The Fist King Doesn't Respond to Madmen

Chapter 107: The Fist King Doesn't Respond to Madmen

Jeon Bi-rang remained silent until his flushed face returned to its normal color.

Dan Woo-sung studied his expression and recalled yesterday's conversation.

The man from yesterday had been an unrepentant follower of the Black Path.

But this turncoat—judging by the redness in his face—might betray his allegiances again. Or, as Dan Woo-sung had said, he might end up living a lonely life.

Whether this man betrayed his cause or not didn't matter much to Dan Woo-sung. What mattered was drawing out the leader of the Night Assembly Alliance.

Strangely enough, talking to this man felt like a faster method than simply beating up the Alliance's underlings.

Once Jeon Bi-rang had steadied himself, he spoke to Dan Woo-sung.

"Now that I think about it, you had a blade in your mouth earlier. I was wondering where you kept your weapon."

He spoke casually, as if he didn't care about formalities.

"Fine. If you were in my position, what would you have done?"

Dan Woo-sung replied flatly.

"What would I have done? I already told you. I'd have lived alone."

"And that's it?"

"I'd have trained, killed a few villains along the way. If I grew strong enough, maybe one day I'd return to the Mubong Sect Sect."

At the mention of returning to Mubong Sect one day, Jeon Bi-rang imagined himself doing just that.

It was a sad, painful thought.

But at the same time, if his martial prowess had grown strong enough, it would have been exhilarating. The Mubong Sect Sect wouldn't have been able to touch him.

Dan Woo-sung continued, echoing the thoughts swirling in Jeon Bi-rang's mind.

"I'd go back to Mubong Sect and explain why I had no choice but to kill my senior brother. I'd make it clear that it was a duel to the death, agreed upon by both sides. And I'd apologize to my injured martial uncles."

Jeon Bi-rang responded as if he were already standing before Mubong Sect's gates.

"Uncle Oh and Uncle Yoo would try to kill me on sight."

Dan Woo-sung shrugged.

"Then I'd have to subdue them by force. I'd tell them, 'I could kill you, but I won't. All I want is for you to understand the truth.' I'd declare that Mubong Sect didn't cast me out—I left them. No more deaths, but my heart would finally be at peace."

Jeon Bi-rang poured himself ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a drink and downed it alone.

His eyes were no longer gloomy—just melancholic.

After another sip, he spoke.

"That's what I should have done. If I had, I'd feel lighter now. But in the end, it happened because I was weak. Kneeling every master of Mubong Sect underfoot—that's no easy task."

"Call it what it is. It wasn't just weakness—it was weakness and cowardice. Did you really not know what it meant to be a 'guest' of the Night Assembly Alliance?"

"I knew."

"Knew? You knew and still stayed? You were willing to watch them commit atrocities worse than what your senior brother did?"

This time, Jeon Bi-rang had no reply.

"Well... that..."

Dan Woo-sung's words stabbed like daggers.

"If another Jeon Bi-rang—one who lost his beloved to the Night Assembly Alliance—showed up and vowed to slaughter them all, would you beg for your life? Would you say, 'I was just a guest!' and betray them again? Don't make me laugh."

Jeon Bi-rang felt as though Dan Woo-sung wasn't a young man but a seasoned elder of the martial world. In truth, the Fist King was his senior, so the impression wasn't wrong.

Lost in thought, Jeon Bi-rang absentmindedly poured wine into Dan Woo-sung's cup.

"You're not targeting the Night Assembly Alliance just because they're part of the Black Path. There's more to it, isn't there? You don't seem reckless or arrogant. Explain it to me. I'll find my own way to help."

Dan Woo-sung scoffed.

"A Black Path leader doesn't need to dirty his own hands—he has underlings for that. The massacres committed under the Night Assembly Alliance's banner are far worse than you know. Do I really need to spell it out for you? The Southern Black Path isn't like Jin So-han—they can't see the bigger picture. Their leaders don't rein in their followers. There's no grand cause. If they're lucky, they won't get absorbed by the Demonic Path."

Jeon Bi-rang frowned.

"The Demonic Path has resurfaced?"

It seemed they hadn't appeared in Honam yet.

Dan Woo-sung nodded.

"The Southern Black Path will just sit back and watch the Demonic Path and White Path tear each other apart, then swoop in for the spoils. I won't stand for that."

Jeon Bi-rang exhaled sharply.

"So you came alone to take on the entire Southern Black Path. I thought it was a bluff, but you're serious. Now I see the full picture. To sum it up: the Southern Black Path is despicable, and I'm a coward."

Dan Woo-sung shook his head.

"No."

"Then?"

Dan Woo-sung stared at him.

"You're a weak coward. Running straight to the Black Path? You're not some lost kid."

Jeon Bi-rang burst out laughing.

"Hahahaha!"

After laughing for a while, he wiped his eyes.

"Today's been enlightening. But this Jeon Bi-rang isn't as weak as you think."

Dan Woo-sung stood and looked down at him, still speaking informally.

"A man who can't even handle loneliness shouldn't act tough."

"Leaving already? Let's have one last drink."

The man who spoke bluntly and the man who received those words glared at each other as they downed their drinks.

Dan Woo-sung set his cup down.

"I'll spare you for your story's sake. You're paying for the wine."

"Hahaha! Fine, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'll pay."

Jeon Bi-rang poured the remaining wine for himself and muttered in a strange tone.

"Lucky me. Got to keep my life."

As Dan Woo-sung stepped out of the inn, Jeon Bi-rang called after him.

"By the way, aren't you going to tell me your name? We shared a few drinks, after all."

Dan Woo-sung didn't look back.

"Since when do Black Path types exchange names? Oh, wait—you're a turncoat. Anyway..."

Jeon Bi-rang slammed his cup down with a loud clack.

"Damn it, that 'turncoat' talk is really grating. If you're so confident, why not beat me half to death right now? I know where the Night Assembly Alliance leader is."

Dan Woo-sung kept walking.

"I'll pass. Beating up a wounded, pitiful man isn't fun. I don't have that kind of hobby."

His voice, infused with internal energy, carried back.

"And I don't need to go looking for him. The Night Assembly Alliance leader will have no choice but to come to me. Because that's what the Black Path does. No need for you to lift a finger."

As Dan Woo-sung disappeared, Jeon Bi-rang nodded slowly.

"That is the Black Path."

Even without Jeon Bi-rang's help, the Night Assembly Alliance leader would seek out that man eventually.

Jeon Bi-rang sipped his wine and murmured.

"Guess I got beaten with words instead of a blade. My chest aches like I've been slashed, and I need more wine—feels like I took a hit to the head."

They hadn't fought, but it felt like a complete defeat.

The turncoat drained the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠last of the wine and stood.

He intended to meet the Night Assembly Alliance leader.

He didn't know what he would say yet.

He'd figure it out on the way.

"Bi-rang, you're back alive."

The Night Assembly Alliance leader greeted him with surprise.

"Yes, Alliance Leader."

"Good. Have a seat."

Jeon Bi-rang glanced at the leader and the two guards flanking him. He would have preferred a private meeting, but betrayals and schemes were so common within the Alliance that the leader never dismissed his guards.

Jeon Bi-rang sat on the lone chair like a prisoner and studied Ha Jeong-hak—the Night Emperor, leader of the Night Assembly Alliance.

Jeon Bi-rang didn't know much about Ha Jeong-hak beyond his early-forties age and the fact that he had spent two or three years waging a brutal internal war to seize control of the Alliance.

Rumors said he had fed his rivals to starving dogs.

He wasn't the type to reveal his thoughts, but he had always treated Jeon Bi-rang with courtesy.

Ha Jeong-hak asked, "What did he say?"

Jeon Bi-rang replied, "Should I summarize?"

Ha Jeong-hak shook his head.

"Tell me everything. Take your time."

"I witnessed Lee Ho-mun's death."

"The branch leader already reported that."

"Let me be precise. Branch Leader Lee Ho-mun was reduced to dust. That man's martial prowess approaches the level of an Emperor by orthodox standards. He might even surpass one. He was stronger than my own master."

Ha Jeong-hak showed no surprise.

"So? What does he want?"

"The Demonic Path has resurfaced. If the Southern Black Path remains as it is, they'll just watch the orthodox and demonic factions fight and then swoop in for the spoils. He refuses to let that happen—so he's taking on the Southern Black Path alone."

Even Ha Jeong-hak's eyes widened slightly.

"That's absurd."

Jeon Bi-rang continued.

"From what I saw, he won't leave Mokryongdang. If you send forces, he'll keep killing them. He said that eventually, you'll have no choice but to face him personally."

Ha Jeong-hak asked, "If you fought him, how long could you last?"

Jeon Bi-rang answered vaguely.

"I could hold out for half a shichen."

Ha Jeong-hak's face remained blank.

"Then if all our guest experts joined forces, we could kill him, no?"

He meant mobilizing all the external masters staying with the Alliance. Jeon Bi-rang was inwardly shocked but kept his expression neutral.

"If that's your order, I'll lead them into battle. But we might need reinforcements—perhaps one of your personal guards."

Ha Jeong-hak nodded.

"Very well. If they fail, I'll step in myself. Rest for now."

"Understood."

As Jeon Bi-rang withdrew, Ha Jeong-hak listened quietly to the sound of his retreating footsteps.

Once Jeon Bi-rang was gone, another man entered—Ha Min, Ha Jeong-hak's younger brother and the Alliance's strategist.

Ha Min asked cautiously, "Alliance Leader, what did Bi-rang say?"

Ha Jeong-hak's voice was low.

"I sent him to die, and he came back spouting nonsense. Keep an eye on him. He might try to flee. Staying with the Night Assembly Alliance was his choice—but leaving is mine."

Ha Min grimaced.

"Understood. Should we halt our plans with Mubong Sect?"

"We have to."

There were other ways to frame them. If Dan Woo-sung killed Jeon Bi-rang, the Alliance could spread false rumors that Dan Woo-sung had slandered Mubong Sect's honor. They already knew Jeon Bi-rang's story—they could subtly tie it to the senior brother's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scandal.

Entangling the orthodox factions would complicate things.

But Ha Min's scheme had failed.

Ha Jeong-hak muttered, "Strange. Why didn't he kill him? He seemed like the type to slaughter anyone in his path."

He couldn't understand why Dan Woo-sung had spared Jeon Bi-rang.

He turned to Ha Min.

"Any other candidates? Someone we can tie to the orthodox factions?"

"Jeon Bi-rang was the best option. The others wouldn't be useful. Our intelligence network is searching for leads on the Mokryongdang man's identity, but there's nothing. Maybe we should investigate the Murim Alliance again."

Ha Jeong-hak frowned.

"You don't think this is the Murim Alliance's doing?"

"No, it's not their style. This is... old-fashioned."

"Explain."

Ha Min sighed.

"It's the classic 'I'm the strongest, come at me' approach. No strategy, no tactics—just raw power and provocation. If we send other guest experts, they'll probably just talk, share a drink, and leave. His entire plan is: 'I'll kill the Night Assembly Alliance, starting from the top.'"

Ha Jeong-hak opened a drawer, took out a stalk of Forgetfulness Grass, and placed it between his lips.

"What about honey traps?"

"Honey traps don't work on madmen."

Ha Jeong-hak exhaled pale smoke.

"Then what do you suggest, Strategist? If I fall, you have nowhere to go either. If the Night Assembly Alliance crumbles, do you think we'll survive? Find a way. This man must die."

"Understood."

<----------Chapter 108---------->