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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Growth (1)
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"Kuhk…! Urk!"
'As expected, it works well.'
-It's poison I made, after all. But your control was excellent too.
A poison that takes effect merely upon contact with the skin was rare.
Ye-ui knew full well just how impressive a feat Dang Yu-wol had accomplished.
-The best part is that the Blood Cult bastards still don't know about this method.
'The downside is that there aren't many poisons that work this way.'
-And if someone possesses martial prowess beyond a certain level, it won't affect them.
Still, it was excellent for taking down groups.
Even so, Dang Yu-wol felt it was lacking.
But that too could be resolved through further research and advancing his poison arts.
'Anyway, that's for later. For now, let's deal with what's right in front of me.'
Dang Yu-wol picked up one of their swords from the ground.
And without hesitation.
-Stab!!
He plunged the sword into the throat of one who was paralyzed and couldn't even move.
He had no intention of sparing any of them.
The attackers tensed at his ruthless demeanor.
"I'll spare one. Tell me who sent you."
"Ugh… Urghhh…"
No one stepped forward.
Thus, Dang Yu-wol began cutting their throats one by one.
"G-Gihwan Escort Agency!!"
Finally, one couldn't overcome his fear and shouted.
Gihwan Escort Agency.
One of the pillars of the Sacheon Merchant Alliance.
And the place that had betrayed the Tang Clan to build its power.
It was also the one that had schemed against Dang Yu-wol not long ago.
'Do they think backroom dealings are pointless now?'
-Probably. Since you've eliminated Bi-sam, his ragtag crew, and Gang Il-deok.
In a way, it was inevitable.
Dang Yu-wol smirked and raised his sword.
"W-We told you!"
"So?"
"Y-You said you'd spare me…"
"You believed that?"
It was natural for people to speak with forked tongues.
Besides, what need was there to show mercy to assassins?
Dang Yu-wol's hand did not stop.
-Ten in a single day. Quite the killer you've become.
'It's just ten.'
He had no illusions about keeping his hands clean while fighting the Blood Cult.
Dang Yu-wol casually tossed the sword he'd been holding onto the ground.
-Shall we call the other guest too?
'That might be best.'
Dang Yu-wol turned his head toward the corner of the alley.
A person was hiding there, concealed so subtly that only a considerable expert would notice.
"Come on out."
"…"
"If not, I'll poison that side too…"
"Hah. The kid's got some guts."
Finally, an old beggar emerged from the dark alley.
His clothes were ragged, and a foul stench emanated from his entire body.
-He's even got a rope with six knots around his waist. Beggars' Sect.
Dang Yu-wol eyed him.
Regardless, the old beggar clicked his tongue as he surveyed the surroundings.
"And your hands are ruthless too."
"I have no intention of going easy on those who come at me to kill."
"Kid, there's a line even for that."
Dang Yu-wol snorted derisively.
And without hesitation, he began rummaging through the corpses' pouches.
"What are you doing?"
"Exercising the victor's rights."
"You're quite skilled at looting the dead. Hm? What's that?"
Among the items Dang Yu-wol pulled from the corpse was an identification plaque.
The beggar focused on it.
"Hm? These guys… from Gihwan Escort Agency?"
"Yes."
"Gihwan Escort Agency trying to take out the Tang Clan's wastrel, huh… Hey, what are you doing? Why are you giving me the silver and promissory notes?"
"What's wrong with giving alms to a beggar?"
"Hah. Do you know who I am?"
"Do I need to know a beggar's name?"
"…"
'He's got nothing to say.'
He was the branch chief of the Beggars' Sect Sichuan branch.
A six-knot beggar, one of the top figures among the hundred thousand beggars.
But still a beggar.
"Hahaha. As you say, I'm just a beggar."
He shrugged and spoke slyly.
He had no intention of denying his beggar status.
"A beggar scum—where's the honor or name in that?"
"You seemed like you were trying to help, so take it as thanks. And…"
"…And?"
"If you're here to investigate me, don't tail me—just follow openly."
Dang Yu-wol stated flatly and turned away.
"You're not thinking of heading to Gihwan Escort Agency, are you? Don't."
"It's fine."
"You know their agency head has a treasure, right?"
-Treasure?
'He means the Blood Poison Pearl.'
A bead said to greatly enhance resistance to poison when possessed.
It was already famous that he had it.
-Really?
'Yeah. After betraying the Tang Clan, he showed it off, proving poisons didn't work on him.'
-I wonder why that guy has such a valuable item.
'It was found in some cave long ago. I heard he bought it for a fortune.'
-Hm.
'What, not confident?'
-As if. You think that puny Blood Poison Pearl can withstand my poisons?
'Nice confidence.'
Ye-ui's relaxed voice pleased him.
No need to waste more time, then.
If invited, one should go.
"The poison you used earlier was pretty good. But taking down the Gihwan Escort Agency head with just that…"
Before his words finished, Dang Yu-wol vanished into the darkness.
"Hey, kid! Listen when an elder speaks…!!"
All that remained were ten corpses.
And even their money was now in his hands.
"Oh shoot!"
Footsteps approached from outside the alley, drawn by the commotion.
He panicked.
'One wrong move, and I'll be branded a murderer instead of a beggar.'
The beggar hurriedly stuffed the money into his pouch.
'Can't just throw away alms given to beggar scum.'
Having rationalized it, he lightly stomped his foot.
In that instant, his figure vanished like a shadow.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The massive escort agency handling one-third of Sacheon's cargo transport.
Gihwan Escort Agency's head, Gi Yeong-gyu, tilted his glass.
'The liquor tastes bitter. Damn it! Everything was going fine… Tch. That wastrel suddenly straightens up.'
He had planned to corrupt Dang Yu-wol and turn him into his puppet.
Thus gaining control of the Tang Clan's true power.
Their poisons, hidden weapons, and even their medicine.
'If I could've absorbed even that, I'd have become Sacheon's overlord.'
Sacheon Merchant Alliance? Laughable.
He alone would be Sacheon's sole hegemon.
He clenched his fist in regret.
'Whatever. Doesn't matter. I've sent assassins too.'
Still, he couldn't shake the worry.
Even herbivores rage when their young are killed.
Would Dang Seong-u stay quiet?
'I have to trust this.'
He glanced at the Blood Poison Pearl around his neck.
'With this one pearl, I can resist most poisons. Should be fine.'
As he took another sip, thinking that.
-Crash!!
"What's this…?"
Outside, his guards lay collapsed.
All first-rate warriors or better.
"H-Has a guest arrived?"
Even he, at the peak of peak realm, couldn't take them all down.
Which meant the foe was far stronger than him.
Bending was the key to longevity.
"Long time no see."
"You…?"
From the darkness emerged a young man.
Dang Yu-wol.
The Tang Clan's young clan head.
"H-How did you take down the guards…?"
"I figured their mental training needed work first. Guards chugging booze like that."
Thanks to that, it was easy.
Just lacing their drinks with poison let him slip in effortlessly.
"Ahem. What brings the young clan head here?"
"You know why."
"…Watch your tone, young clan head."
In the past, maybe.
But now, even Dang Seong-u couldn't speak to him carelessly.
Gi Yeong-gyu ground his teeth.
"You think the current Sacheon Tang Clan is the same as the old one?"
"So bold even in this situation. Full of guts."
"..."
'This… mad bastard…!!'
Dang Yu-wol hadn't even reached first-rate yet.
How did he take them down?
'Poison.'
Did the Tang Clan decide to get serious?
'Damn it… Should've targeted someone else first.'
The Tang Clan had stayed meek despite all the hits.
Why now?
"Did the clan head order this? Where are the other Tang elders?"
"No need for that. I am Dang Yu-wol of the Sacheon Tang Clan. Here for blood debt."
"…Hmph!!"
He scoffed mockingly.
And pulled a small bead from his pouch.
"Know what this is? The Blood Poison Pearl. Can your Tang poisons overcome this?"
"Oh? Then block it and see."
Dang Yu-wol swiftly hurled hidden weapons.
Several flew in erratic trajectories.
But Gi Yeong-gyu had lived by the blade too.
He could block this much.
-Clang!! Cling! Cling!!
"Ha! You thought these pathetic hidden weapons could take me?!"
'As expected, with the Blood Poison Pearl, poisons won't work!'
Hidden weapons, not poison.
He had a chance.
'He's just a second-rate bum with no skill.'
His tension eased.
The moment Gi Yeong-gyu bared his teeth.
-Slash!!
Dang Yu-wol's weapon grazed his cheek.
Different speed and power from before.
Not the technique of some second-rater.
"Th-This…?"
"What? Hard to block?"
With a sneer, more weapons flew.
Gritting his teeth, he unleashed forms rapidly.
-Slash! Cling! Thunk! Slash!
"Kuh! Urgh!"
'This guy?! How does he exploit the gaps in my forms?!'
Impossible without knowing the counters to Wave-Breaking Sword.
That kid seemed to know Wave-Breaking Sword better than he did.
"Iiiik… Huh?"
Enraged at the kid casually dodging and throwing, he prepared a major form.
As he drew internal energy from his dantian, he sensed something wrong.
His internal energy.
Wouldn't move.
"Wh-Why…?!"
"Don't rely too much on that Blood Poison Pearl."
-Heh heh. How's that? The Gentlemen's Powder I made?
'Works perfectly.'
A poison that settled in the dantian, immobilizing internal energy.
Tricky to compound, but Ye-ui made it easily.
Unlike the pleased duo, Gi Yeong-gyu's face turned blue.
"W-Wait! Just a moment! Young clan head!! Please hear me out!!"
"Speak."
"So, you see…"
As he opened his mouth, Dang Yu-wol slashed with a weapon.
A bloody line appeared on Gi Yeong-gyu's face.
"Gaaak!!"
"I'll be using poison now."
Dang Yu-wol unhesitatingly sprinkled Infectious Poison on the wound.
"Grrraaagh…!!"
Wracked by excruciating pain from the Infectious Poison, Gi Yeong-gyu looked up at Dang Yu-wol with effort.
"…Th-This… The S-Sacheon… Urk… Merchant… Alliance… G-Guhk…!! W-Will they… just… w-watch…?"
"They will."
Dang Yu-wol replied indifferently.
Currently, the Sacheon Merchant Alliance's pillars numbered four.
Gihwan Escort Agency
Crimson Merchant Group
Yangji Merchant House
Yukwol Hall
But they checked each other.
Only one throne for the hegemon.
With one nuisance gone, they'd be pleased.
-It'll heighten their wariness of the Tang Clan, though.
'No issue. This'll show them the Tang Clan still has power.'
-True. You openly poisoned and killed one of their top leaders, the Gihwan Escort Agency head.
'They know Gihwan's been steadily screwing with the Tang Clan.'
-They won't want to step up and get bitten by a wounded wolf first.
They'd even betrayed the benevolent Tang Clan for profit.
How strong could the hyenas' bond be?
'Damn… He's right… Those bastards would… offer peace to the Tang Clan.'
Then the mild Dang Seong-u would accept.
The Alliance would relax for now.
'But… this guy's different…!'
No mercy in those venomous eyes.
He'd kill them all if needed, without regret.
Would they realize that?
'Ah… It's over…'
The Alliance wouldn't recognize this man's cruelty.
And they'd end up like him.
'I don't want to die like this…!!'
Maybe at the very end, a shred of mercy?
Gi Yeong-gyu gazed at him desperately, with hope.
But Dang Yu-wol's dagger headed for his throat nonchalantly.
'This killer…!!'
-Stab!!
The dagger plunged deep into his throat.
He suffered till the end and died that way.
The pathetic end of Gi Yeong-gyu, one of the Alliance's most belligerent leaders.
"Caught one."
One enemy down.
Yet no particular emotion stirred.
Too much left to do.
He naturally took the Blood Poison Pearl from Gi Yeong-gyu's neck.
-Oh ho. You're getting quite used to banditry.
'This is the victor's right too.'