Episode 276: Bloodstained

Two chakrams sliced through the necks of two martial artists from the dark sect, and warm blood sprayed into the air.

The other martial artists, who had been sleeping, were jolted awake, suddenly drenched in blood, and instinctively reached for their swords.

“It’s an ambush!”

“Get up!”

Jinhae couldn’t gauge the skill level of the two who had died first. It was the same for Dang Mujin. How could anyone assess their abilities when they were killed in their sleep, clutching their throats in the dark?

Jinhae stood a little distance away, holding Yaryul Lan and Yaryul Hwan under each arm, trying to calm his racing heart.

‘If they need help, I’ll jump in right away.’

This was the first time Jinhae had actually witnessed Dang Mujin and his group’s fighting skills.

On the day of the battle at the communal sect, Jinhae hadn’t been able to properly observe their fight. His mind had been too consumed with the thrill of surpassing his own limits, and he was too busy deflecting the attacks that came his way. He had only caught glimpses of their battle.

As soon as Dang Mujin retrieved his chakrams, Namgung Myung and Hyun Gong swaggered toward the dark sect’s martial artists. Despite their leisurely pace, their expressions were as fierce as predators.

The red dirt on Namgung Myung and Hyun Gong’s sleeves was particularly noticeable. It was a reminder of the graves they had dug for Yaryul Lan and Yaryul Hwan’s parents and the villagers.

Namgung Myung’s sword descended from above.

Jinhae inhaled deeply, empathizing not with Namgung Myung, but with the man trying to block his sword.

The sword was a bit slow.

Yet, Jinhae’s shoulders twitched involuntarily as he held the two children.

With all escape routes blocked, the man had no choice but to raise his sword to defend himself.

As Jinhae had predicted, the dark sect martial artist lifted his sword. The pressure he felt was so intense that he supported the blade with his left hand, knowing it might cut him.

Better to cut a hand than to have his head split open.

But Namgung Myung’s sword, wielded with just one arm, was overwhelmingly heavy.

It crushed, smashed, and pulverized. Yet at the same time, the sword in Namgung Myung’s hand was incredibly sharp.

The blade, both solid and razor-sharp, pierced through the opponent’s sword.

The dark sect martial artist let out a groan, stifled by fear.

“Ugh!”

With a single strike, Namgung Myung’s sword sliced from the man’s head to his abdomen.

Jinhae felt a chilling sensation from his own crown to his stomach.

If there was any consolation, it was that the sharpness of the blade left the corpse in a clean state. Not that it would comfort the dead.

’…’

Jinhae glanced to the side. He saw Hyun Gong advancing with his sword.

The Tai Chi sword of the Wudang sect.

Unlike the heavy sword of the Namgung family, it wasn’t meant to take a life in a single blow. It was extremely defensive rather than aggressive.

Yet Jinhae’s knees twitched involuntarily.

When Hyun Gong took a step forward with his sword, the opponent in front of him had no choice but to step back.

An overwhelming defense that transcends the limits of passivity. Not allowing the opponent into one’s territory—that is the essence of defense.

Even if two or three people attacked together, the situation didn’t change.

Hyun Gong always advanced, and the opponent always retreated. As if it had been predetermined.

Eventually, there comes a moment when there’s nowhere left to retreat.

Like when your back hits a cliff or a tree, or when you trip over a stone while backpedaling.

At such moments, Hyun Gong’s sword inevitably closes in.

Thwack—

Hyun Gong’s sword sent the dark sect martial artist’s weapon flying.

The martial artist instinctively reached out to block with his arms, but bare hands can’t stop a sword that even a weapon couldn’t. Blood soon gushed forth.

A man trying to sneak away from the fight was intercepted by Hong Geolgae, who appeared naturally in his path.

After swiftly dealing with the man, Hong Geolgae returned to his position, keeping an eye out for anyone approaching Dang Mujin or Jinhae, or anyone attempting to flee.

While the dark sect martial artists were distracted by Namgung Myung and Hyun Gong, blood suddenly spurted from their necks. The chakrams, which had flown through the air once more, returned to Dang Mujin’s hands.

It took less than half a quarter of an hour for the entire group of dark sect martial artists to meet their end.

Jinhae watched the entire scene, entranced.

The four of them, with their unrelated martial arts, harmonized like a well-coordinated team, overwhelming their opponents.

It wasn’t so much the harmony of their martial arts, but rather their clear understanding of how to move.

‘Or maybe it’s just that each of them is exceptionally skilled…’

Jinhae felt a twinge of embarrassment. He recalled how he had argued with Namgung Myung about not yet being a true martial artist, and it now seemed foolish.

If Namgung Myung had shown him this scene first and then made the same claim, Jinhae might have nodded in agreement, even if reluctantly.

As soon as the fight ended, the four of them resumed their journey.

Jinhae carefully followed, ensuring the two children remained asleep.

Once they had put some distance between themselves and the bodies of the dark sect martial artists, and as the sun rose, brightening their surroundings, the two children, dangling under Jinhae’s arms, began to stir.

The children opened their eyes groggily, momentarily silent, as if trying to make sense of the situation.

Yaryul Lan was the first to speak.

“Where are we?”

But before Jinhae could answer, Yaryul Hwan, looking around, pointed ahead in surprise.

“Blood!”

Unlike Dang Mujin or Hong Geolgae, Namgung Myung and Hyun Gong were covered in blood.

Namgung Myung quickly came up with an excuse.

“There was so much leftover food from yesterday that a tiger caught the scent and showed up. We’re running away from it.”

“A tiger!”

Yaryul Lan was startled. Children are easily swayed by exciting words.

They thought that would be the end of it, but Yaryul Hwan asked a sharp question.

“Why is there blood if you’re running away? Are you hurt?”

Yaryul Lan, tucked under Jinhae’s other arm, scolded him.

“Silly, of course they won. They’re adults.”

Yaryul Lan seemed to have a naive belief that adults should be able to defeat tigers.

It seemed their father had been prone to exaggeration. Namgung Myung nodded.

“Yes, of course we won. But there were so many tigers that we had to leave.”

“If we’re not home, Mom and Dad will worry…”

Yaryul Hwan mumbled, and Hyun Gong replied.

”…They said they’d come find you later.”

Jinhae thought Hyun Gong’s expression was peculiar. It seemed playful at first glance, but there was a shadow behind his smile.

Yaryul Lan asked again, incredulous.

“Really? Dad never said that.”

“Of course it’s true. Your dad has a bushy beard, right? And your mom is about this tall with a mole by her eye.”

It was a guess, but it couldn’t be wrong. Among the villagers they had buried, there was only one couple who could have children of this age.

Yaryul Lan and Yaryul Hwan seemed to accept this explanation.

“Hmm. Why didn’t they tell us?”

“You were asleep, so they told us instead.”

Hyun Gong smoothly deceived the children. After all, young children are known to sleep a lot.

“When will they come if they’re coming later?”

“They said they’re going far to get you gifts, so it’ll take a while. I’d say it’ll be almost a hundred nights.”

“A hundred nights?”

The children looked a bit bewildered. They didn’t seem to fully grasp what it meant to live apart from their parents.

“If you’re lucky, they might come sooner, but even if they hurry, it’ll be over fifty nights. But since they’re going far, they’ll bring amazing gifts, so just wait patiently.”

Twenty nights might be manageable to count, but fifty or a hundred nights is an unfathomably long time for children.

At first, they’ll count the days, but soon they’ll lose track and gradually get used to life without their parents.

That’s how children who lose their parents learn to live. When Jinhae set them down, the two children toddled along, following the group.

The group exchanged brief, subtle glances, ensuring the children wouldn’t notice.

“Wudang Mountain?”

The suggestion was to take the children to Wudang Mountain, where Hyun Gong had grown up.

But Hyun Gong shook his head. While the Wudang sect was kind-hearted and would treat the children well, they had never accepted a girl before.

If they were lucky, Yaryul Lan might become the first girl to join the Wudang sect, but if not, the siblings might be separated.

“Namgung is out of the question.”

Namgung Myung nodded. The Namgung family was insular and centered around blood relations.

It wouldn’t be an ideal choice for Yaryul Lan and Yaryul Hwan.

Hong Geolgae waved his hand dismissively.

“The Beggars’ Sect is also a no-go.”

“We weren’t even considering that.”

It wasn’t that it was impossible, but it wasn’t a particularly good option.

Deciding the future of children as young as four or five to be beggars was more of a punishment than a kindness.

How many people in the world are truly suited to a life of begging?

Dang Mujin spoke up.

“We should also talk to Zhongnan, Huashan, and Qingcheng when we get out. If no one steps up, I’ll take them in.”

It was a situation where Jin-hae should have spoken up, but he hesitated, gauging the mood. He felt there was nothing to gain from stepping forward too hastily.

In such matters, it was better to leave the decision to other members of the Cheongseong sect, like Gong Ryeong-ja.

However, staying silent felt a bit cowardly, so Jin-hae tried to change the subject.

“Aren’t you tired?” he asked.

Tang Mu-jin replied lightly, “The kids are still awake, so it’s not really a good time to rest.”

Yet, it didn’t seem like Tang Mu-jin was forcing himself to endure. His group was chatting and laughing as if they hadn’t been up all night, moving energetically.

In truth, Jin-hae was the one feeling the most exhausted.

‘I just want to lie down and rest anywhere.’

As he trudged along, occasionally responding to Tang Mu-jin’s group’s banter, Jin-hae realized he had somehow become part of their conversation.

The four of them were lively, perhaps excessively so, drawing in even those who lingered on the outskirts.

He thought back to when he traveled with other members of the sect. It hadn’t been quite like this.

‘Were they just pretending to be more reserved back then?’

It wasn’t entirely accurate. Even then, the four weren’t exactly reserved.

But being reserved is relative. Compared to their current boisterousness, they had indeed been putting on a more composed front.

Yet, mingling with Tang Mu-jin’s group was quite enjoyable. The atmosphere was so cheerful that even just listening made him smile.

Namgung Myung approached Jin-hae and said, “You look a bit better.”

“I’m tired, but in good spirits.”

“You can be like that with us, and with the Cheongseong sect too.”

Jin-hae stopped in his tracks. It was a sensible yet unfamiliar notion.

Namgung Myung continued, “Wearing a serious face makes it seem like you’re preparing for the future. Acting all solemn and serious can make you feel important. But frowning won’t make your troubles disappear, and no special luck will come to solve your problems.”

“That’s true.”

“So there’s no need to put on a grim facade in front of the Cheongseong sect. Just remember and don’t forget. Don’t act serious just for show. There’s someone in our family who messed up their life doing that.”

Namgung Myung seemed to speak directly to Jin-hae’s innermost thoughts, making him feel like he wanted to crawl into a hole.

Jin-hae had killed the Tang twins not out of genuine hatred but because he felt it was necessary.

As a disciple who lost his master, he thought he should harbor deep resentment. As someone with responsibilities, he believed he should be decisive and strong.

Of course, the absence of Yeong Heo-ja was significant, but it wasn’t the sole reason to kill the Tang twins.

“No one is perfect. Everyone’s a little crazy. You should be a little crazy too, unless you want to completely lose it one day.”

Jin-hae finally understood why Tang Mu-jin’s group felt different from other “friends.”

Like everyone else, the four weren’t perfect. But they didn’t strive to be.

Each had mastered different martial arts, yet they complemented each other. They were each a little off in their own way.

But they weren’t ashamed of it.

They were ready to show their flaws comfortably and accept each other’s shortcomings with a ‘that’s just how they are’ attitude.

Realizing this, Jin-hae felt a weight lift from his heart.

“That’s good advice. Being around such bright people makes me feel brighter too. I can sense the bold spirit of the Namgung family.”

Namgung Myung’s expression turned a bit complex at that.

At the same time, Tang Mu-jin and Hong Geol-gae burst into laughter.

Feeling he might have said something wrong, Jin-hae looked around awkwardly.

Tang Mu-jin spoke up, “See how his nose is crooked? His father did that. His left arm too. If that’s bold, then I guess it is.”

“Oh… I see.”

“Hyun-gong’s childhood was similar to these kids’. Hong Geol-gae didn’t have a carefree childhood either. Your nature and upbringing are significant, but they’re just starting points. What’s more important is where you want to go.”

Namgung Myung leaned in and whispered to Jin-hae, “You can ignore his boasting. It sounds impressive, but it’s all empty.”

Without warning, Tang Mu-jin threw a disc at Namgung Myung.

Namgung Myung deftly caught it with his left arm, sacrificing three wooden fingers in the process.

As always, when Tang Mu-jin and Namgung Myung clashed, Tang Mu-jin ended up at a loss.

Watching this, Jin-hae couldn’t help but laugh.