Chapter 110: Nine Out of Ten!

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On the rainy street where the container’s food had been mercilessly spilled… Several martial artists lay scattered messily like wet miscellany soaked in water.

They were the Green Forest Alliance group who had lost consciousness before Namgung Sang-rin’s hands.

CLANG, CLANG- CHAENG-!

When the sound of metal cutting through the rain sound continued repeatedly.

“Keck!”

One more member fell to the ground and let out a groan.

Before he knew it, the number of unconscious people had easily exceeded twenty.

Excluding the personnel currently sprawled on the ground, only two people in total were facing Namgung Sang-rin.

‘Hmm, I’m getting slightly tired.’

In the instant Namgung Sang-rin muttered inwardly, the member on the front right approached at high speed.

SWISH-!

A blade rushing straight at him, flicking away raindrops.

But Namgung Sang-rin nimbly twisted his upper body to let the opponent’s sword pass over his shoulder, then stepped to further close the gap.

PA-PAT.

Having instantly exploited the weakness of the large-motion thrust attack, he counterattacked with a left palm strike.

PANG-!

Along with a crisp sound, the member went ‘ACK!’ and was pushed back hard, colliding with a stone wall.

SPLAT.

There was no further movement.

Having received a palm technique loaded with heavy energy, his energy meridians were shaken and he passed out just like that.

The lone remaining member gritted his teeth while holding his saber.

Ma Geol, an expelled disciple from Soul-Dragging Blade Sect, an unorthodox faction in the Guizhou region, who had joined the Green Forest Alliance five months ago.

‘Damn it! I don’t know what caused the fight, but that young fellow’s skill is…’

In truth, he himself wasn’t that weak either, but he had already sensed that the young man before him was a level above.

One could easily tell just looking at the surrounding situation.

‘Hmm, a strong opponent. But… There’s face to maintain!’

Ma Geol drew out internal energy to the fullest, determined to settle this somehow.

Haze rising thickly.

Seeing that, Namgung Sang-rin spoke in a clear voice.

“Do you insist on seeing this through? Just call your leader. I’ll settle things cleanly.”

At that moment, an icy voice leaked out from the corner of the street over there.

“Is that so? That’s what I want too.”

When Namgung Sang-rin turned his head, through the rain blurring his vision, the figures of a group were visible.

Roughly ten or so people.

The voice was presumably from the person at the front.

‘The leader?’

The moment he thought that, Ma Geol’s face lit up as he shouted.

“Stronghold Master!”

The sound of wet ground being squelched came as the group gradually drew closer.

“Stand back.”

At the brief command from the one at the front, namely Bu Do-nam, Ma Geol quickly retreated backward while issuing a warning.

“You, do you know who that person is? Now it’s time to get thrashed…”

“Oh! Hyungnim?”

Suddenly, Namgung Sang-rin widened his eyes and let out a surprised voice, which rather flustered Ma Geol.

‘Hyungnim? Out of nowhere?’

Moreover, Bu Do-nam’s reaction made him even more confused.

“Oh my! No, why is Brother Namgung in this village…?”

Ma Geol cast a blank gaze with a hardened expression.

‘W-wait, so they know each other… What, has everyone been making a fuss over nothing all this time?’

Meanwhile, the member who had frantically run to the inn to report turned pale with his heart dropping at the unexpected situation.

‘Gasp! I’m screwed! They know each other? Without knowing that…’

Before long, Bu Do-nam, standing face to face with Namgung Sang-rin, asked in bewilderment.

“Ha, I didn’t know it was Brother Namgung. What’s happened here? There’s no way you would have gone around causing friction.”

“Ah, yes. Actually…”

Namgung Sang-rin wore an awkward expression, then soon pointed with a chin gesture at one member mixed in the group.

“That person over there will tell you everything. He was one of the first to appear and make threats.”

Bu Do-nam and the others each turned their heads and stared at the member Namgung Sang-rin had indicated.

The man who had frantically run to the inn to report earlier.

As all attention focused on him, his face turned even paler as he severely stammered.

“Th-th-that is… St-Stronghold Master, so… Wh-what happened was…”

At that moment, Bu Do-nam, seeming to have sensed something, deeply sank his gaze.

“Speak straight. Were you the ones who picked the fight first?”

The member, body flinching, knelt on the rain-soaked ground and bowed his head.

“I’m sorry! Th-the truth is…”

Terrified, he honestly explained everything and repeatedly bowed his head, begging forgiveness.

“I-I will never let something like this happen again! Just once… Pl-please forgive me just once!”

Bu Do-nam’s downcast eyes held only icy energy.

“Forgiveness? People with mouths do speak, hah.”

Having sneered mockingly, he soon stretched out his hand and grabbed! the member’s jaw.

“You including the ringleaders, your guts have come out of your bellies.”

“Strong… Stronghold Master…”

“Shut up. You stink.”

“…..”

“Pathetic low-ranking newcomers whose martial arts are worthless, since force didn’t work, you dragged in personnel from other inns and ended up in that state?”

“…..”

“This alliance prohibits independent activity outside of designated territory. You dare violate the regulations set by the Alliance Master? Even when I, the Stronghold Master, have both eyes wide open…?”

At that, the member simply squeezed both eyes shut tight and trembled violently.

He was afraid.

Of what severe punishment he would receive when the report reached the Green Forest Alliance Master later…

“Even though I was pathetically cleaned out by some nobody I don’t even know, does your kind dare to look down on me?”

“Sob… Th-th-that isn’t…”

Suddenly.

CRASH-!

The member was slammed hard into the stone wall beside him and collapsed on the ground.

Bu Do-nam, having flown into a rage, had thrown him.

“I told you to shut up.”

Ma Geol soon watched for the mood, then cautiously approached that member and checked his condition.

‘Ah… He’s passed out.’

Bu Do-nam, without even caring, issued orders to his group.

“Everyone clean up this place, and bind the five primary ringleaders and lock them in the inn storage.”

“Yes, Stronghold Master!”

The members answered in unison and began cleaning up the surroundings.

Bu Do-nam, having already changed to a pleasant expression, placed his arm on Namgung Sang-rin’s shoulder.

“Brother, let’s go. We can just share our room.”

“Ah, thank you. But I hope I haven’t caused you trouble…”

“Hey, don’t say useless things! Come on, come on! Let’s go to the inn I’m staying at and catch up! Meeting by chance here makes me even happier. Hahah!”

* * *

Namgung Sang-rin hung his outer clothes near the brazier in the inn and went to sit at the table where Bu Do-nam was seated.

TRICKLE-

Bu Do-nam poured newly ordered Huaguo Wine into a cup and asked.

“What brings Brother Namgung here? Ah, wait. Did your aunt make you do unpleasant work again?”

In fact, about a year ago, he had been hired as a vagrant for a matter related to Jingzhou Ban Family and had shared the same experiences with Namgung Sang-rin for about three months.

The two had become sworn brothers calling each other hyungnim through that encounter.

Namgung Sang-rin, receiving the cup, wore a bitter smile.

“No. It’s the opposite.”

“Hm?”

“Ah… Actually, not long ago, I declared severance from my elder uncle and aunt and ran out.”

“Oh! Really?”

When Bu Do-nam paused while raising his cup, Namgung Sang-rin briefly explained the whole story.

Leaving out any mention of Cheol Ryu-heun, just focusing on his own situation.

When the story ended, Bu Do-nam nodded.

“Hmm… It’s unexpected, but not greatly surprising. What was bound to explode finally exploded. Tsk. If you don’t have parents, relatives and such are utterly useless. They’re worse than a friendly neighbor.”

“Haha, hearing you say that makes me feel refreshed.”

Namgung Sang-rin and Bu Do-nam downed their wine and continued the conversation.

“What brings you to this place, Hyungnim?”

“Well, Green Forest Alliance business.”

“I’d heard you joined at some point. But isn’t this region outside Green Forest Alliance territory? That kept puzzling me even when the quarrel happened earlier.”

At that, Bu Do-nam’s complexion changed as dark as darkness.

“Sigh… Don’t even mention it. I’m so frustrated I could burst… Phew…”

The sigh he let out, as if the ground would cave in, carried many emotions flowing within it.

Namgung Sang-rin scratched his head and spoke quietly.

“I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, it’s fine. As you know, the Alliance’s territory is the Apo Mountain area. Then, by the Alliance Master’s order to expand influence, we started building a stronghold in northern Hunan here about half a year ago. After completion, I was unexpectedly selected as the eleventh Stronghold Master.”

“But… Did something go wrong?”

“It collapsed. Completely.”

“Huh?”

“Urk, it hasn’t even been long. I mean, you see… We made the mistake of messing with some crazy bastard riding a crazy horse, and the whole stronghold was smashed to pieces. I really, in all my life…”

Bu Do-nam quickly poured and drank his wine, then continued speaking.

“Starting from when the crazy horse went wild, it was just a completely insane situation.”

“Ah… If you mean crazy horse, what exactly…?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure if you can even call it a horse. It was a bizarre appearance with muscles all over its body excessively swollen, and to exaggerate a bit, it was like seeing an unprecedented monster. No wait, no, it’s definitely a monster. Its strength was that incredible too.”

At that moment, a different light flashed through Namgung Sang-rin’s eyes.

‘Hm?’

Because as soon as he heard Bu Do-nam’s words, Divine Wind, owned by Cheol Ryu-heun, came to mind.

-Hold on tight. Divine Wind is faster than a bird.

-Divine Wind – that’s quite a fine horse name.

Namgung Sang-rin shook his head slightly.

Nah, no way… It can’t be.

Seeing that, Bu Do-nam raised both eyebrows.

“Huh? What is it, Brother! What’s with that meaningful head shake…? What, do I seem strange? I’m telling you it’s true!”

Having gotten worked up, he began explaining enthusiastically with hand gestures and all.

“Alright, let me tell you in detail! First the crazy horse went BOOM! like this and appeared, turning the stronghold gate to dust, then immediately WHOOSH! leaped as if flying through the sky and CRASH…! See, look at my hand! Like this, like this, in this way, like this, ten of my subordinates were sent flying far away like leaves blown by the wind, and then…”

The face of Namgung Sang-rin, who was listening, gradually stiffened in a peculiar way.

‘OH NO! W-wait a moment… This is too familiar!’

Suddenly, the scene from when he had broken into Mantis Martial Academy together with Cheol Ryu-heun rose in his mind like a picture album.

-Divine Wind! Show the monstrous strength from consuming the Thousand Year Immortal Ginseng!

-WAAAH! THIS CRAAZY HOOORSE!

Meanwhile, Bu Do-nam’s explanation continued.

“Right after that, it went like this, like this, see? BOOM, BOOM, BOOM! smashing everywhere… Dust rose thickly like a huge cloud, and wow… Brother! I really saw something like that for the first time in my life. Plus, it was snorting and exhaling pure white breath PSSHT! PSSHT! and after that its strength seemed to have grown even more, being bashed this way BOOM! and bashed that way BOOM! just BOOM, BOOM! indiscriminately everywhere…!”

Namgung Sang-rin was seized by an ominous premonition.

‘Gasp! At that level, isn’t it almost certain?’

It was Divine Wind.

He didn’t know if another bizarre horse like that existed in this era, but.

In an instant, Bu Do-nam’s following words drove the final nail into the conviction in his chest.

“The horse’s owner was a crazy bastard too! I can never forget that fellow! He looked like he was only about twenty years old… But his martial power was so terrifying it made my skin crawl! That’s not all. His way of speaking, as if he considered every being in this world beneath him, and his face was somehow so expressionless… How to put it, not even an ant antenna’s worth of emotion showing in his eyes… Wow, Brother! I’d never seen a guy like that before either.”

Namgung Sang-rin felt inexplicably dizzy and cried out internally.

‘It’s nine out of ten! There’s no room for doubt! Just what has Sect Master Cheol been doing all this time!’