Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: Meeting Determines Parting
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Martial God (106)
Meeting Determines Parting
“This is the one.”
The innkeeper spoke to the middle-aged man, who had come with Ak Muyoo’s group.
“Thank you.”
The middle-aged man bowed his head.
“Please talk.”
The innkeeper gave his greetings and headed back to the main building.
“Huh?”
The middle-aged man who saw Ak Muyoo’s face was startled.
“What’s wrong?”
Ak Muyoo asked.
“Oh, no. You just resemble someone I know.”
“Is that a good thing, or...”
“He’s someone I can’t forget even in death. Someone I feel sorry for, too.”
“Then it’s a good thing. That’s fortunate.”
Ak Muyoo smiled brightly.
“I am Ak Gun Jo, head of the Shandong Ak Clan.”
The middle-aged man cupped his fists toward Ak Muyoo.
“I am Ak Muyoo. Pleased to meet you.”
Ak Muyoo returned the greeting.
“Ha ha! We share the same surname.”
Ak Gun Jo laughed as he spoke.
“Indeed. I hope it’s a good connection...”
“About the Dark Dragon...”
“Come inside first.”
Ak Muyoo gestured to the room.
“Then I’ll impose on you.”
Ak Gun Jo and his group followed Ak Muyoo into the room.
“Come down.”
Ak Muyoo said, looking at Ara.
“Okay.”
Ara flew up to the ceiling, grabbed the luggage, and came down. Ak Muyoo pulled out a long object wrapped in cloth from the luggage and placed it before Ak Gun Jo.
Ak Gun Jo unwrapped the cloth. A spear with a dragon-head spearhead appeared.
Ak Gun Jo stared blankly at the Dark Dragon.
He soon raised his head to look at Ak Muyoo.
“Who are you?”
“I told you my name earlier.”
“I have a feeling you have another name, so I’m asking.”
“You’re quick. Yes. Fewer than ten people know my real name, Ak Muyoo. And five of those who do are dead. In the army, they called me Black Wind.”
“Black Wind?”
Killing intent briefly emanated from Ak Gun Jo’s body. But it vanished just as quickly.
“I heard the Black Wind, captain of the Wind Brigade, rebelled and killed five generals. Am I wrong?”
“Yes.”
Ak Muyoo nodded.
“What happened?”
“I’ll tell you. But first, this is the sword of Iron Blood General Gun Cheokjeon. This is the sword of Plain Iron General So Daehwa. And this is the sword of Full Flower General Cho Yu.”
“I heard five generals died, but there are only four relics.”
“Heavenly Leisure General Adal didn’t die.”
“From what I’ve learned, Heavenly Leisure General Adal never returned either.”
“This is Heavenly Leisure General Adal.”
Ak Muyoo pointed at Ara.
“......”
Ak Gun Jo silently looked at Ara.
“I saw you from afar once before, Clan Head. When I was at the Emei Sect, I was called Nun Jeong by my dharma name.”
“I thought your face looked familiar. So you’re Nun Jeong. But why would Nun Jeong...?”
“My main family is the Heavenly Leisure Merchant House. Heavenly Leisure General Adal is my half-brother.”
“Then...?”
“Three years ago, my brother took leave. The battlefield didn’t suit him, so he threw a fit and said he couldn’t go back. I had no choice but to go in his place.”
“Even so, how could you...”
“I’m alive until now because I’m a woman. Those men...”
Ara’s emotions surged, and she couldn’t continue.
“Commander Ju Jang-cheol seemed uncomfortable with the five generals, including Iron Blood General Gun Cheokjeon. He handed our Wind Brigade over to the Blood Wolf Clan as a postwar gift and got rid of the five generals at the same time. I happened to encounter the five generals who were being chased by the Blood Wolf Clan and traveled with them. They were gravely wounded, so they entrusted their relics to us and left one by one.”
“Can you swear it’s not a lie?”
Ak Gun Jo asked with a stern face.
“See for yourself.”
Ak Muyoo extended his hand toward Ak Gun Jo.
“What do you mean?”
“Check my pulse.”
Ak Gun Jo grabbed Ak Muyoo’s wrist and infused internal energy.
“Huh?”
He looked at Ak Muyoo in surprise.
No internal energy could be detected. No, his dantian hadn’t even formed.
“Is your surname really Ak?”
“Yes.”
“Well...”
Ak Gun Jo tilted his head.
“Anyway, I had no reason to kill them, and Gun Cheokjeon was as strong as you, Clan Head. Even injured, I couldn’t have taken out all four alone. And the Wind Brigade members scattered before they even met them, so no one knows what happened.”
“Then why did Ju Jang-cheol eliminate the general and his group?”
“I don’t know the full details. But from what’s known, nine out of ten Wind Brigade members, including me, never received a single coin in pay. And there was bad blood between Gun Cheokjeon’s group and Ju Jang-cheol’s.”
“You’re saying Ju Jang-cheol abandoned Gun Cheokjeon’s group to hog all the credit?”
“That’s not for me to say.”
“Fine. Do you have proof that Ju Jang-cheol sent the general’s group to their deaths and fed the Wind Brigade to the enemy for credit?”
“No.”
“......”
“Heavenly Leisure General is the only witness, but she won’t be much help.”
“You mean I won’t believe you?”
“Would you, Clan Head?”
“......Fair enough. Does Ju Jang-cheol’s group know the two of you returned?”
“Before coming here, I took out five assassins. One was named Gong Yeol.”
“Gong Yeol is a top Life-Death Society assassin. You...”
“Assassins are scary only when you don’t know they’re coming. Once you do, they’re nothing. Of course, I got injured too.”
“Hey! Did you apply the medicine?”
Ara suddenly remembered and asked.
“The young master gave me some salve, and I applied it.”
“Let me see.”
“What’s to see?”
“I need to check how bad it is.”
“I said it’s fine...”
“Shut up and take it off.”
Ara stripped off Ak Muyoo’s top. His torso, covered in scars, was revealed. Blood seeped from a hole in his shoulder.
“Is this fine? You call this fine?”
“It’ll heal in a few days, so don’t worry.”
“Don’t you know assassins coat their weapons with poison?”
“I told you poison doesn’t work on me.”
“It might not on you, but it works on your flesh.”
Ara pressed the wound lightly. Black, dead blood oozed out. The poison was beyond salve.
“I hope the antidote from the physician works.”
“Use this.”
Ak Gun Jo pulled out one of his own vials and offered it.
“This is...”
Ara looked at Ak Gun Jo.
“It’s millennium ha-su-o dried into powder. Excellent even for poisons that penetrate the skin.”
“Thank you. Should we cut out the wound?”
“Black blood means it’s already rotted...”
“We have to cut it out.”
“Here.”
Ak Muyoo drew a sword from his belt, one from the Border Wastelands folk, and held it out.
“Bear the pain.”
“I owe it my life, so I should be grateful.”
“Did it lead you here?”
“Yeah.”
“It pierced Invulnerable Sun Armor after achieving Heavenly Demon Diamond Body, so it must be some weapon.”
Ak Muyoo, who had achieved Heavenly Demon Diamond God and donned Sun Armor, couldn’t be pierced by ordinary blades. For it to penetrate meant it was extraordinary.
“That’s why I kept it.”
Ak Muyoo pulled out two awl-shaped weapons and set them down. They were a chi long, identical twins. Thick at the handle end for a perfect grip, tapering to a sharp point.
The bluish awl bore a lightning pattern. The other, dark red-black, was engraved with “Gold Diamond.”
“That’s the tenth of the Ten Great Weapons of the World: Lightning Gold Diamond. I didn’t know the assassin had it.”
Ak Gun Jo said.
Ak Muyoo looked at Ak Gun Jo.
“The one with the lightning pattern is Lightning Awl, and the one engraved ‘Gold Diamond’ is Diamond Awl.”
“How do you use them?”
He asked, lifting the Lightning Awl and Diamond Awl.
“No idea.”
“They’re among the Ten Great Weapons, even if last place. That’s impressive...”
“It came from the Martial God Tower.”
“I see.”
“All done.”
Ara said.
“I thought I was dying.”
“You’ve grown one step more mature now.”
“What’s that mean?”
“They say you mature as much as you suffer.”
Ara wrapped the wound in cloth to finish.
“We’ll be going now.”
Ak Gun Jo said, standing.
“Take this too.”
Ak Muyoo pulled a martial arts manual from his luggage and offered it.
“What’s that?”
“It’s what General Ak left. It was given to me as a reward, but as you can see, Clan Head, I don’t need it.”
“If Ak Gun-eok gave it, you’re the owner. No need to give it to me.”
“Then consider it from me. And its contents are all up here.”
Ak Muyoo lightly tapped his temple with a finger.
“......”
Ak Gun Jo silently regarded Ak Muyoo for a moment, then nodded.
“Then I’ll accept it.”
He took the manual.
“One matter settled. Safe travels.”
Ak Muyoo cupped his fists toward Ak Gun Jo’s group.
“Out of curiosity, what will you do now?”
“I’ll have to think about it. One thing’s clear: I don’t plan to live with this false charge. And I’ll collect the ten years’ pay we never got.”
“I see. Good luck.”
Ak Gun Jo cupped his fists again and left the room.
“Wait, that person you mentioned.”
Ak Muyoo said.
“Who?”
Ak Gun Jo stopped and turned back to ask.
“The one you can’t forget even in death—who is it?”
“My only sibling. Her name is Ak Juryeong, and...”
“You seemed to see her in me...”
“Truth is... you resemble her greatly, young hero.”
“I see.”
Ak Muyoo nodded.
“Good luck.”
Ak Gun Jo gave his greetings and departed.
After they left, the innkeeper soon brought alcohol and food.
“What’s this?”
Ak Muyoo asked.
“The gentleman who just left ordered it. He also paid for the room.”
The innkeeper said.
“How much do we owe?”
“Stay as long as you like.”
“I was about to order anyway. Perfect.”
Ak Muyoo smiled brightly.
Soon, the seven sat around the table. Ak Muyoo filled the five others’ cups.
“Thanks for everything.”
“No need. We’re the grateful ones.”
Mok Woo said.
“Here.”
Ak Muyoo placed the Lightning Awl and Diamond Awl before Mok Woo.
“Why give me these...”
“You don’t have a weapon.”
“Didn’t you hear it’s one of the Ten Great Weapons?”
“I grabbed it planning to give it to you elders from the start. And I already have more weapons than I can handle.”
“Well!”
Mok Woo scratched his head.
“Put it away.”
“Thank you.”
“Now, a drink each.”
“Yes.”
The group raised their cups. Mostly Heavenly Five Cuts drank, while Ak Muyoo just poured.
Soon the alcohol ran out.
“Time to go.”
Ak Muyoo said.
“......”
Mok Woo looked at Ak Muyoo puzzled.
“We agreed to come to the Central Plains together, and we’re here. Now you elders go your way, and we go ours.”
“We...”
“You have people you left behind thirty years ago. Don’t you want to know how they’re doing?”
“That’s...”
“I appreciate the sentiment.”
“Clan Head.”
“If we survive, let’s have another drink then. I’ll drink my fill too.”
Ak Muyoo grinned.
“Where will you go?”
“Get a map first. Then fold it between Border Wastelands and Peking and follow that line.”
“That’ll be easy to track.”
“Probably.”
“Understood. We’ll finish up early and come as soon as possible.”
“No rush. Don’t come if you can’t.”
“Until next time.”
Mok Woo’s group cupped their fists and left the inn.
Now only two remained in the room.
They were silent for a while.
“What now?”
Ara spoke first.
“Get a map first.”
“You’re really folding it?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
Ak Muyoo re-hid the luggage and left the inn with Ara.
“What’s with the outfit?”
As they exited, Ak Muyoo donned the hat he wore as Wind Brigade captain and masked his mouth and nose with a sand-proof mask. She asked because it seemed deliberate.
“The wind’s strong. Sun’s harsh too.”
“Hmph! Anyone hearing would think it’s real. Where are we going now?”
Ara asked.
“Hidden Net.”
“What’s that?”
“An information organization.”
“‘An’ means you don’t know about Hidden Net?”
“I was at war for ten years. How would I?”
“But?”
“The innkeeper told me. They’re great at finding runaway wives or husbands, lost dogs or cats.”
“There.”
Ak Muyoo pointed to the building ahead.
A flag fluttered with “Hidden Net” written on it. Below the characters was an embroidered six-sided club drawing.
“That...?”
Ara tilted her head.
“You thinking the same?”
Ak Muyoo asked.
“Yeah. Looks like Secret Heaven Ruyi Ink?”
Ara pointed to the embroidered image below the “Hidden Net” characters.