Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
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Chapter 262: If It Tastes Bad, You Die
Hwasun's hands trembled in fear.
“If the taste is bad, your life is forfeit too!”
The words of the martial artist who had brought her to the kitchen echoed in her ears as he left.
When she was first dragged to Pungsu Villa, she could never have imagined it would be like this. As a businesswoman, she was used to being ordered around by martial artists, but she had never anticipated such a murderous atmosphere.
And the words were not just a threat.
“Be careful. Two people died in this kitchen today.”
Si-bi, who had secretly brought ingredients to the kitchen, had whispered to her. Si-bi was someone Hwasun was acquainted with. Whenever she went out shopping, Si-bi would often stop by the inn to buy noodles or dumplings. Hwasun always made sure to give her extra portions.
“A terrifying master arrived at the villa. His taste is so picky that he tore out the tongue of the villa's cook and killed him. The next cook from Northern Blossom Village was killed in an even more horrifying manner. What will you do?”
Si-bi was so terrified she stomped her feet nervously, looking completely unfamiliar as though she was talking about someone else’s fate.
Hwasun kept making mistakes as she cooked. She used the wrong seasoning, and her trembling hands caused her to drop dishes.
She knew how talented the cook from Northern Blossom Village was. If even his skills didn’t save him, there was no way she would survive either. Did they really kill him?
What if she was the next to die?
Her heart tightened as the image of her son came to mind. She missed him so much. It was about time for him to come visit.
Just then...
“Mother!”
Startled, she turned her head, and there at the entrance of the kitchen stood her son.
“Hyeon-ah! Is it you, Hyeon-ah?”
She was so shocked she seemed on the verge of collapsing.
Dohyeon ran to his mother and embraced her.
“Mother!”
“Hyeon-ah!”
Hwasun hugged him tightly, too overwhelmed to speak.
But soon, she lowered her voice and said, “Why are you here? You need to leave! Go wait at the inn!”
“Mother, what’s wrong?”
“Just go! I’ll explain later, but you need to leave now.”
All Hwasun could think about was how to send her son away.
Unlike his frantic mother, Dohyeon calmly held her hand.
“You’ve gotten so thin.”
In the three years since he last saw her, she had aged so much. It was clear she had been through a lot.
As she held her son's hand, tears began to flow from Hwasun’s eyes. Despite her fear, she was overjoyed to see him. Her heart was so full that she couldn’t stop the tears.
When she saw her mother’s tears, Dohyeon also began to cry.
“I’m sorry I haven’t visited more often.”
“No, it’s okay. You must be busy with work. I’m fine, really. Now that we’ve greeted each other, go wait for me.”
Her heart was racing. If the people from the villa saw him here, it could lead to serious trouble.
“Go! I’ll cook for you later.”
Hwasun tried to push her son away. It was enough that she had seen his face.
She knew that her son had joined the Demonic Cult, but she didn’t know exactly what he was doing. She could only guess that he had been going through all sorts of hardships to establish himself.
At that moment, other people entered the kitchen. It was Geom Mugeuk and some of Dohyeon’s colleagues from the day team.
Hwasun was startled, thinking that the villa’s martial artists had arrived.
“My son just came by for a moment. He’ll be leaving soon. He’s going now.”
But then, Geom Mugeuk stepped forward and greeted her politely.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mother.”
A surprised Hwasun looked at Dohyeon, who introduced Geom Mugeuk.
“This is the person I serve.”
The unexpected situation left Hwasun shocked. She quickly tried to bow to Geom Mugeuk, but he gently stopped her, holding her hands.
“I am called Geom Mugeuk. Please treat me as you would your son.”
The moment Hwasun looked at Geom Mugeuk, her heart, which had been like a battlefield, suddenly calmed.
It was because of his eyes. She had met many people during her time as a merchant, but she had never seen eyes so clear and deep.
A sense of peace and relief washed over her. Someone with such eyes... she felt certain that she could entrust her son to him.
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
Not knowing Geom Mugeuk’s exact status, she assumed he was the noble her son served.
“Please take care of my son.”
“Thanks to him, I’m doing well. You have a wonderful son.”
“It’s all because the Young Master has taken good care of him. Thank you.”
Next, Dohyeon introduced the others.
“These are my colleagues.”
This time, Jeokyeon and the other bodyguards greeted her.
Jeokyeon spoke on behalf of the group.
“Thanks to Hyeon, we’ve received a lot of help.”
“Please take good care of my son.”
Hwasun felt regretful. If this hadn’t been such a dangerous situation, she would have loved to cook for them and serve them a delicious meal. This was the first time her son had brought his colleagues to meet her.
‘I need to get them out of here.’
She worried that if too many people were seen, the situation could escalate even further. It wasn’t just about her son; she could end up putting other families' precious sons in danger too.
They were all so young. There were dozens of martial artists in Pungsu Villa, and a terrifying master had reportedly arrived as well.
“You need to escort the Young Master to the inn right now. There’s food prepared in the kitchen, so serve him well. Now go! Quickly!”
Just then, a man’s voice could be heard from outside.
“Is the food ready yet? I clearly warned you, if it doesn’t taste good, your life is forfeit...”
As the martial artist entered the kitchen, he froze.
Inside, a line of men stood on either side, staring at him.
“Who... who are you?”
The man tried to draw his sword, but his arm wouldn’t move. His pressure points had already been subdued.
‘When did this happen?’
Geom Mugeuk approached the man and casually placed his arm around his shoulder.
“If the food tastes bad, she dies? Why?”
His tone was friendly, but his eyes were as cold as ice. 1
“Well, that...”
“No need. We’ll find out soon enough when we meet them.”
Geom Mugeuk then turned to Hwasun and asked, “Mother, is the food ready?”
“It’s done, but it’s gotten cold. I should reheat it.”
“That’s alright. I’m quite skilled at reheating things. In fact, today, I’ll make it very hot.”
He took the tray of food she had prepared.
Then, he gave orders to the guards.
“Your mission today is to protect Mother. Guard her as if you were guarding your own parents.”
Dohyeon and the other guards surrounded Hwasun, standing in the formal six-man protection formation.
Geom Mugeuk kicked the subdued martial artist on the rear, signaling him to move.
“Let’s go.”
By then, the man’s pressure points had been released. Terrified by Geom Mugeuk’s overwhelming martial prowess, he hurried ahead, trembling.
‘If I can just get to a crowded place!’
The martial artist led the way, with Geom Mugeuk carrying the tray and following closely behind. Behind them, the six bodyguards surrounded Hwasun and walked with her.
Hwasun still felt uneasy, but seeing her son beside her, his reassuring expression calmed her down a bit. She didn’t fully understand what was happening, but she was just happy to see her son again. She prayed silently that the day would end without incident.
In the wide front yard, there were many martial artists from the villa.
The leading martial artist signaled to them with his eyes.
‘What are you waiting for? Hurry and subdue these guys!’
But something astonishing happened. The martial artists who were passing by, as well as those rushing toward them, all froze in place like statues.
Their own pressure points had been subdued without them even realizing it.
The leading martial artist was utterly shocked.
‘Subduing them while carrying a tray? How is this even possible?’
It was as if poison had spread through the air. The moment his eyes met Geom Mugeuk's, his pressure points were subdued. It didn’t matter if they were far or near, martial artists of great skill or lower rank—no one was spared.
“Ah!”
The incredible sight unfolding before them caused Jeokyeon and the other bodyguards to gasp in astonishment. They had heard rumors that the young cult leader’s martial arts had surpassed even the Demon Supremes, but they hadn’t expected this level of mastery.
With the martial artists neutralized, they calmly proceeded inside the building, heading toward the residence of Pungsu Villa’s master.
The guards standing outside the door froze as well. One of them had started to ask, “Who are you people?” but stopped mid-sentence, his mouth left hanging open. The other guard had been raising his eyebrows and now stood frozen in that strange position.
Inside the room, two people were in the middle of a conversation.
Sitting in the place of honor was the Bloodhand Sword, a notorious figure already marked as a public enemy by the Martial Alliance for his numerous evil deeds.
Across from him sat the master of Pungsu Villa, Lee Eom.
“You’re asking for too much, don’t you think?”
“The escorts from the Honam First Escort Agency and every other escort in the Central Plains probably see me as their worst enemy. Shouldn't I get a bigger share for that?” 2
“Didn’t we agree to split it into three parts from the start?”
“Well, now that I think about it, that’s not very fair. You and the other guy just sit in your cozy rooms, each taking a third.”
“I’m the one who provided the information for this.”
“Then cut his share.”
“You know who he is, and yet you say that?”
“And you think I don’t know who I am?”
Lee Eom sighed inwardly. This is why he had opposed joining hands with such scoundrels in the first place.
He had been firmly against the idea, but that person had stubbornly insisted, leading to this mess. Maybe that person had even foreseen this outcome—after all, his share wouldn’t be taken away, so he expected Lee Eom to deal with the situation on his own.
At that moment, the door opened, and Geom Mugeuk entered.
Because Geom Mugeuk had hidden his aura, the two men assumed he was merely a servant bringing food.
He calmly placed the tray on the table.
The Bloodhand Sword addressed him.
“Wait outside.”
He picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the food.
“Pah!”
He immediately spat the contents onto the floor.
Lee Eom frowned at the sight. The two previous cooks hadn’t been brutally killed because their food was ‘tasteless’; it was all part of the Bloodhand Sword’s intimidation tactics. He was making it clear that if he wasn’t satisfied, Lee Eom could be killed just as easily. It was his way of demanding more money. 3
Though the Bloodhand Sword's martial prowess surpassed Lee Eom’s, leaving Lee Eom no choice but to endure the humiliation, there was one reason the scoundrel didn’t act too recklessly—*that person* was backing him. 4
Still, Lee Eom couldn’t give in. If he yielded to Bloodhand’s demands, he’d walk away with nothing despite taking part in such a dangerous operation. After all, it had been him who uncovered this rare opportunity, one that only came around every few years.
“Who made this?”
“Lady Hwa prepared the dish.”
“Where is she now?”
“She’s waiting outside.”
“Bring her in immediately!”
“What is the meaning of this?”
“She made this tasteless dish, didn’t she? I’ll have to rip her tongue out. What’s the point of keeping a useless tongue like that?”
At that, Geom Mugeuk turned his head toward the door, and as if on cue, it swung open.
Standing in the hallway was Hwasun, flanked on either side by three guards. Leading the group were Jeokyeon and Dohyeon.
The Bloodhand Sword assumed they were martial artists from Pungsu Villa.
He glared at Lee Eom and demanded, “What do you think you’re doing?”
Lee Eom, utterly perplexed, had no idea what was going on. He had never ordered anyone to protect that woman. And looking closer, he realized that those men weren’t his.
Then, Lee Eom noticed the emblem on Jeokyeon’s chest.
‘That emblem... Could it be? No, it can’t be...’
A wave of tension washed over him. There was only one organization in the martial world that used such a symbol, and it wasn’t one that ordinary demonic cultists could afford to bear. Only the elite were allowed to wear it.
‘Did *that person* send them? But why are they protecting that woman?’
Lee Eom’s mind was in turmoil.
What came next shocked him even more.
Geom Mugeuk calmly picked up a new pair of chopsticks and took a bite of the food.
“It’s delicious. Maybe the problem is your tongue.”
The Bloodhand Sword couldn’t help but let out a mocking laugh. He didn’t believe a person could suddenly go mad, so he assumed Lee Eom had orchestrated this farce.
“What the hell is going on?” Bloodhand shouted at Lee Eom.
Lee Eom remained silent, his eyes nervously watching Geom Mugeuk.
Then, Geom Mugeuk looked directly at the Bloodhand Sword, his voice cold.
“Try it again.”
“You crazy bastard!”
Just as the Bloodhand Sword was about to cut down Geom Mugeuk, something incredible happened.
Geom Mugeuk finally revealed his true demonic energy. A massive, overwhelming force erupted, crushing Lee Eom to the ground with its sheer intensity.
“Ugh!”
The Bloodhand Sword found himself unable to move a single finger.
‘What... what is this?! Ughhh!’
It was the first time the Bloodhand Sword had ever encountered such overpowering demonic energy. The pressure felt like a mountain crushing him, a turbulent wave dragging him down, making it impossible to breathe. Panic seized him—he feared he might suffocate. Could a martial artist of his caliber truly die just from someone’s aura? It seemed impossible, yet it was happening right before his eyes.
He had lived his whole life without fear, but at that moment, he felt the cold grip of death. Even if his opponent was a demon, he usually wouldn’t back down. Now, however, he couldn’t even bear to look directly at this young man.
Then, the crushing force of the demonic energy eased slightly.
“I said, eat it again.”
The Bloodhand Sword, unable to defy the command, picked up the food and ate it.
“...It’s delicious.”
“Why are you telling me that? You should be telling the person who made it.”
The Bloodhand Sword turned his head to Hwasun.
“It was... delicious.”
Geom Mugeuk then spoke again.
“Again!”
This time, the Bloodhand Sword responded more respectfully.
“It was delicious, Lady Hwa.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled and looked at Hwasun.
“He says it was delicious.”
Hwasun, trembling with fear, gave a small nod in response.
“Please wait for a moment. I need to have a word with these people.”
The door closed as Geom Mugeuk led Hwasun and the guards back to the end of the hallway.
Just as the door shut completely...
*Thwack!*
Geom Mugeuk drove the chopsticks straight into the Bloodhand Sword’s forehead in a single fluid movement.
The Bloodhand Sword slumped forward, his head crashing onto the table as he died instantly.
Lee Eom was so shocked that he felt like his heart would leap out of his chest. He hadn’t expected the Bloodhand Sword to be killed with a single move—or even that it was possible. Geom Mugeuk didn’t even bother looking at him while delivering the blow.
The fact that the Bloodhand Sword, a man who had committed countless atrocities and managed to survive even while being hunted by the Martial Alliance for years, had been killed in an instant with a pair of chopsticks was beyond comprehension.
“You agreed to divide the stolen goods into three parts, correct?”
“I’ll give it all up! You can take my share too!”
“Who’s the third person?”
Lee Eom stammered in a shaky voice, “It was him, wasn’t it? He sent you to take everything for yourself?”
“I asked, who is the third person?”
When Lee Eom hesitated, unsure of the situation, Geom Mugeuk lifted the remaining chopsticks. There was no need for any further threats—no poking at his cheek or forehead.
Having witnessed how easily the Bloodhand Sword was killed, Lee Eom knew the chopsticks could just as easily end him.
“It’s Leader Yeo!”
Geom Mugeuk finally understood why there had been confusion about who had sent him.
“Yeo Sogwang, the branch leader of the Honam branch of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!” 5
1 : He’s quite mad. I would be too, in his place. But since I know he will resolve everything, I’m actually quite calm ^ ^
2 : See ? I told you you couldn’t escape it ^ ^
3 : People who kill civilians for intimidation tactics never have a good ending *crack my knuckles*
4 : Don’t use ‘that person’ to designate him, it’s probably just a third rate villain. Yarhuyan was much more menacing than those pathetic bastards.
5 : Ohoho, BIG mistake right here. Time for a surprise inspection/purge !!!