Chapter 29
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Exposed
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"It seems they weren't after us, but those women."
"Bro. I'll handle it."
Kwangwoo dashed quickly toward the shadows.
I followed slowly behind him.
Now that the bastard had spotted his target, there was no way he'd slip away right in front of us.
The shadow in the darkness must have noticed Kwangwoo charging toward him, because he flung out a flurry of darts.
Ting!
One of the darts clashed against Kwangwoo's swinging hand and ricocheted into the dark sky.
Zhuge Ji, who had been tilting her wine cup while admiring the moonlight, began twisting her body slightly.
"Is something uncomfortable?"
Namgung Hye looked at her curiously and voiced her concern.
"Ah, no. It's nothing."
Hmm...?
Namgung Hye let out a strange hum and smiled with her eyes.
"Sis. You need to pee, don't you?"
Zhuge Ji was so flustered she didn't know what to do.
"How... how did you know?"
Hehe.
"I twist around just like you when I need to go."
Zhuge Ji flushed red and rose from her seat.
"I'll be right back."
"Where are you going? You can just go right here next to us. The river's noise will drown out everything else."
"How could I do that with you all watching?"
"Then go borrow their outhouse up on that hill."
Zhuge Ji's face grew even redder.
"That's even worse. I'll be quick."
She climbed down from the rock and hurried toward the trees.
Just as Zhuge Ji was about to squat down, a strange noise reached her ears.
Startled, she dropped flat to the ground and scanned her surroundings.
But there was nothing nearby that could threaten her.
What was that? Some kind of sound?
Her curiosity piqued, Zhuge Ji crept silently toward the source.
Ting! Ting!
The sounds grew louder in her ears, accompanied by the voice of someone in distress.
"Who... who are you?"
Peeking over just enough to see where the voice came from, Zhuge Ji's mouth fell open in shock.
Under the moonlight, a massive man was soaring through the air.
And toward that giant of a man, something gleamed in the moonlight as it shot through the air.
Ting! Ting! ...!
The things bouncing off his fists were darts.
After deflecting them all, the giant landed and kicked up toward the masked man's face.
Urk!
The masked man raised his hands to block, but the impact sent him staggering back four or five steps.
The giant closed in on the retreating masked man and drove a fist into him.
Thud! Thump.
With a bone-crunching impact, the masked man crumpled to his knees and pitched forward limply.
"Bro. What do we do? He's dead again."
"You little shit. You killed him on purpose because of Seok Sojeo, didn't you?"
"N-no, bro. I swear."
"Ugh. Bury him."
"Again?"
Zhuge Ji swallowed hard as she overheard the men conversing in the moonlight.
'Again'? That means this isn't the first or second time...
This was no ordinary matter.
Those were definitely the young hunters she'd seen earlier in the day.
But unlike what people knew, they were clearly martial arts masters.
Zhuge Ji even forgot about her urgent need to pee.
As she quietly tried to back away and return, a man's voice reached her ears.
"There's still one little rat left."
Startled, Zhuge Ji whipped around.
A gust of wind streaked past her.
Instinctively, she gripped the sword at her waist.
But something faster slammed her to the ground.
I pinned the beautiful woman beneath me and clamped my hand over her mouth.
Mmph, mmph...
Her clear, round eyes stared up at me in surprise.
"Damn it..."
I'd assumed she was the masked man's accomplice, but the woman I caught was one of those sitting on the rock.
We're screwed. Totally screwed.
I'd struggled so hard to avoid getting tangled in the martial world, but this woman had ruined everything.
Yet I couldn't just kill an innocent woman.
"I won't hurt you, so don't scream."
The woman nodded slightly.
I released my hand from her mouth, and she exhaled the breath she'd been holding.
Phaaa...
The woman stared into my eyes with her clear gaze.
"Now... could you get off me?"
"Ah, sorry."
I quickly moved aside, and she slowly sat up, straightening her clothes.
Even after nearly dying, her composure suggested she was no ordinary woman.
"Who are you?"
"A hunter."
"Don't lie."
"It's true. We're hunters."
She glared at me with suspicion-filled eyes.
Just then, Kwangwoo's voice came from over there.
"Bro. What're you doing?"
Kwangwoo walked over and froze, eyes wide, upon seeing me sitting with the woman.
"You go bury the body first."
"Got it. Hurry up and come, bro."
As Kwangwoo retreated, the woman asked,
"Do hunters bury bodies too?"
"It's not our fault. That guy was after you all."
The woman stared at my face for a moment before giving her name.
"I'm Zhuge Ji."
Only then did I realize she was from the Zhuge Family.
We're in deep shit. Deep shit.
Of all people, from the Zhuge Family.
One of the five great families of the martial world.
I felt myself sinking deeper into the mire.
"Ah... My surname is Go."
Zhuge Ji's voice sharpened, displeased by my evasive answer.
"Can I go now?"
"Promise me one thing, and I'll let you."
I'd spared her life, so maybe she'd keep quiet about this.
But Zhuge Ji dashed my hopes.
"Why should I keep quiet about you two?"
"I want nothing to do with the martial world."
"That's your problem, not mine."
Her bold retort left me seeing stars.
How was I supposed to convince this woman?
Then, an idea flashed in my mind.
"Keep my secret, and I'll give you something amazing in return. It's a formation array—one you've never seen before."
"A formation...? Really?"
"Yes. If I'm lying, you can spread rumors about us, and I won't complain."
Zhuge Ji bowed her head, seemingly pondering my offer.
Just then, women's voices called from afar.
"Sis!"
"Sis! Where are you?"
Hearing them, Zhuge Ji spoke urgently.
"I'll come find you tomorrow. Go now."
"Thanks."
As soon as the strange man vanished, Zhuge Ji suddenly felt the urge again.
She squatted in the bushes and relieved herself.
"Sis!"
"I'm here."
Zhuge Ji emerged from the bushes after finishing.
"Sis, what if something happened? We were worried sick."
"Sorry. I got lost in the moonlight and wandered farther than I thought."
Zhuge Ji feigned nonchalance as she responded to Pang Ok.
"Let's head back now. It's getting too late."
"Yeah? It is a bit late."
The women returned to the rock, packing up the remaining snacks and wine.
Even on the way back to the clan, the women chatted happily.
But Zhuge Ji alone seemed lost in another world, saying nothing.
Excluding Sichuan's Tang Family, who in the martial world is famous for darts?
Those darts gleaming in the moonlight were no ordinary expert's work.
Anyone with such skills had to be a renowned master.
Wait. There's Cho Gu from the Henan Cho Family, called One Dart Killer. And he has ties to the Yangyang Ma Clan.
She guessed the masked man the giant had killed in one blow was One Dart Killer Cho Gu.
Once she pegged the masked man as Cho Gu, the giant seemed even more impressive.
One Dart Killer Cho Gu was fairly well-known in the martial world.
And he'd taken him down in one strike.
Not to mention the man who'd pinned her down.
She'd never seen anyone move that fast.
"What're you thinking about, sis?"
Namgung Hye's question snapped Zhuge Ji back to reality.
"Oh, nothing."
"When are you heading back to the clan? Don't you have to return to the Zhuge Family tomorrow?"
"I'm not sure. But not tomorrow."
"I see."
Namgung Hye's expression seemed off, so Zhuge Ji forced a smile.
She didn't know what formation the Go-surnamed man had.
But it was sure to be one the Zhuge Family knew.
There were few formations in the world unknown to them.
Still, I need to verify it. And learn more about that man.
"Bro. What do we do now? If that woman spreads rumors, even Eldest Brother might come looking."
Kwangwoo was too worried to sleep.
"Quiet down, you idiot. My head's killing me too."
Kwangwoo pouted and hung his head.
"You're always picking on me."
Things were spiraling out of control; I couldn't see a way forward.
"How about we abandon this place and run?"
At this point, fleeing was our only option.
But Kwangwoo thought differently.
"No way. We've finally settled here—why leave? I can't do that, bro."
"You little shit. This is about Seok Sojeo, isn't it?"
"N-no, bro. Seok Sojeo has nothing to do with it. Really."
"Who're you fooling? It's written all over your face."
Kwangwoo wiped his face with both hands.
"Ugh. Pathetic. Just sleep. Rumors haven't spread yet."
"Okay, bro."
As Kwangwoo headed to his room, he turned back suddenly, as if extracting a promise.
"Bro. I'm never leaving. You can't abandon me and go either. Got it?"
"Got it, you fool."
"How did it feel to have a young beauty pinned beneath you?"
Ah... I hate this.
I hated that demon every day, but today especially.
When I didn't respond, the Great Heavenly Demon sneered again.
"Still lost in ecstasy?"
"Cut it out. That woman's already giving me a headache."
Tsk tsk tsk.
"Planning to seal her lips with a formation from Divine Calculator? Good luck with that."
"Why not?"
"Fool. What if she takes the formation and still spreads word about you?"
"Damn it."
The Great Heavenly Demon was right.
Even if she took everything and blabbed, I had no recourse.
I scowled fiercely, which delighted him to no end.
Tsk tsk tsk.
"In the end, you're fated to live in the martial world. You can never escape that yoke."
"Damn. Aren't you clever."
Shing...
The Great Heavenly Demon drew his sword.
I drew mine almost simultaneously.
At times like this, forgetting everything and fighting to a painful death sounded good.
But after drawing, the Great Heavenly Demon sheathed his again.
"Today, I'll show you the 'Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Supremacy Step'."
"What's that?"
Boom!
Before I finished asking, he stomped the ground.
A bizarre vibration traveled through the earth.
Urk!
I retched involuntarily.
"For someone like you, that's all it takes. Anyone else would have dropped to their knees."