abcnovels
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Just as the Pig Emperor was about to obliterate the hunchbacked man, Jeok Lee-Gun, who had leaped through the air, blocked his path like a thunderbolt.
As the playfulness disappeared, Jeok Lee-Gun’s face became terrifying.
“Shall we end this now? Let’s do it.”
Jeok Lee-Gun mercilessly swung his right fist towards the Pig Emperor.
Swoooosh!
It was a punch delivered with his full strength.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Pig Emperor’s body was pulverized and fixed firmly in place by the rotating force like a whirlwind.
Normally, his body would have bounced back with its rubber-like resilience, but it continued to be crushed. As the Pig Emperor’s flesh was torn and scattered everywhere, he continuously coughed up blood.
“Aaaaargh!”
With a blood-curdling scream, the Pig Emperor crashed through the wall.
Bang! Crash!
Dust rose up in clouds.
Jeok Lee-Gun slowly walked towards him. The Pig Emperor, drenched in blood, clung to life as he still managed to keep breathing.
Jeok Lee-Gun’s gaze remained icy and devoid of mercy or sympathy as he stared down at the Pig Emperor.
Jeok Lee-Gun stretched out one of his hands.
Boom!
In the distance, the Pig Emperor’s massive mansion was obliterated.
Crash!
Gold bars, hidden beneath his throne, poured out. It was the wealth he had amassed throughout his life.
“At the end, my sister informed me through a sound transmission. She said she left a gift beneath the mansion.”
The Pig Emperor’s face twisted as he stared at the gleaming gold. Even in his final moments, he clung to his obsession with wealth.
Blood gushed from the Pig Emperor’s mouth. He asked with difficulty.
“…Why did you do it? You could have taken him quietly. If you had just done that…”
Jeok Lee-Gun faintly smiled.
“Because I needed a reason to kill you.”
“What?”
At that moment, the Pig Emperor realized.
“…From the beginning, you intended to kill me. You’re worse than me.”
“Perhaps. But people who are truly good-natured never succumb to my temptations.”
“…Bullshit.”
The Pig Emperor spoke with difficulty, filled with resentment.
“In this martial world… there’s no such thing as a good person, is there?”
Jeok Lee-Gun’s gaze intensified.
“I will create it. A martial world bustling with such individuals.”
The Pig Emperor mustered his last strength to sneer at Jeok Lee-Gun.
“…What about the stench of blood on your hands?”
Jeok Lee-Gun remained silent.
The Pig Emperor’s eyes gradually dimmed as he uttered his final words.
“…Don’t be ridiculous… kid.”
With those words, the Pig Emperor’s massive body convulsed violently before becoming still.
Jeok Lee-Gun stood in silence for a moment.
He looked down at his own hands without speaking a word.
“…That’s why I need good adults. I can’t achieve everything alone.”
Clap–
Jeok Lee-Gun clapped his hands. Then he turned away without hesitation.
Now, only Jeok Lee-Gun and the hunchbacked man remained in the hall.
The hunchback stood motionless, as if he had lost his soul.
Jeok Lee-Gun called out to him.
“Master Hwa.”
Flinch.
The hunchbacked man reacted. Jeok Lee-Gun called out once more.
“Hwa Mu-Cheol.”
After a prolonged silence, the hunchbacked man finally spoke.
“…That’s a nostalgic name.”
It was not the same voice that had been laughing foolishly.
Jeok Lee-Gun spoke again.
“The Sixth Generation Leader of the Ghost Iron Clan.”
Ghost Iron Clan.
Until ten years ago, the Ghost Iron Clan was famous for its formations and mechanical techniques. The previous head, Hwa Young-Jin, greatly contributed to the Great War of the Orthodox and the Demonic with his unparalleled mechanical skills.
The Ghost Iron Clan, which made significant contributions during the Great War of the Orthodox and the Demonic, gained even greater fame after the war. Many people requested formations and sought their expertise in mechanical techniques, leading to the accumulation of vast wealth.
The once-flourishing Ghost Iron Clan suddenly disappeared from the martial world a decade ago. Numerous rumors circulated, but the exact details remained unknown.
No one would believe that the current master of the Ghost Iron Clan had become the hunchback standing in front of him.
Hwa Mu-Cheol spoke in a hushed tone.
“How did you know I was here?”
“I searched for a long time. It was difficult to locate you.”
His previously dim eyes had regained their clarity.
“Why?”
“To buy you.”
“Who are you?”
“If you agree, I will be your new master.”
“What if I decline?”
“You don’t need to know since we are strangers anyway.”
“What does that imply?”
“I won’t look for you again. Ever. Even I, who desperately searched for you, found it difficult to locate you. No one else will find you. You can finally live quietly.”
Hwa Mu-Cheol’s eyes wavered.
“Do you know why I abandoned the martial world? Do you know why I endured suffering under that bastard?”
Jeok Lee-Gun nodded calmly.
“There are no secrets within the martial world.”
Hwa Mu-Cheol let out a long, weary sigh. It was a past he wanted to forget.
Hwa Mu-Cheol was said to be the most talented among the descendants of the Ghost Iron Clan, a lineage that had persisted through the ages. He was a genius who developed various new mechanical techniques, further advancing the skills of the Ghost Iron Clan.
He married a beautiful woman and had a lovely daughter.
Everyone in the villa respected and followed him, and the reputation of the Ghost Iron Clan in the martial world was no less than that of the Four Great Families in their prime.
In short, he was a man who had nothing to envy.
Then, one fateful day…
Hwa Mu-Cheol grasped his head as if in agony.
The events of that fateful day a decade ago resurfaced in his mind.
Boom!
Even after ten years, he still remembered–the explosion that never left his ears, the explosion that was seared into his memory, never to be forgotten.
His wife and daughter, who were watching, died right in front of his eyes when the mechanical device he created exploded. It was a gruesome death that he couldn’t bear to watch. He was covered in the blood and flesh of his wife and daughter.
A painful groan escaped from Hwa Mu-Cheol’s mouth.
He was showing off an incomplete device.
Arrogance.
Yes, it was arrogance.
The arrogance of a genius.
No, it wasn’t arrogance, but foolishness. The price and punishment for treating life and existence carelessly.
Hwa Mu-Cheol clutched his chest. He felt as though he might collapse from suffocation.
After the funeral, he departed the clan without saying a word.
Wandering aimlessly through the martial world, he became a complete wreck. He relentlessly tormented himself. He believed that even suicide would not suffice for forgiveness. He had to inflict suffering upon himself.
He thought he would return after wandering around for a while, but he never did.
The members of the clan searched for him everywhere. But they couldn’t find Hwa Mu-Cheol, who had chosen to remain hidden.
The Ghost Iron Clan vanished from the martial world, choosing not to appoint a new master. They were bound not by discipleship, but by familial ties.
The torment inflicted by the Pig Emperor was a punishment that Hwa Mu-Cheol chose to bear.
“Ughhh.”
Hwa Mu-Cheol groaned in agony, clutching his chest.
He thought he had forgotten, but the memories lingered.
The past decade had been excruciating. No matter how much he tormented himself to erase the pain, the scars remained.
How much more suffering would it take to forget the pain?
Jeok Lee-Gun sighed deeply.
“Escaping reality to forget the pain.”
Jeok Lee-Gun spoke weakly.
“…That’s the worst way.”
Hwa Mu-Cheol stared at Jeok Lee-Gun.
Jeok Lee-Gun noticed a faint flame still flickering in his eyes. It was a flame that could either extinguish soon or burn brightly. It was the final spark left in his life.
Jeok Lee-Gun spoke calmly, meeting Hwa Mu-Cheol’s gaze that seemed to ask how he could understand his feelings.
“Yes, you’re right. It’s something only the person involved can truly understand. But it’s been ten years, isn’t that enough?”
Hwa Mu-Cheol remained silent.
Tears streamed down his face.
“If you continue to live and die like this, they will…”
Jeok Lee-Gun hesitated for a moment. But eventually, he continued with brutally cold words.
“It would be nothing but a futile death.”
At that moment, Hwa Mu-Cheol’s eyes flared in rage.
“Shut up!”
Hwa Mu-Cheol charged like an enraged beast that was wounded.
He grabbed Jeok Lee-Gun’s collar and slapped his cheek. Jeok Lee-Gun did not avoid it.
“Aaaaargh!”
Hwa Mu-Cheol screamed wildly.
At least in this moment, Jeok Lee-Gun was the adult. He no longer provoked Hwa Mu-Cheol and silently accepted his sorrow and anger. His hunched back appeared even more pitiful.
Eventually, Hwa Mu-Cheol collapsed to the floor.
He panted and stared blankly at the ceiling.
They remained there for a long time. After his bout of madness, it seemed the knot in his heart had loosened a bit.
Hwa Mu-Cheol, having calmed his mind, asked quietly.
“What will you use me for?”
The response was beyond his imagination.
“To conquer the martial world.”
Hwa Mu-Cheol, who had been staring blankly at the ceiling, suddenly burst into laughter.
“Hahahahaha!”
He hadn’t let out actual laughter even once in the past decade.
The laughter he had suppressed burst forth all at once.
In stark contrast, Jeok Lee-Gun spoke with the most serious expression since he had entered this place.
“Give me your life.”
Hwa Mu-Cheol slowly rose from his seat.
“Why me? With that money, you could hire anyone in the martial world.”
Jeok Lee-Gun, who had been silent, responded quietly.
“Because you are a good adult.”
“…!”
“Because you are a noble soul who couldn’t forget the sorrow of losing your family and has suffered for ten years, no, for a lifetime.”
Hwa Mu-Cheol closed his eyes.
The events of that fateful day long ago resurfaced as if they had happened yesterday. His wife and young daughter were waving and smiling from afar. They were smiling.
Hwa Mu-Cheol slowly opened his eyes.
A person who had appeared as if he were fate itself, was standing before him.
He was truly a strange fellow.
Hwa Mu-Cheol looked up at the ceiling. Through the hole created by the Pig Emperor, he could see the stars in the night sky, and as his gaze was held in place, Hwa Mu-Cheol decided. He decided to embrace this new fate.
Hwa Mu-Cheol slowly and respectfully knelt down.
“Hwa Mu-Cheol, greets his lord. I will dedicate the rest of my life to you.”
There was a resolute determination in his eyes.
Jeok Lee-Gun’s expression brightened. He extended his hand and helped him up.
“From today onwards, don’t kneel to anyone.”
Hwa Mu-Cheol stood up with a smile.
“And from now on, just address me as Young Master. That’s what everyone else does.”
“Understood, Young Master.”
Hwa Mu-Cheol’s attitude was very respectful.
Jeok Lee-Gun observed his hunched posture and spoke.
“You deliberately damaged your body.”
“How did you know?”
Becoming a hunchback was a result of Hwa Mu-Cheol’s will, akin to self-inflicted harm.
There were those who provided advanced techniques to change the body and face for murderers or fugitives in the martial world. He had acquired a technique that modified even the bones and muscles of his body.
“It happened a long time ago.”
“I can restore you to your original state.”
“What?”
Hwa Mu-Cheol’s eyes widened in astonishment.
The idea of returning to normal had never crossed his mind.
“Is that really possible?”
“It is possible. However, it will be quite painful. Are you okay with that?”
Hwa Mu-Cheol was overwhelmed with emotion.
“Enduring pain… is what I do best.”
Jeok Lee-Gun slowly placed his hand on Hwa Mu-Cheol’s back. A surge of powerful internal energy flowed into his body.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap!
With his other hand, he swiftly pressed the acupoints along his spine.
How much time had elapsed?
Crack, crack, crack.
Astonishingly, his hunched spine began to straighten.
“Aaaaargh!”
Hwa Mu-Cheol screamed in agony.
At that moment, he thought of his wife and daughter.
‘I’m sorry.’
The tears streaming from his eyes were not tears of pain.
The two people in his heart were smiling even brighter. Now, he would remember them in a different way.
Eventually, Hwa Mu-Cheol’s back was completely straightened. The hunchbacked man who had been tormented by the Pig Emperor was now gone forever.
“Thank you, sincerely.”
“Thank me? I’ll be working you to the bone from now on. I should be the one thanking you.”
The two of them laughed as they looked at each other.
It hadn’t even been an hour since Jeok Lee-Gun met him, yet it felt as though he had known him for an eternity.
“First, take it easy and give your body some rest. Someone will soon approach you with a task.”
“Understood.”
As Hwa Mu-Cheol was about to leave, he paused and asked.
“Do you truly believe it’s possible?”
“What?”
“Conquering the martial world… no, dominating the entire world.”
“I’ve never considered those who ruled the martial world to be extraordinary. If they achieved it, I believe I can as well. And I’m… not alone, right?”
Hwa Mu-Cheol smiled.
With that, Hwa Mu-Cheol went outside.
As he vanished, a figure emerged from behind the shattered wall.
It was Mu Young.
“You succeeded.”
“Fortunately.”
“I always believed you would.”
“Then why were you hiding and watching me? Afraid I might make a mistake?”
Mu Young scratched his head at that.
Jeok Lee-Gun stared intently at Mu Young.
“Is there something on my face?”
His words were as serious as his gaze.
“If it were for Mu Young, I would have prepared ten times the price for today.”
Mu Young’s expression turned serious as he met Jeok Lee-Gun’s sincere eyes.
“Of course. Not ten times, but twenty times more. But…”
Mu Young’s expression softened into a smile.
“You can always rely on me, for free. I’m your Mu Young, Young Master.”
Jeok Lee-Gun laughed pleasantly.
“Fully support Master Hwa for the time being.”
“Understood. But are you really planning to participate in the Young Dragon and Phoenix Tournament?”
“Yes.”
Mu Young gave him a slightly mischievous glance.
Jeok Lee-Gun smiled.
“I have a feeling I’ll find a good woman.”
Mu Young’s gaze remained meaningful, urging him to be more sincere.
“…Perhaps I’ve already found her. But you never know what the future holds.”
“That’s what playboys say. ‘You never know what the future holds.’”
“…”
“Of course, it’s a positive silence, right?”
“You’re jealous of my popularity.”
“Having many women doesn’t mean you’re fortunate with women. That’s called being a disaster with women. Ultimately, marrying a good woman is what truly means being fortunate with women.”
“You’re really… scarily jealous.”
“Hahaha!”
The two of them laughed brightly as they looked at each other. Through the hole in the ceiling that the Pig Emperor had made with his body, the gentle starlight of dawn streamed in.