Chapter 313
Chapter 313
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 317
Chapter Title: Outrage in the Medical Hall
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Geon Pilsang stared wide-eyed at the white bundles lying on the beds in the medical hall.
“Ugh…… ugh…….”
“Gah! Gah!”
“Hah, ah…….”
The ragged, barely audible breaths made his eyes tremble.
Their entire bodies were wrapped in white bandages, splinted limbs making them look like they’d been crushed by a falling boulder.
The Punishing Demon Squad had found Baek Sang-un and his three subordinates, who’d vanished the previous evening, in an alley and brought them here to the medical hall under Namgung Se’s orders.
According to those who found them, the scene had been a total mess.
Amid the wreckage everywhere, these four lay sprawled out.
Geon Pilsang’s gaze shifted to one side.
Baek Sang-un lay gasping and trembling.
Half his face was wrapped in white cloth—likely a shattered jaw—and his body couldn’t move an inch, his eyes rolling frantically.
“……What happened.”
“Ugh…….”
“Who did this to you!”
Geon Pilsang’s roar echoed through the medical hall.
“Guhhh!”
“Eek!”
“Huh, uh!”
The three on the beds convulsed like they were having seizures.
The medical hall master scowled.
“They need absolute rest! No shouting or…….”
“Quiet! As Punishing Demon Squad Leader, I have a duty to investigate this incident. It’s squad protocol—stay out of it, outsider!”
Geon Pilsang fixed the master with a stern glare.
*Sigh, damn Righteous Alliance bastards.*
The master clicked his tongue and turned away.
Geon Pilsang’s eyes cooled to ice.
Something hot surged in his chest, but his mind sharpened to steel.
*Who the hell would dare…….*
His gaze swept over the fallen Baek Sang-un and the squad members.
He was checking the extent of their injuries and traces of martial arts.
*Fist techniques? Looks like clubs, but it’s saber work. Leg and palm strikes, swordplay too…… Even cheap tricks.*
Spotting Baek Sang-un’s lower garments, Geon Pilsang turned his head away.
Vicious bastard.
*Daring to attack the Punishing Demon Squad?*
Guts spilling out, no doubt.
Unless they didn’t know what the Punishing Demon Squad was, nothing else explained it.
If they had no plans to leave the Central Plains, getting targeted meant a lifetime on the run.
*But…… why not finish them off?*
That was what muddled his thoughts.
These traces screamed lethal killing blows, enough to take lives.
Yet despite their faint breaths teetering on death’s edge, Baek Sang-un and the three squad members clung to life.
Killing intent or not……
Geon Pilsang narrowed his eyes and quietly asked his subordinate.
“Have you secured the scene?”
“Yes.”
“We head there now to hunt the culprit’s traces.”
“Yes, Squad Leader. We’ll prepare at once.”
As the Punishing Demon Squad moved to mobilize, Namgung Jangcheon and Namgung Se’s leadership entered the medical hall.
Namgung Jangcheon narrowed his brow at the four bandage-wrapped figures on the beds.
The family had been in turmoil since morning, and now disaster struck.
“What’s the meaning of this?”
A natural question from Namgung Jangcheon.
With the Righteous Alliance’s Punishing Demon Squad attacked in Hefei and laid up in the medical hall, it was the duty of the family head.
Geon Pilsang exhaled lightly and met his eyes.
“Was the Family Head unaware of this?”
“That’s why I’m here, isn’t it?”
“Hefei is Namgung Family territory. Hard to believe the Family Head knew nothing.”
“Do you think I deliberately hid it?”
Namgung Jangcheon stared at Geon Pilsang in disbelief.
Geon Pilsang faced him without a change in expression.
“Whoever did this, why speak as if the main family bears responsibility too?”
“I’m just asking. The Punishing Demon Squad must hunt the culprit…….”
“That’s rich.”
Namgung Jangcheon cut him off quietly.
“What’s the Punishing Demon Squad’s purpose? You came to support the war in Hefei, and yesterday you ransacked the main family claiming to investigate the war and unorthodox remnants, didn’t you?”
“…….”
“The main family is overwhelmed just handling war damage. You did the investigating—how should we know?”
Blame and veiled anger laced Namgung Jangcheon’s voice.
Geon Pilsang flinched under the pressure.
Pushing Namgung Se further here would only advertise the Punishing Demon Squad’s incompetence.
Having an external Righteous Alliance unit like the Punishing Demon Squad’s vice leader ambushed by unorthodox remnants—or anyone—wasn’t news they wanted spreading.
Namgung Se’s leadership already looked displeased.
Some even showed open hostility.
There’d been barbs before, but never this blatant—likely because Baek Sang-un and the squad had poked around Namgung Se under investigation’s guise.
As Geon Pilsang glowered stiffly at the leadership,
“Aigoo! They’re beat bad. Look, this one’s jaw’s all twisted. Whew, a solid month of bed rest for these guys?”
Poke-poke-poke!
Namgung Hyeok popped up and prodded Baek Sang-un’s side with his finger.
Brrrr! Brrrr!
Baek Sang-un shuddered limb to limb, eyes shaking.
“Man, investigating’s real dangerous, huh? Bet you got investigated instead. Haha!”
Namgung Hyeok cackled, hopping around in front of Baek Sang-un.
Namgung Jangcheon and the leadership gaped at him.
No one expected Namgung Hyeok to fool around like a kid with marbles in front of the injured.
Geon Pilsang ground his teeth.
“What the hell are you doing!”
His near-murderous shout had Namgung Ryong dart from behind, grabbing Namgung Hyeok by the scruff and yanking him back.
Namgung Hyeok flailed.
“Hey, what, why! I came ‘cause I was worried! Who the hell smashed up our Punishing Demon Squad’s fearless warriors like this?! C’mon, let’s talk it out!”
“Quiet!”
“Quiet my ass! If you’d stayed quiet, this wouldn’t have happened!”
If tongues could slice flesh, Namgung Hyeok would’ve carved him dozens of times over.
Even Geon Pilsang’s stoic face flushed red-purple.
Namgung Jangcheon’s eyes flicked between Namgung Hyeok and Namgung Ryong.
Namgung Hyeok, dragged away still giggling and pointing at Geon Pilsang; Namgung Ryong, pale-faced, hauling him off in a panic.
“Aigoo, what a sight. No, I mean, how tragic!”
“S-Stop!”
Namgung Ryong’s frantic fidgeting felt ominous.
His uneasy glance flicked toward Namgung Jangcheon.
Namgung Jangcheon’s pupils shook.
*No way?*
……Nah.
No matter how wild Namgung Hyeok got, he wouldn’t beat down the Punishing Demon Squad, right?
The medical master said unorthodox martial traces were evident.
*Yeah, impossible. Totally impossible.*
When would he even have time? He’d trained all day and buzzed around the family!
“Puhahaha!”
“H-Hyeok!”
Namgung Hyeok’s laughter boomed even as he was dragged out, chilling the room further.
Namgung Jangcheon shot Geon Pilsang a troubled glance.
Geon Pilsang’s face was beet-red, ready to burst.
He twitched like he’d draw his sword and charge any second.
*……What bloodline is that kid from? He should know who to mess with!*
Namgung Jangcheon barked quickly.
“Grab that fool and drag him out—now!”
At his timely shout, half the leadership rushed, hoisted Namgung Hyeok up, and bolted from the hall.
Huh?
Among the stampede were Great Elder Namgung Wi-gyeong and the elders.
“Well done! Perfect!”
“Refreshing! So damn refreshing!”
“Whew, that old heartburn’s gone!”
“…….”
Namgung Jangcheon coughed awkwardly.
“Ahem! The second one just took his meds recently. He gets like that sometimes without realizing…….”
“We’ll take our leave too.”
“Mm! Don’t worry about the injured. The family will throw everything into treating them.”
“Thank you.”
Geon Pilsang clasped his fists, then stormed out with a twisted scowl.
Outside the medical hall, Geon Pilsang ground his teeth and turned to his men.
“Preserve the scene. No one within fifty paces.”
“Yes.”
“Report to me the instant the injured regain consciousness. We move to the site now!”
“Yes, Squad Leader!”
The Punishing Demon Squad raced to the scene.
* * *
Do Daewoong stared blankly at the mask and night clothes Namgung Hyeok had suddenly thrust at him.
“……What’s this all of a sudden?”
“Put ‘em on.”
“I quit this gig, Young Master.”
“Sheesh, not stealing. Just run, run.”
“That’s why I…….”
Namgung Hyeok grinned.
“Survive…… er, escape this, and I’ll make you top-tier.”
“You just said survive…….”
“Then you’re king of the black path in Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangsu—Daewoong.”
“King…… king?”
“And One Line Society’s pushing into Fujian and Jiangxi now. Guess who gets that spot?”
Do Daewoong’s fearful eyes flickered with greed.
He asked eagerly.
“Where to run?”
“Zhejiang looks good.”
“Yes! Zhejiang round trip in a day.”
“Oho, worth teaching you.”
Namgung Hyeok smiled faintly, glancing far off.
Thirty Punishing Demon Squad members searched the area a hundred paces away.
Checking the ‘incident’ site.
*Better do it right. Ideally, vanish from Hefei altogether.*
Righteous Alliance trash messing in my turf?
Namgung Hyeok’s head tilted crookedly.
His ears perked, voices clear as if the squad was right there.
“Definitely unorthodox martial arts.”
“Only five or six traces…… Fists, staffs, sabers, swords.”
“Not one person’s work.”
“Traces lead east.”
Geon Pilsang scanned the area.
Battle scars fierce enough for ‘fierce clash.’
*Unorthodox arts for sure…….*
Near-perfect clear traces—clearly five or six ambushers.
But some indefinable unease tugged at his instincts.
“We move east to investigate…….”
Mid-sentence, Geon Pilsang’s eyes sharpened.
“East corner! Suspicious figure!”
“Yes!”
The Punishing Demon Squad whirled and charged like lightning.
Namgung Hyeok whistled in admiration.
“Pretty sharp, huh?”
“Where you looking, sir?”
“Time to run.”
“Huh?”
“Run—!”
Namgung Hyeok lightly(?) shoved Do Daewoong’s rear, then vanished his presence with Ghost Shadow Step.
Do Daewoong blinked in confusion—then spotted the Punishing Demon Squad bounding like wild dogs.
*Sh-Punishing Demon Squad?!*
Their fierce eyes and aura made his jaw drop; bloodshot, he whipped around.
“Y-Young Master…….”
Namgung Hyeok waved him off.
“Y-You fucking bastard!”
This was get-caught-and-die territory!
“Hey, you fucking prick!”
“Hey, I said run.”
“You fucking little shit! You sneaky…….”
“Get caught, and it’s snip-snip.”
“Fuck, worse than unorthodox scum! You dog bastard!”
Do Daewoong’s eyes darted between Namgung Hyeok and the squad, then his legs flew.
Instinct screamed flee.
He unleashed the footwork Namgung Hyeok taught him.
“You dog! Selling meds now?! Poison before, meds now?! You bastard! Ugh! I’ll kill you, you little fucker!”
Whoosh!
Do Daewoong stumbled off like a shot.
“He knows martial arts!”
“Chase!”
“How dare he!”
The Punishing Demon Squad went berserk.
Geon Pilsang brought up the rear, then glanced back.
*Hm?*
Felt a subtle presence?
But priority was the unknown ahead.
If culprit who hit the squad, wring him out; if not, find out why.
Geon Pilsang shouted.
“Assemble the full Punishing Demon Squad—pursue!”
The breathless chase between Do Daewoong and the Punishing Demon Squad began.
Watching the gap—close but uncatchable—Namgung Hyeok exhaled.
“Sharp little shit.”
Spotting Ghost Shadow Step from a brief breath hitch.
Namgung Hyeok shrugged.
“Anyway, hope our black path king doesn’t get nabbed.”
Looked like king or not, he’d be done if caught.
Though Do Daewoong wouldn’t get caught.
Thunder Dragon Squad planted midway would blind the Punishing Demon Squad plenty.
“All set then—time to head back?”
Namgung Hyeok cackled, turning toward Namgung Family.