Swordless Demonic Path

Chapter 27 : Comrade (2)

Ha Mae-sang, the owner of Seonyakru, opened the door of the tea house early in the morning. It was a daily routine.

He opened the door of the tea house and spread out the tea leaves he had to sell today on one side.

Ha Mae-sang was in his early thirties, had a short beard like a rat's fur, and was a man with a small build and a sturdy-looking physique.

His shoulders were broad, and his legs were short.

Chwareuk!

Ha Mae-sang, who turned his head at the sound of the beaded curtain being pushed aside, frowned when he saw Jin Sa-wol. To him, Jin Sa-wol was a good yet troublesome customer.

"They said you went far away, but you came back quickly?"

"Food."

"Is this a tavern? To ask for food from the morning."

As Jin Sa-wol, who had sat in an empty seat, mentioned food, Ha Mae-sang grumbled and went into the kitchen.

He soon came out with a plate containing rice and a few vegetables on a small table.

Thump! Thump!

Ha Mae-sang, who placed the plate and rice bowl in front of Jin Sa-wol, said with a frown.

"From now on, eat at home."

"I'm alone."

"Look at me. I eat and live well even though I'm alone."

Although he heard Ha Mae-sang's words, Jin Sa-wol ignored him and ate.

A short while later, when he saw Jin Sa-wol put down his chopsticks, Ha Mae-sang, led by instinct, poured him tea.

"This is the highest quality seven-leaf tea that came in yesterday. It tastes good."

Jjoreureuk!

Jin Sa-wol, who drank the tea he poured, nodded.

"It's good."

"It tastes good. Not just good, but the highest quality. First, you have to smell the fragrance. Savor it with the tip of your tongue, and before you swallow it, you also have to cleanse your mouth."

"Good."

Jin Sa-wol answered briefly, then put down his teacup and took out the wanted poster again and held it out.

"Hyung Jo-geo."

Ha Mae-sang, who heard the name Hyung Jo-geo, unfolded the wanted poster, looked at it, and then folded it again.

Ha Mae-sang sat in a chair and then spoke as if he knew Hyung Jo-geo well.

"He's a guy who lived in Hyungju, and there's a rumor that he's a disciple of the Wudang Sect. It seems he boasted that it was the sword art of the Wudang Sect while killing people with his own mouth."

The Wudang Sect was a prestigious and huge sect in the martial world. It was a place where there were over a hundred transcendent masters, and it was known that even if you became a disciple and trained in martial arts for only a year, you would become a first-class master.

Every martial artist, regardless of age or gender, wanted to become a disciple of the Wudang Sect, and it was said that hundreds of people climbed Wudang Mountain every day, saying they wanted to become a disciple.

But among them, only a very few became disciples.

"It seems his martial arts are quite good. He's known to be first-class. He lives in the deep mountains of Doksan with a few subordinates, and it seems he's continuously gathering people. As time passes, a large bandit fortress might be built in Doksan."

Ha Mae-sang explained in detail what he knew.

Jin Sa-wol took out ten nyang from his sleeve and placed it on the table. It was generous for a meal and tea.

Ha Mae-sang smiled, took the money, and then asked.

"Do you still go around alone?"

Jin Sa-wol just nodded without answering.

Ha Mae-sang twisted his short beard and said.

"Wouldn't it be better to go around with several people rather than alone? It's convenient if there's someone to watch your back."

Ha Mae-sang had a serious face. Jin Sa-wol felt a brotherly concern from Ha Mae-sang, but that was all.

Jin Sa-wol had never felt the need for a comrade. He liked being alone, and he was comfortable alone.

"Hyung Jo-geo is a tough guy to deal with alone. He's known as a first-class master who uses proper martial arts. That's why no one has been able to kill him."

It was Ha Mae-sang, who was indirectly saying that he was a guy who couldn't be caught alone.

Jin Sa-wol looked at Ha Mae-sang for a moment.

Ha Mae-sang was a grateful person who, as an informant, told him various pieces of information.

He, who had revealed that he was a low-ranking member of the Hao Mun, said that he was one of the many Hao Mun members active here.

The reason he had revealed that he was a Hao Mun member was because Jin Sa-wol had said he was a hunter. He wanted information, and Ha Mae-sang was not stingy in providing that information.

That relationship had been going on for two years.

Because he had been active as a hunter for nearly a year, he was also able to meet an informant named Ha Mae-sang.

But he couldn't see the people above Ha Mae-sang. He had asked a few times, but Ha Mae-sang didn't tell him.

That meant that his current level was not a level where he could go above Ha Mae-sang.

It was just that far.

"There will surely be a limit to moving alone someday."

"My comrades are all dead. Do you know how half of them died?"

When Jin Sa-wol asked, Ha Mae-sang smiled at the fact that he was speaking properly for the first time in a long time and shook his head.

Jin Sa-wol said.

"I killed them."

Ha Mae-sang's eyes widened for a moment, not knowing what that meant. Jin Sa-wol drank his tea and spoke again.

"Comrades betray."

As he gave a clear answer as to why he was alone, Ha Mae-sang nodded.

"So you're alone."

"I'm comfortable alone."

Jin Sa-wol put down his teacup, stood up, and quietly went outside.

'I've met him for too long.'

* * *

Jin Sa-wol, who had left Seonyakru, headed for a blacksmith's shop that the warriors of the Martial Alliance often used.

That blacksmith's shop mainly made weapons, and it was a place that the martial artists of the Nanchang area often used.

The reason he was trying to kill Hyung Jo-geo was not for money, but to find out his own skill level.

Since he could deal with third-rate wanted men without difficulty, it was difficult to find out his own skill level.

To Jin Sa-wol, they were all easy opponents.

If the time until now had been an adaptation period, from now on, he had to be active in earnest.

And he was thinking of going back to the Demonic Cult again. He had resolved to go back and kill the Demonic Cult Leader.

Four years ago, the leader of the Demonic Cult had changed, and as expected, the Demonic Cult Leader had become Cheon Yu-myeong.

People called him the Ten Thousand Heavens Demonic Emperor.

It was an impossible task and a vain dream to face him alone. But Jin Sa-wol was dreaming such a dream.

Creak!

Jin Sa-wol, who had opened the door of the blacksmith's shop and entered, met the eyes of five people standing in the room where weapons were displayed.

They were all warriors of the Nanchang branch, wearing the martial arts uniforms of the Martial Alliance.

They were the ones who had been on guard at the main gate of the Nanchang branch yesterday, but today they seemed to be out on patrol.

"It's the Lone Wolf. I saw you yesterday and I see you today. Is this also fate?"

Among them, a man in his early thirties smiled and greeted Jin Sa-wol. It was Jang Oh, their team leader.

"Nice to meet you."

"Would you like a drink?"

"No."

Jin Sa-wol, who had refused Jang Oh's offer, examined the swords.

Jang Oh approached and asked again.

"We're going to subjugate the bandit fortress. Aren't you going?"

"I have other business."

"That's a shame."

Jang Oh nodded, and with his subordinates, he retrieved the swords they had entrusted and left the blacksmith's shop.

To Jang Oh, who had come outside, a subordinate who was by his side said.

"For a wanderer, he's got a lot of pride in his neck. That arrogant bastard. Shall I teach him a lesson?"

At the subordinate's words, Jang Oh's face crumpled.

"Do it if you can win."

Jang Oh said as if he had no intention of stopping him.

The subordinate smiled at those words and nodded. He stepped back and waited for Jin Sa-wol to come out.

Crack! Thud!

Seeing the subordinate clenching his fists, cracking his neck, and warming up, Jang Oh crossed his arms.

The sword of Jin Sa-wol, who was called the Lone Wolf, was quite fast. Since he had seen it a few times, he thought there was no chance for his subordinate to win.

The reason he didn't stop him even so was to teach him with his body not to ignore wanderers.

Learning with the body was much faster than with words.

There were also unorthodox sects in Nanchang City. The Black Dragon Sect and the Taesa Gang were famous unorthodox sects.

They were organizations created by the gathering of the riffraff of the back alleys, and they were engaged in gambling dens and loan sharking.

They divided and managed the south and north of Nanchang City, and sometimes they also created fear by engaging in gang fights and knife fights.

But no matter how cruel and ferocious they were, they were a drop in the ocean compared to the Nanchang branch of the Martial Alliance.

The most frightening and famous organization in Nanchang was the Nanchang branch of the Martial Alliance.

To ordinary people, the Black Dragon Sect and the Taesa Gang were very frightening people. But to them, the Martial Alliance was the grim reaper.

It was because if they were annoying or provoked their anger, they would cripple or kill them on the spot. There was no reason to feel guilty about killing unorthodox bastards.

Unorthodox people were trash and evil.

It was a matter of course to exterminate evil. And wanderers were also not orthodox to them.

Although the position of wanderers was said to be neutral, since there were also a considerable number of unorthodox people among wanderers, there were many cases where they were treated as unorthodox.

The Martial Alliance also treated people from sects that had no school or were nominal as wanderers. It was because they were not helpful to the Martial Alliance.

Those who were kicked out of or fled from the Demonic Cult were also seen as evil by the Martial Alliance. Everything related to the Demonic Cult was evil to them.

Since it was important for Jin Sa-wol to change his identity, he had obtained a nameplate in Yueyang for a high price.

"It's been three months."

The shopkeeper greeted Jin Sa-wol warmly, as if he knew his face.

The blacksmith's shop had a place that sold weapons and a separate blacksmith's shop behind the building that made weapons.

"You'll like it."

The shopkeeper smiled, took out a large box from under the table, and opened it.

Inside the box was a sword that shone silver and a leather belt.

It was the flexible sword he had entrusted three months ago.

As he took out the sword, the blade shook greatly. Seeing the paper shake in the wind, the shopkeeper took a step back.

Jin Sa-wol, who was examining the blade, seemed satisfied, took out the belt, put the sword in it, and then put it on his waist.

Clank!

As the sound of the hilt and the ornament fitting into the center of the belt echoed, Jin Sa-wol nodded.

On the outside, it looked like an ordinary belt, but in case of an emergency, it could become a sword at any time.

"How much is it?"

"Ten nyang of silver."

It was a very expensive price for just fixing a sword. The shopkeeper smiled, and Jin Sa-wol frowned.

"It's expensive."

"It's not a common sword. How many martial artists use a flexible sword?"

"Is silence included?"

At the question of not revealing the fact that he possessed a flexible sword, the shopkeeper smiled.

"Yes."

Jin Sa-wol paid ten nyang of silver. It was not a waste to spend that much money on a sword.

A good sword could not be obtained even with an astronomical amount of money. Swords that had risen to the rank of famous swords were in the thousands of gold coins, and some were even in the tens of thousands.

"How much is the most expensive sword here?"

When Jin Sa-wol asked, the shopkeeper waved his hand.

"There is none. If you wish, you can order now. The period is at least three years, and you can decide the price then."

"It's long."

"It's long if it's long, and short if it's short. Martial artists want the best sword, and craftsmen want to make the best sword. When those hearts meet, the best sword comes out."

As Jin Sa-wol was just listening, the shopkeeper continued.

"The most expensive sword we have made so far was the Flying Moon Sword, which was sold for five thousand nyang of gold. It took ten years to make, and it is now in the Namgung family. The next sword is the Repelling Moon Sword, which is three thousand nyang of gold. This is also in the Namgung family and is a sword that took nine years to make. The next is the White Moon Sword, a sword that took three years to make. It is one thousand nyang of gold. It is a sword that the direct descendants of the Namgung family currently carry."

It meant that if he had money, he should order.

The shopkeeper smiled with a face full of pride. It meant that this was not just an ordinary blacksmith's shop, but one belonging to the Namgung family.

"Keep up the good work."

"Please come again."

As Jin Sa-won left, the shopkeeper soon disappeared inside.

Jin Sa-wol, who had come outside, felt that something was unusual when he saw the warriors of the Martial Alliance standing in front of the road.

Because his instinctive sense was excellent, he immediately noticed the hostility.

The area around the blacksmith's shop was an open space, and there were not many passersby. It was a suitable place to fight.

Jin Sa-wol looked at the Martial Alliance warrior standing in front of him and, over his shoulder, at Jang Oh and his subordinates.

(End of Chapter)