Episode 101: The Return of the Demonic Instructor
“That face… I’ve seen it somewhere before…”
As Seoraehyang squinted at Sabigang, Galcheonseong spoke up.
“Heh heh. I hear he’s a rookie who signed up for the ‘easy’ challenge. Seems like he’s here to revive a failing family. Goes by the name ‘Gadeuksam.’”
A name she’d never heard before.
In truth, she had seen Sabigang’s face before.
He was one of the warriors stationed at a secret branch she had visited.
But remembering the faces of every single warrior was impossible.
Besides, the face Dang Ihyeop had chosen was utterly unremarkable.
A face so common it was forgettable.
So she didn’t dwell on the familiarity.
“Did he come alone?”
“Seems he brought his younger sister. And a hefty sum of a hundred thousand nyang. Heh heh. Kids these days are bold.”
Galcheonseong’s gaze lingered on Seoraehyang’s exposed thigh through her torn dress.
“What are the odds?”
“If you bet on that young man, you’ll get three times your money.”
In other words, most people expected Sabigang to lose.
The only reason any money was on him was because the challenge was deemed ‘easy.’
With a sly grin, Galcheonseong approached Seoraehyang, reaching for her waist.
“How about it? Care to place a bet? I could even rig it for you. Heh heh.”
Rigging the match was a trick the Black Heaven Society often used to shift the odds or rake in profits.
Galcheonseong’s hand slid from Seoraehyang’s waist to her hip.
Seoraehyang shook her head.
“I’m not fond of gambling.”
“Really? That’s a shame. Winning can be quite the thrill.”
In the next instant, his hand squeezed her hip.
A split second.
A hiss.
“Ugh!”
Galcheonseong recoiled, startled by a fierce energy. He tried to pull his hand away.
But for some reason, his hand was stuck to Seoraehyang’s hip, refusing to budge.
Instead, veins bulged on the back of his hand, and his skin turned a sickly shade.
“Argh!”
Galcheonseong grabbed his wrist with his other hand.
A grave mistake.
Now both hands were turning black.
“Poison, poison arts!”
The dark energy quickly spread to his shoulders.
Sweat beaded on Galcheonseong’s forehead.
Finally, when both arms were blackened up to the shoulders, his hand fell away from her hip.
“Ugh!”
Staggering back, Galcheonseong watched as Seoraehyang turned with a bewitching smile.
“You must really love gambling, Master.”
Galcheonseong’s eyes wavered, his expression twisted with anger and fear.
“But gambling is dangerous. As thrilling as winning might be…”
Seoraehyang’s delicate hand caressed his wrinkled cheek.
Then, in a flash, she gripped his throat.
“Gah!”
“Losing can ruin you, end your life.”
“Gah, gah.”
“Trying to pluck the Black Dragon’s flower… you must really love gambling.”
The ‘Black Dragon’ referred to the Blood Lotus Sect’s leader.
Galcheonseong managed to croak out a few words.
“Gah, I made… a mistake…”
Seoraehyang smiled sweetly.
Her enchanting smile was terrifying to Galcheonseong.
“You know better than anyone there’s no take-backs in gambling.”
”…”
“Well, let’s say the dice haven’t been rolled yet.”
She flashed a grin and flicked something with her tongue.
A round pill.
She picked it up with her fingers and dropped it on the floor, then turned to the window.
“If you don’t take it soon, you might never use those arms again.”
Galcheonseong dropped to his knees, crawling like a dog to pick up the antidote with his mouth.
With no feeling in his arms, he had no choice but to assume such a humiliating position.
Meanwhile, the duel was about to begin in the arena.
**
“Damn it! What a fool…!”
Baek Seongrak, a warrior of the Black Heaven Society, spat blood, his face a mix of disbelief and frustration.
Wasn’t his name ‘Gadeuksam’?
Some unknown rookie had shown up, and Baek Seongrak had planned to toy with him, to heat up the atmosphere.
In truth, the fighters weren’t strictly assigned by difficulty level.
An unknown master could challenge an ‘easy’ level if they wished.
So the Black Heaven Society gauged the challenger’s skill and intent, then sent a suitable opponent.
Sometimes they sent a weak fighter, other times a master.
The duels were mere performances for the society.
The real game was betting on the winner.
This time, they sent Baek Seongrak, a master.
The plan was to let him win narrowly after building tension.
But after about twenty moves, Sabigang suddenly charged with a shout.
A reckless, crude attack, devoid of any technique.
Like a street brawler, lacking grace or dignity.
“Is this the end?”
Baek Seongrak smirked, extending a palm toward Sabigang.
Boom!
Baek Seongrak’s eyes widened in shock.
“What the hell…!”
Staggering back, he looked at his abdomen.
Sabigang’s palm had struck his stomach dead-on.
His clothes were torn, and a bright red handprint marked his upper abdomen.
Luck.
Pure luck.
The opponent had tripped and accidentally extended his palm.
The unexpected angle caught him off guard.
“But to think I’d be hit by such a pathetic attack…”
Rage surged, disrupting his internal energy.
“Ugh. Gah!”
Blood spurted from his mouth like a fountain.
The internal injury was severe.
Allowing such a strike in an unexpected situation was bound to have consequences.
“Damn it…!”
Baek Seongrak’s face twisted in regret.
He should have drawn his sword and cut him down.
At least then, he wouldn’t have been struck by such a pathetic attack and spat blood.
The spectators outside the cage erupted in cheers and groans.
Those who bet on Sabigang cheered, while those who bet on Baek Seongrak groaned.
“What? Is it really over?”
“Baek Seongrak! Stop fooling around! I bet fifty thousand nyang on you!”
“Hahaha! Gadeuksam is the best! Finish him off!”
The mixed voices of support.
Meanwhile, Sabigang looked at his right hand in disbelief.
Of course, it was all an act.
To others, it seemed like Sabigang had tripped and accidentally struck, but it was all calculated.
The goal was to appear as a man who won by luck.
Winning was important, but so was the manner of victory.
So Sabigang beamed, raising both hands in triumph.
“Wow! I won!”
The perfect act for a naive young master.
Ignoring any decorum, he ran around the cage, laughing brightly.
“I won! I won! Hahaha!”
“Humph, rookie! Don’t forget it was just luck!”
Baek Seongrak shouted, incensed.
Sabigang turned to him, feigning anger, and approached.
Then he kicked Baek Seongrak’s face without warning.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Crash! Clang!
Baek Seongrak was flung against the cage, groaning and trembling.
The spectators frowned.
Sabigang’s actions seemed more childish than vile.
But Sabigang didn’t care, pointing at himself with his thumb and shouting.
“Admit your defeat to me! I’m not a merciful man!”
With his hands on his hips, Sabigang grinned victoriously.
He looked like a reckless pup, unaware of the world’s dangers.
Baek Seongrak’s eyes burned with frustration, but he had to concede.
The internal injury was too severe to continue.
“I admit… defeat.”
“Hahaha! Victory is mine!”
Sabigang spread his arms wide, not even bothering with a formal salute.
Naturally, many spectators glared at him with disdain.
But those who won money applauded him.
Sabigang basked in the applause, then approached the recovering Baek Seongrak.
It seemed he might offer a hand, but no.
Sabigang pointed a finger and shouted.
“Are you a righteous man?”
“No.”
“Humph! A filthy scoundrel! I was wrong to think otherwise. Trash like you isn’t worth sparing!”
With that, Sabigang leaped, ready to strike again.
His fist connected squarely with Baek Seong-rak’s face.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Baek Seong-rak was sent flying backward, tumbling to the ground. Sabi-gang quickly followed, unleashing a flurry of kicks.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
“Argh! Ugh! Agh!”
Baek Seong-rak curled up, screaming in pain.
“You scoundrels from the Sapa are all weaklings when it comes to a fair fight! But you never fight fair, do you? Always stabbing in the back! You don’t deserve to live! Die! Die! Die!”
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
By now, even the spectators were frowning at the scene.
Even those who had been cheering for Sabi-gang fell silent, the outcome already clear. Instead, they watched him with disapproving eyes.
“Stop it!”
“Show some honor as a martial artist!”
But Sabi-gang was committed to playing the role of the reckless young master.
For the grand scheme he envisioned.
Winning money here was just a minor goal. Stirring the emotions of these people was far more crucial for his true plan.
To etch the presence of Gadeuk-sam into their minds.
Sabi-gang shouted like a petulant child.
“Shut up! Those Sapa bastards deserve every beating they get! If only my parents hadn’t been indebted to them…!”
He bit his lip, ready to vent his anger on Baek Seong-rak once more, when—
“Stop!”
A voice boomed through the hall, resonating with such powerful energy that a few people collapsed, screaming.
Sabi-gang looked up to see an old man gazing down from the second floor.
It was none other than Gal Cheon-seong, the leader of the Heukcheon Association.