Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 21
>Chapter Title: Team Leader (2)
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A red room illuminated by candlelight.
This was a brothel located on the outskirts of the Heaven-Earth Society's outer fortress.
Atop the table sat red and white powders, brushes for makeup, and the like.
A figure stared at them with a grave expression.
She was Ha Chae-rin, a candidate for sect leader of the Veiled Assassins—one of the three great assassin groups—or rather, Go Chan, who had possessed her body.
-Clack!
Go Chan rested his chin on his laced hands.
The face reflected in the mirror was breathtakingly alluring.
But it wasn't his own.
"......Do I really have to go this far?"
Go Chan sank into self-loathing as he gazed at the makeup tools on the table.
How had things come to this?
As a soul servant bound to Mok Kyung-un, he had followed him all the way to the Heaven-Earth Society.
Truth be told, he wanted to run, but with his life tied to his connected master, Mok Kyung-un, he had no choice.
"Damn it."
Go Chan let out a deep sigh.
He had managed to reach the outer fortress of the Heaven-Earth Society.
But he hadn't anticipated the security being this tight when trying to infiltrate the interior.
"It's impossible."
Even during his assassin days, he had undertaken infiltration missions from time to time.
No, most assassinations required stealthy infiltration.
Yet the scale of the Heaven-Earth Society, which dominated the central plains' martial world, surpassed imagination. It was on another level from the mid- and small-sized sects he had infiltrated before.
"Haa."
With trembling hands, Go Chan reached for the brush to apply the powder.
The reason he was holding makeup tools was simple.
To infiltrate the Heaven-Earth Society's interior.
-Flinch!
The moment he gripped the brush, goosebumps erupted across his body.
It stemmed from the deep-seated revulsion ingrained in his soul.
The thought of disguising himself as a courtesan in a brothel, as a man, triggered such intense rejection that he nearly convulsed.
But there was no other way.
To slip inside, Go Chan had scouted the outer fortress, gathering information.
He considered hiding in carts carrying supplies or food, but the fortress gates inspected them thoroughly, making it impossible.
In the end, the best method was to make contact with an insider.
[Ho. So, you'd like to meet the Heaven-Earth Society's heroic elites now that you're of age?]
[Y-Yes... that's right.]
He had even stooped to saying such nonsense for intelligence.
It had made his stomach churn.
[But meeting not just low-ranking warriors, but division heads or squad leaders won't be easy.]
[Isn't there a way?]
[Want to know? Ahem.]
The man subtly extended his hand.
As expected of a fence dealing in information, he demanded a hefty sum.
Go Chan placed silver coins in his palm.
Once paid, the fence spilled the method readily.
[Know of Crimson Grace Pavilion?]
[Crimson Grace Pavilion?]
[That's right. It's a brothel on the eastern outskirts of the outer fortress, and there...]
-Bam!
[Are you telling me to become a courtesan?!]
He had nearly snatched the money back in disbelief.
The fence soothed him.
[Heh, hear me out. Crimson Grace Pavilion is a brothel, but not your average pleasure house.]
[A brothel isn't the same as a pleasure house...?]
[The courtesans there aren't just beautiful—they excel in scholarship, arts, music, and accomplishments, with refined grace. Even the high-ranking nobles from the inner fortress frequent it.]
[......Is that true?]
[Why would I lie after taking your silver? With your looks, they'll welcome you with open arms.]
Believing this, Go Chan infiltrated Crimson Grace Pavilion.
As the fence said, despite his worries, he succeeded in entering.
When asked about his skills, he recalled disguising as an evil musician during his assassin days and demonstrated a bit of throat singing, earning an enthusiastic welcome.
[You can perform arts! Female music? We'd welcome that anytime.]
Several courtesans had become favored concubines of Heaven-Earth Society squad leaders, creating openings.
"Favored concubine... ha!"
That must be how infiltration into the inner fortress was possible.
Go Chan swallowed dryly.
After hesitating several times, he finally picked up the brush and began applying powder to his face.
Soon, the voice of Crimson Grace Pavilion's mama came from outside the door.
-Are you ready?
"Uh... y-yes..."
Go Chan fumbled, applying red rouge to his lips.
Impatient, the waiting mama opened the door and entered.
-Slide!
"What's taking so long with one makeup session? You're pretty enough as is—keep it light. Let me see. How'd you do?"
Go Chan glanced at his reflection, at a loss.
He had tried recalling Ha Chae-rin's memories, but his instinctive revulsion made his hands shake too much.
The mama approached and inspected his face.
She furrowed her brows and muttered.
"......Good lord."
He had caked on so much powder his face looked like a corpse—ghostly white.
The small brush for eyes had smeared ink so thickly that black tears streaked below, and the red rouge around his mouth was drawn so long it looked like his lips split to his ears.
"You've turned yourself into a ferocious demon."
Far from a beauty, Go Chan's face was now that of a malevolent fiend.
Go Chan ground his teeth at the mama's tongue-clicking.
How had he ended up doing this?
"Seduction? Bullshit."
Maybe risking his life for a direct breach would have been better.
* * *
Mok Kyung-un stood before the door with a smiling face.
Yeom-ga froze, words failing him in shock.
Malice filled that smile.
Meeting his eyes chilled Yeom-ga to the bone.
"This......"
His energy restrictions lifted, internal energy freely usable—yet why was he overwhelmed by this kid's menacing aura?
Yeom-ga ground his teeth.
He had stepped up to cripple the bastard half to death, but this sudden appearance stole his momentum and initiative.
Irritation mounting, Yeom-ga opened his mouth with a fiercely twisted face.
"What do you mean, 'same idea'?"
"Any other reason?"
"What?"
"I was thinking of recruiting someone useful as a team member."
-Grind!
Yeom-ga gnashed his teeth, slowly circulating his internal energy.
He raised his voice at Mok Kyung-un.
"You? Take me as your team member?"
"Yes. Truth be told, I've wanted to kill you since yesterday, but this trial's restrictions ban murder, so using you seemed better."
Yeom-ga's eyes flashed sharply.
What nonsense was this arrogant punk spouting?
Wanted to kill him, but using him instead?
-Grind!
His teeth ground involuntarily.
With restrictions lifted, how many boys here could match him?
Yeom-ga could endure no more.
-Pat!
Having circulated energy through his body, Yeom-ga thrust his hand toward Mok Kyung-un's throat.
Right hand to grab the neck, left to seal acupoints during the instant, then drag him inside.
But,
-Thud!
"Guhk!"
Before he could, Mok Kyung-un's foot slammed into Yeom-ga's abdomen.
It happened too fast to even see.
Veins bulged on Yeom-ga's face, skin flushing red-hot.
"You... you bastard..."
"Aren't your legs longer than your arms?"
-Thwack!
Yeom-ga tensed his core and kicked his toe toward Mok Kyung-un's groin.
Mok Kyung-un folded his leg, stepping back slightly.
Seizing the moment, Yeom-ga pivoted on his other foot, spinning to smash his heel down on Mok Kyung-un's crown.
"Whirling Shadow Kick."
The third form of the Crimson Heaven Kick Arts, Slaughter Valley's pride.
An upper kick feint that misleads the path, then a lightning spin into a downward smash.
Blindingly fast with feints mixed in, hard to dodge.
Yet,
-Swish!
Mok Kyung-un lightly shifted half a step, twisting aside to evade.
"!?"
Yeom-ga's eyes narrowed.
He hadn't expected it dodged so easily.
But techniques chain, and the next was ready.
-Pa-pak!
Yeom-ga twisted toward Mok Kyung-un's throat, stabbing with Sword Seal Finger.
At peak realm, not quite a blade, but he could form sharp qi.
Called piercing aura.
-Slash!
But,
-Pak!
Before it pierced Mok Kyung-un's throat,
-Thud!
Mok Kyung-un's foot swept Yeom-ga's leg like lightning.
A mere kick, so Yeom-ga didn't dodge, channeling energy into his leg for rebound force.
His senses told him his internal energy outmatched the kid's.
Protecting his leg that way should endure it...
-Thud!
"Urk!"
His leg struck, Yeom-ga's body spun sideways, head slamming into the floor.
He blanked out.
What just happened?
Why couldn't he block the kid's kick?
Fast, yes, but on impact, the rebound dispersed.
"What......"
Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly.
"You're weaker than I thought."
"You punk!"
Rage boiling over, Yeom-ga sprang up with arm thrust and a kick at Mok Kyung-un's throat,
-Whoosh! Thwack!
Mok Kyung-un dodged lightly, grabbed his head, and smashed it down.
-Boom!
The floorboards splintered, Yeom-ga's head cratering the floor.
Pain aside, humiliation surged; he surged full energy to lift his head.
But energy focused on neck and head strangely dispersed, sapping his strength.
"W-What is this?"
He couldn't comprehend.
Then Mok Kyung-un yanked his hair.
-Grip!
His embedded head pulled free; jagged wood shards pierced his face, blood streaming.
Seeing this, Mok Kyung-un smirked in satisfaction.
"Now your face is somewhat presentable."
"You...... what did you do?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb! Did you use Scattering Energy Poison or something?"
"Scattering Energy Poison?"
Mok Kyung-un looked puzzled at the name.
He prided himself on knowing most poisons, but this was new.
Scattering Energy Poison.
A bizarre toxin made by special methods that dispersed internal energy under certain conditions.
"Don't feign ignorance! If not that, why does my energy scatter on contact with you?"
Every clash dispersed energy at the point.
First time, coincidence? Twice, it screamed Scattering Energy Poison.
"Hmm. Such an interesting poison exists?"
'This bastard's toying with me?'
Fury peaking, Yeom-ga ground his teeth.
No choice but Slaughter Valley's secret art.
Reserved for certain kills, forbidden lightly—but he couldn't hold back.
-Grind!
Yeom-ga concentrated energy to his chest.
A bizarre tattoo on his upper body glowed red-hot.
But,
-Thud!
"Guhk!"
Mok Kyung-un yanked his hair back and smashed a fist down.
Not done.
He pummeled Yeom-ga's face relentlessly.
-Thud!
"Kek. S-Stop..."
-Thud!
"Kuh... st..."
-Thud! Crack!
Nose bridge snapped, teeth shattered—he didn't stop.
-Thud! Thud! Thud!
No chance for the secret art.
Amid endless face blows, Yeom-ga's consciousness faded.
"Hik!"
A gasp from behind; Mok Kyung-un paused mid-fist, turning.
A boy who had opened his eyes from meditation at the fight noise stood there.
'W-What's going on?'
The boy gaped at Yeom-ga—hair gripped, face a bloody mess—in shock.
Mok Kyung-un waved his bloody hand, smiling at the boy.
"Ah, don't mind. Keep doing what you were."
End of Chapter 21: Team Leader (2)