Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Fate (2)
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Should it be called not a needle in a pocket, but a king's greatsword in a pocket?
This bastard's metaphors are weird as hell, even when he tries.
Anyway, it was true that back then, trouble followed me everywhere. I didn't avoid it on purpose, and I was always at the center of any fight. Just look at how I earned the title of War King.
Huh?
Someone was approaching this way at high speed. The path was too narrow to pull the carriage aside. Turning around would be tricky too. To reach the next village, we had to cross this ridge no matter what.
-See?
'Shut up.'
It was coming fast.
Mujin stopped the carriage and ushered Mijoo inside. He wasn't about to indulge his daughter's whims when an unexpected variable popped up.
Looking at her now, his daughter had no fear at all. Had he been the only one oblivious?
"Daddy?"
"You don't want to catch a cold, right?"
"I won't."
"Mijoo, you gonna ignore Daddy?"
"Can I watch next time?"
"Sure."
Mijoo must have felt the chill a bit herself, because she stopped fussing. Seeing her red nose tugged at Mujin's heart.
'Funny kid.'
Before crossing the mountain, he'd stopped by a village and checked thoroughly for bandits. Even if they showed up, it wouldn't be a problem, but he didn't want to show his wife and child a fight.
That didn't mean he'd back down if it came to it. He might even lose his temper and struggle to hold back.
-What do you think?
'I said shut up.'
The demon's words were hitting too close to home, making him even more irritated.
Whatever the case, they looked desperate.
'Well, now.'
Desperate or not, they were veering toward him on purpose. Changing direction after sensing his presence meant they were targeting him. The intent was downright audacious.
"That damned bitch!"
"Vicious wench!"
"Fuck, what the hell did we ever do to her!"
The men fleeing for their lives unleashed impressive lightness skills, squeezing out every last bit of strength. They were at least first-rate. Yet they were in a panic, running at full tilt with tails between their legs.
They cursed their pursuer nonstop while bounding along. Mouthy for fugitives.
"...I'd tear her apart and it still wouldn't be enough!"
"She killed the youngest!"
"We have to get revenge!"
With words alone?
Forget revenge—they were too busy escaping. Three remained, but they'd started as five. Not born on the same day, but they'd sworn to die together.
Yet they'd escaped only by sacrificing two brothers' lives. Otherwise, they'd have lost their heads to that woman's sword before they could even run.
'Where the hell did that crazy bitch come from!'
They were known as the Anhui Five Evils.
Few in the region could match them. All first-rate, masters of combined assaults, no holds barred. Once they held a grudge, they exacted brutal revenge, earning infamy. People tried to avoid crossing them.
But as their notoriety grew, the likes of the Nangong family and righteous factions put bounties on them publicly. They'd laid low for nearly seven years, emerging recently—only to run into a monster of a woman.
'She's closing in.'
The woman's frightening aura pressed closer. The gap narrowed, and their desperation mounted. If they'd combined forces from the start, maybe. But they'd let their guard down early, lost two brothers, and lost the initiative.
They couldn't fight back in their state.
Just then.
Horse hooves sounded from straight ahead, where they'd set their course.
First Evil Ma Gil-gang veered toward it. No other choice. One shot, so he headed for the voices.
Scree!
His lightness skill carried him to the target. A carriage, as expected. Ma Gil-gang instantly drew his sawtooth blade—like a horse harrow—and lunged at the driver.
Second Evil An Ho-seong and Third Evil Bae Gil-su aimed for the carriage's occupants. They needed the woman and child inside, not the driver.
"Think of it as bad luck!"
Ma Gil-gang swung down at the driver without hesitation. One strike to cleave the fool in two, blood spraying.
Clang!
The ring of metal on iron wall.
Immense rebound force.
The shocked attacker tried to recoil away, but no chance.
Caught red-handed.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Crunch!
He yanked the sawtooth blade, grabbing the man by the collar.
Urk!
Throat crushed, strength drained away. Ma Gil-gang gawked in disbelief. Impossible. Overpowered in one move by a mere coachman!
And he'd put real power into that desperate swing—not full strength, but enough. Few could deflect it bare-handed.
He'd unluckily run into one of those rare masters.
So?
'...Damn it!'
A master!
Of all places!
He recognized it too late, forgetting his own predicament.
Flinch!
Indifferent eyes labeled him trash. Know your place, or your fate was sealed.
Farewell!
No need to say it.
The message landed.
"Wait... guk!"
The driver smashed him face-first into the ground, snapping First Evil's neck.
Boom!
He'd never rise again—neck and spine twisted wrong.
Too late to turn back now.
Even among the Anhui Five Evils, the strongest First Evil—reaching the pinnacle realm. What an absurd end for Ma Gil-gang.
"...You dare!"
"Brother!"
The sawtooth blade's deflection echoed with the whoosh, and Ma Gil-gang dropped dead. An Ho-seong and Bae Gil-su stared in disbelief at the sudden slaughter. They'd forgotten to grab hostages inside. Truth be told, it was over the moment Ma Gil-gang's first move failed.
With Slaughter Evil Blade Ma Gil-gang gone, they were helpless.
Lightning Evil Sword An Ho-seong.
Hungry Ghost Evil Palm Bae Gil-su.
Titles proving their infamy. Their sly eyes darted, gauging options.
"Got time to spare?"
"Don't play games!"
"Games are your specialty. But you sure about this?"
"That cheap tri—guk!"
A chilling killing intent.
Before they could react, a bolt of sword qi slashed their backs from behind.
Argh!
Spines severed.
That broke their will to fight. Turning, they saw a woman in flowing white robes like a white deer, sword drawn. Amid the carnage, she painted a picture of a fairy.
"You cowardly... argh!"
Heads flew.
Warriors don't strike from behind. She didn't care. Spotting the chance, she cleaved without mercy. Stunned by First Evil's death, they couldn't resist—met an absurd end.
Roll roll roll!
Two heads tumbled, faces frozen in futility. No grasp of their own deaths—just shock and dismay at First Evil's fall.
Step, step.
The woman approached and stood before Mujin.
Mujin felt a vague familiarity. Add some years, some gravitas? She'd look just like someone. No, identical. He wasn't great with faces, but hers stuck.
'...Sword Empress?'
-That's her.
Cheon-gyeong confirmed it instantly.
Then it must be.
Why so sure?
Cheon-gyeong had delivered Heavenly Ice Sword Empress's final moments. Killed by him, yet memorable enough to recall her face.
Heavenly Ice Sword Empress, Lee Seo-jeong.
A sudden star called Sword Sovereign of her generation, her Frozen Heaven Sword Style rivaled the era's Sword Emperor, Sword Saint, and Sword King.
Even that Sword Empress fell short against the Demon King.
Though the Demon King was no match for me either.
-She forced ten forms out of me. Special, right?
'Say that after killing her.'
-I gave her a warrior's respect.
'Sure, or you'd have dragged her off as a plaything.'
Mujin had seen her before.
That sharp, icy edge was striking. A lofty ice flower none dared approach. Beyond that, he knew little. Back then, Mujin felt no warmth for people. Guilt over abandoning his family had numbed his emotions.
'Not my business.'
Mujin's interest ended there. Sword Empress or not, irrelevant.
Still.
'They probably didn't hear.'
He'd blocked sound from reaching his wife and child. But he doubted his sharp wife missed it. Knowing his intent, she waited silently. He was grateful.
"I'm Lee Seo-jeong."
"Kang Mujin."
She bowed properly; he returned a fist salute. No belittling her as a woman. She wielded swordsmanship worthy of the term Sword Master. Weaker than in her prime against the Demon King, but her youthful blade was still elite.
"You took down First Evil."
"Yes."
"Impressive skill."
"I don't go getting beat up."
Lee Seo-jeong gauged how he'd felled First Evil from the wounds. Honestly, shocking. Unlike the other Evils, First Evil had reached the pinnacle. Even caught off-guard, to snap neck and spine without a counter? One-sided. That clean work forced a reevaluation.
'Looks mid-twenties, maybe younger.'
She'd earned "next Sword Empress" and "Little Sword Empress" in the jianghu. Few peers could rival her. A new powerhouse. And his gaze held no flicker of emotion toward her.
"If you're not busy, I'd like a spar."
"Can we postpone? Heading to my wife's family with her."
"Too bad."
"Pine Tiger Sect in Cheongyang."
She seemed regretful, but Mujin didn't want to dawdle. Flat refusal would drag into argument. Even back then, the Sword Empress had doggedly pursued a duel. Her passion for the sword was her life.
"Got it. See you next time."
"Thanks for understanding."
"I was the rude one. I'll make it up next time."
"What’s a warrior without competitive spirit? I get it."
She didn't have endless time either.
The Anhui Five Evils were guests of the Blood Slaughter Sect, a shady faction. Her target was that sect. Gathering scum like them meant ill intent. Intel from Beggar Clan and Haomun confirmed it.
Whoosh!
A cold wind blew.
She memorized Mujin, then unleashed her movement art. Pinnacle Ice Flash Step was striking. She vanished in an instant.
"Doesn't clean up after herself, huh."
Mujin grumbled, gathering the scattered corpses with void grasp, then ignited Triple True Fire.
Roar!
Fierce flames engulfed the bodies, incinerating them swiftly. Traces around vanished cleanly. The world was harsh. Better to leave no trail.
-And you?
'Crawling out more lately. Wanna come out less?'
-Petty.
'Act like a Demon King then.'
The Demon King's jab rang true. As War King, he'd reveled in fights but never cleaned up. Doers and cleaners were separate.