Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 203 - Water Ghost (4)

Chapter 203 – Water Ghost (4)

===================

Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

“How does it feel? Do you think you now understand the difference between cooperation and a threat?” At Mok Gyeong-un’s voice sounding from behind him, Old Man Beom bit his lower lip. He had never imagined he would be paid back in this way. It truly seemed he had laid hands on the wrong people.

‘These bastards…’ These young whelps were vicious beyond measure. He had never once imagined that, in retaliation, they would seize the young lady as a hostage. No, he had not even had the time to foresee such a thing. Old Man Beom glared sharply at Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak.

‘Could it be that these youngsters are not from the righteous sects of the murim?’ His mind grew complicated. Though it was true that he had forced the matter because of the young lady’s insistence, if they had really been righteous-path martial artists, men who valued consultation and agreement, they would not have gone this far. If that was the case,

‘Unorthodox-path men?’ As far as Old Man Beom knew, unlike righteous-path martial artists, who valued face and honor, those of the unorthodox path cared for practicality and benefit and would commit deeds like this without hesitation. If that was indeed so, then the situation became even worse. After all, he had already apologized and even given compensation, and yet they were still acting like this, which meant negotiation would not work.

-Clench! Old Man Beom ground his teeth. The situation was so unfavorable that anger threatened to boil over. But at times like this, he had to stay calm. The young lady taken as hostage would no doubt be feeling fear as well in a situation she had never before experienced, and if he failed to respond cautiously, the worst outcome might come. It was then.

“Impudent wretches…” He had thought she was frightened, but the veiled young lady, her cheeks trembling, opened her mouth. At her attitude, Old Man Beom clicked his tongue inwardly. She truly must be that person’s daughter after all. To think such words would still come out even with her life under threat.

‘That will not do.’ Looking toward the young lady, Old Man Beom shook his head. It meant she should speak no more, because the situation was too dangerous. No matter how willful and rash she had been raised, she was fundamentally clever. At least, he believed she would not do anything foolish in a situation like this.

“Listen.” Old Man Beom calmly addressed Mok Gyeong-un.

“Yes?”

“This matter is certainly the old man’s fault. But no matter how clear the murim may be in questions of grievance, is it not going too far to involve the elderly, children, and women? Please release that person, and instead pour all of your anger upon this old man.” Old Man Beom lowered himself as much as possible and spoke almost in supplication. The situation was already close to the worst possible, so he was trying to appeal to sympathy. Of course, this appeal to sympathy was not aimed only at the people threatening them, but also at the surrounding onlookers, in order to create sentiment such as pity among them.

-Murmur, murmur!

In line with Old Man Beom’s intention, the people inside the inn began whispering and raising a stir.

From their point of view, all they had seen was Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak suddenly barging in and attacking the veiled young lady and her escort guards.

“What in the world are those men?”

“Why are they acting like that?”

Though they were muttering quietly, those sounds naturally carried.

‘This is not good.’

Seop Chun, Third Guard Captain of the Heaven and Earth Society’s main hall, felt burdened by the eyes of those around them.

He had followed the order that rang in his ears, but there were far too many watching eyes.

In a situation like this, regardless of who they were, pressing a blade to a woman’s throat and threatening her did not paint a favorable picture.

“My lord.”

At this, Seop Chun called out to Mok Gyeong-un and sent him a look.

It meant that he felt they had warned these people enough, and perhaps it would be better to stop at this point.

Reading that, Old Man Beom again spoke in an imploring tone.

“This old man begs you.

Please, release that person at least.”

No matter if they were unorthodox men, they were still human.

He believed they could not simply ignore an appeal to sympathy.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un opened his mouth.

“Hmm.

Among the elderly, children, and women, she falls under two categories.”

“……..You need not include this old man.”

“No, of course not.

If a master of martial arts like you, Elder, who has reached the extreme of transcendent peak, wishes to be treated as some frail old man, then that would be shameless.”

“I know what you mean.

So please remove that blade aimed at the young lady…”

“But then, who was it that ordered you to use force if necessary and drag us over there?”

“………”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Old Man Beom’s speech caught in his throat.

“Did you not say outside that it was because of that veiled young lady’s insistence?”

At those words, Old Man Beom said in alarm,

“Y-young man, when did this old man ever say such a thing?”

If he let it be framed like that, would it not become him using the young lady as an excuse?

Conscious of the veiled young lady’s mood, Old Man Beom hurriedly tried to explain himself.

“The young lady did not give such an order.

This was purely because this old man wanted to…”

“Do not bother trying to patch it up.”

“It is not patching…”

-Clench!

At that instant, Mok Gyeong-un seized Old Man Beom’s shoulder.

And when he pressed down hard,

“Hup!”

-Thud!

Old Man Beom’s knees were forced down to the floor.

Though he had profound true qi born of long years of training, there was no way he could compare to a master who had reached the transforming-qi realm.

-Grit!

Old Man Beom clenched his teeth.

Unlike before, with so many eyes upon him and with that person watching, suffering this humiliation felt unbearable.

Still, Old Man Beom had endured even greater humiliations than this for many long years in that place.

So something like this could be borne as much as necessary if it meant escaping the situation.

Steadying himself, Old Man Beom spoke again.

“Young man.

Is this not enough?

Please, stop here…”

“Whether something is enough or not is not judged by the side that started it.”

-Crack!

“Guuuh.”

The shoulder-gripping hand tightened as though to crush it, and Old Man Beom’s face twisted in pain.

At that, the veiled young lady cried out,

“Sir!”

Even while suffering, Old Man Beom shook his head with all his strength.

It meant she must absolutely not step in.

However,

“Stop!

Stop this!”

Unable to bear it any longer, the veiled young lady shouted toward Mok Gyeong-un.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un smiled faintly and said,

“Only now do you finally speak.”

“Insolent wretch.

Take your hand off Sir… at once!”

“Whether I remove my hand or not is my choice.”

“Ha!”

The veiled young lady was dumbfounded.

There had never been a single person who had humiliated her in such a manner.

And yet some ruffian, no better than a brigand with a pretty face, was ignoring her command?

Her whole body trembling, she spoke.

“You truly are beyond measure in your insolence.”

“The insolent one is you.

You are the one who caused this uproar by ordering busy people around.

You ought not be saying such things.”

“You!

How dare you!”

“Ah.

As expected, words are not enough.”

-Crack!

“Kkeuaaaaak!”

At that moment, an even more terrible scream burst from Old Man Beom’s mouth.

He had been gritting his teeth and enduring, but now his face was red and the veins were standing out from the pain.

Blood was even soaking through the shoulder that was being gripped.

“Stop!

Stop!”

“Do you want that?”

“Yes.

I do!

So please stop…”

“…If you truly wish me to, there is a simple way.”

“A simple way?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“Kneel and apologize.

If you do that, perhaps the strength may leave my hand.”

“……….”

At those words, her whole body trembled with fury.

She had tried, as much as possible, not to reveal her status because of Sir Beom’s repeated warnings before she left that place, but now she could endure it no more.

So she tore away her veil.

And the beautiful face hidden beneath came into view.

“Heoh.”

“Waa…”

Exclamations of admiration arose here and there.

It was not only that her face was beautiful.

She had the appearance of someone profoundly noble.

Even Mong Mu-yak, who still held a blade at her throat, found himself inwardly startled by the sight of her face.

‘Who in the world is this woman?’

More than mere beauty, there was a dignity flowing from her that was far from ordinary.

This was not something common people could possess.

Then the unveiled woman glared fiercely at Mok Gyeong-un and said,

“Insolent wretch.

Do you even know who I am, that you dare do this?”

‘What is with this woman?’

At her words, Mong Mu-yak frowned.

He had already guessed that a woman who brought along a great master like Sir Beom as a mere escort and wore such luxurious clothing could not be ordinary.

But even so, if a person were placed in a situation like this, would not any ordinary person naturally tremble or submit in fear?

Yet she still retained her bearing.

Even the way she spoke showed a tremendous pride in her own status.

Which meant

‘Could it be that this woman…

is connected to the government or the imperial palace?’

Mong Mu-yak swallowed dryly with a stiffened face.

If his guess was correct and this woman truly had ties to the government or the imperial palace, things could become highly troublesome.

Though the relationship between the government and the murim had improved greatly in recent years, there still remained lines neither side was meant to cross.

If his suspicion proved right, a truly tiresome situation might unfold.

All the more so because this secret mission was headed for the imperial capital Kaifeng.

‘It may be better to end this around here.’

However,

“Do I have any obligation to know who you are?”

Mok Gyeong-un instead pushed one step further.

Naturally, that provocation could only make her angrier.

“Ha!

So that is how you mean to act?”

“You are making this bigger when all it would take is kneeling once to end it.”

“The one making it bigger is you, you wretch.

If this lady reveals who she is, then even after that, let us see whether you can still act so rudely…”

“Speaking any further would be a poor choice.”

Mok Gyeong-un cut off her words.

At that, she gave a snort and said in an arrogant voice,

“Hmph.

It is too late to regret it now.

I shall absolutely make you…”

-Crack!

“Kkeuaaaaaaak!”

Before she could finish speaking, a hideous scream erupted as Old Man Beom’s shoulder twisted and the bone punched out through the flesh.

At that horrific sight, the woman who had been about to reveal her status went pale and lost her words.

Mok Gyeong-un smiled at her and said,

“Shall I tell you what will happen next?”

“Y-you!

How dare you!”

“I do not know who you are.

And I do not care.

But if, through your pointless stubbornness, you reveal that precious status of yours and make the situation troublesome, then I will be forced to make an unavoidable choice.”

“An unavoidable choice?”

“Yes.

I would make it so that nothing had ever happened.”

“What?”

“You still do not understand?

Have you ever heard the phrase silencing by killing?”

‘!?’

Silencing by killing.

It meant killing a person so that nothing of the matter could leak out.

At those words, the proud and haughty expression on her face completely froze.

But Mok Gyeong-un did not stop there.

Casting a detached glance over the other people inside the inn, he said in a completely casual tone,

“How unfortunate.

If that young lady opens her mouth, then none of you here will leave alive either.

Well, it would not be my fault, so resent the young lady.”

‘!!!!!!!!’

The moment those words ended, the atmosphere inside the inn turned deathly still.

He had spoken softly, as though it were nothing at all, but the pressure behind it was more than enough to drive everyone present into extreme tension.

‘Th-this bastard!’

How could he force the situation in a direction like this?

Just as she was about to speak in outrage, every gaze inside the inn swung toward her at once.

The looks were so intense, filled with resentment and fear, that she was left at a loss.

‘Why?’

The true one making the threats was that man, so why were they all looking at her like that?

Faced with those gazes, she could not bring herself to move her lips.

Then, amid it all, her eyes caught Mok Gyeong-un’s face, half-shadowed.

The corners of his lips were stretched all the way back in a chilling smile, and that face was filled entirely with malice.

-Shudder!

From her spine to the rest of her body, goosebumps rose.

The instant that fear seized all of her, the strength went out of her legs.

-Thud!