Chapter 22: There Are Many Moths (2)
Chapter 21 – There Are Many Moths (2)
Namgung Cheon surrendered his body to the flow of consciousness.
It had been a long time since he felt such light movements.
The movement of the surrounding air felt like his own breath.
Because he had just fully absorbed the Nine Dragons Iron Heart Pill, his body felt even lighter.
Just as one’s body felt exceptionally light right after taking a dump.
Though the analogy was unfortunately a bit dirty, it was the closest context he could think of at the moment.
The lightness after defecation was relative.
In other words, it was proof that his previous physical condition had been too heavy.
Therefore, he could not afford to be too carried away.
Because if he made a mistake, he could slip up at any moment.
Just like now.
Swiiish!
Splat!
A sword qi grazed past, slicing his sleeve.
Spurt!
Droplets of blood splattered.
His forearm was cut deeply.
Thanks to that, his mind, which had almost become intoxicated for a moment, cleared.
“You bastard!”
Shuaaa!
Splitting the air, a large battleaxe fell.
Of course, since he had seen a red energy splitting the ground beforehand, Namgung Cheon easily twisted his body to dodge it.
Swish, crash!
The large axe, having struck the ground, seemed stuck and did not budge.
Namgung Cheon stepped directly onto the axe, soared into the air, and delivered a kick.
Thud!
As the tip of his foot accurately struck the chin, the guy screamed and flew back.
“Kuaaak!”
Crash!
Perhaps because his chin was completely shattered, the inside of his mask was wet with blood.
He did not know if the man had lost consciousness or died.
Well, even if he regained consciousness, he would not be able to stand up immediately.
The eyes of the remaining masked man shook.
But soon, with a shout, he lunged forward.
This time, too, the First Sight Skill-Breaking Eyes were activated without fail.
The red energy surging from the guy’s dantian extended along the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian as he kicked off the ground.
Lunging forward like an arrow, the guy crossed both hands.
He was a guy who used dual sickles.
Once again, the energy surging from the dantian extended along the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, flowing down the handles of the sickles.
Pabat!
When Namgung Cheon executed a footwork technique, the guy’s eyes shook.
And for good reason, as the footwork he just used was the very footwork of the masked man who had been kicked in the chin and sent flying a moment ago.
To mimic the footwork exactly after seeing it just once?
Meanwhile, Namgung Cheon thought as he retreated.
‘They were guys who always stuck together.’
Perhaps this trio of masked men had spent all their time together.
And in doing so, they would have naturally compensated for each other’s shortcomings.
As a result, they probably felt they were invincible as long as they executed their combined attack techniques.
In fact, if they hadn’t let their guard down just because Namgung Cheon was young, they wouldn’t have had such a difficult fight.
In any case, they were in a relationship where they compensated for each other’s weaknesses.
In other words, their respective martial arts could also exploit each other’s weaknesses.
Swish! Clang!
One sickle sliced through the empty air, while the other was deflected by the Emerald Silk Sword.
Namgung Cheon pushed through the extending red energy and thought.
Why are there so many moths in the Jianghu?
By this point, they should instinctively know that it was better to run away than to fight.
Could the martial arts they learned have been inspired by seeing moths rushing into a bonfire?
His thoughts had gone too far.
There were times when I lost my focus like this.
When that happened, my thoughts would drift off into a tangent and go to the mountains, or something like that.
Still, the reason I enjoyed this was because, like catching a mouse by stepping backward, I could occasionally fish out an enlightenment by chance.
Anyway.
Now, it was the moment for the last remaining moth to burn magnificently.
Ah, there was one more, wasn’t there?
Namgung Cheon glared toward the rock beyond the fog in the distance at the same time as he dug into the masked man’s chest.
* * *
“What a noisy ruckus.”
Standing with his back against the rock, Gye Pyeong-ryang clicked his tongue inwardly and looked at the distant mountains.
Although the mountains in the distance were not visible anyway because of the thick fog, he felt he had to at least pretend to look.
The sounds of weapons clashing and screams drifted over a few times.
As expected, he did not like it.
But that was the way of the unorthodox path.
No matter what they did, it was loud and chaotic.
They did not know how to handle things quietly and secretly.
By nature, the higher the expert, the more they handled things so that the left hand did not know what the right hand was doing, yet…
Then again, since they were bastards who enjoyed murder, did anything more need to be said?
Anyway, this was fine.
It was also ridiculous to expect too much from those who did the dirty work on one’s behalf.
He only needed to check the result.
Finally, it grew quiet in the fog beyond the rock.
Seeing how Namgung Cheon seemed to have made some achievements in martial arts lately, his resistance must have been quite fierce.
Judging by the fact that it took longer than expected.
Thud, thud.
The sound of footsteps approaching from behind the rock.
Gye Pyeong-ryang asked while looking at the distant mountains.
“Is it over?”
“It’s over.”
“It took longer than expected.”
“I know, right. If it were the me of the past, it would have been finished long ago. Still, this isn’t bad, is it?”
“Where is the corpse?”
“Over there. But does staying like that make you feel any better?”
“Well, you could call it a minimum courtesy.”
Gye Pyeong-ryang said, showing a bitter smile.
“Why? Do you find it funny too?”
“Quiet. Why do you keep asking such things? Get lost if the job is done.”
“I’ve been thinking quietly. Perhaps your conscience is like a mask too? You know, they say people get a bit more courage when they wear a mask. Don’t you find it easier to do bad deeds because you wear that mask called conscience? Just like how looking at the distant mountains over there makes it easy to rationalize that at least you are clean.”
“A mask called conscience. That sounds plausible.”
“Right? I’m quite good with my mouth. I think deeply and gain enlightenment easily. On top of that, I’m even honest.”
“Just what on earth have you been trying to say since earlier…”
Gye Pyeong-ryang turned around in annoyance, then froze.
The man walking out from the fog.
“Y-You…!”
Surprisingly, was it not Namgung Cheon?
Gye Pyeong-ryang blinked his eyes for a long moment, then rubbed them with his hand.
“Namgung Cheon…?”
It was indeed Namgung Cheon.
In the first place, he had never even considered the possibility of Namgung Cheon surviving.
Therefore, even though the voice had been strange, he hadn’t even suspected it.
Namgung Cheon twisted the corners of his mouth.
“You should smile upon seeing your beloved cadet. Why do you look as if you’ve seen a ghost?”
“H-How did you…?”
Gye Pyeong-ryang took a step back in spite of himself.
Murderous intent slowly rose from Namgung Cheon’s entire body.
Gye Pyeong-ryang stammered.
“T-Those guys…?”
“These guys?”
Namgung Cheon tossed something he was holding in his left hand.
Gye Pyeong-ryang, who caught it in a daze, gasped and quickly dropped it.
“Gasp!”
Thud, roll, roll…!
Rolling on the ground while bleeding was the head of the masked man.
Namgung Cheon scratched the back of his head with the sickle he had taken from the masked man.
“Why was our instructor so anxious to devour a young cadet? What was so hateful?”
“Cheon, Cheon. What are you talking about? There must be a misunderstanding…”
“Hey, instructor. Even when things have reached this point, you can still spout such nonsense? Which side are you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you a moth? Or a beast?”
“What…?”
“Moths rush in upon seeing a bonfire. Beasts run away when they see fire. Which one is our instructor?”
Namgung Cheon did not stop walking even as he spoke.
Now, they were within arm’s reach!
The first to move was Gye Pyeong-ryang.
“Eek!”
Swish!
In a flurry, Gye Pyeong-ryang attempted to draw his sword.
However, Namgung Cheon, who had already sensed the energy rising from the dantian, quickly kicked the sword hilt, forcing it back in.
Pak, clack!
Just as the half-drawn blade was shoved back into the scabbard, Namgung Cheon swung his sickle diagonally.
Swiiish, slash!
“Kuaaak!”
Blood surged, splattering onto Namgung Cheon’s cheek as well.
“It has been a long time since I smelled blood.”
As Namgung Cheon even showed a sneer with his blood-stained face, he looked almost like a madman.
“Kuuuh…! W-Wait a moment…!”
Gye Pyeong-ryang retreated, staggering with his left arm hanging limply.
He could not understand this situation at all.
Was the opponent not still a green fledgling?
Yet why?
Namgung Cheon approached with a deeply sunken gaze.
“A pity. If you were at least a beast, there would have been the flavor of roasting you over a fire to eat.”
“Just what on earth have you been saying since earlier…!”
“Before that, you should answer my question first. Why did you do it? Did the Alliance Leader order it?”
Gye Pyeong-ryang, who was hesitatingly retreating, hit his back against the rock and stopped.
Sensing that there was no longer any place to retreat, he seemed to have grown stubborn.
He coldly rebuked him.
“Hmph! Would the Alliance Leader himself have to take action to kill someone like you? Is there only one or two people who wish for the child of the Great Killing Star to die? Those who wish for you to vanish from this land are more numerous than the grains of sand on a beach!”
“So you don’t want to reveal the mastermind behind this?”
“Even without any mastermind, it is something I would have done on my own!”
Namgung Cheon suddenly looked up at the sky.
It was a thought that occurred to him again, but indeed…
“I’m telling you, there are many moths in the Jianghu.”
“Madman!”
Paat!
Gye Pyeong-ryang delivered a final strike with all his might.
However, Namgung Cheon was one beat faster this time as well.
Dodging Gye Pyeong-ryang’s sword, Namgung Cheon grabbed the opponent’s forehead and slammed him against the rock.
Crash!
“Keok!”
A loud sound rang out as the back of Gye Pyeong-ryang’s head collided with the rock.
Bang! Crash!
“Guh…!”
Bang! Thud! Thud, thud, thud…!
Gye Pyeong-ryang, whose head was slammed repeatedly, died instantly as the back of his skull was completely shattered.
As Gye Pyeong-ryang collapsed, leaving a long trail of blood on the rock, Namgung Cheon muttered while panting.
“Haa, it’s been a while since I got excited. The bastard was too honest.”
Come to think of it, it is a problem even when a person is excessively honest.
One must know how to tell lies moderately.
Namgung Cheon indifferently looked down at the blood-drenched Gye Pyeong-ryang and carelessly threw the sickle handle on top of him.
Now then, shall I go tell a reasonable lie?
* * *
Cadets of the Dragon Heaven Academy were crowded at the foot of Mount Daun.
Some had broken limbs or suffered internal injuries, while other cadets bragged about their martial prowess as they continuously spouted heroic tales.
Physicians busily ran around here and there.
Paeng Su-hyeok spotted Song Won-gyo standing to one side and strode over.
“Where is the instructor?”
“Well. He went somewhere with Namgung Cheon…”
“Where have you been all this time?”
“Because Namgung Cheon left without permission, I was searching for him.”
“Who are those people?”
Paeng Su-hyeok pointed toward the warriors of the Ghost King Stronghold with a chin gesture.
As Song Won-gyo relayed the general situation, Paeng Su-hyeok narrowed his eyes.
“You’re saying they are people Namgung Cheon rescued?”
“That is so.”
Indeed, it was full of things that were hard to understand.
There was no doubt that some change had occurred in Namgung Cheon.
Otherwise, how could that pushover guy have rescued the hostages?
Although he did not know what that change was, Paeng Su-hyeok actually felt pleased.
‘Yes, is that so. Only now will it be worth messing with him.’
In the meantime, because the enemy’s child was so pathetic, he had only felt a sense of futility.
Because he was a fellow so weak that he didn’t even feel like avenging his grandfather.
Contempt and disdain were too good for him.
But if the fellow could swing a sword reasonably well, it was a different story.
Shouldn’t he treat him properly as a family enemy and trample him at least once?
While he was thinking such thoughts, the cadets gathered at the foot of the mountain buzzed with noise.
Paeng Su-hyeok and Song Won-gyo turned their gazes simultaneously.
Just then, Namgung Cheon, drenched in blood, was staggering over.
“Young Hero Namgung!”
“My, what on earth happened?”
The warriors of the Ghost King Stronghold ran forward first to greet Namgung Cheon.
Other instructors and cadets also crowded over.
An instructor asked pressingly.
“Namgung Cheon! What happened?”
Namgung Cheon sat down with a thud as if he had no strength to stand, panting heavily.
“In-Instructor Gye Pyeong-ryang… was struck down by the remnants of the Blood Rain Forest and passed away.”
“W-What!”
The expressions of the instructors shook violently.
Namgung Cheon scrutinized their expressions one by one.
‘It seems none among them shared Gye Pyeong-ryang’s dark scheme.’
Everyone truly believed it and looked shocked.
Namgung Cheon added, squeezing out his voice.
“I… thanks to Instructor Gye fighting with his life on the line… was barely able to survive.”
He wanted to squeeze out a single tear if he could, but it wouldn’t come.
As expected, acting seemed to be something not just anyone could do.
Still, isn’t this plausible enough?
Originally, I am quite an honest guy, but…
When I set my mind to it like this, I tell lies very well too.