Chapter 208
Chapter 208
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 208
Chapter Title: In a World Without the Unorthodox Sects
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The head of the sect leader floating in the air.
His face, twisted in rage, falls straight onto the stone floor and rolls across it.
- Thud!
The headless body topples backward with a heavy thud, and only then does blood spurt from the stump, soaking the ground.
The onlookers, momentarily unable to comprehend what had just happened before their eyes, fall into stunned silence.
A beat later, belated screams and sighs erupt.
“The, the sect leader…!”
“The sect leader has been murdered!”
I could feel gazes filled with chaos and terror pressing in on me from all sides.
Of course, paying no mind to such stares, I approached Go Seok-gong.
“…….”
Go Seok-gong looks up at me with eyes brimming with suspicion, his mouth firmly shut.
Facing his face, which seems full of questions, I untied his bonds.
“Is your name Go San?”
“…Yes. But how do you know my name…?”
“It’s a long story, but I came here at your son’s request.”
“My son Hyeon’s request?”
So the kid’s name was Hyeon.
I sliced through the tightly knotted ropes with my sword, freeing Go Seok-gong completely, then checked his condition.
In addition to the wound on his neck sliced by the Righteous Martial Sect leader’s blade, his entire body was covered in bruises from prolonged beatings and gashes torn open by whippings.
He looked quite wretched on the outside.
But when I circulated my qi through his body to check, the internal injuries didn’t seem too severe—only the external ones were bad.
No need for True Qi Healing Technique…
With a small sigh of relief, I grabbed one of Go Seok-gong’s arms and helped him up.
“I’ll escort you home. Let’s go.”
Just as I was about to lead Go Seok-gong out of the Righteous Martial Sect, someone shouted.
“St, stop right there!”
I glanced back to see one of the warriors from the sect leader’s faction step forward.
His hand gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist.
The veins on the back of his hand bulged, as if he might draw it at any moment.
No, he’d just seen his own sect leader killed without even putting up a fight—what kind of guts was this?
Wondering if he’d lost his fear, I tilted my head, but soon realized that wasn’t it.
A faint fear flickered on his face, and his hand trembled visibly.
He was clearly terrified out of his wits.
Puzzled as to why he’d step up like this, I furrowed one eyebrow, and the warrior cried out as if seized by a fit.
“Wh, why did you harm our sect’s leader!”
“…What have you been watching all this time? Fall asleep?”
Absurd, I shot back, and his face flushed red.
“Answer the question! If you don’t…!”
“What’ll you do? Rush me and follow your beloved, respected sect leader to the grave?”
“Th, this…!”
The warrior grinds his teeth, unable to say more.
What a clown.
I snorted and said,
“Why did I kill the sect leader? Simple. He was trash. Trash who tried to kill people, at that.”
“Tr, trash…? How dare you insult the Righteous Martial Sect!?”
“I don’t get how stating facts is an insult. And we’ve got witnesses right here.”
As I adjusted my grip on Go Seok-gong’s arm, trembling gazes turned toward him briefly.
“That man is a criminal who slandered our sect with baseless charges to the authorities! We were merely delivering just punishment…!”
- Thud!
The warrior’s face suddenly paled mid-rant, and he fell silent.
Or rather, I made him.
I stepped forward, binding his body with acupressure, and asked lowly while looking at him.
“Do I look like a fool to you? Don’t you remember what the chief disciple said earlier? That the site overseer and twenty-two Righteous Martial Sect disciples at the construction site died by my hand.”
As I’d said before, I’d only shattered their dantians—they weren’t dead.
But I didn’t bother correcting that.
They’d learn the truth soon enough anyway, and it wasn’t important right now.
“I saw with my own eyes the atrocities you were committing at that construction site, and you think I’d buy that nonsense?”
“…….”
Silence was his only reply—no answer.
Shaking my head, I released the binding.
“Urk…!”
Freed, the warrior collapsed as if his legs had given out.
I looked down at him and said,
“Want the truth? I didn’t plan to end it like this. I was going to cripple the martial arts of every disciple in the Righteous Martial Sect and tear down your sect plaque.”
At my words about intending to destroy the sect, most of the surrounding warriors paled.
Among them, I turned to the opposing faction that had stood against the sect leader.
“But it turns out there are people inside unhappy with the Righteous Martial Sect’s current state. So I’m giving you a chance. A chance to correct your mistakes.”
“…….”
“If you don’t want it, we’ll go with the original plan. Shall we?”
“No need for that.”
The response to my question came from an unexpected direction.
Turning, I saw a new figure pushing through the opposing faction to step forward.
“Who are you?”
“I am Wi Beom-seong, elder of the Righteous Martial Sect. I was the youngest disciple of the previous sect leader.”
The fairly young-looking warrior politely cupped his fists toward me.
“We are grateful that you’ve done what we should have done ourselves.”
“Elder Wi! You’re thanking the murderer who killed our sect leader? Have you lost your mind!?”
The sect leader’s faction grew rowdy at the sight, but it was quickly quelled as the opposing faction surrounded them.
Thanks to me taking down ten of the sect leader’s warriors and killing the leader himself, the balance of power had collapsed.
“Th, this…!”
Faced with clear inferiority, the sect leader’s faction had no choice but to drop their swords and surrender.
Watching that, I turned to Elder Wi.
“Can I leave the rest to you?”
“Of course. I won’t waste the chance you’ve given us, young hero. It may take time, but we will surely restore the Righteous Martial Sect to its former honorable glory.”
Elder Wi’s resolute gaze shifted to Go Seok-gong, whom I was supporting.
“We will also fully compensate Go Seok-gong here and all those unjustly forced into the construction work.”
“If those words turn out false, I’ll come back.”
Even at my warning, Elder Wi didn’t waver.
“Don’t worry. I will keep that promise.”
After staring at his face for a moment, I nodded and finally led Go Seok-gong out of the Righteous Martial Sect.
*
By the time Ja-seong arrived at Go San’s home with him, Go San’s son, Go Hyeon—who had been outside—spotted the two first.
Seeing Ja-seong and the father he was supporting, Go Hyeon’s eyes widened like saucers, and he bolted over like a shot.
“Daddy—!”
His son came running, calling loudly for him, and as soon as Ja-seong released his support, Go San forgot his pain and ran to meet him.
“Hyeon-ah!”
Go Hyeon threw himself straight into his father’s arms, wrapping his tiny hands around his waist.
Soon, the sobs burst forth.
“Waaah—!”
Go San hugged his crying son tightly in his arms, his own eyes reddening as well.
Ja-seong, standing behind, smiled warmly at the father and son.
“H-Honey?”
Was Go Hyeon’s crying too loud?
Go San’s wife came out from inside and saw her husband, returned after three months.
Unlike her young son, who only grasped that his father was back, Go San’s wife covered her mouth at the sight of her husband’s wretched state.
Seeing the tears streaming down her pale, sickly face, Go San approached with his son still in his arms and embraced his wife as well.
After the joyful reunion of the three family members, Go San belatedly remembered Ja-seong.
“Look at me, getting lost in the moment. My benefactor… Huh?”
Turning his head, Go San realized the spot where Ja-seong had stood was now empty, and his face went blank.
The benefactor who had stormed into the heart of the Righteous Martial Sect, toppled the tyrant leader, and saved his life had left without asking for any reward.
Remembering he hadn’t even given proper thanks, Go San bowed deeply toward the spot where Ja-seong had been.
“…Thank you. Truly, thank you.”
And Go Hyeon, standing beside his father, wiped his tears with his sleeve and shouted loudly.
“Benny-factor—! Thank you for bringing Daddy back—!”
It echoed through the whole alley—something Ja-seong would have nitpicked, saying, “That’s benefactor, not benny-factor.”
*
I looked up at the sky, which had already grown dim.
“…Hwa Ryeon must be worried sick.”
It was late—the sunset had long vanished beyond the mountains.
I’d planned to gather info for just a few hours and return to the annex, but I was way too late.
To head straight to the inn annex, I leaped from rooftop to rooftop, crossing the village.
Arriving at the annex, sure enough.
Hwa Ryeon was outside in the chill wind, waiting for me.
Her worried face lit up as I dropped into the courtyard.
“Ja-seong.”
“Why are you out here? It’s getting cold—wait inside.”
I reached out and felt her hand—it was quite cold, as if she’d been out for a long time.
As I wrapped my hands around hers, Hwa Ryeon smiled faintly.
“This much is fine. Does a martial artist who trains think this is a big deal?”
“I do.”
Grumbling lightly, I quickly led Hwa Ryeon inside the room.
Even inside, sitting across from each other at the table, I kept holding her small hand when I sensed two presences approaching the room.
No need to say who—Seol-i and Master.
Master entered and eyed me holding Hwa Ryeon’s hand with a displeased look, while Seol-i chattered and scolded me.
“What on earth were you doing to be this late? Do you know how long we waited?”
“Sorry. I was delayed doing some righteous deeds.”
“…What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Too much to explain now—I’ll tell you later.”
I gave a vague smile to Seol-i’s puzzled expression, then looked around at everyone and asked,
“So, any good info come up?”