Chapter 34 The Guest (3)

Chapter 34: The Guest (3)

At least once in life, you encounter someone who is your complete opposite.

I had such a bastard in my past life too. My first boss at work, who threw hysterics whenever he saw me, and the meat shop owner who paid me less than minimum wage and worked me like a dog.

So I really want to tell people starting their careers this:

When you first meet someone, if you get a bad feeling, run away immediately.

If you have no choice but to stay near that person, do your absolute best to keep your distance.

Why am I suddenly telling you this?

Because that guy over there, Bukgung Baek, staring at us with that intense look? He’s my complete opposite.

Thanks to him, Tao was glaring at me with eyes that could burn a hole through me.

“The loser will give up on Miss Cheong. How about it?”

No, Cheong Sojo isn’t mine or yours to begin with. She’s a free spirit, a FA.

Curious what she thought, I looked at Qing Shao. Immediately, a telepathic message reached me.

[If I lose, I’ll eat my own words and die on the spot.]

Just as I thought, she was a crazy bitch.

Bukgung Baek stepped between me and Yi Jeokha and said.

“Then I’ll state the rules. Attacks capable of inflicting fatal wounds are forbidden. Becoming incapacitated or declaring surrender counts as defeat. What do you say?“

”I want a life-or-death battle.“

What does this guy, one of the Three Princes of Muwangseong, have to lose that he keeps pushing for a fight?

”If anyone gets seriously injured, it will escalate into a conflict between the Nine Dragons Fortress and Muwangseong factions. Are you still okay with that?“

”······I have no choice. I’ll accept Lord Baek’s proposal.”

“What about Jin Zhaozhang?”

“……Can’t we just not do it?”

At that, Yi Jeokha roared in fury.

“Shout ‘gal’! How can a man so easily abandon the woman he loves?! Can you still call yourself a warrior?!”

“No, Miss Qing and I are in love…”

[If you want to check for poison every time you eat or drink for the rest of your life, just tell the truth.]

“…we are indeed lovers. Ugh!”

“Hmph! Now you speak the truth. I’ll give you the first strike. Come at me!”

Lee Jeok-ha drew his sword and assumed a stance.

Then, a suffocating prayer rose from his entire body.

‘He wasn’t just any toad!’

He was a bull toad.

While I stalled for time to assess my opponent, a lightning-fast sword strike plunged toward my head.

‘Wait, you said you’d let me go first.’

CRASH!

The training ground floor split vertically, sending dust billowing upward.

Staring at him with a puzzled look after the sudden strike, Lee Jeok-ha snapped back angrily.

“I only warned you because you didn’t attack!”

“No, you cowardly—”

“Shut up!”

Thud.

Lee Jeok-ha stepped into his stance.

Suddenly, the entire training ground felt as if its gravity had intensified.

Bukgung Baek’s TMI-level muttering reached my ears.

“To have mastered the Heavenly Sword Technique to this extent at that age… Remarkable achievement.”

Kukukuku.

With each step Yi Jeok-ha took, the pressure bearing down on me intensified.

And then.

“Die!”

Yi Jeok-ha, wielding a sword radiating dazzling golden sword energy, launched explosively toward me.

Clearly, despite the prohibition on attacks capable of inflicting fatal wounds, he seemed utterly unconcerned, aiming straight for my heart.

“You bastard?”

No matter how much I disliked fighting, I couldn’t just stand there when he came at me like this.

I stepped on the prepared Jeonwangbo to escape his attack range.

Thud.

Lee Jeokha stopped his footwork and swung his sword horizontally.

A long, golden sword aura swept toward my side.

In desperation, I forced my internal energy into the Black Lotus Armor to block the sword energy.

POW! CRACKLE.

An explosion like a bomb erupted as the sword energy detonated.

“Guh!”

The explosion of energy sent a searing, tingling pain surging through my entire body.

‘Just how much did he spend on in-game currency?’

It was called a sword qi, but judging by the amount of internal energy channeled into it, it might as well have been called a sword force.

Just like you’d expect from the Nth generation of a chaebol, he must have gobbled down a whole bunch of elixirs.

“You bastard!”

Thinking he had seized the opportunity, Yi Jeokha unleashed a terrifying barrage of sword strikes.

Quickly stepping on the Zhen Wang Bo, I dodged his strikes and pushed inward.

Kwoong.

I dodged a sword strike that felt like a falling meteor.

Kwaaajik.

I parried a sword slashing sideways.

Pweeng!

I blocked a straight thrust.

And then, close-quarters combat erupted.

Perhaps underestimating me, Yi Jeokha closed the distance, attacking with sword strikes and fists.

“Die!”

But in close quarters, a fist fighter holds the advantage over a swordsman.

I parried every strike and succeeded in driving the techniques of the Parkryong Thirteen Piercings into his body.

Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.

Yet my opponent was a bull toad, inheritor of the bloodline of the world’s greatest fighter.

He unfurled a thick protective barrier, blocking my attacks.

‘Damn it.’

The recoil from striking that impenetrable shield slammed back into my fist.

Just as I instinctively shook off the tingling sensation…

Crack.

Something flashed, and a lightning-fast sword strike shot toward me.

A powerful thrust, executed flawlessly despite my unsteady stance.

The essence of acrobatics.

“Guh.”

The distance was so close I could feel his breath, leaving no time to dodge.

Kwoo-rang.

I urgently summoned my qi and unleashed a burst of energy.

Kwa-wa-wang!

Dust billowed from the training ground floor, obscuring my vision.

The explosion so close sent a tingling shock through my entire body, but if I missed this chance, who knew how long this fight would drag on.

Thwack.

The moment I made up my mind, I thrust out the Zhen Wang Sword.

It sliced straight through the dust cloud, moving to Yi Jieha’s flank.

“Hmph!”

He must have been prepared, for his sword flew in immediately.

The sword’s blade, thickly coated in golden sword energy, illuminated the surrounding area brightly.

But.

‘I expected this. You bastard.’

He had already anticipated this move.

I unfolded the Zhenwangbo once more, escaping the sword strike’s range.

Then, I drew the secret technique I had saved for the very last moment.

Paaang.

I channeled my internal energy into the pouch I’d prepared earlier and detonated it near Yi Jeok-ha.

A move born of enlightenment.

I applied the idea I’d gained from my previous battle with Jik Sa-jung right now.

“Kuhk! Pueot-chwi!”

Yi Jeok-ha began sneezing, tears streaming from his eyes.

No matter how much internal energy one possesses, no matter how high one’s martial prowess, it was useless.

That wasn’t poison; it was Sichuan pepper powder.

‘Thank you, Lord Ji.’

Thud.

Deeply grateful to Ji Shizhong in his heart, he brought his fist before Yi Jeokha’s eyes.

It was to announce his victory to all.

“……The winner, Jin Mujeon.”

With North Palace Baek’s reluctant shout, today’s outcome was decided.

The cleaning staff and Myaohyang who came with me couldn’t stop gaping.

‘Wouldn’t it be awkward if I fell for her?’

Because I only have Commander Yook.

After all that hardship, I suddenly missed Commander Yook. That feeling of her being like the sea.

* * *

A short while later.

“I refuse to accept this!”

The Toad began ranting and raving, denying the legitimate outcome of the contest.

Of course, I could understand him to some extent.

Objectively speaking, he was a master several levels above me.

His cultivated inner strength was incomparably greater than mine.

But.

‘It’s not the victor who is strong, but the survivor. ’

In the cold world of competition, no excuse holds sway.

I stepped forward before him with confidence.

“Ah, Third Young Master, this humble one was simply fortunate. Today’s events were merely a minor accident—please do not dwell on it too much······.”

“Coward! To use a hidden weapon in a sacred duel! How dare you call yourself a warrior!”

Clang.

Lee Jeok-ha drew his sword once more, aiming it at me.

“A hidden blade? It is also a legitimate weapon. Much like the sword you hold, Third Young Master.”

“Don’t spout nonsense! How can that be a weapon? Even third-rate thugs wouldn’t use such a thing.”

“Then how do you think Third Young Master should have fought to be considered honorable?”

Thud.

At my question, Yi Jeok-ha thrust his sword into the ground and pointed.

“I believe only pure physical strength and the weapon held in one’s hand are the righteous path of a warrior.”

His answer made me inwardly cheer.

Because a logic perfectly shattering that toad’s stubbornness had come to mind.

“Then the method I used to win earlier…?”

“A method only cowards would use.”

Gotcha.

“Following Young Master Sam’s logic, then the Green Dragon Hall of Nine Dragons Fortress must be a gathering place for cowards. And you, the Fortress Lord, are their leader.”

“Hah!”

That was it.

The Green Dragon Hall was the successor to the Sichuan Tang Clan, masters of poison and hidden weapons.

Publicly denouncing them in the very heart of the Tang Clan’s domain was tantamount to declaring war.

Only then did he seem to realize his mistake, his face turning pale in an instant.

I quietly approached him and said,

“What shall we do? You could retract your statement and concede the match…”

“Guh!”

Furious, the defector glared at me with eyes red as blood.

Of course, that wouldn’t change anything.

Having come to Nine Dragons City as an envoy of the Muwang Dynasty, I couldn’t just cause diplomatic trouble and return.

And that prediction proved spot on.

“…I retract my earlier statement. Defeat… I admit defeat.”

He had conceded defeat.

Thus, I had thoroughly defeated this toad, both in martial prowess and strategic cunning.

But that was no reason for complacency.

“I’ve learned much.”

I bowed respectfully to him.

“···I’m leaving!”

Ignoring my farewell salute, he led his men back to his own castle.

Watching his retreating figure, I thought.

‘Shouldn’t this be raised to 40%, not 30%?’

It was necessary to adjust the profit distribution ratio for the Cheongjang Muwonje Branch.

* * *

The next morning.

“I said 30%. We agreed on that.”

“I never agreed to that ratio. They say your mind changes between going into and coming out of the bathroom—Miss Cheong is exactly like that.”

“Even your metaphors are disgusting? Fine. 30% and 2 points. No more.”

“40%.”

“Hey, Team Leader Jin. That’s a whopping 30.2%. I’m raising your share by a full 12% from what you were getting before.”

“40%.”

“······I’ll compromise up to 34%. As you know, this is a truly unreasonable condition.”

“40%.”

“36%. Let’s just call it quits and go eat. Our sister’s waiting over there.”

“40%.”

“38%. Is that okay?”

“40%.”

“……Alright. 40% it is. But on one condition: if that Mr. Sam who came yesterday shows up again, you block him.”

“Okay. Thanks. Okay. Forty percent!”

Steadfast.

As expected, Brother Doo-hwan’s negotiation skills were truly legendary.

Just as they finished that peaceful negotiation and were about to enjoy breakfast together.

Squeak. Flash.

Yesterday’s traitor, Yongmasan, appeared, emitting a dazzling, blinding glare.

‘That bastard!’

Fiery rage surged within me. I almost instinctively unleashed the Extreme Slash to cleave Yongmasan in two, but I barely restrained myself.

It was obvious that if that guy disappeared, Iljo’s workload would skyrocket.

“I heard bits about yesterday. You must have had a rough time.”

“What did you see? Did you see?”

“……Given my personal circumstances, it wouldn’t do for me to be seen by too many people.”

Miaoxiang, who had gone to the kitchen and returned, spoke to Yongmasan as she brought him food.

“Master Yong, you must have had your reasons too. Don’t be too hard on him.”

“Myo, Myo-sojeo…”

“Master Yong, please help Team Leader Jin occasionally. Knowing someone as dependable as you is assisting him would put my mind at ease.”

At Myohyang’s words, Yongmasan flushed bright red and nodded.

“Myo-sojeo’s request… I’ll do my utmost.”

What, a few words and you’re already showing your true colors?

You never listen to a word I say.

I was glaring at Yongmasan with contempt when—

Clunk.

“You were eating.”

The destroyer of my peaceful daily life.

Danun had arrived.