Chapter 16: Raiding the Cavern-2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: Raiding the Cavern-2
Once the decision to leave the hideout was made, his movements became swift.
However, he couldn't just walk out empty-handed. He had to prepare for the worst-case scenario to ensure that, at the very least, the damage would be minimized to the "second-worst" level.
Sun-woo considered the absolute worst thing that could happen once he stepped outside. The worst-case was that his master, Lee Jae-won, had already branded him a heinous criminal.
Lee Jae-won was a man of immense pride; once he made a decision, he rarely reconsidered. If he had already decided Sun-woo was a sinner, then based on the personality Sun-woo had observed so far, no amount of explanation would matter. Lee Jae-won would treat him like a murderer and inevitably issue a Pursuit Order.
In truth, during his six months in the hideout, Sun-woo had largely abandoned any expectations he had for Lee Jae-won. As the memories of Jang Sam and Sun-woo merged into one, he had come to realize exactly what kind of man Lee Jae-won was.
Therefore, he needed to be ready to flee while he assessed the situation.
His first preparations involved the Formless Shadow Stealth Technique, which allowed him to hide in shadows; the Wind-Dust Step, for moving as fast as the wind; and the Zhu-Rong Art, which allowed him to manipulate his face and physique at will. If he utilized these three martial arts well, he could handle infiltration and reconnaissance, and more importantly, create an opening to escape if the worst happened.
His second preparation involved the weapons in the armory.
While the Peak Realm could be considered the pinnacle among the Rising Stars, it was a different story when considering the older generations or those even higher. No matter how much of a master Sun-woo had become by reaching the Peak Realm, there were still many in the Murim stronger than him.
For instance, within the Cheonmu Alliance alone, weren't there five people who had reached the Transcendent Realm, also known as the Absolute Realm? Furthermore, there were over ten others who had reached the very limit of the Peak Realm.
To survive in such a den of tigers, he needed what one might call "item power." It was better to clash with the world wearing something for protection than to go in naked and get hurt.
He hadn't looked closely before because he had been so focused on his martial arts training, but he recalled that the quality of the smithing in the armory was quite high.
Creeeak.
Sun-woo pushed open the iron door and stepped slowly into the armory. Aside from a brief glance when he first arrived, he hadn't entered this space once in six months. Not knowing what kind of weapons might be lined up inside, he felt a slight flutter of excitement.
As soon as he entered, he was greeted by the thick scent of metal and oil. As expected of an armory, the distinct metallic tang and the smell of grease tickled his nose. Though the air was heavy with a musty, long-settled odor, Sun-woo didn't mind and walked deeper inside.
The interior was neatly organized by type and size, just as he had seen during his initial cursory glance. Sun-woo moved first to the section where the swords were displayed.
People often say that it’s not about the sword, but the one who wields it. That was half-right and half-wrong. Of course, if a first-class martial artist with an iron sword fought a third-rate martial artist with a legendary blade, the result would be obvious. However, if two masters of the same level fought, the one holding the legendary blade would have the advantage a hundred times out of a hundred.
In a battle between masters, where the outcome was often decided by a single breath, a single step, or a single technique, the quality of the weapon was undeniably crucial.
A vast variety of swords were on display. Since they all looked decent at a glance, Sun-woo had no choice but to swing them one by one to find the right fit.
Whoosh.
"This one's too light."
Clang.
Sun-woo tossed the sword behind him. Anything too light was disqualified. Assuming the metal was the same, a sword that was too light meant it had a lower metal content and thus lower durability.
He picked up another sword and swung it.
Vwoom.
A significantly heavier sound cut through the air compared to before.
"And this one's too heavy."
If he chose a sword that was too heavy, he worried it would add too much weight and slow his speed when performing martial arts.
Thud.
Sun-woo tossed it away without regret and began picking up and swinging swords again.
It was only after an hour had passed that Sun-woo found the most ideal sword—one that was neither too light nor too heavy, with a perfectly balanced center of gravity.
After sliding the sword into the belt at his hip, he immediately moved to the armor section.
To be honest, martial artists rarely wore armor because it made the body heavy. The added weight created openings and restricted movement. Furthermore, martial artists tended to avoid armor because they considered it a cowardly way to act.
But Sun-woo thought differently.
If a Pursuit Order had been issued for him, he would surely be hunted by countless martial artists the moment he left the hideout. He didn't believe that just because his body was light, he could dodge every stray arrow or hidden weapon. To survive, he couldn't think like a typical martial artist.
Cowardly or not, he had to live first.
Sun-woo moved toward the armor without hesitation. However, looking at the arrayed sets, he found himself in a dilemma. With the swords, they were all made of White Refined Steel, so he just had to swing them to find a good one. But with the armor, the types of metal varied wildly, and the shapes were all different, making it difficult to choose a suitable piece.
"Ah!"
A good idea struck Sun-woo's mind. He brought over a few of the swords he had tossed aside and began swinging them at the armor.
Clang!
It was a simple and crude method, but there was no method more accurate. Even if it was too much to expect them to withstand Sword Qi, he figured that any armor that didn't even get a scratch from a sword made of White Refined Steel would sufficiently serve its purpose.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Swords repeatedly bounced off or snapped. Seeing that the swords made of White Refined Steel couldn't handle the hardness of the armor and broke, it seemed the quality of the armor was also quite good.
However, the armor wasn't unscathed either, making him hesitate to choose. If it could be scratched by White Refined Steel, it would likely be sliced right through if someone used Sword Qi.
Sun-woo began the tedious process again.
It was after he had swung a sword hundreds of times.
Pang!
Before the sword could even touch the armor, a repulsive force manifested and sent the sword flying back.
"What!?"
Startled, Sun-woo stared at the armor that had repelled his blade. Its shape was incredibly peculiar, crafted to look like the face of a demon. There were sharp eyes on the chest, a nose-like opening at the solar plexus, and large, jagged teeth scattered across the abdominal area. It was a chilling sight for a piece of armor.
"What is this?"
Just in case, Sun-woo swung his sword again.
Pang!
As before, the armor generated a repulsive force and deflected Sun-woo's sword. It wasn't a fluke or an illusion.
"Demon-shaped armor that repels swords..."
Sun-woo thought hard about whether such a piece of armor existed in the story's setting. Since it clearly possessed extraordinary abilities, he figured there must be some background lore from the author.
"Demon... ghost... repulsion... armor..."
The memory teased him, hovering just out of reach.
"I'm sure I've heard of this somewhere!"
Then, it happened.
Sun-woo's mind went blank, and suddenly, lines of text began to surface.
[[ There existed legendary weapons in the Murim known as the Six Great Treasures, and this armor was one of them. If the existence of this armor were to be revealed to the Murim, it was certain that a bloody storm would erupt. Thus, Lee Jae-won had no choice but to quietly set the armor down.
Paeng Ga-ryeon gave a bright smile and praised Lee Jae-won's actions.
"You did the right thing, Young Master Lee. If this Overlord Ghost-Face Armor were revealed to the world, it would plunge the Murim into uncontrollable chaos."
"Is it really that incredible?"
"The armor itself possesses a repulsive force strong enough to easily deflect ordinary metal. It's a mystical artifact that automatically boosts the wearer's internal energy to defend the moment it senses martial power like Sword Qi or Sword Astral."
Hearing Paeng Ga-ryeon's words, Lee Jae-won couldn't help but feel a deep sense of regret. A treasure of that caliber was perfectly suited for a protagonist like himself.
However, it was clear that if he insisted on taking it now, the favorability he had built up with Paeng Ga-ryeon would vanish instantly.
'You bitch, I'm definitely coming back for this after I've had my way with you.'
Only after making that vow several times in his head was Lee Jae-won able to leave.
Watching Lee Jae-won walk away from such a treasure without a second thought, Paeng Ga-ryeon felt her heart pounding.
'Why am I like this? Something's wrong with me...'
It seemed the day Lee Jae-won and Paeng Ga-ryeon would share a bed was not far off. ]]
"The Overlord Ghost-Face Armor!"
The text that suddenly surfaced in his mind was a description from the novel.
The Overlord Ghost-Face Armor was something Lee Jae-won had discovered while adventuring with Paeng Ga-ryeon. To hype him up, the author had dropped all sorts of bait about it being one of the Six Great Treasures of the Murim and a source of bloody conflict, only for it to disappear forever—a classic MacGuffin.
After that, none of the legendary Six Great Treasures ever appeared until the end of the novel, and Lee Jae-won simply used the incident to seduce Paeng Ga-ryeon.
And so, the long-forgotten Overlord Ghost-Face Armor had been picked up by Lee Jae-won after the ending and stashed away in his hideout.
Realizing the identity of the armor, Sun-woo felt his breathing grow heavy with excitement. One of the Six Great Treasures of the Murim—a one-off setting created just so the protagonist could get laid with Paeng Ga-ryeon—was right in front of him. It would be stranger not to be excited.
"That means all the Six Great Treasures of the Murim actually exist!?"
Sun-woo felt as if a dazzling morning had finally arrived after a long, pitch-black night. This was it. It was perfect.
With the Overlord Ghost-Face Armor, he wouldn't have to worry about dying from a stray blade or arrow, and he would have a clear advantage even when fighting masters of the same level. There was no way he could be at a disadvantage when the armor automatically bolstered his Protective Qi.
"Hahahahahaha! This is a jackpot! A total jackpot!"
He couldn't stop laughing. It was an unexpected stroke of luck. To think a forgotten setting would finally see the light of day. It was beyond his wildest dreams.
After his laughing fit, Sun-woo put on the Overlord Ghost-Face Armor.
Snap.
He didn't know what it was made of, but thanks to its generous fit, he could put it on easily. Once he wore it, the armor, which had been large for Sun-woo's frame, shrank and molded itself perfectly to his body.
"Oho."
Sun-woo marveled at the sight. Clothing that transformed to fit the body—this was a level of technology that couldn't be found even in the modern world. Furthermore, the Overlord Ghost-Face Armor was so light it felt as if he were wearing nothing at all.
With its feather-like weight and near-absolute defensive capabilities, it was no exaggeration to call the Overlord Ghost-Face Armor a treasure of the Murim.
"I can see why people would start a bloody war over this."
With armor this capable, he could understand why a martial artist would want it even at the cost of a massacre.
Having chosen his armor and sword, Sun-woo's eyes gleamed as he began to inspect the other weapons. Since it was one of the Six Great Treasures, it was possible the other five were also in this armory.
For the next three days, Sun-woo swung, threw, and poked every kind of weapon in the armory, searching for the remaining treasures. Unfortunately, he didn't find anything else like the Overlord Ghost-Face Armor.
He sighed in disappointment, but the armory had already proven its worth with the armor alone. Sun-woo grabbed one more dagger and immediately left the armory. Having spent three days searching, he had done enough and could give up without lingering regrets.
Leaving the armory, Sun-woo entered the first tunnel, which was filled with Fasting Pills.
Rip.
He tore a piece of his shirt to make a makeshift pouch and stuffed as many Fasting Pills as he could inside. It was a desperate measure to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.
After filling the pouch to the brim, Sun-woo went to the third tunnel where the elixirs were kept and took the porcelain bottle containing the Stalactite Fluid he hadn't finished. He wanted to drink it all and absorb it now, but he feared falling into Qi Deviation because of the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art, so he decided to save it for later.
With the Stalactite Fluid tucked into his robes, Sun-woo left the tunnels and headed to the center of the cavern. He sat down and crossed his legs. Slowly, he began his Internal Energy Circulation and sank into his mental world.
By circulating his energy, he began to soothe his anxious heart.
How much time had passed?
Sun-woo finished his meditation and opened his eyes. A powerful aura radiated from his eyes, which were now filled with a brilliant light.
'Finally, it's tomorrow.'
Tomorrow, Sun-woo would leave the hideout and begin a new adventure. Having assumed the worst, he had finished every preparation he could. All that remained was a bit of luck.
*
Cheonmu Alliance
Inside a secret basement
"Hehehe... do it more... more... more... giggle... A-young wants to be filled more."
A woman with a charming mole under her eye was laughing vacantly, drool dripping from her mouth.
"Tsk, this bitch has lost her mind too."
Lee Jae-won, the Cheonmu Alliance Leader who was currently inside her, clicked his tongue. For some reason, lately, every woman he brought in lost her mind before he could even properly train them. This woman had resisted fiercely at first, but she had quickly gone insane.
Lee Jae-won felt considerable annoyance. In the past, women had stronger wills, so he could play with them for months, but these days, they lasted a month at most.
"Women these days have no endurance. It wasn't like this in my day."
Irritated, Lee Jae-won grabbed her neck and snapped it backward.
Crack.
With her neck completely broken, she died instantly. Lee Jae-won tossed her body aside.
Thud.
Looking at her corpse, Lee Jae-won fell into thought. Rape and murder were fine once or twice, but he felt the frequency had been increasing lately. He had been able to commit these acts freely thanks to the convenient shield that was Jang Sam, but as Jang Sam's infamy grew, there was a risk it would make Lee Jae-won look incompetent.
The best way to solve this was to catch Jang Sam and kill him in front of everyone, but the brat was nowhere to be found.
"Where is that bastard hiding?"
He had heard that after passing through the Law Enforcement Hall and raping two members of the Phoenix Unit at the Phoenix Hall, the boy's trail had gone cold. There was no way someone who was only at the Peak Realm could evade the eyes of Transcendent and Super-Peak masters.
"Wait, the Phoenix Hall?!"
A hideous smile spread across Lee Jae-won's face as something occurred to him.
"So that's where the little rat was hiding. Heh."
Lee Jae-won's smile deepened.