novelraw Chapter 21 : My Blade is Equal to All (1)
Chapter 21 : My Blade is Equal to All (1)
Chapter 21 - My Blade is Equal to All (1)
A new question arose. Why do so many beggars' names end with the word 'gae' (dog)? There was only one reason for such a silly thought.
Why else? It was because of our beggar guide.
"It was a name given to me because my brushstrokes have the elegance of the wind. If I could sell them, they'd be worth millions of won!"
Seopung-gae boasted, his chin held high. His shoulders were so puffed up with pride, it looked like he was about to ascend to heaven.
"So, young warrior. Care to get my autograph?!"
"What am I going to do with a beggar's autograph?"
"Ahem, even dog droppings can be used as medicine."
Lee Taebaek's focus was extremely cloudy.
His mind was hazy from the indiscriminate poison gas being sprayed from Seopung-gae's mouth. At this rate, he felt like he was the one who was going to ascend to heaven, but in a different way.
"If you're so confident in your calligraphy, why don't you sell it? At the very least, you could live a comfortable life in the lower districts."
Lee Taebaek struggled to get the words out. He had cut him off to shut him up. He had intended to just let it go in one ear and out the other, but at this rate, his own nose would rot off first.
"Telling a beggar to earn money! A passing dog would laugh at that! A beggar is a beggar because he doesn't work!"
"Labor, shed with blood and sweat, is better than begging—."
"You scoooundrel! I can overlook your informal speech, but I will not stand for such a blasphemous statement that insults the very foundation of the Beggars' Sect!"
Seopung-gae, who was scolding him for his added comment, was furious. Lee Taebaek was fed up. The common sense of Earth did not apply here.
'Who the hell made the rule that beggars can't earn money?'
He had a rough idea of the basic knowledge and concepts of wuxia.
He had heard it constantly while working at the company.
From whom? Who else?
The one name that would be sorely missed if it were not mentioned here.
— Assistant Manager Lee! A beggar who works is not a beggar! It goes against the very foundation of the Beggars' Sect! Don't talk nonsense, like a dog eating grass! Don't talk like a Wudang master eating meat–!
It was Team Leader Seo.
She was the culprit who had created this chaotic world by stubbornly adding wuxia elements to the already jumbled-up-punk Recons.
'Thanks to my prior studies, even though I ran into a beggar by chance, I'm somehow managing to play along.'
And in addition, he was gleaning some nutritious information that could only be obtained on the streets, but...
“—gaek!!”
“......”
The truth was, he was sick and tired of it.
'Hah.'
Deep sighs escaped him.
But let's just exhale, not inhale. The dizzying bad breath is coming along with it.
“That aside.”
Seopung-gae shot a sideways glance.
“I know it's none of my business, but I have to say something.”
“If you know it's none of your business, then don't say it.”
“Now, now. It's just an old man's worry, so be quiet and listen.”
His gaze became profound and sunken.
“Haven't you ever thought this yourself? 'Whether they call themselves the Orthodox Faction or the Unorthodox Faction, they're all just gangster bastards'.”
Maybe it's because he lives off handouts. His intuition is amazing.
“......”
“Why the long face? It's the truth. Aren't the Orthodox Faction guys no different from the gangs that walk around with their shoulders squared? The only difference is that we handle swords and practice martial arts instead of heavy firearms. It's just petty pride.”
“Coming from a martial artist, that really resonates.”
“There might have been a standard to distinguish between the righteous and the evil once, but in the end, they're all the same. Even in our Beggars' Sect, there are only a few 'Masters of the Arts' like me left. Over nine-tenths of our brothers are from the 'Clean Clothes Faction' that chases after gold.”
The two moved in a single file line. Seopung-gae, who had been leading, intentionally matched his pace with Lee Taebaek's.
“Whether you're on the White Path, the Black Path, or in a gang. This is a city that doesn't care where you belong. Isn't this Lake City, where all sorts of filthy characters are mixed together like bibimbap?”
“Get to the point.”
“The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
Flinch.
“...Just don't go anywhere near them.”
Seopung-gae was warning him.
“Being interested in money is perfectly normal in this city. It's the Masters of the Arts Faction that's the odd one out. But the Demonic Cult is different. They have no interest in money.”
Seopung-gae lowered his tone even further. His voice settled on Taebaek's shoulders, heavy as a weight.
“Their ultimate goal is the Demonic Path. To reach that destination, they treat humans as ingredients for elixirs.”
“I've heard the bizarre rumors about the Mage Tower playing with humans. ...But I guess the rumors weren't just rumors.”
“Originally, rumors tend to be exaggerated, but on the other hand, they can also hide a much deeper truth.”
Those bastards are bugs too. I'll definitely get rid of them someday.
Lee Taebaek ground his teeth, trying not to be obvious.
But that was still a long way off.
A long-cherished project for a future day.
Rushing in now would be pointless.
It wouldn't even be like throwing an egg at a rock. More like sprinkling sand on a rock.
The Demonic Cult that left the Central Plains and settled in Lake City. That is, the 'Kergel Mage Tower', has risen to become a megacorp.
“The Demonic Cult bastards even gave up martial arts and replaced it with magic. The demonic people became mages. The Demon Lord, who was called the Heavenly Demon, is now calling himself the Master of the Kergel Mage Tower.”
“To think the Heavenly Demon would become a real Genius Mage...”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“Nothing. Just bullshit.”
“Bullshit? For some reason, it sounds like you were saying that for me to hear.”
···This is why they say beggars are quick-witted. The saying about reading a person's soul by their face wasn't just an empty boast.
“Maybe it's because I've starved so much, but my insides are all twisted. I don't spew such harsh words at someone who's shown me kindness.”
“I guess you're not that much of a crude bastard.”
Seopung-gae tilted his head with a puzzled face. Then, he murmured in a voice so low it was barely audible.
“It's a deplorable thing. No matter that they're the Demonic Cult, they're still from the same lands. How has the code of the martial world fallen so low.”
“Thanks for the explanation, but why are you telling me this when we've just met? If it's about money, I'm as broke as you are.”
“What would I expect from a punk who casually speaks informally to his elders? Nothing. I'm just saying this for free, out of an old man's concern.”
Seopung-gae denied it, waving his hand.
“Then that place, Eunko Bar… is it a secular branch of the Mage Tower?”
“No. Is there any reason for a secular branch of the Mage Tower to hang a sign in the lower districts?”
“No. Why would they.”
“Right. Not only is there no reason for them to, but even if there were, the White Path factions wouldn't leave them alone. They may be buried in money, but they haven't sold out their principles.”
“Like your Beggars' Sect, you mean.”
“I'm not that righteous of a beggar myself. Quite the opposite.”
A bitter smile formed on Seopung-gae's lips. Then, as if feeling a gaze, he quickly shook his head.
“What am I even saying, holding onto a young green warrior like this. The Heavenly Venerate will surely not look down upon this.”
“You never know. He might be closer than you think.”
“You sound like a Shaolin monk. You're quite the unique character.”
At Lee Taebaek's words, Seopung-gae felt the tension leave him for a moment. A wise answer to a foolish question.
“Thanks for the comfort, but you should worry about yourself, young warrior. As for the details, you'll find out on your own once you experience them firsthand. Ah, we're here.”
Lee Taebaek turned his gaze in the direction Seopung-gae had indicated. It was a relatively low, three-story building.
The building, squeezed into the gap between two skyscrapers, was extraordinary in every way, from its location to its appearance.
A pointed roof was placed on the cylindrical body of the building, which was cut off at the waist. It looked just like a cone hat placed on a cake.
Rusty pipes crawled over the exterior walls like blood vessels, adding a sense of life to the static building.
「Eunko Bar」
As a finishing touch, a sign written in Hangul showed off its presence. At first glance it was shabby, but it exuded a sense of considerable history.
'So this is where I'll be staying...'
While Lee Taebaek stared blankly at Eunko Bar, Seopung-gae turned on his heel like a whirlwind.
“As promised, this is where I leave you. Ah, I almost forgot one thing. Nameless young warrior, about you......”
Seopung-gae, looking back halfway, let out a low sigh. Then, as if giving advice, he added.
“If you're going to live in Lake City from now on, it would be best to keep your killing intent in check. Especially in the lower districts, where many martial artists reside.”
“......”
Indeed. He reads people like a ghost.
“It's because I'm a cautious person. I had no intention of deceiving you.”
“A good attitude. But if you walk around openly exuding killing intent, the bugs that smell blood will gather. It's best to make a habit of concealing it.”
“Hey.”
Lee Taebaek called out to the beggar. As Seopung-gae turned his head halfway, he spoke as if embarrassed.
“If we see each other again... Even if it's not you, if I see a beggar, I'll give alms then. Right now, I'm a beggar myself.”
“Your words alone are enough to fill my stomach. Keep my words in mind. When you enter that shop, you will undoubtedly make contact with the Mage Tower. From then on, you must judge and act on your own. I'm telling you this because seeing your face, young warrior, reminds me of my younger days.”
“I'll take it to heart.”
“Hahaha, such a rare, noble spirit. A refreshing answer. In any case, I'll really be going now. I wish you luck in your martial endeavors, young warrior.”
The beggar laughed heartily, baring his teeth. With that, he walked away from Lee Taebaek, humming a tune.
With every one of Seopung-gae's steps, the six ropes tied in butterfly knots at his waist danced along with their master.
Until that moment, the Beggar of the Secret Arts Faction did not know.
That this brief meeting with a nameless young warrior was the starting point of a great upheaval in the lower districts.
......
Creek.
The door's hinges screamed. It seemed it had been a long time since any maintenance had been done, even longer than its external appearance suggested.
Lee Taebaek, stepping into the shop, rolled his eyes to survey the surroundings. Though it was broad daylight outside, inside it was night.
The natural light that came in with him was the only illumination. Still, when he focused his eyes, his vision adjusted.
His adjustment to the dark was incredibly fast.
This body, Lee Taebaek thought, is friendly to the darkness in many ways.
It was then.
“Uuuuhm.”
The pained sound of a woman's voice drifted through the air. The groan originated from a corner that had just come into view.
“We're... not... open yet.”
Lee Taebaek's head turned in that direction. A woman was draped limply over a straight-backed sofa, like a strand of seaweed.
A long tobacco pipe dangled from her hand, which was hanging off the sofa. Besides that, a liquor bottle and a glass were on the side table.
“We open for business at seven in the evening. Can you come back then?”
The woman spoke, pulling her upper body up. It was a moment where her face was revealed bit by bit through her disheveled hair.
She was a rare and stunning beauty.
The kind who would instantly draw everyone's attention.
Even I, who has no interest in women whatsoever, was surprised.
'She looks like a top-tier idol.'
However, the tragic kind of idol who had fallen from grace in an instant due to some unavoidable circumstance, like a dating scandal.
“Hmm? What's this? Are you a minor?”
The woman blinked, then her eyes opened wide.
“But what to do. This place, believe it or not, is a respectable, registered business, so we don't accept minors.”
Lee Taebaek did not reply.
He quietly moved his thumb to the opening button of the Para-Blade.
“The beggar I met on the way here said one last thing. He wished me luck in my martial endeavors as I entered the bar.”
Silence flowed and their gazes clashed. His mouth was parched from the dry, gritty dust.
“There are glasses, but there's no smell of alcohol at all. On top of that, you're sprawled out as if to show with your body that you're defenseless.”
“......”
“And above all, what's with leaving the door open and saying you're not open for business? You should have at least closed it.”
The woman stood up, tapping out her pipe.
“The Commander-in-Chief praised you so much, so I thought I'd run a little verification process. Your situational awareness is pretty good. Did you hear that I don't just accept anyone as a boarder?”
“I hadn't, but I figured as much.”
“Given the nature of my regulars, you need to have the skills to take care of yourself. I'm not trying to make you a waiter, but knife fights happen here a lot.”
The woman snapped her fingers. A flame lit her pipe. Starting with that, the lights in the entire bar came on.
“...A mage.”
“To be precise, I 'was'. I apostatized three years ago.”
“You're lucky to be alive.”
“Yep. The Demonic Cult, the Kergel Mage Tower, doesn't kill skilled mages right away. They'll send assassins eventually, though. Well, but thanks to that special career history, I can run a jazz bar as a side job and do other things.”
The woman replied with a shrug.
“Shall we see your skills? For your information, I got approval from the Commander-in-Chief. To check your skills as a condition for taking you as a boarder. Don't worry. I'll control my strength so you don't die.”
“Good, perfect timing. I was just about to test my own abilities.”
Lee Taebaek's thumb pressed the opening button.