Chapter 52
Chapter 52
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Enemies Meet at the Highway Rest Area
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After cutting off Battalion Leader Wi Sa-jun's breath, I rose to my feet.
I turned my head toward the other guy he'd begged me to save before dying.
"S-Spare... me..., ugh..., s-spare... me...."
"......"
...He was still alive. But could you even call that living?
I had no idea how he'd managed it, but his neck hadn't been fully severed by my saber qi. A chunk of it had been gouged out, though, and an alarming amount of blood was pouring from the gash.
Not even a god could save him now.
No, putting him out of his misery might actually be the merciful thing to do. At least then he wouldn't suffer anymore.
Step by step.
I started walking toward him.
That's when it happened.
Rustle.
"......"
"......"
I heard a presence behind me and turned to see Yu So-myung standing there, her expression different from before. She stared blankly at the fallen Murim Alliance warriors for a moment...
Tap.
...then noticed the guy who was still alive and rushed over to him.
Rip.
She tore off a strip from her sleeve to make a bandage and pressed it to his neck to staunch the bleeding. She channeled inner energy into her fingers to seal his acupoints.
She was trying to save him.
I let out a brief sigh at the foolish effort, then approached and grabbed her shoulder.
"He's already dead."
"...He's not dead yet."
"He will be soon."
"I have to try whatever I can."
"......"
Yu So-myung wrapped the bandage tightly around his neck as she spoke. She must have been desperate to stop the bleeding somehow.
But...
"Uh..., uh...."
Thud.
The guy's hand, which had seemed to be clinging to life, dropped limply into the air. I didn't even need to check his pulse to know.
He was dead.
"......"
"......"
Whether she didn't know or couldn't let go despite knowing, Yu So-myung wouldn't release her hands from his neck.
I shook my head at the sight and turned away. I still had work to do.
That's when...
"...Maybe you're right."
...Yu So-myung's calm voice drifted out.
"...The current Murim Alliance might really have a lot of problems. There could be trash mixed in among them. Even so..."
"......"
"...there are still countless people in the Murim Alliance throwing themselves into the fight for justice and righteousness. I... want to be one of them too."
I couldn't respond to her words.
I knew. I understood her words all too well.
The current Murim Alliance was rotting away, but the majority still moved for the greater good and the weak.
In fact, when war with the Demonic Cult broke out later, countless Murim Alliance warriors would sacrifice themselves.
And...
'You too.'
Having read the novel, I knew this all too well.
"...So don't hate us too much."
"......"
In this situation, any answer would be pointless, so I said nothing.
Still, I learned one thing from this incident. More precisely, from Yu So-myung's hands, covered in blood from trying to staunch the dying man's wounds.
'Yu So-myung is just like in the novel.'
She grew up like a flower in a greenhouse. She doesn't know the world.
But there's one thing she knows for sure.
Justice and righteousness. That they must be upheld until the very last moment.
She knows that, something I have no clue about.
So... I just feel different from her. I don't hate her at all.
Whoosh.
As I gathered my inner energy to use lightness skill, Yu So-myung asked.
"...Leaving again?"
"Have to go to my subordinates."
I hadn't caught them all yet. The real strong one was with my men right now.
If luck was bad, they might have already clashed.
"...Please just stay alive."
I prayed silently like that and unleashed my lightness skill.
**
"Hmm..., what a shame...."
Dokgo Young muttered as he gazed at the collapsed building. This was the fourth one. So far, he'd cut down about ten bandits.
But...
"What a shame...."
A sense of regret filled his heart.
He'd thought coming here would let him slaughter bandits left and right. But what was this?
Far from swarming, they were scattered everywhere, and many weren't even armed, making it no fun at all.
Dokgo Young derived pleasure from killing, but it was even better when they resisted.
From his perspective, these bandits who went down so easily had lost their appeal.
Of course...
"Hey."
...the guy tied up right now had been pretty entertaining.
Dokgo Young kicked at Bang Sam, who was being dragged across the blood-soaked floor, and asked.
"Where's your bandit lair? Especially... where's the one where that Bandit King stays."
These bandits were operating across the entire Honam Province. That required managing a significant number of men, so there had to be a main lair where they gathered.
And one of the biggest reasons Dokgo Young had come here.
The infamous Bandit King from the rumors.
Word was this Bandit King had unified all the bandits in Honam Province in just a month.
Even if bandits were pathetic, that was no easy feat.
That's why he especially wanted to meet this Bandit King and cut him down himself.
But...
"Tell me the lair's location, and I'll spare your life."
"Kekeke..., I told you I set up nice and cozy in your mom's belly, why won't you believe me."
"......"
Even covered in blood, Bang Sam showed no intention of spilling.
Dokgo Young raised his fist.
"Hey..., even I need to keep my face pretty for dealing with merchants, so if you don't hit the face..."
As Bang Sam said that, Dokgo Young's fist flew toward his face.
Crack! Crack!
Brutal blows that would make any onlooker wince.
Bang Sam felt searing pain and his body breaking down in real time.
And then he realized.
'Ah..., so the boss has been holding back all this time to avoid really hurting me.'
Getting hit by the boss hurt like hell, but there were no other issues with his body. Through Dokgo Young's fists, he understood it was because the boss had been careful.
Hitting carefully so it didn't cause real damage. Wasn't that kinda funny?
So Bang Sam cackled and shouted.
"Hit me more! More!! Compared to a softie like you, it's just honey punches-!"
"...So it doesn't hurt, huh?"
Provoked repeatedly, Dokgo Young's rage peaked, but he calmly placed a hand on his waist instead.
And then...
Shing.
"...Then I'll just sever your limbs' meridians so you can't use your body at all."
"...Sorry. Let's talk it out."
He drew his sword and slowly brought it toward Bang Sam's body.
Bang Sam paled, face stiffening as he scooted back little by little, but...
"Sorry. On second thought, insulting your parents was my bad. Just the fists should be fine..."
"...Too late for that."
...Dokgo Young's eyes had flipped long ago.
"Uwaaaah-!! Wait-!! This ain't right, you fuck-!!!"
Just as Dokgo Young's sword was about to touch Bang Sam's body.
Flinch.
Dokgo Young suddenly shuddered from a chill and whipped his head toward the source...!
Boom!!
...A ferocious saber qi slammed into Dokgo Young.
'A tiger...?'
From the intense saber qi, Dokgo Young felt like a house-sized tiger was pouncing at him.
If he'd been prepared, he could have blocked it, but since it was a surprise, he had no choice but to leap back.
In that brief moment, a shadowy figure shot out and snatched the bloodied Bang Sam.
Seeing the face of his rescuer, Bang Sam let out a hollow laugh.
"Haha..., fuck.... Bro, come a bit earlier next time.... I was one step from the afterlife...."
"...You idiot. What the hell happened to your face."
He was usually just a nice guy with occasional ditzy moments, but right now he felt so reliable...
Seeing Dong Ryong's face, Bang Sam nearly shed a real tear.
Dong Ryong laid Bang Sam down nearby and said.
"You did well. Rest now."
"...Yeah, honestly I'm at my limit...."
Thud.
With that, Bang Sam closed his eyes. It wasn't death—he'd just passed out.
From what Dong Ryong could see, Bang Sam had endured far beyond what was humanly possible. Burning with anger, Dong Ryong drew his saber.
As Dong Ryong raised his saber, his other subordinates began emerging from the surroundings one by one. At a glance, their numbers exceeded the Yongsal Company by more than double.
"Your affiliation doesn't matter. But arming yourselves and coming here to mess with us—that, I cannot forgive."
"You're that Bandit King? Heh..., a Bandit King from the Pang Clan? What a shocker."
Dokgo Young straightened his clothes and continued.
"From your build or looks, doesn't seem like Pang blood runs in you.... Did a Pang watchdog run off to play bandit? How the hell does the Pang Clan manage their retainers? Unimaginable in our Dokgo Family."
"...You talk too much."
From his words just now, Dong Ryong realized the guy before him was Dokgo Family blood. He also understood why he remained so composed in this situation.
What was the Dokgo Family?
Not one of the Five Great Families, but strong enough to rival them.
Having once been with the Hebei Pang Clan, Dong Ryong knew all too well what kind of monsters the family blood were.
That's why he was about to tell Jeok Yeom beside him to stay cautious.
But...
"...That guy's no joke. Dokgo Family, so be careful..."
"......"
"...Jeok Yeom?"
...When he looked, Jeok Yeom was trembling violently, eyes wide like he'd seen a ghost.
A closer look showed it wasn't just Jeok Yeom. All the guys from the old Wuyi Mountain Brotherhood were greatly agitated, as if they'd realized something.
Just as Dong Ryong felt puzzled..., Jeok Yeom forced his mouth open.
"...I know that motherfucker too."
"...What?"
Jeok Yeom's lips trembled so much his reply was delayed...
"Huh?"
...Dokgo Young spotted Jeok Yeom with his red hair and red beard.
Normally, he wouldn't remember. But Jeok Yeom's distinctive looks and the memorable incident he'd caused stuck in his mind.
"You..., that government soldier from back then, right? Long time no see."
"Dokgo Young-!!!"
In an instant, veins burst in Jeok Yeom's eyes, turning them red like his hair.
Unable to contain himself at Dokgo Young's casual smile, as if greeting an old friend, Jeok Yeom grabbed his axe and charged.