Chapter 45
Chapter 45
The Boss stared at him again.
The man had only tried to chime in, thinking the mood was pleasant, but he wondered if he was about to get severely scolded.
Then, the Boss spoke.
"Why are you here? I don't think I've seen you before. Are you truly one of my subordinates?"
The man blankly stared at the Boss.
Then, the Sub-Boss smiled and explained.
"Boss, Myeonghan has been living here with us for ten years. It's understandable that you wouldn't recognize him—he usually leaves the mountain keep to go down to the village and procure necessary supplies."
The Boss nodded.
It seemed like he understood, but the words that came out of his mouth were entirely unexpected.
"Since we’ve decided to leave this place anyway, we don’t have to show mercy to those passing through here anymore. It doesn't matter if people stop using this road. We let them through all this time to keep this road in use.”
Myeonghan and the Sub-Boss focused hard, trying to make sense of what the Boss was saying.
"We no longer need to show leniency to the ones below the mountain either. Good. Let’s make one big score and get out. Before that, bring up all the women from below. What looks good to your eyes might not be the same for mine. I don’t care about age. Bring all the pretty-faced ones. Married women are fine too. Sometimes, ordinary household women are better than those powdered ones from courtesan houses.”
"Understood, Boss. We’ll do as you say."
Just as the others were about to rise to faithfully carry out the order as they had heard it—
Suddenly, one person dropped to the ground. That was just the beginning. People began to fall one after another.
They were all dressed in martial uniforms, though each wore a different one.
“Who are these bastards?!”
The Sub-Boss grabbed a spear and shouted sharply.
The intruders stood around the table where the Boss and his executive leadership were gathered.
Most of the martial artists led by Pyo Inhaeng were standing by in a safe location to guard Ak Seol-ah, and only Pyo Inhaeng, Seo Mugyeom, Ju Jirang, and Ho Jo-yeong had appeared.
“Well, aren’t you all considerate. Saying this crap out loud like you’re worried we might accidentally kill innocent people.”
When Pyo Inhaeng spoke, the Boss stood up with a grin.
“Judging by the aura I sense, you’re no ordinary martial artist. Who might you be? I feel quite pleased—it’s been a while since I’ve met a worthy opponent. Since you’ve shown your face without a mask, I assume you wouldn’t mind telling me your name?”
“I didn’t wear a mask because none of you here will live to speak about us.”
“Is that so? If you can’t tell me your name, I suppose you’re not affiliated with any sect? Then there’s no need for this old man to step in. What are you all waiting for?”
At the Boss’s words and nod, several people simultaneously took a starting stance, and one blew a horn.
Pyo Inhaeng hadn’t missed that. Their plan from the beginning had been to summon everyone outside too.
“Let’s begin.”
At Pyo Inhaeng’s words, the intruders sprang off in all directions.
Seo Mugyeom moved freely, unconcerned about the others, while Ju Jirang and Ho Jo-yeong took positions to protect one another.
The bandits were dumbfounded, not knowing who these suddenly appearing people were.
“Do you even know where you are? Have you never heard of Black Dragon Keep? Did you really think four people could do anything to Black Dragon Keep? What rumors did you hear about us that made you act so arrogantly?”
Clearly shaken, the Boss shouted in fury.
“What a noisy bastard.”
Pyo Inhaeng casually poked his ear, annoyed.
“Did you talk your way into your position? I’ll face you myself—come at me.”
The Boss had met countless people in his life. He could usually get a read on someone right away.
This man wasn’t that much younger than Pyo Inhaeng. It was just that the Boss’s face looked more aged—he was in his late thirties at most.
Pyo Inhaeng found it odd that this man hadn’t looked down on him from the start. That subtle respect came partly from their close ages. But if someone was given respect just for being older, he wouldn't be the Boss of Black Dragon Keep.
Even the Boss wouldn’t have been able to explain why he felt that way about Pyo Inhaeng. He couldn’t identify the source of that pressure.
He simply felt, instinctively, that this man was fundamentally different from everyone he had met before.
But there was a limit to how long he could avoid a fight.
The Boss thought it was a pity. They had been planning to leave soon anyway. If they had arrived just a bit later, they wouldn’t have been here now.
The Boss wondered if there was a way to resolve this with words. But none of his subordinates thought he was having such thoughts in that moment.
They believed the Boss could take care of the intruders alone and that all they needed to do was lend a bit of support.
As they grabbed their weapons with that belief, Seo Mugyeom suddenly drew a sharp breath.
Ho Jo-yeong, tense, looked over, wondering what was wrong.
His expression asked, What’s the matter?
But Seo Mugyeom couldn’t explain.
Just before arriving, he had unbuckled his sword to relieve himself and forgot to take it with him.
There was no way he could admit that. Who would take someone seriously if they entered enemy territory but left their sword behind because they needed to use the toilet?
So Seo Mugyeom decided to act like it was intentional, not a mistake.
It wasn’t as if he’d lost his sword. The martial artists of the Tenth Division would’ve stored it properly.
Ho Jo-yeong still looked at him, but Seo Mugyeom simply shook his head with a smile, as if it was nothing.
Now that it had come to this, he would just have to take someone else’s weapon.
At that moment, the Sub-Boss charged at Seo Mugyeom. He was a spear user, which made Seo Mugyeom a little flustered. He had barely touched a spear since learning spear arts at the Martial Arts Academy.
“I haven’t even held a spear since learning spear arts back at the academy. Let’s see if I can remember anything.”
Since his attacker was charging at him with a spear, Seo Mugyeom decided to take that spear first and swing it around, then later grab a sword from someone else.
The Sub-Boss had debated between targeting Seo Mugyeom or Ju Jirang, and went for the younger Seo Mugyeom.
Had he been able to sense someone's energy like the Boss, he would have gone for Ho Jo-yeong or Ju Jirang, but he lacked that ability.
He aimed for an easier opponent and wanted to earn credit for being the first to act. It would soon become clear how foolish that decision was.
Seeing the Sub-Boss rushing at him, Seo Mugyeom easily evaded the attack.
The Sub-Boss thought his strike would land since Seo Mugyeom didn’t dodge until the last moment. When Seo Mugyeom’s figure disappeared, he was so startled he thought an illusion technique had been used.
Seo Mugyeom didn’t intend to waste time there. He immediately moved behind the Sub-Boss and slapped his back with his palm. At the same time, he snatched the spear from him. The Sub-Boss collapsed without even knowing what had happened.
It was just a hit on the back, but he collapsed, vomiting dark red blood.
The bandits were all shocked.
"How the hell…!"
They were stunned that the youngest among the four had so easily killed their Sub-Boss.
Seeing Seo Mugyeom start off strong made Pyo Inhaeng decide to give it his all too.
Neither Pyo Inhaeng, Ho Jo-yeong, nor Ju Jirang found it strange that Seo Mugyeom hadn’t drawn his sword.
They simply thought that for Seo Mugyeom, it didn’t matter whether he had a weapon or not, especially after seeing him dispose of the Sub-Boss so effortlessly.
When Seo Mugyeom stepped forward with the spear, the bandits hesitated. But then, those who had arrived after hearing the horn quickly rushed in.
Seo Mugyeom welcomed them, walking forward with the spear and slowly swinging it.
He tried recalling the spear arts he had learned at the Martial Arts Academy—but soon he didn't need to force himself to remember.
His hands seemed to already know every movement. Seo Mugyeom felt like his body was merely a conduit.
Like that, he channeled his internal energy and swung the spear.
The bandits who entered were surprised to see unfamiliar intruders already inside. But what shocked them more was the Sub-Boss lying on the ground, completely motionless, spewing dark blood.
They couldn’t believe that the young man had killed him.
Elsewhere, a chaotic battle raged.
The oldest among them fought the Boss, and the two others defended themselves against multiple bandits.
Everyone else was caught in their own fights, but only this young man moved with such leisure.
“Die, you bastard!”
They didn’t know who these people were, but it was clear they were enemies, so the bandits charged at Seo Mugyeom en masse.
Seo Mugyeom walked calmly toward them, controlling his breath and swinging his spear.
Slashing and stabbing, people in front of him screamed and retreated, but Seo Mugyeom quickly closed the distance and took their lives.
Screams rang out as more and more fell to the ground. But Seo Mugyeom was more interested in the spear technique unfolding from his hands than in the deaths themselves.
He had never been good at spear arts back at the academy—barely average. So the way the spear now moved so freely felt surreal. It felt less like a weapon and more like an extension of his body.