Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Translator: Penny
Chapter 21
The Elixir's True Owner (4)
The tiles used at this table weren't the standard Flower Tiles used by ordinary people, but Sword Tiles. These tiles paired famous sword forms and internal cultivation methods from throughout history, allowing players to compete based on their mastery.
Sword Tiles were primarily used by martial artists, but there were also Saber Tiles based on saber techniques, Spear Tiles for spear arts, Martial Arts Tiles encompassing all martial disciplines, and Alliance Tiles representing the various factions of the Martial Arts Alliance. Each variant had slightly modified rules, creating a diverse range of gambling games.
Gal Saryang once remarked that after my death, the Cheonmu Hoshim Gyeol and Soul-Chasing Asura Sword Technique would likely be added to the Sword Tiles.
The thought of my martial arts being featured in gambling games brought an involuntary chuckle.
As the rounds continued, money began to flow steadily. Gwak Dosu and the others at the table were no pushovers.
I had brought Three Thousand Taels with me. In an ordinary gambling den, this would be a fortune, but judging by the way things were going here, I could lose it all in just two or three hours if luck wasn't on my side.
Fortunately, while I wasn't a gambling expert, I possessed basic skills.
The best gambler in the Martial Arts Alliance was Baek Seongwon, the Red Dragon Group Head. During a drinking session once, he had taught me a few techniques specifically for use in gambling dens—purely skill-based methods that didn't rely on martial arts.
It proved quite helpful, making me appear skilled enough to have frequented gambling dens.
I lost three rounds for every one I won, a pattern that repeated itself.
Just as when I first sat down, I made no attempt to conceal my presence.
"Damn, these cards are just awful," I grumbled.
One of the gamblers chuckled. "Some days you get lucky, some days you don't. That's life."
I snapped back, "Fuck off! Who asked for your wisdom? Save that crap for your kids!"
"Hey, keep family out of this."
"You old fart!"
Everyone burst into laughter. Though they laughed, their eyes gleamed with the predatory glint of beasts eyeing their prey.
Gwak Dosu's crimes were all heinous acts of murder.
I had expected him to be a ruthless and savage man, but at least at the gambling table, he acted like anyone else—calm and composed, almost like a Great Hero. Whether this was some kind of compensatory behavior, a reflection of human duality, or simply the madness of a gambling addict, I couldn't tell.
Another two hours passed. I had already lost half of my money—fifteen hundred taels—and as my losses mounted, so did his vigilance toward me wane.
Gwak Dosu eventually rose from his seat, announcing he needed to use the restroom.
I stood up as if I had been waiting for this moment.
"Brother, let's go together. And while we're at it, let's switch seats when we return."
"Brother?"
"There's no brotherhood in gambling. The loser is a sucker, and the winner is just a bastard."
I scanned the faces of everyone seated at the table.
"Ugly bastard, old bastard, stupid bastard..."
The seated men's expressions hardened, but I didn't miss Gwak Dosu at the end.
"Scar-faced bastard."
Gwak Dosu's face twitched.
"Don't foam at the mouth over losing a few coins."
"A few coins?! Is that what you call it?"
As I lunged forward, a middle-aged martial artist standing behind me darted forward to block my path.
"Move aside! Let go of me!"
The man glared coldly at me.
"Enough."
"Hey, you bastard! Who do you think you are? I'm a paying customer here!"
"Keep it down."
The man's murderous aura made me flinch and instinctively step back.
"Why don't you just stab me with that sword and take all my money? Hmph! I wouldn't stoop to your level."
I gathered the remaining pellets from the table. With half my money still left, I was certain they wouldn't let me leave so easily.
Sure enough, Gwak Dosu, who had been standing behind, stepped forward.
"You fool! How dare you act so rudely to such a distinguished guest?"
He scolded the Martial Artist who had blocked my way, then turned to me with a friendly smile.
"Listen, brother. You said yourself that no one leaves until someone dies, right?"
"I don't want to back down either, but... people have feelings, you know?"
"Come on, let's lighten the mood. What does that ignorant swordsman know anyway?"
Gwak Dosu draped an arm around my shoulder like a friendly embrace while seizing my wrist with his other hand.
Simultaneously, he channeled a stream of Internal Force into my body, probing my internal energy. A mocking smile spread across Gwak Dosu's face as he confirmed the shallowness of my internal energy. Just as I thought, his expression seemed to say.
Of course, I had learned something about him too. At the very least, he possessed the skill to assess an opponent's internal energy by channeling his own Internal Force.
"You said you needed to use the restroom, right?" I replied, my tone softening slightly.
"I'm fine. You go ahead, 형씨—or 형님, if you prefer."
"No, let's go together. I'll even switch seats with you when we get back. Sometimes you just need a change of scenery, you know?"
He began pulling me along, reversing our roles.
When the middle-aged martial artist tried to follow, Gwak Dosu roared, "Where do you think you're going?"
"Alright, little brother. Let's go relieve ourselves and start over fresh!"
Half an hour later.
One of the waiting martial artists glanced toward the outhouse.
The martial artist beside him spoke to the middle-aged martial artist who appeared to be in charge.
"He's taking too long."
"Let's go check."
The middle-aged martial artist led his subordinates toward the outhouse.
As they approached, a thick stench of blood filled the air.
"Damn it!"
The middle-aged martial artist kicked down the door and burst inside. The scene that unfolded before them was beyond comprehension.
A headless corpse lay sprawled on the floor.
"The bastard finally got what he deserved for acting tough. Where's Great Hero Gwak?"
The subordinate examining the corpse suddenly screamed in shock.
"This corpse is Great Hero Gwak!"
"What?!"
The middle-aged man's eyes widened in disbelief. He quickly examined the body himself. It was indeed Gwak Dosu.
"Where's the culprit? Find that bastard!"
The subordinates scrambled out of the outhouse.
"But how the hell did he manage to sever his head?"
The wound wasn't torn by hand; Gwak Dosu's neck had been cleanly severed.
The subordinate who had been with him gasped in shock.
"Hah!"
"What is it?"
"Squad Leader's dagger..."
The man startled and glanced down at his waist. The dagger he carried for self-defense was gone.
"When did he...? Ah!"
He realized the opponent had stolen his dagger during the brief struggle when he tried to stop Gwak Dosu from charging forward. The fact that no one had noticed despite the many eyes watching meant the opponent's sleight of hand was extraordinary.
The subordinates who had rushed out earlier now hurried back in.
"The guards at the rear gate have been taken down. He seems to have already escaped."
The man ground his teeth.
"Release all the men and chase him! Put out a Wanted Poster with that bastard's description! Now!"
In the deserted depths of the forest, Gong Jong swallowed hard as he stared at Gwak Dosu's severed head resting on a rock.
"Why are you so surprised? Isn't this the natural outcome?"
"Ha ha, you speak truly. But did he put up a fight before dying?"
He's probably worried Gwak Dosu might have revealed his name, I thought.
"He died before he could even struggle."
"Ah, I see. That's fortunate."
"The money?"
"Here it is. Twenty Thousand Taels."
He handed me the leather pouch slung over his shoulder. When I opened it, I found it stuffed with small-denomination bills. The original Five Thousand Taels reward, plus the Fifteen Thousand Taels he had personally added.
"Congratulations on capturing the family's disgrace yourself."
Normally, the reward would be paid only after thorough investigation to confirm the deceased was indeed the wanted criminal. But Gong Jong was skipping this process and paying the money immediately.
Of course, he could recognize Gwak Dosu's severed head at a glance.
"No need to count, right?"
"Absolutely. I've verified it twice."
"As expected, our Branch Head Gong is meticulous. I'm very pleased. Now, prepare to return to Headquarters."
"Ah, thank you so much!"
Just as his joy reached its peak, I interjected, "By the way, this guy was babbling something strange before he died. He claimed to know Branch Head Gong."
Gong Jong recoiled in shock and vehemently denied it. "Nonsense!"
"He said you two conspired to rob the Byeok Clan Sword School."
"N-no, that's not true!"
Gong Jong's voice trembled violently, his words stuttering.
"That makes it even better, don't you think?"
"Huh?"
"I prefer someone moderately worldly. Naive fools are so frustrating. Sometimes, you need to make deals with evil to get things done boldly. Don't you agree?"
"That's true, but..."
Gong Jong was reeling from these unexpected words.
"Why did you do it? Tell me honestly. By my standards, that's no flaw—it's an advantage."
Gong Jong glanced between the severed head and me. His internal struggle didn't last long. Since Gwak Dosu had already confessed everything, he likely realized that trying to deceive me would only cost him my trust.
"He was a complete scoundrel. He needed to be taught a lesson."
"Hahaha! Impressive!"
Just as he was relieved by my reaction...
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Gong Jong's eyes widened in shock, perhaps the most astonished he had ever been in his life.
"...No, you? You? How could you?"
I grinned. "To break bad habits, you need a whip, not stolen money."
Gong Jong, still trembling with shock, glanced at the leather pouch slung over my shoulder.
"My money! Give me back my money!"
"Of course, money's the first thing on your mind."
Gong Jong reached for his sword, but I had anticipated his move. I lunged forward like lightning, my hand striking out.
Swish! Thunk!
The dagger pierced his neck with deadly accuracy.
"Ugh."
Gong Jong grabbed my arm. Knowing that pulling the dagger would mean certain death, he convulsed violently, his eyes pleading.
I stared at him with a colder gaze than ever before.
"I chose you to protect the martial artists, not to do this kind of dirty work."
This was Byeok Ridan's personal revenge, but it was also the wrath and punishment of Cheon Hajin, the Martial Arts Alliance Leader.
Gong Jong wore a look of utter incomprehension. Having no desire to waste another word on such scum, I mercilessly drew my dagger.
Gong Jong collapsed backward, blood gushing from his mouth.
I placed the Human Skin Mask I had removed onto his face. When the corpse was discovered, it would appear that Gong Jong had infiltrated the Gambling Den wearing the mask and murdered Gwak Dosu.
Someone among the Gambling Den's people must have known about their conflict, so this wouldn't seem entirely out of the blue. And even if it did?
There was no trace linking me to this affair.
Leaving the cooling corpse behind, I departed. My steps led me to the Black Market's Jinan Branch.
Fortunately, the promised ten days hadn't yet passed.