Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 259 - Mark (5)
Chapter 259 – Mark (5)
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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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Inside an office located in the main compound of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
A man in his fifties with drooping eyes and an untidy beard sat at his desk with one leg crossed over the other, smoking a short pipe and exhaling smoke.
“Huu.”
His name was Sang Ik-seo.
He was a fourth-rank Superior Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, ranking third in the hierarchy of those who commanded it.
Besides himself, another man sat in his office, a middle-aged figure in his forties dressed in the uniform of a Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, carefully polishing his saber.
Considering the difference in rank, a Hundred-Household Commander should naturally have been standing stiffly before him, yet this man sat at ease, making it clear that the relationship between them was rather horizontal.
-Slide.
Each time the man in his forties wiped the saber blade once, the surrounding air strangely sharpened.
That alone made it obvious he was no ordinary person.
After a long silence, while each concentrated on his own business, Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo, still smoking his pipe, spoke.
“By now, that fellow should be entering the inner palace.”
At those words, the middle-aged Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard opened his mouth.
“If things are proceeding according to the appointed time.”
“Then before long the inner palace, no, the Palm King’s Jikhyeon Palace, will be thrown upside down.”
“If it succeeds properly, it will not be only Jikhyeon Palace. The whole imperial palace will be overturned.”
The incident in question was aimed at none other than the Second Prince, the Palm King.
If that occurred, then no matter how much the Emperor cherished Imperial Noble Consort Seo, he would not be able to let the matter pass quietly.
“This will be very entertaining.”
The whole balance of power would be overturned at once.
Just imagining that woman being driven into distress made it difficult to suppress his excitement.
Then, after drawing on the pipe again and exhaling, he said,
“Huu. But Wu Yun is late.”
Thousand-Household Commander Wu Yun.
He was a guard of the Embroidered Uniform Guard who assisted him.
By now, he should have delivered the order to that man and returned.
Yet he had still not come.
Finding it strange, Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo spoke with suspicion in his eyes.
“Surely that fellow has not disobeyed my order-”
At this question, the middle-aged Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard gave a faint smile and replied,
“No matter how much such people go on about loyalty and righteousness, if their lives are truly on the line, they can do nothing but obey.”
“Can do nothing but obey… yes, with a worm inside his belly clutching his life, he would have to be mad to refuse.”
The worm in the belly.
What they meant by that was gu poison.
Still chuckling, Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo tapped the ash from his pipe into the tray and said,
“Now that you mention it, this is proving very convenient. Can you not get a few more gu poisons- Or can the commanding gu not control more parasitic gu…”
“I told you before.”
“Told me what-”
“That gu poison comes in matched pairs, so parasitic gu cannot be multiplied that way. And to produce even one pair requires countless venomous materials and extensive training, so it is not something that can simply be made on demand.”
At this, Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo smacked his lips in disappointment.
That masked fellow had been nothing more than a mere Thousand-Household Commander and strutted around with pretentious dignity, which had irritated him, but thanks to the gu poison he had been turned into an obedient slave.
“Then is it possible to recycle what was already inside-”
“By what was already inside, you mean-”
“That parasitic one.”
“…Not long after the host dies, it bursts and dies as well. Of course, if one acts before that, then recycling it is not completely impossible.”
“Now that is good news.”
He had already intended to use that man a few more times after this task was done and then discard him.
But if the gu poison could be recycled, he would be able to create yet another card.
It was truly useful.
“I will tell you when the time comes.”
“Understood.”
“Ah, by the way, is that business of yours going well-”
“What business do you mean-”
“The interrogation of that Fire Worship cultist.”
“……..”
“If you are personally going down to the underground forbidden prison once every two days to interrogate him, then that object you are looking for must be rather important, no-”
-Tap!
The moment those words ended, the Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard stopped polishing his saber.
Then he placed the saber onto the table.
At the sight, tension at once rose in the eyes of Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo.
That was because the Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had already vanished from the table.
-Slide.
In the next moment, rough hands came down upon both his shoulders.
At the pressure of those hands pressing on him, Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo unconsciously swallowed dryly.
Though not of the practical-command line now, unlike the Commander and Associate Commanders, he had once come up through field command himself and was a master at the threshold of Transcendent Peak.
Yet even he had been unable to follow the other’s movement with his eyes before that man appeared behind him.
It meant that the martial ability of this Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was beyond even his ability to gauge.
In a tense voice, Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo opened his mouth.
“Heh heh. Tell me, have I perhaps misspoken-”
At that, the Hundred-Household Commander standing behind him tightened his grip on Sang Ik-seo’s shoulders and said,
“Superior Commander.”
“……..”
“What did you say one of the prices was for receiving the help you wanted-”
“…That I would not interfere in your affairs.”
“So you do remember. Then if a man who remembers that well still tries to meddle out of idle nosiness, the result will not be very pleasant.”
The voice was thick with killing intent.
It was a warning.
A pressure telling him not to interfere in his affairs.
Ordinary people, when confronted with overwhelming strength and warned like this, would tremble in fear.
But Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo had not climbed to this position for nothing, and he possessed a certain courage of his own.
Doing his best to remain unaffected, he laughed heartily and said,
“Hahahahaha. It seems I have unintentionally touched your temper.”
“………”
“But I do not mean to interfere in your affairs or insert myself. I merely asked out of pure curiosity because you have been going to and from the underground forbidden prison so often, and yet it seems your business still has not gone well. I have absolutely not forgotten our agreement.”
“If so, then I suggest you put that pure curiosity away.”
“It is already put away.”
At that smooth answer, the Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard snorted.
Even under direct intimidation, this man alone still dared to walk the line with such shameless composure.
Of course, that was exactly why he had chosen to work with him in the first place, because the man could control his emotions and possessed skill.
-Srrr.
In the next instant, the Hundred-Household Commander’s figure was back in the chair at the table.
He picked up the saber he had laid down and began once more to polish it carefully.
Watching him, Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo inwardly clicked his tongue.
They had joined hands because their interests aligned, but every time he felt this man’s strength, he became more curious about his identity.
No one with this level of skill could possibly have gone unknown until now.
Surely he must once have had either fame or notoriety in the martial world.
At this, curiosity flickered in Sang Ik-seo’s eyes.
‘I only need to make him say it indirectly.’
Thus Sang Ik-seo opened his mouth.
“Did you not once say that if Thousand-Household Commander Mara were made into a useful card, then even from the hands of the Northern Commandant you would be able to get away with ease-”
The Northern Commandant of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Hyeon Sun.
Along with the Southern Commandant, he stood at the summit of the practical command structure of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Though his fame fell short of that of the Southern Commandant, the man known as one of the Six Heavens, he was still one of the five strongest masters within the imperial palace.
People even said that if he stepped into the martial world, unless he were facing an elder or head of a great clan or sect, no one would be able to stand against him.
Sang Ik-seo raised this point naturally because the one silently supporting and protecting the Second Prince, the Palm King, was none other than Northern Commandant Hyeon Sun.
-Sseuk, sseuk.
Still polishing the blade, the Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard replied,
“…If it were a direct confrontation, perhaps not. But if Mara Hyeon truly decided to flee, then even the Northern Commandant would have difficulty catching him.”
“Oh- Is Mara Hyeon that capable-”
“In terms of movement techniques alone, there are not many in the imperial palace who could overtake him.”
“Remarkable. Even the Northern Commandant could not catch him- Ha.”
“Therefore, unless there is some special mistake or unforeseen variable, Mara Hyeon will not be caught over this matter.”
“A variable… unless someone with your level of skill should appear-”
“………”
“No, no, do not look at me like that. I say it only because I remember how easily you subdued Mara Hyeon.”
He had watched this Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard subdue Mara Hyeon with his own eyes.
The whole matter had been decided in only a few exchanges.
At this question, the Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard stopped polishing the blade and stared straight at Sang Ik-seo as he said,
“What is it you truly want to say-”
“Nothing. I only meant that if someone of your ability were to step in later, perhaps you might be able to measure yourself even against the Northern Commandant.”
“………”
“Would that be difficult-”
Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo deliberately needled the man’s pride.
Warriors possessed a certain pride unique to them.
Whether that would work on this man or not, if he rose to the bait then Sang Ik-seo might at least be able to gauge what level the man stood at.
At that moment, one of the Hundred-Household Commander’s brows lifted.
‘…Did I say too much-‘
Seeing that, Sang Ik-seo flinched and wondered whether he should back away.
But then the Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard spoke.
“The expression measure oneself applies only when the two parties possess equal strength.”
The tension inside Sang Ik-seo eased.
He had been concerned that the man would see through his intent and take offense, but it seemed he had indeed struck his pride properly.
“Then are you saying that if you stepped in, you could easily suppress even the Northern Commandant-”
“It would take a little time, but it would not be difficult.”
“Ha. If you can suppress the Northern Commandant, then surely even the chief eunuchs of the Eastern Depot and the Palace Internal Office would not be your match.”
At that, the eyes of the Hundred-Household Commander sharpened.
Then, lowering his voice, he said,
“…Are you perhaps asking these questions in order to measure my martial ability-”
At that, Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo quickly waved both hands and replied,
“No. How could I possibly intend to measure you with something so petty- I only wished to know what level of experts you could face, so that…”
-Thud.
Before he could finish, the Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard rose from his seat.
Then he extended one hand and, through a deep stream of true qi, drew in the saber sheath that had been lying on the ground.
At the technique of drawing an object through the air, Sang Ik-seo could not hide his admiration.
As if intending it so, the Hundred-Household Commander slid the freshly polished saber into the sheath he had pulled through the air.
Then he said,
“Let me make this clear.”
“What do you mean-”
“Within this imperial palace, there is only one person whom I cannot handle. The Southern Commandant.”
The Southern Commandant, Gu Seong-baek.
Known as the Blade King of the Northern Sect, he was one of the Six Heavens and stood at the summit of the present martial world.
This Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard possessed enormous pride in his own martial skill, yet the only one in the palace he recognized as beyond his reach was the Southern Commandant Gu Seong-baek, one of the Six Heavens.
That was how solid the wall of the Six Heavens was.
But apart from him, he was confident that no one within the imperial palace could match him.
That included the Northern Commandant and the three chief eunuchs of the inner palace alike.
“So I would appreciate it if you would not again try to measure me over such petty matters.”
-Woooooo.
At those words, the Hundred-Household Commander released his aura toward Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo.
Faced with the suffocating pressure, Sang Ik-seo’s body trembled.
He knew instinctively.
This man had certainly stepped beyond the wall and entered the realm of Flowering.
As he himself had declared, aside from the Southern Commandant Gu Seong-baek, the greatest master in the imperial palace, there could absolutely be no one else within the palace who could suppress him…
-Boom!
At that moment, the office door suddenly opened.
At the same time, someone stepped in with a smiling face.
Seeing that face, Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo frowned and said,
“Chief Eunuch Ho-”
The man who had suddenly entered his office was none other than Chief Eunuch Ho of the Western Depot.
At the appearance of a figure he had not expected at all, Sang Ik-seo could not conceal his confusion.
Outside the office there had been Imperial Guard Bureau warriors standing watch.
Yet not one of them had reported that the chief eunuch of the Western Depot had come, and not one had even noticed him before the door opened.
‘Did he come here secretly-‘
If not, then there was no way he would dare enter someone else’s office like this.
Sang Ik-seo himself might not have sensed the approach of Chief Eunuch Ho, who was counted among the strongest in the imperial palace, but Gyeom-chang, the Hundred-Household Commander, should certainly have sensed…
-Slide.
At that moment, Gyeom-chang’s hand was already gripping the hilt of his saber.
At this sight, a strange light entered Sang Ik-seo’s eyes.
That was because Gyeom-chang, who had just boasted that no one in the palace save the Southern Commandant could match him, was now showing strong wariness toward the chief eunuch of the Western Depot.
‘Is it only because he arrived so suddenly-‘
But in any case, that was not how this should be handled.
However sudden the arrival, the other party was still the chief eunuch of the Western Depot and a close retainer of Prince Gyeong, one of the four great powers within the palace.
He could not be treated carelessly.
So Sang Ik-seo moved to tell him to stand down.
“Hundred-Household Commander Gyeom, sheath your…”
“Superior Commander, step back.”
At the words of Gyeom-chang, the Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Sang Ik-seo frowned.
There was something strange about Gyeom-chang’s attitude.
He had been in the palace long enough to know exactly who stood before him, and yet what he was showing now went beyond caution and approached hostility.
-Tak.
Gyeom-chang even settled into a stance for drawing his saber.
Then, in a low voice, he addressed Chief Eunuch Ho.
“Who are you-”
‘Who are you-‘
What kind of question was that-
No matter how one looked at it, the man was Chief Eunuch Ho of the Western Depot.
Yet the so-called Chief Eunuch Ho ignored Gyeom-chang, who stood there in a ready-to-draw stance, and instead looked toward Sang Ik-seo and said,
“Since you are the one carrying a commanding gu in your body, you must be the Superior Commander.”
‘!-‘
At the completely unexpected statement, Superior Commander Sang Ik-seo’s expression froze.
At that exact instant, Gyeom-chang’s hand on the hilt moved.
It was so fast that it was like a mere instant.
-Chang!
The moment he heard the words commanding gu, Gyeom-chang judged the intruder a certain enemy and used a drawing technique that had reached the utmost speed, aiming to sever the man’s neck in a single stroke.
No, before the man could even recognize it, his blade should already have sliced through that neck…
-Thud. Clang!
Something dropped to the floor.
There was not only one sound.
Something was wrong.
Unconsciously, Gyeom-chang’s eyes shifted downward.
‘What in the…’
What had fallen was none other than his own right hand, still gripping his saber.