The volunteer army that stirred up all of Sacheon City has set out.
Those who saw the departure of the hunting troops were already preparing for the victory ceremony under the instructions of Samayeom and the officials.
One could criticize it as “eating kimchi soup with a large bowl,” but to start the victory celebrations in time for the return of the hunting troops, preparations need to start now.
“Riding on the momentum, preparing a festival alongside the victory ceremony will help the people of Sacheon regain their spirits.”
When it came to planning the festival, my opinion differed from Samayeom’s.
I didn’t think the Sacheon people, who had suffered for quite some time from bandits, would be very cooperative with the preparations for the victory ceremony and festival. However, since it was Samayeom, the administrative expert, who pushed for the plan with full confidence, I decided to follow his lead on this.
Watching the people of Sacheon bustling about in preparation for the events, it seemed Samayeom was right after all.
I expected them to hold onto more resentment, but the people of Sacheon appeared satisfied just with the return of their peaceful daily lives.
“Hmm.”
I might have been thinking too much from the perspective of a martial artist. All the characters I knew and experienced in the martial world were martial artists.
It was a good choice not to push back in front of an expert. If I had rebutted, I could have sparked public discontent and added a new dark chapter to my history.
I absentmindedly fiddled with the Black Rib I hadn’t used in a while and shot a question at Black Cat.
“Did you manage to cut off the Golden Clan’s messenger?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve been keeping an eye on every single one of their messengers without missing a single one.”
What a relief.
To be honest, I hadn’t anticipated that the Ruler of the Video Tower would escape like this. I had thought he would rely on Hwang Geum-seon or Gae Myung-bu. It seems the bonds of brotherhood among those three are not as deep as I expected.
They’re the kind of malicious characters who can’t be trusted even after a 15-year friendship.
Anyway, thanks to Yu Ji-gyeong being captured, I didn’t need to visit the Ruler of the Video Tower last night.
I had provocatively claimed I would return the next day after winning a huge sum, but I inadvertently lied.
Anyway, I wouldn’t make any money by going there now.
The special customers must have mobilized all their connections to bring martial artists with them. After all, those so-called special customers are nothing but rotten individuals looking to throw money around for shady services. Rather than thinking of repaying their gambling losses, they probably just want to catch and kill me.
Going to the Ruler of the Video Tower would only lead to chaos. In fact, I intended to stir trouble and gnaw away at the foundations of the Ruler of the Video Tower… but that no longer seemed necessary. What’s the point of rocking the boat when I have the Ruler in custody?
“By tonight, we shouldn’t need any more surveillance, right?”
“Exactly. If they can’t escape by tonight, they won’t make it in time.”
Now that the Ruler of the Video Tower is headless, we can deliver the final blow whenever we want. I need to focus on the remaining tasks.
“In the end, it seems the Jambong Sect has split into two factions.”
“It appears Gae Myung-bu has chosen to stay.”
“Some martial artists falling under Gae Myung-bu have remained. About 20 or 30?”
That’s a perfectly reasonable number.
Hwang Geum-seon and Yu Ji-gyeong are individuals I don’t know. But I know Gae Myung-bu well.
Gae Myung-bu is a character that appears in the script of the martial world.
That’s why even if a hunting troop composed of all the martial artists of Sacheon forms, I expected Gae Myung-bu to remain in Sacheon.
If Hwang Geum-seon’s plan is executed, Gae Myung-bu, part of the Jambong Sect, will face a heavy blow. Yet, why would Gae Myung-bu agree to this operation and act? Perhaps they’re planning to move to a sect that’s already been confirmed to be established under the Hwangbo Clan.
So, they are staying in Sacheon to clearly show their ties to the Hwangbo Clan.
No matter how much the Jambong Sect’s leader tried to persuade them, Gae Myung-bu would have remained unmoved, and they’d have no choice but to lead the majority of their forces to participate.
The Platinum Sect is no longer an option. Anyway, regardless of the tier of the sect, they’ll need to hang their sign within a few days, so it doesn’t matter.
“Good job today. See you tomorrow.”
“Yes. Senior, you should take it easy for the day too.”
Black Cat left to keep watch on the Golden Clan and the Jambong Sect.
“Here I come!”
After a few days, I returned to the Outcast Inn.
“It’s been a few days since we last saw each other.”
“Don’t make a fuss, just come inside quickly!”
Hearing the familiar jabs, I stepped into the Outcast Inn and saw Yu Sa-yeon puffing on a cigarette in the back. The two outcasts who were injured during the last performance seemed to have fully recovered and were sipping tea normally.
“Are you back.”
“Is everything well prepared?”
“I’m the one who prepares. The Outcasts do the rest.”
Indeed, the Outcasts had come a long way. I could feel the atmosphere sharpen again, which had momentarily faltered since my arrival.
“It feels just like when I first came to the Outcast Inn.”
“It’s because you drained the energy out of everyone. The Outcasts suit this atmosphere better.”
What’s so great about having people from the same profession living together while often resorting to knife fights and stressing each other out? One should be able to relax at home, not increase the tension.
I was about to lightly tease them when I noticed Yu Sa-yeon’s leg was shaking nervously.
Yu Sa-yeon has a habit of shaking her legs when she’s tense.
“Can you please tone down the cigarette? You’re already an old maid; do you want your face to look even older?”
“…Do you want to die, Ho Cheon-an?”
Seeing her leg stop shaking, I burst out laughing and ran away. Yu Sa-yeon, who stared at me hiding behind the table for a while, sighed and went up to her room on the fourth floor.
The Outcasts who saw that exchanged knowing smiles and said a few words.
“Looks like Ho Cheon-an is the best at catching the innkeeper.”
“Just don’t tease me and bring a guy over.”
Finally, the mood began to lighten up a bit.
In this martial world, most people view martial artists as if they are invulnerable heroes. They can’t let their guard down for even a moment and must only think about the martial arts of the twelve realms… things like that.
While martial artists are sturdier than regular people, they are fundamentally human.
It was still a day before the execution date, yet everyone was raising their tension levels to the max, wearing down their mental strength.
The injured outcasts had all recovered and expressed their willingness to participate, and as I was checking on the other outcasts one by one, two individuals caught my eye.
Yeong Ji-hu-yeol and Jaso-gyeong.
“Is everything going well with the preparations?”
“Not that there’s much to prepare.”
Yeong Ji-hu-yeol answered in a calm tone. Jaso-gyeong nodded as if to affirm that everything was okay.
“How about the plan for tomorrow? Are you comfortable with it?”
“Well…”
Yeong Ji-hu-yeol trailed off, half-drawing his sword. There was a joint in Yeong Ji-hu-yeol’s sword. When Yeo Il-ye first came to look for me in the Outcast Inn, Yeong Ji-hu-yeol had blocked her path, and his sword had been severed by her blade.
Since then, using a makeshift sword signifies that he hasn’t forgotten the resentment he harbors towards Yeo Il-ye.
“Feelings regarding Yeo Il-ye are personal to me. While I can’t say I’m entirely at ease, I won’t let private emotions cloud my judgment when it comes to this operation involving all the people of Sacheon, so don’t worry.”
Yeong Ji-hu-yeol is a person who is strict in both good and bad ways. How should I put it? An upright individual from the Clear Stream Faction? Someone akin to the gentlemen described in Confucianism. A person who doesn’t forget his grievances and clearly distinguishes between public and private matters while being stern with both himself and others.
He surely wouldn’t say one thing and do another, so he wouldn’t cause trouble.
Jaso-gyeong had also faced a severe defeat from Yeo Il-ye before. Spotting me, he burst into laughter.
“I have no resentments! It’s already been several years since that incident! I was hit hard, but I’ve learned a lot from working alongside the Jeomchang Faction, so it’s a win-win situation!”
“That’s true.”
“Above all, the Jambong Sect has scores to settle too. It’s the same feeling shared among all the Outcasts.”
With these two individuals—ranked first and second in terms of strength, excluding Black Cat, and serving as the veterans of the Outcast Inn—leading the operation, it would have been troublesome if they had any troubling thoughts. Fortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.
“Good.”
The preparations are foolproof.
Twenty-seven outcasts of Sacheon, excluding Black Cat.
Tomorrow, we shall raid the Jambong Sect alongside Yeo Il-ye.
* *
“Ho ho ho…”
Wang Maeng-ho, the leader of the Mountain Bandits, chuckled as he gazed at the piled treasures in a corner of their hideout. Having lived a life of banditry, the sight of riches stacked like a mountain was a first for him.
It was a view he could never tire of.
Wang Maeng-ho loosened the wine bottle strapped to his waist and brought it to his lips. As soon as he did, a fragrant aroma wafted up—fine liquor. Sweetness and a pungent kick stimulated his tongue and throat.
“Enjoy it while you can.”
Wang Maeng-ho recalled the collaborators of Sacheon in his mind. Though he had no definite evidence, he could guess who the collaborators were. While he could have figured out exactly who they were, there are some relationships in this world that are better left unknown.
He thought about the secret letter describing the situation in Sacheon that had arrived a few days prior and laughed at the major factions of Sacheon. No matter how high their sect’s prestige, what difference does it make? They are this sluggish. If they raid swiftly, escape, and scatter, they can’t do anything.
‘With this treasure, I could enjoy life in leisure for at least a decade.’
As Wang Maeng-ho indulged in dreams of a rosy future, he got drunk and collapsed.
“Leader! Leader! It’s a big problem!”
“Ugh, what is it?”
Wang Maeng-ho scowled at his flustered subordinate. Judging by the light seeping in, it seemed to be a little past dawn, so what kind of commotion could it be?
“Martial artists! Martial artists are swarming in!”
“Ugh… what are the other leaders doing to let this wake me up? Tell them to handle it!”
“Leader! This isn’t the time!”
“You miserable brat! What’s the big deal about some lowly guys from Sacheon…”
Wang Maeng-ho scratched his belly, stepping out of his quarters. But the atmosphere was unusual. The mountain bandits were frozen in fear.
It was only then that Wang Maeng-ho realized the situation was dire, and he immediately used his movement technique to ascend to the top of the mountain hideout.
“…What is this?”
And then he saw it.
The martial artists surrounding the mountain hideout.
“What in the world?”
Intense determination. Lethal intent. Desperation. All of these things were erupting like a volcano, emanating from the thousands of martial artists!
Tang Do-gyeong marveled as he looked around.
‘So this is what Senior Ho is like.’
“Our Gangseong Sect will surely! Surely! Obtain the silver plate! This is war! We will capture them alive! Start throwing the ropes first!”
“Hey you there! Don’t you know that if you die, you won’t be counted as a contribution? If you want to use a sword, fill your scabbard first and swing it!”
“Today, our Su-gyeong Sect will reborn as the Platinum Sect!”
“If it’s not the golden plaque, we’ll risk death!”
“Death!”
What’s so significant about that plaque that they’re willing to risk their lives? The spirits of the martial artists were literally ablaze.
Everyone was looking at Tang Do-gyeong with burning eyes!
Except for the Gae Myung-bu elders from the Jambong Sect and a tiny number of martial artists who have no choice but to remain in Sacheon due to extraordinary circumstances, every single martial artist in Sacheon was waiting for Tang Do-gyeong’s signal.
Over five thousand martial artists were awaiting his call.
“[Commence the attack!]”
Waaaaaah!!!!
“Kill them! No, capture them!”
“Don’t let a single one escape!”
Thousands of martial artists surged forward like a tidal wave, enough to wipe a mountain off the map! The bandits’ faces turned pale at their sheer momentum.
“Where is the leader? I, the unparalleled Muk Gang-tan, am here! Let’s see how the peak experts fare together!”
“Leader, accept my challenges, let’s see how you measure up against me, the Sect Leader of Jajangmun!”
The peak experts, including Tang Do-yeon and Tang Do-gyeong, charged from the front, desperately calling out for the leader!
“Don’t forget the beauty of martial arts! Capture the fan-bearers!”
“Let’s work together to eliminate them!”
While Tang Do-gyeong felt a chill at the martial artists’ frenzied and almost insane spirit, he also felt relieved. Strength coalesced in Tang Do-gyeong’s fist.
Boom!
A massive hole was created in the barricade in an instant.
“Whoa~”
Tang Do-yeon’s whip, unable to match Tang Do-gyeong’s destructive power, wound around the barricade, and as she pulled it, the barricade crumbled like it was sliced apart.
“The path is clear!”
The peak experts broke through the barricade and stormed in, while the top-tier experts leaped over the barricade using their martial arts. The flow of first-rate experts and remaining martial artists surged in through the gap opened by the peak experts!
“That guy! That guy is the fan-bearer of Palbochai!”
“Kill him! No, capture him!”
The fan-bearer of Palbochai was skilled at the peak level, but in that instant, seven peak experts rushed in, all unleashing their full power! With the momentum against him, he was swiftly overwhelmed in a combined assault.
“Su-gyeong! We’ve captured the fan-bearer of Palbochai!!”
“Really? Hurry and bind him!”
The scene turned into a massacre! As Bandits were swiftly taken down by sheer numbers, Tang Do-gyeong shook his head as he saw ropes begin wrapping around their bodies.
“Over there, that fleeing guy seems to be the leader of Haemul-pai. I’ll pursue him!”
“Alright.”
Tang Do-yeon’s figure rushed toward the ostentatiously dressed Guemeotae-jayu who was escaping.
‘This person is a fan-bearer of Palbochai, that one is the leader of Cheonggyeongchai.’
As the top experts of Sacheon’s martial artists scrambled to find the leaders, a figure caught Tang Do-gyeong’s eye.
With a casual yet pointed gaze, he aimed toward Wang Maeng-ho, who awkwardly stood on top of a building.
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