Madwoman's Rampage and the Red Blade's Fury
It had been a full three shichen—six hours—since Hwangbo Un set out with Namgoong Juhee to hunt the Whirlwind Ghost. And in that time, he realized one crucial fact.
"Lady Namgoong, is this the right way?"
"Hmm, maybe not here. Oh? Bandits over there."
"Lady Namgoong, this is the eighth time already. Do we even have the stamina left to catch the Whirlwind Ghost... Lady? Lady!"
The fact that Namgoong Juhee was a total lunatic!
This was premium intel—valuable enough to sell to the Beggars' Sect or the Darkened Moon right now. The kind of info known only to the Namgoong household servants. Of course, anyone sticking with her for even a quarter hour—fifteen minutes—would figure it out quick enough.
"Die, you trash mobs! Clear the path!"
"Haa..."
Didn't she say they were going after the Whirlwind Ghost? What was this about some Sword Squadron? She was just butchering every bandit in sight.
Wasting stamina like this—what good was it against the Whirlwind Ghost? And even if they caught him, then what? It made no sense to Hwangbo Un's common sense. She was utterly incomprehensible.
"Crazy. That crazy bitch—what the hell is she? Everyone, battle stations!"
"Lady Namgoong, the bandits coming our way have a bad vibe! Three first-rate, and the rest at least second-rate!"
Whatever. Namgoong Juhee was thrilled.
Look at all that XP! The hit feedback, the loot drops too. Can't just skip this as a gamer.
"Okay. Playing it like that, huh?"
"What bullshit...?"
Juhee's hand, gripping the Noksu sword, twitched faintly. At the same instant—twitch! Twitch! Two first-rate bandits froze mid-motion.
"One serving of Emperor Sword Form, coming up!"
"What the—!"
"Gah! Dodge, you have to—!"
A technique that'd pull at least SSR+ in any gacha game. Slash! Boom!
The two first-rates lost their lives in a flash.
Slash was the sound of necks getting severed by sword. Boom! was the sound of balls exploding.
Just death. And death as a man. Bandit morale plummeted.
"H-Huh? Brother Susam! Sister Seoknan!"
"Not over yet. Don't you know that's a death flag?"
Splat!
The last first-rate's head caved in. A textbook cliché death. You were supposed to play it safe, watch for an opening, then bolt when others died.
"Lady Namgoong! Behind you!"
"Hm?"
Juhee turned at Hwangbo Un's shout. Oh. One bandit who hadn't flinched at the sight held his sword ready.
"Die, you bi—!"
"Okay, you pass. You've got talent."
Clang!
Namgoong Juhee's slender foot kicked the bandit's sword aside. Then—crunch! She grabbed his throat and hoisted him up. Not some fancy technique—just a plain old collar grab.
And with mock seriousness, she spoke.
"Your courage is admirable. What's your name?"
"M-Mokpae. Mokpae, milady."
"Indeed. Seeing your spirit and valor, I wish to reward you. Will you accept?"
p>Mokpae's eyes lit with hope. He suddenly recalled that orthodox masters didn't slaughter recklessly.
Maybe I can live?
His dead siblings would have scoffed if they saw.
"J-Just spare me—cough—just spare me, and I'll serve you loyally till death!"
"Good. First reward: my finger shoved into your solar plexus, stroking your guts. Take it?"
"N-No! No!"
"Then second: stroking your head. Right through the skull to your brain. How's that?"
"Great hero! Please! Have mercy!"
"Good boy, Mokpae. Have both!"
Juhee's sword pierced the bandit's solar plexus. Her hand simultaneously crushed his skull. Mokpae got his reward in full.
"Phew... That do it?"
"Whew! Lady Namgoong, your hands are ruthless. Isn't this your first time out in the martial world?"
"Yeah. So?"
"No, nothing. Better than rookies trembling at corpses."
"It's a game—gotta try killing 'em this way and that. Slack on combos, and you get weeded out."
"......Lady, catch the fleeing bandits at least."
"Huh? Those fucking bastards. My DPS is tanking!"
What followed was one-sided slaughter. Runt bandits fleeing for dear life after losing their boss couldn't escape two Peak realm experts.
Namgoong Juhee's sword, Hwangbo Un's fists. Young prodigies who could stand proud anywhere in the world. Lowly bandits? No chance.
Thus, another bandit squad was wiped out. Eight of ten today gone—their dream of expanding river forts was off to the afterlife.
"Lady Namgoong!"
Hwangbo Un approached after finishing the last straggler.
"Oh, done?"
"No injuries, I see. Good."
"Psh, this? Barely a warm-up."
"Hm. You look pretty sweaty for 'warm-up.'"
"Ah, sweat? Damn. Wish I had a towel. Couldn't bring Seonan this far."
With that, Namgoong Juhee shrugged off her outer robe. She wrung it out like a rag—splash—a waterfall of sweat poured forth. Stamina really is my weak point, she admitted to herself.
"Lady, you have no shame."
"Eh, pretty much. And you're not exactly ogling."
"Haha! Lady, honestly, after everything, it's hard to see you as a woman. Though for a political marriage, a powerhouse like you would be welcome anytime."
That was why Namgoong Juhee didn't push Hwangbo Un away. She liked his vibe, but it was more bro-to-bro than romantic.
Why ditch a comfy ally NPC? She didn't hate support characters—preferred them, actually. Especially rich, helpful ones like him.
"Pfft, bullshit. I ain't into guys. Maybe for an achievement grind in my old age."
"Achievement grind? You say the weirdest things, Lady."
"Don't worry your data-speck brain about it."
Juhee laughed brightly, slipping her robe back on.
"Alright, time to move."
"Lady... Hate to say it, but aren't you being too reckless?"
"Do I look reckless?"
"Frankly, yes. Charging head-on instead of stealth for the Whirlwind Ghost? Picking off every bandit squad? I can't make sense of it."
Sharp analysis. Especially given her past behavior.
"Ah, come on. You think I'm some braindead idiot?"
"Frankly, yeah."
Crack!
Juhee's hand lit with fire—her dwindling inner energy in a knuckle-rap.
"Gahhh! Lady, that hurts!"
"Keep sassing me. Think I was just mindlessly farming trash?"
"Weren't you?"
"Duh. Listen up—what happens when we rampage like this?"
"Bandits get intel, beef up defenses."
Juhee wagged her index finger, clicking her tongue. Annoyingly smug.
"Dumbass. That's if they're playing defense. Why are we here? To stop the bandits invading Wuhu, right?"
"......Ah."
"Their forces are getting shredded. If you were the River Lord or Whirlwind Ghost, would you wanna come here? Think I've been rampaging brainlessly?"
Hwangbo Un was impressed. Thought she was clueless, but she had a plan.
In truth, his read was spot-on. Juhee had just been enjoying the mob grind, forgetting the Whirlwind Ghost entirely.
But words are what you make 'em. After the fact, you twist it till "Oh yeah?" clicks. Pure old-lady bullshit.
"Impressively deep scheme. Unexpected."
"Skip the 'unexpected.' Want another flick?"
"Politely decline. Hurts, and your inner energy's running low anyway."
"Yup. Phew... This damn stamina. Gotta rest till that Whirlwind Ghost prick shows."
With that, Juhee flopped onto the ground. Un-warriorlike, un-ladylike. Hwangbo Un cringed.
"I'll scout around then. Might be stragglers."
"Yeah, thanks."
"Your manners..."
Thwack!
A pebble to the head, and Hwangbo Un finally left.
...
"Hoo..."
Winter past, spring here. Yet the Yangtze night stayed cold.
Hwangbo Un tugged his collar, circulating inner energy for warmth. Spring finally felt real. Perfect for reflection.
"Lady Namgoong. You're a riot."
He quietly reviewed the day.
First sight: thought she was a boy. Namgoong in decline, using even kids for bandit hunts.
Changed after subduing Hwangbo Yeon and Uncle Gang. The Ironsteel Squad was top-tier in Hwangbo—even he couldn't match Strong Fist in power. Yet she crushed him in one move.
More striking: her face after the mask cracked. Girl not fully grown, but that smile had allure. Why he ditched his escorts to tag along.
But now? Face and skills aside, everything weird. Speech more buddy than girl, actions too.
Still, time with her was fun. No pretense? Or treating her like a peer guy?
Both, he figured. Treating a nineteen-year-old girl like a bro—weird? Or grateful for basic respect?
Hwangbo Un chuckled. Imagined Juhee raising a fist quietly. As he stepped off, his gaze locked skyward.
"......"
Unnaturally fast, ominous red streak. Took no time recognizing sword qi.
Whirlwind Ghost's sword qi was red—info from the briefing. Thought just a trait then; seeing it now, the chill was beyond imagination.
Hwangbo Un turned toward its path. The spot he'd cleared of bandits earlier—where Juhee now sprawled recovering.
Fuck. King's aura surged fiercely from his feet. Boom! He kicked off, becoming a blur himself.
Could he match Whirlwind Ghost's speed? No way. His movement art was superior realm, body too. Whirlwind Ghost stronger than rumored. Judgment made, a booming voice shook the sky.
"Whirlwind Ghost! You old beast—over here!"
The ominous glow didn't miss it. Boom! A white-haired elder halted before him.
"Ho, a young expert. No mask—you must be Hwangbo Un."
"Don't sully that name with your filthy mouth, you mercenary hack."
"Cheeky brat. Hwangbo sells swords for gold too—just fancier. You're green yet."
"Junior? Try the market for yours."
"I like that mouth."
No sooner said, a red line slashed through the dark.
Boom!
True swift sword! Speed and power worthy of "Whirlwind."
"......!"
"Heh, broadening your horizons, junior."
"Whew. Surprised, but not that much."
His feigned ease shone—prestige of a famed house, confidence in skill.
"Then take this, junior."
Boom! Clang! Booom!
Fist met sword, echoes over the Yangtze. Seemed even, but Hwangbo Un was getting crushed. His eyes couldn't track the speed.
Bad matchup. He trusted his fists against flowing soft sword or crushing hard sword. But this speed? Untouchable. Barely blocking.
"Hitting your limit."
"Bullshit!"
"No bullshit. You know it best."
Red lines scarred his thick muscles, blood trickling. Too fast—even veins cut unnoticed. Body bathed in blood.
Winning impossible now. Escape tough. Pray Lady Namgoong fled.
"Die, Hwangbo whelp. I'll savor your heart."
"Haa, fuck."
Red-glow sword thrust straight. Fastest sword in his rivers-and-lakes life. This is it, he sensed his end.
But no.
Claaang!
A fresh, clear ring blocked it.
How? Man's strike was Peak realm—swift, fierce, destructive. And she blocked it?
Hwangbo Un looked up slowly.
Legs slim as if snapping under a tap. Upward: sweat-soaked clothes clung to pert, tempting hips. Higher: slender waist, graceful curves. Following them revealed—she hadn't just blocked.
Her mask shattered by impact, Namgoong Juhee's feral grin gleamed. And a cheeky line.
"Young master, you owe me now, right?"
Hwangbo Un's face flushed to his ears.