Chapter 281
Chapter 281
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 281
Chapter Title: The Jang Family's Eldest Son (2)
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It was the first time I'd actually laid eyes on him.
But I recognized Jang Seon at a glance.
Seongnae Ru.
His uncle was ranting about 'cheaters' all day at the place where he gambled from dawn till dusk, so I'd half-guessed it was him.
But more than anything, his appearance matched the original description to a tee.
『Jang Seon kept his head shaved buzz-cut because he couldn't be bothered.
His days wrinkling his brow while farming had left permanent creases on his forehead and between his eyes.
Skip a day shaving, and coarse stubble sprouted thick on his chin.
Combined with his burly merchant's build, first-timers often mistook him for a man past his prime.』
That was right.
Jang Seon had an old face.
No wonder the nickname "Old Dragon" stuck to him after the "Mad Dog of Both Banks" title faded.
...It has to be him, right?
Even though I'd braced myself, his shockingly weathered face hit hard.
How is this guy the same age as So Reung? Unbelievable.
As I stood there confused, wondering if I'd gotten the wrong guy...
"Jang Seon, you bastard! Do your damn work instead of crawling here to cause trouble?!"
"U-Uncle. These guys are total cheaters. How can they win for five straight days...?"
A gaunt man with a face like Jang Seon's emerged from the inn, confirming it was indeed him.
"Gambling's got wins and losses, you fool!"
"...You blew the money I needed for the Righteous Martial Academy exam."
"A punk who can barely write his name talking about the Righteous Martial Academy? And what money's yours anyway? We pitied you, orphan, fed you, housed you. Now you lecture your uncle?!"
"...That's not it. I just want the money back from those cheaters. Let me help you."
"You idiot! Black Yang Gang backs Seongnae Ru. What help from you? You're the one dragging our family into hell!"
I listened to the uncle-nephew spat for a bit.
Then three rough-looking black path thugs strode out of Seongnae Ru.
"Hey, Jang Er. Having fun then suddenly kicking up a fuss?"
The flat-nosed one in the middle cracked his knuckles with a crack and addressed Jang Seon's uncle.
So the uncle's Jang Er.
At the thug's words, Jang Er raised both hands placatingly and spoke.
"W-Well, see, this idiot's my nephew..."
"...Nephew? Not your brother?"
That was when Jang Seon stepped up.
He bit his lip tensely but didn't drop his scowl.
"Give back the money you scammed from my uncle. Then we'll leave quietly."
The thug snorted in reply.
"...Hah. Voice says kid, alright. Lost all fear, have you? Be good and take your uncle home while I'm asking nice."
"If you don't return the money..."
"Then?"
"I-I'm not budging an inch from here."
"Some need a coffin before they cry."
As the thugs closed in step by step and Jang Seon's uncle backpedaled with a squeak...
"Eek."
I recalled the incident from the original work—a mere aside—that sparked Jang Seon earning the "Mad Dog of Both Banks" moniker.
Is this that event?
The one where Jang Seon smashed a low branch of the black path gang ruling Both Banks.
After this, his life flipped completely.
His uncle realized Jang Seon wasn't just some strong village kid—he had real talent.
He pawned Jang Seon to the black path gang for gambling funds.
Thanks to that, Jang Seon escaped farm life, learned to read, and trained in martial arts.
But black path scraps were third-rate at best, so he mostly picked up bad habits.
In the end, just got branded a black path alum for nothing.
Of course, being good-hearted, he never harmed innocents.
When he learned of such jobs, he even fought his new Black Yang Gang comrades.
That's around when 'Mad Dog of Both Banks' stuck.
That history got him past the paperwork for the academy entrance exam, but it wasn't all good.
Just having a black path gang on his record made him an outsider at the academy.
His academy life started rocky, dragging down Jeong Hyeon's third-year too.
Whatever. I could smooth over Jang Seon's original misfortunes now.
But first, check his aptitude?
I wanted to verify his potential, as hyped in the novel.
I folded my arms in the crowd, ready to jump in if needed.
* * *
The one blustering about coffins was the flat-nose.
But the first to move was the meathead on his right.
"Brat... right? Anyway, punk! Time I fixed that attitude!"
Treating Jang Seon like a mere farmer, he didn't even draw his saber, just threw a punch.
Whoosh!
Not aiming to kill—just beat him silly.
But Jang Seon's talent wasn't for some third-rate thug's half-assed mindset.
Swish!
Jang Seon slipped aside, dodging the fist.
Then hammered the now-exposed thug's gut with alternating fists.
Thud! Thud!!
One down.
Jang Seon tilted his head at his own fists, surprised at how weak the guy was.
Meanwhile, flat-nose scowled and bellowed into Seongnae Ru.
"He's got some skill! Everyone inside, out!"
He drew his own saber.
Shing—
Hearing it, Jang Seon snatched the saber from the downed thug's belt.
"Uh, um. Borrow this a sec."
By then, five more black pathers poured out, sabers drawn.
"Get him!"
They charged at flat-nose's order.
Flat-nose was second-rate; the rest third-rate trash.
Yet Jang Seon screamed untrained.
- This Jang Seon never learned martial arts?
Looks that way. Wasteful footwork. Swings the saber like a flail.
Still, his steps outpaced the thugs by half a beat.
His wild swings somehow parried their attacks.
Clang! Clang!
Ching! Kaang!!!!
Dozens of clashes in seconds.
- Now mimicking their forms...!
Yeah. Crude arts, barely forms... but Jang Seon's strikes sharpening.
His flailing saber gained shape blocking their rushes.
The tide turned fast to Jang Seon.
Kaang!!!
Each time his saber tip lashed out...
"Gah!!"
A thug flew from his punch.
"Kuhk!"
Four airborne.
One of the last two bolted.
Only flat-nose left before Seongnae Ru.
"You know who you just messed with?!"
Clang! Ching!
Kang!!!!
Wham!!!
Flat-nose finally crumpled.
Clapping erupted from the side.
Clap clap clap clap clap.
The escaped thug who'd returned—with a man whose stride and aura screamed elite.
Footwork and leaking energy... peak first-rate?
As I sized him up, the man boasted.
"I'm Black Yang Gang's Sixth Hall Leader, Hwang Dong-jae. Heard the ruckus at Seongnae Ru, came to see. Your name...?"
"Jang Seon."
"Jang Seon. Decent moves. Want your uncle's lost money? I'll return it—double even. Join Black Yang Gang."
At Hwang Dong-jae's words, uncle Jang Er—who'd hung back—edged forward.
"I'm his uncle. So how much...?"
That's when I yanked my hat low and stepped up.
"Hey, Black Yang Sixth Hall Leader. Gather your strewn goons and scram."
"...And who're you?"
"Me? Jang Seon's manito starting today."
"Manito?"
Pfft, spitting already. Eyes aren't bad, though.
* * *
As I intervened, Master queried.
- Why seek out Jang Seon of all people, Yong-un?
I gave my prepped excuse.
Thought demonic sect spies might hit the exam grounds, so checking folks with shady backgrounds or sects. Turns out this kid's got it rough. Talented too.
- ...Always picking the odd spot to be kind.
...Not that.
- Talent's real, anyway. No shock like you gave me, but polish him right, good material.
As we chatted, Black Yang's Sixth Hall Leader scoffed.
"In Both Banks south, my saber drawn means calamity. They call me Nanyang Calamity Blade. Bold one."
I sneered back.
"Trash talk. Fight or fold—don't brag nicknames."
"From 'manito' this, you dare interrupt Nanyang—"
"Ah! First time hearing Nanyang Calamity Blade or whatever. Pick: leave quietly or get beat and beg."
"You punk!"
He couldn't hold back, drew his calamity saber, and lunged.
Whoosh! Whoosh!!
Whiiiish!!!
"Heh. Even give choices, pick wrong."
Hwang Dong-jae's incoming saber strikes.
Worlds sharper and faster than the thugs Jang Seon faced.
But not my match.
Swish! Swish!
Swish!
No Regret drawn—I just slipped aside, deflecting.
Flicked his forehead at openings.
Snap!
Humiliated, Hwang spewed praise.
"This shit?!"
Snap! Snap! Snap!
One, two, three.
Not playful snaps—each dazed him.
Snap!
Snap! Snap!!!!
More hits, his forehead swelled.
Couldn't nick my sleeve hem, so he paled and retreated.
"Ex-Expert!"
Dropped to his knees.
"I failed to recognize you, committed grave rudeness!"
"Whatever. Second choice."
"Pardon? Which...?"
"Pay up what he wants, or come with me to Black Yang Gang?"
* * *
I took the pot from Hwang Dong-jae and headed to the Jang uncle-nephew's home.
Village was remote, but Jang Er's house screamed well-off farmer.
"Few cows, roof tight even if no tiles."
"Heh heh, it's humble! Wait a moment! Honey!"
"You! Gambling again...?"
As Jang Er fetched his wife outside, I asked Jang Seon.
"Where do you sleep?"
"Over there."
He pointed—not a room, a shed.
As in the novel, no kin treatment here.
My brow furrowed, but Jang Seon asked back.
"Who are you, sir?"
"......"
Hid my identity in Yangyang Castle, but no need here.
I removed my hat.
"From Righteous Martial Academy. Eon Yong-un."
His eyes bulged like saucers.
Unlike his looks, he girlishly covered his mouth.
"E-Eon Yong-un? The world's top later-generation hero, Monster Dragon Eon Yong-un?!"
"Hero's overkill. Something like that."
"Wow!"
"Living in this backwater, you know me well?"
"Local kids training at Yangyang's martial hall bring newsletters, read 'em aloud!"
"Yeah?"
"Yes! Heard academy tales since kid, wanted in. Newsletters sealed it!"
Chattering alone, he tilted his head.
"But why's Monster Dragon Hero here?"
"No hero."
"Ah."
"Details academy secret. Short version: came for you."
"M-Me?"
"Yeah. Secure lodging in Danganggu, prep for entrance there."
Hearing that, the couple burst from the room.
"Hold on! Honey! Jang Seon leaves for Danganggu—who handles winter fuel and next year's farm?"
"Ahem. Young lord? We didn't birth Jang Seon, but we've fed, housed, cherished him like our own till now. Can't just take without our say, right Jang Seon?"
They circled: give us money.
Naive Jang Seon took it straight, nodded.
"True. Without uncle and auntie..."
Jang couple shameless; Jang Seon village-raised, clueless to world.
I chuckled dryly.
"Precious nephew like a son—in a shed? Kid dreamed of academy since child, yet no martial hall?"
Jang Er coughed excuses.
"Ahem. Didn't know his talent ran that deep. So many die chasing sword life half-cocked?"
"Worried, so blocked for safe farmer life? Parental love?"
"Exactly. Yes."
"Then why no marriage? Village farmers Jang Seon's age all wed."
"......"
"He'd independent, you'd lose worker. Right?"
He tried excusing.
"...That's."
"I'm not that nice."
I pulled a steel coin, squeezed to silence him.
"Holding back 'cause Jang Seon sees you family. Keep yapping, my patience wears thin."
"......"
"No bullshit. Main point."
"...Ahem. Nephew's our house pillar. Winter coming—taking him ruins our livelihood. We've fed and raised him till now, fact. Settle accounts, then take."
True colors.
"Accounts. Love accounts."
I grinned.
"Your words give the answer. Wife asks who'll work; you say he's pillar?"
"......"
"......"
"You two, plus your schooled sons and Jang Seon—lowball, thirty taels silver yearly. Minus generous five for his food and bed. When'd you start house chores?"
"...Around eight."
"Ten years: two hundred fifty taels. Kid discount, lop off fifty."
"......"
"......"
"Clean two hundred silver taels. Pay up."