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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Yong Ma-san
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#011 Yong Ma-san
At my command, the bald man shouted at the leader of the Black Martial Gang.
"If you are a warrior who leads a gang, why not settle this between the two of us instead of sacrificing your innocent men?!"
"Trying to use your wits because you're outnumbered, are you? The two hundred men of the Black Martial Gang will soon slaughter you. Why should I do that?"
"A man with no courage to fight alone has come all this way."
"Heh heh heh, trying to provoke me, I see. It's useless. What are you all doing?! Slaughter them!"
"Waaaaaah!"
At the Black Martial Gang leader's cry, his men began to run across the river.
It was possible because the upper stream was blocked by a dam, keeping the water level only up to their knees.
Just as the Black Martial Gang's men reached the middle.
*Rumble. Whoooosh!*
With the sound of something exploding, the river's water level rose sharply.
"Wh-what is it?!"
The startled Black Martial Gang leader rushed forward.
"Hehehe. That's a refreshing flow."
It was because I had finished my deal with the bald man and destroyed a nearby dam.
It was a dam built as a source of drinking water for emergencies, so if I got caught, I'd surely be sentenced to ten years in the underground prison. But if I don't get caught, I'm golden.
'As long as I don't get caught. Anything is fine if I'm not caught.'
After destroying the dam, I immediately ran downstream and saw the bewildered executives of the Black Martial Gang.
I splashed river water on my face to make it look like sweat and ran toward them.
"Leader! S-sir, we have a problem! The dam upstream has collapsed."
"Damn it! Why now of all times!"
"This is no time for this. You must escape before they cross over!"
Then, an executive next to him stepped forward.
"How can we leave our men behind?! Leader, the upstream dam was built for drinking water, so it's not very high. In a little while, our men will be able to get out. We can settle the score then!"
I was inwardly startled by the sharp analysis, unexpected from a third-rate dark faction member.
He wasn't wrong about a single thing.
'Damn it. Is there no other way?'
I prepared for the surprise attack I had planned from the beginning.
'Aside from the Black Martial Gang leader, the rest don't seem like much…'
As I was sizing them up.
"We're retreating for now!"
An unexpected voice was heard.
The frightened Black Martial Gang leader had decided to retreat.
"Leader! We can't! If we retreat now, the Two Immortals Gang will plunder all our territory!"
"What good is any of that if we're dead! We'll save ourselves first, regroup with our men, and plan for another day!"
"Leader!"
The executives tried to dissuade the Black Martial Gang leader, but he seemed to have already made up his mind.
"If you're so worried, you guys take care of the men. I'm getting out of here for now."
"…Understood."
In the end, the executives lowered their heads, and the Black Martial Gang leader immediately started to flee.
I quickly spoke to the executives.
"Then I'll go find some long sticks or something to help pull our men out."
"Do that."
Quietly turning away, I headed in the direction the Black Martial Gang leader had fled.
Chasing him using my lightness technique, I soon caught sight of his back.
'He's built like a bear, but he's fast.'
"Leader!"
"What is it?!"
The running Black Martial Gang leader looked back.
"I have an urgent message… *pant, pant*."
"There's no time, so spit it out!"
"Your… Your…"
"My what?"
"Your mother. I was told to ask if she's well."
*Craaack! Twitch.*
Along with a murim-style parental diss, a front kick filled with internal energy struck his core.
With the sound of walnuts cracking, he rolled his eyes back and collapsed.
"Phew, that was tiring."
I grabbed the fallen man by the scruff of his neck and returned to the battlefield.
***
The battle between the Two Immortals Gang and the Black Martial Gang ended anticlimactically.
Just as the Black Martial Gang members, who had been swept away by the water, were crawling onto shore one by one and reforming their ranks…
Their half-emasculated leader, now a prisoner, urged them to surrender.
In the end, the Two Immortals Gang managed to take control of the Black Serpent Road without a single casualty.
This was the full story of a great victory that would later be called the Great Battle of Gireung.
As I was watching the men of the Two Immortals Gang force the Black Martial Gang members to their knees, the bald man approached me.
"You've worked hard. And I'm not bald, my name is Yong Ma-san. I just shaved my head because it gets in the way of training."
The man, with a name reminiscent of a neighborhood hill, offered a cliché excuse.
Normally, I would have teased him relentlessly, but today, I was the one asking for a favor.
I silently nodded and patted Yong Ma-san on the shoulder.
"It's okay. Balding isn't shameful, it's a medical condition."
"…I told you, it's not that."
"It's fine. I'll teach you a secret method later, so don't lose hope."
I'm pretty sure I heard that seaweed and black beans are especially effective for hair loss.
"…What is it you wish to ask?"
The man, who had found hope, got straight to the point with a stiff expression. He was clearly moved.
"Hmm… a security service?"
A short while later.
After adding a state-of-the-art security system to our new home, I returned to find it was already past midnight.
I was about to go straight to bed, but…
*Clank.*
The door to the building where Myo Hyang stayed opened, and her angry voice rang out.
"Where have you been all day?! Do you have any idea how much work there was to do?!"
"No, it's not that…"
"And why are your clothes so dirty! It's so hard to do laundry without a well!"
"Th-this is…"
"I swear, I can't deal with you!"
A fear greater than any battlefield of clashing swords and spears washed over me.
***
A few days later.
My vacation ended, and daily life began anew.
"Ugh! I'm going to die."
For someone who came from modern society, a seven-day work week was an utterly vicious condition.
'Right, I need to get out of here as soon as possible.'
With firm resolve, I stepped out into the yard to wash my face and saw Myo Hyang wearing an apron.
"Sister, good morning."
"Yes, good morning. I'll set the table, so go wash up and come back."
'Ahhh. This is nice.'
How long had it been since someone made me breakfast?
With a fluttering heart, I sat at the table and was just about to take my first bite when…
*Clunk. Creeak.*
The main gate opened, and a man with a bright halo above his head entered.
It was the CEO of the security company that had been guarding our house for a while now, Yong Ma-san.
"I trust you had a peaceful night, my lady."
"Oh my, Sir Yong, you're here again today. If you haven't eaten, please join us."
"Ahem, this isn't why I came…"
"It's no trouble, just one more pair of chopsticks. Please, have a seat."
Myo Hyang went to get a bowl of rice and soup. Yong Ma-san slyly sat down in front of me.
"…What are you doing?"
"What do you mean? I came to report on last night's security patrol of your residence."
"I don't remember asking you to do that."
"Hmph, it's one thing if I hadn't started, but it's my family's motto to do my best at any job I take on."
"So you come to my house every morning to freeload off my rice?"
"I am merely not refusing Lady Myo Hyang's kindness."
"Hah, this bastard. If you're going to lie, at least make it believable. Do you take me for a chump?"
"I-I'm not sure what you're talking about…"
Yong Ma-san avoided my gaze with a visibly tense expression.
*Bang!*
I slammed the table to draw his attention.
I hadn't intended to get this angry, but his shamelessness had gone far beyond the line I had drawn.
"You think I don't know you're here for a free meal?! If you want to eat at my house, you pay for your food!"
Yong Ma-san looked stunned, as if I had hit a nerve.
Today would be the last of Yong Ma-san's free breakfasts.
***
Fifteen days passed, and it was time for the work assignment lottery again.
Normally, I would have handed out cheap gifts like cotton cloths or dried fish, but today was different.
'The path of the hegemon has no need for petty tricks.'
I had been promised four months of gate duty as a reward for leading the Hall Master meeting in place of the Vice Hall Master.
'Still, I should do what needs to be done.'
I arrived at the Outer Hall first and waited at the gate for about two hours.
I could see people approaching from a distance.
"Ahem! Hem!"
I had eaten a raw egg this morning.
All preparations were complete.
"Squad Leader Lee, did you have a peaceful night?"
"Oh, is that you?"
"Yes, it's me, Jin Mujeon! I couldn't sleep a wink last night thinking of the kindness you showed me, so I came out here to see you, sir."
"Then I'll see you later."
A different reaction than usual.
Considering the favor I had accumulated, I thought our relationship was solid enough for an unsecured long-term loan, but his response was as cold as ice.
And that wasn't all.
"Squad Leader Seven! A most humble greeting. Nine! Dragons!"
"Squad Leader Nine! You're looking even more luscious today."
"Squad Leader Fifteen, you grow more beautiful by the day."
The reaction from almost every squad leader was abysmal.
'What's going on?'
Something was very wrong.
As I entered the meeting room, the Hall Master, Bukgung Baek, and the Vice Hall Master entered shortly after.
"Is everyone here?"
"""We greet the Hall Master."""
"There's no time, so let's dispense with the formalities."
As Bukgung Baek waved his hand dismissively, the Vice Hall Master stepped forward.
"I'm sure you're all aware that the collapse of the drinking water dam on the Gireung River has recently cast doubt on the Outer Hall's security capabilities, correct?"
I had no idea.
So that's why the atmosphere was so tense?
"Therefore, the Outer Hall has decided to take on a mission on its own. A Human-rank mission or higher."
"...!"
Everyone in the meeting room stared with wide eyes.
I was no different.
What was a Human-rank mission?
Wasn't it a hell-difficulty quest ranked third among the Heaven, Earth, Human, A, B, C, D difficulties?
Excluding the Heaven-rank missions for supreme masters and Earth-rank missions that required entire units, it was effectively the highest difficulty mission a small group could undertake.
"Of course, you don't have to do it. Instead, a bloodbath will sweep through the Outer Hall."
"What kind of bloodbath, specifically?"
Squad Leader Lee, who had been acting as the eldest of the squad leaders in place of Squad Leader One—recently imprisoned on bribery charges—asked.
"Isn't it obvious? Accounting and audits. If there's even a speck of dust on you, you're off to the underground prison. If not, you'll be fine."
The squad leaders fell silent at the Vice Hall Master's bombshell declaration.
They had no choice.
Taking bribes was a daily routine in the Outer Hall.
I didn't know for sure, but if you shook them, it wouldn't be dust that fell, but mud.
And amidst all this, I was feeling immense pressure.
'All this is happening just because I destroyed one little dam?'
The Jin Mujeon butterfly effect.
But I didn't say a word. No, I couldn't.
If it was revealed that I was the one who destroyed the dam, every squad leader under the Vice Hall Master would surely chop me into pieces and scatter me in the Gireung River.
"We will first call for volunteers. Those who wish to volunteer, raise your hand."
"..."
Of course, there were none.
No matter how much higher the level of the Nine Dragons Fortress's Outer Hall was compared to other factions, the difference wasn't that huge.
The squad leaders were at best at the entry-level of the first-rate or the peak of the second-rate, and the squad members were, needless to say, second-rate.
For them to take on a Human-rank mission was no different from suicide.
"It can't be helped. We have no choice but to assign it to someone the Hall Master has designated."
Everyone was startled by the Vice Hall Master's words.
They had expected a lottery at most, but a direct designation?
This was nothing short of a death sentence.
And the name that came from the Vice Hall Master's lips was…
"Squad Leader Jin will have to make a sacrifice… no, work hard for the sake of the organization."
Me.