Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 22
>Chapter Title: Dark Steps (1)
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-Swooooosh!
A faint haze rose from the muscles of Mok Yu-cheon’s bare upper body along with his sweat.
As he circulated his qi and adjusted his breathing for the first time in ages, the energy flowed through his fatigued muscles and internal organs, gradually easing the exhaustion.
With the seal lifted, he realized even more how precious internal energy was.
‘I might actually survive.’
The difference between circulating qi and not was stark.
Simply sleeping could alleviate some fatigue, but circulating qi released the accumulated weariness throughout his entire body.
-Zzt! Zzt!
As he continued, his fingers began to ache.
After several minor heavenly cycles, he opened his eyes and looked at his mangled hands.
Fingernails shattered, bruises everywhere—there wasn’t a single intact spot on his fingers, the backs of his hands, or his palms.
‘……’
Staring at them, Mok Yu-cheon felt a strange thought surface.
He wasn’t old by any means, but had he ever struggled this desperately to survive since birth?
No. This was the first time.
His first real combat, his first kill.
Just a short while ago, all he’d done was sweat alone in the training grounds.
Yet now, it felt like he’d plummeted into the abyss in an instant.
-Clench!
Mok Yu-cheon gripped his wounded hand tightly.
No matter what, he would survive this place somehow.
The only one he could rely on was himself.
‘Mok Kyung-un……’
He decided to abandon any vain hopes for that guy.
Whatever had changed him, the bastard paid him no mind, and Mok Yu-cheon had no reason to either.
Half-brothers? It meant nothing.
‘Survival of the fittest.’
That’s what this place was.
He still couldn’t fathom why he, a hostage, had to risk his life striving alongside these people, but to survive, he needed to grow stronger.
‘The world is vast.’
Once his acupoints were unsealed, he’d thought no boy here could beat him.
But the auras stimulating his senses from all directions left him inwardly shocked.
He’d assumed no peers besides himself had reached the peak realm unless they were later-generation disciples from great orthodox sects.
He’d been wrong.
-Thud!
Mok Yu-cheon rose from his spot.
He glanced at Ma Sang meditating on the bed, then quietly assumed the stance for Timber Sword Manor’s basic technique.
Human psychology was peculiar.
In this extreme situation where death could come at any moment, a fierce competitive spirit had ignited instead.
It made him think he might truly be a martial artist to his core.
‘I need to get stronger.’
Training was the only way.
Even if he circulated qi, he wouldn’t build significant internal energy in a day or two.
Restoring his body was enough.
The rest of the time needed to be spent training to gain insights.
-Pak!
Mok Yu-cheon slowly unfolded Timber Sword Manor’s basic technique forms.
This slow-motion drill, at less than half normal speed, was a training method called Slow Forms, designed to refine the precision of the movements.
Sharing a room with Ma Sang, he wanted to train without disturbing his meditation.
-Pak! Pak!
Even at slow speed, bursts of sound echoed where his fists struck.
Thanks to long practice with Slow Forms, Mok Yu-cheon could infuse full power even in slow motion.
That’s when it happened, as he focused on his training.
“I suspected as much, but you really are from Timber Sword Manor.”
‘!?’
Startled by the voice, Mok Yu-cheon froze and turned his head.
The speaker was Ma Sang.
The boy who had shared life and death with him from start to finish in the second trial.
They’d clashed briefly at the end, but understanding each other’s feelings, they hadn’t blamed one another and had ended up sharing a room.
Though from an unorthodox sect, he had a sense of loyalty and seemed decent, making him the one friend Mok Yu-cheon felt drawn to.
Yet,
“……How did you know?”
“How doesn’t matter. Why is someone from an orthodox sect like you in Bloody Gorge?”
“Th-that’s……”
Mok Yu-cheon was at a loss for words.
No matter the reason, being here as an orthodox sect member was shameful.
That’s why he couldn’t speak.
To him, Ma Sang said,
“Did Timber Sword Manor betray the orthodox sects?”
“What nonsense!”
Mok Yu-cheon’s voice rose in indignation.
He hadn’t lost his pride as an orthodox sect disciple yet.
His father, the Clan Head, hadn’t surrendered but chosen to seal the gates to save everyone.
“Timber Sword Manor…… Timber Sword Manor is eternally orthodox.”
At those words, Ma Sang scoffed dismissively.
“Don’t spout nonsense. Someone who made it to Bloody Gorge didn’t betray the orthodox sects? Didn’t you come here to join the direct line of the Heaven-Earth Society’s executives?”
“What?”
Mok Yu-cheon’s eyes shook at Ma Sang’s words.
What was this?
Direct line of the Heaven-Earth Society’s executives?
Seeing Mok Yu-cheon’s bewildered reaction, Ma Sang’s eyes narrowed.
“What? You didn’t know?”
After a long pause, Mok Yu-cheon spoke with a confused expression.
“I don’t know. I was dragged here without any warning or explanation. Really.”
“You knew nothing?”
“……Yeah.”
Ma Sang eyed him suspiciously.
“That’s ridiculous. Entering Bloody Gorge knowing nothing.”
“I told you, it’s true.”
“Would you believe it if you were me?”
“What the hell is this place? Why are all these people risking their lives?”
He hadn’t understood it from the start.
Red-sashed warriors indifferent to the boys dying in droves, and the boys staking their lives on these trials.
Nothing made sense.
“Why risk your life? Bloody Gorge is the shortest path to the Heaven-Earth Society’s executive direct line. Why do you think everyone’s going all out? Survive the risks, get chosen by one of the eight executives, and become their direct disciple. Even if not, the more trials you pass, the better your chances at becoming a division leader or unit commander. You think opportunities like this come easily?”
‘Heaven-Earth Society…… a chance to become one of the eight executives’ direct disciples?’
Mok Yu-cheon’s gaze wavered fiercely.
Now he understood why they risked everything.
Becoming a disciple of the Heaven-Earth Society’s eight top masters—who divided the martial world—meant a future where you could dominate it.
It was worth staking their lives for.
But not for him.
‘Damn it.’
Mok Yu-cheon bit his lip hard.
Then all his desperate struggling to survive had been to join the direct line of the Heaven-Earth Society executives—archenemies of the orthodox sects.
‘What the hell am I doing?’
If that were true……
‘Ah……’
Timber Sword Manor wouldn’t have sent a hostage; they’d sent their sons to the Heaven-Earth Society’s talent nursery.
His efforts to survive would poison Timber Sword Manor.
Mok Yu-cheon was truly confused.
What should he do?
Had the Heaven-Earth Society sent him here as a trap?
Lost in despair, that’s when Ma Sang spoke.
“You…… it seems you really didn’t walk in here on your own.”
Ma Sang’s tone suddenly turned grave, unlike moments ago.
Mok Yu-cheon couldn’t hide his puzzlement.
“How did you get here?”
At the question, Mok Yu-cheon hesitated.
Now knowing his entry to Bloody Gorge was essentially a trap, talking to someone under the Heaven-Earth Society—practically enemies—felt dangerous.
As he wavered, Ma Sang prodded the wound again.
“So it is betrayal.”
Mok Yu-cheon flushed with anger.
If not for the situation, he’d have slapped Ma Sang, but he held back.
Eventually, he revealed the truth.
“It’s not betrayal. I was just taken hostage.”
“Hostage?”
“Yeah.”
“Nonsense. Why send a hostage to Bloody Gorge?”
“I don’t know! I thought they wouldn’t keep me nicely, but I didn’t know Bloody Gorge was like this, just like you said.”
“You didn’t know?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t be struggling like this…… I’d have tried to escape somehow.”
“Escape? You’re saying that to me?”
“……I don’t know. I don’t even know what to do now. The more I fight to survive here without dying, the more it might brand Timber Sword Manor as traitors to the orthodox sects. If that’s the case……”
For the honor of his sect and clan as an orthodox disciple, suicide might be right.
Escaping this place was practically impossible anyway.
He’d realized it the moment his acupoints were freed.
‘A monster.’
The man in the evil ghost mask was a transcendent master beyond imagination.
Beyond his level to handle.
‘Suicide……’
If that was the only answer, it terrified him.
He’d only lived sixteen years; ending it for his clan was frightening.
Conscious of death, Mok Yu-cheon shivered involuntarily.
Ma Sang, who had been staring at him, suddenly rose from the bed, closed the window, checked outside the door, shut it, and locked it.
Then he approached Mok Yu-cheon and whispered gravely,
“You’re really not a traitor.”
“……I told you I’m not.”
“Shh. Keep it down.”
Mok Yu-cheon furrowed his brow at the words.
Why the sudden change?
As he wondered, Ma Sang whispered again.
“Sorry for not believing you from the start. Timber Sword Manor’s a famed orthodox sect for ages, but I couldn’t rule out possibilities.”
“What are you……”
“Listen quietly. I’m a spy from the Justice Alliance.”
‘!?’
Mok Yu-cheon’s eyes widened at the revelation.
A spy dispatched by the Justice Alliance?
Stunned, Ma Sang continued.
“Ever heard of Dark Steps?”
“Uh, Dark Steps?”
He had.
The Justice Alliance boasted four pillar organizations.
One was Dark Steps.
A secret group operating in shadows and darkness as the Alliance’s hidden dagger.
Secret meant exactly that—never to be known.
But some incident exposed Dark Steps’ existence.
Though the name leaked, the Justice Alliance vehemently denied it, leaving debates on whether it truly existed.
And Ma Sang was from Dark Steps?
“Dark Steps might not even be real……”
“It is. The Justice Alliance, pursuing righteousness, can’t admit to a group handling espionage and assassination, so they deny it.”
“……Ha.”
Dark Steps was real.
Incredible.
“Really…… Dark Steps exists…… But is it okay to reveal your identity like this……?”
Mok Yu-cheon bowed respectfully.
Ma Sang shook his head.
“Just talk normally.”
“Still……”
“It’ll only breed suspicion.”
“……Got it. But why reveal it to me?”
“Normally, we don’t reveal ourselves even to fellow orthodox sect members unless absolutely necessary.”
“Then why?”
“First, to identify allies from enemies.”
“Identify?”
“The trials in Bloody Gorge often require killing each other, surrounded by foes. You need to know we’re allies.”
“Ah……”
So that’s why.
But it still felt too casual for a secret group.
Wait—he’d said ‘we’ just now?
Dark Steps wasn’t just Ma Sang?
To the puzzled Mok Yu-cheon, Ma Sang said,
“Second, more infiltrators have died than expected.”
“Infiltrators?”
As suspected, Dark Steps had more than just Ma Sang.
“So there are others besides you?”
“Yeah. Originally, around fifty were sent in.”
“Fifty?”
Mok Yu-cheon’s eyes bulged.
That many without Heaven-Earth Society detection?
Ma Sang continued,
“But seventy percent were caught by their intelligence network and blocked or killed beforehand.”
“Ah……”
“Fifteen made it to Bloody Gorge.”
So, among roughly 800 challengers in Bloody Gorge, 15 were Justice Alliance’s Dark Steps spies.
Mok Yu-cheon, unfamiliar with espionage, couldn’t judge if that was a lot or little.
But Ma Sang’s tone suggested it was quite successful.
However,
“A problem arose.”
“Problem?”
“All fifteen passed the first trial, but eleven died in the second.”
That left only four survivors.
With trials remaining, failure loomed large.
Mok Yu-cheon sensed why Ma Sang revealed himself.
“No way……”
“Yeah. To ask for your help, Mok Yu-cheon.”
“……”
Mok Yu-cheon fell silent.
He didn’t know how to respond.
Who could imagine a member of the Justice Alliance’s shadow group Dark Steps revealing himself and seeking aid?
“I know it’s hard to accept. But we had no choice.”
“……”
“Based on past failed infiltrations, we sent only those capable of hand-to-hand combat without internal energy, but we didn’t expect this.”
He got it.
That wolf-like monster squealing like a pig.
“Because of the beast?”
“The beast too, but the variable was that guy…… he was the problem.”
“That guy……”
-Grind!
Ma Sang bared killing intent, gnashing his teeth.
He was furious at ‘that guy.’
Who could inspire such rage?
“You experienced it too.”
“No way……”
“The mad bastard who told us to kill each other—that’s why most of our people died.”
‘……’
Mok Kyung-un.
It was him after all.
He’d caused the Justice Alliance spies to die like that?
‘……This is insane.’
Watching Ma Sang seethe, Mok Yu-cheon struggled with how to broach it.
Mentioning he was from Timber Sword Manor would be awkward.
Then Ma Sang said,
“That’s why I have something to ask you.”
“What?”
“You knew that guy’s name.”
“……”
Mok Yu-cheon couldn’t speak.
Revealing they were half-brothers terrified him—what would Ma Sang do?
-Gulp!
Tension made him swallow dryly.
Ma Sang continued,
“Same Mok family, right? Related to Timber Sword Manor? Or did you learn it here?”
“What?”
“At first, I thought maybe your brother, but no.”
‘Huh?’
“If brothers, he wouldn’t order mutual slaughter. Don’t worry. I know there’s no close blood tie.”
‘……’
Unintentional, but misunderstood.
Fair enough—who’d force kin to kill each other?
“If you just learned here, then note this.”
“Note what?”
What was he getting at?
Puzzled, Ma Sang whispered lower,
“With only four survivors left, we can’t afford scruples. In this time before team leader selection, we’ll sever that madman’s meridians and cripple his dantian.”
‘!?’
Sever Mok Kyung-un’s meridians and destroy his dantian?
He had to speak now, truth or not.
“Wait. That guy is……”
“Aaah. Don’t worry. No matter how mad he is, our madmen aren’t pushovers.”
“What?”
* * *
On second thought, there was no need to move together.
Mok Kyung-un, who’d ordered Ma Seung possessing Yeom Ga of Main Slaughter Gorge and Mo Ha-rang of Mo Flower Hall to gather teammates, headed back to his room.
Opening the door, he saw a girl of about nineteen with grayish hair, legs crossed, sitting on the bed.
Staring at her, Mok Kyung-un spoke.
“Did you mistake the room?”
At his words, the girl smiled brightly, waved, and said,
“Hi. Mok Kyung-un.”
“You know me?”
“Yeah. How could I not.”
Mok Kyung-un tilted his head, then smiled.
“Is that so? Do you have business? Or want to join my team?”
“Thought we could talk.”
“Talk?”
At his question, the girl slowly rose from the bed.
Then she undid her robe sash.
-Swish!
Apparently only wearing an outer garment, she was nude in an instant.
Her flawless, beautifully curved figure was revealed.
Seeing a woman’s naked body for the first time, Mok Kyung-un’s eyes narrowed.
The girl beckoned seductively, nodding toward the bed.
“Let’s talk with our bodies.”
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 22
>Chapter Title: Dark Steps (1)
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