You Should Have Fled
In less than two hours, word that Sambong-hyeon had been drenched in blood crashed into its neighboring territory, Jangan Commandery.
The territorial war between the Asura Sword Sect and the Pacheon Fist Sect had always been vicious.
Sambong-hyeon and Jangan Commandery, in particular, had drawn the attention of the entire world as of late.
For years they had beaten each other down, ambushed one another, carried out assassinations, and slaughtered countless merchant caravans passing through Bibong Mountain.
The sects of Jangan Commandery had done all of this and more, tightening their near-monopoly over the mountain.
Sambong-hyeon had lashed back in truth, more than once — but those "counterattacks" were, at best, half-hearted gestures too passive to deserve the name.
This time was different.
The newly arrived Mad Sovereign, Yi Do, had exacted a vengeance no one could have imagined.
When a single Sambong-hyeon caravan was annihilated crossing Bibong Mountain, he wiped out one of Jangan's caravans on that very same road that very same day — then took the heads of the four clan heads behind it.
A freak rainstorm had obscured the deed, but consider it: what kind of madman stops at slaughtering a caravan and then infiltrates enemy territory to hunt down the clan masters themselves?
It was shocking beyond belief.
His actions defied imagination.
And this time would be no different.
Pung Bi-chang, Branch Master of the Pacheon Fist Sect, had responded in an entirely conventional fashion.
He had threatened the clans of Sambong-hyeon from within, seeking to crumble it from the inside out.
He had offered them money. He had made promises behind closed doors.
And then a single move by Yi Do had shattered the whole scheme.
No —
Who could have guessed he would annihilate the very clans of his own territory?
Now there was only one course of action left to the Pacheon Fist Sect's Jangan Branch.
Pung Bi-chang spoke.
"Everyone, prepare yourselves."
What to prepare for needed no explanation.
"At first light tomorrow, we will break Sambong-hyeon."
Pung Bi-chang distributed training resources to everyone, along with modest but genuine elixirs.
His mind was made up.
Even within Jangan Commandery, dissatisfaction with the Pacheon Fist Sect's handling of affairs was already boiling over.
Arrogant bastards.
Who had been watching their backs all this time?
He wanted to gather them all and give them a piece of his mind, but there was something he had to do first.
Sambong-hyeon.
In the end, it all came down to Yi Do of Sambong-hyeon.
That bastard had to die.
And once that bastard was dead, every last clan of Sambong-hyeon —
He would slaughter them all.
After a brief stop at the Heaven-Piercing Gate, I returned to the branch to find the Thousand-Li Divine Thief waiting on the first floor.
"In case you didn't hear, it's all done."
"Good work."
"So what happens now? Are you simply letting me go?"
I nodded.
The Thousand-Li Divine Thief rose from his seat.
"...I don't know what you're planning, but I'd rather never lay eyes on you again."
As he turned to leave, I tossed the words out casually.
"Just walking away, are you?"
He turned his head.
"I have a gift for you."
"...A gift?"
He silently walked over and sat down in an empty chair.
"Sit."
"...Now what? Don't tell me you're about to take back your word. If there's more errands you want run, I'm telling you right now, absolutely not—"
"From this day forward, you will be hunted."
The Thousand-Li Divine Thief's mouth clamped shut. He had known all along — that was why his attitude had been so cold from the start.
The thief who had vanished for so long had resurfaced. First the false accusation of stealing thirty Asura Pellets — and now the real thing.
Whatever people chose to believe, one thing was certain: the name Thousand-Li Divine Thief was about to spread through the world once more.
Which meant he would be hunted, inevitably. The man he had robbed — Jangan Commandery, territory of the Pacheon Fist Sect.
"I keep my promises. As of today, you are dead."
"...I'm sorry, what?"
"Dead. That is what I said."
The Thousand-Li Divine Thief began to raise his aura, and I laughed. He had apparently misunderstood me.
"...Have you gone mad, old man? You keep your promises by killing the man who kept his? What kind of nonsense is that... And you call yourself a man? You think you'll get away with an outrage like this!? I haven't lived all that long, but a scoundrel like you is a first in my entire—"
"There were plenty of corpses in Sambong-hyeon today."
"..."
"One of them will become you. You died today. Who killed you, how you died — I'll fabricate all of that myself, so go home."
"...You're... serious?"
"Didn't I tell you? I keep my promises. I said I'd set you free, and that I'd clear your name. If the name 'Thousand-Li Divine Thief' ceases to exist, aren't you, by that very fact, a free man?"
"...But that's not exactly... simple, is it?"
"It isn't simple. But weaving your death into a board that's already been set is no trouble at all. I already have a beast in mind for the kill, so don't worry yourself. And—"
I pulled a pouch stuffed full of gold coins from my robe and tossed it to him. The weight of it nearly knocked the thief off balance.
When he looked inside, his eyes went wide.
"...What is all this...?"
"Your wages."
"...Isn't this far too much gold? And this... if I'm not mistaken, this is a fifty-year Heaven Flower Pellet... With something like this, why wouldn't you just take it yourself instead of—"
"Thousand-Li Divine Thief."
"...Speak."
"Unless you go out of your way to build new debts with me, your life as Na Mu-gi, the Thousand-Li Divine Thief, ends today. Call it washing your hands in gold, in the truest sense."
"..."
"As you said, we won't meet again. Live well in Yeon State with your daughter. Now go."
The Thousand-Li Divine Thief stared blankly for a moment, then blinked. He thought deeply, as if unable to comprehend, before speaking with a complicated expression.
"...I'm sorry I misjudged you."
"It's fine."
"...Whatever the world may say, I will remember you as a true hero."
"I don't care how you remember me."
"How I remember you is my freedom, is it not?"
He wasn't wrong, so I saw no need to answer.
He assumed a fist-in-palm salute.
"Thank you. May you live ten thousand years."
The Thousand-Li Divine Thief turned and sprinted away. In an instant, his body vanished from sight.
Moments later, Myeong Hyeon and Un Dohyeon stepped inside. Myeong Hyeon wore the look of a man with a great many questions.
"If you have something to say, say it."
"...Are you really letting him go like that?"
"Is there a reason I shouldn't?"
"...I've half noticed that you know demonic arts. If the Thousand-Li Divine Thief ever changes his mind, things will become extremely tiresome."
"I gave him my word."
"...Isn't producing a meaningful outcome more important than a promise?"
Myeong Hyeon's demeanor was surprisingly earnest. Normally Un Dohyeon would have interjected by now, but he too stayed silent. He must have found it odd as well. Myeong Hyeon had completely sealed his blood pathways. His temperament was perfectly sound. I answered him anyway.
"To me, a promise matters more."
"..."
"Even if keeping a promise tears down everything I have ever built, I keep it. If I didn't, how could I shamelessly demand that others keep theirs?"
"...Most people don't see it that way, do they?"
"They are them. I am not them. A promise I have made, I keep."
Though I did sometimes bend the phrasing when making one. Wang Mu-tan and Jin Geon, whom I killed in the branch cellar not long ago, were exactly that case.
I told them I would let them live. But cutting off their limbs, tearing out their dantians, and sending what remained — just their heads — back to the Asura Sword Sect also counted as letting them live. So I offered them two choices: the first was my earlier proposal, and the second was death by my own hand.
I have never once broken a promise.
Goodwill repaid with goodwill. Kindness repaid with kindness. Grudges repaid with grudges.
It's a simple principle.
"Was that what you were curious about? Whether I'd keep my promise to you or not?"
"...Well, a little... not a lot, though. I believe you'll understand."
"I do understand."
Myeong Hyeon let out a long breath, then bowed his head to me.
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"...For doubting you. It's just... you're so unlike anyone I've ever known that the questions kept coming. If I displeased you, I apologize for that as well."
"It's fine. You didn't displease me, and I take no offense. Lift your head."
Myeong Hyeon raised his head. He smiled awkwardly.
"That expression suits you far better."
"...Is that a compliment?"
"Take it however you like. And Un Dohyeon."
"Yes, my lord."
"I went through the inventory of what we brought back from Cheonrim. There were Bone-Dissolving Needle Crossbows among it. Did you sell those as well?"
"No, my lord. There were hundreds of needles coated in bone-dissolving poison, so I set those aside on the assumption we'd want them on hand no matter when or where."
"How many did you set aside?"
"Five Bone-Dissolving Needle Crossbows."
Five. Not bad.
The Bone-Dissolving Needle Crossbow was a hidden weapon built around bone-dissolving poison that melted flesh down to the marrow. Much like a crossbow, except it fired needles instead of bolts — and those needles were soaked head to tip in the poison.
"Carry two apiece."
"Me too?"
That question came from Myeong Hyeon.
"Yes, you as well. You can't reveal your demonic arts, so you'll need to make do with hidden weapons, won't you?"
The meaning behind my words was unmistakable.
"Tomorrow, the disciples of the Jangan Branch will come."
"..."
"Prepare yourselves."
Myeong Hyeon smiled as if he were getting used to this, and Un Dohyeon nodded.
"Was there no separate letter from No Dae-won?"
As if he had been waiting for exactly that, Un Dohyeon handed me a single letter.
A smile touched my lips.
Around the hour of Jin (7–9 a.m.) the next day, twenty men and women entered through Sambong-hyeon's western gate.
Their killing intent was ferocious.
They had been on the losing end of everything until now. They had schemed from the shadows, and every scheme had been seen through.
They had meant to smash Sambong-hyeon from the bottom up and let the people drive out the Asura Sword Sect on their own — and they had failed.
Now they had no choice but to act.
Pung Bi-chang, the Giant Spirit Divine Fist, roared.
"Yi Do, the Mad Sovereign of the Asura Sword Sect! Come forth at once—"
His voice trailed off. It could hardly have done otherwise.
Someone was walking toward Pung Bi-chang.
Slowly.
There were three of them in total.
And the man standing at their head.
The moment Pung Bi-chang saw that face, his brow knotted violently.
Because that man was Yi Do — the very Mad Sovereign he had hunted so desperately.
He had studied the man's portraits so many times he could have traced every wrinkle on that face from memory.
As a master of the Ogijowon realm, Pung Bi-chang had absolute confidence in his own strength. Perhaps that was why such words slipped from his mouth.
"...You have remarkable confidence."
Who was even around right now?
There were passersby, but none of them belonged to the Asura Sword Sect.
Just three men in all.
Three men, standing before twenty of the Jangan Branch.
It was almost comical.
Yi Do came to a halt roughly ten jang away, and Pung Bi-chang demanded:
"Where does this confidence come from?"
Yi Do's expression did not change. He simply gazed at Pung Bi-chang in silence.
"Answer me."
Still, silence.
After regarding Pung Bi-chang for a long moment, Yi Do let out a soft scoff of laughter.
"You came to Sambong-hyeon while I was away, didn't you."
"...So?"
"You played a rather amusing little game back then. Surely a man schemes like that only with his death already accepted?"
Ha.
"Hahahahahaha—!!"
Mad laughter burst from Pung Bi-chang's throat.
Then it cut off.
"You lunatic. My death accepted? If anyone should be accepting death, it's you. You didn't content yourself with turning Jangan Commandery into a wasteland — you went and used the Thousand-Li Divine Thief besides. Hand over everything he stole from Jangan, and I might spare those two standing behind you."
"The Thousand-Li Divine Thief? I don't follow."
"...What?"
"Didn't your people kill the Thousand-Li Divine Thief?"
For an instant, Pung Bi-chang's mind went blank. What the hell was this bastard spouting—?
"On my way here, I had him torn limb from limb. Un Dohyeon."
"Yes, my lord."
"Repeat for him exactly what you told me."
Un Dohyeon stepped forward and answered.
"According to our informants hidden in Bibong Mountain, precisely half a shijin ago, they discovered the Thousand-Li Divine Thief lurking as he crossed the mountain — and killed him. They tore him apart and mangled his face until it was nearly unrecognizable, and they are transporting the body here for retrieval even now."
"A retired thief, too... what a tragedy. All he wanted was to clear his own name... That is the Pacheon Fist Sect for you. Committing the crime, then destroying the evidence to boot — one might almost call it walking the path of the demonic, would one not?"
"My lord speaks with a hundred times the truth. The Pacheon Fist Sect walks the demonic path, without question."
Even Myeong Hyeon, lingering at the edge, snickered and cut in.
"There were rumors a while back that Pung Bi-chang over there had been in contact with demon worshippers... Now I see those rumors were true. And honestly, look at his face. Does it not look utterly depraved? That is unmistakably the face of a demon worshipper."
The martial artists of the Jangan Branch, Pung Bi-chang at their head, clenched their fists. These sons of bitches.
"...What exactly are you playing at?"
The dense killing intent of an Ogijowon master spread in every direction. A gentle smile bloomed across Yi Do's lips.
The bloodlust rising from that smile shoved Pung Bi-chang's own aside — so completely that Pung Bi-chang faltered for a moment.
The Thousand-Li Divine Thief's role had always been to plunge Jangan Commandery into chaos.
He had needed to seed and cultivate distrust of the Jangan Branch.
To peel the Jangan Branch away from the vast curtain that was Jangan Commandery, alone.
If the sect master's letter had not arrived, the Jangan Branch would have been annihilated that day.
"You should not have come to Sambong-hyeon. You should have fled."
Yi Do drew the Cloud Dragon Sword.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
Thwip.
With that single sound, Yi Do's body vanished from where he stood. He reappeared beside the Jangan Branch disciple standing at the farthest edge. The startled man reached out with his fist — but faster than he could move, the Cloud Dragon Sword swept through the space where his neck had been.
Crack—!
His head dropped to the ground.
Yi Do's murderous eyes locked onto Pung Bi-chang.
"But you didn't flee — and so today, the Jangan Branch is annihilated, is it not?"