Chapter 83
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Pacifist (2)
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Gok Jisang finally realized where Hwang Woo-cheol had gotten such a massive sum of money. It was a bad sign. Things were going sideways. Since it was money from that guy, claiming no connection felt too murky.
But now, there was no denying it.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Got any proof?"
"I'm the type who always marks my own money, just in case. A little signature, you know. Rub it with the pine resin powder I carry, and the color changes. You like proof? Let's verify it."
Mujin flashed his pearly whites in a grin, and Gok Jisang's face crumpled in horror. If what he said was true, there'd be no escaping this. The moment it was confirmed, the Thousand Hands Sect's reputation would hit rock bottom.
"We mark our money too."
"What color?"
"Huh?"
"You don't know what color it turns, do you?"
In his panic, Gok Jisang realized his mistake. He'd fallen right into the guy's trap. At this point, even playing dumb was getting tough.
"Who the hell are you?"
"None of your business. Just stamp the paper and get lost."
Taking money and then denying it was lowlife scum behavior, something even beggars wouldn't stoop to. It violated the bare minimum of business etiquette. Seeing him play innocent to the bitter end made Mujin's stomach churn.
He'd always disliked the righteous faction for this reason. If you're gonna be hypocrites, at least stick to it. But they always showed their true colors at the worst moment.
Like now.
"You think you can disrupt the main event and walk away unscathed?!"
"What disruption? Fine, if you insist, let's take it to the authorities and hash it out. Sound good?"
Gok Jisang couldn't hold back anymore. If the full story came out as the guy wanted, it'd tarnish the sect's honor. This could never leak outside.
"You're begging for it now."
"Keep pushing, and you'll shit blood."
At Gok Jisang's signal, Pyo Ja-seong led the charge, with Gong Byeong-wi and Yeom Pil-ho rushing at Mujin. They were top-tier enforcers even in the Wall Tiger Hall. That's why he always dragged them along for sticky situations.
Pa-at!
They aimed the Ultimate Hand Tiger Strike from the White Tiger Fist, bestowed upon Thousand Hands Sect enforcers, right at Mujin.
Mujin didn't bother blocking their incoming strikes. He swung the wooden club he'd been carrying to train Cheol-ho.
Head, chest, waist.
Pyo Ja-seong's eyes rolled back from the head blow, Gong Byeong-wi choked on the chest hit, and Yeom Pil-ho's spine snapped from the undefended waist strike.
Yet all three clutched the same spot, foaming at the mouth.
Flailing wildly, "Kwaaaagh!"
The spot any man would instinctively sympathize with in agony.
In one fluid motion, the Penis-Busting Barrage from the Castration Fist Technique unfolded. A man-only nightmare Mujin had devised himself. Women might hurt too if hit hard enough, but the intensity varied wildly with the striker's skill.
With feet, it was the Castration Leg Law.
"You bastard!"
With his men downed in seconds, Gok Jisang sprang into action. He wasn't dumb enough to stand there stunned. He'd figured the guy had some skill, seeing how he hadn't backed down despite knowing it was the Thousand Hands Sect.
He unleashed the Blood Union Shatter from the Vital Meridian Severing Divorce Claw Technique.
The sharp claw winds from his fingertips tore through space, splitting into five strands before converging on one point.
Shwaaaak!
Gok Jisang was confident. He targeted the moment after the attack when the opponent let their guard down. Even the sect leader praised his claw skills.
"Die!"
As if that would kill Mujin.
Cheol-ho and Na-reung, standing at a distance, yawned boredly as they watched. There wasn't a shred of tension. Bluntly put, killing that guy would be impossible even for a major sect. They'd probably need all Twenty-One Strong of the Divine Province.
Ppak!
Just as expected.
Mujin's club shattered the viciously charging claw strike. With his technique broken, Gok Jisang clutched his right hand and staggered back.
"Kuhuk!"
How much must it hurt with every finger joint pulverized? Mujin didn't care about the worm's plight and targeted only the right hand.
Ppaak!
"Ugh!"
Gok Jisang tried to dodge in pain, but Mujin brushed the feet aside casually. His target never wavered. Block it if you can—a brutally simple method.
PPagak!
Simple, yet he couldn't block it. Mujin hammered only the right hand relentlessly, swatting away the other hand and feet before smashing it to bits.
"Kuwek!"
The injured hand got hit again, and again.
For the first time in his life, Gok Jisang tasted the triple cocktail of bewilderment, rage, and agony. The bastard's strength was proven. But why obsess over the right hand? Blocking was futile. It just piled damage on his other limbs.
Just give up the right hand? The thought flashed, then he snapped out of it. No one would watch their dominant hand get wrecked without fighting.
"Wait... Kraak!"
"Started it, now see it through."
"Please... Kaaak!"
"Don't beg. Not like that'll make me go easy. You know that."
Mujin was stubbornly persistent when he set his mind to something. He pulverized the right hand until no shape remained.
Brrrr!
Gok Jisang wished he could just chop off his right hand. His desperate struggles were pointless flailing. He couldn't escape the clubbing. His body just crumpled more with each hit.
Thud!
Irreparably crippled, right hand gone, Gok Jisang glared at Mujin with a twisted face.
"The sect leader won't forgive you!"
"Wanna get revenge?"
"You think you can pull this and live?!"
"Keep talking like that, and I can't let you go."
People were so damn stupid. Why threaten now? Save it for after you escape.
As Mujin harbored killing intent, Gok Jisang's face drained of color. He couldn't believe it, but the pressure was no joke.
"...Wait! Stop here, and I'll pretend it never happened!"
"Really?"
"Yes!"
"Your face doesn't sell it. Smile."
...Had he ever seen such a dog of a man!
Wreck someone's hand and demand a smile!
"Earn my trust."
Mujin was forcing him to turn distrust into trust, or else.
For Gok Jisang, losing his dominant right hand was humiliating enough, but smiling to survive? Rage boiled over. Maybe he should just die honorably like a warrior? Conflict raged.
"A true warrior dies nobly."
"I'll pretend it never happened!"
"Casual speech?"
"...(That dog)! I'll pretend it never happened, sir."
"Smile. Big and hearty."
"I'll pretend it never happened, sir. Hahahahaha!"
As Mujin lowered the club, Gok Jisang collapsed in exhaustion.
He had to escape this place ASAP. That devil might change his mind.
"Where you going?"
"You said you'd let me live!"
"Gotta stamp first. Come on, right hand out."
"...?"
After smashing it to pulp, he asks for the right hand!
Fuming, but Gok Jisang extended his left hand to stamp the document. The content was straightforward: he'd repay the money and never mention it again. If he did, he'd admit he was a dog bastard and his sect a pack of mongrels.
"There, done!"
"Nope."
"Just kill me!"
"Want death?"
Mujin could kill if asked—easy as pie. Unlucky bastards died unlucky, and doomed ones met their end. That's the jianghu for you. Good intentions didn't save you from dying.
"Gonna take you with me. Cold of you."
Mujin personally bound the fallen thugs with sturdy rope and handed them to Gok Jisang.
Shivering!
Gok Jisang barely swallowed his curses. That guy would nitpick anything to torment him. He'd learned that pettiness the hard way in short order.
Drag, drag, drag!
As ordered, Gok Jisang dragged them away from Hwang's Iron Forge and vanished.
Job done, Mujin turned to leave.
As Mujin turned without a word, Hwang Woo-cheol called out desperately.
"Let me repay this grace!"
"You read vibes better than you look."
Hwang Woo-cheol felt deflated at Mujin's bright smile. No need for words—the intent was clear. He'd escalated things this far; the Thousand Hands Sect wouldn't stay quiet. Retaliation was coming. With the grudge target gone, they might lash out at the root: Hwang's Iron Forge.
"They're righteous faction, aren't they?"
"What do you want me to say?"
He'd hoped the righteous faction had some honor. Better than demonic scum, at least. But today's show proved they were hypocrites. If no one found out, anything went.
"I've got enemies in the righteous faction too."
"Still better than them!"
"Don't misunderstand! I knew they'd pull something like this. That's why I waited till you were cornered. Still wanna follow me?"
"All the more reason."
Mujin didn't hide it. The Thousand Hands Sect handed him the pretext; he'd waited for the chance. Looked like a cheap shot to anyone. But consider the premise? This wouldn't have happened if they'd acted righteously.
'No one else but him.'
Hwang Woo-cheol had no choice. If Thousand Hands was like this, what about Blood Raksha Gate? Demonic brutality was infamous.
Above all, this man hid nothing. No need to spill, yet he did.
'And sharp as hell.'
He'd predicted everything like he knew it all. Top-tier brains and brawn. To weather Thousand Hands revenge, he needed this alliance.
"Head to Pine Tiger Sect and drop my name. Don't worry about the road—Jeong Woon Merchant Group will send a guide."
"And you, my lord?"
"I'm in Wuhuan; gotta try the hot springs."
Hwang Woo-cheol was moved deep down. Staying behind would draw Thousand Hands' eyes naturally. Protecting the path to Pine Tiger Sect by baiting attention, even after uprooting his livelihood unasked. Reassuring.
"This Hwang swears never to forget your grace, my lord. Preserve your precious health!"
"Don't worry about your father's treatment."
Mujin spilled the facts on the incident but skipped the crucial part. They wouldn't believe it anyway.
-Free lunch.
Hwang Woo-cheol saw himself as a skilled armorer. But his father was Cheon Byeong-ja, the continent's greatest—the Heavenly Armorer who'd forge future divine weapons.
The Murim Alliance's last-minute comeback owed much to weapon crafting. Iron swords from his hands became famed blades.
Whoever claimed the Heavenly Armorer gained an army of 100,000.
Of course, it irked the Sichuan Tang Clan, who handled arms before. Maybe they'd force him as a son-in-law later? Who knew.
Mujin snagged the world's top armorer for a measly ten taels. Knowing the future, it'd be an insane bargain.