Chapter 224
Chapter 224
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 62
>Chapter Title: Mixed Blood (4)
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"I'll pull some strings to get the Embroidered Uniform Guard apprentices deployed to the underground Golden Prison as well."
"Hoo."
Mok Kyung-un stroked his chin at the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard's words.
It was a better proposal than expected.
Infiltrating as an Embroidered Uniform Guard was a major prerequisite, and the next most crucial requirement was a pretext to enter the underground Golden Prison.
The vanguard team's original plan had been to go through Consort Seo.
Consort Seo had one older brother.
Her brother, Seo Geum, who had started as a mere low-ranking soldier in a small county, had risen to the position of Commander thanks to the Emperor's favor during her time as a consort, before her son became the crown prince.
But of course, things couldn't have gone smoothly.
Assigned to the northern Ningxia region, he lacked command experience as a former lowly soldier, and he failed to hold back the great barbarians, losing thirty thousand troops and even territory.
[Strip Commander Seo Geum of his position and execute him with the utmost punishment.]
Petitions rained down, as expected.
However, the Emperor, who cherished Consort Seo, couldn't bring himself to execute her brother.
As a result, he was stripped of his commander's post and exiled to a remote island.
Years later, when the son she bore became crown prince and ascended as the next Emperor, he was moved to the Golden Prison beneath the imperial palace under the pretext of being the next Emperor's kin.
[Your Majesty, my brother deeply regrets his crimes.]
[Your Majesty, my brother no longer desires any office.]
Consort Seo had tirelessly worked to pardon her brother Seo Geum, but his crimes were so grave that opposition from other factions consistently blocked her efforts.
It was unfortunate for her, but it made for a perfect pretext to enter the underground Golden Prison.
['Attempt a visit to the underground Golden Prison with Consort Seo and extract the imprisoned White Flower Cult's Guardian Spirit Lord.']
That had been the original plan, and it still had the highest chance of success.
But if another infiltration method emerged, there'd be no need to force her cooperation or meet any unnecessary demands.
['It avoids a troublesome situation, but...']
However, Mok Kyung-un needed to take it one step further.
It was due to a secret order from the Shadow Branch Lord, beyond the Vice Lord's confidential mission.
['If the escape succeeds, seize the Guardian Spirit Lord again.']
As a White Flower Cult member, the Shadow Branch Lord had given Mok Kyung-un this secret command.
This created a highly contradictory situation at present.
Rescuing the Guardian Spirit Lord safely was required to become the Vice Lord's fourth disciple and gain access to him.
But failure meant that opportunity vanished.
'Hmm.'
Mok Kyung-un had been agonizing over this.
Ignoring the Shadow Branch Lord's secret order without a plan would surely make an enemy of him.
That would create its own headaches.
['What to do?']
With two paths into the underground Golden Prison now available, there was room to scheme something midway.
Mok Kyung-un, who had been staring intently at the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard, seemed to organize his thoughts, then lifted one corner of his mouth slightly and said,
"Fine. I'll accept that proposal."
"Is this really okay?"
"No. Of course it's not enough. The risk of entering the underground Golden Prison still falls on me, after all."
"......Then what do you want?"
"Naturally, you cooperate with me until it's accomplished."
"Cooperate?"
"Yes. Don't you think that balances the scales a bit?"
"......."
Though inwardly dissatisfied with Mok Kyung-un's words, he had no choice but to accept silently, as he wasn't the one holding the reins.
The blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard nodded and said,
"Understood. Then..."
The blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard glanced subtly toward his abdomen without a word.
Mok Kyung-un chuckled and said,
"If things go smoothly, I'll remove the poison."
"What?"
"First time making a deal? Have you ever seen someone pay before receiving the goods?"
"........."
His fists clenched tight, trembling with rage, but the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard soon let out a long sigh and replied,
"Fine."
He had no real choice anyway.
It was a gamble, but he had to hope the guy kept his word.
"Alright. With the deal sealed..."
-Thud thud!
Mok Kyung-un approached to release the acupoint strike on Song-a, the daughter of Craftsman Hong Bong-yuk.
Watching him, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard suddenly recalled something and spoke up.
"Mind if I ask one thing?"
"Go ahead."
Mok Kyung-un replied readily, as if it didn't matter.
The blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard then asked,
"Do you perhaps bear the Jin (陳) surname?"
"The Jin surname?"
"Yeah."
Mok Kyung-un shrugged and shook his head at the question.
"Nope."
"Then maybe the So (肖) surname..."
"All sorts of names are coming up. It's Mok family."
"Mok family?"
'Ah........'
At Mok Kyung-un's response, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard's pupils trembled.
He'd asked just in case, but no.
That meant he'd truly mastered the lightness skill just by seeing it once—a real monster.
Well, he had to be this exceptional to be called a grandmaster-level martial prodigy.
The blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard stuck out his tongue and said,
"You really stole and learned the lightness skill."
"Ah, that lightness skill? Quite useful. Mind telling me the footwork's name?"
"You steal someone's technique and have no conscience."
"That's why I'm asking."
At those words, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard hesitated briefly before replying,
".........Wind Cloud—no.....Wind God Step."
"Wind God Step? God of Wind... Arrogant, but it suits it well enough."
At Mok Kyung-un's assessment, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard inwardly apologized to his master.
['Forgive me. It couldn't be helped.']
The footwork's true name was Wind Cloud Step.
But he couldn't reveal the lightness skill accurately, so he'd altered the name.
Then Mok Kyung-un said,
"Since we're exchanging things one by one, can I ask one more?"
"What?"
"I've heard Westerners have brown or yellow hair. But yours is black. Dyed it with ink?"
['As expected.']
At the question, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard's gaze sharpened.
This guy was no different from the others, after all.
Suddenly showing interest in his unusual appearance proved it.
However,
'!?'
Glancing at Mok Kyung-un out of instinctive disappointment, his face was utterly expressionless, devoid of any emotion despite the question.
['What?']
Was it really pure curiosity?
Mok Kyung-un's gaze held nothing more, nothing less.
It was utterly different from the others.
Even his master had looked at him that way at first—he remembered it well.
Come to think of it, this guy hadn't reacted unusually to his face either. It was the same as how ordinary people looked at him.
It left a strange feeling.
['.......']
What an odd fellow.
Normally he'd ignore it, but this time he answered.
".......Because I'm mixed blood."
His mother was Central Plains-born, his father Western.
Thus, neither fully Western nor Central Plains, he'd resented his parents his whole life.
"Mixed blood? Ahh, that explains it."
But Mok Kyung-un's reaction ended there.
His curiosity sated by the answer, he snapped his head away.
['That's it?']
The anticlimactic response made him wonder if he'd overreacted.
-Tat tat tat!
Mok Kyung-un soon released Song-a's acupoint.
With it undone, she could speak again and recoiled from him with a terrified face.
This was why she wanted nothing to do with martial artists.
Ignoring her attitude, Mok Kyung-un reached out somewhere.
Then,
-Swoosh!
The leather pouch on the floor flew into his hand.
Seeing it, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard said in alarm,
"Wait. I need to take that."
"I told you that's a problem. I need the craftsman's severed hand too."
At Mok Kyung-un's words, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard pointed at Song-a and said,
"That's not the craftsman's hand."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. It wasn't the real craftsman—we used a fake."
"A fake?"
Mok Kyung-un turned to look at Song-a.
She nodded and replied,
".......The Guard is right. The clan head whose arm was severed is just an ordinary butcher."
"Just an ordinary butcher? Then are you a fake too?"
At Mok Kyung-un's question, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard said,
"That girl isn't fake."
"How would you know, Thousand Tiger?"
"You can tell by the hands."
"Hands?"
Mok Kyung-un looked at Song-a's hands.
Every joint was peeled raw, fingerprints invisible, not a single intact spot.
Just from that, it was clear she wasn't ordinary.
"The real craftsman is my father."
"So in conclusion, I got duped by a fake."
".......Yes."
She replied in a shrinking voice.
"This is something."
Mok Kyung-un clicked his tongue softly.
Then there'd been no need to go to such lengths for the severed arm.
But no point blaming now.
Thanks to the deception, a new path into the underground Golden Prison had opened.
Turning misfortune into fortune, as they say.
"So no need to take this hand?"
".......It's unfortunate for him, but to prevent things from escalating further, this seems best."
"Reasonable."
At Song-a's words, Mok Kyung-un tossed the leather pouch to the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Catching it, he sighed.
If he hadn't taken it, the guy would've thrown a fit and complicated everything.
-Thud!
"Eek! Wh-what are you doing?"
Mok Kyung-un hoisted the startled Song-a over his shoulder like luggage; she flailed in confusion.
Ignoring her, Mok Kyung-un didn't care a whit.
"Can't match my pace on foot. So let's head back quick. See you later, Thousand Tiger."
Mok Kyung-un gave a light nod to the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard and turned to leave.
As he took a step, he paused and said,
"Almost forgot. Said 'see you later' without even knowing names."
"......."
"My name's Mok Kyung-un. And you, Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand Tiger?"
At the question, the blue-eyed Embroidered Uniform Guard answered curtly.
"Mara Hyeon."
* * *
-Swish swish!
"Mmph."
Moving so fast surroundings blurred, Song-a squeezed her eyes shut in fear.
Mok Kyung-un, employing lightness skill, soon halted abruptly midway.
Wondering why, she realized they'd encountered someone.
It was Seop Chun.
"Lord!"
Mok Kyung-un asked him curiously,
"I said wait—why come all this way?"
"There was something urgent to report, and I thought you might need help, so I was on my way."
"Urgent report?"
At Mok Kyung-un's question, Seop Chun glanced at Song-a slung over his shoulder and said,
"It's about that girl."
"Her?"
"Yes. I know it might displease you, Lord, but the armless craftsman wasn't the real one."
"Ah, that? I know."
"You know?"
"Yes. As you see. So you came to tell me that?"
"Ah, yes. That, and the real craftsman—who guided us, that hairy guy—asked me to rescue his daughter, that girl. So I hurried."
Contrary to worries, seeing Mok Kyung-un had saved her was a relief.
Truth be told, he'd feared the lord might just take the hand and leave, hence the rush.
Still, saving the craftsman's daughter was good.
Then Mok Kyung-un asked,
"Well, it worked out like granting the request anyway. So who did the real craftsman say he was?"
"Do you remember that hairy man guiding us?"
"Ah? Him?"
"Yes. He was the real craftsman."
At Seop Chun's words, Mok Kyung-un shook his head side to side, then suddenly chuckled.
Puzzled by the laugh, Seop Chun asked,
"What is it?"
At the question, Mok Kyung-un set down Song-a from his shoulder.
Bewildered, Song-a stared at Mok Kyung-un.
He then said to her,
"Your secretive work must make deception second nature."
"What do you mean?"
"I have an unusually good memory."
"Good memory—what..."
"That hairy fellow too—no butchers there had palms like yours."
'!?'
Startled, Song-a's face stiffened.
Mok Kyung-un placed a hand on her shoulder with a grin and said,
"Thought the human-skin mask craftsman would be some seasoned elder, but not necessarily."
Seop Chun's eyes widened as he looked at Song-a.
"Lord......you don't mean?"
"Yes. Seems this girl is the real craftsman."