Chapter 174
Chapter 174
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: Gambling Den
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"How could there possibly be two real ones in this world?"
When Dang Mujin shot back, Yong Ilsun wore a mischievous grin. The face of a storyteller.
"You lot have come at just the right time. This is a tale no one else knows."
Dang Mujin raised one eyebrow skeptically.
Storytellers had a bad habit. They fretted over how to spin their yarns for the best reaction, dragging out the preliminaries instead of getting straight to the point.
Just as Dang Mujin was about to cut through and demand the facts, Hyeon Gong stopped him with a transmission.
- Hold on. To hear a storyteller out to the end, the key is flattering them just right.
- And how do I do that?
- Leave it to me.
Hyeon Gong widened his eyes in feigned astonishment as he addressed Yong Ilsun.
"I can't even guess what you're getting at. What on earth do you mean?"
A clear smile spread across Yong Ilsun's lips.
People had a habit of picking nits or acting bored even when hearing an intriguing story.
But there was something in Hyeon Gong's exaggerated reaction that thrilled a storyteller.
"Well, it's not for certain. I've never met the Radiant Sword myself."
"How did Daoist Yong come to know there are two Radiant Swords?"
"It's a bit embarrassing to say it myself, but I'm not just some rumor-monger. I think things through and can piece together what I've heard."
Yong Ilsun cleared his throat briefly, then plunged into the tale.
"A man who wields a swordflash swifter than lightning, killing as if it's nothing, and who shows up at gambling dens now and then. That's the common view and rumor of the Radiant Sword. But from eavesdropping around, I picked up something interesting."
Hyeon Gong chimed in at just the right moment.
"Something interesting?"
"Yes. Rumors are usually vague, but the ones about the Radiant Sword had a peculiar twist. Unlike ordinary tales that distort in random directions, these had a consistent drift. It felt like they were about two different people."
"Hmm. So that's what made you think there are two real Radiant Swords?"
"Exactly!"
Yong Ilsun clapped his hands lightly in delight.
He'd only suspected it in his mind until tales of sightings on the winter solstice came from two distant places. Too far apart for one man. And sure enough, one was young, the other old. Yet both wielded swords faster than a flash of light.
"I'd have dismissed one as mere hearsay. Sharp of you."
"Heh heh."
With Hyeon Gong's praise mixed in, Yong Ilsun's cheekbones shot up and stayed there.
Finding a good storyteller was hard, but finding a good listener was even harder.
Hong Geolgae, who'd been listening from the side, cut in.
"Avoid the old one. The young one's probably Hero Yu."
It went without saying. Yu Jingwang was in his mid-thirties or around forty—not old enough for that label.
But there was an odd ring to Hong Geolgae's words. Namgung Myeong asked him.
"What? Sounds like you've met the old Radiant Sword."
"Yeah. Last time Hero Wi and I came north, I chased a rumor about the aged Radiant Sword and got us in trouble."
"What kind of trouble?"
"The aged Radiant Sword attacked, and Hero Wi died in a single exchange."
"A single exchange?"
The Point Sword Sect's swordsmanship ignored defense, thrusting like walking a blade's edge, so bouts ended swiftly. Put two Wudang disciples with defensive styles against each other, and they'd fight for three days straight without surprise.
Even accounting for that, one exchange was too quick. Hadn't Wi Hwan breached the pinnacle wall?
It required a vast skill gap, or an aggressive style from the foe. Or both.
Namgung Myeong asked.
"So the old Radiant Sword's a transcendent master?"
"Not sure about that far."
Namgung Myeong shot Hong Geolgae a sly grin upon hearing his reply.
Hong Geolgae got the look and snapped irritably.
"One exchange decided it—how could I gauge his skill?"
"I'd naturally be able to tell... no, wait! Yeah, you couldn't!"
As Hong Geolgae raised his striking rod, Namgung Myeong backed off two steps. Hong Geolgae sighed and continued.
"Anyway, the old Radiant Sword isn't Hero Yu. It's a fiend."
Yong Ilsun's satisfaction deepened at the tale.
Hong Geolgae's account backed his hunch that there were two Radiant Swords.
Hyeon Gong asked Yong Ilsun.
"You're no ordinary storyteller, Daoist Yong. Razor-sharp. So where do we go to meet the Radiant Sword?"
"Heavens. I've never spilled my guts like this on an empty stomach, but you draw it all out. Anyway, the two Radiant Swords have one thing in common. They frequent gambling dens."
Tsk. Dang Mujin clicked his tongue unwittingly. Like the saying about a dog's habits dying hard, Yu Jingwang still hadn't quit gambling entirely.
'Wasn't it for paying off his Point Sword Sect debts—he just loves it?'
Hyeon Gong pressed Yong Ilsun.
"Then do you know a gambling den the Radiant Sword frequents?"
"Frequents? Not that well. But I've never heard of him holing up in one spot long, so hit the big ones. There's a sizable gambling house in Fuping County—how about there?"
"Hmm. Got it."
The satisfying exchange ended.
Dang Mujin's group thanked Yong Ilsun briefly and left the Joint Sect with him.
*
The four hurried toward Fuping County. Atop a rocky hill overlooking it, they understood why it sat there.
Grasslands stretched ten-odd li behind Fuping County, but beyond lay nothing but reddish sand to the horizon.
"Is that a desert?"
"Seems like it."
It looked every bit the desert, but with no one who'd seen one, they couldn't say for sure.
The group descended and entered Fuping County.
True to its spot at the Middle Kingdom's northern fringe, Fuping was fairly large—easily housing twenty to thirty thousand by its size.
"First time seeing so many Saemok folk."
It seemed a waypoint for Saemok merchants heading central, as two in every ten townsfolk were Saemok. Mostly black-haired with bold features and brown skin from the Great Food Kingdom, but occasionally yellow- or red-haired with blue eyes. The group couldn't guess how far they'd come.
They entered a nearby inn, had a simple meal, and waited till sunset. Gamblers slept by day and roved by night.
Once the sun dipped below the sands, they split into four directions to scout gambling dens.
And as if expected, Hong Geolgae found it.
"Follow me!"
Unlike petty inns-run games, Fuping's gambling house was massive.
On a site rivaling a magistrate's office stood a building that could seat a hundred easily.
The clamor inside suggested it wasn't just big—it was packed.
But the group's eyes went not to the interior, but the guards outside.
Unlike dives with one or two thugs, Fuping's had four gatekeepers, none to sneeze at. Three were seasoned first-rate, one past pinnacle.
'A pinnacle expert just for this?'
It boggled the mind how much they paid to station him, and how much cash flowed inside to afford such muscle as mere guards.
Hong Geolgae told the group.
"I'll scout inside. Wait here."
He entered, returned after about an hour.
"No Hero Yu."
They hadn't expected a hit on the first try.
Yet the four lingered instead of heading back to the inn. After coming so far, missing him in a blink would be crushing.
As they milled about the gambling house for over an hour, the guards grew uneasy.
Finally, the strongest approached.
"Hey, young heroes."
"What's up?"
"No bad intent, looks like, but skilled folk like you prowling makes us tense—we can't watch the rest. Gamble? Go in. Not? Step back."
The tone was curt, but he'd worded it carefully to avoid offense. Fair enough.
"What say you?"
Dang Mujin's group exchanged glances. Enter? Retreat?
The choice was set from the start. Leave the tables, lose Yu Jingwang.
"We'll go in."
"Right."
Before entering, they pooled their cash: four gold taels and one silver.
Plenty for travel, but gambling changed that. No such thing as enough there.
Dang Mujin naturally divided the gold taels, one each. Hyeon Gong looked uneasy at the sudden windfall.
"I'll lose it fast. First time gambling. Looks like big spenders only—no small stakes here..."
Dang Mujin shrugged.
"Same here. Lucky if we don't go broke tonight."
"Then what?"
"Don't sweat it. We can afford to lose some."
Dang Mujin said no more and entered. Hyeon Gong followed dubiously, thinking.
'Worrisome. Big trouble?'
Inside, the four split up.
As Hyeon Gong poked around learning rules, a friendly gambler called him. They sniffed out marks unerringly.
"You, young hero. Don't know the rules?"
"Uh? Y-yeah."
"I'll teach you—sit here. Tired of these sourpusses."
Surrounding gamblers roared with laughter. Unexpectedly welcoming, Hyeon Gong grinned sheepishly.
"Now, this is backgammon. Black and white pieces, two dice."
Hyeon Gong listened closely. Rules were intricate, but the gambler kindly played three practice rounds without stakes.
"Got the rules? Got coins?"
"Uh? No coins—just one gold tael..."
"Gold? Young fella spends big. First game's on me—here's your stake, here's mine."
"Got it."
The veteran and Hyeon Gong diced with two coins. First win: surprisingly Hyeon Gong.
"Whoa, got talent?"
"Haha."
"Gotta recoup my loan. I roll first."
From one coin, stakes grew, soon to silver.
In under two hours, Hyeon Gong's gold tael vanished into the gambler's pouch.
Hyeon Gong scanned wildly. But the gambling world was pitiless—no eyes on him.
He staggered up. Just then, Dang Mujin and Namgung Myeong rose afar.
Unlike Hyeon Gong's world-lost face, theirs showed no worry.
Hyeon Gong hurried to Dang Mujin.
"Win any?"
"Nope. Lost it all clean."
Namgung Myeong shrugged, flashing empty hands. Hyeon Gong's eyes quivered.
"What now? Lost three gold taels in a flash!"
"No sweat, he says. Come on."
They found Hong Geolgae, who glanced, asked nothing, and handed out gold taels.
"...?"
Baffled, Hyeon Gong trailed as Dang Mujin and Namgung Myeong returned to the tables.
Hyeon Gong sought payback with the gambler, lost another gold tael quick.
Heart plummeted.
Someone patted his shoulder: Dang Mujin and Namgung Myeong.
Incredibly, they'd burned theirs faster!
Namgung Myeong spoke cheerily, no loser's gloom.
"Round two!"
They fetched from Hong Geolgae, who divvied up as if routine.
Hyeon Gong returned dazed.
After repeating lose-stake, fresh-gold several times, he opted to watch Hong Geolgae instead. Where did his money keep coming from?
Soon, Hyeon Gong muttered blankly.
"...What is this?"
Hong Geolgae played on indifferently. No great skill—asked rules for new games sometimes.
Yet results opposed Hyeon Gong's. Dice wins, losses on backgammon turned wins.
Hyeon Gong transmitted to Dang Mujin.
- Hong Geolgae cheating?
- Nah. Just lucky.
Dang Mujin's lazy explanation fit enough; Hyeon Gong dropped it.
Then Hong Geolgae lost once, his pile halved. Still near twenty taels—impressive.
He shoved all in, gripped dice. Hyeon Gong watched tensely. Not rolling, yet palms sweated.
Dang Mujin beside him fretted not.
Hyeon Gong transmitted again.
- Not tense? One more loss, we're broke. No cash to Chengdu.
- Won't lose. And if? We make more.
Dang Mujin eyed Namgung Myeong.
*
Nearly half a month passed: three lost at tables, Hong Geolgae won.
Big winners got booted usually, but not them—the others lost spectacularly. Perfect balance.
Yet no Yu Jingwang in half a month.
"When's Hero Yu coming?"
"Who knows."
The treadmill dulled; entry times lagged.
From rat hour, to hare, then midnight.
Finally, near closing at rooster hour one night.
Dang Mujin's group spotted bloodshot-eyed Yu Jingwang locked in play.
Dang Mujin moved to hail, paused. Yu was deep in; bad to disturb.
'Speak after his game.'
They wandered other tables, chatted familiar gamblers, killed time.
In that blink, Yu Jingwang lost all, shot up.
No regret, fury, despair on his face—oddly blank.
Before Dang Mujin spoke, Yu Jingwang exited.
Dang Mujin transmitted urgently.
- Hero Yu's out! Follow!
But before they cleared tables, Yu Jingwang reentered.
One change: pitch-black mask.
Yu Jingwang stepped firmly on entering.
Boom.
The house shook faintly, dust rising.
Hush fell; all eyes on him.
Drawing sword, he spoke low.
"Everyone, drop stakes and get out."