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“Uhh…….”
“Uhh…….”
Namgung Ji-eon and Namgung U-rim both let out exclamations at the same time.
The old man in the cart and the boy pulling it looked like grandfather and grandchild at a glance.
The boy, held by Namgung Ji-eon, burst into tears and pleaded with them.
“Ah, brave knights! This is my grandmother. There’s a clinic in Pingyao that gives free acupuncture, so we’re on our way back every three months. We don’t know anything and we didn’t see anything—please, just let us go this once!”
The boy dropped to his knees, bowed his head, clasped his hands, and begged earnestly.
The two warriors of the Namgung family felt uneasy, as if they had committed a sin deserving heaven’s punishment.
“Lift your head. We’re not such bad people.”
“We’re only looking for someone under orders from the Namgung family.”
Namgung Ji-eon held out a facial likeness scroll to the boy, who glanced around nervously and lifted his head.
“Look. Have you ever seen anyone who looks like this?”
“…I don’t really know. Pingyeo has quite a crowd.”
“Let’s see. You don’t resemble him at all.”
Namgung U-rim, who held the likeness next to the boy’s face, spoke.
The likeness had been painted by the finest artist in Habi, so it was almost identical to the real thing.
The boy’s face and the face of Raging Evil in the likeness were not entirely different, but the angle of the eyes, the size of the nose, the shape of the mouth—overall they didn’t quite match.
At this point, it could almost be said they were completely different people.
“Just go. Or shall we help push the cart a little?”
“No, that’s not necessary… Please. Just help until we get over the pass.”
Although the earlier reflexive words and the later tone were subtly different, the two warriors, already plagued by guilt, did not notice.
Who would expect Raging Evil, notorious across the land, to lower his head and cry for his aged mother?
“Alright. We’ll only help get you over the pass.”
Namgung U-rim easily pushed the cart that held the woman.
Raging Evil, disguised by the skill of Shapeshifter Demon, did not forget to flatter Namgung U-rim at his side.
“This path is hard enough to walk—you’re truly remarkable!”
“Ha ha! Remarkable, you say? You’re the more remarkable one for traveling this far with your old mother.”
When they reached the top of the steep pass, the two bade farewell to Raging Evil.
“Descending is more dangerous than ascending, so be careful on your way.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“And one moment.”
“…Yes?”
Namgung Ji-eon pressed three silver coins into Raging Evil’s hand and patted his shoulder.
“Farewell.”
Raging Evil held back an erupting laugh and bowed his head.
‘So this was how it would be.’
He was admiring Shapeshifter Demon’s skill at disguising him.
Raging Evil had been doubtful when Shapeshifter Demon disguised him.
—Isn’t it just too exact?
—It’s enough.
—You didn’t alter much, though?
—As long as you don’t act horribly, this is sufficient. Even among those who know you, nine out of ten will pass by without recognizing you.
Indeed, her words were right.
Because few changes were made to begin with, the disguised version of himself allowed his acting to come across much more naturally.
Raging Evil realized that it wasn’t how drastically one changed one’s appearance that mattered, but how well one created a different person.
‘Shapeshifter Demon’s art of disguise has reached a new level.’
The Shapeshifter Demon he met after a long time had definitely changed from before.
In skill, in temperament, in life.
‘Now all that’s left is to slip calmly out of this circle.’
This would add another line to Raging Evil’s notoriety.
Raging Evil of the Three Evils under heaven, breaking through the net of the righteous martial world—the Shaolin, Wudang, and Namgung families’ trap—and escaping at leisure!
Just imagining it made him laugh aloud.
As he was about to descend with the cart containing Shapeshifter Demon, a figure blocked his path.
“What is it?”
“…?”
White brows, white whiskers, an old stone staff.
The one blocking his way was a large-bodied venerable monk.
“Can we just let them go like this?”
The Namgung family warriors shouted upon spotting the monk.
“Monk Jong Haeng!”
‘Damn.’
Raging Evil swallowed a curse inwardly.
What on earth was this person doing here?
“Have you found where they went?”
“I didn’t find anyone suspicious.”
“Same here.”
Even a duelling monk from Shaolin seemed to have come out to search for him.
Feeling the danger, Raging Evil bowed to the warriors and began to descend slowly.
But Jong Haeng called after him, grabbing the back of the situation.
“But wait. Did you properly check the person?”
“Yes, I don’t think so. He seems like a grandson caring for his grandmother…”
“Let me take a look.”
Jong Haeng strode toward Raging Evil with an annoyingly steady pace.
“Hm?”
He looked down at Raging Evil pulling the cart, checked the old woman in the cart, and then looked back at Raging Evil.
Disguised, Raging Evil looked up at Jong Haeng and smiled awkwardly.
“Where are you headed?”
“We’re on our way to Zhumadian.”
“For what purpose?”
“We’re visiting a physician in Xiping and then returning home.”
“Which physician?”
“Hwang, the physician in Xiping…”
“What’s the name?”
“…It’s Physician Hwang.”
“Hwang?”
Jong Haeng stroked his beard and spoke.
“I’ve never heard that name.”
“…”
Raging Evil bit back the urge to demand, ‘How would you know that?’
Getting angry and confronting him now would only reveal his identity.
As he met Jong Haeng’s eyes and tried to concoct an excuse, Jong Haeng suddenly laughed and patted Raging Evil’s shoulder.
“Wahaha! I’m joking. How would I know the names of Xiping’s physicians? I was only teasing because the almsman looked flustered.”
“Ha, haha. You startled me.”
“Why were you startled?”
“…”
“Wahaha! That’s a jest too.”
‘Just let me go, you bastard!’
Raging Evil forced a smile so hard his mouth twitched.
He had never spent his life smiling to please others; now, in the position of the weak, he felt nothing but grief and rage.
“Let’s see. Let me take a look. Have you ever learned martial arts?”
“No. I’m just a country bumpkin…”
Jong Haeng took Raging Evil’s wrist and checked his qi sensation.
Raging Evil was confident in hiding his true level, but would that work on a duelling monk?
Jong Haeng, concentrating like a physician holding a wrist, soon opened his eyes and said to Raging Evil.
“…You?”
“Yes?”
“Your qi and blood are boiling. Have you been suppressing anger recently?”
“Ha, haha, hahaha. You’re a skilled diagnostician.”
“Tsk, tsk. You shouldn’t do that. If you live suppressing anger, it becomes an illness. Let the anger out in your heart and live.”
“…Yes.”
“You may go.”
“…Thank you.”
Just as he bowed and turned to leave, Jong Haeng called him back.
“Wait, now that I think about it—you.”
Raging Evil poured a hundred curses inwardly as he turned back to him.
“What now! …What is it?”
“May I inspect your baggage?”
Raging Evil and Shapeshifter Demon exchanged glances upon hearing that.
The bundle that Shapeshifter Demon carried contained Raging Evil’s belongings.
Shapeshifter Demon subtly shook her head so Jong Haeng wouldn’t notice.
“Our household is poor; we don’t have much.”
“Show me. I’ll compensate you for it.”
Jong Haeng gestured to the Namgung household warriors.
He meant they’d pay money instead of searching the baggage.
“Us?”
“I’m a monk; I have no money.”
“You handed over silver coins earlier…”
Namgung U-rim nudged Namgung Ji-eon in the side.
Showing a poor image in front of a Shaolin duelling monk would only lower the Namgung family’s prestige.
“Ahem, ahem, take this money.”
In the end, three more silver coins ended up in Raging Evil’s pocket.
“No, we don’t need this money…”
“Oh, just put it away.”
He couldn’t reveal his identity or show his skill, so he was completely helpless.
In the meantime, Jong Haeng was approaching Shapeshifter Demon.
“No! That’s mine! Get away! You ugly old thing!”
Shapeshifter Demon tried to repel him with a crafty act of senility, but Jong Haeng was unbowed.
“Just a moment, please.”
While she didn’t notice, Jong Haeng quickly pressed a point and grabbed the bundle’s opening, pulling it open,
Screeecch!
With a sound, the bundle tore and all its contents tumbled out.
“Oh my!”
Inside were various gold pieces, fine clothes, brushes and other disguise tools, and the papers Raging Evil used for painting.
“What is all this?”
As Namgung Ji-eon and Namgung U-rim stepped forward to see what had spilled, Jong Haeng extended his arm to block them.
“You two, step back a bit.”
“Yes?”
“It’s my request; you only need to watch me.”
“Ah, yes…”
The Namgung household warriors turned away.
Raging Evil and Jong Haeng’s eyes met.
Gulp.
Raging Evil tensed, prepared to make a break for it at the slightest provocation.
‘Damn it, in my current condition I have no confidence I could beat that monk…’
In the worst case, he even considered using Shapeshifter Demon as a hostage to make his escape.
‘This is a mountain path—if I set fires all around and run, it might be possible.’
As Raging Evil turned his right foot to find a path to flee,
“This was rude of me.”
“…?”
Jong Haeng apologized as he personally gathered the items that had fallen beside the cart and put them back into the bundle.
“I’m sorry. Times have been unsettled lately.”
Jong Haeng securely tied the bundle, handed the load back to Raging Evil, and said,
“Here, take this and move on. Give my greetings to Chief Chun. Farewell.”
Jong Haeng pushed Raging Evil’s back as if to hurry him along.
Meanwhile, at another place near Mount Cheonjung at that time.
“This seems to have gotten bigger than expected.”
“…”
“Didn’t you say the Namgung family was pursuing him?”
“…”
“How could Shaolin, the Wudang, and even the Namgung family—all three sects—be gathered here?”
“…”
Bukgung Yeong-no had nothing to say, not even ten mouths could express it.
In fact, even he had not anticipated the matter escalating to this degree.
“What do we do now?”
“We must find Raging Evil.”
“There were dozens of righteous martial artists we encountered just getting here. Are you saying I should find him faster than all of them on my own?”
“It seems the Imperial Order Manor Lord has stepped forward.”
Shaolin, Namgung, Mudang—the common denominator linking the three sects is none other than Imperial Order Manor Lord.
Ah, one more thing. Each of the three sects includes a member of the Three Lords.
“I think so too. Since the righteous sects’ Three Lords have stepped out, shouldn’t the Three Evils of Heavenly Martial Manor also appear to balance things?”
“That would make sense.”
“Then call them.”
“I can’t call them. I don’t even know where they are.”
“…”
Yeon Mujin stared quietly at Bukgung Yeong-no.
“Master of the hall, are you a figurehead leader too?”
“What?”
“You know nothing, you can’t call anyone, and you brought me because you’re watching the manor’s warriors. You always go about alone—are you maybe being ostracized?”
“What kind of absurd nonsense is that!”
“If that’s not it, then don’t just scold me—find a method. We can’t get help from the Three Evils. We can’t trust Heavenly Martial Manor’s warriors either. They’ve mobilized hundreds to find Raging Evil. Even if we beat them to death, I can’t find him first. Really, is there no way?”
“Hmmmm…”
Yeon Mujin provoked Bukgung Yeong-no, gently prodding him.
There is certainly something trustworthy about him.
It’s just that it’s a method he doesn’t want to use.
“Damn it!”
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