Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Taking the Initiative (3)
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“You stole my money.”
“Pardon?”
“I can’t forgive that. Come at me.”
“...”
The surroundings fell silent in an instant.
Even So Ye-rin and Jeok Hwa-ryeon standing behind were taken aback by Cheongun’s sudden outburst.
No, hadn’t he handed over the money himself?
Cheongun’s utterly unexpected tantrum left bewilderment plain on everyone’s faces.
Kang Ho-cheon protested with a dumbfounded look.
“No, stole it? Didn’t you give it to me yourself, sir?!”
“I didn’t give it. I only handed it over to save my life from your threats.”
At those words, Kang Ho-cheon jumped in alarm and hastily thrust the silver pouch back at Cheongun.
“I don’t need it! Take it back!”
“No.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?!”
“It’s right here.”
“That makes no sense...”
“It does.”
“It doesn’t! I told you several times it was fine!”
“Shut up. Be quiet. Just take the beating.”
Kang Ho-cheon’s anger began to boil over.
This mad bastard for real!
This was beyond insane.
You had to know when to double down!
He’d even offered to let them go without taking the money—why the hell was he flipping out?!
So Ye-rin and Jeok Hwa-ryeon, watching the scene, exchanged words between themselves.
“Tsk tsk. Up close like this, he really is one of a kind.”
“What’s new? Hasn’t our sect leader been like this forever?”
“True. He barged into the Filth Gate claiming he was their gate lord.”
“Not just them—the Darkwood Sect too. Wait. He’s not planning to take over the Green Forest too, is he?”
At Jeok Hwa-ryeon’s question, So Ye-rin stroked her chin.
“Who knows. Even he might not go that far. The seventy-two Green Forest strongholds aren’t something you make enemies of lightly.”
“They’re just bandits, aren’t they?”
“The King of the Green Forest isn’t just any bandit. He’s an absolute master who’s surpassed the wall.”
“Our sect leader’s a madman who’s surpassed the wall.”
“...Fair point.”
The bandits’ faces paled at So Ye-rin and Jeok Hwa-ryeon’s casual exchange.
What the hell was going on here?
Even so, was he really thinking of turning the entire Green Forest against him?
“Alright, let’s die.”
Regardless, Cheongun’s hand shot toward the sky.
His sword tip gleamed in the sunlight before slashing down.
Gazing up at the falling blade, Kang Ho-cheon cried out in shock.
“Why are you doing this?! Is it right to bully an innocent junior like me?!”
“You’ve got a lot to say for someone who stole my innocent silver.”
“I didn’t steal it!”
“No, you did.”
“Didn’t I say I’d return it?!”
“That’s only because I’m stronger than you. If I were weaker, do you think you’d have given it back? I guarantee you wouldn’t. You’d have tried to kill me for even more. That’s what bandits are. Stealing from the weak to fill your bellies—that’s your trade, isn’t it?”
Those words made Kang Ho-cheon bristle despite himself.
“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing too?!”
“Me? Robbing the weak? When?”
“You’re trying to rob us by force right now!”
Cheongun shook his head.
“This isn’t robbery. It’s bloody retribution to reclaim my stolen money. You could’ve avoided this if you hadn’t taken it.”
“No, who forced it on us and calls it stealing?!”
“I only gave in to your threats of tolls.”
“Then what if I hadn’t taken it?!”
“I would’ve gotten revenge for you daring to refuse my goodwill.”
“You son of a...”
That was when it happened.
Kwaaa—!
Visible azure thunder qi poured from Cheongun’s entire body.
“Urk!”
Kang Ho-cheon, closest, let out a scream the moment it touched him and tumbled backward.
Cheongun spoke as if regretful.
“Hard to believe, but I really don’t want to kill you.”
Then just let me live, right?
Reading Kang Ho-cheon’s mind, Cheongun continued.
“Even if I live half unhinged, killing people isn’t fun. So why am I so set on killing you?”
“...Why?”
“Because you’re a piece of shit. Why? Plenty of reasons. Maybe it’s your ugly mug, or you yapping in front of me when I was in a good mood. But those are secondary. The real reason? You’re a bandit.”
“...That’s unfair. We don’t do this because we like it. To survive somehow...”
Cheongun snorted.
“Bullshit. You became bandits for one reason: it’s the easiest way. Too proud to beg like beggars, too lazy to work honestly under someone. Out of all the paths, you picked banditry. Nothing beats leeching off others.”
“...”
“Plenty pick the easy path over the right one. Most have some底线. But scum like you? No line at all.”
Cheongun pointed at Kang Ho-cheon.
“You live for your own convenience, morals be damned. You’re just bandits now, but humans adapt—even to trash behavior. It becomes normal. Right and wrong blur away.”
Visibly stung, Kang Ho-cheon protested.
“...What do you even know to judge so easily?”
“I know plenty. A guy groveling this pathetically to survive? Obviously too proud for honest work, so he turns to banditry.”
Cheongun clicked his tongue.
“Above all, I’ve got history with the Green Forest.”
“What...?”
In truth, Cheongun did have deep ties to the Green Forest.
It was back in his fresh twenties.
Back then, Cheongun wasn’t some old-timer—he was just a new player in the game Azure Wind Saga.
Of course, it hadn’t been easy.
The infamous newbie-cutter in Azure Wind Saga was none other than the Green Forest bandits.
What defined ancient China?
Vast continents and endless mountain ranges.
Traveling meant crossing mountains daily, but bandits always ambushed, shattering the spirits of Cheongun and other newbies.
He’d slammed his desk more than once.
Every route was the same.
Cross a range, and they swarmed for loot.
Tolls were the least of it—most killed without hesitation.
Bandits who lived off others were hopeless.
Even this Yunbong Mountain Stronghold crew—he’d run into them countless times in the original game.
And gotten robbed every time.
Not just robbed—killed, one hundred out of one hundred.
Cheongun’s conclusion was simple.
“The only good bandit is a dead bandit.”
“...”
Cheongun strode forward.
With each step, azure thunder qi flashed in the air.
The pressure of this utterly madman radiating killing intent was enough to make one faint.
Kang Ho-cheon agonized.
This guy had no intention of letting him live.
A few exchanges confirmed it.
He’d suspected as much.
So Kang Ho-cheon had prepared.
“...”
With a subtle glance, the bandits who’d hidden in the brush nodded signals back.
In that instant, bandits darted behind Jeok Hwa-ryeon and So Ye-rin, pressing blades to their necks.
The women seemed martial, but nothing special—and if this failed, Kang Ho-cheon was done.
And sure enough.
Cheongun stopped at the sight, blinking.
...Did it work? It worked?
Kang Ho-cheon sneaked peeks at Cheongun’s face, about to smirk triumphantly—
“!!!”
Jeok Hwa-ryeon thrust her palm, and with a splat—like a bursting watermelon—the bandit’s head exploded.
“...”
“...”
Kang Ho-cheon met Cheongun’s eyes.
Kang Ho-cheon gave an awkward haha laugh, and Cheongun haha’d back.
Haha.
Hahaha.
Hahahahaha...
“Sir, hear me out first...”
“Really. I didn’t want to kill you.”
“Spare me once, and I’ll quit banditry and head down the mountain right now...”
“Hot. Why’s it so hot? Sweating, sticky, feverish. The heat’s driving me mad.”
“Sir! I’ve sinned gravely! I swear to heaven...”
Before he could finish.
Cheongun thrust his palm; it hit Kang Ho-cheon’s face with a splat, exploding his head like a watermelon.
A moment later, Cheongun looked up at the sky.
Snow was falling from the heavens.
“...Summer, huh.”
It was the first snow.