Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 202 – Water Demon (4)

“How does it feel? Do you now understand the difference between cooperation and a threat?”

Elder Beom bit his lower lip at Mok Gyeong-un’s voice coming from behind him.

He never thought he would be retaliated against in this manner.

It seemed he had really messed with the wrong opponent.

‘These bastards…’

The young fellows were truly vicious.

He never expected they would take the young lady hostage as revenge.

No, there wasn’t even an opportunity to anticipate it in the first place.

Elder Beom glared at Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak with sharpened eyes.

‘Could these young men possibly not be from righteous martial arts sects?’

Elder Beom’s mind became complicated.

Although he had been overbearing due to the young lady’s insistence, if they were righteous martial artists who valued negotiation, they wouldn’t have gone this far.

In that case,

‘Evil sect?’

From what Elder Beom knew, unlike righteous sect members who valued face and honor, evil sect members prioritized profit and benefit, readily engaging in such acts without hesitation.

If that was the case, it would become even more troublesome.

He had already apologized and even offered compensation, yet they still acted this way, meaning negotiation was futile.

-Clench!

Elder Beom gritted his teeth.

The situation was so disadvantageous that he was getting angry.

However, it was crucial to remain calm in times like these.

The young lady, who had been taken hostage, must also be feeling fear in this unfamiliar situation. If he didn’t handle it carefully, it could lead to the worst outcome.

Right then,

“Impudent bastards…”

The veiled woman, whom he thought would be frightened, opened her mouth, her cheeks trembling.

Seeing her attitude, Elder Beom clicked his tongue inwardly.

She was indeed that person’s daughter.

Even in a life-threatening situation, she still uttered such words.

‘This won’t do.’

Elder Beom shook his head while looking at the veiled woman.

It meant to refrain from speaking as the situation was dangerous.

No matter how preciously she was raised or how carefree she was, she was fundamentally intelligent.

At the very least, he believed she wouldn’t do anything foolish in a situation like this.

“Listen.”

Elder Beom calmly addressed Mok Gyeong-un.

“Yes.”

“Regarding this matter, it’s indeed this old man’s fault. However, even in the martial arts world where grudges are settled decisively, targeting the elderly, children, and women is going too far. Please release that person and direct all your anger towards this old man instead.”

Elder Beom spoke as humbly and pleadingly as possible.

The situation was already close to the worst, so he was trying to appeal to their compassion.

Of course, this plea for sympathy was not only aimed at those threatening them but also to garner public sympathy from the bystanders.

-Murmur murmur!

With Elder Beom’s intentions, the people in the inn started whispering and causing a commotion.

From their perspective, it appeared as if Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak had suddenly barged in and attacked the veiled woman and her bodyguards.

“No way. Who are those guys?”

“Why are they doing this?”

They were murmuring, but naturally, it could be heard.

‘This isn’t good.’

Seop Chun, the Third Captain Commander of the Heaven and Earth Society’s headquarters, found the gazes of the bystanders burdensome.

He had followed Mok Gyeong-un’s sudden order, but there were too many onlookers in this situation.

In such circumstances, regardless of one’s identity, pressing a blade against a woman’s neck and threatening her wasn’t a good look.

“My lord.”

Seop Chun called out to Mok Gyeong-un and signaled with his eyes.

It meant that they had sufficiently warned these people, so wouldn’t it be better to end it here?

Reading this, Elder Beom spoke again in an imploring voice,

“I beg you. Please, at least release that person.”

Even if they were from evil sects, they were still human, so he believed they couldn’t simply ignore an appeal to their compassion.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un opened his mouth,

“Hmm. Two out of the three—the elderly, children, and women—are included.”

“…You don’t need to include this old man.”

“Yes. Of course not. If a supreme master like you, who has reached the peak-stage of the Transcendent Realm, tries to be treated as a frail elderly, it would be shameless.”

“I understand what you mean. So please, that sword, currently pointing at the young lady…”

“But you know what? Who was the one who ordered such a formidable master to forcefully bring us even if it meant using force?”

“………”

Elder Beom’s words were blocked by Mok Gyeong-un’s remark.

“Didn’t you mention outside that it was due to that veiled lady’s insistence?”

At these words, Elder Beom spoke in a flustered tone,

“He-hey. When did this old man say that?”

Speaking like this would make it seem like he was using the young lady as an excuse.

Conscious of the veiled woman’s mood, Elder Beom hurriedly made an excuse.

“The young lady didn’t give such an order. This is purely because this old man…”

“Don’t bother trying to smooth things over.”

“I’m not trying to…”

-Grasp!

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un grabbed Elder Beom’s shoulder.

And as he pressed down forcefully,

“Urgh.”

-Thud!

Elder Beom’s knees were forcibly made to kneel.

Although he had profound true energy cultivated over many years, he couldn’t possibly compare to a master who had reached the Transformation Realm.

-Gnash!

Elder Beom gritted his teeth.

Unlike before, being humiliated like this in front of so many people and that person was extremely shameful.

However, Elder Beom had endured even greater humiliations for a long time in “that place.”

Therefore, he could bear something like this to escape the situation.

Elder Beom calmly opened his mouth again,

“Look. Isn’t this enough? Please, stop here…”

“Judging whether it’s enough or not isn’t up to the one who started this.”

-Crunch!

“Argh.”

Elder Beom’s face contorted in pain as the hand gripping his shoulder tightened as if it would crush it.

The veiled woman then shouted,

“Sir!”

Seeing that, Elder Beom shook his head with all his might despite the agony.

It meant to absolutely not intervene.

However,

“Stop! Stop it!”

The veiled woman, unable to bear it any longer, shouted at Mok Gyeong-un.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said,

“You finally open your mouth.”

“Impudent fellow. Remove your hand from sir immediately!”

“Removing my hand or not is up to me.”

“Ha!”

The veiled woman found it absurd.

No one had ever insulted her in this manner.

Yet a mere ruffian with a barely handsome face dared to ignore her order?

The veiled woman trembled and spoke,

“You are truly the epitome of impudence.”

“The impudent one is you. The culprit who summoned a busy person and caused this mess shouldn’t be saying such things.”

“You! How dare you!”

“Ah, words won’t work after all.”

-Crunch!

“Aaaargh.”

At that moment, an even louder scream escaped Elder Beom’s mouth.

He had been enduring it by gritting his teeth, but judging from his reddened face with bulging veins, one could imagine how painful it was.

Moreover, the shoulder being gripped was turning red with blood.

“Stop! Stop it!”

“Is that what you want?”

“Yes. I want it! So now, stop…”

“…If you want me to let go, there’s a simple method.”

“A simple method?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“Kneel and apologize. Then perhaps the strength in my hand will loosen.”

“……….”

Those words made her entire body tremble with anger.

When leaving “that place,” Elder Beom had earnestly advised her to avoid revealing her identity unless absolutely necessary, but now she couldn’t bear it anymore.

She immediately removed her veil.

Beneath it, a beautiful face was revealed.

“Oh my.”

“Wow…”

Gasps of admiration flowed from here and there.

Not only was her face beautiful, but she also possessed a truly noble appearance.

Even Mong Mu-yak, who had his blade against her neck, was inwardly astonished upon seeing her face.

‘Who the hell is this woman?’

Beyond her appearance, the air of elegance she exuded was extraordinary.

It wasn’t something ordinary people could possess.

Then, the woman who had revealed her face glared fiercely at Mok Gyeong-un and spoke,

“Rude fellow. Do you know who I am to do such a thing?”

‘What’s with this woman?’

Mong Mu-yak frowned at her words.

He had already guessed that she wasn’t an ordinary person, considering she had a formidable master like Elder Beom as a mere bodyguard and was wearing luxurious clothing.

However, even if she was such a woman, in a situation like this, she should normally be frightened, trembling, or submitting, yet she still maintained her composure.

Moreover, judging from her tone, she seemed to have considerable pride in her identity.

In that case,

‘Could this woman… be related to the government or the imperial palace?’

Mong Mu-yak swallowed dryly with a stiff face.

If this woman was indeed connected to the government or the imperial palace, it would become quite troublesome.

Although the relationship between the government and the martial arts world had improved significantly recently, they still maintained inviolable territories.

If his guess was correct, it could lead to a truly bothersome situation.

Moreover, their secret mission this time was in the imperial capital, Kaifeng, making it even more so.

‘It might be better to end it here.’

However,

“Am I obligated to know who you are?”

Instead, Mok Gyeong-un went a step further.

Naturally, Mok Gyeong-un’s provocation could only infuriate her further.

“Ha! So that’s how you’re going to be?”

“You’re escalating a matter that could be resolved with a single kneel.”

“The one escalating things is you, bastard. Once you know who I am, let’s see if you can still behave so rudely…”

“Further words would be an unwise choice.”

Mok Gyeong-un interrupted her.

At this, she scoffed and spoke in an arrogant voice,

“Hmph. It’s too late to regret now. I will definitely…”

-Crunch!

“Aaaaargh!”

Before she could finish her sentence,

With a terrible scream, Elder Beom’s shoulder was twisted, and the bone pierced through the flesh, protruding out.

Witnessing that horrific sight, the woman who was about to reveal her identity turned pale and lost her words.

Mok Gyeong-un then smiled and said to her,

“Shall I tell you in advance what will happen next?”

“You… you! How dare you!”

“I don’t know who you are. Nor do I care. But if a bothersome situation arises because you reveal your precious identity out of pointless pride, I will have no choice but to make an inevitable decision.”

“An inevitable decision?”

“Yes. I’ll make it as if nothing ever happened.”

“What?”

“You don’t seem to understand. Have you heard of the phrase ‘kill to silence’?”

‘!?’

Kill to silence.

It meant killing people to prevent information from leaking out.

At those words, her expression, which had been arrogant and confident, completely stiffened.

However, Mok Gyeong-un didn’t stop there.

Sweeping his indifferent gaze over the surrounding people in the inn, he spoke nonchalantly,

“How unfortunate. If that young lady opens her mouth, you all won’t be able to leave here alive either. Well, it’s not my fault, so blame the young lady.”

‘!!!!!!!!’

The moment he finished speaking, the atmosphere inside the inn instantly turned deathly still.

He spoke casually as if it were nothing, but the overwhelming pressure was enough to drive everyone into extreme tension.

‘This, this bastard!’

How could he steer the situation in such a way?

As she was about to open her mouth in disbelief, all the gazes in the inn simultaneously turned towards her.

She was perplexed by the gazes filled with resentment and fear, so intense they were suffocating.

‘Why?’

The real target of the threat was that man, so why were they looking at her with such eyes?

Under their gazes, her lips wouldn’t part.

Amidst that, she saw Mok Gyeong-un’s face, shrouded in shadows, through her eyes.

He was grinning with a spine-chilling smile that reached his ears, his face filled with nothing but malice.

-Shiver!

A chill ran down her spine and throughout her entire body.

The moment fear gripped her entire being, her legs turned weak and gave out.

-Thud!