Chapter 135
A sudden, snake-like wicked smile crept across Hwa Sa-yu’s face.
“These brats have no manners. How dare they casually utter my name? I told you, being too kind-hearted just invites these little pests to crawl all over you. So arrogant!”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Hwa Sa-yu’s figure vanished.
At once, Gong Dae-gak shouted urgently and lunged forward.
“D-dodge!”
The three from the Gal Sa Sam-gwi scattered hastily in three different directions, desperate to escape. Given that Hwa Sa-yu was positioned directly beneath the current Absolute Lords, they knew they stood no chance against him.
But it was useless.
Before they could react, Hwa Sa-yu appeared behind Yi-gwi Gong E-gol and lightly traced his claws through the air.
Gong E-gol’s back split open in five deep gashes.
A terrifying, invisible set of claws seemed to extend about ten feet long.
A single strike—instant death.
And that wasn’t all.
The neck of Gong Sam-nan, who had just thrown something moments before, was already severed by the spinning fan Hwa Sa-yu held.
The fan whirled fiercely through the air, returning to Hwa Sa-yu’s hand with a sharp whine.
Gong Dae-gak, the eldest of the Gal Sa Sam-gwi, went wild with rage.
His two younger brothers—peak masters with over eighty years of internal energy cultivation—had both lost their lives in an instant.
Fueled by fury, Gong Dae-gak stopped running and charged straight at Hwa Sa-yu.
“Yah!”
He unleashed the fierce, lion-like spirit that had earned them the name Gal Sa Sam-gwi.
But Hwa Sa-yu merely smirked and pointed a finger at him.
Poke!
Gong Dae-gak couldn’t even scream.
Before he realized it, something invisible pierced through his head.
An unseen force struck him mid-air, and he crashed to the ground like a lifeless doll.
Thud! Thump! Crash!
Instant death.
As the Gal Sa Sam-gwi—renowned since the last Jeonghyeol Tournament—were wiped out in a flash, Gu Yu-sang, watching from behind, smiled faintly and said to Hwa Sa-yu,
“As expected, Uncle Hwa’s Museok Technique never fails to amaze. Well done.”
Hwa Sa-yu shook his head with a playful grin.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just a little something. By the way, Yu-sang, do you think this uncle can head up now? That pretty thing just won’t leave my mind.”
“Of course. Please go ahead. Sorry for stealing your fun, uncle.”
“Alright, alright.”
With that, Hwa Sa-yu’s figure disappeared—likely off to embrace the woman he had in mind.
Only after he was gone did Gu Yu-sang shake his head in exasperation and order his subordinates,
“Hurry up and clean this mess. Then we return to the Yun family.”
“Yes, sir!”
At his command, the others resumed their slaughter.
Screams filled the air once more.
Watching the scene, Gu Yu-sang suddenly asked Chuk Ho-tak of the Yeomra Blood Victory,
“Next stop is the Sunwoo family, right?”
Chuk Ho-tak bowed respectfully and replied,
“Yes, sir.”
A smile crept onto Gu Yu-sang’s lips as if struck by an idea.
“Hmm, this time I really must win that adorable young master’s heart. I shouldn’t have insulted Uncle Hwa. Maybe I should learn some tricks for winning a woman’s heart.”
The smile of the Fourth Prince of Sicheon, the so-called White Jade Dragon, was beautiful indeed.
But it looked less like the smile of a man thinking of a beloved woman and more like that of a gourmand anticipating a delicious meal.
Three days later, I finally arrived in Guiyang, Guizhou Province, where the Sunwoo family resided.
It had been nearly eight months.
Though I had no idea what had transpired in the shadows, Guiyang was still bustling in broad daylight.
The streets were packed with people, and the many restaurants the Sunwoo family had frequented during their “pig days” were still thriving.
Seeing those familiar signs after so long made my mouth water.
“Those were tough times, but I still miss the taste of that food.”
I smiled wryly and quickened my pace.
But I wasn’t heading west, where the Sunwoo family’s estate was located—I was going south.
Suddenly, a discreet message came through from Jeok Ma-hyeok, who was shadowing me.
I smiled faintly.
Though this was his first time in Guiyang, he already seemed to have a good grasp of the geography.
He must have been too busy to study it earlier, but his skill was impressive.
I felt a satisfied smile spread across my face at the competence of my first subordinate.
Jeok Ma-hyeok didn’t ask any more questions and simply replied with understanding.
He only asked what was absolutely necessary about the upcoming schedule.
I took this as his way of showing loyalty—willing to follow orders no matter what.
That was a good attitude for a faithful subordinate.
But it wasn’t what I wanted.
Ultimately, I hoped my subordinates would stand tall as warriors in the light, not just as my obedient tools.
I wanted them to have their own will, to question, to judge, and to offer their opinions—not just follow silently.
So I began explaining carefully to Jeok Ma-hyeok and Gyeon Joong, who was following silently, about our plans.
Shortly after, I arrived at Guiyang Jeilru, a splendid three-story tavern.
It offered a wide variety of drinks and deep flavors, a favorite even during the Sunwoo family’s pig days.
‘So this was the Hao Gate branch all along. I must have had eyes but never really seen it.’
Now, I could see it clearly.
A burly waiter at the door beamed and called out, “Welcome, welcome!”—he was a first-rate mid-level warrior.
And everywhere inside the tavern, warriors lay in ambush, watching the surroundings.
I smiled faintly and opened my senses to the fullest, slowly strolling around the tavern’s perimeter.
When I found a blind spot in their surveillance, I slipped silently into the shadows.
Ssssh!
No one noticed.
Most guests believed Guiyang Jeilru was a three-story building.
The higher the floor, the more expensive and luxurious the service, with the top floor being the third.
But in truth, Guiyang Jeilru was originally four stories.
It was cleverly built so that from the outside, the third floor appeared taller, hiding the fourth floor.
On that hidden fourth floor was the office of No Sam-ryong, the tavern’s manager and head of the Hao Gate’s Guiyang branch.
“Hmm, so in the end…”
No Sam-ryong sat in his office, sipping tea with a serious expression as he reviewed documents.
Though he usually wore a carefree smile and was even called “So So Guest” for his lightheartedness, when alone in his office, he could be quite serious.
Then, unexpectedly, a voice echoed in the supposedly empty room.
“You seem troubled.”
A chill ran down No Sam-ryong’s spine.
Someone had entered without his knowledge.
If it were an assassin, he might as well have been dead.
He was stunned and afraid.
But as the branch chief of Hao Gate, a man who had seen it all, he quickly suppressed the urge to look up and see who it was, and instead calmly began to think.
‘Is it someone from the Blood Sect? An assassin? But they wouldn’t have a reason yet. And the voice is young—a young man, polite in tone. Not a Blood Sect member. Besides, if it were an assassin, why speak to me?’
Having reached that conclusion, No Sam-ryong lifted his head with his usual grin.
“Oh dear, I must have been out of my mind! So absorbed in these papers that I didn’t notice a guest arriving. Lately, my mind’s been slipping. I suppose this is what they mean by old age.”
As he spoke, he finally saw the handsome young man sitting across from him.
A cold sweat broke out—he hadn’t even realized the man was there.
The young man’s sharp features were striking.
And despite his good looks, the fact that No Sam-ryong didn’t recognize him was even more surprising.
But No Sam-ryong showed no sign of it.
“Well then, since we have a guest, I should serve some tea. Where are those fools? Hey! Can’t you bring some tea already?!”
He rose as if to fetch tea himself, the scene perfectly natural.
But the young man, Sunwoo Jin, smiled faintly and said,
“It’s probably no use, even if you do.”
No Sam-ryong froze mid-motion.
At that moment, two men entered through the door.
They weren’t No Sam-ryong’s subordinates but masked figures dressed in black.
Sunwoo Jin continued,
“Everyone who would serve tea is asleep.”
No Sam-ryong’s face tightened with tension as he swallowed hard.
Normally, his men would have been guarding the fourth floor like an iron fortress.
So, the fact that they had come through that gate could only mean one thing: all of his subordinates had already been dealt with.
There was no way left for him to respond.
Sun Woo-jin smiled gently at him and said,
“Please, have a seat, Branch Chief.”
No Sam-ryong slowly lowered himself back into his chair.
He had no other choice.
With tension clearly etched on his face, he finally spoke,
“Who are you people? What do you want?”
Sun Woo-jin answered with a bright smile,
“My name is Sun Woo-jin. And… I’ve come to take over the Hao Men exile branch here.”
Sun Woo-jin’s blunt declaration caused No Sam-ryong’s eyes to widen in shock.
For a moment, No Sam-ryong couldn’t hide his surprise, but then he burst out laughing as if nothing had happened and said to me,
“Hahaha! I don’t know who you claim to be, but you came here without doing your homework. Unless you plan to wipe us out completely, the Hao Men in Gui Province isn’t something a single person can just take over. Besides, those who currently control the Hao Men here in Gui Province are…”
He trailed off with a faint smile.
“I’m well aware that the Hao Men in Gui Province operates differently from other provinces, with a centralized structure. And I know it’s currently occupied by the Blood Sect as well.”
At that, the smile vanished from No Sam-ryong’s face.
“How… how do you know that?”
“And I also know that you, Branch Chief No Sam-ryong, have been reluctantly cooperating with the Blood Sect, both the previous and the current factions.”
Back when I was at the Yibin branch in Sichuan Province, I had paid close attention to this exile branch chief.
Since the Sunwoo family was based here, whether or not I could work with this man would determine the success of our mission.
According to the intel, he was somewhat of a gray character.
When the previous Blood Sect members, who had a soft spot for the poor, orphans, and courtesans, took control, he wasn’t very cooperative. And even now, under the more radical Blood Sect, he only offers half-hearted cooperation.
But he’s not passionate about anyone, nor does he resist—that temperament is what saved his life, according to the Yibin branch chief’s analysis.
Even as the old Hao Men loyalists were wiped out, no one paid him any mind.
At that, he snorted derisively and said,
“Hmph! It’s true I’m reluctantly cooperating with the Blood Sect, but did you really think I’d cooperate with you? Why would I? I only cooperate with them because if I resist, I’m dead. Why would I risk my life to help you?”
I smiled faintly.
The Yibin branch chief’s analysis had included that very point: he’s a coward blinded by self-preservation.
And that was exactly why I had singled him out.
I smiled broadly and replied,
“That makes sense. Life is precious, after all. So I came prepared.”
His expression turned puzzled.
“Prepared? What do you mean?”
I snapped my fingers lightly.
Behind me, the two masked figures—Jeok Ma-hyuk and Gyeon Jung—who had been standing guard, began to move silently, like ghosts.
“W-what?! What’s going on?!”
It didn’t take long for the two to subdue No Sam-ryong, stuff something into his mouth, and return behind me.
Their movements were fluid, almost like watching real phantoms.
Having started learning the Cheonsal technique, their skills had improved beyond comparison.
Unlike me, who had only practiced martial arts as a hobby, their progress was on a whole different level.
I smiled at them in thanks and turned to look at No Sam-ryong, who was now clutching his throat, coughing and gasping.
“Gah! Wh-what did you feed me?!”
I smiled gently and answered,
“A poison.”
His face went pale.
“W-what did you say?”
“It’s a poison used by the Assassins’ Sect. If you don’t take the antidote I provide once a month, it drives your body mad from within, killing the host in terrible agony. I haven’t seen it firsthand, so I can’t say for sure, but that’s what I’ve heard.”
He looked at me with a dazed, hopeless expression and asked,
“W-why are you doing this to me?”
I grinned.
“Because you seem too afraid to move, worried the Blood Sect will take your life. Now things are fair. If you’re caught cooperating with me, the Blood Sect will kill you. If you don’t cooperate, this poison will kill you painfully. Either way, you’re dead—so why not choose the side you prefer? Now, which side do you want to cooperate with?”
His complexion shifted repeatedly in moments—turning pale, then flushed red, over and over. It was fascinating to watch.
After a while, with tears threatening to spill, he said,
“…I don’t even know who you are. How am I supposed to choose?”
I shook my head and replied,
“I told you—I’m Sun Woo-jin.”
His eyes, which had been frowning, slowly widened.
“Could it be… you’re the Third Master Sun Woo, the pig of the Sunwoo family? The one who was dragged off to the front lines?”
“More like I ran there willingly.”
His eyes rolled wildly.
“Then… you must be the same Sun Woo-jin who toppled the Black Market before. I thought it was just a namesake. And the one who fought alongside Hwa Young-bin of the Jeonghyeop faction against the So-myeon Ma-gun?”
“That’s me.”
He finally let out a hollow laugh.
“Wow, unbelievable! You did all that in such a short time? No, wait—the Third Master was always rumored to be a prodigy in his youth. Could it be you were hiding your talents on purpose?”
Honestly, that wasn’t true.
Back then, I was just the pig everyone thought I was.
But I just smiled faintly.
He seemed to interpret my smile as admiration and exclaimed again,
“Wow! To hide yourself for so long! You truly are a hidden dragon!”
…It was embarrassing, but I held my ground.
No Sam-ryong looked at me with tense eyes and asked,
“So, what is it that you want? To take down the Sunwoo family? Or perhaps root out the Blood Sect operatives in Gui Province?”
I met his serious gaze and answered solemnly,
“I believe those two goals are one and the same.”
He sighed deeply.
“Ha… Third Master, the Blood Sect in Gui Province isn’t something you can face alone. And unlike Sichuan, there’s no Cheongseong or Dangmun here.”
“I know that well. That’s why I need a better plan. Your cooperation is crucial to me. And… I never said I’d face them alone. I have a hidden card.”
He looked at me with suspicion.
But I couldn’t reveal all my cards just yet.
I leaned in closer and asked,
“So… what will you do now, Branch Chief No?”
He sighed bleakly, then finally nodded.
“What choice do I have? If I don’t get caught by the Blood Sect, I might survive. But if I don’t cooperate with you, I’m surely dead.”
He was right.
I smiled and extended my hand.
“Then I look forward to working with you.”
He gave a hollow laugh and shook my hand.
The first step in Gui Province had been perfectly set.
Two days later, I finally stood before the main gate of the Sunwoo family estate. Seeing my ancestral home after eight months filled me with overwhelming emotion.
As I stared at the gate, lost in thought, the gate guards approached me with puzzled expressions and asked,
“Do you have business with the Sunwoo family?”
I smiled and replied,
“Jeong and Sang, I am Sun Woo-jin.”
“Huh?”
At first, they frowned, clearly skeptical, but their eyes gradually widened.
Then, finally, they shouted in shock,
“T-the Third Master?!”
“Are you really the Third Master?!”
I smiled brightly and nodded.
“Yes. Is Father well?”