Fight Until Blood Bursts
Suddenly, a gang burst in. It was unmistakably Jang Gapae. They wore clothes emblazoned with the same pattern as that lanky bastard Yi Jinpyeong had pummeled back at the market.
Leading the Jang Gapae thugs was a middle-aged man of squat build. His small, plump frame was mismatched by the enormous cleaver strapped to his side—a blade so oversized that if it had been just a bit longer, it would've dragged on the ground. Yet despite his compact stature, the aura radiating from him was anything but ordinary. Like a starving wolf from the barren wilds, he exuded raw, feral killing intent.
He was the polar opposite of that Gwak Sung prick, who was dressed in fine silks and fanning himself like some dainty courtesan gigolo.
The man kicked open the gates of Yi Gajang. Surveying the packed courtyard teeming with people, he furrowed his brow.
"What the hell? Isn't this supposed to be a ruined house? More people here than I expected."
Ruined house?
That single phrase chilled Yi Jinpyeong's heart. He barely suppressed the urge to smash the dwarf's skull right then and there. But now that this perfect triangular standoff had formed, why not spin it into something far more entertaining?
Bowing with clasped fists toward the Dongbeonhoe crew, he called out in a clear, ringing voice.
"Esteemed sir! Impressive as always. Truly the Zhuge Liang of Dongbeonhoe—seeing ten steps ahead with your wisdom!"
Everyone blinked in confusion at his sudden outburst, but the dwarf twisted his face into a savage scowl.
"What... what'd you say? Dongbeonhoe!?"
"Just as you predicted, they've walked right into our trap. So, per your orders, we'll wipe out Jang Gapae right here."
"Grr... you bastards. So Dongbeonhoe was behind this after all. Digging traps like the filthy scum you are!"
The dwarf's voice boomed thunderously, revealing his straightforward, no-nonsense personality at a glance.
Ching! Jang Gapae's men drew their blades, ramping up their killing intent. Dongbeonhoe's warriors hastily unsheathed theirs, facing off against them.
Gwak Sung's face contorted in horror, and Yi Jinpyeong grinned wide at the sight.
How dare you try to puppeteer Yi Gajang with a few trinkets? Time to pay the price.
Dongbeonhoe's Unchaek Do-cham (運策都參), Gwak Sung.
One of the Six Ministers, the real power broker of Dongbeonhoe—and the man granted full authority over Dongho's commercial districts by the Dongbeonhoe Lord himself. But right now, he was in a thoroughly awkward spot.
Dongbeonhoe's first policy was to avoid clashing blades with Jang Gapae directly if possible. That's why they'd pushed the already-conflicted Yi Gajang out front to handle things from the shadows. Running into Jang Gapae's crew head-on in this remote backwater was completely unforeseen.
And Jang Gapae storming Yi Gajang this quickly? Way outside his calculations.
He'd dismissed them as dim-witted lowlifes with poor intel—scared only of their shadowy backers. Who could've guessed they'd charge in here at such breakneck speed?
Gwak Sung couldn't have imagined it.
That Yi Jinpyeong himself had been the one to invite Jang Gapae here first.
First things first: defuse the situation. He signaled his men to sheathe their swords, then forced a smile and clasped his fists toward the intruders.
"Greetings. I am Gwak Sung, Unchaek Do-cham of Dongbeonhoe—"
Ptoo! The dwarf spat crudely.
"Greetings my ass?"
"I figured you lot had been too quiet. No wonder a bankrupt dump like this dared pick a fight with us—you're the ones pulling strings from behind. Buncha merchant scum, only good at scheming! Betrayal! Conspiracy! Filthy cowards! Kaaack—ptoo!"
"A misunderstanding, I assure you. Pay no mind to that fool's ravings. Yi Gajang has no ties to Dongbeonhoe whatsoever. He clearly knows nothing about them—especially the youngest, who's been off his rocker since childhood—"
"Don't try to bullshit your way out. Look at this mountain of gifts—what, no connection?!"
Yi Jinpyeong, beaming innocently from the side, chimed in.
"Truth be told, the esteemed sir from Dongbeonhoe is right. How could a tiny outfit like Yi Gajang mix with a powerhouse like Dongbeonhoe? We just got paid off to lure you here with promises of fat rewards after the trap sprung—couldn't say no to the cash."
"Figures. Merchant-born trash like you always think you can buy everyone off."
"Spot on, sir."
The smirking brat. And Jang Gapae's gullible dwarf, lapping it up.
As the two lunatics tag-teamed their bullshit, fury boiled in Gwak Sung until the world tinged yellow.
"...Anyway, this isn't a trap, and we have zero interest in fighting Jang Gapae's heroes. Settle your business among yourselves—we'll meet another time."
His men swiftly packed up tents and chairs at his cue. But Jang Gapae had no intention of letting him slink away.
"Hey, where you think you're going? Let's settle this now that we're here."
"Didn't you come here for Yi Gajang business? We had nothing to do with it!"
"Bull. And how long you Dongbeonhoe cowards gonna keep dodging? Let's end it here—the losers forfeit market protection rights, clean and simple!"
"Market rights are ours from the start. Why should we agree to that nonsense?"
"Gotta do what you gotta do."
Yi Jinpyeong answered in the dwarf's stead.
"Word spreads that Dongbeonhoe chickened out against Jang Gapae today? Your merchants'll bail in droves."
"...!!"
"And that rumor? Starts right here."
Yi Jinpyeong raised a finger high, twirling it to point at his own grinning mouth.
His tense subordinates behind him finally cracked, snickering.
Dongbeonhoe's Unchaek Do-cham, Gwak Sung. He let out a long sigh.
Hated to admit it, but the sharp-tongued brat was right. No escaping the fight now.
"...After this, I'll rip that mouth of yours to shreds."
Yi Jinpyeong shot back.
"Aigoo. Scary."
Gwak Sung finally drew his sword.
A beautiful piece, its gleaming blade etched with mysterious ancient runes.
He elegantly spun it in the air before thwack—slamming the flat against the ground. Sunlight reflected off the blade, dazzling across the courtyard.
The dwarf hefted his brutish oversized cleaver. No telling whose blood still crusted its edges in thick patches.
He uncorked a gourd from his belt, chugged deep, then phoo—sprayed liquor like a fountain over the blade. Like an executioner's butcher ready for the chop block.
Gwak Sung grimaced at the crude display. Crossing blades with such a low-class thug grated on him.
But he wasn't one to underestimate. If Jang Gapae were pushovers, they wouldn't be dodging fights either.
Even so...
Gwak Sung had no doubt of victory. He just hated getting dragged into this mess.
Snag a quick win, wrap it up without escalation—that was his perfect endgame.
Yi Jinpyeong bellowed.
"Quit with the foreplay! Fight already!"
The dwarf blinked, baffled.
"What the hell's that kid's deal? Sticking his nose everywhere."
"Beats me. But after this, he's first on my beatdown list."
"Anyway. How we doing this? All-in brawl? Or one-on-one?"
"Why bother with a pile-on? You and me. Clean one-on-one."
Wooo! Mocking boos erupted out of nowhere—from Yi Jinpyeong and his men.
"Group fight! Make it a brawl!"
Dongbeonhoe and Jang Gapae thugs looked flustered. Yi Gajang's two brothers stared off at distant mountains, ignoring it all.
Gwak Sung and the dwarf locked eyes and nodded. Their first point of agreement.
"One-on-one."
"Then we kill those bastards after."
"Deal."
Whoosh! The dwarf vanished mid-sentence.
He dropped low, almost crawling, closing distance in a flash—swinging wildly before Gwak Sung could react.
A ferocious cleaver arc to overwhelm him. Savage momentum.
Nggh!
Gwak Sung, expecting standard opening exchanges, faltered. He stabbed his sword into the ground to block, fanned open his left-hand fan to launch himself airborne, spinning gracefully.
Whirlwind Sword Dance.
His body whirled, sword blooming dazzlingly—not mere spin, but splitting into dozens of net-like strikes. Perfect timing, flawless counter. No escape for the low-charging dwarf.
But the dwarf's moves were freakish, unpredictable.
"Hah!"
Bouncing his plump gut off the dirt, he flipped mid-air. Broad cleaver face-forward, brute-forcing through the sword web—left hand thrusting for Gwak Sung's groin.
Gwak Sung reeled, retreating hastily, but rrrip!—his fine silk robe shredded.
Damn it. That outfit cost a fortune.
The dwarf's rags were slashed too, skin split with beading blood. But shallow scratches on cheap trash cloth? No real loss.
Gwak Sung's hasty retreat stalled the clash into a standoff.
The dwarf grinned wolfishly.
"Close one. Almost made another eunuch today."
Cold sweat beaded on Gwak Sung. One exchange, but the wild man—honed by countless brawls—was no joke.
This is bad. Dragging it out's just losses.
Risking his neck here wasn't in his plans. He had too much to lose.
How to wriggle out? As Gwak Sung racked his brain, Yi Jinpyeong—watching eagerly—yelled.
"He's scheming an escape again! Don't give him time to think!"
"Where you going!"
The dwarf lunged reliably at the kid's prompt, cleaver whistling.
"You... you mad bastards!"
Steam practically poured from Gwak Sung's ears.