supposed to be a reward, how much greater would the shock be?

Since the man could not continue the mission anyway and would likely have to be sent back, he ought to have been treated even better, not this way.

Then Mok Gyeong-un said,

“I will return your arm to you.”

“…Urgh… Thank you.”

Mong Mu-yak forced down the bile rising in his throat and reached to take back the severed arm.

But Mok Gyeong-un shook his head.

“I don’t mean it in that sense.”

“What? Then what do you mean?”

“Hold out your left arm.”

‘!?’

At that request, Mong Mu-yak looked at him in utter incomprehension.

Why was he asking for his left arm?

Was he playing with him now?

Just then, Mok Gyeong-un let out a faint breath and grabbed Mong Mu-yak’s severed left arm.

Grip.

“Ugh. Wh-what are you…?”

“I said I would return your arm to you.”

“Return it? What are you even…?”

“If the blood vessels and nerves are to connect again, then I should warn you first.”

“Warn…”

Slash.

Ghk.

Pshhk.

At that moment, a sharp edge of sword intent swept past, and blood gushed from the stump of the left arm that had previously been sealed shut.

It hurt less than when it had first been severed, but it was still pain, and Mong Mu-yak’s face twisted.

Then Mok Gyeong-un pressed the severed arm against the bleeding cross-section of Mong Mu-yak’s stump.

At that, not only Mong Mu-yak but even Seop Chun looked utterly dumbfounded.

Did he really think that if he simply stuck the severed arm on like this, it would reconnect?

If so, then he was truly insane…

“Seop Chun.”

“Yes?”

“Hold it in place so it doesn’t fall off.”

‘!?’

What in the world was he trying to do?

Seop Chun stared in bafflement.

Mok Gyeong-un quietly pressed him.

“Do not make me repeat myself.”

“Y-yes, my lord!”

Having grasped Mok Gyeong-un’s temperament, Seop Chun hurriedly obeyed.

He had no idea why his lord was doing something so absurd, but he held the severed pieces firmly together as ordered so they would not come apart.

Then Mok Gyeong-un formed a sword-finger seal with his right hand and pressed it against one point of the severed area.

And with his left hand,

Tak. Tak. Tak. Tak. Tak. Tak.

Lin. Dou. Qian. Zai. Zhen. Gai.

he formed a simplified hand seal of the Nine Word Living Method.

As soon as he did, red heat began to flow from the tip of the sword-finger seal on his right hand.

Mong Mu-yak was startled by that intense heat.

What in the world was he trying to do?

Then Mok Gyeong-un moved the sword-finger seal along the severed part.

At the same time,

God of the East, Green Emperor Great General, aid me. God of the Center, Yellow Emperor Great General, aid me. God of the West, White Emperor Great General, aid me. God of the North, Black Emperor Great General, aid me. God of the Center, Yellow Emperor Great General, aid me.

he recited an incantation inwardly.

Chiiiiiiik.

At once, burning agony arose from the severed surface where the sword-finger seal passed.

That pain was even more excruciating than the moment his arm had first been cut off.

Naturally, a scream burst from him.

“Aaaaaargh!”

“How noisy.”

“Aaaaaargh!”

“Tsk, tsk.”

Shhk.

With a flick of his left hand, Mok Gyeong-un used his deep true qi to force Mong Mu-yak’s mouth shut.

“Mmmmmgh!”

Mok Gyeong-un smirked at the sight of Mong Mu-yak tearing up with pain and continued moving the sword-finger seal along the severed area.

Chiiiiiiik.

Mmmmmmgh!

Mong Mu-yak twisted his body, trying to struggle in agony.

Of course, with Seop Chun holding the arm together and Mok Gyeong-un suppressing even his mouth and body with true qi, he could not move at all.

At last, Mok Gyeong-un’s sword-finger seal completed a full circuit around the severed area.

Chiiiii.

When he removed the finger seal, the cut had turned glowing red.

Mok Gyeong-un looked at it and smiled.

Then Seop Chun asked,

“Do I have to keep holding it like this?”

“No. You can let go now.”

‘If I let go, it’ll fall off.’

He had no idea what had been done, but it seemed as though Mok Gyeong-un had simply seared the wound with something like scorching yang true qi.

But there was no way that alone could reconnect a severed arm.

It would obviously fall apart.

Seop Chun found it baffling, but he released his grip as ordered.

And then,

‘What?’

Astonishingly, the severed arm did not fall off.

What in the world had he done?

There was no way flesh could adhere like that simply because it had been seared with scorching yang true qi.

“My lord, what exactly did you do?”

“This.”

The moment he finished speaking, Mok Gyeong-un lightly smacked the back of Mong Mu-yak’s reattached hand.

Smack.

Jolt.

Seop Chun had been wondering what he was doing, but then something even more astonishing happened.

“Th-this… what in the…”

Mong Mu-yak, who had been in such agony that tears had formed in his eyes, stared at his left arm in utter shock.

Twitch.

The fingers below the severed point gave a small trembling movement.

Seeing that, Seop Chun’s own eyes widened.

‘…Impossible.’

He had thought his lord was merely playing some strange joke, but it really seemed as though the severed arm had been reconnected.

At the sight, the corners of Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth twitched upward.

‘It worked.’

This was an occult technique called the Three Wondrous Methods.

It was a healing art recorded in the secret manual hidden by Jo Tae-cheong of the Third Eye.

If several difficult conditions were met, it was a miraculous occult technique capable even of reattaching a severed arm.

There were many restrictions, such as the severed body part not being allowed to remain detached for more than one shijin.

The greatest limitation of all was that it consumed the target’s vital essence.

The more powerful the occult method, the greater its conditions and restrictions naturally were, but since it was not Mok Gyeong-un’s vital essence being spent, it did not matter to him.

“Ahhh!”

Besides, with the man himself reacting with such overwhelming gratitude, there was no reason to spoil the moment.

Mok Gyeong-un said to Mong Mu-yak,

“It will take time for the severed blood vessels and nerves to reconnect completely, so keep it braced for about five days and be careful.”

“…”

At those words, Mong Mu-yak stared at Mok Gyeong-un with trembling eyes.

What exactly is this bastard?

He was neither Hua Tuo nor Bian Que, so how could something like this be possible?

It was moving on one hand, but at the same time the strangeness of this ability filled him with fear.

As he remained too speechless to part his lips, Mok Gyeong-un curled his lips upward and said,

“Now there should be no particular problem continuing the mission.”

‘Huh?’

In that instant, Mong Mu-yak’s expression froze.