Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Impromptu Plan
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While everyone's attention was fixed on the scream of the mysterious woman, he struck at the opening.
The giant man burst into laughter as he said,
"Hahaha. Well done, Du Gil."
The men in pointed hats and their group looked utterly flustered.
At that moment, one man from the giant's faction charged toward Yeo Nan-ju, whose hiding spot had been exposed.
Though she was a martial artist of considerable skill, she lacked experience.
It was only natural that she couldn't respond to such a sudden turn of events.
He swung his sword straight for her neck, aiming to take her life.
Han Ibi thought,
'Oh no, this is bad!'
He shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Run away!"
But Yeo Nan-ju remained rooted to the spot.
That was when it happened.
A dark shadow whooshed into view.
It was none other than Jong Ri-hyeok.
Incredibly, he leaped in front of Yeo Nan-ju, raising his sword to block the giant faction man's attack.
Clang clang clang!
Sparks flew in an instant exchange of blows.
'Show-off again. That protagonist syndrome... damn it. Hate to admit it, but he's cool.'
Han Ibi grumbled inwardly but quickly drew his dagger, activating his throwing dart technique as he hurled it stealthily.
Whoosh.
It worked.
The rain muffled the sound of the dagger, so the man from the faction hadn't noticed a thing.
With a thunk, Han Ibi's dagger embedded itself in the man's back.
"Urk!"
The man collapsed with a cry.
At the same time, Han Ibi shifted positions and hid again.
The furious one was the giant bandit.
"What the hell! You bastards. Were there more rats after the goods? Boys! What are you waiting for? Catch those rats now!"
No sooner had the words rung out than the two remaining men from the giant's faction flew toward Jong Ri-hyeok.
Fighting multiple foes in the pouring rain was no easy task.
Jong Ri-hyeok found himself at a brief disadvantage in the short skirmish.
Then another person jumped into the fray.
It was So Eun-ri.
She used Qingcheng Sect swordsmanship to engage one of the men.
Her white robes fluttering, soaked by the rain, as she faced the burly man—it was somehow captivating.
Meanwhile, the middle-aged man in the pointed hat was floundering in confusion.
He seemed unsure whose side to take.
But soon enough, he made up his mind and chased after the man carrying what appeared to be the goods.
What could be more important than that?
The iron box, presumed to hold the goods, was incredibly heavy for its size.
The skinny man, whose movements were restricted by the weight, was trying to smash the lock with his sword.
He seemed intent on taking only the contents.
That's when the pointed-hat man rushed toward him in a flash.
But the giant man wasn't about to stand idly by.
He had been watching his subordinates' fight with Jong Ri-hyeok, but the moment he spotted the pointed-hat man's movement, he unleashed his lightness skill and soared toward the box.
It was an agile lightness technique that belied his massive frame.
In an instant, the two collided.
The giant wielded a dizzying wolf-tooth club, its tip bristling like a porcupine.
The pointed-hat man held a thin, long sword.
Likely an effort to compensate for his short reach.
That was when it happened.
[Sudden Quest (Difficulty ★★★☆): Steal Yeoseon Escort Agency's Goods]
🎁 Reward: Unknown reward
'Wh-what's this?! A quest in this situation?!'
Yes.
The system's chime rang in Han Ibi's ears.
What... what?!
Whoa. It's telling me to steal it now?
From errand boy to throwing expert... and now a thief?
Damn it, this novel isn't called Legend of the Hao Clan or something!
Whether Han Ibi liked it or not...
The two bandit leaders began clashing fiercely.
The brutish wolf-tooth club against the razor-thin sword seemed reckless at first glance, but...
Astoundingly, the two were evenly matched in a ferocious battle.
The pointed-hat man said,
"You vile scum of the earth. Even your big brother must be glaring down from the underworld."
The giant man chuckled and replied,
"That muddle-headed fool becoming chieftain was Juryong Stronghold's first mistake. He was always terrified I'd outgrow him."
The pointed-hat man gritted his teeth and shot back,
"You mad bastard. Taking in an ungrateful wretch like you was his lifelong blunder."
Neither yielded an inch, whether with words or blades.
Suddenly, the pointed-hat man shouted,
"Brothers! No other choice now. Everyone who witnessed this today must die. Kill Cheon Sin-u first! Then deal with the ambushers!"
His three subordinates charged toward Cheon Sin-u en masse.
Seeing this, Cheon Sin-u, despite his injuries, drew his sword and prepared to defend.
One of the young attackers said,
"No hard feelings. Sorry, but you have to die."
Cheon Sin-u roared in fury, swinging his sword into the air.
"You lunatics! Cut the crap and die with me today. If the client finds out, your stronghold will be reduced to rubble in moments!"
The three pointed-hat men attacked Cheon Sin-u simultaneously.
He barely rolled away, evading their strikes in a desperate struggle.
Watching this, Jong Ri-hyeok said to So Eun-ri,
"So Junior Sister. Sorry, but hold them off a moment."
So Eun-ri gave a faint nod with her usual icy expression.
Now suddenly facing two burly men, it was a relief for those who had been pushed back by Jong Ri-hyeok and So Eun-ri.
Clang.
The clash of steel echoed loudly.
Cheon Sin-u, whose head was nearly severed by an enemy strike, owed his life to Jong Ri-hyeok.
Meanwhile, So Eun-ri was growing hard-pressed as time wore on.
These weren't your average bandits; their martial prowess was impressive.
No ordinary brigands, that was certain.
So Eun-ri quickly fell into a disadvantage.
That was when it happened.
"Hiya~!"
A sword sliced between them amid a hearty shout.
The men startled, dodging the blade.
The fierce sword path threatened their lives.
A glance back revealed the sword's owner: Yeo Nan-ju, who had been standing stunned!
Thus, it became a 2-on-2 matchup once more.
Yeo Nan-ju said,
"You filthy scum! You thought you could touch us and get away with it? We are Qingcheng..."
"No!"
So Eun-ri urgently cut her off.
Rip.
Her focus shattered, and an enemy's sword tore her sleeve.
The man who landed the hit said,
"Looks like you're disciples from some righteous sect. Hahaha. As expected, pampered young masters lack brains. Thanks. You've taught us we need to wipe you out completely without a trace if we want to sleep soundly."
Outraged, Yeo Nan-ju channeled all her qi and thrust her sword at the man.
With Yeo Nan-ju awakened, the fight evened out somewhat.
Though from a famed sect, Qingcheng swordsmanship was no match for bandit arts—provided it was executed properly.
But the women's lack of real combat experience was the issue.
Their foes, battle-hardened through countless scraps.
Frustrated, Yeo Nan-ju bit her lip hard and yelled,
"Jong Ri-mae! Where the hell are you?! Why aren't you helping us?!"
Of course, Han Ibi was watching the women from the bushes.
He judged they could handle the bandits sufficiently.
He could help if needed; he planned to if it got worse.
But right now, the system quest weighed on him more.
The system might seem random, but it never assigned pointless tasks.
He pondered how to steal their goods.
He glanced at Jong Ri-hyeok.
Jong Ri-hyeok faced two men and seemed more at ease than expected.
Cheon Sin-u, fighting desperately from the ground, didn't appear in immediate peril.
Meanwhile, the two bandit leaders' duel intensified over time.
Curiously, the pointed-hat bandit's skill seemed to gain the edge.
Against such a brute, no less.
Noticing his disadvantage, the giant bellowed at the man struggling to open the box.
"You fool! Forget that for now—help me kill this bastard first!"
The man set the box down and rushed to join the giant against the pointed-hat man.
Han Ibi's eyes gleamed.
A golden opportunity.
The giant's subordinate closed in and swung his massive blade.
He moved with natural coordination, as if he'd sparred with the giant many times.
Now cornered was the diminutive pointed-hat man.
The sight of him fending off the brutish duo's onslaught was enough to stir pity.
Yet he endured, stubbornly holding on despite repeated perils.
Whoever won between the leaders didn't matter to Han Ibi.
Then a deathly scream pierced the air.
From Jong Ri-hyeok's side.
Jong Ri-hyeok was locked in combat with the two pointed-hat subordinates.
Not there.
Han Ibi turned to see Cheon Sin-u, seated on the ground, with a sword wound on his shoulder.
But it wasn't his scream.
Incredibly, by offering his shoulder, he had plunged his sword into his attacker's heart.
Hot blood sprayed, staining Cheon Sin-u.
But that was the end...
Seeing his comrade slain, one subordinate flew into a rage and charged Cheon Sin-u.
Cheon Sin-u had no strength left to block.
"No!"
Jong Ri-hyeok cried out desperately, but Cheon Sin-u took another gash to his side.
Pfshk.
Cheon Sin-u spat blood.
Jong Ri-hyeok hurriedly stepped between them.
Then one of the pointed-hat subordinates battling Jong Ri-hyeok joined in.
They were cunning tacticians.
Exploiting Jong Ri-hyeok's sense of justice: one engaged him while the other struck Cheon Sin-u.
Thus, Jong Ri-hyeok, amid clashes, had to intervene to protect Cheon Sin-u from the other.
Wounds began accumulating on Jong Ri-hyeok, large and small.
A powder-keg situation.
Just as Han Ibi was about to rush over—
A sharp cry rang out.
"Senior Brother! You're in danger!"
Yeo Nan-ju, seeing Jong Ri-hyeok's peril, leaped toward him.
"Hold these guys off for a bit!"
She shouted at So Eun-ri and unilaterally abandoned her post.
Han Ibi thought,
'Whoa. That girl's got no clue. What about So Eun-ri now? How could she leave her in danger like that?'
Of course, the romantically inexperienced Han Ibi didn't grasp what a love-struck woman might do.
The consequences of Yeo Nan-ju's departure were immediate.
With her aiding Jong Ri-hyeok, they evened the odds against the pointed-hat subordinates.
Jong Ri-hyeok's new injuries halted.
But now So Eun-ri was in peril.
(To be continued in the next chapter)