Chapter 182
Chapter 182
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 52
>Chapter Title: Jang Neung-ak (5)
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“This isn’t a proposal. It’s an order.”
'!!!!!!'
Everyone's faces froze in an instant.
Just moments ago, the atmosphere had seemed to be proceeding smoothly.
But in a flash, everything changed.
‘What the hell is this guy?'
'What did he just say...?'
Jang Neung-ak, the second disciple of the Society Leader, was taken aback, and so were his trusted aides.
For a moment, they even wondered if they had misheard.
But as they looked at Mok Kyung-un's smile brimming with malice, they realized their ears hadn’t deceived them.
Though it lasted only a split second, the silence felt unbearably long.
If anyone else had said such a thing, someone would have drawn their sword or blade and severed their head on the spot.
But the opponent was, by coincidence, a transcendent master of the Wall-Surpassing Realm.
The moment they became aware of that,
*Drip!*
Some of them broke into cold sweats, pushed to the brink of extreme tension.
How were they supposed to handle this situation?
What were they even supposed to say?
In the midst of this bewildering chaos and silence, it was Jeo Mo-pal of the Five Peaks from the Five Peaks Association who shattered the quiet.
“You bastard!!!!”
His voice and eyes burned with fury.
While everyone else was lost in thought about the situation itself, Jeo Mo-pal alone reacted with raw instinct, enraged that his lord had been insulted.
'Ah!'
His resounding shout snapped everyone back to their senses in an instant.
Ignoring them, Jeo Mo-pal bellowed,
“How dare you threaten my lord if you haven’t lost your mind!”
His shout was so loud it made their ears ring.
Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly and replied in a low tone.
“I get that you’re angry, but lower your voice a bit. It’s hurting my ears.”
“What? Lower my voice? You little...”
“For the young master’s sake, this is your final warning. Lower your voice.”
“As if I’d listen to the likes of y—”
*Twitch!*
Jeo Mo-pal couldn’t continue.
'This... this is...'
Even his cheeks trembled faintly.
It was because, in the instant their eyes met, he felt Mok Kyung-un’s killing intent.
Though fleeting, Jeo Mo-pal’s mind flashed with an image of Mok Kyung-un slicing his throat.
*Slash!*
'......'
The mere thought sealed his lips.
Seeing Jeo Mo-pal like this, the true First Evil Ho Jong-hyeok clicked his tongue inwardly.
His father had once told him that those who reached the Wall-Surpassing Realm could wield their energy with such precision that they could pressure a specific target with mere killing intent.
It seemed Mok Kyung-un had just done exactly that to Jeo Mo-pal.
‘This is tricky.’
Even if he had ascended to the Wall-Surpassing Realm, who could have predicted he’d act like this?
Their lord was the disciple of one of the Six Heavens, the pinnacle of the Central Plains martial world and leader of the Heaven-Earth Society.
Few in the Society would dare pull such a brazen stunt against him.
And those who did held positions and qualifications to back it up.
But Mok Kyung-un did not.
‘Is he relying solely on his own martial prowess to stir things up?’
If so, he was gravely mistaken.
Their lord had shown him courtesy not out of fear of his skills.
Their lord simply...
“Mok Kyung-un... You truly think I’m a fool, don’t you.”
At that moment, Jang Neung-ak spoke up.
His aides’ expressions turned grave as they watched him.
The chill in his eyes and the calm in his voice revealed just how furious their lord was.
When Jang Neung-ak was truly angry, he didn’t erupt like fire.
He became even more cold and calculating.
And that calculation brought profound insight.
“You think I’m underestimating you? I’m simply offering terms that benefit both the young master and the young lady.”
“Benefit both? Cut the nonsense.”
“Nonsense?”
“To merge two factions, one must bow and submit to the other. You think empty threats like yours can make that happen?”
“That’s why I’m ordering you to do it—because it can.”
“Ordering me? How arrogant.”
“Unexpected.”
A glint appeared in Mok Kyung-un’s eyes.
He had pegged the man’s capacity as shallow and narrow, yet here he was, speaking his mind even in this situation.
That meant he wasn’t afraid.
Despite already gauging the gap in their power.
“Unexpected? That’s exactly what I want to say. Aren’t you afraid?”
“Afraid?”
“Do you even know who you’re threatening right now?”
“Threatening... It doesn’t really feel like a threa—”
“I told you to shut your mouth. For a nobody like you to meddle in the successor struggle and try to upend the board? You’ve clearly lost all sense of fear.”
Mok Kyung-un’s eyes narrowed at his words.
“You’re coming on stronger than you look.”
“Strong? That’s my line. What’s your goal in relying on your meager skills to shake things up?”
“Hmm. Why overcomplicate it?”
Mok Kyung-un asked with evident interest.
Jang Neung-ak refilled his cup from the wine bottle and replied.
“There are two possibilities I can think of.”
“Two?”
“First, you’ve joined hands with Wi So-yeon.”
“......Why do you think that?”
“Simple. Even with Dark Seed and White Fang’s forces added to the youngest junior brother’s side, it’s still not enough. Not against the eldest senior brother—or me, for that matter.”
Mok Kyung-un gave a faint smile at Jang Neung-ak’s words.
He had assumed arrogance had blinded him, but it wasn’t entirely so.
Shrugging, Mok Kyung-un said,
“You have a point. But from my position, to face the eldest young master, I need the two of you to unite your forces—regardless of who comes out on top.”
“Regardless of who’s on top?”
“Yes. I just need you two to merge your forces. Honestly, I don’t care which of you becomes successor.”
“......”
Jang Neung-ak’s gaze sharpened further at Mok Kyung-un’s words.
Then he spoke.
“I thought it was the first, but it seems it’s the second.”
“Hmm. And what’s the second?”
“You don’t care who becomes successor? Ha! Now I see it.”
“......”
“Your goal is to shake the Society from within?”
“My lord?”
His aides’ eyes widened at Jang Neung-ak’s words.
Glaring at Mok Kyung-un, Jang Neung-ak continued amid their reactions.
“I overlooked it because I was focused on Dark Seed and Poison King. That you were once a hostage from the orthodox factions.”
'Ah!'
Everyone bristled with vigilance at those words.
The orthodox martial world was always scheming to dismantle the Heaven-Earth Society.
For them, the successor war was the perfect spark for internal strife.
If Mok Kyung-un wasn’t truly defected but still carried out his mission as an orthodox spy, this suspicion held real weight.
*Gulp!*
Downing his cup, Jang Neung-ak said,
“If my guess is wrong, say so.”
Scratching his head, Mok Kyung-un replied,
“You’re smarter than I thought.”
“You bastard...”
“But you’re off the mark.”
'!?'
Jang Neung-ak furrowed his brow.
“Off the mark?”
“Yes. I can see why you’d think that when your head’s spinning. Sorry to disappoint, but I truly have no ties to the orthodox factions.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Believe it or not, that’s up to you, young master. I simply want the two of you to unite. That way, you can avoid the hassle with the eldest young master.”
“......”
Doubt flickered in Jang Neung-ak’s eyes at Mok Kyung-un’s words.
The man had the upper hand, so he had voiced his guess to draw out the truth.
And he claimed it wasn’t true?
Or perhaps not. A spy trying to destabilize the Society wouldn’t admit it outright.
Then Mok Kyung-un said,
“Looks like words won’t convince you.”
*Thud!*
No sooner had he spoken than Jang Neung-ak’s aides—the true First Evil Ho Jong-hyeok, Fourth Evil Seo Hye-in, and Jeo Mo-pal of the Five Peaks Stone Fist—raised their energy and assumed defensive stances.
Mok Kyung-un chuckled and said,
“You know that won’t stop me.”
“Are you really threatening me?”
“Yes, if you want to call it a threat.”
*Thud!*
“You bastard...”
*Boom!*
Jeo Mo-pal tried to rise but slammed face-first into the table.
Mok Kyung-un had appeared behind him in an instant, pinning his head down.
Ho Jong-hyeok judged that, at this range, no one could block Mok Kyung-un.
“My lord...”
“I know.”
To them, Mok Kyung-un said,
“Will you accept?”
Jang Neung-ak snorted in response.
“Do you think you can handle the consequences of starting this?”
“That’s not for you to worry about, young master.”
“True enough. But you’ll have to deal with your threat.”
“Deal with it?”
“No matter how much I acknowledge your skills, you think I’d leave myself completely defenseless?”
Tilting his head, Mok Kyung-un asked,
“You’ve got some hidden trump card?”
With a meaningful smile, Jang Neung-ak replied,
“You think none of my supporting forces can handle you?”
“Handle me? You don’t mean...”
Mok Kyung-un’s expression hardened.
He understood exactly what Jang Neung-ak meant.
Watching him, the corner of Jang Neung-ak’s mouth curled slyly.
* * *
Just half an incense stick ago,
Jang Neung-ak had ordered the warriors at the lower table.
[Withdraw for now.]
[But my lord?]
[I said withdraw.]
[Yes, sir!]
It looked like he had simply dismissed them.
However,
-Gather all the warriors in the manor right now, and summon Paebu King Ho Tae-gang, Sub-leader Go Yeon-baek, and Chao Yin Valley Leader Hang Yeo-ryang.
Jang Neung-ak’s aides and subordinates shared one secret.
Telepathic sound transmission.
With Chao Yin Valley Leader’s backing, Jang Neung-ak had learned it as a gift from her.
And he put it to good use at times like this.
* * *
Paebu King Ho Tae-gang.
One of the Five Kings and one of the Eight Stars hailed as the supreme masters of the current martial world.
One of the rare Wall-Surpassing Realm experts in the Heaven-Earth Society and Jang Neung-ak’s first recruit—his greatest asset.
‘You thought I fully trusted you?’
The opponent was a Wall-Surpassing Realm expert.
If things went south, the outcome was unpredictable.
Judging by his actions, this man showed no fear of the Society Leader, his own master.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared defeat Go Yeon-ho, one of the Five Tigers, earlier.
Thus, Jang Neung-ak had called his strongest card.
The supreme expert who had reached the Wall-Surpassing Realm even before Mok Kyung-un.
‘Half an incense stick. Plenty of time.’
Enough to summon the Paebu King.
His manor was closer than any other executive’s.
He’d arrive soon.
“Handle me? You don’t mean...”
To the grim-faced Mok Kyung-un, Jang Neung-ak smirked.
“You think I let you sit close without a plan? You brought this on yourself—you’ll pay for it.”
“......Not an ordinary fool after all.”
“Regret it now, but it’s too la—”
“Would that make you feel better?”
“What?”
What?
Does this guy not grasp the situation?
Perplexed, Mok Kyung-un smiled and said,
“For someone so suspicious, you casually dismissed your close aides for a ‘private talk’ and invited me to sit right beside you... You think I’d buy that?”
“You...”
“Of course not...”
*Tap tap!*
Tapping his own head with a finger, Mok Kyung-un continued.
“Of course I figured you had something prepared.”
“......”
“Right?”
Glaring, Jang Neung-ak replied in a low voice,
“Clever, aren’t you. But knowing now changes nothing. If anything, right this instant...”
“Did you perhaps learn telepathic transmission from Chao Yin Valley Leader?”
'!?'
One eyebrow shot up on Jang Neung-ak’s face, despite his attempt at composure.
How does this bastard know that?
Chuckling at his reaction, Mok Kyung-un said,
“Looks like I hit the mark. Well, since you allied with Chao Yin Valley Leader, I figured it was possible.”
“You... how...”
Jang Neung-ak was about to say something when,
*Step!*
Sensing someone entering the garden, he smiled triumphantly.
He didn’t know how Mok Kyung-un knew about telepathy, but once Paebu King Ho Tae-gang arrived, it was over.
But,
'!?'
Jang Neung-ak’s face stiffened as he turned toward the garden entrance.
It wasn’t the Paebu King he expected.
Entering the garden was none other than,
‘Jong-im?’
The trusted aide of the deceased First Evil Wi Maeng-cheon, one of the warriors at the lower table.
Jang Neung-ak couldn’t fathom why he had appeared.
He had sent him a secret telepathic order.
The Paebu King hadn’t come—why this guy...?
‘Blood?’
Something was off.
Jong-im’s clothes were soaked in blood.
Why was he in such a state...?
“Did you handle it well?”
Mok Kyung-un’s voice rang in his ears.
‘Handle it well?’
What...?
*Thud!*
Wi Maeng-cheon’s former aide, Jong-im, dropped to one knee, clasped his hands in salute toward Mok Kyung-un, and replied.
“Master. All taken care of as ordered.”
'!!!!!!!'
Jang Neung-ak’s face twisted savagely the moment he heard it.
What the hell is going on?
Why is that bastard calling Mok Kyung-un ‘master’?
Dumbfounded, he felt an eerie presence behind him, followed by a hand on his shoulder.
*Twitch!*
Startled, Jang Neung-ak tried to shake it off, but,
*Grip!*
'What?'
The pressure was so immense he couldn’t move his shoulder.
Then a whisper came from behind.
“What do we do when the news isn’t what you expected?”
It was Mok Kyung-un’s voice.
When did this bastard get behind me?
“Y-You bastard!”
“Shh. Stay quiet and relax your shoulders. Keep squirming, and I might just snap them.”
*Chill!*
The words and laughter sent goosebumps across Jang Neung-ak’s entire body.
Where the hell did it all go wrong?
[Chapter 52: Jang Neung-ak (5)] End