Into the Heart of Summer (4)
Through Gong Suchan, I received what would be my last job of the summer.
It was to guard the head of Dongpyeong Trading Company for a day during an important contract signing. The pay was two thousand nyang—a hefty sum for just a day’s work.
Clearly, someone had their sights set on him.
Well, that’s why they pay us, isn’t it? To handle the danger.
I accepted the job.
Before I left, my father offered a word of caution.
“Don’t let past successes make you overconfident. Accidents happen when you get complacent.”
“Yes, Father. I’ll remember.”
My father is a man of unwavering principles, and I admire that about him.
My mother, on the other hand, was as carefree as ever.
“Bring back lots of money, son!”
I knew she was worried, but she hid it behind her nonchalant demeanor, which made me feel a bit sorry for her.
“Yes, Mother. I’ll bring you a gift when I return.”
“Make it an expensive one.”
“Haha, sure.”
When I arrived at Dongpyeong Trading Company with my team, the atmosphere was tense.
Swordsmen and guards from the Baek family were stationed around, armed with weapons and clubs, protecting the premises.
Our arrival seemed to bring a sigh of relief to everyone.
Baek Yeo, the head of Dongpyeong, rushed out to greet us as if we were heavenly saviors.
“Thank goodness you’re here.”
“Why all the security?”
He handed me a threatening letter. It was a chilling message, promising to kill his entire family if the contract wasn’t canceled.
“Who sent this?”
“Someone’s trying to push me out and take over the contract.”
“Could it just be a scare tactic to make you back down?”
Baek Yeo shook his head.
“Their cousin is the head of Seojong Trading.”
“Seojong Trading?”
“They’re a notorious black market group in the area, named after their leader, Seo Ryang.”
The black market group wasn’t a martial arts sect but a gang of thugs who made their living by extorting money from brothels and taverns.
“With us here, you don’t need to worry about the likes of them.”
“Don’t underestimate them. They’re ruthless and numerous. Some of them are even trained in martial arts.”
“Understood. Let’s get ready to move.”
“I’m counting on you.”
After leaving the room, I called for Gwan Hwi.
“It looks like we’ll be dealing with the black market thugs. They might come in droves, so be prepared.”
“Understood.”
The contract signing was to take place about two hours away by carriage from Baek Yeo’s house.
The swordsmen of Dongpyeong stayed behind to guard the house, while our team escorted the carriage.
We expected trouble.
I stayed alert, knowing that an attack from afar could result in casualties.
Recent missions had been eye-opening experiences, things I never imagined when I was the leader. I’d heard of black market interference in big contracts, but experiencing it firsthand was new.
Baek Yeo spoke to me through the carriage window.
“I heard you took down the Beast Squad.”
“That’s right.”
“Impressive. They were a notorious band of thieves.”
“So you don’t need to worry. The man sitting next to you took down four of them himself.”
“Oh! Really?”
The man beside Baek Yeo was Gwangdu.
“Don’t worry. We’ll protect you.”
Gwangdu tried to sound confident.
“Having a master by my side is reassuring.”
Gwangdu flinched. He wasn’t in the carriage by choice; he was still getting used to riding horses. He’d insisted on riding to impress Dosun, but it was a relief he didn’t fall off. Dosun hadn’t yet tied a tassel to her sword.
As we crossed the open plains, the ambushers revealed themselves.
When the first thirty appeared, no one was surprised.
But they kept coming. Ten, twenty, thirty more. From all directions.
They were armed with all sorts of weapons. Their numbers swelled to over a hundred, then two hundred, and finally three hundred.
We were surrounded by a sea of black market thugs. The sight of three hundred men brandishing swords and spears was overwhelming.
Baek Yeo, peering out the carriage window, was horrified.
“Oh no! We’re doomed!”
“Don’t worry.”
Gwangdu’s voice trembled, only heightening the fear.
Following Gwan Hwi’s orders, our team formed a circle around the carriage. Despite their experience, the sheer number of enemies was daunting.
No single group could have so many members. They must have gathered every thug they could find upon hearing we were coming.
Still, Baek Yeo had a conscience.
“I can call off the deal. There’s no need for you to die over this.”
He leaned out the window and shouted.
“I’ll cancel the contract and leave. Let us go.”
The crowd parted, and a man who seemed to be the leader stepped forward. Judging by the black market thugs, he was likely Seo Ryang of Seojong Trading.
“Why were you so stubborn if you’re so wise?”
“I was foolish. Please, let us go.”
“It’s not that simple.”
Seo Ryang advanced, and the thugs closed in.
As they approached, our team tensed. In a one-on-one fight, they were no match for us, but their numbers were overwhelming.
Many wielded long spears. If they charged and thrust wildly, even martial arts wouldn’t save us.
Seo Ryang stopped a few paces away and spoke with authority.
“How can we trust you? You could reschedule the deal for tonight. These gentlemen are busy and can’t gather again.”
“No, I’ll give up cleanly. I’ll even sign a waiver.”
“What good is a piece of paper?”
“Then what do you want?”
“How about leaving a hand behind?”
“What?”
Baek Yeo turned pale.
Seo Ryang laughed heartily.
“Haha, just kidding. You’re more timid than you look.”
Then he dropped the humor and threatened coldly.
“But if we have to come out again, it won’t end with just a hand. Now, go on. Let them through.”
He didn’t forget to address us.
“Don’t get cocky just because you’re martial artists. You’ll end up dismembered. Get lost! I’m sparing your lives.”
Laughter erupted from the black market thugs.
The ones behind us opened a path.
Baek Yeo looked at me.
“Let’s go back.”
When I didn’t respond, he grew anxious.
“Come on, if they change their minds, we’ll all die. Hurry!”
I finally spoke.
“If you’re so afraid of them, why didn’t you hire them in the first place?”
“What do you mean?”
“If you hired us, you should trust us.”
“What?”
I turned to Seo Ryang and spoke coldly.
“Do you think we’re the kind of people who come and go at your command, you pathetic thugs?”
You wonder how a former leader can speak like this? Considering the curses I’ve heard from the worst of the demonic cults and evil sects, I could make them shudder with just a fraction of it.
Seo Ryang looked at his subordinate.
“What did that brat just say?”
“He seems to be saying he wants to fight us.”
“Is he blind or something?”
Laughter erupted around us.
“If he wants to die, we should oblige.”
Seo Ryang drew his sword, and the black market thugs raised their weapons in unison. He had complete faith in his three hundred men.
I ordered Gwan Hwi.
“Use the carriage as a wall and form a semicircle to protect Baek Yeo.”
“Yes.”
“Watch closely. I’ll show you how to deal with scum like them. I’ll show you how martial artists differ from trash.”
With a clear ring, I drew my sword and walked forward slowly.
My calm demeanor made the black market thugs uneasy.
How do you handle a fight like this? It’s simple.
I charged at Seo Ryang. In a battle of many against many, you always take out the leader first.
The men rushed forward to intercept me.
My sword sliced through the air.
Swish! Slash!
The first man to block my path lost his head.
My sword cut diagonally again.
The next man’s torso was cleaved in the same direction. Seeing heads and bodies fall, the surrounding thugs were terrified.
Spears flew at me from all sides.
I dodged and weaved, avoiding the spears.
My movements were precise. Dodge and slash, dodge and slash. One man per strike.
In an instant, a dozen bodies lay on the ground.
The chaos and confusion were on their side, not ours.
I struck only what needed to be struck, avoiding unnecessary targets. In fact, there was more precision in dealing with a crowd than with a single opponent.
With each swing of my sword, someone inevitably fell.
Another ten dropped, bringing the total to twenty.
Seoryang, flustered, shouted in panic.
“Stop him! Kill that bastard!”
His frantic voice only served to demoralize his men further.
The command he should have given was this:
“Kill Baekyeo!”
That would have forced me to divide my attention. Not that it would have changed the outcome, but still.
Seoryang was not a tactician. He was half out of his mind with panic.
They rushed at me from all sides, but it was they who fell.
No matter their numbers, they were just thugs from the Black Society. Even the better ones were only on par with our sword unit’s skills.
I had no intention of killing them all.
I leaped powerfully, using the back of a fallen foe as a springboard, and landed past dozens of them.
Seoryang was just ten paces ahead. As I closed in, he screamed in desperation.
“Stop him! Stop him!”
Only about ten stood in my way. If the ones before couldn’t stop me, what chance did these have?
Swish!
Slash!
My sword sprayed blood through the air. Five of them fell, and the remaining five stumbled back.
“Stop him, damn it! Stop him!”
But no one dared to step forward. Their faces were masks of terror.
I wasn’t even out of breath.
Seoryang retreated, stammering.
“I’ll just leave now, so…”
I lunged at him. To subdue the rest, he couldn’t be left alive.
He drew his sword and swung wildly at me. It might have worked on his subordinates, but not on me.
Swish.
Slice.
As I passed him, Seoryang froze. A red line appeared on his neck.
Thud.
His head rolled to the ground.
Splat!
Seoryang’s decapitated body spurted blood and collapsed. Everyone froze, staring at his rolling head.
Slash.
I flicked the blood off my sword and spoke quietly.
“Drop your weapons and kneel.”
Though my voice was low, it carried to everyone, thanks to my inner strength.
They looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
I strode toward the nearest one.
“Please! Spare me!”
He threw down his weapon and knelt.
That was the beginning. One by one, they all discarded their weapons and knelt.
“Spare us!”
“Please, spare us!”
Three hundred rabbits can’t catch a tiger. Especially when these are back-alley thugs who value their lives over loyalty.
I shouted to my sword unit.
“From now on, anyone who opens their eyes or raises their head, cut them down!”
“Yes!”
The sword unit responded with vigor.
The Black Society members closed their eyes and bowed their heads. Nearly three hundred knelt in unison, creating a striking scene.
I walked over to my sword unit and said,
“This is what it means to be a warrior. We are called warriors because we are like this. Understand?”
“Yes!”
Their faces were filled with pride and a desire to grow stronger. Especially Gwangdu and Gwanhui, who looked as if they were dreaming.
Yes, this was the image I wanted. I hoped they would be inspired. Even if three thousand gathered, they should never fear or turn their backs on the likes of the Black Society.
One day, each member of the sword unit will wield such authority.
I genuinely look forward to that day.
Baekyeo stood wide-eyed, mouth agape, unable to speak.
I smiled and said,
“Let’s go seal the deal.”
The man who died was Seoryang of the Seojong faction. Those who died protecting him were his lieutenants and leaders. The Seojong faction was effectively destroyed.
The remaining thugs were released after a stern warning. If they were caught in such misdeeds again, I promised to hunt them down.
Most would likely return to their shady dealings, but they wouldn’t dare step outside for a while.
The contract was completed without a hitch that day.
Baekyeo handed me the payment.
“I’ve added a little extra.”
“I won’t refuse.”
It wasn’t money he couldn’t afford, so I accepted it without hesitation. Inside the envelope were five thousand-nyang notes, three thousand more than agreed.
“Thank you. We’ll be on our way.”
“If anything like this happens again, I’ll definitely call on you.”
“Do that.”
But next time, it won’t be for the same price.
Our value will have increased tenfold by then.