Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 228 – Desire (1)

Mok Gyeong-un wrapped his arm around the neck of Peng Yi-mun, a close associate of Lady Seo.

“Ack!”

And he tried to twist his neck right then and there.

At that moment, Lady Seo, who had been confused and unsure of what to do, screamed in a voice close to a shriek,

“Stoooop!”

At this, Mok Gyeong-un, who had been about to break his neck without hesitation, stopped at the last moment.

“Ah… Sir Peng.”

Just then, the leader of Eastern Depot, who had crashed into the wall from Mok Gyeong-un’s attack, staggered out, unable to hide his shock.

Although he had dramatically prevented Peng Yi-mun from losing his life, he knew better than anyone what this outcry meant.

‘How could this happen…’

For Lady Seo to show weakness first.

At this rate, they would have no choice but to be dragged into the situation the bastard wanted.

As expected, Lady Seo, with tears welling up in her eyes, spoke to Mok Gyeong-un.

“I… I have lost. So please, stop.”

‘!!!!!’

At her words, the warriors were in an uproar.

It was unthinkable for Lady Seo, the mother of the Crown Prince and one of the Four Great Evils who held sway over the power in this nation, to admit defeat to a mere martial artist.

In the end, those with deep loyalty who couldn’t just stand by and watch this tried to dissuade her weakened state.

“Your Majesty!”

“This cannot be!”

“Please take back your words!”

They cried out “Your Majesty” almost to the point of wailing.

How could she submit to such a thug-like fellow?

It was absolutely unacceptable.

Thus, despite not receiving any orders, several warriors launched themselves towards Mok Gyeong-un.

“How dare you threaten Her Majesty!”

“Die!”

At that moment, two people blocked the path of the charging warriors.

They were none other than Seop Chun, the Third Guard Captain of the Heaven and Earth Society’s main sect, and Mong Mu-yak, the son of the Vice-Leader.

-Clang clang clang clang!

“Ah, what?”

“The weapons?”

Seop Chun instantly broke or deflected the weapons of the three attacking warriors with his inner energy-imbued hand blade.

Mong Mu-yak easily dodged the swords of two people with his excellent lightness skill, then sealed their acupoints, rendering them unable to move.

-Thud thud thud!

No matter how outstanding they were, they were only at the first-rate level.

There was no way they could handle two individuals who had reached the transcendent realm and were called the Five Tigers, the pinnacle of the Heaven and Earth Society’s late-stage disciples.

Seop Chun raised his voice and issued a chilling warning to the warriors whose weapons he had broken.

“If you target my lord, next time I’ll sever your necks, not your weapons!”

“D-Damn it!”

Overwhelmed by Seop Chun’s aura, they took involuntary steps back, trembling.

Thanks to that, the observing warriors could tell.

Not only Mok Gyeong-un but each and every one of the late-stage disciples sent by the Heaven and Earth Society was an overwhelmingly powerful expert they couldn’t handle.

‘No. The warriors are losing morale.’

The leader of Eastern Depot, who had been regaining his strength through breath control, was in a difficult position.

Although he and Peng Yi-mun were no match for the fellow, the situation would change once the experts and soldiers from the Peng Family arrived.

It was too early to give up…

‘…Wait. What’s this?’

The leader frowned and looked outside the rear garden.

Suddenly, something felt off.

It seemed quite some time had passed since Peng Yi-mun blew the whistle to signal for help, so why hadn’t the reinforcements arrived yet?

If the distance was far, it would be understandable, but at most, they should have been on standby right outside the restaurant.

But it was taking too long for that.

‘Could it be?’

The leader glanced at the Heaven and Earth Society side with trembling eyes.

Just then, Lady Seo, whose trembling had somewhat subsided, pressed the warriors.

“Everyone, stop! No one is to act until I give the order!”

Having admonished them, Lady Seo spoke to Mok Gyeong-un.

“What they did just now stemmed from their loyalty. So please understand.”

At her words, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and replied,

“I’m not so lacking in understanding.”

-Grip!

Biting her lip hard, she suppressed her turbulent emotions to the point where her hands and feet trembled, and spoke again.

“I will grant all of your requests, so let’s end this here.”

“Y-Your Majesty! You mustn’t!”

At her words, someone opposed vehemently.

It was Peng Yi-mun, whose neck was being held by Mok Gyeong-un’s arm.

Despite being on the verge of death, he couldn’t just stand by and watch this situation.

“Your Majesty! The Peng Family and the Righteous Alliance will protect you from this wicked Heaven and Earth Society no matter what! You must never give in to their demands…”

-Crack!

“Ack!”

Before he could even finish speaking, Peng Yi-mun’s neck was twisted, and his body went limp with a dying scream.

Anyone could tell his breath had ceased.

‘!!!!!!’

In an instant, the rear garden was engulfed in silence.

Everyone had thought that since Lady Seo had admitted defeat and submitted first, at least no one else would die.

But Peng Yi-mun, who could be considered Lady Seo’s left arm, had absurdly lost his life.

This was a shock in itself.

‘What?’

‘Why? Lady Seo’s close associate?’

Even the Heaven and Earth Society side, who could be considered to be on the same side, was surprised.

Although it was a somewhat extreme method, they thought there was no need for further sacrifices since Lady Seo’s side had surrendered first.

But they couldn’t understand why he was escalating the situation further.

At that moment, Lady Seo, who had been speechless with shock at Peng Yi-mun’s death, screamed with bulging veins in her neck.

“Y-You, how dare you!”

“It’s not about daring.”

“What?”

-Grip!

At that instant, Lady Seo’s eyes widened like crazy.

It was because of what was unfolding before her eyes.

-Crunch! Crack!

The sound of bones being crushed and flesh being torn tortured her eardrums, and her eyes witnessed Peng Yi-mun’s head being ripped from his body.

The anger that had gripped her vanished without a trace at the sight of such a cruel scene.

‘This… This fellow isn’t in his right mind…’

-Crunch! Squish!

Mok Gyeong-un threw Peng Yi-mun’s head, which he had completely separated from the body, onto the table in the pavilion where Lady Seo was.

-Thud! Roll roll!

‘!!!!!!!’

“Aaaaaaaah!”

The palace maids beside Lady Seo screamed at the horrific sight.

Amidst the screaming and trembling maids, Lady Seo staggered and was about to collapse.

She had already lost her mind at the sight of Peng Yi-mun’s head rolling on the table.

“Ugh…”

“Your Majesty!”

-Pat!

The eunuch Yoo-bong, who was right in front of the pavilion, hurriedly leaped up to support her as she was about to collapse.

Along with that, Yoo-bong kicked Peng Yi-mun’s head, which was on the table, into the pond near the pavilion with a bitter expression.

‘Sir Peng. My apologies.’

-Splash!

Peng Yi-mun’s head sank into the pond like that.

The eyes of all those watching were filled with shock and fear.

The warriors, who had been enraged when Peng Yi-mun died, were now gripped by fear and a sense of overwhelming pressure, not knowing what to do.

‘He… He’s crazy.’

To rip off the head of someone who was already dead.

It was unspeakably cruel.

Amidst this, Mok Gyeong-un licked the back of his blood-soaked hand with his tongue and raised the corners of his mouth sharply.

At that sight, everyone felt a chill run down their spine.

The sight of him tasting blood and laughing was truly like an evil demon.

-Step step!

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un took a step.

It was in the direction of the pavilion where Lady Seo was.

Seeing this, Lady Seo, who had been on the verge of losing consciousness from shock, cried out in disgust.

“S-Stop him! Stop him!”

There were four warriors near the pavilion.

But none of them moved at Lady Seo’s command.

Already overcome by fear and terror, they couldn’t control their trembling bodies.

However, not everyone was like that.

“Don’t you dare touch Her Majesty!”

-Pat!

The leader of Eastern Depot, having somewhat recovered his strength through breath control, launched himself to block Mok Gyeong-un.

But Seop Chun intercepted him.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

“Get out of the way!”

-Thud thud thud thud!

The two exchanged about two moves’ worth of attacks and defenses on the spot in an instant.

Originally, if they were to properly fight, the leader would have the upper hand in terms of inner energy, but thanks to the injury he had suffered from Mok Gyeong-un, their exchange was neck and neck.

‘Damn it. To this young lad.’

His mind growing impatient, the leader’s hands became even more tangled, unable to break through.

Thus,

-Thud!

Lady Seo pushed away the eunuch Yoo-bong, who had been supporting her, and shouted,

“Stop him! I said stop him!”

Pushed forward as if by her command, Yoo-bong was at a loss inwardly.

He had already been defeated with a single move when he faced Mok Gyeong-un before, and he had witnessed with his own eyes that even Peng Yi-mun and the leader, who were better than him, were no match.

So how was he supposed to stop him?

‘Damn it.’

Yoo-bong’s eyes trembled like crazy as he looked at the approaching Mok Gyeong-un.

Just half an hour ago, it seemed like everything would go well.

But how could everything collapse like this?

-Step step!

Mok Gyeong-un approached right in front of him.

Yoo-bong repeated inwardly,

‘I have to stop him. I have to stop him.’

Even if he knew the outcome, Lady Seo had given the order, so he had to carry it out.

But his hands and feet wouldn’t listen.

The moment his eyes met Mok Gyeong-un’s, he was gripped by a sense of overwhelming pressure, and he unknowingly lowered his head.

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un simply passed by him as if no one was there.

This was truly humiliating.

Nevertheless, Yoo-bong felt miserable at the sight of himself feeling relieved for a moment.

-Tap!

Mok Gyeong-un stood in front of Lady Seo, leaving about three steps between them.

-Tremble tremble!

As Mok Gyeong-un finally stood before her, she felt the strength drain from her legs, as if she would collapse at any moment.

Seeing him up close, his appearance was exceptionally handsome, but that didn’t register in her mind.

Only the blood staining Mok Gyeong-un’s hands caught her eye.

‘Ugh.’

She felt like vomiting from the revulsion.

She felt like tears would come out, but she was barely holding them back.

To her, Mok Gyeong-un spoke,

“Those who are full tend to have their memories and emotions of hunger diluted.”

“…What are you saying?”

“Of course, that can happen. Humans are simpler than you think, so they easily forget such memories.”

“……”

“So, I simply reminded you of those lacking emotions through a suitable example.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Mok Gyeong-un reached out his hand towards her.

“Eek!”

Lady Seo flinched and unknowingly closed her eyes tightly.

Was he going to harm her as well?

-Swish!

But Mok Gyeong-un brushed her disheveled hair to the side and spoke in a gentle voice,

“Your Majesty. Do you know what those lacking emotions are?”

“……”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s question, she trembled and cautiously opened her eyes slightly.

As she opened her eyes, she saw Mok Gyeong-un’s face filled with nothing but malice.

Seeing this, she couldn’t control her trembling.

She had felt the emotions directed at her through the eyes of countless people.

But this was the first time she had experienced something like this.

How could a human being be filled with such malice?

Just looking at it was too frightening.

“P-Please spare me.”

Unable to overcome this fear, a plea finally spilled from her lips.

To her, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said,

“Fear, desperation, earnestness… Good. It seems those lacking things have been filled now.”

‘!?’

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, she realized.

The death of her close associate Peng Yi-mun, the cruelty of ripping off his head.

All these actions were to remind and imprint the emotion of fear in her, who had become arrogant after becoming the Imperial Noble Consort.

‘Just… Just for that reason…’

But even if she realized this, nothing would change.

This fear, once imprinted, wasn’t something that could be easily undone.

To be freed from this bondage, there were only two options.

Either kill this man who had imprinted this emotion on her, or die herself. It was one of the two.

‘But how can I kill this man?’

At that moment, something came to her mind.

It was,

[Your Majesty! The Peng Family and the Righteous Alliance will protect you from this wicked Heaven and Earth Society no matter what!]

The words Peng Yi-mun had spoken before he died.

That’s right.

Peng Yi-mun was a member of the Hebei Peng Family and belonged to the Righteous Alliance.

She knew that the Righteous Alliance, formed by the warriors of the orthodox martial world, had a grudge against the wicked Heaven and Earth Society.

If they found out about Peng Yi-mun’s death, they would never let it slide.

-Grip!

She clenched her teeth.

Just endure a little.

Endure this moment of fear and humiliation, and surely reven…

-Boom!

At that moment, the closed door of the rear garden was shattered by something and toppled forward.

Everyone’s attention simultaneously turned towards it.

‘Perhaps?’

Had the long-awaited support from the Peng Family’s experts and soldiers finally arrived?

But the complexion of the leader of Eastern Depot, who was looking towards the main gate of the rear garden, wasn’t good.

That was because there was hardly any presence.

If hundreds of soldiers and experts from the Peng Family had arrived, many presences should have been felt, but something was off.

But someone revealed themselves through the toppled door.

It was none other than,

“Sir Peng!”

Peng Seok-im, Peng Yi-mun’s younger brother and an expert of the Hebei Peng Family.

At his appearance, the warriors’ expressions brightened, thinking that support had finally arrived.

But something was strange.

Peng Seok-im’s clothes were stained red, and in his hand was a sword with a strange pattern they had never seen before, soaked in blood.

-Drip drip!

Could it be that there was an ambush set by the Heaven and Earth Society outside?

Otherwise, how could he appear alone in such a state?

As they were puzzled, Peng Seok-im scanned his surroundings with crazed eyes, then soon discovered Lady Seo in the pavilion and raised the corners of his mouth sharply.

At this, the leader shouted,

“Sir Peng. What on earth happened outside…”

“Shut up! You castrated bastard.”

‘!?’

At his shout, the leader’s expression stiffened.

He had tried to ask what had happened outside, but he was suddenly cursed at.

As he was baffled, Peng Seok-im spat out unexpected words towards Lady Seo in the pavilion.

“Hehehe. Your Majesty. Are you prepared to moan in ecstasy in my arms tonight?”

‘!!!!!!’