Chapter 179: A Winter That Isn't Cold (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 179: A Winter That Isn't Cold (1)
The young monk’s body crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, the chill of death settling over him.
His neck was twisted at an unnatural angle, his eyes dull and lifeless. By all appearances, his life had come to an end.
At least, that’s how it would seem under ordinary circumstances.
“What a joke. Aren’t you going to get up?”
I kept my eyes fixed on the bastard.
Even after a few solid kicks, he showed no sign of moving. But I was certain he wasn’t dead.
Narrowing my eyes, I focused. How am I even able to see this?
Just above the bastard’s dantian, a faint red light pulsed. That lingering glow was proof enough—he was still alive.
Fwoosh—
Flames sparked to life in my palm. Maybe the threat of being burned to a crisp would motivate him.
“Fine. Stay that way, then.”
Just as I was about to unleash a torrent of scorching fire—
“Wait— Ugh… hold on.”
Craaack.
The body—no, the thing pretending to be Heeyoung—began to move, bones cracking unnaturally as it shifted. The kind visage of the young monk melted away, replaced by the face of a young girl I had never seen before.
Thump!
“Ugh…!?”
I drove my foot into its face without hesitation.
“Try any shitty tricks, and I’ll fucking kill you.”
Did it really think taking a girl’s form would soften my resolve?
“…You’re rather cold, aren’t you?” it giggled.
I seized it by the throat and lifted it off the ground. “It’s you, isn’t it?”
Months ago, martial artists from the Namgung Clan attacked a servant of the Gu Clan and took her hostage. While the Namgung Clan appeared responsible, the true culprit had vanished—until now. I’d even gone down to the basement to check, expecting it to be empty. But that thing was still there, lurking behind the entrance.
“What are you?” I demanded.
“Would you answer, if you were in my place?”
Something felt different. Just looking at the creature in the basement had made me nauseous, but this thing in front of me evoked nothing—or at most, a faint echo of that disgust.
[…A strange fellow, indeed. To change its face without a mask.]
The thing continued to giggle, its eyes locked on mine.
“Are you going to keep choking me?”
Its neck, which I’d broken earlier, had already healed. Its arm, shattered the last time we met, was also fine. Is it immune to physical damage? Even its face, caved in by my kick, had fully restored itself.
Hmm. Would it heal just as quickly if I burned it?
“What’s your purpose here?” I asked.
Physical torture was clearly useless. Not that it would’ve been easy to employ such methods here on Shaolin’s sacred grounds anyway.
“I already told you. Why would I answer?”
My gaze dropped to the bastard’s torso, to the spot where the red light glowed. This newfound sight had to be connected to Cheolyoung. I’d only started seeing this light after meeting him, and there was that strange sensation I’d felt back then. Did he do something to me? There was no other explanation for such a sudden change.
I tightened my grip, but it didn’t silence him.
“Let’s just go our separate ways,” it suggested.
“Separate ways?”
“Yes. Whether at your clan or now, I haven’t truly harmed you. Can’t we pretend this never happened?”
[Hah. A shameless tongue it has.]
So it was the same creature I’d encountered before.
“You hid in my home without permission and caused that incident,” I reminded it.
“So what? Were you harmed in the end?”
Admittedly, the bastard had a point. I’d gained far more from the situation than the compensation our clan paid the Namgung Clan. But that was irrelevant.
“Even if you confine me, you can’t make me talk,” it taunted. “You messed up by revealing you could recognize me.”
Its giggling, paired with that innocent girl’s face, was utterly repulsive.
Hmm. What to do?
Torture was ineffective, and confinement seemed pointless—it acted too relaxed, as if it could escape anytime.
“Where is the real Heeyoung?” I asked.
Its expression shifted, a creepy grin spreading. “Oh? That’s what you’re curious about? Why? He didn’t seem important.”
It was as if it had learned something from my question.
“Are you worried? Concerned about what happened to the little monk?”
I felt no particular attachment to someone I didn’t know. But its reaction confirmed one thing: the young monk named Heeyoung truly existed within Shaolin. That meant this creature couldn’t impersonate someone who didn’t exist.
“Also… why aren’t you surprised?” it pressed.
“Should I be?”
“Isn’t this shocking?”
Craaack.
As it spoke, its form shifted again—another unfamiliar face, this time an elderly man. It seemed it could change its appearance freely, regardless of gender or age. Based on what happened at my clan, it could alter its entire body.
It was shocking, true, but I’d already witnessed enough strangeness to take this in stride.
…The important thing is, I wouldn’t have identified it without seeing that light.
That unknown sensation allowed me not only to see, but to feel. I knew instinctively that this was that same bastard.
[Brat.]
Elder Shin’s voice cut through my thoughts.
Yes?
[You said you can see a light?]
Yes. It’s clear.
That faint red glow was unmistakable.
[What if that light is a type of energy? Can you use your absorption technique on it?]
…Absorb it?
I’d never considered the idea. The potential side effects alone would be troublesome, and the energy itself was too suspicious to be worth the risk.
[…I’ve had enough of this thing. Shouldn’t you at least try?]
…Tch.
Relenting, I reached toward the bastard’s dantian.
It reacted with irritation. “Hmm? What are you doing? Is it because I look like a gir—!”
Ssss…
Its words cut off as my Demonic Absorption activated, slowly siphoning its energy.
“This… what…?! Stop…!”
Huh. It works.
So I could absorb energy like this, too. Did that mean I could devour all kinds of energies?
The creature’s expression twisted into desperation, disbelief etched across its features. “What the… what is this? Hey!”
“I’m just as surprised as you are.”
“Dammit… let me go! LET GO!”
It struggled, but I easily held it in place. It wasn’t particularly strong—or perhaps my absorption was suppressing its power.
“You seem a bit more desperate now.”
“…Y-You… you piece of shit… What are you?”
Its voice trembled, a stark contrast to its earlier confidence.
“Isn’t that what I asked you earlier? Now, keep cooperating.”
I adjusted the absorption rate. As the energy flowed into me, I felt no new sensations—it seemed similar to an energy already inside me. Demonic Qi? That was the most likely candidate. Or perhaps Dok Gojun’s energy. There were many possibilities, but it definitely wasn’t ordinary Qi or Taoist Qi.
“N-No, stop!” it begged.
“Give me a good reason to.”
“W-What do you want?”
“Figure that out yourself.”
I increased the absorption rate slightly. After consuming so many types of energy, I’d gained fine control over the process.
“The child monk then…! He’s alive! I just put him to sleep on a nearby mountain!”
“I don’t care about that.”
As it said, he wasn’t important to me. I lived selfishly, and I intended to keep it that way. What I needed from this creature was something else.
“T-Then what?”
“Why did you come here?”
“Shit…”
It cursed at my question.
“You expected this, didn’t you?”
The sun was beginning to set. I hadn’t planned to spend much time here, but I couldn’t just leave after finding this bastard. I needed to extract as much information as possible.
“Wait! Ask something else—like what I am!”
“I already know what you are.”
“…What?”
“A Race of Disguise.”
Its eyes widened. “You! How did you—!?”
“Who knows?”
The Abyss—that creature from that damned place—had mentioned it. I’d guessed this thing was similar, and it seemed I was right.
“So cut the fuss and tell me why you’re here.”
I increased the absorption rate again. At this pace, I’d drain it completely soon.
“You…! Why are you doing this?! What did I even do!?”
I ignored its protests.
“Is this about last time? But your side approved it!”
I paused. Approved? The Gu Clan gave it approval?
“Who approved what?”
“…Shit, we only acted after your side agreed. Think about it.”
If it was telling the truth, it couldn’t have been Father. Was it the First Elder?
“Tell me who it was.”
“How would I know? Just stop!”
It seemed ignorant on the matter.
“Forget that for now. Tell me why you came here.”
“I can’t! I’m doing this… because I can’t tell you! Ask something else…!”
Tsk.
I clicked my tongue. A shackle. Of course, important information would be restricted. Still, it was strange that a non-human creature could be bound this way.
So I changed my question.
“Hey.”
“Please… let me live… I have things to…”
“Do you know about ■■■?”
Merely speaking the name made my tongue feel heavy. Though I formed the words, my ears refused to comprehend them. I could think it clearly, but the world itself seemed to reject the name. It was as sickening and burdensome as ever.
[Kid, what did you just say?]
Elder Shin couldn’t understand, just like last time. Cold sweat trickled down my back, but I steadied my expression.
Without the seal, even thinking the name is difficult.
The seal belonging to the Young Lord of the Gu Clan—a treasure of the clan in its own right. Without it, mentioning that name felt like courting death.
“H-How… How do you know that name…?”
Fortunately, the creature understood. Did that mean it knew about them, too?
“Are you connected to that bastard?”
At my question, it seemed to lose all will to resist. What had brought on such a reaction?
“I see… So that’s why you weren’t shocked. You already knew of the Origin.”
“Origin? What does that mean?”
As I pressed it, the color faded from its eyes.
“What a sickening world… They never intended to let me live from the beginning.”
Should I release it? It sounded like it was finally revealing something valuable.
The Origin.
If it referred to the creature in the basement as the “Origin,” then what was this thing? A clone? Were there more of them? And what was their ultimate goal?
“Ahh…”
A lament escaped its lips, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Shit… I really wanted to kill that old man.”
Hearing its regret, I loosened my grip slightly.
“Why let go now? Even you must know it’s too late.”
“Do you die if I absorb all your energy?”
“Haha, damn… You were doing it without knowing? I thought you knew, you motherfucker…”
A crack-like line appeared on its cheek, spreading as its energy dwindled.
“What are you? Who are you, to wield such power?”
“What would you do if you found out?”
“I tried to tell you everything. Isn’t it fair you answer one thing?”
“You never had the right to ask questions.”
I watched it coldly. I would’ve liked to extract more information, but the creature was withering away, its life force nearly gone. Still, it met my gaze and spoke.
“…Your eyes… I thought you were just a talented kid from the Gu Clan, but there’s something sinister inside you.”
I summoned flames once more. I’d hoped to draw this out, but it was clearly at its limit.
“You show not a shred of mercy. Do you even remember where you are?”
“I’m quite confident in cleaning up my mess.”
I’d done it countless times before. I’d only attacked after ensuring it was safe.
“…Sigh…”
The crack on its face deepened.
“There’s no need. I’ll disappear on my own.”
True to its word, its body began to dry up rapidly.
Its energy is vanishing.
I’d deliberately left a trace of energy within it, but it seemed to be burning away the last of itself. Why? It had begged for its life so desperately earlier, but after I mentioned the name of the creature in the basement, all hope had left it.
“…Life is shit. I wanted to live as myself, just once.”
“I don’t have time for sob stories. Make it quick.”
It chuckled weakly at my words, then continued.
“The Black Dragon…”
Ssss.
As soon as the words left its mouth, its body contorted and desiccated on the spot.
The shackle activated.
Its final words must have been what the restriction was meant to suppress. It sounded like something exploding within, yet also like dry branches snapping. Its body was now completely mummified.
Though it felt wrong to call it human anymore.
I channeled my Qi and waved a hand.
Fwoosh.
Whether because it was already lifeless or thoroughly dried, the body ignited instantly, burning to ash without a trace.
It was a pity I couldn’t have gotten more information.
“Also, did it say ‘The Black Dragon’?”
Its parting words. A name I knew. The Black Dragon was a master of the Unorthodox Factions, slain long ago by the Sword Venerable in his youth.
Why mention that name now? It could have been a deliberate attempt to confuse me, but I doubted it.
Fwoosh…
Once the flames died, only a slight scorch mark remained on the ground. With my task done, I dispelled the subtle barrier I’d erected earlier.
[Kid, there’s something left where it burned.]
As I was cleaning up, Elder Shin’s voice rang out. Where the creature had burned, a book lay untouched by the flames, completely intact.
I picked it up carefully.
[What do you think it is?]
I’ll only know by reading it.
Its resilience to fire suggested it was made from some kind of demon leather. I tucked it into my pocket for now—reading it here was too risky.
The sky had darkened; the sun had set long ago. It was better to reflect on everything after I returned.
It’ll be a problem if I’m any later…
I was already pushing it. Returning even later could escalate into a serious issue. Sneaking out wouldn’t end with a simple reprimand.
I’ll need to apologize to Muyeon… As for the girls, they should be fine since I told them to wait inside.
Initially, I thought smoothing things over with Muyeon would be enough. With that in mind, I headed back in a relatively light mood.
But when I finally reached the guesthouse—
“Young Master Gu. I heard you had a wonderful time touring Shaolin with Lady Moyong. Is that right?”
“…”
“And just the two of you… alone?”
Three pairs of fiery eyes awaited me.