I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 83

< A Day of Bloodshed 3 >

“I feel sorry for this family’s son for no reason.”

The archer captain, lying on the roof and surveying the situation, chuckled.

“What do you mean?”

“Are you blind? Look closely. Isn’t this like a real battlefield? It’s complete chaos.”

“Ah, that’s what you meant.”

“Yeah. Saying we’re fighting a war wasn’t entirely wrong.”

The captain, who had been observing the situation for a while, drew an arrow.

“That blood-soaked old man is the head of this family, right?”

“Yes, that’s Namgung Hyun.”

“Let’s start with that old man. Signal the other members. Let’s shake things up.”

“Yes, sir.”

A low whistle flowed on the wind, and the hundred-strong archer unit drew their bowstrings.

Arrows flew in. From the outer wall’s fence, from the roofs of the buildings. They focused only on those not wearing mourning clothes.

It wasn’t necessarily aimed at killing. They shot a few arrows and disappeared, then reappeared, repeating the process. They scattered the surroundings.

“Now’s the time. Don’t miss the opportunity!”

Someone shouted loudly. If they were distracted by the arrows even for a moment, a blade would inevitably come in.

At first, Namgung Hyun didn’t understand the meaning of the arrows. To him, arrows were just skewers that posed no threat.

However, he became anxious when he thought about the impact on his grandchildren and nephews with low martial arts skills.

Sure enough, because of these annoying arrows, the young members of the Namgung family with low levels of martial arts were quickly driven into a corner as they tried to avoid the arrows.

Namgung Hyun identified the roof from which the arrows were coming and leaped.

Dozens of arrows flew towards him, but he snorted and swung his sword.

As the arrows that didn’t even graze his clothes were split and fell to the ground, Namgung Hyun let out a faint groan.

“Gasp! This… !”

In that brief moment when Namgung Hyun was away, dozens of Changryong Gate’s blades were aimed at the young members of the Namgung family, and three or four of them were inevitably pierced.

Namgung Hyun, who had deflected the continuous arrows, had no choice but to turn towards the Changryong Gate members who were pressuring his young kin.

His mind screamed that dealing with the archers was the priority, even if it meant sacrificing his blood relatives, but his heart blocked it.

How could he bear to watch his blood relatives die before his eyes?

“Cowardly bastards.”

There was no point in cursing. Wasn’t this a dogfight where lives were on the line anyway?

Another misfortune appeared in Namgung Hyun’s sight.

The archers had started shooting not only skewers but also flaming skewers.

Flames soared from all over the house. The flames weakened the heart.

This was the family he had built… The weak-hearted would be even more shaken.

Although Changryong Gate was weak, its strategy was chillingly cruel.

They exploited the parents’ hearts for their bloodline to the fullest. They shook the parents and then killed the young children. And the parents saw the corpses.

Extreme sorrow and anger shook their minds and agitated their blood. They sacrificed swordsmen until their energy was exhausted due to excessive internal energy operation, and then they bit like a pack of dogs.

It was a tactic that a man like Jo Kwang-yun, who treated human lives like flies, would use.

However, Jo Kwang-yun also had a mistake.

That was that he didn’t accurately know the martial arts of the Namgung family, which was called the best martial arts family in the Central Plains. It was by no means a small mistake.

Jo Kwang-yun, who was receiving real-time reports from Hana-hoe [a secret society or organization], felt that his plan was going awry.

He knew that the difference of one point in martial arts was a deep and wide river that could never be crossed, but he had never experienced it.

Also, what he hadn’t taken into account was the Namgung family’s determination.

He thought that he could gain 90% of the Namgung family’s lives if he sacrificed half, but in a short period of time, the number of victims exceeded one hundred.

At this rate, it seemed that he might not see the Namgung family’s destruction even if he sacrificed a thousand lives.

If today’s carefully planned work went wrong, many things would get tangled up. If the Namgung family survived, he would have to return all the entrusted assets, and the land documents promised to the magistrate would have to be paid as Jo Kwang-yun’s property.

Besides, Changryong Gate would be completely erased from the Murim Alliance [a martial arts alliance]. No, it might be erased right here today.

Jo Kwang-yun’s anxiety reached its peak.

There was only one trick left to turn the tide at once: the Hongmun [another martial arts faction].

However, he was not sure whether their martial arts were superior to this Namgung family.

If so, he had to change to a strategy that could increase the Hongmun’s odds of winning.

“Change the strategy to kill even one more person. Have the Hana-hoe drive the disciples towards the Namgung family’s experts to exhaust their internal energy.”

“Lord, it’s obvious that more victims will be sacrificed.”

The Hana-hoe member’s miserable feelings were clearly revealed.

“I’m more afraid of Changryong Gate’s defeat than more victims. If Changryong Gate loses this battle, all of you Hana-hoe will die too. Of course, it will be difficult for me to survive.”

Jo Kwang-yun smiled and said to the Hana-hoe member.

“What should I do? I don’t want to die yet?”

* * *

More than two hundred people were watching the Namgung family from a distance.

They also wore Changryong Gate’s white cloth around their waists, but some of their clothes were different.

“Seniors. You must wear this cloth around your waists. Please, I beg you.”

Hongmunjong, the leader of the Hongmun who was over sixty years old, was making a tearful face like a naive child. The experts who had rushed from the Sado Alliance [a potentially villainous martial arts alliance] to trample on the Namgung family ignored Hongmunjong’s words as dog barking.

Hongmunjong had never dreamed that there would be so many villains with grudges against the Namgung family.

In particular, when Cheonseungbigeom (Heavenly Ascending Flying Sword) Seo Sokang and Paedohyeolsin (Overlord Saber Blood God) No Deuk appeared, he felt like the sky was singing [a feeling of impending doom].

He was already burdened by Hoomunpaedo (Tiger-striped Overlord Saber) Yoo Hongcheon, who had been living in Hongmun and acting as a master, but with the addition of two experts who were on par with him, he was going crazy.

“Hey, Hong family. Did your dad die or something? Why do I have to wear that? Even if your dad died, do you think I’d care even a bit? How dare you offer a piece of white cloth to someone!”

Yoo Hongcheon, the Hoomunpaedo with one arm missing, stopped Hongmunjong’s words. Following him, a thick, low voice was heard.

“Hehe. Yoo family. It seems like you’re thinking of getting one arm back… Namgung Hyoshin, that brat, has gotten stronger than before, right? Take good care of your remaining arm.”

Cheonseungbigeom Seo Sokang, a monster much scarier than the one-armed man, withdrew his smile towards Yoo Hongcheon and frowned at Hongmunjong.

“And you, Hongmunjong! This gangster bastard has grown a lot. You used to be a pimp, but now you have some underlings, and you don’t even know your place? You shut your mouth now. We’ll take care of this here. If you keep chattering, your neck will be cut off before the Namgung bastards’!”

“It’s not that, but if you don’t wear this cloth, it will be known that our Sado Alliance is involved. It may cause problems later. And the Changryong Gate bastards may not know that we are allies and may turn their swords against us.”

“That bastard. Hey! How will it be known? Everything that survives in the Namgung family today will be speechless beasts!”

“Changryong Gate? Hey, this old man will cut the bellies of anyone who blocks my way. Surely you don’t think that Changryong Gate can block this old man’s path, do you?”

He had to shut his mouth at the shouts of the two monsters.

Hongmunjong guessed why the Sado Alliance had sent such great experts.

It was clear that the Sado Alliance had no intention of giving Hwangsan to Hongmun. In vain, only our children will die, and we will get nothing.

He should have trusted his instincts. The bad feeling was not the young merchant Jo Kwang-yun, but the Sado Alliance.

‘Surely they’re not trying to eat even my Hongmun, are they?’

He wanted to deny it, but he had a feeling. It was probably right.

If his disciples died in this battle and his power weakened, the Sado Alliance would send reinforcements. And the reinforcements would turn into occupying forces in an instant.

Hongmunjong, who was in trouble, couldn’t control his expression when Yoo Hongcheon shouted.

“Hey, hey. What’s that? They’re even setting fires? These Changryong Gate bastards are worse than us. The name of the righteous sect is a waste. Hahaha.”

Black smoke soared from inside the Namgung family’s fence, and flames began to spread.

“Once this is over, we’ll have to put Changryong Gate in the Sado Alliance. They’re guys I really like.”

Seo Sokang frowned as he looked at the flames.

“Damn it. At this rate, all the Namgung bastards will die. Hongcheon, are you going to stay like this? Are you just going to watch?”

“I can’t do that. I’ve watched enough, and I need to go in and taste some blood.”

The monsters of the Sado Alliance are preparing. They’re going to warm up and get some old debts paid.

Hongmunjong was horrified and blocked their way. It wasn’t time to enter yet. Changryong Gate had to shed blood, and Hongmun had to pick up only the spoils.

There would still be many Namgung family experts left. If they fought like this, all of Hongmun’s limbs could die. He had to stop them unconditionally.

“You can’t go in now. The other side hasn’t been cleaned up yet. Please, restrain yourselves and wait…”

These words became Hongmunjong’s last words. The Cheonseungbigeom’s sword sprayed blood and then went into its scabbard.

“This bastard! You’ve been chattering since earlier. I told you that you’d die if you chattered one more time, right? I told you we’d take care of it here, but you’re so talkative.”

“No? Is it okay to kill a child like that?”

Yoo Hongcheon frowned and was annoyed. He waved his hand at Hongmun’s disciples.

“Hey! Clean this up quickly.”

The Hongmun disciples who were cleaning up the leader’s body lost their fear of dying in the war with the Namgung family. Instead, they were more afraid of dying to these monsters.

Yoo Hongcheon shouted at them.

“Everyone, listen carefully. If you enter the banquet too late, there will be no food. Go quickly and eat as much as you want. And never leave anything behind. If you leave even one plate behind, you’ll die by my hand. Do you all understand?”

“Yes, sir!!”

Yoo Hongcheon, satisfied with the loud answer, ran out, and Seo Sokang also shouted.

“Let’s go!”

The two hundred figures rushed towards the Namgung family.

Only Paedohyeolsin No Deuk, a scholar-like figure, remained in the place where everyone had disappeared.

He clicked his tongue as he looked at the backs of the group running towards the Namgung family.

“Tsk, tsk. Hongmunjong didn’t say anything wrong… These guys are all dying to die.”

No Deuk muttered, looking at the Namgung family in the distance.

“I wonder if that old man Namgung Hyun is already dead? I have to cut off his head with my own hands…”

It was a distant memory from thirty years ago, but it was still vivid enough to appear in his dreams from time to time.

In front of countless Jianghu [martial arts world] people, he couldn’t even draw his sword because he was pressed down by his momentum. He still couldn’t forget Namgung Hyun’s eyes looking down at him as if mocking him for slowly retreating.

However, he knew well that he was still no match for him. In order to kill him, it had to be when he couldn’t exert his full potential.

Just like today.

He had to repay that humiliating humiliation today. If not today, he could never repay it.

* * *

“Lord. Hongmunjong has already invaded the Namgung family. There are quite a few experts who are beheading people regardless of whether they are from Changryong Gate or the Namgung family. Please give me instructions on what to do.”

One of the Hana-hoe members reported with an earthy complexion.

Jo Kwang-yun’s face brightened, and he jumped up.

“Did you see a lot of experts?”

“Yes. Quite a few. It seems like they are from the Sado Alliance.”

“You immediately run to the Namgung family and tell the Hana-hoe. Don’t be swayed by the situation and guide the Hongmun to take the lead. And once you confirm that the Namgung’s experts have all fallen, retreat unconditionally. Leave the remnants to the Hongmun. Move quickly!”

“Yes, sir.”

Jo Kwang-yun burst into laughter that he had been holding back.

“Hahaha. This is what you call heavenly luck. These Sado Alliance bastards, it’s almost a shame to just give them an empty house.”

It was the Sado Alliance, which had been set up to do the cleanup, but had become a moth that jumped into the fire on its own. If the momentum changes, the situation also changes.

Heaven is on my side.

< A Day of Bloodshed 3 > End