Chapter 161: Chapter 161
Cheon-hwi, who descended the mountain with the Fifth Chief Steward, looked ahead with shining eyes.
“It’s neat.”
Cheon-hwi spoke out the impression that came to mind the moment he saw it.
A long, continuous path amidst a mountain trail with nothing else around.
And the inn sitting all alone at the end of that path caught his eye.
The inn, with its neat exterior appealing as if it were newly built, was simple, but thanks to that, it blended together with the surrounding green bushes and exuded a strange charm.
To the point where anyone passing by this mountain trail would unwittingly have their eyes drawn to it.
“Looking at it like this, it seems completely built, so what is unfinished?”
“The inside.”
The Fifth Chief Steward went inside the inn as he spoke, and Cheon-hwi followed behind him.
And he could immediately see the problem.
The inn was completely empty inside.
There were no chairs, nor tables.
And there was not even a single item that should be equipped inside.
“Whenever I try to bring in the items, those guys keep interfering…”
The Fifth Chief Steward frowned as he recalled the matter that had been giving him a headache over the past few days.
“Now the merchants who need to transport the goods are slowly avoiding us. At this rate, we’re in a situation where we have to hire porters separately…”
Around the time he spat out words close to a lamentation.
Swish…
The sound of the beaded curtain being lifted was heard.
The person who entered the inn was a man with a sturdy build, and a sharp knife scar was clearly drawn on his cheek.
He swaggered and looked around, then discovered the Fifth Chief Steward and immediately approached.
“Oho. Where are you wandering around so much without paying back your money?”
The Fifth Chief Steward was slightly intimidated by his size, but he glared and said.
“I’ve said it time and time again, but I have no money to pay you back.”
“What? You have no money to pay back?”
The man clicked his tongue, spat out, and then stomped heavily on the innocent floor.
“You built an inn on our land however you pleased, and now…”
“Wow, it’s my first time seeing a guy speak and act so rudely.”
The man quickly turned his head at the voice that suddenly interjected.
He squinted his eyes upon seeing Cheon-hwi.
‘He’s disgustingly handsome.’
At Cheon-hwi’s sharp but outstanding appearance, the man raised his chin and said.
“What are you?”
“I’m someone staying at this inn.”
“Hah.”
The man shook his head as if he was dumbfounded, and then stared at Cheon-hwi’s waist.
“You must think you know no fear in the world just because you wear two swords, but for you to meddle here right now… Keuak!”
The man who was speaking suddenly let out a scream and grabbed his shin.
Thump! Thump!
Cheon-hwi rested the scabbard that had struck the man’s shin on his shoulder and approached the man who was still jumping up and down.
“You sure jump well with that size.”
“You… You bastard!”
The moment the man gritted his teeth and tried to swing his fist at Cheon-hwi, Cheon-hwi smacked his face with the scabbard.
Crack!
Pure white teeth scattered in the air, and blood splattered from his mouth.
And soon, with a thump, the man collapsed on the floor in a large spread-eagle shape.
“Did I hit him too hard.”
Cheon-hwi, who was tapping the unconscious man, looked at the Fifth Chief Steward and asked.
“Do you have water?”
“I do, but why suddenly water…”
“I have to wake this guy up.”
A moment later, Cheon-hwi splashed the water.
Splash!
The man, who had fainted from the sudden bucket of water, abruptly raised his upper body.
“U-Uheok!”
Unable to grasp the situation yet, he shook his head and looked around, then flinched when he discovered Cheon-hwi.
Cheon-hwi twisted the corners of his mouth and asked.
“Where did you say you came from?”
“H-Heugyumu-.”
The man hurriedly answered the question. But his pronunciation was crushed because the inside of his mouth was burst and his teeth were missing.
Cheon-hwi looked at the Fifth Chief Steward and asked.
“What is he saying?”
The Fifth Chief Steward smiled awkwardly.
“He probably means the Black Liu Sect (劉).”
“Black Liu Sect?”
Cheon-hwi tilted his head.
“Where is that.”
The Fifth Chief Steward’s expression cooled down.
“It is a Black Path sect that operates a brothel and a gambling house in this vicinity.”
“In this vicinity?”
Cheon-hwi asked as if he was puzzled.
No matter how far this place was from Mount Hua, wasn’t it still near the Mount Hua Sect.
The answer to such a question came straight from the Fifth Chief Steward’s mouth.
“No matter if the Mount Hua Sect is in this vicinity, wouldn’t it be hard for them to care about deeply hidden gambling houses or brothels. The Black Liu Sect are the ones who reach out to such places and receive money.”
“Ah! So you’re saying they are guys who can’t bear to step out into Jianghu, and just try to rip off commoners’ money?”
As Cheon-hwi spoke sharply, the Fifth Chief Steward gave an awkward smile.
“That is right.”
“Hmm, so that’s how it is.”
Grab.
Cheon-hwi grabbed the nape of the man’s neck and swiftly lifted him up as if pulling out a root.
And he made eye contact and asked.
“Why is this the Black Liu Sect’s land? They already bought this land over there.”
“I-I do- don’ gnow.”
The man, who answered urgently, shook his head from side to side so hard his neck might fall off.
“D-De Zect Leader ordered it so I jus did it.”
“What are you saying?”
When Cheon-hwi showed a dissatisfied expression, the man’s complexion turned pale white.
At that time, the Fifth Chief Steward intervened.
“Are you saying the Black Liu Sect Leader ordered it?”
At his words, the man made an expression of survival and nodded his head up and down.
“Those guys…”
Around the time the Fifth Chief Steward’s eyes became fierce after finally finding out the identity of the culprit.
“Black Liu Sect, huh…”
Cheon-hwi let go of the man’s nape.
“Guide me.”
* * *
Cheon-hwi, who arrived at the village with the man, entered the alleyway instead of the street.
As soon as they entered the extremely narrow alley.
“Hehe. Please spare a penny.”
“Heu, heuheu.”
The atmosphere changed in an instant.
There were people begging, and those sprawling on their backs intoxicated by drugs and alcohol everywhere, and no one cared about them.
As if it were natural.
And some people strutted around the alley exuding killing intent.
“H-Here it is.”
The man quickly pointed at them.
“Then you wait here.”
The man nodded like crazy.
As Cheon-hwi approached them closely.
“Hm? What are you, you bastard?”
“What is this guy who’s only tall?”
They scrunched their eyes and opened their mouths.
Next, right around the time they quickly scanned Cheon-hwi up and down and finally discovered the two swords at his waist and became wary.
“This is the Black Liu Sect, right?”
At Cheon-hwi’s words, their expressions quickly relaxed as if ice was melting.
“What, it was a customer?”
The man on the left smiled brightly.
“I was wondering what it was.”
The man turned his body.
Then, he swiftly lifted the cloth in the back, and stairs heading downwards appeared.
“It seems today is your first time, but if you go inside, the world will look different.”
“Enjoy yourself immensely for a spell.”
They each said a word, stepped aside, and gestured.
The moment Cheon-hwi passed them and stepped onto the stairs, the scent of alcohol rose up.
‘Did a drinking party break out?’
When he reached the end of the stairs, a room dimly lit by red light appeared.
There were many tables inside, and the place was fully packed with guys holding liquor bottles.
But something was strange.
They were not paying attention to the gambling, and were stealthily glancing at one place.
‘They were all one gang.’
As Cheon-hwi, who grasped their identity at once, shifted his gaze in the direction they were looking.
“This makes no sense! You are a swindler, a swindler! My entire fortune!”
A voice filled with spite pounded his ears.
A middle-aged man was slamming the table with both fists and letting out a loud shout.
The man sitting in front smiled gently.
“Hoho, dear customer. Where are you saying there is a swindler here?”
At that time.
Grab!
The middle-aged man grabbed the man by the collar.
“Where are you pulling tricks! I clearly saw everything on the left! Right now, you, you guys are all colluding, aren’t you!”
Instantly, the inside of the room turned cold.
Around the time the middle-aged man felt something strange at the suddenly cold atmosphere.
“Customer. You shouldn’t interfere with business.”
A man with a sturdy physique appeared, grabbed the middle-aged man’s shoulder, and dragged him out.
“L-Let go of this! Give me my money…”
Cheon-hwi watched him rampaging even as he was dragged away, and grabbed just anyone and asked.
“Where is the Black Liu Sect Leader?”
Everyone’s gaze focused on Cheon-hwi.
“You’re looking for the Sect Leader right now…?”
“What nonsense are you babbling…”
Around the time they were each saying a word.
Clap!
The man who had swindled all the middle-aged man’s fortune earlier clapped his hands and laughed.
“Why are you looking for the Sect Leader?”
“I have something to ask.”
The man’s curved eyes narrowed.
“Hoho, then will you make a bet with me?”
Along with his words, the man placed two cups in front of him.
“If you win, I will tell you where the Black Liu Sect Leader is. Instead, if I win, you must grant me one wish.”
“Well, that much, I don’t mind.”
Cheon-hwi plopped down on a chair.
The man, who was watching Cheon-hwi gladly accept it, put a marble in a cup.
“Now. Look closely. You just have to find the cup with the marble inside.”
The man showed quick hand movements.
“Ooooh!”
At the man’s hand movements moving dazzlingly, the people watching exclaimed in admiration.
‘Capturing Hand? No. It’s superior to that.’
Around the time Cheon-hwi was also watching the man’s technique, which was far superior to the martial arts level he possessed.
Clack.
The man stopped his hands.
“Now, try to guess where it is.”
“The left.”
The man, who heard Cheon-hwi’s answer, lifted the left cup with a confident expression.
There was nothing under the cup.
The man smiled fishily.
“You’ve lost.”
As soon as those words ended, the people around gathered one by one.
Without missing a single person, emitting killing intent.
However, Cheon-hwi was very nonchalant.
“What are you saying. I won.”
“What does that…”
Slash!
A gruesome sound was heard.
At the same time, a bloody line seemed to be drawn on the man’s left hand, and then it fell onto the table.
“Keuaaaak!”
Belatedly, the man grabbed his severed left wrist and let out a scream.
“What is this right now…”
Around the time everyone was bewildered.
Swish…
Cheon-hwi picked up the fallen left hand, and then unfolded the fingers one by one.
And he took out the hidden marble.
“Look. Left, right?”
As Cheon-hwi spoke with a smile.
“Y-You bastard!”
The man, who was stopping the bleeding on his left wrist with a cloth, shouted with a spiteful face.
“Everyone kill that bastard!”
“U-Understood! Sect Leader!”
Then, the big guys who were around all rushed at once.
“As expected, you were the Black Liu Sect Leader.”
Cheon-hwi watched the people charging at him with a nonchalant expression and then stood up from the chair.
In the meantime, he got closer to them.
“Die!”
Eventually, they began to tangle into one.
The Black Liu Sect Leader ground his teeth as he looked at Cheon-hwi surrounded by the disciples.
“To dare cut my hand and think you can return safely…”
At that time, the Black Liu Sect Leader’s confident voice gradually grew smaller and then died out.
“Wh-What is this…”
Thud, thud.
The disciples who had rushed at the young man were falling to the floor powerlessly and passing out.
“Only you are left.”
As Cheon-hwi, who stepped on the bodies fallen on the floor, dusted off his hands and approached him.
“I-I’m sorry!”
The Black Liu Sect Leader immediately knelt.
“Enough of that.”
Cheon-hwi looked down at him and asked.
“I have one thing I want to ask.”
“A-Ask anything!”
“You know the newly built inn near Mount Hua, right?”
“I-I know it.”
“Why did you claim ownership there?”
Perhaps because death was right before his eyes, the Black Liu Sect Leader’s brain became extremely brilliant.
“I will never do that again.”
“That’s not what I’m asking.”
Cheon-hwi looked at him pathetically.
“I asked why you claimed it.”
“S-Since it’s the land of the slash-and-burn farmers, I thought maybe we could claim ownership however we pleased…”
“So you’re saying you arbitrarily claimed ownership of that land in order to extort money. Right?”
“T-That is right.”
“We really suffered because of that stunt. Originally, the inn would have already been completed and doing business by now.”
“I-I’m sorry. I will never even show my face there again!”
“Now of all times?”
The Black Liu Sect Leader’s breath caught in his throat.
“T-That was because I failed to recognize the Great Hero…”
“I don’t think that’s it.”
Cheon-hwi cut his words cleanly.
“Earlier, you were full of thoughts of killing me just like the person your subordinate took away just now. Isn’t that right?”
The Black Liu Sect Leader’s hair stood on end.
He was seeing through everything.
The fact that he tried to kill him too.
And the fact that he killed that person just now too.
At that time, Cheon-hwi let out a chuckle.
“If you intend to kill others, shouldn’t you be prepared that you can be killed too?”
As a thick killing intent flowed out from Cheon-hwi’s body, the Black Liu Sect Leader glared his eyes wide.
“P-Please, just spare my life… Keok!”
Stab!
Cheon-hwi’s hand pierced through his neck.
“It was a more outstanding technique than I thought so I wondered if he had something hidden, but was that all.”
As he threw the corpse of the wide-eyed Black Liu Sect Leader among the dead bodies and came outside.
“Puhat! What? The Sect Leader is in danger?”
“Tsk tsk, you came back beaten up from somewhere, and now have you lost your mind? Who is the Sect Leader for you to say he’s in danger.”
Boisterous sounds were heard.
“Ugh, d-de guy who went inzide…”
The man, who had left a clear bruise mark on his cheek, was speaking diligently to the two at the entrance, and then froze upon discovering Cheon-hwi.
Cheon-hwi looked at the three and grinned.
“Ah, I forgot for a moment. You guys were here too?”
“Huh?”
“Did he already come out…”
The moment the two were about to turn their bodies at the low voice heard from behind.
Flash…
A streak of light swallowed them.
“Then shall I return now.”
Cheon-hwi, who finally took care of all three of them, threw their corpses inside the stairs and slipped out of the alleyway.
* * *
Step… Step…
Around that time, there was someone entering this way from the alley on the opposite side.
“Hm? Where did these guys go?”
The old man with thick white hair squinted his eyes at the absence of the guys who should normally be guarding the door, and then moved his steps.
Step… Step…
As he took vigorous steps with his hands clasped behind his back, he momentarily wrinkled the bridge of his nose.
“…The smell of blood?”
As soon as he smelled the blood, he quickly performed a footwork and went down the stairs.
Clack.
The old man, who arrived at the gambling house in a single breath, crumpled his eyes at the sight spread out around him.
“To dare touch my only source of money…!”
The old man, who expressed his anger while shuddering, soon moved while exuding a terrible killing intent.
“I don’t know what kind of bastard it is, but I will find him and tear him to pieces to kill him.”
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