Entering Seongdo
The downpour had finally stopped, leaving rain clouds draped over the mountain ridges like a masterful ink wash painting.
Splash. Splash. Splash.
He'd already pulled his horse from the stable and made ready to depart.
Sure, there'd been a pointless bit of bloodshed, but that was just how the jianghu worked.
The endless cycle of grudges and vendettas.
He'd racked up some bad blood with the Dang Clan, but Nan-sim and Chun-bok—people he'd done favors for—would cover for him. No need to worry too much.
Neigh!
"This damn horse. Master's the one suffering here."
Nan-sim had packed him plenty of provisions for the road, but the beast was complaining about the weight with dramatic whinnies.
"Smart horse, isn't it?"
"Smart my ass. It's just full of petty tricks."
"Hohoho!"
Nan-sim stroked the horse's neck gently.
Being a stallion, it clearly enjoyed a woman's touch, grinning foolishly.
Time to go.
He hopped lightly onto the horse's back.
"See you around."
"Yes, great hero. Thank you again. We'll repay this debt someday."
"Thanks. We'll make good on it."
The kind-hearted Nan-sim and the gruff Chun-bok made a good pair. They bowed deeply to see him off.
As he was about to kick the horse into motion, Chun-bok spoke up.
"No heaven or earth will know you killed that Dang Clan bastard."
He turned to look at Chun-bok.
The man's lips were pressed in a firm line, his gaze steady and calm.
It went beyond just having cleaned up the body neatly. He could sense the resolve: even if a knife were held to his throat, he wouldn't breathe a word of today's events.
He gave a slight nod before kicking the horse's flanks.
"Hyah!"
Neigh!
A languid afternoon.
The horse galloped strongly toward the setting sun in the west.
The next day.
Around early lunchtime.
He arrived at Seongdo.
"Hm?"
A long line of people snaked in front of the city gate. In a world that usually ignored passersby, the tense atmosphere in Sichuan lately was clearly no joke.
"Up we go."
He dismounted and joined the end of the line.
"Hey! No cutting!"
"Who said I cut? I just hit the john for a sec!"
"Bullshit! Get to the back before I slice you!"
"Fuckin' hell."
With such a long line, scuffles were breaking out here and there.
The guards at the gate scurried to maintain order, but a mere dozen men weren't enough.
Clop clop clop!
Meanwhile, fancy carriage processions breezed through without even a cursory check.
Money and power ruled every world.
"Fuck. Life's miserable without cash."
"Come on! Hurry it up! Gotta unload before sundown!"
Merchants weary from long journeys, jianghu wanderers hiding their auras, beggars scavenging for scraps.
The gate was a chaotic mess of every type of riffraff.
"Hey. You there."
As he idly people-watched, a voice called from behind.
"Didn't you hear me?"
The man reached out to grab his arm.
He turned smoothly, dodging the touch.
Not with those filthy hands.
"What?"
"Look at you—you must be here looking for work in Seongdo..."
The man twirled his scruffy goatee, eyeing him up and down appraisingly.
No discernable aura, so not a martial artist. Shifty eyes screamed con man or swindler.
What's this guy's deal? He watched silently.
"From your getup, you look like a third-rate wanderer. Here for the Dang Clan's mercenary call, right?"
"And if I am?"
"Won't matter once you're in the Dang Clan. Sell me that horse. I'll pay fair."
Greed flickered in the man's eyes as he glanced at the horse.
He swallowed a laugh and played the naive ronin.
"How much?"
"One gold tael. Generous, considering."
"One tael? You're joking. Five wouldn't be enough, and you offer one? Highway robbery."
"What? Robbery? You should be grateful for one inside the city! I was being nice, you insolent—"
The man spat and jabbed a finger at him.
He'd planned to let it slide, but the fool flew into a rage on his own, spewing curses.
"Fuck! Waiting here's bad enough, and now some beggar punk acts up! You'll regret this, you little shit! I got connections in the Dang Clan everywhere! Think you can mouth off and still eat in Seongdo?!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Yeah! You mangy—"
Slap!
"Gahk!"
He backhanded the man lightly.
The yapping fool tumbled to the dirt, spewing yellow teeth and blood.
"Agh! Help!"
"Whoa!"
"Fight! Over here!"
The line dissolved into chaos as people shouted.
He squatted before the bleeding man, meeting his eyes.
"Go on, finish what you were saying. What comes after 'mangy'?"
"Y-you...!"
The man had some backing; he glared defiantly instead of cowering.
He raised his hand casually.
"Aaaah! He's killing me! Help! Somebody!"
The man screamed bloody murder.
Two guards rushed over, spears at the ready.
"Stop! What's the commotion?!"
"Aigoo! He's killing me in broad daylight! Guards! Arrest this scum! He's a dog of a brigand—maybe even a sapa spy!"
"What?"
The clueless guard scowled warily at him.
"Show us your identification."
"Here."
He handed over the nameplate from his bosom that proved his identity.
No repeating the inn's mistake.
The guard's eyes bulged at the engraved emblem.
"B-Baekryong?"
The faction permitted to use a dragon emblem.
More an alliance of righteous sects than a single sect: the Murim Alliance.
"From the Murim Alliance?"
"That's right."
He eyed the guard with a questioning look.
It was a plate forged with three gold taels. No mere guard could tell real from fake.
"W-wait here!"
Unable to decide, the guard bolted toward the gate.
The remaining one stepped back, straightening his stance.
In a world split between officials and the jianghu.
If the imperial palace ruled the bureaucrats, the current rulers of the jianghu were the Righteous Murim Alliance.
Alliance plates held sway everywhere, but the guard's reaction was excessive even for that.
Suspicious.
He clasped his hands behind his back, staring after the departed guard.
No need to extend his senses; whispers reached his ears clearly from all around.
—The Murim Alliance is finally moving.
—Finally? They're way too late!
—Why alone, though?
—Investigator, probably. They send one first for disputes.
The Murim Alliance, centered on the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families.
Big shots all, so squabbles arose even among them.
The Alliance dispatched investigators to pick sides—naturally, local sects wined and dined them.
Corruption was inevitable.
"Aigoo! I didn't realize you were such an esteemed guest—must've been a misunderstanding!"
The scammer he'd slapped bowed obsequiously, forcing a smile. With his front tooth broken, it looked hideous, like a dragon's finishing touch on ugly.
He glanced at him and said,
"You said you had lots of connections in the Dang Clan? Perfect—I'm headed there. I'll put in a good word about you."
"N-no, great hero! I committed a mortal sin!"
"Mortal sin? What crime did you commit? You gotta smack around the naive to make a buck, right? I'll be sure to tell the Dang Clan about your fine professionalism."
"Aigoo! Great hero! I'll never survive in Seongdo like that! Here—compensation! Let me offer some—"
"Scram! You think I'm the type to take bribes? Is this the Dang Clan's will?!"
"Th-the Dang Clan's will?! Aigoo! Great hero! Mortal sin! I'll die if you do this!"
The man collapsed to the dirt, sobbing hysterically. Tears and snot mixed with mud, ruining his face.
And rightly so—if the Dang Clan learned he'd dragged their name into this, he was as good as dead.
"Ahem! What's all this racket?!"
"Captain!"
"Why's this rotten bastard bawling here again? Clear him out—there's important company!"
"Yes, sir!"
A man arrived with several guards and had the scammer hauled away.
The fool kept wailing for mercy as he was dragged off.
No one paid him any mind.
He sized up the newcomers.
The one called "general" was more like a gate captain than a true officer. His eyes lingered more on the man beside him.
"From the Murim Alliance?"
Snake-like sharp eyes, a subtle venomous air—a man in green warrior robes.
"Yes."
"Welcome. I'm Dang Gi-hyeok of the Sichuan Dang Clan."
He was from the Sichuan Dang Clan.