Chapter 21 - What Matters to a Man
“Spiritual medicine? You come barging in out of nowhere talking about spiritual medicine! I don't have any on deposit!”
Ak Manho leaped to his feet.
Under normal circumstances, he might have played it cool, but with the genuinely precious spiritual medicine now in his possession, his reaction was even more extreme.
'How the hell does this demon bastard know? No, wait—is he just fishing?'
Ak Manho's eyes darted around frantically.
Ssssss.
“......!”
Blood mist slithered across the floor.
It spread greedily, like thousands of snakes writhing in unison.
“Hup!”
Ak Manho's breath caught in his throat.
The damp, scorching sensation closed in, the metallic stench of blood growing thicker by the second.
The smell of a slaughterhouse. No—something far worse, the reek of death itself.
“You don't like it?”
Jin Muhon propped his chin lazily on his hand, gazing down at Ak Manho.
Ak Manho's trembling pupils fixed on him.
“N-no, it's not that I don't like it... Sword Demon—no, Jin family head, I don't have any spiritual medicine on deposit with you, but I do have some to gift. That's what I meant...”
Jin Muhon curled the corner of his mouth slightly and rose from his seat.
“Hek!”
Ak Manho scrambled backward.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Jin Muhon descended from the dais, approaching him.
With each step, the blood mist rippled in the air like generals saluting their sovereign.
Cold sweat trickled from Ak Manho's forehead, dripping from his chin to the floor.
“......”
Jin Muhon stopped just within arm's reach.
His arms hung loosely at his sides, his posture relaxed.
Up close, there was no trace of the overwhelming dominance Ak Manho remembered from over a decade ago.
'Damn it...'
Ak Manho's hand unconsciously slipped toward his bosom. His fingertips brushed the cold hilt of a dagger.
'I could do it...'
All he had to do was reach out.
Strike the Sword Demon's heart with a sudden palm thrust, then draw the dagger from his robes and plunge it into the bastard's throat.
Drip... drip... drip... drip...
His heart pounded like it would burst. His ears rang.
Sweat poured down his face like rain, soaking his martial robes.
Jin Muhon simply stood there, watching Ak Manho impassively.
And when those indifferent eyes met his...
Lightning struck Ak Manho's mind.
'I'm dead...'
Having run the calculations, Ak Manho released his pent-up tension.
“Aigoo! Why's it so damn hot in here! How much fire did you idiots stoke? These young punks these days don't know the value of money.”
Ak Manho wiped his forehead with the back of his massive hand.
He had lost the internal battle against his urge to strike at the Sword Demon.
“Ain't that right, Jin family head?”
A sliver of his pride slipped into his tone.
Jin Muhon had no intention of crushing even that.
He just needed to grab the spiritual medicine and go.
“Too bad.”
“What can ya do? Gotta use what ya got. Finding decent hands these days is a nightmare. These kids won't touch anything tough.”
Ak Manho waved his hand dismissively, putting on a show.
Jin Muhon let out a faint chuckle.
“That was a prime chance to kill me.”
“......!”
Ak Manho's eyes bulged.
The Sword Demon had seen through everything, as expected.
“Come on! What kinda harsh talk is that to an old comrade you ain't seen in ages? Why would I kill you, Jin family head? Ah! I'd be thrilled to receive a spiritual medicine gift! Right? Haha!”
Ak Manho burst into booming laughter.
It rang with the hearty bravado befitting a bandit's chief, as if he'd been practicing.
'This Sword Demon bastard. That chilling smile's as sharp as ever.'
Jin Muhon wiped the smile from his face.
“Watch your mouth. Makes me want to kill you.”
“Mouth? What mouth? Me? Haha! Jin family head! You've gotten real witty since we last met!”
“Kid, your lifespan's gotten a lot shorter.”
“Whoa! Is that so? Well, if the great Jin family head says it, it must be true. Come on! Enough chit-chat here. Let's go get that spiritual medicine! Yeah! On a whim, I'll give ya a proper gift today! Follow me!”
Ak Manho spun on his heel and strode off like he was fleeing.
Jin Muhon followed at a leisurely pace.
“As the ancient sage said, true bonds sprout from the exchange of gifts—”
“Shut up and move.”
“...Got it.”
A chill ran down Ak Manho's spine, and he quickened his steps.
The waterway gleamed faintly under the moonlight.
For some reason, it looked eerier than usual to Ak Manho tonight.
***
Whoosh—thud! Whoosh!
Ak Manho vaulted over the wooden fence and began scaling the ravine.
He'd traversed this path countless times, but for a first-timer, one misstep meant plummeting to the bottom.
“Heave-ho! It's dark! Watch your step—hek!”
Ak Manho glanced back, his eyes widening in shock.
Jin Muhon was ascending the treacherous terrain with his hands clasped behind his back, as casually as a stroll—still shrouded in that eerie blood mist.
“Holy fuuuuuck!!”
Startled, Ak Manho's foot slipped. With a rumble, he tumbled downward.
Jin Muhon reached out and snatched him by the hair.
“Don't worry. Got you.”
“Aaaah! Aaaaah! Fuck! My hair! My haaaair!”
It felt like his scalp was being torn off.
Forget his pride as chief—tears welled up.
Even in this mess, Jin Muhon's voice remained utterly calm.
“Want me to let go?”
“W-wait!”
The grip on his hair loosened slyly.
Ak Manho panicked and plastered himself to the ravine wall.
Jin Muhon chuckled softly and released him.
“Goddamn it. Why grab my hair like that! I'm already losing clumps every morning—it's killing me!”
His rage over the flying hairs overrode even his fear of the Sword Demon.
Ak Manho glared at Jin Muhon, eyes wild.
“What hair, you little shit? Hurry up.”
Jin Muhon swung his arm out and clutched a fistful of Ak Manho's hair.
Then he kicked off the ravine wall and soared upward in a burst of lightness skill.
“Aaaah! Wait! Aaaaaaaaah!!!”
Cold wind whipped past his ears.
The sheer ravine walls receded rapidly below.
Only Ak Manho's screams echoed along the Yangtze, drifting lazily away.
***
At the top of the ravine, a cave mouth appeared.
Jin Muhon landed in front and tossed Ak Manho aside.
“Whoa! You're killing me!”
Ak Manho rolled across the ground.
Jin Muhon glanced at his hand—a clump of hair remained.
He blew it away with a puff.
Watching the strands scatter in the moonlight, Ak Manho wailed in despair.
“Aigoo... my hair...”
“Wh-who goes there!”
“Eh? Chief?”
Startled by the sudden scream, two bandits who had drawn their swords gaped and rushed to help Ak Manho up.
Ak Manho shoved them away, face twisted in fury.
“Let go. I'm fine.”
“You sure you're okay, Chief? Your crown looks a bit... sparse...”
“I said I'm fine, you punk!”
Ak Manho bellowed and kicked one bandit.
The man grunted and flew back, crashing into the cave wall with a bang.
“Everything quiet?”
“Y-yes! All clear!”
The remaining bandit straightened up and reported.
Ak Manho patted his shoulder.
“Good work. Jin family head, this way. Let's head in.”
“Lead on.”
Ak Manho stepped into the cave.
Jin Muhon followed.
The bandit scurried up to Ak Manho's side.
“Chief! No one's allowed in here but you!”
“Idiot. I brought him. He's my friend.”
“Oh. Right?”
The bandit eyed Ak Manho and Jin Muhon alternately.
Jin Muhon looked far too young to be friends with the chief, but with the boss's scalp freshly plucked, he wasn't about to argue.
The bandit bowed deeply.
“Enjoy your time, sirs!”
Ak Manho's face crumpled like turtle skin.
“Crazy bastard.”
“Move. No time.”
“R-right. Yeah. Let's go.”
And so Jin Muhon and Ak Manho entered the cave side by side.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
A chill wind struck their faces as they ventured inside.
Ak Manho's torch flickered, casting faint light. Shadows danced wildly on the walls.
Drip... drip... drip...
Water droplets fell from the ceiling, mingling with the faint rot of stagnant pools in the damp air.
Jin Muhon scanned the walls and ceiling intently before speaking.
“No traps hidden here, right?”
“Aigoo! As if! That's the kinda sneaky shit those hypocrite righteous faction scum pull. Us unorthodox folk got nothing but loyalty!”
“Isn't that backward?”
“Tch!”
Ak Manho clicked his tongue and shot Jin Muhon a look.
Jin Muhon frowned back.
“What, you little shit.”
“Sheesh. Hiding out in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains must've left you clueless about the world. You really don't know what's going on?”
“The world spins as it will.”
“Tch tch. That's why I'm clicking my tongue. You know the Four Emperors' Alliance Leader died, right?”
One of the Three Masters of the world.
A man whose personal prowess could even challenge the Heavenly Demon—and he dropped dead one day.
It was such a massive event that word had reached even the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
“I know.”
“Then you know how the martial world changed after that.”
“......”
Jin Muhon didn't reply.
Who knew snagging one spiritual medicine would turn into this windbag chief's lecture.
Irritation began to build.
Unaware or uncaring, Ak Manho lowered his voice solemnly.
“After the Four Emperors' Alliance Leader died, the whole board flipped! The righteous faction bastards are rampaging with no one to stop 'em! We're holed up in this waterway just breathing—that's how bad it is! And we're the lucky ones! Out there's worse!”
Anger laced Ak Manho's words.
Checks and balances gone, one side dominating.
Stagnant water breeds rot. Poison mushrooms sprout everywhere.
But so what?
This shitty world could rot for all he cared.
As long as Jin Hayeon lived in peace and happiness, that was enough.
Seeing Jin Muhon listen silently, Ak Manho thought he was getting through and spat flecks of saliva, raising his voice.
“You know what the kids in the martial world are saying these days? They wish a righteous-demonic war would break out! Those vicious righteous pricks! Someone needs to smash 'em!”
Smack!
Jin Muhon cuffed the back of Ak Manho's head.
The crisp sound echoed through the cave.
“Ow! Why hit me! I'm the chief now! Not some has-been Ak Manho!”
“Sure. Long River Bandit Chief, not some washed-up turtle. So where's the spiritual medicine?”
“Goddamn it. For real.”
Tsssss.
Red mist swirled into the cave.
Realizing too late who he was dealing with, Ak Manho gasped and clamped his mouth shut.
“What? Goddamn?”
Jin Muhon narrowed his eyes.
“Ah! Sorry! I meant why make a treasure vault so hard to reach! That's all! Not aimed at you, Jin family head!”
“So where's this treasure vault?”
“Ah! We're here! This way!”
“......?”
Ak Manho stopped proudly before a blank wall.
He stroked a corner with his palm, then pulled a key from his bosom and inserted it into a crevice.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The stone wall groaned open.
Ak Manho puffed up with pride, glancing at Jin Muhon.
“Impressed? We ain't the sloppy bandits of old. This is all my doing since I became chief!”
A decent hoard of treasures was stacked neatly inside.
Jin Muhon glanced at it, then fixed his stare on Ak Manho.
Ak Manho flinched and lowered his voice.
“Wh-what? We gotta find the spiritual medicine, right?”
Jin Muhon spoke.
“No mechanisms, huh? You little shit.”
“......”
Thick sweat beaded on Ak Manho's forehead.