Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: The Reaching Demonic Claw
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“…….”
“…….”
Once again, the training ground fell into silence.
As the dust settled, the figure of Jegal Cheonsang, buried into the ground beneath the training ground, came into view.
His left shoulder, where I had struck, was deeply caved in, and his eyes were rolled back.
He was unmistakably unconscious.
It meant the match could no longer continue.
“The match is Young Master Goon Ja-seong’s victory.”
Jegal Geunyeong, who had climbed onto the training ground to check on Jegal Cheonsang’s condition, declared my victory in a trembling voice.
-Good grief, that wastrel actually lost…!
-Who the hell is that young hero? Goon Ja-seong… Never heard of the Goon family?
After receiving confirmation of my victory from the judge, I quietly sheathed my sword and approached Hwa-ryeon and Gong Ak-sa.
“…….”
“You’ve worked hard.”
I gave a small smile and shrugged at Gong Ak-sa, who was staring at me with wide eyes, and Hwa-ryeon, who offered a brief word of encouragement.
Then, turning to Jegal Geunyeong, who had come down after issuing various instructions, I said,
“There was some unexpected interference, but shall we continue our discussion?”
“Ah, yes. Of course.”
Jegal Geunyeong, who somehow seemed even more deferential now, guided us back to the office.
*
The training ground after Ja-seong’s group and Geunyeong had left.
People sneered and spat at the sight of Cheonsang being carried away on a stretcher.
“Serves him right, that dog. Thinking about all the hell that bastard put me through makes me want to jump out of bed even in my sleep.”
“You think you’re the only one? Feels like a ten-year grudge just melted away.”
Two men biting their lips at the sight of the unconscious Cheonsang.
The reactions of the others were no different.
Every one of them wore an expression of satisfaction or glee at Cheonsang’s humiliating defeat.
Once Cheonsang’s figure disappeared, people realized the fun was over and began returning to their seats.
“Hey, let’s head back.”
“Got it. That mongrel calling us was always annoying, but this was quite the show.”
People leaving the training ground in twos and threes.
Amid them was one man blended in.
Unlike the others with bright expressions, he was chewing his lips, lost in thought.
The man possessed an extraordinarily striking beauty.
The kind of peerless handsome man no one could tear their eyes away from.
Yet not a single person leaving the training ground with him spared him a glance.
As if the man was completely invisible.
In truth, the people genuinely could not see him.
He was currently concealed by an illusion technique.
The Jade-Faced Lewd Demon.
The lustful fiend who had all the young women of Wuhuan’s three great families too terrified of losing their chastity to even step outside had appeared at the Jegal family’s Wuhuan branch.
Why had he come to the Jegal family?
In simple terms, it was nothing but a coincidence.
The night before, the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon had been forced to abandon his hard-earned prey due to Ja-seong’s raid and flee in panic.
Terrified by the unexpected assailant, he hadn’t dared return to his hideout and had spent the night on the streets.
Only after the sun rose and morning came did he cautiously head back to his hideout, when he happened to spot Ye-ryeong walking the streets with Ja-seong.
‘What? Why are those two together?’
No way… Did that bastard take my place last night…?
In his mind, lurid images of Ja-seong and Ye-ryeong entangled in passion automatically surfaced.
The lust demon ground his teeth.
‘How dare he steal my marked prey…!’
The Jade-Faced Lewd Demon had already concluded that Ja-seong and Ye-ryeong had spent a passionate night together.
It was just like a lust demon to jump straight to such thoughts.
‘I won’t forgive him…!’
Burning with rage toward Ja-seong for stealing his cherished prey, he followed Ja-seong’s group.
That was how he ended up at the Jegal family’s Wuhuan branch.
Having blindly followed in his fury toward Ja-seong without thinking, he realized he had wandered into the heart of enemy territory and paled.
‘I-I need to get out now…!’
Regaining his senses, he hurriedly tried to leave the branch when a shout reached his ears.
Soon after, a man emerged from the building.
Seeing the man’s face, the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon was stunned.
‘J-Jegal Cheonsang?!’
The Jegal family’s strongest warrior and its unprecedented worst wastrel.
When the man he had been most wary of in Wuhuan appeared before him, the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon froze solid.
Unaware of him, Cheonsang snickered and headed somewhere.
Soon, everyone in the branch gathered at the training ground.
The Jade-Faced Lewd Demon ended up at the training ground by chance.
Next, Geunyeong and Ja-seong’s group appeared at the training ground.
‘What the hell is going on here?’
Why had Jegal Cheonsang gathered everyone at the training ground, and why had that damned thief come here?
Bewildered and confused, the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon’s wandering gaze drifted toward Ja-seong.
Then his mind went blank, and all questions vanished.
“…Ah.”
His eyes caught sight of a goddess.
Hair like polished ebony, a face as white as snow.
Seductive eyes and cherry lips.
And finally, the cold expression that made it all the more alluring.
A figure truly like the incarnation of the moon palace fairy.
Even to him, who had devoured countless women since being excommunicated by his master, Hwa-ryeon was a stunning beauty unlike any he had ever seen.
He hadn’t noticed when tailing them because she was wearing a mask, but to think such beauty lay beneath.
He was dazedly staring at Hwa-ryeon’s face when he saw her approach Ja-seong and murmur something.
Whatever she said, Ja-seong grinned playfully and replied, and Hwa-ryeon hesitated before shyly turning her head.
It was the picture of affectionate lovers to anyone watching.
Flames of jealousy sparked in the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon’s eyes.
‘That damned bastard…!’
Not content with stealing my prey, he even has a beauty like that!
As he inwardly shed bloody tears, Ja-seong stepped onto the training ground and faced Cheonsang.
‘A match? With Jegal Cheonsang, no less?’
Only then realizing why Ja-seong was at the training ground, the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon let out a hollow laugh.
Who was Jegal Cheonsang?
A master said to rank among the top ten in all of Hubei.
Moreover, regardless of his skills, his vicious nature had left countless warriors crippled after sparring with him.
‘This is like wiping my nose without lifting a hand.’
Convinced Ja-seong would meet the same fate, the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon smirked vilely.
And it didn’t take long for that smirk to turn to shock.
Far from being crippled by Cheonsang, Ja-seong toyed with him one-sidedly.
Like a ghost, flashing here and there, riddling Cheonsang’s entire body with strikes.
“Argh! Can’t you fight properly!? Are you toying with me right now!?”
Finally, Cheonsang lost his reason and bellowed in rage.
Already drenched in blood and clad in rags, he looked no different from a wounded beast.
After that, Cheonsang fought back with ferocious momentum against Ja-seong, but
-Boom!
One strike from Ja-seong sent him crashing through the training ground floor.
Compared to the pathetically defeated Cheonsang, Ja-seong stood spotless, not a speck of dust on his uniform.
‘M-Monster…!’
Fear resurfaced on the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon’s face.
He had overwhelmingly dominated Jegal Cheonsang, a renowned master of Hubei.
Even with his illusion technique, he couldn’t dream of facing him.
‘No good. I need to leave Wuhuan while I have the chance….’
Now even thinking of fleeing Wuhuan entirely for somewhere else, the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon’s eyes caught Hwa-ryeon welcoming Ja-seong.
Taking in her beautiful form, the desires suppressed by fear reared their head once more.
‘I want that woman.’
An intense desire unlike any he had felt for any woman before slowly eroded his reason.
‘I need to flee Wuhuan right now. One wrong move and I’m done.’
‘Then I have to give up that woman. Where else am I going to find one like her?’
The battle between reason and instinct raged in his mind.
Even after leaving the training ground and stepping out of the branch building, the struggle continued—and instinct won out.
“…Just once. Just one last time, then I’m gone.”
In the end, the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon couldn’t overcome his desire for Hwa-ryeon.
He had no idea yet what consequences that choice would bring.
*
We returned to the office and had barely sat down when someone entered.
He wore the same uniform as Jegal Cheonsang, who had just been unwittingly toyed with by me.
Likely a warrior from the Soaring Heaven Squad.
“You called for me, Branch Head?”
“Yes, thank you for coming this time.”
A remark laced with subtle bite.
The Soaring Heaven Squad warrior awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
“Sorry. The captain threatened that he wouldn’t let me off if I answered your summons.”
“…I figured as much. I understand.”
Seeing the warrior’s apologetic face, Jegal Geunyeong softened his expression and got to the point.
“I haven’t asked until now, but I need to know. What exactly happened in that battle with the lewd demon last time?”
“…Whew. Well, it’s like this.”
With a short sigh, the warrior began his tale.
When the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon started rampaging in Wuhuan again, two squads from the Soaring Heaven Squad were deployed to hunt him down.
Not long after launching a large-scale search, one squad member spotted a woman being lured away by a handsome man.
The squad member immediately fired a signal flare to gather the others, and the pursuit of the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon began.
“We cornered the bastard. We made sure there were no gaps for him to escape.”
“And then? What happened?”
At Jegal Geunyeong’s question, the warrior hesitated to continue.
His face twisted as painful memories resurfaced, but he steadied himself and pressed on.
“The anomaly began right then.”