Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Pillaging the Pillagers
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“The Merchant Guild Leader should stay here.”
“Pardon?”
“It would be troublesome if you were hit by a stray blade.”
“Understood.”
Besides, we couldn't go anyway.
It was a bandit's hideout, after all. It wasn't like it would be in a proper place, right? It must be somewhere rugged and difficult to access.
So it was better for the merchant guild to wait here.
Besides, someone had to stay with the wagons, which were loaded with goods, right?
We had some leeway in our schedule. Although we were delayed a bit by the bandits, that Taoist over there said this path would shorten our trip to Shaanxi by three or four days.
...Just you wait if that's not true.
Glancing at Un Hak sprawled out in front of Hyang-i, Neung Un-bi approached Jeon Il-seok.
“My lord, shall I splash some water on him?”
“Water? What water?”
“…”
“There's no valley nearby. Is it easy to find water in the mountains?”
Shaking his head at Wang Cheon, Neung Un-bi crouched in front of Jeon Il-seok.
What other way was there to wake up an unconscious man?
*Slap!*
“Ugh!”
“…”
Startled by the powerful slap, Jeon Il-seok shot up, his head whipping around.
“Aggghh…”
Then, feeling the pain where he was struck, he clutched his face and groaned.
“Hey!”
“…?”
At the sudden call from his side, Jeon Il-seok whipped his head around and blinked.
“You… you bastard…”
Recognizing Neung Un-bi, Jeon Il-seok's eyes shot wide open.
Even though they were too swollen to open properly.
“You bastard!”
“…”
Bastard?
Looks like you haven't had enough yet, have you?
*Slap!*
“Kuaargh!”
*Slap!*
With an indifferent expression, Neung Un-bi kept slapping Jeon Il-seok until his attitude was corrected.
After his head was snapped left and right a few times, Jeon Il-seok, without another word, performed the miracle of kneeling on his own and even undergoing a personality adjustment.
“Sob… spare me.”
The sight of him finally shedding tears was truly pathetic.
He should have listened when I was being civil.
Why does a man of his age keep forcing my hand?
Especially to me, who has mastered the Three Bonds and Five Relationships three times over.
“Hey!”
“What!”
“You…! I oughta!”
“…”
As Neung Un-bi raised his hand, Jeon Il-seok flinched and made a motion to block, then opened his eyes meekly.
“Should've done that from the start.”
“…You're too much.”
“Too much? How so?”
“As I understand it, you are the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult.”
“And?”
“How can you persecute me like this?”
“Persecute?”
“That's right. Although the Demonic Cult has made a pact with the Orthodox Murim Alliance, the Central Plains is a place where both orthodox and unorthodox factions have a footing.”
“So?”
“It means there's nothing to be gained by antagonizing our unorthodox factions.”
“…What kind of bullshit is that?”
“What?”
“Of course, there's no need to be at odds with the orthodox or unorthodox. But you attacked us first.”
“W-what? Attacked? When did we ever attack you!”
“Just now. A moment ago. You said, 'Stop! You bastards!'”
“…”
“Did you or did you not?”
He did.
But that was purely out of his duty as a bandit.
Isn't that how bandits usually make their appearance?
Of course, after that, they collect a toll, relieve you of some valuables…
“I'm not the kind of person who starts a fight.”
“…”
That was a lie.
Neung Un-bi had clearly attacked first without warning.
But how could he say that?
Not with the red handprint still visible on his swollen cheek.
“You guys attacked first, and I just did what I was supposed to do as a merchant guild guard.”
“M-Merchant guild guard?”
“Yeah, the Nakmyeong Merchant Guild over there signed a contract with us a while ago.”
“…”
It was plausible. Merchant guilds always hired martial artists to guard against the dangers of the road.
But the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult working as a guard?
“Enough with the useless talk. Anyway, you're the leader of the Cheonghwa Mountain gang?”
“Thas's wight.”
The words came out slurred, as if he were clenching his teeth.
Indeed, how could he feel good about using honorifics for Neung Un-bi, who was likely half his age?
I should be understanding about that much.
“Where's your hideout?”
“…Why do you want to know?”
“When I ask 'where,' can't you just answer 'where'? I'm still young, so my hands are a bit quick to fly.”
As Neung Un-bi raised his hand with a scowl, Jeon Il-seok immediately stretched out his arm and pointed somewhere.
This was why education was necessary.
And whether it was the sworn brother of the King of the Green Forest or a master swordsman of great righteousness, there was only one way to educate a bad guy.
Beat them senseless without warning.
How could he possibly endure?
“That mountain?”
“Yes. There's a cliff on the midway slope…”
“Oh? Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Good, let's go then.”
“Go?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“You'll know when we get there.”
“…”
Having confirmed the location, Neung Un-bi shot to his feet, but Jeon Il-seok just stared at him with a puzzled look.
“Ju-seung.”
“Yes?”
“Take a few men and guard the merchant guild here. I'm going to the hideout for a bit.”
“Understood.”
“Wang Cheon.”
“Should I get some wrapping cloths?”
“Hm?”
“I thought they might be necessary if we're visiting the hideout…”
Indeed, seeing is believing. Better to have seen than to have heard, and better to have experienced than to have merely seen.
Having experienced the Akwaji mounted bandits, didn't he know exactly what needed to be done?
This must be why everyone prefers experienced people.
“And a carrying frame.”
“Ah! Of course. They said it's a large hideout belonging to the Eighteen Fortresses of the Green Forest… Understood. I'll make one from some trees for now.”
“Do it.”
Listening to the conversation between Neung Un-bi and Wang Cheon, Jeon Il-seok could only feel bewildered.
Wrapping cloths? A carrying frame?
Why were they getting those?
Y-you guys… surely not?
“Hey, get up. What are you going to do if the sun sets while you're dawdling? We can't exactly sleep at your hideout.”
“…”
At the sight of Neung Un-bi urging him on with a sinister smile, Jeon Il-seok blinked his swollen, barely-open eyes.
No, right? It's not what I'm thinking, is it?
Right, you guys are from the demonic path.
The demonic path wouldn't do something like that.
…Right? It's like that, right?
With an anxious gaze, Jeon Il-seok guided them to the hideout, while Neung Un-bi and Wang Cheon followed with sinister expressions.
* * *
“Kuaargh!”
“Gah!”
The remaining bandits bravely charged forward to save their leader, but their struggles were weaker than the flutter of a fly's wings.
A single wave of a hand sent them flying, and a swift kick made them vomit.
In the end, Jeon Il-seok had to tearfully bring out his entire fortune.
It was loaded onto the carrying frame, wrapped in cloths…
Was it the sight of them sweeping up everything of value that made him feel so bitter?
Suddenly, finding strength from somewhere, Jeon Il-seok began a final act of defiance.
“You son of a bitch! You bastard! Raiding a bandit's hideout! You call yourselves followers of the demonic path! You call yourself the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult!”
“…”
“Fine, just kill me! I'd rather die a glorious death than suffer this humiliation! Everyone, draw your swords!”
Jeon Il-seok screamed at the top of his lungs, but the terrified bandits were in no state to move.
“You bastards! What are you doing! Are you just going to stand there and let them take everything!”
As Jeon Il-seok urged them on(?), his veins bulging, Neung Un-bi sighed.
“Haa, this one… still hasn't had enough, has he?”
“Indeed. He's quite a persistent one. Shall I take care of it?”
“It's fine. The one who started it should finish it.”
Just as Neung Un-bi cracked his knuckles, making a menacing sound.
“Ughhh…”
“…?”
Un Hak woke up.
“Oh, you're up?”
“…”
Blinking blankly at the indifferent greeting, Un Hak was bewildered by the scene that came into his now-clear vision.
What is this? The fight isn't over yet?
But this place… a bandit hideout?
And those bundles…
“Gasp! Y-Young Master Neung! What is going on?”
“What's going on? We're raiding the hideout.”
“R-raiding the hideout?”
“Yeah.”
The utterly confident reply left Un Hak speechless.
Were the Demonic Cult the type to raid bandit hideouts?
No, more importantly, what would happen now?
Seeing the state of the bandits confronting Neung Un-bi's group, it was clear they had suffered considerably.
And if their hideout was raided on top of that?
The King of the Green Forest wouldn't stand for it. This would undoubtedly cause a huge incident.
I have to stop them. I must.
“Young Master Neung! You can't do this…”
*Thwack!*
But Un Hak couldn't finish his sentence.
His mind went blank from the rough impact that struck the back of his head.
And what came into his fading vision was… a-a maid? You again?
“My, why are there so many things we 'can't' do? What a troublesome Taoist.”
“…”
Damn… Demonic Cult bastards…
Un Hak collapsed once more, and Hyang-i again sidestepped instead of catching him.
*Thud…*
While Un Hak's face was once again planted in the ground, Neung Un-bi was teaching Jeon Il-seok about the character he ought to have.
“Kheheh, you bastard, just kill me!”
“Hm? Why would I kill you?”
“What?”
“You're an example.”
“An… an example?”
“Yeah. Other bastards need to know exactly what happens when you harass people with banditry.”
“…”
Neung Un-bi grinned grimly and grabbed both of Jeon Il-seok's elbows.
“This is going to hurt a bit.”
“Y-you… n-no way! W-wait a minute!”
*Crack!*
“Kuaaaaaagh!”
His arms were broken, and Jeon Il-seok's scream echoed as if to shake the mountain.
Kuaaaaaaaaaaaaa…
Along with a long, drawn-out echo.
Unconcerned, Neung Un-bi thoroughly broke both of his legs before standing up.
“Khhuk, you bastard… the King of the Green Forest, my sworn brother, will not let this stand.”
“I'm sure he won't.”
“The Green Forest will hunt you down!”
“…”
At the curses of Jeon Il-seok, sprawled on the ground, Wang Cheon asked cautiously.
“Um… my lord, wouldn't it be better to just kill them all? As he said, if the Green Forest comes after us, it could get needlessly noisy.”
Neung Un-bi considered Wang Cheon's words for a moment, but then let out a smirk.
Noisy?
Fine, let them.
I have no intention of forgiving banditry just because I'm worried about the consequences. I'll fight them anytime.
Orthodox, unorthodox, or demonic—no matter where I stand, I have no intention of turning a blind eye to those who oppress others and extort money.
Even if they spring up again like poisonous mushrooms, I will always crush them.
Because that is the great cause 'he' taught me.
The one I have long held, and the one I must pursue.
If I were worried about the consequences, I wouldn't have lived as a shadow in the past.
I chose a life in the shadows through improper means, but I believed it was also a righteous path to change the world.
It's the same now.
“…It doesn't matter.”
“Pardon?”
“I told you. We were attacked, and we responded. That's all.”
At Neung Un-bi's words, Wang Cheon also let out a smirk.
It was a foolish thing to say.
What on earth was I worried about?
Since coming to the Central Plains, Neung Un-bi's personality seemed to have changed a bit.
He'd become more energetic, more unrestrained, more straightforward.
But so what?
The path the Demonic Cult walks has always been the way of the hegemon.
No matter the opponent, they never turn back from their chosen path.
This is even more true for the path of one who is, or will be, a master.
If a wall blocks the way, they break the wall. If a mountain blocks the way, they break the mountain.
Even if it costs them their lives, they advance without fear toward what they believe is right.
That is the path the demonic way has walked, and the path Neung Un-bi must walk.
Even if some might point their fingers and call the process cruel.
Today's Neung Un-bi seemed somehow even more impressive than usual, and Wang Cheon couldn't hide a pleased smile.
Meanwhile, Neung Un-bi glanced over the wrecked hideout and turned away.
Now that everything was smashed, what reason was there to stay?
He had already collected a hefty fee for his troubles.
“Let's go.”
“Yes, my lord!”
Behind Neung Un-bi, whose back seemed especially broad today, Wang Cheon and the Sakwol Squad followed with vigorous steps.
Carrying the hefty fee in their wrapping cloths and on the frame.
*Creak, creak.*
“Just you wait, you bastards… I will never forgive you. Never…”
Watching them disappear from the hideout, Jeon Il-seok ground his teeth.
Kheheh… Brother.
What am I to do about this?
That vile Demonic Cult bastard not only did this to me, but he also cleaned out all the wealth the Cheonghwa hideout has amassed over the years.
He could never forgive them.
Whether it's the Demonic Cult or its disciple, I will surely repay this humiliation.
“…Send a carrier pigeon to the main headquarters. Now!”