Chapter 107

Jeon Bi-rang remained silent until the crimson flush on her face faded back to its original hue.

Dan Woo-sung watched Jeon Bi-rang’s expression, recalling yesterday’s exchange.

That man yesterday was a black-clad man who felt no regret.

But judging by this traitor’s flushed face, he might betray again in the future. Or perhaps, as Dan Wooseong suggested, he’d live out his days alone…

Whether this man defected or not was of little concern. The important thing was to draw out the leader of the Jipya Gang.

Dan Woo-sung felt that talking to this man might somehow be a quicker way than beating up Jip Yamyeong’s men.

Jeon Birang, having calmed himself once more, addressed Dan Wooseong.

“Come to think of it, you had a sword in your mouth. I was wondering where you’d put your weapon.”

Jeon Birang asked as if he didn’t care at all about the informal tone.

“Fine. What would you have done in my situation?”

Dan Wooseong retorted.

“What would I have done? I told you. I would have lived alone.”

“And that’s it?”

Dan Woo-sung said flatly.

“While training, I’ll kill a few villains too. Once my skills improve, I might just visit the Mubong Gate again someday.”

At the mention of returning to the Mubong Gate someday, Jeon Birang found herself imagining her own future.

It was a sad and difficult thought.

Yet, on the other hand, the thought of becoming powerful enough to make his heart surge was thrilling. After all, the Mubong Gate wouldn’t be able to do anything to him then.

Dan Woo-sung’s words followed, mirroring what Jeon Woo-sung had imagined.

“When I go to the Mubong Gate, I’ll have to explain again why I had no choice but to kill my senior brother. I’ll even have to tell them it was a life-or-death duel we agreed to. And I’ll have to apologize to the master who inflicted the severe injury.”

Jeon Birang responded as if he were standing right before that unopened gate himself.

“Oh Sasuk and Yu Sasuk will try to kill me without warning.”

Danwooseong said.

“I’ll have to subdue them with my strength. I could kill you both, but I won’t. All I wish to do is make it clear that this is how things stand. It wasn’t the Mubong Gate that cast me out; now, I’m the one who will say I’m leaving the Mubong Gate… There won’t be any more deaths, but my heart will feel lighter.”

Jeon Birang poured himself a drink and drank alone.

Now his eyes were not gloomy, but melancholy.

After drinking, Jeon Birang said.

“That’s how it should have been. If it had been, I would have felt relieved. In the end, it happened because I was weak. It’s no easy feat. To have all the masters of Mubongmun kneel beneath your feet.”

“You should speak plainly. It wasn’t because of weakness, but because of weakness and cowardice. Didn’t you understand what it meant to be a guest at the Jipyamyeong?”

“I know.”

“What do you know? Didn’t he mean he’d stand by even if that bastard Jipyamyeong pulled off something worse than what his big brother did?”

This time, Jeon Birang couldn’t retort either.

“Hmm, that’s…”

Danwooseong’s words pierced his heart like a dagger.

“If another Jeon Birang appeared, one who lost his beloved woman because of Jipyamyeong, and vowed to exterminate the entire Jipyamyeong clan, I’d have no reason to spare you either. Do you think you could tell such a man, ‘Actually, I was just a guest,’ and betray me again? Don’t even think about it.”

Jeon Birang felt that Dan Wooseong was not a young man but a senior in the martial world. In fact, Kwon Wang was Jeon Birang’s senior, so Jeon Birang’s thoughts were correct.

Lost in deep thought, Jeon Bi-rang unconsciously poured wine into Dan Woo-seong’s cup.

Jeon Bi-rang spoke.

“Your interference with the Jipyameng isn’t simply because you’re a rogue. It seems you have your reasons. You don’t strike me as a rash man, nor as reckless. I’d appreciate an explanation. I, for my part, will seek out what I can do.”

Dan Woosung replied.

The leader of the Black Path doesn’t need to commit crimes directly. They can just use their subordinates. There are more massacres carried out in the name of the Jipyameng than you realize. I’m not some newcomer to the martial world—do I really need to explain that much to you? The Southern Black Path isn’t capable of seeing the big picture like Jin Xiaoshan. They aren’t leaders who keep their subordinates in check. They don’t even have a grand cause. It’ll be lucky if they don’t get absorbed into the Demon Path later.

Jeon Birang asked.

“The Demon Sect has appeared?”

It seemed they hadn’t appeared in Honam at all.

Dan Woo-seong nodded.

“The Black Path will just sit back and watch the battle between the Dark Path and the White Path, then reap the benefits. I have no intention of letting that happen.”

Jeon Birang exclaimed in admiration.

“So you came here alone to take on the entire Black South Sect. I never imagined it could be true. Now I understand the whole picture. To sum it up, the Black South Sect is despicable, and I was a cowardly man.”

Dan Woo-sung shook his head.

“No.”

“Then what?”

Dan Woosung stared intently at Jeon Birang.

“You should say precisely that you were a cowardly and weak man. Running away and ending up in the Black Sect? It’s not like you’re some kid running around.”

Jeon Bi-rang burst out laughing, utterly flabbergasted.

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

After laughing for a while, Jeon Birang said.

“I’m feeling many things today. But this Jeon Birang is not the weakling you imagine me to be.”

Dan Wooseong rose from his seat and looked down at Jeon Birang, still speaking informally.

“What’s with all this tough-guy act from a guy who can’t even stand loneliness?”

“Leaving already? Let’s have one last drink.”

The man who had spoken harshly and the man who had heard the harsh words glared at each other and drank a cup of wine.

Dan Wooseong set down his cup and said.

“I’ll spare you because of your story. You buy the drinks.”

“Hahahaha… I’ll buy it.”

Jeon Birang poured himself the remaining liquor and drank it alone, speaking in a peculiar tone.

“You’re lucky. You saved your life.”

As Danwooseong stepped out of the inn, Jeon Birang called out to him.

“By the way, how can you leave without even telling me your name? We shared three or four cups of wine, after all.”

Dan Wooseong retorted.

“What’s the point of exchanging names among black-clad men? Ah, not black-clad men, but traitors. Anyway…”

Jeon Birang slammed her cup down on the table with a clatter.

“Ah, that damn traitor label really gets on my nerves. If you’re so sure of yourself, why not beat me to death and torture me right now? I know where the leader of the Jipya Gang is.”

Dan Woo-seong said as he walked slowly.

“No thanks. What fun is there in beating a pitiful, wounded man? I have no such hobby.”

Dan Woosung spoke in a voice laced with inner energy as he walked away.

“And even if I don’t go looking for him, the leader of the Jipya Gang will have no choice but to appear before me. Because that’s the way of the black path. You needn’t trouble yourself.”

As Danwooseong disappeared, Jeon Birang nodded.

“He is indeed a black-clad assassin.”

Even without Jeon Birang’s efforts, the leader of the Jipyameng would eventually seek out that man himself.

Jeon Birang muttered while drinking.

“So instead of a sword, I got beaten with words. My chest aches, so I must have been cut here and there by those sharp words. And since I need more liquor, I must have taken a blow to the head too.”

He hadn’t fought, but he considered it a complete defeat.

The traitor gulped down the last of the wine in his cup before rising.

He intended to go meet Jipyamangju.

Even Jeon Bi didn’t know what she would end up saying.

He planned to organize his thoughts on the way.

.

.

.

“Bi-rang, you’ve come back alive.”

The Jipya Myeongju greeted Jeon Bi-rang with a startled expression.

“Yes, Lord.”

“What a relief. Have a seat over there.”

Jeon Birang looked at the Jipyameng leader and the two bodyguards flanking him. He wanted a private meeting if possible, but betrayal and intrigue were so rampant within the Jipyameng that the leader never kept his two bodyguards far from him.

Jeon Birang sat down on the chair, left alone like a prisoner, then looked at Ha Jeonghak, the leader of the Jipyamyeong and known as the Night Emperor.

Jeon Birang didn’t know much about Ha Jeonghak either. Only that he was in his early forties and had fought for two or three years within the organization, waging war to become the leader of the Jipyameng.

There were tales that he had captured his rivals and fed them to starving dogs.

He wasn’t a man to wear his thoughts on his sleeve, but he did show Jeon Birang a certain level of respect.

Ha Jeong-hak asked.

“What did that man say?”

Jeon Birang replied.

“Shall I summarize it for you?”

Ha Jeong-hak shook his head.

“I’ll listen to everything, so speak slowly.”

Jeon Bi-rang said.

“I witnessed Lee Ho-mun’s death.”

“I heard it from Danju too.”

Jeon Birang said.

“I’ll be precise. Lee Ho-mun, the clan leader, has been reduced to dust. His martial prowess, by the standards of the White Path, approached that of an emperor. He might even have been stronger than an emperor. He was stronger than my own master.”

Ha Jeong-hak said without much surprise.

“So. What is it you want?”

“The Demon Path has appeared, and if we leave the Black Path alone, it will watch the White Path and Demon Path fight and reap the benefits. It seems it appeared to confront the Black Path alone, unwilling to stand by and watch.”

Even Ha Jeonghak’s eyes widened.

“What kind of absurd story is that?”

Jeon Birang said.

“From what I’ve seen, the Black Dragon Sect won’t move. They seem determined to keep sending troops to be killed. They said that one day, the Lord of the Alliance will have no choice but to appear before them himself.”

Ha Jeonghak asked.

“If you come at me, I think I can hold my own to some extent.”

Jeon Birang gave a rough answer at this point.

“I think I could hold out for about half an hour.”

Ha Jeong-hak asked with an expressionless face.

“Then wouldn’t you be able to kill them if all the guests came out?”

He meant for all the external masters staying at Jipyamyeong to join the fight. Jeon Birang was inwardly startled, but his expression remained unchanged as he replied.

“Then issue that command. I’ll take the guests out myself. And since it might be insufficient, I’d appreciate it if one of the guards on either side could provide support.”

Ha Jeong-hak nodded.

“So be it. But if you fail, I’ll have to step in myself. Rest now.”

“Yes.”

As Jeon Birang withdrew, Ha Jeonghak quietly listened to the receding sound of her footsteps.

As Jeon Birang disappeared, a man entered and looked at Ha Jeonghak. It was Ha Min (何敏), Ha Jeonghak’s younger brother and the commander of the troops.

Ha Min asked cautiously.

“Lord Commander, what did Birang say?”

Ha Jeong-hak spoke in a low, hushed voice.

“I sent you to die, yet you spout useless nonsense. Keep an eye on Bi-rang. He might try to escape. Entrusting him to Jipyamyeong was his choice, but sending him away is mine.”

Ha Min replied with a reluctant expression.

“Understood. So should we stop the plan involving Mubongmun?”

“We must stop.”

There were many ways to tie it together. First, Danwooseong would kill Jeon Birang. Then, the Jipyamyeong side would spread fake statements from Danwooseong that discredited Mubongmun’s honor. Since they already knew Jeon Birang’s circumstances, they could subtly weave in the scandal about the senior brother as well.

Getting entangled with Baekdo only makes things messy.

This was the state of General Ha Min’s failed scheme.

Ha Jeong-hak muttered.

“Strange. Why didn’t he kill him? He seemed intent on killing every single one he sent.”

He couldn’t understand why Dan Woo-sung hadn’t killed Jeon Bi-rang.

Ha Jeong-hak asked Ha Min’s soldiers.

“Ha Min-gun, is there anyone else? Someone worth linking to Baekdo?”

“Jeon Birang was the most suitable. The others would be useless even if we linked them. And we’ve circulated the description of the Myeongryongdang man’s appearance through our intelligence network, but there’s been no word at all. It might be better to re-investigate the Martial Arts Alliance personnel instead.”

Ha Jeong-hak asked.

“Don’t you think this incident wasn’t orchestrated by the Martial Alliance?”

“Yes, it’s not the Martial Alliance’s style. It’s a very classical method.”

Ha Jeong-hak asked.

“What is it?”

Ha Min replied.

“It’s like saying, ‘I’m the strongest in the world, so bring it on.’ There’s no strategy or tactics—just a brutally strong bastard making a provocation. Even if they sent other guests, they’d likely just chat or drink and come back. Kill only the Jipya Myeong, kill only the high-ranking ones among them. That’s the entirety of their strategy.”

Ha Jeong-hak opened the drawer, took out the forget-me-not, and put it in his mouth.

“The beauty trap.”

“Usually, the beauty trap doesn’t work on a madman.”

Ha Jeong-hak said to Ha Min, exhaling a wisp of white smoke.

“Soldier, what do you expect me to do? You want me to… If I fall, you’ll have nowhere to go. If the Jipyamyeong shakes, do you think we brothers will survive? Find a way. This bastard must die.”

“Understood.”

ⓒ Yoo Jin-seong