Chapter 71: Strong Enough to Walk Alone (3)

The man in the black robe was Dam Ho. Beside him, Bang Jin-bo stood with his mouth agape, craning his neck in every direction.

"The Yangtze is truly as vast as the sea, just as they say. I've never seen such a wide river before."

Dam Ho nodded silently without a word.

It was his first time seeing the Yangtze as well. Though not quite as awestruck as Bang Jin-bo, he was sufficiently impressed.

When passing through the steep gorges on either side, the current grew fierce and violent, but once they emerged into such a wide, open expanse, the water flowed gently onward.

The ever-changing visage of nature stirred deep emotion within Dam Ho as well.

'When narrow, it flows fast; when wide, it flows slowly. Perhaps the flow of life is much the same.'

Dam Ho shook his head.

He was being uncharacteristically sentimental.

The light in Dam Ho's eyes returned to its usual emotionless state.

After leaving Hongam Mountain Manor, Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo had headed south without any particular destination in mind. Half a month had passed, and they had finally reached the Yangtze.

The entire journey had been spent sleeping in the open. Thanks to that, they were free from the gaze of others.

Dam Ho briefly looked down at his own hands.

He had not been out in the world for very long, yet the blood of countless people already stained his hands. Truly, there seemed to be no day when the blood dried from his palms.

What was terrifying was that despite having killed so many, he felt not the slightest trace of guilt.

Sage Hyeon-so had always warned him to beware of the Heart Demon.

'Demons come without warning in unexpected moments, gnawing at the heart before one even realizes it. Always remain vigilant.'

The light in Dam Ho's eyes deepened.

Perhaps he had not merely fallen prey to the Heart Demon—perhaps he had become the demon itself.

Even now, the Dark Soul Heart Method whirled within his body, fueling his internal energy. It had begun from the Heavy Heaven Heart Method, but it had now transformed beyond recognition.

The Dark Soul Heart Method was incomparably dark and sinister. Much like Dam Ho himself.

While Dam Ho was lost in these thoughts, Bang Jin-bo was looking around at the scenery, gasping in wonder.

"Wow!"

It was a sight he had never beheld in his life. The magnificent Yangtze and its surroundings stirred great ripples in young Bang Jin-bo's heart.

Then, suddenly—

"Ho ho!"

A clear, bright laughter rang out.

When Bang Jin-bo turned his head, he saw a girl of roughly his age gazing at him.

She appeared to be about twelve or thirteen years old, beautiful and adorable like a doll. Especially striking were her large, dark eyes.

Her black eyes, dark as obsidian, sparkled like morning stars. Bang Jin-bo had never seen a girl with such luminous eyes before.

The girl wore magnificent silk garments, and with bodyguards surrounding her, she appeared to be of very high station.

The girl approached Bang Jin-bo with a bright, beaming smile.

She spoke to him.

"What's so fascinating?"

"Oh, uh? I was just…"

"Is this your first time seeing the Yangtze?"

Bang Jin-bo's face flushed crimson and he could not utter a word.

"Why aren't you saying anything? I asked if it was your first time."

Bang Jin-bo thought the girl's voice sounded exactly like a skylark. All other sounds around him seemed to vanish, leaving only her voice.

Bang Jin-bo stared blankly at the girl. Finding his dazed expression amusing, the girl burst into laughter.

"Pfft! You're a really funny boy. What's your name?"

"I—my name is Bang Jin-bo."

"I'm Eun So-cheong. Nice to meet you."

The girl who introduced herself as Eun So-cheong seemed to possess a wonderfully bright personality.

One of her bodyguards approached her. He was a strikingly handsome man with a cold, sharp appearance, as if carved from ice.

"My lady, you mustn't do this."

"It's fine! We're on a boat. What could possibly happen?"

"Nevertheless, one cannot be certain of the world."

"Eum Geum will protect me."

"That is true."

"Then it's settled."

Eun So-cheong smiled broadly.

Eum Geum Gwi-su—Jong Ri-su.

He was a bodyguard raised specifically for her by her family. Having been by her side since she first learned to walk, they shared a special bond.

Eun So-cheong called him Eum Geum and treated him with deep respect.

Jong Ri-su looked at Bang Jin-bo. His gaze was filled with warning.

Bang Jin-bo gave a wry smile.

One could tell at a glance that her station in life was entirely different from his own.

"So, Jin-bo, where are you headed?"

"D-Dongting Lake."

"Why Dongting Lake?"

"To reach the Heaven's First Tower there."

"Really?"

Eun So-cheong's eyes went wide. Her face was animated with lively energy.

"I'm going to the Heaven's First Tower too."

"Really?"

"Yes! I'm supposed to meet someone there."

"My lady!"

"Hm? Oh, it's a secret."

Eun So-cheong stuck out her tongue.

Jong Ri-su looked at her with an expression that said there was nothing he could do. But seeing her innocent smile, he could find no words to say.

Jong Ri-su shook his head and took a few steps back. He had judged that Bang Jin-bo posed no threat to Eun So-cheong.

Bang Jin-bo was visibly an untrained, portly young man. With that physique, he could not possibly harm Eun So-cheong. Moreover, Eun So-cheong herself was no weakling in martial arts.

Eun So-cheong's gaze shifted to the bundle on Bang Jin-bo's back. The handle of a cooking pot protruded from between the parcels.

"What's this?"

"Ah, this is a pot I use for cooking."

"Really? Then you're a cook?"

"Yes!"

Bang Jin-bo answered with a flushed face. Eun So-cheong looked even more surprised.

"Wow! That's amazing. When did you start learning to cook? What are you good at making?"

"Well, that's…"

Under Eun So-cheong's barrage of questions, Bang Jin-bo did not know how to respond. In the end, he sent a pleading look toward Dam Ho. But Dam Ho showed no reaction whatsoever.

Following Bang Jin-bo's gaze, Eun So-cheong's eyes naturally turned to Dam Ho. Only then did she realize that this stone-like man was part of Bang Jin-bo's party.

"Hello, sir. My name is Eun So-cheong."

Eun So-cheong greeted him warmly with her characteristically unreserved manner.

Dam Ho looked at Eun So-cheong intently. She smiled sweetly. Seeing her innocent smile free of malice, Dam Ho spoke.

"My name is Dam Ho."

It was a rough, gravelly voice, but Eun So-cheong thought it carried a deep resonance.

"Nice to meet you, sir!"

"Mm!"

"But your surname is different from Jin-bo's. I take it you're not brothers?"

Eun So-cheong, driven by insatiable curiosity, probed with question after question. Dam Ho gazed silently at her face for a long while before speaking.

"You're a clever child."

For an instant, a faint blush crossed Eun So-cheong's face.

Dam Ho gave her no further attention and walked toward the stairs leading below the deck.

In that moment, a fleeting glint of interest flickered through Eun So-cheong's eyes before vanishing.

She turned to Bang Jin-bo with a smile.

"Will you show me your cooking pot?"

"What?"

"I want to see it. I've never been inside a kitchen before."

"Well, that's…"

"Show me!"

As Eun So-cheong persisted, Bang Jin-bo shook his head with a helpless expression and untied his bundle.

When the cooking pot, knife, and ladle emerged, Eun So-cheong gazed at them with wonder.

'My lady.'

Jong Ri-su watched her in silence. His eyes were filled with a tender pity.

Because of her high-born station, Eun So-cheong had been denied many things that others of her age took for granted. As a result, she possessed a great curiosity toward ordinary things.

'This much freedom should be fine.'

Eun So-cheong cheered at the simple cooking implements and listened attentively to Bang Jin-bo's stories. And Jong Ri-su's attention was entirely focused on her.

Dam Ho descended to the level directly below the deck. This was where the horses and carts belonging to the passengers were stored.

The moment he stepped down, the smell of horse dung assailed his nostrils. But Dam Ho did not so much as wrinkle his brow as he walked forward.

Neighhh!

As Dam Ho approached, the black stallion whinnied and stamped. Dam Ho stroked the stallion's neck. The horse swished its tail, feeling his touch.

Dam Ho whispered into the horse's ear.

"Be patient for just a little longer. Once we reach land, I'll let you run as much as you wish."

"Was that the horse you were speaking of, sir?"

At that moment, someone spoke to Dam Ho.

When he turned around, he saw a shabbily dressed boatman holding a large shovel. He appeared to have been cleaning up the horse dung.

When Dam Ho looked at him, the boatman grinned.

"It's such a fine horse, that's why. I've worked on the Cloud-Running Yangtze Ferry for years, but I've never seen a horse as fine as yours."

"…"

"Do take care. A horse that fine draws the covetous eyes of many."

It was an ambiguous statement—whether it was advice or a threat was unclear.

Dam Ho's gaze sank deep and heavy as he looked at the boatman.

"You cannot imagine how many have lost their lives over this horse."

His voice was very low, yet strangely clear and distinct.

The moment he heard Dam Ho's voice, the boatman's entire body trembled with a chill. Simply hearing his voice felt as though his mind were plummeting into an abyss.

Only then did the boatman realize that Dam Ho was what the martial world called a master.

"I—I was merely offering some advice—forgive my overstepping."

In the end, the boatman apologized to Dam Ho.

If there was one thing he knew well, it was what happened when one provoked a martial artist without cause.

"Take good care of him until we reach land. Give him fine fodder as well."

"O-of course. Have no worries. I shall attend to him with my life."

"Let me ask you something. How does one find the Ha-o Gate in Dongting Lake?"

"Why ask me that?"

Dam Ho suddenly tossed something to the boatman. The boatman reached out with a swift hand and caught it.

A silver coin gleamed in his palm.

The boatman's face broke into a wide grin.

Money could move even spirits. For a gleaming silver coin, the boatman was willing to risk his life.

"Try searching the pleasure quarters."

"Pleasure quarters?"

"Yes! I've heard that some of the courtesans there are connected to the Ha-o Gate. I know nothing beyond that."

The boatman bowed deeply to Dam Ho and withdrew.

Alone, Dam Ho gazed outward.

Rain had begun to fall without his noticing.

The man asked.

“Are you the one who annihilated the Stone Forest Gang?”

The young man, Jin Ja-gang, did not deny it.

“That’s right. I erased both the Extreme Poison Sect and the Stone Forest Gang.”

“You’re younger than I expected.”

Jin Ja-gang looked straight at the man and asked.

“You must be with the Shadow Bureau. Were you involved in the attack on the medicinal sects eight years ago… is that correct?”

“If I am, what are you going to do about it?”

Jin Ja-gang nodded and spoke coldly.

“Then I’ll have to kill you.”

“Hah, you little brat…”

The man’s face twisted.

However, the man couldn’t recklessly charge at Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang had boldly revealed himself. Unless he was a complete fool, no one would confront an opponent head-on without the skill to match them.

“Who the hell are you?”

The man spoke, trying to probe his enemy.

Jin Ja-gang stared at the man and answered.

“A descendant of the medicinal sects.”

“That’s impossible…”

The man frowned and asked.

“You don’t even look like you’ve reached twenty. How could you show up seeking revenge for something that happened back then?”

“What does age have to do with it? I was just young at the time.”

“We killed every last member of the medicinal sects, regardless of age. I can’t believe a descendant of theirs could still be alive.”

Originally, the children taken as prisoners were sometimes used as slaves, but after the incident with the Extreme Poison Sect, they were all slaughtered. It was a complete eradication.

Jin Ja-gang’s response to this was simple.

“I don’t care whether you believe it or not.”

“You, you little…!”

The man ground his teeth but began to channel his internal energy. It was clear the opponent had no intention of letting him live.

“I am Yang Gong. What’s your name?”

But Jin Ja-gang cut him off sharply once again.

“I understand.”

“…What?”

Yang Gong thought he must have misheard or misspoke.

He had asked for a name, and the response was “I understand”?

Yang Gong’s face turned bright red.

“You… dare to insult me.”

Yang Gong was among the top ten in skill within the Shadow Bureau.

Given the Shadow Bureau’s nature of focusing on one-on-one assassinations, it had more highly skilled martial artists compared to other poison sects.

Jin Ja-gang stared directly at Yang Gong.

“What makes you so great that you feel insulted?”

“What did you say?”

“You go around killing people, and yet you expect respect?”

Jin Ja-gang’s gaze pierced Yang Gong sharply. Yang Gong’s face contorted.

Jin Ja-gang spoke.

“Fine. I’ll ask you just one thing. If you can answer, I’ll let you live.”

“You insolent brat… Fine. Ask!”

Yang Gong ground his teeth.

However, he couldn’t act rashly due to the chilling aura emanating from Jin Ja-gang’s eyes.

As Yang Gong focused on Jin Ja-gang’s mouth, Jin Ja-gang didn’t immediately pose the question but took a moment to mull over his words.

Then, he put a handful of something he was holding into his mouth and chewed.

Crunch, crunch.

Yang Gong felt an odd sensation.

‘What the hell is this guy doing?’

In any case, it was a moment that would pass as quickly as a yawn, but to Yang Gong, that time felt unbearably long and tedious.

Finally, Jin Ja-gang stopped chewing and asked.

“Do you think you’ll survive?”

“…”

Yang Gong was at a loss for words.

If he answered that he wouldn’t survive, it felt like Jin Ja-gang would say, “That’s right,” and if he said he would survive, it seemed like Jin Ja-gang would mock him with, “Wrong.” What kind of question was this!

Yang Gong felt a surge of anger, and a warm sensation rose in his chest.

No, it was genuinely hot. His insides felt as if they were twisting and aching.

Sweat formed on his face, and his mouth grew dry.

‘What… what is this?’

His lower abdomen felt painfully heavy. It was a sensation akin to needing to use the restroom.

‘In this situation?’

Yang Gong found it absurd even to himself.

He hurriedly suppressed the physiological urge with his internal energy. But the more he used his internal energy, the worse his condition seemed to become.

‘What… what’s happening?’

Yang Gong was drenched in sweat.

Jin Ja-gang asked again.

“Can’t answer? It was a simple question requiring just a yes or no.”

Yang Gong glared at Jin Ja-gang with wide eyes.

This was as if Jin Ja-gang was treating him like he was too scared to speak!

‘You insolent b*st*rd!’

Though it felt like he was being drawn into Jin Ja-gang’s trap, Yang Gong couldn’t stand being looked down upon for not answering.

So, Yang Gong tried to shout.

‘Fine! I’ll survive, and you’ll die. Got it?’

That’s what he intended to say, but what came out was different.

“Uh, ugh… br, brrr…”

At that moment, Yang Gong felt a chill.

He couldn’t speak!

“Uh, ugh… ah… agh.”

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t form proper words!

Why! How!

Jin Ja-gang, looking at Yang Gong in this state, muttered to himself as if it were nothing.

“It’s the poison of Qian Niu Zi. Looks like it’s taken effect now.”

Yang Gong stared at Jin Ja-gang in disbelief.

Poison! Poison?

“The poison of Qian Niu Zi has the effect of rendering one unable to speak.”

‘When the hell did he poison me…?’

Could it be the chinaberry tree?

No, it couldn’t be the chinaberry tree.

A sudden realization struck Yang Gong, and he looked down at his finger. The finger that had been pricked by a splinter from the bamboo sieve was now swollen.

“Ugh… ugh!”

Yang Gong was flustered, but he was also angry with himself.

Why hadn’t he noticed the poison taking hold to this extent? Normally, a highly lethal poison would be detectable the moment it entered the body.

In any case, he couldn’t die so pathetically like this. And to think it was from something as trivial as morning glory seed poison!

Yang Gong clenched his teeth.

Typically, upon realizing one has been poisoned, the immediate response is to stop breathing, suppress the poison with internal energy, and block the meridians to prevent its spread.

But with the poison already fully spread, there was nothing he could do. Now, his only option was to fight desperately and seize the antidote from this guy.

Yang Gong crossed his hands and slipped them into his sleeves before pulling them out. A small, curved blade with a ring attached, about a hand-span in length, emerged hooked on his little finger.

Whirrr!

As he moved his little finger, the small curved blade, or Sogokdo, spun on the ring.

“Graaah!”

Yang Gong roared with all his might and charged at Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang confirmed that Yang Gong’s movements weren’t particularly agile. As with most poisons, the poison of Qian Niu Zi affected the body in various ways.

In particular, Qian Niu Zi directly impacted the brain. It could even cause hallucinations. Of course, those hallucinations occurred because the brain was dying.

Thus, it was no surprise that his movements weren’t normal. Yang Gong’s eyes were unfocused. He couldn’t look straight at Jin Ja-gang.

Seeming to be aware of this, Yang Gong opted for broad, sweeping attacks with his arms rather than precise strikes.

Whoosh!

Jin Ja-gang bent his waist backward to dodge Yang Gong’s arm. Even though he knew the trajectory of the attack, the blade passed by so closely that it was a mere half-hand’s breadth away.

Yang Gong continued his relentless assault without giving Jin Ja-gang a chance to breathe. He advanced with footwork, swinging the Sogokdo.

Whirrr!

The tip of the Sogokdo, imbued with internal energy, made a sharp sound as it sliced through the air. Tree branches caught in its path were cleanly severed.

Jin Ja-gang felt a chill at Yang Gong’s martial prowess while retreating. If any part of his body had been caught by that blade, it would have been sliced through without a doubt.

‘If this guy were in normal condition…’

Indeed, without poison, overcoming the gap in pure martial skill would be difficult. That’s why Jin Ja-gang took the risk of confronting him directly like this, to familiarize himself with the opponent’s abilities.

This was a path not just for the present but for the future.

Jin Ja-gang did his utmost to observe Yang Gong’s attacks, evading with footwork. This was a precious opportunity to test and apply the techniques he had imagined in his mind during his eight years in the mine shaft.

On the other hand, because Yang Gong kept using his internal energy, the poison’s effects intensified.

Yang Gong unleashed over thirty moves, but all he managed to do was nick the edge of Jin Ja-gang’s clothing.

As his vision grew increasingly dim, the last ten or so moves were executed almost blindly, without even seeing Jin Ja-gang.

“Huff… huff, huff.”

Yang Gong stopped his attacks, breathing heavily.

He was exhausted.

“Th, thuh.”

Stop messing around and just kill me already! That’s what he wanted to say, but his tongue was completely stiff, and the words wouldn’t come out properly.

Instead, he let his arms hang limp, signaling his surrender.

He even closed his unseeing eyes.

To anyone watching, it looked like he was quietly accepting death.

Jin Ja-gang’s voice came through.

“Are you asking me to take your life?”

From the sound of his voice, Jin Ja-gang was standing about six steps ahead of Yang Gong.

Yang Gong nodded. At the same time, he subtly bent his little finger. The Sogokdo shifted slightly inward.

‘Do you think I’ll just die like this?’

The tip of the Sogokdo was equipped with a spring mechanism. If he pulled the ring with his fourth finger, the blade of the Sogokdo would shoot out instantly.

The blade of the Sogokdo was coated with a deadly poison. Even a graze would make death nearly inevitable.

In other words, the moment Jin Ja-gang approached to kill him would be the moment Jin Ja-gang died!

Yang Gong focused on his hearing instead of sight.

But Jin Ja-gang’s voice no longer came. Nor did he approach to kill him.

Ping!

A sharp sound of air being pierced rang out, and by the time Yang Gong flinched, he already felt a pain in his forehead.

Yang Gong touched his forehead with his hand. A pointed needle was embedded there.

“Urk, ugh…”

In an instant, sensation vanished from his head. He could feel his head, neck, shoulders, and heart gradually stiffening.

Only then did Jin Ja-gang speak.

“Is that enough now?”

This isn’t right!

This isn’t what I wanted!

I asked you to come close and kill me, not to kill me with a hidden weapon from a distance!

Yang Gong mustered all his strength and swung one arm.

“Graaah!”

The blade of the Sogokdo shot out, but it flew in a completely wrong direction. It embedded itself right in front of him.

Yang Gong collapsed forward. His head struck a small rock on the ground and split open, but he couldn’t even feel it.

“Urk, urk.”

All he felt was the unfamiliarity of dying, the realization that he was truly dying, and the overwhelming fear and dread that came with it.

And above all, he felt wronged.

‘I’m so wronged! So wronged!’

Though Jin Ja-gang had evaded him, slipping just out of reach, it wasn’t anything remarkable. His footwork was mediocre, his movements unimpressive.

That’s why it felt even more unjust.

‘To die to someone like this… with just Qian Niu Zi poison!’

If only he had attacked immediately upon seeing him.

If he had done that, before the poison spread, his physical condition would have been much better than now, and he likely could have subdued him within five moves.

‘Because of the rumors about this guy, I was unnecessarily cautious…!’

It was true that he had been overly cautious without realizing it, due to hearing that this guy had annihilated the Stone Forest Gang and killed experts from three poison sects.

However, it was his own responsibility for falling into Jin Ja-gang’s psychological trap by dragging out the time and letting the poison spread while being provoked by words. Who could he blame!

Even so, dying to someone so unimpressive was truly an injustice.

Jin Ja-gang approached and looked down at Yang Gong.

“Truly strange.”

“Urk, huh?”

What’s strange?

“Why do people like you always wear such wronged expressions as you die?”

Because I’m wronged!

“The members of the medicinal sects who died without even knowing why at your hands must have felt even more wronged.”