Chapter 15
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: First Escort Mission (1)
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"Hey, you bastard! My clothes are torn!"
Kang Moo-jin, his face twisted in rage as he snorted heavily, raised his hand to his shoulder.
'Wh-what's torn?'
The flustered Crimson Flame Gang Leader Gu Ma-seok blinked in confusion.
'Did I hear that wrong?'
He couldn't comprehend how this rock-solid body had blocked his ultimate technique without a scratch. But even more incomprehensible was the guy's reaction.
'Right now... he's worried about his clothes? In this situation?!'
Normally, wouldn't someone be shocked at blocking a killing blow barehanded, or at least put on an arrogant face? Or mock him with something like, "Is that all you've got?"
But no... all he says is his clothes are torn?
Even if his ultimate technique hadn't worked, this crossed the line. It was blatant, excessive disdain.
"You... dare to mock me, Gu Ma-seok...?!"
Gu Ma-seok's pupils dilated in outrage.
Eh?
Where he expected to see the cocky, arrogant Kang Moo-jin, his vision was empty.
All he saw was one thing.
A black shadow filling his entire field of view.
This is... a palm?
Gu Ma-seok realized the mysterious object blotting out his sight was Kang Moo-jin's palm.
And at the same moment.
SMACK-!
A sound like a sturdy club shattering rang out, and Gu Ma-seok's head snapped to the side.
His cheek fat rippled like waves to the right, his face distorting to one side,
SPLURT-!
and a perfect arc of nosebleed sprayed out. Defying gravity, his body floated into the air.
'Ah... so this is ascension?!'
Feeling that wondrous sensation of drawing closer to the sky, Gu Ma-seok closed his eyes.
THUD-
Gu Ma-seok, unconscious and limp, crashed to the floor in a spread-eagle position,
"Gahk!"
and landed squarely on top of the fleeing patrol agent I-mok.
BAM-
Unable to withstand the gang leader's heavy weight, I-mok slammed his forehead into the floor and passed out.
Or rather, pretended to.
True to his cunning evil sect warrior nature, he seized the moment to fake unconsciousness. It was the only way to avoid getting hit by Kang Moo-jin again.
"G-Gang Leader!"
"Are you alright, Big Brother?!"
His subordinates rushed toward Gu Ma-seok, whose face had swollen up from just one slap, drool leaking as he lay unconscious.
"..."
The gang leader didn't respond. His mouth hung slack, as if lost in a sweet dream.
"You bastard!"
"How dare you to our gang leader!?"
The subordinates masked their faces with fury and circulated their internal energy.
Though the gang leader had fallen far more easily than expected, they had no intention of letting Moo-jin go.
They were determined to make this arrogant invader invading Shanxi Province's Three Great Evil Factions' Crimson Flame Gang pay.
"You must be suicidal."
"I'll kill you, you dog bastard."
"I'll tear your body to shreds along with those clothes!"
The Crimson Flame Gang's captains hurled hoarse curses and threats at Moo-jin like they'd stuffed rags in their mouths.
Yet not one of them charged in recklessly.
The intense image Moo-jin had just shown was burned into their minds, holding back their blind rage.
"What are you waiting for? Scared?"
"You bastard! Who said we're scared?!"
"We're just waiting for an opening, you punk!"
Moo-jin sneered at the loudmouthed Crimson Flame Gang thugs who lacked the guts to charge.
"Fine. You look terrified, so I'll give you an opening."
Moo-jin stepped forward. The captains flinched back a step.
"I'll stand still, so come attack me."
"...?"
"I won't move a muscle, so come on in. Attack me, I said."
"...!"
The Crimson Flame Gang captains' faces twisted at the sight of Moo-jin folding his arms under his armpits with an arrogant smirk.
"You mad bastard! Storming our main base and acting all high and mighty!?"
"You're suicidal. Fine, we'll indulge you."
"You'd better not be lying. If this is a trick..."
"Do I look like someone who'd play games?"
"...You don't."
Crimson Flame Gang Elder Joo Gwan nodded to Elder Mae Sa-cheong before speaking.
"Foot soldiers, fall back. Officers, step up. Everyone attack him at once."
Whoooong-
Joo Gwan poured internal energy into his sword, manifesting sword energy over the humming blade.
'Arrogant fool. You'll pay for that arrogance with your life.'
Dumping eighty percent of his internal energy into the blade, Joo Gwan sent a transmission to Elder Mae Sa-cheong.
-Go all out and kill him.
-Good. I'll use my signature ultimate technique right away.
Sensing the ominous aura from the two elders' swords, the other officers followed suit, channeling all their energy.
'Stupid bastard. The Crimson Flame Gang isn't just its leader.'
Most evil sects were nothing without their leader—just weaklings clustering under one strong fighter.
But the Crimson Flame Gang was different.
Mae Sa-cheong and Joo Gwan possessed power rivaling the gang leader, and the officers combined could match elder level.
In short, all of them together equaled three gang leaders' worth of power!
"Now!"
"Kill him!"
Mae Sa-cheong, Joo Gwan, and the officers unleashed their signature techniques through their weapons.
Silent Heron Sword Art. Plain Finger. Single Soul Sword Art. Soul-Shattering Palm. Iron Blood Sword Art, and more.
A barrage of ultimate techniques from diverse weapons rained down on Moo-jin.
"...!"
"B-Big Bro!"
The subordinates watching from behind paled at the spectacle of dozens of blades pouring down like rain.
The attacks from the Crimson Flame Gang elders and officers were so threatening they instinctively reached for their weapons.
If Moo-jin hadn't repeatedly insisted they stay back, they would have blocked his front long ago.
No warrior could idly watch their trusted lord die.
BOOM-! KABOOM-! CRUNCH-!
Attacks that would be burdensome to block one by one collided with Moo-jin's body, erupting in thunderous roars.
Energy waves burst out, yellow sparks flying everywhere.
It was like dozens of shells concentrating fire on one spot.
"Stupid fool. It's over...!"
One officer smirked darkly, feeling his technique land true. Or tried to.
"...?!"
"Gasp?!"
The officers' eyes trembled at the unbelievable sight.
Moo-jin's body, struck by dozens of blades, techniques, fists, and feet, was utterly unscathed!
"N-No way!"
"Impossible...!"
Everyone was aghast. Jaws dropped, pupils quaking.
"Urgh!"
"M-My arm! My arm...!"
The officers who struck with fists and feet had their fingers broken, fists twisted, injuring themselves instead,
"Th-The sword?!"
"No way. My Moonlight Sword made of darksteel... broke?!"
and swords or sabers chipped, snapped in half.
"Impossible! How did he withstand all our attacks?!"
Crimson Flame Gang Leader Mae Sa-cheong spat in disbelief.
Surviving the gang leader's attack was understandable—good luck, passable.
But enduring the elders', officers', and everyone's signature ultimates with his body alone?!
'Could he really have reached... the Diamond Indestructible realm?!'
That legendary state from ancient tales?
Mae Sa-cheong couldn't believe his eyes.
"How long do you plan to cling on?"
"...!"
Moo-jin, expression impassive, lifted his knee to his waist and stomped the ground, unleashing a ground-shaking stance.
BOOM-!
His foot, loaded with energy at the Yongcheon acupoint, exploded qi on impact,
"Urgh!"
"Keurk!"
and the officers, unable to withstand the storm-like blast, tumbled away across the floor.
"Tch!"
"Hup!"
Mae Sa-cheong and Joo Gwan, proving their elder titles weren't won by gambling, barely held, but their stances wavered.
'What kind of energy is this...!'
To shake peak experts with mere qi wave.
Only a monster honed sharp by slaughtering thousands could manage that.
"I'll specially send you to your gang leader's side."
Moo-jin infused his palm with energy. It seemed to double in size—not actually growing, but the massive qi manifesting visibly.
"Stop clinging so disgustingly and get lost."
WHOOSH-!
Moo-jin swung the qi-laden palm,
SMACK-!
and the two elders, slapped across the cheeks, had their jaws whip around, spun three times in midair, and crashed hard to the floor.
"Kuhk..."
"Ugh..."
Mae Sa-cheong and Joo Gwan touched their beet-red swollen cheeks in disbelief.
When was the last time they'd been slapped?
Since reaching the supreme peak realm, they'd never dreamed of such absurdity.
Yet this guy downed two peak experts with mere slaps...
'He's a monster, plain and simple.'
The two elders bowed their heads, admitting defeat.
Moo-jin's figure loomed like an insurmountable wall.
"...Impossible."
"The elders... taken down so easily...!?"
The few conscious officers stared up at Moo-jin in shock.
Facing a monster who soloed their leader, elders, and officers left no will to fight.
How do you fight something that takes signature ultimates without a scratch?
"Insignificant pests barking like that. Begging to die."
Moo-jin cracked his neck side to side with pops, glaring ferociously at the remaining Crimson Flame Gang warriors.
His demeanor and aura closer to an evil sect boss than an escort agency's young master made them shudder involuntarily.
"The Crimson Flame Gang ends today. From now on, you'll pay tribute to me."
"No more sucking the blood of the common folk."
"Ask Ma Du-gwang of the Silver Push Sect for details. He's your new gang leader."
Moo-jin, dominating the hall with overwhelming presence, finished speaking and turned to leave with his subordinates—then paused.
"Oh, right. Almost forgot."
Cracking his knuckles with a press, Moo-jin shot a menacing glare.
"Earlier, some bastard said he tore my clothes."
The Crimson Flame Gang thugs avoided his fierce gaze, glancing at each other.
His eyes demanded the culprit step forward before fists flew.
"Step up now. Come clean, and it's just one hit. Hide, and you all die."
"..."
Murmurs rippled through the Crimson Flame Gang thugs.
Not complaints at his unfairness—they were hunting the culprit to avoid the hit themselves.
"Ten seconds."
"..."
They eyed each other warily.
Gazes stabbed: crawl out first.
"...Three. ...Two."
"Here! Him! It was this guy. I saw him earlier!"
One sharp-eared thug pointed at patrol agent Sa-mok.
"...!"
Sa-mok, hiding among the captains with head bowed, paled blue.
'B-Betrayed by a fellow captain!'
'Gotta survive first, punk. Who said that?!'
Patrol agent Sa-mok glared resentfully at his comrade, sighed deeply, and stepped forward.
Watching Sa-mok dragged like to the execution block, patrol agent I-mok thought,
'Good thing it's not just me.'