Chapter 187
Chapter 187
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: The Face of a Killer
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Seeing Zhuge Xiyun's resolute expression, Murong Gyeong nodded with a look of resignation.
“Hmm. Very well.”
He then forced a smile as he looked at Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin.
“I've prepared a banquet. You two, please come inside.”
The banquet table was laden with extravagant dishes, the likes of which one would never expect to find in a rundown manor.
Murong Gyeong had paid a handsome sum to bring in chefs from nearby to prepare the meal himself.
After a few rounds of drinks, the Zhuge siblings, the Huangbo brothers, and Murong Gyeong began to chat, catching up on old times.
Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin, however, paid them little mind, eating their food in silence.
*Nothing seems out of place.*
In truth, Bu Eun-seol was watching Zhuge Xiyun's group with suspicion.
The pursuit teams from the Zhuge, Murong, and Huangbo families had joined forces, so why was this group conducting a separate chase?
It could, of course, be a matter of youthful ambition.
But the timing was too coincidental. After encountering the masked figures on the ship, he couldn't completely shake his doubts.
Murong Gyeong was thinking along the same lines.
*The Scholar of a Thousand Garments broke his promise and left for Yunnan, and just then, these young masters appeared…*
Of course, matters in the martial world rarely went as planned; unexpected events were always bound to occur.
Still, Murong Gyeong couldn't help but view the sudden appearance of Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin with suspicion.
*Thankfully, they aren't overstepping their bounds.*
Had the two of them tried to insert themselves into the group, Murong Gyeong would have been quite displeased.
But since they were quietly eating and not trying to join the conversation, he nodded with a look of resignation.
*I'll have to keep an eye on them for now.*
Once everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Murong Gyeong turned serious and began to discuss their plans.
“The Bewitching Madman has already killed five young martial artists during his escape. Right now, three squads, including my family's Yang-sak Squad, are hot on his trail.”
He paused, his expression grave.
“According to the Yang-sak Squad's intelligence, he plans to enter Daemyeong Mountain to shake his pursuers. That's why the three squads have split up to guard the paths.”
Huangbo Cheon-gyeong, who had been listening silently with his arms crossed, chimed in.
“Daemyeong Mountain… so he's trying to flee to Yunnan.”
“Most likely, yes.”
Murong Gyeong paused again, turning to Zhuge Xiyun.
“But you still have a different opinion?”
Zhuge Xiyun nodded.
“That's right. I believe he's not headed for Daemyeong Mountain, but for Ujung Mountain in the opposite direction, in Samyeong Prefecture.”
Zhuge Xiyun's gaze swept over the others as he continued.
“The Bewitching Madman has been pursued by both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions countless times in the past. He's even managed to stay hidden without a trace until now.”
Zhuge Xiyun spoke with conviction.
“A killer that elusive wouldn't leave a trail for his pursuers to follow.”
“Are you saying he isn't going to Yunnan?”
Zhuge Xiyun shook his head at Huangbo Cheon-gyeong's question.
“No, he'll go to Yunnan. However…”
He pointed to a map.
“He'll shake the pursuit teams at Ujung Mountain, and once the encirclement loosens, he'll head for Yunnan then.”
Murong Gyeong, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.
“But I don't understand. If that's what you think, surely Squad Leader Zhuge Yeon, who leads the Bi-dam Squad, would have predicted the same?”
It was Zhuge Xilin who answered.
“We believe the reason the Bewitching Madman has been able to evade pursuit from both factions is precisely because the trackers sent after him are too skilled.”
“I don't follow.”
“Experts in a field can sometimes be trapped by conventional wisdom.”
“That doesn't sound very plausible.”
“Of course, there's a second reason.”
Zhuge Xilin calmly continued her explanation.
“He has an accomplice.”
“An accomplice?”
As Murong Gyeong blinked, Zhuge Xilin's large, long eyes sparkled.
“An accomplice who helps the Bewitching Madman every time he's pursued, erasing or disrupting his tracks.”
This time, it was Huangbo Je-gyeong who shook his head.
“Sister Lin. Even so, would a madman, a public enemy of the martial world, really have an accomplice?”
“Even a madman can have money. There are plenty of scoundrels among assassins who can be bought for the right price.”
“Hmm.”
Murong Gyeong, who had been listening silently, nodded.
“Well, I suppose that's possible.”
The Zhuge family was truly in a league of its own.
Their insight that an expert's vast knowledge and skill could become a weakness was astonishing, and their perspective on the bigger picture was different from that of an ordinary martial artist.
“So, what's the plan?”
Zhuge Xiyun answered Murong Gyeong's question.
“To pass through Ujung Mountain, he must cross this point.”
Having spread out the map at some point, Zhuge Xiyun wore a solemn expression.
“This villain is known for his incredible movement techniques. The moment he arrives here, we must surround him instantly.”
Zhuge Xiyun took a deep breath, his eyes glinting.
“Brother Murong, Young Master Bu, and Young Master Hyeok will block his escape route and handle defense. Brother Huangbo, younger brother Je-gyeong, and I will take the offense and attack in waves. If we do this, victory is certain.”
Hearing the confidence in Zhuge Xiyun's voice, everyone present nodded.
His plan was, by all accounts, perfect and flawless.
But they did not know.
That while the great minds of the martial world often devise plausible plans, the battlefield often presents unforeseen circumstances.
***
Dozens of masters were racing through the mountain under the cover of darkness.
*Shhh, shhh, shhh.*
Despite brushing past trees and bushes, they made almost no sound.
The martial artists, split into three squads, maintained a triangular formation as they ran at a steady pace.
*Thud.*
Just then, the man leading the charge halted his movement technique and raised a hand. Those following behind held their breath and stopped as well.
“Just as I thought. He's heading this way.”
The leader, who had crouched down to examine the ground for a long while, nodded.
He carried a long, skewer-like, misshapen sword on his back, an attire that would have easily mistaken him for an assassin had he been wearing night gear.
But he wore a high-quality martial arts uniform with indigo embroidery, and his gaze was impeccably righteous and grand.
This was Murong Cheong-un, the leader of the Murong family's Yang-sak Squad.
“We'll be able to catch that madman now.”
A man with a sturdy build and iron gauntlets on both hands approached Murong Cheong-un, his voice low.
It was Huangbo Gwang-un, the commander of the Huangbo family's Jin-cheon Squad.
“Something is strange.”
Just then, a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar with a Judge's Brush tucked into his waist spoke up as he examined the tracks on the ground.
“The tracks of his escape seem clandestine, but they are too formulaic.”
This was Zhuge Yeon, the leader of the Zhuge family's Bi-dam Squad.
“It's as if he's left traces so faint that only experts like us could barely discern them.”
“Haha. What nonsense. Are you suggesting that madman predicted our entire pursuit route and left these tracks in advance? That's impossible.”
“Of course.”
Zhuge Yeon quietly shook his head.
“But perhaps… an accomplice predicted our pursuit and is intentionally misdirecting us with these tracks.”
“Hahaha. Just like someone from the Zhuge family.”
This time, Murong Cheong-un said with a laugh.
“We already anticipated he might have an accomplice. That's why our three families formed such a large-scale pursuit force.”
“No, what I mean is… I suspect his accomplices might be a group that operates an intelligence network.”
“Impossible. What kind of insane faction would systematically aid a public enemy of both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions?”
Huangbo Gwang-un nodded in agreement.
“Brother Yeon. Sometimes, you need to think simply. The whereabouts of that madman, who couldn't be found for over a decade, have suddenly been revealed, haven't they?”
“But…”
Huangbo Gwang-un waved his hand dismissively.
“It just means that killer's luck has finally run out. That's why we're able to catch him.”
He tapped the Gwang-cheon Gauntlets on his hands and said with a smile.
“Don't worry. Even if we lose his trail, the squads we sent ahead will block his escape.”
“Understood.”
He replied, but an unpleasant aftertaste lingered.
*Whoosh.*
Murong Cheong-un and Huangbo Gwang-un led their men and began to execute their movement techniques once more.
“Hmm.”
Judging by the tracks, catching the Bewitching Madman was only a matter of time. But why did he have such a strange feeling?
*It's a useless thought.*
Taking a deep breath, Zhuge Yeon shook his head as if to clear the lingering doubts from his mind.
He then led his squad and followed after the others.
***
Ujung Mountain.
It was not a particularly high mountain, but its forests were dense and its terrain rugged. The main ridge was formed of rock, creating gorges with beautiful scenery.
The midway point of Ujung Mountain, shrouded in darkness.
A small figure was climbing the mountain, its breathing ragged.
“Huu. Huu.”
It was a young man in worn clothes, carrying a bamboo basket on his shoulder.
The steep mountain path seemed to be taking its toll on him, as beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
“Hah.”
Finally reaching a flat area on the mountainside, the young man let out a sigh and stopped walking.
His eyes, gazing up at the starlit sky, were clear and pure, sparkling even in the darkness.
“Gulp, gulp.”
Taking a water pouch from his bamboo box and drinking his fill, the young man wiped the sweat from his brow and hurried on his way.
*“He looks like a peddler traveling between villages.”*
Zhuge Xiyun, watching the young man from the dense forest, sent a telepathic message to his companions.
*“He should pass by quickly, so pay him no mind. Let's remain on standby.”*
Huangbo Je-gyeong frowned and sent a telepathic message in return.
*“A whole day has passed. When do you think this Bewitching Madman fellow is going to show up?”*
*“He's likely making a wide detour to shake his pursuers, so probably sometime tomorrow…”*
*Whoosh.*
Just then, Bu Eun-seol, who had been hiding in a tree, suddenly dropped to the ground.
He calmly walked toward the young man.
*“Young Master Bu!”*
A startled Zhuge Xiyun sent a telepathic message, but Bu Eun-seol approached the young man's back as if he hadn't heard.
“Aigoo!”
The young man, who was leaning against a large tree to catch his breath, was startled by Bu Eun-seol's sudden appearance and stumbled backward.
“Who are you?”
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol swept his cold gaze over the young man's entire body.
Then, as if realizing something, he nodded.
“So that's how it is.”
“Huh?”
“Reveal your true self.”
“W-What are you talking about?”
“Bewitching Madman.”
For a moment, a flash of light flickered in the young man's eyes.
But it was fleeting, and the young man's naive expression quickly returned.
“Bewitching Madman? What's that?”
Bu Eun-seol answered by clenching his fist.
The gesture was not a simple threat. A wind swirled around his body, and a blade-like killing intent surged forth.
“Young Master Bu.”
Unable to watch any longer, Zhuge Xiyun leaped out of the forest and stood in front of Bu Eun-seol.
“Young Master Bu, what are you doing? Why all of a sudden…”
“He is the Bewitching Madman.”
“What do you mean? This young man is the Bewitching Madman?”
Bu Eun-seol muttered something that was part answer, part mumble to himself.
“To wear the skin of someone so young so skillfully… no wonder he couldn't be caught.”
*Kwooo!*
Bu Eun-seol, looking down at the young man, suddenly threw a punch.
It was a light extension of his arm, yet a tremendous gust of wind and a terrifying force rushed toward the young man's face.
*BOOM!*
But the force of the punch struck not the young man's face, but the large tree behind him.
The young man who had been leaning against the tree had moved like lightning to dodge the attack.
“What an interesting fellow.”
The young man's clear, refreshing voice had completely changed.
Not only that, but his clear, sparkling eyes were now slit vertically, like a bat's.
This was the true face of Gongsun Gu-reung, the mad killer who dissected people alive.
“Gongsun Gu-reung!”
At that, the Huangbo brothers and Murong Gyeong, who had been waiting, let out a thunderous cry and surrounded him.
“So you're the Bewitching Madman!”
Despite being surrounded by the Huangbo brothers and Murong Gyeong, Gongsun Gu-reung's expression didn't change.
Instead, his gaze remained fixed on Bu Eun-seol.
“The skin I'm wearing is real, from a young lad. You shouldn't have been able to tell.”
“Perhaps.”
“How did you know?”
Gongsun Gu-reung asked persistently.
If he didn't get an answer from Bu Eun-seol, there was a chance his disguise could be seen through again in the future.
This sly, murderous madman was determined to find the answer, even if he had to coax it out of him.
“I didn't know. In fact, I was almost completely fooled myself.”
Gongsun Gu-reung was a murderer and a public enemy of both factions.
There was no need to observe seniority or etiquette, so Bu Eun-seol was speaking to him condescendingly, as if to an inferior.
“You look like you're dying of curiosity.”
“Then perhaps you'll tell me before I die.”
As Gongsun Gu-reung pressed on, the corners of Bu Eun-seol's mouth lifted.
“The bamboo box.”