Chapter 91 Reducing the Numbers (1)

Mok Yu-cheon looked at the small, round copper tag resting on his palm with a dazed expression.

This was the item that Ma-sang had handed to him before escaping.

He didn’t tell him anything about what it was or what it did.

Ma-sang had only left these words.

[You do it for me.]

It seemed to imply a lot.

A spy was bound to face death if caught.

So it seemed like he was entrusting the rest to him.

‘What is happened did I……’

What kind of request was this?

Moreover, if he were in Ma-sang’s position, he would have been very angry.

Even if they were half-brothers, it was his brother who had ratted him out, leading to this result.

But Ma-sang didn’t resent him.

Of course, the situation was urgent, so there might not have been room for resentment.

“Sigh.”

Mok Yu-cheon let out a long sigh.

How did he end up in this situation?

He had thought that the time when he was despised as the son of a courtesan was like hell, but now that he thought about it, that was nothing.

The real hell was outside.

-Crack!

He bit his nails.

The habit he had when he was anxious as a child resurfaced.

He had thought that his half-brother was the only one he could trust, but now he realized that wasn’t the case.

That guy wasn’t the same as he used to know him.

He didn’t know whether he had been hiding it or not, but he was close to being an evil person himself, regardless of the righteous or evil sects.

He fit well in this shithole of a place.

‘That son of a bitch. Fucking bastard.’

-Grip!

Mok Yu-cheon, who had been biting his nails, bit his fingers.

It hurts.

This is reality.

The more he accepts reality, the more painful it is.

But he couldn’t give up just because it was painful.

Although Mok Gyeong-un’s wickedness made him angry, that guy might be struggling to adapt and survive here in his own way.

Rather, it might be himself who was stuck in complacency.

He seemed to have believed that if he survived here, he would be able to return home and his original life would be waiting for him.

‘No……’

In the end, there’s no such thing.

-Kkkkk! Drip drip!

Blood flowed from the bitten finger, and drops of blood stained his tongue.

As he tasted the hot blood, his heart felt cold instead.

-Swish!

Mok Yu-cheon brushed his hair back and straightened his posture.

He would now abandon the naive thought of simply trying to survive in a place like this.

If evil is strong, he must also become strong to overcome it.

‘It’s not just about surviving, I’ll smash everything with my own hands.’

It was a truth he had learned even in the Yeon Mok Sword Manor.

After reaching the peak realm, the gazes and treatment of everyone in the Yeon Mok Sword Manor changed.

That was the real truth.

To survive and be treated well as a martial artist, one had to become strong, regardless of the righteous sects.

Strength was the law of the martial arts world.

‘…….Mok Gyeong-un. The one who will rise here is not you, but me.’

With his mind firmly set, Mok Yu-cheon began circulating his energy.

It was the Ignited Wood Heart Transformation Method.

There seemed to be some side effects, so he had stopped using it, but in the current situation, it was the only ascending cultivation method that could make him stronger quickly.

-Sssssss!

As Mok Yu-cheon practiced the cultivation method, the skin on his face gradually turned a brownish color.

***

“Hmm. It’s over the limit.”

Mok Gyeong-un said, looking at the 8 boys standing in front of him.

3 were brought by the Demonic Monk, who was possessing the body of Yeom Ga from Vermillion Slaughter Cave, and 5 were brought by Mo Ha-rang from Demon Fire Hall.

Mo Ha-rang looked at the ones she had brought with a troubled expression.

To save time, she had gathered members separately from the Demonic Monk, who was possessing Yeom Ga.

[If you’re possessed by a ghost, it might be difficult to gather members.]

She thought she should gather as many members as possible herself.

The maximum number of members she had gathered was 5.

In fact, this was also narrowed down from 10 people who wanted to be in her team.

She had told them that she would take responsibility for them to pass this gate since they were also selected, but it was quite troublesome.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“We don’t need anyone other than the five, so could you please leave on your own?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the 8 boys looked dumbfounded.

That was understandable, as they had joined the team believing in the reputation of Vermillion Slaughter Cave or Demon Fire Hall and thinking of them as the team leaders.

“Phew.”

One of the boys sighed and left the room as he was.

The boy was in the same team as Mo Ha-rang, so he had witnessed Mok Gyeong-un’s true colors with his own eyes.

Therefore, he left the team without any hesitation.

However, coincidentally, the remaining 7 boys had not seen anything other than Mok Gyeong-un breaking a boy’s neck at the first gate.

Their reactions were somewhat intense.

“Who are you to tell us to leave? I decided to join this team because of Mo Ha-rang.”

“That goes for me too. If anyone should leave, it’s you.”

“I guess everyone thinks the same way.”

They all expressed hostility toward Mok Gyeong-un.

In any case, unlike the first gate, the blocked energy points had been opened, so they were overflowing with confidence.

To them, Mo Ha-rang said with a troubled expression,

“…….I’m sorry, but I’m not the team leader.”

“What?”

“What do you mean by that?”

At Mo Ha-rang’s words, those who had considered her the team leader couldn’t hide their bewilderment.

In the first place, when Mo Ha-rang gathered team members, she had said she was looking for people to be on the same team, but she hadn’t mentioned that the actual team leader was someone else.

From their perspective, they had been deceived.

“Mo Ha-rang. Is that true?”

“We thought you were the team leader.”

“I’m sorry. The team leader is this person here.”

‘This person?’

At her words, the boys frowned.

If their ears weren’t wrong, Mo Ha-rang had referred to Mok Gyeong-un as “this person” as if he were her superior.

In any case, even if he was the team leader, he was only the head for this gate.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“It seems that most of you came in without knowing that I was the team leader. If you’re dissatisfied, you’re free to leave anytime.”

At those words, one boy snorted.

“Ha! I can’t accept that. Mo Ha-rang. You should be the team leader instead. Then I’ll definitely follow you.”

At the boy’s words, the other boys chimed in.

“That’s a good idea. I agree.”

“I agree too.”

“If Mo Ha-rang is the team leader, I can follow her no matter what.”

At the unanimous opinion of the boys telling her to take the role of team leader, Mo Ha-rang glanced at Mok Gyeong-un with a troubled expression.

Mok Gyeong-un still had a smiling face.

Seeing that, she was even more worried.

She had experienced that his smile was full of malice.

At this, she thought she should make it clear to avoid any trouble and said,

“I’m sorry, but I have decided to follow this person.”

‘!?’

As Mo Ha-rang drew a clear line, the boys’ expressions changed individually.

However, the common thing was that most of them wondered why she acknowledged someone like Mok Gyeong-un as the team leader.

At that moment, one of the 3 boys who had followed Demonic Monk possessing the body of Yeom Ga from Vermillion Slaughter Cave asked,

“Don’t tell me you also acknowledge that guy as the team leader?”

“I do.”

“What?”

At the short affirmation, the 3 boys were also at a loss.

They had also voluntarily asked to be team members knowing the reputation of Vermillion Slaughter Cave.

But the very person they wanted to serve as the team leader was serving someone else as the team leader, so they didn’t know what to do.

To them, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“In any case, you’ll be choosing a team leader to pass this gate, so it seems you have a lot of concerns. Doesn’t the answer come out when you see that these two people have joined under me?”

“………”

At those words, the boys alternately looked at Mo Ha-rang, Yeom Ga, and Mok Gyeong-un.

Although they didn’t like this guy for some reason, there must be a reason why these two people, who wouldn’t be out of place as team leaders, were following Mok Gyeong-un.

‘There’s some truth to it.’

‘Vermillion Slaughter Cave and Demon Fire Hall would have their pride.’

‘For them to follow that guy……’

At this, they started to be swayed one by one.

However, not everyone was like that.

One boy stepped forward and said to Mok Gyeong-un,

“What have you shown to make us follow you? No matter how much I think about it, I don’t understand.”

“If you don’t have faith in me as the team leader, then you can quietly leave this room.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the boy’s expression distorted frighteningly.

The boy said while drawing energy from his danjeon,

“Who says to come and go as they please? You’re a ridiculous fellow. I can’t acknowledge you.”

“What will you do if you can’t acknowledge me?”

Mok Gyeong-un said with a smile.

Then the boy took a fighting stance and said,

“If you’re so great, let’s have a duel.”

At the boy’s sudden hostile attitude, everyone looked at each other, gauging the situation.

In fact, there was one thing they were curious about.

As they recovered their internal energy, they could roughly estimate the opponent’s martial arts level with their energy sense.

But no matter how they looked at it, Mok Gyeong-un felt like he was barely at the first-rate level.

On the other hand, it was different for Yeom Ga from Vermillion Slaughter Cave and Mo Ha-rang from Demon Fire Hall.

The energy that appeared based on their energy sense was incomparably sharp, and they judged that they were opponents they couldn’t defeat even if they attacked in earnest.

So they also wanted to confirm it rather than stop him.

They wanted to see how skilled Mok Gyeong-un really was.

It was at that very moment.

“How dare you challenge this person to a duel in this place?”

Suddenly, Yeom Ga from Vermillion Slaughter Cave frowned at the boy who had taken a fighting stance, expressing his discomfort.

At his reaction, the boys couldn’t hide their puzzlement.

Like Mo Ha-rang, even Yeom Ga was acting as if he had pledged loyalty to Mok Gyeong-un.

They couldn’t understand what was going on.

But then Mok Gyeong-un raised his hand and stopped him.

“Ah. Don’t be like that. From his perspective, it’s understandable to have doubts.”

“But Lord….no, my liege. This insolent human……”

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un lightly glanced at the Demonic Monk, who was possessing Yeom Ga.

Then the Demonic Monk stopped speaking and stepped back.

‘What? Did he just call him ‘my liege’?’

‘Why is Yeom Ga from Vermillion Slaughter Cave groveling before that guy, calling him my liege?’

‘Is he really hiding his true skills?’

From the boys’ perspective, it only raised more questions.

Likewise, the boy who had boldly challenged Mok Gyeong-un to a duel also started to have doubts about Yeom Ga’s attitude.

Was his energy sense wrong?

As he was thinking that,

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un, who was sitting on the bed, stretched out his hand.

At that very moment,

-Whoosh!

“Huh?”

The body of the boy who had taken a fighting stance was pulled forward, and his head and upper body tilted forward.

The boy’s eyes widened at the strong suction force.

But the surprise was short-lived, and to prevent himself from falling forward, the boy spread his right leg and stomped his foot.

-Thud!

“Hmph!”

As soon as he did that,

-Smack!

“Ugh!”

Mok Gyeong-un leaped up from the bed, grabbed the back of the boy’s head with both hands, and kneed him in the face.

The boy’s body staggered backward as his face was hit by the knee.

Mok Gyeong-un grabbed the hair of the staggering boy.

-Grip!

“Ah, ah. You shouldn’t fall over with just this much.”

Then he smashed the head of the boy, whose nose was bleeding, directly into the floor.

-Bang!

The wooden floor shattered, and the boy’s face was buried in the ground.

The force was so strong that the boy’s body twitched and then stopped moving as if he had fainted.

“Oh. Did he faint already?”

Mok Gyeong-un muttered as if slightly disappointed.

‘!!!!!!’

At this sight, the boys were at a loss for words, stunned.

The boy who had just fought Mok Gyeong-un had martial arts skills at the end of the first-rate level, enough to reach the peak realm with just some realization.

However,

‘………He was no match at all.’

‘What was that just now?’

Moreover, what was that thing Mok Gyeong-un had shown earlier?

When he stretched out his hand, the fainted boy’s body was pulled forward and about to fall.

‘Could it be Void Seizing?’

Void Seizing Technique.

It was a technique that could move objects with profound true energy.

Was it possible for someone who looked to be only around seventeen years old?

‘No way.’

‘That can’t be.’

They couldn’t believe it.

To the boys who couldn’t hide their astonishment, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“Anyone else want to confirm?”

“………”

No one answered this question.

They had already witnessed it with their own eyes, so who would object here?

To them, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“Then no one has any objections. Good. Since one person here has been reduced, it seems we need one more person to leave.”

“………”

At those words, everyone looked at each other.

That was because not only Mok Gyeong-un’s strength but also Yeom Ga and Mo Ha-rang were masters who had reached the peak realm.

If they stayed in this team, passing was guaranteed, so who would easily give up?

“The atmosphere has improved. I’m glad to see you all so motivated.”

Saying that, Mok Gyeong-un, who had been looking over the boys, stroked his chin as if troubled.

“We can’t have them fight each other since it’s a team-based gate……”

‘Ha!’

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Mo Ha-rang inwardly clicked her tongue.

This guy was really full of malice.

As they were thinking that, Mok Gyeong-un stared intently at one boy.

Was he telling him to leave?

At this, the startled boy said,

“I, I will do my best to follow you as the team leader…..”

Before he could finish his sentence,

Mok Gyeong-un approached him and stood right in front of him.

Then he smiled brightly and said,

“You’re the weakest one. I’m sorry, but it seems you should leave.”

“……….”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the boy trembled and couldn’t say anything.

In fact, it was because he acknowledged that he was relatively weaker compared to the other boys.

At this, he silently tried to turn around,

“Ah, wait a moment.”

‘Could it be?’

Did he change his mind?

Thinking that, he turned his head with a glimmer of hope, but,

-Smack! Crack!

At that moment, his body was suddenly staggering to the side and spinning.

Then he soon fell to the floor, hitting his head.

-Thud!

“Aaargh!” The fallen boy soon grabbed his leg and cried out in pain.

Just now, Mok Gyeong-un had kicked his ankle, and the force was so strong that his body spun like a windmill and broke at the same time.

“What are you doing? He was just about to give up and leave…”

One boy shouted at Mok Gyeong-un in shock.

Then Mok Gyeong-un tilted his head.

“Is there a problem?”

“No. He’s leaving on his own after you told him to, so why are you doing this to his leg…”

He couldn’t bring himself to say “break.”

But then Mok Gyeong-un said, “I said not to kill him. Did I ever say not to break a limb somewhere?”

“………”

At those words, the boy was at a loss for words.

Breaking his leg here to eliminate him just because he’s no longer on the same team.

This guy is really……

He was speechless, but Mok Gyeong-un stretched his body as if loosening up and said, “It won’t end with just this friend, so what’s the fuss?”

“What are you saying now?”

“From now on, we’ll be quite busy. Because we have to break the legs of all the other team members except our team before the gate test.”

‘!?’

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the boys’ expressions stiffened simultaneously.