Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 255 – The Mark (2)

Yesterday,

And early this morning.

The supervisory Commander of the Six-Office Commanders, Chae Ho-seong, summoned Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak from the Heaven and Earth Society separately before the training and secretly informed them about the incident that occurred last night.

[What happened?]

[I called you because of an unfortunate accident. Last night, due to an unpleasant incident, your association’s trainee Mok Gyeong-un was attacked and killed while receiving treatment at the infirmary.]

[Wh-what do you mean by that?]

Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak couldn’t hide their bewilderment at the sudden and thunderous news.

Who was Mok Gyeong-un?

He was a monster who had surpassed the wall at a young age, not even an adult yet.

Even though they found it strange that their monstrous lord had been injured and hospitalized in the infirmary, they couldn’t understand what was going on at this moment.

[That can’t be. Who would dare…]

[Seop Chun. Calm down.]

[Mu-yak, but…]

[Are you going to be rude to the supervisors?]

[…]

[I apologize. As he was a colleague from the same association, it’s unbelievable news.]

At Mong Mu-yak’s words, Chae Ho-seong spoke with regret.

[The detailed circumstances are under investigation, but the culprit seems to be a eunuch named Beom Jeung from the Western Depot. It appears that he held a grudge and carried out this incident.]

[Beom… Jeung?]

Upon hearing that name, Mong Mu-yak and Seop Chun recalled the eunuch from the Western Depot.

They didn’t know his exact name, but they remembered that his surname was definitely Beom.

Then, did he do this because of what happened back then?

Unable to contain his anger, Seop Chun asked.

[Where is that eunuch bastard?]

[… I understand your feelings, but he is also dead.]

[What??]

According to Chae Ho-seong of the Six Offices, that eunuch named Beom Jeung was serving Prince Gyeongjin, but not only did he commit such an act out of personal grudge, but he also targeted Prince Gyeongjin who was scolding him.

So, he was subdued and killed by the hands of the Western Depot’s leader, Chief Eunuch Ho.

‘Damn it.’

The two of them found the situation utterly absurd.

They couldn’t easily accept the fact that their monstrous lord had died in such a futile manner.

No, it was hard to believe that he had been injured and hospitalized in the first place.

So, when they protested that something was strange from the beginning, Yu Cheon-ho So Yerin separately called them and bowed her head in apology.

It was…

[What happened is entirely my fault. It occurred because I couldn’t properly subdue Trainee Mok Gyeong-un.]

‘!?’

According to her, there had been a misunderstanding last night, and she had confronted Mok Gyeong-un.

At those words, Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak couldn’t hide their astonishment.

Their lord, Mok Gyeong-un, was a master who had surpassed the wall.

But if Mok Gyeong-un was sent to the infirmary, it meant that she was an even greater master.

‘The Embroidered Uniform Guards’ six commanders is at that level?’

However, she said something incomprehensible to them.

[… It’s not that I defeated him and caused his injuries.]

[What do you mean by that?]

[Trainee Mok Gyeong-un possessed an extraordinary talent that I had never seen before. In an instant, he reached a realm beyond his grasp, and as he forcefully tried to assimilate that enlightenment, his body couldn’t withstand it.]

What did that even mean?

They found it difficult to comprehend what she was saying.

What did it mean that he reached a realm beyond his grasp, and his body couldn’t withstand it?

Anyway, what was certain was that the confrontation with So Yerin had caused Mok Gyeong-un to be hospitalized in the infirmary, and the eunuch from the Western Depot named Beom Jeung seemed to have taken advantage of that opportunity to take revenge.

They couldn’t hide their sense of futility at the incident where their chosen lord had lost his life in such a vain manner.

However, even though their lord had died, they couldn’t give up on their mission.

Therefore, they had to overcome this sense of futility and resume their mission.

***

“You’re doing a good job even without me.”

‘M-My lord?’

Mong Mu-yak’s eyes widened.

This voice undoubtedly belonged to his lord, Mok Gyeong-un.

‘Does that mean he’s alive?’

He had truly believed that Mok Gyeong-un had died because they had even shown him the dismembered corpse.

But hearing his voice like this, he couldn’t help but be surprised.

-Tap tap tap tap!

Mok Gyeong-un released the acupoints he had sealed on Mong Mu-yak.

Originally, Mong Mu-yak was a man of few words, but as the mute acupoint was released, he asked Mok Gyeong-un as if a floodgate had opened.

“What exactly happened? The Embroidered Uniform Guards’ supervisors informed us that you were killed by the Western Depot‘s eunuch at the infirmary. They even showed us the dismembered corpse… Ah!”

Mong Mu-yak stopped speaking midway.

That was because the dismembered corpse was in a state where it was difficult to recognize the form.

At that time, he had thought that the eunuch had committed such a horrific act out of a burning desire for revenge.

Mong Mu-yak continued speaking in disbelief.

“Did you intentionally pretend to be killed?”

“Yes.”

“Then what about that face now?”

“It’s a human skin mask.”

At those words, Mong Mu-yak frowned as if he couldn’t understand and asked.

“Did you separately request a skilled craftsman to make it?”

The human skin mask they had ordered was not this one.

It was a human skin mask he had never seen before, so naturally, Mong Mu-yak had questions.

In response to that question, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and replied.

“No. This face belongs to the Western Depot’s commander.”

“What? What do you mean by that? Did you separately obtain a human skin mask of the Western Depot commander’s face?”

“I didn’t obtain it separately. It’s his actual face.”

‘!!!!!’

At those words, Mong Mu-yak’s expression instantly froze.

For a moment, he doubted his own ears.

‘His actual face?’

What did that mean?

Judging by the way he spoke, it sounded like he wasn’t wearing a human skin mask made by copying the face, but rather, he had peeled off the skin from the face and was wearing it.

To the dumbfounded Mong Mu-yak, Mok Gyeong-un casually said.

“You’re thinking correctly. I found it more efficient and convenient to use as a human skin mask this way.”

“…”

Mong Mu-yak genuinely felt shivers run down his spine.

He was aware that his lord’s way of thinking was completely different from ordinary people, but he never expected him to peel off the skin from a living person’s face and wear it.

Peeling off the skin from an actual person’s face and wearing it as it is was something that most people might think of once but wouldn’t do because it was so unsettling.

But the fact that he could actually put it into practice was truly frightening.

Meanwhile, Mok Gyeong-un said.

“Anyway, it wasn’t intentional, but thanks to that eunuch Beom Jeung targeting me, my movements have become much freer.”

“Then what are you planning to do?”

A human skin mask was like a double-edged sword.

Wasn’t the Western Depot’s commander someone who attended to Prince Gyeongjin?

If he had the face of a person who had frequent contact with others, no matter how good his acting skills were, the chances of being exposed would be extremely high.

“Now that I have more freedom of movement, I should gather information and explore various methods.”

“… Then you won’t be going to the underground prison?”

“I will go.”

“But you are already officially considered dead…”

“I can change to the face of someone who can enter the underground prison when necessary.”

“…”

Mong Mu-yak closed his mouth at Mok Gyeong-un’s clear answer.

However, there was one concern that he couldn’t help but have.

Using the human skin mask of a living person ultimately meant that the person had to be killed.

But if incidents of disappearances or deaths continued to occur within the imperial palace because of that, the situation could gradually escalate.

Thus, Mong Mu-yak cautiously expressed his opinion.

“My lord… If I may say so, changing faces…”

“The moment I go down to the underground prison will be the last time. Obviously, if I change frequently, problems will arise, so don’t worry too much.”

Fortunately, Mok Gyeong-un was aware of the concerns.

Mok Gyeong-un grabbed Mong Mu-yak’s hand, helped him up, and said.

“Seop Chun doesn’t know about this, so Mong Mu-yak, please inform him.”

“Understood.”

“Then please continue with the work.”

-Swish!

With those words, Mok Gyeong-un’s figure vanished as if it had dispersed.

Seeing this, Mong Mu-yak clicked his tongue and muttered.

“Of course.”

There was no way this monstrous person could have died in such a futile manner.

***

Embroidered Uniform Guards’ Sixth Office of Selection.

The Sixth Office of Selection was an investigative agency, and its leader was the Pacification Commissioner So Yerin.

And the position that assisted the leader of the Sixth Office of Selection was a Thousand-men Commander of the Sixth Office of Selection, and none other than the masked Embroidered Uniform Guard Ma Ra-hyeon.

It was late, but Ma Ra-hyeon was working.

The Pacification Commissioner So Yerin was currently busy as she had been appointed as the deputy supervisor of the Embroidered Uniform Guards’ selection, so Ma Ra-hyeon had to take responsibility for the current work, resulting in frequent all-nighters.

Especially on this day, he had to stay behind and organize the incident records due to the events that had occurred at the Embroidered Uniform Guards’ infirmary and Prince Gyeongjin’s palace, so it took even longer.

-Rustle!

While he was writing the records like that…

-Knock knock!

Someone knocked on the office door.

Ma Ra-hyeon stopped writing the records and raised his head.

He hadn’t sensed anyone approaching outside the office, so knocking on the door meant that the person could evade his senses.

‘Is it the Pacification Commissioner?’

For a moment, he thought it might be the Pacification Commissioner, but upon second thought, it wasn’t.

If it were the Pacification Commissioner, she would have entered without bothering to knock since she was the leader of this place in the first place.

Thus, Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon’s eyes filled with vigilance as he rose from his seat.

And while drawing internal energy, he opened his mouth.

“Who is it?”

-…

There was no response.

Ma Ra-hyeon’s eyes, visible through the gaps in his mask, sharpened.

He couldn’t sense any presence, but someone had knocked on the door.

And there was no answer to his question.

What was their intention?

Just as he was about to slowly rise from his seat and assume a battle stance…

-Thud thud!

The sound of footsteps walking from the corridor outside the office was heard.

And the footsteps went back and forth around the surroundings a few times before finally approaching the front of the Sixth Office of Selection‘s office.

‘What’s going on?’

There should be someone who had knocked on the door in front of the office.

However, even though the footsteps of the person who had just appeared had reached the front of the office door, no conversation could be heard.

-Knock knock!

The sound of knocking on the door was heard again.

At this, Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon opened his mouth.

“Who is it?”

Just as his vigilance was at its peak…

A voice came from outside.

-Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon. He sent me.

‘!?’

At those words, Ma Ra-hyeon’s eyes narrowed.

Eventually, Ma Ra-hyeon let out a soft sigh and said.

“Come in.”

-Creak!

As the door opened, a middle-aged man with a short beard wearing a blue robe was revealed.

Just by looking at the blue robe, one could tell that he was an Embroidered Uniform Guard like Ma Ra-hyeon and held the position of Thousand-men Commander.

The moment Ma Ra-hyeon saw him, he felt irritation rising within him.

‘I told him not to send anyone to the Sixth Office of Selection.’

He didn’t expect his teacher and the person he referred to as “he” to boldly send someone even to the place where “he” was, knowing that “he” was absent due to the Embroidered Uniform Guards’ selection.

Or perhaps it was because he knew that “he” was away that he was committing such a brazen act.

Meanwhile, the bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander opened his mouth.

“Even if it’s a face you dislike, shouldn’t you at least greet me?”

“I was informed that we would only meet at the contact point or his residence, wasn’t I?”

“My, my, you’re quite on edge.”

“…”

“Well, I understand that you’re concerned about the eyes around you, but Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon… You’re not in a position to be picky or choosy, are you?”

With those words, the bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander pointed his finger towards Ma Ra-hyeon’s abdomen.

The implication of this was simple.

It was the Gu poison.

-Grip!

Although it was hidden behind the mask, Ma Ra-hyeon was gritting his teeth.

If only he hadn’t become addicted to the Gu poison and gained a weakness, he wouldn’t have to endure such humiliation.

Ma Ra-hyeon barely suppressed his anger and said.

“… Close the door.”

“Hahaha. Yes. Maintain that obedient attitude. Even if you have complaints, the one in need should act with good manners. Ma Ra-hyeon…”

Before he could finish his sentence…

-Thud!

“Ugh!”

-Thump!

The bearded Thousand-men Commander’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed forward.

Behind him stood a middle-aged eunuch in a red official robe, smiling.

Ma Ra-hyeon couldn’t hide his bewilderment at the sudden appearance of the eunuch.

“Lord Ho?”

The eunuch was none other than Eunuch Ho,the supervisor of the Western Depot.

Why hadthe supervisor of the Western Depot suddenly appeared at the Embroidered Uniform Guards’ Sixth Office of Selection?

Moreover, what was this sudden action?

Just as he was puzzled…

“I was going to wait for a moment, but there was no need to wait. Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon.”

‘!?’

At the unique voice and way of speaking coming from Eunuch Ho’s mouth, Ma Ra-hyeon’s pupils trembled.

‘This voice is?’