Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 128 – Reunion (1)

It was truly a bizarre coincidence.

Among the junior disciples, the senior disciple Hwan Yun-myeong, the second disciple Myeong Tak, and the third disciple Yong-su had not the slightest desire for castration after awakening to sexual desire.

However, the situation had changed.

They all pleaded for castration.

And for good reason. If they didn’t become formal disciples through castration, they might have to suffer under that devilish bastard for the rest of their lives.

“Master, please castrate us!”

Seeing their pleading, Mok Gyeong-un clicked his tongue inwardly.

Their ulterior motives were plain to see.

Until now, they hadn’t wanted to remove their genitals due to sexual desire, but now that he had appeared as a formal disciple, they felt their positions were threatened.

They had tried to do something about it with force, but they were no match, so only one option remained for them.

Becoming formal disciples through castration.

‘Meaningless scheming.’

That’s what he thought, but it might be the right choice for them.

However, if they suddenly appeared in this state and asked to be castrated, would their request really be granted?

He had doubts, but…

“You won’t regret it?”

At the Shadow Clan Master’s question, all three hesitated for a moment.

However, they soon glanced at Mok Gyeong-un, conscious of him, then nodded and replied in unison.

“We won’t regret it.”

It wasn’t a situation for regrets.

Hwan Yun-myeong felt that way even more so.

Not only had he already revealed with his own mouth that the junior apprentice brothers had tried to prevent them from becoming formal disciples, but now that he had lost his right arm, who would accept him?

Hwan Yun-myeong looked at his master with desperate eyes.

Then the Shadow Clan Master covered his mouth and laughed as if pleased.

“Ohoho. Good. Since you chose it yourselves, of course I should grant it.”

“Ah!”

“Thank you!”

At his answer, the junior disciples all knocked their heads on the floor, expressing their gratitude.

Mok Gyeong-un, watching this scene, couldn’t understand.

They weren’t special cases like him, and they had given up becoming formal disciples for their own desires.

Yet why was he accepting them?

While he was wondering, Hwan Yun-myeong and Yong-su seemed to be smiling at him with relieved expressions.

‘Hmm.’

Why were they making such faces?

The reason was simple.

By getting castrated, their positions had now become equal.

No, since they had entered the clan before Mok Gyeong-un, the situation had reversed.

As his senior brothers, he could no longer bully them…

“Gyeong-un.”

Just then, the Shadow Clan Master called out to Mok Gyeong-un.

“Yes.”

“We can speak casually now, right?”

“Yes.”

“Ohoho. You’ve gained three junior apprentice brothers as soon as you entered, so you’re quite fortunate. As the senior brother, take good care of them.”

‘!!!!!!’

At the Shadow Clan Master’s words, the faces of the three distorted in an instant.

What kind of bolt from the blue was this?

Why was that bastard Mok Gyeong-un becoming their senior brother instead?

Unable to hold back, Hwan Yun-myeong asked,

“M-Master. How can the one who entered last become the senior brother?”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“Pardon?”

“Gyeong-un became a formal disciple the earliest, so isn’t he rightfully your senior brother?”

At the Shadow Clan Master’s words, Hwan Yun-myeong scrunched his face as if he had bitten into dung.

He thought that by becoming a formal disciple, he would at least have a higher rank than that bastard, but this couldn’t be happening.

Just then, Myeong Tak clasped his hands in greeting to Mok Gyeong-un.

“Junior Apprentice Myeong Tak greets Senior Brother Mok Gyeong-un.”

“……”

The quickest change in stance, above all.

Watching this, Hwan Yun-myeong and Yong-su were dumbfounded.

Of course, Myeong Tak paid no heed to their gazes.

In any case, the tide had turned.

Even Master had appointed Mok Gyeong-un as the senior brother without even hearing the circumstances of what had happened inside.

What did that imply?

‘This bastard is the next Shadow Clan Master.’

To survive now, the one he needed to impress was not Hwan Yun-myeong who had stabbed them in the back.

***

After sending the injured Hwan Yun-myeong, Yong-su, and Myeong Tak to the medical hall of the inner clan and being left alone, the Shadow Clan Master looked at Mok Gyeong-un and spoke.

“You’re not asking anything.”

“About what?”

“Why you’re not asking about the circumstances of what happened inside… And things like why I put you, who entered last, forward as the senior brother.”

“Since Master must have something in mind, does this disciple of yours need to impudently raise questions?”

“……”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the corners of the Shadow Clan Master’s mouth twitched.

He had asked because Mok Gyeong-un showed no hint of doubt, but to think he would give such a satisfactory answer.

However, this wasn’t the child’s true heart.

Based on observing him until the Corpse Blood Valley’s discipleship ceremony, this child was a cunning type that was difficult to control.

For such a child to cite discourtesy…

“Ohohoho. While it’s an excellent answer as a disciple, there’s no need to hide your true thoughts in front of me.”

“……”

“Do you have nothing you want to say?”

At the Shadow Clan Master’s question, Mok Gyeong-un soon parted his lips.

However, the question was different from what was expected.

“Even though you knew, was it out of affection that you accepted them as formal disciples?”

The Shadow Clan Master’s eyes narrowed.

Look at this child.

He never thought he would ask in such a way.

“It seems there was more conversation inside than I thought. Judging by the way you’re asking.”

Contrary to the Shadow Clan Master’s guess, there had been no conversation.

It was just that thanks to Hwan Yun-myeong, captivated by the Evil Commandment Sword’s demonic energy, babbling about his desires, Mok Gyeong-un had learned how their master-disciple relationship had been formed.

“If you can call that a conversation.”

“Ohoho.”

“If it’s uncomfortable, you don’t have to answer.”

“That’s not it. If I must answer, it could be out of affection. But apart from that, there are sometimes things you can overlook while knowing.”

‘Hm?’

Mok Gyeong-un tilted his head.

What did he mean by overlooking while knowing?

From Mok Gyeong-un’s perspective, who valued reason, it made no sense at all.

But one thing was certain: the Shadow Clan Master knew that all the disciples who came in due to Hwan Yun-myeong did not get castrated.

No, it would be stranger if he didn’t know in the first place.

He was none other than the leader of the Shadow Clan, which oversaw information.

“Giving up something for the sake of something else is not an easy thing.”

“……”

The Shadow Clan Master spoke while covering his mouth.

“Ohoho. You’ll understand what I mean once you face more of life’s hardships and are in a position to lead an organization.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Anyhow, I apologize for causing this incident by not informing those children in advance.”

“Not at all.”

“They probably haven’t memorized it properly yet, so I’ll arrange lodgings for you today, so while resting…”

“I’ve memorized it.”

“What?”

“If you’re referring to the Ghost Yin Technique‘s oral secrets, I’ve memorized them all.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the Shadow Clan Master looked at him as if asking if that was really true.

That’s because according to the report, the three had barged in here not long after he had gone to the discipleship ceremony.

No matter how brilliant, it would be difficult to memorize the oral secrets in such a short time.

However…

“Attending to the source, under the scenery, reversing the clouds, reforming the world, reaching compliance, understanding the realm of martial merit……”

‘!?’

The Shadow Clan Master’s eyes sparkled at the Ghost Yin Technique’s oral secrets flowing from Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth.

Having watched the last gate of Corpse Blood Valley, he was aware that Mok Gyeong-un’s talent was incomparably superior to ordinary people.

But he didn’t know he would be this outstanding.

‘……Was it to this extent?’

This exceeded expectations.

He newly sympathized with the ancient sage’s saying that one couldn’t help but be moved when welcoming an excellent disciple.

The more he knew this child, the more he truly regretted it.

If only his background was under the Heaven and Earth Society, he would walk an even smoother path.

It was unfortunate that he still needed to improve his perception, but he was worth nurturing as a future talent.

“Even if I want to hold back praise, it’s hard to do so. Well done.”

“Not at all.”

“Ohoho. I’d like to proceed with the teachings right away if I could, but it seems difficult today as I haven’t finished dealing with the earlier matter.”

“I understand.”

“I’ve informed the Internal Affairs Director, so he will guide you to your lodging. You probably haven’t had a proper rest while going through the Corpse Blood Valley’s gates, so rest well today.”

“Yes.”

“Then see you tomorrow…”

“Ah. I apologize, but would it be alright for me to take a walk around this area?”

“A walk?”

“Yes. After being in the mountains for so long, I’d like to take a light stroll and look around.”

At those words, the Shadow Clan Master’s eyes sparkled faintly.

However, without revealing it, he spoke as if it were nothing.

“You want to tour the inner city, I see.”

“Yes. If it’s okay.”

“Ohoho. If that’s the case, I’ll assign someone to accompany you.”

At his words, Mok Gyeong-un clicked his tongue inwardly.

Although he had been accepted as a formal disciple and the Shadow Clan Master’s tone had become gentler and more familiar, he still hadn’t lowered his guard against Mok Gyeong-un at all.

The fact that he was assigning someone when Mok Gyeong-un said he would take a walk nearby showed that.

It was annoying, but there was no choice.

“Thank you for your consideration.”

***

And so, Mok Gyeong-un left the Shadow Clan’s estate accompanied by an escort warrior assigned by the Shadow Clan Master.

“Don’t mind me and just walk around as you please, Young Master.”

“Yes. Thank you for your consideration.”

In fact, it would have been more considerate not to follow.

But there was no choice.

“Hoo.”

Mok Gyeong-un let out a small exclamation as he looked around outside the estate.

He had briefly looked around while coming here, but it was indeed vast.

No, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it immense.

‘The inner city itself is large.’

It seemed like it would take quite some time to look around the entire place.

Rather, if he climbed the tallest building and surveyed the surroundings, he felt he could roughly grasp the entire geography of this place.

However, that seemed difficult to do right away.

The escort warrior was watching his every move.

-What did you come out for? It would be better to rest today as that eunuch-like mortal said.

Just then, Cheong-ryeong’s voice rang in his ears.

In response, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged his shoulders and replied through voice transmission.

-Because I felt it.

-Felt? What do you mean?

-I sense Go Chan’s spiritual energy not far from here.

-What? You mean that spirit who had entered that assassin wench’s body?

-Yes.

The reason Mok Gyeong-un had come out was none other than the Guard Go Chan.

Forming a bond meant not only the spirit could sense the owner’s energy.

Mok Gyeong-un could also instinctively detect the location of his bound spirit.

‘It’s not far.’

He was located within a radius of about 100 jang.

If the energy was very far away, it would be faint and difficult to notice, but being this close, he felt he could definitely tell where it was.

‘Northwest.’

If he headed in that direction, he would likely meet him.

-Seems like that guy is impressive too. Well, as a bound spirit, it’s natural for him to follow since he can’t even run away. But the fact that he didn’t come close…

-It seems he’s maintaining the body he possessed.

-Ha! You mean he infiltrated this place while still possessing a body?

-Yes. That’s how it appears for now.

-The body seemed quite useful, but it didn’t seem to be at a level capable of sneaking into the inner city… He must unexpectedly have some skill.

-Since he was originally an assassin, he may have done so based on that experience.

-Well, in any case, the more cards we can use, the better. Since there’s no risk of betrayal from a bound spirit.

He agreed with Cheong-ryeong’s words.

That’s why he was looking for the Guard Go Chan.

Seeing that he had followed well and infiltrated this place, his value seemed to have increased compared to before.

And so, Mok Gyeong-un headed towards the northwestern path of the inner city, accompanied by the Shadow Clan’s escort warrior.

It was when they had walked about thirty jang.

A group of people could be seen walking from the opposite side.

One of them particularly caught his eye.

‘Hmm.’

It was a youthful-looking man in his late twenties with curly hair and a radiant appearance.

In Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes, the man’s surging energy was visible.

Surprisingly, the magnitude of that energy was on a level comparable to Bright Blade King Son Yun.

‘Who is he?’

He was at a level where it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him an executive.

However, it was difficult to make an accurate judgment based on appearance alone.

Just then, someone else entered Mok Gyeong-un’s sight.

‘!?’

Behind the curly-haired youth, there was a man who appeared to be in his early thirties, seemingly part of the group.

He was holding a wine bottle in one hand and had his other arm wrapped around the waist of a young and alluring woman.

-Isn’t that… Could it be that guy?

At Cheong-ryeong’s words, Mok Gyeong-un nodded slightly.

The woman wearing flashy clothes with a neckline revealing her chest was none other than…

-…It seems to be him.

It was undoubtedly the Guard Go Chan, who had possessed Ha Chae-rin.

But why was Go Chan acting like that?

It seemed he had infiltrated the Heaven and Earth Society in a different way than expected.

‘Aaaah, damn it.’

Having also instantly recognized his master, Mok Gyeong-un, the Guard Go Chan couldn’t lift his face, feeling embarrassed.