Chapter 41

Before even stepping foot in Yangnyeong, Unwi had fought countless battles.

There had been no time for rest. Every move was swift and decisive. Anyone with half a brain would understand what that meant.

To lose to someone like that?

Only fools would fall so easily.

The man in the black hat—U Dohae, Chief Enforcer of Yangnyeong—was a master of the Three Fire Convergence Realm. He wasn’t the kind of person who should have been stationed in a backwater like this in the first place.

But four years ago, he’d agreed to serve Magistrate Jeong Mugi for five years to repay a personal debt. He had one year left.

“Killing him would make things messy. I’d rather not go that far... so how about this instead?”

“What do you mean, sir?”

“Let’s just subdue him. Even if it’s symbolic, there’s still a line between the court and the martial world. If we can end this madness by putting a leash on him, the Everlasting Snow Palace won’t dare ask us to clean up for free. And the higher-ups will owe us. Probably even toss in a reward... Yeah. That feels right.”

“What about the Hanbing Sect?”

“The Hanbing Sect, huh... That Chosehwi guy, is he still with the government?”

“No. He’s already returned to the Hanbing Sect.”

“Hmph. We treated him well, and this is how he repays us? No honor among martial artists, as always. Tch.”

Jeong Mugi turned around.

Behind him stood U Dohae and more than forty constables.

Surely forty armed men could handle six exhausted warriors.

If this went well, he might even squeeze some gold out of the Everlasting Snow Palace. Maybe even get promoted.

He had no intention of dying as a minor official in this forgotten countryside.

“By the way, you said they’re surrounding Juryung Sword Gate?”

“Yes, sir. The only group from the martial world with any real strength in Seolap—the Iron Mountain Sword Sect—has them encircled.”

“Iron Mountain? Never heard of them.”

“No need to worry, sir. Their leader, Yangso, joined Seolap five years ago and founded the sect himself.”

“Ah. A fledgling sect, only five years old?”

“Yes.”

“Then not worth remembering. Still... how pathetic for Juryung Sword Gate.”

U Dohae said nothing. He agreed.

Here in Yangnyeong, there were few Jeong Mugi himself wouldn’t dare cross—but the former Gate Master of Juryung was one of them.

A master in the Five Qi Ascension Realm, destined to reach the apex of martial cultivation.

It had made sense to build ties. Jeong Mugi had protected and favored him, and in return received a cut of the profits from Cold Ridge Jade Essence. Very profitable.

And now, that very Juryung Sword Gate was surrounded by a five-year-old newborn sect.

“What’s the sect leader’s level?”

“Three Fire Convergence Realm.”

“Hmm... That’s higher than I expected.”

But more importantly...

“How exactly did Han Janggwang die?”

“We sent scouts to investigate. One of the cliffs in Snow-Cold Gorge collapsed entirely.”

“A collapsed cliff, huh... With a weak foundation and last night’s snowfall adding weight...”

“Yes, sir. With an avalanche and rockfall like that, even a master in the Five Qi Ascension Realm wouldn’t walk away unscathed.”

“So the martial artists were wiped out, and by sheer luck, that bastard son and his men were on the far side of the gorge?”

“It appears so. We can attribute it to extraordinary luck.”

“Damn. Even a scarecrow gets heaven’s favor these days.”

He dismissed it.

He assumed it was luck. Nothing more.

But truthfully, Jeong Mugi had gathered every constable in Yangnyeong and stationed them at the mountain pass for one reason only.

“Ah, speak of the devil.”

Six figures appeared—bloodied, grim.

They’d have to pass through this road to reach Juryung Sword Gate. Just as he’d expected.

Jeong Mugi stepped forward and called out,

“Halt, you violent thugs! This ends here!”

He tried to present himself with gravity and authority. It seemed to work.

The man at the front—Unwi—stopped in his tracks.

His expression was that of someone who’d just remembered something he’d meant to take care of.

“You must be Magistrate Jeong Mugi of Yangnyeong.”

“Hoho... So you know me?”

“How could I not? You’re someone I could never forget.”

There was weight behind his words. Jeong Mugi sensed it, but chose not to press.

“I see you've annihilated three of the Four Great Sects. Let that be enough.”

“Enough, you say... Is that an order?”

“Well... if you insist, then yes. But take it as a request, if you prefer. Refuse it, and more than half of you will die. Perhaps all of you—except you—will be slaughtered.”

“So it’s a threat.”

“What else could it be? I am the magistrate. You are an outsider who attacked this province.”

“......”

“This land belongs to the Empire of Yang. You entered unlawfully and took the lives of our citizens. Today, you shed even more blood. Your actions may well be seen as the Everlasting Snow Palace launching a preemptive strike on the empire... but I’m willing to let it go—if you stop now. Leave one arm behind.”

“One arm. That’s all?”

“Of course not. You’ll also kneel and apologize. Do that, and I will generously bury this whole affair.”

Unwi responded in an unexpected way.

He laughed—short, dry.

“So that’s your offer, Magistrate. Then allow me to make one of my own.”

“Oh? You’re quite the strange one. You’re not really in a position to negotiate... but go on. I’ll humor you.”

“According to a certain ledger I recently obtained, you’ve taken precisely 2,000 silver taels and 300 pounds of Cold Ridge Jade Essence over the past six years.”

“...Hah. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“So you deny it, I see.”

“Deny? This isn’t denial. It’s truth. I am a government ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) official. I don’t collude with the martial world. I merely govern. Two thousand silver? Jade Essence? If I had that, I’d have no more dreams left to chase! Now then, why don’t you—”

“I wasn’t finished speaking.”

Jeong Mugi’s brows twisted in irritation. Beside him, U Dohae unsheathed his blade.

Unwi ignored them and continued:

“Return the full amount you took. If the Jade Essence is gone, convert it at current market value. Pay it back. Then leave this place.”

Everyone always seemed to get this part wrong.

Unwi wasn’t some mad dog.

He had rules.

He valued debt and revenge. He honored them, lived by them. That was what it meant to be a warrior.

But debt and revenge weren’t simple things.

They could come from misunderstanding. From mistakes. From circumstances.

That’s why Unwi always offered a chance.

A chance to repay what was owed. A chance to retreat. A chance to survive without betting your life.

Every sect he’d destroyed had refused that chance.

Jeong Mugi would be no different.

“I already thought you were insane, but this confirms it—you’re beyond saving. Accusing a magistrate of corruption? You little bastard, I’ve changed my mind. I’ll take both of your arms—and the heads of all your branch warriors.”

“Chief Enforcer.”

At his call, U Dohae raised his head.

“Go. Take his arms. Take their lives.”

“Yes, Magistrate.”

U Dohae stepped forward, and with him, forty constables surged into motion.

They thought he wouldn’t dare.

That no matter how mad a martial artist became, they’d never lay hands on the court.

They were wrong.

Unwi wasn’t a typical martial artist.

“Crush them.”

At Unwi’s words, the five branch warriors immediately fell into formation.

“I’ll take responsibility. Kill them all.”

Even for the branch warriors, raising blades against government forces was no small matter.

But three of them didn’t waver in the slightest.

Cheonpung. Wonyang. And Han Murin.

As Unwi drew his sword and clashed with U Dohae, three constables’ heads flew skyward in a crimson arc.

Magistrate Jeong Mugi’s eyes went wide.

Something was going wrong.

And just as that thought crossed his mind—three more heads were severed and hurled into the air. The constables stumbled back, visibly shaken.

Something was wrong.

This... wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

“You dare attack officers of the court?! Are you out of your damned minds?! Drop your swords and surrender immediately!”

He bellowed at the top of his lungs, but it meant nothing.

Unwi surged forward, slashing his sword with unflinching force.

Chaaang—!

U Dohae parried the strike with his own blade.

Even in that fleeting moment, U Dohae was rattled.

The force behind that sword... it wasn’t normal.

Unwi stomped down.

CRACK—!

“Khggh...!”

U Dohae’s right foot, which had stepped slightly ahead, was pulverized on impact.

Gritting his teeth through the pain, U Dohae swung his forehead down in a brutal headbutt.

Whoosh—!

It struck nothing but air.

An unnatural movement.

He’d seen Unwi’s foot touch the ground. But in the next instant, he vanished from view.

Shhk—!

A sharp slicing sound followed, and blood sprayed from U Dohae’s right shoulder. Wincing, he reached out with his free, left hand.

His fingers caught the edge of Unwi’s cloak.

A chance.

As a master in the Three Fire Convergence Realm, U Dohae’s instincts were sharp. He’d read Unwi’s speed. All he had to do was catch him.

And once caught, it was over.

He slammed Unwi into the ground and raised a fist to smash his face in.

But then—

Thuk—!

A sickening noise, like flesh pierced by a blade.

U Dohae froze mid-motion.

“...Guhk...”

A torrent of blood poured from his mouth.

Kneeling now, he realized something was lodged in his neck.

“W-When did you...”

Rising to his feet, shoulder throbbing, Unwi answered simply.

“Just now.”

“...Impossible...”

A warrior is most vulnerable at one exact moment.

When they believe their attack has succeeded.

In that instant, they unknowingly open a perfect gap.

Unwi never missed that moment.

“You... you calculated getting caught...?”

This was Unwi’s own version of Sacrificing Flesh to Cut Bone.

He reached for the dagger embedded in U Dohae’s neck and twisted it.

Schlkk—

The neck severed cleanly.

Unwi pulled the blade free from the corpse, turned, and hurled it forward without hesitation.

“Ah... Ahhh...!”

Thud—!

“GAAAAAAAAH—!”

The blade found its mark—Jeong Mugi’s thigh.

The blinding pain overwhelmed his senses, and he collapsed.

For a normal man, that kind of shock was more than enough to drop him.

And sure enough...

“Ah... Agh... You... you bastard... I’m a magistrate!”

Unwi walked forward. Slowly.

There was no trace of composure left in Jeong Mugi’s eyes.

The so-called inviolability of court and martial world—

It didn’t matter who broke it first.

What mattered was:

Who would bear the consequences.

That was what Unwi believed.

And he had made his choice.