Chapter 9: This Kind of Guy is a Waiter?
Slap.
The Prosperity Association’s Chairman, Jo Tae-ho, lightly slapped his own cheek.
The faint pain told him this wasn’t a dream.
“Huh…”
It was truly an unreal situation.
That the waiter had returned.
That his subordinates had been defeated by that same waiter.
And even more, the extremely dangerous aura radiating from him.
“What are you?”
The Chairman asked, sounding genuinely curious.
Since childhood, he had grown up watching great masters. His father had been the ruler of Hubei’s Black Path, so it was only natural.
The Southern Black Lotus had plenty of masters who had surpassed the peak level. But not one of them exuded the same aura and atmosphere as this man.
Crack–!
Jin Seong-un twisted the necks of the Prosperity Association’s executives he had been holding in both hands.
That was Jin Seong-un’s answer.
After tossing the instantly slain martial artists aside without care, he took a single step forward.
“…”
The Chairman unconsciously held his breath.
It was only a single step closer, yet it felt as if a great mountain had suddenly loomed in front of him.
“He’s here!”
The Chairman shouted, his voice infused with inner qi.
Immediately after, the sound of dozens of martial artists rushing in filled the room.
Amid the chaos, the Chairman stared into Jin Seong-un’s calm eyes and felt an ominous foreboding.
“Chairman, are you all right!”
The Prosperity Association’s Captain, Hyeol Sang-daeju, arrived at the Chairman’s office.
He was a martial artist sent from the Southern Black Lotus, reputed to be equal to or even above the Chairman in martial prowess.
Behind Hyeol Sang-daeju, dozens of martial artists stood with their swords drawn, glaring at Jin Seong-un’s back.
After a brief moment of silence, the Chairman stepped back and shouted.
“Kill him!”
At once, dozens of martial artists charged simultaneously.
Even as they approached with vicious killing intent, Jin Seong-un did not move, still keeping his back turned.
Hyeol Sang-daeju’s crimson sword shot toward the center of Jin Seong-un’s back.
Swaek–!
As befitted a peak-level master, the fierce sword qi made the surroundings tremble.
Suddenly, Hyeol Sang-daeju’s sword reached Jin Seong-un.
Or rather, everyone thought it had reached him.
Hyeol Sang-daeju froze in the stance of thrusting his sword forward.
Behind him now stood Jin Seong-un.
Shadowless Step.
He had not yet mastered it completely. If he moderated his speed and stealth, he could sustain it for about the time it took to run a few breaths, but when pushed to the extreme, only two or three steps were possible.
Even so, it was enough to deal with a peak-level master.
Having secured Hyeol Sang-daeju’s rear, Jin Seong-un raised his sword.
The Black High Sword, gained from killing the Prosperity Association’s Vice Chairman.
As its name implied, the sword rose high, emitting a sudden ringing sword cry.
Whoong–!
It was the sound a sword made in response to its master’s inner qi.
In other words, that sword cry also signified the realm of Sword Unification.
Under the influence of the Women’s Moon Heart Method, the white haze swirling around the Black High Sword began to turn crimson.
Fire Dragon Hidden Sword.
True to its name, the energy contained in the sword suddenly ignited into blazing flames.
Feeling the aura rising from behind, Hyeol Sang-daeju swallowed hard and turned his head.
He was met by the sight of flames descending upon him. As a peak-level master himself, he had no intention of meekly accepting death.
He swung his own sword in response.
Sensing the extraordinary power contained in the waiter’s sword, he decided to deflect it rather than meet it head-on, even if it meant taking some damage.
The Black Path’s swordsmanship was seasoned and battle-hardened.
Hyeol Sang-daeju’s sword was no exception.
The moment the two swords clashed, Hyeol Sang-daeju subtly twisted his blade.
This was to redirect the energy—and to some extent, he succeeded.
However, what he had overlooked was this:
Even if he had deflected nine-tenths of the force, the remaining tenth was still more than he could withstand.
Seogeok–!
Jin Seong-un’s sword sheared clean through Hyeol Sang-daeju’s blade.
Yet, without losing momentum, it fell with a steady, unrelenting force.
And suddenly, the Black High Sword struck Hyeol Sang-daeju.
Chwaak–!
His figure was split in two.
Blood splattered in all directions.
Jin Seong-un wiped the blood from his face with his hand.
Silence fell.
No one could move easily.
No one except Jin Seong-un, that is.
Having slain the Prosperity Association’s top expert, Hyeol Sang-daeju, with a single sword strike, Jin Seong-un began walking again.
Naturally, his steps were aimed toward the Chairman of the Prosperity Association.
A few brave martial artists moved.
Thanks to them, the others snapped out of their daze and also moved.
However, it meant little.
The blades of dozens of martial artists, striking all at once, could not halt Jin Seong-un’s advance even once.
The Sword Immortal always called himself the greatest swordsman of all time. As usual, there was surely some degree of martial artists’ arrogance in those words.
But if he dared to claim such a thing himself, then even if he wasn’t truly the greatest in all history, it was certain he was among the finest swordsmen ever.
Jin Seong-un, possessing the Heavenly Martial Body, had learned that Sword Immortal’s swordsmanship.
He walked with the steps of Divine Thief, the greatest thief in history, while swinging the Sword Immortal’s sword.
And Noble Enchantress’s heart method, acknowledged even by Martial Gods as the best, supported it without difficulty.
Swaek–!
A martial artist hurled a straight sword.
It was a moment where something needed to be done, but getting too close seemed like certain death, hence the throw.
Without even looking, Jin Seong-un caught it.
Holding the black straight sword in his left hand, he swung it through the air a few times before suddenly lowering his stance.
His rear foot pressed down to gather strength, his front knee bent—ready to launch forward at any moment.
A black aura gathered beneath Jin Seong-un’s feet.
No one dared approach.
— My blade technique is that of the Black Path. It is the martial art of the man who, throughout the history of the murim, first unified the Black Path.
— Didn’t learning the Black Path’s martial arts bring you any disadvantage? That’s the kind of thing only poor men would say, hahaha!
Those were the words of the Merchant King.
Jin Seong-un had once been curious about how the first master of the World’s Greatest Battlefield came to learn the Black Path’s blade arts, but there was no need to ask.
Recalling the Merchant King’s laughter, Jin Seong-un fixed his gaze on the Chairman of the Prosperity Association.
More precisely, on the area near his shoulder.
A single imaginary point appeared there, and everything else in his sight faded away.
Black Wolf One-Slash.
A blade aimed at only a single point.
Swaek–!
Jin Seong-un charged.
A long black afterimage streamed behind him like a tail.
Puk–!
The Chairman of the Prosperity Association blinked, then lowered his head. A pitch-black straight sword was buried in his shoulder.
Drip, drip—blood ran down the blade.
Before the blood could touch his hand, Jin Seong-un released the sword.
“Ch-… Chairman!”
At the same time, dozens of martial artists rushed toward Jin Seong-un.
Packed so tightly there was no space to step, they all thrust their blades at once.
Jin Seong-un still stood in place.
Suddenly, a crimson energy began flowing between the dozens of blades extended toward him.
The energy quickly spread its range, then completely engulfed the surroundings.
Kwaaaaaang–!
With a deafening roar, the blood-red energy filled the entire field of vision and swallowed the Prosperity Association’s martial artists whole.
“…”
A brief moment passed.
Only two people remained standing.
Everyone else had collapsed to the ground, reduced to blood and flesh.
Blood Demon Soul.
There are two periods in murim history considered the darkest.
The Age of Dark Heavens.
And the Age of Blood Heavens.
They referred to the respective eras when the two most infamous demonic masters in all history were active.
The scene unfolding in the Prosperity Association’s small office now was reminiscent of the Age of Blood Heavens.
Neither Jin Seong-un nor the Chairman knew this, however.
The Chairman of the Prosperity Association opened and closed his mouth a few times before shutting it.
What he had just witnessed was so far removed from reality that his mind went blank.
After a moment of silence, the Chairman finally forced himself to speak.
“…Spare me.”
Jin Seong-un shook his head.
There were reasons he could not spare the Chairman.
First, Jin Seong-un intended to do business here.
Second, it was the will of the Martial Gods.
Third, when he left Yichang, he had heard about the atrocities the Chairman of the Prosperity Association committed against merchants.
There had been quite a few horrific incidents.
For example, stabbing to death a merchant’s family in front of them if they refused to submit.
Or taking the young children of merchants who couldn’t pay tribute, regardless of gender.
There were countless reasons to kill him, but not a single reason to let him live.
That was why the Prosperity Association would disappear today.
“If… if you kill me, the Hongho Seven Ghosts will come for you. If you keep me alive, I can at least rescind their orders.”
“What’s that?”
“…”
The Hongho Seven Ghosts were very famous assassins in Hubei Province. Aside from the Deathshroud, known as the greatest assassin organization in the world, they could be considered the best.
But if one had never even heard of the Hongho Seven Ghosts, such threats meant nothing.
The Chairman of the Prosperity Association blinked for a moment, then changed his tactic.
“I wasn’t always this kind of person.”
He then began talking about the environment he had been born and raised in.
To Jin Seong-un, it sounded about seventy percent excuses and self-justification, and thirty percent lies.
When Jin Seong-un’s expression showed there was no reason to listen further, the man started getting angry.
That was human nature—when persuasion failed, when evoking sympathy failed, when all else failed, anger followed.
“You son of a bitch! Do you think you’ll get away unscathed after killing me? My father is Jo Rae-ak of the Southern Black Lotus. Do you have any idea how many masters of the Black Path my father can mobilize? Even the Murim Alliance is reluctant to—”
Puk.
The Chairman’s words were cut short.
The Black High Sword had pierced his chest.
Jin Seong-un slowly drew the blade back and spoke.
“Bragging about your father in front of an orphan…”
The sword slid out completely.
With eyes wide open, the Chairman collapsed backward.
Jin Seong-un shook the blood from his sword and let out a light breath.
“…”
He looked around, and the sight was a spectacle.
A thought crossed his mind.
‘This is what they call a waiter?’
But now that the Prosperity Association was gone, he could finally run his business in peace.
It had to be that way.
Yichang, Hubei Province.
A long line of carts entered Yichang.
In the lead wagon were two men.
“Chairman, I’m not sure if it’s wise to take the word of that waiter and end up on bad terms with the Southern Black Lotus.”
Jang Tae-seok, the Vice Chairman of the Jingzhou Merchants’ Association, spoke.
In response, Oh Jeong-san, the Association Chairman, let out a hearty laugh that suited his large frame.
“Haha, that fellow’s proposal was bold indeed.”
Before going to the Prosperity Association, Jin Seong-un had gone to the Jingzhou Merchants’ Association—not to ask for a favor, but to make a deal.
It had been the Merchant King’s advice.
— Since the Chairman hails from the Wudang Sect, the Southern Black Lotus won’t dare cause trouble without reason. The issue is that neither you nor the Association have any reason to trouble yourselves for Yichang.
Jin Seong-un’s terms were simple.
The Jingzhou Merchants’ Association would take the place of the Prosperity Association.
Profits from legitimate Association activities in the city would be split seventy-thirty between the Association and Jin Seong-un.
Judging from these terms alone, it sounded absurd.
What had this fellow done to deserve thirty percent?
Just as they might have been ready to say so, Jin Seong-un continued.
— The issue is the cost to establish the Association’s position. I’ll cover half.
— What kind of money would a waiter have?
— It’s known that the Jingzhou Merchants’ Association has highly skilled martial artists. Naturally, they’re expensive. I’ll fight in their stead. One gold tael for every Prosperity Association martial artist I kill.
— What?
The Prosperity Association had about 150 martial artists.
In theory, if Jin Seong-un annihilated them all on his own, that would be worth 150 gold taels.
In truth, that sum was nearly equal to the initial cost of establishing the Association’s position.
So even if he only killed half, it would mean splitting the initial costs evenly between the Association and Jin Seong-un.
That way, they could save the money they would otherwise spend hiring martial artists to fight the Prosperity Association.
And far fewer people would be injured or killed.
“Considering the future profits, it was actually a beneficial deal. The market in Yichang is by no means small.”
“Right, but that was assuming the waiter could kill at least several dozen of the Prosperity Association’s martial artists. Do you really think that’s possible?”
When the Vice Chairman grumbled in frustration, Oh Jeong-san smiled slyly.
He understood his subordinate’s concern.
The proposal relied on the assumption that the waiter was a master capable of fighting the Prosperity Association.
Of course, neither Jin Seong-un nor the Merchant King were unaware of this.
— Merchant King, will the Chairman accept this proposal? I’m just a waiter.
— Didn’t you say he’s from the Wudang Sect? If he’s truly a proper man, he’ll recognize your worth. And who do you think you learned the sword from?
The Merchant King said this while pointing at the Sword Immortal.
The Sword Immortal wore a somewhat proud expression.
And the Merchant King’s prediction proved correct.
Oh Jeong-san smirked and spoke to his subordinate.
“You wouldn’t know, but I can clearly see it. He’s no ordinary waiter. Anyway, let’s hurry. I just hope the lad doesn’t overdo it and get himself killed.”
The concern was genuine.
It had been a long time since he’d met such a spirited young man.
Moreover, the young man possessed boldness, wisdom, and martial prowess.
True talent could not be priced.
Even if it meant souring relations with the Southern Black Lotus, this was someone worth coveting at least once.
‘It’s rare to find someone with both martial and commercial talent.’
Being both a martial artist and a merchant like Jin Seong-un, Oh Jeong-san found the daring waiter even more remarkable.
.
.
.
Oh Jeong-san’s gaze froze for a moment as he looked ahead.
Something was blazing fiercely in the distance.
“…”
It was the Prosperity Association’s main compound, situated slightly away from civilian homes. Calling it a headquarters was a stretch—it was practically the private fortress of the Southern Black Lotus leader’s spoiled son.
Dozens of constables surrounded it, spears leveled, though they didn’t seem to be entering.
“Tsk, I can’t tell if those are constables or just the Prosperity Association’s lackeys.”
Muttering this, Oh Jeong-san moved closer.
It was only natural that constables would hesitate to get involved in a martial artists’ battle.
“Constable Hwang, long time no see.”
Head Constable Hwang Myeong-seok flinched when he spotted Oh Jeong-san.
Given Hwang’s close ties with the Prosperity Association, the presence of the Jingzhou Merchants’ Association was bound to be awkward.
“Ah, Chairman.”
“So, what’s going on?”
“They say some demonic practitioner appeared and started tearing through the Prosperity Association, so I came, but…”
Hwang trailed off.
Oh Jeong-san nodded knowingly.
“You’re afraid to go in.”
“It’s not fear, it’s—!”
“I understand. Still, the Prosperity Association is Black Path—does the law have any reason to get involved?”
“They’re not technically Black Path. I’m just worried the common folk might get harmed.”
Hwang’s curt reply came with a sour expression.
‘He’s deliberately needling me even though he knows the truth.’
As he thought this and glared, Oh Jeong-san laughed heartily, making it sound like a joke.
“Hahaha! Don’t glare so much. I’ll go in myself. As someone who once belonged to the Wudang Sect, if there’s a demonic practitioner, I’ll cut him down.”
Hwang nodded.
Awkwardness aside, the Merchants’ Association Chairman was a real master.
Not the kind of middling expert who only threw his weight around in a small town, but a master recognized throughout the Central Plains.
He was an outside disciple of the Wudang Sect and the head of the Oh Clan, a well-known family in the orthodox world.
“If you do that, I’ll make sure to repay you.”
Tak, tak.
Oh Jeong-san lightly tapped Hwang’s shoulder, drew his sword, and headed toward the Prosperity Association.
“You all stay here. If he really is strong enough to take on the Prosperity Association alone, it could be dangerous.”
His subordinates waited.
In truth, Oh Jeong-san was also nervous.
No matter how talented that young man was, he couldn’t have wiped out the Prosperity Association alone.
What if some demonic practitioner unrelated to the waiter had really shown up?
If so, even for Oh Jeong-san, the fight would not be easy.
Clutching his Taiji Sword tightly, he went deeper inside.
Corpses and blood of martial artists were scattered everywhere.
His keenly honed senses detected only a single presence.
Following it, Oh Jeong-san eventually arrived at the Chairman’s office.
The sight before him left him momentarily speechless.
Dozens of martial artists’ corpses.
The Prosperity Association’s Chairman, dead with a pierced chest.
And the waiter, sitting and resting beside him, rose and bowed upon seeing him.
“You really came.”
“…You did all this yourself?”
Jin Seong-un calmly nodded.
“One hundred fifty-four in total. Since the Chairman and I agreed to split the Association’s initial costs evenly at one hundred taels each—”
“…”
“—that means you actually owe me fifty taels more. As for the remaining four taels, I’ll keep them on tab at the inn, so come by for a meal once in a while.”
“Huh…”
Oh Jeong-san let out a disbelieving chuckle.
It almost felt like he was dreaming.