Chapter 81

Chapter 81

“Damn it, those bastards! Manor Lord, let's just turn everything upside down this time!”

Jang Sam-tae was so angry that he could not bear it.

What were those bastards from the Wind Sword Sect thinking, trying to kick them out of the manor now by even using the power of the Vice-Magistrate?

What kind of grudge did they have against them to do such a thing!

Jang Sam-tae's rising resentment did not easily subside.

“Calm down. Getting angry won't give us a clever solution, will it?”

Even as he said so, Namgung Cheon also sighed.

They were in a situation where they had to hide. Therefore, there was no place as good as this manor, and if they were to leave this place, they would have nowhere to go.

Still, he did not want to go into the mountains all alone and act like a hidden expert.

From his perspective, it was a very bleak situation.

Moreover, there was even a child in this house now. He wanted to make sure Dan So-mi, at least, did not have to go through such things.

“What does the Manor Lord plan to do?”

“What is there to do? The situation will not change.”

“It won't change? Are we, are we not leaving?”

At Gwon Mu-jin's words, Dan Woo-hyun glanced back at him with a smirk and pointed his finger at the ground.

“Are we not outside the manor right now?”

“Eh?”

“Uh?”

For a moment, the minds of the three went blank.

It was true that since they were outside the main gate, they could be said to be outside the manor, but that was not what the Vice-Magistrate meant by his words.

Was now the time to joke?

Did he not understand the situation properly?

While every single one of them tilted their heads in confusion, Dan Woo-hyun laughed again.

“The promise has been kept. Now all that remains is to go back inside the manor.”

Jang Sam-tae shook his head, dumbfounded.

Looking at that expression, he was undoubtedly speaking in earnest.

Dan Woo-hyun thought he had kept his promise just by stepping outside the manor for now, and was about to get the Vice-Magistrate to say they could use the manor again.

Jang Sam-tae was bewildered for a moment, but soon burst into hearty laughter.

That was more like it!

This was indeed their Manor Lord!

If they suffered something, they just had to pay it back double.

“That's right! We kept our promise, so now we just have to beat the crap out of the Vice-Magistrate!”

“Beat the crap out of him? That's a misleading way to put it. We just need to hear him say that we can enter the manor again, and that is enough.”

Dan Woo-hyun spoke softly and nodded.

He had an expression that gave absolutely no hint of what he intended to do. Because his face was so peaceful and his tone of voice was so gentle, it even made one wonder if a Buddha had descended.

Soon, Jang Sam-tae laughed again. As the two let out soft giggles, they seemed to get along perfectly.

Gwon Mu-jin and Namgung Cheon looked at the two with strange expressions, wondering what on earth they were planning to do.

It was a moment when they felt extremely worried about the Vice-Magistrate's future.

The Vice-Magistrate was merely the deputy of the County Magistrate.

However, from the moment the County Magistrate was absent, that county was as good as the Vice-Magistrate's. Therefore, Vice-Magistrate Yu Yak-jung was currently drunk on his own power, unable to come to his senses.

It was fine no matter what he did.

Even behind his back, the Wind Sword Sect was firmly supporting him.

"When the tiger is away, the fox rules the cave," and this was exactly that case.

“Hahaha!”

Returning from the manor, the Vice-Magistrate immediately headed to the red-light district.

Drinking with courtesans on both sides using the money received from Hu Ja-ryeong, the Sect Leader of the Wind Sword Sect, it felt as if the world was his, and he did not even envy the Emperor.

“You seem to be in a very good mood today, Vice-Magistrate, hoho.”

“Yes, yes, of course. Now that I have money and a solid backing, what would I have to worry about?”

Laughing loudly, Yu Yak-jung thought.

Since ancient times, power was something one had to fight and climb up for. If one just waited, one would always remain at a standstill and be pushed around by others, so if there was something one wanted, one had to obtain it by any means necessary.

Currently, he wanted the position of County Magistrate.

Although it had been barely a month since he took office, he had not even imagined himself finding a way so quickly.

The County Magistrate who went to the Prince's Palace would disappear before even lasting a month upon his return. For he had made such a promise with the Wind Sword Sect.

Naturally, the position of County Magistrate would become his.

Of course, it required the approval of the imperial court, but if he spent some money on the higher-ups, a matter of that scale would not be a problem at all.

“Hoho, but do you know?”

“Know what?”

“Most people keep quiet about it, but isn't there a manor near Lake Dongting in the west?”

“That's, right?”

“Yes, they say that is where an immortal lives.”

“……What?”

“There is a rumor that the massive manor was built in a single day. Moreover, they say even those like Jang Baek-san and the Black Dao Association were dealt with after that manor appeared. Hohoho, I don't know if it's true or not, but isn't it interesting?”

“Ha…… haha, is, is that so.”

Yu Yak-jung turned his head with a lukewarm expression.

An immortal?

He was somewhat surprised, but soon shook his head.

What kind of nonsense was that. The appearance of the Manor Lord he had seen seemed far too distant from that of an immortal.

Not only was his appearance incredibly shabby, but did his manner of speech not also sound like that of a commoner?

How could anyone compare such a person to an immortal?

The Vice-Magistrate snorted as he emptied his cup.

“That's why they say no one touches that place. I heard the County Magistrate also visits once every fortnight to offer tribute. They say this entire Yueyang is so quiet all because of those immortals.”

“Hahaha, that is a funny joke.”

The woman caressed Yu Yak-jung's cheek with a coquettish gesture. Her moist eyes gently pressured his gaze, and the corners of her long-slitted eyes curled up slightly.

Soon, her cherry-like red lips parted, and a slender, beautiful voice was heard.

“It might be a joke, or it might not.”

“I…… see, wait?”

Yu Yak-jung realized something was wrong. In an instant, his head spun, and he could not keep his senses. He saw even the women in front of him starting to collapse one by one.

He tried hard to force himself awake, but it was no use.

Just like that, everything was sucked into darkness.

Yu Yak-jung opened his eyes.

The world looked different.

In the sky where the moon should be, there was an endless cliff, and below where the ground should be, a sky filled with dark, black clouds could be seen.

“Ugh?!”

His entire body was tightly bound with ropes, hanging precariously from a tree at the edge of the cliff, swaying back and forth in the gentle breeze.

The moment he tried to hurriedly pull himself up in surprise.

Crack!

A strange sound rang out as the tree threatened to break.

Yu Yak-jung's complexion instantly turned pale as he froze.

“You're awake.”

Then, a voice was heard.

Gulp…

Hanging there without even being able to move his body, Yu Yak-jung swallowed hard and turned his head.

Four men stood there. Although they wore masks, their identities could be guessed at once.

“Y-you bastards! Do you think you'll get away with doing this?”

“What are you talking about? We do not know someone like you.”

“T-this, nonsense…!”

Judging by the voice, tone, and build, that person was undoubtedly the Manor Lord of that manor. No matter how much the others standing next to him wore masks, they could also be recognized.

‘To compare a fellow like that to an immortal! That courtesan was crazy!’

How could those who persecuted a person like this be called immortals?

“Won't you untie me this instant?”

Dan Woo-hyun quietly stared at Yu Yak-jung.

Seeing him shout even in this situation, he still did not seem to know who was above and who was below.

“He still has some spirit left in him. Sam-tae.”

“Yes!”

Jang Sam-tae grinned and grabbed an axe. Then, he slowly approached the tree.

At this, Yu Yak-jung's face turned increasingly pale.

“W-what are you doing…!”

Thud!

Without a moment of hesitation, Jang Sam-tae struck the tree with the axe. Then, with a heavy sound, the tree trunk was deeply gouged and shook violently.

“Aaargh! You bastards! I will kill you all! I will kill every last one of you!”

“Hmm…”

Dan Woo-hyun thought.

He was quite a gutsy fellow. Seeing him raise his voice like that even in this situation. Normally, it would not be strange for someone to wet themselves out of fear.

Glancing at Jang Sam-tae, he saw him swing the axe once again.

Thud!

Crack!

“Aaaaargh! Sp… spare me! Spare me!”

“Your speech is short.”

Dan Woo-hyun smirked.

His smile did not fade, as if he found the sight of him dangling quite amusing. Dan Woo-hyun had never dealt with someone who was not a martial artist. Accustomed to the habits of martial artists who pretended to be noble even at the moment of death, he found Yu Yak-jung's reaction rather amusing.

Thud!

As Jang Sam-tae struck the tree again, this time the tree tilted halfway as if it were about to fall over. Since the weight was shifted slightly downward, if even one more impact were added, he would fall endlessly to the bottom.

Realizing this, Yu Yak-jung clung on while crying and begging.

“Uwahahaha, S-spare me! Spare me, Y-young Master! I beg of you!”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Uwah… I-it was all that Hu Ja-ryeong's doing. I, I didn't care about the manor at all. The, the manor originally belonged to the Y-young Master, didn't it! No matter how you use it, t-that is up to the Y-young Master!”

“Hmm, I do not know which manor you are speaking of, but thank you anyway.”

Gwon Mu-jin and Namgung Cheon broke into a cold sweat.

To think this was the kind of method he had in mind…

A man called a martial arts master was doing something utterly ridiculous.

Namgung Cheon in particular swallowed a groan.

‘What is this feeling…’

They had clearly done something they should not have, but strangely, he felt relieved. It felt as if some of the resentment from what those bastards did to them was being washed away.

‘This… feels good.’

Namgung Cheon smiled faintly at the feeling he had never experienced before in his life.

“Alright, untie him.”

“Eh? Already?”

Looking at Yu Yak-jung who was still shedding tears, Jang Sam-tae frowned. He wanted to torment him a bit more, so being told to release him already left him feeling quite displeased.

Although reluctant, it was Dan Woo-hyun's order. With a short sigh, the moment he slightly touched the tree to pull down the rope.

Crack!

The tree snapped, and Yu Yak-jung fell down headlong.

“Aaaaaaargh!”

He fell in an instant before anyone could even try to catch him. Soon after, as a strange "thud" stimulated his ears, Jang Sam-tae flinched.

“……”

“……”

“……”

“Uh…?”

The four men quietly stared at the scene.

They had no intention of killing him…

Jang Sam-tae looked at Dan Woo-hyun with a somewhat dazed expression, but soon shrugged his shoulders and spoke as if to rationalize his action.

“Well… I guess his luck ran out.”

“……Indeed.”

Dan Woo-hyun also nodded.