Chapter 85

Chapter 85: When the Blood Star Moves, a Storm of Blood Follows (1)

Someone murmured.

"Why am I here…"

It was a sentiment that echoed the feelings of everyone present. But they could not bring themselves to sympathize with his words. The scene before their eyes was simply too horrific.

"Huuuk!"

A mass of flesh was barely drawing breath.

Like an octopus dragged onto land, every bone in his body had been shattered. Could such a being still be called human?

The people in the gambling house recoiled in horror at the gruesome spectacle Dam Ho had wrought. Though the target had been different, the merciless violence Dam Ho had displayed left them with indelible scars.

Though he had reduced a man to something that could no longer be called human, Dam Ho's expression remained utterly indifferent.

It would have been more human had he shown anger or madness. But Dam Ho possessed no such human sentiments whatsoever.

His manner of crushing humans with mechanical precision transcended mere horror and instilled a profound terror in all who witnessed it.

No Cheol babbled wildly. Not to avoid death—he did it to escape the fear and pain. His jaw had been shattered, so his words were garbled. Yet he babbled nonetheless. It was the only way he knew to cope.

But Dam Ho did not seem to listen. Or at least that was how it appeared.

Dam Ho seemed to regard the sole objective of dismantling No Cheol with meticulous precision, and as a result, No Cheol could not die.

"Pl… please kill me…"

"Humans don't die that easily."

"Please…"

"Trust me. You will not die easily."

"Kill me… and I will tell you one thing."

"I'm not interested."

"No, you will definitely be interested."

Dam Ho's gaze shifted. No Cheol was desperate.

He whispered something into Dam Ho's ear.

Despite his shattered jaw, he spoke. Though his pronunciation was mangled, Dam Ho could still understand him clearly.

The moment his words ended, Dam Ho's expression changed.

His eyes grew colder, and the air around him became infinitely heavier. He had been terrifying before, but now they could barely breathe.

The people wondered why, but none dared to ask.

"How can I believe that?"

"I swear it. I stake everything I have."

"……"

Dam Ho closed his eyes for a moment.

No Cheol might have been speaking nonsense in his desperation to die. But his words had indeed shaken Dam Ho's heart.

Dam Ho asked No Cheol.

"Do you want to die?"

"Yes!"

No Cheol nodded frantically. What he must have looked like to others, he did not know—but he was utterly desperate.

"You are the first, so I will end it here. It will not be so easy for the others."

"Thank you. Hhuuk! Thank you…"

No Cheol was moved to tears that Dam Ho would grant him death. The people in the gambling house fully understood his sentiment. Had they endured the same torture, they would have made the same choice.

Dam Ho pressed his finger against No Cheol's forehead. No Cheol's hard skull crumbled like tofu, and Dam Ho's finger sank in.

'Good! I can die now.'

Even as his consciousness faded, No Cheol worried about the companions who would face Dam Ho next. And he felt relief that he would die before them.

That was the last thought No Cheol had in this life.

Dam Ho rose. His black robe was drenched entirely in the blood No Cheol had shed.

Do Sang-cheon's eyes rolled back in his head.

He felt as though he was truly going mad. He wanted desperately to run, but the knowledge that he could not crushed him with despair.

Dam Ho looked at Do Sang-cheon. In that instant, Do Sang-cheon drew a sharp breath. Through his blood-matted hair, Dam Ho's eyes held a power that devoured the human soul.

Do Sang-cheon's heart raced, uncertain what Dam Ho would say next. But to his surprise, Dam Ho said nothing and turned to leave.

Dam Ho vanished, limping as he went. But not a single person among them mocked his limp.

Boom!

Finally, Dam Ho closed the door and disappeared.

"Ahhh!"

Thump!

Immediately after, sighs of relief and the sound of people collapsing to the floor followed in succession.

"Damn it!"

Do Sang-cheon's legs gave out and he slumped into his chair.

Only after a considerable time had passed since Dam Ho's departure did their shocked hearts gradually calm and reason return.

"No Cheol was babbling something for a while—what did he say?"

At the time, they had been too preoccupied to listen closely to No Cheol's words. But now that the storm had passed, curiosity stirred.

The people murmured among themselves.

"Just who is that butcher?"

"When I saw those eyes, I really thought my heart had stopped."

The people wondered about Dam Ho's identity. But Do Sang-cheon already knew.

Not long ago, a classified dossier from the main headquarters had included a man who matched Dam Ho's description.

'Shin Gang-hyeol-seong.'

An peerless martial artist who walked with a limp.

The man who had single-handedly destroyed Seocheon Mountain Villa beyond the borders.

Those were the words that described Shin Gang-hyeol-seong.

Honestly, when he had first received the information, he had scoffed. By his common sense, the story simply did not add up.

That was why, despite Dam Ho's glaring characteristics, he had failed to recognize him at first. But as time passed, he had gradually recalled Dam Ho's identity.

'Damn it! The information from headquarters doesn't even capture half of it.'

A few words on paper could not convey Dam Ho's terror. His terror could only be understood by facing him directly.

Do Sang-cheon learned this truth to his bones in this encounter.

"Oh no! I need to report to the Agyang branch immediately…"

Now that Dam Ho's martial prowess had been confirmed as real, he had to report to the main headquarters at once.

He hastily ran to the room where the carrier pigeon was kept.

Outside, Dam Ho mounted the Black Demon.

"Let's go."

The Black Demon understood Dam Ho's command and surged forward.

As the horse galloped, Dam Ho sank into thought.

The fact that he had killed No Cheol no longer remained in his memory. Unfortunately, No Cheol did not know the whereabouts of the others.

But Dam Ho was not disappointed. Instead, another name had been seared into his mind.

Dam Ga-ryeong.

His only little sister. The child who had always followed her older brother around.

So much time had passed that he could no longer even recall her face. But she had been beautiful, he was sure of it. And Dam Ho himself had clearly cherished her dearly.

One side of his chest ached.

The place people commonly called the heart—the place where human emotions first manifest.

Thirty-seven bandits had descended upon the village, and the house had burned. Dam Ga-ryeong was nowhere to be found. So he had lived on, believing she had burned to death.

But today, he had heard unexpected words from No Cheol.

'Ga-ryeong might still be alive? That child.'

Jo Yun-san, who had led the Black Tiger Band, had taken Dam Ga-ryeong. To sell the child to whomever he wished.

It might have been a lie told out of a desperate desire for a painless death. But No Cheol's words had indeed shaken Dam Ho's heart.

For the first time in twelve years, his heart had been stirred.

No Cheol did not know Dam Ga-ryeong's whereabouts after that either. Not long after raiding the village where Dam Ho had lived, Jo Yun-san had disbanded the Black Tiger Band.

No Cheol did not know why Jo Yun-san had disbanded the band. Fortunately, Jo Yun-san had distributed generous sums before disbanding, so he had lived without major hardship. Of course, he had gambled it all away.

'You little brats, stay well. I'm going to play in bigger waters. Follow me if you dare.'

Those were Jo Yun-san's last words at the disbandment.

Dam Ho did not know what the bigger waters were. But he would find out. And he would make them pay.

No Cheol's death was merely the beginning.

Sensing Dam Ho's feelings, the Black Demon was running at a frenzied pace. The harsh wind battered Dam Ho, and perhaps because of that, the tightness in his chest eased somewhat.

The Black Demon, carrying Dam Ho, headed for Heng Mountain in central Hunan Province. It was far from Dongting Lake, and even from Seongeum County, it would take three more days of riding to reach.

The Five Sacred Mountains of the Central Plains, as they were commonly known. The five great mountains that symbolized the Central Plains.

The Eastern Sacred Mountain: Mount Tai.

The Western Sacred Mountain: Mount Hua.

The Northern Sacred Mountain: Mount Heng.

The Central Sacred Mountain: Mount Song.

And finally, the Southern Sacred Mountain: Mount Heng.

Mount Heng was worthy of its place among the Five Sacred Mountains, boasting beautiful scenery and deep mountain terrain.

Its beauty and spiritual energy attracted many people. Many settled at the base of the mountain, and among them were quite a few who had grown wealthy.

The An Family Manor was one such place.

Having established itself here over a decade ago, the An Family Manor had developed with remarkable stability.

Its master was named An Gyo-ik.

Now a man in his late forties, he was praised by those around him for his generous character. He knew how to share what he had with others, and for that he had earned the reputation of a great hero.

Thanks to An Gyo-ik's renown, many people came to the An Family Manor. An Gyo-ik was happy to receive them, and the estate was always filled with the sound of laughter.

Today was no different.

Many had come to the An Family Manor, and An Gyo-ik happily engaged with them.

"That is why, to govern the world, one must always keep an empty mind and avoid being swept up by the currents of the times."

"Haha! Young Hero So's insight leaves even this old man in awe."

An Gyo-ik slapped his knee in admiration at the words of his guest seated across from him.

An Gyo-ik was a man of generous stature and a kind face.

The man who sat opposite him and spoke with such passion was named So Jin-pung.

He was known as a wise man in the Heng Mountain region.

So Jin-pung burst into hearty laughter.

"Haha! I never expected to get along so well with Sect Master An. I should have come and shared a drink with you long ago."

"It is not too late even now. Let us continue to build our friendship henceforth, shall we?"

"Indeed. In that spirit, I offer you three cups of wine. Please do not refuse."

"How could I refuse Young Hero So's wine? I gladly accept."

"Thank you."

So Jin-pung filled An Gyo-ik's cup to the brim.

After draining three cups in succession, An Gyo-ik filled So Jin-pung's cup as well.

"Haha! To have found a kindred spirit—how could this not bring joy?"

An Gyo-ik was about to erupt in hearty laughter when—

CRASH!

Suddenly, a thunderous sound erupted from the direction of the An Family Manor's main gate. The entire estate trembled, and the shockwave traveled through the soles of their feet.

"What—?"

An Gyo-ik's expression changed completely.

He hastily rose from his seat and shouted.

"What is happening?"

"An— an intruder, Sect Master!"

A subordinate came running from the main gate to report. His face was ashen.

"An intruder? What—"

At that moment, Dam Ho appeared.

His hands were drenched in the blood of those whose identities he did not know. Blood dripped from both his fists as he walked forward—a sight of unspeakable horror.

"Who are you?"

So Jin-pung shouted in anger before An Gyo-ik could respond.

Though known as a wise man, So Jin-pung had also attained a high level of martial arts. He considered An Gyo-ik a man worthy of friendship. He could not forgive anyone who would harm such a man.

But Dam Ho's eyes were not looking at So Jin-pung. His gaze was fixed on An Gyo-ik.

"It has been a while."

"Have we met before? If you came to see me, you could have come quietly."

"You don't seem to remember."

An Gyo-ik's face stiffened.

Without needing to hear more, he could sense that Dam Ho had not come with good intentions.

At that moment, Dam Ho's voice reached him.

"Don't worry. You'll remember soon enough."