When Darkness Falls (2)
The shadowy figure scrutinized me closely, then expressed admiration.
“I knew of your reputation, but seeing you in person is truly astonishing. To think we were so troubled by someone so young.”
“It’s not my ability alone; I’ve had a lot of help.”
“That, too, is a skill.”
The Dark Master was courteous, and I responded in kind.
“Please, come inside.”
“Thank you.”
Though it seemed like a routine gesture of hospitality, I was on high alert. I never let my guard down. Being skilled in martial arts is one thing; winning a fight is another.
The fact that he came here, knowing my martial prowess far exceeded his, was more dangerous than if he’d brought hundreds of skilled fighters.
I could sense that Baekpyo was also on edge. The martial skills of the Black Sword who accompanied the Dark Master were formidable, enough to make anyone tense.
Cheonma spoke.
[So, that guy is the ruler of the underworld? He looks ordinary.]
[There’s always something extraordinary hidden in the ordinary. You know that better than anyone. Those types are the scariest.]
[Whatever. Just ask him how much he’s worth. I’m curious if he’s richer than you.]
[That would be too undignified, wouldn’t it?]
[He might be dying to brag about his wealth.]
[Laughs.]
Once inside, we gathered around a round table in the guest room.
“Care for a drink?” I offered.
The Dark Master readily accepted.
“Sure, but I can’t handle strong liquor. Something mild, please.”
Baekpyo went out to fetch the drinks.
I poured a drink for the Dark Master.
“This is all we have. I hope it suits your taste.”
“It’s too strong for me.”
The Dark Master barely touched the drink to his lips before setting it down.
He wasn’t the type to recklessly drink what an enemy offered. Instead of outright refusing, which might imply distrust, he declined gracefully.
“By the way, where is he? Is he still alive?”
“Yes, he’s alive.”
“Good, then this trip wasn’t in vain.”
The Dark Master neither showed great joy nor feigned disinterest. His reaction was measured, his emotions well-controlled.
“Can I see him?”
“Of course.”
Baekpyo brought in the Dark Figure. He was emaciated and haggard from extensive torture.
“Master!”
He was too shocked to speak, standing there in a daze.
“How have you been?”
Only then did the Dark Figure realize this wasn’t a dream.
“You came to rescue me?”
The Dark Master smiled.
“Shouldn’t we go see some pretty faces together?”
The shock quickly turned to emotion.
The Dark Figure collapsed to the floor, and the Dark Master helped him to a seat.
“You look terrible.”
The Dark Master sighed, and the Dark Figure shot me a resentful look.
“This guy is insane.”
I gave him a madman’s grin. The Dark Figure scowled at my reaction.
“Did you bring a club to beat this lunatic?”
The Dark Master raised his hands.
“As you can see, I came empty-handed.”
“What are you going to do? We’re all doomed now.”
The Dark Figure sighed.
But I could tell. His demeanor had completely changed since entering the room.
He was certain the Dark Master would save him. He wouldn’t have come otherwise.
What card was he hiding?
“How much did you lose?”
“Everything.”
The Dark Figure admitted honestly. Just moments ago, he had resisted torture, claiming he still had plenty of wealth.
He figured if the Dark Master couldn’t save him, it was all over anyway.
“How much?”
”…Nine hundred million nyang.”
“You said your entire fortune was six hundred million.”
“Didn’t you teach me? Just as martial artists hide their skills, we must hide our wealth.”
“You remembered well.”
“Can you get my money back?”
“It won’t be easy, but I’ll try.”
“Please, I beg you. I’ll give you thirty percent of whatever you recover.”
The Dark Master nodded. It seemed an odd conversation for the moment, but for these merchants, life might have been one big transaction.
The Dark Figure looked at me and muttered.
“Hmph! Now that the Master is here, you’re finished.”
It was like a child boasting to a peer when their big brother arrives.
I poured cold water on his expectations.
“I’m going to take all your Master’s money too. Who will get it back for you then?”
“Hmph!”
The Dark Figure scoffed, but couldn’t hide the anxiety creeping onto his face.
Meanwhile, Baekpyo and the Black Sword were drinking, each aware of the other’s presence. Their skills were nearly identical. Both had come as escorts, sharing similar temperaments.
They probably wanted to test each other. Especially Baekpyo, who had recently advanced in martial arts, must have been itching for a fight.
But now wasn’t the time. There were more pressing matters.
“Let’s set aside the joy of reunion for now. We need to discuss business quietly.”
At my words, Baekpyo led the Dark Figure out, with the Black Sword following.
Once we were alone, the Dark Master spoke candidly.
“It took a lot of courage to come here.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised. I didn’t expect you to come so unprepared. I’m still suspicious. Maybe you’re an imposter.”
“I wish I were an imposter. Then I wouldn’t be in this terrifying place.”
I chuckled. He wasn’t an imposter. He had an aura that only the genuine article could possess.
“I could torture you and take your wealth. In fact, I plan to.”
“You won’t. You can’t.”
“Why are you so sure? I already tortured that man. Why not you?”
“I know you’re a man without limits.”
“And?”
“I’m also a man without limits.”
With those cryptic words, his demeanor changed. The softness and ease vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating air.
The Dark Figure had once shown his true face. It was the same face.
I realized this was their true nature. Not all wealthy people in the martial world had such faces.
But at least the leaders of this underworld did. It wasn’t by chance that ten such people gathered; only those with such faces survived. In this world, only the cold and ruthless could endure.
“In truth, I have many strong people on my side. People willing to die for me.”
“For you? Or for your money?”
“What’s the difference?”
His gaze was unwavering.
“Why didn’t you bring them?”
After a pause, he replied.
“It would be a waste to have them all die here. Each one is worth a fortune.”
“You’re honest.”
“When it comes to money, yes.”
“Still, you seem to overestimate me.”
“No. Seeing you in person, I think I assessed you correctly. In fact, I’m worried I might have underestimated you.”
Our eyes locked in the air.
Our battle of wills had already begun.
This was a fight I had to win.
“It would have been great to bring someone stronger than you to crush you and rescue that man. But honestly, there’s no one that strong. So I found another way.”
The Dark Master’s gaze turned icy. He mentioned a place I hadn’t expected.
“I sent my subordinates to Shandong. Your hometown, right? I know your family and the Song family have left.”
Why mention Shandong? A strange tension filled the air.
“If anything happens to me, they’ll kill everyone in Shandong. Each one will kill a thousand people. I told them to kill indiscriminately. Whether they know martial arts or not. If I die, at least tens of thousands will die. Whether by poison, explosives, or stabbing from behind. I told them to use any means necessary. Among them, there might be people indirectly related to you. Friends of your parents, familiar faces. They’ll all die.”
My blood ran cold. I never imagined he’d resort to such a tactic.
But I showed no sign of anger.
I had to counter this unexpected move.
Seeing my calmness, he looked surprised.
“You’re not shocked.”
“If I were the type to be shaken by others’ deaths, I wouldn’t be standing before you.”
“Others?”
“Of course, others. Do you think they’re family? I believe great deeds require great sacrifices.”
“So it doesn’t matter if they all die?”
Just as he had answered about money and loyalty, I replied without a hint of hesitation.
“Should it matter?”
For the first time, his eyes wavered. I sensed his unease.
“So, you’ll kill me?”
“No. I won’t kill you.”
Whoosh, whoosh.
I swiftly struck, sealing his energy points and pressure points, preventing him from taking his own life.
“Just like I did with that man earlier, I’ll suppress your energy and pressure points so you can’t commit suicide. Then I’ll torture you to call back your subordinates from Shandong.”
The Dark Master glared at me with steely determination.
“Do you think that’s possible?”
“You can’t possibly know. It all depends on how well you endure the torture. When your fingernails and toenails are pulled out and needles are driven into the empty spaces, it’s a matter of whether you can withstand it.”
The shadowy figure swallowed hard.
“It doesn’t matter if you hold out to the end.”
“It doesn’t matter?”
“As I said before, how can you fight someone like you without getting blood on your hands? If the sacrifice of the Shandong people can bring you down, then it’s worth it.”
“Don’t bluff! You’re not capable of that!”
“Why do you think that? It’s not me doing the killing, it’s you. Why should I feel any pangs of conscience?”
His unexpected response made my facial muscles twitch.
In this battle of wills, losing means being dragged along by the opponent. I must win.
The reason I can hold out like this is because he doesn’t know who I am. He doesn’t know what kind of person I am. Torturing the dark figure to extract money has given me a significant advantage.
“Aside from the Shandong affair, I’m going to take all your assets. Oh, you might be confident that you’ll never reveal them, but it won’t be easy. You might think you can overcome torture with sheer willpower, but that’s only for a day or two. When the torture stretches to a month, two months, or even a year, everyone breaks.”
My offensive didn’t stop.
“Even after I’ve taken all your assets, I’ll continue to torture you. Of course, I won’t waste my time on you personally; I’ll hire a professional torturer. I’ll keep you alive with tonics, ensuring you suffer for a lifetime. Even if you beg for death, I won’t grant it. So many people died in Shandong; you should pay for that with a lifetime of pain.”
At least he wasn’t visibly frightened by my threats. But he was clearly unsettled by my unexpected approach.
“If I don’t make it out, I’ll hire assassins to kill your parents for the rest of their lives.”
“Then if I can’t protect them, I’ll have to apologize to them by wiping out the assassin organization involved. My parents would understand.”
“And your fiancée?”
“There are plenty of women in the world.”
“You really are insane.”
“Compared to your plan to kill all the Shandong people? Just wait a moment. Let’s deal with the ones you brought first, then we can talk.”
As I stood up, I was certain.
He wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer.
He needs to believe that I’ll be tormented by the deaths of all those Shandong people. Only then can he hope to endure.
But if not? If my ruthless actions aren’t just bluster but genuine?
As long as that doubt lingers, he won’t risk his life on a gamble.
He’s a villain.
No matter how you dress it up as a figure in the underworld, at his core, he’s a parasite who amassed wealth through dishonest means. He’s not the type to sacrifice himself. He has too much money to risk it on uncertainty.
Just as I was about to open the door, the shadowy figure shouted.
“Wait!”
I turned back, and he sighed.
“Let’s forget about the Shandong affair. I’ll give the order.”
“Why not go through with it? You’re going to live in agony for the rest of your life anyway. Wouldn’t it be unfair to suffer alone? Kill them all!”
He glared at me, then played his second card.
“You can’t hold me.”
“And why is that?”
“If you touch me, the Heavenly Army will spread its wings.”
I returned to my seat, intrigued.
“This is getting interesting.”
And so, our second battle of wills began.