Chapter 285: Chapter 285

“Sigh, do not even talk about it. Lately, it has been an absolute mess because of that matter.”

The tavern owner sighed and shook his head as if venting his grievances. Due to the rumors circulating around Changsha recently, the atmosphere among the people was highly turbulent.

Because it affected the tavern as well, it could not be considered good from the owner’s perspective.

Edgy martial artists created anxiety at all hours, and it felt as if fights would break out everywhere at any moment.

Fighting outside did not matter, but if they ran amok inside the tavern and broke the furniture, it was the tavern owner who would be in trouble.

Since he did not want to die, he could not ask the martial artists for repair fees, so he naturally had to fix everything with his own money.

“Hehehe, do not worry. Since we have stepped in, it will be resolved soon.”

“I would be glad if that were the case, but…”

The tavern owner smiled awkwardly.

Although his gaze was fixed on Jang Sam-tae, his eyes wore a highly unreadable expression.

Although he had suddenly entered, drank, and babbled as if he were a long-time regular, in reality, the owner did not know the man named Jang Sam-tae at all.

He said it would be resolved if he stepped in, but who on earth was he?

He did not seem to be a renowned martial artist.

He could not even ask carelessly, which was frustrating.

‘By the way, I wish he would let me go…’

The tavern owner broke into a cold sweat and accepted the alcohol handed over by Jang Sam-tae.

He had a lot of work to do, yet the man would not let him go.

Dealing with a drunkard was this difficult.

Sweating and sighing, the tavern owner poured another cup and spoke.

“By the way, I was quite surprised.”

“About what?”

Jang Sam-tae asked, looking at the tavern owner with quite a solemn expression.

Although his eyes were unfocused due to being slightly drunk, a momentum that ordinary people could not even imitate hovered around him.

“About Hero Gi… the one who is said to have disappeared.”

“Ah…”

‘Right, there was such a thing.’

Jang Sam-tae nodded with an indifferent expression. In fact, because of the alcohol he had consumed, he had even forgotten the reason he came out to Changsha.

In the first place, was it not because Hero Gi or whatever had disappeared, and a companion had witnessed it, which was why they came here?

Thinking of that, Jang Sam-tae downed his drink.

Not a shred of interest was shown on his face.

He believed the others would handle it on their own.

“To think there was a companion…”

“Huh?”

Seeing the tavern owner speak awkwardly with a puzzled expression, Jang Sam-tae wore a strange look.

He wondered if it was really that strange for there to be a companion.

“He was originally someone who came alone. He booked only one room… but then his companion suddenly came…”

Drip.

Jang Sam-tae broke into a cold sweat.

It was not because of the words coming from the tavern owner’s mouth.

Turning his head to look up, he saw the second floor where the rooms were. From the railing there, he saw the gaze of a man staring down at him.

Unlike the first time he saw him, he was expressionless.

Not a single emotion could be felt in his steady gaze. It felt as if he were looking at something other than a human.

Eventually, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

“Why… are you doing that?”

The tavern owner tilted his head with a peculiar expression.

At that moment, a sudden flash wrapped around his neck.

Startled, Jang Sam-tae backed away, sensing danger.

Crash!

Although he tripped and fell because he was drunk, he quickly regained his balance, stood up again, and looked straight ahead.

Spurt!

The head of the tavern owner who had been sitting in front of him was no longer visible, and blood was spurting from his torso.

“I wondered what kind of guys would come, but to think it is garbage like you…”

“W… What?”

The man slowly came downstairs.

The sound of his footsteps echoed chillingly, like the steps of the Grim Reaper.

The man slightly moved his hand.

Whack!

Sensing something invisible moving, Jang Sam-tae dodged once again.

Slash!

The furniture around him split as if cut by something sharp.

Drip.

Jang Sam-tae broke into a cold sweat and gathered his internal energy.

Dispelling his drunkenness, he took a few deep breaths.

“Who are you?”

“Can you not tell by looking? I am the culprit behind this situation that you are looking for.”

“You damn… bastard…”

Jang Sam-tae swore, breaking into a cold sweat. He had deliberately been drinking in a tavern because he did not want to work hard, so why on earth did that guy have to be the culprit!

‘How can I have such terrible luck?’

Jang Sam-tae cursed his lot and held his breath.

He stared at the opponent with narrowed eyes.

“I expected it from the moment Man Hu-ryang told me to keep an eye on Hunan… Is it ultimately the Hunan Dan Family’s side?”

The man sneered and reached out once more.

Still, nothing could be seen, but the faint sound of moving wind stimulated his ears.

Jang Sam-tae threw himself aside.

Slash!

Something cut his collar and tore his skin. Although it was not a deep wound, he was certain the man possessed something invisible.

“Now, speak. Who are you guys, and what is your relationship with Man Hu-ryang…”

“Madman, how should I know?”

Jang Sam-tae scowled.

* * *

“…”

Gwon Mu-jin was lost for words as he watched the unbelievable sight. A fierce battle was taking place in the tavern, which he had returned to in order to find Jang Sam-tae.

The one performing martial arts using steel threads.

It was definitely the man who had been crying about finding his missing companion. However, the powerful momentum flowing from his body was by no means something to be taken lightly.

Should he say he felt demonic energy?

It was not a momentum that an awkward fellow weeping for his missing companion would emit.

On the contrary, the one facing such a man.

It was undoubtedly Jang Sam-tae.

He used his lightness art like footwork, hitting and running.

Even his Tai Chi, which was seen occasionally, seemed to carry more power than before.

Swish!

In addition, the moment he extended his leg, the sound of a strong wind was heard.

When the attack narrowly brushed his chin, the man was also flustered and tried to widen the distance.

However, in terms of lightness art alone, Jang Sam-tae was someone who ranked in the top three in the Central Plains.

With such a person rapidly closing the distance, the man could not help but be flustered.

‘Impressive…’

Watching that situation, Gwon Mu-jin realized.

A man performing martial arts using steel threads must always maintain a certain distance.

To engage in close combat, he needed time to lay traps like spiderwebs using the invisible steel threads, but Jang Sam-tae did not give him that leisure.

He had to widen the distance as much as possible to pour out attacks using the steel threads, which was his specialty, but the distance was closed before he could even stretch his hand.

Jang Sam-tae was fully utilizing his specialty.

‘Even though there is a clear difference in skill…’

The corners of Gwon Mu-jin’s mouth trembled.

The opponent was an experienced master.

One could realize that just by looking at his movements. Even the internal energy he felt was greater than Jang Sam-tae’s, by no means less.

Yet, the only reason he was being pushed back by Jang Sam-tae was one.

‘He knows how to fight.’

Jang Sam-tae was originally a quick-witted guy.

The moment he grasped his opponent, he instinctively realized how to fight.

Even if his martial talent fell behind, he knew how to use what he had to steer the situation in his favor.

Gwon Mu-jin felt as if he finally understood why Namgung Cheon held Jang Sam-tae in such high regard.

“Aaack! You bastard! That is dangerous!”

Of course, his loose tongue had not vanished either.

To curse the opponent for using lethal moves while using them himself… it was not a thought a martial artist would typically have.

Gwon Mu-jin, letting out a sigh, settled down on one side.

Just then, fortunately, a liquor bottle rolled to his feet. Picking it up and shaking it slightly, there was quite a lot left.

Gwon Mu-jin sipped the alcohol carefully and began to watch the fight leisurely.

“Keep it up.”

“Hey, you bastard!”

Jang Sam-tae glanced back at Gwon Mu-jin and shouted.

Instead of helping, he was watching a fire across the river? Was that any way for a human to act?

Even though the two of them could subdue the opponent much more easily, Gwon Mu-jin showed no intention of stepping in.

Grit!

Jang Sam-tae gnashed his teeth.

However, it was not the time to be distracted by anything else.

The opponent mainly performed martial arts using steel threads, which would slice Jang Sam-tae’s entire body to pieces at the slightest opening.

“Ugh?!”

Jang Sam-tae quickly ducked. He felt something invisible sweep past above his head.

It was a flash of an instant, but there was only one reason he did not miss it.

It was thanks to Dan Woo-hyun’s finger art.

In the past, he had seen Dan Woo-hyun’s finger art countless times and had also learned it, so he could easily track the movement of the steel threads, which was much slower than that.

“Kugh! You fellow!”

The opponent’s urgency was conveyed.

In a situation where he had thought his opponent was of a lower caliber, it was the man who was in a hurry as he was pushed back instead. Therefore, impatience was visible in his movements.

Jang Sam-tae closed the distance and extended his leg.

Countless kicking techniques flew and struck the opponent frantically. Though a light move, it was enough to distract the opponent’s eyes.

The moment the man gnashed his teeth, shook off Jang Sam-tae’s kick, and tried to step aside with footwork, Jang Sam-tae’s finger shot out.

Thud!

“Keheck!”

Something like a ray of light shot out.

It could not be seen or tracked with the eyes. A single line drawn was all it was, and simultaneously with the extension of the light beam, the man’s body floated up and fell backward.

Crash!

“Aaack!”

Gwon Mu-jin, who was watching the situation, sprang up from his seat.

It was because even with his eyes, he could not tell at all what had happened.

A small hole was drilled between the eyebrows of the fallen man, and Jang Sam-tae, who seemed to have shot the finger art, clutched his finger and rolled on the ground.

“It hurts! Oh, Sam-tae is dying, dying!”

He screamed loudly while clutching his finger.

Approaching to check the situation, the flesh of his finger had burst open, blood was leaking, and the bone seemed to have received a heavy impact.

“W… What? You… just now, that…”

“It hurts, you bastard! Doctor! Call a doctor!”

He was by no means exaggerating his pain.

Jang Sam-tae’s flushed face seemed to be in genuine agony.

Gwon Mu-jin swallowed his saliva as he watched that.

If that finger art had been directed at him just now, could he have avoided it? Or could he have blocked it?

Drip!

Cold sweat trickled down.

He instinctively realized that he could never have blocked it.

Where on earth had he learned such martial arts?

Gwon Mu-jin stared blankly at Jang Sam-tae, who was shouting at the top of his lungs.

“Do not just watch, call a doctor, you bastard!”

Jang Sam-tae glared at Gwon Mu-jin and hurled curses.

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