“You, what in the world did you do to my body?”
Mok Gyeong-un smiled at his question and said, “Well now. What do you suppose I did?” A chill ran down his spine.
His lips were clearly smiling. But his eyes were as still as a dead man's. Seeing this, Jo Il-sang felt a creepy chill for the first time in his life.
‘This bastard… is he really that Mok Gyeong-un?’
The Mok Gyeong-un he knew was, without exaggeration, the most pathetic of the Mok family brothers. But he had never expected to see him like this. His aura was completely different.
It felt like he was facing a being of a different caliber, not an ordinary human. Just then, Mok Gyeong-un approached him and spoke.
“You seem to be trembling quite a bit. Well… don't worry. Normally, I would have started by cutting off a piece of you, but this time I used body-numbing powder.”
“Body-numbing powder?”
At Jo Il-sang's question, Mok Gyeong-un pointed upward with his finger and said, “This place is quite nice.”
“What?”
“Before, if I needed medicinal herbs, I'd have to scour the mountains to find them. But with so many herbs overflowing here, I can combine them however I need.”
“Combine medicinal herbs? What did you do to me?”
“It's nothing much. If you grind and mix flying ghost herb, spirit demon powder, and spirit herb roots, you can paralyze everything except for the head.”
‘!?’
Mok Gyeong-un spoke so casually. Seeing him like this, Jo Il-sang swallowed hard, his eyes trembling. What in the world is this guy?
Since when did he have this kind of knowledge about medicinal herbs? Puzzled, Mok Gyeong-un slightly bent his knees to meet his gaze, then grabbed his head and said.
Grip!
“Actually, this isn't very important. What's more important is why my second brother, Mok Eun-pyeong, sent you.”
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, Jo Il-sang shut his mouth. If he had intended to talk, he wouldn't have worn a mask in the first place. Seeing this, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled.
“Your lips have become heavy. Of course, since you came wearing a mask, you probably have no intention of talking nicely, right? What should I do.”
Just a quarter of an hour ago.
[…This man is Jo Il-sang, the guard of the second Young Master, Mok Eun-pyeong. But Young Master, how on earth did you deal with him?]
Go Chan was dumbfounded. Jo Il-sang was a master on the verge of the first-rate realm. And Mok Gyeong-un, who couldn't even move properly with a pierced thigh, had subdued such a man?
Just how much was this guy hiding? He couldn't comprehend it at all.
[You say he's the second Young Master's man?]
[That's right.]
[Why would he send this man?]
[I don't know either. Seeing as he came wearing a mask, it doesn't seem to be for a good reason.]
[You have no idea?]
[The Manor Lord has not yet passed away, so even the second Young Master wouldn't have recklessly attempted something like an assassination. But I truly do not know why he was sent.]
[Then I'll have to find out myself.]
[What? By 'yourself,' do you mean you're going to torture him?]
[That's a good idea, too.]
[Y-Young Master! It would be better to just let him go.]
[Let him go?]
Go Chan warned the perplexed Mok Gyeong-un.
[The second Young Master has vassals who follow him and has built up his own power base. If you needlessly mess with one of his men…]
[You're saying there could be repercussions?]
[…Yes. You may be angry, but provoking him unnecessarily could be dangerous.]
[Hmm.]
‘Hmm?’
Go Chan looked at Mok Gyeong-un with unease. Seeing how his mind worked, he was frighteningly cunning, but there was no telling what he would do next. One thing he could say for sure.
Even if the second Young Master sent a masked night visitor, in Mok Gyeong-un's current situation, there was nothing he could do. Nothing except endure.
[Well, I'll think about it.]
[…You really shouldn't touch him.]
[Yes. I understand what Guard Go Chan is saying.]
Right.
No matter how unpredictable he was, as long as he understood the current situation, he wouldn't do something as reckless as making more enemies. Unlike the Great Madam, who was arrogant but cautious in all matters, the second Young Master, though cunning, was still young and emotional.
Jo Il-sang, who had been tense, seemed to have calmed down a little as he caught his breath and spoke.
“What can you even do?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Now that you know who I am, it would be better for you to let me go.”
“Better to let me go?”
“That's right. You've already done this much, but if you harm me further, do you think the second Young Master will stand idly by?”
Jo Il-sang deliberately mentioned his backing. He didn't know what Mok Gyeong-un was thinking when he captured him like this, but this was the end of it. What would change just because he knew his identity?
The mask was simply to handle things quietly. The second Young Master, Mok Eun-pyeong, was a man of great pride; he would never forgive anyone who touched one of his people. Jo Il-sang spoke to Mok Gyeong-un, whose one eyebrow was raised.
“Since it has come to this, let's make a deal.”
“A deal?”
“Yes. If you release me and give me the secret manual of the Lotuswood Sword Formation Art, I will tell the Young Master to leave you, the third Young Master, be.”
“To leave me be means…”
“It means that even if you become the Manor Lord, you will be able to live in peace.”
“And the price for that is the secret manual of the Lotuswood Sword Formation Art.”
“That's right.”
Inwardly, he was nervous because of the disadvantageous situation, but Jo Il-sang acted tough. He believed that with this type of person, it was crucial to establish a clear hierarchy. If he showed weakness, the other would only come on stronger.
‘He'll have no choice but to yield in the end.’
For Mok Gyeong-un, the Lotuswood Sword Formation Art was pearls before swine. His mother's family was ruined, and none of the vassals supported him. If it was an item too grand for him anyway, trading it to preserve his life was by no means a bad condition…
Tug!
Just then, Mok Gyeong-un pulled on the hair he was clutching.
“Huh? You?”
“How amusing. To rely on your backing and make a counter-proposal when your body is in danger of being maimed.”
“You bastard…”
“I heard your story. Now I'll start, one by one, with your fingers.”
With those words, Mok Gyeong-un took out an oddly shaped blade.
‘!?’
“This is a tool called herb-cutting shears, used for trimming medicinal herbs. It's meant for cutting hard things, so it can easily cut off fingers or toes.”
“What?”
“It's been proven, so you can trust me.”
He had used it quite a lot. Flustered by this, Jo Il-sang hurriedly said to Mok Gyeong-un, “You… you! Did you not understand what I said?
I came under the orders of the second Young Master. If you harm my body, he will…”
“Yes. You talk too much, so I'll cut one off and then we'll start.”
Having said that, Mok Gyeong-un grabbed one of Jo Il-sang's paralyzed and limp wrists. Then, he inserted the right index finger into the hole of the herb-cutting shears. Jo Il-sang's face turned deathly pale as he watched.
“S-stop. Are you truly insane? This…”
Snip!
Just then, the sound of something hard being cut off was heard. His expression stiffening, Jo Il-sang moved his head and stared at something that had fallen to the floor. It was the top two joints of his own index finger.
“…”
Jo Il-sang was speechless. Since he had no feeling anywhere but his head, it didn't hurt. But seeing his severed finger, he was so shocked and dumbfounded that he couldn't speak.
Mok Gyeong-un smiled at him and said, “It doesn't feel real because it doesn't hurt, does it? That's why when I usually use the herb-cutting shears, I don't paralyze the body with body-numbing powder, I just tie them up. That way, they can feel the pain.
But since you've learned martial arts, I had no choice.” That's why Mok Gyeong-un had to use the body-numbing powder. So, to give at least a visual effect, he had brought it right in front of his eyes and cut off the finger.
“My idle chatter has gone on too long. From now on, I'll just cut them off one by one until you talk.”
Grab!
With those words, Mok Gyeong-un grabbed Jo Il-sang's second finger. It was the middle finger of his right hand. Jo Il-sang, whose middle finger was caught, was momentarily dazed before saying in a fluster, “S-stop!”
“…”
Snip!
Despite being told to stop, Mok Gyeong-un cut off Jo Il-sang's middle finger with the shears. He could see the severed middle finger twitching on the floor. Jo Il-sang, forced to stare at it, felt like his head was about to explode.
Then, Mok Gyeong-un's voice reached his ears.
“Shall we do the thumb this time?”
Before the words had even finished, Mok Gyeong-un grabbed the thumb and immediately inserted it into the hole of the shears. Seeing this, Jo Il-sang couldn't hide his shock. He was right-handed.
If his thumb was also cut off here, he would no longer be able to do anything with his right hand.
"St-stop..."
The rest of the words wouldn't come out. No matter what he said, this madman would cut it off unconditionally.
Squeeze!
Just then, Mok Gyeong-un's hand holding the shears began to tighten. At that moment, a voice burst from Jo Il-sang's mouth.
“Y-Young Master Eun-pyeong sent me to confirm whether or not you've lost your martial arts!”
At those words, the strength in Mok Gyeong-un's hand holding the shears loosened. It had dug into the flesh of the thumb slightly, but thankfully, it wasn't cut off.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Thump!
His body was paralyzed, but Jo Il-sang could feel his own heart pounding loudly. It was strange. He had been tortured in the past.
But Mok Gyeong-un's method pushed him to the brink so quickly.
“Haa… haa…”
“He told you to confirm if I had lost my martial arts?”
“Th-that's right.”
Overcome by fear, Jo Il-sang didn't realize it, but his tone had become quite polite. Regardless, Mok Gyeong-un didn't hide his puzzlement. That was because he hadn't been found out as an imposter, yet he received such an order, which made him suspicious.
‘Hmm.’
From there, Mok Gyeong-un's thoughts rapidly approached the truth.
‘If I wasn't found out, but he received such an order, it means someone provided him with that information. But only two people know that I am an imposter.’
Guard Go Chan and Guard Gam. Of the two, Guard Go Chan had been with him constantly. The corners of Mok Gyeong-un's mouth lifted.
‘He switched sides quickly.’
Mok Gyeong-un was certain that the source of this information was Guard Gam. His betrayal was set from the beginning. But he didn't expect him to switch loyalties so quickly.
Thanks to that, things had become troublesome.
‘Still, he used his head.’
Just in case he might be held responsible, it seemed he had informed them that he had lost his martial arts, instead of revealing he was an imposter, while switching sides. Mok Gyeong-un chuckled and said to Jo Il-sang, “By any chance, was the person who told you that Guard Gam?” Jo Il-sang's eyes widened slightly.
Mok Gyeong-un shouldn't have known that Guard Gam had sworn loyalty to his master, so how did he guess it in one go?
‘Did he suspect from the beginning?’
The puzzled Jo Il-sang soon answered.
“…That's right.”
“As I thought.”
His prediction wasn't wrong. Nodding, Mok Gyeong-un stared intently at Jo Il-sang.
“Now, what should I do.”
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, Jo Il-sang spoke in a pleading voice.
“P-please, please forgive me. I will keep my mouth shut about today's events, no matter what. I will never tell Young Master Eun-pyeong, so…”
“Ah… what should I do?”
“What?”
“To do that, I think I've inflicted too many wounds.”
Jo Il-sang himself wasn't aware of it, but his face was a complete wreck. His nose bone was broken and sunken, and the bones under his eyes and on his forehead were strangely protruding as if they were broken. On top of that, two of his fingers were cut off.
One way or another, Mok Eun-pyeong would find out and be furious.
“Y-Young Master… Even if I disappear, Young Master Eun-pyeong will surely try to take revenge.”
“Well, probably. But you don't have to worry about that.”
“Why not?”
“Everyone seems to cherish the secret manual called the Lotuswood Sword Formation Art. If it comes to it, I'll just bargain with this. Isn't that fine?”
“…”
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, Jo Il-sang's mind went blank. Just as Mok Gyeong-un said, if he were to bargain with the Lotuswood Sword Formation Art, the exclusive sword art of the Manor Lord, there was a high chance that even Mok Eun-pyeong, who cherished his underlings, would give in. Dazed and flustered, Jo Il-sang hurriedly said, “Young Master…
I didn't realize you were so intelligent and outstanding. So, I too, like Guard Gam, would like to pledge my loyalty to you, Young Master.”
“To me?”
“Y-yes. Please give me a chance. I will devote this life to you, Young Master.”
All sorts of words came out. It was to save his own life.
"You would even offer your life?"
"Th-that's right. So please..."
"Hmm. Is that so."
Seeing Jo Il-sang like this, Mok Gyeong-un tilted his head slightly and went somewhere.
“Young Master? Young Master?”
Feeling uneasy, Jo Il-sang called out to him. It didn't take long. Soon, Mok Gyeong-un appeared with a wooden box in his hand, which had traces of something peculiar having been attached to it.
Mok Gyeong-un placed the wooden box under the head of the upside-down Jo Il-sang.
“What is this?”
As he wondered, Mok Gyeong-un opened the lid of the wooden box. When the lid was opened, he saw something like a book tied with old prayer beads. Why is he showing this to me?
Jo Il-sang's eyes, not understanding the reason, began to tremble.
‘Could it be?’
It was because he realized the material of the book was not paper. Mok Gyeong-un spoke to the bewildered man.
“Before you woke up, I tried to read this book, but strangely, the part bound by the prayer beads was fixed and wouldn't come off no matter what I did.”
“Th-that… how did you…”
“I read in the Yin-Yang Fundamental Scripture that there are things full of vital energy that can seal impurities. I think these prayer beads are one of them.”
“Young Master?”
Mok Gyeong-un ignored him and continued speaking.
“But it says that if there is another impurity on something meant for sealing, its power weakens.”
“Wh-what in the world are you trying to do?”
“This.”
Slash!
“Gack!”
Before he could finish his words, Mok Gyeong-un slashed Jo Il-sang's throat with something sharp. A death rattle was the last sound Jo Il-sang uttered. Perhaps his windpipe was cut, as only gurgling sounds came from Jo Il-sang's mouth.
Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly and said, "You said you could even offer your life, didn't you?"
‘Th-this son of a bitch…’
Who said they would offer it in this way? Jo Il-sang glared at Mok Gyeong-un with eyes full of resentment. To lose his life like this was too much to bear.
Splatter!
Red blood flowed from Jo Il-sang's slit throat. The blood poured onto the book made of human skin, which was bound by prayer beads inside the wooden box. And it soaked the prayer beads and the book.
The blood of a dying man. Blood filled with resentment. As it soaked the book, a strange phenomenon occurred.
Thump! Thump!
He wasn't even touching the book, but the sound of a heartbeat grew louder. As if it were a heart itself, something like veins sprouted from the book's surface.
‘Hoo.’
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Thump!
Soon, the heartbeat grew louder and faster, and then— Crack! Cracks began to form on the prayer beads that bound the book.
Then— Crumble!
The prayer beads, which had been trembling as if in agony, were suddenly compressed as if something had clenched them, and they shattered. The shattered pieces were sucked into the pool of blood in the wooden box. And with that, a strange event occurred in the hollow.
Gush!
Blood began to pour down like a waterfall from the entire surface of the hollow's walls, flowing from the ceiling. It was a sight that made him doubt his own eyes. The corners of Mok Gyeong-un's mouth stretched to his ears as he watched.
[Fifth Blue Spirit… Extremely dangerous. Requires at least ten or more Occultists to exorcise. An old vengeful spirit that has existed for over a hundred years. Capable of causing a great impact within a set radius and can inflict pain through auditory and visual hallucinations.]