Chapter 57: Chapter 57
Ma Jin-gu studied Ma I-sin with an anxious expression.
Honestly, since being thoroughly humiliated at Chiseonru, he’d been counting the days until revenge, grinding his teeth.
So he’d been more eager than anyone for good news from the Slaughterhouse.
‘How exactly do they operate? Cheap assassin bastards.’
According to rumors, they’d suffered a crushing defeat at Wolha Village and were now being hunted by the Guardian Dragon Hall.
So he’d rushed to report to Ma I-sin.
But whatever the man was thinking, he seemed utterly indifferent.
Sitting blankly, gazing at the scenery.
The scenery was indeed first-rate.
The panoramic view of Sanu Valley’s gorge was breathtaking. Waterfall sounds from both sides soothed the soul.
‘Then again, with over ten villas like this, why would Brother even flinch at losing the Slaughterhouse… Besides, those naked women sprawled in the room behind him are all renowned courtesans. Supposedly hard to even glimpse their faces… So fucking jealous.’
Ma Jin-gu swallowed hard and stole glances at the room behind. The saying went that when a cousin buys land, your stomach hurts. But by his standard, Ma I-sin was so far above that he couldn’t even feel envy. He shouldn’t.
Everything in this villa, from the paintings on the walls to the orchids, to the white robe draped on the chair, all required staggering wealth to possess.
And when Ma I-sin became family head, hundreds of officials rank Fifth Grade Ghost and above would come running at his call and flatten themselves.
Born with power already in hand.
Even his martial achievements were outstanding. He’d once been regarded alongside Cheon Mu-gi as the twin pillars of the cult’s rising generation.
‘If only Brother had been adopted instead of that dog-shit Mao…’
Then the cult’s foremost rising star wouldn’t be Cheon Mu-gi. It would be Ma I-sin.
Not that it mattered either way.
‘He’ll be the head of the Elder Council someday anyway. I just need to stay close and gobble up the crumbs that fall.’
Ma Jin-gu painted a rosy future while scanning the naked women shifting in the room.
Then.
“Jin-gu.”
Ma I-sin spoke, having been staring blankly.
“Sir? Yes, Brother.”
Ma Jin-gu bowed deeply, assuming the face of a loyal, dependable dog.
“The one who dropped you. Jang I-seo, was it?”
“Yes. That’s right. I looked into him. Utterly rootless bastard. An outsider with no family, no connections. Total piece of shit.”
“I see. Then how much would that dog cost?”
“His life? Hmm. Well, you’d just need to let me share a bed with one of the women in that room, and he wouldn’t last the day. Heh heh.”
Ma Jin-gu glanced greedily at the room again. Then from Ma I-sin came an utterly unexpected response.
“No. Not his life.”
“Then?”
“Bringing him under me. How much would it take to bring him in?”
“Wh-what!”
Ma Jin-gu’s face filled with horror and betrayal.
“Surely, Brother. You’re thinking of taking him in?”
“Didn’t you say the Slaughterhouse got hit? The blade broke. I need to buy a new one.”
“Even so, Brother… This is too much. That bastard threw me off the fifth floor. You saw it. My arm was wrapped in bandages for weeks.”
“True.”
Ma I-sin nodded as if remembering.
“Ugh… But you want to use that kind of man as your blade. I’m hurt, Brother. Some rootless nobody. Let me find you someone who uses a blade well…”
“Jin-gu.”
Shlk. Ma I-sin turned to look at Ma Jin-gu for the first time. Eyes so empty and murky, impossible to read. Somehow, that alone sent tension creeping.
Ma Jin-gu swallowed and answered.
“Yes, Brother.”
“But since that rootless nobody appeared… you got dropped, and the Slaughterhouse got wrecked. Right?”
“That’s true, but…”
“Then let’s do this.”
“Sir?”
Ma I-sin slowly rose. He gripped the back of a wooden chair beside him.
Then.
CRACK!
“Gah!”
He struck Ma Jin-gu’s head. Wood splinters scattered. Ma Jin-gu crumpled to the floor, staring up in utter disbelief.
Ma I-sin grinned, gripping a broken chair leg, and spoke.
“It was this arm back then, right? Then let’s make it two legs this time. That should settle it.”
“B-Brother! W-wait a minute! What’s this all about!”
“You said you were hurt. Jang I-seo took one of your arms, so I’ll break both your legs. That makes what Jang I-seo did seem trivial, so you should be able to accept it. Right?”
“W-wait… AAAAAGH-!”
THWACK, THWACK, THWACK!
Ma I-sin battered Ma Jin-gu’s shins until the chair leg splintered to nothing. Flashing a bright, gums-baring smile.
Both of Ma Jin-gu’s shins turned crimson. His weasel-like face became that of a weakling writhing in agony.
Clatter.
Satisfied, Ma I-sin tossed the broken wood aside.
“Bring him.”
Then FWIP! A massive shadow descended where no one had been. An elderly man with white hair, wearing stealth clothing, powerfully built.
He had no proper name. The Ma family called him the Slave Lord.
Simply put, the highest among slaves.
A gift from his father, First Elder Ma Il-seong, when he’d come of age.
“Yes.”
The Slave Lord hoisted Ma Jin-gu with one hand and slung him over his shoulder. Incredible strength belying his wrinkled face.
Ma I-sin sat back down on the porch with empty eyes.
But right then, a rare sight entered his vision from the distance.
A man with long, tied-up curly hair.
Wielding two hand axes, walking up the straight path toward him.
Cutting down Ma family slaves who tried to block him without hesitation.
The second of the Sa brothers.
Sa Ho-jeong.
Ma I-sin’s lips slowly curled into a gums-baring smile. Not because he was glad to see his associate. Simply because watching slaves get demolished left and right was funny.
“MA I-SIIIIIIN-!”
Thirty paces away, Sa Ho-jeong roared at the sky. His body was soaked from the waterfall spray. His face was etched with resentment and exhaustion.
Thud. The Slave Lord set Ma Jin-gu down and stepped forward. Ma I-sin smiled broadly and raised a hand to stop him.
“Let him. Tell him to come.”
The Slave Lord’s brow twitched. By the Ma family’s intelligence, Sa Ho-jeong had already been issued a warrant by the cult.
Any association invited trouble. Trouble that could reach his master, First Elder and family head Ma Il-seong.
“Yes.”
But the Slave Lord cut off his own thoughts cleanly, as befitted the supreme slave. He stepped back and signaled the other slaves to stand down and clear the path.
Footstep, footstep.
Sa Ho-jeong approached the porch, blood dripping from both hand axes.
If Ma I-sin’s eyes were empty, Sa Ho-jeong’s were sinister.
In short, neither was in their right mind.
“Big Brother.”
Sa Ho-jeong spoke first. Ma I-sin nodded and replied.
“The trade. Weren’t you meeting the Iron Horse Bandits?”
“Bullshit… Canceled it.”
“Do-cheol would be upset.”
“Heh heh. Right. Fuck. Knowing him, he’d bitch about how much the deal was worth again.”
“Why did he do that?”
“I don’t know, fuck. You know me. I do what I feel. But Brother…”
Sa Ho-jeong scratched his forehead with the flat of his axe, blood smearing.
“I got a warrant issued. Did you know?”
“Heard…”
FWIIIISH!
Before the answer finished, Sa Ho-jeong’s axe flew straight at Ma I-sin’s face.
And just before it struck his forehead.
THUD!
The white-haired slave appeared instantly. The axe was caught in his palm.
But more remarkable was that not a single drop of blood fell from the impacted hand. The flesh was thick with calluses, like a frog’s foot pads.
“Fuck. Can’t kill you.”
Sa Ho-jeong clicked his tongue and flopped down on the ground. Ma I-sin giggled without a trace of surprise.
Both undeniably insane.
“The Guardian Dragon Hall issued a warrant for me without any prior notice. That means they intend to extract the price of your defeat from you.”
This time Ma I-sin opened the dialogue. Despite his hazy eyes, the assessment was precise.
Naturally, to the ignorant Sa Ho-jeong, it was infuriating nonsense.
“Ah. Big Brother talks so funnily. No, fuck. How is this our defeat? You lost. You used us as your blade to crush your bastard brother. If the blade broke, the one who swung it should take responsibility.”
“What can be done? That’s the difference in birth. If a rooster loses in a cockfight, you can’t very well demand the owner’s head.”
Hah. Few bastards in the world could say something like that with such genuine, guileless laughter.
Sa Ho-jeong spat and muttered.
“Fuck. Can’t even tell us apart from the righteous sect bastards. All the same.”
Haha! Ma I-sin erupted in laughter. The Sa brothers always entertained him. Mindless recklessness. That vulgarity was what he liked.
“So. What do you plan to do?”
Barely suppressing his laughter, Ma I-sin asked. Sa Ho-jeong replied with a sullen expression.
“What do you think? You know me. I can’t let this go.”
“Can’t let it go. But the Guardian Dragon Hall’s already set up checkpoints everywhere to catch you. You’re a rat in a jar.”
“I know. Fuck. Already killed a few. That’s why I’m here, Brother. Get me a way through. To Wolha Village.”
What an utterly planless request. Ma I-sin raised his cheekbones and asked.
“How?”
“Nothing fancy. Just prepare a carriage. I’ll ride with you. They wouldn’t dare open it.”
Not bad thinking. Ma I-sin nodded broadly. True. To open a carriage carrying the Ma family’s legitimate heir, you’d need at least a Hall Master.
“So. Once you reach Wolha Village?”
“Seventh Young Master, adjutant, whatever. I’ll kill them all and figure it out after. Good for you too, right? Isn’t that what you wanted? I’ll clean up all the annoying bastards for you. You just say… hostage. Yeah. Say you were taken hostage. How about it? Good?”
Good, he says. The Ma family’s legitimate heir, taken hostage by a wanted assassin and dragged to the Seventh Young Master’s residence. He’d never show his face again. Truly the most ignorant plan imaginable.
But,
“This should be entertaining.”
If anyone was unpredictable, Ma I-sin was equally so.