Chapter 34
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: I'll Let You Live (5)
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‘No way…!’
The pupils of Poison Eagle Sa Mu-yeong trembled like aspen leaves.
He had unleashed a full handful of the deadly Blue Snake Poison, enough to kill with a single drop, transforming it into a toxic mist.
Infused with his inner energy, this poison seeped through the seven apertures even if one held their breath—a death sentence impossible to evade.
How in the world could anyone pierce through that toxic mist to launch an attack?!
‘Th-this…!’
Kang Moo-jin’s fist shot forward, shattering the air and filling Sa Mu-yeong’s vision.
The air around the fist warped, the weight of a Thousand Jin Hammer crushing down on Sa Mu-yeong’s body.
It felt as if the earth itself were pinning him in place, refusing to let him move.
‘I-I’m done for…!’
The punch carried the heaviness of a mountain yet struck like a bolt of lightning.
There was no room to dodge, no space to even breathe.
Kwaaaang-!
A streak of blinding light pierced straight into Sa Mu-yeong’s brow.
“This… monster…”
Sa Mu-yeong’s face crumpled like a wad of paper, his body hurled backward.
Thud-
His form collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
“A punk who hasn’t even reached the Flower Realm, acting all high and mighty.”
Kang Moo-jin, who had slain the assassin leader with a single fist, turned to face the remaining killers.
The assassins battling the Iron Fist Squad were holding their own at first, but one by one, they spat blood and crumpled under the squad’s relentless fists.
“Nothing special.”
Scoffing at Sa Mu-yeong’s corpse, Moo-jin strode toward the surviving assassins to crush them.
The fight with the assassins ended in less than a quarter of an hour.
For the Iron Fist Squad, dealing with killers who had lost their will after their leader’s death was easier than smashing iron pillars with bare hands.
“T-to think the Diamond Escort Agency was this strong!”
Jeong Oh, the eunuch who had cowered behind the Palin Cart, trembling, finally crawled out after the battle ended. His face flushed with excitement as he snorted.
“I thought it was just some no-name escort agency. Incredible! To possess such formidable might!”
“…”
Veins bulged on Moo-jin’s forehead.
Seeing the eunuch who had done nothing during the fight now yapping away, his fists clenched involuntarily.
“B-brother. You can’t hit him.”
Sensing the ominous atmosphere, Do-ryang sidled up to Moo-jin.
“I won’t hit him. I’ll just squeeze him a bit.”
“Squeeze him?”
Ignoring Do-ryang’s puzzled head-tilt, Moo-jin approached Jeong Oh.
“Hey.”
“Y-yes?!”
“You saw that fight just now, right?”
“Ah! Yes! Of course.”
Jeong Oh, who had learned some manners after the morning scuffle, nodded eagerly.
“It was a magnificent battle!”
“Good. Then you’ll give us the proper reward, of course?”
“R-reward?”
“Yeah. My guys just busted their asses fighting those assassins. And some got hurt.”
Jeong Oh tilted his head at that.
He had hidden behind the Palin Cart and watched the entire fight vividly, yet he hadn’t seen a single Diamond Escort warrior take a hit.
“H-hurt?”
“Yeah. Can’t you see my boys groaning in pain?”
Moo-jin shot a fierce glare at the Iron Fist Squad behind him.
“Aigoo…”
“Ugh. My back.”
“Urk! My leg. My leg… muscle pain…!”
As if on cue, the Iron Fist Squad members hit the ground the moment Moo-jin’s gaze landed, wailing dramatically.
“N-no way…”
Just as the baffled Jeong Oh struggled for words—
“Heh heh. They saved our lives, so of course we’ll pay up.”
Won Jong-do approached with a sly smile, nodding.
“I stake my name on it, so worry not.”
“Thank you, sir. Will you handle the compensation separately for us?”
“Ho ho… Ambitious fellow, aren’t you?”
A glint flashed in Won Jong-do’s eyes as he regarded Moo-jin.
“As you see, we need to treat the wounded.”
“Aigoo… Aigoo…”
“Urgh. My headache and toothache!”
Moo-jin shrugged shamelessly.
“Heh heh. We’ll cover the porters too.”
“Thank you.”
“Pfft…”
Won Yu-hwa clamped a hand over her mouth at the sight of the Iron Fist Squad sprawled on the ground.
The warriors who had fought so bravely moments ago now butchering their acting made laughter bubble up uncontrollably.
“You look much better now.”
“Better… than before.”
Won Yu-hwa, who had seen a corpse for the first time in her life, had been too shocked to move properly.
If Kang Moo-jin hadn’t enveloped her in his inner energy, it would have been twice as hard for her.
“Thank you, Hero Kang.”
“No big deal.”
Flashing a slight smile at Won Yu-hwa, Kang Moo-jin turned to Won Jong-do.
“Any idea who’s behind this?”
“Probably Eom Soong’s doing.”
The worst traitorous minister in history, Eom Soong.
With Emperor Zhu Houzong uninterested in court politics, Eom Soong wrought havoc from the shadows as the vilest of villains.
Killing for profit was child’s play; extortion, rape, assault—he committed every crime imaginable.
“The Emperor just lets that slide?”
“His Majesty… has no interest in politics.”
Won Jong-do equivocated with a troubled expression.
That reaction solidified Moo-jin’s view of the Emperor.
“That Emperor’s a total bastard.”
“…!”
Moo-jin folded his arms without hesitation, stunning Won Jong-do and Jeong Oh as if struck by lightning.
“But that’s the Emperor who summoned you, sir?”
“Grandfather says so, but I think differently.”
Won Yu-hwa, who had been listening quietly, stepped forward.
“No military escort, all these oddities. And the Emperor never cared much about his children anyway.”
“Yu-hwa, that’s just suspicion…”
“Grandfather, after this ambush, what more proof do we need? That traitor Eom Soong is clearly plotting to kill you. That’s why he’s luring you to the palace.”
“Hmm.”
Moo-jin furrowed his brow as he listened.
So… this Eom Soong traitor had set up a scheme to kill the Grand Scholar?
‘Damn. I figured something annoying would crop up.’
This was even more troublesome than he’d anticipated.
What was it like? Stepping in dog shit on the road, maybe?
“Anyway, let’s go. We’ve got a job to finish.”
No matter if Eom Soong pulled strings behind the scenes, it was outwardly an imperial decree from the Emperor.
Won Jong-do had no right to refuse, and Moo-jin had to escort him to the palace.
“Hero Kang… is it safe?”
Meeting Won Yu-hwa’s worried gaze, Kang Moo-jin nodded calmly.
“No need to worry. I’ll give it my all.”
Won Yu-hwa drew strength from Moo-jin’s mountain-like resolve and impassive face, lifting the corners of her mouth as she nodded.
“I’ll trust you, Hero Kang. Thank you.”
* * *
Fortunately, no incidents occurred for the next two days after the Shadow Society’s ambush.
Kang Moo-jin and the escorts proceeded toward Beijing in astonishing peace.
Kang Moo-jin yawned with a bored expression.
“Why haven’t these bastards shown up? So damn boring.”
“Boss, isn’t it better if no one comes?”
Do-ryang, walking at the front in step with Moo-jin, tilted his head.
Peace is good, right?
“Tsk tsk. Do-ryang, you still only know women. You’re clueless about the world.”
“Boss, I’ve lost interest in women now.”
“Sure you have. Staring at Miss Won the whole time.”
“Ah. Busted.”
Do-ryang scratched the back of his head.
“I tried to talk to her, but she seems interested in someone else.”
“Someone else? Who?”
“…?”
Do-ryang gave Moo-jin a baffled look.
How could he not see those starry eyes?!
“…Never mind. Just explain why more ambushes are better.”
“Simple.”
Moo-jin curled his thumb and index finger into a circle.
“Every time we fight, those folks pay us more, right? So more attackers mean more money.”
“What if really strong ones show up? Aren’t you worried, boss?”
Moo-jin snorted at the question.
“Worried? Only about making less coin on this trip.”
Stretching lazily with a bored look, Moo-jin halted.
He sensed an ominous aura from two middle-aged men blocking the Palin Cart’s path.
“Ho ho.”
A glint crossed Moo-jin’s eyes.
“Do-ryang, halt the Palin Cart.”
“Huh?”
“Money’s rolling in… er, customers have arrived.”
Clapping fist to palm with a pang!, Moo-jin grinned and approached the two men.
Two middle-aged men barred the open road.
One wore robes white as snow, the other black as night—like a perfect yin-yang pair standing in stark contrast.
“You’ve come this far unscathed.”
The white-robed man spoke first.
His voice was light and sharp as wind, his gaze keen as a blade from a snowy peak.
“Turn back and abandon the Palin Cart. Do that, and I’ll spare your lives.”
“Or resist if you like. You’ll die either way.”
The black-robed man added gravely.
His voice rumbled like thunder deep in a valley.
“Choose.”
“Choose.”
The two unleashed powerful auras.
The white-robed man’s was icy as frost, the black-robed’s heavy as Mount Tai.
“Hmm. Not bad.”
The pressure crushed Moo-jin harder than even the Glutton Demon Baek Rin-ho’s aura.
So intense that spiderweb cracks spidered across the ground beneath his feet.
“Did Eom Soong send you too?”
“We don’t reveal our clients.”
As Moo-jin eyed them curiously, Do-ryang shouted urgently.
“Boss! Be careful! Those are the Black-White Twin Freaks!”
“Black-White… what?”
The Black-White Twin Freaks were absolute masters renowned in the martial world.
They had reached the exalted Flower Realm.
Twenty years ago, they vanished without a trace, but before that, no one in the Central Plains hadn’t heard their names.
“Trash?”
“No! They’re not evil—they’re unaffiliated masters between righteous and demonic.”
Unaffiliated meant gray-area wanderers, neither righteous nor demonic.
In other words, they didn’t massacre commoners or extort the innocent.
“Hmm. Not quite kill-worthy, then.”
Moo-jin’s smile deepened.
This felt like a golden chance to earn cash and snag a slave… er, subordinate like Ma Du-gwang.
“Hey, checkers duo.”
“…?! You insolent brat…!”
“How dare you…!”
One word turned the Black-White Twin Freaks’ faces beet red. Moo-jin arrogantly lifted his chin.
“I’ll give you a chance. Surrender.”
“Ha! Surrender?! Have you lost your mind?”
The Twin Freaks sneered at him.
“What would we gain by submitting to the likes of you?”
“Oh, what you’d gain?”
Kang Moo-jin crossed his arms, smirking with one corner of his mouth raised.
His slightly protruding canine emphasized his roguish charm.
“I’ll let you live.”