Chapter 24
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Bandit Stronghold Ablaze
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“Did these bastards secretly chow down on some stamina boosters? Why the hell is it taking so damn long?”
“…….”
While Yu Hyun was watching the situation and formulating a plan, a gruff voice boomed from outside.
“Hah, these idiots—how fierce was their resistance that they had to drag them in like that? What strength do women even have...? I’ve told you time and again: women should always be handled gently. Tsk, tsk.”
The voice from outside, clicking its tongue, drew steadily closer.
It seemed to be commenting on the trail left behind when Yu Hyun had dragged in the two he’d already killed.
“Hey! Wrap it up and get out here already! It’s time for the shift change, you bastards!”
“…….”
“These fuckers—are they really that pussy-whipped?!”
With no response to his calls, irritation crept into the voice outside.
And then...
Bam!
The door they’d closed flew wide open.
“Huh?”
The eyes of the hulking man clad in beast-hide garments swept across the huddled, trembling captives, then landed on the two corpses slumped against the far wall.
“W-What the...”
Thwuk!
The man’s words cut off abruptly.
A sharp wooden splinter protruded from his throat, right before his drooping eyes.
“Guh...”
He couldn’t even scream. The branch had pierced straight through his windpipe.
Thud.
“What’re you doing? Cover the kids’ eyes.”
The low voice that followed the door slamming shut even expressed concern for the children, lest they be traumatized by the gruesome sight.
Who the hell...?
The bandit strained to turn his head and see who had skewered his throat.
“People say the necks of these vile bastards are tough as iron wire.... Spot on.”
“...!”
A voice laced with quiet fury reached him, followed by the sensation of something twisting.
Crack.
The bandit never got a glimpse of Yu Hyun’s face. He died the instant Yu Hyun snapped his neck.
“Ptoo! You filthy dogs...”
Yu Hyun spat on the fallen corpse.
No time left now.
If the relief didn’t show, the ones on watch would get suspicious.
Creak.
Yu Hyun cracked the door open and scanned outside with sharp eyes.
First, draw their attention. Keep them from focusing on the shift change.
For starters... that watchtower.
“Got it. The watchtower collapsing is your signal.”
“Yes...”
The captives murmured low responses, terror-stricken by Yu Hyun’s blood-splattered, menacing figure, as they scrambled to their feet.
Whoosh!
Flinging the door wide, Yu Hyun snatched the torch illuminating the building and bolted toward the watchtower.
Thud-thud-thud-thud.
His rapid footprints scarred the snow as he charged, the torch’s flame tracing a fiery arc.
“Huh? What’s that?”
“What the hell?”
Was it the loud crunching of snow? The watchtower guards turned, spotted the flame, and peered intently.
Idiots. If you sensed something off, you should’ve rung the alarm bell right away.
But that stupidity sure is appreciated. Buys me at least a split-second more.
Thud!
Reaching the watchtower’s base, Yu Hyun dug his feet deep into the snow to halt abruptly.
“Hah!”
With a shout, he summoned his spirit energy from his heart in a surge.
Thump, thump-thump, rrrroar.
His heart pounded wildly, accelerating further as all his spirit energy erupted like a torrent with his blood, gathering fully into the fist pulled to his waist.
Boom!
His additional step quaked the ground violently, sinking in...
The rotational force from his ankle flowed through his waist to the twisting punch he unleashed.
Whirrr!
Boom.
The air tore with a deafening roar, and the twisted fist slammed into the wooden pillar supporting the watchtower.
“Wha-what the fuck?! Who’s that bastard? What the hell’s he doing?!”
As the bandits atop the wildly shaking tower flailed and lost their balance, Yu Hyun’s fist ground halfway around the wood’s surface.
Crrrack.
The moment his fist stopped, all the spirit energy gathered in his hand detonated at the friction point.
It was the Nangong fist taught by Nangong Seong—the Sword King who’d been his master before becoming his nephew—Exploding Thunder.
“Collapse.”
KABOOM!
The base shattered to splinters, and the now-unsupportive watchtower began crumbling toward the cliff.
“Fuck this shiiiit! Save meee...”
The few who jumped too late couldn’t escape, plummeting with the tower amid fading curses.
What? Save you? Bullshit.
Did you spare anyone who begged you like that?
“Now!”
Yu Hyun whipped his head around and bellowed. The captives burst from the building, plunging into the snow-choked forest.
Done.
From here on, I’ll stir up pure hell to keep every bandit eye glued to me!
Swoosh!
Yu Hyun immediately leaped to ignite the building where the people had been held.
Whoosh!
The straw and dry leaves where they’d lain caught instantly, flames leaping high as thick black smoke billowed upward.
No more delays.
Set fires everywhere before they swarm out.
That’ll scatter their attention.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
No time to think. Yu Hyun raced to the nearest building, stamping footprints in the snow.
“What? Fire?!”
One bandit, just dozing off inside, burst out.
But what he saw amid the surging flames was a massive fist.
Splat!
“Arrrgh!”
The vertically arcing punch delivered such intense shock that throbbing pain radiated through him.
Whish, boom.
The bandit, struck full-force in the face, flew back and crashed into the wall.
“W-What the...?”
The commotion roused more bandits from sleep; they stared at Yu Hyun blocking the entrance.
“What else? Your friendly neighborhood arsonist.”
“Huh?”
Yu Hyun’s silhouette lit another blaze, reflected in the bandits’ bulging eyes.
Fwoosh.
Acrid smoke filled the room in seconds.
“Damn it! Jump out the windows!”
With the doorway blocked, the bandits smashed windows and hurled themselves outside.
But there were too many. At least ten. Those who couldn’t escape at once screamed as flames licked onto their bodies.
“Fire! I’m burning! Aaaargh!”
Yu Hyun moved again.
He’d gone all-out from the start, so his already meager spirit energy was depleting fast—but he had to keep going.
“Where’s the bastard?! Grab him!”
Bandits pouring out windows gripped iron maces, axes, and gleaming sickles, searching for Yu Hyun.
“There! He’s heading to the main compound!”
The bandits gave chase.
But Yu Hyun had no intention of letting them group up.
Even if their individual skills were low, numbers made them a threat.
With sword aura—or at least phenomenon aura—he could spray qi blasts easily, but that was beyond him now.
He handled qi better than most, but didn’t have more of it.
All he could do was infuse his fists; he could only impart shock to direct contact points.
So he had to fight smart for this situation.
Every attack: sudden ambushes, no time for defense.
Chased by bandits, Yu Hyun set fire to whatever he could reach.
Soon, flames engulfed the area, smoke blanketing the sky.
* * *
“An-sae? W-What the hell is that?”
“Huh?”
Granny Shim, guarding the entrance, pointed at the distant commotion, blinking in shock.
“Fire... Gasp! Damn it! I knew something felt off!”
“…….”
“What’re you waiting for? Run, you idiot! Intruder! It’s what we missed!”
“...?”
“You think the chief’ll let us off?”
“...!”
Jeong An-sae’s puzzled look turned to horror at Granny Shim’s shout.
Abandoning the entrance, the two scrambled up the mountain path.
And...
“Now! Everyone, run!”
People burst from the underbrush, fleeing Botap Peak down the mountainside.
Once all were gone, the woman leading them gazed wistfully at the burning mountaintop.
Benefactor...
The thirty-ish man who’d risked his life to save them.
She hated leaving him alone, but what could she do?
Powerless housewife that she was, she couldn’t help or even join without becoming a burden.
Hesitating meant capture—and as a mother, she had to save her daughter in her arms first...
* * *
“Huff... huff...”
Yu Hyun heaved ragged breaths, chest burning.
Five buildings down.
More unburned structures remained, but the worst had happened: the bandits had finally banded together.
Facing them head-on with depleted spirit energy was impossible—but stopping wasn’t an option.
He’d burned some alive and snapped necks, but that was fewer than ten. Dozens left; pausing meant encirclement.
“Die, you fucker!”
Screee!
His snow-slogging feet slowed him, and three or four bandits caught up, slashing sickles from three directions.
Snik.
Yu Hyun leaped high, twisting horizontally midair to dodge, and plunged a hand into his bundle.
You fuckers.
Think I’ll go down easy?
You wouldn’t know, but I’ve got six utterly batshit masters.
Insane bunch.
But wanna know the craziest? Dark Heaven Hand Dang Sa-dog, that old fart from Sacheon Tang Clan who shoved me mercilessly into poison hell.
Of course, you’ve never heard of him. He’s just now barely making a name as Tang Clan’s junior expert.
So what’d that damn geezer teach me?
Curious?
Check this out.
“Eat this!”
Fwoosh!
Yu Hyun uncorked a small vial from his bundle and swung it, releasing a fine powder that billowed into the air.
“The bastard threw someth—Arrrgh! My eyes!”
“Gaaah!”
The bandits right on his tail inhaled the full dose, clutching their eyes and shrieking in agony.
How’s it taste?
Scattering powder and yang poison powder—causes rashes and hives. Got it from Uncle Jang.
No direct lethality; inner power would dispel it, but you’ll itch insane first.
My master Dang Sa-dog said:
“Poison? Why’s that cowardly? Don’t be stupid. Cowardly or not, dead is dead.”
And this too:
“Why toss the vial after one use? Wasteful. Use every damn bit.”
Exactly.
Crunch.
Landing, Yu Hyun gripped the vial in both hands and crushed it.
Shards pierced his palms, blood soaking through, but he flung the fragments at the oncoming bandits without hesitation.
Hidden weapons? Anything thrown counts!
Screee!
“Argh!”
“Gah!”
The vanguard bandits crumpled, limbs severed by the flying shards.
But poison and shards took out barely a dozen.
True to their ragtag bandit rep, they didn’t scatter in panic.
Outnumbered and tenacious, damn pests.
Clicking his tongue, Yu Hyun bolted again.
Not downward—but to the mountaintop, where the watchtower had stood.
To buy the people time, he had to hold these bastards longer.
“...!”
But suddenly, immense energy surged from the side.
Dodge... impossible.
Too fast.
Yu Hyun crossed his arms and drew his knees in, curling defensively.
Crack!
An impossible impact blasted him flying into the ground.
“Guh!”
Stopping meant death.
Grinding his teeth, Yu Hyun sprang up like a弹, bracing for the next.
But no follow-up came.
Even the chasing bandits halted in place.
“Who the hell are you?”
“…….”
A burly brute draped in tiger skin slung an iron cudgel over his shoulder, cocking his head to glare at Yu Hyun with a scowl.
“Who the fuck are you, you mangy cur?!”
“…….”
His bellow, veins unbulging, echoed thunderously, deafening all.
Yu Hyun scowled at the cudgel-wielder and the four figures stepping up behind him.
Shit. Experts after all.
Four of them...