Chapter 43
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Stealing Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A glint appeared in Ma Hwan's eyes.
He knew full well the skills of the two subordinates lying at Yu Hyun's feet.
They were Hyeon-ki grade martial artists.
Given the inner power emanating from Yu Hyun, this should never have happened.
How in the world?
"Surprised?"
"......"
"Anyway, with these two secured, digging into your identities shouldn't be a problem. That leaves eight besides you... What'll it be? You could just head out now."
"......"
As Yu Hyun waggled his fingers and smirked, Ma Hwan's face twisted viciously.
Grit.
"You bastard..."
Ma Hwan ground his molars and fully turned to glare at him, prompting Yu Hyun to flash a grin.
Predictable reactions, one by one.
Turning his body meant he was ready to get serious now.
It meant leaving no traces, no room for slip-ups.
Their identities couldn't be exposed, huh?
One leader and eight underlings.
Judging by the two he'd already taken down, the remaining eight were probably around Hyeon-ki or Tan-ki level...
The leader... maybe on par with Nangong Seong?
Tch, not looking good.
If he planned to kill them all, fine—but fighting to capture made that number tricky.
Damn it. Why are the bad guys always so damn strong?
Yu Hyun quickly sized up Ma Hwan's group's strength and searched for a way to turn things in his favor.
Numerically, he was at a total disadvantage.
So how to gain the edge?
Yu Hyun paused in thought, then suddenly curled his lips into a sly grin.
"From now on... I'll steal your time. Make it real tight for you."
"...?"
Stealing time—what did that mean? No way...
The moment Ma Hwan realized, Yu Hyun hoisted one of the fallen subordinates over his shoulder and bolted.
"You bastard! Chase him!"
Ma Hwan yelled urgently and leaped after him.
Idiot. Knew you'd follow.
No, you had to. A prisoner was a prisoner, one or two didn't matter.
Where there were captives, traces remained.
If they needed to stay hidden, they'd never allow traces—and the second Yu Hyun fled with one, they'd give chase without fail.
But carrying a man slowed him down. Weight made all the difference, no matter his lightness skill.
Even catching up late, they weren't closing in yet?
Stealing time meant more than that, though.
"Got you!"
Slash!
A sword sliced through the air.
Yu Hyun twisted mid-air to dodge, scanning around urgently.
There!
He mercilessly hurled the man on his shoulder onto a suitable rooftop that caught his eye.
Boom!
The combined weight and force punched a massive hole straight through.
Yu Hyun, following with a leap, pulled his fist to his waist. As he neared the roof, he twisted and unleashed with full power.
Whirr! Boom!
The roof, already holed from the first impact, couldn't withstand the qi explosion and collapsed entirely.
Crack, rumble.
The building's owner fled in terror, and Yu Hyun landed before the half-ruined structure.
Ma Hwan and his men landed around him, encircling.
"You bastard, is this as far as you get?"
"Yeah... You guys are faster than I thought."
"......"
"But you know what?"
"What?"
Ma Hwan's eyes narrowed at Yu Hyun's smug, scheming smile.
"I ran pretty far, but it's still back alleys. You figured killing me and escaping wouldn't be too late. Even with the Beggars' Sect and Nangong Clan around, Hebi's too big for them to show up quick, right?"
"......"
"But here's the thing."
Yu Hyun paused, grinning darkly.
Tweet!
"...!"
Ma Hwan's eyes bulged at the sudden whistle.
What the—?
"Heh, surprised? This is a Nangong Clan shop. Remembered it when some guy bragged about his wealth."
"...You bastard, no way?"
"Yep. Lured you right in."
Ma Hwan's pupils trembled nonstop at Yu Hyun's smile.
"How's that? Feeling the pinch? That whistle means Nangong patrols nearby will swarm soon, and the Beggars' Sect beggars won't sit idle... You're screwed, so just go. You can afford to lose one guy, right?"
"......"
Stealing time, escaping— that's what he meant?
Too late to realize. Time really was short now.
"You sneaky bastard..."
"Thanks for the compliment."
"......"
Ma Hwan glared with killing intent, but Yu Hyun's face stayed bright as sunshine.
Numerical superiority?
Pfft!
Now I'm way ahead.
Time's on my side, hold out a bit and Nangong plus Beggars' Sect beggars crash the party—numbers flip too.
How's that? That's strategy, you muscle-headed morons.
The Heavenly Mechanism Diviner Je Gal-mu-rin of the Righteous Six Saints—who climbed there without martial arts—was one of my masters.
Sure, I'm built for physical stuff, not as smart as him, but your pea-brains? Easy.
Ma Hwan eyed Yu Hyun's cocky, chin-raised expression, then glanced at his unconscious subordinate amid the half-collapsed building debris.
No time.
As the bastard said, Beggars' Sect and Nangong meant no escape.
Had to leave Hebi fast.
And to do that... the wounded were just baggage.
He'd already killed one of the first two downed while chasing Yu Hyun.
Comrades? Loyalty? Meaningless.
Only leaving no traces mattered.
Kill the injured to silence them.
The one Yu Hyun had grabbed and smashed into debris faced the same fate.
"Attack!"
Whoosh!
At Ma Hwan's order, the eight subordinates charged Yu Hyun together.
Knew it, you bastards.
You might think eight's a lot, but that's nothing.
Yu Hyun smirked at the incoming blades, lightly lifted his foot, twisted powerfully, and slammed it down.
Exploding Thunder Divine Fist wasn't just for fists.
Boom!
Qi erupted as his foot hit, sending building debris around him flying up.
"You bastard! Hiding now?!"
One subordinate shouted.
Morons, think this is just a smokescreen?
Yu Hyun grinned coldly, hands moving fast.
Wudang's Great Azure Hand Seals.
Inner power too low for more than a dozen afterimages, but enough now.
Snap-snap-snap!
His extended hands split momentarily then merged; when they returned, they clutched debris.
Then he unleashed the Tang Clan's Linked Ring Twelve Strikes—throwing hidden weapons to twelve spots in one motion.
Swish, swish-swish!
"Hidden weapons!"
Too late, you poor bastards.
Thud! Thump-thump! Clang!
Debris shot like lightning: some pierced, some grazed, some blocked.
And the closest one...
Grab, grip.
"...!"
The man who'd first vaulted the debris wall Yu Hyun made went wide-eyed.
Yu Hyun's hand firmly gripping his hair. The smile in those bulging eyes. The raised fist.
Shit...
Crunch!
Yu Hyun's fist smashed into his face, driving it to the ground.
He didn't stop.
Had to disable as many as possible before the smokescreen cleared.
"Die!"
Slash!
A blade cleaved debris, swinging at him.
Tsk tsk, still short.
Announce your position like that? Stupidity's a crime, pal.
As the blade sank past overhead, Yu Hyun gauged its path and thrust his fist up.
Crack!
Perfect hit.
Felt the jaw shatter—you're done chewing rice.
Three pierced by debris, two by fist.
Three left... no, four with the leader.
Why's he just ordering, not moving...?
Suddenly suspicious, Yu Hyun whipped his head to the hostage behind him.
Stab!
Sword piercing flesh, blood spraying vividly.
"...!"
Ma Hwan stabbed his hostage subordinate's heart, then withdrew.
"You fuck! Backstabber?!"
Yu Hyun's eyes blazed upward like they'd been yanked.
That dog.
Sneaked behind while I was distracted.
The other three?
Turning forward, he saw them slitting throats of the fallen amid debris.
"Retreat!"
At the leader's shout, they leaped toward the city walls.
"......"
Never seen such ruthless bastards.
No wonder they weren't attacking—killing their own to leave no traces?
Unconscious ones, even the wounded by debris...
With followers like this, no need to see the Chaos Lord's minions.
That's why his masters had spat warnings.
Grit.
Yu Hyun's gritted teeth ground audibly.
His strategy to capture as many as possible, foiled by carelessness.
No time to wait for Beggars' Sect or Nangong now.
"...Fuck, if that's how you play, I won't hold back."
Meant to avoid assassins' moves... No mercy now.
Should've from the start, maybe.
Spare scum who slaughter comrades for secrets? They'll only harm the world later.
But one last survivor.
Can't lose the lead on Chaos Lord's minions.
"Hah!"
Madness gleamed in his eyes, blue killing intent surging.
Think I'll let you escape?
This distance—two steps.
Beggars' Sect lightness skill, four zhang per stride: Flying Heaven Shadowless Step!
Bang!
Air tore as Yu Hyun shot like lightning, overtaking instantly. The tail panicked, thrusting his sword.
Swoosh!
Sword? Think that'll stop me?
Yu Hyun twisted just enough to graze skin, keeping speed, and swung his fist.
Crack-crack! Boom!
The hit man spun like flung from a galloping carriage, smashing down.
Fuck off and die.
Four left.
Kill all but one!
Another attacked, but Yu Hyun charged straight.
Crack! Crash!
Despite wounds from strikes, Yu Hyun didn't slow, panicking Ma Hwan.
How?!
Faster than me even under attack... Hiding his power? That skilled?
At this rate, caught before the walls.
"Damn it, scatter!"
His three subordinates split directions.
Fuck! Seriously?!
Walls weren't far...
Yu Hyun scowled at their scatter, then grinned.
Damn, come sooner.
Slow as hell...
Ragged horde atop the walls.
Beggars' Sect.
Nangong Clan warriors in blue here and there. Yu Hyun kept grinning.
Checkmate!
Take the general!