Chapter 43

“Hey, is Sambung alive?”

“…Don’t call me Sambung. It sounds stupid.”

At Mukgang’s calm question, Jang Sambung, the servant, bodyguard, and assassin of the Sima Family, stood up, brushing off the dirt and blood from his body.

It wasn’t that he had been knocked down by the enemy. He had crouched to survive.

…Yes, to avoid being swept away by the massive typhoon known as Mukgang, the Unmovable King, a guardian lion of the secretive sect.

He looked around. Unlike him, the corpses of the Demon Sect members, swept away by the natural disaster, were scattered everywhere.

He knew, even if only briefly, that they were not weak. Their skill, experience, and coordination were all exceptional. Even as an assassin, they were ideal.

He glanced at the river that had turned into a wasteland from a single basic move by Mukgang.

…But Mukgang was overwhelmingly strong.

He watched Mukgang, who was dusting off his shirt without a single scratch, with wary eyes.

He knew the guardian lion of the secretive sect was strong, but not this strong. He wanted to throw a hammer at Mukgang and shout—

“Eek! Monster! Get out of our village!”

—but if he did, he might get a knuckle sandwich and die on the spot, so he swallowed his thoughts and brought up another topic.

“If you’re this strong, why did you tell the Young Master to run away?”

“Because those who are moderately strong might hurt the Sima siblings. And…”

Mukgang smiled faintly and calmly replied to Jang Sam’s question.

“I told him to go. I didn’t tell him to run away.”

Jang Sam sighed at the unexpected wordplay. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked toward the warehouse where the explosion had occurred.

“…Looks like it’s over there too. Do you think he’s alive or dead?”

“He’s a genius who can even deceive the heavens. Of course, he won.”

Jang Sam laughed at Mukgang’s calm tone, which sounded both teasing and praising.

Do your best and leave the rest to heaven. In other words, planning is up to humans, but success is up to heaven.

In the end, what matters is heaven. Heaven decides human fate.

…But what if someone appears who can deceive even heaven?

He couldn’t stop laughing at the absurdity. After all, his name itself means “Deceiver of Heaven,” Sima Mantian.

He thought of his close friend and arrogant young master.

That guy would use tricks to turn a one into a six even if heaven rolled the dice to land on one. He’s a born gambler.

The one who deceives heaven to secure victory, Sima Mantian.

…Perhaps it’s as blasphemous a name as the Ancient First Demon, the Heavenly Demon, whom the Demon Sect members revere.

Jang Sam looked at the darkening sky as rain began to pour and thought so.

It was an absurd delusion, even to himself.

***

Following the doctor’s and his mother’s orders to rest, he lay on the bed, rolling around and thinking about the incident Jang Sam had told him about.

He frowned. It didn’t make sense.

A group of thieves targeting their wealth had systematically attacked the Sima Family. With the help of the guards and a passing hero, they managed to drive the thieves away.

…Do they really think I’d believe such a ridiculous story?

‘Heavenly Demon God Sect’s Black Kill Squad, first-class assassin, Shadow Blade.’

He recalled the face of the enemy he had fought to the death with. He was a trashy guy, but there was a strange fanaticism and pride in the organization he belonged to.

Besides, he was too strong to be just a thief.

The genius who could deceive even heaven, Sima Mantian, who had his name on the Unmovable King’s plaque, was almost killed by him. There’s no way he was just a thief.

My pride can’t accept that. And he even revealed he was from the Heavenly Demon God Sect. He’s not a thief.

There’s no need to take the enemy’s words at face value, but it didn’t feel like a lie.

He stared blankly at the ceiling. It was a familiar ceiling, but for some reason, it felt unfamiliar today.

…I’ve felt it before, but there’s something hidden in our family.

I don’t know about my mother, older brother, or the other servants, but my father and Jang Sam are definitely hiding something. I don’t know why, but they’re keeping it a secret from me.

Even though I don’t know much about the martial world, I know about the Heavenly Demon.

He’s like a demon king who appears in martial arts novels, cooking, gardening, hunting, parenting, broadcasting, teaching, and even going to space. He’s incredibly versatile.

He’s almost like the Leonardo da Vinci of the martial world.

If the Martial Alliance hadn’t been so petty and rejected the Heavenly Demon God Sect, an industrial revolution might have happened thanks to the Heavenly Demon.

Anyway, such a capable organization, led by the Heavenly Demon, attacked a wealthy family in a rural village. And they lost.

They probably didn’t bring their full force, but they still lost. They were defeated by a rural village’s wealthy family.

This is as nonsensical as a great sorcerer who terrorized the magical world invading a combined academy and getting their soul thoroughly beaten.

…My head is a mess. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t find an answer, and I’m just tired.

If I’m supposed to rest, I can’t go outside, and no one comes except at meal times. There’s no way to get information.

It’s not recuperation; it’s confinement. I feel a bit left out.

Even though I’m a reincarnated person with memories of a past life, I still consider myself a member of the Sima Family, a part of the family.

I didn’t expect to be kept in the dark like this. It’s almost like they made a separate chat room without me.

…Well, thinking positively, they must have a reason to hide it. They wouldn’t really exclude their adorable child who wouldn’t hurt even if put in their eye.

There must be some circumstances I don’t know about. I’ll naturally find out when I talk to my father later.

After all, everyone has a secret or two.

Even I’ve kept the fact that I’m a reincarnated person and that I’ve learned martial arts a secret from my parents until now.

I didn’t hide it thoroughly, but I didn’t reveal it properly either. I didn’t want to give them the confusing information that I’m a reincarnated person.

…I didn’t reveal it because I didn’t want to be seen as some mysterious, strange being or an outsider.

I must have been locked in the room for too long with nothing to do. To shake off the gloomy mood, I got up from the bed and started practicing martial arts.

I recalled the weighted punch I had thrown during the fight with the Demon Sect’s assassin. To revive that sensation, I deliberately fell and threw punches.

I recalled the sensation and recreated the situation, frantically exploring new martial arts. I cleared my mind.

“Hey… grit your teeth, Demon Sect. My Unmovable King is going to hurt a bit.”

“…What are you doing?”

At the calm voice that came while I was practicing martial arts alone, my body turned on its own. A cool night breeze blew through the half-open window.

“Uncle Mukgang! I knew you were alive~ Damn it!!”

“Don’t call me uncle.”

Mukgang, who had just survived a near-death experience, smiled wryly at the noisy young seeker and spoke calmly.

***

“The Unmovable King’s Fist is a seal.”

“Huh? Why?”

When I expressed my confusion at being told not to use the new technique I had just acquired, Mukgang answered my question with a more serious face than usual.

“At your current level, you can’t handle this martial art properly. If you want to use it, eat a lot and exercise a lot. Learn the Thousand Jin Strike too.”

Mukgang looked down at Mantian’s right leg and scolded him sternly.

“Relying on luck twice in a match is suicidal.”

Since he wasn’t confiscating my martial arts or telling me never to use it, I nodded obediently.

“Got it. Anything else?”

“Not really. Take care then.”

“You too.”

At Mukgang’s calm farewell, Mantian accepted the parting unusually calmly.

He didn’t want to hold onto his teacher’s ankle for an unfinished goodbye.

‘…Have I grown a bit?’

Thinking so, he handed Mukgang a cloth bundle he had prepared just in case.

“It’s not much of a farewell gift, but take one out when you’re bored.”

Originally, Mukgang had no intention of accepting it, but after checking the contents, he smiled faintly and tucked the bundle into his arms. Inside the bundle were dried meat strips.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

With those words, he turned and walked away silently. He doesn’t stay in one place for long.

Kill monsters, protect people.

That is the role and responsibility of the Unmovable King, Mukgang, the guardian lion of the secretive sect.