You Can Never Die (3)

Kwang! Bang!

Yu Jinsan’s fist slammed into a massive pine tree.

After repeatedly practicing for a few days, he finally mastered it. The moment he began his movements, his joints became protected by a deep layer of internal qi.

“You can never die.”

This was a phrase he had recited tens of thousands of times. Every time he extended his arms, the muscles, and bones across his entire body synchronized in movement.

The circulation began in his lower body, traversing through his pelvis, making its way past his waist, and proceeding to his shoulders.

Then, the gathered strength from various parts of his body was unleashed through his fists.

Kwang!!!

The towering tree began to gradually tumble down, creating shattering sounds.

Thunk!

There were already dozens of fallen trees scattered around him. Then his gaze shifted to the next tree in line.

“Huh?!”

Yu Jinsan drew a deep breath, and with a short leap, he ascended onto a tree branch.

Next, he hung his body upside down with his legs crossed.

Then repeatedly folded inward his hanging upper body to touch his knees. This was an exercise to strengthen his abdominal muscles.

‘Hold on, my back!’

His spine was protected by qi so he didn’t have any issues. However, he could do nothing about the muscular pain that made his back feel as if it would snap at any moment.

His training continued undeterred for a while longer.

“Two hundred and twenty-two! Two hundred and twenty-three!”

Naturally, he didn’t have any stomach fat. That was why his abs started to clearly protrude within a few days. After practicing for over half an hour, his mouth finally echoed the final count.

“Three hundred!!!”

Only upon reaching his target did he lower himself back to the ground.

He was able to achieve this count solely because he used his internal qi. Had he relied strictly on muscle strength, he wouldn’t have been able to complete even thirty reps.

Regardless, his expression brightened. This was because he managed to do ten more than the previous day.

“Phew.”

His entire body was under stress, drenched in sweat.

He descended into the valley to wash up, and a sudden feeling of self-destruction overwhelmed him.

‘What kind of suffering is this in my final years of life? What kind of karma did I accumulate in my past life…?’

He sighed throughout the entire time he was washing up.

As one ages, muscle growth slows down. That was why he had no alternative but to work harder. Additionally, he couldn’t sleep at night because he was cultivating internal qi.

Suddenly, his ears perked up.

“Uwaa.”

It was the cry of his granddaughter.

He quickly rushed over to find that Yu Seol had wriggled out of her blanket and was crawling around.

Yu Jinsan gently picked up the child and attempted to soothe her.

“Where is my granddaughter going? Uchuchu! You want to play with Grandpa?”

His granddaughter was a dear sight to him. Moreover, she was his only reason to continue living.

At that moment, a piteous moan escaped his lips.

“Hmm….?”

The baby was sucking on a milk bottle. She seemed famished.

She wanted milk from the breast, but that was impossible. So he was momentarily troubled.

It had been bothering him that he was feeding her milk that he had pumped from Geumsun each night.

‘Babies need to grow up with their mother’s breast milk to be healthy.’

It still felt a bit early for them to venture into the world.

Until he knew who was responsible for the attack, there was no telling when danger might strike. At the bare minimum, they needed to reach a point where they could freely move about.

However, he couldn’t shake the desire to feed his granddaughter breast milk.

“Let us go down tonight.“

It was safer to move when the visibility was low.

After barely soothing his granddaughter, he boiled some milk, fed her, and put her to sleep. Then he crossed his legs as he sat down.

He didn’t have the time to neglect his internal qi training, not even for a second.

After four hours.

After changing his clothes and preparing to go down the mountain, he wrapped the baby in a blanket and carried her on his back.

Ultimately, he continued his journey through the mountains. He intended to visit a different village than usual to conceal their location.

After some time, he heard a growl from his stomach.

‘Now that I think about it, it has been a while since I last ate.’

On fortunate days, he would manage to catch fish from the river to eat. On less lucky days, he would have to survive by eating grassroots. So it was no wonder he felt hungry.

After a while, Yu Jinsan entered this unfamiliar village and looked around.

His sense of smell then picked up a delicious aroma.

‘Chicken porridge!’

Approaching, he saw beggars huddled around boiling something in a pot.

Judging from the knot on their waist belts, it was clear they were members of the Beggars Union.

There were two 1st level members and one 2nd level member.

This was a good opportunity for him to gather some information or clues. There was a risk that his location might be revealed temporarily, but he didn’t find this concerning. He had no plans to revisit this village today.

“The aroma of this chicken porridge is enticing.“

The beggars turned to look at him. He appeared like a saint with a child on his back.

“Wh-who are you?”

“Just an elderly man passing by. If it’s alright, may we join you?”

The Beggars Union members exchanged glances.

Their expressions seemed slightly uneasy for some reason. Following a moment of silence, a 1st level member said,

“You are trying to take food from us beggars, yet we of the Beggars Union aren’t so unkind as to let an elderly person starve.”

He filled a bowl with chicken porridge and offered it to him.

Yu Jinsan was surprised they were willing to give up so much of their chicken porridge when they didn’t even have enough for themselves. His heart warmed at their generosity.

“The world is still worth living in. Thank you. After all, the Beggars Union is kind.”

When he took a bite, the taste was amazing. The food seemed even more delicious because it had been a long time since he had eaten properly.

However, something was slightly off. The beggars retreated to a corner, not bothering to eat together.

With their backs turned, they huddled close, whispering to each other.

‘What are they up to?’

He sensed that the people of Kangho had some influence on what was happening.

Focusing on his hearing, he overheard their conversation.

-It’s clear that he’s the head of the Yu family.

-Will it be fine? Even though he’s the family elder, his martial arts skills are formidable.

-Don’t worry. He’s an old man now. His bones have stiffened. Even wielding a weapon would be a challenge for him.

-It seems like luck has smiled on us. Should we capture them?

-No. Even though he’s old, he was a great warrior in his youth. It’s best to proceed with caution. All of us will attack at once when I give the signal.

Yu Jinsan almost choked on his chicken porridge.

Why was the Beggars Union targeting him? These were people who held critical information about the justice faction.

Suddenly, it occurred to him that the tragedy that had befallen his family could somehow be tied to them.

“Elder, how does the chicken porridge taste?”

The approaching beggars were secretly gripping their batons.

These batons, which were commonly used by beggars, were formidable weapons.

Yu Jinsan glanced at them and responded calmly.

“It tastes good. Perhaps it wasn’t easy finding people willing to murder children? Maybe that’s why it tastes better.”

The beggars exchanged glances.

There was no reason to hesitate if the other party already knew.

“Attack!”

The 1st level beggar charged, swinging his baton.

His attack that was aimed at the old man’s head was ruthless.

“Die!”

Had this happened earlier, he certainly would have been alarmed. But things are different now. Yu Jinsan merely snorted, raising his spoon in defense. His movements were minimal.

Kwang!

The baton and spoon collided, producing a sound reminiscent of metal striking metal.

The grip of the 1st level beggar faltered, and he lost hold of the baton.

“Ack!“

Simultaneously, a spoon flew out, hitting him square in the forehead.

Kwang!

Another baton was swiftly approaching from Yu Jinsan’s left, even before the beggar could fall.

He quickly grabbed his spear and pointed its blade at the center of the approaching baton.

Chaaak!

The baton split to both sides.

The beggar let go of his hold on the baton, or he would have lost his hand. But that was what Yu Jinsan was hoping for.

As he maneuvered the spear, it glistened with the reflected moonlight. At that moment, the wide blade of the spear struck the beggar.

Kwang!

In an instant, the two beggars fell to the ground. The others wore looks of anxiety as they advanced.

The batons, wielded with a different and more powerful technique, seemed capable of crushing rocks as they sliced through the air.

Yet, there was no change in the expression on Yu Jinsan’s face.

Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, his left hand shot into the sky.

Crack!

The sound of his shoulder joint cracking echoed.

It was painful, but compared to a few days ago, it was much more bearable.

In the blink of an eye, he found his hand gripping the man’s neck.

“You disgusting rats. Has no one taught you the basics of respecting your elders?”

The beggar’s face reddened as he dangled in midair.

Part of him wanted to snap the beggar’s neck, but he needed to hear him out first.

He tossed the beggar to the ground and then took a seat.

“Kuak. It… It’s a misunderstanding.”

Desperate for his life, the beggar waved his hands frantically. He finally realized that he was no match for this older man.

The beggar had already lost consciousness and fainted.

“You see, I am an old man… and I recently lost all my children. As members of the Beggars Union, you claim there’s nothing to see here. Therefore, if you opt not to divulge any information, even I am uncertain of what I might do to you.”

“W-We were just following the Alliance’s wanted orders. The assassination has nothing to do with us.”

“What Alliance? Wanted orders…?”

The beggar pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and extended it forward.

Yu Jinsan, who took it, erupted into loud laughter.

“…What?”

This was the most ludicrous thing he had ever seen in his life.

It stated that after his family had been annihilated, he’d become mentally unstable and lost his mind. It also included details about his killing of innocent civilians.

He was unable to comprehend its message.

“Why is the Murim Alliance committing such actions…”

That was when he noticed a line promising a reward for anyone who could rescue the child he’d supposedly abducted.

‘No way! Were they targeting my granddaughter?’

Yu Jinsan clasped his hands and thought deeply.

Looking back, it wasn’t long after his granddaughter was born.

There had been circulating rumors about her being born with the muscular structure of a sacred body. Didn’t she have a physique reminiscent of the Sword Queen, the greatest warrior from both ancient and modern times?

He remembered the Murim Alliance sending him a gift, claiming it was a kind gesture.

“This damn…”

He could barely suppress the curse, threatening to slip out.

Could this really be the work of the Murim Alliance, which claimed to be an ally? No matter how much he mulled over it, it seemed so preposterous that he couldn’t possibly believe it.

At this point, the lowly beggar started pleading for his life with pitiful eyes.

“Please have mercy on me, Elder.”

Yu Jinsan’s gaze was filled with murderous intent.

In such a situation, no one could could calm him down.

“How can a witness remain alive? Besides, you’re worthless scum who don’t even show respect to your elders.”

“Right. I was mistaken. If you spare me, I promise not to let something like this happen again…”

When Yu Jinsan rose with the spear in hand, the beggar’s face filled with fear.

In an instant, the spear struck the back of his head.

Kwang!

Shock flashed in the man’s eyes before he passed out.

From the start, Yu Jinsan had no intention of killing these people. If he did, he would indeed become the lunatic the Alliance painted him as.

“Instead of claiming lives…”

Yu Jinsan rummaged through the beggar’s belongings and pocketed any coins he found. They were probably donations. Being penniless, he needed any spare change for emergencies.

He counted a total of ten coins.

They were just enough to buy two bowls of noodles.

He continued walking.

His emotions were in turmoil. In one day, he had become society’s most detestable person.

Given the circumstances, he strongly suspected the attack originated from the Murim Alliance.

The culprit was likely a high-ranking family member with enough influence to control the officials.

“Let’s see what this Murim Alliance is up to.”

Even if his opponent was a God, Yu Jinsan had no intention of backing down now. He had become an embodiment of fury.

Yet now wasn’t the time for that.

“The most crucial thing now is survival.”

He ventured around the village outskirts, leaving only shadowy traces behind.

After a while, he located a suitable person. It was a middle-aged woman who was sitting on a wooden chair, taking a break.

Quietly, Yu Jinsan approached her from behind, the child in tow.

“It appears something pleasant has put you in high spirits.”

The smile vanished from the woman’s face, replaced by a look of caution.

It was quite startling when an unfamiliar old man approached her, spear in hand.

“…”

“There’s no need to worry. I’m just a defenseless old man in a difficult situation.”

The woman’s eyes, fixed on Yu Jinsan, trembled slightly.

“Is… Is that child your granddaughter?”

“Ahem. My granddaughter is an infant. If you have breast milk, could I make a request? Because her mother has passed away, I have no choice but to search for milk.”

Just then, the child opened her arms and cried.

“Uwaaa.”

Who could refuse after seeing that? Upon taking the baby, she expressed melancholy as she began to breastfeed.

“What a pitiful child… Just why, under such circumstances…”

Yu Jinsan watched silently with a contented smile.

Today was likely the first and last time the child could be breastfed. This was because if a notice were to circulate around the village, it would be impossible for them to roam freely for a while.

Indeed, it would.

Suddenly, something unforeseen began to transpire.

“This crazy old man, just go and die!”

Yu Jinsan was shocked by this.

That’s because the woman ran off with his granddaughter while breastfeeding. She was really sprinting.

“L-Look! What are you doing now?”

In the heat of the moment, he heard the woman whisper.

“I’m about to become rich…”

She was just a regular woman with no martial arts skills.

Yu Jinsan, whose eyes blinked in confusion, soon pursued the woman.

He quickly reached out and pressed her nape with his index finger, rendering her unconscious by targeting a pressure point.

Afterward, he snatched the child and propped the unconscious woman against a nearby tree.

“Do such crazy women really exist in this world?”

The more he pondered, the more preposterous it seemed. But it was still too early to be shocked.

Moments later, his mouth gaped wide open in disbelief. This was because a poster was attached to the tree in front of him.

It was a wanted notice.

Along with his face, it listed the names of residents who were allegedly his murder victims.

“Ha… Haha.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.

Even though he’d done nothing wrong, he was being labeled a murderer by society.

Some residents near the Yu family knew the truth, but the words of a few were insignificant in front of many. In fact, who would risk their lives to take the side of the Yu family if they were up against the Murim Alliance?

Yu Jinsan also understood this. Strength was truth, and the world revolved around might.

After pondering this for a while, he retreated into the shadows and headed towards the mountains.

His steps now felt heavy.