Chapter 35
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: This is Troublesome (1)
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“Insolent… bastard!”
“No need for more words. Let's just kill him!”
The Black and White Twins' faces twisted like vengeful spirits as they charged at Moo-jin.
They had roamed the Central Plains for decades, experiencing every kind of ordeal, but this was the first time they'd met such an infuriating punk.
“You bastard!”
Like the ultimate symbol of harmony, the black and white figures split apart, the Black and White Twins targeting Moo-jin's left and right flanks respectively.
On the left, the White Twin created dozens of phantom hands, bewildering the eye,
“Die!”
while on the right, the Black Twin slammed down a fist heavy with power.
Thud- Thump-!
The Black and White Twins' attacks poured down on Moo-jin's body, explosive sounds ripping through the air in rapid succession.
Each strike carried enough force to kill a man, raining down like a storm,
“Sh-Shouldn't we help? What if something happens to Sir Kang?”
Won Yu-hwa stamped her feet anxiously, her hand drifting to her sword hilt.
She wondered if she should jump in herself.
“It's fine. Don't worry.”
But Do-ryang watched the fight with a calm expression.
Even as his boss took hit after hit without respite, he remained utterly composed.
“That's fine?!”
“It's okay when my brother chooses to take the hits.”
Do-ryang had spent enough time with Kang Moo-jin by now to understand him well.
For one, if Moo-jin let himself get hit, it meant the attacks had no effect whatsoever.
No damage meant no reason to dodge.
“My brother often does this to gauge the enemy and provoke them.”
As Do-ryang said, Moo-jin was deliberately allowing the attacks to assess his foes.
But that wasn't the only reason. It was also training for his Immortal Diamond Qi Art.
He absorbed the assailant's released qi energy into his body, using it to refine his technique instead.
“Wow, not bad at all. These old timers have some real skill.”
Not a scratch, not even a flicker in his expression—Moo-jin took every attack from the Black and White Twins and flashed a sly grin.
“Hah… hah…”
“Huff… huff…”
They unleashed over a hundred strikes without a single pause.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they'd poured out more than eighty percent of their strength as they relentlessly pressed Moo-jin.
But.
“How… how is this possible!?”
“This monster…”
Their opponent stood unscathed, without so much as a graze, while the Black and White Twins' legs trembled and sweat soaked them through.
“All good. Solid qi circulation, decent form execution. I'd give you a seven out of ten.”
Moo-jin evaluated the Black and White Twins as casually as if he were spectating a sparring match, then brushed off his palms.
“But a fist goes like this.”
Thump-!
The Black Twin's abdomen took Moo-jin's punch square on, sending him flying backward with drool spilling from his mouth.
He soared so far that from a distance, it might look like he was using lightness skill.
“And palms like this.”
Smack-!
Moo-jin raised his palm high and brought it crashing down on the White Twin's crown.
Crack-!
The White Twin's neck shrank like a turtle's as he burrowed into the ground, buried up to his eyes.
His eyes were rolled back halfway in their sockets.
“Alright. One last chance.”
Squatting in front of the White Twin, Moo-jin grinned like a mischievous kid, his feral aura notwithstanding.
“Die? Or serve under me?”
“...Is that really human?”
Won Jong-do gaped in shock, unable to contain his astonishment.
Mouth and eyes wide, standing there dumbfounded—it was an unseemly sight he rarely allowed, but he couldn't help it now.
The scene before him was too staggering.
'Hard to believe he's even human.'
He might not know martial arts himself, but as a scholar in the palace, he'd seen plenty of the imperial guards' finest warriors.
Yet none—not even the Brocade Guards, the emperor's right hand—had displayed such overwhelming might.
A monster, plain and simple.
No other words came to mind for Kang Moo-jin.
“Sir Kang really is… incredible.”
Won Yu-hwa's gaze deepened as she looked at Moo-jin.
Do-ryang watched her, feeling a mix of pride and a sinking heart.
“Come on, hurry up. Go pieces.”
“Hey… we're old. 'Go pieces' feels off.”
“Give us a different name.”
“Quiet.”
Moo-jin placed his hands on the Black and White Twins' dantians, circulating a spell as they grumbled.
This was the Seal Qi technique he'd learned in the Linked Qi Realm—a spell that could permanently seal an opponent's inner power at the caster's will.
“If you disobey or run, you'll never use qi again. Got it?”
“...Understood.”
“We get it, so change the name.”
The Black and White Twins grumbled with dissatisfied looks.
Following Kang Moo-jin was fine.
Even if forced against their will, a monster—no, a powerhouse like that would offer plenty to learn and grow from.
But 'Go pieces'? That grated.
Black and white mixed together like Go stones? It felt like being treated like stray dogs at their age!
“Fine, what should I call you then?”
“How about Black and White Twins?”
“Twins? You weaklings?”
“Ahem…”
For the first time, the Black and White Twins felt embarrassed by their own moniker.
Calling themselves 'freaks' in front of a real monster felt awkward.
“Alright, Black Stone and White Stone it is.”
“The black and white stones from Go?”
“Yep.”
“...! Much better. Thank you, Sir Kang!”
The Black and White Twins clasped their hands in grateful salute, moved.
“No big deal. It's only right.”
Moo-jin magnanimously placed his hands on Black Stone and White Stone's shoulders.
“...”
Do-ryang watched, tilting his head back slightly with a subtle expression.
Go pieces or black and white stones… weren't they the same thing?
Deep within the palace, in the forbidden altar zone shrouded in rare footfall and darkness.
A place where sunlight hesitated even by day, and candle flames danced wildly at night. There stood an old man with hands clasped behind his back.
Clad in a robe embroidered with a black dragon, blending into the shadows—he was Eom Soong.
“...Another failure?”
“...My apologies.”
Two failures.
Once with assassins from the Dark Hand Society, pros at killing.
Then with the hidden experts, the Black and White Twins.
Forces that could wipe out a sect or family entire—sent twice, both failed.
“I've already sent more men. If you give me time…”
“He'll reach the palace.”
Each failure brought them closer, and the narrowing distance made it harder for Eom Soong to act freely.
Won Jong-do had enough allies who cared for him thanks to his pointless charisma.
“No more failures. Move the army.”
“...!”
His subordinate's pupils shook violently.
The army?
Mobilizing troops would elevate this beyond a mere assassination of Won Jong-do.
The Diamond Escort Agency escorts he'd hired were martial artists, plain and simple.
Sending soldiers would shatter the unspoken boundary between the martial world and the court—a grave incident.
“But the martial world and the court don't infringe on each…”
“Just eliminate evidence and witnesses.”
Eom Soong's eyes gleamed murderously through the thick gloom.
“Kill them all and cover it up.”
Thud-!
“Stand in line straight! The newbie thinks he can slack off?”
Do-ryang smacked the head of one of the recruits trailing in line.
“...Don't hit me.”
Ha-ran, the Ghost Dream Master who—like Black Stone and White Stone—had been thoroughly thrashed and made a subordinate, glared at Do-ryang.
“Oh? Glaring? What're you gonna do about it, newbie?”
“Want to die surrounded by ghosts?”
Ha-ran unleashed purple-eyed fury, as if ready to cast a spell any second.
“...Boss! He's disobeying again!”
Do-ryang quickly signaled Moo-jin.
“...Sorry. I'll stay in line.”
“Good. Act like a newbie. Unless you want another boss beatdown.”
“...Yes.”
Ha-ran was a renowned spellcaster in the Central Plains, but Moo-jin's fists brook no mercy.
And it wasn't just him.
“Hey, you two newbies. Fall in line and follow properly.”
“Yes! Loyalty!”
Un-yeop, the Iron Blood Young Lord said to have steel in his veins, had bled rivers before submitting,
“Don't worry!”
and Sim Jung-cheon, the Mad Dragon Blade infamous for fighting until one side died in his frenzy, had his madness cured by Moo-jin's fists and joined up.
On this journey, Moo-jin had successfully(?) recruited five experts as subordinates.
“Hey. Dreamy, Irony, and Madster.”
Moo-jin called out the newbies' nicknames with a glare.
The three shuddered as if the grim reaper had called their names.
A few punches from Moo-jin had taught them true fear.
“Yes!”
“Shape up. Straight. Or you'll end up like those corpses.”
Moo-jin nodded toward the small hill of bodies piled nearby.
All irredeemable villains by his judgment.
Kang Moo-jin only took on those without innocent blood or crimes like rape on their hands.
“L-Lealty unto death!”
The disciplined trio bobbed their heads furiously.
“Alright, let's move.”
With the last attackers neatly handled, Moo-jin shook his hands and prepared to continue.
“Hm?”
Something caught Moo-jin's eye.
Kicking up dust as it approached: an army of about three hundred soldiers.
“What the—soldiers?”
“...!”
Won Jong-do, peering through his Eight Trigrams mirror, widened his eyes.
“That madman Eom Soong!”
Won Jong-do rarely showed emotion, but this time he couldn't hold it back.
Mobilizing the army? For personal grudges? To kill people with private troops!?
This crossed every line.
“They're coming to slaughter everyone and erase traces.”
Sensing the dire intent from the enemies' aura, Moo-jin stretched and issued orders.
“Dreamy, set up a formation to blind their vision.”
“...Yes. Got it.”
Ghost Dream Master Ha-ran nodded and began casting toward the sky.
“Irony, Madster—you take left and right flanks.”
“Yes!”
Iron Blood Young Lord Un-yeop and Mad Dragon Blade Sim Jung-cheon drew their weapons.
“Black Stone, White Stone—cover front and rear. You four, form the Four Directions Formation to hold them.”
“Understood.”
The Black and White Twins nodded grimly.
Facing the palace army, tension etched every face.
“Escorts, stay back and protect the elders and Young Master Won as best you can.”
“Yes, boss!”
Moo-jin smirked at their rigid expressions.
“Relax. I'll handle the fight alone anyway.”
“...?!”
Do-ryang's eyes bulged.
Alone? Against over three hundred!?
“B-Boss, you don't mean…”
“Be right back.”
Thud-!
Leaving defense to his men, Moo-jin charged straight at the three hundred troops.
Facing the palace's elite soldiers, not a trace of fear showed on his face.
Instead, a fanged grin crept across it.