Chapter 8
“Young Master, she’s still a child.”
Yang Gi-gang’s eyes instantly turned fierce.
“You lowly bastard, how dare you grab me?”
In his urgency, Gwang-du had grabbed Yang Gi-gang’s sleeve.
“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”
Gwang-du quickly backed away.
As if finding new prey, Yang Gi-gang released Song-hee, whom he had been holding.
Even in a situation where he didn’t know what would happen to him, Gwang-du felt relieved. On the other hand, Song-hee was more anxious than when she had been grabbed.
Can’t that damned bastard see the tender exchange of emotions between them, caring for each other? Well, if he could see it, he wouldn’t be acting like this.
“Oh? Come to think of it, aren’t you…?”
Yang Gi-gang seemed to recognize Gwang-du belatedly, then suddenly spat on the ground.
An ominous question followed.
“What’s this filth?”
When Gwang-du hesitated to answer, Yang Gi-gang glared at him viciously and pressed on.
“You bastard! Answer before I beat you to death! What is this, I asked?”
“It’s spit.”
“Why is something like this on the courtyard floor? Didn’t I tell you before? To clean thoroughly.”
“I’ll clean it up right away.”
As Gwang-du tried to wipe the spit with his sleeve, Yang Gi-gang firmly stepped on Gwang-du’s hand.
“Argh!”
“What are you trying to do, you bastard?”
“What? I’m trying to clean it up.”
“You fool! It came from the mouth, so you should clean it with your mouth.”
At that moment, Gwang-du’s face hardened. The expressions of the main house martial artists watching also hardened simultaneously.
Especially Seo Jung, who was revealing a cold chill. He must be deliberating when to step in. Worried that if he intervened carelessly, the guy might go even more berserk.
Anyway, even the Yang Minor Faction martial artists frowned at his behavior.
Song-hee ran out.
“Brother, I’ll clean it. I’ll do it.”
Gwang-du shouted angrily.
“What are you saying! Quickly, go to the clan head and ask if he needs anything. Hurry! I said go!”
He was trying to get Song-hee out of this situation somehow.
Song-hee bit her molar and looked at me.
Gwang-du’s gaze followed Song-hee’s to me. Naturally, the gazes of other martial artists followed as well.
Finally, I spoke.
“Filth should be cleaned up.”
Everyone’s expressions twisted dramatically. Especially Seo Jung’s disappointment was the greatest. The expression that started from him, saying “I knew it,” spread to the general martial artists of the sword squad.
Song-hee’s eyes, full of sadness, seemed to be saying:
I told you, didn’t I? That I don’t trust you, young master. Only naive Brother Gwang-du was fooled. You bad person!
Gwang-du, the person in question, had his eyes redden with disappointment, but then calmly said.
“Yes. I’ll clean it up.”
Gwang-du bowed his head and was about to stick out his tongue. Just as Seo Jung, unable to bear it any longer, was about to step in, I spoke a step ahead.
“Not you.”
“What?”
“The one who spat should clean it up.”
I gestured with my chin towards Yang Gi-gang and said.
“You. Clean it up right now.”
“You bastard?”
“Where did you learn to spit in someone else’s house and act like this? You clean it up! With that mouth of yours!”
The expressions of the Byeok Sword Clan martial artists, including Seo Jung, brightened. I had said what they wanted to say on their behalf.
Of course, Yang Gi-gang’s face crumpled like a crushed piece of paper.
“You bastard, I heard you got your head beaten by a woman. Looks like you’ve gone crazy.”
Ignoring his words, I went and helped Gwang-du up.
“Are you alright?”
“Why are you doing this? It’s fine, I can clean it up.”
“Why should you clean this?”
“Young Master, please don’t do this…”
The next moment, I changed my tone. This was what I was second-best at, after martial arts.
“As the heir of the Byeok Sword Clan, I order you. Step back.”
My eyes and tone were filled with heavy dignity.
“Yes, Young Master.”
Unable to disobey, Gwang-du stepped back.
I spoke to Seo Jung in the same tone.
“I will handle this matter, so please watch until the end.”
Seo Jung, who had been staring at me blankly for a moment, bowed his head.
“Sword Squad Chief Seo Jung, I will obey your command.”
The sword squad martial artists were shocked. Not only had Seo Jung never shown such a respectful attitude to Byeok Ri-dan before, but they also never expected him to say he would obey an order. The sword squad martial artists hurriedly bowed their heads following Seo Jung.
Yang Gi-gang sneered, imitating my voice.
“I order as the heir of the Byeok Sword Clan. Pfft. Give two more orders and I might die of fear. You childish bastard, stop putting on airs. Hahaha.”
He looked around at the Yang Minor Faction martial artists as if to say, “Isn’t that right?” A few of them forced smiles.
I spoke firmly, as if giving an ultimatum.
“Cleaning it with that filthy mouth would only make the ground dirtier. Forget it. I’ll give you a chance. If you apologize properly, we’ll forget this happened.”
Would he apologize? I knew he wouldn’t, but I threw it out there for later. I clearly gave him a chance to end this nicely.
“And if I refuse?”
“Then you’ll get beaten.”
Yang Gi-gang snorted and approached me.
“Well then, shall we see the skills of the great Byeok Sword Clan heir? This is perfect actually. You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for this day. You broke, beggarly bastard! I’ll turn you into a cripple, so go beg in the marketplace!”
As soon as he finished speaking, he threw a surprise punch. Of course, I wasn’t going to be hit by his fist. He wasn’t even an opponent worth using my martial arts on.
I lightly dodged and planted my fist in his chin.
Thwack!
His jaw turned, but he didn’t fall. Was my punch weak? Not at all. It was to avoid ending it in one blow.
As expected, Yang Gi-gang charged at me with fire in his eyes.
“You bastard!”
He threw another punch. This time it was a punch infused with internal energy. It could be fatal if it hit, but he was swinging wildly.
Yes, this is how a madman should be.
Bong! Bwoong!
His internal energy-infused punches cut through the air with threatening sounds.
Seo Jung, startled, was about to jump in but stopped.
He saw me lightly dodging the guy’s attacks. But that wasn’t all. My fists flew even more nimbly than my dodges.
Thwack!
Again, his jaw turned the other way.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack-thwack!
Consecutive hits landed on his stomach and chest. Though it looked like light hits from the outside, they were strikes that would leave dark bruises.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
My fists were merciless. I aimed more for the body than the face, strikes that would cause less visible damage but more internal injuries.
You need to know. Those children will have to live with lifelong scars from what you did as a joke. But you’d never understand no matter how many times I tell you.
That’s why you’re getting beaten.
Thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack!
By the time the Yang Minor Faction martial artists belatedly rushed in to separate us, he was already a mess.
It would take at least a few months of recovery just to dress himself. I wanted to destroy him even more, but that couldn’t be done.
“What is the meaning of this!”
To the protest of the Yang Minor Faction leader, I calmly replied.
“Didn’t you see from the beginning? What that bastard did. Telling someone to clean up his spit with their mouth? Is that something a human being does?”
At those words, the man couldn’t say anything. The other Yang Minor Faction martial artists were the same. It was something they themselves were too ashamed to face.
Yang Gi-gang glared at me, his face contorted with pain. His vicious eyes were full of killing intent.
“Kill him! Kill that bastard! It’s an order!”
The man who received the order was flustered. He hadn’t expected an order to kill.
At that moment, Seo Jung stepped forward from our side.
“That order was given in Young Master Yang’s excited state, so it can be ignored. Think about the consequences that order would bring.”
As he spoke, he placed his hand on his sword. It was a warning that our side wouldn’t stand idle if they tried anything foolish.
A tense atmosphere formed between the martial artists on both sides, as if they might draw their swords at any moment. Even if their skills were similar, our side’s momentum was much higher. We also had justification on our side.
Eventually, the man backed down.
“Senior, your words are correct.”
Even without Seo Jung’s warning, they couldn’t kill the heir of the Byeok Sword Clan. This matter was for the clan heads to handle.
At that moment, Yang Gi-gang shook off the hands supporting him.
Chang!
Unable to contain himself, he drew his sword and charged at me.
“No!”
By the time Seo Jung shouted, the guy’s sword was already flying towards my chest.
Swish.
It was a critical moment for the onlookers, but to me, it was a laughable struggle. Even though I only had five years of internal energy, I was once the person who held the position of the greatest under heaven.
Once again, I lightly dodged the sword and then.
Crunch.
I mercilessly broke his arm.
“Aaargh!”
He screamed as his arm broke. Everyone was shocked by the dangling arm, but my attack didn’t stop.
I stomped down diagonally on his knee with my foot.
Crack!
His leg broke like bamboo. The bone protruded and blood splattered.
“Aaaaarrrgh!”
Despite his agonizing scream, my actions remained cold.
Slap-slap-slap-slap-slap!
I repeatedly slapped his cheeks. Broken teeth flew in all directions. Not just one or two, but over ten teeth shattered completely.
Thud!
With the final blow to his stomach, he collapsed. What was initially an injury requiring a month or two of recovery had now become an injury needing several years of rehabilitation.
I was still showing mercy. In the past, I would have killed him.
Because it happened so suddenly, the Yang Minor Faction martial artists couldn’t stop the situation.
Belatedly, they bustled about, saying to press his acupoints, call a doctor, report to the faction leader, guard all the gates.
The first person to rush to me was Gwang-du.
He quickly whispered to me in a voice only I could hear.
“Are you crazy? What are you going to do if you provoke the Yang Minor Faction? What on earth are you thinking!”
His face, full of worry, looked like it might burst into tears at any moment. He was so urgent that he didn’t even have time to thank me.
“First, get your body out of here. Leave the aftermath to the clan head. If the Yang faction leader comes out while you’re here, it’ll be a disaster! Hurry!”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because then you’ll be destroyed in my place.”
For a moment, Gwang-du flinched. That would certainly happen. After all, this all started in the process of stopping the humiliation he was suffering.
“You’re a bit touched right now, aren’t you?”
“No, how can you joke at a time like this? I said hurry and go!”
“It seems it’s already too late though?”
I gestured with my chin towards the back.
In the distance, the doors of the building were opening, and my father and Yang Gi-cheol were coming out.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to ask them to bury you with me when I die.”
Gwang-du sank down in his place and muttered.
“…Was pretending not to remember all an act too? To cause this massive incident. To squeeze the life out of me.”