episode_0084

Knowledge is power.

Every beginning starts with information.

With information, one can make plans, and with plans, one can take action.

Knowing this well, Bang Sooun naturally moved to gather information first.

In fact, one could receive information even while sitting still.

Thanks to the black book, Eun Hwayoung regularly sent updates.

However, it was necessary to move occasionally as well.

He needed to show a fitting appearance for Hangu, the city of merchants.

“Ahem.”

Bang Sooun strolled confidently through the streets of Hangu.

While there were numerous factions in Hangu, the Golden Dragon Mercenaries held a prominent position among them.

So, naturally, there was a certain level of respect.

However, Hangu was a chaotic place, with no clear dominant power.

Thus, external forces were eyeing the lucrative city of Hangu.

Located at the center of Gangnam, where logistics converged with the Jeondang River and Seoho, Hangu was a city of revelry and entertainment where money was scattered every night. Who wouldn’t desire such a city?

But it was not without its dangers.

It was a city so large that one could easily meet their demise if they made a wrong move.

Therefore, one could argue that it was even safer in a way.

Power struggles within Hangu were a common occurrence.

“Come here.”

In such a chaotic city, Bang Sooun called out without hesitation in front of the gate of the Jukwa, a place that was considered one of the top three in Hangu.

Squeak.

The door soon opened, revealing a stern-looking man.

He was the chief manager of the Jukwa.

He was the same person who had guided Bang Sooun when he first visited the Jukwa.

“Oh, have you come, Lord Golden Dragon Chief?”

The chief manager greeted with a formal bow.

He seemed to be the perfect person to entertain such an esteemed guest as the Golden Dragon Chief.

However, Bang Sooun wore a puzzled expression.

“Where is Rujuda, and why are you coming out?”

He had already informed Eun Hwayoung that he would visit the Jukwa today.

So it should have been Eun Hwayoung who greeted him.

For Eun Hwayoung, he was always the top priority, as he was the master.

So why wasn’t he here?

“Oh, that’s because… he suddenly had urgent matters to attend to… He asked me to apologize to you on his behalf.”

The chief manager scratched his head awkwardly.

He seemed concerned about whether he would hear something unpleasant in the middle of their conversation.

“Urgent matters. I see.”

Only then did Bang Sooun relax his expression.

He understood the situation now.

He had ordered Eun Hwayoung to gather all the information he could about Sagong Hyemi.

So the urgent matter must be related to information about Sagong Hyemi.

Something new must have come up, prompting him to move everything aside and act.

“It must be because of what I asked you to do, Jang Il-ah.”

“Haha, I see.”

The chief manager did not understand their conversation.

He probably never would.

“Shall I wait inside, sir?”

“Yes.”

Bang Sooun nodded.

“Rujuda asked me to escort you to the 7th floor.”

The 7th floor.

A space in the Jukwa that only a select few were allowed to enter.

Until now, it had been restricted to a very small number of people.

There had never been a precedent for allowing entry when Rujuda was absent.

Naturally.

It was like completely exposing one’s personal space to others.

If Bang Sooun were not Rujuda’s man, the chief manager would not have accepted it.

“I will guide you… Oh, but before that, there is something I must tell you…”

The chief manager suddenly remembered something.

“What is it?”

“Some rough individuals have arrived, so I thought I should mention it just in case.”

“Who are they?”

“They are from the Iron Blood Sect.”

“Ah, the Iron Blood Sect.”

Bansoun’s eyes narrowed at Yi Chae.

Cheolhyeolmun.

One of the prominent mid-sized martial arts factions.

Among those who were brutally attacked by the Chuhonsalgui at Yongrogaekjan, one of the factions was Cheolhyeolmun.

However, that was because Chuhonsalgui was an unbelievable monster, not because Cheolhyeolmun’s power could be underestimated.

No matter how you look at it, they were a force to be reckoned with.

“Do we really have a problem with them? They’re just irrelevant people,” Jangil said, as if it didn’t matter.

But Bansoun shook his head.

“No, I heard some information.”

That information was, of course, the information about Cheolhyeolmun that Eunhwayoung had given him.

“What information are you talking about?”

“It is said that the Cheolhyeolmun guys hold a deep grudge against Chuhonsalgui, who brutally slaughtered the martial artists.”

“Hmm… that makes sense. If they bothered the common people like that, I think it’s worth dying for.”

“Haha, I think the same way.”

Bansoun laughed as he spoke.

“Anyway, the Cheolhyeolmun guys will not look kindly on me for attending the funeral of that Chuhonsalgui.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes, that’s how it is in the martial arts world.”

Despite knowing that, Bansoun chose to attend the funeral.

Why?

Because it was a more beneficial action than a loss.

At least he could gain a reputation as someone who knew how to treat his seniors in the martial arts world.

If he hadn’t been there, he might have been considered as someone who ignored it even though he was there.

“Well, what should we do, sir?”

“Just ignore them and pass by roughly.”

Bansoun didn’t take it seriously.

He didn’t think they would openly pick a fight at a place like this.

But Bansoun’s thoughts were unexpectedly off the mark.

***

“Oh? Isn’t that the famous Golden Dragon Master over there?”

“Hmm, it seems so.”

“Did he come to spread his legs and pour drinks again?”

“Speak properly. It’s not spreading legs, it’s entertaining guests. The most famous entertainer in Hangu.”

“Ha, lucky bastard. He can have all the holes of that chaste beauty, right?”

“Damn, he’s such a son of a bitch.”

The Cheolhyeol warriors spat out harsh words under the influence of alcohol.

If they were sober, even those who lived by eating tough food wouldn’t have been able to speak so openly against the Golden Dragon Master.

But when properly drunk, even the king wouldn’t be scary.

Still, it would have been better if it had stopped there.

But someone said something that ignited the fire.

“Ugh, is that important? What’s important is that he’s the only one from the martial arts world who attended the funeral of that damn ghost.”

Ghost.

The moment that name was mentioned, the eyes of the Cheolhyeol warriors turned fierce.

Comrades who were like blood brothers.

Wasn’t it the ghost who brutally murdered those comrades?

And the only martial artist who attended the ghost’s funeral was the Golden Dragon Master.

Could such a small incident move them?

It did.

In the end, they just needed a target to vent their anger on in place of the dead ghost.

Feeling their blood boiling, the Cheolhyeol warriors moved as one.

“It would be better to stop!”

The Cheolhyeol warriors rushed forward, blocking the way.

They also stood behind, blocking the way.

The atmosphere became tense.

The chief official protested with a tense face.

“What on earth are you doing?”

“You should leave.”

“W-what?”

“Yes, the chief official should leave.”

Bansoun’s words made the chief official’s eyes widen.

“What?”

“You don’t need to get involved in this unnecessary argument.”

“Huh, H-Haona…”

“It’s okay, just leave.”

“…Alright.”

As if there was no other choice, the chief official stepped aside.

The only ones left were Bansoun and Jangil, surrounded by the Cheolhyeol warriors.

Bansoun remained surprisingly calm.

Surrounded by the iron-blooded men, the atmosphere was tense.

In the past, he may have been just the successor of a third-rate clan, but now he was completely different.

The heir of the Golden Dragon Fortress, who even received respect in the martial world.

But his status as such did not just give Bongsoun leisure and confidence.

Hidden beneath that was his true nature.

A position where even top experts like Yeonsurin and Eun Hwayoung were treated like livestock with just a word, as the absolute master.

As the one who ruled from that position, the iron-blooded men could only appear as petty thugs.

“What’s going on?”

Bongsoun asked casually.

Gulp.

One of the iron-blooded men, who had been watching cautiously while swallowing his saliva, stepped forward as a representative and spoke.

“That’s something the Lady of the Fortress would know better.”

“So, what about it?”

“Wasn’t it the Lady who attended the funeral of the Salgui?”

“But what about it?”

“We cannot tolerate it.”

“Huh, you can’t tolerate it?”

Bongsoun sneered as if in disbelief.

“Who do you think you are?”

“Profit.”

The iron-blooded man with a flushed face closed his mouth.

“Ah, just let it go!”

“Yeah, damn it! Let’s teach him a lesson!”

Some of the iron-blooded men shouted as if they were willing to do whatever it took.

Whether their instigation worked or not, the iron-blooded men clenched their fists and took a fighting stance.

Yet, they did not draw their weapons, perhaps that was their only wise move.

“This is awkward.”

Bongsoun thought to himself.

If he had even one Jeolhwadae, it wouldn’t have been a problem at all.

However, no matter how much of a troublemaker Bongsoun was, he couldn’t bring a high school girl to the Giru just because of the world’s opinion.

Of course, even without guards, he didn’t think he would have to fight these guys one-on-one.

But numbers mattered.

They were ten.

While Bongsoun and Jangil were skilled fighters, they were outnumbered.

And above all.

“Darn, this is embarrassing.”

Becoming the Lady of the Golden Dragon Fortress and fighting these guys with fists?

It was humiliating.

“Young master, what should we do?”

Jangil asked, licking his lips.

“Ah, it feels terrible, but there’s nothing we can do.”

Bongsoun rolled up his sleeves.

Jangil did the same.

“Let’s go!”

The iron-blooded man who shouted first and charged forward confidently.

At that moment.

Crack!

“Ouch?!”

His cheek was violently turned.

Almost to the point of breaking his neck.

But that was just the beginning.

Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!

A storm of slaps poured down without hesitation.

Each time, his face turned wildly left and right.

“Ah! Ah! Agh! Ah! Ah! Ah!”

Pained screams burst out continuously.

Showing how painful it was for a martial artist of a mid-sized clan to scream like a woman.

The scattered broken teeth and the swollen cheeks were clear evidence of that.

The iron-blooded men, frozen in shock.

On the other hand, Bongsoun.

“Hahaha! Good, very good! As expected of my Lujuya!”

He laughed heartily as if he couldn’t contain his joy.