Chapter 283: The Successors of the Death King-1

The third son of the Four Kings, Goe Hang-gi, was a man who harbored the ambition to become the next Four Kings.

However, just as his birth order indicated, his succession rank was pushed to third place.

The inscrutable eldest brother Goe Jeong-gi was a man whose maternal family was the Jingang Man family, which could be called the second-in-command of the current Four Kings Alliance.

And with the help of that Jingang Man family, he was building an overwhelmingly powerful force within the Four Kings Alliance.

Many high-ranking warriors of the Four Kings Alliance had connections to the Jingang Man family for one reason or another, and that vast network was directly inherited by Goe Jeong-gi, making his standing within the Four Kings Alliance unparalleled.

The third son, Goe Hang-gi, had also tried to rely on his maternal family to make connections here and there in order to stand against his eldest brother.

But that task was never easy.

'Wherever I tried to make connections, only those already tied to the Man family or those completely uninterested in such matters remained. How am I supposed to compete with the eldest brother like this?!'

Moreover, the eldest brother was not the only rival he had to contend with.

When it came to difficulty, the second brother, Goe Chang-gi, was no different.

Though in a slightly different sense from the eldest, Goe Jeong-gi, he too was building an unparalleled standing.

Goe Chang-gi's maternal family was the Heukrim Ji family, the descendants of the Iron Fist Invincible Hero Ji Mo-su, who was always considered among the top five in martial prowess within the Four Kings Alliance in any era.

Perhaps because he inherited the blood of Ji Mo-su, who was synonymous with simplicity, ignorance, and extremism and famed as a pure warrior, Goe Chang-gi's personal martial prowess was considered the most exceptional among the successors.

Additionally, with his aggressive temperament that loved fighting, he chose to go out and build a reputation externally rather than seizing control internally like the eldest, Goe Jeong-gi.

So, he was currently leading only his own forces and waging war against the Namgoong family in Anhui Province.

The third son, Goe Hang-gi, considered that second brother of his to be a bit pathetic.

'It's absurd. Even so, to wage war against the Namgoong family, the leader of the Five Great Families, with only his own followers? What kind of reckless act is that?'

In truth, this thought was not Goe Hang-gi's alone.

For most people in the Four Kings Alliance also considered Goe Chang-gi's attempt reckless.

But the place they belonged to was the Four Kings Alliance.

A place where a glorious defeat was evaluated and praised more highly than a cowardly victory.

Therefore, Goe Hang-gi knew.

That if by any chance his brother Goe Chang-gi really did defeat the Namgoong family, the leader of the Five Great Families, and drove them out of Anhui Province, his standing would certainly rise to become unparalleled among the successors....

'The second brother probably knows that fact too, so he's aiming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for a single reversal through that reckless challenge.'

Besides, hadn't he at least found a way to attempt something and was carrying it out?

It was certainly a reckless attempt, but... it was undeniably a better situation than Goe Hang-gi himself, who had yet to even find a method.

As such, Goe Hang-gi had become extremely impatient lately.

Even leaving aside the fourth brother, whose power was weak and who didn't seem interested in power, he needed something with tremendous impact to catch up to the two brothers who were already overwhelmingly ahead.

But amidst all this, another competitor was being added?

Not even a different half-brother, but a descendant of the Seol family, which was thought to have perished?

It was something Goe Hang-gi absolutely could not tolerate.

So he resolved to crush that bastard, the descendant of the Seol family, right then and there.

So that he wouldn't even dare dream of becoming the next Four Kings.

Very thoroughly, that is.

And Goe Hang-gi did not think that task would be too difficult.

'A lowly leftover of the Seol family who rolled in from outside with no power whatsoever. He might be running wild without knowing his place now, but I will make him realize the clear reality!'

He spoke to Seol Pung with an arrogant expression.

"You bastard want to become the next Four Kings? Keuk, that's ridiculous. Do you think the Four Kings is the leader of some third-rate sect in the neighborhood you were hiding in? You don't really think a pig-dog like you could actually become the Four Kings, do you?"

He smiled a fishy smile and slowly approached Seol Pung.

"Right, how could that even be possible? No matter how empty your head is, you wouldn't have dared dream such a thing. You probably thought you could grab a sizable fortune if you became a candidate for the Four Kings. Isn't that right? But what to do? I have no intention of letting a pig-dog like you be called my equal?"

At that, Seol Pung smiled calmly and asked him.

"If you don't let me? Earlier, the Four Kings told us not to kill or harm each other inside Jiangsu Province, didn't he?"

Indeed, that was the rule the Four Kings had set among the successors.

Therefore, Goe Hang-gi absolutely could not touch Seol Pung within Jiangsu Province, at the very least.

But Goe Hang-gi was not flustered by those words.

Rather, he laughed fiercely and spoke.

"Right, inside Jiangsu Province, that might be the case. But wouldn't it all be resolved if I subdue you and drag you outside Jiangsu Province? It's a bit troublesome, but I'm fully willing to do that much for you. How about it? Do you understand the situation you're in now?"

At that, Seol Pung answered with a bright expression.

"Aha! So, as long as it's not inside Jiangsu Province, anything goes. Right, I understand."

Hearing Seol Pung's words of thanks, Goe Hang-gi's eyes twitched.

Because Seol Pung's reaction, which seemed too serene, did not sit well with him at all.

Unable to hold back any longer, he emitted a ferocious momentum and shouted savagely.

Hwaaah!

"Is it because you're a pig-dog? Even after being told this much, you still don't seem to understand. Fine, I'll put it simply for you. If you don't want to die, kneel right now, you vulgar bastard!"

Goe Hang-gi's momentum was quite surprising.

His martial prowess, now nearing the transcendent peak, seemed at least difficult to find a match for among his age group.

But even in the face of Goe Hang-gi's furious shout and ferocious momentum, Seol Pung only chuckled.

He abruptly asked Goe Hang-gi, as if it had just occurred to him.

"By the way, how old are you?"

It was an utterly unexpected question.

Hearing Seol Pung's question, Goe Hang-gi's eyes twitched.

"What did you say?"

At that, Seol Pung suddenly emitted a storm-like momentum and shouted.

Hwaaah!

"You don't understand what I'm saying? I asked how old you are, you little brat!"

Seol Pung's momentum was overwhelming.

At that unimaginable momentum, not only Goe Hang-gi but also the others who had been merely watching from behind could not help but freeze on the spot.

Because Seol Pung's momentum, which had completely erased Goe Hang-gi's momentum without a trace, far exceeded their expectations.

"Ugh!"

"H-how could that be!"

Of course, it was not comparable to absolute beings like the Four Kings.

But at that level, he seemed capable of holding his own against masters of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World level.

Seol Pung cracked his knuckles with a popping sound and walked toward Goe Hang-gi, saying.

"As far as I know, you, you bastard, are twenty-six years old. But to use such speech to an older brother of the same family, it seems I need to fix your insolent behavior. There's no need to leave Jiangsu Province just to teach manners to a disrespectful younger sibling of the household, right?"

At his words, Goe Hang-gi gritted his teeth and shouted.

"Y-younger sibling! How dare a scum like you, to me...!"

Even while being suppressed by the overwhelming momentum, his mouth never yielded to Seol Pung.

But his body was not the same.

Contrary to his defiant words, Goe Hang-gi's body instinctively hesitated and stepped backward.

Because he could not withstand Seol Pung's momentum.

At that, Goe Hang-gi, who had retreated instinctively, realized his own mistake and trembled with shame.

To be frightened by such a vulgar bastard, and even to show that sight before others.

It could not be anything but utterly humiliating.

It was then.

Several subordinates of Goe Hang-gi who had been watching from behind rushed forward as if to make up for their master's mistake and shouted.

"You bastard! How dare you act against the Third Young Master!"

"We will not forgive you!"

"Die!"

They were the ones called the Yeodeungsamgeom, Goe Hang-gi's direct subordinates.

Each was a martial artist possessing at least eighty years of internal energy, known as masters of combined attack techniques, said to be capable of facing transcendent peak masters when performing a coordinated assault.

Their swords shot out like beams of light toward Seol Pung.

Shwiiiiik!

But their intervention was something Seonwoo Jin had already anticipated in his mind.

Seonwoo Jin, who had been leisurely observing the situation from behind Seol Pung, sent a telepathic message to Jin So-eun the moment they rushed forward.

[- Jin Sojeo.]

[- Yes!]

At that, Jin So-eun also leaped forward as if she had been waiting.

It was toward the Yeodeungsamgeom, who were trying to execute their combined attack against Seol Pung.

"Hyaaap!"

Her appearance blocked their surprise attack, and the Yeodeungsamgeom frowned and shouted.

"Hmm?!"

"A mere wench!"

"Get lost immediately!"

It was that moment.

Jin So-eun's wooden staff began whirling like a living dragon, filling the space.

It was the appearance of the Natural Staff.

Hwiriririririk!

It was an overwhelming sight.

A divine dragon twisting through the clouds seemed to coil and block the way.

At the majestic display of the Natural Staff, like an iron wall blocking Seol Pung's front, the swords of the Yeodeungsamgeom could not even touch Seol Pung and were helplessly deflected away.

Tadadadadang!

"Keuk!"

"W-what the?!"

"What kind of staff technique is this?!"

Seeing that spectacle, Goe Hang-gi's face twisted even more than before.

Because he felt shame at the sight of his direct subordinates, the Yeodeungsamgeom, being so powerlessly deflected.

It was that moment.

Another figure burst out from behind Goe Hang-gi.

He was a large-built, hairy warrior.

"You boast some notable petty tricks!"

He was a man called Go Sang-jong, known as the Single-Axe Tyrant, the only transcendent peak martial artist among Goe Hang-gi's direct subordinates.

He could be said to be Goe Hang-gi's strongest military asset.

His great axe struck at the barrier Jin So-eun had created with a momentum that seemed it could split a boulder in one blow.

Syuhak!

The warriors of the Four Kings Alliance who saw him cried out.

"The Single-Axe Tyrant!"

"Elder Go has come out!"

"At last!"

At that, Goe Hang-gi's expression brightened slightly.

Because he thought that now that the transcendent peak master Go Sang-jong had stepped forward, he could sufficiently deal with subordinates of Seol Pung's ilk.

But at that moment, Seonwoo Jin sent another telepathic message.

[- Miss Yeon.]

At that, Yeon Taejin, hearing the message, grinned and rushed forward.

"Leave it to me!"

The next moment, Go Sang-jong's great axe collided with Yeon Taejin's fist.

Kwaaaaaang!

It was a tremendous crashing sound, a thunderous noise like a cannonball exploding.

Go Sang-jong stepped back two paces, a strange light in his eyes.

To have his great axe deflected head-on, and what's more, by such a slender-looking woman.

He could not believe this situation at all.

Then Yeon Taejin, who had stepped back three paces, grinned like a man and clashed both her fists together.

Kwajik!

"Whoa! That stung a bit?! You're not half bad for an ugly bastard? Alright, shall we get serious now, bearded one?!"

"...What did you say?"

Go Sang-jong gritted his teeth and retorted.

But even while saying that, he could not recklessly charge in again.

At a glance, if you only looked at the distance the two had retreated, Go Sang-jong, who had stepped back two paces, might seem slightly superior to Yeon Taejin, who had retreated three paces.

But any martial artist could understand what it meant that the much smaller Yeon Taejin had only retreated one step further.

Go Sang-jong's martial power was inferior compared to Yeon Taejin.

It was then.

While Yeon Taejin was confronting Go Sang-jong, Seol Pung, now unhindered by any interference, strode confidently and finally reached in front of Goe Hang-gi.

He grinned fiercely at Goe Hang-gi and spoke.

"Looks like there's no one left to interfere now? Then, shall we get a beating in first before we talk?"

Goe Hang-gi had no choice but to gulp dryly at the sight of Seol Pung before his eyes.

Seol Pung, who had a physique similar to his own, felt like a massive mountain range standing before him.

'This feeling was as if....'

He suddenly recalled a few people who had given off a similar feeling to the current Seol Pung.

'Sixth Uncle or Uncle Maeng?'

Having inadvertently recalled the images of those two, Goe Hang-gi suddenly realized that they were both masters whose names were listed among the Thirty-Six Stars of the World.

Goe Hang-gi's instincts had judged Seol Pung to be a master of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World level.

He spoke with a horrified expression.

"Th-that's impossible. The likes of you couldn't have reached such a realm...."

At that, Seol Pung slowly raised his fist before Goe Hang-gi's eyes and spoke.

"I don't know what's supposed to be impossible, but that mouth of yours just doesn't get fixed. Guess you need a bit more beating after all."

Goe Hang-gi stared at Seol Pung's fist raised above his own head with a pale expression.

It was clearly similar in size to his own fist, yet it looked as massive as a giant's.

That was when it happened.

One of the Four Kings' sons, who had been watching from behind, quietly opened his mouth.

"That's enough."

A quiet voice, but one that carried powerful strength and presence.

In an instant, everyone's gaze in the hall focused on him.

Then the owner of the voice slowly stepped forward.

He was the expressionless-faced man who had been standing at the very back among the Four Kings' sons.

Seeing him, Goe Hang-gi cried out his name with an expression as if he had received salvation.

"J-Jeonggi hyung-nim!"

Through Goe Hang-gi's words, Seol Pung could tell that he was Goe Jeong-gi.

As for Goe Jeong-gi, he was the first son of the Four Kings, evaluated as the most influential successor among the brothers.

'His age was probably twenty-eight, same age as me.'

Seol Pung, who had briefly recalled his age, chuckled and asked him.

"Why should I?"

Then the man, who had been staring at Seol Pung with an unreadable expression for a moment, answered.

"He may be a worthless younger brother, but I cannot simply stand by and watch him get beaten by someone else. If you insist on continuing, you will have to deal with me first."

Goe Jeong-gi.

He was the maternal grandson of Man Seong-guk, the second-in-command of the current Four Kings Alliance, and boasted the largest faction among the Four Kings' sons.

According to what had been investigated beforehand, his faction already wielded considerable influence within the Four Kings Alliance.

The quality and number of martial artists personally owned by Goe Jeong-gi rivaled the armed forces of the Four Kings Alliance itself, and the martial artists he could influence directly or indirectly were beyond counting.

Nor was his martial arts weak.

The man known to be closest to becoming the next Four Kings in every aspect—faction and martial prowess alike.

That was Goe Jeong-gi.

So confronting him from the very beginning was not a wise choice.

If he were to be marked by him, simply establishing a foothold within the Four Kings Alliance itself could become impossible if things went wrong.

Hearing Goe Jeong-gi's warning, Seol Pung retorted with an unreadable expression.

"Oh yeah? I have to deal with you?"

It was at that moment.

A grin suddenly spread across Seol Pung's lips.

And in the next instant, Seol Pung's fist mercilessly slammed into Goe Hang-gi.

Puh-eo-eok!

"Kuaaaaagh!"

Kudangtangtangtang!

Unable to even defend himself, Goe Hang-gi was sent flying backward by Seol Pung's strike and could do nothing but tumble disgracefully across the ground.

Then, a light of shock appeared on the faces of everyone watching.

"Th-that...!"

"Huk!"

"!"

The fact that Seol Pung, who had been overwhelming Goe Hang-gi from earlier, had struck him was not that surprising.

But the fact that he had ignored Goe Jeong-gi's warning was sufficiently astonishing.

Because it meant he intended to directly confront the one with the greatest influence among the Four Kings' sons.

At that, a single emotion finally surfaced on the ever-expressionless face of Goe Jeong-gi.

It was the emotion of rage.

He was glaring at Seol Pung with blazing eyes when it happened.

Seol Pung grinned bitterly and asked him.

"Well then, shall I deal with you now?"

At those words, Goe Jeong-gi's eyes flinched.

Far from being afraid of opposing him, he had deliberately struck Goe Hang-gi because he wanted to face him.

For him, who had always ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠only ever instilled fear in others, it was something he had never once experienced before in his life.

At that moment, Seonwoo Jin's telepathic transmission entered Seol Pung's ear.

[- That was a refreshing thing to say, hyung-nim.]

Hearing that voice, the smile on Seol Pung's face deepened.

In fact, a moment ago, while he had been thinking about how to respond to Goe Jeong-gi's warning that he would have to deal with him, Seonwoo Jin's telepathic transmission had come through as well.

It was a message saying, 'He'll face you in place of his younger brother, what a madman.'

Seol Pung could discern that Seonwoo Jin's words meant there was no need to hesitate.

So he had been able to boldly push forward according to his temper without any further hesitation.

That was when it happened.

The one standing behind Goe Jeong-gi, unable to endure Seol Pung's actions, leaped forward shouting.

"You bastard! How dare you!"

He was Goe Jeong-gi's second-strongest subordinate, the transcendent peak master White Bone Strange Staff Hong Chu.

Having strung human skulls together like a necklace around his neck and decorated his weapon, the strange staff, with a large skull as well, he was a veteran of the evil faction who had been notorious for a long time.

The gruesome white bone strange staff was swung toward Seol Pung with terrifying force.

Buaaaaaang!

But his strange staff could not reach Seol Pung.

Before he knew it, Jeung Chil had appeared in between, spinning in the air and kicking his strange staff away.

Kwaaaaaang!

"Kuhk!"

White Bone Strange Staff Hong Chu could not withstand the impact and was forced to stagger backward.

On the other hand, Jeung Chil, who had landed calmly despite having kicked him in mid-air, laughed frivolously and shouted.

"Kehehehehe! You bastard Hong, you're still going around carrying that hideous weapon along with that hideous mug of yours!"

Then Hong Chu, recognizing Jeung Chil's face, shouted with a surprised expression.

"Red Sea Child?! How are you here!"

Red Sea Child Jeung Chil and White Bone Strange Staff Hong Chu had clashed several times before in the past.

Back then, the two had been unable to decide a victor until the end and had been forced to stop just before mutual destruction.

But now, ten years later, the expressions of the two as they clashed again showed a stark difference in temperature.

This was because Jeung Chil's skills had advanced far beyond the past, having learned the Wind Dragon Kick Technique, the martial art of the Thunder God, from Seonwoo Jin and crossed countless lines of death while meeting numerous masters.

Though it had been but a single moment of collision, White Bone Strange Staff Hong Chu could feel it clearly.

That Jeung Chil's skill—having intercepted and so easily, so accurately kicked away his strange staff—was definitively above his own.

So while Hong Chu's face reddened with rage, he was hesitating to charge in again.

Goe Jeong-gi's eyes were now directed at the old man standing quietly behind him.

He was a gaunt old man in black, holding a long straight sword with eyes sharp as a snake's.

Goe Jeong-gi opened his mouth and addressed him.

"Elder Baek."

At that, the old man in black furrowed his brow for a moment with an annoyed look in his eyes, then finally began to walk forward slowly.

In that instant, all the figures of the Four Kings Alliance present in the hall gulped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with tense expressions.

"Ghost Blade."

"Elder Baek is...."

Then a faint smile formed on Goe Jeong-gi's face.

It was difficult to get him to move, but once he decided to take action, no one in the hall would be able to stop him.

He was a man named Ghost Blade Baek Gi-ryang, famous as a murderous demon of the East Sea for decades.

Furthermore, while not one of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Thirty-Six Stars of the World, he was a name that was never omitted when selecting those closest to the Thirty-Six Stars.

There were not many martial artists superior to him even within the Four Kings Alliance, one of the three great powers of the world.

Thus, Goe Jeong-gi did not doubt it at all.

That he would not disappoint Goe Jeong-gi, just as he never had.

But just as that Baek Gi-ryang was about to slowly move his steps toward Seol Pung.

Simultaneously, someone from behind Seol Pung also began to walk forward slowly.

Stomp! Stomp!

He walked out in front of Seol Pung, then stopped at an angle, blocking Baek Gi-ryang's path.

He had dared to block the path of Ghost Blade Baek Gi-ryang, the murderous demon of the East Sea and a master close to the Thirty-Six Stars of the World.

People were first shocked that he had openly blocked Baek Gi-ryang's way, and shocked a second time by the fact that he was a young man of outstanding appearance who looked only to be in his early twenties.

Gulp!

That man was none other than Seonwoo Jin.

Seonwoo Jin, who had interposed himself between Baek Gi-ryang and Seol Pung, turned his head sideways to look at Ghost Blade Baek Gi-ryang and smiled gently.

Then, the eyes of Baek Gi-ryang, who had stopped in his tracks, twitched slightly.

Baek Gi-ryang slowly raised his hand and gripped the handle of his blade, as if he would draw it at any moment.

In response, Seonwoo Jin also moved only the thumb of his left hand, which was holding the scabbard, to push the Mukrang sword up out of its sheath.

Seureung!

Baek Gi-ryang's and Seonwoo Jin's gazes clashed in the air.

It was the snake-like, sharply gleaming eyes of Baek Gi-ryang against the eyes of Seonwoo Jin, still smiling leisurely.

Seeing this, the people of the Four Kings Alliance whispered among themselves.

"He'll die right away."

"Ah, a reckless fool."

The people did not doubt that the young fool who had interfered without knowing his place would die in a single stroke.

This was because the one called Ghost Blade Baek Gi-ryang was far too monstrous an opponent for Seonwoo Jin, who was excessively young and whom they did not even know.

But while all the warriors of the Four Kings Alliance thought this way, Baek Gi-ryang, for some reason, did not draw his blade.

He merely stood stopped in his place, exchanging gazes with Seonwoo Jin.

As that strange situation persisted, Goe Jeong-gi furrowed his brow and opened his mouth again.

"Elder Baek?"

But Baek Gi-ryang seemed not to even hear his voice.

Far from answering, he did not even glance toward Goe Jeong-gi and continued to glare only at Seonwoo Jin.

It was an expression as if he had met the arch-nemesis of his life.

"No way...."

"Th-that is...."

Only then did the people realize.

That Baek Gi-ryang was not choosing not to draw his blade—he was unable to draw it.

A light of shock appeared on everyone's faces.

"H-how can that be!"

"Just who in the world is that man!"

People began to stir.

Then, instead of drawing his blade, Baek Gi-ryang opened his mouth and asked Seonwoo Jin.

"...Who are you? I have never heard mention of a young one like you existing."

At his question, Seonwoo Jin chuckled and answered.

"I have heard many stories of you, old man. But... you're less than the stories. I am very disappointed."

Everyone was appalled at those arrogant words.

To say such a thing to Ghost Blade Baek Gi-ryang, the supreme master and murderous demon—even several lives would not be enough to pay for it.

But the sight they witnessed afterward was even more astonishing.

Baek Gi-ryang, who had gritted his teeth at Seonwoo Jin's insolent words, still could not draw his blade despite that.

"This...!"

Baek Gi-ryang wanted to draw his blade right then and cut the bastard down.

But his hand simply would not move.

Because his instincts, forged through over seventy years of rolling in seas of blood, were telling him.

'If I draw my blade, I will die.'

Baek Gi-ryang unconsciously gulped.

The young bastard, who was not even emitting his aura but merely looking at him with a leisurely smile, appeared just like a single sword.

Baek Gi-ryang was by no means weak.

His martial arts, tempered through decades of rolling in seas of blood, were undoubtedly at an extremely high level.

Among the masters Seonwoo Jin had encountered, he was comparable even to the Blood Sea Demon Blade Yun Sak, who had given him great difficulty.

But precisely because of that, he was not that difficult an opponent for the current Seonwoo Jin.

To Seonwoo Jin, who had killed Blood Sea Demon Blade Yun Sak, once again broken through the wall, and even slain Hainan Demon Sword Jin Tae-do, one of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World, he was nothing more than a minor player who could be killed at any time.

Baek Gi-ryang was feeling a terrible humiliation yet could not bring himself to draw his blade.

Seol Pung strode over to Goe Jeong-gi and asked.

"Well then, do you feel like coming forward yourself now?"

At his words, Goe Jeong-gi's face twisted.

His face, which had always been expressionless anywhere and anytime, was unusually expressing many emotions today.