I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 81

< A Day of Bloodshed 1 >

The two hundred members of the Hanahoe couldn’t hide their somber expressions.

They had awaited the day of the decisive battle, but the reality of so many Changryong Clan disciples being killed weighed heavily on their hearts.

“Don’t dwell on death. We’re saving half of us.”

It wasn’t easy to ignore the dead, even as they focused on the number of survivors.

“Don’t ever misunderstand. We’re crushing the Namgung Clan. Not just us, but any clan in the Jianghu [the martial arts world] would consider half their forces a worthy sacrifice. Cast off your guilt and throw it to me. I’ll bear all the sin.”

“We apologize for showing such weakness. We will carry it all with us.”

Yeom-shin, representing the Hanahoe, bowed his head and spoke.

“Raise your head. It’s no one’s fault.”

Jo Gwang-yun comforted Yeom-shin.

“Mix the two hundred support troops from the smaller factions with our disciples. They’re weaker than us, so they’ll be the first to panic and try to flee. We can’t let them run away in droves.”

“Yes, Clan Lord.”

Jo Gwang-yun addressed the Hanahoe again.

“And I’ll say it again. When we enter the Namgung estate, some of our disciples will try to escape. No matter how determined they are, it’s natural to be afraid when you see heads being chopped off before your eyes. You must make them realize that fleeing means certain death, but dying at the hands of the Namgung family means a great reward.”

“Yes, sir!”

The Hanahoe’s resounding response was somewhat reassuring.

“And we’ll send a signal with fireworks. Then, retreat with all the remaining disciples. No matter how favorable the situation, you must withdraw.”

Tension filled their faces. This was the first major battle they had experienced since joining the Changryong Clan. It was a learning experience. They seemed determined to remember and learn from it.

“Not a single one of you should be injured. Otherwise, I’ll have no face to show the Deputy Commander. So, no reckless actions. Just provide support thoroughly.”

Jo Gwang-yun spoke to the archer unit as if pleading.

“Clan Lord, martial artists’ skills may be earth-shattering, but we’ve survived when tens of thousands of lives were lost. Our experience of crossing the line between life and death is superior. We’ll return to Hapbi without a scratch, so don’t worry.”

To Jo Gwang-yun, they were more reliable than the Changryong Clan.

Jo Gwang-yun was at a loss for words in front of the most troublesome group. Seeing Jo Gwang-yun hesitate, a master of the Mukdo Society spoke nonchalantly.

“That bastard Namgung Hyo-shin is off-limits. Fighting him would kill half of us. So, we’ll just cut down some others and then pull out.”

“Jo Gwang-yun, I’ve been watching you, and I’m still not sure what you are… a merchant or a martial artist. But one thing is certain. Your insides are as black as ink. If you ever have nowhere else to go, come to the Mukdo Society. I’ll take care of you. Hehe.”

The ten masters of the Mukdo Society were as relaxed as if they were on a Jianghu tour.

* * *

From morning, not even an ant could be seen around the Namgung Clan. The merchants who went to the market every morning were nowhere to be found, and no one passed through the Namgung family’s residence in the center to get through Mt. Hwang. It meant that the Changryong Clan had blocked off the area around the Namgung family.

“Brother, it looks like it’s starting today.”

“How many have gathered?”

“An endless number of guys wearing white cloths around their waists and foreheads are gathering.”

How long had it been since their last life-or-death battle? His memory was fading. Peace had lasted too long.

The farmer should go to water the rice paddies every day, the merchant should open his shop every day, and the scholar should never stop reading, but he was a martial artist who hadn’t tasted blood on his sword.

The days of easy peace had been too long.

Namgung Hyun recalled the days when he roamed the Jianghu with his sword. Back then, he was a martial artist.

“Brother, shouldn’t we evacuate the women and children before it’s too late?”

“It’ll be alright. The Changryong Clan is also a righteous sect. They won’t harm women or ordinary servants.”

“Could it be that those who promised to help us haven’t arrived yet?”

Someone asked with a desperate look, and a bitter smile appeared on Namgung Hyun’s lips.

“You should have given up on such expectations long ago. They’re not saintly enough to suppress their rivalry and choose friendship.”

No miracle would happen.

Now, all they could trust was the Namgung family’s powerful martial arts and the Changryong Clan’s weakness, or rather, the weakness of the Changryong Clan’s ordinary disciples.

The Namgung family members had taken a last stand. There was nowhere to run. They had to defend this place.

But the Changryong Clan disciples would want to live when they saw their comrades dying. They would want to run away. And they had somewhere to go.

That’s why they had to be slaughtered as brutally as possible. Enough to make them want to flee out of fear.

Namgung Hyun bowed to his brothers and said quietly.

“Listen carefully, everyone. I am truly sorry that you have to suffer such humiliation today because of my lack of virtue.”

“Brother… what are you saying? It’s not your fault.”

Namgung Hyun stopped his brothers with a gesture and delivered his final words.

“Although their numbers are many, we can surely stop them. Aren’t they just a disorganized mob? To do that, we have something to do. We must die.”

Everyone understood Namgung Hyun’s intention. The elders had to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the family.

“Haven’t we lived enough? We must step forward and hack them to pieces. Then they will be terrified, and our children will gain strength. Today… let us die and save our kin.”

“Understood, Brother. I will greet you again in the underworld tomorrow.”

The brothers also put their hands together and bowed respectfully to the eldest brother.

* * *

“Clan Lord, preparations are complete.”

“Is everyone gathered?”

“Yes.”

Fear, anxiety, tension, and excitement. Gu Seung’s face was flushed red as if all of this was surging inside him.

“You look like you’re itching to fight, but hold back. You need to accurately assess the situation and report to me frequently. Can you do that?”

“Of course. Thanks to the Clan Lord’s consideration, I have enough martial arts and internal energy to protect myself.”

“Don’t be complacent. Be careful, very careful.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go. I have to do the last thing I can do.”

The last thing Jo Gwang-yun could do was to instill madness in them. Also, to turn that madness into fear as it crossed the walls of the Namgung family.

He didn’t know if it would work, but there was a line that had made the hearts of tens of millions of men beat faster. Jo Gwang-yun was thinking of using it. It might make his hands and feet curl up…

Jo Gwang-yun mounted his horse and slowly walked in front of the thousand or so martial artists lined up.

Their gazes, full of excitement and fear, made Jo Gwang-yun’s heart beat faster.

This time, he didn’t receive help from anyone else.

Jo Gwang-yun shouted.

“Sons of the Jianghu! My brothers!

The fear that has seeped into my heart is also visible in your eyes!

The day may come when our courage crumbles, our swords break in two, and our knees buckle.

But that day is not today!

The day may come when the swords of that vile group cut off our heads, pierce our hearts, and sing a song of victory.

But that day is not today!

Today, we fight!

For all the glory we will enjoy in the future,

I order you to fight to the end!”

Jo Gwang-yun turned his horse towards the gate of the Namgung family, drew his sword, raised it high, and shouted.

“Revenge for the Clan Lord!”

The excited martial artists shouted, but it wasn’t enough yet.

“Death to the Namgung!”

At the second shout, the Changryong Clan disciples also raised their swords high and shouted.

“Death!”

He drove in the final wedge.

“Death to them!”

The united voice of a thousand men crossed the walls of the Namgung family.

“Death!”

It was ripe. Jo Gwang-yun stretched his sword forward and gave the final order.

“Let’s go!!!”

The thousand or so martial artists, filled with vigor, rushed out like the wind, using their lightness skills [a martial art technique to move swiftly]. The martial artists at the front were seen leaping over the high walls of the Namgung family.

The difference between Jo Gwang-yun and Aragorn was that, unlike Aragorn, Jo Gwang-yun did not stand at the forefront and cut down enemies. Instead, he turned his horse back.

* * *

The shouts of death echoing over the walls became daggers that pierced every corner of the house.

The young warriors who had not yet shed their boyhood trembled with their hands on their swords.

Namgung Hyun looked at his grandsons and drew his beloved sword from its scabbard. He only thought of washing away the fear of those young kin at once.

He swung his sword at the guys who were crossing the wall and entering the house.

Three or four of them were cut in half before their feet even touched the ground, spilling red blood.

The Changryong Clan martial artists, who were the first to set foot in the Namgung family’s wide yard, hesitated and stopped, seeing the blood gushing from the bisected corpses.

“You worm-like bastards! Seeing the corpses makes you realize death, huh…? I’ll make you like that soon too!”

He drew up all the internal energy in his body. What was the point of saving internal energy that would scatter when he died?

Namgung Hyun’s figure leaped into the crowd.

* * *

Namgung Hyun’s brother, Namgung Jin, covered in blood, pointed his sword at the twenty or so Changryong Clan martial artists surrounding him.

He cut off one guy’s head with a single stroke. A fountain of blood gushed from the body with the severed head. The second guy clutched the intestines spilling from his split stomach and collapsed.

The number of scattered corpses piled up. Beyond the corpses, the Changryong Clan guys hesitated with terrified faces.

The twenty or so martial artists couldn’t easily approach his demon-like figure. No, they were starting to retreat slowly.

At the moment when these disorganized mobs were hesitating, something unexpected happened. A guy wearing the same Changryong Clan mourning clothes cut off the necks of his comrades. Two of them in an instant.

“Listen carefully, everyone! Those who run away will die by my hand before they leave this house. But if you die valiantly in battle, the Changryong Clan will never forget your contribution. Also, one thousand nyang [ancient Korean currency] will be paid for each head of a Namgung guy. The bastard in front of you is not a person. He’s a lump of gold worth a thousand nyang!”

Yeom-shin scattered the blood on his sword and shouted.

Namgung Jin, who had suddenly become a lump of gold, felt daggers piercing his back and side when he was speechless at this absurd situation.

The guy who stabbed the dagger twisted it as it penetrated and whispered softly in his ear.

“How is it? Hot, right? Feels like being burned with fire, doesn’t it? I want to play more, but I don’t have time.”

Gu Seung, who had stabbed two daggers, winked at Yeom-shin, and Yeom-shin flew up and swung his sword. Namgung Jin lost his head due to a moment of distraction.

Gu Seung kicked his fallen head in front of the disciples and shouted.

“Pick it up! That’s worth a thousand nyang!”

The disciples, who had been watching this absurd scene with blank expressions, came to their senses at Yeom-shin’s shout.

“You bastards. Aren’t you coming to your senses? If I don’t see any qualities as martial artists, I’ll cut all of your heads off here. Move quickly! Swing your swords even once more!”

If they lost their lives to the Namgung family’s swords, they would at least receive compensation, but dying by the swords of their allies was just a dog’s death.

Once again, they clenched their swords tightly and swarmed towards the Namgung family’s martial artists with bloodshot eyes.

< A Day of Bloodshed 1 > End