Chapter 258: Raid of the Northern Wind Unit-3
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 258: Raid of the Northern Wind Unit-3
"Listen, girl. Do you really have a death wish?"
Pi Sang-deuk spoke to her in a voice thick with murderous intent, his brow furrowed deeply.
"Who in this world truly wishes for death? I am no different."
Despite his lethal aura, Neung So-hwa replied with an air of utter composure.
"How strange. A bitch who claims she doesn't want to die is practically begging for it."
Pi Sang-deuk growled at her words.
"I find it strange as well. I don't recall ever making such a plea," Neung So-hwa replied, tilting her head as if genuinely puzzled.
Her attitude only served to incense Pi Sang-deuk further.
"You really have no concept of watching your tongue, do you?"
"What exactly should I be careful of?"
"Of getting on my nerves."
Pi Sang-deuk’s eyes glinted with a murderous light as he continued.
"And why is that?" she asked, sounding curious.
"What!?" Pi Sang-deuk barked back, dumbfounded by her question.
"Are you the Emperor?"
"What kind of bullshit is that!"
"Or perhaps you are the wealthiest man under heaven?"
"What the hell are you trying to say!?"
"Or are you, perhaps, the World's Greatest Martial Artist?"
"You little bitch!!!"
Pi Sang-deuk snapped, unleashing an explosive wave of murderous aura.
However, Neung So-hwa brushed off the pressure with a calm expression and continued.
"If you are none of those things, why do you expect to be treated with such deference?"
She glared at Pi Sang-deuk, her voice turning cold. She truly couldn't understand it. She had never imagined that someone who possessed nothing would dare demand such respect.
"You are nothing. So, do not even dream of being treated as someone important."
Neung So-hwa stared at him with a flat, indifferent gaze.
The merchants who overheard her reckless words stood with their mouths agape. What on earth was she saying? Did she even realize who she was talking to? Or had she finally lost her mind out of sheer terror? Countless thoughts raced through their heads.
"Heh."
On the other hand, Pi Sang-deuk let out a hollow laugh. He had heard something entirely unexpected.
He had spent half his life as a famous chivalrous hero, and the other half as a thrill-seeking murderer. When had he ever been treated with such insignificance? And by a mere slip of a girl, no less.
It had been a long time since he’d been looked down upon like this. No one had treated him this way since his father—the man whose life he had taken with his own hands as a child.
Yes. Not since his father.
"Haah... haah... haah..."
Suddenly, Pi Sang-deuk felt an indescribable surge of excitement and ecstasy. The thought of being treated as worthless by this woman brought back memories of his father, his very first victim.
A person's first experience is always special, often glorified above all else. It was the same for Pi Sang-deuk. He felt that if he killed this woman, he might experience the same extreme pleasure he felt when he first killed his father.
"Haah... haah... haah."
His breathing grew ragged, and his erect dick strained even further toward the heavens. He wanted to turn that dignified tone of hers into whimpering cries of agony.
"Haah... I can't let a bitch like you die easily..."
Sshhhk.
Trembling with excitement, Pi Sang-deuk pulled his sword out of Chief Ma’s shoulder.
"Aaargh!"
Chief Ma let out a pained groan as the blade left his flesh. Intense pain washed over him.
"First, let's see what kind of high-and-mighty face you're hiding."
Pi Sang-deuk flicked his sword lightly toward her.
Snap.
The veil covering her face was sliced clean, fluttering away into the wind. Her beautiful features were revealed for all to see.
The first things to catch the eye were her flame-red hair and red eyebrows. Then came her haughty eyes and a straight, sharp nose that looked as if it had been carved by a blade. It was a stunning appearance that even the term "Peerless Beauty" failed to fully capture.
"Ah...!"
"Heh...!"
"My god...!"
Those who saw her face let out collective gasps of admiration. It was the kind of beauty one might see only once in a lifetime. Her red hair, a rarity not just in the Central Plains but even in the North Sea, felt more mystical than alien.
Her slightly upturned, haughty eyes exuded an innate dignity, a coldness that naturally provoked a man's desire for conquest. And her lips—red and alluringly shimmering—made one's heart flutter strangely.
Gulp.
The merchants swallowed hard, momentarily forgetting their fear of death. Even when they had only caught glimpses of her curvaceous figure, she had stirred their lust. Now that her face was revealed, their hearts began to pound uncontrollably.
".........Haah."
Pi Sang-deuk’s heart was racing as well. The moment he saw her face, he felt a surge of extreme arousal.
Beautiful. Even that word was insufficient to describe her transcendental beauty. Furthermore, the nobility and arrogance she exuded only drove Pi Sang-deuk further into a frenzy.
"Heh... I wondered what you were relying on, and it turns out it was just a pretty face."
Pi Sang-deuk spoke with a hollow chuckle. Seeing her face, he finally understood why she remained so arrogant and haughty in front of a formidable master like himself. A woman with such transcendent beauty had every right to be. Even he, who usually only felt pleasure through murder, felt a stir of carnal lust.
It was a first for him. He had killed countless people, including many who were considered beauties. But he had never once committed rape. He had always preferred thrusting a blade into a hole rather than his rod.
But now, he wanted to put his rod in her. Violently.
"Girl, I'll make a special exception and take you as my sex slave."
Pi Sang-deuk spoke as if he were being generous. For a man who pursued nothing but unconditional slaughter, this was an immense favor. Until now, no woman had ever shared a bed with Pi Sang-deuk and lived.
"I refuse. Who do you think you are to claim you will use this lady as a slave?"
Neung So-hwa glared at him with a haughty expression, her voice unwavering.
"Haah... You really don't disappoint."
Pi Sang-deuk grew even more excited by her blunt insults. He felt that the rougher she acted now, the greater the pleasure would be later.
Thump. Thump.
Pi Sang-deuk walked toward her slowly. He intended to strike her acupoints and take her back to his hideout.
"Stop right there!"
However, he was forced to halt his steps. A man's shout rang out from behind her.
"Chief Escort!"
"Chief Escort Kwak Man!"
"The Seven Star Sword!"
The merchants brightened, welcoming the man with relief. Kwak Man, the Seven Star Sword, was the head escort overseeing this entire caravan. He was also the top master representing the Seven Star Escort Agency. How could they not rejoice at the appearance of their strongest fighter? Hope began to flicker in the merchants' eyes.
"You vile wretch!"
Having finally reached the rear of the caravan, Kwak Man glared at Pi Sang-deuk and roared. His voice thundered with authority.
"Haah... I don't know why there are so many interruptions today."
Pi Sang-deuk sighed and muttered to himself. This was already the third time he had been prevented from doing what he wanted. He could feel his irritation rising.
"You filthy bandit! I shall personally cut you down with my sword!"
Whether he sensed Pi Sang-deuk’s mood or not, Kwak Man continued to shout as he stared him down.
"Did the vanguard all fall?" Pi Sang-deuk asked nonchalantly, looking at Kwak Man.
"Hahahaha! The Seven Star Escort Agency is not so weak as to fall to mere bandits!"
Kwak Man burst into a boisterous laugh. Of course, they had suffered significant losses while fighting the Northern Wind Unit—one escort leader, five escorts, and nine porters had been killed—but Kwak Man didn't care. To him, the honor of not losing to bandits was what mattered most.
"Ho, so you're not completely incompetent then."
Pi Sang-deuk let out a small sound of admiration.
"Then die now."
Swish!
He lunged forward, his sword piercing through.
"Gack."
Kwak Man let out a strangled cry as Pi Sang-deuk’s sword impaled his throat. His eyes shook uncontrollably as he looked down at the blade buried in his neck. He couldn't believe it. He, who had reached the Upper Stage of the Peak Realm, had been pierced through the throat before he could even react.
"Sorry. You're just not my type."
Pi Sang-deuk offered a mock apology as he looked into the man's disbelieving eyes. This shallow man was not to his liking. Men so steeped in bravado and a thirst for glory were predictable; they always ended up begging for their lives when things got dire.
He preferred people like Chief Ma or Seok-gyu—those who held onto their convictions with steady eyes. He felt an indescribable pleasure when he watched those convictions slowly break under the terror of death. That was why he controlled his strength when killing such people—to let them feel the fear of death for as long as possible.
But this man was different. He detested men full of empty bravado who only cared for honor. Thus, he showed no mercy. He simply ran him through quickly.
"Gurgle... gurgle... krrrk."
Thud.
Kwak Man, his throat pierced by Pi Sang-deuk’s sword, made a series of wet, bubbling noises before his body went limp. He was dead.
"Hmph."
Confirming the kill, Pi Sang-deuk yanked his sword out.
Flop.
Kwak Man’s corpse tumbled to the ground.
"............"
"............"
"............"
The merchants, including Seok-gyu, were speechless. Kwak Man, the Seven Star Sword and the top master of Beijing's finest escort agency, had been killed in a single, pathetic stroke. What was there left to say?
Soon, despair began to cloud their eyes. They realized that no matter what they did, they could not escape this situation. If the strongest fighter in the caravan had been struck down in one move, what could they possibly do?
"Now then, shall we get back to what we were doing?"
Pi Sang-deuk sheathed his sword, turned around, and spoke with a bright smile.
Shiver.
The merchants felt a chill run down their spines. They saw that he was genuinely enjoying himself.
Step. Step.
Pi Sang-deuk slowly approached Neung So-hwa. He reached out and gently grabbed her chin. Neung So-hwa tried to pull away, but she couldn't break free from his iron grip.
".......Truly a peerless beauty."
Seeing her up close, Pi Sang-deuk marveled again. She had been beautiful from a distance, but up close, her beauty shone even more brilliantly.
"Let go."
Neung So-hwa spoke with an air of command, even with her chin held in his hand.
"Still so haughty."
Pi Sang-deuk let out a hollow laugh at her defiance. Whether she was stupid or just naive, he found it amusing that she maintained her pride even in this situation.
Click.
It was then. A strange, metallic sound echoed from below.
BOOM!
A sound like a thunderclap erupted, followed immediately by a massive surge of pain in his lower abdomen. Pi Sang-deuk quickly channeled his Protective Qi, but he couldn't offset the massive shockwave and was sent flying backward.
"AAAAAAARGH!!!!!"
Screaming from the immense impact to his gut, Pi Sang-deuk crashed straight into a wagon behind him.
Crash! Bang! Thud!
His entire upper body was buried in the wagon, with only his legs dangling outside.
The merchants stood with their mouths hanging open. They had wondered what she was relying on to act so boldly, but they never imagined she could blow that terrifying man away in a single move.
Clatter.
"Ugh!"
A sound of something dropping was followed by Neung So-hwa’s groan. The merchants, who had been staring at Pi Sang-deuk’s legs sticking out of the wagon, turned their heads toward her.
Neung So-hwa was down on one knee, clutching her red, swollen right hand with her left. In front of her lay a strange object they had never seen before.
Curious, the merchants looked closer. It was a piece of iron with a handle small enough to be held in one hand. At the front of the iron block were two holes, each about the size of two fingers. Smoke was rising from them, suggesting that the explosion had originated there.
Seok-gyu, the chief merchant, also stared intently at the object. He felt as if he had seen it somewhere before. Then, his face began to turn pale. He had spotted the character 'Heaven' (天) engraved in the middle of the iron.
"The Heavenly Thunder!?!?"
He shouted the name before he could stop himself. Every merchant's gaze snapped toward him.