Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 256 – The Mark (3)

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

‘This voice is?’

The unique way of speaking and the familiar voice.

The moment he heard it, Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon with piercing eyes immediately recognized whose voice it was.

“You… could it be Mok Gyeong-un?”

“Oh-ho. You have a good memory for voices?”

‘!!!!!’

Ma Ra-hyeon couldn’t hide his surprise at the response he heard.

The man with a smiling face that resembled the Western Depot’s commander Eunuch Ho.

It was none other than Mok Gyeong-un.

“…… So you were alive?”

As the investigative branch, the Sixth Office of Selection, he had been unable to hide his dismay upon believing that Mok Gyeong-un had been killed.

Since he had been attacked while in a critical condition after clashing with his teacher and the leader of the Sixth Office of Selection, Pacification Commissioner So Yerin, he hadn’t doubted that Mok Gyeong-un would naturally survive.

But seeing him alive like this, he couldn’t help but be astonished.

Ma Ra-hyeon’s eyes narrowed through the gaps in his mask as he looked at the face wearing Mok Gyeong-un’s human skin mask.

“Ha…… What exactly is that face?”

“Didn’t you just call me Eunuch Ho a moment ago?”

“I did say that, but how did you get that face……”

Ma Ra-hyeon couldn’t finish his sentence.

The Western Depot’s leader, Chief Eunuch Ho, was not only a eunuch with a high position but also a confidant of Prince Gyeongjin, one of the country’s influential figures.

Wearing the human skin mask of such a person and wandering around was extremely dangerous.

If he were to be exposed, it could turn the imperial palace upside down.

“Are you worried that it might cause problems?”

“Not just problems, but you know I still have something to receive from you, don’t you?”

“Ah. That’s true.”

Ma Ra-hyeon had made a deal with Mok Gyeong-un.

He agreed to provide information related to the underground prison and offer assistance when necessary.

Of course, the price was the removal of the Gu poison in his body.

“Let’s just say there are some circumstances regarding this face. But don’t worry, it won’t cause any problems.”

“…….”

“Besides, from what I saw, it seemed like you were being blackmailed by the person here, weren’t you?”

The person Mok Gyeong-un pointed at with his finger was the unconscious bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander.

Mok Gyeong-un, who had been hiding his presence after coming to make a request and encountering this person, revealed himself upon learning that Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon had Gu poison in his stomach.

Inwardly, Ma Ra-hyeon felt refreshed seeing him collapse, but he quickly concealed that emotion and said.

“…… Even so, it was a rash action.”

“Rash?”

“What are you going to do about the aftermath when he wakes up?”

“Are you worried about the aftermath?”

“……”

How could he not be worried?

This person was a confidant of “that person” and knew about the Gu poison inside him.

If this person were to wake up, his plan to pretend to obediently follow him while somehow seeking a reversal would obviously be disrupted.

Thus, Ma Ra-hyeon said to Mok Gyeong-un.

“…… You might lose your life if you are suspected.”

“Hmm. Has it escalated to that extent?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s nonchalant words, Ma Ra-hyeon gritted his teeth.

Was he acting recklessly because it wasn’t his own matter?

If the person behind this man had even the slightest suspicion and decided to eliminate him, they could activate the Gu poison and kill him in an instant.

“I don’t think you understand how serious this matter is……”

“It must be serious for you. After all, you’re in a situation where you can’t do anything because of what’s inside your stomach.”

“Even though you know that……”

“Calm down. More importantly, I came because I have an urgent matter to request from you.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Ma Ra-hyeon looked at him with disbelieving eyes.

Right now, the one in a hurry was actually himself.

He had touched someone he shouldn’t have and was now trying to resolve his own matter first?

Thus, Ma Ra-hyeon lowered his voice and spoke, his mood turning unpleasant.

“You have the nerve to ask me to help you when my life is hanging by a thread.”

“You seem quite anxious, don’t you?”

“Then keep your promise so that I won’t be anxious.”

Ma Ra-hyeon stated what he wanted from Mok Gyeong-un.

The only way to overcome the current situation was for Mok Gyeong-un to remove the Gu poison in his stomach as promised.

“That’s going to be difficult.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t do that until my work is finished. If you, without your weakness, were to insist on fulfilling your duties as an Embroidered Uniform Guard, it would hinder my work.”

-Crunch!

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Ma Ra-hyeon gritted his teeth.

From his perspective, it was definitely a valid point, but he was furious at this reality where everyone, no matter who they were, was trying to exploit his weakness.

He wanted to overturn this situation, whether he lived or died.

-Grip!

Strength entered his fist.

But the reality that he couldn’t do so was frustrating.

He hadn’t repaid his debt of gratitude to his teacher, and he hadn’t found “that person” either.

Therefore, he had to endure with a heart of sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall.

Seeing Ma Ra-hyeon barely suppressing his anger, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled.

At this, Ma Ra-hyeon reacted irritably.

“Are you mocking me?”

“No. You just seem very angry.”

“Knowing that, are you provoking me on purpose?”

“It’s not on purpose. But if I’m going to make a request, I suppose I should clean up the situation to some extent for you.”

“What?”

What did that mean?

As he was puzzled, Mok Gyeong-un bent down and rummaged through the body of the unconscious bearded Thousand-men Commander.

“Stop! What are you doing now? Are you trying to make the situation more complicated?”

Ma Ra-hyeon found it increasingly difficult to contain his anger.

He wasn’t even going to remove the Gu poison, yet he was trying to escalate the situation further.

Meanwhile, Mok Gyeong-un, ignoring him, pulled out a book-sized wooden box from the bearded Thousand-men Commander’s pocket.

Seeing this, Ma Ra-hyeon frowned.

‘This is?’

That was because this wooden box was none other than a storage case for human skin masks.

The reason he knew this was that he had received this case containing special medicines from a craftsman.

Mok Gyeong-un held it up and said.

“This looks like a case for human skin masks, doesn’t it?”

“…….”

“Why did he bring this?”

Mok Gyeong-un opened the human skin mask case.

Inside, a human skin mask submerged in medicine was revealed.

But the moment he saw this face, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes flickered with surprise.

That was because the face on the human skin mask was very familiar to him.

It was…

“…… It resembles the face of the Eastern Depot’s Junior Eunuch Jang.”

Junior Eunuch Jang, the eunuch of the Eastern Depot.

He was a confidant of Imperial Consort Seo, serving her.

Mok Gyeong-un tilted his head and then looked at Ma Ra-hyeon, saying.

“Why does this person have the face, no, the human skin mask of Junior Eunuch Jang from the Eastern Depot?”

At that question, Ma Ra-hyeon sighed and muttered.

“Ah……. So he was planning to use me as well.”

“Pardon?”

“That’s the human skin mask I received from the craftsman.”

“You, Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon?”

“It wasn’t me who ordered it……”

Ma Ra-hyeon cautiously pointed at his own abdomen with his eyes.

It was to convey the fact that the person who had implanted the Gu poison in him had ordered the item.

Of course, Mok Gyeong-un immediately understood.

“I see. The person who implanted the Gu poison in you was trying to do something with this.”

“Seeing that this person brought it, it seems he intended to make me wear it.”

Ma Ra-hyeon instinctively sensed it.

Otherwise, why would he bring back the human skin mask case that he had delivered?

“Is that so? Can you also guess what he was trying to make you do after wearing the human skin mask? Well, I can roughly guess, but.”

He could understand that it was to cause chaos.

However, he couldn’t know exactly how he intended to cause chaos.

At Mok Gyeong-un’s question, Ma Ra-hyeon shook his head.

“I don’t know the details either. If you hadn’t knocked this person unconscious, I probably would have known the reason by now.”

“So it’s my fault, you mean.”

“…….”

“In that case, there’s no choice. Let’s wake him up and ask him.”

What the hell was he talking about?

Waking this person up now would make the situation even more difficult to handle.

Thus, Ma Ra-hyeon extended his hand to Mok Gyeong-un and said.

“Stop it. You’re not even going to help me, so why do you keep trying to escalate the situation?”

“I’m not trying to escalate it. I’m trying to help you.”

“What?”

“I said I’m trying to help you.”

At those words, Ma Ra-hyeon furrowed his brows.

What was this sudden talk about?

As he was puzzled, Mok Gyeong-un grabbed the inside of the unconscious bearded Thousand-men Commander’s collarbone and said.

“It seems like you won’t be able to properly carry out my request if you’re being manipulated by these people. I have no other intentions, so just watch.”

-Grip!

As soon as those words ended, Mok Gyeong-un applied force to his fingers.

At that moment, the unconscious bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander woke up due to the pain.

“Aaaah… mmph!”

Mok Gyeong-un covered his mouth with his other hand as he tried to scream.

Then, he smiled at the awakened bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander and said.

“Are you awake?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s greeting, the bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander’s eyes widened.

That was because Mok Gyeong-un’s face currently resembled Eunuch Ho, the confidant of Prince Gyeongjin and the supervisor of the Western Depot.

Among the Embroidered Uniform Guards, there was no one who didn’t know this face.

‘Eunuch Ho? How is he?’

The bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander showed an expression of incomprehension.

Why was the eunuch from the Western Depot in the office of the Embroidered Uniform Guards’ Sixth Office of Selection?

As he was puzzled, Mok Gyeong-un continued.

“I controlled the surrounding sounds with my true energy. I just covered your mouth because I didn’t want to hear your screams. I’ll take my hand off.”

-Swish!

As he removed his hand from the mouth, the bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander rolled his eyes and surveyed his surroundings.

Then, he spotted Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon behind Mok Gyeong-un.

Seeing this, his eyes sharpened.

“Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon, what’s going on? Just in case, I’m saying this, but to Lord Eunuch Ho……”

-Slap!

Before he could finish his sentence, the bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander’s head turned to the side.

The reason his head turned was simple.

It was because Mok Gyeong-un had slapped him.

The bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander slowly turned his head and opened his mouth with anger rising to the top of his head.

“Eunuch Ho. What is the meaning of this? How dare you be here……”

-Slap!

Before he could finish speaking, the bearded Thousand-men Commander’s head turned to the side again as another slap flew in.

It seemed like a simple slap, but his face hurt as if it was burning.

The bearded Thousand-men Commander barely endured it and said.

“Haa…… Eunuch Ho. This is an act of overstepping your authority. I don’t know why you, an eunuch from the Western Depot, are here, but……”

-Slap!

Once again, the bearded Thousand-men Commander’s face turned to the side.

After receiving the third slap, not only did the bearded Thousand-men Commander’s left cheek swell up, but blood vessels in his left eye burst, turning it red.

At this, the bearded Thousand-men Commander abruptly turned his head and glared at Mok Gyeong-un.

Then, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said.

“You’re a bit quieter now.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the bearded Thousand-men Commander found it absurd.

Did he slap him just to make him quiet?

Even if he wasthe supervisor of the Western Depot, he couldn’t humiliate and hit him, an Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-men Commander from a different affiliation, like this.

However…

“Then shall we have a little talk now?”

‘What’s going on?’

The bearded Thousand-men Commander suddenly found it strange.

That was because, although he had no reason to converse with Eunuch Ho, he had heard his voice a couple of times in passing since he was a confidant of Prince Gyeongjin.

As an eunuch, he had a quite shrill voice, but this voice was different.

‘Could it be?’

The bearded Thousand-men Commander rolled his eyes and looked at the back of Mok Gyeong-un’s hand.

Seeing the back of his hand, the bearded Thousand-men Commander’s eyes narrowed.

As far as he knew, even though Eunuch Ho appeared to be middle-aged due to his profound internal energy and makeup, he was aware that he had reached the age of sixty.

At that age, there should have been wrinkles on the back of his hand, but there were none at all.

With this, the bearded Thousand-men Commander was certain.

‘He’s a fake.’

The person in front of him was definitely not Eunuch Ho, the supervisor of the Western Depot.

Thus…

“Who are you……”

-Slap!

Before the question could be finished, the bearded Thousand-men Commander’s head turned to the side.

Not only did the slapped bearded Thousand-men Commander’s cheek turn a bluish color, but blood also flowed from his mouth.

Beyond the numbness caused by the pain in his cheek, his head was spinning.

To him, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said.

“Just answer the questions I ask.”

“…….”

To the quieted man, Mok Gyeong-un held out the human skin mask case and said.

“What were you trying to do with this?”

‘!?’

Seeing the human skin mask case, the bearded Thousand-men Commander’s eyes wavered.

He didn’t know the identity of this bastard, but one thing was certain: something had gone wrong.

Thus, the bearded Thousand-men Commander hurriedly racked his brain.

What should he do to escape this situation?

Then, he glanced at Ma Ra-hyeon, who was watching from behind Mok Gyeong-un as if observing.

‘I don’t know the identity of this damn bastard, but he must be related to that son of a bitch Ma Ra-hyeon. In that case…..’

The bearded Thousand-men Commander urgently shouted.

“If you touch me, Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon will also die!”

He thought that the only answer was to recap the situation.

Although Ma Ra-hyeon wouldn’t have disclosed the existence of the Gu poison under a taboo, if it was certain that this man was helping Ma Ra-hyeon, he would realize that he couldn’t touch him recklessly…

-Slap!

The bearded Thousand-men Commander’s head turned to the side.

Blood flowed from his reddened left eye as his head turned.

His left eye was not visible.

Moreover, a ringing sound of “beep-” echoed in his left ear, and he seemed to have lost both his hearing and vision on one side.

Amidst the pain, the bearded Thousand-men Commander, driven by spite, shouted.

“No. It’s fine even if that bastard Ma Ra-hyeon dies…”

“I don’t know how someone without the Gu of Command in their body can threaten to kill Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon.”

‘!?’

At those words, the bearded Thousand-men Commander’s right pupil trembled as if an earthquake had occurred.

He knew about the existence of Gu poison, so he was aware of what the Gu of Command was.

The Gu of Command was the female Gu that could control the parasitic Gu poison as a pair.

‘H-How the hell does this bastard know that?’

The bewildered bearded Thousand-men Commander looked at Ma Ra-hyeon.

Something had gone wrong.

The bastard was definitely under a taboo, unable to disclose the existence of the Gu poison through his own mouth or any other means.

The moment he disclosed it, the Gu poison would rampage, and he would lose his life.

But how did this person, who had the face of Eunuch Ho,the supervisor of the Western Depot, know about that fact?

‘Damn it!’

Realizing that something had gone wrong, the bearded Thousand-men Commander’s breathing became rough.

-Grip!

Watching him from behind Mok Gyeong-un, Ma Ra-hyeon’s clenched fist tightened.

Due to the weakness of the Gu poison, he had been unable to rebel and had to endure humiliation by doing as he was told.

But seeing the bearded Embroidered Uniform Guard in such a state, looking bewildered, he couldn’t help but feel ecstatic, regardless of the consequences.