Chapter 99
Chapter 99
Translator: Penny
Chapter 99
Golden Grand Banquet (3)
In an abandoned house deep in the mountains, a woman stood gazing up at the night sky through the broken roof. It was Chilho.
A man entered the house and said, "If you want to see the sky, why don't you come outside instead of peering through that tiny hole?"
The man with the childlike appearance was none other than The Ghoul, the assassin.
For some time now, Chilho had rarely looked up at the sky. She felt that the small patch of sky visible through the broken roof was all the sky she was allowed to see.
"Where's The Drunken Gentleman?"
"He'll be here soon. Have you ever seen that bastard arrive on time?"
Just then, a voice came from behind.
"When have I ever been late enough for you to be gossiping behind my back?"
A man entered. He had a neat appearance and wore clean martial attire. His hair was neatly arranged, and his uniform looked as pristine as if it were brand new.
The name "The Drunken Gentleman" (취랑) might suggest a man who loves alcohol, but in reality, 취랑 couldn't tolerate even a single sip.
When asked why he chose such a name, he'd reply that he wanted to hide his inability to drink. 취랑 certainly had his eccentricities.
"That guy definitely has some strange qualities," 괴망량 agreed with 취랑's assessment.
"Right? He's no ordinary fellow."
The Nameless Great Hero possessed something only assassins could sense.
괴망량 turned to Chilho. "So, what's the verdict? Should we kill him?"
Chilho hesitated, still undecided.
Seeing her hesitation, 취랑 spoke up instead. "When in doubt, just kill him! It's the safer bet."
This was the fundamental mindset of assassins. 괴망량 shared the same sentiment.
"Usually, people regret letting someone live more than killing them."
Both men favored killing him.
"He's helping Young Master Ma with his Demonic Art. Killing him now would cause problems."
"But are we certain he's helping Young Master Ma? If he approached him intentionally, Young Master Ma could be in danger."
"Young Master Ma isn't someone easily deceived."
"But we can't be absolutely sure, can we?"
Chilho couldn't answer The Drunken Gentleman's question. It was as ambiguous as his initial statement—it didn't seem right, but she couldn't be certain it was wrong.
No, more precisely, she hesitated to kill him because it didn't seem right. She had never hesitated like this before.
Ah, there was one other time. The man named Galpyo she met while monitoring Ma Jeongsu. Even then, her feelings had been different from usual. She didn't know why she had become so sentimental, but it was similar this time.
Ultimately, she was the one who had to make the final decision about this mission.
"I'll reserve judgment for now," she said.
The Ghoul and the Drunken Gentleman exchanged glances, a hint of seriousness passing between them. They had worked with Chilho several times before, but this felt different.
"Understood. Let us know as soon as you decide."
"I will."
Following the Ghoul's words, the Drunken Gentleman added, "Make the right choice. Lives hang in the balance."
"I will."
The two men departed first, leaving her alone.
She sighed and looked up at the sky for the first time in ages. After glimpsing it only through broken roofs or in fleeting moments like before, gazing at the open sky felt like a distant memory.
Has the night sky always been this beautiful?
As always, the heavens offered no answers to her 고민.
At the same time, another woman was agonizing over the same man.
"Is the medicine prepared for administration?" Ma Lingyin asked.
Im Yeonjeong didn't answer immediately. She was absorbed in a book.
Though Ma Lingyin knew she was deliberately ignoring him, he calmly repeated his question: "Is the medicine prepared for administration?"
Im Yeonjeong closed her book. She knew that if she pretended not to hear him again, he would repeat the exact same words, not a syllable different. Whenever he did that, a chill ran down her spine.
"Yes, it's prepared."
"Administer it tomorrow."
The medicine's effects would begin to manifest after twenty-four hours. Once the effects took hold, another two hours would pass before the victim bled from all seven orifices and died. During those two hours, the victim would display tremendous, unnatural strength.
Is there really any need for this?
The words lingered in her throat, but she couldn't bring herself to speak them.
She knew it would be futile anyway. It would be like approaching a tiger while it was devouring a person and saying those words. Once Ma Lingyin had sunk her teeth into something, she never let go.
"Aren't there any monsters like that in the Martial Arts World?"
"What kind of monster are you talking about?"
"A monster that devours those around it to grow stronger."
Ma Lingyin chuckled. She actually felt better when she heard such curses. It made her feel like she was doing her job properly.
Ma Lingyin rose from her seat.
"See you tomorrow."
I was circulating Qi and regulating my breathing when someone knocked on the door.
I opened it to find Im Yeonjeong. She shook the bottle of liquor in her hand.
"Surprised?"
"I never expected you to knock on my door. I always thought knocking was my role."
"As you know, I'm rather proactive. Are you going to keep me standing here?"
"No, please come in."
Her visit was unexpected.
"Let's have a drink."
"Sounds good."
I reached for glasses, but she tilted the bottle and drank straight from it before handing it to me.
I took a swig from the bottle as well. It was incredibly strong liquor. Suddenly, I remembered something she had said during our last drinking session.
"Didn't you say drinking without snacks is bad for your health?"
"One day won't hurt."
"Did something bad happen?"
"No. Give it to me when you're done."
She took the bottle and drank again. Handing it back, she said, "It's not too late."
"What do you mean?"
"Run away."
I could tell she had agonized over these words, that she had made a great decision even at this moment.
"Run away and then what?"
"Live the remaining year happily. It's enough time to settle your affairs."
"No. I don't want to be someone who breaks his promise and runs away for just one more year."
"As expected, you're..."
I cut her off, repeating the words she had said to me before.
"Naive and foolish."
She gazed at me with a complex expression for a moment before finally sighing.
"I should drink to the biggest fool in my life," she said, gulping down her drink.
Watching her chug the liquor, I asked, "Why are you telling me all this?"
She countered, "Why did you say you liked me?"
"Because I do."
"Same here. I just wanted to tell you."
She stood up abruptly. "Tomorrow... I'll give you a prescription and an elixir that will help you with your mission."
She left the room.
It was probably the antidote that would trigger the side effects. If the assassination failed, I would have to die.
I drank the liquor she had left behind. It was bitter—the first strong drink I'd had in a long time.
As I drank, I pondered deeply how to handle the final stages of this affair. By the time the bottle was empty, I had reached a conclusion.
The next day, Ma Lingyin came to my room.
"Tomorrow is finally the last day of the Golden Grand Banquet," he said.
"The last ten days of my life have passed in an instant," I replied.
"Are you disappointed?"
"Well, it is the end, after all."
"Don't say such things. You will definitely succeed. And the Antidote will undoubtedly be developed."
Ma Lingyin grabbed my hand, his face flushed with fervor. He was giving his all until the very end. It suddenly occurred to me that the most terrifying villains aren't those with powerful martial arts, but the diligent ones who never give up.
"How's your condition?"
"Excellent."
"Have you thought about how you'll kill him?"
I nodded.
"Don't you need my help?"
Just then, Im Yeonjeong entered my room.
Was it because I hadn't left? A flicker of resentment and regret crossed her eyes, but the emotion vanished as quickly as I noticed it.
"Come to my room for a moment," she said.
I followed her into her room, with Ma Lingyin trailing behind.
"This prescription will help you circulate your Internal Force more smoothly. It will be useful for tomorrow's mission."
I obediently followed her instructions, drinking several cups of medicinal concoctions and receiving acupuncture at various points. Finally, she offered me a single pellet.
"Thank you so much. I'll make sure to succeed in the mission."
Her hand trembled slightly, and she avoided my gaze.
You don't need to feel sorry. Your kindness alone is enough.
I swallowed the pellet she offered.
Since the No Regrets Demonic Spirit Pill had already vanished from my body, the antidote was completely ineffective. The earlier medicine and acupuncture treatments had been equally useless.
"I need to rest now. Please leave."
Ma Lingyin and I left her alone and stepped outside. We heard a sound from within—it sounded like she had thrown a book.
Though both Ma Lingyin and I heard the noise, neither of us mentioned it.
Standing by the door, I said to Ma Lingyin, "I need your help to assassinate Ma Cheolgun."
"How can I assist you?"
Ma Lingyin harbored a sliver of hope that I might actually kill Ma Cheolgun. She desperately wished for that improbable miracle to occur.
"I'll do anything to help."
The final day of the Golden Grand Banquet had finally dawned.
Many people gathered at the venue where the opening ceremony had been held, their faces tinged with regret.
Some merchants had reaped great profits during the banquet, while others had suffered losses. The diverse crowd buzzed with conversations about the past ten days.
In a nearby alley, two figures were engaged in a hushed conversation: Ma Cheolgun and Ma Lingyin.
Outside the alley, eight martial artists guarded Ma Lingyin, while seven protected Ma Cheolgun.
"What is it?" Ma Cheolgun asked. Ma Lingyin, who had vowed never to see him again, had summoned him with urgent news.
"I have something important to tell you, Boss," Ma Lingyin said.
"What is it?"
"I've gathered some intelligence."
"What kind of intelligence?"
"The Nameless Great Hero is targeting your life."
"The Nameless Great Hero?" Ma Cheolgun asked, startled. "Why would he do that?"
"How am I supposed to know what's in his heart?" Ma Cheolgun shook his head. "We have no history of conflict."
"Who can say? Perhaps you've committed some grave sin unknown to the world, Boss."
"That's just wishful thinking on your part. Why are you telling me this crucial information? Don't you want me dead?"
"Of course I do... but I can't let you die at the hands of some nameless nobody."
"Thank you for the warning." Ma Cheolgun turned to leave.
Ma Lingyin glanced up at the rooftop, a flicker of unease crossing his face. Normally, the Nameless Great Hero would have launched a surprise attack the moment Ma Cheolgun turned his back.
"Boss!" Ma Lingyin called out urgently.
Ma Cheolgun, who had already taken a few steps away, turned back. "What is it?"
"There's something more I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
Even human speech carries temperature—cold, warm, or lukewarm.
Ma Lingyin was exceptionally skilled at detecting even the slightest shifts in tone.
He sensed a subtle chill in Ma Cheolgun's voice as he asked, "What do you mean?" At the same moment, a foreboding premonition gripped his entire being.
For a moment, Ma Lingyin hesitated, unsure how to respond. But Ma Cheolgun spoke first.
"Curious why the Nameless Great Hero hasn't launched a surprise attack?"
This was no longer a subtle shift. His words had transformed from spring warmth to winter frost in an instant.
As Ma Lingyin stared in shock, one of the Heavenly Dragon Seven Swords drew his blade with a shing!
He slashed down a nearby guard and aimed the sword at the throat of the man beside him.
The remaining six swordsmen followed suit, drawing their blades in unison and aiming them at Ma Lingyin's guards. Outmatched and caught off guard, the guards were swiftly subdued.
"What are you doing?" Ma Lingyin asked, feigning ignorance.
Ma Cheolgun replied coldly, "I heard you forced him to attempt the assassination. Even made him take a pellet, didn't you?"
Ma Lingyin's mind went blank. Could the Nameless Great Hero have been captured? Or had he betrayed them? She couldn't make sense of the situation.
"Who told you this?"
"A secret message arrived yesterday."
"You believe such a trivial message?"
"It was sent by the Nameless Great Hero."
"What?"
Ma Cheolgun sneered coldly. "You've acted exactly as the message predicted. Luring me here and trying to stall for time. The Nameless Great Hero isn't a fortune-teller. How could he have known?"
Flames ignited in Ma Lingyin's eyes.
"This is a false accusation! It's a conspiracy to eliminate me using him!"
"We'll find out the truth through investigation."
Ma Cheolgun's heart was icy cold. If it turned out Ma Lingyin had tried to kill him, he would never forgive him. He knew Ma Lingyin would continue to plot against his life at every opportunity.
"Where is that bastard, the Nameless Great Hero, now?"
The next moment, Ma Lingyin's heart sank. He suddenly knew the answer to his own question.
Could it be...?
Underground Secret Chamber.
The mechanisms no longer worked for him.
Memories flashed through his mind: the Nameless Great Hero's attempts to curry favor, his dramatic declarations of affection for Im Yeonjeong, his deliberate rudeness toward Ma Lingyin.
The realization that all of this might have been a plot orchestrated for this very moment sent shivers down Ma Lingyin's spine. He had thought he was manipulating the man, but it was he who had been played. His entire body trembled with rage and shock.
You bastard... what are you?