◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 509: Into the Darkness (4)
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Nam Hwaseong, who had been lying collapsed after receiving treatment from Dang Seohui that was close to torture, abruptly raised his head.
“Huh? Jin Sowoon… isn’t someone coming this way?”
Jin Sowoon looked at Nam Hwaseong.
“Hall Master.”
“…Damn it. Hall Master, my ass. I asked if someone was coming this way!”
“I know, so just lie there.”
That bastard always had such a pretty way with words.
Though he grumbled, Nam Hwaseong forced himself upright.
Just as Nam Hwaseong had said, five people approached them, then flinched in surprise.
“W-who are you?”
Their hands had already gone to their waists, as though they might draw their swords at any moment.
Nam Hwaseong frowned deeply.
If he got hurt again here, he would have to endure treatment even more painful than the injury itself.
The thought alone made him feel as though he should get up and strike first.
“We’re Yuseong Hall of the Martial Alliance.”
“Yuseong… Hall?”
The five seemed more curious about Yuseong Hall than the Martial Alliance.
They crept closer.
Once they came into view, Nam Hwaseong understood why they had questioned the name Yuseong Hall.
They, too, wore Martial Alliance uniforms.
“Are you really affiliated with the Martial Alliance?”
“We are Yuseong Hall, a direct unit under the Mantong Office.”
Even then, they did not lower their guard. They hesitated and sought confirmation several times.
“Deputy Unit Leader, didn’t they say before we left that people from the Mantong Office would be coming with us?”
“Huh? Now that you mention it… was that Yuseong Hall?”
Only after confirming it among themselves did they slowly approach.
Up close, their appearances showed just how miserable their time here had been.
There was not a single intact patch on their clothes, and thick crusts of dried blood clung to their hair and faces.
“I am Jang Hosu, Deputy Unit Leader of the Martial Alliance’s Second Investigation Unit, Eighth Division.”
As it turned out, they were members of the Second Investigation Unit that Yuseong Hall had originally intended to travel with.
“Are you all right? You look to be in very poor condition.”
In response to Jin Sowoon’s concern, Jang Hosu rubbed his forehead.
“Ha… I don’t even know how to explain it. What in the world is happening in this place?”
According to their account, the Second Investigation Unit had confidently entered the Sword Tomb, intending to join the First Investigation Unit as quickly as possible.
Yet they had no idea where the others were.
In the end, they decided to begin their own urgent investigation first.
“Nothing went right. Once we entered, the treasure map proved to be flimsy and incomplete. Then Black Path bastards driven mad in the maze attacked everyone without distinguishing friend from foe, making the confusion even worse.”
They had gathered the Martial Alliance’s elite, so they had not fallen apart immediately. Yet in an environment where they could not distinguish day from night, with poor meals, too little rest, and one battle after another, their unit had gradually begun to crumble.
“It has been about three days, I think. Madmen poured out of a cave like a flood, and we were swept up in it and separated from the main force.”
Even afterward, nearly everyone they encountered had been from the Black Path, and they had fought every time.
“I’m worried. The Martial Alliance will likely organize a Third Investigation Unit and send them in. At this rate, it would be no different from throwing people into a fire pit.”
Jin Sowoon nodded with a grave expression.
“You’re right. If they enter without proper preparations, something even worse will happen.”
Jang Hosu nodded.
“By any chance, do you know the way out?”
“I believe we can tell you the route we took.”
“Surely you don’t intend to keep going deeper?”
“Yes.”
“Are you out of your… No, are you in your right mind… ha?”
“…”
Jin Sowoon’s brow furrowed.
It was not as if Jang Hosu had said anything wrong.
“Yuseong Hall has work to do.”
“That is nonsense! Getting out of here comes first.”
“…”
“Come out with us first, report the situation, then continue your mission. Logically, that is the right course.”
Jin Sowoon considered it for a long while.
“All right. We’ll do that for now.”
“Phew. Thank you for making that decision.”
Faint smiles appeared on Jang Hosu and the Eighth Division members’ faces.
Then sound transmission from Jin Sowoon reached Nam Hwaseong.
-Do not fall asleep tonight, no matter what.
Startled, Nam Hwaseong looked at Jin Sowoon.
-I won’t be responsible if you die, so stay alert.
The chilling words made him demand an explanation.
Jin Sowoon, though, casually began discussing their plans with Jang Hosu.
‘W-what is this?’
#
Nam Hwaseong had thought he would not be able to sleep after the fierce battle a few sichen earlier, but drowsiness kept washing over him, and he gritted his teeth.
‘If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve gone to sleep earlier.’
Geumpyo’s behavior, which had seemed completely insane, now looked unbearably enviable.
‘No, why did he suddenly become so suspicious?’
It was not unusual for Jin Sowoon’s actions to make no sense, but suspecting Martial Alliance members who were practically family was impossible to understand.
He must have been bothered by being called a madman.
Jang Hosu had danced around the point, but someone as twisted as Jin Sowoon had surely taken it as an insult.
Still, from Jang Hosu’s perspective, it wasn’t an unreasonable thing to say.
They had entered after receiving a mission, but the unknown Sword Tomb was not the treasure-hunting ground people had expected.
The treasure hunt had vanished somewhere along the way, and it had become a struggle for survival.
‘This is driving me mad.’
An Eighth Division member took the first watch.
The guard stood rigid with tension, but nothing suspicious happened.
Perhaps standing watch was difficult, because the member kept moving about and pacing back and forth.
After the first watch ended, Nam Hwaseong pretended to sleep before getting up for his second watch.
“You look tired. Are you all right?”
“Ah… I’m fine.”
“If you think you can’t manage, wake someone else.”
“Understood.”
He barely endured the second watch, then changed places with the person taking the third.
“You look exhausted. Get some proper rest.”
“Yes. Take care.”
The moment he lay down, unbearable sleepiness began to overwhelm him.
It drove him nearly mad.
He focused all his attention on the person taking the third watch, yet his consciousness slowly began to fade.
The drowsiness came so unnaturally, so forcefully, that Nam Hwaseong had to secretly circulate his internal energy.
The third guard, perhaps sleepy as well, began muttering to themself.
“Ha… I miss my mother. I should’ve at least paid her a visit before coming here.”
The instant Nam Hwaseong heard that, his tension vanished.
Then, the moment he realized he had fallen asleep, he hurriedly opened his eyes.
“Gasp!”
A blade gleaming with a blue aura slashed toward his neck.
‘T-too late!’
He had only managed to open his eyes.
The blade was already so close that he did not even have time to move a finger.
‘I’m going to die!’
The moment he squeezed his eyes shut,
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Several dull impacts rang out, followed by the sound of something flying through the air.
“If you’re awake, move already!”
Jin Sowoon slammed the attacker into the wall and unleashed a furious barrage of punches.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
If the attacker blocked with a hand, the hand shattered. If they blocked with an arm, the arm shattered.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
With every punch Jin Sowoon drove down, the attacker’s head sank deeper between the hard rocks.
“Urk…”
As blood poured from the attacker’s ruined face, Jang Hosu struck at Jin Sowoon from behind like lightning.
Nam Hwaseong sprang to his feet and blocked Jang Hosu, pouring qi into his fist guards as he unleashed a barrage of punches.
Babababak!
He threw five strikes, but not one landed cleanly.
The fact that he had expended all his fist qi in an instant meant Jang Hosu was an exceptionally skilled master.
‘We need to attack together!’
He kept his distance and waited for Jin Sowoon to join him.
‘T-that bastard!’
Jin Sowoon calmly left the corpse behind and moved elsewhere.
Just as he swung his sword at the Eighth Division member who had taken the third watch,
“Hall Master Jin!”
Jang Hosu roared.
“Why are you doing this all of a sudden? Didn’t you say we would leave together?”
What was that supposed to mean?
Were they saying they had not attacked first…?
“What the hell are you talking about, idiot?”
“…!”
No matter what Jang Hosu said, Jin Sowoon swung his sword at the member.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The overwhelming difference in skill was obvious even from a distance.
The Eighth Division member lost their sword, had an arm severed, and finally died with a slash across the chest.
“You lunatic…!!”
The others were no different.
Dang Seohui moved her hands like lightning, turning one member’s face into a pincushion and killing them. Geumpyo was desperately driving another member back.
Ilgak had already subdued one member and pinned them to the ground.
“Do you think attacking fellow Alliance members will be forgiven?!!!”
Still, Jang Hosu shouted so fiercely in rage that Nam Hwaseong could not move rashly.
He had no idea what was going on.
Then,
“Here’s a question.”
Jin Sowoon’s voice rang calmly through the silence, a detached smile on his lips.
“Did any of us ever tell you who the Hall Master was, or not?”
Jang Hosu froze.
“…Didn’t I say it? I saw you when the Second Investigation Unit was assigned.”
“You said you had heard it clearly.”
“!”
Jin Sowoon continued.
“Now, the second question. Why do your torn clothes and wounds not match?”
Nam Hwaseong saw it.
Jang Hosu’s eyes wavered for an instant.
“It could have been a mistake! Besides, Hall Master Jin, didn’t you step forward as though it were only natural?”
“Hmm, I suppose you could see it that way. You attacked us first, then called us the culprits. That was pretty refreshing. Thanks to that, one of our idiots even believed you.”
Yayul Geuk quickly stepped in front of Jang Hosu.
“I am not an idiot.”
“…”
Crack.
The arm of the member Ilgak had subdued broke.
Dang Seohui threw a shuriken at the member Geumpyo had been driving back, killing them.
Watching this, Jang Hosu kicked off the ground and chose to flee.
“Just you wait! I’ll report this to the Martial Alliance and have you executed for treason!”
Yayul Geuk swiftly closed in and unleashed Lotus.
“Hup!”
Jang Hosu’s body rose into the air without warning.
He pushed off the ceiling and tried to throw himself toward the passage rather than crash to the floor.
At that moment,
Whiiing!
The Flying Dragon Claw shot between Nam Hwaseong and Yayul Geuk.
As Jang Hosu twisted his body to avoid it, the Flying Dragon Claw moved strangely and wrapped around his neck. Like a wild animal caught in a trap, Jang Hosu struggled as he was dragged toward Jin Sowoon.
“You, where do you really belong?”
“Urk, the Second Investigation Unit, Eighth Division… Deputy Unit Leader.”
“Not the identity you stole. Your real affiliation.”
“The Second… Investigation Unit, Eighth Division…”
Blood pooled in Jang Hosu’s face, turning it red.
Until the very end, he repeated the same words.
“The Second… Investigation Unit, Eighth Division…”
“As expected, you won’t reveal your identity so easily.”
Jin Sowoon tightened his grip. Golden light traveled along the Flying Dragon Claw’s thread and wrapped around Jang Hosu’s neck.
Jang Hosu struggled even more violently than before, writhing in agony.
Grrrk…
He clawed at the floor until his nails tore away, clawing at the Flying Dragon Claw until flesh stripped from his own neck.
Yet the more he struggled, the deeper the Flying Dragon Claw bit into his throat.
Then, at the final moment,
“G-gurk…”
Jang Hosu’s eyes turned black, and he died where he stood.
Jang Hosu’s body fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
As Jin Sowoon reeled in the Flying Dragon Claw, he looked at Ilgak.
Without further delay, Ilgak killed the subdued member.
“…”
No one else remained alive.
Gulp.
A strange tension filled the chamber.
“Nam Hwaseong.”
“…Y-yes?”
Jin Sowoon’s voice was more chilling than ever.
“What did I tell you?”
“T-to not fall asleep…”
“And yet you fell asleep, were deceived by their scheme, and could do nothing.”
“…Gulp.”
For some reason, Yayul Geuk, who had been standing beside him, took a step back. Nam Hwaseong found it unbearably irritating.
“This is what the people in here are like. If you want to die, keep judging things on your own.”
“…U-understood.”
Nam Hwaseong barely suppressed the goosebumps rising on the back of his neck, then moved his lips.
“But did you really suspect them because they seemed confused about who the Hall Master was?”
“Do I look like a madman?”
“T-then why?”
Jin Sowoon answered as though it were nothing.
“Because I had never seen him when we went to apply for the Second Investigation Unit assignment.”
“Huh?”
Then why had they not fought from the beginning? Why go through all this trouble…?
He had nearly died too.
“If I didn’t do this, you people would not learn to stay alert.”
Jin Sowoon’s gaze moved from Nam Hwaseong to Yayul Geuk, then finally Ilgak.
Nam Hwaseong cursed inwardly.
‘That crazy bastard… he really is completely insane!!!’
Still, Jin Sowoon was right. After experiencing this once, they had no choice but to become keenly aware of where they were and what kind of situation they faced.
When Jang Hosu had cried out as though he had been wronged, Nam Hwaseong had been utterly confused.
If Jang Hosu had attacked him then…
‘Fuck…’
He had no excuse.
In that situation, how incredible was Dang Seohui, who had instantly decided to attack…?
“I took care of two people. Does that mean I get to eat two pieces of candied fruit?”
“…Don’t count your candied fruit by how many people you killed!”
…Of course, he was still a little, no, very confused about just how alert they were supposed to be.
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