Chapter 12
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: The Three Dogs of Henan
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Back in his ronin days, a tavern wasn't just a place for food and lodging; it was a den of vipers.
It was the epicenter of every incident, the starting point of all trouble.
Yet, he couldn't avoid them. As a third-rate ronin, he had no other reliable source of information. Taverns were his only connection to the outside world.
Whenever he had no choice but to enter one, Ha Yuseong had to be on high alert.
Even so, nine times out of ten, trouble would break out.
Just like now.
Back then, as a third-rate ronin, Ha Yuseong’s best options were to quickly find a corner, curl up as small as possible, and either wait for the storm to pass or run away.
But paradoxically, it was also in a tavern that Ha Yuseong first dreamed of becoming a warrior of the Murim Alliance.
Whenever warriors in the Murim Alliance uniform appeared in a tavern, the rowdiest thugs, who had acted as if they owned the world, would tuck their tails between their legs like frightened puppies and become perfectly docile.
To Ha Yuseong, that sight was incredibly cool.
That was true martial arts!
That was true justice!
That was the Murim Alliance!
Now, he no longer had to hide.
Because he was now wearing the proud uniform of the Murim Alliance.
Ha Yuseong strode confidently into the heart of the brawl, displaying the character for 'Martial' (武) embroidered on his right sleeve, the symbol of the Murim Alliance.
Everyone will stop fighting now and watch cautiously.
That was the power of the Murim Alliance.
He was smiling with pride when…
Huh?
A pair of chopsticks flew at him. Ha Yuseong tilted his head back, dodging them.
Did they not see?
A rice bowl came flying. Ha Yuseong bent at the waist, letting it pass over him.
Still?
He took a step to the side, avoiding a splash of still-hot soup.
Ha Yuseong raised both arms high.
How about now?
He took another step to the side, dodging a stray blade.
“This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.”
Just as he realized something was wrong, someone grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to a corner.
Ha Yuseong found himself curled up in a corner, just like in his third-rate ronin days.
“Brother! Are you crazy! Don’t you know who those guys are?”
Do I need to? I'm a Murim Alliance warrior!
He decided to listen for now.
“Who are they?”
“Those bastards are the notoriously vicious Three Dogs of Henan!”
Whether they were three dogs or some household mutts, he didn't care.
Ha Yuseong held up his right arm.
“I’m with the Murim Alliance.”
“Good heavens! That’s not what’s important. Those guys have connections with high-ranking officials in the Alliance. They’re on a completely different level from disposable flies like us! The best thing to do is lie low until the next shift arrives.”
“This is the best we can do?”
“Yes! It is! To them, people like us are no different from bugs on the side of the road.”
“Then what about the ones fighting over there? Isn’t it our job to be in their place?”
“Job or no job, is it more important than your life?”
“It is! It’s very important, Brother Namgung.”
“Why are you calling me so seriously all of a sudden!”
“I bet my life to become a warrior of the Murim Alliance. And I succeeded. Didn’t you, Brother Namgung?”
“Well, I… it was similar for me! But still, those guys are connected to the Huashan Sect!”
Even if he got involved, he would be fine. The Namgung Family had his back.
But his brother here was a different story.
With no background or influence, there was no telling what kind of injustice he would suffer if he got tangled up with them.
So, the right thing to do here was to take a step back.
However…
A grin spread across his brother’s face.
“There are people right in front of us who need help. I’m going. What about you, Brother Namgung?”
As if he didn't expect an answer, Ha Yuseong immediately dashed back into the heart of the fight.
“Does he not understand words?”
Namgung Yuya stared after Ha Yuseong in disbelief before spitting out a curse.
“Shit! Don’t you come crying to me later! I’m not helping you, not one bit!”
Namgung Yuya also ran out after him, but when a stray blade came flying, he let out a scream and dove back behind a table.
“Aaaah!”
***
Once again in the middle of the brawl, a sword lunged at Ha Yuseong. The moment he saw it, he took a light step to the side with his right foot, then drew it back in a semi-circle. His body naturally half-turned. His left foot continued the rotation.
He spun around, letting the sword slide past his back. As his right foot returned to its original position, Ha Yuseong moved to his opponent’s side and locked the man's arm under his own.
“What the hell?”
With one man’s movement controlled, Ha Yuseong spoke.
“From this moment on, this fight will be under the direct control of the Murim Alliance.”
The man, the youngest of the Three Dogs of Henan, looked at the person who had suddenly grabbed his arm.
“Murim Alliance?”
“Yes! The Murim Alliance!”
The reply came with immense pride.
“A newbie?”
“Yes! A newbie! From the Crouching Dragon Unit!”
“Pfft!”
Hearing ‘Murim Alliance’ had startled him for a moment, but the words ‘Crouching Dragon Unit’ that followed made the youngest of the Three Dogs snort with laughter.
“There’s still a moron in the Murim Alliance who doesn’t know me. Let go right now. Since you’re a newbie, I’ll overlook this rudeness.”
It happened more often than not.
He would run into these clueless idiots who, despite having no background to speak of, acted like some grand heroes of justice just because they became Murim Alliance warriors.
In the end, this world was all about money and power.
This guy was clearly one of those types with a flower garden for a brain.
“I will say it again. Stop this here. If you do, I will be lenient.”
“Hah! This bastard’s amusing.”
Getting caught was just a mistake. He never imagined his attack would be blocked.
But he wouldn't be careless again.
With a crack, the youngest of the Three Dogs intentionally dislocated his own arm. The grip on his arm loosened. Now, all he had to do was pull his arm free while pushing his body back, pop the joint back in place, and swing his sword again. His opponent’s arm would be lopped off. Taking the arm of a mere newbie from the Crouching Dragon Unit—a gathering of washouts—wouldn’t cause him any major problems.
‘I’ll just ask Father to handle it.’
But his arm wouldn't budge.
‘Why isn’t it coming out?’
As the question formed in his mind, Ha Yuseong loosened his grip and let the man go.
‘Huh? Is he an idiot?’
Finding himself unexpectedly free, the youngest of the Three Dogs immediately snapped his arm back into place and swung his sword.
A beautiful crescent arc flew toward Ha Yuseong.
The reason they could act like such hooligans wasn't just their background; their skills played a part as well.
*Swish.*
‘I cut him!’
That was the youngest dog’s final thought.
Ha Yuseong briefly glanced at the unconscious man on the floor, then spoke to one of the nearby Azure Hall disciples.
“Could you please move this man over there in front of that person?”
“O-of course.”
“Thank you.”
After a polite nod, Ha Yuseong moved to subdue his next opponent.
***
Namgung Yuya had witnessed what just happened with his own two eyes.
Just before the youngest dog's sword reached his brother…
His brother’s form blurred, and suddenly, the man was unconscious.
“What was that?!”
He knew his brother had done something, but he couldn't tell what it was exactly.
An Azure Hall disciple placed the unconscious man in front of him and took a seat nearby.
He spoke in a tone completely devoid of tension.
“Amazing.”
“Huh?”
“That man over there. He just used simple Six Harmonies Footwork to evade his opponent's attack and launch a counterattack.”
“That was it?”
“Yes. I’ve never in my life seen such flawless Six Harmonies Footwork. They say footwork is the most crucial element in a fight, and he has reminded me of the importance of the basics. As expected of a warrior from the Murim Alliance.”
Namgung Yuya shot him a sideways glance as if to say, *what kind of nonsense are you spouting so earnestly*, then turned his attention back to the fight.
‘How is that Six Harmonies Footwork! Are your eyes made of wood!’
Two dogs were left.
“Hey! Youngest brother!”
“You bastard! You hurt our brother! None of you are leaving here alive!”
With one of their own down, the two intensified their assault.
The Azure Hall disciples were forced onto the defensive. Then, one of them tripped, his feet tangled, and his sword fell from his grasp.
“Die!”
Killing intent dripped from the sword of the opponent aiming for him.
‘I-I’m done for!’
The fallen Azure Hall disciple squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them again, his senior brother was beside him.
“How did I get here?”
“Junior Brother. From now on, open your eyes and watch closely. That is the foundation of footwork.”
The one called Junior Brother immediately understood. That man had saved him.
The Murim Alliance warrior stood still, watching the approaching sword.
At that moment, an incredible tremor ran through the blade.
“Ho! Remarkable. Even if he bought his way into being a branch disciple of the Huashan Sect, to use an Illusion Sword of that level…”
The Junior Brother nodded at his senior's words, while Namgung Yuya’s jaw dropped.
‘Brother is in danger!’
That was the Huashan Sect’s Twin-Form Sword!
It was a martial art that could never be learned with money.
‘You have to be at least a direct disciple to learn that!’
The sword split perfectly into two.
The terrifying thing about the Twin-Form Sword was that it was impossible to distinguish the feint from the real attack.
The two blades traced perfectly identical arcs.
Moreover, in a high-pressure situation like this, telling them apart was nearly impossible.
Namgung Yuya was about to throw himself forward but stopped short.
To his eyes, it looked as if Ha Yuseong’s body had split into two.
‘Is that supposed to be Six Harmonies Footwork?’
The two Ha Yuseongs each dodged the illusionary swords aimed at them, then merged back into one at a single point and threw a punch. The footwork was perfect, but the attack itself was clumsy, compensated for by his incredible physical abilities.
His opponent easily deflected Ha Yuseong’s attack.
Ha Yuseong moved his feet again. He vanished from sight. He had circled behind his opponent. When the man turned around, Ha Yuseong was already gone.
Another gasp of admiration came from the side.
“He keeps the opponent within his range while keeping himself outside of the opponent’s.”
“So this is the battle of sightlines using distance that you always speak of, Senior Brother.”
“Indeed. With good footwork alone, one can easily control the flow of a fight.”
It was something Namgung Yuya himself had taught Ha Yuseong just a short while ago.
The second of the Three Dogs shouted in anger at his surroundings.
“Where are you! Show yourself right now!”
Ha Yuseong appeared above his opponent's head.
He spun his body and brought his foot down in an axe kick.
*Crack!*
His foot landed squarely on the crown of the man's head.
The second dog collapsed, foaming at the mouth. Ha Yuseong used the man’s face as a springboard and kicked off.
*Fwip!*
Ha Yuseong flew toward the last remaining man.
“You bastard! How dare you do this to my brothers! I will not forgive you!”
The eldest unleashed a series of fast, concise thrusts.
In terms of pure swordsmanship, he was the most skilled of the three.
“That one’s really dangerous!”