Chapter 47: Came to Repay a Debt
The two men left the inn and walked straight ahead.
Jin Seong-un looked around the marketplace. Although it was the territory of the Black Path, the way people lived here was not much different from Yichang.
People bustled about with bundles in hand, merchants stood in front of their stalls calling for customers…
Thud!
At the sound of a dull thump, he turned his head to see a man lying on the ground, blood streaming down his forehead.
From the conversation nearby, it seemed he had picked a fight after bumping shoulders with someone.
“…Quite a troublesome neighborhood.”
At Jin Seong-un’s muttered remark, Seo Yu-gyeom chuckled.
They kept walking for a while until both of them suddenly felt something strange.
Almost as if they had agreed on it beforehand, they stopped walking and looked at each other.
Jin Seong-un spoke in a worried tone.
“You know where you’re going?”
“I’m just following you.”
A brief silence fell.
Jin Seong-un scratched his head before saying,
“This is my first time coming to Deyang.”
“It’s been so long for me that everything’s changed. I don’t know either.”
Silence again.
The two men glanced around.
The Four Dragons River Gang wasn’t a small Black Path gang, so it wouldn’t be difficult to find.
The problem was that asking around could stir unnecessary suspicion.
When heading into a fight, it was always better to go quietly.
“Oh, there.”
It was then that Jin Seong-un pointed to one side.
The man they had met right after entering Deyang was still busily at work.
He pretended to speak to an old woman while deftly slipping her purse. With a satisfied grin, he twirled the wallet in his hand as he walked along—until his eyes met those of the two men.
“……”
Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom stared at him.
Though they only looked, a strange pressure weighed heavily on the man’s shoulders.
After standing frozen in place for a while, the man sighed and retraced his steps.
Jin Seong-un silently watched as the man handed the wallet back to the old woman—only to be beaten soundly with her cane as she flew into a rage. It seemed even old women were full of vigor in the Black Path’s territory.
Seo Yu-gyeom clutched his stomach and burst out laughing.
Soon after, the man, his face full of resentment, stomped over.
“Why the hell are you doing this to me? Why meddle in another man’s affairs?”
“What did we even do?”
Jin Seong-un asked back in a tone of disbelief.
The man glared furiously at him, trying to think of something to say, but nothing came to mind. After all, the two hadn’t done anything to him.
When the man stayed silent, Jin Seong-un spoke.
“There’s something I want to ask.”
“What is it?”
“The location of the Four Dragons River Gang.”
The man’s eyes widened.
He thought quickly.
“…Why the Four Dragons River Gang?”
“We have business there.”
“Are you perhaps masters of the Black Path?”
His tone became a little more respectful.
Jin Seong-un shook his head. There was no need to lie.
“Not that. Just a personal matter. Anyway, you seem to know the location. Guide us there.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Why not?”
“Because it looks dangerous.”
The man had been born and raised in Deyang. He knew better than anyone what the Four Dragons River Gang was in this city.
And it wasn’t just them. Anyone who got entangled with the Four Great Black Path Gangs of Deyang rarely came out unscathed.
For some reason, even the authorities and other powers avoided them.
Rumors spread that the Hwa-un Trading Company was backing them, but no one truly knew.
“It’s not particularly dangerous. And I’m not asking as a favor.”
“……”
The man glared fiercely at Jin Seong-un.
Just because he was weak didn’t mean he had to bow his head.
Naturally, Jin Seong-un showed no reaction. While the man waged a one-sided staring contest—
Smack!
Seo Yu-gyeom struck the back of his head.
The man grabbed his head and glared at Seo Yu-gyeom this time. But unlike Jin Seong-un, Seo Yu-gyeom didn’t ignore him.
“In Deyang, don’t they usually cut off a pickpocket’s hand?”
The man glared a little longer before turning around and grumbling.
“Fine. Let’s go.”
And so, the two followed his lead.
Looking at the man’s back, Jin Seong-un felt he was starting to understand what kind of place Deyang was.
…
The pickpocket who lived off stealing, Jang Hong.
He was quick-witted by nature. With such poor fighting skills, there was no other way to survive in Deyang.
His instincts screamed endlessly—he must not get deeply entangled with the two men following him.
Jang Hong turned to look at them.
One was mostly expressionless, while the other was rather talkative.
Neither seemed particularly interested in him. He considered making a sudden run for it, but something instinctively told him that would be a mistake.
‘Damn it…’
The Four Dragons River Gang was drawing nearer.
A creeping unease grew in him—was he about to be dragged into something dangerous?
Jang Hong spoke in a polite tone.
“Esteemed heroes… you’re not going there to stir up trouble, are you?”
That was his greatest worry. Young and hot-blooded martial artists like them often courted death through reckless bravado.
The problem was, as their guide, he could also earn the gang’s resentment.
Seo Yu-gyeom waved dismissively.
“Don’t run your mouth. Just guide us.”
“Yes, master.”
Bastard.
He swallowed the words and quickened his pace.
After some time, the estate of the Four Dragons River Gang came into view. It was so large that one could mistake it for a small fortress.
“Wow, that’s huge. Bet the food’s good.”
“…It shows how ruthless they must be.”
Hearing the conversation behind him, Jang Hong’s unease grew.
All of a sudden, he spoke.
“Esteemed heroes. That is the Four Dragons River Gang. May I take my leave now?”
When Jin Seong-un nodded, Jang Hong sighed in relief. Best to leave before any gatekeeper recognized him.
He quickly turned to go—
“Isn’t that Jang Hong?”
A familiar voice rang out.
Jang Hong cursed inwardly.
At the massive main gate of the Four Dragons River Gang, a bald giant was waving at him in greeting.
Seo Yu-gyeom asked,
“You know him?”
“Ah, somewhat.”
“How?”
“Sometimes we drink and eat together…”
“And you’re the one paying most of the time, right?”
Seo Yu-gyeom grinned knowingly.
Jang Hong’s face reddened with shame.
“Guys like that are all the same. Looks like he’s one of those types who think they’re something just because they know a bit of martial arts.”
Seo Yu-gyeom was well-versed in the ways of the Unorthodox Path.
Those of the Black Path who had formally trained in martial arts often used inn waiters, courtesans, coachmen, gamblers, pickpockets, and petty thieves as if they were their limbs.
“Jang Hong, you bastard! Aren’t you coming here quick?”
Jang Hong bit his lip. No matter how he thought about it, these men looked like they were about to cause trouble.
The real problem was that bald thug had seen him guiding them here.
“Hey, they’re calling you.”
Seo Yu-gyeom chuckled.
Letting out a deep sigh, Jang Hong said,
“You’re really, really not going to do anything strange, right?”
With that, Jang Hong strode toward the main gate of the Four Dragons River Gang, with Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom following closely at his sides.
“Bastard, did you score today too?”
The bald man asked Jang Hong in his usual sly tone. That was how it always went. If Jang Hong had a score, he would freeload on drinks; if he failed, he freeloaded anyway.
Jang Hong often imagined himself becoming a master one day and beating this man senseless before going to sleep.
“Yes, well…”
“So who are these people?”
The bald man glanced at Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom.
As he studied their faces, his expression grew increasingly unpleasant.
“Why do they look so much like women?”
At his words, the other Black Path thugs burst out laughing.
Jang Hong forced a laugh as well, while Seo Yu-gyeom laughed even more boisterously than the thugs themselves.
After a moment of laughter, the bald man spoke to Jin Seong-un.
“Not funny?”
“It was so-so.”
Jin Seong-un replied calmly. The bald man’s face twisted in displeasure.
“Seems you’re a friend of this brat Jang’s, yet you speak so rudely.”
“Not a friend.”
Jin Seong-un glanced at the bald man and the Four Dragons River Gang martial artists, then continued,
“I came to meet your Gang Leader.”
The smile vanished from the bald man’s face. The others also grew serious.
After exchanging looks, the bald man asked in a cautious tone,
“Who are you?”
“Someone who came to repay a debt.”
The bald man narrowed his eyes, scanning Jin Seong-un up and down.
But there was nothing to see.
Jin Seong-un endured that unpleasant gaze for a moment, then spoke in a low tone.
“Lead the way.”
“Lead the way?”
The bald man didn’t take long. This was the Four Dragons River Gang, and the two strangers showed no signs of martial training.
“Jang Hong.”
“Yes, brother.”
“Do you want to die? Where the hell did you pick up these useless bastards?”
Jang Hong’s shoulders twitched.
Inside, he was dying.
The reason was simple. He was supposed to humor the bald thug, but his instincts kept rejecting it.
Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom were staring straight at him, their gaze as if asking,
‘Are you on their side too?’
Jang Hong sighed quietly. Today was a cursedly unlucky day.
“He sighs.”
The bald man laughed as if in disbelief. The other martial artists also began to stir up the atmosphere.
The bald man then ran his thick hand over his shiny head and said in a low voice,
“Looks like you’ll have to take a beating along with your friends today.”
He raised his hand toward Jang Hong. Jang Hong flinched hard, but instead of cowering, words slipped out:
“Enough already, brother.”
The bald man froze, his hand still raised. His expression grew grim as he stared at Jang Hong.
“What did you just say?”
“Haah. I’m not your subordinate, not your little brother, and I’ve never wronged you. Why do you act like you can’t live without harassing me every time we meet?”
It was something he would never normally say.
But years of resentment had piled up, today was unbearably foul, and above all, his instincts told him now was the time to speak out.
Cursing himself as an idiot, Jang Hong squeezed his eyes shut.
The bald man seemed to think the same, spitting curses.
“You worthless bastard, how dare you—”
The bald man swung his thick hand lightly.
For someone as weak as Jang Hong, even a casual strike could snap his neck.
Smack—!
A sharp sound rang out.
At the same time, the bald man collapsed to the ground.
His body was so large the ground seemed to tremble for a moment.
Jang Hong opened his eyes in shock.
Jin Seong-un was brushing his hand in the air.
The Four Dragons River Gang martial artists stared blankly for a moment, then as if on cue, they drew their swords.
Srring—!
The sun glinted on the blades now leveled threateningly at Jin Seong-un.
“Th-this bastard…”
The sword tips trembled slightly. None of them had the confidence to fell the bald man in a single strike.
They immediately realized their opponent was stronger than them.
Jin Seong-un gazed at the sword tips, then spoke.
“I said I came to repay a debt.”
“……”
Jang Hong felt like he was dreaming.
The terrifying bald man was lying flat on the ground, the Four Dragons River Gang martial artists had drawn blades sharp with killing intent, and yet the two men he had guided showed not a hint of unease.
‘Are they madmen?’
Mad or not, they were clearly masters. The fact that he had once tried to pickpocket them and survived was a miracle.
Jang Hong held his breath, watching. Or at least, he tried to.
Boom—!
One moment he was staring at Jin Seong-un’s back, the next, as an explosion rocked the main gate, Jin Seong-un was already there.
The Black Path martial artists shouted in panic.
“Th-there…!”
“An intruder!”
The gate had suddenly been blown apart. Their cries rang out.
Chaos erupted within.
But Jin Seong-un, calm as ever, turned to Seo Yu-gyeom after smashing down the main gate of the Four Dragons River Gang.
“Let’s go.”
At once, Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom stepped inside. The Black Path martial artists couldn’t bring themselves to attack and instead followed at a distance, swords trembling in their hands.
Watching this, Jang Hong slapped his own cheek. The sting told him it wasn’t a dream.
After standing stunned for a moment, he glanced down at the fallen bald man.
Approaching him, Jang Hong waved his palm in front of the man’s closed eyes, then—
Smack!
With the same hand, he slapped the bald man across the face three times before quickly turning and running off the way he had come.