Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 7
>Chapter Title: The Rite of Donning (3)
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‘Damn it. At this rate, I won’t even keep my life.’
Go Chan, the escort heading toward Hyehwa Hall, the Great Madam’s residence.
In the end, he hadn’t been able to sleep a wink.
No, it would have been weirder if he could sleep after hearing that.
Though Go Chan hadn’t dared question Mok Kyung-un about why he’d done it, he was at a complete loss on how to handle the situation.
‘That madman. I told him just to let it go.’
He never imagined he’d kill Jo Il-sang, the escort of the Second Young Master.
He’d at least thought he had that much sense.
What the hell was he thinking?
‘If Mok Eun-pyeong finds out his escort was killed, there’s going to be hell to pay.’
Hell to pay was an understatement.
Given the guy’s temperament, he might go straight for revenge on Mok Kyung-un.
The Clan Head was still alive, so he couldn’t kill him outright, but he might break his limbs or try killing his escort in return.
‘He’s lost his mind.’
Go Chan’s neck throbbed.
Why the hell did he have to kill the guy and blow everything up like this?
[What about the body?]
[I took care of it, so don’t worry.]
How the hell did he take care of it?
Did he hide it in some secret spot where he found a manual or something?
Even if so, how long could that last?
The guy had been sent with a clear purpose.
If he didn’t show up, suspicion was inevitable.
‘What do I do?’
If he hadn’t killed him, it’d be one thing, but handing over this hollow shell of a manual to the Second Young Master in this situation felt all wrong.
Regret washed over him again.
He should’ve just told Gam Escort everything.
But that chance had passed.
He’d lied to Gam Escort too many times out of fear of Mok Kyung-un, so if this came out, he’d lose all trust.
Gam Escort was sensitive and didn’t trust others easily.
‘He was even worse back in his active days.’
Recalling that time, the difference from now was stark.
He was ruthless to enemies, but merciless to betrayers.
‘Yet it’s strange.’
Even remembering Gam Escort’s ferocity, why was he more afraid of that guy?
He couldn’t figure out how it had come to this.
“Hoo.”
Come to think of it, where was Gam Escort?
Whenever he was with Mok Kyung-un, he only left for shift changes or dire emergencies.
Yet yesterday, he’d been gone for nearly half a day.
‘What’s going on?’
Was he scheming something without me knowing?
Go Chan’s eyes narrowed.
* * *
At the same time.
In the residence of the Second Young Master, Mok Eun-pyeong.
Mok Eun-pyeong sat on the edge of his desk, arms crossed, glaring coldly at Gam Escort.
Gam Escort had been summoned out of the blue with no explanation, so he couldn’t gauge the situation.
One thing was clear: Mok Eun-pyeong was furious.
Gam Escort cautiously spoke up.
“Young Master. What’s wrong?”
“That’s what I want to ask you.”
“Pardon?”
“What a coincidence. I tested it on a hunch, and every dark suspicion hits the mark. It’s quite unpleasant.”
What was he talking about?
Gam Escort furrowed his brow slightly.
‘Did he notice it’s a fake?’
But the tone didn’t match that.
Mok Eun-pyeong’s words openly revealed hostility toward him.
-Tak!
Gam Escort dropped to one knee, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said,
“Young Master. I have no idea what you mean. If you tell me what’s wrong...”
“What’s wrong? Ha!”
With that, Mok Eun-pyeong hurled the inkstone from the desk.
He could’ve dodged easily, but to bear the Young Master’s anger, Gam Escort took the hit.
-Puk!
-Jururuk!
Blood trickled from Gam Escort’s forehead.
He hadn’t protected himself with internal energy, so it hurt, but trained to endure pain through breathing, he showed no sign.
Glaring at him, Mok Eun-pyeong said,
“To confirm if that bastard Mok Kyung-un lost his martial arts, I sent one of my escorts.”
‘...So that’s it.’
There was a reason after all.
But something was off.
‘If that’s all, there’s no reason for this anger.’
The fake Mok Kyung-un hadn’t learned martial arts.
Confirming that should’ve eased suspicions, not sparked this hostility.
Then Mok Eun-pyeong continued.
“But that escort hasn’t returned.”
“Pardon?”
Dumbfounded, Gam Escort looked up.
What did that mean?
“You don’t get it? The escort I sent to check if he lost his martial arts vanished without a trace.”
‘!?’
No way.
Gam Escort’s eyes darted to the escorts in the room.
One of the three was missing.
‘Jo Il-sang.’
A near-first-rate expert.
No way Go Chan, who was barely second-rate, could handle him.
How could he have vanished?
Gam Escort spoke.
“That can’t be.”
“What?”
“I swear I haven’t lied. That guy... no, Young Master Mok Kyung-un can’t use martial arts. And Go Chan, his escort, is only second-rate at best. He couldn’t handle Escort Jo Il-sang.”
He was certain.
But Mok Eun-pyeong’s eyes held no trust.
They’d never built any, and with the escort missing, doubts had grown.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“It’s true. If you don’t, I’ll stake my arm on it.”
Gam Escort rolled up his right sleeve as he spoke.
For a martial artist to stake their arm was no different from betting everything.
At his firm stance, Mok Eun-pyeong scoffed.
“Stake your arm? Fine. Prove your words are true.”
“Prove how?”
“If you’re right, Escort Jo couldn’t have fallen to those weaklings. I’ll give you two hours. Bring him back.”
“...Understood.”
Gam Escort’s voice sank low.
Something had gone seriously wrong.
He’d have to check personally.
Mok Eun-pyeong warned him in a voice laced with killing intent.
“If you don’t find him, prepare to lose more than your arm—your worthless life too.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
* * *
Gam Escort emerged from the Second Young Master Mok Eun-pyeong’s residence, his face grim and hardened.
Suppressing his emotions with effort, he hurried toward the medicine hall.
Then, at a corner, he ran into someone.
“Huh? S-Senior Brother?”
“You!”
It was Escort Go Chan.
Go Chan couldn’t hide his shock.
He hadn’t expected to bump into Gam Escort like this while secretly carrying out Mok Kyung-un’s orders.
Seeing Go Chan, Gam Escort lowered his voice angrily.
“Why are you here? I told you never to leave that guy’s side.”
“That’s...”
His evasive response sharpened Gam Escort’s gaze.
Gam Escort pressed a finger from his hidden dagger to Go Chan’s skin and said,
“Did you scheme something with him?”
“Sch-scheme?”
“Then why disobey my order?”
“It’s not like that...”
Go Chan’s mind went blank; he didn’t know what to say.
He couldn’t mention the hollow Timber Transforming Heart Method manual he carried for Mok Eun-pyeong.
‘Damn it.’
No choice.
Finally, Go Chan lied.
“Actually, the Inner Hall Leader summoned me yesterday about the main hall incident...”
“What? Inner Hall Leader?”
Gam Escort frowned.
This path did lead to the Inner Hall Leader’s office.
As Timber Sword Manor escorts, they had to respond to a summons.
But,
‘This guy?’
He caught the faint tremor in Go Chan’s eyes.
Hard for most to notice, but his training let him see it.
He was clearly tense.
If the Inner Hall Leader called, even against his order, it wouldn’t merit rebuke.
Gam Escort scanned the surroundings.
Some distant presences, but no one close or conspicuous.
Confirming, he pressed Go Chan’s neck acupoint and shoved him against the wall.
-Pak! Thud!
“Guh!”
“You must want to die.”
“S-Senior?”
“Speak. What are you hiding?”
“Hiding? I really don’t...”
-Sruk!
Gam Escort aimed his dagger at Go Chan’s heart and said,
“One of Second Young Master Mok Eun-pyeong’s escorts vanished.”
“...”
“The target he went to check is that fake. You gonna deny knowing?”
‘Da-damn it...’
It leaked out this fast.
The feared scenario unfolded.
Was this even the one he feared?
How did Gam Escort, absent last night, know?
“W-Wait, Senior. How do you... Did you already connect with the Second Young Master?”
He knew Go Chan was thinking of switching sides.
But hadn’t decided yet.
Knowing Mok Eun-pyeong’s affairs meant he’d already switched.
“Why without consulting...”
-Grip!
“Hup!”
Gam Escort tightened on the neck acupoint, cutting him off.
To the writhing Go Chan, Gam Escort said,
“Do I have to consult you on everything? And are you in a position to question me now?”
“Th-this...”
As pain intensified, Go Chan pleaded.
Gam Escort eased his grip and whispered,
“What are you hiding? Confess truthfully. Or...”
-Puk!
The dagger tip pierced his chest.
Feeling something off inside, Gam Escort frowned.
He’d only meant a shallow prick.
He reached into Go Chan’s robe.
“W-Wait...”
-Grip!
“Kek!”
Soon, the Timber Transforming Heart Method manual—with only two pages of content—appeared in Gam Escort’s hand.
Seeing it, his eyes widened.
“This?”
‘We’re screwed.’
Go Chan squeezed his eyes shut.
* * *
-Thud!
The medicine hall door burst open as Gam Escort stormed in, face terrifying.
Workers inside—three of them—ignored, he strode to Mok Kyung-un, who sat up on the bed reading a book.
Right up to him.
In a voice only Mok Kyung-un could hear, he said,
“What did you do?”
Mok Kyung-un, eyes on the book, replied,
“What do you mean?”
“Hoo.”
Gam Escort sighed deeply.
Then flashed a book from his robe.
[Timber Transforming Heart Method (然木化心法)]
The Timber Transforming Heart Method manual.
In an irritated tone, Gam Escort said,
“How the hell did you get this?”
Mok Kyung-un glanced at it and smirked.
“Smirking?”
“Looks like Escort Go Chan had bad luck.”
“What?”
“If you took it from him, right?”
“...”
Gam Escort was momentarily speechless at Mok Kyung-un’s unflappable demeanor.
His insight was sharp, but he never lost composure.
Even caught scheming, he stayed calm—bold indeed.
No wonder he’d killed the real one too.
But striking him from behind like this was unforgivable.
-Sruk!
From an unseen angle, Gam Escort drew his dagger, aiming at Mok Kyung-un’s left rib.
In a low voice, he said,
“What did you do to Go Chan?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why else would he clam up?”
Before coming, he’d dragged Go Chan for interrogation.
Severed tendons, cut off two fingers.
Yet he wouldn’t talk.
[Speak.]
[......]
[Speak, damn it!]
[......]
It baffled Gam Escort genuinely.
The guy wasn’t beyond Go Chan’s tolerance, so why the fear?
He wanted to torture all day to find out.
But no time.
[Two hours.]
‘Damn it!’
Mok Eun-pyeong gave only two hours.
He had to find Escort Jo Il-sang.
Fail, and Mok Eun-pyeong would kill him.
So he’d left Go Chan and rushed here.
Yet,
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Mok Kyung-un played dumb.
Shrugging even, rage boiled.
-Grit!
Clenching his teeth, Gam Escort changed tack.
“Fine. Whatever you did to Go Chan, I’ll find out later. Tell me—did you see Second Young Master Mok Eun-pyeong’s escort, Jo Il-sang?”
Jo Il-sang, near-first-rate.
No way for non-martial Mok Kyung-un and second-rate Go Chan.
Yet this unease?
Then Mok Kyung-un said,
“Ah, the masked one who visited last night?”
“...Yes. Him.”
“I saw him.”
Gam Escort steadied his breath and asked,
“You didn’t do anything to him, right?”
“Hey, do what? What could I even do?”
Mok Kyung-un waved dismissively.
Gam Escort thought, maybe no harm done.
But,
“How could someone who lost his dantian to poor cultivation handle a guy like that?”
‘!?’
Gam Escort frowned.
What?
Knowing he’d framed it as lost martial arts...
“You...”
Leaning close, Mok Kyung-un chuckled lowly.
“You finally switched to the Second Young Master... but this fake didn’t play along and killed his escort. What now?”
‘!!!!!!’
Gam Escort’s face froze rigid.
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