PART 2 [Start] Chapter 1: They Are All Gone (1)
PART 2 [Start] Chapter 1: They Are All Gone (1)
An inn stood deep within the mountains.
The owner let out a long, bored yawn and muttered to himself.
"Tsk, it’s dead quiet."
He was experiencing the literal definition of "not a soul in sight."
In the first place, he had only set up this inn in a deep mountain valley to cater to travelers because he lacked the funds to open one in a bustling city. It was only natural for business to be slow.
He managed to scrape by whenever large groups like merchant caravans or escort bureaus passed through, but when customers were this scarce, it was a problem…
BAM!
Right then, the door to the inn was kicked open with a loud bang, and someone stepped inside.
"W-Welcome… huh?"
The innkeeper, who had hurried to greet the guest, furrowed his brow.
Standing there were a man and a woman he had never seen before. The man was a foreigner with brown hair and blue eyes, and the woman was a peerless beauty with black hair and pale skin.
Both wore clothes in a style different from those of the Central Plains. The woman’s outfit, in particular, was so form-fitting that it was uncomfortable to even look at her.
"Welcome. You seem to have come from quite far away."
However, the experienced innkeeper’s eyes quickly noted that these foreign travelers were armed. He immediately forced a smile and bowed his head.
They’re people of the Jianghu.
In that case, it was best to be as humble as possible.
From an innkeeper's perspective, the people of the Jianghu were the ones to be most cautious around. Regardless of their attire or origin, if you accidentally offended them, you might find yourself smelling incense from behind a funeral screen.
"Please, sit over here. Would you like to start with a meal? Or perhaps…"
"Alcohol!"
The brown-haired man spoke in a solemn voice.
The innkeeper asked, "What kind of alcohol shall I bring you?"
"Everything you have."
"Understood… Excuse me?"
"I said bring every kind of alcohol you have. Didn't you hear me?"
"Ah… yes. But, dear guest, we have everything from Jukyeopcheong and Baekgeon-a to premium liquors like fifteen-year-old Yeo-ahong and Geumjoncheong…"
Ting!
The man flicked a small coin.
The owner caught the shimmering gold coin and reflexively bit it.
It’s real gold.
It was a currency he had never seen before, but it was undoubtedly made of gold. In that case…
"All the alcohol, and bring out some suitable dishes as well."
"Yes! Understood. I’ll bring them right away."
The innkeeper beamed, delighted to have finally encountered a big spender, and hurried into the kitchen.
A short while later…
"Here is your Twice-Cooked Pork, Kung Pao Chicken, and Dongpo Pork. For the alcohol, we’ll start with Jukyeopcheong and Geomnamchun. I’ll bring the others out in order."
"……."
The man said nothing.
He simply stared at the table as if he were in a trance.
"P-Please, enjoy your meal."
The innkeeper thought the man was a bit strange, but he didn't pay it much mind. The Jianghu was full of weirdos, after all.
The man poured a cup of liquor, downed it in one go, and then…
"Kaaaah… This is it. This is exactly it. This is the taste I’ve missed even in my dreams."
It was just ordinary Jukyeopcheong, yet the man looked satisfied enough to shed tears.
The black-haired peerless beauty sitting across from him asked, "Do you really like it that much?"
"Of course. I’ve wanted to taste this for over twenty years but couldn't. I was so miserable and resentful…"
"Alright, I get it. So stop crying and just eat."
"Kuh… I really missed you. Jukyeopcheong, and you too, Geomnamchun—have you been well? I’ve wanted to see you both even in my sleep."
The innkeeper had spent decades in this business, starting as a waiter, but he had never seen a lunatic who talked to his alcohol before.
I should just ignore him.
It was best not to get involved with crazy people.
"Innkeeper, bring the Yeo-ahong and Baekhwaju quickly as well."
"Yes, sir. Right away."
As long as he made money, nothing else mattered.
* * *
The foreigner’s appetite was nothing short of miraculous.
He inhaled the food and alcohol incessantly. It was a mystery how so much could fit into such an ordinary frame.
In contrast, the woman sitting across from him…
"Why are these utensils so difficult to use?"
She was struggling to eat properly because she was clumsy with chopsticks. It seemed she wasn't accustomed to the customs of the Central Plains.
The man picked up some stir-fried vegetables with his chopsticks as if to show off and said, "Tsk, tsk. To think a disciple of the Great Twin Dragon Sect can't even use chopsticks…"
"What does this have to do with the Twin Dragon Sect?"
"It does. Even if it seems like it doesn't, it does."
"……."
The black-haired woman pouted.
Yet, even that expression was so beautiful it made the heart race; she truly was a peerless beauty.
Traveling with such a beautiful woman is bound to cause trouble, the innkeeper was thinking, when—
"Oho. There was an inn operating here?"
"I know, right? I wonder whose permission they got to do business in our territory?"
"We’ll have to find out, won't we?"
The innkeeper’s face crumpled instantly.
This time, it was the real deal.
The men who entered, wearing tiger-patterned furs and carrying intimidating greatswords and spears, were bandits by any definition.
They marched into the inn threateningly, scanned the room, and then…
"Ho, we have guests?"
"On a mountain path like this… Whoa. What’s this?"
"Ooh… I’ve never seen such a beauty before."
The bandits spotted the two guests.
To be precise, their eyes widened in admiration as they looked at the woman. A peerless beauty, the likes of which could never be seen in these mountains, was right before them.
The bandits began to creep closer.
It was like wild animals encountering a strange creature for the first time, testing the waters to see if it was safe to hunt.
Two of them… one man, one woman.
They’re armed.
Foreigners are rare in this region, unlike the Western Regions. If we catch them, we can sell them for a high price, right?
After sizing them up, one of the bandits spoke.
"Ahem. We are the heroes of the Black Snake Bandits who manage this mountain. Who are you, and where do you come from?"
The foreigner glanced at the bandit, who was clearly trying to gauge their background, and said, "Go away. I’m in a good mood, so I’ll let it slide just this once."
He then focused on wrapping a piece of duck skin in a spring roll wrapper with stir-fried vegetables and eating it with gusto.
The woman asked, "Master, what are these?"
"They’re bandits."
"But they said they’re the managers of this mountain?"
"You believe that? It’s just the nonsense thieves spout."
"Ah… I see. Are there many people like this in this neighborhood?"
"An annoying amount. Tsk, tsk. For some reason, these guys are like cockroaches—no matter how many you catch, they never go extinct."
Hearing the conversation between the two, who acted as if they weren't even there, the bandits became certain.
These two were people of the Jianghu.
At the very least, someone without the ability to protect themselves wouldn't be this relaxed in their presence.
Three against two.
They had the numerical advantage, but if asked if they could actually charge in…
Hmm… I can't gauge them.
If even one of them is a master, we stand no chance.
But it’s such a waste. Just taking that woman and selling her to a brothel would bring in a fortune.
The bandits exchanged glances, hesitating.
Then, one of them said, "Ahem. The mountain paths can be dangerous, so be careful. We only came to deliver that warning."
He signaled to his companions.
They were going to retreat. A peerless beauty and a foreign slave would fetch a high price, but nothing was more precious than their lives.
The other two agreed that it was best to back off for now. But then…
"You brat, Oju! Why are you dawdling?"
With a booming voice, about ten more men marched into the inn.
In that instant, the innkeeper’s face turned pale.
Oh no, I’m dead today. Today is my funeral.
Now that they had been spotted by dozens of fierce bandits, there was no hope of survival.
One bandit, significantly larger than the others, spoke up.
"You brat! I told you to rob them and get out quickly. Why are you lingering?"
"Oh, Vice Chief. The thing is…"
The bandit called Oju approached the Vice Chief and whispered cautiously.
"Over there…"
"Hooh…"
"So, actually…"
"Hmm…"
After hearing the explanation, the Vice Chief’s lips curled into a smirk.
"So, you went inside, saw a man and a woman, and because they looked like people of the Jianghu, you were going to back off? Is that it?"
"That’s right. Vice Chi—urk!"
CRACK!
The Vice Chief’s fist, heavy as an iron hammer, slammed down onto the man’s head.
"You idiot. Do you call yourself a hero of the Great Black Snake Bandits?"
"Uuugh…"
"Pathetic fool. Watch how I handle this."
The Vice Chief strode confidently toward the two foreigners. Then…
"Hoho, she’s even more beautiful up close. Like a single flower blooming under the moonlight."
The woman spoke. "Master."
"What?"
"For a bandit, he actually has some taste."
"Does that make you happy?"
"Hehe. Well, rather than happy, I’d say at least his eyes are working properly."
She twirled a lock of hair around her finger, her lips twitching as if she quite enjoyed the compliment.
However, the bandit didn't appreciate being ignored by the pair.
"You brats! Do you think you can survive after mocking Gwe-chung, the Tyrant of the Black Snake Bandits?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
The two answered simultaneously and returned their focus to their meal.
The man, whether his name was Gwe-chung or some monster, was momentarily stunned. Then…
"These bastards dare!"
To punish the two who had ignored him, he raised his massive greatsword to smash the table laden with food and wine.
Or rather, he tried to.
CRACK! BAM!
In an instant, his face was twisted sideways as he was sent flying across the inn. He smashed through the wall, leaving a human-shaped hole, and vanished outside.
The Vice Chief had been pulverized by a single move that no one even saw.
"Tsk. How dare you try to bring a blade to a sacred dining table? Dust flying while I’m drinking is the thirty-fifth thing I hate most in this world. Got it?"
In that moment, the bandits all thought the same thing.
Why does he have so many things he hates?
* * *
Damn it.
Curse it all…
Bloody hell.
The Jianghu was a place whose depth and breadth could never be fully measured. One could never predict when, where, or in what form a master might appear.
Therefore, to survive in the profession of banditry, one had to be very careful about "testing the waters."
Failure to do so resulted in this.
"Oh? Your butt is dipping. Huh?"
Over a dozen bandits, including the Vice Chief who had been sent flying outside, were now planting their heads on the floor, sweating profusely.
Patrick sipped his wine in front of them and asked, "The Black Snake Bandits… Are you lot part of the Green Forest?"
"We… are. We are the Way of the Green Forest… Gah!"
THWACK!
An unnamed bandit who had answered was struck on the head and collapsed.
As smoke practically rose from the bandit’s head, Patrick said, "What? The 'Way' of the Green Forest? Are you lot Taoist priests now? You bastards. Since when did blocking roads and stealing people's money become a 'Way'?"
One common sense of the Jianghu: If members of the Unorthodox Faction tried to sound sophisticated in front of the Radiant Dragon Hero Jincheon, they got beaten.
In the past, this was common knowledge.
Seeing that such common sense had faded so much…
"Time really has passed, hasn't it?"
Patrick let out a sigh of regret and poured the remaining Geomnamchun into his cup. He then addressed the bandits before him.
"Stand up."
The bandits hesitantly stood up—except for the one who had just been knocked out. Patrick continued.
"Since you’re part of the Green Forest, you should have a general idea of the current state of the Jianghu, right?"
"Yes! Of course."
"We know it well."
Patrick nodded at the bandits' desirable attitude of being willing to answer anything.
"Good. I’ve just returned to the Central Plains after a long time, so I’m not well-acquainted with recent events. I expect you to answer my questions truthfully from now on."
The bandits nodded, and after a brief pause, Patrick asked, "Do you know the Twin Dragon Sect?"
The bandits exchanged looks. Then, one spoke cautiously.
"I’ve never heard of such a sect…"
"What about the Radiant Dragon Hero, Jincheon?"
"…I don't know him."
"The Dragon-Chasing Scholar Zhuge Hyeon, the Iron Blood Dragon Peng Mu-jong, the Saintess Tang Su-yeon, the Iron Dragon Swordsman Namgung Cheon."
"……."
"Does anyone know them?"
The Green Forest bandits looked at each other blankly before one spoke up tentatively.
"Um, the Zhuge Hyeon and Namgung Cheon you mentioned… aren't they figures from two hundred years ago? And the titles you just used are ones they supposedly used in their youth…"
"…Two hundred years?"
"Yes. As far as I know, they were active during the war against the Blood Demon Cult."
"…Two hundred years."
Patrick said nothing more.
He simply brooded over the span of two hundred years with a sorrowful expression.
So, that was it.
"…They are all gone."