The Black Flame Dragon Reveals Himself (4)
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The blades drawn in unison by the warriors plunged the noisy district into silence, as if dousing it with cold water.
"What the hell is this?!"
Wang Soso, who had entered first, tried to charge out boldly, but her escorts blocked her path.
"Soso."
I raised a hand to signal Wang Soso not to come any closer, then quietly stared down the warriors.
"Drawing your swords... means you think I'm some intruder or thug, right?"
The warriors glaring at me like they wanted to kill me had trembling eyelids. Expressions that screamed oh shit.
"But what are you doing? If you're drawing swords, then fight."
"......"
But they couldn't, of course. Because damn it, I'm a guest invited by the head of Eunha Sangdan.
"Do the Eunha Sangdan escorts not even charge at bandits when they attack?"
Murmurs began rippling through the long line at my words. This single action wouldn't crack the sangdan's reputation much, but people loved tearing others down like crazy.
You could tell just from how they whispered about an upright guy like me as the Black Flame Dragon.
And this situation was the last thing Eunha Sangdan wanted.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A group of men marched toward the entrance with disciplined steps that carried a palpable air of discipline from inside the sangdan.
Bang!
The crowd's murmurs turned to gasps as they slammed their spears into the ground in unison.
"It's the Water Guard Squad!"
"Heard he took down Chuhon Stronghold all by himself."
"Where's the Meteor Spear, though?"
Despite the rising voices, the Water Guard Squad members scanned the area with unshakable gazes.
The man at the front swept an arrogant look over me, then turned to the sword-drawing warriors and demanded, "What is the meaning of this?!"
"D-Danjunim. Th-that man... he suddenly resorted to violence, so..."
The danju's eyes fixed coldly on my face.
"Who dares, on this joyous day of Eunha Sangdan... Hmph! What is this?!"
I reached out to grab his throat.
The danju's eyes bulged as he staggered back.
Thwack, thwack-thwack!
My hand, which had aimed for his throat, slithered like a snake after his nape.
"Stop...!"
Judging it couldn't go on, the Water Guard danju unleashed Golden Snake Hand in kind.
I didn't know about his spearwork, but his Golden Snake Hand was mediocre. Well, a sangdan's guard unit danju couldn't compare to a Murim Alliance one, so maybe that was expected?
Then how'd he take down Chuhon Stronghold?
I deflected his hands twice with White Phoenix Hand, sealed his pressure points, and hoisted him up by the throat.
"Guhk... guhk—"
The repeated scene left the Eunha Sangdan warriors looking like they might faint.
"That crazy bastard...!"
Whoosh—whoosh—
The Water Guard Squad leaped into position, surrounding me from all sides, spears aimed close as if ready to riddle me with holes at a word.
"Let him go now!"
"Release the danju!"
I channeled my inner energy while gripping the trembling danju's throat, ignoring their shouts, and bellowed toward whoever was pulling strings inside.
"Does Eunha Sangdan treat its guests like this?!?!"
My voice boomed so loud it hurt my own ears. A few in the waiting crowd clutched their ears and collapsed, unable to endure it.
It must have carried deep inside the sangdan. Plenty of faces probably stiffened.
At least five people must want me dead right now, huh?
But I couldn't stop here.
Right now, I had to be a simple, crude black path brute who lived by his whims.
Yeah. I was the black path's sacred being, the joint leader acknowledged by the Four Black Alliances, the Black Flame Dragon.
I couldn't look merely offended. I had to act like I was itching to kill if I didn't follow my mood, just like real black pathers.
"I'm here at the sangdanju's invitation!!! Is this how Eunha Sangdan treats the sangdanju's guest? You think I'm a joke, Jin Sowoon?!?!"
I shook the danju in my hand like a straw doll as I roared. Those frowning at me started looking confused about what was going on.
Crashing someone else's party warranted skewering on the spot, yet none dared step up boldly—they just pointed their spears.
That's how the world worked. When things didn't go as expected, even irrational acts started seeming justified, like there must be a reason.
"Fuuuuck!!! Who's in charge here?! Get the person in charge out here!!!"
The faces of the warriors aiming swords and spears twisted like they'd tasted shit against their will.
Yeah, why poke the guy whose eyes are blazing for a fight?
Poke him, my ass.
"What is all this commotion?!"
The Eunha Sangdan warriors' heads snapped toward the voice in unison. They called out to him desperately, like a savior had arrived.
"Sub-danju-nim!!!"
"Y-You've come! That insolent bastard dares in Eunha Sangdan..."
Before the warriors could finish, the man clenched his fist, raising a rigid hand. Everyone shut their mouths tight, as if sewn shut.
The sub-danju kept his eyes fixed on me and murmured lowly, "Who are you?"
This rude prick in his mid-thirties didn't even introduce himself before interrogating me like I was some nobody.
"And who the hell are you?"
Veins bulged on the man's broad forehead at my casual tone.
"Didn't you hear? I'm Jeong Sogun of Eunha Sangdan."
Murmurs spread swiftly through the crowd as Jeong Sogun revealed his name.
"Meteor Spear Jeong Sogun!"
"The Great Danju of Hyunmu Pavilion?"
"Heard he rose to Great Danju in just ten years."
"Could've gone higher, but came back to inherit the sangdan."
People focused more on the celebrity than the tension. Well, it wasn't life-or-death for the onlookers.
Jeong Sogun glared at me, annoyed that I showed no reaction—no, no deference—after he revealed himself.
"Not going to give your name?"
"What, hard of hearing? I just yelled it so loud the whole Eunha Sangdan heard."
"......Heard?"
Jeong Sogun's eyelids twitched.
"Guess they don't teach basic manners at the academy these days."
I played it cool. "You know me?"
"I've heard the rumors that the black path sacred being, the Black Flame Dragon, is leading the academy reps. Something unimaginable in our day."
He subtly reminded me he was an academy alum, stressing senior-junior status. Obvious ploy.
His pathetic jab made me snort inwardly. He'd never experienced the psychological warfare and schemes over a single missing nyang of silver—the cutthroat gambling where lives hung in the balance.
Greenhouse flowers were always so naive.
"Ah! So you're my senior, Sub-danju-nim."
I scratched my head with an innocent look, and a smile crept onto his lips.
"The mistake you made today will reach my academy classmates in the Murim Alliance..."
"But how come the Eunha Sangdan warriors didn't know who I was, even though you did, senior? How'd this mess happen?"
"What?"
"Is this the level of the so-called one of the Four Great Sangdans, senior?"
He attacked me; I hit back at his pride, Eunha Sangdan. His face flushed beet red.
But Jeong Sogun didn't just take it.
His gaze shifted to my hand. "Planning to kill the Water Guard Danju?"
Foam bubbled at the danju's mouth, eyes rolled back.
Tsk. Didn't mean to go this far. This guy's state was because of that Jeong Sogun prick.
"If you're not killing him, hand him over."
I tossed the danju to Jeong Sogun like a sack of trash. He caught him, checked his state, unsealed the points, and revived him.
"......Kuh, kuhuk... S-Sub-danju-nim. I-I'm sorry."
"Can you stand?"
"Y-Yes? Ah! Yes! I-I can stand now."
The revived Water Guard Danju staggered up to resume his duty. Then—
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
"Keurk!"
Four fists slammed into his vital points in an instant. The danju, barely standing, spewed blood and collapsed.
Everyone—onlookers and warriors alike—went wide-eyed.
"Daring to disrupt Eunha Sangdan's anniversary! Can't even prevent this crap and call yourself Water Guard Danju?!?!"
The danju, vomiting more blood under the harsh roar, forced himself up again. Head bowed in utter ruin, on the verge of death.
"S-Sorry... Sub-danju-nim!"
"What are you waiting for? Clear out this guy and everyone who failed to stop the incident!!!"
"Yes, sir!"
At the thunderous command, the waiting Water Guard members dragged the blocking warriors and danju inside.
Jeong Sogun, any trace of agitation gone, said flatly to me, "I apologize for the shortcomings in our event proceedings."
He gave a curt nod. I'd expected at least a fist salute.
Fun prick.
He grasped the problem and its source. Yet he didn't reprimand the warriors for not recognizing me.
Only for failing to stop the 'incident' I caused.
I could almost hear the gears turning in his head.
"But you know your reckless behavior—trampling another's honor over a momentary slight and your future—is hardly proper."
Subtly chiding my overreaction.
So rising to Great Danju wasn't just daddy's backing?
Stuff not in Mantongbu files.
"Moreover, officials from Beijing, invited by the sangdanju himself, are here. How do you plan to take responsibility for this disturbance?"
Listening to this guy, he kept crossing lines. Did my black path act make him think I was a thick-headed brute?
"Why should I take responsibility?"
"......Your voice is loud."
Because this wasn't for your ears.
I infused more inner energy, just in case anyone missed it. "You invite me three times—sending your junior to Tae-eul Gate even—and then tell me to use the side gate because I'm not on the list? Is Eunha Sangdan really that incompetent?"
I swept my gaze over the crowd, lips curling as I locked eyes on Jeong Sogun.
"Or was it to humiliate me?"
"......"
"Am I really the one who should take responsibility?"
After a long glare, Jeong Sogun finally spoke. "......Foolish. Trading momentary pride for your future."
What the hell?
He turned away like there was nothing more to see and strode off, slapping the scholar at the gate hard across the face.
Smack!
Before the lightning-struck scholar could rise, Jeong Sogun vanished inside.
"Escort the guest properly!"
"Yes, sir!"
Only then did the sword-wielding warriors bow in unison before me, lining up with polite postures and hostile glares.
I strode into Eunha Sangdan as if it were natural. Wang Soso stuck close by my side.
The once-boisterous interior fell silent, uncomfortable stares converging on us.
Sensing them, Wang Soso asked anxiously, "Big brother Jin. Eunha Sangdan has deep ties to Beijing's high officials... Way beyond our Wang Merchant Group."
I knew her worry. The unwritten rule was that officials and Murim didn't interfere, but running a sangdan or sect meant you couldn't fully escape government influence.
If they decided to meddle, it'd be a headache.
But.
"Don't worry. No one moves without the sangdanju stepping in."
"Huh?"
"If higher-ups were here, the sangdanju would've appeared already. That sub-danju prick wouldn't be throwing his weight around like a tyrant."
A 180th anniversary? Not 200th or even 100th—just some middling event. You bring entertainers, not bosses you have to watch out for.
Mess up, and someone else steals the spotlight from the host.
"Conversely, it means most officials here need to curry favor with the sangdanju."
"Whoa... Did you plan this from the start?"
"Some prediction, some real-time calculation."
Wang Soso looked up at me with wide-eyed awe.
"Wow... Senior Saryeon was right—you're a real schemer."
"......"
Was that a compliment? Not an insult, right?
"This way."
The guiding warrior pointed to a hall packed with people. Clearly a spot cramming six or seven per room.
They'd prepared thoroughly. Going this far to break me.
Guess I'm a bigger deal than I thought.
"This is our lodging?"
"......Pardon?"
The warrior's eyes shook violently.
I didn't know how elaborate a trap they'd set to toy with me, but Eunha Sangdan made a huge mistake.
Any board I could wreck, I would.
"Fuuuuck! I'm here at the sangdanju's invitation!!! And you stick me in this shithole?!?!"
"Fuuuuck! Who's in charge here?! Get the person in charge out here!!!!"