Chapter 152
Chapter 152
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 152
Chapter Title: Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
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Miho, who had been watching the situation, spoke in a curious tone.
"How strong must her gambling be to pull that off? Look at that mountain of gold bars behind her."
She was right.
Behind Gambling King Biyeok Jisang were more than twenty gold bars, with silver ingots and silver taels piled up like mountains beside them. She had apparently converted as much as possible into gold bars, but it still wasn't enough, so she had mobilized the silver ingots for the exchange as well.
'How many taels is that?'
Just the money gathered there was enough to claim the title of Sichuan's wealthiest. It was only natural after fleecing a massive horse ranch like the Shu-Han Horse Ranch for two straight months. But in doing so, she had incurred that much resentment, putting her in a situation where she faced a united assault from six sects—making it hard to envy her position.
Miho spoke up.
"Why not give it a test run?"
"You serious? They call her the Gambling God."
"That's exactly why we should try it lightly. We need to gauge her skill level, or things won't be easy down the line."
"Hmm..."
Miho had a point. So I laid down some silver and joined the table where Gambling King Biyeok Jisang sat. Miho said she would spectate and watched leisurely from outside.
A heavy atmosphere hung in the air as I sat down at the mahjong table. Mahjong was a four-player game to begin with, and the two excluding Gambling King Biyeok Jisang had eyes like dead fish. They were surely in the midst of a losing streak right now, unable to let go of their losses and stubbornly clinging to the table. They were the living dead of gambling.
Gambling King Biyeok Jisang looked at me and spoke.
"You're just a kid. You like mahjong?"
Her voice was cold yet carried a clear timbre. With her bobbed hair and jade-smooth complexion, she had a certain charm up close. I nodded in response.
"So-so."
"An ambiguous answer."
"If you really liked it, you wouldn't be betting money at a table like this."
At my reply, Gambling King Biyeok Jisang's eyes lit up. She shot back.
"Why not?"
"Because win or lose, someone's life gets shattered, right? Unless you're some pervert who enjoys your own destruction, no one would bet money on mahjong."
"No bets, and there's no fun."
"If you truly enjoy mahjong, you can find the fun in that too."
She smiled as if amused by my curt response.
"...Haha! That's a cool answer."
Clatter.
The game began shortly after.
Mahjong generally started with drawing the dealer.
Four wind tiles—east, south, west, and north—were shuffled face-down, one per player, and flipped over. The one who drew east then took their preferred seat, while the others sat counterclockwise from east in the order of the winds they drew.
The first to draw east was called Seat East.
Seat East then rolled two dice, making the corresponding seat Fake East. Fake East rolled again, and the resulting seat became True East—the actual first dealer.
From there, the first wall position was set with two dice, the tiles were shuffled into two tile walls in front of each player. They drew initial hands, sorted them, and repeated drawing from the walls and discarding unnecessary tiles until someone completed their hand and scored based on the yaku's magnitude.
It ran from East 1 through North 4 for a total of sixteen rounds to end a game of mahjong. Sixteen rounds sounded long, but each took little time, so it wrapped up at a reasonable pace.
'Mahjong isn't just a game of luck...'
It demanded sharp mental agility and nerves of steel.
I had learned it back during my escort warrior days. Even then, I knew there were those who consistently raked it in and those who only ever lost. What tiles you drew was luck, but turning them into a winning hand required intricate psychological warfare, tactics, and calculations. It was a game that truly tested the mind and strategy.
In that sense, a near-novice like me challenging Gambling King Biyeok Jisang was sheer madness. There was no way I could beat an opponent who had top gamblers dropping like flies. Still, I had to test her prowess firsthand, so I took the financial hit and dove in.
"...Ron."
In the first round, I snagged a quick ron off a drawn tile—pure tile luck. Mahjong being what it was, a ron didn't mean instant big money. The key was seizing that minor edge and building on it. Either way, I had taken a light hand off Gambling King Biyeok Jisang, so I slyly met her eyes.
"......!!"
I flinched in that instant.
No emotions registered.
Nothing could be read.
I could read the aura and mindset of seasoned murim experts to a degree after countless trials, but the Gambling King before me looked utterly inorganic. While I shuddered at the sight for a moment, the next round began.
......
...
One shichen later.
"All Green."
She did it again.
My whole body went limp, and I nearly slumped forward.
'How much... have I lost?'
After that, I never managed a proper ron or completed hand. She always finished one step ahead, or she blocked every shape I was aiming for as if reading my mind. And with ghostly luck clinging to her, her wins came at an astonishing pace. I floundered, fouled into a penalty ron, and had to pay extra on top.
Before I knew it, I realized I had to shell out several times the initial stake. Good thing I hadn't bet big—or I would have been hit with an astronomical sum before I could react. I had been on the verge of losing my entire capital.
Even her slender jade fingers sorting the tiles filled me with dread. How could anyone be that strong at gambling?!
I had expected as much, but the skill gap was like heaven and earth. I felt utterly toyed with from start to finish.
As I racked my brain over how to pay up with my head hung over the table, Gambling King Biyeok Jisang spoke.
"You play very honestly. That's a rare discard in a place like this."
"...You're incredibly strong."
I answered weakly, and she replied.
"Well... Being strong at mahjong doesn't mean you're strong in life. Baek Woong."
My mind jolted alert at her words, and I stared at Gambling King Biyeok Jisang. She gazed back at me with transparent eyes. She brushed back her bobbed hair slightly and continued.
"No need to be surprised. I've been waiting for you from the start."
"No way."
Her expression unchanged, she said.
"Baek Woong. You were looking for me, weren't you? You were dragging your feet, so I called you over."
"......"
I pieced together the circumstances from her words.
Gambling King Biyeok Jisang must have gone into hiding after her one-night mahjong session with Dongbang Mugeuk to dodge the hassle. While in hiding, she learned I was using the Beggars' Sect to track her down. And for whatever reason, she had deliberately lured me in.
She knew my name and appearance, so she must have looked into me as well. I stared at her piercingly and said.
"So you deliberately robbed the Shu-Han Horse Ranch and bought the grudge of Sichuan's murim forces?"
"You'd be in a bind if I died, right? I figured you'd come."
"You're insane."
I spat the words. My tone had reverted to normal.
"My coming here was pure coincidence. Just a difference in priorities—something I could blow off without a second thought. If I'd forgotten and come looking a few months later, you'd have been dead. And you gambled your own life like this?"
There was no threat or exaggeration in my words. It was simply luck that I had come to save Gambling King Biyeok Jisang. I had planned to track her down at my leisure whenever, and she ranked even lower than Dongbang Mugeuk on my list. I never imagined she would stake her life on such an extreme gamble.
Gambling King Biyeok Jisang smiled as if it were nothing.
"What's wrong with that?"
"......"
"I have no sense of being alive. Except when I'm gambling..."
That was the moment.
For no particular reason, it struck me that Gambling King Biyeok Jisang also possessed the gift of a wild soul. She was the monstrous sort who could leap into flames without a care and burn her life to ash. People like that defied normal understanding, dead or alive.
I let out a sigh.
"Haa, whatever. So what do you want? For me to save you?"
"You came here thinking you would."
"Baseless confidence."
Gambling King Biyeok Jisang simply smiled softly. It was a comfortable, warm smile, but after witnessing her terrifying self-awareness and callousness, it chilled me. I now knew how fickle and unpredictable 'emotions' were to her.
A once-in-a-century gambling genius, through and through!
"...Fine. Follow me."
"Good choice."
The deal was struck. Gambling King Biyeok Jisang seemed pleased as she tied back her hair, revealing a handsome visage reminiscent of the portrait drawn by the Muhusa manager. She clearly fell into the 'handsome woman' category.
"Take this money."
I shelled out a massive sum to Gambling King Biyeok Jisang, then witnessed her hauling an enormous fortune out of the Shu-Han Horse Ranch. Not just the twenty gold bars from two months of wins, but piles of silver ingots and taels—it would take carts to carry.
That was when the real interference began. The goat-bearded Shu-Han Horse Ranch manager gave her an awkward, sinister smile.
"Hahaha... Gambling King. You aren't seriously thinking of taking those winnings, are you?"
"What do you mean?"
"It means you've gotten too cocky."
Swish swish swish.
At the same time, black shadows leaped out from nearby, encircling us. They all appeared to be well-trained warriors. As I stared at the surrounding fighters, the manager let out a giggle.
"Heeheehee... Experts from Blood Flame Sect and Twin Star Dao Sect."
"These won't stop me."
Gambling King Biyeok Jisang's calm reply was factual. I had no idea how a young woman had attained such martial prowess, but she was undoubtedly a Peak Expert. The encirclement was disciplined but had clear limits—they would struggle to hold her if she broke through in earnest.
The manager grinned.
"We anticipated that and brought some esteemed guests."
Swoosh...
Over a dozen experts quietly inserted themselves into the room. They were far fewer in number than the Blood Flame Sect or Twin Star Dao Sect murim fighters, but Gambling King Biyeok Jisang frowned faintly upon spotting them. The manager made introductions.
"Iron Dragon Guild and Heavenly Heart Society each sent five of their prized experts. These won't be pushovers."
A death trap!
The experts dispatched from Iron Dragon Guild and Heavenly Heart Society looked notably stronger. Any ordinary murim fighter trapped in an encirclement like this would abandon hope of survival. I thought to myself.
'Their inter-sect coordination hasn't even fully formed yet, and they're pulling this off... They must have planned an ambush from the very start.'
That spoke volumes about each sect's intense interest in Gambling King Biyeok Jisang. They could obtain intel on Dongbang Mugeuk while recruiting her immense gambling talent for themselves. And considering her womanly form, the risk of arbitrary violation wasn't negligible.
Sure enough, the manager licked his lips and let slip some crude words.
"Heehee... We'll cripple your martial arts, use you as a flesh toilet for a few years, then sell you off to a brothel. You'll end up nostalgic for this moment. You have no idea how many men would pay a fortune just to have you right now... heehee..."
His gaze raked over Gambling King Biyeok Jisang's figure. It wasn't overly voluptuous but perfectly balanced, her stunning beauty fueling men's filthy fantasies.
"......"
Gambling King Biyeok Jisang's expression barely shifted, but Miho was livid. Glaring at him with eyes brimming with irritation, she said.
"Baek Woong. I'm thinking of ripping out that bastard's tongue. You'll help, right?"
"Why are you suddenly pissed... We don't need to take this fight."
I said to Miho in bewilderment. I could just stuff Gambling King Biyeok Jisang into my neck guard, use Soaring Flight to escape with Miho to Jinrang Valley, and call it done. Clashing with the primed Sichuan murim forces would be foolish.
Miho snapped sharply.
"Wil. You. Help?!"
"...Yeah, got it."
Miho clenched her fist and bellowed righteously.
"There's no need to let human scum like that live!"
Gambling King Biyeok Jisang's eyes sparkled as she regarded Miho.
"You're a sentimental one."
"Too much of it, honestly."
As I grumbled, the Shu-Han Horse Ranch manager—who had been listening to our banter upfront—spoke in disbelief.
"Whoever you are, you're an idiot. Want to be slaves together? Fine by me."
"Don't you know the Great Ming Code executes anyone who treats others as slaves?"
"...Get them!"
No need for more words—the attack order dropped. I let out a deep inward sigh.
'Alas, this is gonna be a hassle.'
At the same time, my body shot forward like a beam of light. With terrifying speed, I swung my sword, unleashing Heavenly Thunder Seal at those ahead.
A massive five-chi crescent blade flame, glowing fiercely, hurtled forward. I had minimized its speed, but its sheer size defied common sense. The charging experts recoiled in horror at the momentum.
Rumble boom!!
"Aaahhh!"
"Kyaaak!"
"Eeek?!"
Those struck by the Heavenly Thunder Seal were flung far away. I had infused it with repelling force rather than slicing, so no direct harm.
"Eeek!"
"What the?!"
Ordinary sword flames clung near the blade, projecting intangible qi up to a chi at most. Hurling a five-chi crescent like this was near impossible by murim standards.
After the non-lethal deterrence, I unleashed a Lion's Roar.
[I've come to protect the Gambling King alongside the Sichuan Tang Clan! Want to die? Come at me!]
Rumble.
"Huh..."
"Haa..."
The moment the Lion's Roar swept through, I had shouted with moderate intent to intimidate or kill—but nearly all the experts encircling the room were neutralized, collapsing or fainting on the spot.
Only the dozen or so from Iron Dragon Guild and Heavenly Heart Society remained standing. Even they were pale-faced, legs trembling. I scratched my head as my casual deterrence roar had nearly cleared the room.
'Hmm... Did my usable inner strength rise with my realm?'
The power of Heavenly Thunder Seal and Lion's Roar had grown incomparable to before. My relentless training hadn't been for nothing. I glanced at Miho and sent a transmission.
[Miho. I can handle this alone. Hold back on killing.]
Miho nodded wordlessly.
If Miho went all out, she would summon her front and rear ghosts, unleash every spell in the book, and rampage in her true nine-tailed fox form. No one here would survive, but the fallout would be near impossible to handle. Escalating things was never wise.
An Iron Dragon Guild expert stared at me in terror and cried out.
"Wh-who are you exactly? Which senior has graced us?"
I answered curtly.
"I'm Baek Woong. As I said, I'm aligned with the Sichuan Tang Clan. Anyone who touches the Gambling King answers to me."
"Si-Sichuan Tang Clan...?"
"The head of the Sichuan Tang Clan has decided to protect the Gambling King. Remember that."
Murmurs rose.
The dozen experts exchanged shocked glances. It was unbelievable that the Sichuan Tang Clan had suddenly become their enemy.
That was when an aged voice rang out.
"Heh heh... A young dragon is rampaging."
I turned toward it and saw a Daoist striding grandly in from the ranch entrance. A long sword was slung diagonally across his back, and he wore Qingcheng Sect garb. Spotting him, I questioned his identity.
"Are you Two Sword Scholar, elder of the Qingcheng Sect?"
"You've heard of me, then."
"They say you bear a grudge for your sword being taken by the Gambling King, but appearing in the mundane world like this, entangled in defilements—it's not a pretty sight."
I slyly mocked him, and Two Sword Scholar's eyebrows twitched as he replied.
"Why protect the Gambling King? She's a gambling addict, an orphan despised by heaven and earth, a villain who has sucked the lifeblood from countless gamblers. Letting such a demonic wretch live will only bring suffering to more people."
I gave a wry smile at Two Sword Scholar's denunciation.
"Say what you will. Please yield this place."
"Hah, dodging because you can't answer?"
Mocked, I felt the need to clap back.
"Then while the Gambling King lives a useless life fleecing gamblers in casinos, what benefit has Elder Two Sword Scholar returned to the world?"
"I've gone around eliminating demonic heads and evil fiends."
"Demons' lives are precious too, yet you've casually gone on killing sprees. Doesn't look much better than useless..."
"That's sophistry. By slaying demons, I've saved countless innocents."
I burst into laughter.
"Haha. Hasn't the Gambling King reduced the number of innocents ruined by gambling by fleecing the money from worthless cheats?"
"......"
"Talk like this is pointless no matter how long. We're both here for our own murim gains, aren't we? The only option left is to shove our claims through with force."
Swoosh.
As I calmly spoke and leveled my sword, Two Sword Scholar's eyes shook violently.
He seemed to think he was too outmatched for a reckless fight. He had witnessed my monstrous inner strength, and my martial realm held the edge. Looking awkward and hesitant, he said.
"Is it true the head of the Sichuan Tang Clan is siding with the Gambling King?"
"If you're curious, wait a day. I'll stake my neck on it being true."
"Well... I'm not really curious. Just..."
He trailed off vaguely, then gazed at the distant sky and continued.
"...In any case! The Gambling King must quit her immoral gambling and live properly."
Whoosh.
With that, Two Sword Scholar deployed Qingcheng Sect lightness skill and vanished somewhere. He had barked something plausible at the end, but there was no doubt it was a retreat. Realizing as much, the Iron Dragon Guild and Heavenly Heart Society experts went pale. I grinned and menaced them.
"Want to get beat before leaving, or just leave?"
"......!!"
They fled in haste. The room cleared so anticlimactically that I felt deflated.
'What the—this was too easy?'
Maybe because I'd only fought grueling battles lately, I couldn't adjust. With six sects uniting, I'd been on high alert. But up close, they were just a gathering of weaklings—no need to even run.
No, that wasn't it.
I had grown stronger.
What would have been a death trap for the old me was now mere peasant slaughter. As I pondered, newly aware of my power...
"Eeeeek!! Sp-spare me, spare..."
Miho's eyes turned blood-red. A telltale sign when the demon fox brimmed with killing intent.
"I'll spare you. Just your tongue."
Splurt!!
An astonishing sight unfolded: Miho ripping the Shu-Han Horse Ranch manager's tongue out by the root with her bare hand. Gambling King Biyeok Jisang and I watched the scene without a flicker of expression.
"Gack! Guk! Gaaaaah!!"
The tongueless manager clutched his jaw, staggering in circles before toppling sideways.
'Wow, a human tongue's longer than I thought.'
Even amid the sight, an irrelevant thought crossed my mind.
Miho gripped the wriggling red tongue and crushed it in her hand.
Splat!
"Don't wanna eat it."
"Yeah, no kidding..."
"Hmm... I just want some other dish."
Miho sounded bored. As if ripping out a human tongue raw moments ago was already forgotten. I soothed her and turned to Gambling King Biyeok Jisang.
"It's gonna be hard living in Sichuan now. Follow us. Help with our business, and we won't ask for anything else."
"Sounds good. Should be fun."
"......"
I felt faintly intimidated watching Gambling King Biyeok Jisang reply so nonchalantly, as if it were obvious. This was my first encounter with a woman of such ironclad resolve. She adapted to upheavals with eerie speed and barely any emotional turbulence. She had just seen Miho rip a tongue out barehanded, yet showed not a hint of fear.
'This might actually work out well?'
No matter when or where, people always have use for their talents.
Something told me keeping Gambling King Biyeok Jisang as a comrade would prove a huge asset.