Chapter 262
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 262
Chapter Title: I'll Kill You (1)
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"You wench!"
The steward bellowed furiously, but he didn't dare approach. That insolent bastard holding Her Highness's sacred body in his arms.
No one knew what trick he'd pulled, but the man had somehow regained his internal energy. He had more than ten ways to end the princess's life right then and there.
"St-Steward... Th-this is..."
"You."
The Holy Flame Princess stammered out her words, only for the man to cut her off once more with his coldly imperious tone.
"What did you just say? A clinic? A doctor?"
As the man who'd been violating the royal body withdrew his filthy member and spoke, the steward ground his teeth.
"Tell me the details. What exactly happened?"
"I don't know the full story either... Just that it looks like some top-tier masters are clashing outside."
While explaining everything he knew in detail, the steward eyed the man's openings, waiting for a chance to rescue the princess.
"If you go out now, you'll see beams of white light shooting out nonstop. Beyond that, even I..."
"White light..."
In the brief moment the man lapsed into thought, the steward stealthily reached for his sword hilt. But then the man abruptly hurled the princess away. The steward reflexively launched himself toward her.
"Kyaaack!"
"You bastard!"
If she hit the ground like that, she'd definitely be hurt. That single thought filled the steward's mind as he pushed his lightness skill to the limit in pursuit. But it was already too late.
"...Huh?"
While the steward's attention was fixed on the princess, the man had leaped outside. The Holy Flame Princess, who seemed about to crash into the wall, suddenly slowed dramatically and landed lightly on a pile of straw.
Only after seeing her safely plop onto the straw did the steward finally relax. He tried to hurl himself after the man, but he couldn't.
"D-don't chase him...!"
The princess's plea, her hand clutching her breast, brought the steward to a halt. Her voice trembled unlike her usual self.
[For now, we'll talk details later. Your Highness, please keep that man from following me.]
The man had sent her that telepathic message in advance, but being suddenly thrown like that was a new experience for her.
"Your Highness...?"
Despite the steward's puzzled voice, Zhu Yeorin just raised her other hand to cover her breasts, saying nothing more.
Only then did it dawn on the steward the indecency of her state. As he turned away, the princess finally lowered her hands, pulled up her displaced brassiere, and refastened her robe's front.
And it was only at that moment that Zhu Yeorin noticed Yang Ha-jeong staring at her in shock from outside the warehouse. A wave of dizziness hit her.
'Damn that woman...'
The white-haired man, Silver Tiger, swiftly whipped his quadruple cloth sword to deflect the mysterious woman's flying needles.
One hit to the body, and the lightning strike that followed would disrupt his meridians from that point. He couldn't take it lightly.
His quadruple cloth sword's length let him suppress the lightning with internal energy before it climbed up, but a normal blade would've left him electrocuted mid-fight without a chance to react.
"Hup!"
He swung the sword in a circular arc to bat away the needles and close in, but the woman leaped back, widening the gap.
"All you can do is scurry like a rat, huh? Wench of the Hwa Clan."
The woman showed no visible reaction, but Silver Tiger felt her momentum waver for an instant, clear as day.
"You thought I wouldn't know? There's no eternal secret in the jianghu. Or maybe in all worldly affairs."
"...Your knowledge is broader than expected."
"The Hwa Clan claims lightning courses through the body to move it, right? I hear the heart method based on that is passed only to direct descendants as a secret art."
The woman neither confirmed nor denied it—but silence was as good as admission. Ju Yak-seon briefly locked eyes with Eon So-young, who was leaning against the wall, catching her breath.
[Use this opening to fall back. You can't fight him in that state.]
She wanted to give Eon So-young emergency treatment right away, but the opponent was too strong.
Let him close the distance once, and it was over. The Thunder Spirit Heart Method's true qi was potent, but it consumed heavily with each use.
It hadn't even been an hour—less than half, really—and her internal energy was already nearly half gone. She couldn't drag this out. The needles weren't infinite either.
She'd hoped Eon So-young could slip away and fetch help, but Eon shook her head slightly and replied telepathically.
[But I can't leave you alone. Besides, this area's already...]
"If you're thinking of letting that woman escape, don't worry. Neither of you bitches is leaving here."
Silver Tiger flashed a vile grin that didn't suit his handsome face.
"You think I came alone? The guys outside will block you even if it kills them."
If Eon So-young couldn't escape, Ju Yak-seon had one path left: exploit any gap and finish him no matter what.
Near impossible, but with no other way, there was no point agonizing.
"If you'd stayed hidden quietly, I could've just beheaded that bitch and been done. Begging for your life now is too late."
"As a doctor, I can't turn a blind eye to taking a life."
"The guy I killed said the same. 'How can a doctor ignore death?'"
His limp quadruple cloth sword sprang to life with the slightest flick of his wrist.
"And when death came, he begged for mercy... Let's see how you handle it."
"Even if they begged, you killed them anyway. No point then."
And the two clashed again. The woman retreated step by step to keep distance, while the man fought to close it.
As the lightning in her palm strikes weakened bit by bit, he grew bolder in narrowing the gap. Soon, a bit more time, and she'd be fully in his attack range.
As the sword thrust straight at her, Ju Yak-seon urgently twisted out of its path—and sensing her chance, fired needles per the Eight Trigrams principles.
With the sword extended far, he couldn't attack until he recovered it. Her killing move.
'No...?'
The eight needles flew at slightly varying speeds, lightning about to surge—then she saw his lip curl. Chills ran down her neck; she rolled across the floor.
Shiiik
She barely dodged the quadruple cloth sword stabbing from behind. Stray strands of her hair floated away; cold sweat poured.
The chunk gouged from the foundation stone—it had ricocheted toward her throat.
"Tch, instincts aren't bad. But now..."
Gripping the sword yanked back by void grasp, he thrust out his left palm, as if boasting the closed distance.
"Finally, I get to hear you cry."
"Didn't I say? Not gonna happen."
"Plenty talked big. But when death loomed, even the silent ones had eyes bulging with terror. I've seen mountains of them."
[Aaaargh!]
Silver Tiger furrowed his brow at the distant roar and following scream.
"Truly... interruptions without end. Good thing I decided to kill you bitches."
[Kuaaagh!]
His expression turned grave at the second boom, closer now.
Flashy, noisy martial arts abounded. But screams from several subordinates dropping instantly? No joke.
He reflexively swung his quadruple cloth sword down at Ju Yak-seon, but she dodged by a hair.
'One more time...!'
One more attack, and he'd take her head—but the boom's source wouldn't allow it.
He barely evaded a palm strike loaded with fierce solar yang qi sweeping his back, then turned to see a burly young man glaring, brows furrowed.
"Infesting a clinic overflowing with patients who can't even sleep properly? Definitely a scumbag."
"...Brat, you're Kang Yun?"
Silver Tiger gazed at him with ecstatic glee.
Kang Yun felt uneasy at the expression—like he'd been waited for—but nodded anyway.
"Yeah, white-haired geezer."
"Heh heh... Good thing I cleared you out early."
"What?"
As the man scowled and asked back, Silver Tiger burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Know how shocked I was when you suddenly vanished? First chance in ages—I couldn't let it slip."
"...Sorry to rain on your parade, but I don't know you."
"Doesn't matter. I just need your head."
Despite missing two chances at the enemy's neck, Silver Tiger laughed merrily.
"I smashed those bitches first, so once I kill you, I'm out."
"What?"
Only then did Kang Yun spot Eon So-young in the corner, breathing raggedly.
Blood-soaked, critically injured.
"Heard you're close with that woman? Figured interference might come, so I half-killed her early. Lucky..."
"Hey."
Silver Tiger tensed at the rising momentum from the foe. Barely-thirty brat, but his presence rivaled a mid-tier master.
Yet clearly inferior to him—something felt off. An inexplicable terror crept up, defying the skill gap.
"So you're here to kill me?"
"Cheeky tongue. But you get it—good."
"And you did that to Eon So-young 'cause she might interfere?"
"That too. But don't think petty chivalry will save you fr—"
"I'll kill you."
Silver Tiger shook off the instinctive dread at the flat, killing-intent-laden voice.
"If you've got the skill, try it."
The words barely ended when he stomped, echoing the prior blasts. He closed in at blinding speed.
'Th-this...!'
Overwhelmed by the sudden velocity, Silver Tiger whipped his sword to block three fist strikes loaded with power.
Heavy as hell—even he staggered back several steps, eyes wide.
'Th-this... impossible!'
No one that age built such energy without devouring elixirs like meals.
His aura clearly marked him inferior—making the shock greater.
But Silver Tiger was jianghu-seasoned. He guessed quick.
'Overdrawing power from the start. Then...'
Assuming Kang Yun's momentum wouldn't last, he hunkered down to endure.
When the one-sided barrage faltered, that's when the brat crumbled.
Waiting for that, Silver Tiger shifted to time-buying.