Episode 25. Selling drugs in front of someone!
There are ten people left in Sanghwagak.
They include Chae Ju-in, Pung Yeon-cho, his six sworn brothers, Han Chae-yeon, Ha So-baek, and Lee Cheol-san.
Poongyeoncho, who was scratching his head, said with an embarrassed face.
“I’m sorry I was stubborn, and thank you for staying.”
The excited Poongyeoncho nodded while making eye contact with each person.
But even if the women who learned martial arts from their sworn brothers and their rivals were like that, Lee Cheol-san was a bit surprising. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t understand why he stayed by my side.
So, Poongyeoncho felt more grateful to Lee Cheolsan.
“Cheolsan… … was a man of loyalty.”
Lee Cheol-san just smiled awkwardly at the touching gaze of Pungyeoncho.
After a while, Poongyeoncho, who had collected his emotions, led the people outside. Just like the last time at Nanyangsangbang, he blocked the entrance to Sanchae.
Maybe because I had already experienced it once, the work wasn’t difficult.
Before the sun set, the remaining bandits and the wind chimes were able to build the entrance and even the second wall. The time was shortened because there were still building materials left in the mountain.
As night fell, Obongsanchae was enveloped in darkness.
The mountain village, which was bustling with people in the morning, was now as quiet as a cemetery. The mountain village, where even the mothers and children had all been sent down, was the very definition of silence.
Poongyeoncho lit a bonfire in the yard.
Perhaps because the bed was in disarray, people began to gather around the campfire one by one.
As everyone gathered, Poongyeoncho revealed his thoughts.
“I think it would be better to take turns standing guard starting today. We’ll arrive tomorrow, but there’s a chance they’ll make a surprise attack.”
The thieves nodded at his words.
It usually takes about two days to get there, but if you make the effort and hurry, you can get there in one day.
“If you see an old Taoist priest, he will run away through the back road, so prepare yourself mentally.”
“Yes, brother.”
“I will open my eyes wide and take a look.”
Poongyeoncho looked around at her brothers with complicated eyes.
Tak Go-myeong, who was once a monk, Ma Hyeong-do, an escaped robber, Heo Im-dal, a petty thief, and Gok San-cheong and Jang So-bong, who were from the slash-and-burn farming community. Looking back, it’s already been five years since we’ve spent time together.
I even became sworn brothers to take advantage of Yeonjeokha, but now that I think about it, it was a good thing. I didn’t know they would stay by my side until the end.
“I feel like I’m a lucky person.”
The thieves who noticed Poongyeoncho’s feelings snickered.
Han Chae-yeon, who was digging through the fire with a branch, suddenly jumped up from her seat.
“Big brother.”
“why?”
“Don’t discriminate against people and include us as sworn brothers. We have to be together whether we live or die. Yes?”
After thinking for a moment, Poongyeoncho asked the other two people.
“Do you agree with Chaeyeon?”
“yes!”
“yes.”
Ha So-baek had always wanted to say this, but Lee Cheol-san was caught up in the atmosphere and quickly answered. In a place like this, there would be no one who could say no alone.
“Hmm! Really? I don’t think I’m bad, but what do you guys think?”
The six sworn brothers did not particularly object.
Those three were worthy of being sworn brothers just by remaining in the mountains.
“Okay, okay. From now on, Cheolsan will be eight, Chaeyeon will be nine, and Sobaek will be the youngest.”
In this way, the number of sworn brothers increased to ten.
There was no grand ceremony to become sworn brothers, but Han Chae-yeon smiled brightly. This was because she knew that Poongyeon-cho and the six sworn brothers had also become sworn brothers in this way.
If there had been a thief who knew the rules, he might have imitated the Peach Garden Oath from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. However, Poongyeoncho and the other thieves were of such low standards that they did not realize their shortcomings.
I didn’t hate the fact that my sworn brothers had grown closer to me.
To him, a sworn brother was not a ‘precious person who shares life and death with you through thick and thin’, but a close friend. It was something that went a step further than the words ‘brother’ and ‘family’ that thieves habitually used.
***
The next evening, Mansu Sangbang’s punitive force arrived at Hagachon.
The first thing that the leader of the Gwangpung Swordsman Sangmucheon did was to find a place to stay, because the inn in Hagachon could not accommodate the seventy members of the punitive force.
He first distributed the empty rooms in the inn to the merchants and merchants. Then he went around the village with the village chief to find places for other warriors to sleep.
Late at night when everyone is asleep.
Sangmucheon and the two other major shareholders barely finished arranging the accommodations and gathered at the inn’s restaurant to eat dinner, which they had put off.
The chef, who was resting at the inn, was called out again to serve the three people, but he did not lose his smile on his face. This was because Mansu Sangbang was a big customer of the inn.
With a simple dinner in front of him, Baekrangdae Grand Master Kang Mu-deok said.
“Dear Lord Dong, did you see the village chief’s face earlier? He looked like he had eaten shit… … .”
Donghaksu, the great leader of Heukungdae, nodded as if he agreed.
“That’s right. I came here to subdue the bandits, so why are you acting so sulky?”
As the two people grumbled, General Sangmucheon snickered.
“Well, it must have been awkward for you to come so late and ask to borrow our house. The village chief also worked hard to guide us until late at night, so please don’t criticize him too much.”
“Who would use it for free? They gave me plenty of money… … .”
“I’m full, I’m full.”
Despite the chief’s persuasion, the two chiefs did not stop gossiping about the village chief. It was the first time they had been treated so rudely while working as chiefs of the Mansu Sangbang, and it was a great shock.
As the meal was almost over, someone approached where the three were.
Sangmucheon glanced back and pretended not to know.
“Baek Dae-ju? Nice to meet you.”
Baek An-gi, the master of Hwapungdaeju at Baekhwasangbang in Dongbaek-hyeon, showed his lottery ticket to three people.
“It’s been a while. I was wondering who you were at this late hour, and it turns out you’re from Mansu Sangbang.”
The four people stared at each other with awkward expressions.
Sangmucheon, the oldest, spoke first.
“I didn’t hear any news that there was a meeting today… … What’s going on until now?”
Sangmucheon thought, ‘It seems like Baekhwasangbang came to spy on us.’ Just like what Mansu Sangbang did when Namyang Sangbang sent a punitive force to Hagachon.
But that was Sangmucheon’s misunderstanding.
Baek An-gi hesitated for a moment and then spoke with an ambiguous expression.
“I am currently on a quest to find a new route at the direction of the Lord. Oh, I heard the story about Mansu Sangbang here.”
So, that means I’m not here to spy or anything.
Sangmucheon smiled as if it didn’t matter at all.
“I was thinking of Obongsan-ro at Baekhwasangbang. I’ll hear good news tomorrow.”
“I hope everything goes well. Well, I guess that’s it for me.”
Baek An-gi bowed and turned around.
His expression as he walked to his lodgings looked somewhat complicated. He had come to check on the really good route, but he had met the punitive force, so it couldn’t be helped.
Kang Moo-deok clicked his tongue lightly, not knowing the speed.
“Tsk! We might do the tricks and Baekhwasangbang might make the money.”
Sangmucheon said in a calm tone.
“Don’t worry about it. We’re only responsible for the upper escort anyway. Isn’t business the merchants’ job? The ark owners will take care of the trade route issues.”
Daeryukkwon Donghaksu, who was quietly drinking tea, spoke to Kang Mu-deok.
“But, Lord Kang, I’m talking about that young thief from Obongsanchae.”
“yes”
“How many seconds can you last in the hands of the Master of Heaven and Earth?”
Sangmucheon also looked at Kang Moo-deok’s mouth with curious eyes.
I’m curious about his evaluation after directly crossing swords with the young thief of Mt. Obong.
But unexpectedly, Kang Mu-deok’s mouth did not open easily.
“Well. Five seconds? Ten seconds? Twenty seconds?”
It took a long time for him to answer, but even then, it was still in the form of a question.
That means there’s no way to know how long the fight will last.
Sangmucheon frowned.
However, there was no change in Kang Moo-hyuk’s attitude. The feeling of frustration gradually changed into discomfort. That was not the right way to treat a respected teacher.
The atmosphere has become tense.
However, Kang Moo-deok did not give Sang Moo-cheon the answer he wanted.
Kang Moo-deok, who had gone to bed, tossed and turned, recalling the events at the restaurant.
Of course, I fully understand the feelings of the patriarch.
But if you know the young thief’s skills, you should be able to guess at least a little bit!
***
The fateful day has finally arrived.
Mansu Sangbang’s punitive force formed ranks and climbed Mt. Obong with great momentum.
Has it been about an hour?
Even though we had already passed the halfway point, the bandits were nowhere to be seen.
Donghaksu, the great leader of Heukungdae, burst into laughter.
“Phew hew! It looks like the thieves have already left.”
“I guess so?”
The thoughts of Baekrangdae’s Grand Master Kang Mu-deok were no different.
It often happens that bandits, oppressed by the power of the punitive force, abandon their possessions and run away.
Even among the warriors of the upper ranks, rumors began to spread.
When the mood seemed to be getting disturbed, General Sangmucheon gave a light warning.
“Don’t let your guard down. Nokrim has ever emptied a mountain village without putting up a fight.”
Donghaksu and Kang Mu-deok looked around with flushed faces.
That’s true. That’s what makes Nokrim different from ordinary bandits. The Nokrim gangsters valued their reputation as much as the best of the martial arts world.
The long procession of the punitive force stopped.
After a while, one of the warriors in the lead came running in a hurry.
“The road is blocked by logs.”
Sangmucheon, who had been exchanging meaningful glances with the two major shareholders, stepped forward.
Sure enough, the narrow uphill path was blocked by logs.
I felt like I knew what was behind it without even having to look.
Five sharp swords glistened in the sunlight on the log fence.
Ironically, the bandits of O Bong San Chae decided to fight instead of running away.
Sangmu-geuk took a few steps forward.
“Nobu is the leader of the Mansu Sangbang! I admire your courage for not running away, but please understand that today, I had no choice but to open the killing field.”
As expected of a disciple of a non-partisan sect, Sangmu Geuk’s greeting was both fierce and respectful.
After a while, the head of the wind chime rose above the fence.
“I am the person called Chaeju Pung Mo of O Bong San Chae! Sang Mu Cheon, you son of a bitch! Is it true that you cried and begged the shamans and brought the merchants of heaven and earth?”
Contrary to the loud noise, Poongyeoncho’s two eyes were diligently scanning the punitive force.
But no matter how many times I look at it, there is no one who looks like a Taoist priest.
Poongyeoncho, who thought that he had been fooled by Mansu Sangbang’s lies, immediately started swearing.
“You bastards who are worse than dogs! Who are you selling medicine to right now? Do you think we’ll run away in fear of that senile old man? Come on! You idiots! We won’t even flinch at the sight of someone worse than a merchant!”
Poongyeoncho, who thought that there were no merchants in heaven and earth, even laughed out loud at the punitive force.
Sangmu-geuk, startled by Poongyeoncho’s reckless remark, quickly turned around. His hands trembled as he thought, ‘My teacher’s reputation has been tarnished.’
Even the giants of the Green Forest wouldn’t dare do something like that, so what kind of nonsense is this that would make someone die from being struck by lightning! What kind of courage does a guy have to shed tears begging for his life?
‘Huh? He’s not here?’
The master who had been with him a moment ago was nowhere to be seen.
The two major shareholders are equally confused.
As the merchant of heaven and earth disappeared like a ghost, the heads of the great lords quickly turned left and right.
That’s it.
“Shout!”
Someone fell down from the log wall with a mighty roar that shook the heavens and the earth. It was the shamanist elder Cheonjisangin who had been blown away about 5 zhang (about 15 meters) in one breath.
As he lightly shook his hand, five poles were cut off and fell away.
Soon, the merchant’s feet touched the fence.
Kkwarreung.
The walls came crashing down, logs bursting from the overwhelming force of my blow.
All of this happened while Poongyeoncho was breathing just once.
Poongyeoncho, whose eyes met those of the merchant Cheonji, froze like a frog in front of a snake.
It’s done.
Wuxia,
