I Agree With That. (1)
"So, in principle, the evil factions aren’t stronger than the righteous ones. But there are so many of them that even Shaolin, which’s said to be the strongest among the righteous sects, can’t keep up."
"…."
"Of course, our Beggars' Sect has more beggars crawling around than all those evil factions put together, but as you know, only a handful of them are actually worth a damn in a fight."
"…."
"Among all those countless evil factions, the five strongest powers are called the Five Hegemons of the Jianghu: the Janggang Water Bandits, the Green Forest Seventy-Two Forts, Hao Clan, Manin— Hey! You asleep or what!"
Hong Dae-gwang barked in outrage, and Chung Myung, who had been nodding off, jolted awake.
"Haaahhhm."
"You little— You told me to explain it, and now you’re the one dozing off!"
"Well, yeah. You keep saying the obvious, so what else am I supposed to do?"
"Obvious? This is all stuff that’ll become blood and flesh once you hear it through!"
"I’ve already got enough blood and flesh. So how strong is this Maninbang place, anyway?"
“Hmmm.”
Hong Dae-gwang stroked his chin twice, then shrugged.
"Beats me."
"…."
"…."
Chung Myung looked at Hong Dae-gwang with naked contempt.
"…You shouldn’t look at people like that."
"So the Beggars' Sect branch leader doesn’t even know how strong the Five Hegemons of the Jianghu are?"
"How would I know until I’ve fought them!"
Hong Dae-gwang protested, sounding truly wronged.
"For the past hundred years, the righteous and evil factions haven’t really had a proper war. The righteous factions were too busy recovering from the damage dealt by the Demonic Sect to spare the strength to keep the evil factions in check, and the evil factions took advantage of the postwar chaos to grow rapidly."
"Those Demonic Sect bastards are useless no matter what they do!"
Everything always came back to the Demonic Sect. The Demonic Sect this, the Demonic Sect that.
It was enough to make your ears blister.
"It can’t be helped. The scars left by that war ran deep. That’s just—"
Hong Dae-gwang stopped mid-sentence and clamped his mouth shut. Before the awkwardness could rise to the surface, he quickly changed the subject.
"It’s just something anyone in the martial world has to accept."
Nice save.
What he had really been about to say was probably, Don’t your Mount Hua people know that better than anyone?
Still, in fairness, at least he was trying not to step on the listener’s feelings. For that alone, he deserved some credit.
"So it’s hard to know their exact strength. Roughly speaking, they’re a little below the Nine Great Sects, but on par with the Five Great Families."
"Hmm."
"Among them, the Red Snake Unit is one of Maninbang’s most famous combat divisions. The unit itself isn’t especially exceptional compared to the others, but the Red Snake Unit leader, Yeop Pyeong, is on a different level from the rest of the commanders."
"Hmm."
"He’s strong enough to be counted among the Ten Great Saber Masters of the World. With a man like that at the helm, the Red Snake Unit has always been one to watch."
"Heh. So I’m actually alive long enough to see an evil faction bastard get called a major threat. Damn, the world really does get more interesting the longer you stick around."
"And how old do you think you are, you brat!"
Hong Dae-gwang muttered under his breath, grumbling about how the boy acted like some old geezer in a child’s body. Chung Myung ignored him cleanly.
The world really has gotten better.
From those evil bastards’ point of view, it really had. A hundred years ago, when the Plum Blossom Sword Saint was still at Mount Hua, anyone with the character for “evil” in their name would never have dared come within a thousand li of the mountain.
In fact, there probably wouldn’t have been any need for Chung Myung to step in at all. Mount Hua’s Cheong-generation disciples, ravenous for rooting out evil, would’ve charged in frothing at the mouth like wild beasts.
Back then, not only Mount Hua but also the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families had been so overwhelmingly powerful that things like evil factions couldn’t make a dent in anything.
It was an era when the so-called righteous factions had too little to do, so the wide-eyed idiots would scour every mountain like maniacs looking for bandits to beat up.
It had been a time when those vicious, so-called righteous bastards had been tormenting the weak evil factions to death. From the perspective of the ones getting beat down, it must have been hell on earth.
Thinking about it that way, those bastards really were persistent. To survive through those awful times and somehow rebuild their power again, well—
Ah, no. Not that.
"Anyway!"
Chung Myung sprang to his feet. Hong Dae-gwang’s eyes widened.
"What are you planning to do?"
"I’ve got the rough picture of what these Maninbang guys are like, so that’s enough. I’ll just deal with them."
"Mount Hua Divine Dragon! Don’t underestimate Maninbang!"
Hong Dae-gwang nearly lost his mind shouting.
"Of course I know you’re strong. But the Red Snake Unit of Maninbang is on a completely different level from the people you’ve dealt with so far! Don’t forget that everyone you’ve fought until now was part of the younger generation! And the younger generation is judged by potential, not by raw strength!"
But even with all that fierce opposition, Chung Myung’s face remained completely unconcerned. Hong Dae-gwang pounded his chest in frustration.
"Yeop Pyeong of the Red Snake Blade is a strong expert unlike any you’ve faced before. If you try to handle him carelessly, you could get into serious trouble."
"Wow. So now even an evil faction bastard gets called an expert. Man, living a long time really pays off."
"How old do you think you are, for goodness’ sake!"
Tch.
No need to say more.
"Anyway, got it."
Chung Myung waved a hand and headed out, and Hong Dae-gwang’s face twisted in alarm.
What on earth is he planning?
He had already sent urgent requests for reinforcements to the Beggars' Sect branch and the nearby sects as soon as he heard the news. But unless they sprouted wings, it would take at least seven days and nights for them to arrive.
And in truth, seven days was more than enough time for the Red Snake Unit to chew Xi'an to pieces and leave.
"Please, let there be no disaster."
If only he’d thought to bring a whole line of beggars with him.
Regret came far too late, and he let out a heavy sigh.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"...The government’s answer is still the same. They have no intention of getting involved."
Dammit.
Nam Ja-myeong bit down hard on his lip.
"The city lord still refuses to meet with us as well."
"We asked the surrounding sects for help, but it’ll take them quite some time to get here. And... to be honest, there aren’t exactly any major sects around Xi'an."
There weren’t, of course.
Shaanxi’s largest sects were Zhongnan and Mount Hua. Zhongnan in particular was so powerful that most sects had never been able to establish themselves in the province.
"If we can get in touch with the local branch families in Shaanxi, they’ll send disciples. But when they’ll arrive is another matter...."
"Grrr."
Nam Ja-myeong scratched his head in frustration.
Usually so meticulous, he’d already clawed his hair into disarray in just a short while. That wasn’t all. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep.
The refined, dignified image he had carried just a day ago was nowhere to be seen now.
Then Dan Byeonglip spoke with a stiff expression.
"Sect Leader, perhaps... maybe it would be better to—"
"To what?"
"Should we not consider preserving ourselves for another day?"
"Another day?"
"In truth, with only our strength, stopping the Red Snake Unit would be no different from an ant trying to move a tree. In that case, why not withdraw for today and wait until they leave—"
"Nonsense!"
Nam Ja-myeong cut him off and shouted.
"Do you have any idea what will happen to Xi'an the moment we leave? They may not be touching the common people right now, but what do you think will happen once their real purpose becomes obvious? How much longer do you think they’ll endure that?"
"Isn’t that something the government should handle?"
"You fool! Don’t you understand that once it comes to the point where the government has to step in, our lost trust will never be recovered!"
"Trust can be rebuilt. The lives already lost can’t be brought back."
"...."
Nam Ja-myeong stared at Dan Byeonglip, momentarily speechless.
"Reputation only matters if there are people left alive to care about it. Like the sect leader said, how long do you think they’ll really hold out? Right now they’re keeping the killing down to prevent the government from intervening before the matter is settled, but if things go wrong, they won’t hesitate to use assassins. How can you guarantee that the blade won’t fall on you, Sect Leader—"
"Be quiet!"
Nam Ja-myeong roared.
"And you call yourself the leader of a Zhongnan branch family? How can someone under Zhongnan’s name so easily speak of running from an enemy? I will never accept that!"
"Sect Leader!"
"I’d rather die than do that! Enough talk! By sunset, gather all your disciples and assemble at Seowol Gate. They may be strong, but if the remaining Zhongnan branch families fight with the resolve to die, there’s nothing they can’t drive back!"
The veins stood out in Nam Ja-myeong’s trembling eyes.
His fierce determination left the other sect leaders unable to speak.
"Do you understand?"
"...Yes."
"We will do as you say."
Though the responses were reluctant and lukewarm, Nam Ja-myeong did not press them further. If they might have to risk their lives in battle tonight, how much enthusiasm could he realistically expect?
Branch families are branch families, after all.
If they had truly intended to become warriors and fight injustice, they would have remained at the main sect. Those who had founded their own branch families had obviously come down the mountain by their own choice, and even those who had inherited branch family positions could have become direct disciples of the main sect anytime they wanted.
In the end, the reason they chose branch families was because they cared more about wealth than martial cultivation.
So this reaction was only natural. Did he really expect the people running these branch families to ever face a life-or-death battle with anyone?
"If you truly are disciples of Zhongnan and martial artists in your own right, then show me that pride! I’m counting on you!"
"Of course!"
"I may be a branch family leader, but I’m still a proud member of Zhongnan! There’s no way I’d be scared of evil faction bastards like that!"
"Then I’ll go gather the disciples!"
The branch family leaders rose one after another and headed out with determined faces.
Watching them go, Nam Ja-myeong clenched his teeth.
I will never let these evil bastards take Xi'an.
Then, with a hardened expression, he stood up abruptly.
"Gather the disciples! Right now!"
A few hours later.
Nam Ja-myeong looked around with a hollow expression.
"...."
The look in his eyes, stripped of both trust and composure, made him seem almost empty.
"S-Sect Leader."
"...."
"It seems there’s been a problem. The disciples who just went to check the other sects returned, and they said the places were already completely empty...."
"Empty?"
"...Yes."
Nam Ja-myeong muttered in utter disbelief.
"You’re telling me all ten-something sects ran away, and not a single one remained?"
"...That’s right."
"Hah."
His mouth fell open on its own. A dazed, broken laugh kept slipping out.
"Ha... hahahah...."
Then, unable to contain his rage, he suddenly roared.
"Those shameless cowards! They abandoned their homes just to save their own miserable lives? And they’ll come back to face the humiliation later?"
"W-well, if they don’t come back, isn’t that enough?"
"...What did you say?"
But then one of the instructors who had remained at his post, his face flushed red, spoke up.
"If, if we stay here, all they’ll do is take everything we own, beat us senseless, and either cripple us or kill us. But if we flee with our wealth, we can settle somewhere else and live comfortably, can’t we?"
Nam Ja-myeong’s eyes shook violently.
"E-even if we don’t keep the sect intact...."
"Shut your mouth, you bastard! Is that really something a member of Zhongnan’s branch family should be saying?"
"...."
Now Nam Ja-myeong’s face was twisted beyond all endurance.
He wasn’t angry simply because of the instructor’s words. He was furious because, while hearing them, he had felt his own heart waver.
"Sect Leader! We need to run now. Even if all the other branch families stay, there’s no guarantee we can hold them off, and expecting only Seowol Gate to face the Red Snake Unit is suicide!"
Nam Ja-myeong couldn’t bring himself to answer. He only worried his lip, his eyes continuing to shake with uncertainty.
And then—
"S-Sect Leader! Over there!"
At the sudden cry, Nam Ja-myeong snapped his head around.
The Red Snake Unit was walking toward them along the road, moving at a leisurely pace.
"W-we’re too late!"
"N-no way. I... I can’t fight!"
The disciples of Seowol Gate broke into panic and began to scatter.
"You bastards! Stop right now!"
"Dammit! If anyone’s dying, let it be Sect Leader alone!"
Nam Ja-myeong tried to restrain them, but his words had no effect whatsoever. The moment they stormed back into Seowol Gate, they started shouting at each other and tearing into one another like wild dogs.
"Let go of that!"
"You damned bastard!"
Since they couldn’t run off empty-handed, they seemed to have turned on one another in a filthy scramble for anything valuable left in the sect.
Nam Ja-myeong couldn’t hide his despair.
Is this really Seowol Gate?
Had they been preaching loyalty and righteousness all this time only to collapse so quickly at the slightest sign of danger?
Then what, exactly, had his entire life devoted to Seowol Gate even been for?
Nam Ja-myeong simply stood there, stunned, without even thinking to flee.
Step. Step. Step. Step.
The Red Snake Unit, not hurrying in the least, came to a stop before him.
Soon after, Yeop Pyeong, who had been standing behind them, stepped forward.
"Is this all?"
"...."
"Heh. These so-called righteous bastards."
He let out a scoffing laugh, sounding genuinely amused by the absurdity of it.
"I figured at least half would still be standing, but it’s not even a whole sect. There’s just one bastard left. Hey, Bang Seung. What do you think?"
"Isn’t that just how righteous bastards are? Their mouths are bigger than their skill."
"Tsk tsk. Even street thugs wouldn’t be this bad."
"Hehe. What can you expect from branch families? If Zhongnan hadn’t gone into seclusion, these people wouldn’t have had to deal with this in the first place, so they probably never even imagined it. When Zhongnan still had its gates open, even you, Commander, wouldn’t have dared step into Xi'an— Agh!"
Yeop Pyeong backhanded Bang Seung sharply on the back of the head and glared at him.
"Whose side are you on, you damned bastard?"
"...Grr. Yours, of course, Commander. So what now? Our leisurely plan to strip the branch families bare seems to have gone wrong."
"Pfft!"
Yeop Pyeong spat on the ground.
"As if a few branch families are worth much money anyway. It’s time to get serious."
He grinned and swept his gaze over the area.
"What a beautiful sight. The government turns away because it says it’s not their problem, and the branch families are running for their lives."
"A common sight, Commander."
"Exactly. So common it’s pathetic."
Clicking his tongue a couple of times, Yeop Pyeong’s eyes gleamed.
"It’s faster than expected, but faster’s not bad. Tonight we strip Xi'an bare and leave. Start with the wealthier-looking houses, and leave the officials’ residences for last. Kill anyone who resists."
"Heh heh. It’s been a while since I got to have some real fun."
"First, set fire to the halls so those branch-family bastards never dare set foot in Xi'an again!"
"Yes, sir! We’ll handle it cleanly!"
Bang Seung’s eyes shone with a cunning light. But then a voice interrupted their cheerful little exchange.
"C-Cut it out, you vile bastards!"
"Hm?"
When Yeop Pyeong turned his head, he saw Nam Ja-myeong trembling violently in place.
"You’re still here?"
"Looks like he’s got a death wish."
"Then we should grant it. Nothing difficult about that."
Clink.
Yeop Pyeong drew the great saber at his waist and walked toward Nam Ja-myeong. The closer he got, the more Nam Ja-myeong’s face turned deathly pale.
Yeop Pyeong smiled.
"Kid, the first ones to die in this world are the ones who bark without having any strength. When you get to the King of Hell, tell him you learned that much."
His blade swept horizontally, racing toward Nam Ja-myeong’s throat.
And then, in that instant—
KAAANG!
With a huge metallic crash, Yeop Pyeong’s saber was knocked sharply aside in midair.
"W-what the hell?"
Yeop Pyeong’s eyes flew wide as he whipped his head around.
"I agree with that."
A group of martial artists was walking up the road.
And at their front, a young man with an exceptionally nasty expression was cracking his knuckles.
"The ones who die first are the ones who flap around without any strength. So—"
The young man, Chung Myung, curled the corners of his mouth into a vicious smile.
"He means bastards like you."
Yeop Pyeong’s face warped hideously.