Chapter 187
Chapter 187
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: Murim's Public Enemy
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"Murim's public enemy?"
"That's right."
Cheonhwi glanced back and forth between Cheon Igai and the collapsed chief steward—no, the Myriad Maladies Monster.
Then he tilted his head.
'This guy's supposed to be Murim's public enemy?'
A Murim public enemy was someone officially declared a threat by both the orthodox and unorthodox paths.
Yet he sensed no such great danger from the Myriad Maladies Monster.
"He's that weak?"
"Do you think evil cares about strength or weakness? The number of common folk he's killed exceeds dozens—hundreds, even. And all of them were people who hadn't learned martial arts. Or rather, he deliberately targeted only those kinds."
Cheon Igai's voice was calm.
But his eyes blazed like roaring flames.
'He focused on those without martial arts... yeah, that tracks.'
Cheonhwi nodded in understanding.
The jianghu might worship the strong and devour the weak, but that applied only to those immersed in it.
Innocent civilians had no part in it.
"And that's not all. If he hadn't touched her, his deeds might never have been exposed. He was that meticulous."
Cheon Igai's gaze, trembling with rage, fixed unyieldingly on the Myriad Maladies Monster.
The fire in his eyes engulfed the bleeding figure, burning it away.
It was fury.
The Myriad Maladies Monster hadn't earned his infamous reputation in the jianghu for long.
He had been thorough.
He killed common folk daily and disposed of the bodies cleanly.
Up until then, it had been chalked up to some unidentified killer.
But a long tail gets caught eventually.
By touching someone he absolutely shouldn't have, his identity was revealed, and his atrocities came to light one by one.
Thus, he became a public enemy.
Faster than ever before.
"We searched everywhere for traces, but you were hiding here all along?"
Cheon Igai's eyes sharpened.
Once declared a public enemy, the Beggars' Sect had scoured for him.
But...
'We couldn't find a single hair.'
At some point, his trail vanished completely.
Not naturally, but through deliberate information suppression.
"Who hid you?"
His voice rose slightly.
The Beggars' Sect's intelligence network was unparalleled in the jianghu.
No matter the rumors of Haomun rising, they prided themselves on superiority.
Yet he evaded their eyes?
Impossible for a lone individual.
Even sects with such power were few.
Cheon Igai waited for a reply.
"......"
None came.
Not that the Myriad Maladies Monster could speak.
Cheonhwi's merciless blows had pulverized his chest; even breathing was agony.
"Tch...!"
Clicking his tongue, Cheon Igai moved his hand.
His willow-like fingers swiftly struck the fallen monster's acupoints.
In that instant...
Drip.
The bleeding stopped.
Having temporarily stanched the flow, Cheon Igai glared and whispered.
"Damn it. Me, staunching this dog's wounds."
Frowning, he sighed and quickly sealed more points.
The Myriad Maladies Monster's pain-twisted face relaxed, and his eyes slowly closed.
Cheon Igai shook his hands as if touching filth.
"First time my hands feel dirty."
For him, a beggar used to grime, this was unbearable.
"Fine, sleep well. It'll be your last peaceful slumber."
Glaring distastefully at the peacefully sleeping monster, Cheon Igai looked up and met Cheonhwi's eyes.
"Mind if I take him?"
"Hand over the intel, and he's yours."
"No worries there."
Cheon Igai hoisted the Myriad Maladies Monster.
"Everything we get from him, you'll know. From one to ten."
"That works."
Cheonhwi turned to leave but paused.
"Ah! One sec."
"Hm? What?"
Cheonhwi strode to Cheon Igai and rummaged the sleeve of the draped monster.
"Should be here..."
As Cheon Igai eyed the odd behavior...
"Found it."
Cheonhwi pulled out a gray pill.
It was the Delirium Pill the Myriad Maladies Monster had thrown at the Sayu Valley Lord moments ago.
"A pill...?"
Cheon Igai stared at it.
An odd scent.
Fragrant, yet wrinkling the nose inexplicably.
'What is that?'
As he pondered...
"Check it properly later."
Cheonhwi pocketed it in his sleeve.
"What is it?"
"Figuring it out now."
Cheon Igai scowled at the non-answer, but Cheonhwi spoke.
"One more in his sleeve. See for yourself."
Cheon Igai's eyes gleamed.
'Worth taking if it's special.'
Cheonhwi smirked faintly.
'Beggars' Sect intel will ID it quick.'
As Cheonhwi watched him frantically search...
"Valley Lord! The attackers—!"
The door burst open.
Cheonhwi eyed the panting intruder coolly.
"A bit late, aren't you?"
His lips thinned.
And in the same breath...
Slash!
The intruder's head flew skyward.
Cheonhwi gazed out the door, rolling head at his feet, for a moment.
Step.
Sword already drawn, he stepped out lightly.
Greeting him...
Swoosh!
A sharp blade.
But their ambush faltered; Cheonhwi's Phantom Step evaded all, head turning aside.
"Ambush properly or not at all. Don't toss bait first."
He locked eyes with those lurking behind the door, waiting for an opening.
"......!"
A fleeting glance.
Yet the ambushers felt inexplicable terror upon meeting his gaze.
Then...
Flash!
Light engulfed them.
Their last awareness.
Thud!
Bodies with pierced foreheads collapsed.
Warm blood sprayed everywhere.
Splattering faces and clothes of those waiting outside, dotting them.
Cheonhwi met their eyes.
Roughly over a hundred.
'More than Mount Hua's warriors.'
He smacked his lips.
Sayu Valley showed Mount Hua's lack of manpower starkly.
'But skill gap exists. Not all greenhorns.'
He flicked his raised sword.
"Stop staring. Come on?"
A low voice.
Infused with subtle qi, it flowed through the air, echoing across Sayu Valley.
"......"
Swallows of breath from all around. Cheonhwi scratched his head.
"Such a hassle."
His form blurred and vanished.
Replaced by collapsing bodies, spraying blood, groans, and screams.
"Gahk!"
"Grrrk—"
"Kaaak! S-save me!"
Cheon Igai frowned.
"......Ruthless guy."
Blood mist filled the air.
Blood sprayed, heads and torsos poured down.
Precious lives snuffed by dozens in a breath.
Cheon Igai didn't pity the dying.
They were enemies, after all.
Ones to kill eventually.
But...
"Too much."
His gaze turned to Cheonhwi.
Darting every direction, claiming lives, his expression was bored.
Taking lives.
Most showed emotion—killing intent, guilt.
Not Cheonhwi.
Impassive, he swung, severing necks.
Like a woodcutter felling trees.
'A bit worrying. Even in jianghu where killing's routine, that numb... he'll turn killer ghost.'
Then, shaking blood from his sword after finishing, Cheonhwi paused.
"Hm?"
His gaze dropped to the cliff base.
Sinister killing intent rose from below.
Not just that.
Sharp clashes sounded sporadically, fierce auras surging.
"Interesting. Those two weren't all?"
Cheonhwi kicked off the ground.
Leaping straight down the cliff without hesitation, he deployed Thousand Weight Fall.
Whoosh!
Falling at tremendous speed, he spotted fighters below, withdrew it, and kicked the air.
Tap.
Landing lightly on a branch like a falling feather.
"Hm, good for real combat experience."
Cheonhwi watched the Shadow Sword Unit and Flame Spirit Unit battling ten zhang away.
"Shadow Sword Unit!"
"Form up!"
Jeokgeom and Cheonhyang shouted loudly.
As if waiting, they scattered, swiftly forming their combined formation.
"Faster than expected."
Cheonhwi's eyes gleamed.
Countless drills paid off; their coordination was seamless. Especially Jeokgeom and Cheonhyang, far superior.
Then Jeokgeom raised his sword high.
"The Shadow Sword Unit has no back!"
With the cry, he charged.
"Gurk!"
A Sayu Valley warrior vomited blood and fell. Chest sliced by Jeokgeom's sharp swing.
The start.
Slash! Clang!
Shadow Sword Unit pressed relentlessly, cutting down Sayu Valley foes.
A long-yet-short training period.
The fruits of endless drills now manifest.
"Two left, six right!"
Jeokgeom assessed and called.
With Shadow Sword Formation, his view was clear; enemy moves like palm lines.
"Left's mine!"
Clang!
Already burrowing left, Jeokgeom's eyes blazed at the foe, spreading fiery light.
"Together!"
Jeokgeom bellowed.
His wide swing merged with formation qi, slicing the charging warrior.
Splatter!
Long sword scar etched, blood erupted everywhere.
Then...
Stab!
A sword thrust from a fallen corpse's gut, aiming for Jeokgeom's side.
"Damn it...!"
Jeokgeom twisted urgently.
But the surprise blade grazed his side, tearing cloth and scoring flesh.
"Kuh...!"
Short groan, eyes flashing.
A middle-aged man stood there.
Bone-crushingly massive build, overwhelming at a glance.
But what seized Jeokgeom's eyes were his.
"......More?"
He bit his lip.
The man's eyes showed only whites, like the staff-wielding foe Shadow Sword Unit had just felled.
Then...
Thud thud.
Six more appeared beside him.
All mindless like him.
"Six more...?"
Jeokgeom and Shadow Sword Unit gaped at the seven.
"What are you doing!"
Someone roared.
"Kill them now!"
Qi-infused lion's roar spread instantly, twisting the delirious ones' faces, spurring momentum.
Roar!
Apocalyptic killing intent crashed like a tsunami, and they charged together.