Episode 77. A Deceptive Gamble with Each Other

Since I hadn’t struck their acupoints deeply with internal energy to begin with, they would soon unseal.

“If you shout or say anything other than answering my questions, I’ll pull out this dagger. After your acupoints unseal, if your hands are faster than mine, you pull it out too. I’ll take it as a duel to the death and kill you. If you still can’t speak, blink your eyes.”

Heuk Soryeong, who had been struck first, opened his mouth, while Baek Soa blinked.

“My mute acupoint is the only one that’s unsealed.”

Heuk Soryeong’s breathing was rough, like a drunkard’s.

I asked Heuk Soryeong.

“Did Pyeong Gunsa order this?”

Heuk Soryeong looked at me as if regretting that his mute acupoint had been unsealed.

“…….”

I tilted my head and spoke.

“Can’t get a grip? Fine. That makes sense. You probably can’t tell who you should fear more yet. It’s perfectly understandable.”

I lightly placed my index finger on the hilt of the flash dagger and asked, as if it were my final question.

“Did Pyeong Gunsa order this?”

If there was no answer, the only gift I would give was the dagger. Heuk Soryeong answered hurriedly.

“Yes.”

I removed my finger from the dagger and spoke.

“That was a close call. Your name is Heuk Soryeong, right? Don’t get it wrong. Even if I kill you, Baek Soa is still alive. If you die, Baek Soa will be so terrified that he’ll have no choice but to tell me much more than you would, won’t he? Get a grip.”

Heuk Soryeong answered immediately.

“I understand.”

I suddenly looked at Baek Soa. At that, Baek Soa hurriedly opened his mouth.

“My mute acupoint is unsealed too.”

I spoke with a snap of my fingers.

“Good. From now on, answer in rhythm with my questions. You’ll answer simultaneously. Let’s have whoever hesitates get stabbed by the dagger first and ascend to heaven. I’m curious myself about who’ll die first. First question: who is Pyeong Gunsa’s superior? One, two, three.”

The two answered simultaneously.

“The Gambling King (賭博王).”

I gave them a sarcastic round of applause and praised them.

“Correct. Your lives have been extended. Second question: if the Gambling King ranks higher than Dongbang Yeon, say above; if lower, say below. You know what I mean, right?”

I moved my fingers about as I added an explanation.

“Up and down, up-up-down, my life keeps dangling precariously. One, two, three.”

The two spoke in unison.

“Above!”

“Oh…….”

I stroked my chin. In truth, I already knew everything up to this point; the problem was the third question.

Because it was something even I didn’t know. I somehow felt that Heuk Soryeong and Baek Soa would know. However, it was a situation where I doubted whether they would give a proper answer.

“For the third question, I’ll count to three slowly. Answer well. Who is the Gambling King? One, two, three.”

“Uncle Guyang Bok.”

I was inwardly flustered, but replied with a blank expression.

“Uncle Guyang? The innkeeper of Narak Inn?”

Heuk Soryeong and Baek Soa answered simultaneously.

“Yes.”

I touched my hair for a moment. When I recalled Guyang Bok from my previous life, one thing came to mind first.

‘A man who made no enemies.’

Moreover, he was a man with a generous heart who served plenty of free drinks and never pressed others for their tabs. He was also a man who loved gambling and wandered about losing money here and there.

Nevertheless, Guyang Bok was a good-natured man who lived without ever furrowing his brow. Come to think of it, he was quite old, so everyone spoke politely to Uncle Guyang.

‘This is surprising.’

So it was a showdown between Jaha Inn and Narak Inn.

It suddenly occurred to me that Dongbang Yeon might be Guyang Bok’s disciple.

I spoke to Heuk Soryeong and Baek Soa.

“Good work.”

After striking both of their mute acupoints again, I lifted them one by one and laid them down on the bedding. Leaving the center empty as if I were lying there, I infused a considerable amount of internal energy into the Gyeonjeong points of Heuk Soryeong and Baek Soa lying on either side.

I pinched Heuk Soryeong’s cheek and said.

“You took an aphrodisiac, so you’ll have some lewd dreams.”

I lowered the canopy curtain hanging from the top of the bed to cover them, gathered the flash dagger, and headed to Narak Inn.

***

When I suddenly appeared in Narak Inn, the guests all looked at me. A very brief silence passed before conversation resumed.

‘That was a meaningful moment of silence.’

When I sat down, the attendant Jo Pal approached.

“What can I get you?”

Jo Pal was someone I knew too, but I couldn’t act like it. I spoke to Jo Pal, whom I was seeing after a long time.

“Any white liquor.”

“There’s no such thing as ‘any.’”

“You’re boring. Just bring me whatever.”

“Yes.”

Shortly after, I looked at the dried tae-eo fish that came out as a snack with the white liquor. Come to think of it, it was quite an expensive fish for a basic inn snack, so I felt a strange sensation.

After pouring a cup of white liquor and spacing out, Guyang Bok, the innkeeper of Narak Inn, walked out with bleary eyes and looked at me.

“I’ll buy that drink, so give me a glass. You’re a gambler I’ve never seen before.”

I immediately poured a drink for Guyang Bok, who sat across from me.

Guyang Bok took out an unusual mangu herb carved in the shape of a finger and lit it. It was my first time seeing a mangu herb, and it was even made of jade. After taking a deep drag of the mangu smoke and a sip of white liquor, Guyang Bok looked at my cup.

Since I wasn’t drinking, his eyes were drawn to it inevitably.

Guyang Bok spoke to me.

“Give me another glass.”

Suddenly feeling annoyed, I gestured with my chin toward the white liquor.

“Pour your own.”

I deliberately answered him in casual speech and looked around at the guests. They weren’t turning their heads toward me, but seeing the stiff expressions on some of their faces made me laugh.

Truly, a world like an onion.

I realized that in my previous life, I had really managed to survive without knowing anything.

Guyang Bok spoke as he drank.

“You don’t drink.”

When I didn’t answer, Guyang Bok spoke as if he had no choice.

“I’ll apologize on behalf of Soryeong and Soa. It seems Pyeong Gunsa’s little prank was found out.”

Since he had already noticed that I knew everything and had come here, Guyang Bok seemed to think he had no choice. Still, it was surprising that he revealed his identity so quickly.

Guyang Bok suddenly looked at the guests and waved his hand.

At that, all the guests in the inn stood up at once and went outside.

Once all the customers had left, Ouyang Fu smiled, showing off the fine wrinkles crinkling across his face.

“Young man, surely you didn’t come here to ruin my entire business. The challenge fee is ten thousand taels, and with the gamblers’ payouts included, that makes fifty thousand taels in all. Consider it my sincerity—take this and go back quietly. There have been Black Path experts who took money without even fighting, but I have never paid as much as fifty thousand taels to send one away.”

“Fifty thousand taels?”

Ouyang Fu nodded with a smile.

“Fifty thousand taels.”

I answered Ouyang Fu’s words like this.

“Most of the people who fought Dongfang Yan died, didn’t they? And from what I know, even the occasional ones who won either died within a few days or went missing.”

The light was gradually returning to Ouyang Fu’s half-lidded eyes.

“You… I cannot understand why you came here alone and are acting like this. Did I kill someone you knew? Did Dongfang Yan kill your brother, or perhaps your master? You are young, so it does not seem likely that you lost a great deal of money gambling. Why say such things? Especially when I am treating you with goodwill.”

When someone suddenly came in from outside into the inn, Ouyang Fu held out a hand.

“Stay still.”

Glancing sideways, I saw a fellow like a fierce general on the battlefield glaring at me with axe-like eyes. It was Dongfang Yan, the king of martial duel gambling, a tall man who had trained extensively in both internal and external arts.

Dongfang Yan brought over a chair and sat right beside me, then crossed his arms as if to keep watch.

Ouyang Fu held out his hand to me and said,

“My thoughts have not changed. Fifty thousand taels. I would like to hear what you think.”

Dongfang Yan opened his mouth.

“Why give this bastard fifty thousand taels—”

Ouyang Fu cut Dongfang Yan off.

“Be quiet. He is still my guest.”

I looked at Ouyang Fu and Dongfang Yan, then said,

“What you’re doing isn’t martial duel gambling. It’s a rigged gamble.”

Ouyang Fu replied,

“Isn’t all business like that? It is merely the difference between a small business and a large one. Most things that leave a large profit are rigged gambles.”

“Compared to your methods, the bastards in mountain strongholds or river bandit dens are practically pure.”

Ouyang Fu asked me,

“My business should not have harmed you. If it has, I will raise the settlement.”

I tapped the table with my finger and said,

“The biggest problem with gambling is that it’s fun. It’s hard to quit. People who find something more fun than gambling can quit, but there aren’t many things in this world as fun as gambling. Only after offering up their entire fortune, only after their hands and feet are cut off, might they finally stop.”

When I suddenly started talking about gambling, Ouyang Fu gave a faint smile.

“You know it well.”

“Up to martial duel gambling, there’s something legitimate about it. But rigged gambling is different. You lot regularly pay nearby Black Path experts and factions to keep them from coming here, don’t you? Since you have a lot of money, you must be spreading a lot of it around. If, one day, the head of someone else’s household comes here and squanders his family fortune, then dies, that sort of thing is all too natural here. The surrounding Black Path takes your money and expands their power. And since you’re not openly acting like bandits, it’s difficult for the White Path to smash you. In many ways, you’re impressive bastards.”

Ouyang Fu asked me,

“Do you have no intention of negotiating?”

“I do.”

“Then speak freely.”

“What began with gambling should end with gambling. Let’s have one round of rigged gambling.”

“What sort of rigged gambling?”

I made a proposal to the Gambling King and Dongfang Yan.

“All of you, in the arena.”

“……”

“Fight me. If you win, I die. If I win, I take everything here.”

I observed Ouyang Fu’s expression.

“How about it? Owner of Narak Inn, Gambling King Ouyang Fu. Are you bewildered because the terms are too favorable to you? Or are you a little afraid you might lose everything in one blow? It’s a dilemma, isn’t it? Either way, this absurd proposal is gambling.”

Even in the midst of this, Ouyang Fu examined the conditions like the Gambling King he was.

“What happens if I refuse?”

“If you refuse, a hand even less favorable to you will be dealt.”

“Why is that?”

I lightly scratched my cheek and replied,

“My subordinates arrive as a group tomorrow. Tonight is the most favorable hand for you.”

Dongfang Yan said to Ouyang Fu,

“He seems like a madman. Let’s do it.”

Perhaps Ouyang Fu was cautious like the Gambling King he was, because he did not answer right away. In a way, such caution was only natural. Ouyang Fu had never fought a losing battle.

But that was what I disliked most of all.

“Gambling King, huh… Hiding your identity, feeding challengers liquor, using honey traps, using aphrodisiacs, weakening them by any means possible before making them fight Dongfang Yan, ambushing them if they lose, burying the ones you kill, using the money you earn to buy gamblers drinks, pretending to be a good person, and regularly offering bribes to powerful Black Path factions. You lived this filthily, and the title you earned was Gambling King?”

I called Ouyang Fu as I had in the past.

“Uncle Ouyang, you really are one hell of a gambler.”

“There is one thing I do not understand. If you are that confident, why not kill the two of us right here and now? That would be more advantageous.”

“That would be more advantageous?”

With a stern expression, I laid into the two of them.

“You really can’t come to your senses. Just because we’re all from inns, do we look like we’re on the same level? I’m a man who lives in the jianghu, and you are bastards who live in gambling dens. Our class is different, and our nature is different. If you’ve spent your whole lives ripping off other people’s lives, how about having one proper gamble for once? Your Excellency the Gambling King. Stop working that crippled little brain of yours.”

In that instant, Dongfang Yan unleashed killing intent, and I stared blankly at him.

Ouyang Fu held out a hand toward Dongfang Yan to restrain him, then asked me,

“From an inn, you say? Who are you?”

I thought I had let something slip, but I revealed it as it was.

“I am the owner of Zixia Inn.”

I swallowed these words inwardly.

I may be a madman, but I am not yet the Mad Demon.

Ouyang Fu replied,

“Let us do that, then. Gather my men and go to the arena. No matter how I think about it, that is the most favorable option for me. As long as you do not regret it.”

I nodded.

“Living without regrets is another virtue of a jianghu man. Let’s go, you worm bastards.”

When I stood, Dongfang Yan stood as well. Dongfang Yan was a full head taller than me.

Dongfang Yan looked down at me and said,

“There are all sorts of strange bastards trying to die.”

“Wow, there’s a bit of dignity in the way you talk, huh? Is it because you’re the king of martial duel gambling? Strict, solemn, serious—is that it? Cool. Hey.”

As Dongfang Yan, suppressing his anger, drew in a deep breath, Ouyang Fu behind him stopped him in a low voice.

“Let it out in the arena.”

I watched the expressions of the two men, then turned around.