Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Moon Maiden (Yue Nu) - [3]
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Hong Na-yeon was the deputy leader of the escort squad. It was a command position, but purely honorary.
Her real job was more like a caretaker for the elderly. Her primary duty was tending to the Moon Maiden by her side.
Hong Na-yeon stood before the Moon Maiden and asked,
"You're in a good mood today, aren't you?"
The Moon Maiden's lips curved into a subtle smile as she replied,
"Yeah, I am. It's been so long since I've seen my master."
"Your master? Do you mean the Perfected One you met at Juwan Mountain?"
As the Moon Maiden nodded, Hong Na-yeon forced a smile. In her mind, she thought,
A reunion with someone from a hundred years ago?
Is she talking about that young man we met today?
Hong Na-yeon tried not to let her expression harden.
Seeing her unable to distinguish between past figures and the present made her condition seem severe, but there was no need to be surprised anew. The Moon Maiden's state had been deteriorating for months now.
Lately, she seemed trapped in the past. She would suddenly bring up old stories unrelated to the conversation, treating the people before her as if they were figures from her memories.
'She usually just lounges around listlessly, but today her face lit up with energy, so I thought she was doing better... Guess not.'
As Hong Na-yeon pondered this, Ha Ah-rin recalled the master she had met today.
That young man was definitely the master she remembered. So, her words just now weren't exactly a mix-up between past and present.
Still, her condition was clearly poor. Normally, she would have kept such things secret, but she'd blurted them out. It meant her judgment had largely faded.
The Moon Maiden repeated herself,
"I am. It's been so long since I've seen my master."
Hong Na-yeon flinched mid-smile.
A single sword blade grazed past her shoulder.
It was the Four Tiger Sword bestowed by Emperor Gojong upon his royal guard. No one had thrown it, nor was it manipulated by threads—it flew through the air on its own, returning to its master.
Gripping the Four Tiger Sword, the Moon Maiden began her sword dance. It might have just been sword practice, but to others, it looked like a dance.
Amid a mix of awe and anxiety, Hong Na-yeon cautiously backed toward the wall. She watched Korea's greatest martial artist with reverent eyes. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Martial Alliance had urgently contacted the peerless masters and the billion-won experts for a worthy cause.
It was to capture a major martial offender—the leader of the Demonic Cult, no less.
Before the assembled martial artists, a Martial Alliance enforcer announced,
"Today, we have finally pinpointed the location of the Demonic Cult leader."
The Patriotic Great Hero asked,
"You mean the self-proclaimed Heavenly Demon?"
"Yes. The Martial Alliance interrogated the drug dealers handed over by the Young Mistress of O Family Manor. Following their leads allowed us to capture more dealers.
That self-proclaimed Heavenly Demon sells all sorts of goods at a fixed date and place—drugs, firearms, ammunition, you name it. After cross-verifying the dealers' statements, we found the sales location."
"A Heavenly Demon selling goods in person? What are the other Demonic Cultists doing? There are already cultists in Korea. Wouldn't it make sense to have them handle it?"
"That Polish girl seems to operate alone most of the time, without mobilizing the organization or using underlings."
"Why?"
"Who knows what she's thinking... But it's good for us. We can ambush her while she's alone."
The Martial Alliance wasn't relying solely on numbers.
That self-proclaimed Heavenly Demon was presumed to be a peerless master. To overwhelm her for sure, they needed that level of force.
To that end, the Martial Alliance had gathered three experts whose bounties exceeded ten billion won each.
"This operation was prepared almost entirely by the Young Mistress of O Family Manor. All this effort is for avenging her late father. Let us all pay our solemn respects..."
As the enforcer introduced himself, O Eun-rim's face was stern.
Her eyes met Heo Pung-gae's.
O Eun-rim bowed her head first in greeting. Heo Pung-gae followed suit.
"The National Peak Great Hero, famed for his billion-won bounty, has graciously come to assist..."
In the Patriotic Great Hero's pocket was a pistol of unknown origin.
He drew it confidently, grinning with self-assurance.
Was he anticipating the reward from this mission or the bounty boost from defeating a peerless master? His expression looked genuinely thrilled.
"...And finally, the Invincible Unaffiliated, whose peerless mastery has been proven, has joined us. Give him a warm round of applause..."
As enthusiastic applause poured toward him, Heo Pung-gae surveyed the gathered martial artists.
Excluding the three just introduced, there weren't any truly remarkable experts. Mostly posers.
Of course, few sects would risk sending their expensive top talents on a public mission where they might get hurt.
The applause died down after a while, but the martial artists' gazes lingered on Heo Pung-gae.
It was understandable. You rarely crossed paths with peerless masters. They were usually leaders somewhere, not ones to wander lightly.
That made it all the more baffling why a Demonic Cult leader like that self-proclaimed Heavenly Demon would move alone. In this modern world, even peerless masters couldn't handle everything solo. Why?
The enforcer began explaining the plan to capture that enigmatic peerless master, the self-proclaimed Heavenly Demon.
After hearing it, the martial artists murmured,
"Not bad..."
Even to Heo Pung-gae's ears, it was a solid plan.
Once finished, the enforcer cautiously asked Heo Pung-gae,
"Do you have any advice for this operation?"
Heo Pung-gae thought for a moment before speaking.
"If we're following that plan, the three expensive experts here should be held back until the end."
"May I ask why?"
"She can probably see the qi inside people's bodies. Experts with abundant inner qi would scream 'Martial Alliance' at first glance."
The enforcer blinked and asked,
"See inner qi? Is that even possible?"
"I can do it. She probably can too."
Admiring "oohs" rose here and there. "As expected of a peerless master."
Heo Pung-gae continued,
"She's already met me, so my face definitely needs to stay hidden."
"You've encountered her before?"
"Yes. She showed off some absurd True Samadhi Fire."
"Ah... True Samadhi Fire... Definitely a peerless master. Any special precautions?"
"With True Samadhi Fire, who knows what she can do. I can't use it myself. Anyway, no more experts? The more firepower against a peerless master, the better."
The enforcer scratched his head.
"We only pinpointed the meet time a few hours ago. This group's already scraped together in a rush..."
Heo Pung-gae nodded slowly. His unease lingered, but theoretically, this force should suffice.
They had a peerless master, billion-won experts, and a 15-billion-won one. Plus dozens of lesser martial artists. Enough to take down any peerless foe.
"Any objections to the plan? Then let's move out!"
The martial artists boarded their vehicles and headed to Incheon Port.
In the moving car, Heo Pung-gae asked,
"Are you really doing this for revenge?"
O Eun-rim replied with a hardened face,
"I have to. Who'd follow a boss who can't even avenge her father?"
Tense, she fiddled with her sword.
It wasn't the execution sword from before. In her hand was a true blade, the kind martial artists reserved for dire straits.
Just looking at the honed edge conveyed her seething killing intent. Heo Pung-gae asked carefully,
"Sorry to say this, but per the plan, we need to capture her alive."
"I know we can't kill her. Polish mafia boss and Demonic Cult branch head, right? Killing someone that big would cause a mess."
Heo Pung-gae tried not to frown.
"Then..."
"But if things go south in the heat of the moment, a blade slipping in can't be helped."
He couldn't argue with that.
Heo Pung-gae quietly shut his mouth, and the car pulled up at Incheon Port.
"Per the plan, the three masters wait here. We'll go first and signal you..."
The Martial Alliance enforcer led the others away.
Just ten minutes later.
A frantic voice crackled over the radio.
"Come quick! Hurry!"
It was nearly a scream.
"Please, hurry!" ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Rana Lebandofuska was at the location the drug dealers had described—inside an abandoned warehouse at Incheon Port.
The martial artists approached her slowly, pretending to be customers.
Along the way, the Martial Alliance enforcer eyed the goods stacked beside her, puzzled.
Moving that many firearms and rounds would've been heavy labor. Yet no underlings were in sight to help. Why?
Doubts piled up, but they pressed on with the plan. The enforcer approached Rana and asked,
"You're the one selling guns, right?"
Rana replied brightly,
"Yep! Here for guns?"
"Yes. Any recommendations...?"
"Government models! Basically free at nine hundred thousand won each! With ammo, exactly one million—super cheap!"
The enforcer handed over the prepared cash. Surprisingly, Rana actually gave them the guns and ammo. Baffling.
Even cheap drug dealers set up safety measures against undercover cops. But this girl showed none.
Was this carefree girl really the Demonic Cult leader? Glancing at her, she didn't quite match the photo from the last Martial Alliance tournament.
Maybe she wasn't the self-proclaimed Heavenly Demon. And thus, not a peerless master.
Still, they had to capture her.
The martial artists each bought a gun and ammo.
Then, as casually as possible, one said,
"Could you show us how to load the ammo...?"
"No way, all you guys together and none with military experience? Fine! Your friendly service girl will teach you!"
They hadn't said it out of ignorance. They needed live rounds loaded right there.
Once the purchased guns were loaded, they moved to the final phase.
They slowly raised their guns, aiming at the girl.
The enforcer said,
"Hands up."
Faced with over a dozen gun barrels, Rana's eyes widened.
"This is how you do it? Well, customers can use what they buy however..."
"Hands up, miss. Unless you want to get shot, shut it and comply."
Even surrounded by muzzles, Rana stayed calm. She was smiling.
The enforcer twitched an eyebrow, guns still trained on her. What nerve?
This situation would stump even a peerless master. Even the legendary sword-controlling Moon Maiden might raise her hands here. Fingers on triggers were faster than flying swords.
Yet she felt no crisis? The faint smile on Rana's lips didn't fade.
Rana said cheerfully,
"Actually, I'm not the Heavenly Demon—I'm the True Demon."
"What're you talking about?"
"You'll see."
Whatever her confidence stemmed from, they might have to shoot if push came to shove.
Feeling uneasy, the enforcer instinctively fingered his trigger...
And felt his gun grow scorching hot.
No time to drop it from the heat. The gun exploded.
It wasn't just his. Screams erupted everywhere.
"Urk!" "Agh!" "Urk..."
As if flames had ignited inside every gun, igniting the powder, all the firearms detonated in unison. Their internals shattered like grenade shrapnel.