Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Nine Dragons' Struggle for Supremacy (4)
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#Chapter 59: Nine Dragons' Struggle for Supremacy (4)
“Care for a drink?”
“Ah, yes!”
At the Red Dragon Sword, Jeok Il’s, offer, I quickly bowed my head and raised my cup above it.
Why such a submissive posture, you ask?
Because if I get on these guys’ bad side, masked night visitors will be showing up at my door every other day.
Still, thanks to this deferential groveling, I was able to quickly clear up the misunderstanding about Jeok Hwa-ran, so I’m satisfied.
“By the way, what was it about Jin-hwa that you liked so much?”
Jeok Yi asked like a man half-mad, while the other two brothers watched me with intrigued eyes.
“Her heart, of course.”
A firm answer.
It was only natural. From the very beginning, it was her heart, as vast as the great sea, that caught my eye.
“I didn't take you for such a romantic.”
“Hehehe.”
“Hmm.”
The three men reacted in turn, and Jeok Yi once again made a provoking comment.
“But what to do? Jin-hwa is promised in marriage to a man she met through her family’s arrangement.”
“I’m aware.”
“There’s a way to win her. Want me to tell you?”
“...What is it?”
“Go kill him.”
“What?”
“If you kill her fiancé, Jin-hwa will be yours, won’t she? No one will try to take a woman who’s already been engaged once. Hehehe.”
Seriously, are these guys even on the side of justice?
I’m sure if this guy went to hell, even Satan would shake his head in disapproval.
“Brother Yi, you’re being too extreme,”
Jeok Sam, who seemed the most normal of the three, gently chided.
“Why go as far as killing him? If you just chop off his manhood, the engagement will be broken off on its own...”
Nope. This one was definitely crazy too.
*Thump!*
“You bastards never learn. Is this how the direct descendants of the Red Dragon Hall should behave?!”
Jeok Il slammed his hand on the table.
“Even if you take care of the fiancé, it’s a promise between families, so a brother or a cousin could step in. Therefore, shouldn’t you take care of his entire family?”
“Ah, I hadn’t thought that far. Heh heh.”
“Brother, I am once again in awe of your wisdom.”
There was no doubt. This man was the second coming of Satan.
I made the sign of the cross inwardly and calmed myself.
Even so.
“...It’s alright now. I can just give up.”
As I said the words, some of the tightness in my chest eased.
“Not very manly.”
“How boring.”
“Lame.”
Well, I expected this kind of reaction from these lunatics, so I didn’t pay it much mind.
As I took it in stride, Jeok Il poured me a drink and asked,
“Have you truly given up on her?”
“What’s the point of liking a woman who’s already taken?”
In modern times, I might have tried again, but this was the medieval Central Plains.
A place where hitting on a taken woman would get you branded a shameless scoundrel.
My heart aches, but it’s wiser to give up and move on.
Then, Jeok Il made an unexpected suggestion.
“Then what about our Hwa-ran?”
“Brother, are you mad? You know what our Hwa-ran is like, and you want to pair her with some nobody we’ve never even heard of?”
“Brother Yi is right. Squad Leader Jin’s martial arts may be extraordinary, but he’s no match for our Hwa-ran.”
I haven’t even considered it?
Besides, Hwa-ran’s heart is too small. She’s not my type...
...The words rose to the tip of my tongue, but I dared not speak them, crushed by the murderous aura radiating from the three men.
*Gulp.*
Jeok Il tossed back his drink and continued.
“It seems you two didn’t see the tournament match today.”
“What value is there in a spar so detached from a real fight?”
“That’s right. And if you had participated, brother, you would have wiped the floor with all the brats from the other Halls.”
The Red Dragon Hall did not participate in the Nine Dragons' Struggle for Supremacy.
Their martial arts, originating from assassination techniques, were not suited for tournament spars.
Instead, they took charge of managing the event and reaped significant profits, so it was a good deal for the Red Dragon Hall.
“The Gray Dragon Saber lost to Squad Leader Jin here. And in a direct confrontation, at that.”
“...!”
“...!”
At Jeok Il’s words, the other two men’s eyes widened.
“It was quite satisfying to see him shatter Jeon Muk’s saber.”
“...Now that I look at you, you’re quite the martial artist.”
“I knew you were a master, but to this extent?”
The attitude of the two who had just been berating me as a nobody changed in an instant.
Seeing them act like this, it seems a martial artist’s worth truly lies in their skill.
Of course, Jeon Muk was a worthy opponent.
If it weren’t for my training with Bukgung Baek, I would not have been able to defeat him.
There are limits to employing my specialty, the War King Step, for skirmishes in a confined space like a tournament stage.
As I briefly recalled my match with Jeon Muk, Jeok Il asked again.
“I’ll ask again. What do you think of our Hwa-ran?”
“...I am not worthy.”
“Of course you’re not worthy. I’m just asking for your thoughts.”
I’m not *that* unworthy...
“I’ve never thought of her as a woman.”
Back in the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion, when she approached me in a friendly manner, I did wonder for a moment, ‘Does she like me?’
But once I found out who she was, I immediately threw that thought in the trash.
There was no way the cherished daughter of a chaebol family would like a nobody like me.
And even if it worked out, wouldn't that be a problem in itself?
I’d have to call these crazy killing fiends my brothers-in-law.
‘Just the thought of it is horrifying.’
For these reasons, I spoke firmly, prompting Jeok Il to unleash his aura.
*Shaaa.*
“So you’re saying you don’t like our Hwa-ran?”
“No, that’s not it... She’s so beautiful that I never dared to even dream of it, that’s what I meant.”
Fearing a disaster, I quickly made an excuse.
“So you’ve been eyeing our Hwa-ran all this time? Do you want to die?”
“Hehehe, it’s been a while since my Red Blood Sword tasted blood.”
The other two emanated killing intent.
Seriously, what do you want from me...?
* * *
Somehow, I managed to smooth things over, and after a few more drinks, I was able to slip away using tomorrow’s match as an excuse.
‘What is this, some kind of old-school office party?’
They tried so hard to keep me from leaving that I broke out in a cold sweat. Shuddering at the horrifying memory, I stepped out of the Red Blossom Pavilion.
“Are you done?”
Jeok Hwa-ran, who had been squatting by the door, spoke to me.
Her glamorous attire from before was gone, replaced by simple clothes.
As soon as my eyes met her large, round ones, I immediately offered an apology.
“Ahem, I’m sorry about before. I got carried away...”
It’s not because her three brothers are upstairs.
It’s really not.
“It’s okay. Hearing your side of the story, I was in the wrong, too.”
“Still, you surprised me when you suddenly started crying.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. I wasn’t exactly in the right, either. Like you said, if I had just come right after the war, none of this would have happened...”
“...R-right. Probably?”
“Huh? Why are you tearing up again? Hey, hey. I said I’m really sorry, okay?”
I hurriedly glanced up at the fourth floor, afraid that the three Jeok brothers might burst out at any moment.
“I’ll forgive you if you come by often from now on.”
“...Your place is too expensive. It’s tough on an Outer Hall squad leader’s salary.”
“Tsk.”
Jeok Hwa-ran pouted for a moment, then smiled and said,
“I’ll introduce you to a woman instead.”
“Is she pretty?”
“...Of course! She’s gorgeous. She’s the younger sister of Head Manager Yuk, the one you *used* to admire, you know?!”
“Whoaa!”
Well then, I’ll have to come often.
As I let out a cheer, Jeok Hwa-ran finally stood up.
*Thwack.*
She slapped my back hard, then smiled brightly and said,
“You have a match tomorrow, so you should head in. You’ve already been delayed because of my brothers.”
“Alright. See you next time.”
* * *
A short while later.
Jeok Hwa-ran rushed straight to the Red Dragon Hall, found Yuk Jin-hwa, and, grabbing her, said,
“Will you be my older sister?”
* * *
Heavy.
Carrying the money to be wagered today on my back, I marveled at the weight.
1,650 nyang.
In modern terms, that’s over 1.5 billion won.
If things continue like this, it’s only a matter of time before I reach my dream of ten thousand nyang.
As if understanding my feelings, Myo Hyang beamed and threw open the main gate of our house.
“Let’s go.”
And so, I headed toward the venue of the Nine Dragons' Struggle for Supremacy with a spring in my step.
“1.1 times?”
The odds were terrible.
“Yes, and you can only bet 200 nyang.”
“What, why?”
“It seems your one-sided victory over the Gray Dragon Saber in the last match had a big impact. Most of the money has been placed on you, Squad Leader.”
Damn it! I should have controlled my strength.
Seeing Yuk Jin-hwa with her lover had made me lose my cool.
Hearing the tragic news, Cheong So-so clapped her hands as if she had a brilliant idea.
“If the odds are that bad, why don’t we bet on other matches?”
I’m sure if the Head of the Cheong Family saw this, he would have grabbed Cheong So-so by the hair and dragged her away.
No parent in the world would tolerate a daughter addicted to gambling.
“We can’t.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not a sure thing, is it? Our goal is to grow our money steadily, not to gamble.”
“With a master’s eye, can’t you roughly tell who will win?”
I shook my head at Cheong So-so’s suggestion.
“There are no absolutes in the martial world. Besides, in matches with high payouts, the skill levels of the participants are not that different, making it difficult to predict a winner.”
As Cheong So-so said, one can roughly gauge the level of martial arts.
However, a slight difference in level doesn’t determine the outcome of a fight.
It’s far more helpful to observe their condition on the day of the match.
“Hmph, what a waste...”
“It can’t be helped. We’ll just have to bet the 200 nyang.”
I handed the money to Myo Hyang, who nodded and headed to the betting counter.
Watching her go, Cheong So-so held out her hand to me.
“Then at least give me my money. I’ll bet separately.”
“...What if you lose?”
“Hmph! I’m Cheong So-so. The cherished daughter of the Cheong Family. Do you think I’d care about losing such a paltry sum?”
A paltry sum? She was just fighting with me over a ten percent commission fee not too long ago.
“There’s no time. Hurry up and give it to me.”
“I’m telling you, I warned you.”
I opened the sack and calculated Cheong So-so’s share.
“Here’s 168 nyang. Count it.”
“Why is it so little?”
“If you really doubt it, you can calculate it yourself.”
Cheong So-so picked up a twig, scribbled on the ground for a bit, then took the money.
And then she immediately started complaining.
“Isn’t the commission fee too expensive?”
“We already agreed on this. Why are you changing your tune now?”
“Still, give me a little discount!”
Hey, weren’t you just the cherished daughter of the Cheong Family a moment ago...?
I tossed Cheong So-so another 12 nyang, rounding it up to 180.
It was a waste, but since I hadn't paid her for treatments, I decided to settle it on this occasion.
“In exchange, this covers all the treatments you’ve given me so far. Don’t come asking for medical fees later.”
“Hehe, thanks.”
Cheong So-so took the money, grinned like an idiot, and ran to the betting counter.
*Sigh.*
To think even a professional career woman like her could fall into gambling. It’s no wonder gambling housewives are a social problem.
And then the match began.
*Baaang! Crack.*
The match ended anticlimactically.
My opponent, Ho Jung-jin of the Silver Dragon Hall, had only made it to the round of 16 through sheer luck in the bracket draw; his own martial skill wasn't particularly strong.
He seemed to be aware of this himself, because after a few exchanges, as soon as his shield broke, he conceded defeat.
“I’ve lost.”
“It was a good match.”
Not long after I stepped down from the stage.
*Waaaah!*
The Gold Dragon Sword, Geum Pil-dae, and the White Dragon Sword, Baek Mu-ha, ascended the stage.
Amidst the roar of the crowd, I could hear sounds that were closer to screams.
*Kyaaaaak! Gold Dragon Sword, win!*
I figured Cheong So-so must have made a strange choice, but then...
*Kyaaak! White Dragon Sword is so cool!*
Myo Hyang was also cheering for Baek Mu-ha with a pterodactyl-like screech.
“...”
It was a moment that reaffirmed the dangers of gambling.