Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Those Backed into a Corner
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Martial God (105)
Those Backed into a Corner
‘Too late.’
Ak Muyoo shifted his body to the right.
The distance he moved was less than a chi—not even thirty centimeters. But that short span changed the enemy weapon’s final target from the back of his neck to his shoulder.
A strike to the back of the neck meant death. A strike to the shoulder meant survival. Less than a chi, but it was a critical distance that decided life or death.
It was also the reason Ak Muyoo had survived the battlefield.
Ak Muyoo’s hand reached for his left shoulder.
Still embedded there was the awl-shaped weapon from moments ago. Ak Muyoo gripped it.
Puk!
A similar weapon dug into his right shoulder from behind. At that instant, Ak Muyoo yanked out the awl in his hand, spun toward Gong Yeol, and thrust it sideways.
Puk!
This time, the sound came from the awl in Ak Muyoo’s grasp. The awl pierced Gong Yeol’s left neck.
“Kuhuk!”
Gong Yeol screamed and lashed out with his left hand. At the same time, the awl in his right hand stabbed toward Ak Muyoo’s heart. Blood sprayed from Gong Yeol’s neck like a fountain as he thrust.
Puk!
The moment Gong Yeol’s left hand struck Ak Muyoo’s chest, Ak Muyoo unleashed Life-Death Bind with his own left hand, seizing Gong Yeol’s left wrist and yanking it. Gong Yeol’s balance shattered, redirecting the awl meant for his heart toward Ak Muyoo’s left shoulder.
Gong Yeol tried to angle the weapon tip downward. Or at least, he attempted to. But before he could, Ak Muyoo’s torso lunged forward. Ak Muyoo had thrown himself onto Gong Yeol’s weapon.
Puk!
Gong Yeol’s weapon sank into Ak Muyoo’s shoulder.
In that moment, Ak Muyoo’s fingers plunged into Gong Yeol’s neck—the hole from the earlier awl strike. Once buried to the hilt, he tore mercilessly.
“Kuhuk!”
Gong Yeol’s left neck ripped away, his scream erupting from his mouth.
Puaak!
Blood gushed from his neck, drenching Ak Muyoo.
“What’s your name?”
Ak Muyoo whispered into Gong Yeol’s ear.
“I... I...”
“I know you’re an assassin. I want your name.”
“Gong Yeol. And you’re a bonus.”
The blood stopped flowing soon after, and Gong Yeol’s heart ceased.
Ak Muyoo released Gong Yeol’s arm.
Thud!
The lifeless body tumbled down toward the rocks below.
“You okay?”
Ja Ryuha approached and asked.
“This was new clothes I bought today... my first in eleven years.”
“......”
Ja Ryuha stared at Ak Muyoo in disbelief.
“You know you’ve been stabbed twice, right?”
“Not twice—three times.”
Ak Muyoo headed to the riverbank.
First, he detached the Seventy-Two Arrows from his Sun Protection Sleeve, pulled out the Heavenly Divine Sun Bow, and dunked it in the water, swirling it around.
“Did that guy fight like you?”
“He had internal energy, so he fought differently. That became his poison.”
He set his robe aside and removed his upper garment. Three holes gaped in his left shoulder. Even as he rinsed the blood with water, it kept flowing.
“I’ll stop the bleeding.”
Ja Ryuha pressed his acupoints to staunch the flow.
“Thanks.”
“What do you mean, internal energy became his poison?”
“Battles bring unavoidable moments.”
“Like just now with you?”
“Yeah. You end up staring blankly at an enemy weapon flying at you, forced to choose what to offer up. I live every day thinking about it—when fighting enemies, when their weapons come, where to yield to eliminate them most effectively.”
“Those scars—all from that?”
“Right. I end up wounded, but the enemy dies. But that guy couldn’t do it. Not just him—most martial artists with internal energy can’t use their bodies as shields. That’s why they fall.”
“I see.”
Ja Ryuha nodded. Then she pulled something out and offered it.
“What’s this?”
“Gold wound salve. It’ll prevent infection.”
“Thanks.”
Ak Muyoo applied it to his wounds.
“I’ll get the ones on your back.”
Ja Ryuha filled the two holes on his shoulder’s rear with salve. Once the blood stopped, she rinsed his upper garment. After squeezing out the bloody water, she draped it over his bare torso.
“Aren’t you cold?”
“It’s fine.”
“Sorry... I could’ve dried it with Samadhi True Fire.”
Ja Ryuha apologized upon realizing Ak Muyoo lacked internal energy.
“It’s okay. My companions keep forgetting too.”
“Want me to dry your clothes?”
“I’d appreciate it.”
Ak Muyoo handed over his garments.
Ja Ryuha unleashed Samadhi True Fire, drying his upper garment and robe completely.
“How much internal energy does it take to use Samadhi True Fire?”
He asked out of curiosity.
“For something simple like drying clothes, half a jia should suffice.”
“If I had exactly half a jia, I’d have no regrets. Anything but damp clothes.”
“......”
Ja Ryuha looked at Ak Muyoo silently.
“Do you know Gong Yeol?”
“Gong Yeol?”
“The dead guy said his name was Gong Yeol.”
“I know the assassin Gong Yeol.”
“What kind?”
“One of the top-grade assassins from Life-Death Society. Base is in Peking.”
“They’ve already started.”
“Started what...?”
“Ara’s the target.”
“You mean Lady Ara?”
“Yeah.”
“She’s...”
“Ara’s title was Heavenly Leisure General.”
“Was?”
Ja Ryuha’s eyes widened.
“She came to the battlefield three years ago in place of her younger brother. She’s listed among the fallen now.”
“That’s...”
“Funnier still—they say I’m the ringleader who killed Heavenly Leisure General and the others.”
“A conspiracy.”
“Exactly. I didn’t kill Heavenly Leisure General or the four others—I saved them. Even brought one back to the Central Plains alive.”
“Way to clear your name?”
“Sadly, none. Ara’s my only hope, but... she won’t believe it?”
“What really happened to the real Heavenly Leisure General—Lady Ara’s brother?”
“Living well in Peking.”
“......Tough to shake the frame-up.”
“That’s my thought too. What would you do in my shoes, Lady Ja?”
“Well...”
Ja Ryuha trailed off.
To her, Ak Muyoo and Ara were fish perfectly ensnared in a net. No escape visible. Best bet: hide in some remote mountain valley.
“Nothing left but to hole up where no one can find us.”
“That’s all I’ve got too.”
“Got it. Let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
“Oh! Wait a sec.”
Ak Muyoo stepped away. Moments later, he returned to Ja Ryuha.
“Let’s go.”
The two returned to the market.
“What happened... you had a scuffle?”
Ara looked at Ak Muyoo in surprise.
“Yeah.”
“With who?”
“Life-Death Society assassin.”
“Life-Death Society—that’s the assassin group in Peking... they’re after me.”
“They said I’m a bonus.”
“What?”
“Someone decided to take me out as a freebie while targeting you.”
“Kik!”
Ara chuckled.
“Laughing now?”
“Should I cry?”
“You could cry and it wouldn’t be enough.”
“Why?”
“Why? No one will believe you.”
“I’ve agonized over that too. No solutions. Maybe just drop everything and live deep in the mountains?”
Ara said with a sigh.
“Just you and me?”
Ak Muyoo pointed alternately at Ara and himself.
“If we hide, will Joo Seong-cheol give up?”
“That’s the issue. From what I’ve seen, Joo Seong-cheol is relentlessly tenacious. He won’t quit.”
“Let’s think more.”
“I’ll be going now.”
Ja Ryuha stood.
“Sorry I couldn’t help.”
“No, you helped plenty. Good luck to you.”
“Yeah.”
Ak Muyoo bowed.
Ja Ryuha turned and left.
“Why’d he go to the battlefield, leaving a beauty like that behind?”
Ara whispered.
“Never felt suffocated by parental expectations?”
“Not from expectations—plenty from disdain and neglect.”
“Didn’t you want to escape?”
“That’s why I shaved my head and jumped at Emei Sect without hesitation.”
“Similar for him. Not a genius, but parents demand genius-level, fiancée compares him to real geniuses around her...”
“Lady Ja didn’t seem petty-natured—maybe parents don’t see it.”
“He doesn’t realize it himself.”
“He doesn’t know he’s comparing to others and his fiancée?”
“Yeah. And from the listener’s side, even trivial things get twisted, causing hurt.”
“Like?”
“You comfort me: ‘To me, no internal energy is fine. You took down Jeok Yeom-cheon, Pa Rap, and more. Internal energy’s nothing—you’re the best. Chin up.’ Would that motivate me or hurt?”
“Good words.”
“Right. I know it’s sincere, well-meant. No one else would say it. But you don’t know—I face death’s terror each fight, endlessly wondering, ‘What do I yield today to survive?’”
“So you want inner comfort, not outer, but she can’t provide it?”
“Yeah.”
“But how’s Lady Ja supposed to know his inner thoughts?”
“That’s why I said before—people from similar backgrounds understand each other best.”
“So he fled to the battlefield to escape his parents’ and fiancée’s expectant gazes?”
“Just my guess. He never said. What he treasured most was his ring. Once lost it in the desert—spent two full days sifting sand to find it. Nearly died of heat myself.”
“You searched together?”
“Said he wouldn’t leave without it.”
“Good he found it.”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go.”
The group rose and left the market. On the way, Ak Muyoo bought another set of clothes.
“New pouch?”
Ara noted the one Ak Muyoo pulled money from.
“Five guys came offering extra cash.”
“Badly hurt?”
“Left shoulder a bit.”
“Might as well stock up on gold wound salve.”
“We’ll need a lot.”
“A lot?”
Ara glanced back at Ak Muyoo.
“Yeah. Internal injury meds too.”
“......Got it.”
Ara nodded and entered the apothecary.
Laden with medicines, they returned to the inn. In the front yard of the inn’s annex stood a burly man and what seemed his entourage, pacing about.