Chapter 180
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Crouching Tiger (3)
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The double blades attached to Shim Heum's spear were curved like a snake to widen wounds, earning it the name Snake Spear.
The Snake Spear scraped along the ground as it advanced, wriggling forward like a real serpent and kicking up clouds of dust.
Shwick.
So Myeong-rang leaped in, slashing down short to crush the snake's head. Aiming for the snake's master would have gotten his own gut pierced first, so it was the natural choice.
And Shim Heum, rich in arena experience, had anticipated exactly that. With a sword's shorter reach than his spear, her options were limited.
'Fine, that's how you want to play it?'
The moment So Myeong-rang's blade moved, Shim Heum—who had flattened himself to the ground—snapped his spear tip up. The Snake Spear reared its head in near unison.
Shrick~
Tricks they both saw coming.
But So Myeong-rang's sword was faster than Shim Heum expected.
The Snake Spear failed to vault over the falling blade tip, merely grazing it and veering off course.
Ting.
So Myeong-rang wiped sweat from her brow. That snake head had dodged with eerie cunning; it was only a paper-thin miss that saved her, or it would have plunged straight into her heart.
Both stunned by their opponent's superior skill, So Myeong-rang moved first.
She launched herself forward, shoulder-checking with her left while coiling her sword behind her back. Push with the shoulder, then cleave down with the blade—that was the plan.
Shim Heum sidestepped diagonally, spinning his body, and whipped the Snake Spear from his spear's rear at the clinging So Myeong-rang. When the long-held Snake Spear glanced off, he switched to the short-held one on the opposite side.
Whoosh~
Caught off-guard by the sudden rear Snake Spear, So Myeong-rang slammed on the brakes, twisting her body. She yanked her whipping right arm over her shoulder, inverting the Heavy Blade mid-swing to block.
Clang~
A resounding impact sent So Myeong-rang skidding back.
And Shim Heum pursued.
He flicked the short-held Snake Spear lightly, extending it like the Monkey King's staff to stab at So Myeong-rang. By sliding the spear through his grip and switching hold on the shaft, he created an optical illusion of sudden growth.
So Myeong-rang barely deflected the thrusting Snake Spear and staggered. Shim Heum then pressed with full spear thrusts.
Shing—shing—shing—shing—
So Myeong-rang parried and deflected desperately, retreating unsteadily, her face a mask of distress. She felt backed to a cliff's edge.
But inexplicably, Shim Heum's furious barrage halted, letting her regain her shaky stance.
Why?
Though she hadn't turned, So Myeong-rang caught Shim Heum's eyes rolling sideways. That explained her narrow escape.
From behind, spectator Hyeong U-saeng grinned his signature smile at Shim Heum while tossing and catching a smooth, hefty stone.
Shim Heum had seized a golden chance, but Hyeong U-saeng's checkmate ruined it. How many men and beasts had died to those rocks? He couldn't drop his guard.
Thus, the vicious exchange between the Crouching Tiger and One-Legged Tiger ended in the Crouching Tiger's slight edge—but soured by a third party's cheap meddling.
Ptooey.
So Myeong-rang spat. Her face flushed red with humiliated rage as she glared daggers at Shim Heum and snarled.
"Your opponent is me. Focus and quit regretting your cheap tricks!"
Who was that warning for?
Hyeong U-saeng felt a twinge of guilt, but he couldn't just watch her die with eyes wide open. This wasn't some honorable duel of warriors staking honor on life and death. Besides, hadn't Flying Tiger quietly urged him to watch her back?
"Brother, you know your little brother is a bit of a lone wolf, right?"
"Was he? He seemed that way. My hunch was spot on."
"Come on, after all our time together, you still didn't know?"
"Me? Feels like I've only known you a few days."
"Huh? Why'd my name come up out of nowhere?"
"......"
They stared blankly before realizing it was a silly misunderstanding.
Oh, not you?
What the hell is this guy on about?
"Ahem, Myeong-rang can be pretty stubborn."
"Yes. That's why I'm asking this favor. If So steps up to Shim Heum alone, she won't back down, right? And he's no pushover, so the fight's anyone's guess."
"Fair enough. Unless he got his Han Zhong Bao elder seat by rock-paper-scissors."
"So if things look dicey, lend a hand."
"Hmm, do that and she'll try to kill me even if she survives."
"Aw, come on~ Would she really go after her own uncle? She'll just blow off steam... right? Or blame it on my orders—say she had no choice."
"Got it. But hey, is Flying Tiger okay?"
"Ah, I'm the commander of this op, after all. Our target isn't some Han Zhong Bao elder, so I'll soothe him."
"Not that."
"......?"
"What if Shim Heum's with Im Wan-baek? Can you handle them solo?"
Flying Tiger chuckled that he wasn't some fearless warrior like So Myeong-rang—he'd bail if things went south. Hyeong U-saeng saw no tension, no warrior's bloodlust. Yet he secretly hoped Shim Heum was on his side.
So probably...
He's got a surefire way to cook him up. Crafty bastard.
"Gotta do what you gotta. Your brother's blade is fierce."
Hyeong U-saeng figured if he was taking heat, might as well go all in. He threw So Myeong-rang's "Focus on me" back at Shim Heum with a stern warning, fiddling with his stone.
How did that look to Shim Heum?
He might have let it slide if they'd shut up. He'd do the same in their shoes. But mouthing off like they weren't cheating stoked his fury.
Shim Heum snapped, cursing up a storm.
"You filthy dogs. And you call yourselves orthodox sect... fuck, double!"
So Myeong-rang charged, raising her Heavy Blade. Shim Heum pressed the Snake Spear to the ground again. It mirrored the previous clash.
But what followed was different—far more dramatic.
This time, So Myeong-rang targeted the snake's master, not the head.
Faster, fiercer!
Shim Heum thrust the Snake Spear at her gut, aiming to skewer them both.
Whoosh~
So Myeong-rang's blade spewed white steam, wrapped in layers of ashen mist from pouring her inner energy into it.
A do-or-die final strike?
Thus, the Snake Spear would gut her first—but her sword, laced with qi, would split Shim Heum's skull right after.
This mad bastard's going berserk for mutual destruction!
To Shim Heum, she seemed like a cornered blowfish exploding in rage. But more pressingly, what now?
He hurled his spear aside and rolled sideways—a split-second dodge of the cleaving blade. It also evaded Hyeong U-saeng's lurking threat. Two birds, one stone.
Too hasty.
Startled by her charge or overly wary of Hyeong U-saeng, he missed her follow-up.
Leap.
So Myeong-rang shot straight up from her rush without warning, using the ascending lightness skill 'Qi Reversal Soar' to defy gravity with qi.
Shim Heum's tossed spear passed under her feet. Worse, he was rolling on the ground.
So Myeong-rang hurled her qi-charged Heavy Blade skyward, rigid and upright.
Splurt—
The Heavy Blade spun once in midair before slamming deep into the earth, carving a deep gash that shook the ground. Shim Heum's body tore apart, limbs flying separately before thudding down.
The One-Legged Tiger had hunted the Crouching Tiger!
Huff. Huff.
Drained of all strength, So Myeong-rang crash-landed clumsily and sprawled flat.
Hyeong U-saeng rushed over, checked her vitals, and sighed in relief. He offered a hand.
"Little brother, well done. You took down a tough one."
So Myeong-rang gripped it, rising wearily with a hollow laugh.
"Heh heh, thanks to Uncle, I saved my sorry hide. But honestly, one-on-one fair fight? I'd be the corpse."
To Hyeong U-saeng, her tone sounded dark and heavy.
A warrior's pride?
He wouldn't know. What use did a street thug who bashed skulls with rocks have for that? He couldn't grasp it, but he saw she was dead serious.
"Ahem. Truth is, Flying Tiger ordered me to help if things got hairy. I didn't want to, but that kid nagged as my superior..."
"Flying Tiger did?"
"Yeah. I had zero intention of saving your ass. Don't misunderstand."
"Ah! So Flying Tiger's my lifesaver!"
"Exactly! I mean... huh?"
So Myeong-rang dusted off, stretched, muttering, "Still, surviving feels good." She smirked, grabbed her Heavy Blade, and walked off. Hyeong U-saeng mumbled awkwardly, "That's not what I meant..."
"Anyway, our plan to capture and interrogate him went up in smoke. Now what?"
"What can we do? I was about to die. Just hope Flying Tiger pries something out of Im Wan-baek."
"True. Gotta have your head attached to hear anything. Tch, let's head to the rendezvous. That guy's got it covered."
"I ask the questions. You only answer. Cooperate fully, and I'll let you ask one. Got it?"
Im Wan-baek nodded vigorously. Flying Tiger released his jaw acupoint only after two hours.
He'd done the same an hour ago, but Im Wan-baek's first words were useless drivel like "Who the hell are you?"—earning him a dislocated shoulder and resealed mouth.
Flying Tiger stared. Im Wan-baek swallowed hard, lips sealed. Satisfied, he cut to the chase.
"Good. First question. Not your master sending you while he raids another castle for war, right? Who was it?"
"That..."