Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Translator: Penny
Chapter 8
Yang Association (2)
Just then, Gwangdu stepped forward to stop him. "Young Master, he's still just a child."
Yang Gikang's eyes instantly turned fierce. "How dare this lowly wretch lay a hand on me?"
In his haste, Gwangdu had grabbed Yang Gikang's sleeve. "I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry!" Gwangdu quickly retreated backward.
Sensing he had found fresh prey, Yang Gikang released Songhui, whom he had been holding. Though uncertain of his own fate, Gwangdu felt a surge of relief. Songhui, however, grew even more agitated than when she had been restrained.
Can't that damned bastard see the tender affection we share? If he could, he wouldn't be acting this way.
"Wait a minute... now that I look at you, aren't you...?"
Just as Yang Gikang seemed to recognize Gwangdu, he abruptly spat on the ground.
A sinister question followed: "What is this filthy thing?"
When Gwangdu hesitated, Yang Gikang glared fiercely and pressed him. "You little bastard! Are you going to answer before I beat you to death? What the hell is this?"
"It's... spit."
"Why is this trash on the ground? Didn't I tell you to clean up properly?"
"I'll clean it up right away."
Gwangdu reached for his sleeve to wipe the spit, but Yang Gikang deliberately stepped on his hand.
"Ah!"
"What the hell do you think you're doing, you little shit?"
"Huh? I was just trying to clean it up."
"You idiot! It came out of your mouth, so you'll clean it up with your mouth."
Gwangdu's face froze instantly. The expressions of the Main Family's warriors who had been watching from the sidelines hardened simultaneously.
Seo Jung, in particular, radiated a chilling aura. He was likely debating when to intervene, fearing that rash action might provoke the madman into an even more violent frenzy.
In any case, even the warriors of the Yang Association grimaced at the madman's behavior.
Songhui rushed forward. "Brother, let me take care of this! I'll clean it up!"
Gwangdu snapped, "What nonsense is this! Go to the Patriarch at once and ask if he needs anything. Hurry! Go now!" He was desperate to get Songhui away from the scene.
Gritting her teeth, Songhui glared at me.
Gwangdu's gaze followed hers, and naturally, the other warriors' eyes followed suit.
Finally, I spoke. "Filth must be purged."
Everyone's expression twisted in disgust, Seo Jung's disappointment being the most pronounced. A knowing look, as if to say, "I told you so," spread from him to the ordinary warriors of the Sword Guard.
Songhui's sorrowful eyes seemed to speak volumes: "Didn't I tell you? I never trusted the Young Master. Only naive Brother Gwangdu fell for it. You bastard!"
Gwangdu, the target of this humiliation, flushed with disappointment, his eyes reddening before he calmly replied, "Yes. I'll clean it up."
He lowered his head and began to stick out his tongue to lick the spit when Seo Jung, unable to bear it any longer, stepped forward to intervene. But I spoke first.
"Not you."
"Huh?"
"The one who spat it out cleans it up."
I gestured toward Yang Gikang with my chin. "That means you, punk. Clean it up now."
"This little shit?" Yang Gikang snarled.
"Where the hell did you learn to spit in someone else's house and act like a maniac? You clean it up! With that filthy mouth of yours!"
The faces of Seo Jung and the other warriors from the Byeok Clan Sword School lit up. I had said exactly what they were thinking.
Yang Gikang's face, of course, crumpled like a crumpled piece of paper.
"You little bastard! I heard you got your head bashed by a woman—looks like you've finally gone crazy."
Ignoring him completely, I helped Gwangdu to his feet.
"Are you alright?"
"Why are you doing this, Young Master? It's fine, I'll clean it up myself."
"Why should you have to clean this up?"
"Young Master, please don't..."
In that instant, my voice shifted. It was the second-best thing I did after martial arts.
"As the heir to the Byeok Clan Sword School, I order you to stand back."
A heavy dignity permeated his gaze and tone.
"Yes, Young Master," Gwangdu said, unable to defy him, and retreated.
He addressed Seo Jung in the same authoritative manner. "I will handle this matter myself. Watch until the end."
Seo Jung stared blankly for a moment, then lowered his head. "Sword Guard Captain Seo Jung will obey your command."
The Sword Guards were stunned. Seo Jung had never shown such deference to Byeok Ridan before, and the declaration of obedience was even more unthinkable. Caught off guard, they hastily followed Seo Jung's lead and bowed their heads in unison.
Yang Gikang mocked my voice, sneering, "By order of the heir to the Byeok Clan Sword School—Ugh, damn it. If I had to give two more commands like that, I'd die of fright. You childish brat, stop putting on airs! Hahaha!"
I turned to the Yang Association martial artists, my gaze demanding an answer. A few forced awkward smiles flickered across their faces.
"Your filthy mouths will only make the ground dirtier," I declared, my voice firm as if delivering an ultimatum. "Enough. I'm giving you one last chance. Offer a proper apology, and I'll let this slide."
As if they'd ever apologize, I thought, knowing full well they wouldn't. This was merely a calculated move, a way to ensure I could later claim I'd offered a peaceful resolution.
"And if we refuse?"
"Then you'll get beaten to a pulp."
Yang Gikang scoffed and strode toward me. "In that case, let's see the legendary skills of the Byeok Clan Sword School's heir! Perfect timing. You have no idea how long I've waited for this day, you penniless wretch! I'll cripple you so badly you'll be reduced to begging in the marketplace!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than he threw a sudden punch. Of course, I had no intention of letting his fist land. He wasn't even worthy of my martial arts skills.
I easily dodged and slammed my fist into his jaw.
Thud!
His jaw twisted, but he remained standing. Was my punch weak? Not at all. I simply didn't want to end it with a single blow.
As expected, Yang Gikang charged at me, fury blazing in his eyes.
"You bastard!"
He threw another punch, this time infused with Internal Force. A direct hit could have been fatal, yet he swung wildly.
Good. This is exactly how a crazy bastard should act.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Internal Force-laden fist sliced through the air with a menacing sound.
Seo Jung, startled, lunged forward but then froze.
They saw me effortlessly dodge his attack. But that wasn't all. My counter-punch flew even faster than my evasion.
Thud!
His jaw twisted back the other way.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
A flurry of blows rained down on his stomach and chest. They might have looked like light taps, but each strike carried the force to raise deep, purple bruises.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
My fists showed no mercy. I targeted his body rather than his face, delivering punches that left minimal visible marks but caused crippling internal damage.
You need to understand that your childish pranks will scar those children for life. But you'd never grasp it, no matter how many times I told you.
That's why you deserve this.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
By the time the Yang Association's warriors finally rushed out to separate us, the man was already a battered mess.
He would need months of recovery just to dress himself. Part of me wanted to beat him into even worse shape, but I couldn't afford to.
"What do you think you're doing?!" the Yang Association's leader protested.
I calmly replied, "Didn't you see what he did from the start? He spat at me and ordered me to lick it up. Is that even human behavior?"
The man fell silent, as did the other Yang Association warriors. Even they were too ashamed to meet my gaze.
Yang Gikang glared at me, his face contorted in agony. His venomous eyes burned with murderous intent.
"Kill him! Kill that bastard! That's an order!"
The man who received the order was taken aback. He hadn't expected Young Master Yang to actually order a killing.
At that moment, Seo Jung stepped forward from our side.
"Young Master Yang gave that order in the heat of the moment. You can disregard it. Consider the consequences of carrying it out."
He placed his hand on his sword, a clear warning that we wouldn't stand idly by if they tried anything foolish.
Tension crackled between the warriors on both sides, as if they were about to draw their swords at any second. Though their skills were roughly equal, our side had a significant advantage in momentum and moral authority.
In the end, the man backed down.
"You're right, Senior."
Even if Seo Jung hadn't warned me, killing the heir of the Byeok Clan Sword School was out of the question. This matter was for the Patriarchs to resolve.
At that moment, Yang Gikang shook off the hand supporting him.
Clang!
Unable to restrain himself, he drew his sword and charged at me.
"No!" Seo Jung shouted, but it was too late. Yang Gikang's blade was already hurtling toward my chest.
Whoosh.
To the onlookers, it was a moment of extreme tension, but to me, it was a pathetic struggle. No matter how much internal energy he possessed after five years of training, I had once stood as the Foremost Person Under Heaven.
Once again, I effortlessly evaded his sword.
Crack!
Without hesitation, I mercilessly twisted his arm, snapping the bone.
"Aaaargh!"
Yang Gikang screamed as his arm broke. Everyone stared in horror at his dangling limb, but my attack didn't relent.
I brought my foot down diagonally on his knee.
Crack!
His leg snapped like a bamboo stalk, bone protruding and blood spraying outward.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
His agonized scream did nothing to slow my cold-blooded assault.
Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!
I rained blows on his cheeks, sending shards of broken teeth flying in all directions—not just one or two, but a dozen or more, pulverized like glass.
Thud!
My final kick landed squarely on his abdomen, collapsing him to the ground. An injury that would have taken a month or two to heal now required years of recovery.
Even now, I was showing mercy. My old self would have killed him outright.
The Yang Association martial artists were too stunned by the suddenness of the assault to intervene.
Belatedly, the Yang Association members scrambled into action, frantically trying to staunch the bleeding by pressing acupoints, summoning physicians, reporting to the Yang Association Leader, and guarding all the exits.
Gwangdu was the first to rush to my side.
In a hushed, urgent whisper, barely audible to anyone else, he blurted out, "Are you insane? What did you think would happen if you provoked the Yang Association? What were you trying to accomplish?"
His face was etched with worry, on the verge of tears. He was too frantic to even thank me.
"Get out of here first! Leave the rest to the Patriarch. If the Yang Association Leader finds you here, you'll be in serious trouble! Hurry!"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because if I leave, you'll be the one who gets torn to shreds."
Gwangdu flinched. He knew I was right. This whole mess had started when I intervened to prevent him from being humiliated.
"You're a little touched right now, aren't you?"
"Are you kidding me right now? Just get out of here!"
"I think it's too late."
I nodded toward the rear.
In the distance, the building's door swung open, and Father and Yang Gicheol emerged.
"Don't worry," Gwangdu muttered, slumping to the ground. "When I die, I'll make sure you're buried with me."
"...So, the amnesia was all an act too, huh? You were planning this whole mess from the start, trying to drive me crazy."