Chapter 108: The Fist King Welcomes the Wanderer
The Fist King Welcomes the Wanderer
Chapter 108: The Fist King Welcomes the Wanderer
After meeting Ha Jeong-hak, the leader of the Night Assembly Alliance, Jeon Bi-rang stepped outside with a bitter taste lingering in his mouth.
'They're all supposed to go out and die?'
It had sounded like an order—no, more like a death sentence. Especially for Jeon Bi-rang, who had at least a rough grasp of Dan Woo-sung's strength.
There had been no request, no hint of apology.
'Should I leave?'
As he made his way toward the guest quarters prepared by the Night Assembly Alliance, Jeon Bi-rang reconsidered after catching the looks in the eyes of the alliance members.
'Can I even leave?'
His left hand instinctively brushed the hilt of the sword at his waist.
Just like when he had been hunted by the Mubong Sect sect, the only thing he could trust now—even as he resolved to leave the Night Assembly Alliance—was his own blade.
When Jeon Bi-rang pushed open the doors to the main hall where the guest warriors gathered, they were all assembled inside.
Voices called out to him from all directions as he entered.
"Flying Sword, what did the leader say?"
"They say you drank with some guy—was that true? Did you know him?"
Jeon Bi-rang answered flatly,
"I didn't know him. The leader ordered all guest warriors to mobilize and kill him. There's no point in delaying—let's move now."
His plan was to lead them out and slip away at the right moment. After all, if they all went, they'd just be slaughtered like dogs.
But even leading them out wouldn't be easy.
Wind and Cloud Guest, the renowned warrior from the Sichuan Tang Clan, retorted sharply.
"Since when do you give orders? At the very least, the Military Council should be the ones making requests or issuing commands."
Jeon Bi-rang replied coolly,
"Senior Pung Un, I merely relayed the leader's words. Then shall we wait for the official order?"
As he turned to retreat to his quarters as if to rest, Old Tiger Guest, the de facto leader of the guest warriors, called out.
"Bi-rang, where are you going?"
"To rest."
Old Tiger Guest stared at him intently.
"Wait here."
Jeon Bi-rang stopped mid-step and turned back—only to find every guest warrior glaring at him. He was stunned.
'These bastards...'
He strode toward Old Tiger Guest and asked,
"Was that an order, Senior No Ho?"
Old Tiger Guest smirked.
"What if it was? A swordsman from the White Path drinks with someone and comes back unscathed—who's to say you won't run? You'll stay under watch until this matter is settled."
Jeon Bi-rang scanned the others.
"Do you all share this sentiment?"
Wind and Cloud Guest interjected,
"What's so hard about waiting? You brought this suspicion on yourself. Every high-ranking member of the Night Assembly Alliance went out to die—yet here you are, unharmed. Stay put for now. And Senior No Ho, there's no need for such sharp words. Suspicion only breeds resentment. If Jeon Bi-rang truly intended to betray us, he wouldn't have returned at all."
Though his words sounded conciliatory, Jeon Bi-rang found them just as grating.
With a bitter laugh, he sat down right beside Old Tiger Guest.
"Fine. I'll wait."
Soon after, a warrior from the Military Council and the Inspection Corps Leader arrived simultaneously.
The Military Council warrior announced,
"All guest warriors—except Flying Sword—are summoned by the leader."
The Inspection Corps Leader turned to Jeon Bi-rang.
"Flying Sword, you'll come with me. We need to hear what happened at the Mokryongdang."
Jeon Bi-rang narrowed his eyes.
"The Inspection Division?"
The Inspection Corps Leader nodded.
"We have much to do. Since you met the man in question, we'll need an accurate sketch of his appearance. You must also know the layout of the Mokryongdang, the atmosphere inside, and any tactical details. Your cooperation is required."
Jeon Bi-rang swallowed a sigh and stood.
Being dragged to the Inspection Division meant he might not emerge for a day—or even two. Effectively, he was under surveillance.
In an instant, Jeon Bi-rang's status had plummeted from a respected guest warrior to a prisoner granted only the barest courtesy.
Given that the Night Assembly Alliance was staking everything against Dan Woo-sung, such hypersensitivity was perhaps inevitable.
Old Tiger Guest shot him a mocking glance before leaving with the others to meet the leader. Jeon Bi-rang smirked back. He could read the man's thoughts as clearly as if they were written on his face—'Look at this White Path bastard, how pathetic.'
That was the expression.
Jeon Bi-rang turned to the Inspection Corps Leader with a smile.
"Let's go. I'll explain everything in detail."
As he walked alongside the Inspection Corps Leader toward the Inspection Division, Jeon Bi-rang glanced back at the departing guest warriors.
The situation was unbearably awkward.
There was nothing left to say.
After gauging the distance between himself and the others, Jeon Bi-rang suddenly asked,
"Inspection Corps Leader, we've met a few times, but I never caught your name."
The Inspection Corps Leader frowned.
"What's the point of introductions now...?"
Jeon Bi-rang burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha—!"
Dan Woo-sung's words had come to mind.
'What kind of Black Path warrior exchanges greetings? Ah, no—he called me a turncoat, not Black Path.'
The Inspection Corps Leader eyed him sidelong.
"What's so funny?"
Jeon Bi-rang grinned.
"It seems I'll be treated as a turncoat no matter where I go now. I'm neither White Path nor Black Path anymore. But I brought this on myself."
The Inspection Corps Leader replied,
"That's only because you remain a guest warrior. If you formally join the alliance—"
Jeon Bi-rang, walking beside him, suddenly drew his sword and slashed at the Inspection Corps Leader's neck.
Clang!
Even in that split second, the Inspection Corps Leader managed to draw his dagger vertically with his left hand, barely blocking the strike.
But the moment he parried, Jeon Bi-rang's internal energy surged forward, staggering him. As the Inspection Corps Leader switched his dagger to his right hand mid-air—
Jeon Bi-rang's follow-up attack arrived.
Slice!
The Inspection Corps Leader's head flew into the air before tumbling to the ground somewhere.
The ambush had been too sudden for the Inspection Corps Leader to display his true skill—though even in a fair fight, he would have stood no chance against Jeon Bi-rang.
Flicking the blood from his blade, Jeon Bi-rang activated his Lightfoot Technique.
The turncoat was fleeing.
Despite his swift escape, the Night Assembly Alliance remained eerily quiet. Jeon Bi-rang had timed his attack perfectly, ensuring no immediate alarm was raised.
Two warriors walking ahead suddenly spotted him and shouted.
"What—?"
"Flying Sword?"
Jeon Bi-rang leaped into the air.
His nickname was Flying Sword for a reason. As his blade traced a crescent arc mid-air, the two warriors collapsed simultaneously, blood gushing from their necks. Seizing the brief chaos, Jeon Bi-rang put more distance between himself and his pursuers before vaulting over the towering walls and vanishing like a gust of wind.
Only then did the Night Assembly Alliance sound the alarm horns.
They unleashed their hounds—beasts raised on the flesh and blood of prisoners, traitors, and White Path warriors—and began the chase.
Jeon Bi-rang, having already killed three Black Path warriors in an instant, glanced up at the night sky.
The moon hung low, as if caught in the branches of a tree.
It was a night where moonlight refused to shine brightly—a fortunate omen for a fugitive.
A strange thought crossed his mind. Even if he was being hunted by the strongest faction of the Southern Black Path, being caught here would wound his pride—the same pride that had kept him from being captured by the Mubong Sect sect.
Jeon Bi-rang smiled, his expression almost tearful.
He wanted to laugh aloud, but the pursuers made that impossible.
Where should I go?
Where in the world should I go?
Even the darkened night sky and the shadowed mountains seemed to wonder where this turncoat would flee next.
And so the turncoat ran through the night. Behind him, Black Path assassins gave chase, and the frenzied barks of hounds that had tasted human flesh echoed through the darkness.
It was the perfect night for escape.
The turncoat arrived at the gates of the Mokryongdang. His clothes were torn and ragged—not just from the Night Assembly Alliance's pursuit, but from the inevitable clash when Old Tiger Guest had caught up with him. Surrounded by over a dozen rabid hounds, he had severed Old Tiger Guest's limbs before fleeing through the night to reach the Mokryongdang.
In his wretched state, Jeon Bi-rang knocked on the broken gates—just as he had the day before.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The moment a Mokryongdang member spotted him, he bellowed in annoyance.
"Hey, you can see the damn gate's broken—why keep knocking? Just come in! You've got some weird habits."
"Hahaha..."
Jeon Bi-rang laughed as he stepped inside, startling the Mokryongdang members.
"Damn, you scared me! Thought a ghost was walking in."
It was already morning. One man asked,
"What brings you here so early?"
Jeon Bi-rang headed toward the main hall and replied,
"Came to beg for a meal. I'm starving."
As he approached, a Mokryongdang member shouted,
"Guest entering!"
Jeon Bi-rang took a deep breath before pushing the doors open wide. Inside, every head turned toward him.
The hall was packed—long tables had been set up, and warriors from both the Mokryongdang and Blue Robe Hall sat mixed together, eating breakfast. Among them, Dan Woo-sung—who had stepped out earlier to dine separately due to Baek Yak's discomfort around so many men—looked up at Jeon Bi-rang.
In his disheveled state, Jeon Bi-rang addressed him.
"Mind if I have a meal? I bought you drinks yesterday."
The Black Path warriors all turned their gazes to Dan Woo-sung.
After a moment, Dan Woo-sung spoke to his men.
"Clear a seat for him."
"Yes, sir."
A man pulled out two chopsticks from the utensil holder, placed them at an empty spot, and gestured for Jeon Bi-rang to sit before returning to his own seat.
As Jeon Bi-rang slumped into the chair, exhausted, Ho Tae-jun—who had been watching—remarked to his subordinates,
"Hope he doesn't drop dead while eating."
The men burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha—!"
Amused by Ho Tae-jun's jab, Do Jin-gwang of the Blue Robe Hall added his own comment.
"Seems to me like a desperate ploy. Don't accept his surrender."
He had intended it as a joke, but since most Black Path warriors hadn't read Romance of the Three Kingdoms, no one laughed.
Ho Tae-jun scoffed.
"What kind of nonsense is that? Pointless."
Do Jin-gwang sighed.
"These illiterate bastards... Jokes don't land if no one gets them."
Ho Tae-jun rolled his eyes.
"It's only funny if it's funny, you lunatic."
He then turned to Jeon Bi-rang.
"Don't mind him. Eat as much as you want. I don't know who you are, but since you seem acquainted with our boss here, breakfast's on me."
Do Jin-gwang glanced at Dan Woo-sung, then back at Jeon Bi-rang.
"Ah, right. Who are you, anyway?"
Jeon Bi-rang picked up food with his chopsticks and answered between bites.
"A turncoat. A traitor."
His eyes met Dan Woo-sung's. The Fist King said nothing, quietly eating his meal.
Ho Tae-jun slammed the table and grinned.
"A turncoat, huh? Perfect! We were all about to join the Night Assembly Alliance before changing our minds—so we're all turncoats here. Right?"
"Guess so. Though the problem is we'll probably die for it."
Jeon Bi-rang ate ferociously. He didn't sip water—he upended the entire kettle into his mouth. After running all night and fighting Old Tiger Guest to the death, he had no other choice.
His plan was simple: eat one meal here, and if they grew uncomfortable with his presence, he'd leave again.
Now, Jeon Bi-rang was ready to embrace the loneliness Dan Woo-sung had spoken of.
After watching him eat in silence for a long while, Dan Woo-sung finally spoke.
"Jeon Bi-rang, were you chased out by the Night Assembly Alliance?"
Still chewing, Jeon Bi-rang nodded.
"Yes."
Dan Woo-sung looked at him and said simply,
"You came to the right place."
The Black Path warriors exchanged puzzled glances, wondering what kind of relationship these two had. Jeon Bi-rang paused mid-bite, his throat tightening slightly, before drinking more water and replying,
"Did I really?"
Dan Woo-sung smiled faintly.
"Didn't I tell you? The Night Assembly Alliance leader is going to die by my hand. So yes, you came to the right place."
Jeon Bi-rang stared at him intently. Somehow, he did feel like he had come to the right place.
It no longer mattered if he wasn't White Path.
It no longer mattered if he wasn't Black Path.