Chapter 214
Chapter 214
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 214
Chapter Title: Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds
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Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds.
The one pillar of the Sa-do Alliance, a gathering of bandits who call themselves martial artists.
Even within the orthodox faction, there were bandits who used the name "Green Forest." But the ones truly called the Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds were only this unorthodox group.
Bandits who were stronger than bandits ought to be.
The stronghold leaders, called "Chae-ju," were all stronger than most masters.
"But to us, they're just fodder."
Sa-do Alliance Leader Gu Ok-kyeong spun his hand confidently and grinned.
"Ah, no Dai-un to drag us down, no Song Nam-cheon nagging at every turn. Nice. Red Cloud, don't nag me. Got it?"
"You know this isn't a joyride, right?"
"With you and me? It might as well be."
"Don't treat human lives like playthings."
"Such a textbook line... Ugh, are you really not orthodox scum?"
I pressed down hard on Gu Ok-kyeong's whining head.
"Do what you want, but don't enjoy killing for its own sake. Ok-kyeong. There's a fine line between a killer demon and a martial artist. If you stain your blade with blood just for fun, I'll have to stop you myself."
"...Well, now. Talking about killing so casually?"
"I don't want you becoming that kind of person. You're my friend."
Red hair looked up at me. Gu Ok-kyeong snorted and slapped my hand away.
"Me, Gu Ok-kyeong? I couldn't care less about killing itself. I'm just interested in cleaning up trash we couldn't touch before. But whatever... thanks? Nice to have someone worry. Kinda fresh getting treated like a kid. No one's ever babied me like that... Hmm."
"Ok-kyeong."
"Yeah?"
"Never mind..."
I glanced at his raspy mouth, then turned away. Mask pulled tight over my face, I called for Suryeon, who'd gone out for intel and returned.
"Suryeon. What do you think?"
"The Sa-do Leader's right."
"How exactly...?"
"Human trash. Just raid one stronghold and you'll see. They treat people like livestock, restock from nearby when they run low. One place even had a separate pen. Women crawling like pigs there. Fed slop like porridge, used only to sate lust."
"......"
"Plundering wealth is just the tip of the iceberg. They extort landlords through threats, retaliate against anyone nearby who tries to leave... They enslave everyone around them."
Gu Ok-kyeong shrugged.
"Know what the previous alliance leader loved most? Kids under thirteen from the Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds. Taste them one by one, from girlhood to adulthood, time flies by or whatever. The craziest bastards under a crazy bastard-that's the Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds. And they stick together like brothers, swarm if you poke wrong. Bribes everywhere too, so cleaning them out meant war."
"......."
"But now? We can wage that war. Anonymously. Just us three. What do you say, Windless Asura? Still hesitant to draw your sword?"
I stood at the cliff's edge. Below, amid vast scenery, a mountainside stronghold looked like a village.
Human traces where forest had been cleared. Crowds stationed there.
Not all might be villains. Some could follow out of powerlessness.
But if they could walk, they should've left. Of their own will.
And they...
Didn't.
Silent complicity in the horrors inside made them no better. Same bandits. Same human trash.
Worse than beasts.
So they deserved worse than beasts got.
If you're human. If you have any decency...
At least avoid wrong or speak up.
I drew my sword.
"Suryeon, stay out of the fighting as much as possible. Just stay by my side until you're fully healed."
"I'll stick real close."
"Ok-kyeong."
Gu Ok-kyeong turned to me. In his expectant eyes, I murmured low.
"We smash them all."
"That's my guy! Heh heh heh!"
Sa-do Alliance Leader and Heavenly Demon Divine Cult double agent.
Even the Killer Gate Leader.
We three leaped from the cliff toward the stronghold below. Slid down the steep slope to stand before it.
"Huh? Who the hell are-"
Once decided, we do it thoroughly.
I didn't answer with words.
I answered with my sword.
...
The master of the Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds.
Green Forest King Gwak Cheon-geuk lounged back in his chair.
King of the Green Forest wasn't an empty title. No one here matched his power.
Even that Sa-do Alliance Leader. Bribes to the elders alone numbered plenty. Sent them young beauties nonstop to control those backroom fossils.
Old monsters are the worst. Fixated on young girls.
Chuckling, Gwak Cheon-geuk sipped his liquor and narrowed his eyes.
"...Hmm."
"May this girl pour you a cup?"
The beauty at his side whispered. Voice clear like a nightingale.
He stared at her. Famous one. Sa-hon Pavilion, right? Top earner there.
Clothes blue. Blue attire. Gisaeng who didn't sell their bodies. But she was the exception for him.
Anything he wanted, he got.
If not, he took by force.
"Strip."
"...Pardon?"
Slap!
The slap sent the gisaeng tumbling. Gwak Cheon-geuk poured himself a drink and sipped again.
"I said strip."
"......."
Gritting her teeth, the gisaeng undressed. Despite coquettish songs, dances, pandering to men...
No man's hand had truly touched her body. But he was different. He could grope, handle at will.
"Dance."
"......."
The gisaeng began to dance. Naked. Beautiful, sure. That was it.
Gwak Cheon-geuk watched bored, then dropped his gaze back to the cup.
Girls like her? He could fuck endlessly. One gesture, and they crawled like dogs.
Even the haughtiest women, same deal. So somehow...
Boring.
Gwak Cheon-geuk knew the boredom stemmed from himself. Ever since discovering a treasure no other woman could fill.
"...Sa-do Alliance Leader."
He whispered her name. Poured a shot, swallowed it.
He wanted her. Not just possess. Wanted to shatter everything. Collar the broken her, make her heel like a dog.
See that arrogant face that climbed to Sa-do Leader on a woman's body twist in agony...
But he couldn't.
"...Hmm."
Know what he could and couldn't do-that's how he'd risen this far.
Still, thinking of her soured his mood. How to claim her?
"Um... my lord..."
The dancing gisaeng stopped.
"Uh, how long..."
How long?
Gwak Cheon-geuk beckoned. She rushed to reclothe and approach.
He watched silently, then reached out.
And smashed her head into the table.
Krunch!!
Flesh and blood bursting. Corpse hit the floor, head gone before a scream.
Gwak Cheon-geuk snorted.
"Hand's dirty now."
How long, she said.
Shouldn't have asked. Ruined his mood.
Wasted blood on his hands. Daylight gisaeng daring question the Green Forest King without leave...
Time to switch this brothel's owner too?
Short deliberation, then he gulped the bloodied liquor.
Door opened.
Subordinate waiting outside entered.
"L-Lord..."
He flinched, eyed the corpse quietly.
"Assassin?"
"Assassin? Irked me, so I killed her. And... I said not to enter unless urgent."
"Urgent news."
"What?"
"One stronghold was raided."
Someone touched the Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds.
Gwak Cheon-geuk snorted.
"Which lunatic? Which one hit?"
"The one Dong-gwak-u ruled."
"...Ah, the human flesh slicer? Steady demand there... Shame. Was gonna cut it anytime, line was drawn... Juicy income gone. Demand was sneaky high."
Gwak Cheon-geuk refilled his empty cup.
"That guy handled a sword well, I recall... Just him dead, or whole stronghold wiped?"
"Latter."
"Foes must be tough. Daring frontal hit on us Green Forest Seventy-Two. Let's hear. Which mad bastard."
"Know Windless Asura?"
"Windless Asura?"
He knew.
Hotshot lately. Sa-do Leader vowed to handle him post-Heavenly Net.
But...
Didn't add up.
"Isn't he solo?"
"Interrogated surviving slaves. Said two, not one."
"...Two?"
One or two.
Enemies either way.
Gwak Cheon-geuk eyed the subordinate. No liar's face.
Then true... Masters, enough to annihilate a stronghold.
"...Send the kids."
Plenty of forces to handle internally.
Who was he? Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds. Could mimic that Heavenly Net chasing the fake Sa-do Leader, with numbers to spare.
"Show 'em the price of touching Green Forest. Send the kids, scour everywhere. Bring women alive, drag men dead. Let's see the faces."