Chapter 104: Fist King, Black Path Conflict 2
Fist King, Black Path Conflict 2
Chapter 104: Fist King, Black Path Conflict 2
"It'll be quite a sight to see the Night Assembly Alliance brought down by some local Black Path thugs."
At Dan Woo-sung's words, Ho Tae-jun made a sour face.
"Local Black Path? At least call them the Seokmun Black Path."
At the drinking table prepared by Goya Pavilion Master, Dan Woo-sung poured himself a drink before sliding the bottle to the other two.
Just as he was about to drink, Ho Tae-jun spoke up.
"Wait a moment."
Ho Tae-jun and Do Jin-gwang simultaneously pulled silver needles from their sleeves and tested the wine for poison. While they were busy checking, Dan Woo-sung drank his cup without hesitation.
He set it down and said,
"I expect the Night Assembly Alliance will attack multiple times, but let's get one thing straight."
The two faction leaders looked at him as he continued.
"I'll only go after their leader. Whether thirty or a hundred men come, I'll take the head of their commander. The rest is up to you two."
Do Jin-gwang asked,
"May I ask why?"
Dan Woo-sung shrugged.
"Even if they're just Black Path trash, stomping on an endless swarm of ants isn't my idea of fun."
Ho Tae-jun looked incredulous.
"The Night Assembly Alliance is an ant swarm to you?"
"Not their leader, obviously. As long as I kill their commander quickly, the losses won't be severe. Drink up. I'll head out first."
As Dan Woo-sung stood and left, Ho Tae-jun and Do Jin-gwang found themselves alone at the table for the first time. The absurdity wasn't lost on them—two men who had been trying to kill each other were now sharing drinks.
Once Dan Woo-sung was gone, Ho Tae-jun muttered,
"Is this some kind of 'borrowing a knife' scheme? Or is he hoping we'll wipe each other out? I can't figure him out."
Do Jin-gwang, lost in thought, replied,
"He's no Black Path enforcer. He's just playing the part. But I think he's trying to lure out the Night Assembly Alliance leader. Whether it'll work, though..."
"We'll see. By the way, that bastard's young—why does he talk down to us so naturally?"
Do Jin-gwang's expression darkened.
"I think I know why."
"What?"
Do Jin-gwang pointed at Ho Tae-jun's hand.
"Because you and I look like ants to him."
"You're kidding."
"Hey, Mokryong Leader. Can you even gauge his strength?"
Ho Tae-jun stared at him, then shook his head. Neither Dan Woo-sung nor the masked woman beside him had shown their full power.
Finally, Ho Tae-jun sighed.
"Looks like we might actually see the Night Assembly Alliance get crushed by some 'local Black Path'—no, the Seokmun Black Path."
The two men sipped their drinks in silence...
Without realizing it, Ho Tae-jun poured wine, and Do Jin-gwang naturally raised his cup to receive it. Ho Tae-jun suddenly snapped.
"Pour your own damn drink, you little shit. Since when do you accept wine from me?"
Do Jin-gwang wasn't one to back down either.
"Fine, I'll pour my own. Since you're crippled, I'll humor you."
Ho Tae-jun's face turned red, and Do Jin-gwang burst out laughing.
"Please accept this as well."
Goya Pavilion Master handed a silk pouch stuffed with promissory notes to a man. The man opened it, eyes widening.
"Goya Pavilion Master, you've always paid your dues on time, but this? You shouldn't just be running a brothel—ha ha ha!"
"Chamryong Squad Leader, I made a small mistake, so consider this a token of apology."
Goya Pavilion Master bowed deeply.
The Night Assembly Alliance's lower ranks were organized into squads—internally called the Hundred-Man Squads. Though technically subordinate, some past Alliance leaders had risen from these ranks, so they weren't to be underestimated.
Above the squad leaders were the Danju—elite martial artists and high-ranking officers. The title carried weight, especially since a legendary figure like Jin So-han, the Drunken Blade, had once held it.
The Chamryong Squad Leader pocketed the pouch and asked,
"What kind of mistake could a brothel manager make?"
Goya Pavilion Master reported Dan Woo-sung's actions.
"The Mokryongdang and Blue Robe Hall have submitted to a single man. He came to Goya Pavilion Master and declared that the Seokmun Black Path now answers to him, that they won't tolerate Night Assembly Alliance interference, and that I have thirty days to vacate the premises."
The squad leader grinned, yellow teeth bared.
"Bold."
"That's not all. I was beaten by both the Mokryong Leader and the Blue Robe Hall Leader. They drank heavily and left without paying. It was a blatant provocation."
"Oh ho, now that's something."
The squad leader scratched his temple, chuckling.
"Ha ha... Well, this kind of thing happens in the Black Path world. You've done nothing wrong, so don't worry. Force is my responsibility in this area anyway. But tell me—is it just one man, or is there a faction behind him?"
"I sent men to investigate. Neither the Mokryongdang nor Blue Robe Hall seem to have grown in numbers. It's likely the work of that man alone."
The squad leader's eyes gleamed.
"Did you see his skills?"
This was the problem.
Goya Pavilion Master bowed slightly again.
"He revealed nothing—not his identity, his sect, or his strength. But the fact that the Mokryong and Blue Robe Hall leaders willingly serve him suggests he's strong enough to overpower both."
The squad leader nodded.
"I'll handle it. Killing troublemakers is my job. You've done well."
"Understood, Squad Leader. I'll take my leave."
Once Goya Pavilion Master was gone, Chamryong Squad Leader Hahou Gon turned to his waiting subordinates.
"Kill the Mokryong and Blue Robe Hall leaders. As for the man who subdued them—dismember him and hang his limbs as a warning to the area."
"Understood. How many men should we take?"
The squad leader warned,
"They'll be prepared. If he treated Goya Pavilion Master like that, he's confident. The entire Chamryong Squad moves out—including me. No scouts. We advance swiftly, surround them by midnight, and slaughter them all. And no surrenders unless I say so."
Hahou Gon was no stranger to Black Path operations. His men responded,
"We'll be ready."
The moon was bright.
A hundred troops led by Chamryong Squad Leader Hahou Gon arrived, awaiting orders.
Hahou Gon commanded,
"Jo Cheol-yang, take your team and surround the Mokryongdang's perimeter. Kill anyone trying to escape."
Jo Cheol-yang acknowledged and moved out with his men.
Hahou Gon addressed the rest.
"Kill them all."
The narrow streets made it difficult for a hundred men to advance at once, so they moved in three columns. The area, already quiet after closing hours, stirred as Black Path forces flooded in. Windows opened, and curious onlookers peered out.
A shop owner watched from his window, thinking,
'It's starting already? Faster than I expected.'
Far more troops than the locals had anticipated were converging on the Mokryongdang.
A Mokryongdang sentry sprinted ahead to warn the others, vaulting over a wall and shouting,
"Ambush! The Night Assembly Alliance is here!"
Mokryong Leader Ho Tae-jun, sensing the swiftness of the attack, stepped out with his straight sword in his left hand. He listened to the approaching footsteps, then glanced back into the hall.
Dan Woo-sung and Baek Yak hadn't appeared.
Ho Tae-jun gritted his teeth.
'Did those bastards run?'
His stomach dropped. The entrance was already being smashed open as Night Assembly Alliance forces poured in—no negotiations, no words. His men were being pushed back. If this continued, they'd be wiped out.
Ho Tae-jun roared,
"We'll all die at this rate!"
From inside, Dan Woo-sung emerged in sleepwear, walking calmly. Ho Tae-jun blinked.
"Is the masked woman not coming?"
Dan Woo-sung replied,
"She's still sleeping."
Ho Tae-jun, baffled, instinctively dropped formalities.
"She's sleeping at a time like this?!"
Dan Woo-sung walked up and smacked Ho Tae-jun's head before stepping outside.
"Let's go."
Rubbing his head, Ho Tae-jun turned and barked at Do Jin-gwang, who was just emerging.
"Hurry the hell up, you lunatic! You sleepy or something?"
Do Jin-gwang drew his sword.
"Shut up. I'll kill you first, you madman."
He clicked his tongue and stepped outside. Ho Tae-jun followed, sword in hand, surveying the chaos. Mokryongdang and Blue Robe Hall forces were already clashing with the Night Assembly Alliance.
Ho Tae-jun exhaled sharply.
"Damn it..."
His injured right hand meant he couldn't fight at full strength, but if he didn't step in, his men would die. Gripping his sword left-handed, he flanked a Night Assembly Alliance fighter and struck from behind. Ho Tae-jun had a knack for fighting dirty.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted from the courtyard.
"AAAAARGH!"
Ho Tae-jun whipped his head toward the screams. Over a dozen Night Assembly Alliance fighters were sent flying—limbs torn, bodies mangled. The surreal sight left him frozen.
'What the hell...?'
Dan Woo-sung was walking toward the enemy, casually punching anyone who charged at him, sending them crashing through walls.
He strode through the center of the Night Assembly Alliance forces like he owned the place.
"Where's your leader?"
Instead of an answer, a blade flashed toward him. Dan Woo-sung backhanded the attacker's face.
THUD!
The man's head snapped back as he spun through the air before slamming into a corner.
Dan Woo-sung took a few more steps, now surrounded. Lightning coiled around his hands before he clapped them together—a sonic blast he favored against crowds.
ZZZZZZZZZCRACK!
The shockwave wasn't just infused with internal energy—the sheer force of the sound alone was devastating. Eardrums burst as men clutched their ears, writhing on the ground.
Numbers meant nothing now.
Dan Woo-sung spotted Chamryong Squad Leader Hahou Gon waiting beyond the fallen and walked toward him.
"You the leader?"
Hahou Gon didn't answer. He drew a curved blade from his back and launched himself forward with Lightfoot Technique.
His speed was blinding. He leaped, raising his sword high before bringing it down in an axe-like chop aimed at Dan Woo-sung's skull.
Fast. Brutal.
To the onlookers, it seemed unstoppable.
But Hahou Gon felt something was wrong.
He rarely spoke in battle.
And in the instant before his blade connected, he saw Dan Woo-sung's expression—and knew he was about to die.
'Ah...'
His sword was caught bare-handed.
Then his throat was seized.
Dan Woo-sung's movements were effortless.
Internal energy forced the sword from Hahou Gon's grip, clattering to the ground. Then his body was hurled through the air in a full spin before crashing down.
THUD!
Every fighter froze, watching.
Dan Woo-sung dragged Hahou Gon up by the collar and hurled him at the Mokryongdang's wall.
CRASH!
The wall collapsed as Hahou Gon tumbled across the ground, motionless.
Dan Woo-sung walked over, lifted a foot, then lowered it.
Hahou Gon's skull was already crushed.
Dan Woo-sung scanned the silent crowd before calling out,
"Leaders."
Ho Tae-jun and Do Jin-gwang answered in unison.
"Yes."
He waved a hand.
"Kill them, chase them off—do whatever you want."
Ho Tae-jun's eyes darted. If Dan Woo-sung left now, they'd be stuck in a brutal fight. But he was sharp. He deliberately roared, stirring the atmosphere. With their leader dead, the Night Assembly Alliance forces would flee. A prolonged battle would cost too many lives.
Dan Woo-sung, amplifying his voice with internal energy so the enemy would hear, added,
"The Night Assembly Alliance isn't so tough after all."
The survivors would carry those words back.