Chapter 159: A Hairs Breadth

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Chapter 159 – A Hair’s Breadth

Both hearts lurched.

Cui Lan’s and Gyeon Mi’s.

They had been so absorbed in their swordplay that they hadn’t detected Tang Mu-gae’s approach in advance.

PAT.

Cui Lan quickly retreated about ten steps.

Gyeon Mi, stabbed in the thigh, stayed where she was with all her nerves on edge.

At that, Tang Mu-gae, standing with his back to a large tree, raised the corner of his mouth with a grin and gave a chin gesture.

“What, did I kill your fun? I’m just a spectator, a spectator. I have no intention of interfering in the fight. So just fight comfortably.”

At those words, Gyeon Mi’s eyebrows shot up fiercely.

“What are you babbling about! Not even helping an injured comrade…”

“Comrade? Hey, when did we ever become comrades?”

“What!”

“Kekeke. We just got paid and ended up doing the same job – we’re clearly in a competitive relationship. Why do you think I turned back while walking down the road?”

At Tang Mu-gae’s meaningful question, Gyeon Mi was seized by an ominous premonition.

“You, don’t tell me…”

“That’s right. Originally, I intended to kill you and be done with it.”

“…!”

“You heard what he said earlier too.”

Only then did Gyeon Mi fully realize the other’s intentions.

The black-robed man who had organized today’s meeting and was the employer had clearly stated.

That if an unexpected martial arts master intervened or a traitor emerged from among them, whoever handled it would receive separate compensation equivalent to the existing large sum…

Tang Mu-gae’s intention was crystal clear.

If she lost her life here, he would pin the disgrace of traitor on her and then receive the promised payment for that false merit.

“Keheh. Stupid wench, now you’re finally getting it from your expression?”

“How dare you…!”

“Anyway, thanks to that young girl suddenly appearing, I get to blow my nose without using my hands.”

At that moment, Cui Lan, gripping her sword hilt anew, asked while casting an ice-cold gaze.

“You mean you won’t interfere?”

“Of course. You and I have the same goal, after all.”

Along with those words, Tang Mu-gae went over to an old tree and even leaned his back against it, assuming the stance of a bystander.

Suddenly.

PAT!

The instant Gyeon Mi spun her body to flee, Cui Lan swiftly stepped forward to target her back.

Truly lightning-like swordwork that didn’t tolerate leaving the spot.

‘TSK! Fast!’

Gyeon Mi gritted her teeth and twisted her body again, strongly sweeping her right hand’s Willow Leaf Saber horizontally.

KAKANG-!

The instant the blades collided and red sparks flew.

SHWICK!

Cui Lan’s sword had already dropped at an angle and plunged deep into her opponent’s thigh.

“AARGH!”

Gyeon Mi let out a sharp scream and desperately worked her Willow Leaf Saber to fiercely knock away Cui Lan’s sword.

KANG- PAPUNG!

Spreading haze.

Pushed by the heavy force, Cui Lan retreated far with a frown.

Tingling.

Pain arose in her wrist.

Indeed, it was a terrifying level of power befitting a famous wandering female master of Hunan Province.

But.

Since the ambush-like initial attack had landed, up until now Gyeon Mi hadn’t been able to show off her inherently flashy saber technique that was said to resemble dance movements.

The biggest reason was that she happened to be wounded in her primary arm’s shoulder.

The scales of victory had already tipped toward Cui Lan.

Gyeon Mi glanced down at her left thigh and ground her teeth with a CRUNCH.

‘Damn it…!’

Because the wound was deep and her movements weren’t free, there was no solution other than somehow finishing this here.

At that moment, Cui Lan bent her knees to briefly crouch before rising, and raised her internal energy to the maximum.

Her intent was to corner her opponent with the perfected level of power and a series of killing moves, and finish it.

“I’ve waited for this day!”

Before Cui Lan’s sharp cry, Gyeon Mi also injected true energy using perfected level power into her Willow Leaf Saber and shouted.

“You think I’ll go down easy! I don’t know who you killed, but I’ll make you follow them!”

“Fine, try it!”

The moment Cui Lan kicked off the ground and closed in, she unleashed killing moves targeting only vital spots without pause.

SWISH SWISH, SWISH, SWISH SWISH, SWISH- CHING, CHIRING, CHING, CHIRING-!

Amid the consecutive bursts of piercing sounds and metallic clashes, at some point Gyeon Mi began to be pushed back step by step.

Tang Mu-gae, leaning against the tree, watched the scene quietly and muttered inwardly.

‘Oho. The young one really does shower devastating killing swordwork. Could she be a female swordsman belonging to an assassin organization? Her technique connection is somewhat rough, but she has truly outstanding talent. And to think she has internal energy on par with Dancing Saber Mandarin Duck…’

Gyeon Mi was resisting more fiercely than ever because her life was on the line.

KANG, KAKAKANG, KAKANG, KANG- PUNG, PAPAPUNG, PAPUNG, PUNG…!

Heavy energies kept colliding, creating booming sounds.

During the exchange, both Cui Lan and Gyeon Mi suffered internal injuries, and thin lines of blood flowed from the corners of their mouths.

However.

The series of swordwork grew ever faster.

The obsession of revenge and survival seated in each of their hearts had thus transcended even their physical limits.

The moment the offense and defense with perfected level power passed some thirty exchanges.

CHWACHAK-

Cui Lan threw the dirt she had been clutching in her left hand toward her opponent’s face.

She had secretly put it in her hand when she briefly bent her knees earlier.

“AAH!”

The instant Gyeon Mi flinched as dirt got in her eyes.

SSASHING-!

Cui Lan’s sword swiftly parted the wind and played a spine-chilling sound.

CHYUHAAK-!

“AARGH!”

Fresh blood soaking the ground.

Gyeon Mi, her left hand cleanly severed, screamed and staggered hard.

A defenseless stance, exposed weakness.

There was an opening to behead her.

But Cui Lan wanted to make the enemy who had killed her precious parents suffer more.

CHYUCHYUK, CHYUK, CHUCHYUK…!

Red lines were drawn long across her side, forearm, leg and more.

“AAAAAGH! AAAAAAGH!”

The echo of noisy screams.

Having had the meridians in several places of her body indiscriminately cut, Gyeon Mi finally dropped the Willow Leaf Saber she had been holding in her right hand and collapsed powerlessly.

A quiet breath leaked through her quivering lips.

“Haah… Haah…”

Cui Lan, standing before her with her sword pointed, brimmed with tears.

“Why… Why did you kill them! Why…!”

Soon Gyeon Mi wore a parched smile.

“Who… Did I kill… Tell me… Though I probably… Won’t remember…”

“Dad. Mom.”

“Ha… Was that so.”

“Apologize.”

“Apo… Logize? Now…?”

“Apologize! Beg!”

When Cui Lan pressed with bloodshot eyes, Gyeon Mi instead replied coldly.

“When I become… A ghost… I’ll find your parents… And kill them again. Heehee…”

Cui Lan’s rage surged even higher at those venomous words.

“Until the very end…!”

“How naive… Did you… Expect me… To beg for forgiveness?”

At that moment, Tang Mu-gae, who had been listening, smirked and spoke.

“Heh. So it was an enemy who killed your parents? Hey, kid. Trash like that woman never reflects on anything. Well, I’m the same though.”

Cui Lan bit her lower lip hard, then wiped her tears and glared at Gyeon Mi’s blood-covered face.

“You… Even if you die and go to the afterlife, you won’t be able to rest in peace.”

Gyeon Mi just spat on the floor dismissively.

As if in one last act of defiance.

In an instant, Cui Lan’s sword spat out terrifying flashes.

CHWACHWACHWACHAK, CHWACHWACHWACHAK-!

Thus Gyeon Mi, her whole body covered in crimson blood lines as if she were butchered meat, ended her life full of evil deeds in this world.

The pungent smell of blood spreading on the wind.

Cui Lan soon squatted before the fallen corpse and sobbed, her small shoulders shaking.

“Sob… Sob sob…”

She had finally killed her enemy.

But.

Her heart didn’t feel relieved.

Thinking of her parents who had become sacrificial lambs at the hands of that villain who showed not the slightest remorse until her last breath – it actually felt like her heart was crumbling.

-Dad, Mom! This is so delicious! Buy me more! Just one more, please?

When a happy memory from some day in her childhood flashed through her mind, she couldn’t hold back the great sobs welling up from deep in her chest.

“Waah, waaah… Dad… Mom… Waaah…”

Tang Mu-gae soon strode over and rummaged through Gyeon Mi’s clothes to pull out a sheet of paper.

It was the large-denomination note.

He frowned and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk, this is soaked in blood – it’s completely useless.”

Then he shifted his gaze.

The dark brown pupils taking in the sight of Cui Lan squatting and crying suddenly emitted a bone-chilling light.

Killing intent.

As expected.

Tang Mu-gae, gripping his iron axe handle, radiated a brutal formless presence.

“You should follow her, shouldn’t you?”

The moment Cui Lan flinched at the dense killing intent and shot to her feet, the iron axe swept horizontally toward her.

CHEOREOREOREOREONG!

The stinging wail of the blade that met the axe blade.

Simultaneously, Cui Lan’s body was knocked flying to the side and collided with an old tree.

WADIJIK-!

She had barely blocked it but was pushed by the tremendous force.

“KUHK…!”

Cui Lan bent at the waist and violently vomited blood from her mouth.

The heavy impact had clearly worsened her existing internal injuries.

Tang Mu-gae’s attitude was still leisurely.

“Wow, you blocked that? Keheh, you really are no ordinary thing.”

As he stepped toward Cui Lan, who stood with her back against the old tree, he let out another unpleasant chuckle.

“Kekeke. Girl, you’re quite delicious-looking. It’s a waste to just kill you… How about it, shall I teach you what an adult’s body is like today?”

Cui Lan, having barely caught her breath, moved her two legs rapidly.

PAPAK!

In her current physical state, she couldn’t possibly handle this opponent, so she had no choice but to flee with all her might.

But.

CRASH!

Already having cut off her escape route, Tang Mu-gae’s fierce offensive sent Cui Lan’s body flying backward.

“HUUURGH!”

Cui Lan’s face contorted terribly as she smashed into the dirt floor with a THUD.

Her major energy points and even her heart meridian had been greatly shaken.

Approaching dizziness.

Her head was so dizzy she couldn’t control her body.

Tang Mu-gae’s iron axe dropped vertically in an instant.

KWAKWANG-!

Cui Lan squeezed out her strength to roll across the dirt floor and evaded the attack.

It was by a hair’s breadth.

A moment later and she would have taken a fatal wound to her chest.

But.

DRIP, DRIP DRIP, DRIP…

Instead of her chest, her side received a deep wound and blood poured out.

PUNG!

Cui Lan barely blocked the immediately following axe stroke, but was pushed by the force and flew far back before smashing her back into the dirt floor again with a THUD.

“Uuugh…”

Tang Mu-gae spoke as he walked over.

“Keheh, it’s annoying when a little girl throws a tantrum. Just die already.”

“Fine… Kill me. But… You’ll die soon too. I can… Guarantee that.”

“What?”

“My great… Master’s alias… Head-Severing Yama… Remember it well. You will definitely… End up like me. Huuurgh…”

“Head-Severing Yama? Keheh. Kid, you should at least make your lies believable. You’re throwing around the alias of an old swordsman who’s been gone for thirty years?”

At that moment, One Sword Without Mercy Seup Yeo and Drunken Shadow Sword Seok Mo-pil appeared in a row not far behind.

“How amusing. Were you trying to have fun alone?”

“Things that are good should be shared, shouldn’t they?”

When Tang Mu-gae turned his head, he scrunched his brow as if annoyed.

“Hah, look at these guys? Did you have the same thought as me?”

At that, Seup Yeo flashed his eyes.

“What, are you going to kill us too?”

Seok Mo-pil standing beside him also quietly added.

“Let’s divide the shares. Fairly. Wouldn’t that work? If we say we joined forces to execute the traitor, he won’t be very suspicious either.”

Tang Mu-gae gazed at the two of them quietly, then soon laughed loudly.

“Gwahaha, gwahahaha! Fine! Can’t waste time here, so let’s do that. First, let’s kill that girl and then discuss in detail.”

No sooner had he finished speaking.

PHWICK!

He closed in on where Cui Lan was and swung down his right hand’s iron axe fiercely.

But suddenly.

KKAKAKANG!

The axe blade was blocked by something.

Simultaneously, Tang Mu-gae’s expression changed completely.

‘NO!’

Seup Yeo and Seok Mo-pil behind him also looked astonished.

What had blocked the iron axe blade was a horizontally drawn ultra-fine black wire.

Black Rope Wondrous Lady Na Rae-hyang had unexpectedly appeared.

“Back off.”

Na Rae-hyang let out a cold voice, and when she exploded heavy energy through the black rope, with a CRASH Tang Mu-gae’s body was pushed sliding backward.

‘UGH! Tremendous power…’

Tang Mu-gae put strength into both feet to stop and cast a flustered gaze.

‘What the, damn it…! Is that woman trying to take a share too?’

Na Rae-hyang gazed vacantly at Cui Lan, who was collapsed behind her, barely holding on, and asked.

“Is it true?”

“…?”

“Your words about being the Head-Severing Yama’s disciple – are they true?”

When Cui Lan reflexively nodded slightly, Na Rae-hyang’s gaze moved forward again.

“I can tell by reading your eyes. That it’s not a lie. That statement… Saved your life.”

Tang Mu-gae, Seup Yeo, and Seok Mo-pil instantly saw through the intent behind her attitude and heightened their vigilance.

Right now, Na Rae-hyang had clearly turned enemy to help the wounded Cui Lan.

The three quickly exchanged glances and spread out as one, forming a joint attack formation while pouring out killing intent and fighting spirit.

Na Rae-hyang saw that and pulled up one corner of her mouth.

“Ha. Not knowing your place and daring to… I’ll split all your bellies and pull out every last one of your intestines.”

In a flash.

PUHAAAK-!

Seok Mo-pil’s head was cleanly severed with a gruesome sound and rolled across the ground.

And in his place.

SSSSSS…

A figure appeared like a ghost, distorting the space transparently, and radiated suffocating fighting spirit and killing intent.

‘…!’

Tang Mu-gae and Seup Yeo felt goosebumps rise all over their bodies.

At that moment, Cui Lan over there confirmed the identity and burst into tears.

“Sob… Sob sob…!”

The figure who had appeared was none other than Head-Severing Yama Seop Pyo.