When the strong fall silent, the weak naturally follow suit.

After silencing Dongbang Yeon and the gawking onlookers—who were all still alive—I picked up the folding fan that had fallen from Pyeong Gunsa’s hand.

When I opened it, I saw bloodstains blotched across the white fan.

Waving the fan slowly, I looked around the arena.

Then I spoke to everyone present.

“You pathetic bastards.”

Somehow, my words circled the arena and pierced my own chest as well.

“I was pathetic too.”

When I looked at Dongbang Yeon again, I saw he was staunching the bleeding from his left arm, a wound from the assault I had just unleashed on him.

Clearing my throat, I began monotonously reciting the first line of a song every gambler here knew by heart.

“Spent thirty years in the gambling den.”

“……”

Pyeong Gunsa used to sing it, and so did the gamblers, the broke ones, the debtors, the spectators, and all the workers nearby. The song now flowed from my mouth.

“Held the cards with black hair, laid them down with white.”

From the stands, the gamblers sang the next line in response.

“Poured all that hard-earned money into this place.”

I nodded and murmured along.

“Poured all that hard-earned money into this place.”

Pointing at various people with the fan, I continued.

“Was it only my money?”

The gamblers chimed in with a cue.

“Of course not.”

“Friends’ money, relatives’ money—how did you throw it away without even hesitating? Came home after ages, and not a soul welcomed you. Pulled cash from where it was stashed in the closet and headed back to the gambling hall. Now the whole neighborhood looks at you with scorn in their eyes.”

The gamblers echoed the last line.

“Everyone you meet, scorn in their eyes.”

I stood there, fan in hand, and carried on the song.

“If I don’t show up again, tell them I died gambling. Even before I arrive, the cards shimmer vividly before my eyes.”

Locking eyes with the surviving members of the Narak Society, I repeated the refrain.

“Today’s my lucky day. Today, I’ll be lucky.”

The gamblers followed my lead.

“Today’s my lucky day. Today, I’ll be lucky.”

When the song ended, I spoke in my real voice to the gamblers.

“But today won’t be lucky.”

“……”

“This place is shutting down as of today, so all you dumbasses better pack it up. The business is finished.”

Then I shouted at the silent audience and the Narak Society stragglers still watching me.

“Get the fuck out, you pieces of shit!”

Without warning, I lunged at one of the Narak Society’s fighters, bashed him on the head, and kicked him in the ass as I spoke.

“Get out, you bastard. Didn’t you hear me say this place is shut down? Useless little shit.”

As I beat down two or three of them while cursing, the addicts finally began scattering.

“You trash piles, go home if you’ve got one. If you don’t, go beg and find a way to eat. Last one to leave gets their wrist chopped off.”

I ran at the stragglers again and kicked them hard.

Thwack!

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

One of the guys rolled across the ground, shot up, and bolted. With that, the remnants of the Narak Society finally crumbled.

Waving the fan around as I looked, I saw hardly anyone left. Those still around must’ve been gambling hall staff who couldn’t abandon the wealth piled up here.

I looked over at Gu Yang-bok, the Gambling King, sitting alone in the audience.

“Looks like you’re screwed now, huh?”

Gu Yang-bok glared at me in silence.

“You thought if your lackeys all attacked me, you’d win? I told you it was rigged gambling, didn’t I? Dongbang Yeon—what do you think? After beating up a bunch of guys drugged on aphrodisiacs, facing someone like me feels fresh, doesn’t it?”

From the stands, Gu Yang-bok finally spoke.

“Hey, kid. Before I came here, I sent a letter straight to the Nammyeong Society.”

“Oh, Nammyeong Society.”

“Told them there’s someone causing trouble and future tribute might be difficult. It was a short letter, but the Nammyeong Society will know something’s up. I’ve handed them a lot of money over the years.”

I nodded.

“Yeah, I bet.”

“You thought by wrecking this place, all the money here would just flow into your lap? Life doesn’t work that way. No matter how wildly you thrash about, you’ll eventually be stopped by the underworld. That’s why I was content to just run this gambling den.”

From the audience, Gu Yang-bok bit down on a Mangwoocho cigarette and exhaled a thick puff of smoke.

“You don’t know shit about the world.”

I slammed the fan shut against my palm and threw it at Dongbang Yeon.

Screeee!

Dongbang Yeon, who had just finished staunching his wound, crossed his twin swords to block the flying fan. At that moment, I drew both blade and flame from Fang of the Black Rabbit and slashed forward.

The blade, imbued with flaming incense, sliced diagonally across Dongbang Yeon’s torso and stretched forward.

Splurt!

Startled, three officers of the Narak Society fled in three directions—north, east, and south.

What made those bastards think they could stay this long? Probably they were clinging to the hope that Gu Yang-bok, still unmoving in the audience, had something up his sleeve.

I sheathed Fang of the Black Rabbit, picked up Dongbang Yeon’s twin swords, and threw one eastward, then the other southward.

Both blades pierced through the bodies of the fleeing men and embedded themselves into the wall.

The guy fleeing north leapt into the stands and shouted at Gu Yang-bok.

“Boss, you’ve got to run!”

Suddenly, Gu Yang-bok grabbed the officer who’d just told him to flee and yanked him close, then slammed his head down onto the chair.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

After three smashes, the officer’s body crumpled beneath the chair.

Gu Yang-bok kicked the corpse aside and shouted.

“Who told you to run!”

I lightly jumped into the air, and by the time Gu Yang-bok roared those words, I was already behind him.

As Gu Yang-bok was still assaulting the corpse, he realized I was behind him, and his movements noticeably slowed.

Turning around, he spoke.

“Zaha Inn, was it…?”

Even as he asked the question, Gu Yang-bok unleashed a twin-palm strike. I didn’t deflect it. I reached out with both hands and met his force head-on.

His energy, honed over many years, surged into my palms.

As we clashed, I called out to him like in the old days.

“Uncle Gu Yang, I thought you were a kind-hearted man. Didn’t know that to run a successful gambling den, the owner had to be generous too.”

Even as he poured out his energy, Gu Yang-bok’s eyes widened. He stared at me in bewilderment—obviously confused that someone he’d never seen before was speaking like an old acquaintance.

“Who the hell are you?”

But I had no intention of clearing up the confusion of a man about to die.

“Jomsoi from the inn.”

He would assume I was a tavern boy he once knew.

I then converted the heat energy flowing through my palms into Flame Meridian Force, burning away all of Gu Yang-bok’s internal energy. Then I switched to Absorption Technique and drew the rest of his inner power from his dantian.

Gu Yang-bok’s agonized screams filled the arena.

Once his face turned pale, as if the life had been drained from him, I quickly withdrew my hand.

Gu Yang-bok collapsed to the floor, practically melting into it. With a face of utter exhaustion, like he was moments from death, he looked up at me.

“Nammyeong Society…”

“The Nammyeong Society, my ass. I’ll deal with them. So, kind-hearted Uncle Gu Yang—no last words?”

Facing death, Gu Yang-bok suddenly looked deranged and asked me,

“No cut for the house?”

“Nope. You piece of shit.”

I raised my right foot and brought it down hard to finish him off.

Thud!

“Cut of the pot, my ass.”

Staring at the now-empty stands, I personally announced the results of today’s duel.

“Listen up, all of you. The owner of Zaha Inn is the victor.”

I walked along the edge of the stands, clapping alone, then yanked out a torch and lit a bundle of discarded papers on fire. They were sheets listing the names and debts of the gamblers.

Fwoosh!

Looking around, I tossed the torch wherever it would catch best, then grabbed another one and gifted Gu Yang-bok’s corpse its own blaze. His burning clothes curled tightly around his body.

The man who sets fire to everything he passes—that’s me.

As I went around hurling torches, the flames rapidly spread throughout the arena. With all the wood in the stands, the place soon boiled like a giant furnace.

Strolling through the blazing inferno, I sang the gambler’s song alone.

Spent thirty years in the gambling den.

Held the cards with black hair, laid them down with white.

Poured all that hard-earned money into this place.

Was it only my money?

Friends’ money, relatives’ money—how did you throw it away without even hesitating?

Came home after ages, and not a soul welcomed you.

Pulled cash from where it was stashed in the closet and headed back to the gambling hall.

Everyone you meet, scorn in their eyes.

If I don’t show up again, tell them I died gambling.

Even before I arrive, the cards shimmer vividly before my eyes.

Today’s my lucky day.

Today, I’ll be lucky.

I burned down the gambling hall, sang a song, and feeling thoroughly satisfied, let out a long laugh.

High on the moment, I leapt into the air and danced around the arena like someone who’d wet themselves in a dream—torching corpses, spreading the fire.

I drew the Fang of the Black Rabbit and danced through the flames, swirling and swinging the blade. As I infused it with Triflaming Embers and unleashed them, the fire roared higher. When the blaze swallowed the flame itself, it felt like the Immovable King had descended—everything ignited with scorching fury.

Staring into the fire, I blanked out for a moment.

If such powerful, beautiful, and merciless flames were truly mine… how magnificent would that be?

I lay down on the still-warm ground, where the flames hadn’t yet reached, and gazed up at the night sky.

“If I could scoop up the stars in one hand, I’d rain fire down on the heads of those Cult bastards who chased me. Wherever I go, silence would fall. I’d tread over those who split mountains with swords, and slap around so-called grandmasters like they were fools. That man—that’d be me. Not yet, but… damn, that’s hot.”

I jolted upright. The entire place was now a sea of fire.

“……”

A man who dies by fire after regression—that’s not me.

I slashed the Fang of the Black Rabbit vertically, releasing a blade gust forward.

Screeeee!

The fire split left and right, only to slither back together. I stayed in place, swinging the blade back and forth, and then channeled power into a move every martial sect has—One Slash, Two Halves.

The flames tore into two lanes, scattering as they split. The stands beyond were cleaved apart entirely, opening a wide road etched by my blade.

I cut open this gambler-made hellfire with my sword, cleaving a path through it and stepping out.

Leaving the burning arena behind, I looked over the chaotic village of gamblers.

“What a beautiful night.”

From all directions came shouting and frantic scrambling.

“Fire!”

To that, I replied in a dull tone.

“Fireworks.”

“Fire!”

“Fireworks, huh?”

Suddenly remembering something, I darted off using light footwork. When I neared the Phoenix VIP Room, I shouted loudly.

“Lady Baek! Lady Heuk! Are you there?!”

Chuckling, I scanned the area. People were screaming “Fire!” everywhere. The women who had been drugged must’ve felt like they were lying in hell.

From inside the VIP room, I heard muffled groaning.

Pulling aside the tent flap, I stepped in and called toward the bedding.

“Anyone °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° there? No? Guess not.”

“Her… her… here…”

A weak, strained scream came from the bed, where their pressure points were still sealed. I danced toward it.

“When the evening glow fades and moonlight flows… are you there?”

With a flick, I pulled back the foot of the bed and looked down at Baek So-ah and Heuk So-ryeong. Their eyes were bloodshot, their faces streaked with tears, and they stared at me in silence.

“……!”

From outside the tent, someone shouted again while running.

“Fire!”

With a deadpan expression, I stared at the two women and spoke in a low, flat voice.

“…Fireworks.”

Right then, Baek So-ah and Heuk So-ryeong rolled their eyes back and fainted simultaneously.