Whirlwind Ghost
BAM! Namgoong Juhee's fist slammed down on Hwangbo Un's head. A force somewhere between playful teasing and outright insult. Tears welled up in Hwangbo Un's eyes from the solid knuckle sandwich.
"Guhhh… haha! Sojeo, that hand of yours packs a burn."
Even then, he didn't lose his grin. Impressive durability. No wonder the Hwangbo Clan is a powerhouse, Namgoong Juhee thought as she raised her fist again.
"Want more?"
"Haha! I'll pass on that."
"Good. Then hand over the gold nice and easy. No bloodshed that way."
Hwangbo Un laughed in disbelief. Where did she get off talking like that? Like some roughneck guy her age. Any lingering rational curiosity about Namgoong Juhee died in his head right there.
Still, her straightforwardness wasn't half bad. A thousand times better than those scheming girls from his clan who faked smiles while eyeing his family and fortune.
"Gold, huh… This is all I've got on me right now."
This time, Hwangbo Un actually pulled something from his robes and tossed it to Namgoong Juhee.
"Ooh, heavy."
Namgoong Juhee caught the gleaming object. Solid weight, premium texture. A silver ingot.
"Silver ingot? Isn't this pricey?"
"Haha! Never worried about money in my life."
"Tch… Lucky bastard. Thanks anyway."
Namgoong Juhee stuffed the silver ingot into her bosom. Decent quest reward, she figured.
If she'd known its real value, she wouldn't have been so casual. In modern Korean won, one of those ingots was worth about 100 million. Like winning a 100-million-won bet. A glimpse into the Hwangbo Clan's clout.
"So, Sojeo. What's next on your agenda? Come to think of it, I haven't heard."
"Oh, didn't I say? I'm off to take down a Maegumdan elder. Name's…"
"Whirlwind Ghost."
"Yeah, that guy. Whirlwind Ghost. Looked pretty tough."
"Hmm… Sojeo. If you're talking about the Whirlwind Ghost of Maegumdan, I'd advise against it."
Hwangbo Un's face turned dead serious.
"Maegumdan elders aren't pushovers. On par with their grand master, the Dark Sword."
"So? I already beat that Hwangbo Gang guy."
"Don't think ill of me, but the grand master was off his game. At full strength? I'd say you'd have a hard time beating him."
"Hm. You admitted you're pathetic, so I'll let that slide."
"Appreciated."
"But I love a strong opponent. Weaklings are boring."
"Fun… You mean that?"
"Yeah."
No lie in Namgoong Juhee's eyes. She meant every word.
Bosses gotta taste like bosses. Weak ones? No thrill. If anything, Hwangbo Un's warning just fired up her fighting spirit. That's why she bounced on her toes and marched on.
"Hup-cha!"
"Namgung Sojeo, you're really going?"
"Yeah, I said I am. You, Hwangbo…"
"Hwangbo Un."
"Right, Young Master Hwangbo Un. Scared? Head back to your grand master. Catch you later if we cross paths."
"Young master…"
"Young master" was what Hwangbo Un hated most. It dismissed his heir position as mere bloodline privilege.
He'd earned it through skill, climbed to Peak Realm through effort. And he'd wandered the jianghu on his own for a decade now. No reason to be called "young master."
Never mind where the training grounds and funds came from. People always think what suits them.
"Hahaha! Me, scared? This Hwangbo Un?"
"Oh, not you? My bad. Some NPCs are total cowards. Thought you fit the vibe, Young Master Hwangbo Un."
"NPC… No idea what that means. But your weird speech habits? Crystal clear."
"So, what're you gonna do?"
"Namgung Sojeo. One thing: I'm stronger than you. Stronger than that Whirlwind Ghost punk, too."
"Oho."
"Let's go. I'll show you what I can do. Try not to fall for me too hard."
Hwangbo Un said it and fell in step behind Namgoong Juhee. Not because some no-name squad went AWOL. He needed Whirlwind Ghost's head to save face.
Definitely not mad about "young master." Hwangbo Un told himself that.
…
"Channel Head! The Iron Dragon Squad's been wiped out!"
"Torrent Squad too. Right flank's wide open."
"Just now, the Pasture Squad got annihilated. One masked kid and Hwangbo Clan's young master Hwangbo Un—they charged in."
"Son of a…"
Captain Hook swore. He hadn't expected the armed squads to hit so hard so soon, or that masked hero tale to be real.
"Channel Head, we can't take Wuhu like this. We need Maegumdan's help…"
"Fuck yeah! Aren't Maegumdan guys embedded in each squad?"
"Uh… well…"
"They are. Promised one first-rate per squad. But wiped out by two greenhorns?"
"They're not first-rates, right? Our channel only has two. The rest came from HQ…"
"Goddamn it! How am I supposed to face the Grand Channel Head now?!"
The Yangtze Eighteen Waterway Strongholds kept tighter hierarchy than bandits, thanks to the Black Dragon King, the so-called Grand Channel Head.
He'd subjugated every waterway stronghold by force, slaughtering the defiant. Survivors learned to obey. Natural selection.
Anyway. The Grand Channel Head wouldn't let this slide. He wanted no one touching his waterways, starting with Wuhu under his thumb.
So he'd conscripted from every stronghold. The strongest available. A waterway all-star team: three Peak Realm, twenty first-rates, fifty second-rates, a hundred third-rates.
Not enough? Hired ten Maegumdan first-rates. Overkill for Wuhu. Foolproof.
"Two greenhorns… fuck!"
BAM!
An innocent desk became collateral. A messenger in front got a splinter in his eye, half-blind. Namgoong Juhee's feat from ten li away.
"You! Tell the idiots outside. Lose to some brats, and I'll kill you myself."
"Ch-Channel Head. Where are you—"
"Meeting Whirlwind Ghost. Shape up, or you're dead."
"Y-yes, sir!"
The Channel Head stomped out, floor cracking. As frivolous as Namgoong Juhee. BAM! He flung the door open.
"What the fuck, Whirlwind Ghost! What's going on?!"
"Hm? Channel Head, something wrong?"
The reply dripped with dignity. Neat white hair, wrinkles etched with experience. Reading documents by moonlight like a painting. A true master.
"Right flank's breached! Six armed squads gone! Didn't you plant Maegumdan experts?!"
"Mm, yes. Sent one first-rate disciple per squad."
"Fuck, then why'd they breach? You send high-realm weaklings?"
"Hmmm…"
The white-haired master stroked his beard.
"Doesn't add up. Maegumdan can't sell subpar swords. Some were near-Peak."
"Fucking hell. Talk's cheap. It happened. So move your fat ass! Go kill 'em yourself!"
"Sorry, but our contract doesn't cover that."
"What?"
Whirlwind Ghost tidied his papers and leaned back. Classic old-man reading pose.
"Here it is. Party A pays ten guan of gold. Party B dispatches ten first-rates. One Peak Realm as quality inspector."
"…"
"I'm just the inspector. Goods checked out fine. No obligation to fight."
"You crazy old fuck! It's gone to shit! Fix it!"
Whirlwind Ghost eyed the raging man with pity. Then lifted his sheathed sword slightly.
"Crazy old fuck, huh. True. I'm seventy now. Thought joining Maegumdan might reverse my age with some swordplay. Still waiting."
"Old man, I didn't ask. I want this solved."
"Listen, young friend. Waste your last moments like this?"
"Wha—"
Only then did Captain Hook see Whirlwind Ghost properly in the moonlight.
Calm eyes, but sword energy swirled bloodthirsty. Signature of his demonic art, Heart Devourment Technique.
Heart in Heart Devourment meant literal hearts. Substitute spirit pills with human hearts.
Efficient. Pills cost a fortune; hearts littered cities. Easiest qi-building method.
Downside: Savage temper, craving human flesh. Whirlwind Ghost looked the refined elder, but inside? A heart-mad butcher.
"Uh… uh…"
"For reversal, need massive qi and insight. Got the latter ages ago. Just need more qi now."
"You fucking old—"
Captain Hook's sword flowed with soft qi. Unbandit-like purity. Clearly no low-realm scrub.
But.
SPLAT!
"Guhhhk!"
"Wonder what your heart tastes like. Can't wait."
Whirlwind Ghost's sword pierced the bandit's heart in a blink. Too fast for human eyes. As Captain Hook died, he caught the last words.
"Wiping out my handpicked disciples… Their hearts must be exquisite. Whew, lucky day."