Chapter 13

Chapter 13

* * *

Rewinding time slightly to one shichen ago.

Dan Woo-hyun, who had sent Jang Sam-tae back, was standing blankly in that spot, looking around. Engraving each of the alert faces into his mind, he strongly suppressed the rising urge to kill.

If he set his mind to it, cleaning up the garbage in front of him was not even a chore, but simple venting of anger would not be helpful.

Once a start was made, the roots had to be pulled out.

For that reason, he had no intention of leaving them alone.

“Since there are traces of systematically training in martial arts, you guys are not ordinary fellows. Even for subordinates of a black market merchant, your movements are impressive. Where did you guys come from?”

‘Argh!’

The single phrase lightly muttered by Dan Woo-hyun grabbed and shook the men's heads. They felt a sensation of their minds shaking violently and even growing distant.

The gazes of the comrades looking at him were already disheartened.

Furthermore, Dan Woo-hyun was striking a nerve right now.

Chills ran down their spines for an instant, and even the color drained from their faces.

That man seemed to be reading everything.

“W…… What do you mean by that……”

“Seeing that, it seems there are fellows backing the black market merchant…… Considering that you refuse to answer, your resolve is truly commendable.”

Dan Woo-hyun sneered and moved his hand.

Thack!

In an instant, the body of one man who had been standing blankly flew backward and crashed into a tree.

As if a different level of power had shattered the bones of his entire body, the man struck by the invisible attack collapsed on the spot.

Although he was breathing, he could not move a single finger.

Because the bones of his entire body were shattered.

He would no longer be able to hold a sword, and living like a human being seemed impossible.

“Guh……!”

“I ask again, who is it.”

Although a thousand years had passed, there were things that had not changed. The shadow world was just like that; if one was a giant black market merchant, there was bound to be some group backing them.

Because there would be no other target as easy to target for power as a black market merchant.

It was highly likely that they had also issued the command to capture Jang Sam-tae. Since the black market merchant was captured and killed, they must have suffered a massive loss.

“Do…… Do you think we will speak?”

“Then it seems there is indeed someone.”

“Ugh!”

Dan Woo-hyun smirked.

Seeing that they did not speak even after being pushed to this extent, the backer seemed to be someone wielding considerable influence.

Then, shall he make it a little easier for them to open their mouths?

Shining his eyes like a beast before its prey, Dan Woo-hyun clenched his fists.

* * *

County Magistrate Hong Won-chang moved while leading the constables.

Since he had heard the news that a fight had broken out between martial artists within the market street, he had to stop the fight before other people got hurt.

The moment he arrived at that location, he ended up seeing it.

“Gasp?!”

About twenty people were crawling on the ground.

Not a single person was in decent shape.

Covered in blood, they groaned and could not even move. At that moment when even the watching constables could not hide their fluster, Hong Won-chang discovered the culprit of this matter.

“Gasp?!”

Why on earth was that man in this place!

A man who made one's knees tremble just by looking at him.

Hong Won-chang stopped the constables who were about to step forward and made up his mind. Taking a long, deep breath, he wore a beaming smile.

“He…… Hehe, Great Hero, what brings you to this place……”

The constables who saw that scene were horrified.

Who was Hong Won-chang? Thanks to his elevated status from achieving successive merits recently, it was no exaggeration to say that he was the most powerful person in the Hunan area, excluding the Prince's Manor.

By capturing Jang Baek-san and reclaiming the Prince's Manor's Buddhist statue, he gained the trust of the Imperial Court and the Prince's Manor, and perhaps he could now be summoned to the capital to stand at the center of power.

Why was such a person acting so submissively?

“H-Hey, do you know who that man is?”

The constables who knew nothing quietly asked other constables. They were the ones who had learned what kind of figure Dan Woo-hyun was during the previous Buddhist statue incident.

They turned their heads without saying anything.

There were times when one had to pretend not to know even while knowing.

Right now was exactly such a time.

Because if they spoke useless words, they would be beaten to death by the Magistrate.

Just then, Dan Woo-hyun pointed at the trash around him and opened his mouth.

“These are fellows who tried to commit kidnapping and murder. They said they were remnants from the black market merchant's side from last time.”

“Are these bastards the ones!? What are you all doing, bind them quickly!”

“Yes!”

He did not even verify whether that was true or false. Because even if it was a lie, it had to be the truth under the circumstances.

To Hong Won-chang, who was in a position where he had to look even slightly better to Dan Woo-hyun, the authenticity did not matter.

“Hehehe, please leave these bastards to me……”

“Sure, by the way, do you know of fellows called the Black Dao Association?”

“Th…… The Black Dao Association?…… Ah!”

It was a name he had heard before.

The Black Dao Association was one of the countless organizations in the Central Plains.

Gathered by vagabonds and criminals, he had heard that they were fellows possessing considerable skill.

Because they committed all kinds of crimes, they were an organization that caused quite a headache not only to the Murim Alliance but also to the Imperial Court.

However, since they operated so secretly and catching even their tail was difficult, they had been left practically abandoned for the past several decades.

There were even rumors circulating that the reason Jang Baek-san ruled the Hunan area was related to the Black Dao Association.

How could the name of such fellows come out of Dan Woo-hyun's mouth?

“S…… Surely?”

“These bastards and the deceased black market merchant are lackeys of the Black Dao Association.”

“Gasp?!”

If that was true, it was an even bigger deal.

Perhaps it was also an opportunity to accumulate enough merit to truly be summoned to the capital. Hong Won-chang swallowed his dry saliva and looked at Dan Woo-hyun.

“Mount Heng, they say there is a Hunan Branch there.”

Although it was a situation where one could ask what would come out of striking just a single branch, considering that no one had ever found even that branch until now, this was truly information worth a thousand pieces of gold.

However, there was a problem. Although they were martial artists who had trained in martial arts, Hong Won-chang and the constables were merely minor officials.

No matter how many forces they mobilized, if a single martial artist cut down ten or fifteen people, it was a situation with no solution.

For that reason, he glanced at Dan Woo-hyun.

“I also have something to pay back to those fellows…… so I will lend a hand.”

“Thank you! Thank you, Great Hero!”

Hong Won-chang repeatedly bowed his head to show his gratitude.

The smile did not leave his face.

It really felt like the day he would be summoned to the capital was not far off.

* * *

Mount Heng.

Yang Hyeok-sang, the Hunan Branch Leader of the Black Dao Association, was in an exceptionally bad mood today. The matter had gone awry as the black market merchant, whom he had been secretly backing, was foolishly captured by a mere County Magistrate.

He had to report to the superiors, but to do that, blood money was needed even if only for an excuse.

So he had ordered them to capture him.

The very fellow who made the last transaction with the black market merchant.

But why did this anxious feeling refuse to go away? He knew that finding the fellow was no easy task. Because they had not found even a trace of him for a month.

But a messenger pigeon flew in just a moment ago.

Saying they had found the fellow.

Since he was a mere thief, it was far past the time they should have already dragged him back.

Yet, as there was still no contact saying they had caught him and they had not returned, Yang Hyeok-sang was fretting alone.

“What on earth happened! Why is there no contact!”

“W…… Won't they arrive shortly?”

“The superiors are already making a fuss! Do you know how much money and time we invested in that black market merchant! Right now, it wouldn't even be enough to wring that thief's neck immediately……!”

“Do not worry. It was not just anyone, but the elite of the elites who went. Unless that thief is an peerless master, there can be no mistake.”

“Tch……”

The Branch Leader sat down while shouting irritably.

Recently, nothing was going right. How long had it been since Jang Baek-san, whom he was backing, was captured, and now the black market merchant had foolishly ended up in that state too.

It felt like things were strangely twisting. In a bad way, that is.

It was at that moment.

Crash! Crash!

Suddenly, a loud sound was heard.

At that sound that shook heaven and earth, Yang Hyeok-sang jumped up from his seat in surprise.

As he widened his eyes and looked at his subordinates, everyone wore a bewildered expression, as if they did not know the reason.

“Go and check!”

“Y-Yes!”

Somehow, there was not a single guy to his liking. For subordinates to not even be able to grasp the situation properly, just as he was scowling and clicking his tongue at his miserable situation.

One subordinate who had gone out rushed inside in a hurry.

“What is it!”

“We…… We are in trouble! C…… Constables and a mo…… monster!”

“Huh?”

“C…… Constables and a monster……!”

“What kind of bullshit is that, you crazy bastard!”

“Constables and a monster are coming!”

“I'm asking what on earth that means!”

Boom, boom!

The explosive sounds heard successively were truly no joke. Although it was a ridiculous statement, it was enough to make him think that a monster was indeed rushing in.

But where was this place?

It was the branch of the Black Dao Association.

Since there had never been any intruders until now, and those guarding the interior were masters eyeing the first-class realm, there was nothing to worry about.

Frowning, Yang Hyeok-sang hurriedly went outside.

Boom, boom!

Even until then, loud sounds continued to be heard.

Screams and groans were also mixed in. However, Yang Hyeok-sang thought that those were the opponent's screams.

Because unless the Murim Alliance sent an elite unit, there was no way they would be defeated.

Eventually, the moment he went outside leisurely.

“Gasp?!”

He ended up seeing it with his own two eyes.

Although this place looked ordinary on the outside, it was a manor built with several layers of formations laid out.

Ordinary people could not even intrude carelessly, and even if they did enter, it was highly unlikely their lives would remain.

However, the walls of the manor had collapsed in ruins, and over a hundred subordinates who had been guarding the interior were sprawled here and there.

And at the center of it was a single man.

When he swung his hand, two or three people were blown away, and when he stamped his foot, the ground split open and the subordinates were buried.

Whether first-class or whatever, before the man, it felt no different from child's play.

“W…… What is that……!”

“B-Branch Leader! Run away!”

“You crazy bastard! How can you say that in a loud voice?!”

At the same time the shout to run away was heard, the man, as well as the constables standing behind him, looked at Yang Hyeok-sang.

Dozens of pairs of eyes were filled with the determination not to let him escape.

“Great Hero! It's that guy! That guy is surely the culprit.”

“I know.”

Thwack!

Dan Woo-hyun lightly moved his hand. Then, the Black Dao Association warriors who were approaching while secretly hiding their presence flew away with the sound of watermelons breaking and crashed into the ground.

Tremble, tremble……

Constables and Hong Won-chang, who already knew Dan Woo-hyun's power, looked on with excited expressions, but those who witnessed it for the first time merely gasped blankly, shivering at the overwhelming power.

“W-Who are you…… anyway.”

“If you want to run away, go ahead. Recently, I've taken a bit of a liking to chasing. Because of a certain thief……”

Dan Woo-hyun spoke with a smirk, but it did not enter anyone's ears.

The thick killing intent loaded in those words seemed to bind their feet to the spot, preventing them from moving.

Ultimately, he had to abandon everything.

Sensing that, Dan Woo-hyun spoke once more.

“Kneel.”

Thump!

The absolute ruler's voice loaded with power spread chillingly.

Those who could still move were at most ten or so people. The nearly one hundred people who had been present would mostly be semi-crippled and unable to live like human beings.

And the single phrase uttered dug into their bones and pierced their hearts.

Yang Hyeok-sang, who had been trembling all over, bowed his head and knelt down in spite of himself. Before he knew it, cold sweat covered his entire body. He calmly accepted the warning of his instinct that he must not cross that man.

As everyone knelt and threw away their weapons, Dan Woo-hyun calmed his breathing and said.

“Bind them.”

It was a funny situation where the constables now prioritized Dan Woo-hyun's words over the Magistrate's.

They quickly went about binding the fallen people.

In the meantime, Dan Woo-hyun passed by the kneeling people and went inside. Neither Yang Hyeok-sang nor anyone else could block his path.

“It would be nice if there are things that can make some money.”

Dan Woo-hyun began searching the manor thoroughly, looking for things that would become money.