noveltune Chapter 154:
Chapter 154:
Chapter 154:
The Qing Shui Dojang stood there with a blank expression as memories from over ten years ago, which had been sealed away, rushed in like a storm.
Some of the enemies, who were being overwhelmed by the Muja Quartet, started to approach to deal with Qing Shui Dojang first.
“What are you doing!!!”
“Move!!!”
In that urgent moment, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong shouted without honorifics as they realized the situation late.
A sword from Qing Shui Dojang suddenly pierced the abdomen of the man who had been charging ahead.
It was the same method he had used ten years ago on that day when he stabbed a bandit’s belly.
However, the difference between then and now was.
Swish!
He now possessed the strength and swordsmanship to naturally withdraw the sword he had embedded.
Qing Shui Dojang looked at the enemies charging towards him, while also looking back at his past.
Swish!
It was no longer the child from his memories, but Qing Shui Dojang’s sword moving skillfully, drawing countless circles.
These circles, which should have been beautiful and embodied nature, instead,
Swish!!
With a chilling sound of flesh tearing, they created a bloodstorm.
Within an instant, Qing Shui Dojang slaughtered five people and wore a dissatisfied expression.
‘The movements are not suitable for killing these people.’
This was a denial of the Taegeuk Haegum, the ultimate technique of his sect, which he had been training for over ten years to perfect.
A living sword that continues without pause, deflects the opponent’s attacks, protects oneself, and subdues the opponent.
But was there a need to use such swordsmanship to deal with these kinds of people?
As soon as this question arose, Qing Shui Dojang’s movements changed.
The circular movements transformed into straight lines.
Puk!
Puk!
Abandoning the subtleties of flexibility, his sword moved with incredible speed, aiming precisely at vital points and major acupuncture points.
The death sword, whose sole purpose was to kill the opponent, emitted a strong scent of blood.
Swish!
Before long, dozens of corpses turned into chunks of meat lay around Qing Shui Dojang.
In less than a quarter of an hour after the battle started, the number of enemies lying on the ground exceeded a hundred.
Now, the remaining twenty or so warriors of the Black Market were too frightened to attack and merely surrounded the area.
The shadow merchants and customers who had come to the black market had long fled to avoid the chaos, causing significant losses to the Gyerim Black Market.
If their safety could not be guaranteed, who would come to such a black market?
However, Mu-jin had not come here just to disrupt a market.
Fortunately, a middle-aged man appeared, parting the formation that surrounded Mu-jin and his group.
“Have you forgotten the agreement? You maggots of bandits.”
“Are you the owner of this dump?”
“Dump?”
“What else would you call a place where hundreds of pieces of trash gather?”
“Hehehehe. Who are you calling trash? A bandit shouldn’t be talking like that.”
The middle-aged man tilted his head and added.
“No, now that I see it, you might just be dressed as bandits.”
The middle-aged man, who seemed to be the manager, aimed his spear at Mu-jin with a sinister smile.
“I’ll find out who you really are after cutting off your limbs. Attack!”
At his shout, five warriors who were standing by to assist the middle-aged man charged at Mu-jin’s group.
Mu-jin had planned to leave the small fry to his group and deal with the apparent head of the Black Market himself.
“I’ll handle him.”
Qing Shui Dojang rushed at the man first.
‘Damn it.’
Mu-jin swallowed a curse at the sudden development and focused on the warriors attacking him.
If he also went after the boss, his group of three would have to face the remaining enemies alone.
Mu-gung and Mu-yul, deal with the ones around us first. Gyeong will handle two, and I’ll take care of three!
Thus, Mu-jin quickly organized the situation.
‘Damn it!’
This had been happening from the start. That guy seemed to have only one purpose in life—to kill him.
“Why don’t you die!!”
In the midst of this, the newly joined Mu-jin approached from behind, swinging his fist.
The branch chief frantically swung his spear at Mu-jin, but Mu-jin countered by striking the spear with his sword and moving inside.
Their skills aside, both of them acted as if their own lives meant nothing, focusing only on the kill, which was maddening.
The branch chief, naturally driven into a corner, couldn’t hold out for long and eventually took a heavy blow from Mu-jin’s fist.
‘Hoo.’
Mu-jin was relieved that he had stopped him before he could commit suicide.
Flash!
Feeling a sudden sense of danger, Mu-jin quickly moved his energy and swung his arm.
Clang!
Mu-jin’s fist stopped precisely an inch before the branch chief’s neck, blocking an unexpected sword strike.
It was another fierce and fast strike from Cheongsu Dojang, devoid of any gentleness.
“What are you doing!?”
Mu-jin was startled, but Cheongsu Dojang frowned instead.
“Why are you stopping me? Didn’t you just say we should kill them all?”
Cheongsu Dojang’s completely emotionless eyes made Mu-jin swallow hard.
‘Crazy. He’s really lost it. But why?’
Mu-jin felt more uneasy not knowing the reason for this change.
However, he couldn’t afford to bicker with Cheongsu Dojang now. They needed to clear the area quickly to avoid being tracked.
“These guys might have more information. We need to interrogate him.”
Mu-jin quickly thought of an excuse and spoke.
Perhaps finding Mu-jin’s reasoning acceptable, Cheongsu Dojang nodded and leapt towards the still-fighting Muja Trio.
Or rather, it felt like he was just moving to slice the necks of the Black Path members.
“...Was he always like that?”
Since Cheongsu Dojang didn’t have a significant role in the novel, Mu-jin found the change surprising in many ways.
* * *
Shortly after taking down the branch chief, the battle concluded.
After all the enemies were defeated, Mu-jin surveyed the surroundings.
It was a literal sea of blood.
“Sniff.”
“Uwaaah.”
“Please, spare us...”
Amidst the carnage, the bound captives were trembling in fear.
They were slaves brought here to be sold.
Mu-jin approached them with pity, but...
“Eek!”
Seeing Mu-jin covered in blood, their eyes were filled with even more fear.
“Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you.”
Mu-jin tried to reassure them, but they were too panicked to hear him.
Giving up on persuasion, Mu-jin approached them and broke their shackles and cuffs with his strength.
There were seven captives in total: two children around ten years old, four young women in their mid-teens to early twenties, and one young man who seemed to be intended for hard labor.
‘What should I do...?’
Mu-jin’s original goal was simply to destroy the Gyerim Black Market.
It was a place that would later grow into a massive slave market, supporting human trafficking by Shinchun and becoming a backer for Hyeok Jin-gang.
Thus, he hadn’t planned for the slaves caught here.
‘Leaving them here would likely result in them being captured again...’
Their ragged clothes and the terrible security in this area made it extremely dangerous for them to travel alone.
‘Hoo. Well, traveling with them to the next destination shouldn’t be too bad.’
Mu-jin rationalized his decision to take them along.
“Take care of these people and that guy. Let’s get out of here.”
Knowing that staying too long could attract pursuers, Mu-jin’s group left the black market, taking the branch chief and the slaves with them.