Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel)

Note: the middle aged man's name randomly changes from Jangju to Zhuang Ju, to Zhuang Zu. I have decided to keep it Jangju since the other names feel Chinese, and this is a Korean novel. This is not the TL, but me fixing the nonsense of the TL. It is a different translator and is thus taking a lot longer to fix the chapters because everything is a mess lmao.

Note 2: I had a stroke reading this chapter and then fixing it. Everything was an absolute mess. I mean, its fine is the names have changed since clearly the translator has changed, but within this one chapter, the names of all children changed at least twice, with the eldest son's name changing 5 times. I went mad figuring out who was what… I don't know how I will fix future chapters with more and more characters being introduced. I will take it as far as I can before I cringe myself into oblivion and end up giving up. My god!

Note 3: It's been 3 hours and I am still editing this horrendously sh*t work. I don't even think MTL is capable of messing everything up so thoroughly… ever since name… is messed up. Every single phrase is literally translated in a way that makes no sense to me. Forget translating, perhaps even editing is not my cup of tea…

Note 4: It's been 3.5 hours. Why are all the 'Young Master' called Confucius? What kind of translating has been done? I had to guess between 'child', 'first and second born', and 'young master' to make the text understandable. I hope future chapters are not so bad…

Note 5: Sorry for so many notes. I have finally finished this chapters, and just checked the next one… it's just as bad. The editor is not there so it's all downhill from here guys. Wish me luck…

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A middle-aged man in his fifties was lying in a hospital bed with a pale face. He was coughing continuously, as if it was difficult to even breathe. Every time the doctor who was attending by his side, wiped the corner of his mouth with a cloth, black blood kept pouring out.

"Ha…" a sigh flowed from the doctor's mouth when he saw this.

The condition was getting worse and worse, and the end is not far away. Although he used all his knowledge and experience to treat the disease, this was his first time experiencing a disease like this even during his many years as a doctor.

'What can you do? As the chief medical officer of Yeonmok Prosecutor's Office, I could see what would happen next before my eyes. There will be bloody fights between brothers. Jangju, why don't you decide on a successor? You did not decide on a successor. As a result, even the vassals had no choice but to watch the current situation with frustration.'

'Jangju cared deeply for his youngest son, Mok Yucheon. His talent was so outstanding that it could have been passed down through three generations. At the age of fourteen, he mastered his family's martial artists and reached the level of a first-class master, and now, just two years later, at the age of sixteen, he has reached the peak.'

'It would not be an exaggeration to say that his overwhelming talent ranked among the top ten among his peers. Moreover, his personality also resembles that of Jangju. If Jangju had openly supported him, his vassals would have stepped forward and strengthened his position. Even if it turned out to be a wrong decision in the future.'

'Of course, if you did that, you would incur the wrath of the Great Lady. Indeed, a big problem…'

'The Great Lady's generous affection for her first born; Mok Yeongho, is almost blind. Even if he was called a fool, that didn't change. As a result, from the second son to the third, their greed was deeply rooted.'

'The moment Jangju dies, Yeonmok Sword Hall will be stained with the blood of brothers. What will happen in the future? Sigh…' even though he was just a member of the Prosecutor's Office, he could not get involved. It was when he was sighing like that. Jangju's room has a visitor.

'Who?' the doctor turned his head and his expression hardened.

A pure white face with wrinkles covered with powder. Lips dyed red with rouge; a flashy outfit adorned with precious metals. This middle-aged woman with raised eyebrows and eyes full of arrogance was Lady Seok, the godmother of the Yeonmok Sword Hall. 

The doctor bowed his head, "Great Lady Seok, my godmother."

"What is his condition?"

At her question, the doctor nodded with a slight sigh, "It seems there is nothing we can do due to the lack of medical skills."

"Okay. After all this time, you are telling me there is no way he can survive through all your medical techniques?!"

"It's because this lowly servant is incompetent!"

"Sigh~" Great Lady Seok waved her hand and showed that she did not want to listen. Then she sighed and said, "You and all the doctors nearby don't even know the name of the disease. You claim it's something strange that can't be explained through medical techniques, so there must be another solution! Call the Shaman!"

"Great Lady!" at those words, Doctor Noh looked at the lady Seok, his white beard trembling.

In response, Great Lady Seok glared coldly at the doctor and said, "My husband's life is in danger. Are you in a position to worry about this or that? In the end, magic is nothing more than a strange technique that only looks mysterious."

"How do you know this?"

"You said that my husband's illness is no different from a curse."

 "That's true, but…"

"Then why are you opposed to using a master who deals with such things? Are you saying I should just wait for my husband to die?"

"That's not what I'm saying-"

"I don't want to hear it!"

"I have already summoned Shaman to the Hall, so, doctor Noh, stop dragging things on and step down."

"Great Lady Seok!"

"Do you want to be taken away by force?" with these words, doctor Noh was eventually forced to step down.

It was already a situation where nothing could be done. Doctor Noh, who came out, clicked his tongue in regret and looked at the main building where the bed was located.

'They're bringing in a shaman to treat a curse? Ha! An inexperienced shaman will only hurt those they try to heal!'

…

"…This is the current situation of Yeonmok Sword Chief."

"What an interesting family I have in this place~"

'What is so interesting that it's making you smile like that? Your situation is terrible, and yet…' Go Chan stuck his tongue out at Mok Gyeongwoon's reaction.

It was no exaggeration to say that Mok Gyeongwoon was in the most precarious situation. If it was discovered that he was a fake, he could be torn limb from limb and died, not at the hands of other young masters, but at the hands of his retainers.

But even after hearing this, Mok Gyeongwoon felt very relaxed. If he were in the same situation as Mok Gyeongwoon, Go Chan would try to escape somehow. This was a situation where there is absolutely no solution.

'Guard Kam, the executioner, is also preparing to abandon this guy. As a result, he will have no choice but to be beaten up and then helplessly eliminated. Even if you subdue me with poison, it's not like you can do anything about it. Now I have no choice but to follow you.'

'However, I have no intention of helping him succeed. So I kept some of the information to myself. Even if 70% of the information was given, I was still able to hide 30%. Just wait and see. As long as you detoxify the poison…'

*Startle*

Gao Chan, who made eye contact with Mo Gyeongwoon, trembled and was brought out of his thoughts. Just looking into his eyes sends a shiver down his spine.

'Damn it! Being scared so easily by a brat… but there is something different about this guy from ordinary people. There was something that scared people. You devilish bastard. Yes, that would be the most appropriate word. I still can't forget those ugly eyes.'

"Go Chan~"

"Y- Yes." Go Chan responded with his military solute, 'No matter what I am feeling, my instincts tell me that I had to follow what he said unconditionally from now on.'

"Originally, the real Mok Gyeongwoon and Guard Kam set me up as a stand-in and moved the first young master, Mok Yeongho, to kill Mok Eunpyeong."

"…That's right."

Mok Gyeongwoon drew a picture of the first-born, Mok Yeongho, stabbing the second-born, Mok Eunpyeong, who was relieved that he had killed his great lieutenant. For this purpose, he was trying to trick Mok Yeongho through the hostess he had recruited.

Mok Gyeongwoon sighed and laughed. The plan seemed sound. If this method was followed, the Great Lady, the mother of the two Young Masters, and others would not be able to intervene. On the contrary, it would end up closer to being dishonoured.

'It would have been good, but I ended up becoming a variable. Now I know why he wants to change lines. Guard Kam doesn't trust me. If I had believed in it or had confidence that I could handle it perfectly, I would have followed this best approach with a few changes. But he won't because he doesn't trust me.'

'In the end, Guard Kam's change of mind and the situation in this family were bound to work against me in some way. Is there only one conclusion? I have to either kill Guard Kam or bring him to my side.'

'But both the former and the latter were difficult. The latter was difficult because he has no faith in me, and the former because, unlike Go Chan, Guard Kam is far stronger than me. That's why it was difficult to kill him.'

"Go Chan~"

"…Yes?"

"How much stronger is Guard Kam than Guard Go Chan?"

"You mean more than me?"

"Yes."

"…Guard Kam is a top-notch expert, so he must be two or three times stronger than me."

Go Chan possessed the skills of a second-rate warrior. On the other hand, Guard Kam was a top-notch expert. If you look at it numerically, it was more than double because the different in their age was almost half a century (30 years). But if you take into account all things; enlightenment and skills included, the difference in strength should be around three times. That was the difference between the normal second class and the first class.

"Do you think I can kill Guard Kam?"

"Yes?"

"That's literally it. Do you think I can kill him?"

Go Chan frowned at this question.

'After finding out what was going on in the family, did you decide to kill Guard Kam? However, this guy still doesn't know that they are trying to change the who they are supporting and change horses mid-race. Or was it just a guess based on fragmentary information?'

*Gulp*

'In that case, I could say that his insight was truly amazing. Just what is he? The way he understood everything so quickly was completely different from the real Mok Gyeongwoon.'

"Is the question difficult? Go Chan, you have fought with me as well, so I think you can get a rough idea."

Go Chan hesitated for a moment and responded to Mok Gyeongwoon's words. "It is said that young master is strong and has good physical skills, but it is difficult for a top-class expert to compare both technical and internal strength with a lowly guard like me."

"Well, the bottom line is that I can't win."

"…Yes."

"Thought so~"

"....."

'If you know, then why are you asking?'

Go Chen was puzzled, but Mok Gyeongwoon changed the question. "Then, if I learn martial arts, will my odds of winning change?"

"Yes?"

"What if I learn martial arts?"

Go Chan almost laughed at Mok Gyeongwoon's question like this, 'I admit that this guy is stronger than myself, a second-rate warrior. And I also admit that I am different from ordinary people. However, learning martial arts could be said to be a completely separate problem!'

Go Chan said, barely managing his expression, "…Young Master. The basis of martial arts is my training."

"Training?"

"Yes. When I say training, I mean collecting internal energy by circulating natural energy through the body through breathing, that is, the cultivation method."

"So?"

"As your inner strength accumulates, you become stronger and stronger."

"Alright?"

Mo Gyeongwoon had never met anyone stronger than himself in his life. However, those who learned martial arts were unique.

"But this skill cannot be built overnight," Go Chen added gravely.

"Are you saying it will take time?"

"Yes. Each person is different and each breathing method is different, but internal energy is formed and accumulated through long-term training. Even if you learn martial arts, will you be able to catch up with someone who has trained for a long time overnight?"

'And you're already late,' Neigong training also has an appropriate starting time. The appropriate age is at least 5 to 9 years old, because at a young age, the body is flexible and impurities do not accumulate in the meridians of the body.

If you are in Mok Gyeongwoon's age group, your meridians will have narrowed due to a significant accumulation of impurities.

"It is going to be difficult in the short term, isn't it?"

"Yes."

'No. Even if you learn it for the rest of your life, it will be difficult,' Go Chan did not mention this fact.

He didn't feel the need to talk about it, and he thought that if he did, it would only make him feel uncomfortable and he might do some harm to himself.

'It's no use struggling. You understand your situation now, right? Jangju was could pass on any day now. The doctor said that it was difficult to fight the disease; a disease whose cause is unknown, so much so that it is called a curse. If the leader lost his life, no matter how hard Mok Gyeongwoon struggled, it would be the end for this fake guy.'

'Just you wait. When that moment comes, I will repay all this humiliation…'

At that time, Mok Gyeongwoon stood up. Then he gestured to Go Chan and said, "Let's go."

"Where?"

'Are you really trying to run away? If that's the case, it's a foolish choice…'

"Please tell me where the person named Jangju is."

"Huh? How can I find Lord Zhang's place suddenly?"

At those words, Mok Gyeongwoon sighed and smiled. "My life depends on the life or death of that man named Jangju. I want to see for myself how critical he is."

'!?'