Chapter 77: A Hero Does Not Tolerate Insults
“What’s going on? A fight?”
“It’s the Great Hero of Gangnam versus the One-Armed Swordsman!”
“Great Hero of Gangnam? Then we’ve gotta go watch!”
As soon as Oepari slipped out the door, the inn’s patrons surged after him like they’d been waiting for the signal.
“H-Hey! Sirs! You have to pay first!”
“Hey, we’re just gonna watch and come right back! Don’t worry!”
“B-But... you can’t do this...”
Even the errand boy scratched his head, on the verge of heading out.
Jin Muhon lightly tapped the table with his chopsticks.
Tap!
It wasn’t a loud or flashy sound, but the boy shuddered and froze in place.
What? Why’d I stop?
The boy blinked in confusion, utterly baffled.
Jin Muhon looked at him and said, “Not taking orders?”
“Ah... orders?”
The boy glanced longingly at the open door, then sighed and turned back to Jin Muhon.
“What’ll it be, sir?”
“Bring whatever.”
“......”
The boy stared down at Jin Muhon for a moment, then pursed his lips and headed to the kitchen. His twitching ears suggested he was muttering curses under his breath.
Jin Muhon smirked, but Jin Hayeon’s face was etched with worry.
“Uncle, shouldn’t we go check?”
“Where?”
Jin Muhon feigned ignorance.
Jin Hayeon spoke rapidly, frustration clear. “Oepari, Uncle. His opponent seems like a real expert. What if he gets hurt?”
Jin Muhon stared at her with genuine curiosity.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Forgot what kind of bastard Oepari used to be?”
“Well... yeah, but...”
Before Jin Muhon arrived, Oepari had been one of Unbong County’s most notorious thugs. Without Jin Muhon, Jin Hayeon might have fallen victim to him too—no, she definitely would have.
Yet here she was, fretting over him. Jin Muhon couldn’t quite fathom her kindness.
Is it just because she’s so good-hearted?
Jin Muhon showed no concern whatsoever, so Jin Hayeon turned pleading eyes to the others.
But no luck there either. Okhwa Palace Lord Buso-yong ignored Oepari entirely, Muheo’s attention was fixed solely on Buso-yong, and Hongcheong was too busy watching Jin Muhon’s reactions.
“Hoo...”
With a sigh, Jin Hayeon finally stood.
Everyone looked up at her, faces asking what’s with you?
“I’ll go check at least.”
Muheo finally chimed in, belatedly.
“Don’t worry. That guy’s tougher than he looks. He won’t go down easy.”
“Still...”
Jin Hayeon hurried out alone.
Muheo smacked his lips and glanced at Jin Muhon. “She’ll be fine, right?”
“......”
Jin Muhon nodded and focused his mind on the divided soul.
***
Yuil-do and Oepari faced off in the open lot beside the inn.
“What’s the deal? What happened?”
“Dunno. Looks like a fight broke out.”
“Between who?”
“One’s the Great Hero of Gangnam, the other... no idea. Maybe some unorthodox sect guy.”
“Hah! Some evil bastard stirring trouble here?”
Dozens of onlookers had gathered in seconds, forming a wide circle around them.
Yuil-do scanned the crowd leisurely and spoke. “Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am the Great Hero of Gangnam, Yuil-do. Still refusing to reveal your identity?”
“I’m Oepari...”
About to spit out his usual moniker from habit, Oepari clamped his mouth shut. This won’t do. The guy had a proper name and a title, while he was just “One-Arm.”
Well, yeah. I am third-rate trash.
He’d just forgotten amid traveling with someone so extraordinary. Without Jin Muhon, he’d never have tangled with an expert like this.
“What was that?”
Thinking himself slighted, Yuil-do’s voice dropped lower.
Oepari snapped to attention. “Black Wind.”
“Black Wind... an unusual name. A nickname?”
“Something like that.”
It was the name he’d earned fighting Ghost Soul Sect alongside Jin Muhon—close enough to a title. No one remembered it, that’s all.
Sching—
Yuil-do slowly drew his sword. The sheer pressure was beyond what Oepari could handle.
“For a warrior, honor is dearer than life. Yet you insulted me before all these witnesses. Do you admit it?”
“......”
Oepari glared at Yuil-do, eyes straining. It was that or his trembling legs would buckle.
Stung by the glare, Yuil-do unleashed his full killing intent.
“Kneel and apologize now, and I’ll sheath my blade.”
“S-Sor...”
The word nearly slipped out on instinct.
Damn it! Get a grip! Compared to the family head, this punk’s nothing!
Oepari bit his lip hard and endured. Then he slowly drew the sword at his waist.
“Uncle!”
Jin Hayeon arrived late, calling out.
Seeing her worry melted away his fear.
Right. I was dead meat long ago. Even if I drop here, I can’t stain the Jin family’s honor.
Oepari lowered into a stance, knees bent.
He’d never learned proper inner arts or decent swordsmanship. Like most black path thugs, he’d honed his body through cuts and punches.
Sloppy.
But such experience meant nothing against a true master. Yuil-do saw through him instantly and regained his composure.
“It’d be shameful to go all out against a one-armed foe. Come at me first—I’ll yield three moves.”
Yuil-do extended his sword casually. Oepari hesitated, then roared and charged.
“Raaah!!!”
Dust kicked up. His eyes bloodshot, veins bulging on his neck.
Pure, unbacked sprint. Yuil-do swung leisurely.
Claaang—!
“......!”
“One move.”
Oepari’s sword flew aside. It looked light, but inner energy laced Yuil-do’s strike. A moment’s lapse, and Oepari would’ve lost his grip.
“Raaah!!!”
Oepari stomped forward again, slashing diagonally.
Shwick!
Yuil-do twisted away and tapped Oepari’s shoulder.
“Urk!”
Thud roll crash!
Oepari tumbled ignobly across the dirt.
“Uncle!”
Jin Hayeon ached to rush in. But seeing Oepari grit his teeth and rise, she held back.
“Un... cle...”
Flames blazed in Oepari’s eyes.
This man was mocking him. Fine for trash like him—but not if it targeted the Jin family.
“Oops. Sorry. I barely touched you, didn’t expect such a pathetic fall. Doesn’t your clan teach basic footwork?”
“......”
“Well, judging by your family head’s aura, he didn’t seem like much anyway. Tsk. Dull. Still, one move left—give it your all.”
Yuil-do lowered his sword, beckoning with his left fingers.
“You bastard! If you’re Great Hero of Gangnam, I’m Great Hero of Gangbuk!!!”
Thud thud thud!
Caked in dust, Oepari charged full tilt. Every move was clear as day to Yuil-do.
Let’s see. How can I boost my fame here?
A scrub not worth crossing blades with. But his rugged face had potential—break him dramatically, and tales of the Great Hero’s victory would spread.
Yuil-do swung to match, pleased with the thought.
“Pity. ‘Hero’ isn’t a title to toss around lightly—”
Then Jin Muhon moved Oepari’s body via divided soul.
Crunch—!
Oepari’s muscles and bones twisted beyond limits.
“Grk!”
“Hrk!”
Both groaned.
Squish—
“......!”
“......!”
Oepari’s sword plunged into Yuil-do’s gut. Blood dripped from the blade.
Yuil-do stared down in disbelief.
“Wh-what the hell was that?”
“The Great Hero lost!”
“Sorcery?”
Yuil-do’s eyes bulged, veins throbbing as he seized Oepari’s shoulder.
“You worm! Pretending to be weak—!”
Smash!
Oepari’s forehead smashed into Yuil-do’s face.
“Gaaak!”
Yuil-do’s nose caved; he squeezed his eyes shut and reeled back.
“You damned killer!”
Jin Muhon had no intention of giving ground. As Oepari followed up, he twisted the embedded sword.
“Gaaaaah!!!”
No master endures agony casually. Exceed the limit, and the mind breaks.
This sufficed for Yuil-do.
Thump!
Foam at the mouth, Yuil-do collapsed.
“......”
Jin Muhon, having borrowed Oepari’s body briefly, severed the link and gazed down.
His cold eyes returned to normal.
“Hrk!”
Oepari recoiled in terror, collapsing. Muscles screamed like they’d tear.
But shock drowned the pain.
Was that... the family head?
Thud thud thud!
“Uncle!!”
Jin Hayeon rushed over. That was the last Oepari saw before blacking out.
***
Night fell on the inn.
After the Great Hero of Gangnam suffered a humiliating defeat, no one dared belittle Jin Muhon’s group.
Patrons who’d feared backlash fled, leaving the innkeeper crestfallen.
The star, Oepari, groaned miserably in his room.
“He didn’t even get hit hard. What’s wrong with that guy?”
Muheo asked as Jin Hayeon emerged. The Okhwa Palace women eyed her curiously.
“The physician doesn’t know either.”
Jin Hayeon shook her head darkly. Muheo scowled.
“Then... he’s faking it. I’ll give that punk a piece of my mind!”
“No, Master. He really seems to be in pain. He hasn’t woken up.”
“Hmm. Really? Then... heart demon?”
Buso-yong, who’d been silent, joined in.
“Warriors sometimes fall to heart demons after fierce battles. Oepari seems to be in that state.”
“But Palace Lord, it wasn’t that fierce.”
“Oh? What was the duel like?”
“Well...”
Jin Hayeon stood and reenacted the finale.
“Like this, the sword goes, then suddenly shwick!”
“......?”
“Huh?”
Hongcheong and Jin Hayeon missed it, but masters like Muheo and Buso-yong sensed the anomaly.
Buso-yong narrowed her eyes. “The sword moved exactly like that?”
“Yes! Much faster than I showed.”
“Once more?”
“Sure.”
Jin Hayeon demonstrated again.
“Hiyah!”
Shwick!
“Hmm...”
“Hah...”
Buso-yong and Muheo swallowed hard.
Jin Hayeon blinked at Muheo. “What’s wrong, Master?”
“Hmm. The trajectory’s completely off...”
“Huh?”
“Oepari couldn’t pull that off... coincidence, or...”
“Or?”
Muheo’s gaze drifted to Jin Muhon.
“Jin family head. Know something?”
“......”
Jin Muhon set down his teacup instead of answering and glanced at the door.
Everyone followed suit.
Creeeak—
A man entered, scanning the room. A traveling merchant by his garb.
“Ah! There you are!”
He beamed at Jin Muhon and approached. Jin Muhon frowned.
“What’s this guy want now?”
It was Go Seokchu, Haomen Sichuan branch chief, whom they’d parted from recently.