Chapter 190
Chapter 190
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: Black Dragon Gate
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“What! You’re saying they were all beheaded?!”
Thud.
His reputation as a master whose voice could shake all of Hanzhong seemed a cruel joke as the strength drained from his legs, and he collapsed onto his chair.
He knew the Lord of the War King Gate had a cruel and merciless nature.
But to behead them all…
Wasn’t that a method of punishment befitting the Demonic Path?
Grind.
Gongson Jeoksan gritted his teeth.
The Leader of the Baekcheong Society, the Cotton Floss Sword, Gongson Jeoksan.
Born the second son of the head of the Yuhwa Merchant Guild and a former secular disciple of Wudang, he had been called a martial arts prodigy since childhood.
His talent was so immense that the Wudang Sect Leader himself once offered to make him a direct disciple.
However, wanting to return to his hometown, he politely refused the Sect Leader’s offer.
After grueling training, he became a peak master and founded the Baekcheong Society.
Twenty years passed like that.
The Baekcheong Society came to be praised as the greatest in Hanzhong.
Just when he thought there was nothing left to achieve, a piece of news reached him.
The Nine Dragons Fortress, which had ruled Hanzhong, was leaving, and in its place, an unknown, unheard-of sect called the War King Gate would be taking over.
His ears perked up, and his heart began to race.
If the War King Gate could possess Hanzhong, it meant the Baekcheong Society could too.
He immediately began to investigate the War King Gate.
Its lord, the Fighting Dragon Jin Mujeon, the Iron-Blooded Hegemon Yuk Hak, nine peak masters, and seven hundred warriors.
It was a fearsome force, but if the powers of the Hanzhong martial world were gathered, it was a fight they could win.
First, he promised enormous benefits to Hyeongoh Fortress and the Sword and Saber Gate, securing their alliance.
At the same time, he began to establish connections with the Nine Dragons Fortress and the Righteous Path Alliance.
His plan was to create a situation of extreme confrontation and then request the two powers to mediate.
To that end, he prepared to brand the War King Gate as part of the Black Path.
Finally, he mobilized all his connections and wealth to bring in a supreme master.
All that remained was to find a suitable pretext to fight the War King Gate.
However, the War King Gate thoroughly avoided conflict.
Despite all the provocations and obstruction of their administration, they did not move.
It was an unbelievable outcome, considering the Lord of the War King Gate was said to have a nature that was not just fierce but brutally cruel.
Thanks to this, Gongson Jeoksan started to grow anxious.
As time passed, the pressure from Hyeongoh Fortress and the Sword and Saber Gate continued, and the gold he was paying the invited master kept flowing out.
Thus, Gongson Jeoksan decided to take a drastic measure.
He mobilized his disciples to incite a physical clash.
And…
The desperate move he had painstakingly thrown had returned as a catastrophe.
“Tell Hyeongoh Fortress and the Sword and Saber Gate. The time has come.”
Now that it had come to this, he was riding a tiger he couldn’t dismount. He had to seize this opportunity, no matter what.
“Yes, sir!”
Sparks flew from Gongson Jeoksan’s eyes.
* * *
“My lord! Your shoes will get dirty. We will finish cleaning up right away, so…”
“What, over this little mess?”
Squish. Squish.
As I walked across the training ground, which had become a sea of blood, the congealed blood stuck to my shoes.
It felt as if the vengeful spirits of the dead were pulling me down.
‘Seeing this, I guess I’ve really become a man of the martial world.’
After all, the sight of blood no longer fazed me.
Thump.
I sat down on the steps and gazed at the full view of the War King Gate.
Neigh. Hiiiing—
In the large stable, seven hundred horses were crying out.
Over six hundred gate members, each exuding a sharp aura, moved about busily.
From the dining hall set up on one side, a savory smell wafted out, signaling that a delicious meal was being prepared.
‘I’ve really come a long way.’
To think all of this is mine.
I started this martial world life with nothing, but it feels like I’ve achieved a lot.
‘Hmm…’
I briefly pondered the title for the autobiography I would write one day.
‘Orphan Beggar Hides His Reincarnation? Turns Out I'm the Bukgung Heir? No… maybe ‘Omniscient Mujeon’s Viewpoint’ is better…’
As I was lost in such idle thoughts…
“Who goes there?!”
“I’ll stab you if you don’t stop!”
A commotion arose from the main gate.
“They’re here.”
Thump.
I leaped in a single bound onto the eaves of the main gate, where the scene I had expected was unfolding.
More than five hundred martial artists of Hanzhong, from both the Righteous Path and the Black Path, were lined up.
Considering the tendency to shun the Black Path, this was not an easy sight to behold.
Leading them were three men.
The Leader of the Baekcheong Society, the Lord of Hyeongoh Fortress, and the Master of the Sword and Saber Gate.
Ah, by the way, I had met the master of the Hanzhong Sword and Saber Gate at Wolha Pavilion. He even bought me expensive liquor as a gift.
“Long time no see, Master of the Sword and Saber Gate?”
“Ahem!”
I greeted him warmly, but he received it uncomfortably.
Given the situation, it was perfectly understandable.
I’m magnanimous enough not to get petty over something like that.
I’ll just make a small note in my diary.
The Master of the Hanzhong Sword and Saber Gate is hiding his true, ill-mannered self. Something like that.
As I nodded to myself for a moment, nine figures clad in steel armor flew over.
Jong Geuk-rin, Man Pung, Dang Yang-gang, Seo In-cheong, Deok San, Dang Jin-hyeong, Dang Pal, Woo Je-jun, and Lee Geum.
They were the nine masters who had served as the Lords of the Nine Fortresses since the days of the Iron Blood Corps.
And then.
“They’ve got some nerve.”
Whoosh.
The Iron-Blooded Hegemon, Yuk Hak, arrived as well.
Old man Yuk Hak had a history of losing to me and was a step below my level, but as one of the Seven Hegemons, he exuded a tremendous aura.
Somehow, I felt full even without having eaten.
In contrast, the faces of the Hanzhong martial artists who witnessed the full force of the War King Gate began to turn pale.
You never know how scary something is until you experience it firsthand.
Didn’t brother Tyson say everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth?
As a touch-and-go standoff unfolded…
“Lord of the War King Gate, listen well!”
The leader of the Baekcheong Society, Gongson something-or-other, stepped forward.
“The War King Gate was entrusted by the Nine Dragons Fortress to ensure the peace and prosperity of Hanzhong, yet you have mercilessly killed thirty of its people. Therefore, I, Gongson Jeoksan, Leader of the Baekcheong Society, on behalf of the people of Hanzhong, will report the atrocities of the War King Gate to the Nine Dragons Fortress and stand against you.”
His voice, imbued with internal energy, thundered through the surroundings.
He was doing it on purpose so everyone could hear.
It seemed to be an attempt to win the support of the common people.
That support would become his justification and his shield.
“However! If the War King Gate truly repents and leaves Hanzhong immediately, this decision can be withdrawn. I demand an answer at once!”
“What a load of bullshit.”
“Lord of the War King Gate, can you truly not see their anger?! Having killed thirty people, do you feel no shame?”
Seeing his skill at instigation, that bastard was clearly born in the wrong era.
If he had been born in early 1900s Germany, he might have become a key official in the Nazi party.
Well, since he asked a question, I suppose I should answer.
“Are there any common people here? All I see are traitors who defy the Nine Dragons Fortress.”
“You are utterly shameless! Having seen so much blood, do you wish to see more?!”
Pfft.
An involuntary laugh escaped me.
No matter how much he condemned me, he couldn’t put a single scratch on the mental fortitude I had honed in the AOS league.
“They are bastards who attacked warriors enforcing a just law. And they did it right in front of the Ten Demon Alliance, known as the greatest demonic path under heaven. If that’s not treason, what is?”
“…So you truly intend to see this to the end.”
The Leader of the Baekcheong Society shouted, veins bulging in his neck.
“We can no longer stand by and watch the tyranny of the War King Gate! Until this matter is resolved, we will deny our status as citizens of Hanzhong!”
He turned to the people who had come with him and cried out.
“Those who follow my words, return to your homes at once and change into mourning clothes! I will personally preside over the funeral to console the spirits of the dead! After the funeral, I will send the heads of my subordinates to the Nine Dragons Fortress and demand an answer!”
Rumble.
It was a show with clear political intentions.
Seeing him act like this, it was obvious he had connections within the Inner Fortress.
‘Though it’s probably just the White Dragon Hall and the Silver Dragon Hall.’
He’ll publicize the issue first, then pull some kind of trick.
He might have even invited a master beyond imagination.
The five hundred warriors gathered at the front began to leave one by one.
Yu So-pyeong, who had approached at some point, asked in a worried tone.
“It might be easier to kill them all here and now.”
He had a point.
The worst-case scenario for us would be a prolonged fight with them.
Although it would have a negative impact on Hanzhong, it might be better to end it right here, as Yu So-pyeong suggested.
But.
“It’s fine. They’ll self-destruct within three days anyway.”
“No matter how outstanding the Master of the Black Serpent Gate is, these people are influential figures who have been established in Hanzhong for decades. Three days is too soon.”
“Don’t worry.”
I met Yu So-pyeong’s eyes, which were filled with concern.
“We have a reliable ally, don’t we?”
* * *
Donhyang Pavilion.
By His Majesty's strict command, Bukgung Jang-hwan, Master of the Dragon-Slaying Gate, was making a stew in the kitchen when he was startled by something he saw while preparing the ingredients.
On the sack containing pork, a pre-arranged code was written.
八二八二. (8282)
It was the signal to begin the operation as quickly as possible.
Bukgung Jang-hwan quickly went to the rear garden to inform Bukgung Chang.
“Thank you.”
“Hmph.”
Bukgung Chang immediately summoned his subordinates.
Operation name: Hanzhong Landing.
It was His Majesty’s will to strike in an instant and utterly devastate the Hanzhong martial world.
“We are ready.”
“Understood. Move as soon as I give the signal.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once preparations were complete, Bukgung Chang walked toward the very center of Hanzhong.
It was to meet the ally His Majesty had arranged.
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Myo Hyang, the General Manager of the Hanzhong Merchant Guild.”
Seeing her beautiful appearance and the wisdom in her eyes, Bukgung Chang was certain.
“This humble soldier of the martial world, Bukgung Chang, pays his respects to you, madam.”
“M-Madam…!”
Two hours later.
After finishing their discussion, Bukgung Chang spoke with confidence.
“Please tell him that the job is as good as done. Madam Jin. No… ma’am.”
“H-He will be very pleased.”
And so, the landing operation began.
The first place the Black Serpent Gate headed was the entertainment district, filled with taverns and courtesan houses.
Rumble.
They moved in groups of ten, pressuring the owners to pay them protection money.
Naturally, this news reached the Black Path members who collected protection money from those establishments.
Even if they were in the middle of a funeral, they couldn’t just stand by and watch their territory be invaded.
“There they are!”
“Don’t let a single one of them leave in one piece!”
They rushed out, still in their mourning clothes.
However.
“They’re just rabble. Break two bones on each of them.”
Their opponents were the Black Serpent Gate, inheritors of the legacy of the former Bukgung Family's Black Dragon Corps.
Crack. Snap. Thwack!
The pathetic Black Path thugs were no match for them at all.
It didn’t end there.
The Black Serpent Gate launched an aggressive sales pitch to the establishment owners who had witnessed the scene.
“For the first year, we will only take one silver nyang a month. What do you say?”
One silver nyang.
Considering the average protection fee paid by the courtesan houses was ten silver nyang, it was only a tenth of the amount.
Wasn’t that too little for resolving problems that broke out more than a dozen times a day?
However, the owners of Hanzhong’s entertainment district were people who had maintained their businesses for decades.
They did not agree immediately.
“There are too many concerns to trust you, whom we’ve just met. It doesn’t seem like you’ve sorted out the territories yet, either.”
“Don’t worry about that. We will collect payment later.”
Payment later?
This was an offer they couldn’t refuse.
“I-I’ll do it. I’ll give you the protection money, so you must win!”
The owners of Hanzhong’s entertainment district began to cheer for the Black Serpent Gate in one voice.