Chapter 11. Establishing the Branch
— — —
There was no need to go out of my way to use martial arts techniques or internal energy.
“Ugh!”
“Ack!”
“Argh!”
It didn’t even take five moves to flatten their noses, dislocate their jaws, and snap their joints.
“Haa, ugh.”
“Cheol-du.”
I patted the smooth head of the Iron-Headed Guest, who was spitting out a steady stream of blood.
“You need to answer me, Cheol-du?”
The Iron-Headed Guest immediately clung to my pant leg.
“G-Great Master! We were blind and failed to recognize a true expert…”
“Cut the pathetic nonsense.”
I tapped his chin sharply.
“From now on, you are Cheol-du. Do you understand?”
“Y-Yes, I understand. From today, my nickname is Cheol-du!”
Cheol-du’s response was filled with rigid discipline. What filled his eyes was clear, unadulterated terror.
-The effect is certainly guaranteed.
‘When dealing with third-rate Evil Path thugs like this, one must be firm and ruthless.’
I was similar to a master physician in that I prescribed the treatment that suited the patient.
“Lead me to your Chamber Master.”
“……!”
At that, Cheol-du’s eyes darted around.
“Ch-Chamber Master, why would you—”
“If you don’t lead the way, you die by my hand right now. Are you saying I’m not more terrifying than your Chamber Master?”
“……!”
Receiving the desperate gazes of his subordinates, Cheol-du finally answered.
“I will lead the way.”
“A wise choice.”
As I stroked his smooth scalp, Cheol-du grinned with no shred of dignity. The sight was suddenly so repulsive that I smacked the back of his head.
“Stop grinning.”
“S-Sorry.”
In any case, the Iron Fist Chamber or whatever it was called was disbanded as of today.
‘And it will make a fresh start as the Yeongneung Branch of the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance.’
-You don’t seem like a novice at taking over places, do you?
— — —
* * *
— — —
The Iron Fist Chamber Master, with a single sword strapped to his waist, was waiting for us.
“You useless idiots.”
“Forgive us, Chamber Master.”
Cheol-du couldn’t even make a peep and lowered his head.
‘He has his subordinates under his thumb well enough.’
His martial prowess seemed to be at the early stage of the second-rate level. It meant the gap in our realms wasn’t massive. He was around twenty-five years old. He looked more like a brawler born with raw strength than someone who had been properly trained.
‘He’s capable enough to lead a sect at such a young age.’
“I am Han Sa-gwang, the Iron Fist Chamber Master.”
“So you were the Iron Fist Chamber Master.”
Because of that, I treated him as a Chamber Master regardless of the circumstances.
“May I ask for your honorable name?”
“Honorable name, my foot. I am Mok Ju-gyeol.”
“…….”
Han Sa-gwang and I sized each other up. A square jaw, sparse beard, and eyes filled with stubbornness and malice.
‘He’s not a bad vessel.’
Setting aside the level of his skill, the dignity required to lead a group is not something just anyone can possess. Even that Cheol-du, who was rolling his eyes over there, wouldn’t have surrendered so easily if not for the overwhelming violence he’d suffered at my hands. What was more peculiar was that this man wasn’t pretending to be intimidated, even though he clearly realized the gap in our skills.
-Isn’t he just bluffing?
‘A leader of an organization needs that kind of bluff. If the leader himself is shaken and flustered, who are the people below supposed to trust?’
As a leader who had agonized over how to provide for his own people, I wanted to value his virtues as a head.
“I’ve heard the gist of it. It seems our side was rude to you.”
“You were beating someone up after catching them pickpocketing, so I decided to teach you a lesson.”
“……Ahem.”
Han Sa-gwang coughed awkwardly.
“I will certainly apologize for that.”
“Apologies with just words are meaningless.”
“How would you like me to pay the price? You don’t seem to intend on taking my life.”
“Of course.”
Han Sa-gwang’s relief was short-lived.
“Instead, I intend to take over the Iron Fist Chamber.”
“What?”
Fury flared on his face instantly.
“Your words are excessive. No matter how strong you are, aren’t you looking down on us too much?”
*Clang, clang, clatter!*
The twenty or so Iron Fist Chamber members drew their weapons in unison. Even Cheol-du, who had been beaten by me, joined in.
“Mok Ju-gyeol, did you provoke my men with this intention from the start?”
Han Sa-gwang’s tone had changed.
“It doesn’t seem like something people who rob innocent travelers and use violence should be saying.”
“……!”
“Have some shame, Iron Fist Chamber Master.”
Having already given me the moral high ground, and unable to gauge my true skill, anyone would find it difficult to act rashly in this situation.
“Regardless, I cannot accept your demand to take over this chamber.”
I looked straight at Han Sa-gwang.
“Chamber Master, tell me why I shouldn’t take over the Iron Fist Chamber.”
“The reason?”
Han Sa-gwang licked his lips. It seemed he saw a glimmer of hope that he could resolve this with words.
“First, there is a sect that receives tribute from us. If we are crushed, they will seek revenge. Can you handle that?”
“It’s just a matter of replacing the head, so wouldn’t it be easy enough to smooth over?”
“……!”
Struck to the core, Han Sa-gwang smacked his lips again.
“Secondly.”
“So there is a second reason.”
“Martial artist Mok, how much do you know about the underworld of Yeongneung? Just because we seem easy, does the entire martial arts world of Yeongneung County look easy to you? This is a den of dragons and tigers where you can never survive if you act as arrogantly as you do.”
I nodded.
“In short, you’re saying you know all about that.”
“Of course. How many years do you think I’ve been eating off the edge of a blade here?”
“That’s useful.”
“……?”
An executive who is well-versed in local affairs and can manage subordinates in the middle. That was exactly the kind of talent I needed.
“Chamber Master.”
I asked, looking back at the chamber members.
“Have you taught your men any martial arts?”
“What kind of martial arts would there be for people like us to learn? I just watched them swing their swords occasionally.”
“If I take over the Iron Fist Chamber, I intend to teach you martial arts you wouldn’t even dare to dream of.”
“What?”
“First, let me show you, and then we can continue this conversation.”
“You madman!”
As I closed the distance using the *Finger Wind* technique, a startled Han Sa-gwang swung his sword.
‘Too slow.’
I struck the flat of the incoming blade with the *Stone-Shattering Fist*, snapping it in two. Even without undergoing sufficient body tempering, my fist was already like a mace. Or perhaps the iron was just too shoddy.
*Clang!*
Han Sa-gwang’s eyes widened like saucers in shock. When had he ever seen a fist like this?
*Whoosh!*
A draw-strike utilizing the recoil of my waist followed immediately. Han Sa-gwang hurriedly tried to block it with his scabbard, but it was sliced through without being able to withstand even a single move.
“Damn it!”
His judgment to jump in with both fists the moment he lost his weapon wasn’t bad, but a fist could hardly be harder than a sword’s edge.
*Thwack!*
Han Sa-gwang’s face contorted as he struck the sword’s edge instead of my face. It was clear his bones must have cracked, but the tenacity he showed by not retreating and continuing to attack was quite commendable.
‘Coldly speaking, it’s nothing more than a fight between Evil Path thugs pushing with momentum.’
I tripped his exposed leg and grabbed him by the collar, slamming him to the ground.
“Ack!”
Han Sa-gwang, who had fallen on his back, went limp like a frog.
“Chamber Master!”
“I, I couldn’t even see it.”
“A lightning-fast, elusive technique!”
I turned to the last man.
“Third-rate Evil Path thugs like you actually know how to use fancy words.”
“S-Sorry.”
With this single bout, their fighting spirit was broken.
“Do you know what martial art I used?”
“We don’t know.”
“Please, teach us.”
The Iron Fist Chamber members, who had become docile in an instant, replied.
“This is the martial art of the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance. Breaking the sword was the *Stone-Shattering Fist*, a fist-hardening technique, and cutting the sword was the draw-strike technique of the *Eighteen Swords of Ten Thousand Calamities*.”
“The *Eighteen Swords of Ten Thousand Calamities*!”
“The *Stone-Shattering Fist*!”
“The Ten Thousand Evil Alliance!”
The chamber members let out cries of disbelief.
“Th-Then, are you an expert sent by the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance?”
“That is correct.”
As I focused my internal energy into my palm, a black-colored fist aura shimmered faintly.
“Is that the famous *Ten Thousand Calamities Ghost-Extinguishing Art*?”
“Internal energy with a black hue. There’s no mistake.”
No matter how local the Evil Path thugs were, they couldn’t help but have heard rumors about the martial arts of the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance, which dominated Hunan Province. To them, it was an object of admiration and a dream of martial study.
‘It’s fortunate that the internal energy of the *Primordial Heaven-Shaking Art* and the *Ten Thousand Calamities Ghost-Extinguishing Art* can coexist.’
-Naturally. The *Primordial Heaven-Shaking Art* can embrace internal energy of any attribute.
If that weren’t the case, the contradiction of not using the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance’s martial arts would have become a problem eventually.
“How is it?”
I looked back at the Iron Fist Chamber members, who were buzzing with shock and anticipation.
“If you come under me, I will teach you these. It means you, too, can finally be reborn from neighborhood thugs into true martial artists.”
At that, Han Sa-gwang’s tone became much more polite.
“Why would you teach us, or rather, me, such things? More importantly, who exactly are you?”
It was time to show him. I took out the plaque symbolizing a Branch Master of the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance from my robes.
“!!!”
“A, a Branch Master?!”
Han Sa-gwang clutched his throat.
“I came here with the mission to establish the Yeongneung Branch of the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance. In other words, it means you, too, can officially become members of the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance.”
“My god.”
“Is that true?”
Becoming a member of the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance was a truly great success. Especially for third-rate Evil Path thugs like them, who didn’t even have the qualifications to pass the entrance exam.
“If the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance really opens a branch, the landscape of Yeongneung County will change completely.”
“That is why I am here.”
Han Sa-gwang said in a trembling voice.
“Th-Then, where are the other alliance members…?”
“It’s just me?”
“???”
“Why?”
“Ah, then are they joining later?”
“I told you, no.”
“Yes?”
“You are to become the first glorious members of the Yeongneung Branch.”
“…….”
Han Sa-gwang, who was rolling his eyes back and forth, slapped his knee.
“Did this madman dare to bring a forged plaque?”
— — —
* * *
— — —
“If we divide the power map of Yeongneung County, it looks like this.”
Only after being beaten until his eyes were bruised did Han Sa-gwang accept reality and spread a paper on the table.
“At the top, the Sungwol Sect, representing the righteous path, reigns as the ruler of Yeongneung County, but the influence of the Black Wind Chamber, the representative of the evil path, is comparable to them. You probably know this much already.”
I watched him for a moment before speaking bluntly.
"You know how to write."
"……Well, I have my reasons."
"You are the talent I need to appoint as General Manager."
"Pardon?"
"General Manager Han."
"You are calling me General Manager?"
"What I am curious about first is the power structure among the Evil Path factions."
"You aren't even listening to me."
Han Sa-gwang grumbled as he replied.
"First, there is the Black Water Society, to whom we pay tribute."
Han Sa-gwang wrote characters on the paper.
"They, in turn, pay tribute to the Iron Thread Fortress. Because the Master of the Iron Thread Fortress has a major figure of the Evil Path as his uncle, he is a powerful man who maintains a non-aggression pact even with the Master of the Black Wind Chamber. They say his personal martial prowess far exceeds that of a first-rate expert."
If that is true, he is a man far stronger than I am. I observed Han Sa-gwang’s expression and spoke.
"The Black Wind Chamber and the Iron Thread Fortress are, dare I say, beings above the clouds. Then, it seems the Black Water Society is the faction you fear the most."
Han Sa-gwang was greatly startled.
"Ah, that is correct."
"And you cover your tribute by resorting to petty crimes like pickpocketing."
I continued.
"And the Black Water Society, in turn, scrapes together the tribute to pay the Iron Thread Fortress by committing all sorts of large-scale, filthy atrocities. That is the structure, isn't it?"
Han Sa-gwang’s jaw dropped.
"How did you-"
"Have I only been in this business for a day or two? That is how the world works in this line of work."
If you only changed the names, it was a phenomenon that occurred similarly in any corner of the martial arts world. In truth, wasn't the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance the very entity sitting at the highest point of such a petty food chain?
"In that case, the Black Water Society would be a good next target."
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