Ready to be taken out? (3)
Chief Administrator Gam’s mouth fell wide open.
‘One blow…? A single blow?’
His eyes took in the sight of the Manor member twitching where he lay smashed into the ground.
‘How does this make any sense…’
The Black Water Manor was not a particularly great sect.
No matter how large a city Jinan might be, how great could the Black Water Manor possibly be when it had not even managed to properly swallow up Jinan, a place without any outstanding Just Sect, and was instead still locked in power struggles here and there?
But just because the Black Water Manor was not a great sect, that did not mean everyone belonging to the Black Water Manor was worthless.
Black Path sects were generally made up of a small number of skilled fighters and a great many who had no real ability. Unless one was speaking of a sect on the level of Shinjuopae [[신주오패(神州五覇) – Five Overlords/Tyrants of the Divine Land], whose names alone could make one’s breath catch, they were all more or less the same.
The problem was that Ilsu Gwanhyeol [일수관혈(一手觀血) – seeing blood in a singe move] Mae Dang [매당(梅撞)], now smashed into the ground over there, was one of the few skilled fighters in the Black Water Manor.
‘How could he take down Mae Dang… with a single blow?’
Just as Chief Gam was still failing to properly understand what had happened before his eyes, Baek Cheon lifted his head and growled once more.
“Next one, come out. Today, I’ll show you that there are Taoists in this world besides Wudang.”
Just as Chief Gam flinched and was about to say something.
“There are Taoists in this world besides Wudang, you say.”
Seo Gunhong rose from his seat and looked at Baek Cheon. Then, with unmistakable caution in his voice, he asked.
“By any chance, does the honored master belong to Hwasan of Shaanxi?”
“Mm?”
Baek Cheon narrowed his brow.
“How did you know? Everyone in this neighborhood had no idea.”
“What do you mean, how did I know? Ignorant fools with no interest in Gangho may find the name Hwasan unfamiliar, but how could anyone with a foot in Gangho not know Hwasan’s name? It is the name most spoken of in the recent days.”
“Mm. Hm, well, that is true.”
Baek Cheon cleared his throat a few times and nodded.
“…Are you pleased, Sasuk?”
“Look at his face loosening up.”
“To think that, as the Great Disciple of Hwasan in name and truth, you would get all puffed up just because some Black Path underlings recognized you.”
“Sh-Shut up!”
Embarrassed, Baek Cheon turned around and snapped at them. But Seo Gunhong, who had witnessed that almost comic scene, put on an even graver expression.
‘Hwasan, huh……’
A sect that had once been one of the pillars of Gupailbang. But a sect that had been ruined so thoroughly that its past glory seemed meaningless.
‘And one that, as of late, has begun making its name resound again.’
That was precisely why he could not get a feel for it. How exactly he ought to treat this place called Hwasan.
“So the reason the Taoist Masters of the world-renowned Hwasan Sect have come here is…”
Seo Gunhong turned his head slightly and looked at Seok Hanbin.
“You mean it is to take back this one kid?”
Baek Cheon nodded.
“That is right.”
“Why? Does this kid have some connection to Hwasan? That cannot be the case, can it?”
Baek Cheon looked at Seo Gunhong with resolute eyes.
“Is there any reason we must explain that to you?”
“…”
“Whether there is a connection or not, nothing will change, will it?”
A low groan slipped from Seo Gunhong’s mouth.
And before he could even finish sorting out his thoughts, Baek Cheon stepped forward and spoke as if making a declaration.
“Whatever the reason may be, we must have that child returned to us.”
“This child inflicted enormous damage on our organization.”
“If you suffered damages, then demand compensation. But surely suffering damages does not give you the right to drag a person here, torture them, and kill them?”
“That is the way of the Black Path.”
“Then let’s just say this is our way.”
Seo Gunhong’s eyes narrowed.
“What will you do? Will you fight, or will you hand him over?”
The one who flared up at those words was not Seo Gunhong, but Chief Administrator Gam.
“You insolent bastards! How dare you, to whom…”
“Hand him over.”
“Bangju!”
“I said hand him over!”
“Y-Yes, understood.”
Chief Gam flinched and bowed his head. Seo Gunhong bit at his lip.
There was no doubt that the damage Seok Hanbin had caused them was not small. Setting aside the financial matter, if he also considered the blow to their reputation, it had to be seen as damage greater than one might think.
But even so, should he make an enemy of Hwasan over one Seok Hanbin?
‘The cost doesn’t add up.’
Whether Hwasan was truly as formidable as the rumors claimed or not – that wasn’t the issue. A sect whose name resounded this strongly could not possibly be as shabby as something like the Venomous Scorpion Sect.
The risk he would have to bear was far too great for him to act bold simply because Hwasan’s main mountain was thousands upon thousands of li away.
“I will hand the kid over to you, so leave.”
“Hmmm?”
“We will not seek him out again.”
Chung Myung, who had been quietly watching the situation, looked at Seo Gunhong and chuckled faintly.
“Still, for a boss, his head works pretty well.”
“…There’s something a bit strange about the way he said that.”
“It isn’t wrong, but the nuance is peculiar.”
The murmur of the Five Swords reached Seo Gunhong’s ears, but Seo Gunhong thoroughly ignored those voices.
“Bangju, are you truly…?”
“Chief Administrator Gam.”
Seo Gunhong ground his teeth.
“Must I say it again?”
“N-No, Bangju.”
As Seo Gunhong’s expression began to twist, Chief Gam quickly signaled with a jerk of his chin, and the Manor members moved towards Seok Hanbin.
Some say that for those of the Black Path, half is their reputation. Then what makes up the other half? Most would think it is skill, but Seo Gunhong thought otherwise.
‘A bastard without common sense dies even if he has skill.’
The most important thing for surviving on the Black Path was knowing when to step back. That common sense, honed over decades, was telling him now that this was the time to step back.
The Black Water Manor members who approached helped Seok Hanbin to his feet and untied the ropes that bound him.
“Go.”
“…”
Seok Hanbin looked back and forth between those who had untied him and Seo Gunhong with eyes full of disbelief.
‘They’re letting me go this easily?’
What kind of bastards were the Black Water Manor? The cruel and ruthless bastards one least wanted to get tangled up with on the streets of Jinan. In particular, the Black Water Manor’s leader, Two-Faced Ghost Fiend Seo Gunhong, was famous as the most vicious among the Black Path men who divided Jinan into three and ruled it.
And people like that were letting Seok Hanbin go this easily? Just because seven people had stormed in?
“I told you to get lost.”
It seemed the Black Water Manor members found that fact just as hard to believe. Their faces were filled with bewilderment, along with a deep sense of humiliation.
‘Can I really leave?’
If it was that Seo Gunhong, even in the middle of this, he might be trying some other trick…
“Hey!”
“……Yes?”
Seeing that scene, Chung Myung’s face twisted fiercely as he shouted.
“Stop racking your brains and hurry up and run over here, will you? Huh, this bastard, seriously! You’re dead today. Since you’re going to die anyway, just think of it as dying by my hand.”
“…”
“Come here already!”
Seok Hanbin finally moved his feet towards Chung Myung. But not only the Black Water Manor member who had released him and Chief Administrator Gam, even Two-Faced Ghost Fiend Seo Gunhong simply watched him in silence.
‘No, this is……’
The moment he somehow found himself in front of Hwasan’s disciples, Chung Myung kicked him hard in the backside.
“Aaagh! Why are you hitting me!”
“Why am I hitting you? Why? This bastard really needs me to set aside a day just for him!”
“Hold back, Chung Myung.”
“Not here. Let’s have a nice, thorough(?) talk when we get home.”
“Hoooh!”
Letting out a deep breath, Chung Myung grabbed Seok Hanbin by the head and shoved him down to sit beside him.
“Will this do?”
At those words from Seo Gunhong, Baek Cheon hesitated slightly, then brought both hands together and extended them forward.
“We are grateful for your consideration.”
“Not at all.”
Baek Cheon licked his lip with a complicated expression.
There was no way he could be happy about being in a position where he had to express gratitude to an Evil Sect. But them handling this matter had been so clean that it seemed difficult to find fault with them easily.
For now, they had no choice but to withdraw.
They had achieved their intended goal of retrieving Seok Hanbin, and they had also secured a promise that he would not be touched again – so for now, retreating was the proper course.
“We will compensate you separately for the wall we knocked down.”
“There is no need. Let us consider it the price for forming a connection with the sect called Hwasan.”
“…Thank you.”
Baek Cheon’s expression twisted slightly, but he forced it under control and straightened his back.
“Let’s go back.”
“Mm. Yes, Sasuk.”
“……We should go.”
The disciples of Hwasan, too, seemed to understand the situation, and followed his words without a second objection.
“……Chung Myung?”
Except, of course, for one bastard.
Crouching on the ground, Chung Myung held Seok Hanbin’s head with one hand, while propping up his own chin with the other.
“Hmmm. So, you’re saying we should go back?”
“Yes. For now, shouldn’t we?”
“Got it.”
“Hm?”
“Let’s go back, then.”
Baek Cheon let out a breath of relief.
“But before that.”
“Hm?”
Chung Myung thrust a hand deep into his robes. Then he pulled something out and shook it lightly.
“You, that’s…”
“Eurachaaaaa!”
Chung Myung flung Baek Ah, who had been sleeping soundly while smacking its lips, straight forward.
Kiiiiiii!
Sensing it had been thrown into the air, Baek Ah snapped its eyes open in shock and, seeing the Black Water Manor member in front of it, instinctively lashed out with its hind paws.
Thwack!
“Aaaaagh!”
The Black Water Manor member, who had been struck out of nowhere by a weasel, sprayed blood as he went flying. At the sight, the disciples of Hwasan applauded before they even realized it.
“That was a perfect Plum Blossom Kick.”
“…That thing really is learning martial arts. What kind of weasel uses martial arts?”
“No, that is not what matters right now, is it?”
Seo Gunhong’s face flushed bright red.
“What is the meaning of this! We clearly showed you goodwill!”
“Goodwill, my ass. You Sapa bastard.”
Chung Myung let out a faint, mocking laugh.
“Now, listen. There’s something a certain nagger I know has told me countless times.”
“What nonsense are you…”
“A person can’t clean up all the trash in the world. That’s impossible. But that doesn’t become a reason not to clean up the trash right in front of your eyes.”
“…”
Chung Myung shrugged.
“It’s the same with the Evil Sects. I can’t get rid of every Evil Sect in the world. But that can’t be a reason to let the Sapa bastards who catch my eye walk away nicely. Right?”
With his hand still pressing down firmly on Seok Hanbin’s head, Chung Myung rose to his feet.
“Those things over there.”
“Mm?”
Seo Gunhong turned his head following Chung Myung’s gaze, and what entered his vision were the torture tools laid out on the ground.
“They’ve got a lot of wear on them, don’t they? Looks like you’ve used them plenty. I doubt you take turns using them on each other, right?”
“You…”
“Shut your trap. I don’t have a name worth being called by a Black Path bastard. Just take your beating quietly.”
Just as Chung Myung was about to say one more thing, Seok Hanbin grabbed Chung Myung’s sleeve tightly and pulled it.
“W-Wait a moment.”
“What?”
“Come to your senses. There aren’t even ten of us on this side. And the ones you see here aren’t all of them. If they all gather, there’ll be well over a hundred!”
“Yeah?”
“Let’s just go back. There’s no need to do this, is there? They say they’ll let us go, so why go out of your way to stir up trouble…”
Bang!
“Kyaaaaaaak!”
Seok Hanbin clutched the crown of his head and rolled across the ground.
“Look at this bastard, pushing his luck. Hey! Your ancestor charged at the Demonic Cult risking his life with that pathetic level of skill! And you’re saying what? Go back? Damn it, what a waste of a bloodline! You little punk!”
– I-I wasn’t that weak… Really.
“Ah, shut up.”
Chung Myung grinned and looked at Seo Gunhong.
“So, what do you say? Ready to be taken out, you pile of trash?”
Seo Gunhong’s face twisted like a murderous fiend’s.
“You… You… I’ll tear you apart!”
Kwaang!
Seo Gunhong’s foot slammed hard into the ground.
“I was going to let you go because killing a bunch of brats would be a hassle, but what was that you said?”
Releasing a fierce, murderous aura, Seo Gunhong shouted in a voice nearly crushed with rage.
“Kill them all! Slaughter every last one of them! Right nooooow!”
“Yes!”
As if they had been waiting for it, the Black Water Manor members charged towards the disciples of Hwasan.
Seeing that sight, the disciples of Hwasan lifted the corners of their mouths in broad grins and drew their swords.
“What do we do, Sasuk?”
“What do you mean, what do we do?”
Baek Cheon let out a sigh.
But, well, wasn’t this in fact what he had been hoping for deep down?
“Don’t kill them.”
“Yes!”
The swordsmen of Hwasan rushed out as one to meet the Black Water Manor members.
________
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