Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Lower Stream Purity Camp - [4]
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O Eun-rim, the Young Mistress of O Family Manor, stepped into the room and froze at the sight of eight boys sprawled out like corpses. They lay in a neat row, eyes wide open, utterly motionless.
They looked about middle school or high school age. At first glance, she thought they were dead, but no—they were covered in acupuncture needles from head to toe, limp like fish anesthetized for filleting.
A chill ran down her spine at the eerie scene, but O Eun-rim could only marvel.
"Invincible BB Bullet was famous for his acupuncture skills. Looks like his disciple picked up the trade perfectly."
Yi Pung grinned.
"He learned it damn well! So, miss, how's the shoulder? That stab wound from last time healing up okay?"
"If it wasn't, I wouldn't be running around like this, right? Thanks for worrying anyway. So... why'd you call me here?"
Yi Pung's face turned serious at her question.
"You heard these punks got wrecked trying to jump our Peerless Master, right?"
"Yeah. I thought they were fearless idiots. If they'd seen that video even once, they'd have brought a damn machine gun."
"Guess these assholes didn't watch it."
They were talking about that video—the one circulating among martial artists, destined to be legend for a century.
The Peerless Master's footage, where the Invincible Unaffiliated deflected three bursts of gunfire in a row with impossible skill. Anyone who saw it wouldn't dare charge, guns or no guns.
"How do you attack the Peerless Master without checking that video first? Are they brain-dead?"
"They don't know the martial world well to begin with. That's why I'm thinking these guys might be connected to the ones who hit your father."
"What?"
"Seems like they target martial artists on purpose. They take hits to kill them for hire, or just off any Incheon martial artist and collect pay from some organization."
Yi Pung explained that these same thugs had trashed the acupuncture clinic a few months back. They'd come for Invincible BB Bullet, who lived alone and seemed like easy pickings, but found it empty and smashed everything in rage, spilling the beans under interrogation.
"That's ridiculous!"
"Isn't it? They're so sloppy it's scary. They just see a lone martial artist and attack anyone, no matter who. That's why they went after the Peerless Master without fear. Probably the same with your father..."
O Eun-rim got the picture.
Idiots like these would view any solo martial artist as hunting game, no questions asked.
They wouldn't have bothered checking if her father was worth killing.
"So, did they admit to killing my father?"
"Nah, they didn't confess. They might not have done it directly, but they're involved somehow. They've got backers."
"Backers?"
"A gun costs about a million won. What money do middle schoolers have for that? Some organization loaned it to them, jacked up the price with interest. Track that group down, and we'll find the real culprits."
O Eun-rim pondered for a moment, then nodded gravely.
"Thanks for looking into this. I don't know how to repay you..."
"Repay what? Last time, against that self-proclaimed Heavenly Demon, you outdid National Pride Hero by miles. You're comrades to our Peerless Master—gotta look out for you.
So, how's the fight with the bandits going? You're injured, can't join the fray. O Family Manor's short on manpower right now..."
Yi Pung was nudging her to ask the Peerless Master for help, but it flew over her head.
"We're fine. Don't need extra hands right away."
"Why not? You need the firepower."
"The bandits only brought dozens in the first raid. Now it's just one or two sniping from hiding, hit and run."
"Ah, that Yakuza-style guerrilla crap..."
"Yeah. It's petty, so no need for the Invincible Unaffiliated to step in."
"If our Peerless Master got involved, he could wrap it up overnight..."
Yi Pung smacked his lips—just then, Heo Pung-gae walked in from cleaning up the crime scene.
Heo Pung-gae asked O Eun-rim,
"So, miss. Taking these punks back to O Family Manor?"
"Yes. My people are on the way."
"Don't drown 'em outright."
Yi Pung frowned and protested on her behalf.
"Not drown them? Just interrogate lightly and let 'em go? If they run to the cops blabbing, we're all screwed—us and O Family Manor."
"Ship 'em to a Siberian salt mine. Russian mob keeps watch—no escapes."
O Eun-rim thought it over and replied,
"That works. Better than begging to be dumped in the ocean. But what if one's really my father's killer? Still no killing?"
Heo Pung-gae sighed gloomily.
"If they are, avenge as you see fit. Just don't report it to me after."
"Got it."
As O Eun-rim nodded,
Heo Pung-gae stared blankly at her face.
She fidgeted under his gaze as he asked,
"You look exhausted. You okay?"
"That obvious?"
"Yeah. Very."
"Maybe it's all this talk of killing kids or sending them to mines. Wearing on my nerves..."
The fierce resolve she'd shown heading to assault the Demonic Cult leader was gone. She just looked depressed and drained.
Yi Pung caught on late and chimed in.
"Feeling guilty over punks like these?"
"Not guilt, exactly. Just... uneasy."
"No need! Teens aren't less evil than adults. Heard of sidewalk brothels?"
"The ones supplying girls to shady spots?"
"Yep. If thirties-plus gangsters run 'em, they get flak for not acting their age. So mobsters reserve it for teen and twenty-something newbies. High schoolers run tons of 'em."
"High schoolers?"
"Yeah. Luring runaways or blackmailing schoolgirls, delivering them to joints. Kids without licenses renting cars to shuttle girls—unbelievable.
They rake in ten million a month easy. Point of no return for normal jobs. They age into full gangsters. These punks? Killing for street cred. Let 'em loose, and later..."
"You're comforting me now? Thanks."
"Sorry if it feels like lecturing the Young Mistress, but get used to it. Martial world's full of filth—you'll see plenty."
"Yeah. Gets scarier thinking ahead..."
Seeing her still listless, Yi Pung clicked his tongue.
"Come on, you? So badass stabbing at the Heavenly Demon in that video. Can't be soft-hearted... Toughen up. You're in the martial world for the long haul."
"Maybe not."
"What?"
O Eun-rim sighed.
"This might not be my calling."
Soon after, O Family Manor men arrived. A huge truck faked an accident to block the alley mouth as a black van swallowed the eight boys.
"Thanks again for today. Won't rest easy till revenge is done..."
O Eun-rim bowed deeply and left.
Yi Pung and Heo Pung-gae stayed in the clinic.
Heo Pung-gae asked,
"Baram's okay?"
Yi Pung's eyes widened.
"Why bring up Baram?"
"Middle schoolers this vicious? Baram's that age. Your daughter—might target her."
"Nah, she's fine."
"Send her abroad to study?"
"Huh?"
"Checked it out—U.S. elite neighborhoods have bodyguards on school routes. I'll cover the costs."
Yi Pung, blindsided, sputtered loudly.
"No need! She's already at a top school. School bus is safe—no ambushes."
"School buses bulletproof?"
"What, you think terrorists gun down a bus?"
"For your kid, you're awfully chill."
"You're over-worrying, bro. No headlines on school shootings yet. These shooters hide despite acting bold. Won't hit broad daylight with kids around, so relax..."
Yi Pung trailed off.
His big brother and adoptive father was glaring, face screaming, What to do with this blockhead?
Yi Pung backpedaled.
"I do have a plan."
"What's that?"
"Train Baram in martial arts proper."
Heo Pung-gae couldn't fathom the nonsense.
"What?"
"Feed her elixirs, teach her moves—reflexes sharpen up. Even if attacked, she'll handle it better."
"You hit your head? That crap..."
"Better than nothing. Won't catch bullets, but might dodge. Got 1.5 billion in elixirs ordered—feed her right away."
Heo Pung-gae resisted smacking the hairy fool.
"1.5 billion in elixirs won't make her a master overnight."
"Gotta stock more? Wish I could dump tens of billions at once..."
"Can't lend—even I blew all my cash on elixirs."
"I know. Time to earn more."
Yi Pung grinned slyly.
"So, wanna stir trouble with the bandits?"
"Why?"
"Play both sides—bandits vs. Martial Alliance—rake in cash."
"No."
Yi Pung panicked at the flat refusal.
"But you hate 'em too. Remember griping about bandits on Full Moon Mountain?"
"True."
"Plus, Moon Woman learned from you there, right? That's your old haunt they defiled. Chase 'em out now."
Heo Pung-gae recalled Full Moon Mountain—once called Anchor Mountain.
He'd lived there decades, met his Mosan Sect wife, trained, taught his first disciple.
"It's fine."
"What's fine?!"
"Bandits are low on the slopes. My training spot's deep in."
Yi Pung grumbled, ignored.
After shooing Yi Pung out, Heo Pung-gae hung the "Closed" sign.
Alone, he slumped in a chair, staring at his sword.
He pondered its harmony today—no commands, yet it moved to aid him, like possessed.
Her soul in the blade?
Impossible. Souls don't haunt swords; if so, it'd be the identical one buried with her.
He thought of Full Moon Mountain.
Deep in, his wife and child's graves remained. Her sword lay with her.
Identical to this one.
Moon Woman surveyed the mountain scenery.
Full Moon Mountain—here her true life began.
Here she'd met her master, begged teachings, learned martial arts.
Even scored elixirs from him—inexplicable, even accounting for cheaper prices then. Why give freely? Still a mystery.
My looks? No way—a Virgin Boy Skill practitioner swayed by beauty?
Memories brought a smile. All precious now, painfully missed.
Thus, her final stop: this mountain. Where it started, it would end.
No one tread this deep.
A rusted-brain old warrior harmed none.
She'd depart cleanly.
She sat in lotus, meditating—not training, no ancestral honors or breathing exercises. Faded memories played like old video in her mind.