Chapter 42
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Tailed
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For once, he was alone.
Having sent his disciples off to train as well, Yu Hyun decided to make the most of this unexpected free time. He slowly took in the sights along the main street as he headed to the book rental shop.
He had felt it the first time he strolled Hefei's main street, but at some point, he had come to love these moments.
Was it like piecing together fragments of countless lives to appreciate them, or secretly peeking in?
Moreover, in Hefei, no one recognized him.
Anpyeong was so full of people who knew him that it was comfortable yet a little—no, downright annoying.
...And no one swarmed him with gifts until he was sick of it, claiming they were presents.
Far more bustling too, it felt like a frog escaping its tiny well to behold the real world.
Now he could somewhat understand why his masters had trained him so harshly.
To block was to protect.
In other words, to let these lively folks crossing the street continue their everyday lives.
Even if it was just a slice of the martial world...
Yeah, anyway, it all boiled down to stopping those damn minions.
They wouldn't show up for another thirty years or so from now, but he could block them even sooner, couldn't he?
Even if not, a mere few decades were nothing to safeguard so many lives.
His own life was plenty fulfilling as it was.
Son of a wealthy house, martial arts acclaimed by all...
Once living without a shred of envy, the urge to give back welled up naturally.
Hell, protecting that much? Sure.
What was so hard about it...
That merchant there with his stall, haggling with the guy in front... Huh?
Yu Hyun halted on his way to the book rental shop and eyed one man closely.
Strange. Why does his face ring such a bell? Where'd I see him?
Frowning in thought, Yu Hyun soon shook his head.
Eh, probably just saw him earlier.
Among all these pedestrians, surely not just one or two looping the same path.
Ignore it and keep walking... Huh?
Another familiar face appeared, carving a fresh furrow into Yu Hyun's brow.
No way—familiar faces popping up one after another?
If the street were short, maybe, but this one stretched endlessly, spiderwebbing everywhere?
Could be coincidence piling up, but experience favored the odds against it.
Yu Hyun began a discreet check without tipping his hand.
He walked slowly, as if savoring some captivating sight, then picked up the pace, like something intriguing lay ahead.
Detouring into side alleys off the main street, then abruptly looping back, all without a flicker in his expression as he scrutinized the folks milling about.
And he spotted exactly five.
Faces that had grown familiar from repeated street crossings.
Ha! Would you look at these clowns.
No more confirmation needed at this point.
Some random punks were tailing him, whoever they were.
The repeats proved they had no clue he'd caught on.
Stupid fuckers...
Yu Hyun sneered inwardly.
One of his masters had been a pro at this sort of thing.
A legendary perverted geezer who'd devoted his life to digging into others' backs.
Heard of him? Oh, right—from the distant future, so probably not.
Beggars' Sect's top dog, One Step a Thousand Miles, Shi Bul... ah, no—Drunken Fire Beggar.
See, I trained under that pervert not just in martial arts, but stealth, tracking, infiltration, spying, evasion... real brutal stuff.
So I'd breeze past oddities without a thought normally, but the instant something felt off, those lessons kicked in like instinct.
Meaning you idiots just bared your asses to the grim reaper, eyes blazing.
Eager enough to tingle, Yu Hyun racked his brain for ways to thrash them when his gaze suddenly hit the book rental shop.
“...Oh ho.”
You're definitely that beggar punk I beat half to death yesterday.
Just a day ago.
Not some chicken-brain either—I'd been half-expecting it, so it stuck crystal clear.
Sure, today you're decked in proper silk robes with a fan to boot... Geez. Not a moron. Unless you learned disguise up your ass.
Anyway, that moronic getup here meant you'd targeted him last night too.
And the other five? No doubt same crew.
Oh yeah, the Beggars' Sect had asked to report any suspicious types over some internal mess, right?
Snapping his fingers, Yu Hyun slotted the tumbling puzzle pieces together in a flash.
These are the bastards.
Sauntering around unscathed meant they'd let the beggars stomp them on purpose last night, and those beggars were likely slaughtered or maimed after he left.
Yeah, had to be. Otherwise the Beggars' Sect wouldn't have been flipping out since morning.
What kinda scum are they?
“...”
Yu Hyun took a long moment sorting his thoughts, then suddenly snickered.
Why agonize? Just find out starting now.
“Hey! You there! Stop, damn it! Hey, I said halt!”
Yu Hyun waited until his tails were well behind, then feigned spotting someone and bolted toward the alley's bend.
He then tore straight into a deserted back alley.
[Damn it! After him!]
Yu Hyun's sudden sprint twisted Ma Hwan's face as he barked the order.
Beggars' Sect disciples were visible here and there, scanning faces.
Lightness skill would give them away in a heartbeat, so Ma Hwan and his men pursued at a brisk walk.
Pa-hak!
Confirming no one at the bend, Ma Hwan and his subordinates unleashed their lightness skills right away.
Not far off.
Yu Hyun, chasing someone, was veering into another alley in the distance.
Plenty catchable.
They had lightness skill; he was just sprinting—what reason not to nab him?
“Punk!”
Ma Hwan maxed his speed and reached the alley Yu Hyun had ducked into.
“Stop ri—”
The dead-end alley before him crumpled Ma Hwan's features.
A dead end?
He'd clearly seen him enter here—no Yu Hyun, not even an ant in sight.
What the hell... how?
“Team leader!”
“...”
His subordinates trickled in behind, scanning around with equally baffled looks.
As everyone failed to hide their bewilderment—
“Hey, who the hell are you lot?”
“...!”
Ma Hwan whipped his head at the sudden voice.
Atop the wall by the dead-end's mouth.
Legs splayed wide in a squat, Yu Hyun peered down with a punkish glare.
“No way—you noticed?”
Ma Hwan's shock drew a goofy, accommodating grin from Yu Hyun.
“Bingo! Congrats. Nailed it.”
“...”
Clapping required...?
“You little shit...”
“Yeah.”
“...”
“It's hilarious. Why chase a guy's ass so hard? Oh, your hobby? Ugh... even if I'm handsome, this obsession's criminal. Line crossed.”
“...”
Even Ma Hwan, forged in long training, was defenseless against Yu Hyun's taunting wordplay.
“Hehe, why blush all embarrassed? Gay kink busted? It's cool. Don't like it, but I respect diversity.”
“...”
Lips twitching on his flushed face, Ma Hwan barely regained his signature icy demeanor.
“Sharp tongue on you.”
“Hup!”
Snickering, Yu Hyun leaped down from the wall, planting himself like a plug at the dead-end's entrance.
One, two, three... eleven, leader included.
Thought five.
Anyway, he'd reeled them in; now time to properly provoke and pin their feet.
No fun if he flea-hopped away.
“You lot targeted me last night, right?”
“...”
“Yep. Face gives it away.”
“...”
“But the issue's why me. No grudge or...”
One of Yu Hyun's eyes twitched faintly.
There was—a grudge.
First: Nine Dragons Stronghold.
Second: Child Ginseng... too much?
Anyway, which?
As Yu Hyun paused to think, Ma Hwan swiftly sorted the situation in his head.
Surprise attack sunk.
Had to settle it here somehow, but if the punk yelled during takedown, that spelled its own trouble.
Draw eyes, Beggars' Sect would catch wind, and with the Nangong Clan coordinating, it'd be only a matter of time before they barged in.
Plus, son of a former Imperial Tutor.
If he was their target, kill and done; if not, martial world and officials entangled—major headache.
That's why they hadn't even reported Yu Hyun upstairs.
No point courting danger with needless fuss.
First... confirm.
Probe his reaction, then kidnap or kill—not too late.
“Child Ginseng. Jin Wi-gang.”
“...”
“As expected, you...”
“What ginseng? And Jin Wi-gang? Who's that?”
“Huh?”
Yu Hyun seemed genuinely baffled, cocking his head—Ma Hwan's eyes widened slightly.
“What, wrong guy? Kinda insulting? How mix up this face?”
“...No?”
“Then claim you know what you don't, asshole?”
“...”
Yu Hyun wore a truly clueless look.
Close watch showed no shift in expression, breath, manner—not even his pupils.
No connection?
Besides, hard to buy he'd snagged the Child Ginseng.
His qi felt utterly mundane, no matter how you sliced it.
“Damn...”
Fooled by the masterful bluff, Ma Hwan's brow furrowed.
Yu Hyun caught it.
Bastard, rattled.
See that? That's the expression disguise from the pervert geezer: devour a chicken, flash duck feet—no suspicion.
Anyway.
Guys who knew Jin Wi-gang and Child Ginseng? Unexpected jackpot.
Definitely tied to the calamity's minions.
Chased here over the swiped Child Ginseng and one name: Jin Wi-gang.
Fucking dogs, not even the ones who planted the seed...
Anyway, this meant the minions grabbing Child Ginseng wasn't coincidence.
Implies they had backing from the start...
Damn, that accursed memory.
Of all things, only the calamity minions part wiped.
But no sweat.
Replacements for the lost intel standing right here?
You don't know me, but I know you—time to snag you and wring it out.
“Damn, looks like a mix-up.”
“...”
“Sorry about that.”
Ma Hwan, long mulling, suddenly tried to bail.
No can do.
I'm planning to catch you right now.
“Hehe, think you can just leave?”
“...What?”
“I'm the curious type, see.”
“...”
“Got me wondering. What're you punks?”
Yu Hyun extended one foot into stance; Ma Hwan curled a sneering lip.
“Foolish.”
“That's a new one. First time anyone's called me that.”
“...”
Fury surged at Yu Hyun's unflagging snide grins, but retreat was now.
Cursing inwardly, Ma Hwan warned again.
“Punk! Don't let pointless hot blood cut your life short.”
“Hot blood?”
“...!”
Yu Hyun snickered and powered his extended step, rocketing forward.
Ma Hwan grimaced at the instant gap-closing speed.
Annoying bastard.
Low skill though—subordinates would suffice. Finish quick, bounce.
“Subdue him!”
At Ma Hwan's order, two nearby warriors horizontally wall-ran, closing in a blink.
One dropped low for the legs; the other raked sharp fingers at his face like claws.
Subduing, not killing outright.
Stupid fucks. This soft, how tail anyone...
Gotta be solid like this!
Abruptly halting his advance, Yu Hyun arched his upper body backward.
Whiric!
Whoosh, whuuuk!
His on-the-spot backflip sliced the upper-lower attacks through empty air.
One grazed flying hair strands; the other ghosted his tiptoe.
Upper guy first.
Spinning upward, Yu Hyun's kick nailed the whiffer's face dead-on.
Paaaak!
Lower guy simultaneous.
Pududuk!
Yu Hyun slammed his fist with full falling weight.
Jjeeeong!
Face-smashed foe cratered into the wall before crashing down; the low one head-planted the dirt and went limp.
No more motion—out cold, looked like.
Chak.
Landing lightly, arms dangling, Yu Hyun tilted his head up slightly.
“This...”
“...?”
“I must've seemed too spotty, huh?”
Straightening slowly with a sunny grin, Yu Hyun's eyes gleamed with madness.