Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: One-Sided Beatdown
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“Is this bastard out of his mind?”
Joo Ja-cheol’s face turned beet red.
He had never suffered such an insult before.
But Geum Cheomsang’s heart ached as he looked at Joo Ja-cheol and his group.
The Namgung Hyeok of today was not the one they knew.
He had gained power but shed his humanity in the process, hadn’t he?
And yet, they had to go and pick a fight with this Namgung Hyeok of all people.
Geum Cheomsang stood up awkwardly and spoke to Joo Ja-cheol.
“Young masters, this isn’t right.”
He couldn’t understand why they were jumping headfirst into hell.
Joo Ja-cheol snorted.
“What’s not right?”
“You can’t do this here. You’re in danger, young master.”
“Hahaha! Looks like only the lowly servant cares about his master!”
“No, it’s not about my master—it’s your lives that are in—”
Namgung Hyeok grabbed Geum Cheomsang by the collar and yanked him back.
“You trying to stir up trouble?”
“Gurk!”
Namgung Hyeok clicked his tongue as he watched Geum Cheomsang flail in resistance.
“Why’s this guy acting up?”
“...No, what are you planning? This really won’t end well. It’ll just make things worse!”
“When have you ever seen me escalate things?”
“Way too many times.”
“Nah, you’re imagining it.”
Namgung Hyeok casually tossed Geum Cheomsang behind him and turned back to Joo Ja-cheol.
Joo Ja-cheol, who had watched the whole exchange, burst out laughing.
“What a clown show. Hey, Namgung Hyeok! What’s all that yapping? You backing down now?”
“Me, back down?”
“Hahaha! You think beating the Sword Tiger makes you somebody?”
Joo Ja-cheol trailed off as he glanced at Ma Yunryong.
Ma Yunryong cracked his neck left and right, then strode toward Namgung Hyeok.
“Let’s see if this punk’s arm breaks or not. I’m dying to find out.”
The Hefei Ten Swords snickered as they closed in.
They formed a semicircle, advancing within five steps, their oppressive presence heavy.
Geum Cheomsang, pushed to the railing and watching, pressed his temples.
His heart pounded anxiously over what Namgung Hyeok would do to Joo Ja-cheol’s group.
“Young master, please go easy if you can...”
Before he could finish.
The moment Ma Yunryong stepped forward and grabbed Namgung Hyeok’s arm, Geum Cheomsang shook his head.
“Ah... it’s over.”
They had crossed the point of no return.
Geum Cheomsang squeezed his eyes shut.
Oblivious, Ma Yunryong gripped Namgung Hyeok’s arm tight.
Then yanked with all his might.
“Grk! Uh, huh?!”
What?
Why isn’t he budging?
Ma Yunryong looked at Namgung Hyeok in panic.
Namgung Hyeok grinned back at him.
“You little shit?”
Ma Yunryong’s face turned crimson as he glared.
“Brother Ma, don’t play around!”
“Brother Yunryong! Don’t break his arm—just slam him down! Slam him!”
“What’re you waiting for? Grab him and make him kneel! Look at that smug grin! Crush his spirit!”
As the clueless Hefei Ten Swords cheered him on, Ma Yunryong strained with everything he had.
That was when Namgung Hyeok smirked, pried off Ma Yunryong’s hand, and lightly kicked his chest.
Bwoooom!
“Gwaaaahhh...!”
With a faint scream trailing off, Ma Yunryong shot backward like a shooting star and crashed into the railing.
Craaack!
The Hefei Ten Swords’ eyes locked onto the spot where Ma Yunryong had stood moments ago.
“...Where’d he go?”
“...Huh?”
“W-what the hell?”
Reflexively turning to the opposite railing, the Hefei Ten Swords gaped in horror.
Ma Yunryong dangled limply from the half-broken railing.
He looked ready to plummet over at any second, white foam bubbling from his mouth.
“...Him.”
They had mouths, but no words came out. Their minds filled with instant chaos.
“What’s going on here?”
“No way, one hit? Even if...”
At that moment, the Black Tortoise Sect’s young master scowled and stepped forward brashly.
Whether it was bravery or sheer obliviousness remained to be seen.
“Looks like the rumors about beating the Sword Tiger weren’t lies. But you think you can beat me...”
Before he could finish, Namgung Hyeok’s fist smashed into his face.
Baaaam!
Craaack!
The railing screamed a beat later.
Everyone’s heads slowly turned toward it again. Seeing another figure dangling in the exact same pose next to Ma Yunryong sent chills down their spines and cold sweat trickling.
“W-what just happened?”
It was too fast to even see.
But whether they saw it or not wasn’t the point. What mattered was that two of the Hefei Ten Swords were already hanging from the railing like dried squid.
“B-brother?”
“Ja-cheol? What’s happening?”
Unfortunately, while they weren’t complete cowards, they weren’t idiots either.
Two guys down in one hit each—if they couldn’t read the room now, they deserved to be called fools.
“T-that punk’s supposed to be weak!”
“You try it then!”
The Hefei Ten Swords flinched and looked at Joo Ja-cheol.
Joo Ja-cheol hesitated briefly, then scowled fiercely.
“We’ve got numbers! Don’t chicken out! He’s just a bit strong! Rush him together—he can’t handle all of us!”
Joo Ja-cheol whipped out his sword from his waist.
The sharp glint on that blade made the remaining Hefei Ten Swords harden their faces.
“This is our turf.”
“No choice now!”
They each drew their weapons and glared at Namgung Hyeok.
But Namgung Hyeok just yawned boredly at the sight.
“Drawing swords, huh.”
Namgung Hyeok grinned.
“I go easy on bare-handed fools, but draw steel, and you’re fair game even if you drop dead.”
“......”
“What’re you waiting for? Come on. You’re not scared, are you?”
“You bastard!”
Joo Ja-cheol charged at Namgung Hyeok, eyes blazing.
“I’ll rip that cocky mouth off!”
As Joo Ja-cheol bellowed and rushed forward, the Hefei Ten Swords regained their confidence.
They raised their weapons to charge all at once.
Bwoooom!
“Gwaaaahhh!”
Swooooosh!
Joo Ja-cheol rocketed into the sky with a scream.
“Huh?”
“Huh...”
“Huh...”
The Hefei Ten Swords looked up, dumbfounded.
Joo Ja-cheol spun in the air like a launched firework, howling an inhuman screech before plummeting back down.
Boom!
“......”
The Hefei Ten Swords’ eyes bulged like goggling marbles.
“One hit again.”
“Feels like déjà vu.”
“No, we just saw it.”
“Different guy, same result. Why?”
The Hefei Ten Swords’ faces began to twitch.
“This wasn’t in the plan.”
“Sh-shit. This guy’s a monster!”
“What have we done?”
The eyes of the remaining Hefei Ten Swords darted wildly, lost.
But Namgung Hyeok paid them no mind, shuffling over to Joo Ja-cheol embedded in the deck and yanking him out.
“Cocky mouth?”
“......”
Half-conscious, Joo Ja-cheol shuddered at the words.
“Did you morons leave your balls back at the dock?”
Thud!
Namgung Hyeok grabbed Joo Ja-cheol’s leg and slammed him into the deck.
“I played nice ‘cause you were kinda cute, and this is how you repay me? Mouth?”
Geum Cheomsang, watching from behind, shook his head.
“Watch your words, young master.”
You didn’t come to play—you came to devour.
But sadly, his inner thoughts didn’t reach Namgung Hyeok’s ears.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Namgung Hyeok swung Joo Ja-cheol side to side, punching holes in the deck, then dusted his hands.
Joo Ja-cheol’s hand, half-buried through the deck, trembled in the air before flopping limply to the floor.
The Hefei Ten Swords’ eyes nearly popped out.
“Is he dead?”
“N-no way he’s dead, right?”
But they couldn’t worry about Joo Ja-cheol anymore.
Namgung Hyeok, having dealt with him, curled his lips smugly as he turned to them.
“......”
Chills crawled up the Hefei Ten Swords’ spines.
A thick shadow slowly fell over their faces.
“Let’s wrap this up quick.”
“......Pardon?”
In that instant, Namgung Hyeok charged and unleashed a flurry of punches.
Baaaam!
Bwooooom!
“Gaaaaah!”
“Waaaaaah!”
“Gwuuuuh!”
Splat! Splat! Splat!
Like waves crashing, the Hefei Ten Swords tumbled across the deck.
No time for counters or anything. Hit meant hit, strike meant fly.
Do Takryong, watching his comrades sail left and right amid screams, quietly set down his sword and clasped his hands politely.
Do Takryong’s hands shook uncontrollably.
The strongest, Joo Ja-cheol—one hit.
Next strongest, Ma Yunryong—one hit.
Then the Black Tortoise Sect young master—one hit.
They never had a chance from the start.
Amid the chaos on deck, Do Takryong dropped to his knees.
And perhaps because of that deference, moments later, he was the only one left raising his head on the boat.
Do Takryong gaped as Namgung Hyeok approached and cried out.
“S-surrender! I surrender!”
Namgung Hyeok grinned and twirled his wrist.
Crack crack.
An eerie bone sound echoed across the deck.
“Ow, feels like my wrist’s popped.”
“......”
“You called me friend, right?”
“Y-yes!”
“What’s a friend? Someone you help and live for, yeah?”
“Yes! That’s right!”
Namgung Hyeok’s smile grew warmer.
“So, here’s the thing—I need treatment but I’m broke. Can you spot me some cash, buddy?”
Ah, so this is extortion.
Do Takryong’s face twitched.
“I-I’ll give it.”
“Thanks.”
“Heh, heh heh.”
“But.”
“......Pardon?”
Namgung Hyeok nodded toward the railing.
“Cash is cash, but mind getting off my boat? You’ve been too noisy.”
“But we’re in the middle of the river...”
“Yeah, I know.”
“......”
“So?”
“Heh, heh heh heh. Heh heh heh!”
Do Takryong laughed madly as he stripped off his clothes one by one.
To check the winter river temperature of the Hefei, Do Takryong approached the railing.
He shoved the foaming Hefei Ten Swords hanging there into the water.
Splash! Splash! Splash!
Watching his comrades bob pitifully downstream, Do Takryong steeled his face and leaped after them.
Splash!
Geum Cheomsang shook his head as water columns erupted.
“Told you not to. Tsk tsk tsk!”
Geum Cheomsang sighed deeply and tossed a rope from the side of the deck.
“Grab it if you wanna live.”
Do Takryong, flailing, lit up with gratitude.
“Y-you’re a good guy after all.”
What’s he on about.
Geum Cheomsang clicked his tongue and hurried to Namgung Hyeok.
“Tea, young master?”
Namgung Hyeok’s wicked laugh rang across the deck.
“Got a boat and cash. Talk about killing three birds with one stone!”
“Isn’t it two?”
“Nah. Three soon.”
“Huh?”
Geum Cheomsang looked puzzled, but Namgung Hyeok just smiled meaningfully.
“Started it, so see it through. Ending here would be a shame, right?”
“......”
Glancing at the Hefei Ten Swords clinging to the rope, Geum Cheomsang shook his head.
Poor bastards... to cross paths with this guy.
Too late for regrets now.