Surviving as a Cripple in Murim – Chapter 29

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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Sometimes, he hated how quickly his mind worked.

As far as he knew, the only Zoroastrian in their village was his adorable younger sister, Sima Yeonhwa. And Muk-gang had said he had come to kill the monster of the Zoroastrian cult shortly after Yeonhwa’s arrival.

An unusual event implied a preceding, related incident.

In manga and manhwa terms, the introduction of a new character, Yeonhwa, had led to the appearance of a related character, Muk-gang.

Muk-gang’s words echoed in his mind: I have come to kill the monster of the Zoroastrian cult.

While he couldn’t be certain, he suspected “monster” was a euphemism used by Muk-gang’s sect, the Esoteric Buddhists, to refer to Yeonhwa.

But… why “monster”? What did they take his precious younger sister for?

He wanted to retort, but doing so would reveal Yeonhwa’s existence, so he feigned ignorance.

“You can’t just ask if I’ve seen a monster and expect me to know what you’re talking about. You need to provide a description.”

This wasn’t something he could handle on his own. He would play along for now, gather information, and consult with his father when he returned home.

“Hmm, you’re right. My apologies. I wasn’t clear.”

“No worries. But a monster, you say? This is a quiet, uneventful village, so such tales are quite intriguing.”

He feigned nonchalance, his mind racing, formulating a plan to extract as much information as possible before making a discreet escape. Suddenly, Muk-gang’s eyes widened, his gaze fixed intently on something or rather, someone behind Mancheon. Muk-gang’s deep voice echoed softly.

“The monster of the Zoroastrian cult takes the form of a beautiful young girl. Like the red-eyed girl standing behind you, for instance.”

A shiver ran down his spine. His eyes widened, and he instinctively turned around.

“Older Brother?”

Their startled gazes met. Yeonhwa, her beautiful black hair tangled with twigs and leaves, as if she had lost her way, looked at him with a bewildered expression.

“Though she appears to be a young girl, she is a monster who will set the world ablaze. Step back. She’s dangerous.”

As Mancheon hesitated, momentarily stunned by Yeonhwa’s unexpected appearance, Muk-gang stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Mancheon, facing Yeonhwa.

Hold on a minute. This guy was really starting to annoy him. He didn’t know what this was about, but calling his adorable younger sister a monster was unacceptable.

His blood began to boil. Since he had already been discovered, he decided to speak his mind.

“She can hear you. Show some respect.”

FWOOSH!!

“and choose your words carefully… What the?!”

Before Mancheon could finish, a burst of flames erupted from Yeonhwa’s hand, engulfing Muk-gang’s upper body.

A cold fire flickered in Yeonhwa’s eyes.

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Only the Zoroastrian cult, the Sima family, and rival demonic sects knew that Yeonhwa was a saint, a monster destined to set the world ablaze.

Therefore, this man was undoubtedly working for a rival sect.

Perhaps he was an assassin sent by the Heavenly Demon Sect, the sect that had attacked the Zoroastrian palace, forcing Yeonhwa to flee to the Central Plains, taking advantage of their weakened defenses due to internal strife.

If that was the case, her older brother, a member of the Sima family, was also in danger.

She glanced at Mancheon, his face etched with shock. She swallowed her bitter disappointment and suppressed her emotions. Focusing solely on the enemy, she snapped her fingers.

Carrying the hopes of the fallen Zoroastrian followers who had perished in the cowardly attack, she donned the mask of a monster to protect her foolish, vulgar, yet kind older brother.

She unleashed her flames upon the enemy.

Snap…. snap… snap…

With each flick of her slender, elegant fingers, flames erupted, dancing and swirling, incinerating the enemy.

But her flames couldn’t harm Muk-gang. It was a bad matchup.

He brushed the flames off his body as if swatting away insects. His skin was unharmed, save for a few scorch marks that served as a momentary testament to the flames’ intensity.

“You haven’t fully matured yet. I will nip this in the bud.”

Muk-gang, Dharma protector of Esoteric Buddhism, who sat at the center of the world, suppressing demons and vanquishing evil.

Fudo Myo-o (Acala), the Immovable Wisdom King.

The protector of the world advanced steadily towards the monster, neither flinching nor retreating. He endured the attacks patiently.

He would slay the monster, protect the world, and save humanity.

That was the role, the oath, the conviction of Muk-gang, the Dharma protector of Esoteric Buddhism, whose back and heart bore the image of Fudo Myo-o.

Hero and monster faced each other, their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills, closing the distance between them. And then, a boy stepped between them.

Mancheon rushed forward, placing himself between Yeonhwa and Muk-gang.

“Wait! Let’s talk this out! There’s no need for violence!!”

He forced his legs to move, ignoring the warning signals from his brain, knowing that if he hesitated, something terrible might happen.

He had been momentarily stunned by the sight of a muscular stranger calling his younger sister a monster and attempting to kill her, and by the sight of his younger sister snapping her fingers and unleashing flames like Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. He had been slow to react, but now he did what he should have done from the beginning.

He shielded Yeonhwa, placing her behind him, meeting Muk-gang’s gaze unflinchingly, drawing the man’s hostility towards himself.

He would protect his younger sister from this unknown assailant. That was Sima Mancheon’s duty as Sima Yeonhwa’s older brother.

“What are you doing? Step aside. This is dangerous.”

The weight of the warning, heavy with unspoken meaning, pressed down on him. But he refused to move.

Instead, he averted his gaze slightly and spoke casually, channeling his internal energy to resist the oppressive aura.

“You seem like a good person at heart. Let’s talk this out. There’s no need to fight.”

Muk-gang frowned at the incongruously carefree remark and studied Mancheon’s face, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He decided to humor the boy.

“And how do you know I’m a good person?”

“Um… aren’t you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then you must be a good person. In my experience, those who question their own goodness are usually kind.”

A faint smile touched Muk-gang’s lips. He wasn’t amused by Mancheon’s words, but by his actions.

While he spoke with a disarmingly harmless smile, he was channeling his internal energy into his leg and staff.

He was subtly digging at the ground with his staff, gathering dirt, preparing to throw it as a distraction and make his escape.

He was ready to flee with his younger sister at a moment’s notice.

He was impressed by the boy’s quick thinking, devising a plan to protect a girl he had only just met.

He looked like a carefree dandy, but he had unexpected resolve. But was the girl he was protecting the same?

He hadn’t intended to harm Mancheon from the start. Mancheon was human, someone he was obligated to protect. He had only intervened because he feared the monster might take Mancheon hostage.

But contrary to his expectations, Yeonhwa wasn’t a monster. Or rather, she had reverted from monster to younger sister.

‘Incredible. Are you protecting him as well?’

Behind Mancheon, red eyes flashed. She glared at Muk-gang with a ferocity that dwarfed her earlier hostility, her protective instincts ignited.

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Yeonhwa saw the back of a boy, not yet fully grown, shielding her from view. A back that, despite its apparent confidence, trembled slightly.

He wasn’t protecting her because she was a sacrificial offering to a mythical hero, nor because of some golden contract.

He was protecting her simply because she was his younger sister. For that simple, pure reason, he stood against an overwhelmingly powerful opponent.

There was no other reason. He was standing there, protecting her, purely out of sibling protectiveness.

It was real. He was a true older brother. Her older brother.

Despite the imminent danger, her cheeks flushed, her heart pounded in her chest, and her mind reeled.

Zoroastrian monster, saint destined to set the world ablaze, one of the many scattered seeds, a tainted bastard.

Her elation evaporated, replaced by a chilling wave of self-doubt. She took a step back.

Not yet… not yet… this wasn’t right. Her older brother didn’t know who she truly was. That’s why he was protecting her. She couldn’t trust him. She craved his affection, but she was afraid. She didn’t want to be hurt again.

But she still yearned for his love. She didn’t want to be hated. She wanted to be protected. She wanted to lean on him.

She wanted to keep her distance, to hide her monstrous form, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave his side. She wanted to stay close, to feel the warmth of his presence.

Conflicting emotions churned within her, a chaotic mix of foolish, indecent feelings. So, she cautiously reached out and grasped the hem of his robe, careful not to let him see.

She leaned on his kindness, seeking comfort, acting like a spoiled child.

The simple act of holding onto his robe filled her with a sense of connection, of reassurance. …With him, she wasn’t afraid.

No longer a monster, but a younger sister, she focused her fiery gaze on Muk-gang, ready to protect her older brother.

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Dayum a sibling whom just met for a while trying to protect each other😏