Don't Be Greedy!
Do Gwang returned to the inn.
Hmm...
He wore a faintly troubled expression. It wasn’t just Do Hwa he had brought back with him.
“G-Gongja-nim… I will serve you well from now on…”
Dang Soryeong stood there as well, fingers fidgeting, cheeks flushed crimson.
I only meant she shouldn’t stay in that wretched household…
She had clearly taken his words as an invitation to travel together from now on.
Well… I suppose that’s the only way she could have understood it.
Looking at the ragged clothes she wore, it was obvious she had no travel money to speak of. Sending her off on her own now would be far too heartless.
And above all—
“Kyahaha~~”
Do Hwa was beaming with delight, clearly pleased.
“Want to die?”
“Oh my, what kind of language is that to use with your mother?”
“M-Mother…?”
Do Hwa’s bright face hardened in an instant. Mother? That wasn’t even the bark of a dog. The girl could only doubt her own ears.
Dang Soryeong smiled sweetly, as though the question were perfectly natural.
“Since you call Gongja-nim ‘Father,’ it is only right that you call me ‘Mother.’”
“Just die already!”
Unable to hold back, Do Hwa shrieked and raised her dagger. Yet—
Clang—!
Dang Soryeong drew a throwing knife from her robes without the slightest hint of panic and met the strike.
“Oh my, there is no need to be so embarrassed. Hehe…”
“I’m not embarrassed!”
Clang! Clang! Clang!
She truly lived up to the future title of Mad Woman of the Tang Clan. Even though Do Hwa had not unleashed her true killing intent because of Do Gwang, Dang Soryeong deflected the storm of dagger strikes with graceful precision while still smiling.
Watching the fierce and bizarre clash—
Hmm. They get along quite well.
Do Gwang observed them with deep satisfaction.
Now that I think about it, I did need a woman around.
He had managed the full-moon festival with the help of the older sisters, but someone would still be needed to bathe and dress Do Hwa going forward. Seeing how Dang Soryeong was already flaunting her maternal instincts by demanding to be called “Mother”—
I can just leave all the washing and dressing to her from now on.
Do Gwang reached a perfectly convenient and flawless conclusion.
Meanwhile, the innkeeper and the waiter had hidden beneath the counter, trembling like leaves in the wind.
I-Innkeeper… the madman has brought back another madwoman…!
Y-Yes… he did, didn’t he…? He said he was going to the Tang Clan, didn’t he?
They had witnessed with their own eyes, just a few hours earlier, the insane spectacle Do Gwang had created against the thugs and the Tang Clan warriors. They knew all too well that he was no mere blusterer or liar.
Which meant—
The… Tang Clan…!
D-Did it really get completely smashed…?!
Exactly. Even if it wasn’t total annihilation, the clan had been utterly wrecked. The innkeeper and waiter turned deathly pale at the realization.
“Eeeek…! What are you doing, you fool?! Go greet him at once!”
“Y-Yes! Understood!”
At the innkeeper’s frantic shout, the waiter nodded frantically and rushed out.
“Ah, I’m back.”
Do Gwang greeted them as casually as if he had returned to his own home.
“Ahaha… Yes, my lord! Welcome back!”
The waiter forced a smile while sweating buckets.
“Sorry, but could I get one more room?”
“Pardon…?”
“My party has grown.”
Do Gwang gestured with his chin toward Dang Soryeong, who was still engaged in a deadly knife fight with Do Hwa behind him. Dang Soryeong immediately stopped swinging, twisted her body shyly, and offered a bashful smile.
G-Gongja-nim… you already want to spend our first night together…
Her mind was just beginning to take flight on rosy wings of imagination when—
“Kyahaha~~”
Do Hwa’s bright laughter shattered the sweet fantasy to pieces.
“Want to die for real?”
Do Hwa glared and snapped.
“What kind of weird thoughts are you having, you perverted cow?!”
“P-Perverted cow…?”
“Yeah, you perverted cow! Just like that bug said earlier—the one whose chest is ridiculously huge!”
Do Hwa jabbed a finger at Dang Soryeong’s bosom with her small hand, delivering a merciless blow. Dang Soryeong flinched in shock and clutched her chest tightly.
Stunned by the girl’s brutally direct insult—
“A-Ah, the milk still hasn’t come out yet! Don’t be so greedy!”
Dang Soryeong cried out, her face burning bright red.
“……”
“……”
Silence fell. The innkeeper and waiter stood with mouths agape, forgetting even to breathe. Even Do Hwa’s eyes lost their light; she froze like a stone Buddha.
Do Gwang, however, showed no particular surprise at Dang Soryeong’s explosive remark.
Hmm… Do Hwa must miss her real mother quite a lot.
He merely looked at the two of them with a sympathetic gaze.
Still, it’s a relief.
He let out a sigh of relief and nodded.
They’re already getting along so well…
In that case, it was only natural to take even better care of them. He had originally planned to give Dang Soryeong her own comfortable room, but his mind changed.
“Give me one large room. Those two will share it.”
He settled the room assignment in one stroke.
“Pardon…?”
The waiter made a dazed sound. Do Gwang nodded indifferently.
“I’ll keep the small room you showed me earlier. I already paid a hundred nyang, so that should be fine, right?”
“W-Well…”
The waiter fumbled for a reply, but—
“Then I’ll be going.”
Thud, thud.
Do Gwang climbed the stairs to the second floor without a second glance. Left behind in his wake—
“……”
“……”
A heavy silence. It was broken by—
“Kyahaha~~”
Do Hwa’s impossibly bright laughter.
“Because you said something perverted, Father ran away!”
The girl shrieked and raised her dagger again. Not to be outdone, Dang Soryeong drew her throwing knives with equal ferocity.
“You were the one who said something perverted first, you scheming little brat!”
“What’s so scheming about me?! Your chest is the scheming one!”
“Be quiet! Just take responsibility already! I was going to offer Gongja-nim my first time tonight…!”
“Look at that! You perverted cow!”
Clang—!
Clang—!
Dagger and throwing knives clashed violently in midair, sparks flying. The first floor of the inn instantly transformed into a battlefield between two madwomen.
Amid the chaos, the innkeeper called out to the waiter in a dying voice.
“Hey, Malswe…”
“Yes, Innkeeper…”
“If I just return all the money we received and ask them to leave, they won’t actually go, will they…?”
“No, they won’t, sir… The moment we say it, our heads will fly off…”
“…Sniff…”
“Waaah…”
The innkeeper and waiter clung to each other and burst into tears.
Thus, Do Gwang’s first day in Chengdu drew to a very peaceful close.
###
Paedo Sect.
One of the great unorthodox factions within the Nine Provinces Black Lotus. A massive power that split the great city of Chengdu in half, rivaling even the Sichuan Tang Family.
Its leader, Heo Chang-baek, was once again absorbed in caring for his blade rather than the Dao.
“Hmm… I like it.”
He gently stroked the massive greatsword he had newly acquired.
“As expected, a saber should be a greatsword. The name ‘Solid and Heavy’ really suits my taste.”
Yesterday, his disciples had discovered it by chance at a blacksmith in the streets of Chengdu and purchased it for a hefty sum.
“To sell off such a fine blade… the seller truly had no eye for quality. Isn’t that right, Great Elder?”
Heo Chang-baek smiled contentedly and turned around.
“Indeed, I agree. But Sect Leader… are you listening to me?”
Great Elder Gwon Tae-o asked with a grave expression. Heo Chang-baek nodded casually.
“Don’t worry. I heard everything about the madman who turned three Tang Clan elders into minced meat in a single day.”
“Then how can you remain so calm, Sect Leader?!”
“Why should I be calm or worried?”
Heo Chang-baek continued without taking his eyes off Solid and Heavy.
“Although the Tang Clan misunderstood and nearly caused trouble for our sect, thanks to your wise judgment we have no particular grudge against him, do we?”
He set Solid and Heavy down for a moment, looked Gwon Tae-o straight in the eye, then turned his gaze back to the greatsword.
“Besides, you said you didn’t even send anyone to tail him just in case, right? What’s the problem? Ah, are you sulking because I didn’t praise you? You did very well, Great Elder.”
“Haha… Surely I’m not a five-year-old child who would act this way just to receive praise.”
Gwon Tae-o let out a deep sigh, as though his insides were burning.
“I didn’t follow him all the way to the Tang Clan main house for fear of causing trouble, but I did confirm his martial prowess from a distance near the inn.”
He had witnessed with his own eyes as Do Gwang literally butchered First Elder Dang Mun-tae, Dang Mun-deok, and their elite guards.
“I apologize for saying this, Sect Leader, but his realm is at least equal to or greater than yours.”
“Hmm… At least, you say…”
Heo Chang-baek finally tore his gaze away from Solid and Heavy and let his eyes settle.
If anyone else had said it, he would have immediately roared that they dared to belittle his martial arts. But this was an analysis from none other than Gwon Tae-o.
“Then he is at least mid-Profound Realm, possibly even reaching its peak.”
Heo Chang-baek carefully assessed Do Gwang’s strength in his mind. Like Gwon Tae-o, he was not one to fall into pointless arrogance and could assess situations objectively.
According to yesterday’s report, even after blowing up the Tang Clan’s main building, the man had shown no signs of fatigue and remained energetic. The depth of his internal energy was beyond measure.
Well, even so, he can’t possibly be at the Star Realm…
Still, the appearance of such an overwhelmingly powerful martial artist in the murim—and right in the middle of Chengdu—was a massive variable.
“But there’s no real problem, is there? He didn’t attack us, and he wiped out those annoying Tang Clan bastards. It’s actually a gain for us. Just imagining how furious that old Poison King will be when he finishes his seclusion is already satisfying! Kahahaha!”
Heo Chang-baek was delighted at the thought of his lifelong rival Dang Jin-gyeong clutching the back of his neck and collapsing.
“Since things have turned out this way, how about trying to recruit him to our side? If we can bring him in, our disciples might be able to focus on their saber training without worrying about the Black Lotus Lord’s gaze.”
Unlike other unorthodox sects, the Paedo Sect did not mercilessly exploit or massacre commoners. They collected only about ten percent more in protection fees than the “sponsorship money” the orthodox sects demanded under the guise of donations. Moreover, they even offered discounts to facilities like blacksmiths and iron mines that were essential for forging sabers.
Yet they were still called unorthodox because they were fanatics who would swing their sabers without hesitation at anyone who insulted the blade. Naturally, they clashed daily with the orthodox factions, and to protect their faith in the saber and their disciples, they had joined the Nine Provinces Black Lotus.
“Even if he’s the Dark King, he won’t dare touch us if we have two Profound Realm experts in the sect. The orthodox bastards will naturally behave themselves too.”
As Heo Chang-baek painted a hopeful future, Gwon Tae-o shook his head with a bitter expression.
“If only that were possible, I would be very happy as well…”
He recalled the sharp gaze Do Gwang had directed at him yesterday from the inn and continued.
“…That man will probably come looking for our sect.”
“Huh? He’s going to walk in on his own and ask to join even though we didn’t invite him?”
“No. The look in his eyes when he stared at me yesterday was like…”
Before he could finish saying “like a predator eyeing its prey”—
“Sect Leader!!! Great Elder!!!”
A disciple burst through the door, screaming frantically.
Heo Chang-baek and Gwon Tae-o shot to their feet.
“What is it?!”
The disciple, panting heavily, shouted.
“That man… that madman really came, just like the Great Elder said!!!”
###
Hmm… this is completely unexpected…
Do Gwang scratched the back of his head with a troubled look.
Because—
“Welcome, Great Hero!”
“We’ve been waiting with bated breath!”
The burly gatekeepers guarding the Paedo Sect’s main gate bowed so deeply their waists nearly touched the ground the moment they saw him.
No, here it should be…
—Who the hell are you?! Get lost right now!
—Do you know where you’re setting foot?!
After such threats, if Do Gwang ignored them and took a step forward—
—You insolent brat! You dare ignore me?!
—I’ll split you in half with my greatsword!!!
They should have charged at him without hesitation. That would have been normal.
Yet—
“Um, Great Hero… I’m terribly sorry, but could you wait just a moment?”
“One of us has already run to inform the Sect Leader and Great Elder! Please, I beg you, wait just a little!”
The gatekeepers were sweating profusely and groveling.
Faced with their absurdly polite demeanor—
“Kyahaha~~”
Do Hwa smiled brightly and drew her dagger.
But before she could finish her usual question—
“Aigoo! I don’t want to die! Please take back those terrifying words!”
“Young Miss! We lowly creatures aren’t worth killing!”
The gatekeepers prostrated themselves flat on the ground and began to wail.
At their completely unexpected reaction—
“……”
Even Do Hwa stood frozen in shock, dagger still raised.
But they had no choice. The two men on gate duty today were the very witnesses who had watched from afar yesterday as Do Gwang and Do Hwa turned the Tang Clan warriors into mincemeat and sliced them to pieces.
“Hehe… It seems Gongja-nim’s greatness has already spread throughout Chengdu.”
Dang Soryeong, who had followed behind, covered her mouth with a delicate hand and murmured in rapture.
Hmm… news travels fast.
Do Gwang clicked his tongue with a sour expression.
Today he had come to the Paedo Sect to soothe the regret he hadn’t been able to resolve yesterday.
I came to learn the Thunderbolt Saber Technique…
More precisely, he intended to devour their secret ultimate technique with his trait. In any case, he had planned to use the gatekeepers’ unprovoked attack with greatswords as justification to smash them all, then smash the heads of the Sect Leader and Great Elder who would come rushing out in fury.
But now that they were bowing so respectfully and insisting on treating him with utmost courtesy—
I can’t swing the bat like this.
Do Gwang could only click his tongue while fiddling with the steel bat slung over his shoulder.
If these guys were the same type as those bandit bastards I chopped up last time, I could smash their heads without question, but…
In Chengdu, where there were many industrial facilities like blacksmiths and iron mines, the Paedo Sect collected far less protection money from commoners than the Tang Clan, who acted like orthodox sect members while extorting sponsorship fees.
Whether orthodox or unorthodox, they’re no different from gangster scum who forcibly squeeze money out of people…
Such things were commonplace in this murim world, so there was nothing to be done. That didn’t mean Do Gwang had any grand ideas about fixing these injustices.
Why should I?
If he saw villains crossing the line or pitiful people suffering injustice right in front of him, he would naturally help. But he had no intention of going out of his way to purify this rotten murim.
Why would I save a world that forcibly possessed me without even asking for consent?
He had no desire to play the hero who saves the world.
Just as he was organizing these indifferent thoughts—
“Kahahahaha!!!”
A hearty laugh echoed from inside the gate. Yet somehow the end of the laughter trembled ever so slightly.
“Well, if it isn’t the Mad Young Master!”
Gwon Tae-o appeared, forcing a smile so wide that the muscles in his face twitched.
The Great Elder’s voice…
It’s trembling…!
The gatekeepers prostrated on the ground were inwardly horrified.
As expected, even the fearsome Great Elder had no choice but to be nervous before this madman.
At Gwon Tae-o’s welcoming greeting—
“Mad Young Master…?”
Do Gwang tilted his head and asked.
“Hm? You didn’t know? Thanks to you smashing the Tang Clan yesterday, you’re already being called the Mad Young Master throughout Chengdu!”
Mad Young Master!
It had started with Dang Aran calling him the “Mad Young Master of the Paedo Sect,” but once it became known that he wasn’t actually from the Paedo Sect, the “Paedo Sect” label naturally fell away, leaving only the nickname Mad Young Master perfectly attached.
At that—
“Mad Young Master, huh…”
Do Gwang furrowed his brow and fell into thought. Gwon Tae-o’s heart sank.
Oh no… Even so, calling him a madman right to his face must have offended him.
He worried that the man might suddenly swing the steel bat in displeasure.
Contrary to his anxious expectations, however—
“Hmm.”
Nod, nod.
Do Gwang nodded lightly, looking satisfied. Gwon Tae-o was inwardly astonished.
As expected of a madman. He actually likes being called a madman.
But again, contrary to his thoughts—
“I do shine brightly.”
Do Gwang gave an utterly innocent and confident reply, filled with self-love. He had simply interpreted the character for “mad” (狂) as the character for “light” (光) and felt pleased!
At Do Gwang’s reaction—
Gwon Tae-o could only think once more.
…A madman.
A true madman.