Chapter 4 (2)
Chapter 4 (2)
Ronin are swarming me as if to surround me from all sides.
If I just stand here, I'll get surrounded and fists and feet will fly from every direction.
I quickly scanned my surroundings and spotted a corner with a pillar supporting the building.
Then, I headed there quickly.
"Hahaha! I'm gonna break one of your arms or legs!"
A ronin who thought I was a newbie swung his fist at me as I approached, thinking he'd get those 2 silver taels.
Let me put it bluntly.
"Slow."
"Huh?"
I swayed my upper body to dodge his fist and then slammed a counter-punch into his face.
Kwajik!
"Keuhak!"
I could feel the sensation of his nose bone shattering.
I grabbed the arm of the ronin who was sprawling on the ground with a bloody nose and threw him forcefully behind me.
"Ugh!?"
"You bastard!"
Some of the ronin, who were just swarming in like a disorganized mob without any formation, were slowed down by the ronin I'd thrown.
"You've got some skills!"
A ronin who dodged to the side swung his arms rapidly, launching a flurry of attacks.
But this is slow too.
Should I tear him apart with Heukranggwon?
No, the characteristics of Heukranggwon are too intense.
Someone might recognize it. Let's hide my martial arts here.
I swatted his wrists away with both arms and drove a fist into his abdomen.
"Kuheok!?"
His upper body collapsed from the blow to the stomach.
Having learned kickboxing, I grabbed the back of his neck, did a neck clinch (a Muay Thai technique for grabbing the back of the neck), and drove my knee into his face.
Kwajak!
"Uaaagh!"
Once again, the sound and feeling of a nose bone shattering were transmitted through my knee.
I kicked his body away and moved toward the pillar I'd been eyeing.
Since the pillar and wall were blocking my left and right, the ronin had no way to attack except from behind and in front of me.
And because the space was narrow, even if there were many of them, 2 or 3 was the limit.
"You little shit!"
"I'm gonna kill you, you brat!"
Perhaps the ronin felt that geographical disadvantage, or maybe they were excited by the sight of the blood from the ronin I'd attacked, but they drew their weapons.
"Good! I'm more comfortable with this too!"
I also drew the sword I'd taken from the most useful-looking member of the Vermilion Bird Unit.
"Alright, come and get me. I'll stab whoever comes first in the gut and use you as a human shield."
"Stop!"
Just then, the receptionist who had placed the coins shouted again.
"Everyone stop!"
"What? But this guy...!"
"I'll distribute it to each of you, so that's enough. And use this money to treat those guys."
The receptionist handed out the silver taels according to the number of people, and the ronin, perhaps deeming it excessive to risk their lives for a mere 2 silver taels, took them and grumbled as they went outside.
With the ronin gone, only I and the receptionist remained inside the building.
"You're skilled at fighting."
The receptionist opened his mouth abruptly toward me.
"You checked your surroundings to find a spot advantageous to you, and your skills are decent. You have real combat experience."
'Yeah. When you have a nasty temper and make enemies, that's what happens.'
Let's keep that thought to myself.
It seemed he had stepped back because he didn't want to make things bigger, and if I pushed too hard here, the other side wouldn't think to back down either.
The other side made a concession, so as a civilized person, I should match that, right?
"I've had enemies since a long time ago. Anyway, does this count as the initiation ceremony for becoming a ronin?"
"Yes. I don't want to make things bigger either. Name."
'Hmm, finally switched into receptionist mode.'
"Jincheon."
"Martial arts level."
"I don't have anyone to compare with, so I'm not really sure."
This isn't a joke.
Honestly, I know that 1 gapja means the internal energy accumulated over 60 years by circulating the Three Talents Heart Method twice a day, but I'd have to learn the Three Talents Heart Method to even know if I have it, right?
"Roughly 2nd-rate, I suppose. Sect."
"None."
"So you don't want to reveal it."
"No, no, I'm telling you, I don't have one."
"True. Among those trying to become ronin, there are many with shady backgrounds."
"Excuse me? Are we communicating properly? I. Said. None."
'Seriously, why is this guy who understood me just fine acting like this?'
"The punching and knee strikes you showed earlier were clearly not just street fighting; they were techniques that felt natural. You can't easily learn such martial arts that feel clean and natural."
'Anyone can do it for a monthly registration fee of 130,000 won.'
I learned well, but since I inadvertently honed it through real combat, it seems this receptionist is under the illusion that I come from a fairly prominent sect.
Since he has no intention of listening no matter what I say, let's give up.
The receptionist scribbled something with a brush and then handed me a tablet made of wood.
"This is the lowest-grade ronin tablet. For a ronin, skill is important, but credibility is also important. I don't know how strong you are, but clients don't choose ronin without credibility."
Since the receptionist knew I was a ronin beginner, he gave me additional explanations.
"You are a Wood Tablet. Above that are the Copper Tablet, Silver Tablet, Black Tablet, and Gold Tablet. As I said before, skill is important, but it's important to gain credibility by successfully completing requests. Know that you can move up depending on how many requests you successfully complete."
'Hmm, this is exactly like the Pungun Murim setting.'
He paused for a moment and preempted me before I could ask any questions.
"Request recruitment notices are posted on the bulletin board outside. The recruitment method, conditions, location, content, etc., are all written there. You just need to report the request you want to me. Once you resolve the request, you receive a proof of resolution from the client, and when you come to me, I will pay the reward."
'He summarized only the necessary parts.'
But I should ask a question, right?
"What if the client hides or covers up the request details?"
"If the work is different from the request details, you can return immediately. After hearing a detailed explanation, we will investigate. However, if you run away without permission, we will hunt you down."
'But what if the client tries to silence me?'
'What if the client planned it out and covered up the truth?'
Such doubts crossed my mind, but if I spoke like this, there would be no end to it.
'If this were a fantasy world, I'd solve it with a recording magic item.'
'Since it's a Murim world without magic, this part is inconvenient.'
'Honestly, the system is full of holes, but without modern items or magic, what can you do?'
'Besides, even in the modern era where systems are perfect, it's ultimately done by people, so holes appear here and there. How could it be any different here where you have to solve everything solely with human power?'
"Ah, one last question."
"What is it?"
"Where is the Black Spot?"
Black Spot.
A Murim black market, a place that sells martial arts, internal energy cultivation methods, weapons, and spiritual medicines.
Naturally, the prices are incredibly high, so I just wanted to know about it for now.
"Once you build up some reputation, they will contact you on their own."
"I'll have to save up money in the meantime. Thanks."
'So it wasn't based on connections, but on skill.'
I tucked the wooden tablet into my clothes, waved at the receptionist, and stepped outside.
'Wow, look at that killing intent.'
The ronin outside must have heard the whole story from the previous ronin, because as soon as I came out, they started exuding their aura to pressure me.
They must have thought that if they were suppressed by a newbie who had just become a ronin, they wouldn't be able to survive in this business.
"Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm~ Hmmm-hmm-hmm~"
'But so what?'
'You got a problem? Come at me if you want. I'll take you on anytime.'
Thinking that, I ignored the ronin glaring at me and headed to the bulletin board.
There, I could check various types of requests.
Escorting specific people, guarding specific areas, running errands, etc.
I don't see anything like assassinations.
'Well, for things like that, the client would find a ronin directly and recruit them quietly.'
'Now, what kind of request should I use to gain some real combat experience?'
'Honestly, I don't really know how far my strength goes.'
'I fought Seol-rin and sparred a few times, but isn't it a bit much to evaluate my skills based on just her?'
'Anyway, I've confirmed what kind of requests there are, so shall I go prepare?'
'What kind of preparation? Buying emergency tools like trauma medicine like gold sore medicine and bandages, and checking the geography of Chang'an and its vicinity.'
'Wouldn't it be a bit hard to work as a ronin without knowing the geography here?'
'It would be a problem if I didn't have money, but since I got bundles of silver taels and a few gold coins from the corpses of the Vermilion Bird Unit members and Chuihwa-eumryeong, I won't have to worry about money for a while.'
Thinking that, I wandered around Chang'an as if I were a tourist, feeling half like I was on a trip.
As befits a huge city, there are luxurious brothels, mansions of the rich, and martial artists in expensive clothing.
There are shops and street stalls selling various goods from the Western Regions, and in the dark alleys, people who strongly claim "I'm a villain" with their faces are giggling.
I also checked out the martial arts halls where people learn martial arts, the branch of the Jeongmumae (the righteous faction alliance), and the branch of the Blood Alliance (the evil faction alliance).
I also kept an eye on blacksmiths, inns, and restaurants that do business targeting martial artists.
And apart from that, the private houses and ordinary people that made up the majority were inevitably the most visible.
'This seasoning lacks depth. It feels like they finished the seasoning and then watered it down. The meat is grilled terribly, too.'
Wandering around, I got bored and bought a skewer at a street stall, but I grumbled to myself that I'd rather make it myself.
'By the way, the direction toward the corner of the city wall is deserted. I don't even see any soldiers.'
The further I got from the city gate, and the more I headed toward the outskirts, the gloomier the atmosphere became.
There were no people to be seen, and the buildings were almost all dilapidated, giving off a strong vibe of abandoned houses.
Murmur, murmur, murmur-
Because of that, if an unspecified number of people are murmuring, you can't help but hear it even if you don't want to.
'What? I hear the voices of men in a place like this where there's no sign of people?'
It's a menacing murmur.
If you hear signs of people in a place where there are no people, curiosity naturally arises.
I reduced my presence and moved toward the direction where the murmuring voices were coming from.