Chapter 43: Taking in a Practitioner of the Side Arts (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 43: Taking in a Practitioner of the Side Arts (3)
“Hahaha! It was certainly worth the fortune I paid to hire you all.”
A middle-aged man spoke with a laugh.
“Do you know why our sect took on the task of guarding you, Great Sir?”
“Is it not because your Sect Leader and I are old friends who have traded for many years?”
“Would such a ‘friend’ take all his wealth and flee elsewhere just because word got out that the Blood Lamas were coming? It’s because of that cowardice that even small-time fry like these dare to pounce on you.”
“Hahaha, and that is exactly why I hired you, even if it cost me a fortune, is it not?”
Listening to their conversation, I began to grasp the situation.
Those merchants were wealthy provincial magnates who were in the middle of fleeing with their entire fortunes upon hearing that the Blood Lamas were approaching. They had entrusted their protection to a sect they knew well.
Thinking there was nothing more to see, I spoke up.
“Let’s be on our way. The smell of blood is too thick to stay here.”
As I spoke and prepared to head down, Ye Woon blocked me.
“Wait a moment. Something is wrong.”
“Aaaargh!”
Suddenly, a scream rang out.
“What?”
“How could they!”
The guards who had been protecting the merchants suddenly turned their blades and began to slaughter them.
It was obvious what they were up to. Since they had already killed the bandits, they intended to kill the merchants and seize the wagons filled with money for themselves.
When you travel the Murim, you often encounter such absurd situations.
However, the members of the Sword Palace Squad were seeing such an atrocity for the first time, and their indignation boiled over.
“How can they be so lawless!”
Ye Woon and the warriors of the Sword Palace Squad trembled with rage.
The small fry, on the other hand, remained calm. They had either experienced such things themselves or had seen and heard enough of them.
“Looks like we’ll have to go settle this,” Poison Wolf Ibu said, fiddling with his axe.
Just as the Demon Subjugation Group I led was about to step forward, Ye Woon stopped us.
“Stay back! You cannot handle them with your skills. They are warriors of a proper sect who have received systematic training. If you step in, you’ll be the ones who get hurt.”
The eyebrows of Poison Wolf Ibu and the Smiling Face Sword twitched.
However, when I showed no reaction, the two of them kept their mouths shut.
“Then what do you plan to do?” Doyeon asked.
Ye Woon’s eyes flashed with a murderous light as he spoke.
“We will set this right.”
Ye Woon issued an order to the Sword Palace Squad.
“Do not kill them; suppress them! We shall bury them by making this atrocity known to the whole world!”
Driven by a sense of justice, the Sword Palace Squad charged toward the traitors.
I didn't stop them, thinking that if the Sword Palace Squad took the lead, we wouldn't have to get blood on our hands. Also, as he said, if we fought them, we might suffer significant casualties ourselves. I believed the situation would be resolved now that the Sword Palace Squad had stepped in.
However, we soon faced a very embarrassing situation.
“Well, look at that!”
“What on earth is going on over there?”
Exclamations of shock and mockery erupted from the small fry of the Demon Subjugation Group.
This incident had too many unexpected variables. The Sword Palace Squad was actually being pushed back by the guards.
The guards were quite skilled, but not so much that the Sword Palace Squad shouldn't have been able to suppress them. Yet, the Sword Palace Squad was being driven back, and several of its members were wounded and rendered unable to fight.
“Hahaha! What are those guys? They’re all flash and no substance!”
Poison Wolf Ibu let out a hollow laugh, dumbfounded.
I was equally speechless.
As it turned out, the Sword Palace Squad consisted of young experts who had done nothing but train in martial arts. Because they lacked real combat experience, they were getting wounded even when they had the upper hand.
Those were the sword movements of people who had never killed anyone.
A sword that cannot kill is merely a sword dance.
Right now, the Sword Palace Squad was diligently performing that sword dance.
Their morale and spirit were high, but they lacked the combat instincts for a real fight, and they were on the verge of being defeated by the guards.
“What should we do, Leader?” the Smiling Face Sword asked, looking at me.
I let out a sigh and spoke.
“We small fry will have to step in.”
At those words, the eyes of the two men gleamed with murderous intent.
They might have been lower than the Sword Palace Squad in terms of martial arts, but they were experts in real combat and had killed many people.
“You and the Deputy Leader stay put. You don’t use a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken. We’ll handle this.”
“Don’t kill them; suppress them if possible. They are still an Orthodox sect, so it could cause trouble.”
At my words, Poison Wolf Ibu gave a smirk and replied.
“If possible.”
Poison Wolf Ibu and the Smiling Face Sword led the Demon Subjugation Group into the fray.
The Twin Heroes of Guiyang and the Seven Cats also bowed to me before leaping into the battlefield.
“Aaaargh!”
Poison Wolf Ibu, the Smiling Face Sword, and the Twin Heroes of Guiyang pressured the guards, systematically disabling them.
Even the Seven Cats fought well against the warriors. Ye Woon and the Sword Palace Squad watched the small fry of the Demon Subjugation Group blankly, like people who had lost their souls.
The shock must have been immense.
Seeing the people they had looked down upon as "small fry" handle the warriors perfectly must have filled them with misery and self-loathing.
What was the point of undergoing hellish training to become an expert?
The sword of an expert who has never experienced real combat is nothing more than a flashy dance.
When they left Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress, they probably thought they could take down all the villains and demons in the world.
But the world isn't such an easy place.
In martial arts novels, a fledgling young expert often defeats an old master with rich combat experience, but frankly, that’s just ridiculous.
It’s impossible in reality.
Experience and seasoned skill are things that cannot be bought with advanced martial arts or elixirs.
The Four Dragons of Sichuan might be influential in Sichuan, but honestly, people only give them a pass because of their backgrounds. In terms of actual skill, there were many warriors who were far superior to them.
Laughing at them inwardly, I walked down to where the Demon Subjugation Group had cleared the area, accompanied by Doyeon.
When Ye Woon saw me, the sharp spirit he’d had earlier was nowhere to be found as he grumbled.
“Theory and real combat are very different.”
As he muttered weakly, Po Zhongyin replied.
“Do you understand now? What it means that our Lord killed the Red Robed White-Eyed Demon? Killing an expert stronger than yourself isn't something that can be done just because your martial arts are high.”
For the past few days, the Twin Heroes of Guiyang had been traveling with Ye Woon and had engaged in heated debates about the battle with the Red Robed White-Eyed Demon.
Ye Woon had insisted that he and the Sword Palace Squad could easily defeat someone like the Red Robed White-Eyed Demon, while the Twin Heroes of Guiyang had passionately argued that such an expert was not an opponent to be taken lightly. In the end, the Twin Heroes of Guiyang were proven right.
The small fry of the Demon Subjugation Group looked at the Sword Palace Squad with triumphant faces. They had been feeling intimidated by them, so it was understandable.
Poison Wolf Ibu muttered as he passed by Ye Woon.
“This is what a ‘small fry’ looks like.”
Ye Woon and the Sword Palace Squad looked as pitiful as drenched birds, so I threw them a bone.
“Anyone, no matter how much of an expert they are, is bound to hesitate when faced with their first real combat. If you think of your sword as carrying both your will and the lives of others, the sword will show you the path it must take.”
Those were the words I had heard from a wandering warrior when I committed my first murder.
Perhaps these words from a "small fry" were exactly what an "expert" like Ye Woon needed at this moment.
I approached the merchants.
Thinking I was the leader of the group, the merchants clasped their hands and bowed repeatedly.
“Thank you, thank you! If it weren't for your help, Young Hero, our families would have all become food for the mountain wolves.”
Five of the merchant’s party had died, and the sound of wailing could be heard from various spots.
“What a dog’s death this is! After we promised to pay off our debts and find our freedom no matter what...”
A slave wailed while cradling his companion.
At that, I felt like I had seen this merchant somewhere before. As I slowly racked my brain, I realized we had met.
A year ago, a certain manor had recruited guards, and I had stayed there for a few days to get a meal. The owner of that manor was a merchant who practiced usury, and he was so notorious for his cruelty in the region that I had left without staying long.
Looking at him now, it was that very moneylender.
“We are going to cross this mountain. Will you follow us?”
The man who appeared to be the head of the merchants nodded.
“Oh, of course! It’s only safe if we follow behind you, Young Hero. Once we cross that mountain, there is a martial arts hall I know. We will be safe once we reach there.”
At the merchant’s words, I looked at their wagons.
The wheel tracks were deep even though no people were riding in them; I couldn't even imagine how much money and gold were packed inside. It was highly likely that the guards had committed this atrocity because of these wagons.
I signaled for the merchant to come closer.
“Which sect do these warriors belong to?”
“The Ilwol Gate.”
“If it’s the Ilwol Gate, they are a sword sect, one of the mid-sized sects in Sichuan.”
As I suddenly shifted into an explanatory tone, the merchant’s eyes darted around.
“If they find out we killed and injured their members, we will surely have to fight them, and people will die.”
“Oh dear... I hadn't thought that far ahead.”
The merchant broke into a cold sweat, trying to find a way out of this situation.
“Since there are injured people on our side, you should provide for their medical expenses.”
At this single sentence, the moneylender nodded his head repeatedly.
“Even without you saying so, I have already thought of a way to repay this grace.”
This merchant was being so compliant only because he had already tasted the ruthlessness of the bandits and the guards. Otherwise, there was no way he would part with his wealth like this. He followed my words because he thought we might kill him if he didn't.
Men like him valued their own lives above all else.
“And wouldn't it be better to release those slaves of yours? It would be quite dangerous if they were to talk, wouldn't it?”
At my words, the man’s head snapped up.
His expression said I was going too far. If he released the slaves, his own family would have to carry all the luggage, and they didn't have the strength for that.
“Suit yourself.”
It was clear they were people who had become slaves because they couldn't repay their debts to his usury business.
The reason I loathed moneylenders the most was that they bought and sold people with money and killed people because of it.
Looking at these men brought back a chilling memory.
Back when I was an errand boy, the owner of the inn had committed suicide after being unable to repay the money he’d borrowed from men like this. They had dragged me away, intending to sell me off. I had barely managed to escape, but I had come close to being sold into slavery.
Because of that, my murderous intent flared whenever I saw such people.
When I touched my sword, the man looked startled.
“No, no! I will release them.”
As the moneylender released the slaves, I spoke.
“Hand over all the slave deeds you possess.”
“Pardon?”
The man looked at me in horror.
I scanned the surroundings again and spoke.
“There are many corpses here already. Adding a few more won't make much of a difference, will it?”
After I made that passing remark, the man crawled of his own accord.
“Oh, of course! If it is what the Young Hero desires, I must give them to you.”
The man went to a wagon and brought back a large bundle.
“Here they are.”
There were nearly several hundred slave deeds.
“Come here.”
The slaves approached me hesitantly.
“Distribute these to their owners and burn them. You are free from this moment on.”
“Is... is that true?”
As a slave spoke stutteringly, unable to believe it, Xing Youzheng spoke up.
“Of course. It is a promise made by the one standing here. If that merchant ever bothers you again, our Lord will not let it slide.”
The slaves shed tears as they asked.
“We wish to know your great name.”
This time, Po Zhongyin stepped forward as if proud.
“Our Lord is none other than the Silent Star Throwing Sword, the Red Sword Hero, Eo Ja-seo.”
When the slaves still didn't quite understand, Il-myo, one of the Seven Cats, chimed in.
“He is the one who killed the Red Robed White-Eyed Demon.”
“Ah! I know of him! The swordsman who killed the Red Robed White-Eyed Demon in a single strike!”
The common folk only understood when the name of a being who had been terrifying to them was mentioned. It wasn't easy for them to remember all the titles of the experts.
At those words, the merchant’s face turned even paler.
The story of the great expert who had killed the Red Robed White-Eyed Demon—who had reigned as a terror throughout the Sichuan region—had spread far and wide. A man like this merchant, who dealt with people, couldn't possibly be unaware of it.
“Did you hear that? If I hear that any harm has come to them, I will consider it an insult to me and come looking for you. At that time, not only you but everything you own will vanish.”
Because I had already established a sufficient fear factor through those around me, even whispering like this was effective.
“Oh, Young Hero! How could I ever think of such a thing?”
He prostrated himself on the ground, and I suppressed the urge to stomp on his head.
It was because of men like him that the lives of the common folk were so miserable. However, there were many eyes watching.
As the slaves were about to leave in tears, I spoke.
“Shouldn't you pay them for the work they’ve done until now?”
At those words, the merchant hurriedly pulled out a chest and handed out handfuls of silver coins to each of them.
I called Poison Wolf Ibu and the Smiling Face Sword.
“What is it?”
“That man says he wants to show his gratitude for our help today. He’ll likely give us something substantial, so take it and distribute it among the squad members.”
At my words, Poison Wolf Ibu and the Smiling Face Sword gave me a wide grin.
In moments like this, the small fry, having been through all sorts of hardships, immediately understood my meaning.
“Thank you, Leader.”
Soon, Poison Wolf Ibu and the Smiling Face Sword returned with bundles of white and yellow lumps and distributed them to the Demon Subjugation Group.
“This is your share, Leader.”
Poison Wolf Ibu and the Smiling Face Sword brought me my portion. They had specifically picked out only the yellow ones.
One must not decline such things in these situations.
In short, we had to become accomplices. If the leader refused, the subordinates would never trust him.
In my heart, I wanted to take it all for myself, but I had to be satisfied with this much. If there are many eyes watching, one must at least make a show of it.
“But should we share some with the Sword Palace Squad as well?”
When the Smiling Face Sword asked, I laughed.
“There’s no way they would accept such money. We small fry should be the ones to split it among ourselves.”
Since the Sword Palace Squad was out of earshot, I said that and then approached the surviving guards.
“Your lawless actions have been punished by the Demon Subjugation Group of the Murim Alliance.”
I first used the name of the Murim Alliance.
“If you wish to seek revenge, look for the Sword Palace Squad of Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress. Your crimes will be answered for in the name of the Sword Palace Squad.”
I had used the name of the Sword Palace Squad because I was afraid they might seek revenge against me, but Ye Woon and the Sword Palace Squad seemed moved, thinking I had saved their face.
They had been acting like cold, rational warriors until now, but they were crumbling in an instant over something like this.
That is why experience and worldly wisdom are so formidable.
From that point on, the march took on a completely different aspect.
The small fry of the Demon Subjugation Group were jubilant, as if they had caught a big fish, while the Sword Palace Squad remained dejected.