Chapter 63: Let Me Enjoy the Full Moon

“How do we smash them to make sure word spreads? Do we charge in? Or do we hold a defensive siege here? Feel free to speak your minds.”

To my question, Cha Seongtae—who had arrived the latest and was slow to grasp the situation—replied.

“Who are we fighting?”

“The Eryongnogun, Teacher Su who joined the Eryongnogun, and other scum from the underworld.”

Cha Seongtae replied nonchalantly.

“At that rate, their forces would easily exceed four or five hundred.”

The eyes of everyone present turned to Cha Seongtae. They all had a look that asked how he knew that. Feeling bewildered myself, I gave Cha Seongtae the floor first.

“You speak first.”

“A defensive siege sounds interesting.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re outnumbered.”

“Is that all?”

“The ones who strike first are usually the bad guys. It’s not like we attacked the Eryongnogun first.”

I nodded and then decided the broad strokes of the strategy.

“Then we shall wage a defensive siege battle.”

This time, everyone’s eyes fixed on me at once.

“……!”

Their eyes asked if I was really deciding it that easily, but I am a man who has no need for excuses.

“I too find a defensive siege interesting this time around. If anyone has a more interesting opinion, let’s hear it.”

Hong Sin raised his hand.

“Senior Brother?”

“Speak.”

“If you’re going to fight a defensive siege, it would be best to evacuate the maidservants inside and those who haven’t mastered martial arts. They might get caught up and die.”

I nodded and then immediately raised my voice.

“Madam Son!”

Madam Son came rushing out from inside.

“Yes, Lord.”

“Gather all the maidservants, the sick, and anyone who hasn’t mastered martial arts. Prepare to leave for Ilyanghyeon. I’ll assign the escorts myself. Pack thoroughly and gather the people as well.”

Madam Son answered immediately.

“Understood. I will prepare at once.”

I looked around at my subordinates and spoke.

“Who will take charge of the escort? For your information, they could swarm us even tonight, so you must leave immediately. It is as important as fighting here, so there is no need to feel bad about it.”

Hong Sin spoke as if he did not want to escort them.

“I need to get in a good fight today.”

Baek Yu, Baek In, and Cheong Jin—who harbored ill feelings toward Teacher Su—also kept their mouths firmly shut.

Left with no choice, I asked Cha Seongtae for his opinion.

“Want to go, you good-for-nothing Seongtae? You won’t be much help here anyway.”

By the time I wondered if I had been too blunt and felt regret, Cha Seongtae’s face was already burning bright red.

Cha Seongtae replied with widened eyes.

“My Lord, I am Cha Seongtae of Ilyanghyeon. I will remain here as the representative of Ilyanghyeon. Exclude me, and please decide, My Lord.”

I nodded.

“You all look like you want to stay, so I shall decide. I will call the escort roll. Chief Steward Byeok.”

“Yes.”

“You take overall responsibility at the vanguard. Samabi’s group will take the rear. Samabi, send out the swift ones in advance to secure the road.”

Samabi and Chief Steward Byeok replied simultaneously.

“Yes.”

Samabi stood up with a disappointed expression. However, I judged him to be the right man for the job because he was clever and had traveled back and forth to Ilyanghyeon.

In an instant, the main hall became busy with those preparing to depart.

I watched, and when the evacuation procession was about to depart, I spoke to Geumhae.

“Junior Brother Geum.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

“You follow at the very rear. If anything happens, exercise your judgment and report.”

Geumhae replied as he stood up.

“Understood.”

Geumhae was in the midst of recovering his internal energy, so he must have been concerned about his condition.

I spoke to one of my Heukmyobang subordinates.

“We’re bored, so let’s have a drink.”

“Yes, Lord.”

While the subordinates went to fetch the alcohol, the sky gradually darkened.

A short while later, after about three or four rounds of drinks, the main hall doors burst open, and a fellow clad in black from head to toe appeared. He wore two black straight swords at his waist. Because of his attire, weapons, and expression, he looked like a man with darkness swirling around him.

Dokgo Saeng glared at me in the seat of honor and spoke.

“Jaha, your big brother is here.”

It was such an absurd greeting that I too lost words to reply.

“That crazy bastard….”

Dokgo Saeng turned around and spoke to the executives he had brought.

“Greet the boss.”

Then the riffraff poked their faces in and greeted me in a messy, jumbled manner.

“Boss, hello.”

“Hello. Long time no see.”

“We’re here. You were drinking.”

Dokgo Saeng waved his hand at the executives.

“Wait outside.”

Dokgo Saeng closed the main hall doors, looked over those seated, and approached.

“How is everyone? Quite a few experts have gathered.”

Dokgo Saeng naturally seated himself in the chair where Geumhae had been sitting. It happened to be the seat right next to Cha Seongtae.

When Dokgo Saeng held out an empty cup to Cha Seongtae, Cha Seongtae—who had been in a foul mood this whole time—suddenly spewed curses.

“What is this bastard. You pour and drink it yourself.”

Dokgo Saeng poured the drink without much reaction, and Cha Seongtae—who had already drunk three cups in a row—began to provoke Dokgo Saeng.

“What kind of bastard are you to say ‘your big brother is here’ to the Lord? You crazy bastard.”

Dokgo Saeng ignored Cha Seongtae’s words and took out his mangucho.

I asked Dokgo Saeng.

“Have you decided on a name?”

Dokgo Saeng replied while fiddling with the mangucho.

“We used to be the Heukseonbo, and now we are the Haomun. They’re all a bunch of idiots, so there was no way to decide on a name. Anyone who expects naming skills from us is the real fool. I’ll just go with Haomun. And we already have ten more rules. Being the leader is a headache.”

It was truly a brief report, yet there was nothing more to add or subtract.

Only then did Cha Seongtae’s eyes widen at the mention of the Heukseonbo.

“…….”

Cha Seongtae quickly averted his gaze and quietly drank a cup of alcohol.

Dokgo Saeng took a deep drag of the mangucho smoke and then blew it straight toward Cha Seongtae’s face.

At that, Cha Seongtae waved a hand with an annoyed look on his face.

Dokgo Saeng looked around at those gathered, then fixed his gaze on one man.

“Who are you?”

Baegin answered in a calm tone.

“Baegin of the Twelve Divine Generals.”

Dokgo Saeng rounded his mouth.

“Oh. The Great Rakshasa’s eldest disciple. You’re alive and kicking, somehow.”

Instead of the dignified Baegin, Cheongjin answered.

“Try washing yourself once in a while.”

I drummed my fingers on the table a few times.

“Enough. I didn’t call you here so you could fight among yourselves. Dokgo Saeng, how many did you bring?”

Dokgo Saeng looked at me.

“You told me to bring a hundred, didn’t you? So I picked only the elites and brought thirty. They’re thirty worth a hundred, so don’t worry.”

“Well done, you bastard.”

Dokgo Saeng never did ask who we were fighting. With the attitude that he had simply come because he was called, he smoked Mangucho and drank liquor.

“This liquor’s basically water. You lot actually get drunk drinking this? What a bunch of clowns.”

Only then did not only the Twelve Divine Generals but even the officers of the Black Rabbit Gang seem to adjust to Dokgo Saeng’s personality and way of speaking. Everyone chose not to respond, as though deciding he simply wasn’t worth dealing with.

When no one would give him the time of day, Dokgo Saeng asked me.

“The plan?”

“There isn’t one.”

“Kill them all?”

I nodded.

“Kill them all.”

Dokgo Saeng nodded, then stood up and said.

“Good. Wake me when the enemy comes. I’ll be sleeping.”

Dokgo Saeng went to a corner of the main hall, lay down flat on his back in proper posture, and closed his eyes.

Amid an awkward silence, I asked So Gunpyeong.

“Is the moon bright tonight?”

So Gunpyeong nodded.

“It is. A perfect night for fighting.”

“Does Iryong Nogun have any masters of poison arts on his side?”

“None that are known.”

This time, I asked Baegin.

“Are Iryong Nogun and Mr. Su definitely the strongest?”

Baegin answered.

“Most likely.”

“Compared to the Great Rakshasa?”

“Each has their own strengths and weaknesses, but they are not masters who would fall short of Master the Great Rakshasa.”

“Then leave those two alone. I’ll handle them. The rest of you fight according to your abilities. It will become a melee, so if you run into someone whose skill is too far above yours, retreat.”

***

I drank a cup of liquor, then suddenly stared ahead.

“Open the gates.”

As everyone’s eyes turned forward, So Gunpyeong gave the order in a voice infused with inner force.

“Open the gates.”

The main hall, inner courtyard, outer courtyard, and front gate opened wide in succession. I pointed at the display rack and said to a subordinate.

“Bring some masks.”

Baegin, Cheongjin, Baegyu, and I put on the masks of the Twelve Divine Generals. When doing bad things, it was better to wear a mask. Besides, since I had killed the vice chairman of the Unu Association with my original face exposed, there were bound to be some who had seen me.

I stood and said.

“Let’s go out.”

Dokgo Saeng, who had been lying down, shot upright.

When we went outside, most of Dokgo Saeng’s subordinates were sprawled along the top of the wall. I walked a few steps through the inner courtyard, then leaped into the air and landed atop the inner courtyard gate.

As So Gunpyeong had said, the moonlight was bright.

Around the outskirts of the Black Rabbit Gang, the glints of people’s eyes and weapons reflecting the moonlight were steadily increasing.

The disciples of the Twelve Divine Generals took position on the left, and So Gunpyeong leaped up to settle on the right.

Something cut through the wind in the darkness and flew straight toward me.

At the same time, Baegyu swung his iron fan, and the incoming hidden weapon was caught in the fan wind and deflected away.

A subdued voice came from the darkness.

“Where is the bastard who killed the vice chairman?”

“He is not visible yet.”

A voice I presumed to be Mr. Su’s continued.

“Hey, juniors of the Four Divine Generals. If you deal with the one who killed the vice chairman from there, I will magnanimously take you in. Even when the Great Rakshasa was alive, he could do nothing to me, so I cannot imagine what you are thinking, opposing me now. Senior Iryong Nogun also bears you no ill will. You had best choose wisely.”

I muttered softly.

“Excellent sowing of discord.”

Baegin, beside me, answered on our behalf.

“Mr. Su, it has been a long time.”

“Indeed. So it is Baegin.”

Baegin spoke in a dignified tone.

“How did you come to bow your head to Senior Iryong Nogun? If Master knew in the underworld, he would be ashamed. You were a rival even Master acknowledged, after all.”

Mr. Su responded with a snort, then looked for someone.

“Where is our adorable Hongsin? Surely he is not dead?”

Hongsin spat once from atop the wall.

“Khaak…… ptoo!”

Mr. Su let out a low laugh and said to Hongsin.

“I will spare you specially.”

At that moment, Dokgo Saeng, who had belatedly climbed onto the wall, drew two pitch-black blades and said.

“Hey, you dipshits. I killed the vice chairman.”

Dokgo Saeng’s words were ignored by our allies, and for some reason, by the enemies as well, with perfect consistency. There were humans whose madness was exposed far too quickly, and Dokgo Saeng was that type.

Meanwhile, the number of troops kept increasing.

The atmosphere suggested that Mr. Su had rushed over first in excitement, with the rest of the forces joining late. Just then, the crowd split left and right, and an old man in an ash-gray long robe with long white hair hanging down walked out.

Anyone could tell from the air around him that he was Iryong Nogun.

The complexion of the white-haired old man under the moonlight was pale as well. Then an unpleasant voice that grated on the nerves flowed out.

“Do not stand awkwardly on the wall. Those who do not wish to die, cross over to this side. In any case, the black path has always mixed here and there, with no roots to speak of. Is not survival the only virtue? Only the one who killed my old friend need bear my wrath, so the young ones should refrain from pointless acts. If you think about why the Great Rakshasa regularly offered me wealth, the decision should not be so difficult.”

As I listened, I rubbed my hands together and muttered.

“Wow, a lot of bastards worth killing came today.”

I whispered to the disciples beside me.

“Hey, disciples.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t betray me today. I’m not in good condition. Whenever I fight on a night when the moon is beautifully full, my madness deepens. I might lose my reason, so don’t be bewitched by the words of some old man like that. I won’t be able to spare you today.”

“Y-yes, understood.”

I turned around with my back exposed to the enemies and spoke to Baegin.

“Tiger Junior Brother, lace your fingers together.”

Still bewildered, Baegin interlocked the fingers of both hands. I placed my right foot atop his hands and said,

“Throw me with everything you’ve got. Let me get a look at the full moon.”

Baegin was so flustered that he answered in formal speech.

“Pardon?”

“Inject your internal energy and throw me, quickly. See you in a bit.”

I held Baegin’s gaze steadily. At last, Baegin quickly made up his mind and said to me,

“Eldest Senior Brother, I shall see you shortly.”

I grinned broadly beneath my mask.

“Good. Let’s do that.”

Then Baegin gathered the strength of his entire body into both hands and hurled me straight into the air. I, too, pushed off his hands with all my might and shot upward like an arrow.

Just how high had I soared? The exhilaration was so refreshing that it seemed to clear my chest.

“Hahahahahaha……”

Laughter came out on its own.

After rising in a curve and reaching the peak, I briefly admired the beautifully shining full moon, then plummeted back down to the ground where the Black Path awaited.

Expecting all sorts of hidden weapons, palm winds, and sword qi to come surging at me, I wreathed my right hand in Yeomhwahyang and unleashed the Flame Rooster Great Hand Seal (炎鷄大手印).

Enemies and allies alike, and even the full moon pouring out moonlight, had their eyes wide open.

In midair, a huge palm glowing red came crashing down to stamp its seal upon Elder Lord Iryong’s forces.