Chapter 123
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Chapter 25: Falling Behind (3)
"A message has arrived."
The chief steward held out the letter.
The Punishment Lord did not take the letter. Instead, he turned to the disciples lined up around him and said,
"What do you think it says?"
He was asking his disciples, known as the Ledger Ghosts.
"It's a refusal, of course. It must say they won't meet with Four Thousand Four."
The Third disciple said, furrowing his brow.
The Third always lived with a furrowed brow. He went through life with a scowl, as if everything in the world displeased him.
Naturally, his words were never polite. He was always curt and rough. He showered his subordinates with abuse and never tolerated mistakes.
He was extremely coarse. Extremely fierce.
Perhaps because his height barely exceeded five feet, he was all the more enraged to hide his physical inferiority complex.
In truth, he did have such a complex about his height.
Mentioning his stature was taboo. The moment anyone brought up his short height, a sword would be drawn.
"And?"
The Punishment Lord looked at his other disciples.
There were no replies. The Third, Heavenly Commander Demon Sword, had spoken correctly. The Green Master would not meet Four Thousand Four. No one imagined any other response.
"What do you think?"
The Punishment Lord asked the middle-aged man sitting in the nearest chair.
The middle-aged man had a protruding belly like a merchant, a fat body, and a greasy face that made him look plump and prosperous. He showed no sign of being a martial artist, exuding the air of a great tycoon instead.
"A guest visited last night."
The fat man said something unexpected.
"This message arrived after that. In other words, the guest assessed the situation and then sent it... so they must have judged that we can't kill Four Thousand Four."
He was Chaser, the chief disciple said to have inherited the Punishment Lord's martial arts most completely.
Chaser was not a nickname. It carried the meaning of "the next successor to the Lesser Punishment Lord." It was like the murim term for rising star, but stronger, including the connotation of heir.
In truth, when the Punishment Lord was absent, Chaser led the Lesser Punishment Division.
When the Punishment Lord was away, Chaser had the qualifications to attend the Heavenly Annihilation Division headquarters meetings and held decision-making power as one of the Ten.
He spoke nonchalantly, as if it were nothing. But his words carried tremendous weight.
Someone had infiltrated the Lesser Punishment Division!
The Lesser Punishment Division's defenses had been breached!
The locations of the Heavenly Annihilation Division headquarters and other key organizations were top-secret security matters... yet the Lesser Punishment Division's position had been exposed. Someone in the murim now knew of the Lesser Punishment Division.
"Is that... true?"
The youngest person in the hall, a woman who seemed just past thirty... the youngest among those seated... spoke up.
"It's true."
Chaser said, picking his nose.
The woman sprang to her feet and knelt on her knees.
Silence fell.
She was the Punishment Lord's eighth disciple and the only one without cleaning attendants. Yet she effectively commanded the most subordinates. She was in charge of the Lesser Punishment Division's defenses.
The murim knew nothing of her existence.
They knew the Punishment Lord had eight disciples, but not who the last one was.
"Rise. It wasn't someone you could handle."
The Punishment Lord said with a smile.
But far from rising, the woman looked at the Punishment Lord with eyes wide in shock.
"Even you, Lord Punishment, faced the intruder..."
"He stayed outside my fist circle, so there was nothing to be done. Hoho!"
The Punishment Lord said, narrowing his eyes.
Yet his words shocked the disciples even more.
The intruder had remained beyond the fist circle. The fist circle referred to one's attack range. Since martial arts and movement techniques varied by person, it was a matter only the individual knew.
If the opponent was that far away... one could strike and capture them. Even if they fled, one could pursue.
That was one's personal fist circle.
Thus, it was astonishing that the intruder had stayed outside it. It meant he had precisely gauged the Punishment Lord's martial arts and maintained a distance too great to pursue.
Someone had infiltrated the Lesser Punishment Division and observed Four Thousand Four. Yet he kept a distance from which he could escape no matter who pursued.
And he had observed Four Thousand Four while maintaining that distance.
It was a master whose prowess would drop jaws in astonishment.
"Who was it?"
The Punishment Lord asked abruptly. His gaze was on Chaser.
"It's too early to say for certain..."
Chaser trailed off, scratching his head.
"I suspect someone sent by Northern Fate Fanghyeol. If it's someone Fanghyeol would request with that level of skill... heh! I hear Fanghyeol has two immortals by his side..."
Chaser let his words hang.
Northern Fate Fanghyeol, mentioned alongside Zhuge Soso of the Zhuge family as the North-South Twin Talents.
Fanghyeol's origins were unknown. But it was known that he had formidable experts at his side. The "two immortals" referred to the Sword Immortal and Blade Immortal.
Chaser suspected the Sword Immortal and Blade Immortal as the intruders.
Chaser continued.
"Zhuge Soso, called North Bright South Small with Northern Fate, used a beauty trap to seize Mianso Slaughter... I suspect it might be aimed at Northern Fate..."
Chaser trailed off again.
He never spoke clearly. Even obvious facts he circled around, forcing listeners to guess. It was as if evading responsibility had become ingrained.
But his actions were not like that.
He rarely moved. But when he did, he acted like lightning. So swift and bold that opponents felt stabbed in the back.
When Chaser moved, it meant he had seized a perfect opportunity.
"Sword Immortal and Blade Immortal... a plausible guess."
Only then did the Punishment Lord accept the letter from the chief steward. He opened it wide.
The letter was from headquarters.
As expected, it stated they would not meet even if Four Thousand Four was killed.
The Punishment Lord pondered briefly as he read it.
'The Green Master's reply was as expected... But why is Fanghyeol interested in Four Thousand Four? What the hell are you, Four Thousand Four?'
There was a special reason the Punishment Lord did not kill Four Thousand Four easily.
Four Thousand Four had cornered his beloved second disciple, driving him to self-destruct.
The Second had fallen perfectly into the trap.
Four Thousand Four had meticulously closed the distance in a way that left no choice but death.
Moreover, at the moment of self-destruction, Four Thousand Four had leisurely escaped. From a trap no one could escape.
Currently, Four Thousand Four was presumed to possess the Shadowless Screen.
If he hadn't acupoint-sealed himself, even the Punishment Lord couldn't be confident of victory. Of course, only if Four Thousand Four had mastered the Shadowless Screen perfectly.
Fortunately, Four Thousand Four's Shadowless Screen was not perfect.
Others might not see it, but the Punishment Lord had found the flaw. In combat, he could see an opening to exploit.
Threatening to the disciples, but not yet to him.
The one who had grown in the shortest time in murim history from a mere Nineteen Hells murderer to a warrior threatening the Lesser Punishment Lord. The one who unraveled an unbreakable poison sect acupoint seal, immune to Ultimate Soul Powder, and observed with interest by Northern Fate Fanghyeol.
'There's something I don't know about this guy.'
He was the leader guiding the Lesser Punishment Division. He commanded the strongest warrior group in the Heavenly Annihilation Division. Yet there was something he didn't know. Someone had blocked his eyes and ears and assigned the task.
It felt unpleasant.
The Punishment Lord smirked and said,
"Execute on the precisely scheduled day. This is a matter to be handled within our Lesser Punishment Division... so keep it secret externally. Maintain strict silence."
"Even if we keep it secret, it'll leak anyway."
The Third blurted out.
"Kekeke!"
The First, Chaser, snickered.
The Punishment Lord's order for strict secrecy meant he intended to root out the internal spy. Even if the execution was secret, headquarters would learn eventually.
And another intent: to observe how headquarters or Northern Fate Fanghyeol interfered in such a covert secret execution.
Subordinates had to understand when their superior said "ah," to reply "euh."
In that regard, the Third was sorely lacking.
"Tch!"
At Chaser's laugh, the Third only wore a displeased expression, unable to ask why he was laughing.
The Punishment Lord was the master. A teacher. So one could beg forgiveness for mistakes. But the Eldest Brother was a rival. Currently in a favorable position as Chaser... but if his own status shook, he would execute brothers and sisters alike without mercy. And the Eldest Brother was terrifying just laughing without acting.
The Punishment Lord raised his hand.
Then his seven disciples rose from their seats.
An old man sat in a chair, basking in the sunlight.
No shade, no table. Just a chair placed in the empty courtyard, where he sat enjoying the sun.
Shh!
A stern old man landed behind him.
The old man enjoying the sun gave off a very warm impression. Like a kindly grandfather. In contrast, the one who landed behind was like a well-honed blade.
The stern old man said,
"The execution order for Four Thousand Four has come down."
"Hoho! So they caught on after all. Did I go too deep?"
The old man in the chair laughed calmly, as if he had expected it.
"If you intend to rescue Four Thousand Four, I will bring him out."
"You?"
"..."
"The Lesser Punishment Division isn't a place you can come and go freely. And... hoho! You seem to underestimate Four Thousand Four too much. Have you forgotten he possesses the Shadowless Screen?"
"Four Thousand Four can't face the Punishment Lord. He certainly can't handle the Lesser Punishment Division."
"But you can?"
"Facing the Lesser Punishment Division and extracting Four Thousand Four are different matters. If it's just breaking him out..."
At that moment, the seated old man shook his head.
"No. Leave this one alone."
"You don't seriously believe Four Thousand Four can escape on his own...?"
"The opponent is the Punishment Lord. He's a mosquito caught in the web. He absolutely can't escape."
"Then...?"
"Hohoho! Your information always has gaps. Didn't you have intel on Northern Fate Fanghyeol making a move this time?"
"I received that information. But Fanghyeol's move seems to be mere curiosity about the Shadowless Screen. I judged he wouldn't clash with the Punishment Lord just to satisfy it."
"Hahaha!"
The old man laughed so hard the chair shook.
The stern old man withdrew.
Prime Slave had spent a long time with the Green Master. He might have developed a kind of pity for him. That's why he couldn't bear to watch Four Thousand Four die.
Prime Slave had offered to rescue Four Thousand Four himself, but he knew he couldn't do it alone.
In short, it was a plea to save him.
However... Four Thousand Four's death was already decided at the Heavenly Annihilation Division headquarters meeting. The lives of Vanguard and all the supports hung solely on the Punishment Lord's hand.
No one could interfere in that.
Even if Four Thousand Four were the Green Master's own child. Even if he were the Punishment Lord's blood kin, once headquarters decreed death, it couldn't be overturned. Let alone the Green Master's disciple.
Northern Fate Fanghyeol was an extremely intelligent man.
Such a person had shown himself briefly. Showing interest.
What did that mean? It meant, "Since I'm interested, show mercy."
Prime Slave was right. Fanghyeol wouldn't confront the Punishment Lord. Instead, he sought understanding.
A silent request.
The Punishment Lord had rejected Fanghyeol's plea.
Whether Fanghyeol was interested or not, he intended to execute.
Fanghyeol? He wouldn't step forward. Not just Fanghyeol—no one from the Heavenly Annihilation Division could. Matters decided by headquarters must be upheld even if the heavens split in two.
'I'm curious how the Green Master will change once Four Thousand Four dies.'
The old man welcomed the warm sunlight with his whole body.