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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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Tak
Though I wanted to immediately inquire about the internal affairs of the Jegal Clan, I decided against abruptly bringing up the topic. Instead, I closed my mouth and focused on playing Go.
Tak
“How were the game records (Go match records) I lent you?”
Tak
“Ah, those were certainly good matches. The endgame, in particular, was masterful. But if I had to point out something, it’s that the opponents were too polite.”
Tak
“If it had been me, I would have disrupted their strategy early on. They lost easily because they were too reserved at that point.”
Tak
“Ha! Arrogant brat. But you’re right. Being too reserved can make you lose even winnable matches. On that note, let me cause some disruption too.”
Tak
The flow of the game, which I had been carefully cultivating so as not to be noticed, was interrupted by Jegal Liang’s disruptive moves. The elaborate tower I had built crumbled under Jegal Liang’s few moves.
“Ah?! This damn old geezer!!”
“If you have the time to give unsolicited advice on someone else’s game record, you should take care of your own house first. Impudent youngster.”
Suppressing my frustration, I assessed the situation on the Go board. It was still manageable. Losing the strategy I had planned in the beginning meant the damage was minimal. Actually, it was better this way. I could start over. I could still recover.
Lately, as I played Go, I realized something: your skills improve faster when you play against strong opponents. Situations that once seemed insurmountable now had visible solutions.
I looked up at Jegal Liang’s face.
At first, I thought he was just an old man ostracized by his family because of his grumpy personality. But considering his exceptional Go skills and the sharp aura he had displayed before, he couldn’t be just a grumpy old man.
Judging by his clothes and the atmosphere he exuded, he seemed to be a person of high rank. But how high was he, exactly? Should I ask him about the Jegal Clan’s situation? Wouldn’t that make things more complicated?
As I pondered these thoughts while playing Go, a man dressed in elegant clothes entered the garden. He looked around, then spotted me and strode arrogantly towards the pavilion.
Looking closer, I recognized him as the man who had previously warned me against interfering further in the Jegal family’s affairs.
He glanced at the Go board and me, then smirked.
“How pathetic, indulging in games at such a young age. Someone wishes to see you. Get ready immediately.”
As if I’d just follow him if he suddenly showed up and told me to go somewhere with him… However, this was the heart of mafia territory, and I had nowhere to run.
Just as I reluctantly began to stand, the air froze. Or, to be more precise, it felt oppressive. My lungs felt crushed, and my body stiffened. I couldn’t even blink. I couldn’t breathe.
Jegal Gak, born into a branch family, had served the direct descendants of the clan leader with unwavering loyalty since childhood. It wasn’t so much out of genuine loyalty as it was a strategic move to gain favor with the potential future leaders.
A fox riding on the coattails of the main family. That was how others viewed Jegal Gak, but he didn’t care. This was the Jegal Clan. The main family’s power was absolute.
Those who defied the main family could not survive. This mindset was so deeply ingrained in him that he had forgotten something crucial: there’s always a bigger fish.
The elder, a prominent figure even within the main family of the Jegal Clan, a man whom even they treated with utmost respect—one of the Ten Great Masters, Jegal Goeryong (諸葛怪龍)—felt a vein throb in his forehead.
“Can’t you see I’m playing Go right now?”
Jegal Gak’s entire body trembled. A liquid, whether sweat or urine, poured from his body like a waterfall, soaking the ground. His teeth chattered uncontrollably.
The plea for mercy, the scream of terror, were stifled by fear. Like a fish on a chopping block, his life was entirely in the hands of the overwhelming power before him. That was Jegal Gak’s current predicament.
“Do I really have to tell you to leave?”
Tak!
The clear sound of a Go stone hitting the board shattered the frozen air.
Taking this as a cue to leave with his life, Jegal Gak scrambled away, running on two legs, then on all fours when he stumbled, not daring to look back, a creature somewhere between man and beast.
Seeing me speechless and blinking in the aftermath of this spectacle, Jegal Liang asked pointedly,
“What’s going on? Why were those scoundrels looking for you?”
Although I hadn’t planned to explain it this way, since the opportunity presented itself, I embellished the story and explained the situation.
“I understand. I’ll be back shortly. Have some tea.”
“Oh? Are you going now?”
“It won’t take long. I’ll be back before the tea gets cold.”
Jegal Liang walked towards the main residence of the Jegal Clan as casually as if he were just going to the restroom. I sipped my tea as I watched his receding figure.
“This is already cold.”
I might feel a bit embarrassed when the old man returns.
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The opulent main residence of the Jegal Clan stood in stark contrast to the other buildings. Yet, its grand entrance, the face of the main family, was now shattered, kicked in by a violent force.
“Wh-Who is it?! Who dares to kick down the main gate?!”
“It’s me.”
“E-Elder?!”
Jegal Goeryong (諸葛怪龍)
Having “Dragon” (龍) in one’s title was a positive connotation. It was a title bestowed only upon those who demonstrated exceptional talent within their clan or sect.
In his youth, Jegal Liang had been hailed as a once in a century genius, even within the Jegal Clan, renowned for its abundance of brilliant minds. He had thus earned the title of “Dragon.”
On the other hand, having “Strange” or “Monster” (怪) in one’s title wasn’t a good sign. As the character 괴 (怪) suggested, it was a title often given to those with eccentric personalities or who practiced unusual martial arts, often those from unorthodox sects.
Those who valued honor, like members of orthodox sects, generally avoided using “Strange” (怪) in titles, even if the recipient had a peculiar personality, out of respect for their reputation.
Therefore, if someone from an orthodox sect received a title with “Strange” (怪) in it, it meant their personality was truly atrocious.
In short, the title Jegal Goeryong (諸葛怪龍) meant “the monstrous dragon of the Jegal Clan.”
With every step he took, his aura caused people to faint and furniture to crumble. It wasn’t a human’s gait.
It was as if a massive dragon had forced its way into the house and was rampaging.
Fearing that this would escalate beyond property damage to loss of life, Jegal Sobong, the acting clan leader in his ailing father’s stead, rushed out and bowed respectfully.
He desperately wanted to yell and demand an explanation for this outrageous behavior, but in the martial world, weakness and low status were sins.
“Acting Clan Leader Jegal Sobong greets the Elder!”
Jegal Liang responded to Jegal Sobong’s polite greeting with a casual palm strike.
“Skip the formalities. Just take a hit.”
Having grown up witnessing Jegal Liang’s monstrous personality, Jegal Sobong knew that the old man meant what he said. He wouldn’t hold back just because they were related by blood.
He had once seen his own uncle, after provoking Jegal Liang, get his ribs broken with a single palm strike and left writhing on the ground. He had made a resolution then and there.
If I ever find myself in the same situation, I will run. Survival is paramount.
Quickly assessing the situation, Jegal Sobong realized that politeness would get him killed. He used the Heavenly Mystery Evasive Steps (天機迷離步) to swiftly dodge the palm strike.
Heavenly Mystery Evasive Steps (天機迷離步) – A footwork technique that allows one to anticipate an opponent’s moves by reading the subtle shifts in their energy and the flow of fate, enabling them to execute the optimal evasive maneuver for any given situation.
Despite the Jegal Clan being considered weaker compared to the other Five Great Clans or the Nine Great Sects, the Heavenly Mystery Evasive Steps were universally acknowledged as the most exceptional footwork technique in the entire martial world, regardless of sect or alignment.
It was the pride of the Jegal Clan. There was no attack that the Heavenly Mystery Evasive Steps couldn’t evade. However, it went without saying that Jegal Liang, also of the Jegal Clan, had mastered these steps as well.
Heavenly Mystery Evasive Steps countering Heavenly Mystery Evasive Steps.
“!!!!!”
Jegal Sobong gritted his teeth as he saw Jegal Liang calmly waiting at the exact spot he had intended to dodge to, having predicted his movements. He executed the Heavenly Mystery Evasive Steps again. But his movements were read once more.
He used the Heavenly Mystery Evasive Steps again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
Once more, he used the Heavenly Mystery Evasive Steps.
They both read each other’s future movements. Each sought a timeline advantageous to themselves. Futures collided, intertwining like a tangled thread.
“Ugh!”
In the end, it was Jegal Sobong who broke first, collapsing to his knees. He had pushed his mind too far, trying to predict the future, overloading his brain.
“You can only read a double-digit future… Pathetic. Don’t embarrass yourself by calling yourself the acting clan leader of the Jegal Clan.”
“Yes.”
He had no choice but to lower his head in submission. Jegal Liang stood with his hands clasped behind his back. He hadn’t actually launched a palm strike. It was a bluff, exploiting the predictive nature of the Heavenly Mystery Evasive Steps.
Overwhelmed by the sheer difference in skill, Jegal Sobong bowed his head, filled with a mixture of fear and respect.
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Slurp
I sipped my cold tea and admired the blossoming flowers as I waited for Jegal Liang. It was almost snack time, and I hoped he would return soon.
“Jegal Liang, you’re late~ I’ll turn into an old man waiting for you.”
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LMAO such a impudent brat🤣
