Episode 30: A Gamble with Fate

Dang Mujin and Hong Geolgae stepped into the cave.

The cave was wide enough for two people to walk side by side comfortably, and tall enough for an adult to stand upright with room to spare.

Dang Mujin examined the cave walls, pondering the unnatural uniformity of its size. Sure enough, he spotted marks where pickaxes had struck the rock. It seemed the narrow cave had been expanded by human effort.

Beside him, Hong Geolgae muttered, “Think those bandits are gonna die?”

“The one with the broken leg might survive if he’s found in time. But the scarred one? He’s as good as dead,” Dang Mujin replied indifferently.

Though it felt unsettling to use medicine like poison, he had no regrets considering the crimes those men had committed. Especially the scarred one, who had boasted about his misdeeds. Perhaps he should have just finished him off.

The cave stretched on, deeper than expected. They had walked quite a distance, yet the end was nowhere in sight. The damp weather made the torch smoke, stinging their eyes with its acrid fumes.

After what felt like an eternity, they reached a fork in the path.

One path was lit, with several unlit torches prepared along the way. The other was shrouded in darkness, exuding a faint stench.

“Which way should we go?”

“Should we split up and take one each?”

“Not sure if that’s a good idea.”

As they hesitated, they sensed movement from the direction they had come.

“Wait. Someone’s coming.”

Hong Geolgae dropped to the ground, pressing his ear to the floor to gauge the number of approaching footsteps.

Sweat beaded on Dang Mujin’s palms. This was a completely different situation from their earlier encounter with the bandits. Back then, they could have fought and fled if necessary.

But now, they were trapped in a cave with only one exit. If the bandits blocked the entrance, there would be no escape.

Dang Mujin watched Hong Geolgae’s expression, hoping for good news. But Hong Geolgae’s face grew increasingly grave.

Suppressing his anxiety, Dang Mujin asked, “How many?”

Hong Geolgae stood up with a wry smile. “So many footsteps, it sounds like a drumbeat.”

“Damn it.”

If it were just a few, they could have ambushed them from the shadows. But with so many, it meant the enemy was confident. They had been discovered. Outnumbered and unable to launch a surprise attack.

“What do we do?”

“What do you think we should do?”

The question was returned with another question. Dang Mujin thought for a moment, then placed his hand on his sword’s hilt.

“What else? We’ll take as many of them with us as we can.”

Neither Dang Mujin nor Hong Geolgae intended to beg for their lives. It was less about courage and more about youthful recklessness.

They steadied their breathing, preparing for the bandits’ arrival. Thoughts raced through their minds on how to handle the situation, but no solution emerged. Not every moment in life comes with an answer.

Soon, the bandits appeared. Even counting only those in sight, there were over twenty. Who knew how many more lurked unseen?

A bandit with an eyepatch swaggered forward, sneering. “What do we have here? A couple of fools wandering in without a care. Who are you? And where are the guys who were on patrol or resting inside?”

“No need to ask me. You’ll find out soon enough where they are,” Dang Mujin said, setting down his torch and twirling his sword.

It was a pointless gesture, but Dang Mujin thought it made him look formidable. Surprisingly, it worked. Some of the bandits flinched.

The eyepatched bandit clicked his tongue in disdain. “Get rid of them before the boss shows up!”

Apparently, the eyepatched bandit wasn’t the leader, but he seemed to hold some authority, perhaps a deputy.

The bandits charged. Dang Mujin and Hong Geolgae stood side by side, swinging their weapons at the oncoming foes. Though they couldn’t fight comfortably with each other in mind, it was better than being picked off individually.

“Hup!”

“Reverse Dog’s Tail!”

Dang Mujin swung his sword, and Hong Geolgae covered the brief opening that followed. Then Hong Geolgae’s exposed side was shielded by Dang Mujin.

Their movements meshed together, covering each other’s gaps. It was the result of over a month of sparring together.

It might have been a rudimentary form of cooperative fighting. After all, every coordinated battle likely began with two people fighting back-to-back or a few standing shoulder to shoulder against a common enemy.

“Deputy! These guys are tougher than they look!”

“Don’t give them a break, you idiot!”

It didn’t take long for five bodies to pile up in front of the two.

Of course, Hong Geolgae and Dang Mujin also sustained minor injuries. A sword grazed a rib, a blade nicked an ear, and their arms bore numerous small cuts.

But none were fatal.

If they were lucky, if they could keep fighting like this without tiring, they might just survive.

Just as Dang Mujin entertained that thought, the atmosphere among the bandits shifted.

The ones at the back shouted loudly.

“He’s here! The boss is here!”

“Step back!”

The bandits ceased their attack and pressed against the walls.

In the narrow cave, a path opened for a single person.

Dang Mujin and Hong Geolgae caught their breath, eyes fixed on the approaching figure. A large silhouette loomed closer.

“Looks like the world’s strongest face.”

“Just one look at those eyes, and you know he’s crazy.”

They tried to sound playful, but their voices trembled. The leader, Jang Sangchae, exuded an intimidating presence.

Jang Sangchae was half a head taller than the other bandits.

Beneath his thick eyebrows, his piercing eyes shone with a fierce light.

Yes, just those eyes told the story. This was a man who had killed countless people. His very face seemed to reek of blood.

Jang Sangchae tilted his head and stepped forward.

In his right hand, he held a hand axe. But his empty left hand looked just as threatening, resembling a heavy iron ball with its massive fist.

“There have been many who’ve tried to rob Jang Sangchae.”

His voice was low, yet he seemed oddly pleased.

“But they all died. As a result, fewer and fewer dared to challenge me. It’s a shame.”

Dang Mujin and Hong Geolgae sensed a faint aura in his voice. For his voice to carry such power, he had to be at least a first-rate fighter.

Jang Sangchae read their tension and smiled, satisfied.

“You’re not just petty thieves. You’ve trained in martial arts. How delightful!”

He laughed heartily, his joy and murderous intent radiating outward, piercing their skin.

“Enough with the chatter!”

Unable to hold back, Hong Geolgae charged at Jang Sangchae.

He had no choice. If they waited any longer, Jang Sangchae’s oppressive aura would paralyze them.

“Skyward Dog Strike!”

Hong Geolgae’s staff shot upward, aiming for Jang Sangchae’s chin.

Jang Sangchae deflected it with a push of his left hand. Despite his size, his movements were swift and precise.

“Do you think I’m beneath you? Announcing your moves as you attack!”

“Who cares if I do!”

Jang Sangchae’s axe grazed Hong Geolgae’s shoulder. A deeper cut might have severed his arm.

Dang Mujin leaped in, swinging his sword. Jang Sangchae blocked with his axe while simultaneously pushing Hong Geolgae’s staff aside with his left hand.

Jang Sangchae handled both of them with ease. The skill gap was overwhelming.

‘At least first-rate.’

Every clash of weapons sent Jang Sangchae’s energy coursing down Dang Mujin’s sword.

Following the teachings of his master, Dang Mujin minimized contact time, deflecting and redirecting the axe.

Even so, Jang Sangchae’s subtle energy seeped into him, churning his insides.

‘Keep contact brief, and strike quickly,’ his master had advised.

But there was no quick way to end this. Against an opponent of this caliber, a swift victory was impossible.

The fight dragged on. Dang Mujin and Hong Geolgae’s clothes were in tatters, their wounds bleeding freely. Yet still, no fatal blow had landed.

It wasn’t that they had avoided fatal injuries. Jang Sangchae simply hadn’t delivered any.

He was toying with them, enjoying the fight at his leisure.

Normally calm, Dang Mujin now felt a rage he could barely contain.

It was proof that even in the heart of a healer and blacksmith, the pride of a warrior had taken root.

“Just die already!”

Dang Mujin unleashed the techniques taught by his master, but his sword never reached Jang Sangchae, always stopped just short.

“Damn it!”

The situation for Hong Geolgae wasn’t much different. In fact, he was getting beaten even more brutally than Dang Mujin.

There were many reasons why Hong Geolgae was being pummeled so mercilessly, but one stood out above the rest.

“Strike to the head! Kick the dog to the sky! Beat the mangy dog!”

If only he would just shut his mouth!

Even now, Hong Geolgae was shouting out the names of his techniques. These names revealed the form and intricacies of his attacks, and there was no way a master like Jang Sangchaeju wouldn’t understand their meaning.

It was as if a novice was announcing to a master exactly where and how he planned to attack. No matter how many times Hong Geolgae swung his staff, it would never reach Jang Sangchaeju.

Dang Mujin’s frustration boiled over. If only he could keep his mouth shut. If he could just distract Jang Sangchaeju a little more, maybe he could land a hit.

“Ugh!”

Once again, Hong Geolgae was kicked to the ground by Jang Sangchaeju.

Coughing up blood, Hong Geolgae knelt halfway before charging at Jang Sangchaeju again.

His mouth still wouldn’t stop.

“Strike to the head!”

Strike to the head. A rebuke with a blow. Jang Sangchaeju’s left hand reflexively moved to protect his head.

In that moment, Dang Mujin noticed a faint smile on Hong Geolgae’s lips.

Dang Mujin understood the meaning of that smile.

‘He mixed in a lie.’

Instead of attacking Jang Sangchaeju’s head, Hong Geolgae threw his staff and rushed at him.

And then Hong Geolgae shouted.

“Ma Jeon Gae.”

Dang Mujin’s eyes locked onto Hong Geolgae’s. There was a dangerous glint in them.

Neither Jang Sangchaeju nor his men understood the meaning of “Ma Jeon Gae.” A beggar in a hemp field? What kind of technique was that?

For a very brief moment, Jang Sangchaeju’s left arm was left without a target.

But Dang Mujin understood.

The action Ma Jeon Gae had shown. Sacrificing oneself to create a single opportunity.

‘Damn it!’

When a novice faces a master, they must seize a single chance, whether early or late.

Hong Geolgae had thrown that chance for Dang Mujin. The stakes were his life and Dang Mujin’s life.

In a do-or-die moment, there was no room for hesitation.

Dang Mujin swung his sword at Jang Sangchaeju with all his might, pouring all his energy into that single strike.

However, Jang Sangchaeju’s axe flew toward Dang Mujin’s waist even faster. It seemed Jang Sangchaeju intended to end the fight, as the axe radiated a deadly aura.

At this rate, Dang Mujin would be struck by the axe before his sword could even reach its target.

But Dang Mujin didn’t dodge, nor did he retract his sword. He believed Hong Geolgae would somehow block that axe.

Hong Geolgae, lowering his stance, rammed his shoulder into Jang Sangchaeju’s abdomen. Yet, Jang Sangchaeju barely budged. Instead, he kneed Hong Geolgae in the chest.

“Ugh!”

Blood spurted from Hong Geolgae’s mouth. But he didn’t retreat; he held on, gripping Jang Sangchaeju’s upper body with both arms.

Then, following the secret technique taught by the mysterious master, Hong Geolgae’s arms climbed up Jang Sangchaeju’s arms like ivy, entangling them.

Feeling it wasn’t enough, Hong Geolgae’s hand reached up to grab the blade of Jang Sangchaeju’s axe. There was no hesitation in his reckless move.

The reckless action had its purpose. The trajectory of the axe was altered.

Jang Sangchaeju’s axe grazed past Dang Mujin’s waist.

But Dang Mujin’s sword reached Jang Sangchaeju’s neck.