-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: The Bald Man of Black Serpent Alley
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#Chapter 010: Black Serpent Alley
You might wonder how a den of criminals could exist in the Nine Dragons Fortress, one of the world's Five Hegemons and ruler of the southwestern Central Plains.
But they exist wherever people gather.
There are even those who extort protection money right in front of the main gate of the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song. Their survival instinct is truly like that of a cockroach.
Anyway, the area occupied by these criminals is Black Serpent Alley.
It was originally a district in the outer fortress of Nine Dragons called Black Dragon Road, but as it became a stronghold for criminals, people started calling it Black Serpent Alley.
In fact, the Outer Hall had tried to clean this place up on its own.
Just last year, the members of the Seventeenth Squad, myself included, came here to conduct a preliminary investigation.
However, the operation to sweep Black Serpent Alley never began.
I don't know how they pulled strings, but some higher-ups from the inner fortress pressured us to stop the sweep.
Thanks to that, the number of criminals grew, and they preyed on the hard-working people of the outer fortress.
"So, you were just living in an empty house because you couldn't afford rent?"
"Y-yes, I'm sorry."
"You damn brat."
*Thwack!*
I kicked the guy in front of me, and he foamed at the mouth and passed out.
I beckoned to the one I'd beaten up the least.
"Ye-yes!"
"What do criminals like you do when something like this happens?"
"...Usually, they demand compensation in money."
"Do you have any money?"
"We don't."
Right, I figured as much.
If they had money in the first place, they wouldn't be squatting in someone else's house.
"So, how are you going to make it right?"
"We'll fix it. No, we'll make it look brand new."
"You guys?"
"Yes, I did some carpentry back home. We can definitely do it."
"With skills like that, why are you living like this?"
"I just wanted to live an easy life..."
"Sigh... you brat."
And so, I entrusted the repairs to the heroes of the Great Black Dragon Gang and set my moving date for two days later.
After work, I moved my belongings and bought the things I needed. Time flew by.
"...It's big."
Thankfully, the guys had done a proper job fixing it up, so it looked almost like a new house.
Thanks to them, I felt like a newlywed couple who had won the housing lottery and gotten a new home.
*Poke, poke.*
"What? Why are you suddenly poking my side?"
"To buy such a big house, you're more capable than I thought."
"Ahem, I'm Jin Mujeon. The valedictorian of the 99th class of the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion."
"I know. Who do you think raised you? Hehe."
Myo Hyang laughed cheerfully as she looked around the house.
"The sun is good here, so we can dry the laundry, and this place is for..."
She looked just like a new bride moving into her first home.
And I felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment.
'Is this what it feels like to own a mansion?'
It went beyond pride; I felt like I owned the world.
Amidst that feeling, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
'My social status has risen even further.'
That's right. As of today, my social status in the Nine Dragons Fortress had risen from the lower class to the middle class.
And as the owner of a grand mansion with three buildings and a spacious courtyard, no less!
*Swoooosh.*
As if in awe of my majesty, the hot sun hid behind the clouds and began to rain.
"What are you doing?! It's raining!"
Just a moment, I want to keep feeling this.
***
"Congratulations. You were so stingy, but you finally managed to buy your own house."
"Congratulations, Squad Leader. It's not much, but please accept this."
"Congratulations. Here..."
"...Congratulations..."
The members of the Seventeenth Squad—Yang Gang, Yu So-pyeong, Ha Jin-hyeong, and Lee Dang-pal—offered their congratulations in turn.
Everyone except Yang Gang had brought a housewarming gift, so I shared my opinion with Myo Hyang.
"Don't put any meat in that guy's soup bowl."
"I'll put the meat side dishes as far away from him as possible, too."
Indeed, a married couple is of one mind... no, siblings are of one mind.
Just as the cheerful drinking party was about to begin.
*Creeeak.*
"...I heard there was free alcohol here, so I came."
An unexpected guest had arrived.
"Nine! Dragons!"
"Enough of that. Everyone, sit."
"Yes, sir."
It was none other than the Outer Hall Master, Bukgung Baek.
It was like a regimental commander crashing a platoon dinner.
It was only natural that the atmosphere instantly turned icy.
'A Hall Master who doesn't know when to show up and when to leave. The future of the Nine Dragons Fortress is bleak!'
I wanted to smack him one, but he was one of the top supreme masters in Sichuan.
I'd likely be crushed within three moves, not even lasting that long.
"Alcohol."
"Yes, sir! Right here!"
And so the uncomfortable housewarming party began.
*Gulp, gulp.*
'Oh, no! That precious alcohol!'
Bukgung Baek, the biggest drinker in the Nine Dragons Fortress, was chugging the precious bamboo leaf liquor straight from the jug.
"Don't mind me. Enjoy yourselves."
As if we could.
*Nibble. Nibble.*
The squad members picked at their food, sneaking glances at him.
In the midst of this, the craziest bastard I knew, Yang Gang, suddenly stood up.
*Thud.*
And sat right in front of Bukgung Baek.
"What's the point of drinking alone? Let's drink together."
*Gasp.*
It was like a private sitting down to drink with a regimental commander.
Naturally, everyone in the Seventeenth Squad, including me, could only stare with their jaws agape.
However.
Bukgung Baek seemed to be more easygoing than I thought.
"Then have a drink."
He tilted the jug he was drinking from and filled Yang Gang's bowl to the brim.
"My thanks, Hall Master."
*Gulp, gulp.*
"Spoken like a man. I like you."
"I hear that a lot."
A short while later.
With me leading the way in a state of resignation, the party started to liven up.
It was all thanks to the advanced drinking games of 21st-century Korea.
"Dang-pal's favorite random game!"
In the festive atmosphere, the squad members began to get drunk one by one.
Yang Gang and Bukgung Baek were having a one-on-one drinking battle.
As the merriment reached its peak.
*Twang, twang, twang~*
Suddenly, the sound of a seven-stringed zither echoed from a corner of the courtyard.
Myo Hyang had, at some point, changed into a splendid outfit and was playing the instrument.
The mystical light of the full moon enveloped her beauty.
*Stare...*
Everyone stared blankly at her beautiful form.
After about ten minutes, when the performance ended, my squad members and I stood up and clapped.
*Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.*
"Why are you all doing that? It's embarrassing."
"I never knew you had such a talent, sis."
"That was amazing!"
"...Wow."
And it seemed we weren't the only ones moved; Bukgung Baek let out a sound of admiration.
"That was a fine tune."
"I haven't properly introduced myself. My name is Myo Hyang, my lord."
"As a guest, my greetings are late. I am Bukgung Baek."
"I've heard a lot about you."
With his characteristically expressionless face, Bukgung Baek handed her a money pouch.
Bukgung Baek was the head of a subsidiary of the Nine Dragons Fortress, which was considered a mega-corporation in the martial world.
There was no way the pouch he offered contained mere coins.
Such a handsome side income for just a few jugs of alcohol.
My nostrils flared and my heart pounded.
"A gift. I was originally going to give it to Squad Leader Jin, but it's proper for the lady of the house to manage the finances, so I shall give it to you, miss."
"What?! Squad Leader Jin and I are not in that kind of relationship..."
"Since you live in the same house, it's only a matter of time, isn't it?"
With those words, Bukgung Baek left, carrying his jug of alcohol.
Having been strangely misunderstood, Myo Hyang's face turned so red it looked like it would explode.
Before the misunderstanding could grow, I said to her,
"Ahem, the Hall Master just has that kind of personality, so don't misunderstand. He's not a bad person."
"...Is that so?"
"So, you should give me the pouch the Hall Master gave you..."
"No."
"Huh? No, that's not what I..."
"I said no."
"What I mean is..."
"No."
"Sis!"
As if in a hurry, Myo Hyang rushed into her room, and I failed to get the pouch back.
This was the tragic result of the prejudice that women should hold the economic power.
***
The next day, having taken a day off under the pretext of moving, I began to walk around the neighborhood.
It wouldn't matter if I were alone, but since I was living with Myo Hyang, who didn't know martial arts, I needed to secure the area.
However, there was one thing I had overlooked.
"Why would criminals be wandering around this early in the morning? They're probably sleeping in somewhere before waking up late."
Namely, the lifestyle of these good-for-nothings.
Thanks to that, I wasted the morning and was now killing time at a nearby noodle shop with a bowl of noodles.
"Anyway, do you need anything else? A young man like you won't be full with just that."
"No, thank you."
"The portion is small, too."
In truth, the portion wasn't enough, but I refused because it was tasteless and expensive.
'If the value for money is low, you'll lose customers.'
As expected, good value is a universal truth.
As I was killing time, criminals with swords at their waists began to appear one by one.
"Thanks for the meal."
*Clink.*
I left a single coin on the table and immediately followed one of them.
Perhaps because I was following him so openly, the man I was tailing suddenly turned around when we reached an alley.
"Who the hell are you, and why are you following me?"
"Just a good citizen who was curious about what a bug like you does for a living."
"What did you say?"
Hearing my provocation, the man's brutish face contorted.
If I had met him back in my loser days in modern society, I would have pissed my pants, but I'm different now.
Because now, I'm the Ultra Super Awesome King Jin Mujeon.
*Craaack!*
"Gah!"
I slammed a kick into his thigh. It was an awesome-king low kick.
Clutching his thigh, the man lost his balance and fell to the ground.
"I didn't break it, so stop whining and get up."
*Clang.*
I tossed a small token in front of him.
"Gasp! A Nine Dragons token!"
It was the employee ID of the mega-corporation, the Nine Dragons Fortress.
Although it was just a bronze token, the lowest rank, from a criminal's perspective, it was the equivalent of the Grim Reaper's ID card.
"I failed to recognize a hero of the Nine Dragons Fortress!"
"I have some questions about Black Serpent Alley. Got a minute?"
"I-I'll tell you everything with the utmost sincerity!"
A moment later, after hearing his explanation about Black Serpent Alley, I came to a brief conclusion.
"So, the Two Immortals Gang and the Black Martial Gang are fighting fiercely for control of Black Serpent Alley, right?"
"You've understood correctly."
"And tonight is the day of the decisive battle."
"Yes. They're set to clash outside the outer fortress, downstream on the Gireung River."
"Thanks. And since you've told me this much, do me one more favor."
"Yes?"
***
Half a day passed, and the time for the decisive battle arrived.
I changed into the clothes of the criminal I'd caught earlier and arrived at the location where the gangs were supposed to fight.
Perhaps because the battle was imminent, harsh voices could be heard from all around.
"Who's the guy going to a battlefield without even bringing a sword?!"
"...Huh? Are you talking to me?"
"Yeah, you bastard! Are you the only one here without a sword?"
"Well... my main weapon is my bare hands..."
"Ha! Who the hell recruited this guy? Hey, you bastard. You think a third-rate punk like you can take on a sword with your fists? You'll just get yourself killed. What are you waiting for? Go break off a tree branch or something."
After getting an earful, I broke a branch off a nearby tree and stood in formation.
After about half an hour,
*Rumble, rumble.*
Men appeared from across the river.
Watching the menacing men with swords swarm forward felt like watching a Korean gangster noir film in VR.
And then.
"Hahahaha! You small fry from the Two Immortals Gang. You've come to the right place to find your graves!"
A large, burly man from the Black Martial Gang's group shouted loudly.
With a look that screamed third-rate extra villain, I was certain I wouldn't be seeing him a second time.
In response to his shout, a man stepped forward from the Two Immortals Gang's side.
*Tap, tap, tap, tap.*
His movements were extraordinary.
"It seems you've brought a mob of rabble. But that won't change the fact that this day next year will be the anniversary of your death."
A line straight out of an old martial arts novel.
However, I couldn't help but be surprised when I saw the man.
'The Misan Inn?'
That's right. The man was the bald guy who had caused a fight at the Misan Inn, the one who'd gotten me ten bottles of white liquor as a quest reward for resolving the fight.
As I assessed the situation, an idea to end things easily came to mind, and I sent a telepathic message to the bald man.
[Hey. Baldy.]
"...!"
I saw the bald man flinch in surprise.
[It's me. Jin Mujeon, Squad Leader of the Seventeenth. We met at the Misan Inn before, remember?]
The bald man gave a slight nod, and I continued my message.
[I'll take care of that guy for you, so do me a favor later.]
[What are you talking about all of a sudden? And how did you get here?]
[I'll explain later. Just make a decision. Are you in or out?]
[Even for you, I don't think you can break through two hundred members of the Black Martial Gang to capture their leader.]
[That's my business. You've got nothing to lose, right?]
[...That's true. Fine. If you capture the leader of the Black Martial Gang, I'll grant whatever favor you ask.]
[Then do as I say.]
Thus began the battle that would later be known in the history of the Two Immortals Gang as the Great Battle of Gireung.