Chapter 18

By the time the number of people being slammed into the wall had increased too much, the top-class masters, who were said to be flying and crawling in the Jungyang Escort Bureau, appeared.

"Who are you guys!"

The one with the three lotus flowers who had appeared a little while ago finally uttered the line he had forgotten to say. Originally, when unfamiliar men or women, or people of all ages, or young men and women, or pregnant women and the elderly, invaded one's own sect, the standard procedure was to first maintain a confrontational state and then ask, 'Who are you!' to initiate a dialogue with the other party. However, because the first Great Escort Leader of the escort bureau to appear had not said this, the fight did not enter a lull and continued.

"You should have first introduced yourself and then politely asked, 'We beseech you to explain to these foolish ones the noble and lofty reason why you have invaded our shabby and unsightly escort bureau.' Kids these days have no manners, they're completely hopeless."

Bi Ryu-yeon became even more annoyed because the other party didn't ask politely and just started speaking informally from the beginning. But to spit out those long words in an instant without a single breath in between, the surroundings suddenly became quiet. A blue vein popped out on the forehead of the middle-aged man standing in the center.

"Where are you from?"

It was an attitude of not listening to Bi Ryu-yeon's words until the end. Bi Ryu-yeon had at least expected something like, 'Where are you from, sirs?', but the answer fell short of his expectations.

"Over there."

Bi Ryu-yeon pointed his finger at the mountain. The name of that mountain was Emei. The Bureau Chief tilted his head.

'They don't seem to be from Emei. There can't be a band of thieves on Mount Emei, and what band of thieves would dare to steal in the territory of the Emei Sect?'

The Bureau Chief's questions piled up and grew higher.

"Alright, what business brings you here?"

"What business brings us here, that's a very good question. That question is a very useful and core question that can solve this subtle and complex situation we and you are in. You should have asked that from the beginning!"

"Isn't it hard to speak like that without any commas?"

"Of course it's hard."

The Bureau Chief asked with a worried look, and Bi Ryu-yeon answered with an expression that said, 'Why are you asking something so obvious?' Bi Ryu-yeon's words were so long, fast, breathless, and difficult that it was enough to confuse the listener's mind. But it seemed that the story was now getting to the main point.

"Is it true that there's a guy named Gang Jang-han or Geonjang-han in your escort bureau, working as your escort?"

Bi Ryu-yeon had asked in his own way, politely. There were fewer informal words mixed in than usual...

"That's right. A person named Gang Jang-han holds the position of Great Escort Leader in our escort bureau."

"Has that person been to Mount Emei in the last three days?"

"That's right. He went up to offer a gift to the 'Emei Sect'."

The Bureau Chief especially emphasized the Two Words 'Emei Sect'. It was an unspoken pressure that said, 'We have the Emei Sect behind us, so don't mess with us carelessly.' Who in this land of Sichuan, and right under the nose of Mount Emei, would not be wary or afraid of the two wodrds 'Emei Sect'? With that calculation, the Bureau Chief had emphasized the two words 'Emei Sect'. But there are exceptions to everything. The Bureau Chief's expectation did not have an effect. The Two Words, Emei Sect, were completely out of Bi Ryu-yeon's interest.

"That's right, so that Escort Leader named Gang Jang-han and his gang were your escorts. That gang, on their way down from Mount Emei, picked a fight over a trivial reason and ganged up on one of my disciples, more than 10 of them, and committed group violence on my beloved (?) and cherished (?) precious (?) disciple until he was half-dead, and that's why I'm here. That kid was brought back covered in blood and is now lying in his room receiving treatment. Because of that, my disciple has suffered a serious injury requiring two months of absolute rest, three months of intensive treatment, six months of regular treatment, and a high risk of aftereffects, and accordingly, a huge and enormous amount of treatment fees will be consumed. Moreover, that Gang guy, when he found it overwhelming to face my disciple alone, instead of backing down as would be the natural order when his skills are lacking, he pushed through with numbers and surrounded my disciple and committed group violence. Therefore, I demand the punishment and discipline of that Gang guy. I also demand compensation for the mental and physical damages my disciple and I have received."

It was again a speech without commas and periods, but the last words were the most important and also the reason he had come this far. It was money and revenge.

"Hey, wasn't it one month of absolute rest?"

Geum Yeong-ho expressed his doubt.

"The intensive treatment was one month, I think..."

Hyeonun said.

"Yes, and the regular treatment was three months."

Namgung Sansan said.

"The risk of aftereffects was extremely minimal. It was absolutely safe, wasn't it?"

"I also heard the doctor confidently say that, beating his chest, from the side..."

Namgung Sang honestly testified about the situation he had witnessed at that time.

"Hmm, I heard that too... Did I hear wrong?"

"When did Tang Sam's condition worsen? There was no such talk..."

The disciples murmured from behind, but Bi Ryu-yeon ignored them, pretending not to hear.

"That can't be. Great Escort Leader Gang is a person famous for his integrity in our escort bureau. He is not a person who would do such a thing."

Although he said that, in the Bureau Chief's mind, the image of Escort Leader Gang, who had returned from the Emei Sect two days ago covered in wounds, was flickering. Although they were light wounds, the wounds all over his body were not ordinary, so he had been suspicious. This was because the wounds were similar to those one would get when being beaten defenselessly by street thugs, not from weapons. If what they were saying was true, wouldn't it be a disgrace to the name of the Jungyang Escort Bureau? It was no ordinary matter.

"Where is Great Escort Leader Gang?"

The Bureau Chief asked the general manager next to him.

"He is currently out."

"Find him immediately!"

And then he said to Bi Ryu-yeon and his children.

"He is said to be out now, so how about we wait until Great Escort Leader Gang arrives?"

"Let's do that."

Bi Ryu-yeon replied leisurely.

---

• The Tragedy of Eighteen Swords

The outside of the escort bureau gate became noisy, and Great Escort Leader Gang Jang-han entered with a few escorts. His face was red, as if they had forcibly brought him while he was drinking heavily at a tavern.

"Are you the guy who's so Geonjang (sturdy) that you committed Ganggan (rape)?"

Naturally, Bi Ryu-yeon asked for confirmation.

"Hic, rape? Who raped whom? If anything, I'd be the one getting raped. How dare you say I raped someone! How dare you carelessly change this old man's name."

Gang Jang-han, no, Gang Jang-han, huffed and puffed as if he would draw his sword and charge at any moment. Seeing his face flushed red and huffing and puffing, he seemed to be still drunk.

"Who does he think he is, speaking informally? Old man? He's putting on a whole show of nonsense."

Bi Ryu-yeon looked at Gang Jang-han with a dumbfounded expression as if he had seen all sorts of ridiculous guys. Bi Ryu-yeon's tone had become so rough that curses were about to come out.

"He becomes like that when he drinks a little too much, so I hope the guest will understand his rudeness. Kids, wake him up a bit."

The Bureau Chief, Eighteen Swords Jang U-yang, who couldn't bear to watch any longer, ordered the escorts next to him. How do you sober someone up? Since ancient times, various secret methods such as shock therapy, hair of the dog, hangover soup (?), or sobriety elixirs have been passed down, but the method that could be easily used by anyone, anywhere, anytime was still widely used by the public. Especially now, since it was midsummer, there was nothing to worry about.

"Is it cool?"

The Bureau Chief asked.

"Achoo!"

Gang Jang-han, on whom a bucket of water had been poured from each side, answered like a drowned rat. It could not be called a very polite answer. It was below the passing mark for a response in an intelligent conversation.

"Ooh, I'm sober now."

Gang Jang-han said, tidying up his clothes. Water was still dripping from his whole body.

"The person in question has arrived. Shall we talk then?"

Bi Ryu-yeon said, looking at the slightly sober Gang Jang-han.

"Let's do that."

"...?"

Gang Jang-han, who had just been dragged here while drunk, had no idea that the cause of the confrontation between the two people and the attack on the escort bureau he belonged to was all because of him. He couldn't understand why the perfectly fine main gate of the escort bureau was broken, why dozens of escorts were collapsed with their heads stuck in the wall, or why the two people in front of him were now in a confrontation.

To Bi Ryu-yeon's story of this and that happening, Gang Jang-han insisted that he had never done this and that.

"That guy first made a statement that tarnished my honor and the honor of our Jungyang Escort Bureau, so I fought to protect my honor and the honor of the bureau."

"Hey, does honor exist in a place where several people beat up one person as a group?"

Bi Ryu-yeon sneered.

"A majority attacking one person? Such a thing never happened."

"Hmph, the traces tell everything. You're going to keep denying it, I see. Fine, then let's hear from someone else. Where are the escorts who accompanied you now? If we torture them, they'll probably sing. I need to collect the debt from them along with you."

"They are over there, over there."

The Bureau Chief's finger pointed to where the escorts were piled up on top of each other, collapsed as if dead with their heads stuck in the wall. They were all people who had been defeated by Bi Ryu-yeon's fists and were lying unconscious, in a coma, from the way he had hit them.

"Keuk, you bastards! To destroy the evidence, I will never forgive you. The traces tell everything. You must have ganged up and attacked because you were weak. Stop denying it and come at me. Come at me and try to protect that so-called honor of yours. Though I doubt it even exists. You cowardly and cheap bastard."

"Keuak, who was it that knocked people down, and now you're picking a fight with someone else? I can't forgive any more sneering."

The sturdy one drew his saber from his waist and shouted with a murderous aura. In order to cover his own weakness, there was a need for the story to be concise, the conversation to be short, and the action to be fast. This was because if the conversation dragged on any longer, what he had done might be revealed. The need for a gag was desperate. And as quickly as possible. However, Gang Jang-han's attempt did not work at all.

"Really? Then try to protect that honor, which is doubtful to even exist, once more. Against me. You shameless, crippled, cowardly, cheap bastard!"

"Keuak, I will do so even if you don't say it."

Gang Jang-han's patience had been pushed past its limit countless times and had completely run out. Holding his saber, Gang Jang-han fearlessly charged towards Bi Ryu-yeon.

"Iyaaaap! Take this!"

"Hey, he said to take it."

Namgung Sang said.

"Yeah, I heard him too."

Hyeonun agreed.

"To dare to attack Master first. And with a sword, no less."

Geum Yeong-ho said.

"What will happen? Will that guy die?"

"He'll probably die horribly. I'll bet my dinner on him dying."

No Hak made a bet.

"I'll bet on him dying too."

Tang Mun-hye, a direct descendant of the Tang Clan and Tang Cheol-yeong's younger sister, who was the most murderous among the group right now for that reason, said coldly, exuding a chill. For a moment, the surroundings seemed to cool down. The number of escorts who had become half-crippled and collapsed futilely at her hands was too many to count even if you folded and unfolded your ten fingers three times. The words 'mercy' and 'forgiveness' seemed to be absent from her hands.

"If I lose, I'll give you three meals tomorrow. But that guy will definitely die."

"I'll bet my dinner and tomorrow's breakfast on him dying too."

Jo Cheon-u of Mount Hua said.

"I'll bet on him living. He won't kill him."

Hyeonun said. And then he added one more thing.

"I'll bet my dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow, plus dessert."

Everyone was surprised when Hyeonun went all in. That's how precious and very important, the most valuable thing, a meal had become to them. What kind of life had they been forced to live for five months? They had become incredibly simple and commoner-like. They were now in a state where they would bet their lives on a single meal. Everyone held their breath and, in a tense state, began to observe which path Gang Jang-han would walk on the crossroads of life and death.

While they were laughing and enjoying themselves, Gang Jang-han's saber had already flown over there, broken in half, and was stuck in the ground. And with his feet about a handspan off the ground, he was being beaten mercilessly by Bi Ryu-yeon while floating in the air. The only martial art No Hak knew of where one was not pushed back by the force while being beaten, but the force acted vertically, causing the body to float more than a handspan in the air, was one he had experienced painfully himself. It was...

"The Three Dog Days Beating Fist Method!"

No Hak shouted as if pulling a word from a nightmare, hugging his arms as if he had a chill. Goosebumps rose on his arms, and it felt as if the places he had been hit before were aching again. After a few more sounds of beating, Bi Ryu-yeon dusted off his hands and turned around. It seemed to be over now. There was no way to confirm whether Gang Jang-han was dead or alive. Leaving behind the object that looked like a half-dead corpse, which was clearly a person before, Jang U-yang, the Bureau Chief Eighteen Swords, said to Bi Ryu-yeon, who was walking over, dusting off his hands.

"Is he dead?"

"Half-dead."

Bi Ryu-yeon kindly explained Gang-ga's current state.

"Ugh."

"Kwang, damn it!"

"My meal..."

'My dessert, keuk.'

Sighs of regret burst out from here and there, wails of hitting the ground...

Seeing him collapsed and foaming at the mouth with blood, it was a wonder that he was alive and not dead. It was a sight where it wouldn't be strange at all if he died at any moment. After beating Gang Jang-han half to death, Jang U-yang, the Bureau Chief Eighteen Swords, drew the long sword from his waist towards Bi Ryu-yeon, who had turned around, dusting off his hands. The stability of his sword-drawing and stance told that he was a high-level, top-class master.

"We also have our face to save, so we can't just let you go like this."

It meant that for the sake of face, he had to see it through somehow.

"Is that so?"

Bi Ryu-yeon answered with a somewhat sarcastic tone.

"We also have the face of the Jungyang Escort Bureau to save, so you can't just leave. If a rumor spreads that the escort bureau was turned into a mess by a group of only 16 people, who would entrust their goods to our Jungyang Escort Bureau? On that day, the Jungyang Escort Bureau will have to close its doors."

"Ah, so you're going to catch me for the sake of the Jungyang Escort Bureau's body nourishment, and strike me with a sword!"

Bi Ryu-yeon said sarcastically and scathingly, but Jang U-yang was unshaken.

"In any case, we can't just let you go."

The Bureau Chief's attitude was also firm. For the future of the escort bureau, he couldn't just let them go. This was no longer a matter of face, but a matter of the escort bureau's survival. He couldn't back down like this, staking the existence of the escort bureau he had worked hard to build for 20 years.

"You're asking for a beating."

It was a tone as if he was very offended.

"You first."

Bi Ryu-yeon's index finger beckoned.

"I'll go first."

Bureau Chief Jang U-yang did not refuse.