Chapter 18: Evil (2)

Note: I have no clue what Mochiwisan is. If anyone knows, please enlighten me. I tried google, I trait everything, but it just makes no sense… I assume it's meant to be some sort of paralytic poison or something… but still… I have no actual translation for it, so I left it as is.

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"What on earth have you done to my body?"

In response, Mok Gyeongwoon smiled and asked, "Well… What did I do?"

'Creepy… '

The corners of his mouth were clearly smiling, but his eyes didn't move—like those of a dead person. When Jo Ilsang saw this, he felt fear for the first time in his life.

'This guy… Is he really Mok Gyeongwoon?'

It was no exaggeration to say that the Mok Gyeongwoon he knew was the worst of the Mok family brothers. But he hadn't expected this at all. The atmosphere was completely different. It felt like standing in front of someone who wasn't an ordinary human being.

At that moment, Mok Gyeongwoon stepped closer and spoke, "You seem very nervous. Well, don't worry. If we had done this the old way, we'd have started by cutting you in one place. But now, we're using Mochwisan."

"Mochwisan?"

In response to Jo Ilsang's question, Mok Gyeongwoon pointed upward and said,

"This is a really nice place."

"What?"

"Before, if you needed medicine, you had to scour the mountains to find it. But now, with so many medicines available, you can combine them as needed."

"Combining medicinal herbs? What have you done to me?"

"It's not a big deal. If you grind medicinal herbs, Yeongmasan, and Yeongcho roots and mix them well, you can paralyze everything except the area where the head is."

'!?'

Mok Gyeongwoon spoke casually. Jo Ilsang swallowed hard, his eyes trembling as he stared at Mok Gyeongwoon. What on earth was this guy? Since when did he have such knowledge about medicinal herbs?

Mok Gyeongwoon, noticing his bewilderment, bent his knees slightly, made eye contact, grabbed his head, and said,

"Actually, this isn't that important. What's more important is why the second brother, Mok Eunpyeong, sent you."

Jo Ilsang stayed silent at Mok Gyeongwoon's words. If he were going to reveal that, he wouldn't have worn a mask in the first place. Seeing this, Mok Gyeongwoon sighed and chuckled.

"Your mouth is sealed… Of course, coming here masked means you had no intention of being polite, right? What should I do?"

…

Just a little while ago…

"…This person is Jo Ilsang, the bodyguard of the second Young Master; Mok Eunpyeong. But, Young Master, what on earth did you do to beat someone like him?" Go Chan was dumbfounded.

Jo Ilsang was a skilled fighter, on the verge of becoming a top player. And yet Mok Gyeongwoon; who couldn't even move properly after being pierced through the thigh—had subdued him? How much had this guy been hiding?

Go Chan couldn't understand it at all.

"The second Young Master sent him?"

"That's right."

"Why did they send this person?"

"I don't know either. Seeing as he came here wearing a mask, it doesn't seem like it's for a good reason."

"Then there's nothing left to guess, right?"

"Zhang Zhou hasn't passed away yet. Even if it were the second Young Master, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to attempt something like an assassination. I really don't know why he sent him."

"Then I guess I'll have to find out for myself."

"What? Are you saying you're going to torture him?"

"That might also be a good idea."

"Young Master! It would be better to let him go."

"Let him go?"

Go Chan warned Mok Gyeongwoon, who looked puzzled.

"The second Young Master has vassals who follow him and is building his own power. If you touch someone sent by him…"

"Is there a chance there will be consequences?"

"Yes. He might be angry. If you provoke him unnecessarily, it could become dangerous."

"Hmm."

'Hmm?'

Go Chan looked at Mok Gyeongwoon anxiously. The way his mind worked was so sharp it was terrifying, but it was impossible to predict his next move. One thing was certain; even if the second Young Master had sent a masked visitor, there was nothing Mok Gyeongwoon could do in his current state except be patient.

"Let's think about it."

"You really shouldn't touch him."

"Yes, I understand very well what you're saying, Guard Go Chan."

"Okay."

No matter where you might end up, I think that as long as you are aware of the current situation, you will no longer go out of your way to make enemies. Unlike the Great Lady, who is cautious about everything despite her arrogance, the second Young Master, although clever, is still young and emotional.

…

Jo Ilsang, who had been nervous, seemed to calm down a little, took a deep breath, and spoke.

"What do you want, and what can you do?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"If you knew who I was, it would have been better to let me go."

"Do you think it would be better to let you go?"

"Yes. I've already been captured, but if you do more harm to me, do you think the second Young Master will remain silent?"

Jo Ilsang deliberately mentioned his background. He wasn't sure what Mok Gyeongwoon was thinking when he held him like this, but this was the end.

What difference would it make if Mok Gyeongwoon knew his identity? The mask was only meant to keep things quiet. The second Young Master, Mok Eunpyeong, had strong pride and would never forgive anyone who harmed his people.

Jo Ilsang turned to Mok Gyeongwoon, who raised an eyebrow.

"Let's make a deal since things have turned out this way."

"A deal?"

"Yes. If you release me and give me the secret scroll of the Yeonmok Hall Sword Technique, I'll tell the Young Master to leave you alone."

"Leave me alone?"

"It means that even if the Young Master becomes Zhou, you'll be able to live safely."

"And the price is the special scroll of the Yeonmok Hall Sword Technique?"

"Yes."

Although nervous due to the unfavourable situation, Jo Ilsang spoke boldly. He believed that the higher the stakes, the clearer the power dynamics should be. If he showed weakness, Mok Gyeongwoon would take the upper hand.

'In the end, he'll have no choice but to give in.'

For Mok Gyeongwoon, the Yeonmok Hall Sword Technique was a pearl on a pig's neck. His mother's family had gone bankrupt, and none of his vassals supported him. If it was too much for him, handing it over to save his life didn't seem like a bad deal…

*Closely*

At that moment, Mok Gyeongwoon grabbed Jo Ilsang's hair and pulled.

"Huh? You?"

"This is amusing. In a situation where your body isn't even in good shape, you trust your position enough to make a counterproposal."

"You…"

"I heard your story, and now I'll start with one finger."

With that, Mok Gyeongwoon pulled out a strange-looking blade.

'!?'

"This is called Hasak, a tool used to trim herbs. It's strong enough to cut really hard branches, so fingers and toes are easy."

"What?"

"You can trust it; it's been tested thoroughly. I've used it plenty of times."

Jo Ilsang, startled and panicking, tried to reason with Mok Gyeongwoon.

"You—you! Didn't you understand what I said? I came under orders from the second Young Master. If you harm me, he…"

"Yes, yes. There's so much to discuss, but I'll start by cutting one."

Without hesitation, Mok Gyeongwoon grabbed one of Jo Ilsang's limp, paralyzed wrists. Then, he positioned Jo Ilsang's right index finger into the blade's slot. Jo Ilsang's face turned pale as he watched.

"Oh, stop! Are you insane? If you do this…"

*Crack*

The sound of something hard being severed echoed. Jo Ilsang, frozen in shock, looked at the object that fell to the floor. It was two joints of his index finger.

"…!"

He said nothing. He couldn't feel anything below his head, so it didn't hurt. However, the sight of his severed finger left him utterly speechless.

Mok Gyeongwoon smiled and spoke.

"You can't feel much because it doesn't hurt, right? Normally, when using Hasak, instead of paralyzing the body with Mochwisan, they just tie it up. That way, there's some pain. But since you've trained in martial arts, I had no choice but to use Mochwisan."

Mok Gyeongwoon explained matter-of-factly, as if talking about trimming herbs.

"For effect, I made sure to show you as I cut your finger."

He continued with a smirk.

"It's been a long conversation. From now on, I'll just cut them one by one until you start talking."

*Smack*

With those words, Mok Gyeongwoon grabbed Jo Ilsang's middle finger next. Jo Ilsang, wide-eyed and in a daze, suddenly stammered,

"Wait, stop! You can't!"

"..."

*Crack*

Despite being told to stop, Mok Gyeongwoon severed Jo Ilsang's middle finger. Jo Ilsang watched helplessly as his finger twitched on the floor. His head felt like it might explode from the overwhelming shock.

Then, Mok Gyeongwoon's voice cut through his panic.

"Shall we use your thumb this time?"

Before Jo Ilsang could respond, Mok Gyeongwoon grabbed his thumb and placed it into the hole of the Hasak. Seeing this, Jo Ilsang couldn't hide his growing terror. He was right-handed—losing his thumb would render his right hand useless.

"S-Stop…"

But he didn't bother finishing. He knew this madman would cut it regardless of what he said. At that moment, Mok Gyeongwoon's grip on the Hasak loosened slightly.

In desperation, Jo Ilsang blurted out, "Young Master Eunpyeong sent me to confirm whether you truly lost your martial arts skills!"

Mok Gyeongwoon's hand hesitated, and the blade barely nicked the flesh of Jo Ilsang's thumb before stopping altogether.

*Thud*

*Thud*

*Thud*

Although his body was paralyzed, Jo Ilsang could feel his heart pounding violently in his chest. He gasped in shock.

"Haha…"

"You said you came to confirm whether I lost my martial arts skills?"

"Yes, that's correct."

Jo Ilsang, trembling with fear, unknowingly adopted a more submissive tone. However, Mok Gyeongwoon wasn't convinced. His sharp instincts told him there was more to this than met the eye.

'Hmm.'

Mok Gyeongwoon's mind quickly pieced together the truth.

'If you were given this order without revealing your identity, it means someone leaked that information to you. But only two people know I've faked my loss of skills.'

The only possibilities were Guard Go Chan and Guard Kam. Of the two, Guard Go Chan had stayed loyal and remained close by. Mok Gyeongwoon's lips curled into a smirk.

'So, they switched sides quickly.'

He was now certain that Guard Kam had betrayed him. Kam's defection was no surprise, but the speed of it caught Mok Gyeongwoon off guard. Though it complicated matters, it also confirmed his suspicions.

'At least they're trying to cover their tracks.'

Mok Gyeongwoon chuckled softly and addressed Jo Ilsang.

"Did Guard Kam tell you that?"

Jo Ilsang's eyes widened in shock. Mok Gyeongwoon wasn't supposed to know about Guard Kam's loyalty to Young Master Eunpyeong. How had he figured this out so easily?

'Did he suspect it all along?'

Shaken, Jo Ilsang eventually nodded and replied,

"…That's right."

"As I thought."

It was exactly as Mok Gyeongwoon expected. He nodded slowly before turning his gaze back to Jo Ilsang.

"What should I do with you now?"

At these words, Jo Ilsang's voice trembled with desperation.

"Please, forgive me. I swear to keep quiet about today. I won't say a word to Young Master Eunpyeong…"

Mok Gyeongwoon tilted his head slightly and smiled.

"Ah… what should I do about this?"

"W-what?"

"..."

*Crack*

Mok Gyeongwoon stared at Jo Ilsang, who was barely conscious, his face grotesquely distorted from the beating. His nose was shattered, his facial bones broken, and his two fingers gone.

Jo Ilsang stammered through his pain, "Young Master Eunpyeong… will avenge me if I die."

Mok Gyeongwoon shrugged. "Perhaps, but I have Yeonmok Hall Sword Technique. If needed, I'll use that to negotiate. Wouldn't that solve everything?"

Jo Ilsang's breath hitched as his mind went blank. The possibility of Mok Eunpyeong giving up on revenge, to secure the sacred document seemed all too real.

Desperate, Jo Ilsang blurted, "Young Master, I didn't realize how intelligent and capable you are. Please, like Guard Kam, I want to swear allegiance to you!"

"To me?"

"Yes, I'll dedicate my life to serving you!"

Mok Gyeongwoon's eyes narrowed. "Your life, you say?"

"Yes, anything you need! Just give me a chance!"

Mok Gyeongwoon tilted his head, then silently walked away, leaving Jo Ilsang dangling upside down in the cave.

"Y-Young Master? Where are you going?" Jo Ilsang's panic grew as he called out.

Moments later, Mok Gyeongwoon returned, holding a wooden box with peculiar markings on it. He placed it under Jo Ilsang's head. Jo Ilsang's expression twisted in confusion as the box was opened, revealing a book bound in what seemed like human skin, tied with old prayer beads.

"What… what is this?" Jo Ilsang's voice wavered as realization dawned on him.

Mok Gyeongwoon calmly explained, "This book was sealed with these prayer beads. The Book of Yin-Yang said it seals unclean things. But if the unclean grows stronger, the seal weakens."

Jo Ilsang's voice broke. "W-What are you planning to do?"

"Simple."

*Slash*

Mok Gyeongwoon's blade cut clean through Jo Ilsang's throat.

Jo Ilsang's last sounds were choked gurgles as blood gushed from his severed neck, spilling directly onto the book in the wooden box. His dying eyes locked onto Mok Gyeongwoon, filled with rage and disbelief.

"You said you'd sacrifice your life, didn't you?" Mok Gyeongwoon smirked.

*Chrrrrrr*

The blood soaked the book, covering its grotesque surface. Veins began to bulge and throb on the skin-bound cover, pulsing as if alive.

*Thud*

*Thud*

*Thud*

The sound grew louder, echoing through the cave. The prayer beads tied to the book cracked and splintered, finally breaking apart and dissolving into the pool of blood.

*Gurgling*

Suddenly, blood began pouring from the ceiling and walls of the cave, creating a nightmarish, surreal scene. Mok Gyeongwoon grinned as he looked at the chaos.

[Fifth Blue Spirit… Extremely dangerous. Requires at least ten to suppress. A vengeful spirit over a hundred years old, capable of causing hallucinations, auditory distortions, and unbearable suffering within its range.]

He watched as the cave transformed, his smile growing wider.