Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 111

Counterattack

“So, you’re saying attacking the Nine Dragons Stronghold would be better about an hour after breakfast, rather than at night?”

“That’s right. The martial artists of the Nine Dragons Stronghold begin their martial arts training at dawn and continue until just before breakfast. After breakfast, they head to the Nine Dragons Pavilion and other businesses operated by the Nine Dragons Stronghold.”

The Yin Evil Sect of Shanxi Province and the Blood Demon Clan of Henan Province were meeting again to discuss their plans after joining forces to attack the Nine Dragons Stronghold.

“Then, what is the number of martial artists remaining in the Nine Dragons Stronghold?”

“According to our investigation, the twelve men who worked the night shift at the Nine Dragons Pavilion return to the stronghold in the morning to change shifts.”

“If it’s a night shift, they’ll probably sleep when they return.”

“That’s correct.”

“So, if we breach the walls of the Nine Dragons Stronghold an hour after breakfast, they’ll be asleep, making it easier to deal with them?”

“That’s the plan, for now.”

“Good.”

“We will divide into three groups: two groups will attack the Nine Dragons Stronghold, and one group will block the warriors coming to the Nine Dragons Stronghold upon hearing the news. We will assassinate the Nine Dragons Stronghold Lord, then retreat and join the others to eliminate all the warriors of the Nine Dragons Stronghold before fleeing.”

Madam Lan, who was attending the meeting, nodded in satisfaction with the plan.

“Then, who will stop the returning warriors? The Yin Evil Sect? Or us?”

“To ensure coordination, if the Blood Demon Clan could block them, we will breach the walls of the Nine Dragons Stronghold, assassinate the Nine Dragons Stronghold Lord, and then join you.”

Madam Lan’s beautiful eyebrows furrowed slightly before returning to normal.

“Okay, we’ll block them. But if we breach the walls of the Nine Dragons Stronghold in broad daylight, many people will see us.”

“Doesn’t matter, does it? If we wear masks when breaching the wall, no one will recognize us. And ordinary people won’t recognize us anyway.”

“That I like. When shall we move?”

“We have completed our preparations. We can start as soon as the Blood Demon Clan is ready.”

“Then, let’s attack the Nine Dragons Stronghold in two days. I’ll contact the main sect and call the warriors here.”

“Understood. Then, let’s meet at the entrance to Jinshi.”

* * *

“So, this is the information about Shanxi Province that I wanted to know?”

“Yes, Brother. It contains data on the high-ranking officials, including the governor of Shanxi Province, as well as the civil engineering and construction projects currently underway in Shanxi Province, and policies to care for the common people.”

Fifth Prince Ju Yeong-ho was temporarily staying at the Nine Dragons Stronghold instead of the Nine Dragons Pavilion, and Hwa-rin had obtained all the materials he needed for the Shanxi Province inspection through the Hao Clan.

Ju Yeong-ho smiled as he looked through the pages of the book Hwa-rin gave him.

“It would have taken me years to figure all this out on my own.”

“There are those who specialize in dealing with these things…”

Hwa-rin stopped talking.

“It seems we have uninvited guests. Please wait here for a moment.”

Hwa-rin got up from his seat and opened the door.

“You guys protect the Prince here. Cut down anyone who comes here.”

“Yes, sir!”

“What’s going on?”

“Those who covet my things have breached the walls of this manor.”

“Ruffians!”

“That’s why they call the Murim [martial arts world] a world ruled by ruffians.”

Hwa-rin walked down the hallway.

“Kuaaak!”

As a faint scream was heard, Ju Yeong-ho frowned.

“I should go see what’s happening.”

“It’s safer for you to stay here, Your Highness!”

“I just want to see how my brother fights. Lead the way. Don’t leave my side for even a moment.”

“Yes, sir!”

Ju Yeong-ho went outside with his bodyguards.

Ju Yeong-ho sat on the porch of the inner courtyard’s main building.

“Let’s see who’s coveting my brother’s things.”

He took a comfortable posture and watched Hwa-rin fight the masked men.

—I told you to stay inside, why did you come out?

“I came out because I was bored. And I wanted to see with my own eyes how strong you are to be able to say you’ll become the king of Murim.”

Hwa-rin chuckled at Ju Yeong-ho’s words.

—Then watch.

Hwa-rin sent a telepathic message to Ju Yeong-ho while also cutting down one of the masked men.

Judging by the sounds of fighting everywhere, it seemed that more than one or two people had breached the walls of the manor.

“Die.”

A sharp sword aimed for Hwa-rin’s chest, extending in a straight line.

Hwa-rin used his index and middle fingers to grab the sword, then twisted his wrist.

As the sword twisted according to Hwa-rin’s wrist movement, the arm of the masked man holding the sword also twisted.

Jjeo-eo-eo-eong!

The sword could not withstand the twisting and shattered into pieces, and the masked man’s arm was separated from his shoulder and fell off.

“Kuaaaaak!”

As the masked man’s scream echoed in the air, Hwa-rin threw the fragments of the sword between his fingers at the suffering masked man.

The fragments of the sword flew and accurately pierced the masked man’s trachea.

“Commander Hwang.”

“Speak.”

“What do you think of my brother’s martial arts? Is he any good?”

“With all due respect, I cannot evaluate the Ninth Prince’s martial arts with my level.”

“Is he that strong?”

“Yes, he is.”

“They say he fell off a cliff and gained a fortuitous encounter; I should fall off a cliff sometime too.”

Ju Yeong-ho believed the story that Hwa-rin had fallen off a cliff and gained a fortuitous encounter.

“Senior!”

Namgung Su-yeon came to the main building.

“What’s the situation outside?”

“The inner courtyard is cleared, but they’re still fighting in the outer courtyard. It seems quite a few have breached the manor.”

“I guess so. They wouldn’t cross someone else’s fence in broad daylight unless they were determined to do so.”

“You protect the Prince here. I’ll go check the outer courtyard.”

“Can’t I go too?”

“Then go instead. I’ll stay here.”

A faint smile appeared on Namgung Su-yeon’s lips.

“I’ll go then.”

Hwa-rin nodded as if he had expected Namgung Su-yeon to answer like this.

“See you later.”

She had a very bright face for someone going to a life-or-death battle.

“If it’s just a fight…”

Hwa-rin approached Ju Yeong-ho, who asked.

“Who is that woman?”

“She is a daughter of the Namgung Clan.”

“The Namgung Clan? Are you talking about the Murim clan?”

“Yes, Brother.”

“As I’ve heard, there seem to be many crazy people in Murim. To be able to go to kill someone with such a bright face… a properly crazy guy, no… a girl.”

Hwa-rin gave an awkward smile.

“The situation will be resolved soon, so please wait a moment.”

“Okay. But does this happen often?”

“Those who target the Nine Dragons Pavilion sometimes come to attack.”

“You live a tiring life.”

* * *

‘I haven’t heard that the Nine Dragons Stronghold has such a woman.’

Hyeong Do-guk, the chief of the Yin Evil Corps, was flustered by the appearance of a woman who was pushing him hard.

Cheeee-ee-ee-eeng!

“I was expecting a little more since you crossed someone else’s fence in broad daylight, but you’re nothing special.”

Hyeong Do-guk was enraged by Namgung Su-yeon’s words, but he was too busy blocking her attacks to respond.

“Where are you from?”

Hyeong Do-guk did not answer. After blocking Namgung Su-yeon’s sword, he took a step back and drew up the internal energy from his dantian [energy center in the body]. As he injected internal energy into the sword, a faint blue light glowed from the sword.

“Sword energy?”

Sword energy can usually only be used by those who are beyond the level of a master, but sometimes even intermediate or master martial artists use sword energy if their internal energy is too strong.

“If I break the building, Senior will scold me twice as much. I can’t do that. Let’s knock him down first and think about the next step.”

Namgung Su-yeon’s figure moved quickly.

Like a swallow flying low and fast above the ground, Namgung Su-yeon arrived in front of Hyeong Do-guk in an instant with a low posture and strongly stabbed his solar plexus using her sword.

“Ugh!”

The moment his breath was cut off, his blood vessels twisted, and he was in so much pain that he couldn’t breathe, and he knelt on the spot, gasping for air.

Namgung Su-yeon naturally went to Hyeong Do-guk, who was kneeling, and sat on top of him. Then, she watched the people fight in a comfortable posture.

“Ugh!”

Hyeong Do-guk frowned.

Just because Namgung Su-yeon was sitting on his back, he felt the pain of being crushed by a weight of thousands of pounds.

“If you’re going to cross a fence, you should at least find out who’s in that house. How can you cross a fence recklessly without even investigating that much?”

Namgung Su-yeon used one hand to take off the mask of Hyeong Do-guk, who was kneeling.

“As expected, it’s a face I don’t know.”

Then, she turned her gaze back to the battlefield and asked quietly.

“Who is it? Who ordered you to cross the fence with so many people?”

Hyeong Do-guk did not answer.

“If you don’t answer, your back will break.”

“Ugh!”

A faint groan flowed from Hyeong Do-guk’s mouth as he felt the weight become heavier.

“Don’t think you’ll be praised if you keep your mouth shut? But when you go back, you’ll be cursed with all sorts of insults. Think about it. You crossed the fence with so many people, but you’re the only one who survived. What do you think the person who sent you will think?”

Hyeong Do-guk’s back began to bend little by little.

“Do you think they’ll praise you for not revealing the mastermind? No. They’ll hold you responsible for killing so many warriors and cut you down in an instant.”

“Ugh!”

“If you don’t want to talk, keep doing that. If I take off the masks of the dead guys, I’m sure I’ll find someone I know.”

Namgung Su-yeon said nonchalantly.

“Don’t just sit there, come and help me.”

Seo Dae-yeong said, looking at Namgung Su-yeon, who was sitting comfortably.

“Then what about this guy?”

“Just kill him. There are plenty of guys here who will talk even if it’s not him.”

Namgung Su-yeon turned her head and looked at Hyeong Do-guk, who was kneeling.

“Shall I?”

As Namgung Su-yeon’s fingers touched the back of Hyeong Do-guk’s neck, he reflexively said.

“Please spare me. I’m from the Yin Evil Sect. Sa Do-hyeong, the leader of the Yin Evil Sect, is plotting an evil scheme targeting the Nine Dragons Pavilion. Warriors from the Blood Demon Clan are waiting outside.”

“The Blood Demon Clan? That Blood Demon Clan from Henan Province?”

“Yes. The plan was to kill the Nine Dragons Stronghold Lord and blame it on the Blood Demon Clan.”

Namgung Su-yeon put strength into the fingers she had placed on Hyeong Do-guk’s neck.

“Ugh!”

Her fingers dug into his neck and broke his neck bones. Then, as she stood up, Hyeong Do-guk, who had been kneeling, collapsed.

“Chief, did you hear that?”

“I heard it well.”

“I’ll tell Senior, so finish up here.”

“Understood.”

* * *

After finding out who was behind it, Namgung Su-yeon came to the inner courtyard and told Hwa-rin that Sa Do-hyeong of the Yin Evil Sect was behind it.

“I thought it was quiet for a while. He even begged me to return the manor last time, so I taught him a lesson, but it seems he hasn’t come to his senses yet.”

“Begged you to return the manor?”

“I once acquired all the manor and businesses of the Black Snake Gang that used to be located here.”

“You didn’t acquire it, you took it all away. So?”

“So what, I taught him a lesson. After being defeated by me, he tried to use tricks, so I completely털탈털어버렸거든 [stripped him clean]. After that, it was quiet for a while, but now he’s acting up again.”

Although he said it casually, Fifth Prince Ju Yeong-ho felt a sense of alienation from Hwa-rin’s changed appearance.

“But it seems the Blood Demon Clan also lent a hand this time.”

“Anyway, I don’t like these guys at all. It would be nice to clean them all up this time. I should test the Nine Dragons Special Unit as well.”

“Where are you going?”

“Aren’t you going home? Why are you so concerned about other people’s affairs?”

“I’m not going. I’m going to stay here.”

“Why?”

“Because home is boring.”

“Why is it boring? And if you’ve been discharged from the military, you should spend time with your parents at home.”

“Hey, if I stay home, they’ll tell me to get married. I don’t like that.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“I’m going to learn martial arts and achieve what I want while being by Senior’s side.”