Annihilation Of A Clan

In the blink of an eye, the book became a handful of ashes. In Left Shadow’s eyes, watching the futile scene, another fire blazed up.

“I’ll tear you all apart!”

Before Right Shadow could even recover, Left Shadow’s whisk swept toward Jong-yeon. His intent was singular: smash that skull to pieces.

“Hyung-nim!”

If they killed them now, they would never obtain the manual. Surely, the thing their master had given his life to protect couldn’t have been so easily burned. Right Shadow blocked his frenzied elder.

“There must be another way.”

“What?”

“It can’t be a book so easily destroyed, can it?”

Left Shadow, thinking his younger brother had a point, drew back the whisk that was heading for Jong-yeon.

“Where’s the real one?”

Panting to suppress his rage, Left Shadow asked.

“Didn’t you see? That was exactly the scripture you sought.”

Jong-yeon scattered the ashes with a bitter smile. It was laughable that the reason Kang Family Manor had been turned into a living hell was nothing more than dust.

“Hmph! Don’t play tricks!”

Clutching his torn side, Right Shadow bellowed. Blood seeped again from his reopened wound. Without swift treatment, pus would soon fill his damaged organs. He felt that even tearing out and chewing every one of that bastard’s organs wouldn’t ease his fury.

“There must at least be a copy!”

He blustered, but unease gnawed at Left Shadow. Seeing Kang Yul-cheon’s face pale as death made his heart race all the more.

‘What if they really destroyed it?’

So much time and effort had been spent chasing that great manual. They had laid their pride bare to get this far—there was no going back empty-handed.

Watching the twins squirm, Jong-yeon exulted inwardly. Everything was falling into place just as he foresaw. Their vile greed was opening a path for Yun-seon’s survival.

But then, guilt welled up for the disciple who knew nothing and had trusted him blindly. He might save the boy’s life, but his junior would endure cruel torment. The thought made his chest ache.

‘But whatever pain you must endure—you must live.’

At last, Jong-yeon made up his mind.

“There’s something greater than a copy.”

“What is it?”

“What is it?”

Both stepped closer and asked in unison. Clearly, he was hiding something. Relieved, Left Shadow breathed easier, and resolved to kill the loathsome brat once they had secured the book.

“It’s this child.”

“What?”

It wasn’t only the twins who were shocked by Jong-yeon’s words. Yun-seon, listening quietly at his side, went wide-eyed in disbelief. On the roof, his senior had told him the plan—up to this exact point.

“After I memorize the book, what then?”

“Once you’ve memorized it, come down to the courtyard and hand them a fake.”

“What? They’ll never fall for that.”

Jong-yeon gave Yun-seon a faint smile at his disbelief.

“It isn’t to deceive them. It’s to buy time.”

“Huh?”

Yun-seon was baffled by his senior’s intent. Jong-yeon patted his head gently and added warmly:

“After that, I’ll handle the rest. You just trust and follow me.”

Because these words came from the senior he trusted above all, it was possible. Though doubts lingered, he believed his wise senior brother had a hidden plan. But now, Jong-yeon’s actions utterly betrayed that faith.

“Sahyung!”

Ignoring Yun-seon’s anguished cry, Jong-yeon spoke calmly on.

“This child alone knows the manual’s contents in full.”

Yul-cheon, startled by Jong-yeon’s conduct, finally grasped his disciple’s intent.

They were fiends who would commit any cruelty for what they wanted. No matter how bravely they bluffed, the fact remained: he and Jong-yeon did not have the manual. The next target would naturally be Yun-seon. Even if they bought a day, with Black Butterfly Shadows’ tracking skills, Yun-seon’s capture was inevitable.

But if Yun-seon himself was the book? Then the manual could never be destroyed. The only way to save him—the reason for Jong-yeon’s reckless act—was to preserve Yun-seon’s life.

‘But what torment will that child endure from now on?’

Tears streamed down Yul-cheon’s furrowed cheeks. The boy might suffer tortures worse than death.

Yet Yun-seon had to survive. Preserving him was as much Yul-cheon’s mission as protecting the scripture.

“Hmph! Why should I believe that?”

“Hmph! Surely just a lie to beg for your wretched life!”

Though they said so, doubt wavered in both twins. After seeing the scripture turn to ash, they almost wanted to believe Jong-yeon.

“If you don’t believe it, kill him then!”

Jong-yeon closed his eyes with composure, prying off Yun-seon’s desperate grip on his sleeve. He only prayed they would take his final gambit.

“Hyung-nim, it doesn’t seem like a trick.”

“Think so?”

Left Shadow flicked his eyes toward Yul-cheon. His resigned face suggested it wasn’t a lie.

“If it is a lie, we can kill them then.”

“That’s true.”

If the knowledge was in that runt’s head, they could always make him talk. Torture was Black Butterfly Shadows’ specialty.

“Hmph! Then we’ll take the boy.”

As he spoke, Left Shadow swung the whisk in a great arc. Like a living thing, it coiled around Yun-seon’s waist beside Jong-yeon.

“Sahyung!”

Panicked, Yun-seon grabbed Jong-yeon’s sleeve, but the whisk’s force was overwhelming. With a tearing sound, his sleeve ripped, and Yun-seon’s body was hoisted into the air. Left Shadow flicked his wrist, hurling him toward the assassins.

Thud!

“Argh!”

This time, his left shoulder slammed hard onto the ground. Agonizing pain wracked his body, but Yun-seon fought desperately to stay conscious.

“Then you’re no longer needed.”

Even half-dead, Jong-yeon’s arrogance irked Left Shadow. He meant to kill him as painfully as possible.

The thought of killing him washed away his unease, filling him with ecstasy. His mouth split ear to ear in a ghastly grin as he lunged at Jong-yeon.

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through Jong-yeon’s mind. He felt no regret—his sacrifice was to save his junior brother, who was like family to him. He still heard Yun-seon screaming his name, and tears of guilt for burdening that child with such weight slid down his jaw.

Thud!

“Sahyung!”

Left Shadow’s whisk pierced straight through Jong-yeon’s chest. Without even a scream, Jong-yeon perished.

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

The twins glanced at each other and shrugged in regret. In their excitement, they had killed him too quickly, spoiling their plan to prolong his agony.

“Didn’t I tell you not to get carried away?”

“Ha! The poor fool didn’t even have time to feel pain.”

Left Shadow nudged Jong-yeon’s fallen face with his foot and sighed.

“It’s fine. There’s still the old man.”

“Yeah, let’s kill that old one far more painfully.”

Left Shadow chuckled as he slowly advanced on the table where Kang Yul-cheon sat. Injured, Right Shadow held back, leaving his brother the pleasure.

“Master!”

After watching his senior brother die, seeing his master in danger again made Yun-seon’s chest nearly burst with rage. But the assassins’ feet pinned him down—he couldn’t move. Even if he could, with no martial skills, he would be no help.

‘Pathetic fool… truly useless…’

Crushed by guilt, Yun-seon pounded his chest until it bruised. If he could, he would have rather died then and there.

“Kang Yul-cheon, open your eyes and behold your disciple’s corpse.”

Left Shadow placed a leg on the table and tapped Yul-cheon’s forehead with his finger. But Yul-cheon kept his eyes closed, tears streaming silently. Excited by the Sword God’s desolation, Left Shadow spun circles around him.

“‘Sword God’, worshipped so devoutly—did you think yourself a true god? Let’s see if you really are.”

In his hand now gleamed a butterfly-patterned dagger.

“If you won’t open your eyes, I’ll pluck them out.”

The blade grazed Yul-cheon’s skin, poised to stab into his eye.

“Hyung-nim, the right eye is mine.”

Right Shadow giggled from behind.

“Fine, you take the right.”

The dagger twirled in his hand like it had a will of its own. With the butterfly-patterned hilt pinched between thumb and forefinger, he set the blade vertical. Aiming for Yul-cheon’s eye, Left Shadow swung it down, imbued with inner qi.

“You wretch!”

Startled by the thunderous shout, Left Shadow instinctively recoiled. But it was too late to escape. A violent gust swept straight into his face.

“Ugh!”

Yul-cheon had gathered his qi in his right hand for half a sikgyeong (about 15 minutes). Unable to move, he had prepared to strike if even one assassin drew close. His prediction was flawless.

Thud!

“Hyung-nim!”

There was no time for a scream. Yul-cheon’s palm slammed mercilessly into Left Shadow’s forehead. His face caved in, features obliterated—death beyond doubt.

“AAAAARGH!”

At the shocking sight, Right Shadow shrieked until his throat tore. He had lost all reason; nothing registered before his eyes. His reopened wound spilled blood, but he felt no pain.

“Leader!”

The Black Butterfly assassins were equally aghast. Forgetting even to guard Yun-seon, they clustered around Left Shadow’s corpse.

“Kang Yul-cheon!”

Radiating murderous aura, Right Shadow charged Yul-cheon.

At last, Yul-cheon opened his eyes and looked down at his second disciple. Escaping the assassins’ circle, Yun-seon staggered toward him.

“Yun-seon, you were right. That move was a misstep.”

His gentle smile was the last his disciple saw. Right Shadow’s whisk, hurled with all his might, pierced straight through Yul-cheon’s neck. So serene he seemed alive, his head fell with a dull thud to the floor.

“Masteeeeer!”

Yun-seon’s wailing cry filled Kang Family Manor. Startled, the crows roosting on the plum branches took off together, cawing mournfully.

By then, the darkness had lifted, and dawn was breaking.

멸문(滅門), Annihilation of a Clan:
To kill and wipe out an entire family/household.