Chapter 163
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: Chapter 45. Vertical and Horizontal (3)
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The old man, Sang Gun-bo of Iron Palm, nodded readily and stepped forward, while Hyung U-saeng quickly vacated his spot.
"I've heard the story from Yong-i. You're a kid with a complicated backstory, aren't you?"
'Yong-i? Kid? Who's that suddenly?'
Flying Tiger was momentarily baffled, but soon realized that Yong referred to Jin Ga-yong calling him affectionately, and by extension, "kid" meant himself. Still, he couldn't find the right words to respond. He didn't know how much Jin Ga-yong had told this old man. So, it was tricky to answer.
As Flying Tiger hemmed and hawed, the old man waited a moment before speaking without showing any particular reaction.
"First, let me answer your questions. Just now, this old man and U-saeng here took down a few of those thugs together. But someone was spying on us, so I thought he might be with them and captured him. Then, that fellow Myeong-rang over there interrogated him, and he vehemently denied being one of the thugs."
"......"
"Hm, was this old man's explanation too difficult?"
"Ah, well... By 'thugs,' do you mean people from the Cho Eo-jin side?"
"Probably?"
Sang Gun-bo furrowed his brow, looking troubled.
"That's our guess, but who can say for sure? I'm not well-versed in Shaanxi's experts, and even if I took the bodies to those who might know, they're too mangled. I have a tendency for that myself, but U-saeng here is even rougher with his hands."
"Whoa! Elder, it's just that my trade is thievery, and all I know how to do is chuck rocks."
"That's why I said your hands are rough."
"But doesn't that sound like you're implying I'm some hot-tempered brute?"
As the old man and the middle-aged man got lost in their own conversation, Flying Tiger glanced around. Then, a man who had been quietly standing in the corner stepped forward with obvious reluctance.
"Anyone who matches up against the elder gets smashed and splintered beyond recognition. And Uncle Hyung always aims for the head with his hidden weapons, so they all exploded. That's why there's no way to identify any of the five bodies."
"Without exception?"
"Right."
"But couldn't you tell roughly which side they're from by their martial arts style?"
"They dropped one by one in a single blow—what was there to judge? By their screams, like 'Ah, this one's from the upper district, that one's from the lower'?"
"......"
Something was off about this conversation.
If the gap with the enemy was that wide, why not just subdue them and interrogate? Were these three all muscleheads who couldn't think of that?
No, probably not...
Maybe they practiced some special technique that couldn't be stopped once swung?
'Hmm, come to think of it, Hyung U-saeng's rock-throwing is a perfect example. Once you throw a rock, you can't take it back. And looking back, this guy in front of me was weird too. He just kept smashing down relentlessly. No way... is that the only thing he knows how to do? Nah, couldn't be.'
Flying Tiger was personally curious but decided to skip this for now. It would be more productive to ask someone more sensible, like Jin Ga-yong.
So he threw out the next question.
"Got it. So, are you the Myeong-rang fellow the elder mentioned?"
Twitch.
The man called Myeong-rang's eyes twitched. But he held it in, making it awkward to get angry. Flying Tiger had merely relayed the elder's exact words, so it seemed like an innocent remark. His expression suggested as much.
Of course, only Flying Tiger himself knew if that was truly the case.
"Lone Legged Tiger So Myeong-rang. That's me."
"Noted. So, what was Elder Sang Gun-bo trying to say... what's the point?"
So Myeong-rang sighed and explained the whole story.
***
It went something like this.
About half a shichen ago. Sang Gun-bo, staying at Zhao Family Manor, quietly called Hyung U-saeng and suggested they take a stroll. So Myeong-rang, who had followed Sang Gun-bo all the way from distant Gold Gate out of admiration, tagged along. He sensed it wasn't a normal walk when Sang Gun-bo told Hyung U-saeng to pick up some decent rocks.
Up to here, Flying Tiger could roughly guess the relationship between Sang Gun-bo and So Myeong-rang.
So Myeong-rang wasn't Sang Gun-bo's disciple. More like a sharp subordinate or attendant? But judging by how deferentially he treated Sang Gun-bo, he seemed to regard him as a master in his heart. He had probably picked up a trick or two directly from him.
Anyway.
The three slipped out of Zhao Family Manor without telling anyone and went for a midnight stroll. On the way, Hyung U-saeng asked if they shouldn't at least inform Zhao Family Manor, but Sang Gun-bo brushed it off.
Everyone's tired from the day—no need to worry them.
When they arrived here, guests were already waiting.
They immediately challenged Sang Gun-bo: "Are you really the Gold Gate Lord, one of the Ten Lords?" "What's so great about Zhao Family Manor that you came all this way?" "What happened to the Twin Dragons? Was it you?"
Sang Gun-bo answered each one: "Yes, I'm the Gold Gate Lord." "Why I'm here is none of your business." "Twin Dragons? Who're they? Anyway, I taught a lesson to some fools—maybe one was them?" And kindly added at the end.
Judging by your looks, you're not here with good intentions, so don't try anything stupid and get lost.
But the guests exchanged glances and said, "Let's see what the Ten Lords are made of," ignoring warnings and acting up anyway. And they ended up as pulp.
During this, So Myeong-rang kept watch.
Hyung U-saeng watched.
Sang Gun-bo rampaged alone.
But it didn't take long—Sang Gun-bo swung his saber three times and took down three. The remaining two fled in terror at his prowess. Hyung U-saeng finished them off with rocks to the back of their heads.
***
'Ah, so Sang Gun-bo intended to spare one or two. But Hyung U-saeng had to go and smash their heads. But...'
"Hold on. So those thugs knew Elder Sang Gun-bo's identity from the start and came looking for you?"
"Why else call him out alone in the dead of night?"
"They must've felt confident even against a Ten Lord? Or they lost their minds seeing their Twin Dragons and comrades slaughtered."
"Who knows? Can't find out now. But didn't you tell Uncle Hyung? When you're hell-bent on dying, anything can happen."
So Myeong-rang snorted in derision, muttering, "They must've thought a Ten Lord position was won by drawing lots. That's why they figured a few of them could take him on."
'Wait, just how strong are these Ten Lords?'
Flying Tiger pieced it together from the story.
Since they even mentioned the Twin Dragons, those now mere thugs who became unreturnable guests were definitely Cho Eo-jin experts. Key forces holding positions in their organization, no doubt. Otherwise, with even their signboard aces, the Twin Dragons, smashed, what gave them the guts to come here?
In short, though he didn't know their faces, each of the five dead was an expert Flying Tiger couldn't easily overcome.
Yet Sang Gun-bo crushed the Twin Dragons and them alike like snapping twigs. No wonder he didn't even remember who the Twin Dragons were! So perhaps in Iron Palm Sang Gun-bo's eyes, Flying Tiger and the Twin Dragons looked like the same peanuts. Just one bite each anyway.
....
"So, did Myeong-rang tell you all the details?"
Sang Gun-bo had been quietly listening to So Myeong-rang and Flying Tiger's exchange and now spoke up as it wrapped.
Flying Tiger responded with renewed politeness.
"Yes. I learned a lot, thanks to you. Except the main point."
"Hm?"
"You said at first you'd answer my questions. What is it?"
***
The problem was the guy caught spying on their fight from hiding.
He confessed that he came for other business, happened to see the fight break out, and got curious and watched. When pressed on his business, he admitted he came to meet Flying Tiger, detained at Zhao Family Manor. He insisted he was just tasked with passing a message, nothing harmful to the manor.
So, So Myeong-rang's "Someone asked me to say hi" to Flying Tiger was referring to this guy—a test.
'In the end, it was me causing trouble.'
Flying Tiger scratched his cheek awkwardly and asked.
"So, what did he claim to be?"
"Said he's A-ryuk from Seo Guk-dang."
"Ah!"
"You really know him?"
"......"
So Myeong-rang dragged over the bound man slumped in the corner. Flying Tiger sighed and admitted it was indeed A-ryuk and that he had business with him.
What rotten luck—right when Flying Tiger showed up. Moreover, he was entangled with Cho Eo-jin matters. Lingering here would only deepen suspicions.
So Flying Tiger first asked permission and questioned A-ryuk in front of everyone.
"A-ryuk, you said you have a message for me?"
"There's a letter in my bosom for Warrior Flying Tiger."
"I see. But why were you spying on these folks' fight?"
"Well, actually......"
"Speak straight, without a single lie, in front of these people."
Flying Tiger glared sternly in warning. But A-ryuk wasn't entirely aboveboard, so he didn't want full truth. It was code: mix it up, hide what to hide, reveal what to show. As a veteran in intelligence, he'd get it.
A-ryuk blinked a couple times before spilling the truth.
"Sorry. I came to deliver the letter and learned Warrior Flying Tiger was detained. I should've given up or gone through Zhao Family Manor officially... but I wondered if I could sneak it to you at night, so I hung around."
"That important?"
"I wouldn't know. Would any client like a mere errand boy tampering with their letter? But they paid extra, saying it was urgent, so I got greedy to make the delivery."
"And you just happened to see a fight nearby and got curious?"
"...Yes."
"Ha~ Admirable courage. Didn't you know poking into jianghu fights can get you stabbed? And you're no martial artist, spying on experts at that?"
As Flying Tiger vented in frustration, A-ryuk shrank and mumbled in a tiny voice.
"That's actually why."
"What?"
"You've lived as a ronin long enough, Warrior Flying Tiger—you know the underside of the jianghu. If big shots are fighting, just selling that info alone makes good money."
As Flying Tiger stared in disbelief, A-ryuk added softly, "Of course, I regret it now."
Both sides improvised without a script under the audience's eyes, and surprisingly synced well, making them rethink each other.
'Well, well, he can act.'
And Flying Tiger reached out to wrap it up.