#53: My Granddaughter Is Good At Fighting (3) — Warrior Grandpa and Supreme Granddaughter

Kuak!

The blunt part of the bamboo spear struck the approaching Taoist precisely in the back of the head.

His body went limp without even a full scream. He must have fainted.

“…S-Sasuk.”

Before they knew it, only one Taoist monk from the Southern Edge Sect remained standing in front of Yu Jinsan.

Seven first-class disciples had spread out. This lone disciple was the last one standing, frustrated by how the seven of them had fallen.

Although they weren’t comparable to the Southern Edge’s Four Hands, who were the most capable members.

“Couldn’t you have brought more with you? Now you are the only one left.”

Yu Jinsan’s voice wasn’t that pleasant.

Of course, it had to be that way. The last Taoist left behind was this man, who had asked Elder Hyun Ho to come here.

How could he forget the curses the guy had thrown while running away?

“I committed a horrid deed.”

He was almost laughing at his extreme benevolence.

The young kid who was no threat to him. Yu Jinsan looked away indifferently and gathered the Seven Swords of the Southern Edge who couldn’t fight back into one place and said,

“I heard you calling this old man a brat. Try saying it again.”

“Y-You are mistaken. How can I do such a brazen thing…”

Even as he spoke, the second-class disciple was overly conscious.

The man was in a state of shock and looked the other way. He seemed like a squirrel that would come tumbling down with a single kick, but the reality was different.

If he wanted to run, this was his chance.

The Taoist monk looked at his short legs, thinking a kick might be possible in the worst case.

But Yu Jinsan wasn’t someone who couldn’t sense subtle signs.

“If you run away, well, you can run. I will not chase you.”

Why do this? He didn’t know why, but he had to act for Yu Jinsan to react.

Since the direction he was in was the path of the Southern Edge, he had to run the other way.

The second-class disciple turned his back but was unable to take a single step.

His eyes twitched as if he had witnessed something shocking.

“Elder Hyun Ho…?”

A girl, about 8 years old, was dragging a man from Southern Edge behind her like a dog.

There was another warrior who had gone back to being a child, and she seemed even stronger.

The second-class disciple felt trapped between the two and feared he was about to lose his composure.

“…Ah, this cannot be happening.”

Having given up on the idea of running away, he ran to Yu Jinsan’s side and knelt down.

Yu Jinsan pulled the last fallen disciple to the side and asked,

“Did you catch Southern Edge?”

“Uh, Grandpa!”

“Good job. Grandpa has something to ask, so set him down here.”

“Okay.”

Elder Hyun Ho, whose face was smashed, was lying face down.

He wasn’t dead, nor was he suffering from blood poisoning. It just seemed like she had beaten him until he passed out.

“Come here for a moment.”

“Uh? Why?”

Feeling reassured, Yu Seol smiled brightly and approached him.

Before she realized it, Yu Jinsan was holding a white flower in his hand.

When he placed it on the child’s head, a bright smile spread across her face.

“Hehe. Am I pretty?”

“Of course. My Seol is the prettiest in the world. Would you like to pick some flowers for the uncles before we head down?”

He intended to divert her attention before he began the interrogation, as there was no need to expose a child to cruelty.

It was certainly a suggestion she would enjoy, but oddly, Seol didn’t move.

“…”

“The uncles will be happy if my Seol gets them flowers. Why aren’t you going, child?”

“No… the uncles don’t have hair, where will they put flowers?”

Yu Jinsan hadn’t considered that.

But what if they didn’t have hair?

“They can put them on their ears!”

Yu Seol, imagining this, clapped her hands as if she loved the idea.

“Hehe. Amazing. Seol will put them in each uncles’ ears! I will pick the prettiest flowers.”

“Nice. Don’t go too far though. Just play around.”

Yu Seol caught her ears and jumped up, then disappeared into a place where she could see flowers.

The moment the child’s back vanished from sight, Yu Jinsan’s smile faded.

He slapped Hyun Ho, jolting him awake.

Slap!

Hyun Ho’s eyes slowly opened, revealing a look of shame as if he wished for death.

“Just why… are you doing this to us?”

Yu Jinsan picked up the sword from the ground. There was no time for conversation. He had to finish this before his granddaughter returned.

“I want to ask you something. I don’t have much time either, so I hope you can answer quickly.”

Clearly, there was no way this elder would have responded kindly. His determination was evident.

“You will get nothing from me.”

“Let’s see where this goes.”

Yu Jinsan stood in front of the seven fallen disciples and the second-class disciple, raising the sword.

“Wh-what are you trying to do?!”

“Even though you die today, your answers will allow these people to live.”

These were the young ones responsible for the future of Southern Edge.

Hyun Ho gritted his teeth in despair.

“You are a monster. How can you commit such cruel acts under the guise of a child?”

“Cruel… it’s funny that you mention that. Then, are you saying that annihilating innocent families isn’t cruel?”

“…?”

Hyun Ho looked at him doubtfully.

“I heard that the Southern Edge had three warriors, along with you, who raided the Extreme Truth Clan. Tell me who they were.”

“Don’t bother with useless things and just kill me. I won’t say anything.”

“So you would sacrifice your disciples for those who aren’t even from the same sect? Then, I have no choice but to continue.”

The first to be sacrificed was the second-class disciple who was awake.

When Yu Jinsan raised the sword, the disciple was startled and shouted urgently.

“E-Elder, please, we’ll all die!”

Hyun Ho looked down at the disciple with a kind smile.

“Ah, Kwang. Being born and dying is the way of the world; do not be afraid. It is just that our death is coming earlier. But the pride of Southern Edge will last until the end.”

“…”

Hyun Ho appeared determined, while the child, Ah Kwang, now had a pale face.

“I feel bad for you, child. It seems like your seniors have no intention of keeping you alive.”

With that, Yu Jinsan slowly drew his sword.

The Seven Swords, the first-class disciples, bowed their heads.

But Ah Kwang was different.

“F-f… fuck!”

The first-class disciples, who had all been bowing their heads in allegiance to the words of the elder, were shocked by the second-class disciple’s outburst.

“Y-You bastard! How dare you curse in front of the Elder!?”

“Do not do anything shameful and just die with honor now!”

The Taoists shouted, but Ah Kwang, standing in front of death, couldn’t see anything else.

“Did I say anything wrong? Are you saying we aren’t part of the sect then? Then why do we have to die without even knowing the reason? I don’t know if the Master and the Sasuks have lived enough, but I still haven’t!”

“Wh-what are you sayi…”

One of the first-class disciples tried to scold him, but Ah Kwang cut him off.

“I have been through a lot of hardships until now, but now I have a chance to go ahead into Kangho, and what? Die? With honor? Forget that! If I had been with the sect until now, letting my hands and feet get worn out, you could save my life at least once!”

Everyone was speechless because of this young disciple who wouldn’t willingly die.

“…”

In the old Nine Great Sects, which had strict discipline, such a situation would not have arisen.

Even Yu Jinsan was taken aback by this person’s audacity. Elder Hyun Ho looked dumbfounded at the disciple, evidently shocked.

After a while, Hyun Ho broke the silence and said,

“Fine. After listening to all this, I think you are right.”

“Elder…?”

Ah Kwang, who had calmed down a little, looked flustered, and Hyun Ho nodded.

Finally, he asked Yu Jinsan,

“If I tell you everything I know, will you spare those kids?”

Ah Kwang, a second-class disciple, was moved, and Yu Jinsan smiled at this.

“I promise. Everyone can live except for you.”

Hyun Ho looked at the Southern Edge Sect, appearing calm.

He wanted to capture the last image of the place where he had spent his entire life.

“They are called the Azure Dragon Troops, a secret force under the Murim Alliance.”

The moment he finished speaking, Yu Jinsan’s eyes filled with killing intent.

He had hoped the guess would be wrong, but now there was no room for doubt.

“Azure Dragon Troops…?”

“They are the shadows of the Murim Alliance that have existed for a long time. The reason we were able to win the battle of Justice and Demons was thanks to their ability to work in the shadows.”

Yu Jinsan gritted his teeth.

“I don’t care about those damned people’s achievements. How do I get in touch with them?”

“We don’t have the means to contact them first. We only receive notifications through the Murim Alliance’s main base.”

“Then at least tell me their affiliated sect.”

“I heard that every 30 years, children with outstanding qualities are summoned and raised by the Azure Dragon Troops. I don’t know where these kids come from.”

Looking at his expression, it didn’t seem like he was lying. However, something still felt unclear.

“If the Demonic Cult has collapsed and the Evil Sect is no match for the Justice Faction, then why does the Murim Alliance foster a secret group like this?”

“I do not know what their purpose or mission is when they step into Kangho.”

Some clues were solved, but the most important ones couldn’t be found.

Where were they, and where should they be held accountable for their sins?

“If that is all you know, one cannot help but wonder whether these people should be spared.”

Yu Jinsan, guessing that there was something the man wasn’t saying, waited quietly.

As expected, Hyun Ho looked deep in thought and, as if he had remembered something, spoke.

“Head to Shaolin and find Monk Won Kang. I once heard that he was among the instructors who trained the Azure Dragon members.”

Shaolin Temple. A place made of monks for martial arts, known to be on a whole different level of strength from the Southern Edge Sect.

But he had no intention of forgiving anyone connected to his enemies.

First, he needed to find out if this Monk Won Kang had a reason to attack the Yu family.

“That is enough. As promised, I will send all the disciples away. Any last words?”

Hyun Ho, looking at the kneeling disciples, said,

“Jang Ho.”

The person with the highest position among the seven lowered his head with a sad face.

“Yes.”

“Even though I have ended up here, I can go peacefully because of you all. And don’t criticize that kid too much.”

This was because, once the situation was over, there was no way these people would leave the poor Ah Kwang alone for not obeying the Master.

“Master…”

“I am sorry I left you with a big burden and chose to leave first.”

But as the elders and disciples were saying their tearful goodbyes, Yu Jinsan was no longer there.

After a while, a Taoist noticed this and jumped up, looking around.

“H-he just left?”

“…?”

Yu Jinsan had already left them behind and was heading in the direction where his granddaughter had gone.

The reason Hyun Ho was spared was that his granddaughter was coming back.

And he couldn’t kill someone in front of a young child. If he had been directly related to the killer of his family, he would have done anything to kill, but he wasn’t, so there was no need to overdo it.

“Seol!”

Yu Seol came to him with flowers and bright smiles.

Both hands were holding such colorful flowers.

“Oh God. There’s nowhere to put them.”

Holding them with both hands while running was impossible.

Flowers were just meaningless things, but since she had collected them all, he couldn’t just throw them away.

“Hmm, I guess it can’t be helped. Let’s set it free in the blowing wind.”

Yu Seol hesitated and tilted her head.

It seemed like a waste to let go of such well-plucked flowers.

Then, Yu Seol suddenly said,

“Grandpa, wait! I have a good idea.”

“…Uh? What are you thinking now?”