Chapter 136 Festival (3)

Chapter 136: Festival (3)

All in.

Where else could gamblers find such a romantic word?

If I had been a player in that gamble, I would have clapped at such a bold bet and shouted ‘die!’

The problem was, that gambler was Cheongso.

I grabbed Cheongso’s slender shoulders to stop her.

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

I forcibly dragged her, who insisted we had to start when the flow was right, to a deserted spot.

“What the hell are you thinking? Don’t you know thirty nyang is enough to buy a decent rice paddy?”

A perfectly reasonable warning.

But the cleaner’s reply that followed was something else.

“It’s not thirty nyang. It’s seventy nyang.”

“What?”

“I brought all the money I had.”

The truth spilling from her mouth left both me and Myohyang gaping in disbelief.

“Actually, I’ve been coming here constantly since I first arrived in Hanjung. I brought every last coin I had to try and recover the money I’d lost.”

I’d thought she was just a lazy bum, but the problem was far more serious than I’d imagined.

A bum might just squander his family’s food, but a gambler ruins the entire household fortune, doesn’t he?

If things kept getting this bad, she might even gamble away the Cheong family’s land deeds.

‘Hmm…’

I couldn’t help imagining the head of the Cheong family grabbing her by the hair and dragging her away.

Lost in my thoughts, the confident voice of the cleaning lady reached my ears.

“If you’re worried about losing, don’t fret. Our Cheong-ah is invincible.”

She showed me the cricket inside the wooden box.

Myaohyang, with her neat personality, recoiled in disgust.

“What do you think?”

“What’s so great about it? It’s just a cricket.”

“Look closely. Then you’ll understand what I mean.”

Focusing my vision, I examined it carefully.

‘Hmm… same number of legs… eyes attached… Wait? What is this?’

Startled, he snapped his head up. The cleaning lady let out a meaningful chuckle.

“Hehehehe.”

That was it. The cleaning lady’s cricket wasn’t an ordinary cricket.

Not only was it absurdly huge, like Captain America, but the agility it showed in its brief movements was anything but ordinary.

It was like witnessing the ultimate master of the cricket world.

But that wasn’t the only astonishing thing.

“I… I can sense energy?”

I didn’t know what trick it had used, but it seemed to possess a faint inner power.

“W-was there a spirit in the broom?”

Seeing my astonishment, the broom shook its head and said.

“No. No matter how vast the world is, how could a mere broom possibly have a spirit?”

“Then?”

“I performed the Heaven-Turning Golden Needle Great Technique.”

“……”

“Ah, the Heaven-Turning Golden Needle Great Technique is a supreme art called Qing Jia Zhang’s final secret technique. It can restore the vitality of youth even to a dying old man.”

No, does it even make sense to use such a final secret technique on a cricket?

“I spent countless sleepless nights applying the great technique to the cricket. Heh heh heh.”

Thud.

She closed the box lid and continued.

“With today, the Black Thread’s reign over the world ends, and the Chu-Zhi lineage of Hanjung can finally regain peace.”

My head spun at the righteous gambler’s declaration, but I grasped the gist of the situation.

“So, you used your family’s final vision to defeat that old man wearing the ox-head mask, Silsol? That’s why you’ve been holed up in the inn all this time, trying to modify the vision to work on him too?”

Nod nod.

Cheongso-so’s eyes lit up as he nodded, and I sighed before asking.

“Alright, what do you need my help with?”

“What kind of help could a gambling house possibly need? Ensuring fair settlements are made.”

Meaning, if the losing side refuses to pay and acts up, he wants me to handle them.

“……This is exactly why I left the Six Heroes behind.”

To prevent Qing Jia from getting involved, just in case.

I almost let loose a tirade, but decided it would be better to get this over with quickly and go home, so I nodded.

“Alright. It’s a single round, right?”

“Of course. My Qing Ah won’t be outmatched by Heuksun in ten seconds flat.”

Hearing Cheong So-so’s confident reply, I called out to Miao Xiang.

“Sis.”

“Yes?”

“How much time do we have?”

Since we’d come this far, having one more round before leaving wouldn’t be so bad.

* * *

A short while later.

Returning to the felt-covered table, the old man with the ox mask, called Uno, was still waiting for us.

“Heh heh, thought you’d run off.”

“Hmph, our Cheong-ah is invincible.”

Seriously, don’t throw around such grandiose lines in a cricket fight.

Personally, I was mortified, but at the table, a palpable tension filled the air.

It felt almost like watching a life-or-death duel between warriors.

Amidst that tension, the host raised his voice.

“Those placing bets on the black line, to the right. And for the lady here… Cheong-ah, was it? Ah, understood. Ahem, those betting on Cheong-ah, to the left.”

Then, countless silver coins began piling up on the right.

The stakes seemed higher than expected, easily exceeding five hundred nyang.

When an old man called Uno pulled out two gold nyang and placed them atop the silver pile, the atmosphere instantly heated up.

And I murmured softly to them.

“The stakes are too small. Is this even worth playing?”

Since I’d called seven hundred nyang too little, everyone’s gaze naturally focused on me.

“Sis.”

Myo-hyang poured nine gold coins onto the left side, though her expression was reluctant.

Then, Cheong-so-so added seventy nyang, and I added thirty nyang, bringing the total money bet on Cheong-ah to one thousand nyang.

For reference, the money Myohyang put up was from the Han-Jung Trading Company’s funds.

‘Why on earth would she carry around such a large sum…’

Anyway, as the huge sum piled up on Cheong-ah’s side, those who had bet on Heukseon looked flustered, but soon smiles bloomed on their lips.

Probably thinking all this money would end up in their own pockets.

“If we’re doing this, how about matching the amount? That seems fairer.”

Whether the provocation worked or not, a sneer appeared on Uno’s lips.

“Alright.”

He opened the chest beside him and poured in three hundred nyang of silver.

Clink.

And so, the big match, totaling two thousand nyang, was set.

The emcee swallowed hard and said.

“Th-then, shall we begin?”

Nod.

After confirming both sides’ consent, he raised his hand.

“Fight!”

The moment Uno and Cheongso-so opened the wooden boxes containing the crickets, a fierce battle erupted.

Chirrrr-.

Black Thread, the black-colored cricket, let out a beast-like roar and strode forward with purpose.

I’d never examined a cricket closely enough to know, but if it dominated the Han-Chung Touch-and-Feel League, it surely wasn’t a novice.

Gulp.

Swallowing my nerves, I turned my gaze toward Cheong-A of the Cleaning Shop.

Twice as large as Black Thread, its legs unusually blue—perhaps due to its internal energy—the green cricket dashed forward at lightning speed, as if showing off its long hind legs.

And then came the collision.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

Black Thread and Cheong-a clashed fiercely, their front legs moving in rapid succession.

“Black Thread! Black Thread!”

“Cheong-a, fight!”

The supporters on both sides cheered their respective crickets on.

After exchanging three moves each.

Thud.

Cheong-a from Cheongso-so struck down at Heukseon with its front legs, sending Heukseon flying back pitifully.

“Gah! What the—”

Gasping sounds echoed from all around.

As if scolding those who gasped, Heukseon swiftly regained his stance.

Chirrr.

True to his reputation as the champion of the Han-Jung Touch-Acceleration League, he clearly had hidden strength.

But Cheong-A of Cheongso-so wasn’t an ordinary cricket. She was a super cricket perfected by the Hwicheon-something-or-other Supreme Technique.

It was the cricket version of Captain America, perfected with super soldier serum.

Sure enough, when Cheong-ah lunged forward once more, slamming down its front legs, Heukseon dared not confront it and scrambled backward.

Seeing Heukseon like this, Uno began to shout.

“Fight! Fight back!”

Did it hear its master’s cry?

Chirrr.

Heuksun used its long, long hind legs to launch itself into the air.

Probably aiming for a jump attack.

Zzzzz-

But our super cricket, Cheong-ah, seemed to have anticipated this, jumping simultaneously.

And to a height nearly matching that of an average adult male.

“Huh!”

“No way!”

One spectator screamed in shock at the movement.

Squish!

As if saying ‘Gotcha!’, Cheong-ah’s front legs pierced through Black Line’s head.

If we had to name the technique, it would probably be called a Counter Jump Attack.

“Waaah!”

Cheong-so-so cheered and celebrated.

Just as she said, Black Line hadn’t been a match for Cheong-ah.

Myohyang, standing beside Cheongso, confirmed the result and stood up with a bright smile.

“Well then, now we just need to collect the money, right?”

Just as they were about to scoop up the winnings.

“Whoa!”

Thud.

The man who had been running the gambling game just moments ago grabbed Myohyang’s wrist.

“Wait a moment. We must verify if there was any foul play.”

A polite tone, yet a threatening voice.

If someone affiliated with the gambling house acted like this, the reason was obvious.

It meant the lost money belonged to the house, and that among those who bet, there was someone connected to the gambling house.

And that person was highly likely to be the old man named Uno.

Sure enough.

“How dare you bring something that isn’t silk to the sacred touch! What are you lot doing?! Why haven’t you subdued these bastards?!”

A blatant cliché unfolded before my eyes.

“Ugh, you lot haven’t improved at all.”

SMACK!

* * *

A short while later.

Having quelled the disturbance through the peaceful method of fists, I lined up the gambling den’s employees on their knees.

“…So, you’re the owner of this gambling den, right?”

“The owner is someone else. I merely manage the place. Hehehe.”

“Who is the owner?”

Uno rolled his eyes and clamped his mouth shut.

Swoosh!

“Eeek!”

I flicked my hand, ripping off his mask. He recoiled in shock and fell over.

“Give me my cards back! Give them back! Dammit, when you took my money, you took it right away, but why won’t you let me take mine when I win?!”

Cheong Soso swung his fist in excitement.

“Shall I start by killing the guy at the very front, one by one?”

“No. It doesn’t need to go that far…”

“What about my sister?”

“Hmm… Since it’s essentially robbery, how about we forgive them by cutting off one ear each?”

“……”

Everyone’s faces turned ashen at her suggestion.

Just as the atmosphere grew that tense.

Creak.

The gambling house door swung open, and a group entered.

The figure at the front was a woman they knew.

“…I had no idea this was your place of business.”

It was none other than Yang Ling, the head of the Hao Gate’s Central Branch, the owner of the Moon Flower Pavilion.

Though that wasn’t the important thing right now.

“You tried to skim money from the sacred gambling house, didn’t you?”

“Some people have run off after swindling sacred information fees. What’s so special about that?”

“Khm…”

“I’ve heard the gist of the situation. You won a large sum, I hear?”

“Well, that’s how it turned out.”

Yang Ling glared at Uno and demanded.

“How much?”

“Th-ten taels of gold.”

The sum, equivalent to about a billion won in modern value, made Yang-ryeong’s eyes twitch.

“That’s a fortune.”

She tossed two taels of gold.

He snatched it reflexively, and her telepathic voice reached him.

[This covers the five taels you swindled earlier, the two taels in outstanding debt from Guryongseong, and finally, the interest accrued during that time.]

Her mouth fell open at the absurd calculation.

Alright, fine. I could concede the seven taels in unpaid fees.

But interest? That I could never accept.

‘What kind of relationship do I have with Yongmasan?’

Hadn’t we been like family, sharing breakfast together for nearly a year?

Interest felt like too cold a word between us.

I immediately sent a telepathic message to argue this point.

[Then perhaps you should seek that portion from Lord Munju.]

Only a frosty reply came back.

‘That damn woman!’

Myohyang, who usually kept company with Yangryeong, tugged at my sleeve.

She seemed worried about the worsening atmosphere.

But who was I?

Wasn’t I Jin Mujeon, the greatest talent of this era, boasting overwhelming martial prowess, innate strategic genius, and peerless administrative skill?

In other words, Yangryeong’s flimsy logic was easily dismantled.

[There’s a saying in gambling dens, right? If you get caught bluffing, your hands get chopped off.]

[……What does that mean?]

[What else? It means cutting off one wrist each of the bastards here.]

[Didn’t you say you were like family with the Sect Leader?]

[I disowned him from the family registry just now. His men were hostile towards me.]

[……I’ll add two more coins.]

[Money’s not the issue.]

[Then what?]

[Make the information fee free.]

[Next time?]

[No, five times from now on.]

Yang-ryeong’s gaze instantly turned icy.

[If you refuse, these bastards’ wrists……]

[Understood. But let’s make it three times. Five is too many.]

[Thanks for the good deal.]

He thought as he walked out with the money.

‘What a windfall.’

Best save this for a rainy day.