Chapter 148
Translator: penny
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: Enforcement Hall Confrontation
"That old man's lost his mind..."
My muttered words brought silence to the Enforcement Hall.
Sensing it was still a bit short of the mark, I tossed in one more line.
"Tsk tsk, a senile old coot like that serving as an elder. The Murim Alliance has really hit rock bottom."
The reaction I wanted came immediately.
"You... you insolent punk!!"
Not content with just stammering, the Patrol Hall Leader shot to his feet.
I replied in a bored tone.
"Oh, that was just me talking to myself. Did you hear it?"
"You asking if I just heard that? You've truly gone mad!!"
Even the one who'd been on my side earlier was now frowning, clearly thinking I'd gone too far.
But I answered even more brazenly.
"You were spouting such lunacy with such confidence, I thought some barrier must've been cast. Severing the meridians and crippling the dantian? Is that something you say in front of the person it concerns?"
The guy clamped his mouth shut, clearly stung.
And rightly so—that suggestion was utterly absurd.
Yes, I'd broken Nangong Chan's limbs, but those would heal fine with time.
Bones even grew stronger after breaking, after all.
But meridians were different.
Even minor damage lingered for ages, and severing them meant no recovery for life.
To do that to all four limbs?
And cripple the dantian too?
This was far worse than a simple execution.
Death ended it all, but this punishment meant a lifetime of being cared for like an invalid.
In truth, only the most unforgivable demonic fiends ever faced such a fate.
Like... me in my previous life, when I was the Lecherous Demon?
'But even my crimes weren't that severe.'
Of course, he probably never intended to actually impose that punishment on me.
It was just negotiation tactics—start with a harsh demand so anything less seems too lenient.
Still... that crossed the line.
The Enforcement Hall fell silent once more.
Then the woman who'd been eyeing me spoke up.
"Mok Jimyeong, was it? The Patrol Hall Leader seems to have gotten a bit heated over his nephew's injuries and spoken out of turn. Let's all calm down."
A stunning beauty in her forties.
Her age kept my heart from stirring, but her looks rivaled any young maiden's.
That wasn't the only reason she'd caught my eye, though.
'The Sword Queen...!'
She was the one who'd become my second sister's master later on.
So this wasn't our first meeting, in a way.
About two years from now—in my previous life, after the Great Orthodox-Demonic War—she'd visited our Mok Family Clan.
I hadn't realized it then, but she was incredibly strong.
She could even stand toe-to-toe with the current Murim Alliance Leader.
'My odds of winning head-on... four-to-one? No, maybe three-to-one?'
Pure martial prowess gave me four-to-one, but recalling my second sister's swordsmanship under her dropped it to three.
Not that it mattered right now.
"Ahem, my apologies. I couldn't help myself after hearing such nonsense..."
I responded with considerable courtesy.
She'd be my second sister's master, after all.
The Patrol Hall Leader twitched his brow, clearly displeased.
"Fine. I misspoke as well. But your crimes are clear, and you show no remorse whatsoever. What would you do if something like this happens again?"
His sudden formality was grating, but the question cut deep.
I wouldn't hold back if it happened again.
After a moment's thought, instead of answering honestly, I threw a question back.
"You're the Patrol Hall Leader, right? Who in the world is the person you love most?"
"...Why do you ask?"
His face filled with suspicion, as if he thought I was plotting revenge.
But that wasn't my petty intent.
"Suppose I insulted that person right here, right now. What would you do? Say I called her a filthy bitch, specifically. Would you just laugh it off and bear it?"
"..."
He had no reply.
Of course not—he couldn't say yes, nor no.
I met the eyes of the other eight judges.
"I had the person I love most insulted right in front of me. In front of her, no less. Am I supposed to just take that? Could any of you?"
Some nodded in empathy; others still looked dissatisfied.
The Sword Queen interjected.
"I can see how that'd be hard to endure. But this brings a question for you, Mok Jimyeong."
Of all people, the Sword Queen.
Awkward.
With others, I could've bulldozed through, but I had reason to stay on her good side.
'Sigh, if not for my second sister...'
I let out a quiet internal sigh and answered politely.
"What would you like to know about me?"
"It's hard to believe even seeing it, but you've reached the Harmony Realm. Is that correct?"
My realm was no secret anymore.
All nine judges here were in the Harmony Realm anyway—no point hiding it.
"Yes, that's right."
I'd half-expected a question about my origins, but she went elsewhere.
"And as far as I know, Nangong Chan is still at the Peak Realm. Those below might not grasp it, but we know the gap all too well."
I knew where she was going.
The gap between Harmony and Peak was just one step, but wider than adult versus child.
The Sword Queen posed the question I'd anticipated.
"So as a seasoned expert, you could've shown mercy. What do you say to that?"
No proper adult gets truly angry at a child's taunts.
If they did, they weren't proper adults.
That was her point.
But I had my prepared excuse.
"I admit it. That's why I gave Nangong Chan two chances. Once on the first day here in the outpost, when he picked a fight at the drinking party. And again the morning of the incident, when he tried some childish scheme to harm me. For reference, Sword Phoenix, Spear Phoenix, and Blade Dragon were at the drinking party—you can verify with them. And every White Tiger Unit member saw the morning incident."
Of course, Moyong Hui had talked me down the first time, and the White Tiger Leader the second... but how would they know that?
"As you said, I showed plenty of mercy. But enduring it three times... and an insult to the one I love? That was too much."
All the justification the orthodox sects prized so highly was on my side.
Without background or power, it might've meant nothing, but I could wield it effectively.
The Sword Queen nodded, seemingly satisfied.
Then the Patrol Hall Leader, who'd been listening quietly, cut in again.
"You say you couldn't endure an insult to your loved one. But is that true? Or did you just go overboard because Sword Dragon was weaker than you? If I, an elder of the Murim Alliance, insulted your beloved here, could you act the same?"
He'd prepared quite the arsenal of attacks.
A typical martial artist might falter here.
But I wasn't typical.
"That's an odd question. Patrol Hall Leader, do you know Four Black Alliance elder Chu Munrak?"
Of course he did.
Same rank in a rival faction.
The reason I'd kept killing Chu Munrak secret was simple.
I hadn't been confident facing the Four Black Alliance alone yet.
But now? It didn't matter if it came out.
'The Great Orthodox-Demonic War is coming soon anyway.'
I'd worried it might not happen after saving Sa Hye-rin and foiling the Mount Song Family's plot, but living in the Murim Alliance confirmed it would.
The White Tiger Unit alone was itching for battle—how could it be stopped?
So I revealed what I'd kept hidden.
"I killed him in Beijing. I've already slain a Four Black Alliance elder. An Alliance elder doing it in front of me...? Do you really have the guts to insult Hyea to my face?"
This was exactly why I'd told Cheon Woojin not to bring Moyong Hui.
The Enforcement Hall was political.
But I lacked political backing.
Sure, my Hyea had worked hard, but her Moyong Family was just one of the Five Great Families—hardly dominant.
So what was my best play?
Intimidation.
Politics boiled down to seeking gain and avoiding loss.
I couldn't promise gains, but I could promise pain.
I unleashed the inner energy I'd been suppressing.
Not quite at the vast sea level of old, but enough to crush most Harmony Realm experts.
At the same time, I unleashed my full aura, staring him down.
"Are you truly prepared to fight me, Mok Jimyeong?"
For the record, I was.