Chapter 16
----------------------------------------------------------------- Translator: Wjin Chapter: 16 Chapter Title: First Escort Duty (2) -----------------------------------------------------------------
Information broker Gu Family Head pulled his bamboo hat low over his face and cautiously pushed open the door to Ma's Inn.
This inn was famous not only for its generous portions at cheap prices but also as the perfect spot to eavesdrop on all the neighborhood gossip that set tongues wagging. It was a favorite haunt for every information broker in Taiyuan.
'Ahem. This should keep them from recognizing me.'
Ma's Inn was a place even Gu Family Head frequented.
Well, used to frequent, to be precise.
The last time he'd been there eavesdropping, he'd been so shocked that he spat his liquor all over another customer—and the waiter had promptly banned him from the premises.
'That little punk of a waiter. Anyone would spit their drink if they got startled like that.'
Grumbling inwardly, Gu Family Head slipped carefully into an empty seat in the corner.
He'd have loved to plop down in the middle and catch every conversation, but he couldn't risk the waiter spotting who he was.
"What'll it be?"
The waiter approached with a sour expression.
"...! One flask of baijiu and a plate of chicken skewers, please."
"Got it."
Fortunately, the waiter didn't recognize Gu Family Head and headed off toward the kitchen. Gu let out a sigh of relief and perked up his ears.
'Wonder what stories are floating around today.'
As he tuned into the chatter, a familiar name caught his ear.
"Kang Moo-jin, you mean? He pulled off something huge again."
'Kang Moo-jin? The youngest young master of the Diamond Escort Agency? What the hell did he do this time?'
It had only been a month since he'd taken on eight warriors in consecutive duels and won every one—a feat that was still the talk of the town.
What could anyone accomplish in such a short time?!
'I've been in the information game for over thirty years, but I've never heard of a warrior stirring up this much shock back-to-back.'
Barely calming his astonishment, Gu poured himself a cup of baijiu.
"So, what did Young Master Kang pull off this time?"
"He smashed the Crimson Flame Gang flat, they say."
"Wha— the Crimson Flame Gang?! One of the Three Great Evil Factions of Shanxi Province?!"
"Pff— gulp!"
Gu barely swallowed the baijiu that nearly sprayed from his mouth.
The waiter narrowed his eyes at the man's bulging cheeks.
"Yeah. That Crimson Flame Gang—one of Shanxi's Three Great Evil Factions—got utterly wrecked."
"I heard he took down their gang leader, elders, and officers all by himself."
"Word is, he didn't even get a single scratch from their attacks."
"Cough...!"
Information broker Gu Family Head choked as if a chicken bone were lodged in his throat—he'd accidentally swallowed a whole wing in shock.
"Not a single scratch?!"
"Yep. The gang leader's ultimate technique, the elders' killer moves—none of it fazed him. Incredible, right?"
"Unbelievable. Who knew the Diamond Escort Agency had a monster like that."
"But get this. He's unbreakable, sure—we get that from how no attacks land. But what's this Golden Ghost thing?"
"They say he's obsessed with money, so they call him the Golden Ghost. Apparently, he shows hell to anyone who dirties his clothes."
"Heard he seized all their illegally hoarded wealth, too."
"Haha! Money-grubbing and unbreakable as hell—Golden Ghost Indestructible, huh?!"
"Heh heh, so that's what it means!"
"Cough!"
Reeling from the shock, Gu swallowed the liquor in his mouth with extreme self-control.
He couldn't afford to make the same mistake twice, so he stayed calm this time.
'This is insane. He took down the Crimson Flame Gang single-handedly—and tanked every attack before wrecking them? That's something only a freak from beyond the heavens could pull off!'
Ordinary folk might just call it amazing and move on, but Gu, who knew the ins and outs of the central plains' warriors, felt a shock beyond words.
He understood just how irrational and extraordinary Kang Moo-jin's exploits were.
'This is huge. Big enough to draw the eyes of those massive factions who left Taiyuan right back here.'
As Gu tried to steady himself with more liquor and chicken, unable to hide his amazement—
"Hey, isn't that Gu Family Head?!"
Wang Family Head approached with a delighted grin. He'd lost half his fortune and tumbled from rich man to middle class, but he was still beaming.
"What're you doing here? Hiding in the corner like a rat. Hah! Planning to sneak a free meal?!"
"Pffft!"
Startled, Gu spat out his baijiu again. The man who'd been drinking in front of him now had his face drenched, looking like he'd been hit by a liquor typhoon.
"...Hey, mister! I told you not to come here!"
The waiter, now recognizing Gu, charged over with fire in his eyes.
"Th-that's not..."
"Out! Now! You with him? If so, both of you, get out!"
Middle-class Wang Family Head straightened up and shook his head.
"Never seen him before in my life."
"Father."
"Moo-jin, my boy. You're back. No injuries?"
Kang So-gong rushed out barefoot at the sound of his son's voice.
"Yes. I took a major hit, but I'm fine."
"A hit?! Where—where'd you get hurt?!"
The escort agency leader's eyes flew wide as he scanned his son up and down in a panic.
'No injuries... anywhere?'
Sensing his father's puzzled gaze, Moo-jin hurriedly added—
"Oh, I meant I wasn't hurt physically. Just took a financial blow."
Hearing how those vile evil faction scum had ruined his clothes, Kang So-gong was at a loss.
"R-right. Good work."
"So many places to hit, yet they always go for the clothes. I just can't understand evil faction bastards."
"...I see."
A bit flustered but trying to empathize, Kang So-gong nodded.
"Anyway, that's the story."
"Incredible. Moo-jin. I heard that Mountain-Breaking Sword Gu Ma-seok was a peak expert nearing the transcendent realm. To take him down in one blow..."
A gasp of admiration escaped Kang So-gong's lips.
The Crimson Flame Gang's leader, Gu Ma-seok, was one of the top masters in all of Shanxi, with few equals.
And the two elders backing him were transcendent experts themselves.
For his son to smash them without even a proper exchange was tongue-profoundly impressive.
'Just how strong is he...?'
Kang So-gong suddenly wondered exactly how far his son's martial prowess extended.
"Hm. My level of cultivation?"
Moo-jin furrowed his brow, lost in thought.
The Linked Qi Realm he'd come from operated on entirely different principles from the central plains, with unique standards for strength. Explaining it was tricky.
"By the jianghu's standards... probably the Transformation Realm."
"Tr-Transformation Realm?!"
Kang So-gong's jaw dropped in shock. He nearly collapsed, his legs buckling from the surprise.
'One of the... only about 150 in the entire central plains... reached the Transformation Realm?'
This vast jianghu teemed with over ten thousand warriors.
Yet among them, only around 150 had attained the exalted Transformation Realm.
It was a stage so arduous to climb that only the chosen few could reach it.
'My son... climbed to that realm...'
Kang So-gong could barely contain his surging emotions.
How could he even express this joy?
"Looks like you might join the Top 100 Masters of the Martial World soon, Moo-jin."
"Top 100 Masters?"
The Top 100 Masters of the Martial World.
The title for the hundred strongest in all the jianghu.
To sword-mad warriors walking the path of martial arts, it was a starry ideal, longed for by countless souls.
And among those Top 100, the top ten elites—
Those whose personal martial arts touched the heavens were revered not as Top 100 Masters, but by another name.
The Ten Martial Venerables.
"Hm. Haven't clashed with any Transformation Realm experts yet, but I doubt they'd be much of a match."
Moo-jin figured even they wouldn't measure up.
"Heh heh... truly astonishing."
Patting his proud son's shoulder with a palm, Kang So-gong ignored the sting in his fingertips and kept smiling.
"I'm so proud of you."
"No need, Father."
"So, what's next? You've cleared a good chunk of our debts. I'm curious what you'll do now."
Moo-jin answered without hesitation.
"Time to go looking for big brother."
"You sure that's wise?"
Kang So-gong's gaze drifted to Moo-jin's subordinates training in the estate's drill hall.
They were growing stronger under Moo-jin’s brutal regimen, but entrusting everything to them still felt unsafe.
"I was planning to toughen them up a bit more before I leave anyway."
"You don't mean... even harsher training here, do you?"
Even to Kang So-gong, his son's men looked like they were enduring hellish torment.
Lucky for Moo-jin they were passionate, resilient youths. Ordinary folk would've spat in his face and fled long ago.
'Even I'd run.'
He'd understand if they spat in his son's face—Moo-jin's training was that savage.
It was training in name only; pure hell in truth.
"Yes. They've tempered their bodies with the Iron Ox Art, so doubling the intensity should be fine now."
"...R-really? Isn't that a bit much? They'll... die...?"
"No worries, Father. I've been through it myself. That's only half the level I endured."
"...I see."
Cocking his head skeptically, Kang So-gong eyed the training men.
With house-sized boulders on their backs, holding horse stance—their faces were twisted like Tang Family torture victims.
They looked... half-dead?
"Grrrrr."
"Aaaargh!"
Screams echoed through the Diamond Escort Agency's estate.
Loud enough to startle passersby outside.
"Endure it. Only those who persevere gain true external arts strength."
Moo-jin pressed on with the training, ignoring the cries.
To him, training without screams wasn't training at all.
"Use Star-Splitting Fist to strike your comrades' vital points—it hits external and internal at once. Refines your fist technique while giving them Meridian Push Therapy."
Meridian Push Therapy was originally a healing art, rubbing acupoints with internal energy to mend internal injuries.
But Moo-jin's version differed.
A punch infused with internal energy struck the Conception and Governor Vessels, forcibly clearing meridians while hardening the body to elevate external arts.
Fist practice, external hardening, and meridian activation—all in one comprehensive drill.
A brilliant, efficient method yielding three benefits per session... but with one fatal flaw.
The agony was hellish, no different from descending into the underworld.
"Gaaah!"
"Urghaaah!"
Thud! Crack!
Paired up and facing each other, the men hammered fists and feet into one another's bodies.
Each internal-energy-laden blow bloomed blue bruises; faces paled to white. Yet they didn't stop.
Because pausing even briefly meant...
"Jo Yu. Front and center. You look like you've got breath to spare—increase the intensity. I'll handle you myself."
They knew they'd face Moo-jin's bear-like fists for Meridian Push Therapy, eyes blazing blue.
"B-brother. I'm good. I'll work harder..."
"Front and center."
"...Yes, sir."
Dragging his feet like a condemned prisoner, Jo Yu stood before Moo-jin.
"Star-Splitting Fist for Meridian Push Therapy. You start."
"...Alright. Let's do it."
Heat flared in Jo Yu's eyes.
Might as well land one punch on Moo-jin while he could.
"Here goes!"
Instead of Star-Splitting Fist, Jo Yu unleashed his usual technique, splaying five fingers.
"Star-Splitting Fist, I said."
"Ah, sorry! Slipped my mind."
Startled, Jo Yu twisted to retract his fingers. But too close already—his hand snagged Moo-jin's hem.
"...!"
The fabric would surely tear.
Instinctively, Moo-jin swung a fist.
Thwack!
Jo Yu's jaw met Moo-jin's bear paw and rocketed him over the estate wall, far into the distance.
"..."
"..."
Fear shadowed the men's eyes.
"Th-that was an accident."
Moo-jin scrambled to explain, but doubt filled their gazes.