Right Valley Leader was in his mid-thirties.
Lady Iron Toad and Oil Flower Valley Leader were also somewhere around the same age. Maybe that’s why they looked like friends of the same age. It wasn’t a leader-subordinate relationship; I felt that prudence was seen in the face of the Oil Flower Valley Leader and the stubbornness with pride stood out the most for the Right Valley Leader.
And so, the Right Valley Leader looked at me.
“For what did the Sect Leader visit us?”
This was an odd question, so I thought for a while. It seems that the man doesn’t yet know that I beat down his people to death at the guest house. Which means it was taking quite a while for Yeop Ya-hyung to report.
Looking at the dagger I say,
“I have something to tell you. I have something to ask. Lady Iron Toad.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
I point to my dagger.
“I use it well. Every time I spike, it sticks in right. It is a good dagger, thanks to which I cut a lot.”
To which she replies with a dry smile.
“I am glad you are doing well.”
I look at the Right Valley Leader and ask,
“Valley Leader, I wonder when the man called White Face will come.”
To which he frowns and says,
“That isn’t something I know. Because I don’t know, I have nothing to report to you. Why are you looking for the person? Let’s get to the point.”
“From your point… it should be like this. Who would touch the poisoned things at this place? Did they mention it makes ghastly sounds?”
She waves her hands at me.
“N-Not me. I didn’t even drink anything but the oil flower alcohol.”
“What did you just say?”
The faces of the Leaders weren’t good. Maybe it was because I kept speaking in a roundabout way. But as expected, the Right Valley Leader takes a while.
“Sect Leader, what are you asking? I am having a hard time eating.”
He gets spoken back to with a mix of respect and a short speech.
“I know that it is difficult for my words to hold any weight right now, because there is no way now, and I will speak the truth. The antidote the Valley Leader is taking is not an antidote. Rather it is one which contains ingredients which cause addiction in the body so if you don’t take it constantly, you will suffer from all sorts of things. I don’t know if you get it.”
The guy looks startled.
Lady Iron Toad asks,
“Sect Leader, is it true?”
“Lady, why would I suddenly come to this place and say such things? Unless one is insane.”
To which she asks,
“I apologize but how did you find out?”
So, I point my finger at Byuk Geom.
“Since we have him on my side, and a physician too, we tried to decipher it but then failed. Believe it or not, the antidote will make you more bitter the more you eat. I mean the withdrawal symptoms are terrible. It isn’t just a medicine to treat, but one which makes you cooperate with the man in order to continue taking it. Do you understand my words?”
She says,
“Actually, Oil Flower Valley Lord knows a lot about poison, so I was visiting and looking at it.”
“And you conclude it as?”
“We weren’t quite sure of it.”
I nod.
“It is a good thing. The story slowly seems to be unraveling.”
Right Valley Leader opens his mouth.
“Sect Leader, why did you come all the way here to tell me?”
Many things were said but I answered as briefly as I could.
“I have many enemies. They are here and there. Some orthodox sects are my enemies. Some unorthodox too are my enemies. The fight with them is quite superficial but now I want to go ahead and fight… the three princes caught my eye. I found out that White Face Prince was the subordinate son to the Demonic Cult.”
To which he asks,
“I am confused. I know that but for it to happen like this? How did the Low-Down Sect Leader come like this?”
I shake my head.
“I am a bit busy. As a Low-Down Sect member, I need to fight and it is great, but why… do I feel dissatisfied?”
The guy laughs as if my tone is absurd.
“Huhu.”
He looks to Byuk Geom and says,
“Byuk Geom, come here and help me.”
To which he says,
“There is no place for me here. Talk to the Sect Leader. Regarding the poison and its cure, Sect Leader is right.”
At this time, one of his subordinates, who approaches after moving past Byuk Geom, says to the Right Valley Leader.
“Valley Lord, White Faced Prince has arrived.”
To which he answers.
“Guide him.”
The eyes of the people moved.
I had my back exposed but as soon as I realized that the target was coming I felt my body heat up. Even in the middle of it, I looked at the expression of those ahead.
The Right Valley Leader sighed. Before I could say anything our new guest spoke.
“Valley Lord, it has been so long. We had guests.”
Not just White-Faced Prince, there were other warriors who came.
I estimated the level of martial arts and the number of warriors coming. There weren’t that many, but this was enough to clear the valley.
White Faced Prince appears next to me and takes the empty spot and looks at the people seated around. He had a mask on, so when I see him I end up snorting.
‘Fucking moron.’
And Right Valley Leader says,
“Prince, you came.”
To which the guy nods.
“As expected, Valley Leader with wide feet. I mean, there are so many friends you have, do introduce me.”
To which he introduced those to his side.
“Oil Flower Valley Lord, Lady Iron Toad, and Low-Down Sect Leader.”
White Face Prince snorts and nods.
“Nice to meet you, Yeop Ya-hyung.”
The voice of Yeop Ya-hyung can be heard from behind.
“Yes, prince.”
The guy who runs at full speed looking at the prince.
“I was called.”
The guy moves his fingers.
“Is the Low-Down Sect Leader you mentioned the one here?”
When I jerk my head back Yeop Ya-hyung flinches.
“Ah, yes, right.”
The guy who was surprised is greeted by me with a warm expression.
“Warrior Yeop, you came?”
“Ah, yes.”
I am bored so I try to speak.
“Are you ready for what I said?”
Yeop Ya-hyung answers with eyes wide.
“What nonsense is this?”
“Shut up and leave, this isn’t your place.”
“No….”
As soon as White Face Price turns his head, Yeop Ya-hyung bows his head.
“I must have lost my reasoning, I will move. Prince.”
To which White Face Prince waves his hand.
“Go.”
“Yes.”
Yeop Ya-hyung steps back down like he was doing it in front of a king, then turns around as I mumble.
“No fun.”
Prince looks at the Valley Leader.
“Valley Leader, how did this happen? Did you actually set a trap for me? Why is the Low-Down Sect Leader here?”
To which he answers,
“Low-Down Sect Leader has just arrived. It is a first for me too. If the two of you have something to resolve then do it. I have nothing to do with this. As soon as he arrived, he spoke about the antidote being poison, but this part should be answered by the prince.”
He threw the question and White Face Prince looked at me.
“…”
Somehow, I managed to arrive right in time. There was a prince right ahead of me, so I wasn’t going to miss the chance.
The guy took three pills from his sleeve and threw them on the table and all three fell precisely in front of the Oil Flower Valley Leader, Lady Iron Toad, and me.
And he speaks in a different way.
“If you three eat that, I will save you. And Valley Leader, do you not want to take the cure? Acting out so uncooperatively. If you can tolerate it then do it.”
Valley leader looks at me and the prince.
“Prince, according to the Low-Down Sect Leader, this cure causes withdrawal symptoms. So, if we keep taking that cure, which is addictive, it will make us slaves for the rest of our lives? Promises are no different huh. Did I end up looking like someone who was afraid of death and would run like a dog?”
I applaud his words.
*Clap!clap!clap!*
And this time, he continues,
“And Low-Down Sect Leader, what do you hope to get by speaking about this? If you want to catch the prince, he is right in front of you. It is the two of you who need to solve your problems first. I will hold onto what I have to say, only to the winner. I will not intervene in your problems.”
I burst into laughter as this looks like a place where smart people all gathered.
Finding my situation funny I smile and ask Lady Iron Toad,
“What do you think of this, lady?”
To which she looks at the others.
“Of course, I will follow the orders of Sect Leader. As promised last time, I will not do anything to become your enemy. A promise is a promise.”
And Oil Flower Valley Lord says,
“I have no intention of taking this blindly.”
I nod and applaud them.
“Good. That is a good thought.”
The prince sighs and then takes his mask off as he says,
“… then all four of you will die at my hands?”
I rub both my hands at the goosebumps which came.
“Awk, that is what baseless confidence is.”
I say to Lady Iron Toad as I forgot,
“Ah, lady.”
“Yes, Low-Down Sect Leader.”
“Get up for a while with the Flower Valley Leader. Now.”
She jumps up and raises the man and I nod.
“Nice. Take three steps back and wait.
Lady Iron Toad and Valley Leader step back. I nod again and wave my hand.
“Now go back like that.”
“Yes.”
“It is a quick dagger, a reward for trust. Go all the way to the back.”
With a few random words I drive the two of them to the back. The prince is a dangerous one but the two might die by being caught in my attack.
White Face Mask smiles when I push them out.
“That is right, what a strange young man.”
Only then did I look at his actual face and man, he was a good looking one in his early 30s. Taking off his mask means that he won’t let go of those who saw his face, but the act of wearing and removing the mask is the same.
I wanted to look back and check the warriors this guy brought but this guy himself had an amazing presence so I couldn’t look back.
When the Right Valley Leader gets up, White Face Prince snorts and speaks to Right Valley Leader,
“Do not speak bullshit about this place and neutrality in front of me. Low-Down Sect Leader, I will end you with my own hands. You aren’t the only problem I have. Because the lives of the people in this valley depend on my decision. Low-Down Sect Leader.”
“Why?”
He smiles and looks at me.
“You tried threatening me. I wonder who you take after.”
“Yah, you are a friend who knows how to mess around.”
I nod and then threaten him.
“If this guy wins, you, Valley Leader, will be his slave. If I win, you get out of this slavery. I am the Low-Down Sect Leader, the vanguard in the Kangho Slave Liberation Union, the middle army, the area army, the officer, and the commander of all.”
The prince shakes his head.
“Like you said, I am a crazy man.”
I make eye contact with him and then extend one hand.
*Puak!*
A state where my right hand and the prince’s left hand were facing each other. In an instant the two of us moved our heads and looked at Valley Leader.
“….”
Confirming that we are going to fight truly, he grabs his long sword and I grab my sword.
Right Valley Leader opened his mouth with a smile.
“… who would be killed…?”
Multiple swords are drawn simultaneously from behind. Behind him, I hear the laughter of Master Yukhap.
“Sect Leader, you aren’t going to run now right? I might be pretty upset.”
Valley Leader, who was a little far, took out his assassin needles and Right Valley Leader drew out his sword.
From the back, I heard the voice of Yeop Ya-hyung.
“Sect Leader, it looks like you are moving to heaven today. How did you think to come into the den of the tiger yourself?”
I nod my head.
Who will betray? Who will not betray?
A person’s mind is known, and the life ahead seems shallow.
Even in the midst of this, I remembered my seniors. The words of Elder Heo, who wants to live in Kangho even if he is reborn with the same heart.
For the first time in a long time, I feel the dantian1 moving.
The first time since I ran into all kinds of obstacles. At that time, the midpoint of dantian was cut straight with a sword so it felt like two lumps were created, but now it is different. The dantian, which is divided into Yin and Yang, seems to be going insane with me, it was like my heart was doing tumbles.
How else should I express this?
For example…
.
.
.
Taiji2?
Editor’s Note
