Swordless Demonic Path

Chapter 42 : When Spring Flowers Bloom

At the sound of the door opening, Woo Jeong-bong came out of his room.

"I sent Yu-rim's body to the Murong family through an escort agency. Before she died, she asked me to send her to the Murong family. The escort agency said they would take good care of her, so I'm relieved."

"We leave tomorrow morning."

Although Jin Sa-wol heard Woo Jeong-bong's words, he spoke only what he had to say as if he were not interested and went inside. Woo Jeong-bong also nodded and went into his room.

The next morning.

Jin Sa-wol, who had woken up early, put on his flexible sword at his waist and slung his sword over his shoulder.

He wrapped a leather strap he had prepared at night around his left arm and inserted ten daggers with no hilts, the width and length of a finger, in between.

Since he had wrapped it around his forearm, he could cover it with his sleeve, and the daggers would also serve as a shield.

It was a shame that he didn't have the Blood-Cutting Silk of Ghost Spirit Valley, which was made by twisting together silkworm thread and steel. If he had it, it could have been a very useful weapon.

When he went out to the yard, he saw Woo Jeong-bong standing blankly with a sword on his shoulder.

He seemed to be looking at the distant mountain where the sun was rising.

"Let's go."

As Jin Sa-wol walked forward, Woo Jeong-bong followed. He had become noticeably less talkative.

As they approached the city gate, a young man who appeared to be in his early twenties approached. He was a young man with slender eyes, protruding cheekbones, and a short stature.

"I am Wang Gu, introduced by Owner Ha. Please take care of me."

Wang Gu smiled a good-natured smile. Jin Sa-wol took out a silver coin from his sleeve and handed it to him. But Wang Gu refused.

"I have already received my fee from Owner Ha."

"Still, take it."

At Jin Sa-wol's words, Wang Gu had no choice but to take the money and put it in his sleeve.

"Then let's go."

Wang Gu smiled and walked forward. Behind him, Jin Sa-wol and Woo Jeong-bong went together.

As they left, one of the government soldiers guarding the city gate headed for the Nanchang branch of the Martial Alliance.

* * *

"These water bandits, you see. They move secretly, unlike before. On top of that, they only target small-scale merchants and kill them all, so there is no one to report the damage to the government. Although there are requests to find them because they went missing in Poyang Lake, there is no talk of being had by water bandits."

Wang Gu, who was driving a small cart, was chattering away, sitting in the driver's seat.

"These guys hunt about once a month, so the government just considers it an accident and doesn't take it seriously."

"No matter how much it's an accident, if such a thing happens repeatedly, shouldn't they be suspicious?"

When Woo Jeong-bong asked, Wang Gu shook his head.

"Hundreds of people die in Poyang Lake every year, hundreds. When a storm comes, several people die without fail. It's also a common occurrence for boats to capsize. Do you think the government office will move just because of that? They don't move unless you give them a lot of money. Even if it becomes a big topic in the martial world, they have no interest. They don't even search. Why would they go through the trouble when they can live well just by sitting still?"

"There's also the Martial Alliance, isn't there?"

"It's the same there. If there's no substance, they don't move."

Wang Gu answered as if he were frustrated. Jin Sa-wol asked.

"Shinsuichae are unknown guys, so how do you know them so well?"

"Because I'm from that village."

At the word 'village', Jin Sa-wol frowned.

Woo Jeong-bong showed an expression of incomprehension.

"A village? Do water bandits also have a village?"

"The fortress master must be the village chief."

"Yes, he's the village chief."

Wang Gu answered not Woo Jeong-bong's question, but Jin Sa-wol's words. Jin Sa-wol seemed to know the meaning of a village well.

Woo Jeong-bong asked the two who were ignoring him again.

"So what is a village? Are you saying that water bandits live in a village or what?"

As Woo Jeong-bong's voice grew louder, Jin Sa-wol raised his hand and covered his mouth. Woo Jeong-bong nodded as if he understood.

Jin Sa-wol asked Wang Gu, casting a cold gaze.

"Guiding us now is an act of betraying that village. What is the reason for this?"

If there was no suitable reason, Jin Sa-wol was thinking of killing Wang Gu.

Wang Gu laughed awkwardly and answered.

"The people of that village killed all my family when I was young. My father opposed the water banditry. He said we shouldn't do it, but the village chief killed him. All my family too. I was the only one who was lucky enough to survive and run away."

As if he recalled that time, tears welled up in his eyes.

"I ran away to the city and went to the government office, but I was turned away at the door. I also went to the Nanchang branch of the Martial Alliance and complained, but I was treated like a madman. Then one day, I saw the villagers come into the city and look for me, so I ran away. I lived in hiding in a poor village like a rat. It was then that I entered the Hao Mun."

Although it was Wang Gu, who spoke with a light laugh, his eyes, which were slightly filled with tears, were full of anger.

"Even if I wanted to take revenge, I couldn't. I went near that village a few times, but I couldn't enter because I had no strength."

Wang Gu clicked his tongue, shook his head, and then closed his mouth.

Jin Sa-wol said to Woo Jeong-bong.

"It would be better for you to just get out of this. The opponent is a village."

"Are you crazy? You want me to get out without even taking revenge? If it's a village where water bandits live, the village must be the fortress."

"That's not the concept. It's not that they are disguised as a village, but that the village itself is the water bandits. The opponents we have to kill are no different from ordinary people who don't know martial arts. Unless we kill the entire village, they won't disappear. If you want to take revenge, you'll have to kill even the children and the elderly."

Woo Jeong-bong's expression hardened. Only then did he understand what a village meant.

"Children learn by watching the adults. The adults will teach them water banditry, and the child who learns it will become an adult. The villagers who know an easy way to live well will not stop unless they all die."

"How do you know so well?"

"There are a few such places among assassin groups. It's similar."

At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Woo Jeong-bong let out a short breath with a difficult expression.

"Our opponents are ordinary people. Not martial artists."

Jin Sa-wol seemed to be telling him to make a decision quickly. Woo Jeong-bong asked.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm not killing the villagers, but the water bandits."

At the words that he would kill the water bandits, Woo Jeong-bong knew that the conclusion had already been decided.

* * *

It was only after five days of leaving Nanchang City that they could arrive near Yiga Mountain. Since they had come by land, not by water, it had taken some time.

The village of the water bandits that Wang Gu had mentioned was in a valley where Yiga Mountain and Poyang Lake met.

The front of the village was full of reeds, so you couldn't even properly see the boats coming and going. Since you couldn't see anything from the outside, you couldn't know about the existence of the village.

Since Wang Gu's job was over, he had returned to the city.

Jin Sa-wol stood on the shore of Poyang Lake with Woo Jeong-bong and looked at the reed forest. Since the sun was high in the sky, the shadow of the forest created a shade on the two's heads.

Woo Jeong-bong asked.

"What are you thinking of doing?"

"When the boats come out, kill them. I'll kill the village chief. Let's meet here in the evening."

"Alone?"

"Alone."

At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Woo Jeong-bong nodded as if he had no choice. Since he was bored alone, he felt disappointed.

"Until evening over there..."

Woo Jeong-bong, who was talking to Jin Sa-wol, frowned when he realized that he was already gone.

"Not only is his sword fast, but his lightness skill is also fast."

Woo Jeong-bong grumbled and stared at the reed forest. But the reed forest was unchanged.

"Aren't they going out today?"

The water bandits did not do water banditry every day. Since there was a possibility that they would not go out for water banditry today, Woo Jeong-bong had a bored expression.

"Haaam!"

Woo Jeong-bong, who was yawning and looking at the reed forest in a half-lying position, opened his eyes wide at the rustling sound.

The reed forest began to shake, and from here and there, the sound of grass rustled like a shower.

When he climbed a tree, he saw six small boats moving between the reed forest.

On each boat, four to five stout men were riding, and instead of nets, they were holding bows and sabers.

Their ages also varied, from middle-aged men with rough impressions to boys who appeared to be in their late teens.

They certainly looked the same as the guys who had attacked him and Sang Yu-rim.

Whoosh!

Woo Jeong-bong's figure flew towards the small boats.

* * *

The crescent-moon-shaped riverbank was full of a sandy beach. The pier was at the end, and the village was beyond the sandy beach. Behind the village was the steep ridge of Yiga Mountain.

To enter, one had to use the waterway or a high mountain path.

Jin Sa-wol, who was standing on a mountain overlooking the village, watched the water bandits leave by boat.

Seeing the villagers come out in a group and wave their hands, it looked like they were seeing off people who were going out to work.

Among the villagers, a middle-aged man in silk clothes who looked old caught his eye. Around that middle-aged man, four young stout men were moving together, and at a glance, he looked like the village chief.

Jin Sa-wol turned his head and looked at the stone pagoda piled up in a wide open space. In front of the stone pagoda, there was a statue that looked like a dragon king, an incense burner, and a candlestick was also placed.

On one side, the traces of a bonfire being lit remained intact.

It was clearly a place where rituals were held.

Jin Sa-wol watched the village chief and his subordinates who were coming up the mountain from the village.

Since his comrades had gone out by boat to do water banditry, it seemed they were coming up to light incense to pray for their safety.

Holding a memorial service for the Dragon King of Poyang Lake was a common sight in many fishing villages.

Jin Sa-wol climbed a tree and sat down.

A short while later, the village chief and his subordinates came up in front of the stone pagoda.

"Heok! Hyuu..."

Perhaps because he had climbed the steep stairs, the middle-aged village chief tapped his knees and sighed.

"Light the incense."

At the village chief's words, a stout man holding a torch and a stout man holding incense came out, lit the incense, and stuck it in the incense burner.

As the smell of incense spread, the village chief put his hands together, closed his eyes, and prostrated himself before the Dragon King.

Thump! Thud!

"Ugh!"

It was a dull sound from behind.

The village chief stood up and shouted.

"It's noisy! Be quiet."

The village chief spoke with his eyes closed and then prostrated himself again.

Just then, a strange voice was suddenly heard.

"Didn't you attack a man and a woman who were cruising on Poyang Lake about ten days ago?"

"Hmph!"

The village chief was startled and tried to get up. But he staggered and had to sit down again.

In his eyes, he saw his four dead subordinates. They were all lying forward, and blood was profuse.

In front of him was a young man. The young man was holding a sword with an indifferent face.

"What are you talking about? Why are you doing this? What did they do wrong to be killed?"

The village chief stepped back with a very frightened face.

"Why did you kill them?"

When Jin Sa-wol asked, the village chief looked around and shouted.

"Help! Oh my god, I'm dying! There's a murderer here! Please save me! Help!"

Although he shouted, Jin Sa-wol's expression showed no change.

Thwack!

Blood splattered from the village chief's knee.

"Kraaaak!"

The village chief couldn't stand the pain and shouted loudly.

Just then, a loud sound echoed in the forest, and a dozen or so warriors appeared, surrounding Jin Sa-wol.

Jin Sa-wol, who was observing them wearing the martial arts uniforms of the Martial Alliance, looked at Jo Mal-sang, who was walking out of the forest.

Jo Mal-sang turned his gaze to the village chief.

"Please save me! Steward Jo! Please save me!"

The village chief shouted, stood up, and quickly approached Jo Mal-sang, limping on one leg.

Jo Mal-sang said to Jin Sa-wol.

"To kill ordinary people who don't even know martial arts like this, are you crazy?"

"They are water bandits."

"There are no water bandits."

"Kill that murderer bastard! Hurry up and kill him!"

The village chief shouted. But Jo Mal-sang rather kicked the village chief's foot. The village chief fell helplessly and let out a short scream.

"Ack!"

Looking down the mountain, he saw the young men of the village coming up, holding weapons.

"Village Chief!"

One of the village young men called the village chief.

As Jo Mal-sang glared, the village chief couldn't answer at all.

Jo Mal-sang looked at Jin Sa-wol and said.

"I knew you would kill innocent commoners like this someday. You murderer bastard."

A smile sat on Jin Sa-wol's face.

And,

Thwack!

Blood splattered from Jo Mal-sang's right knee.

"Kraaaak!"

Jo Mal-sang, who let out a scream without realizing it, collapsed. Immediately after, in his eyes, he could only see the illusion of Jin Sa-wol and his dying subordinates.

'What, what is that bastard?'

(End of Chapter)