The Gang Leader's Prudent Surrender
While tidying up the mess, Song Chae-ji found herself unable to sit still. Winning the duel was satisfying enough, and witnessing martial arts profound enough to open one's eyes as a warrior had been an unexpected windfall. Yet none of that eased her anxiety over how she was supposed to face that nameless, mysterious expert. 'Ugh... I can't believe I actually talked about dying an honorable death in front of someone like him... I must have lost my mind.'
It was pure embarrassment. To put it bluntly, she felt utterly humiliated. She had proudly declared herself a martial artist, tapping her sword with such confidence, only to lose in the end. And what made it worse was that it had been a fight she should have won, if only she hadn't let her emotions get the better of her. There was no way that young expert, who stood on a realm far beyond her own, hadn't seen through it all. The mere memory of how she had tried to stop him by claiming he hadn't even learned proper martial arts made her ears burn as if set on fire.
As Song Chae-ji stood there, tongue-tied and fidgeting, Namgung Woo extended a saving hand.
"By the way, was there a particular reason you chose a duel? I understand preferring the ways of the gangho over borrowing the court's power, but didn't you say the Black Bear Gang has a Peak Realm expert?"
Following their guide, Pung Hyo, on the path to the Black Bear Gang's headquarters, Namgung Woo had learned more about the organization. The thought that this duel must have seemed incredibly reckless to Song Chae-ji from the start prompted his question.
'Their leader is supposed to be one of the top figures among Peak Realm experts.'
Song Chae-ji, who had clearly been waiting for him to speak, answered immediately.
"Ah, the Black Bear Gang only has one person known as a Peak Realm expert—the leader himself. Most factions in the Evil Path are like that. The higher-ups monopolize the good stuff. It's common for only the top few to have high cultivation, while everyone below them falls far short."
Song Chae-ji had made her challenge after careful calculation. The Black Bear Gang's only Peak Realm expert, their leader, would likely refuse to fight due to pride. That meant one of his subordinates would step forward, and against them, she—standing just one step away from the Peak Realm herself—believed she could win.
"There might be some First-class warriors among the rest who are around my level, but even at the same realm, righteous path martial artists are usually considered slightly superior to those from the Evil Path. It comes down to the difference in the quality of the arts they've learned."
The martial arts of the righteous path had deep historical roots. It was no coincidence that most of the so-called prestigious sects came from the White Path. Though their growth might be slower than the rapid advancement gained through unorthodox methods in the Evil Path, the refined, time-honored techniques passed down through generations possessed a depth that others simply could not match.
"But why did you come all the way to Pyeongyo County alone, Lady Song?"
The question was meant to ask what circumstances had brought her so far from the Hangsan Sect to help the Yang father and daughter, but Song Chae-ji seemed to interpret it differently.
"Well, if I borrowed the Hangsan Sect's power, it would give the Mu-yeong Gate in Taiyuan an excuse to get involved."
"Mu-yeong Gate?"
At the unfamiliar name, Namgung Woo's puzzled tone made Song Chae-ji's eyes widen in genuine surprise.
"You don't know them? They're one of the major powers in the Evil Path..."
Namgung Woo sensed something almost disrespectful in her gaze. The shock of discovering someone who didn't even know such basic common knowledge. It wasn't contempt, exactly—more like the astonishment of finding a living fossil.
When he stared at her directly, Song Chae-ji realized her mistake and hurriedly tried to smooth it over.
"Ahem, well, I suppose it's possible not to know. Anyway, the Mu-yeong Gate are known as the rulers of Shanxi's murim world. They're also the ones backing the Black Bear Gang from the shadows."
Upon hearing this, Namgung Woo finally let go of his last thread of doubt. He had wondered if this might be an alternate timeline of the Chukrok Murim he knew.
'This definitely isn't the world I remember. There was no Mu-yeong Gate in the past, and if it's from the future, that doesn't help me at all.'
He abandoned his final lingering hopes. Since he hadn't held high expectations to begin with, the disappointment was mild.
"That's why I thought a duel gave us a chance. No matter how much the Hangsan Sect has declined, we still have enough influence to keep the Mu-yeong Gate in check."
Just as the Mu-yeong Gate backed the Black Bear Gang, Song Chae-ji had the Hangsan Sect as her own support. She had assumed both sides would preserve their dignity and handle the matter cleanly through a duel. But this time, her calculations had proven far too optimistic.
"Ugh, thinking about it again just makes me angry."
Song Chae-ji glared at the back of Pung Hyo's head with an expression that suggested she wanted to smack him. Sensing her gaze, Pung Hyo's steps grew even more hurried. His pathetic state eventually left her feeling hollow, and she turned her eyes away.
'I still haven't even learned his name.'
She quickened her pace to walk beside Namgung Woo, who was striding ahead.
"Um..."
The moment she tried to speak, another voice cut in.
"W-we've arrived."
The tension of having what felt like a death god behind him had left Pung Hyo's back drenched in cold sweat. His voice carried thick relief at finally being done with this ordeal.
"It seems we've arrived."
"Y-yes, it does!"
"Let's continue our unfinished conversation after we settle this matter."
At Namgung Woo's gentle tone, Song Chae-ji nodded frantically. Watching from the side, Yang So-dang giggled quietly, amused by this unfamiliar side of her usually reliable older sister.
"So-dang, you..."
"S-sister, look, the young master is going in. Let's follow him."
Sometimes a child's instincts could be uncannily accurate. Though there was no need to invoke such mysterious insight—anyone could see that Namgung Woo had naturally become the representative of their group. Yang So-dang quickly used his name as an excuse to escape her sister's attention.
In fact, Namgung Woo was already passing through the wide-open gates of the Black Bear Gang, and Yang So-dang scampered after him, sticking close to his back.
"Really..."
It was karma. As the saying went, everything came full circle. Today, of all days, Song Chae-ji felt the teachings from the Daoist scriptures she had studied at the Hangsan Sect's main mountain more deeply than ever. Yet this feeling also stemmed from relief at having overcome a major hurdle and the hope that followed.
Her expression remained bright.
"Let's go together."
With light steps, Song Chae-ji followed the two inside.
Hwang Mu-tak, leader of the Black Bear Gang and bearer of the title Great Strength Hegemon Blade, was undeniably a powerhouse. His martial arts, positioned at the very peak of the Peak Realm, had rightfully earned him a place among Shanxi Province's top hundred experts. Beyond that, he possessed the political acumen to maintain close ties with the Mu-yeong Gate—the dominant Evil Path faction controlling Shanxi's murim world. His abilities were more than sufficient to rule over a small county like Pyeongyo with an iron fist. Even the local magistrate, who received imperial stipends and was responsible for maintaining peace, could be easily manipulated. A moderate display of force combined with generous bribes made anything possible.
But at this moment, Hwang Mu-tak was staring at a calamity before which all his accumulated authority meant nothing.
'Damn it. Talk about rotten luck.'
Unlike the third-rate thugs who grew arrogant from power and lost their judgment, Hwang Mu-tak had not. He trusted his discerning eye—the very quality that had elevated him to this position—far more than his martial cultivation, which had only reached the final stages of the Peak Realm. The moment he laid eyes on Namgung Woo, he instantly recognized that this was an opponent he could never hope to face.
No aura could be felt. Lesser warriors like Song Chae-ji or Pung Hyo, who had only climbed halfway up the mountain of mediocrity, might have assumed the lack of aura meant the man hadn't learned martial arts. But Hwang Mu-tak knew better. He observed every single movement Namgung Woo made—his breathing, his gait, his balance. Everything was on a completely different level from an ordinary person who had never trained.
The disciplined, flawless precision of his every action revealed the true reason Hwang Mu-tak could not sense any aura. Their levels were simply too far apart. This was a supreme expert who had achieved banbakgwijin—returning to simplicity and embracing the true self—capable of perfectly controlling and concealing every ounce of his internal energy.
'I must yield. This has to be resolved through conversation no matter what.'
Hwang Mu-tak walked straight out to the gate and offered the most respectful bow he could muster.
"This humble place is honored by the presence of such a distinguished senior..."
"I did not come here to talk," Namgung Woo cut him off sharply.
He called over Song Chae-ji and Yang So-dang, who had been trailing behind him.
"The Yang Family Inn. I believe proper compensation is in order."
At those words, Hwang Mu-tak immediately understood how this situation had come about. He had known about the duel with Song Chae-ji.
"During the duel, your men resorted to underhanded tactics. Joint attacks in a one-on-one fight—is that how the Black Bear Gang conducts its duels?"
"It seems my subordinates acted on excessive loyalty and took matters into their own hands. As the leader of the Black Bear Gang, I offer my sincere apologies in their stead."
With each word Namgung Woo spoke, Hwang Mu-tak's mouth grew increasingly dry.
'That damned Pung Hyo...'
He had nurtured the man because he showed promise, only to be repaid with betrayal? He would never forgive him.
"It's not that we refuse to sell. We simply want to receive fair value."
Hwang Mu-tak bowed his head as if greatly honored. Dealing with Pung Hyo could wait until after he had sent this disaster away.
"You also called it a duel between the Black Bear Gang and the Yang Family Inn. Even after losing once, you refused to accept defeat. Now only I remain at the inn. If you wish to continue the duel, feel free. You may send out others, or the leader himself could step forward. What will you do?"
Namgung Woo had naturally expected the leader to come forward himself. He had hoped the man might at least partially satisfy his curiosity about this imperfectly learned martial art.
However, Hwang Mu-tak was a pioneer who had built his own faction within the treacherous waters of the Evil Path murim.
"I concede. The Black Bear Gang admits defeat."
Hwang Mu-tak's waist bent like a bow.