Chapter 89: Chapter 89
Black Blood Gang leader Gang Pa-yang shouted with a flustered expression, looking back and forth between the front door and the rear door.
“These fucking bastards! Backstabbing like this? These son of a bitches…”
The person who shattered the front door and entered was a young man holding a large broadsword on his shoulder. With a small scar under his left eye, he smirked casually while looking at the Black Blood Gang members.
“Backstabbing? What are you talking about? Did we ever have an agreement? We’re just wiping out you guys today.”
At his words, the gang members who entered through the rear door corridor also moved forward, blocking all escape routes for the Black Blood Gang.
Looking around at them, Gang Pa-yang grit his teeth.
“Wang Sam! You bastard, where is your elder brother? Did he send only you?”
The man called Wang Sam snorted *keung* and swung the broadsword on his shoulder.
Gang Pa-yang’s face twisted fiercely.
“…You, Wang Sam! You bastards who rolled in out of nowhere without a home or base are muddying the spirit of Gamsan’s underworld… Right, shit. Let’s fight recklessly as you want then. Hey, boys!”
“Yes! Leader!”
Hearing Gang Pa-yang’s shout, the Black Blood Gang thugs responded loudly and pulled out long and short blades from beneath the tables and chairs spread out in the inn. Dark broadswords, short knives, axes, and more popped out into the hands of Black Blood Gang thugs.
The man called Wang Sam looked at that as if it were absurd, then lightly kicked a table beside him. Thereupon, blades attached beneath the overturned table were revealed.
“…This guy is really funny. Did you attach blades under all the tables in this inn?”
“Since there’s no one here but us right now anyway. Heheh.”
Gang Pa-yang spoke thus with a triumphant smile. Looking at him while tapping his shoulder with his broadsword, Wang Sam soon shouted out loudly,
“Hey! You idiots! If you take out your leader, we’ll accept the rest of you as subordinates! Are you still going to fight? Can’t you see the difference in numbers right now?”
“Eat shit, asshole!”
“We are the Black Blood Gang! We won’t serve under vagrant bastards from who knows where!”
Just as Wang Sam said, the number of Hoe-ryong Gang members surrounding the Black Blood Gang was nearly twice as many. There were so many that some could be seen standing outside in the rain unable to fit inside the inn. However, the Black Blood Gang thugs holding axes and swords each bared their teeth and growled. They didn’t look like they would surrender easily.
“Idiots. If you want to die so badly, I should grant your wish. Attack.”
The Hoe-ryong Gang members surrounding the Black Blood Gang, upon Wang Sam waving his hand in the air once more to give the order, shouted sounds that were either battle cries or screams and began charging in a mob.
Gang Pa-yang glared at them and shouted back,
“Those bastards are just unprincipled fools! Kill them all!”
“Uaaa-!”
Thus the Black Blood Gang and Hoe-ryong Gang collided and began fighting. There were no exchanges of splendid stances or flashes of light from a single strike. The thugs held their respective blades tightly, seeking each other’s blood with dirty yet desperate movements. It was because they were all back alley scoundrels using fists.
Those said to use martial arts stood slightly back, glaring and holding each other in check. Black Blood Gang leader Gang Pa-yang and Hoe-ryong Gang deputy leader Wang Sam were like that. Wang Sam kept his broadsword resting on his shoulder, while Gang Pa-yang held two hand axes pulled from beneath a chair, twirling them in his hands while glaring at him.
And while the Black Blood Gang and Hoe-ryong Gang fought and their leaders sought each other’s openings, Jang Geon, standing in a slightly secluded spot rolling a cigarette with fidgeting hands to put in his mouth and light, looked at the fighting Black Blood Gang with slightly unexpected eyes. Usually, unorthodox or evil factions are those who betray their own side like flipping a hand depending on advantage.
For such people to stick to their leader’s side despite a two-fold numerical disadvantage meant they either had something to rely on or had a reason they couldn’t betray him easily from the start. Jang Geon took a drag of his cigarette, puffing out smoke *hook*, and scratched his chin. Whatever the reason, there was no reason for Jang Geon to step up and save them right now. For until Hoe-ryong Gang broke down the door and entered, they and Jang Geon had been enemies.
Yet as he looked around at them while puffing cigarette smoke, feeling a sudden gaze, he turned his head to find that Hoe-ryong Gang deputy leader named Wang Sam frowning and looking at Jang Geon.
Puffing cigarette smoke, Jang Geon blurted out,
“What are you looking at?”
“…Who is that guy again?”
Wang Sam’s eyes turned toward the Black Blood Gang members lying unconscious around Jang Geon. All of them had been knocked out by Jang Geon’s fists and were still failing to regain consciousness. And realizing that Jang Geon was there following his gaze, Gang Pa-yang suddenly shouted out,
“Th-that guy is Hoe-ryong Gang deputy leader Wang Sam! Including that bastard, the three Wang brothers are the core figures of Hoe-ryong Gang! The Hoe-ryong Gang main base you’re looking for, that guy will know!”
At that shout, Wang Sam’s expression changed slightly.
“…Looking for our main base? What kind of situation is this again?”
Jang Geon put the cigarette back in his mouth and looked at Wang Sam with darkly sunken eyes. His nonchalant posture, his eyes glaring back at him. Yet even in that thug-like posture, his two legs firmly supported his body, and his waist and shoulders were held straight in proper tension. Though he would have to clash directly to be sure, at least among the scoundrels in this place, he possessed the stance of the top expert.
Just then, a thug whose eyes had half turned and was charging at anyone shouted recklessly and attacked Jang Geon. A short broadsword the length of a forearm was held high, flashing a dark light.
However, before that blade could descend, Jang Geon’s right arm blurred instantaneously, and a *puk!* sound echoed faster. The charging thug had his teeth smashed to pieces, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed limp.
Seeing that, Wang Sam tapped his shoulder with the back of his broadsword and wore an enigmatic smile.
“This seems to be a prior guest… Why would you look for our Hoe-ryong Gang main base?”
“Are you the leader?”
Jang Geon answered Wang Sam’s question with a question. Thereupon, Wang Sam snorted *keung* and spoke,
“I am Hoe-ryong Gang deputy leader Wang Sam. As that idiot said, the youngest of the three Wang brothers of Hoe-ryong Gang. Who are you? Why did you butt into this?”
However, Jang Geon had no intention of answering that question and merely tilted his head slightly. At least on the surface, Wang Sam didn’t appear to be a demonic practitioner of the demonic palace. But since all demonic practitioners met until now couldn’t be recognized until they awakened demonic arts, one couldn’t be certain by appearance alone.
“Uaaak-!”
“Die, shit!”
“Ack! M-my arm!”
“You son of a bitch!”
While Jang Geon, Wang Sam, and Gang Pa-yang glared at each other in a triangle formation, the other gang members were fighting with all sorts of demonic shrieks. Red blood poured over the old wooden planks of the inn, and thugs stabbed or cut anywhere let out shouts and screams, then collapsed in the blood-soaked mess, gasping for breath. Those in severe condition ceased breathing before long, while those with remaining strength screamed that it hurt to die.
As a result, the Black Blood Gang was being pushed back. Though they had grit and loyalty, they couldn’t overcome the numerical difference. Seeing that, Gang Pa-yang looked back at them with anxious eyes even while facing the standoff.
Noticing that distracted state, Wang Sam smirked.
“Are you scared now? It’s already too late. I’ll hang all your gang members on the inn street as an example. Not a single one will be left alive.”
“You bastard…”
Wang Sam turned back to Jang Geon with that same smirking face.
“And you. I don’t know what guy you are, but if you don’t intend to speak, just die here together with those bastards. Don’t make it tedious.”
At those words, Jang Geon, who was holding his cigarette, smirked *pisi-k*. Not knowing who someone was yet deciding to kill them first—whether he was a demonic practitioner of the demonic palace or not, at least his attitude was that of a dog-like bastard. Wang Sam tried to say more seeing Jang Geon’s smile.
“What’s so funny, you bastard, you’re…”
Just then, Gang Pa-yang, who was seeking an opening, threw the hand axe in his left hand with full force. The hand axe flew whirling toward Wang Sam’s head.
However, the axe failed to split that head. Wang Sam, who wasn’t even looking that way, swung his broadsword on his shoulder as if a third eye were attached, and a metallic clatter *chaeng!* echoed as Gang Pa-yang’s axe was repelled far away.
“Die!”
However, moving simultaneously with throwing the axe, Gang Pa-yang rushed into Wang Sam’s wide-open front from swinging his broadsword and brought down the hand axe in his right hand. The axe blade gleamed blue, seemingly imbued with his lifelong internal energy.
Wang Sam extended his empty left hand toward that hand axe. That appeared more like a reflexive defensive movement than any martial art.
Gang Pa-yang saw that hand as well. Intending to split that hand and Wang Sam’s head together, he put more force into his hand holding the axe. And a split second later, his axe blade and Wang Sam’s hand met.
“…Huh?”
Gang Pa-yang’s axe failed to cut Wang Sam’s hand. That hand was neither cut nor injured by the axe blade. It simply caught Gang Pa-yang’s axe with a *teok*. In that moment defying common sense, Gang Pa-yang couldn’t snap to his senses and stared blankly between his caught axe and Wang Sam.
Wang Sam grinned *ssee-ik*.
“I will specially hang your head at the highest point of the street.”
Afterward, the broadsword flashed, and Gang Pa-yang’s severed head flew off to one side and fell with a *tuk*. The body that lost its head gushed blood *jureu-reuk* before slumping down.
Even covered in that gushing blood, Wang Sam far from feeling bad was actually in a good mood, still smirking. He adjusted his grip on the caught axe with a swish and looked back at Jang Geon. Jang Geon stood stock-still with fingers hooked in his belt, puffing cigarette smoke while looking back at him. Only the cigarette light flashed red in the dim space, faintly illuminating Jang Geon’s face beneath the bamboo hat.
“…You don’t seem to be an invited expert or warrior of the Black Blood Gang. Too calm. Really, what guy are you? Are you affiliated with the Martial Alliance?”
Even at Wang Sam’s repeated question, Jang Geon took a deep drag of the remaining cigarette, then flicked the butt with his finger *tak*. And exhaling smoke, he spoke,
“Are you Green Snake too? Or Black Snake?”
The smirking face of Wang Sam covered in blood quickly hardened. With a chilling expression, he raised his broadsword and pointed it at Jang Geon.
“…You’re not someone to kill, but someone to capture and interrogate.”
“Well, that’s what I should be saying.”
Answering thus, Jang Geon twisted his grip on the scabbard at his waist with his left hand while surveying the inside of the inn. The Black Blood Gang, which seemed pushed back, ultimately failed to reverse the situation and was entirely lying on the floor in that brief moment. Even the one in the best condition was pinned down on the floor by Hoe-ryong Gang.
The Hoe-ryong Gang members who wiped out the Black Blood Gang were catching their rough breath and looking over here. Murderous intent glinted in their eyes, looking as if they would charge at Jang Geon the moment Wang Sam gave the order.
Where Jang Geon’s eyes finally landed were the Black Blood Gang members who had been beaten unconscious by his fists earlier. Among them lay the Ja brothers pinned down without having been hit by Jang Geon after entering this inn. Ja-myeong and Ja-un, lying pinned, rolled their eyes and froze stiff when meeting eyes with Jang Geon who looked over.
The moment Jang Geon smirked *pisi-k* seeing that, Wang Sam, taking it for an opening, raised his broadsword and hand axe with a flash. Simultaneously, Jang Geon’s sword left its scabbard.
After a metallic clashing sound *chae-chaeng!* echoed, Wang Sam was repelled sideways and rolled over the tables of the inn. Cleanly severed broadsword blade and axe pieces rolled *ting-ting* around him.
Jang Geon held the posture of extending his sword forward for a moment, then soon flicked his sword *hwik-hwik* and stood straight. Setting aside severing the sword and axe, the sensation felt on the sword afterward was strange. His sword, which had a large chip missing in the middle, was vibrating *wing-wing*.
“Fast… unbelievable.”
Just then, Wang Sam, who had rolled over the tables, pushed off the floor with a *tak* and stood up. Though staggering briefly, he stood upright and turned back to Jang Geon. The chest of his clothes was split horizontally long. But blood didn’t seem to flow.
Wang Sam found the tattered clothes uncomfortable, grabbed his own upper garment, and ripped it off. With a tearing sound *udu-duk*, his upper clothes were torn away, exposing his upper torso. On his chest, except for a red line drawn horizontally long, no wound was visible. He straightened his waist and said arrogantly,
“…However, no matter how fast you are, you cannot cut my flesh. The sharpness of blades does not work on me.”
Hearing those words, Jang Geon let out a hollow laugh. For calling it not working, the skin raised red and the shivering body seemed to whine that it hurt.
“Brat, stop bluffing.”
Shaking his head *hwi-hwi*, Jang Geon sheathed his sword and leaped forward abruptly.
Wang Sam, who thought Jang Geon would be flustered and was displaying his upper body, tried to step back hastily and respond at the sight of Jang Geon charging in a flash. However, Jang Geon, approaching three beats faster than his backward steps, struck his jaw straight on.
“Eok!”
A crunching sound *wagazak* echoed as Wang Sam’s jaw spun. Without stopping there, Jang Geon pivoted smoothly on his left foot and delivered a roundhouse kick to the opposite jaw. Wang Sam couldn’t even scream this time. His head, which had spun in the opposite direction of the kick, snapped back into place, and with eyes completely rolled back, Wang Sam tilted forward and collapsed.
Dusting off his hands *tak-tak*, Jang Geon looked around the quieted inn as if cold water had been poured over it. The Hoe-ryong Gang members who had been standing half-ready quietly lowered the blades in their hands at that gaze.