“Pant… pant!”
So Jeok-san gasped for breath as he raced up the mountain. He had been running so hard that he could practically taste blood. Exhausted enough to feel like he was on the verge of passing out, but he couldn’t afford to lose a single moment.
The time left until his appointment was only a single "gak" (a traditional Korean time unit, roughly 15 minutes).
‘Am I not late?’
Just as he momentarily lost focus, something unseen snagged So Jeok-san's ankle, causing him to stumble and tumble. When he regained his senses, a cold dagger was already pressed against his neck.
“You bastard!”
Recognizing his assailant now sitting on him, So Jeok-san spat out a curse.
It was Ga Hui-seop.
At that moment, Ga Hui-seop forcefully shoved something into So Jeok-san’s mouth.
“Swallow it, unless you want to die.”
The dagger on his neck pressed in about an inch deeper.
Gulp.
So Jeok-san swallowed the pill in his mouth. He had no other choice.
Ga Hui-seop’s single eye narrowed.
“What you just swallowed is Black Spider Red Kudzu Poison.”
“...!”
So Jeok-san’s eyes trembled with fear.
It was a notorious poison said to come from a remote region in the southern barbarian lands, from a spider whose bite leaves ominous red marks all over the body, resembling kudzu vines wrapped around it, and kills within a day.
“Tell me what you know, then go back. Come find me tomorrow. I’ll give you the antidote then.”
“And if I refuse?”
Ga Hui-seop simply moved the dagger in response.
“Damn it!”
So Jeok-san was seething with anger. Unlike him, who was utterly exhausted, his opponent was still brimming with energy.
“You sly bastard!”
While he had been running around like a madman, his opponent had hidden here from the start, conserving his strength.
He couldn't take this kind of guy's words at face value.
Even if he managed to get out of here by sheer luck, that guy would undoubtedly take advantage of it to demand the dismantling of the Eui-ui* Gang as a price, aiming to swallow up everything he had built so far. (*roughly translates to 'double righteousness')
He would rather die than let that happen.
How many people had been ruined by being deceived by this man? Even the Seon-yi Gang, who collected protection money in the entertainment district, had lines they wouldn’t cross, but this guy had none of those restraints.
“Just kill me.”
Ga Hui-seop laughed viciously.
“If that's what you want.”
It was the moment when Ga Hui-seop was about to slash So Jeok-san's throat.
“What are you doing? You two.”
Ga Hui-seop was startled and turned his head. Standing close by, with a frown on his face, was a large bald man who had somehow appeared without anyone noticing.
So Jeok-san quickly shouted.
“I found him! There’s someone who saw that boy being taken away by the warriors of the Murim Alliance!”
“The Murim Alliance?”
“Yes. I heard he’s somehow tied to a notorious outlaw…”
“Is that so? Then where are they?”
“What?”
“Where are they?”
"Sir, they're in the Cheonghwa Inn."
Beom Gye-wi grabbed So Jeok-san and Ga Hui-seop by the back of their necks and immediately soared into the air.
The ground rapidly receded from sight, making So Jeok-san’s legs weaken with fear.
It was a formidable technique, hard to believe even as he witnessed it with his own eyes.
* * *
Tap, tap.
Gwak Ga tapped the table with a look of irritation. It was an unconscious habit he had when he was deep in thought. A quick-witted subordinate poured him a drink and spoke up.
"He left on horseback, so he should arrive shortly."
Without a word, Gwak Ga lifted the cup to his mouth, but put it down before drinking even half of it.
He had sensed movement outside the door.
"He must be here."
Gwak Ga grinned.
Given the much earlier-than-expected arrival, it seemed he was in quite a hurry.
Moments later, the door to the annex opened, and a figure stepped inside.
A flicker of surprise crossed Gwak Ga’s face.
The person who entered wasn’t Pung Jin-seong, whom he had been expecting, but an unfamiliar stranger.
Yet the atmosphere was anything but ordinary.
The instant their eyes met, Gwak Ga felt a chill run through his entire body.
And then…
"Killing intent!"
The clear, palpable killing intent beyond the stranger's gaze was enough to instantly sober him up with a shiver.
"Did Pung Jin-seong send you?"
Cho Ak-ryang smirked.
Who in the world today could possibly command the Blood Demon? Clearly, there had been some kind of misunderstanding, but he had no intention of clarifying it.
Gwak Ga gripped his sword tightly.
"Interesting. Sending an assassin against the Passa Brigade."
In truth, Gwak Ga was somewhat pleased by the situation. This would make Pung Jin-seong his obedient pawn.
"Do not interfere," he ordered his assembled subordinates before speaking again.
"Let’s see what you've got."
The moment his words ended, his sword sliced through the air.
A brilliant blue glow emanated from the blade, enveloping Cho Ak-ryang in an instant.
But Cho Ak-ryang didn’t even flinch.
He merely raised his hand and flicked the sword's tip aside as it came down toward his forehead.
In that instant, Gwak Ga, who was holding the sword, was thrown backward in the air.
Thud!
With a heavy crash, Gwak Ga slammed into the wooden floor.
"…!"
Stunned and unsure of what had just happened, Gwak Ga looked up at Cho Ak-ryang in shock.
‘The Four Liang to Move a Thousand Jin!’
Also known as Pear Blossom Receiving the Wood, the pinnacle of martial techniques.
It was the ultimate skill, redirecting the opponent’s force and flow to counter them with their own strength. Gwak Ga knew of it, but only as a theoretical concept.
'This isn’t some mere assassin!'
He felt an immense wall that could never be reached by those who would sell a blade for a few coins.
This was the presence of a true grandmaster.
“No way…”
In that instant, a flash of realization struck Gwak Ga's mind. The reason they had been sent to this place, the Blood Demon, suddenly came to him.
His voice trembled involuntarily.
“Blood Demon?”
Cho Ak-ryang nodded indifferently.
“You came here to catch me, yet you’re only now realizing who I am?”
Gwak Ga's heart sank.
He might have been drinking, but that was no excuse. The face was exactly as it appeared in the wanted poster—how could he not have recognized it?
Boom!
At that moment, a massive explosion rang out as the wall of the building behind them collapsed. Through the thick cloud of dust, Gwak Ga met a pair of shimmering, blood-red eyes, and instinctively swung his sword.
His body reacted automatically, as if possessed by a will outside of his own, responding to the deadly intent emanating from his opponent.
His blade lashed out, a shadow of deadly force exploding toward his enemy.
Just as the cold steel was about to tear through flesh, Beom Gye-wi reached from the shadow.
Crunch.
What happened next was something Gwak Ga could hardly believe.
The sword he had swung with such ferocity had been caught bare-handed.
“Crazy!”
In utter shock, Gwak Ga poured all his energy into his sword.
Blue veins rose on his forehead.
Seizing the moment, Beom Gye-wi infused his own energy into the hand grasping the sword.
At that moment, Gwak Ga realized that something had gone terribly wrong. An unimaginable force was surging toward his energy, ready to counter it with overwhelming power.
But it was too late to reverse the situation.
His sword glowed a fierce red, then melted into molten metal, dripping away.
“Gasp!”
Gwak Ga inhaled sharply and quickly retreated.
At that instant, Beom Gye-wi extended both hands. Two stunned Passa Brigade members were seized in his grip.
“Ugh!”
“Gah!”
His hands, as broad as cauldron lids, clamped down on their heads, leaving the two Passa Brigade members dangling in the air, kicking helplessly.
Splat!
In an instant, their heads exploded.
As the horrifying brute force shattered the skulls, Gwak Ga recoiled in shock, and the headless bodies collapsed into a pool of blood.
Only then did Gwak Ga realize who he was facing.
“Mangsanchoja!”
Beom Gye-wi gritted his teeth, glaring at Gwak Ga.
“It’s you, isn’t it? The one who messed with our doctor.”
* * *
Not far from the Cheonghwa Inn, in a secluded alley.
So Jeok-san and Ga Hui-seop, hiding from prying eyes, were startled. A sudden blaze erupted in the direction of the Cheonghwa Inn.
‘That place...’
It was the annex used by the Passa Brigade.
Witnessing the fierce blaze rising, So Jeok-san's face turned pale. No one was emerging from the flames.
The implication was clear.
It meant there were no survivors left.
"The Passa Brigade was wiped out?"
So Jeok-san, who had been staring blankly at the fire, finally came to his senses after a brief moment.
By then, others who had also seen the inferno began shouting.
Ga Hui-seop also snapped out of his daze and muttered a curse.
“Damn it…”
As Ga Hui-seop turned to leave, So Jeok-san stopped him.
"Where are you going? Didn’t that monster say to wait here?"
Ga Hui-seop looked back with an exasperated expression.
“You’re not understanding the situation, are you?”
“…?”
“With things like this, do you really think the Murim Alliance will just sit back and do nothing?”
“…!”
Only then did So Jeok-san realize the gravity of the situation.
“The moment the Murim Alliance moves, small fries like us will be crushed in an instant.”
Annoyance that he could no longer hide showed in Ga Hui-seop's eyes.
“Damn it, everything’s completely messed up. How did I get dragged into this?”
The only remaining option was to inform the Murim Alliance first.
If they relayed information about this incident, they might receive some leniency.
That was their only chance for survival.
Thinking this, Ga Hui-seop quickly turned and ran away. Meanwhile, So Jeok-san, after a moment of internal struggle, decided to stay where he was.
No matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't stomach the idea of being associated with Ga Hui-seop.
“I’d rather eat arsenic and die.”
Above all, he couldn’t muster the courage to go against the bald demon’s words.
It was then that Beom Gye-wi appeared, silhouetted against the blazing flames behind him.
Beom Gye-wi’s bloodshot eyes glared fiercely.
Under the crushing pressure of his killing intent, So Jeok-san froze in place.
'Damn it!'
He had fought so hard to survive...
So Jeok-san tightly shut his eyes.
But nothing happened, even after a long moment. Cautiously, he cracked his eyes open and looked at the towering, bald brute.
'What is he eating?'
It was a pill the bald man had taken from his own pocket.
Beom Gye-wi stuffed the pill into his mouth without even bothering to peel off the wax coating, chewing on it roughly.
And then, something miraculous occurred.
The crazed gleam in Beom Gye-wi’s eyes gradually faded, and the ominous aura emanating from his entire body noticeably diminished.
He suddenly spoke.
“Why are you alone?”
“Well, it’s...”
So Jeok-san hesitated, stammering his response.
At that moment, a gut-wrenching scream rang out in the distance. It was the direction Ga Hui-seop had fled.
Shortly after.
Ga Hui-seop, who had disappeared around the alley, reappeared.
He staggered as if he were drunk, reaching out with a pleading hand. But it was Beom Gye-wi who took his hand.
At that moment, bright red flames burst from his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears.
“Gasp!”
So Jeok-san drew in a shaky breath.
In just a single breath, Ga Hui-seop turned into pitch-black ashes.
Rustle.
The corpse hit the ground and crumbled into dust, scattering everywhere.
Witnessing this horrifying sight, So Jeok-san could only gape in shock.
There was no way for him to understand what was happening.
“Huh?”
At the same time, a stunned sound escaped So Jeok-san’s mouth. Suddenly, he began to feel his body heat up.
White smoke started rising from his clothes.
The intense heat, as if his entire body was burning, overwhelmed him.
It felt like molten lava was coursing through his veins.
“Aagh!”
So Jeok-san collapsed, screaming in agony, as Beom Gye-wi asked him,
“Why didn’t you try to escape?”
In that instant, So Jeok-san realized.
Both Ga Hui-seop’s fiery killing intent and the searing heat he was now experiencing were connected.
With difficulty, So Jeok-san forced out his words.
“Because I made a promise… with you, sir…”
Did he like that answer?
When Beom Gye-wi grinned and brushed off his hands, the hellish heat disappeared as if it had all been a lie. If not for the smoke still rising from his clothes, he might have thought he’d been dreaming.
'W-what on earth... is this...?'
A voice answered from another direction.
"You’re quite a gutsy one."
So Jeok-san turned his head toward the direction of the voice.
"Haa..."
So Jeok-san let out a sigh of relief.
The saying "look before you leap" didn’t come from nowhere.
Just look at Ga Hui-seop.
He thought he was being clever, trying to find a way to survive, but he only ended up bringing death upon himself. From the start, these were not people he could handle.
So Jeok-san prostrated himself on the ground.
Looking down at him, Cho Ak-ryang spoke.
"Forget everything that happened today."
So Jeok-san quickly nodded.
The hope of survival was brief; Beom Gye-wi spoke in a commanding tone.
"Guard him well."
"Huh?"
Seeing So Jeok-san's puzzled expression, Beom Gye-wi pointed toward the Cheonghwa Inn.
"You know why those men died, don’t you?"
So Jeok-san came to a sudden realization.
"If even the slightest harm comes to Doctor Dan in this village, from now on, it will all be your responsibility."
"I’ll keep that in mind!"
"Whatever happens to Doctor Dan, it's on you."
"Pardon?"
"If Doctor Dan gets bored, it’s your responsibility. If he struggles, that’s on you. If he wants a woman but she doesn’t fall for him, that’s also on you..."
Cho Ak-ryang frowned and interrupted.
"Enough. Let's go."
Reluctantly turning around, Beom Gye-wi glared at So Jeok-san.
"Remember this. It’s all on you."
The relief of survival lasted only a moment.
‘Are they telling me to forget what happened here? Or to guard that Doctor Dan?’
Not sure which instruction to follow, So Jeok-san simply nodded earnestly.
