Chapter 75
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Chapter 75
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Understanding Assassination Martial Arts (2)
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"Oh, you're here."
As if he hadn't just sent me that heavy message like something was seriously wrong, my second brother greeted me with extreme nonchalance.
"No issues at home or anything?"
"If there were, you'd have gotten a call from home too."
"Ah."
A slight wave of relief washed over me as I took a seat.
"Looks like a new bounty just got added to your head."
"That could happen."
"You mad bastard..."
What was I supposed to say to that?
They could scrape Nangong Baek's outfit all they wanted, but the only thing they could do was unleash assassins after me.
Unleash the dogs to hunt me down...
I was the guardian deity silently saving people...
The Dark Knight...
Smack!
My second brother's folding fan slammed into my mug.
"Hey, why hit your dear little brother?"
Boom!
I unleashed a secret technique only Peak masters could pull off.
A burst of true energy fireworks lit up the instructor's office, honoring the elder-youth hierarchy.
"Ha... Maybe I should learn some martial arts too..."
"Behave yourself."
My second brother feigned annoyance as he effortlessly countered my WWE move, then switched back to a serious face and dropped the bombshell.
"Intel says the assassins are starting to move in earnest. From the Death Veil side."
"Was that guy from last time from Death Veil?"
"Yeah. For now, it seems safe to interpret that Death Veil is turning hostile not just to you, but to the entire Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress. A real hassle."
"For now, Death Veil? So there are others too?"
At my question, Geum Sirang furrowed his brow.
"You don't know about the Central Plains' Three Great Assassin Groups?"
How the hell would I know that?
But anyway, any assassin group famous enough to have a name probably should've gone out of business already, right?
"Sigh... Anyway, no need to worry about the Shadowless Gate."
"Shadowless Gate's an assassin group name too, I bet. So what's the reason we don't need to worry?"
"We bought them off first."
"...?"
"If they reject a contract targeting us, they get ten times the offered deposit. If they track down and behead the client who placed it, fifty times the deposit. Oh, and we slapped bounties on each Death Veil assassin for good measure."
"Whoa."
That was some genius shit.
Truly, those who've used money know how to use it best.
The ideas were on another level.
"Then isn't that good enough? Once the assassins start infighting, Death Veil will bail when the math doesn't add up."
"The math?"
"Cost-benefit. Pros and cons."
What good is book smarts from the academy if you can't grasp street-level lingo like this?
Ting, tsk.
"I said Three Great Assassin Groups. One's still out there."
"Where's that one from?"
"Ghost Killer Squad."
"...?"
Suddenly, the vibe drifted into Taisho era territory.
Miss you... Donut-sensei...
"You're spacing out with some dumb fantasy again, huh? It's the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's armed unit infamous for specializing in assassinations. They take outside contracts now and then, so they might've gotten one too."
"Aha."
Demonic Cult, Demonic Cult.
"Just in case, why not go beg Master Wi Ji right now?"
For a split second, my brain couldn't process who "Master Wi Ji" was.
Oh yeah, Old Man Wi's name was Wi Ji-ryang.
"Hmm... Don't think it's that serious yet. I'll keep it in mind. Thanks, bro."
"Know it, then act on it."
A warm family bond swelled in my chest.
Having a solid foundation to lean on felt so reassuring.
"Oh yeah, Siyu was raging about killing you."
My family love and humanity dried up in an instant.
"Why's that spawn of Satan after me?"
Smack!
"No words too foul for a little brother, huh?"
"Not from a brother who smacks his sibling's head with a fan..."
"You blocked Siyu, right?"
"Nah, didn't block her."
I just skimmed her MurimTalk messages and ignored them, or fired back a quick fuck-off if she texted.
"Urk."
All while enduring the horror of her profile pic—overflowing with Geum Siyu bias—searing into my retinas.
I silently showed my brother the most recent message from Siyu.
(Photo of Murim Alliance Vice Leader)
My bro's so handsome ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Don't show ㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴ
Hey
Reply.
(Gift)
"Her..."
Even my second brother couldn't hold back a sigh at her creative footwork—manually typing '(Gift)' to bait clicks in the preview.
"Anyway, heard Siyu's coming back from the Divine Maiden Sect soon. And she's dead set on killing you."
"You wouldn't get it 'cause of the age gap, bro, but siblings born the same year are fated to murder each other. It's innate destiny."
"What a load... Anyway, don't fight in front of Mom and Dad."
"Think I'd lack that much tact?"
Thinking of that useless brat who, after seeing me learn martial arts, flew off to Sword Corner two years ago and Divine Maiden Sect this year vowing to beat me with her own skills... it burned my gut.
Why do I only have worthless little-sister types?
If only I had a big sis like Sister Seol...
After bidding farewell to my second brother and leaving the main hall.
ㄹㄹ
?
Busy? Got a sec?
Azure Cloud Pavilion.
I activated the Cheon Luri summoning ritual.
No reason to bother the neighborhood loafer Old Man Wi—suspected backroom geezer—when I had the Vice Young Lord right there.
I waited for Luri at the pavilion near Azure Cloud Pavilion where we'd been studying Heavenly Beast Heart-Returning Art.
Amid the suffocating end-term crunch, blankly watching folks burn with study fever, trusting only their own prep and this moment's fate...
Luri came toddling over and plopped cutely beside me.
"...?"
"What's up?"
Seeing her occasionally drape my attachment jacket No. 13 like a cape and flit around tore at my heart.
No.
Now I had attachment jacket No. 0, the Heaven-Silencing Black Dragon Robe...
Count it as charity to a poor Vice Young Lord.
"Got a favor to ask."
Luri's eyes went a bit wider than usual, staring straight into mine again.
She really loves eye contact.
"Ever heard of the Ghost Killer Squad?"
"Mm..."
Luri tilted her head, a hint of embarrassment flickering at the corners of her eyes.
"...Vice Young Lord, right?"
"Yeah."
Forcing down the mean thought that for a Vice Young Lord, she had zero gravitas or real duties, I calmly explained what Sirang bro told me—skipping unnecessary bits.
Fortunately.
"Eek?"
"Mm..."
"Hmph!"
It'd been four months since we started facing each other.
Thanks to various expressions installing in Luri's half-loose emotional module, communication flowed smoothly enough.
"So, if there's a Ghost Killer Squad, uh, could you tell them not to mess with me? Kinda embarrassing request, haha."
"I'll handle it."
"Thanks, Luri."
I stroked her head gratefully.
"Hic."
She purred happily.
Gansu Province.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Ghost Killer Squad Lanzhou Branch basked in tranquility today as well.
They should've been roaming the Central Plains, carrying out assassinations to pave the way for demonic supremacy.
But lately, relations between the orthodox martial world and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had advanced rapidly, so jobs naturally dwindled.
Unlike other assassin groups that took any hit job, the Ghost Killer Squad followed cult doctrine, only taking justified kills, so outside contracts were scarce.
Branch Chief No Cheon-gi joined the laid-back vibe, lounging in a hammock in the dim basement.
But that leisure was short-lived.
Bzzz—
He lazily pulled out his smartphone from his pocket, checked the incoming message, and his face twisted.
Right after.
He bolted up at speed rivaling a Heavenly Demon Death Beam.
"Assemble, you bastards!"
His voice, laced with resonant inner power, boomed through the Ghost Killer Squad Lanzhou Branch basement.
Within moments, excluding those away, over thirty members gathered.
"Our Little Heaven has issued a command."
"Ooh...!"
"Ten Thousand Demons' Fortune!"
"What is it, Branch Chief!"
"Don't tell me those filthy orthodox scum revealed their true colors again!"
Thirsty for blood after a dry spell.
Fierce eyes brimming with sharpened killing intent poured toward No Cheon-gi.
Instead of lengthy words.
No Cheon-gi held up his smartphone, showing the order he'd received.
From Cheon Luri Vice Young Lord: Ghost Killer Squad
From Cheon Luri Vice Young Lord: You there?
From Cheon Luri Vice Young Lord: Death Veil
From Cheon Luri Vice Young Lord: Wipe 'em.
From Cheon Luri Vice Young Lord: And
From Cheon Luri Vice Young Lord: Geum Sihyeon
From Cheon Luri Vice Young Lord: Don't touch.
The sacred, solemn message broadcast by our Little Heaven's jade voice.
Not only directly naming them—often sneered at as human butchers even within the cult—but personally issuing orders to these idle rice-burners...!
Vice Young Lord hype surged in every chest.
No clue who Geum Sihyeon was, but.
Clearly someone super important to the Vice Young Lord.
"Ooh...!"
"Death Veil trash sharing the same sky was already grating!"
"War, war once more!"
"Branch Chief, what're you waiting for? Let's wipe 'em out!"
Death Veil, Shadowless Gate, and Ghost Killer Squad.
The three-legged tripod upholding the underworld cracked suddenly.
The prelude to the Assassin Great War had begun.
While Lanzhou's blacksmiths cheered the sudden flood of weapon-forging and sharpening jobs, hammering away excitedly.
"Master was an assassin? From the Ghost Killer Squad, even?"
"That's right."
Interest on insults and grudges compounds daily at 66%.
Geum Sihyeon, with his temperament demanding personal collection, resolved to learn assassin arts from Wi Ji-ryang to claim his blood debt.
Oblivious that his casual Cheon Luri summoning had ignited the Central Plains assassin world's powder keg.
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