Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 223 - Mixed Blood (3)
Chapter 223 – Mixed Blood (3)
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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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“Just because I accepted defeat cleanly does not mean I have any obligation to tell you everything about me. So kill me.”
“Is that so? That is rather unfortunate. I was curious why you go around carrying something like a worm in your belly.”
‘!?’
At those words from Mok Gyeong-un, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard’s eyes went wide.
‘How does this bastard know that?’
Even his own master did not know of it.
Because of this, how long had he been pushed around by that man without being able to say a single word even to his own master?
Even if he wanted to speak, he could do nothing because of that thing in his belly.
That was because a prohibition had been placed on him so that he could not even mention it.
‘How in the world did he know?’
Even if he wanted to tell someone this fact, there was nothing he could do because of the prohibition.
The moment he mentioned even the slightest part of it with his own mouth, the thing in his belly would destroy his dantian and, failing that, drive him to death.
At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un, who had been watching him closely, said,
“So I must be right.”
“……..”
At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard could not answer at all.
He did not know whether even something as slight as yes or no would cause trouble, but if he made even the smallest mistake his dantian could be destroyed, so he had to be careful.
He desperately hoped that this man would dig into it a little more.
“Hmm.”
“………”
“It feels like your expression is dying to say something, yet you are forcing yourself to hold it in.”
At those words from Mok Gyeong-un, color returned to the face of the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard.
“So I am right?”
He truly was a sly bastard.
He hated more than anything showing his face to anyone, but at this moment it seemed he had no choice but to make the greatest use possible of his expression.
-Judging by the reaction, it really does seem so.
Cheongryeong said to Mok Gyeong-un.
At that, Mok Gyeong-un nodded and answered through sound transmission,
-It seems so.
-There is a worm inside his body, so could it be…
-I think it is a real gu poison.
-A real gu poison?
The method of making gu poison was exceedingly vicious.
Dozens or even hundreds of venomous creatures were put into a single jar, and the lid was not opened until only one remained alive.
That worst remaining one was called gu poison.
When Mok Gyeong-un said it was a real gu poison, he meant an actual venomous insect, unlike something like Gyu So-ha, a Blue Spirit-grade being born from shutting the resentful spirits of Corpse Blood Valley together and making them devour each other, which was different in method.
Of course, Cheongryeong also understood exactly what Mok Gyeong-un meant.
-Then are you saying there truly is gu poison inside the belly of this Western Regions sentient being?
-Yes. It is there very clearly.
In Mok Gyeong-un’s right eye, with the demonic power of the Three Eyes opened, it could be seen plainly.
Of course, he had not known it from the beginning.
He had opened the demonic power of the Three Eyes to examine the circulation method of the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard’s lightness skill, because he had taken an interest in it, and in doing so he discovered another condensed force inside his belly.
Because gu poison that fed on blood and qi within the body was a living creature, it possessed an aura clearly different from ordinary insects.
-How astonishing. To think there truly exists one who can handle gu poison.
-Indeed. I had heard of it from Grandfather and read of it in the Southern Barbarian Poison Text, but this is my first time seeing one inside a human body.
Interest appeared in Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes.
If it involved poison or medicinal ingredients, his interest was different from usual, since his knowledge in those matters was extensive.
Especially if it was a poison he had only seen in books and never witnessed directly, that was all the more true.
-Gu poison is also a kind of poison, so should this be considered poisoning?
-It may be considered poisoning. But I heard that gu poison of this kind, inserted into the body, serves less as poison and more as a means of controlling others.
-A means of controlling?
-Yes. This sort of gu inserted into the body comes not singly but as a pair.
-A pair?
As she wondered at that, Mok Gyeong-un this time said to the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard,
“Even if you are bound by a prohibition, nodding or shaking your head should not cause any major problem, so let us stop with the facial expressions.”
“……..”
At those words from Mok Gyeong-un, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard furrowed his brows in embarrassment.
As if not caring at all about that reaction, Mok Gyeong-un continued,
“Is it gu poison?”
‘Aaaah!’
At that question, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard nodded with trembling eyes.
He had never in his dreams imagined that someone would appear who could accurately identify the gu poison within his body, something he had not been able to tell anyone until now.
Watching him as his expression brightened, Mok Gyeong-un continued,
“There is no way you placed something like this into your own body, so someone must have forced it into you, correct?”
“……..”
At that question, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard nodded.
“Then regardless of your own will, you have been following the orders of the one who put the gu poison into you?”
“……..”
The blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard nodded again.
Staring at him, Mok Gyeong-un fell briefly into thought, then asked,
“Is it someone inside the imperial palace?”
The blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard nodded.
It was as if they were playing twenty questions, but so far there had been no answers of no.
“Is it someone of high status?”
At that question, the Embroidered Uniform Guard nodded.
“I see. Well, in truth I do not have much interest in who did it, so let us end it at about this point. This next question is the better one.”
“……..”
“Do you want to get rid of the gu poison?”
At Mok Gyeong-un’s question, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard nodded without even taking time to think.
There was no need to ask. Naturally he wanted it gone.
Could it be that this man knew a way?
To him, who was staring with an earnest gaze, Mok Gyeong-un gave a small laugh and said,
“Good.”
With those words, Mok Gyeong-un removed the black cloth that had been covering his face.
At his sudden action, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard, who had been wondering, could not hide his inner surprise.
‘No way?’
The voice had sounded somewhat young, but if it was martial prowess sufficient to create a peerless sword art, he had thought that he would at least be of some age.
Yet no matter how he looked at this face, he did not seem even to have reached his twenties.
At this, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard asked in utter disbelief,
“You… could it be that you are not even twenty?”
“Yes. Before long I will be eighteen, but for now I am still seventeen.”
“Ha!”
He was speechless.
He was only seventeen?
Had he truly been overwhelmed in martial prowess by such a young brat?
He was almost left without words.
While looking at Mok Gyeong-un, who was younger than he had expected, and feeling bewildered, a question suddenly arose in the mind of the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Why had this fellow revealed his face?
As he was wondering, Mok Gyeong-un said,
“I will give you a choice.”
“A choice?”
“Yes. Since you had already accepted death anyway, I suppose even if you were to die right here, you would not feel too wronged, but shall I say I am giving you an opportunity?”
“An opportunity? What in the world are you talking about?”
“It is simple. If you help me with what I intend to do, I will help you remove the gu poison from inside your body.”
‘!?’
At those words from Mok Gyeong-un, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard froze for an instant.
This fellow had, in the literal sense, just proposed a deal to him.
‘He says he will help me get rid of the gu poison?’
For a moment, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard’s thoughts became tangled.
Because of the gu poison, he had not even been able to tell his own master the truth, and so he had been unable to do anything.
But if he could only get rid of it, then the situation would change.
Was that not the very moment he had long wished for?
However,
‘What if it is a lie?’
To begin with, this offer of a deal was no different from holding his weakness and threatening him with it.
And if this fellow’s words were lies, then what?
Could he really remove the gu poison?
‘…That man said not even Hua Tuo or Bian Que could remove gu poison.’
Then by what method could this fellow say he could get rid of it?
His head filled more and more with questions.
To him, Mok Gyeong-un said,
“It seems you are doubtful.”
“…Do you think I could believe those words just as they are?”
“The gu clinging inside the body comes not as one but as a pair. There is the parasitic form inside the host’s body and the commanding gu that controls it. The parasitic form is thoroughly controlled by that commanding gu, and if one tries to harm it, it is designed to harm the host instead. Am I wrong?”
At those words, the eyes of the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard trembled.
It was too exact to deny.
It was almost identical to what that man had said.
[Do not move rashly. I warn you beforehand, so long as the commanding gu is in my possession, you will have no choice but to obey my orders faithfully.]
-Gnash!
Even recalling it made his teeth grind.
Just what in the world was this fellow?
It was not enough that a brat who had not even reached his twenties possessed martial talent on the level of a great master, but he was also highly knowledgeable about poison.
“Just who are you…”
“For someone who was going to die anyway, it is rather absurd that you are hesitating with such an opportunity in front of you. So I shall help you make that choice more quickly.”
“What?”
“I will count to exactly five.”
-Press!
Together with those words, the blade of the Evil-Answering Sword pressed against the throat of the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard.
With an ordinary sword, one would not be cut unless it actually sliced, but this blade merely touched him and yet it stung and blood began to flow.
It seemed not to be an ordinary sword.
Then Mok Gyeong-un began counting.
“One.”
“Wait a moment!”
“Two.”
He had no intention of listening.
Moreover, the speed at which he counted was extremely fast.
“Three.”
In that instant, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard grew even more confused.
If he did not accept this fellow’s proposal, he would lose his life right here.
No, when he thought about it, he had already been in danger of dying at this fellow’s hands anyway.
Only one additional path had appeared.
“Four.”
Now only one number remained.
Clutching at his head, which felt as though it would burst, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard spoke to Mok Gyeong-un, who was opening his mouth to say the next number.
“I will do it.”
-Sseuk! Sreung!
The moment those words ended, Mok Gyeong-un removed the sword from his neck and slid it back into the scabbard.
Cold sweat had formed in beads on the forehead of the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard.
In that brief instant, he had been trapped in countless thoughts, as though time itself had stopped.
But in the end, he concluded that if he was going to die anyway, he might as well gamble.
To him, Mok Gyeong-un said with a smile,
“That made the choice much easier, did it not?”
‘Ha! Easier?’
He was dumbfounded.
What was easy about something staked on his life?
The brat was more vicious than he looked.
Still, there was no meaning in arguing about that now.
So, steadying his breathing, he asked,
“…Then what is this task?”
At that question, Mok Gyeong-un, wearing an expression as though he did not understand why he had asked, walked over to Song-ah, the daughter of the Hongbong Meat artisan, who had been watching them in confusion.
At the sight of Mok Gyeong-un suddenly approaching, she asked in alarm,
“Wh-why are you doing this?”
“For a moment, let us close your ears.”
“Pardon?”
-Tatatatak!
Mok Gyeong-un quickly struck her acupoints.
But she did not faint or anything of the sort.
Mok Gyeong-un said something to her.
“Huh? The sound…”
But she could not hear Mok Gyeong-un’s voice.
At her panicked expression, Mok Gyeong-un gave a broad smile, then gestured for her to wait a moment, and approached the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard as he said,
“If you are a Thousand-Household Commander, then that is a proper fifth-rank post, so within the Embroidered Uniform Guard it must be quite a high position, correct?”
“In actual duties it is a post around the middle. It is not a position that holds decision-making authority over things.”
“You should not begin backing away already. I have not even properly made the proposal yet.”
“……..”
To him, after he had fallen silent, Mok Gyeong-un continued,
“Then first, let us start with the most difficult type of proposal.”
“A difficult type?”
“Yes. If I wanted someone broken out of the Underground Forbidden Prison beneath the imperial palace, would that be possible?”
‘!?’
The moment those words ended, the eyes of the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard widened.
He had expected that the proposal would be troublesome, but something far beyond anything he had imagined had come out instead.
“What in the world are you saying right now…”
“Exactly what you heard. I asked whether you can bring out a person I want from the Underground Forbidden Prison beneath the imperial palace.”
Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth twitched as he looked at him.
Thinking about it, it seemed there was no need for him to go in personally.
If he could move an Embroidered Uniform Guard officer of about the rank of Thousand-Household Commander, then he need only send that man in from the inside and have him bring the person out.
-Not a bad idea.
Cheongryeong also agreed with this thought of Mok Gyeong-un.
If another option existed, there was no need to take needless risks.
However,
“Leaving aside whether it would be treated as treason or not, that demand cannot be granted.”
“It cannot be granted?”
“I do not know exactly who you are trying to break out, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard does not take charge of every matter within the imperial palace.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The Embroidered Uniform Guard is divided into six departments, and the work differs according to them.”
“Six departments? Then what sort of work do you do?”
“I belong to the Six Service Offices and am part of the investigative department. If someone like me interferes with the work of another department, I would be arrested for overstepping authority.”
“…That is quite an annoying rule.”
Mok Gyeong-un scratched his head.
He had thought that a post around the rank of Thousand-Household Commander in the Embroidered Uniform Guard might be enough, but it did not resolve itself easily.
So Mok Gyeong-un said,
“Then can you not simply be prepared for that overstepping and do it in secret?”
At that question, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard let out a hollow laugh and said,
“Does the imperial palace seem that lax to you? Not only the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but there are also masters from the Eastern Depot and the Western Depot, and in the Underground Forbidden Prison beneath the imperial palace, besides the Embroidered Uniform Guard, it is also guarded by the Forbidden Prison Flying Demon Corps. For me alone to sneak into such a place and break someone out is, in truth, impossible itself.”
It was rather complicated.
Indeed, when he thought about it, if this were something that could be solved easily, they would have chosen from the beginning to win over one of the Embroidered Uniform Guard members who managed the prison and use that method to break the person out.
‘Hm.’
He briefly considered forcing the matter by staking the man’s life, but if a situation arose where the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard failed, then breaking the person out would only become even harder.
That meant the man’s usefulness would drop off significantly.
Mok Gyeong-un shrugged and said,
“Then it cannot be helped. It means you are of no use at all to me…”
“If you truly intend to enter the Underground Forbidden Prison beneath the imperial palace, there is one method.”
The blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard spoke before Mok Gyeong-un could finish.
At that, Mok Gyeong-un asked with interest,
“And what is that other method?”
“It is to enter through the Imperial Guard Bureau Martial Examination.”
At those words, Mok Gyeong-un showed no particular reaction.
That was because it was already the plan they had established.
Their primary objective had been to become part of the Embroidered Uniform Guard through the Imperial Guard Bureau Martial Examination and infiltrate the Underground Forbidden Prison.
That was why the aid of Imperial Noble Consort Seo had been indispensable.
“That is already…”
“After taking the Imperial Guard Bureau Martial Examination, a one-month apprenticeship in the Embroidered Uniform Guard is conducted for the final selection.”
“An apprenticeship in the Embroidered Uniform Guard?”
This was the first he had heard of it.
That was because their plan was to proceed in a completely different way.
At that, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard answered Mok Gyeong-un’s question.
“It was newly established this time by the commander’s decision. The selected trainees spend one month rotating through the various departments of the Six Service Offices every five days as apprentices.”
“So they get to experience things in advance?”
“Something close to that. Among these, the Office of Penal Service, which is the department that manages the prison, is also part of the apprenticeship.”
“Oh, is that so? Then that would create a chance to enter the prison.”
“No. It is not quite like that.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The Underground Forbidden Prison beneath the imperial palace has mechanism formations, and its structure is extremely complex and dangerous, so only trained Embroidered Uniform Guards who have memorized the entire Forbidden Prison Battle Map are allowed in. Therefore, as far as I know, the plan is for them to apprentice only in the management of the ordinary forbidden prisons in the outer city.”
At those words, Mok Gyeong-un tilted his head and said,
“That would mean the information you are telling me is not especially helpful.”
“Listen to the end. Originally it was to proceed that way, but there is still a short period left before the examination. Within that time, I can help make a slight change to the regulations.”
“A slight change to the regulations? You mean…”
“I will see to it that even the Embroidered Uniform Guard apprentices can be assigned to the Underground Forbidden Prison.”