Chapter 60

Dan Wooseong and Baek Yak were locked in a tug-of-war, each clutching the other’s collar.

Many unspoken rules had emerged, so there were no sudden reversals. Consequently, the offensive and defensive maneuvers grew fiercer. They sought opportunities to break the balance with external force, sometimes crossing legs, while takedowns and joint locks aimed to break arms continued unabated.

While Danwooseong was inherently stronger, he was using only comparable strength to Baekyak in terms of competing in skill.

Baekyak pushed Danwooseong back, then plunged to the floor. He attempted a lower-body joint lock to twist Danwooseong’s ankle. Danwooseong rolled on the floor, freeing his foot. He grabbed Baekyak’s shoulder as he lunged forward, pulling him into a chokehold position before flopping flat onto the floor.

Baekyak struggled to loosen the grip while his stomach churned.

‘Huh? This is dangerous.’

Danwooseong swiftly moved Baekyak’s body to the floor, then climbed on top while pinning both arms down. He had seized the perfect opportunity for victory. Perhaps it was the aftermath of the two struggling and wrestling so fiercely.

At an unexpected moment, the center of Baekyak’s dobok suddenly split wide open…

A snow-white cleavage, appearing as if tightly bound by layers of bandages, was exposed through the gap in the uniform.

Both men’s eyes widened as they simultaneously sprang to their feet.

While Dan Woo-sung glared at the screen, Baek Yak smoothed his robe back into place.

Dan Woo-sung crossed his arms.

“It wasn’t intentional.”

Dan Woo-sung tilted his head slightly.

‘Hmm, did I get played? This never happens.’

Baekyak, his face flushed bright red, suddenly said this.

“I’m going to get something to eat. I’m hungry.”

“Hmm, go ahead. I have somewhere to go today too. Let’s stop here. Can I turn back?”

“No?”

Baekyak pushed aside the curtain and vanished in an instant. As Baekyak disappeared, Danwooseong snorted derisively and turned away.

‘What the hell does that have to do with anything?’

His Majesty, who had nearly succumbed to temptation alone, crossed his arms and swallowed hard for no apparent reason.

It was a dangerous moment in many ways.

Danwooseong stepped out from behind the screen and addressed the Ssangbo brothers.

“Let’s eat too.”

The Ssangbo brothers asked.

“But you just ate.”

“Already?”

Dan Woo-sung nodded and replied.

“I have somewhere to go, so I need to eat early.”

“Understood.”

He needed to do something, but there was nothing specific to do. Yuk Jinbo tilted his head slightly and said.

“Just now, Young Lady Baek’s face turned bright red…”

“Shut up.”

“Yes.”

.

.

.

“I came to see Moon-joo.”

“Did you make an appointment?”

“Tell them I’m from the Eunha Trading Company.”

After filling his belly and setting off, Danwooseong was only now, in the pitch-black night, taking in the large characters written on the signboard.

Palryongmun—did it mean a martial arts sect where eight dragons dwelled?

The name was childish.

Nevertheless, the Eight Dragons Sect had built quite a reputation in the underworld. It was a powerhouse that had accumulated enough strength to openly display its signboard at a large-scale headquarters that looked like it housed high-ranking officials. Since this wasn’t originally their home, the words “Eight Dragons Sect” on the signboard felt unnatural.

“Please come in. I’ll show you the way.”

The reason Danwooseong visited personally was simple.

Although the martial artists of the Martial Alliance were stationed there, he was pleased that the Eight Dragons Sect hadn’t touched the weaklings of the Galaxy Trading Company.

Of course, the journey had taken quite some time, so he couldn’t be in a good mood.

“This way.”

Following the guide, Dan Woo-sung looked around and remarked.

“Why is it so huge? Did you steal it?”

The guide glanced sideways at Dan Woosung and frowned.

‘Is this guy crazy?’

When Dan Wooseong looked at the man, the man averted his gaze and walked on.

“I’m just a worker, so I don’t really know.”

The man who had guided Dan Wooseong to the main hall said.

“He’s inside, isn’t he? Since I’ve delivered the message, he’ll come out.”

In the main hall, Danwooseong loosened his neck by moving it back and forth.

His entire body ached from the tense, prolonged exchange of martial arts techniques with Baekyak. Today, Danwooseong had undoubtedly secured victory. He was entertaining the reasonable suspicion that Baekyak had deliberately loosened his robe.

Both fighters were so skilled that forcing the other’s shoulders to the ground proved difficult. Even with thousands of techniques employed under the tacit rules, it remained no easy feat.

Sometimes he would bounce off the ground with one shoulder to rise, and it was quite common for him to brace with his waist before counterattacking. Because of this, Danwooseong had almost perfectly mastered Baekyak’s physical techniques.

Baekyak was also responding to the Fist King’s physical techniques with increasing perfection.

It could be said the two were using each other as stepping stones to develop. Dan Wooseong thought as he stretched his body.

‘The twist is definitely effective, but I wonder if I can use it again.’

Dan Wooseong surveyed the main hall.

At the far end of the center sat the chair for the head of the clan, flanked by chairs for his subordinates.

Shortly after, men entered through the main hall doors, while others walked out from inside.

In an instant, the leaders of the Eight Dragon Sect seemed to fill the main hall completely.

Finally, Heo Jeon-ik, the leader of the Eight Dragon Sect, appeared from within. Seeing the crowd, he commanded:

“Those standing, leave.”

“Yes.”

A large group of people exited the main hall.

Once Ha Jeon-ik took his seat, Dan Woo-sung was the only one left standing.

Dan Woo-sung looked at the man presumed to be the Eight Dragon Gate Master.

He was surprisingly young. A swordsman in his mid-thirties, he wore a single straight blade at his waist.

True to his role as the leader of the large Palryongmun organization, his expression conveyed a hint of annoyance, eyes suggesting a cruel nature, and an overall impression of someone not particularly talkative.

“I am Ha Jeon-ik of the Palryongmun.”

After Ha Jeon-ik kindly introduced himself first, all eyes turned to Dan Woo-sung.

Seeing no one offered him a chair, Dan Woo-sung approached the man sitting at the far end and looked down at him.

“Move over.”

The black-clad man looked up silently, and Dan Wooseong grabbed the man’s head and hurled him toward the main hall door.

CRASH!

The man flew through the air, smashed into the main hall door, and collapsed onto the floor.

This violent act caused the entire leadership of the Eight Dragons Sect to stare in shock. However, Ha Jeon-ik showed no change in expression.

Dan Wooseong picked up a chair, placed it in the central seat facing the Palryongmun leader, sat down, and spoke.

“I summoned you. Recite. Let me hear it.”

Ha Jeon-ik watched the subordinate collapsed before the main hall door before speaking.

“Clear him away.”

“Yes.”

The man seated at the end of the table rose, opened the main hall door, grabbed the unconscious man by the scruff of his neck, and threw him outside. After closing the door again, he approached Dan Wooseong, glaring at the back of his head, then quietly sat back down in his own place.

Ha Jeon-ik spoke.

“You’re the enemy spy…”

Dan Wooseong retorted.

“I killed him. So what? Black is black, so there must be a black way. Let’s get to the point. I’ll listen.”

Ha Jeon-ik’s eyebrows twitched, then he fell silent for a moment. Dan Wooseong scanned the surroundings and asked.

“Who is this Jikye’s master?”

People’s eyes turned toward the seat of honor. The middle-aged man seated in the left seat of honor turned his head toward Jung Woo-sung.

“It’s me.”

The middle-aged man had no eyes.

Where his eyes should have been, the sockets were slashed with knife marks, as if someone had gouged them out. His expression was truly menacing.

Dan Woo-sung addressed the master of the enemy faction, who possessed an uncommon appearance.

“Want me to kill you too?”

The blind middle-aged man smiled slightly and asked those around him.

“What does he look like? I want to see him, so let’s at least imagine it.”

Judging by his condescending tone, he must hold a fairly high position within the Eight Dragon Sect.

A man described Danwooseong’s appearance.

“He’s in his early to mid-twenties, about the same height as the Great Master of the Yuan Sect, and his build resembles that of the Great Master of the Feng Sect, though he has more muscle. He’s a man skilled in external martial arts, and his face looks like that of a scholar.”

The reason Jie Ye’s master described him this way was because this blind martial artist had taught various disciples martial arts techniques and palm methods. He remembered the physical features of most of those he had taught.

Jie Ye’s master smiled, as if satisfied.

“Oh, I see. I can picture him now. No weapons?”

“None.”

A man who did not reveal his name said to Danwooseong.

Young man, I can’t figure out why you’re so cocky. It’s downright embarrassing. The Galaxy Trading Company isn’t a martial arts sect, is it? They’ve got business ventures all over the place. We could wipe out several of their business partners whole, just to make an example. You lot would be the last ones we’d touch. There are too many ways to shut you down.

There are too many ways to do that.”

Dan Woo-sung scratched his ear as if he didn’t want to listen, cutting off the man’s words.

Dan Woo-sung looked at Ha Jeon-ik and said.

“Moonju, is there no more novel approach? A shocking stratagem that would pin my movements down would do. Exercise your imagination. Or is there no military strategist or tactician here? If there is one, report an appropriate method.”

The man who had just spoken was a military strategist of the Eight Dragons Sect. He clamped his mouth shut with an unpleasant expression.

The master of the enemy faction reported to the Palryong Gate Master.

“Master, there’s no real solution. Let’s just handle the Crown Prince and call it quits. That seems the cleanest way.”

Ha Jeon-ik pointed his finger at Jikye’s master.

“That’s not the right way to go about it. Jie Ye is merely a disciple you raised to multiply your wealth—not a disciple of the Eight Dragons Sect. If he were, I wouldn’t have to listen to this tedious talk. You handle it yourself. If he dies, I’ll avenge him.”

“Master, why such resentment? My disciple’s money is my money. With my money, I’ve made tributes to the Eight Dragon Sect and taught martial arts to many disciples. How can this be someone else’s affair?”

Ha Jeon-ik said.

“Master Maeng, we never asked about the source of the money. We weren’t curious either. Just bringing that Confucius here in the name of the Eight Dragon Gate was help enough…”

Dan Woo-sung, who had been listening to the conversation between Ha Jeon-ik and Myeong Nosa, spoke up.

“These damn Black Path bastards…”

“…” Dan Woosung stood up and walked slowly, enduring the piercing stares of the Palryongmun leaders seated on either side. It was as if he were throwing himself into the encircling net.

Reaching the far end, Dan Wooseong stared blankly at Myeong Nosa.

“A blind bastard…”

Dan Wooseong climbed the stairs and spoke while looking at Ha Jeon-ik seated in his chair.

“You bastard with eyes… don’t you know your place?”

Behind him, ten swords were drawn simultaneously. As the sound of blades leaving sheaths echoed, Ha Jeon-ik studied Dan Woo-seong’s expression.

He was still glaring at him as if he intended to kill him.

Dan Woo-sung turned his head and fixed his gaze on those who had drawn their swords. In that instant, the moment he turned his head, the drawn sword stopped inches from Dan Woo-sung’s throat.

Clang!

Dan Wooseong, gripping Ha Jeonik’s sword in his hand, channeled his aura while glaring at the leaders.