The Mad Dog Inspector of the Martial Alliance

Chapter 125 : Black Killing Hegemon King (1)

The Alliance Leader had spoken.

Exterminate the Four Black Alliance.

In the martial world, the word 'extermination' had two meanings.

One was to cut off the lineage so that the martial arts could not be passed on.

The other was a physical, literal extermination.

Thus, the group of the Four Black Alliance received two kinds of treatment.

Those who resisted were killed, and those who did not resist had their dantians destroyed.

The former was rather an easy task. Because it was just a matter of taking off their necks and heads. The task of destroying the dantian was more delicate than expected and required a high degree of concentration. It was an impossible task for a low-class martial artist to meticulously destroy only the dantian so that it would not interfere with daily life and so that they could not accumulate internal energy in the future. Song Baek, while crushing the dantian of a man who had surrendered and was lying down with the end of his scabbard, said.

"So this is a task that only a master can do, to destroy the dantian in one go. Of course, anyone can smash the solar plexus with brute force and burst the internal organs and the dantian together. I prefer that, so I want to do it that way. But since the Ghost King insists on handling things delicately, I have no choice."

"That's not something a Daoist of the Huashan Sect should say."

"That's the way our sect is. Fiery and passionate. Especially when dealing with enemies, we don't put mercy in our hands."

At Song Baek's words, Yang Gwan frowned. As a person who called himself a disciple of the Buddha, he did not like the way of the Daoist, and especially the way of the Huashan Sect, which was said to be the most intense. But he did not express such feelings and silently destroyed the dantian of the surrendered person with the tip of his spear. Because there was no reason to argue with an ally.

Starting with the battle in the black market, five battles had ended. A considerable amount of blood had been shed. Everyone was tired. Although high morale made one forget fatigue, it did not mean that fatigue disappeared. They fought, stopped, fought, and stopped. As tension and relaxation alternated, the fatigue that had been forgotten due to morale slowly crept up. The faces of the martial artists were clearly tired.

"We've been fighting for quite a long time."

Jang So-gil, admiring the path of blood that led from the entrance of the black market in the distance, looked at the sky. The sun was setting. It was the end of the 'shen' hour (around 4:30 PM). The sun would set within half a 'shichen'.

Night would fall. Recalling that meaning, Jang So-gil's nose slightly wrinkled.

"That bastard Ha Hu-yeong, is he trying to run away?"

"The king of the Black Way, the leader of the Four Black Alliance called the Black Killing Hegemon King, running away? Leaving his own house? No way."

Just as a martial artist cherishes his honor, the Black Way also cherishes its face. A coward, a coward cannot instill fear in anyone. In ruling the ruffians of the Black Way, there was no better panacea than a rule by fear. The Black Killing Hegemon King, Ha Hu-yeong, was also a person who belonged to the category of a tyrant, who had ruled the groups of the Black Way with fear. If such a person were to abandon his residence and his subordinates, forget his face, and run away, there would be little to gain. As Song Baek retorted so, Jang So-gil calmly shook his head.

"It's not an impossible thing. If he runs away, what he loses is his reputation, his rule by fear, and his pride. But he can save his life. If he weighs everything and considers his own life to be the most important, he can also run away."

"You're saying he's an excellent piece of trash."

"The Black Way and trash are synonyms. Even a bastard dog knows that its own life is important."

"Then if he doesn't come out even after we've searched so thoroughly, hasn't he already run away?"

"That's probably not it. Even now, the masters of the Four Black Alliance are continuously attacking us, so would they fight with all their might even if their leader had run away?"

Given the characteristic of the Black Way, where their fighting spirit was full but their loyalty and morale were low, if their leader had run away, the Four Black Alliance would have already collapsed.

"If the leader ran away and said, 'I'm running away, so you guys buy me time to escape with your lives!', would the Black Way guys listen to that? They would have said, 'You son of a bitch,' and stabbed him in the back."

As Jang So-gil calmly pointed that out, it was so persuasive that Song Baek unconsciously nodded his head. Yang Gwan, who was listening together, said while being on guard of his surroundings.

"Then it means he's still hiding somewhere."

"That's right. He must be waiting for a chance. A chance to aim for me, or a chance to run away."

The encirclement of the Martial Alliance was thick. In addition, the martial artists of the orthodox sect who had been swayed by the proclamation and the martial artists of the unorthodox sect who were cooperating for their own benefit had been added. Although it was not a tight, dense, and controlled encirclement like the Heavenly Net Earthly Web, it was a foolish encirclement that was difficult to break through simply because there were many people. In between, there were masters from various noble families, such as the peak masters of Huashan like the Lamp of Enlightenment and Hyeonam Jin-in, and the masters of the Beggars' Sect led by Man Bakja, who were deployed in formation.

Song Baek shook his head.

"It seems a long way off to escape the encirclement."

"Not necessarily. It's not an encirclement made by forming a defensive formation tactically, so there's a hole somewhere."

"A hole?"

"For example, a guy from the unorthodox sect could pretend to cooperate with us and move to save Ha Hu-yeong."

"That's a possibility. But what's the point of running away..."

Jang So-gil shrugged his shoulders.

"He could get a mole on his face, change his name, and start over. If he were to make a comeback in a faraway place like Yunnan, saying, 'I am the White Killing Hegemon King, Ha Woo-il,' it might not be impossible."

"Then shouldn't we warn the martial artists of the unorthodox sect right away, or narrow the encirclement?"

"Well. I'll just trust that everyone will do a good job on their own and move on."

"Is that okay?"

"If Ha Hu-yeong runs away like that, is it my fault? It's the fault of the ones who were breached."

"What a shameless fellow..."

It was not just a matter of being shameless. If only the organization called the Four Black Alliance was destroyed, Jang So-gil's purpose would be achieved. If Ha Hu-yeong succeeded in running away? Then he could use that crime to beat the unorthodox sect like catching a rat. With this matter, Jang So-gil had clearly learned that justification was the strongest weapon that the orthodox sect could have. The more blades of justification, the better. Of course, the best thing to do now was to catch Ha Hu-yeong.

Jang So-gil, crossing his arms, asked.

"So, while we're on the subject of being shameless, let me ask you one more thing. Your sect leader, is he really as strong as the rumors say?"

He had heard that the sect leader of the Huashan Sect, the Lamp of Enlightenment, was the best swordsman of his time. After the Demonic Cult leader had passed away, he was a peak master among peak masters, with only the Alliance Leader as his match in the world. He was proudly recorded as the 3rd in the Martial Arts White Paper. Not only Seo Gwangdaesa's evaluation, but the evaluation of many people was the same. It was said that he was a person who had reached the extreme of the sword, a 'Sword Saint'. Since he was the pride and symbol of Huashan, Song Baek replied as if it were a matter of course.

"I don't know what rumor you're talking about, but the Sect Leader-nim is strong."

"Then there's a considerable distance, so can he fly over before I die? Is his lightness skill fast?"

"They say a fight is half eyes, half legs. Do you think his legs would be slow?"

"So that's how it is. Then well, let's do this."

It was not in Jang So-gil's nature to just stand by and do nothing.

He had to somehow bring out Ha Hu-yeong, who had put his hands, feet, and head into his shell like a turtle and was hiding tightly.

"To bring that fellow out, we need bait. A very fresh bait."

"Young Master So, don't tell me?"

"That's right. I'll be the bait, so you two get away from my vicinity."

"N-no!"

"If the Sword Dragon and the Fire Dragon are on either side, and the martial artists of Huashan and the prestigious sects are lined up, not just the Black Killing Hegemon King, Ha Hu-yeong, but even Ha Hu-yeong's grandfather would know that it's not a chance. Even a 'jiangshi' with its head full of tofu wouldn't come here. So for now, I have to be alone."

At Jang So-gil's bombshell statement, Yang Gwan's face turned pale, and Song Baek slapped his knee. Because the method of sticking one's head into a tiger's den to catch a tiger was a method that the Huashan Sect was very fond of.

* * *

Jang So-gil believed that there had to be a certain plausibility in all things. Even for a trivial matter, he would add a setting, a situation, and a story to secure that plausibility and justification. Only then would even a lie have sincerity, and that sincerity would bring customer satisfaction and a successful deal.

How many rice contracts had he completed by selling the story of Director Jang, who had saved his own self, who was just an orphan? How many beneficial contracts had he won by squeezing the tear ducts of many elders? Pity was the best emotion that could be drawn from the rich. And emotion was an impurity that was unnecessary in a deal. Jang So-gil was very skilled in the technique of drawing out the opponent's emotions according to the situation.

In his view, fortunately, for this matter, an overly exaggerated narrative, setting, and story were not necessary.

"I-I-I can't get along with you because you're so damn annoying!"

"You son of a bitch, do you think I'm your lackey? I'm Song Baek, Song Baek! The Sword Dragon, Song Baek! I can't work because you're so fucking annoying!"

Yang Gwan, who was moving away, twisting his arms and legs like a wooden doll, was a fly in the ointment, but Song Baek's acting was very realistic. 'Huashan has a rather excellent talent,' Jang So-gil, hiding his satisfied expression, spat roughly and let out a string of savory curses.

"You keep saying 'orthodox sect, orthodox sect'. If the orthodox sect is so great, why don't you try it!"

"Damn it. I'm avoiding you because you're dirty, not because I'm scared! Live a long and healthy life, you complete scoundrel. So that you can beat the shit out of yourself later."

"What, you bastard?! Are you done talking!"

At this, the martial artists, terrified, came forward to mediate, but even that, Jang So-gil received with rough curses and kicks.

"Aigoo, aigoo!"

"Why are you doing this, Ghost King!"

"You motherfucker, I can't work with you because you're so frustrating! Get lost, all of you!"

Was it because of his reputation for having a terrible temper? Was it because of his behavior of always kicking down the main gate?

Although it was a sudden catastrophe, it was not awkward. Even the martial artists, saying things like 'it was bound to happen' and 'I heard he was quiet, unlike the rumors, but he was just as the rumors said,' moved away from Jang So-gil.

It was a moment for Jang So-gil to be alone. He continued his acting, counting the seconds inwardly. He spat roughly again, kicked and broke a basket that was rolling on the ground, and as if he couldn't control his temper, he shouted at the top of his lungs and then smashed a wall with his fist. Anyone could see that it was the appearance of an excellent ruffian.

After showing such a sight, he soon looked around. As if he had suddenly come to his senses, he rolled his eyes nervously. It was an expression as if he had belatedly realized what he had done. Feeling a trace of anxiety, he slowly dragged his feet. As if he had to run away to a safe place, he carefully turned his footsteps towards the entrance of the black market.

'Tat, tat, tat', he slowly took his steps and then ran with all his might. As if a tiger were chasing him, urgently. Like a thief avoiding the eyes of a constable. Like a bureaucrat caught embezzling. He ran desperately.

Jang So-gil was now showing a wholehearted performance. It was the performance of an inspector who, having a bad temper, had driven away his subordinates and comrades by throwing a fit, but since his head was quite good, he had belatedly realized what he had done and was trying to run away quickly. Half of it was true, and half of it was a lie. It was true that he had a bad temper, and it was also true that his head was good. So his acting contained sincerity.

There was a scoundrel inspector in the Martial Alliance. That rumor, which had spread throughout the world, also sufficiently gave plausibility to his acting.

'Hrmmmmm...'

The art of hiding in the ground, the 'Earth Hiding Art'. The Black Killing Hegemon King, Ha Hu-yeong, had been learning the Earth Hiding Art after coincidentally coming across a book left by an immortal. It was a secret that even his direct subordinates did not know. Ha Hu-yeong, who was watching Jang So-gil's actions while hiding in the ground from a distance, slightly twisted the corner of his mouth.

'Hehe, this is lucky.'

He had been thinking about whether he should give up on taking the Ghost King's head and run away. Fortunately, the Ghost King had become alone, as if asking to be eaten.

'No. Is it not luck, but fate?'

The fact that he had survived until now with that terrible personality must have been that fellow's heavenly luck. Now that his luck had run out, this was all that was left. Ha Hu-yeong, thinking so, his eyes sparkled in the ground.

(End of Chapter)