Chapter 197
Chapter 197
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 56
>Chapter Title: Loyalty (3)
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Mok Kyung-un lifted the corner of his mouth in a sinister grin as he spoke.
“Kill Mong Muyak.”
‘!?’
Seop Chun’s expression hardened in an instant.
He had been curious about what exactly Mok Kyung-un would demand to prove his loyalty.
But this was a request he truly hadn’t anticipated.
Seop Chun whispered urgently.
“Hey. Are you doing this on purpose?”
“On purpose?”
“Even to prove your resolve for loyalty, killing Mong Muyak right now isn’t the way.”
“Pfft.”
Mok Kyung-un let out a scoff at his words.
Then he soon said.
“As expected, it’s just talk.”
Seop Chun’s brow furrowed at those words.
Was he seriously not testing him but actually ordering him to kill?
Suddenly, Seop Chun’s eyes met Mok Kyung-un’s.
In that moment, even the hairs on his body stood on end.
He felt a literal chill.
‘This guy……’
Was he really in his right mind?
“Hey. We’re in the middle of a top-secret mission. You’re not thinking about that?”
“What does that matter?”
“What do you mean, what? If Mong Muyak dies, how do we link up with the vanguard at the first rendezvous point? How do we get help from the spies under the Vice Chairman directly in the imperial palace?”
“……”
“Are you even listening to me?”
“Who knows.”
“It’s not ‘who knows.’ Proving loyalty—if that’s what you want, there are plenty of ways to do it. But ordering me to kill Mong Muyak, the Vice Chairman’s son? That’s making enemies of both the Vice Chairman and the Chairman. You’re not thinking about that at all?”
Seop Chun couldn’t comprehend it.
They hadn’t even completed the mission yet, let alone become the Chairman’s fourth disciple.
Acting like he was already the fourth disciple, engaging in internal power struggles with demands like this—it was the worst possible judgment.
“Hmm.”
“Think about it carefully. This is one thing that really can’t happen.”
“Troublesome.”
“What?”
“I appreciate the advice and all, but basically, I want a dog that obeys its master’s command without question. And you don’t seem suited for that.”
“You!”
Seop Chun flinched.
Suddenly, their eyes met again.
He hadn’t realized it until now, but he understood why this guy gave off a vibe similar to the eldest young master.
Even while spouting such arrogant, provocative words, there was no emotion in his eyes.
Mok Kyung-un spoke to the bewildered Seop Chun.
“We’ve only got about ten seconds left now.”
“……”
The bushes rustled as the presence drew closer.
Mong Muyak would arrive here soon.
It was a demand to make a decision.
‘He’s insane. Completely insane. If we kill Mong Muyak, the mission falls apart, everything gets messed up—how does he plan to deal with the aftermath? Even for proving loyalty, this is too much. Before we even start, we’re making too many enemies…….!?’
In a flash, countless thoughts raced through Seop Chun’s mind.
Proving loyalty.
There had to be other ways for him to prove his loyalty to this guy.
But to go this far, forcing such an extreme move to kill the Vice Chairman’s son……
‘He never trusted me from the start.’
That was it.
The reason Mok Kyung-un issued this order was simple.
It was because of Seop Chun’s position.
As the Third Escort Captain of the main branch, he might have connections with other heirs and frequent contact with the power structure.
Moreover, he could be seen as one of the Vice Chairman’s people up close.
Considering all that, Mok Kyung-un had every reason to doubt even a sworn oath of loyalty.
But if Seop Chun killed the Vice Chairman’s son here?
‘Regardless of the situation, by clashing with the Vice Chairman right away, I become someone he can trust. Is that it? Ha!’
If it was just testing loyalty, this was as certain a method as it got.
Because he’d become an enemy of the Vice Chairman too.
‘Damn.’
He understood the intent, but it was incredibly awkward.
Even if he proved his loyalty like this, becoming the Chairman’s disciple wouldn’t matter—he could lose all chance at becoming an heir.
Was he really prepared to handle that…… Ah!
‘No.’
This is a test, a proof.
He felt like he’d been overthinking it.
Mok Kyung-un wasn’t a fool; there was no way he didn’t know what Seop Chun was worried about.
Which meant,
‘Right. It’s just to check my resolve!’
Seop Chun now prided himself on grasping Mok Kyung-un’s true intent.
If he confirmed that Seop Chun could kill even the Vice Chairman’s son without hesitation on command, then he’d trust him.
But this guy surely didn’t actually intend for him to kill Mong Muyak right now.
Doing so would cost more than it gained.
‘That changes everything.’
He just needed to show his resolve.
Worst case, this guy would step in to stop it.
Still, to show obedience to the command, even if it didn’t suit his nature, he’d need to pick a moderate fight with Mong Muyak.
“Alright. I’ll do it.”
Seop Chun said to Mok Kyung-un.
Mok Kyung-un shrugged and replied.
“I told you words alone mean nothing.”
“I said I’ll do it. Stop nagging.”
Rustle!
Soon after, Mong Muyak appeared, carrying dry firewood using spare clothes.
Mong Muyak, who was already the quiet type, silently stared at the three rabbits lying on the ground.
‘He got them.’
He didn’t show it, but after three days of starvation, his stomach was growling.
Even peak experts could suppress hunger somewhat through meditation or internal energy, but without food, prolonged fasting was inevitable.
Mong Muyak said to them.
“Who’s starting the fire?”
Though phrased as a question, his gaze was fixed on Seop Chun.
It was an order for Seop Chun to do it.
At his words, Seop Chun approached Mong Muyak without protest and said.
“You managed to find some? Good work.”
“……”
As expected, no reply.
Seop Chun’s temper flared slightly at Mong Muyak’s attitude.
‘This guy never considers others’ feelings…… No, perfect.’
He’d been hesitant to just attack outright, but if Mong Muyak scratched at him like this, it gave him a perfect excuse to act on emotion.
“Whew. Whatever. Hand over the firewood.”
Seop Chun reached out to take the firewood from Mong Muyak.
But Mong Muyak set it down on the ground without handing it over directly, as if telling him to get it himself.
Thud!
“Do it yourself.”
Then he turned to walk away.
That was when it happened.
“Pick it up.”
‘!?’
Mong Muyak, turning away, furrowed his brow.
Normally, even when he was cold, Seop Chun would just grumble.
But this tone was laced with sharp thorns.
Was he that upset?
Well, after three days of marching north on an empty stomach without rest, everyone was tired and on edge.
Should he just pick it up?
‘……’
No.
The thought crossed his mind, but he didn’t feel like bending.
The moment he picked it up, he’d be the one yielding.
Mong Muyak shot back sharply.
“Don’t get sensitive over something like this……”
It was right then.
Whoosh!
Seop Chun launched himself at Mong Muyak with a sudden strike.
Caught off guard by the surprise attack, Mong Muyak startled and tried to widen the distance, but Seop Chun’s ki-infused palm had already sliced into his left shoulder.
Slash!
“Guh! What the hell!”
Mong Muyak, shoulder gashed, twisted his body with footwork and hastily kicked at Seop Chun.
Of course, Seop Chun easily dodged by simply shifting his stance.
The instant he evaded, Seop Chun’s left-hand palm strike hit Mong Muyak’s abdomen squarely.
Boom!
“Urk!”
Clang!
Mong Muyak’s body was pushed back five paces.
His expression twisted fiercely.
Up to the first exchange, he’d thought it was just an emotional outburst.
But that last palm strike to the abdomen went beyond that.
He’d taken internal injuries.
“Cough.”
Drip!
Black blood trickled from his mouth.
‘Let’s see what you’ve got.’
“You bastard!”
Whoosh!
Eyes bloodshot from the injury, Mong Muyak charged at Seop Chun.
Boom boom boom boom boom!
In an instant, the two experts titled with the Five Tigers moniker clashed for about ten exchanges.
They didn’t draw their signature sword and saber, but they unleashed their sharp auras, targeting each other’s vital points with lethal intent.
Having been rivals in the main branch, they knew each other’s styles extremely well.
Thus, each move was evenly matched.
Boom boom boom boom!
Even after over thirty seconds, neither yielded.
But no matter how evenly skilled they were, as the fight dragged on, a superiority began to emerge.
Slash!
‘Guh.’
Wounds started appearing on Mong Muyak’s body.
Meanwhile, Seop Chun hadn’t been grazed once by Mong Muyak’s strikes.
This showed who was more sensorily superior and experienced.
Seop Chun held a half-step advantage.
Slash!
Using flashy footwork, Seop Chun sliced Mong Muyak’s back slightly and glanced at Mok Kyung-un.
Mong Muyak’s clothes were steadily staining with blood.
If the fight continued, Seop Chun’s victory was likely.
‘See that?’
They hadn’t used sword or saber, but with no mercy in their strikes, this should prove his resolve sufficiently.
He hoped Mok Kyung-un would call it off now.
But,
‘What?’
Mok Kyung-un leaned against a tree, arms crossed, watching.
With eyes that didn’t seem pleased.
Seop Chun was dumbfounded inside.
‘Any more and it gets dangerous.’
He’d already grasped most of the flaws in Mong Muyak’s sword arts.
If he wanted, he could end it in three moves.
Of course, that end meant driving the opponent to death.
‘How much more proof do you want? You’ve seen my resolve—call it off.’
Seop Chun openly signaled Mok Kyung-un with his eyes.
Isn’t this enough?
But,
Swish!
Mok Kyung-un mimed slicing his own throat.
Seop Chun’s pupils shook at the sight.
‘What, what?’
No intent to stop—and what did that mean?
Was this guy seriously telling him to kill Mong Muyak?
‘This is crazy.’
Killing Mong Muyak would ruin everything.
He might not even get to fight for heir properly, ending up with too many enemies.
This won’t do—Seop Chun mouthed using lip-reading.
‘This is enough. We stop here. Any more and everything……’
It was right then.
Slash!
In the midst of their prolonged clash, someone intervened between them.
‘!!!!!!!!’
Seop Chun’s eyes widened as if tearing.
Something flashed by and fell to the ground.
It was,
“Gaaaaahhh!”
Mong Muyak’s left arm.
Severed below the elbow, a scream erupted from Mong Muyak’s mouth.
A mere wound he could endure, but the pain of losing an arm was beyond imagination.
Seop Chun turned with an incredulous face.
There stood Mok Kyung-un, raising his ki-charged hand indifferently.
“You…… You really……”
“Did my words sound like a joke?”
“The V-Vice…… If you really kill the Vice Chairman’s son, the aftermath……”
“Do you think pretending while dragging it out proves loyalty?”
“……”
Seop Chun was speechless in that instant.
It seemed he’d misjudged this guy.
Mok Kyung-un wasn’t just like the eldest young master Na Yul-ryang—he was worse.
Seop Chun blanked out momentarily.
‘……Did I just make the worst gamble of my life?’
This wasn’t the picture he’d wanted.
Not trampling limbs from the start—he just wanted to begin alongside this guy, even without a foundation.
To the bewildered Seop Chun, Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly and tapped his own head.
“Don’t use your brain. I don’t want a dog that interprets on its own. When I order you to bite, I want one that can definitely tear out the enemy’s throat.”
“You……”
“Ah ah. I said words are meaningless.”
“……”
Mok Kyung-un crooked his finger toward Mong Muyak.
The meaning was all too clear.
Finish it.
“Groooan.”
Mong Muyak clutched the stump of his severed arm, groaning as he staggered back.
For the first time, fear filled his face as he desperately asked.
“Wh-what the hell is this?!”
Seop Chun’s expression twisted further at the sight.
The water was already spilled.
Even if he’d held back, he’d pushed Mong Muyak to his limit, and even if not by his hand, the arm was severed.
There was no salvaging it from that point.
‘Was my resolve the weak one?’
From the moment he wanted to be the right arm of someone who’d seize dominance, he should’ve steeled himself for this outcome.
Grit!
Biting his lip hard, Seop Chun sighed and,
Shing!
Drew his signature weapon, the Gwangmu Saber.
‘Blame me.’
He apologized inwardly to Mong Muyak.
No grudge between them, but from the moment he decided to enter under Mok Kyung-un, he’d crossed an irreversible river.
Seop Chun swung his saber at Mong Muyak’s neck as he retreated.
His strike, free of distractions, held no hesitation.
Clang!
It was then.
The blow that would sever Mong Muyak’s neck in one stroke halted right before it.
‘!?’
Seop Chun looked at Mok Kyung-un with wide eyes.
Because what blocked the Gwangmu Saber’s blade was none other than Mok Kyung-un’s hand.
Seop Chun stared in disbelief.
Mok Kyung-un said to him.
“You could’ve just done it.”
“What?”
“Tsk tsk. If you’d done it from the start, there’d have been no need to cut off the arm.”
“You! You!……”
Seop Chun flinched.
In that instant, words failed him from sheer absurdity.
Seeing that smile stretching ear to ear, brimming with malice, a chill crawled up his spine, sealing his lips.