Divine Star and Meteor (2)

Thud-thud-thud-!!!

"Huff...! Huff...!!"

Po Rang, chief of the Yusun Bandit Camp among the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds, was fleeing for his life. He wrung every last drop of inner energy from his dantian until his whole body felt ready to shatter, pouring it all into his movement technique as he ran.

From the madman chasing him with a bright smile and a steel bat, no less.

"Hey! Tired already?"

"You said come catch you if I could! Is this all you've got?"

"Huff... Guh-huff...!"

Po Rang felt his windpipe about to snap. He had no breath left to answer the taunts. Any scrap of strength that might have formed a word had to go into his legs instead.

If it didn't—

—Gyaaaaargh!!

Crunch-!

—S-spare me...!

BOOM-!

His head would split open under that crude steel bat, and he would follow the subordinates who had already taken the road to the Yellow Springs ahead of him!

He had heard recently that the Manwol Camp had been wiped out. One of his men who had visited Chengdu not long ago even brought back a rumor that some lone lunatic had single-handedly erased the Sichuan Tang Family.

Of course Po Rang had dismissed every word as nonsense. The Manwol Camp's pathetic Jang Cheol was one thing, but someone destroying the Sichuan Tang Family alone? Even a passing dog would laugh at that.

Fine. Suppose it was possible...

But then why.

Yes, why in the hell!

"Po Rang, you looking to die? Pick up the pace!"

Thud-thud-thud-!!!

Why did that madman have to be the one chasing him!

"Grrraaagh...!!"

Po Rang squeezed out every ounce of strength he had ever possessed and drove his movement technique harder.

Huff...! Haaah...! It's fine... My speed has never lost to anyone!

He kept running, legs never stopping, escaping into pure denial just to stay alive.

But of course it was not fine.

He had always prided himself that his movement arts would not fall short even of the Twenty Great Kings of the era. Yet absolute things did not exist in this world.

Proof of that was right behind him.

Even as Po Rang felt death clawing at his throat—

Grin—

"Po Raaang~~~~!!!!"

—the madman stuck to his back like a shadow, not a single drop of sweat on him, chasing with that sunny smile!

"Grrraaaaaagh!!!"

Po Rang's face flushed crimson, veins bulging, as he unleashed his secret movement art.

Rabbit Shadow Mountain-Flipping Step!

Despite the falcon in the Yusun Camp's name, this was the ultimate escape technique that crossed mountains like a rabbit and deceived even shadows!

A falcon looks to the sky; a rabbit looks for a hole. They say even if the heavens collapse, a mouse hole is enough to survive. Wherever my footprints touch, the mountains and rivers overturn—so who could ever catch this shadow?

Who could ever catch this body of mine!

Thud-thud-thud-thud-!!!

That's right, no one catches me!!!

...was complete bullshit.

Because even that ultimate technique—

"Thanks for the Rabbit Shadow Mountain-Flipping Step~"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Do Gwang had learned it in a single gulp, the way a man finishes a bowl of soup rice.

"So take care now~"

"W-wait...!"

The madman had already appeared in front of him, blocking the path. Po Rang scrambled to beg for his life—

"Dae-gari."

Crunch—!

—and his skull burst like a watermelon. He died on the spot.

"Dragged it out longer than I meant to. Was more fun than I expected."

Do Gwang flicked the blood off his steel bat and thought back, just for a moment, to childhood.

— Gwang-ah, stop reading comics and go play with the other kids.

— Gwang! Let's play tag together!

Back then, when the orphanage director and the other kids had invited him, it had felt so bothersome and annoying.

Why did it feel this fun now?

If he could return to that childlike heart, he almost wanted to giggle like Do Hwa and run around all day.

Yes—just like Do Hwa.

"Ah, right. The kids are waiting."

Time to head back, then.

Do Gwang left the meat chunks that had once been Po Rang without a second glance, turned, and—

Whoosh-!

—vanished while performing the Rabbit Shadow Mountain-Flipping Step far faster and more perfectly than Po Rang ever had.

The Yusun Camp, one of the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds.

With its chief fled in panic, the abandoned den had become something else entirely.

"S-spare..."

Slash-!

"Kyahaha~~"

Slice... slice...

"So this is what a person's insides look like... Ah, not a person—a beast cub, right? Oh my, I misspoke. Hehe..."

A festival of cutting and dissection was underway, vivid enough to call a slaughterhouse.

Then—

Whoosh-!

With a rush of dust—

"All cleaned up?"

—Do Gwang appeared.

"Yeah, Dad! I killed them all!"

"Good girl."

"Ehehe..."

Do Hwa beamed as Do Gwang patted her head.

Dang Soryeong flushed and twisted her body shyly.

"Young Master... me too..."

"Uh...? Hmm..."

Do Gwang looked a little troubled. Do Hwa was a child, so that was one thing, but Dang Soryeong was a fully grown young woman. Patting her head casually felt awkward.

But—

"Uuu..."

—she looked ready to burst into tears at any second.

"Ah, fine..."

He reluctantly reached out and stroked her hair.

Dang Soryeong writhed in bliss.

"Ehehe..."

Ah, Young Master's hand feels so good. He only patted my head and my whole body is trembling!

"Haa... haa..."

A soft, indecent sound almost slipped out—

"Kyahaha~~"

—when a bright laugh cut right in.

"You wanna die?"

"Haa... What kind of language is that toward your mother?"

"I don't have a mother! I only have Dad!"

"My, what are you saying? She's right here, isn't she?"

"Die!"

"Oh my~"

Clang-! Clang-! Clang-!

As usual, the two mad girls started trying to stab each other.

Do Gwang left the everyday spectacle behind, propped his chin on one hand, and swept his gaze over the mountain stronghold.

"Hmm..."

Just like in the game, the Yusun Camp had nothing special. He wasn't particularly disappointed. The whole reason he had stopped here was to acquire Po Rang's Rabbit Shadow Mountain-Flipping Step, after all.

After leaving Chengdu, Do Gwang had not headed straight for Henan, where the Murim Alliance headquarters would host the Yongbong Gathering. The tournament was still a comfortable two months away.

So he planned to take his time touring the jianghu—picking up useful martial arts and movement techniques, finding suitable opportunities for Do Hwa and Dang Soryeong along the way.

Thanks to that leisurely pace, three days after leaving Chengdu they still had not properly left Sichuan. They had barely even left the Chengdu region itself. The Yongcheon Mountain Range where they stood now was less than fifty li from the city.

Smashing the heads of unorthodox scum across the broad mountain slopes and poking around a few caves had simply eaten the time.

But with the Yusun Camp cleaned out today, there was nothing left worth checking in these mountains. Do Gwang decided it was time to wrap up and leave the Chengdu area.

Anything worth taking before we go...

If he had to name something, maybe the pocket change the bandits had hoarded?

"Hmm... but Uncle Gambler already gave us plenty of money..."

If there had been poor commoners locked up like at the Manwol Camp, he could have shared it. But—

"No, wait."

Do Gwang shook his head. The fact that no one had been kidnapped and imprisoned was actually better news.

Instead of people, though—

"U-eong...! U-eong...!"

—a panda was curled into a ball inside a massive iron-bar cage, trembling.

A panda in a wuxia world.

This was basically Kung Fu Panda!

"Hmm... Must've been looted from some merchant caravan."

The bandits had probably been keeping it to sell to some rich eccentric.

Anyway, this was the Murim era, not the modern world. They wouldn't call the creature a panda or a "pander."

"Hmm... What was the name again...?"

Do Gwang frowned, digging through his memory.

"Ah, it's an Iron-eating Beast."

Dang Soryeong stopped fencing with Do Hwa long enough to answer.

Do Hwa also halted her attacks and bounced over to the Iron-eating Beast with a sunny smile.

"Dad! Can I kill this bear cub?"

"U-eong! U-eooong!!!"

The Iron-eating Beast clasped its front paws together and wailed as if begging for its life.

"Kyahaha~~ It's noisy, so I'm killing it!"

"Hehe... Leave the dissection to me. The gallbladder, the hide—they look quite useful..."

"U-eooong! U-eooooong!!!"

The Iron-eating Beast realized by pure instinct that begging these two human females for mercy was hopeless.

So—

"U-eong! U-eooong!!!"

—it desperately fixed its pleading eyes on the human male behind them.

And that plea for rescue—

"Hey now~ Kids, cut it out."

—Do Gwang kindly accepted.

"Don't bully a poor animal."

"Eeh...?"

Do Hwa tilted her head in pure confusion.

"But we already killed lots of beasts?"

To the girl's innocent question—

"Hehe... You're mistaken. Those things lying dead over there are worse than beasts."

—Dang Soryeong corrected her with a creepy smile.

"Yeah, Soryeong's right. Those dead bastards got their heads smashed because they were worse than animals."

Do Gwang lectured with the solemn air of a moral education teacher.

"You don't casually kill real animals. Life is precious."

Coming from a man covered head to toe in blood, the words were the absolute peak of hypocrisy.

But the other two were just as blood-soaked, and more importantly, the words had come from Do Gwang.

"Okay! Dad, I'll treasure life!"

Do Hwa nodded brightly in agreement.

"As expected of Young Master... Your heart is wider than the ocean..."

Dang Soryeong clasped her hands and praised him.

At that—

"Mm, I know."

Nod, nod.

Do Gwang nodded as if it were only natural.

Faced with that bizarre, spine-chilling scene—

"U-eooong..."

—the Iron-eating Beast could only shudder inside its cage.

It was grateful to still be alive... yet even through the eyes of a mere beast that was no spiritual creature, it could clearly see that the humans in front of it were not right in the head.

That was when it happened.

Rumble-!

BOOOOOOM-!!

A deafening roar that shook heaven and earth suddenly exploded from a clear sky. In the direction of Chengdu, dark-crimson thunder and a golden meteor collided with ferocious force.

Do Gwang's brow furrowed hard.

"...What the hell is that? Why is the Meteor Exploding Fist showing up here?"

His open displeasure left Do Hwa and Dang Soryeong blinking in confusion.

"Dad?"

"Young Master?"

But before they could say another word—

"Sorry, wait a bit longer for me? I'll be right back."

—Do Gwang left those short words and immediately—

Whoosh-!

—launched the Rabbit Shadow Mountain-Flipping Step.

At full power.

Main compound of the Paedo Sect in Chengdu.

"Heh heh... A meteor, is it..."

Heo Chang-baek let out a hollow laugh.

He had finally reached the realm he had spent a lifetime yearning for and become a rising star—only to become a falling star the moment he rose.

"If that 'balance of the Murim' you speak of means the orthodox and unorthodox factions, then our Paedo Sect is prepared to leave the Guju-heokryeon."

The Paedo Sect had never walked the same path as the orthodox. They had joined the Nine Provinces Black Lotus only out of necessity, to protect their disciples, yet the unorthodox alliance was still far from the ideals the Paedo Sect pursued.

But now that he had reached the realm of stars that even the Black Lotus Lord would not casually touch—

"From now on, our Paedo Sect intends to focus solely on polishing the saber."

—without caring whose face they had to watch.

Yet—

"I don't believe a sharp fellow like you failed to understand my meaning."

The golden fist of the Fist Star remained aimed at him.

"No—that's exactly why I understand even less."

Heo Chang-baek gripped his twin great sabers tighter and continued.

"We already signed the agreement your orthodox side requested. Our Paedo Sect never touches powerless commoners. So why is the Fist Star suddenly persecuting us?"

"I am speaking of you alone, not the Paedo Sect."

"Heh heh... Then if we fight here, it won't just be me—my disciples will die as well, won't they?"

"That is an unavoidable sacrifice."

"Well now... This is absurd."

It truly was absurd.

In the end it was no different from saying he would wipe out the entire Paedo Sect just to kill one man.

"Then what about the people of Chengdu?"

This was a clash between stars. The damage would not stop at the Paedo Sect compound; enormous civilian casualties would spread across all of Chengdu.

Yet the Fist Star still did not lower his clenched fist.

"That too is an unavoidable sacrifice."

"Heh heh... Fuck..."

In the end a double curse slipped from Heo Chang-baek's mouth of its own accord.

Talk about two-faced orthodox bastards. Even a celebrated great hero was thoroughly hypocritical.

"Looks like there's really no avoiding this."

"Indeed. It cannot be helped. For the sake of balance."

"Heh heh..."

What balance was he even talking about?

If the unorthodox were the problem, he should stop touring around with his hands behind his back claiming to have retired from the front lines and go find the Black Lotus Lord first. If other stars were the problem, he should go after the Demonic Cult or the Blood Cult.

But—

Why the hell is he throwing a fit at me...

No words seemed capable of persuading the Fist Star. In that case, at least his disciples—who were like his own children—had to be saved.

"Fist Star. Listen. Could you grant me just one request?"

"Anything except begging for your life."

"Heh heh... Really now... Hard to tell who's the unorthodox one here."

"Speak quickly. I have no desire to waste more meaningless time."

"Keu-ka-ka-kat! Meaningless time, is it..."

The words were arrogant beyond measure.

Yet having reached the realm ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of stars himself, Heo Chang-baek understood even more clearly the gap between himself and the Fist Star, who had remained in the Star Realm for over a decade.

So he cut straight to the point.

"Could we do this somewhere else?"

"Planning to run, are you?"

"How could I? Movement arts have always been my weakest field."

"Then you mean to save your subordinates."

"That's right. And the Fist Star has no real need to sacrifice the people of Chengdu either, does he? You are, after all, a great hero of the orthodox."

"...That last remark sounded like mockery. It irks me a little..."

Whether the proposal worked or not, the Fist Star slowly unclenched his fist.

"Very well. Lead the way. To your own grave site."

"Heh heh... My grave site... How truly kind of you."

Heo Chang-baek gave a hollow laugh and took the lead.

Inwardly, though, he could only swallow regret.

As the Fist Star had said earlier, his own condition was far from peak. He had spent three full days lost in a trance, without proper rest, and the injuries inflicted by a certain madman had not fully healed yet.

Yes. That certain madman.

Keu-ka-ka-kat... I wanted to watch that lunatic's exploits a little longer...

Heo Chang-baek gazed wistfully for a moment in the direction Do Gwang had left, then began walking silently toward the grave site the Fist Star had named.

"Huff...! Huff...!"

His breath scraped the top of his throat; his chest felt ready to burst.

This was the first time since transmigrating into the Murim that Do Gwang had felt the sensation of true exhaustion.

Why am I even doing this...?

He thought about it.

No matter how much he had received, they had only known each other for a mere ten days. And because he had sunk thousands of hours into the game, he had watched the man die countless times on the ending scroll.

So why—

Thud-thud-thud-thud-!!

—were his two legs still running so desperately without rest?

Besides, there's no guarantee Uncle Gambler is actually going to die, right?

He knew perfectly well that his own transmigration had already completely altered the game's world line. The Fist Star, who had never even approached Chengdu until the ending credits in the game, could appear. The old man was so capricious he might simply have come for a spar.

...No. He's not the type who spars.

Teaching young rising talents was one thing. There was no way ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he would spar with the black-path martial artists he so despised.

And Uncle Gambler's condition won't be normal either, so sparring my ass...

Today made three days since leaving Chengdu—roughly the same period Heo Chang-baek had spent in a trance in the game. Meaning Heo Chang-baek was facing the Fist Star while far from peak condition.

Shit... This is making me nervous... I'm not too late, am I...?

Right now Do Gwang was performing the Rabbit Shadow Mountain-Flipping Step at a speed that made the late Po Rang look ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like a joke.

All thanks to this monstrous trait.

Even so, terrified of arriving too late, Do Gwang ran with every scrap of power he possessed.

And before long—

BOOOOM-!!!

—he arrived at the Paedo Sect in a thunderous rush.

Countless men lay sprawled like corpses in a wretched state. Among them, only one massive middle-aged man still stood, leaning on a great saber.

It was Gwon Tae-o, Great Elder of the Paedo Sect.

"Young Master Gwang...?"

He stared wide-eyed as if he had seen a ghost. The fellow who had left Chengdu ages ago had suddenly reappeared.

But his face immediately twisted into something desperate.

"Th-there, Young Master Gwang...!"

What Gwon Tae-o wanted to say—what request he wanted to make—Do Gwang already knew without hearing the rest.

So he forced out the words between ragged breaths.

"Huff... Huff... Where...?"

"That way...!"

Gwon Tae-o pointed in one direction with a face full of emotion.

Without a moment's hesitation, Do Gwang—

Whoosh-!

—kicked off the ground again at full power and shot toward that direction.

To protect one of the few bonds he had formed in this world.