Chapter 33
Chapter 33
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Castle of a Hundred Ghosts
-----------------------------------------------------------------
All the squad members listened intently to Se Yeong's story.
Even Sa Sa Un, who always wore a sullen expression, had perked up his ears.
"I went out to a big village and investigated who this Mingbu Guisu guy was. Everyone who knew him said he was someone who deserved to be killed. What do you think you would've done if you were in my shoes?"
Se Yeong tossed a heavy question to the squad members.
No one dared break the silence lightly.
They were all lost in deep thought.
Yeonggak, alongside the Six-Character Mantra, was the first to respond.
"Om mani padme hum. As the ancient saying goes, saving one life is far harder than taking a hundred. Even the Buddha would have shown mercy to Mingbu Guisu."
Only after hearing his words did Se Yeong realize why Yeonggak felt both familiar and irritating.
'He takes after his father.'
As a Shaolin monk, it was natural for him to speak of compassion, but his tone and mannerisms were too similar to his father's.
"I... I think I would've forgiven him too."
Se Yeong nodded at Paeng Se Gi's words.
As expected, the guy had a fiery temper but a heart soft as could be.
"I would've pretended not to notice and walked on by."
"Me too."
Not a single squad member suggested killing Mingbu Guisu.
But Squad Leader Kang was different.
"Had it been me, I would've killed him. It's heartbreaking, but that doesn't erase his past sins, does it?"
"You're right."
"So you killed him?"
He hadn't.
He'd stayed in Yeongcheon County for a full ten days, agonizing over it endlessly, but in the end, he couldn't make the call and left.
"I'll have to stop by on the way back from Sabaek Fortress."
"Do that."
A crumbling castle wall came into view in the distance.
The fortress, untouched by human hands, looked downright eerie.
As if it were a haunted house infested with ghosts.
The desolate castle seemed like ghosts might leap out at any moment.
"That's Sabaek Fortress. It's been over thirty years since I last laid eyes on it."
Se Yeong stepped toward Sabaek Fortress, listening to Squad Leader Kang's voice.
"You're not even Tenth Squad. How long do you plan on tagging along?"
Yeonggak gave a monk-like reply straight out of the temple.
"I left to see the world, so I want to wander it. Even this Sabaek Fortress is part of the world—how could a lowly monk like me not take a look?"
"Do whatever you want, monk. Just don't blame me if you die."
"Om mani padme hum. This humble body of mine has enough strength to protect itself."
It looked like a castle on the verge of collapse, but Sabaek Fortress had warriors guarding the main gate.
Two swordsmen with blades at their waists stood watch, but unlike Murim Alliance warriors, their eyes burned with the ferocity of wild beasts.
"What business brings you here?"
Their voices were rough as gravel.
Yi Cheon Yeong stepped forward at their question.
"We are the Tenth Squad of the Murim Alliance's Elusive Squadron, here at the invitation of Sabaek Fortress."
"Invitation from the Murim Alliance? Never heard of it..."
The guards eyed the squad suspiciously before suddenly drawing their swords.
Chaaang...!
"Where do you get off spouting nonsense?!"
The squad members were thrown into confusion.
"It's true. Send word inside."
"Scram if you don't wanna die!"
The guards snarled like they were ready to slit throats right then and there.
"Let's... head back. This Hero Han."
Sa Sa Un, already scared stiff, was the first to retreat.
But Se Yeong didn't flinch in the slightest.
The Murim Alliance wouldn't lie.
Which meant Sabaek Fortress had planned to toy with them from the start.
As the squad looked to Se Yeong in uncertainty, his figure vanished.
Puk!
The guards toppled over, not even knowing what hit them.
Kuh...!
Groans of pain escaped as they knelt and collapsed.
Ugh...!
And the exact same groan came from Sa Sa Un's mouth.
"What are you planning to do, Hero Han?"
Se Yeong ignored him completely.
"Open the gate."
Kugrrr...!
The massive main gate creaked open on rusty hinges, screeching like a banshee.
The sight beyond matched their expectations.
Beyond the vast training grounds stood dilapidated grand halls, and Sabaek Fortress warriors were locked in fierce combat on the grounds.
"Die, you bastard!"
"You die, bastard!"
Some fighters bled profusely, looking every bit like demons from the underworld.
They halted their weapons in unison as the gate opened.
Over a hundred warriors freezing mid-motion plunged the grounds into sudden silence.
"What the hell? Who are they?"
Someone pointed his sword at Se Yeong and the squad.
Se Yeong turned to Paeng Se Gi.
"Yell it out."
"Got it, Brother."
Puk!
Stepping forward, he slammed his iron club into the ground.
"We are members of the Murim Alliance's Elusive Squadron Tenth Squad, here at the invitation of Sabaek Fortress...!"
Paeng Se Gi's shout rang out bold and thunderous.
"What? Murim Alliance scum? Perfect timing, you bastards!"
One warrior gripped his sword and charged.
Paeng Se Gi drew his own blade in response.
Sring.
But before he could, Se Yeong reached for the iron club.
"This mess started because of me, so I'll clean it up."
"Brother...?"
Whoosh...!
A fierce gust whipped up as Se Yeong's figure scattered before the squad's eyes.
The iron club thrust toward the charging killer's aura.
Puk!
It pierced the man's skull and jutted out the back.
As Se Yeong yanked it free, the body crumpled like a ragdoll.
Splat.
The training grounds fell into hushed silence once more.
Sabaek Fortress warriors gawked in shock, and the Tenth Squad was equally stunned.
Killing one of their own in their front courtyard.
"Om mani padme hum."
Thud.
Yeonggak murmured the mantra as Sa Sa Un collapsed bonelessly.
'This madman. Kills a Sabaek Fortress warrior the moment we enter. We're as good as dead now.'
The silence lasted only an instant.
Killing intent, rising like mist, flooded the grounds in a heartbeat.
"Kill them...!"
With guttural cries of death, Sabaek Fortress warriors launched themselves forward.
"Stand down."
But a voice laced with inner power sliced through the thick killing intent.
The surging aura wavered, and the warriors halted.
The newcomer was Ak Su Deok, the man Se Yeong had clashed with at Palace of Light and Darkness.
"Stay out of it, Ak Su Deok...!"
The warriors' killing intent turned on him.
He strode slowly between them and the squad.
"Break me first."
The Sabaek Fortress warriors only bared more savage intent.
"One day, I'll cut your throat."
"That 'one day' won't come till you drop dead."
Ak Su Deok sneered at the man hurling intent.
Se Yeong and the squad found the scene baffling.
They seemed less like allies and more like enemies.
"A dog baring teeth at its master has to be put down."
Grrr...!
As Ak Su Deok unleashed cold killing intent, the warriors ground their teeth and fell back.
"I'm Ak Su Deok."
Turning, he bowed politely.
The squad knew him, but it was Squad Leader Kang's first meeting.
"Kang Seokhyeon."
"An honor to meet you, Squad Leader. Please, come inside."
After exchanging courtesies with Squad Leader Kang, Ak Su Deok glanced at Yeonggak, arms full of weapons.
Yeonggak clutched them to his chest and bowed.
"Om mani padme hum. I am Yeonggak of Shaolin."
"Never expected a Shaolin disciple in Tenth Squad. I'm Ak Su Deok."
"I joined recently."
Yeonggak's eyes didn't waver as he lied.
"Welcome. Follow me."
Se Yeong and the squad trailed him deeper inside.
"What's your first impression of Sabaek Fortress?"
Ak Su Deok asked half-jokingly.
Se Yeong answered bluntly, no holds barred.
"Like a hundred ghosts scrapping it out."
Hahaha...!
Ak Su Deok burst into hearty laughter, clearly pleased.
He led them to a small hall that was worn but clean.
"Rest inside."
The squad entered and took seats.
As they settled, the door opened and a young warrior stepped in.
Unlike the training ground fighters, his eyes and demeanor weren't feral.
He set tea on the table and left without a word.
Yi Cheon Yeong whispered as he departed.
"He's one of the warriors who came to the Murim Alliance as an envoy, Hero Han."
"I know."
Se Yeong remembered the young man's face too.
It was too soon to judge, but Sabaek Fortress seemed split in two.
The training ground warriors felt unorthodox evil, while Ak Su Deok and the young man seemed a bit removed from that.
Se Yeong eyed Yeonggak, still hugging weapons.
"How long you gonna carry those around?"
"I was running with lightness skill the whole way—no time to stow them."
Is there another blockhead like this in the world?
Irritated, Se Yeong grabbed the teacup and downed it in one go.
Gulp...!
The squad jumped as he drank without suspicion.
"What if it's poisoned?!"
"If they wanted us dead, they'd have acted already."
Paeng Se Gi followed Se Yeong's lead and drank.
"Brother's right. If they meant to kill us, they wouldn't stoop to poison."
Se Yeong, having drunk first, felt a prank coming on.
"My stomach's hurting weirdly."
Rubbing his belly, Paeng Se Gi's face drained of color.
"...Pardon?"
Kekeke...!
Se Yeong grinned at his panic.
"Brother!"
Realizing the joke, Paeng Se Gi flushed red.
Hahaha...!
Kekeke...!
The squad relaxed and laughed along.
Se Yeong looked around at them.
"Don't tense up too much. Laugh when it's tense—that's when things go smooth."
Their stiff faces softened bit by bit.
"Understood, Hero Han."
About half a shichen later, Ak Su Deok returned and called for Se Yeong.
"Come with me."
"Just me?"
Ak Su Deok nodded and left the room.
Se Yeong rose to follow.
"I'll come too, Brother."
"Wait here. I'll be back, Squad Leader."
"Be careful."
"No worries."
Se Yeong tucked Shi Wol—one of the two swords—into his belt alongside the iron club and stepped out.
Ak Su Deok headed deep inside.
"Where are we going?"
"The Lord wants to see you."
Se Yeong halted unconsciously, stunned.
He hadn't imagined meeting the unorthodox overlord so soon.
"Scared?"
Se Yeong smirked at Ak Su Deok's question.
How could fear not stir when facing the unorthodox overlord soon?
But curiosity burned far stronger and deeper.
"Should I just turn back if I'm scared?"
"He said to let you go if you want."
Kekekeke...!
"Hurry up."
The unorthodox overlord—face unknown—was one cool bastard.
Ak Su Deok paused before a dense thicket.
"Go on in. And please come out alive."