Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 17
>Chapter Title: Flag (3)
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"Mortal, you really are something."
Cheongryeong clicked her tongue.
She had wondered why he insisted on joining a group when it didn't suit him at all.
But to think he had a plan like this.
"You planned this from the start?"
"How could I pass up such a convenient opportunity?"
Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly as he approached the last remaining person—no, corpse.
That corpse was the girl called So-hwa, the first one whose neck Mok Kyung-un had snapped.
Placing his hand on the girl's head, Mok Kyung-un recited the incantation for the "Contact" formula in his mind and absorbed the lingering death qi.
-Shooooooo!
The absorbed death qi spread throughout his body.
Compared to the time during the iron bead scramble when it had scattered into the air, directly absorbing it like this allowed him to secure a much greater amount.
However,
'I should absorb them in the order they died from now on.'
Since he had absorbed in order of proximity, much of So-hwa's death qi had dissipated.
It wasn't completely gone, but it was less than the others.
'Still not bad.'
He had already secured far more death qi than he had at Timber Sword Manor.
If he could just remove the golden meridian chains embedded in his energy gates, he could greatly expand his dantian through qi circulation.
"Coming here was the right call."
"The right call? Don't tell me..."
Just then, a presence approached from somewhere.
-Rustle!
Soon, someone emerged.
It was a boy.
Seeing the boy approach with a familiar gaze, Mok Kyung-un chuckled and said,
"I could have just killed him, but you went and possessed him?"
"I figured he might come in handy."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than,
-Thud!
The boy's body collapsed, and the hazy form of the Demon Monk appeared.
Mok Kyung-un nodded in satisfaction.
"Truly appreciated."
He had only asked for one, but it had even anticipated his needs.
What an outstanding familiar.
Mok Kyung-un approached the fallen boy.
He twisted the boy's neck and absorbed the death qi.
It didn't take long.
Once finished, Mok Kyung-un stretched languidly, loosening his muscles with a refreshed expression.
"Hoo. Feels good."
"Mortal. What do you plan to do now?"
"What else?"
"You don't seem satisfied with just these guys."
At Cheongryeong's words, Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly.
He looked up toward the mountain and said,
"Until dawn breaks, I'll enjoy my meal as much as possible."
After all, as long as at least seven people remained according to the passing criteria, that should be fine, right?
* * *
A damp, dark cave at the base of the mountain.
-Fwoosh!
Two warriors holding torches entered alongside the demon-masked figure.
The two warriors' faces stiffened the moment they stepped inside.
From the instant they entered the cave, a bizarre energy stimulated their senses.
It was utterly different from human presence or qi.
Unpleasant, it made their skin crawl.
'Stifling.'
That was how the warriors felt.
But the demon-masked figure strode confidently inside as if accustomed to it.
Then, a voice echoed from deep within the cave.
"Is that the Blood River Valley Lord?"
"Indeed."
"The light is bright."
At the voice from within, the demon-masked figure extended a hand to the warriors, signaling them to stop.
"Yes?"
"You two wait here."
"But..."
"Wait."
"Yes, sir!"
Leaving them behind, the demon-masked figure proceeded alone into the depths.
A figure dressed in a Taoist robe emblazoned with yin-yang symbols stood waiting.
He clasped his hands and bowed his head.
"You've arrived?"
The demon-masked figure asked him,
"Are preparations complete?"
"Of course."
"What's it this time? I heard it's more dangerous than last time."
The robed man smiled and replied,
"If you just release them, naturally they'd be dangerous."
"I suppose. The ones behind the iron bars?"
"Yes."
The demon-masked figure glanced back at the robed man's answer.
From there came a strange sound.
-Snort! Snort!
'Hmm.'
It sounded just like a pig oinking.
Surely there couldn't actually be pigs, so what manner of creature was it?
Curious, the demon-masked figure peered toward the iron bars.
The robed man blocked him and said,
"Best not to get too close. Even though they're controlled and not fully grown, they're ferocious beasts."
"Ferocious beasts..."
More than mere animals, they said.
The demon-masked figure looked past the robed man.
There, something dangerous with rat-like gleaming eyes stared intently at him.
"What did you call them?"
"Galjeo. Brought from the North Sea near North Lake Mountain."
Galjeo...
Just the name sounded ferocious.
The demon-masked figure turned and said,
"Fine. Release them when you get the signal."
* * *
Half a shichen had passed since the flag defense battle began.
The mountain was vast, and the flags well-hidden, so no one had found any yet.
However, one person had discovered the first.
It was a boy from the Secret Scripture Gate.
The boy's name was Yeon Mu-ung, and upon spotting the flag, he rushed toward it in ecstasy.
'Found it!'
If the flag had been a brighter color, it would have been easy to spot, but it was dark, cleverly concealed in the underbrush, making it hard to find.
His relentless search had paid off.
'The pole is quite long.'
Yeon Mu-ung approached and grabbed the flagpole.
To pull it up and claim a good position.
But,
'Huh?'
The flag he thought would come out easily wouldn't budge from the ground.
The pole itself wasn't that heavy, so why?
Puzzled, Yeon Mu-ung soon understood.
'What the?'
The base of the flag was connected to a large iron weight.
It was sizable, heavy enough that even Yeon Mu-ung, muscled and strong from external martial arts, struggled to lift it.
'Holding the pole makes it even heavier.'
He would have to carry the iron weight at the base.
At first, he wondered why they made the flags like this, but then he thought it was actually good.
This heavy, others would struggle to move them too.
Especially with their internal energy sealed.
'This trial might be easier than expected.'
He figured some who found flags would maliciously destroy or steal others' to reduce passers.
But with flags like this, moving them would be hard, so few would bother stealing.
'Perfect. Now gather teammates and defend the position.'
Just hold out until dawn.
Meanwhile,
On a ridge northwest of where Yeon Mu-ung of the Secret Scripture Gate was, about two hundred jang away.
A bit later, another found a flag.
It was a girl from Plum Blossom Hall.
The girl's name was Mo Ha-rang.
"Ah..."
Her joy at finding it was short-lived as she saw the iron weight connected to the flagpole base, leaving her at a loss.
'Heavy.'
The weight was far too heavy for her to lift.
With her energy gates sealed, no choice, and her martial arts focused on speed, lacking thick muscles, it was even harder.
'Can't move it.'
Even to claim a good spot, she'd need teammates.
Defending alone was tough.
'If I could break the pole...'
But the prior warning: [Flags must remain intact.]
So the weight was part of the flag.
In the end, waiting was her only option.
But,
'Huh?'
Idly touching the upper flagpole, Mo Ha-rang frowned.
Something was engraved on the upper part.
Without a torch, only moonlight filtering through foliage made it hard to see,
-Scrape scrape!
But feeling it, she could make out the inscription.
'Twofold Sword Formation, Erase the Shadows...!?'
Tracing it, she confirmed what it said.
It was an introductory sword formula.
Different from ordinary sword arts.
'No way, this?'
If her guess was right...
-Tap!
'Huh?'
Mo Ha-rang's eyes narrowed.
The formula ended there.
One might think nothing wrong, but to her, it was.
'Incomplete.'
In her view, the formula was lacking.
If a proper sword formula, it wouldn't end here.
Most martial arts aimed to subdue and kill foes, but also protected the user.
Mo Ha-rang closed her eyes.
-Swish swish!
The sword art unfolded in her mind.
Not advanced rising sword style, but decent beginner form.
Yet following this formula left four gaps.
Exactly four spots her sword forms couldn't cover.
'...An incomplete sword art.'
Something was off.
She could ignore it.
But engraving an incomplete formula right at the base of the flag, easy to overlook.
Impossible not to dwell on.
Then a thought struck her.
'No way?'
She hoped not, but had to check.
Resolutely, she decided to abandon the hard-found flag.
Regretfully staring, she snapped off the upper pole with the engraving.
-Clang!
'If it's not mine anyway.'
No need for others to have it.
Mo Ha-rang buried the broken upper piece out of sight and ran.
* * *
About two quarters of a shichen passed.
Unlike before, flags were found here and there, groups forming.
As intended, two groups found the same flag, leading to clashes.
They fought fiercely over it.
No internal energy, nearly brawls, but victory was decided.
"Huff... huff..."
The winning group, bloodied, panted heavily.
With qi sealed, fighting was exhausting anew.
One boy struggled up, scanning around.
'Ah...'
Of eight teammates, only five survived.
Hoped none died, but wishful thinking.
At least they secured the flag; save three more.
Not easy, though.
"What now?"
"Defend the flag and wait?"
"Yeah. Wandering risks losing it."
All seemed to agree.
But one boy offered another view.
"Wait. Just defending here, if another intact group shows, we're at a disadvantage, right?"
"Ah..."
True.
Truly vexing.
Couldn't abandon the hard-won flag either.
Just then,
"You found the flag, huh?"
-Flinch!
All eyes turned to the voice.
Seeing one person standing there, tension eased momentarily.
Only one.
'Good.'
Dodged disaster if another full group.
As that one approached, face revealed, the relieved faces hardened.
It was Mok Kyung-un.
The ruthless one they'd hesitated to accept.
"Halt! Don't move! Who are you?"
One boy blocked his approach.
"Who, me?"
"Didn't you join that group with the girl?"
This boy had seen Mok Kyung-un join So-hwa's group.
Hence the question.
Mok Kyung-un feigned regret.
"Ah. They all got taken out."
"Taken out?"
"Yeah."
Mok Kyung-un glanced casually at the corpses around, then said nonchalantly,
"Our group fought another over a flag like you guys, got wiped, barely escaped."
"You escaped alone?"
"Yeah. Couldn't fight four with an exhausted body."
The boys eyed him suspiciously.
But not outright distrust.
They'd just been through similar; plausible.
To them, Mok Kyung-un said softly,
"We've both lost teammates, so this works. If I'm not a burden, could you take me in?"
"........."
They hesitated at the proposal.
Initially rejected him for being shady.
Suspicion wouldn't fade easily.
Cautiously, they whispered.
"What do we do?"
"That guy's sketchy; send him off?"
"But the flag? Barely one shichen in."
Over two shichen till dawn.
Attacked meanwhile, flag lost for sure.
Five couldn't search anew.
"...Take him."
"Take him?"
"Yeah. He knows we must cooperate to pass this trial."
"Right. Need eight to pass."
Even a wild one thinks.
Unite to defend flag for passage.
No harm to them then.
Convinced, one boy said to Mok Kyung-un,
"Fine. But until dawn, we're one. Betray, and we're dead. Remember."
Mok Kyung-un nodded.
But his lips twitched, suppressing a smile.
'Ah. Too perfect.'
Like serving himself a feast.
[Chapter 17 Flag (3)] End
ⓒ Han Jung-wol-ya