Chapter 584

Chapter 584 - Side Story 18

Bian Bu opened his eyes wide.

Then he held up the paper, stretched out both arms, and looked down with his lower eyes.

"Aigoo, sorry. Presbyopia has set in... I can roughly make out the letters. Green Forest?"

"That's right. Green Forest. Some of the bad rumors about the Poison Dragon were flowing out from the Green Forest."

"What did those kids eat wrong..."

"The Green Forest is easy to look down on since there are no great masters, but their forces are spread out like grass seeds, making them quite tricky to deal with."

The Green Forest was one of the organizations that expanded its power most rapidly in the contemporary jianghu. Suppression operations were carried out periodically, and martial sects were individually trying to capture the Green Forest, but they weren't easily caught.

Rumors spread that masters from martial sects were neglecting cooperation in backlash against how the Murim Alliance handled matters. It was said they were deliberately pressuring their junior disciples and sects in the same territory to handle Murim Alliance events half-heartedly.

"It's not easy to capture bandits who hide deep in the mountains. We need help from all martial sects. When we catch them here, they go there, when we catch them there, they go somewhere else. Who knows how many years it will take."

"Still, since it's come to this, we have no choice. Even if it takes several years."

"Thank you. Now that the direction is set, it will be easier."

"Oh, by the way, do you know? That someone was tailing you all the way here."

"Really? I had no idea."

"It seems they're monitoring all of the Poison Dragon's old acquaintances. Some of them seem to have been caught a few times."

"Well, I'm not someone who focused on martial arts... Hmm, what to do. I still have many letters to deliver..."

Yuk Ha-seon looked at the man beside her.

"You should help Old Master Bian Bu. Can you escort him for a while?"

The man answered bluntly.

"I'm not here to do such things."

"I'm asking because I don't want you to do what you're originally supposed to do."

The man looked somehow disappointed.

"You don't want to?"

The man's expression darkened much more than before.

"It's not about wanting or not wanting. I only have one mission."

The man's eyes bulged. Instantly, heavy air filled the room.

"If the Poison Dragon becomes harmful to the world, I'll simply cut his heart. That's my only purpose for living and the mission I was left..."

Yuk Ha-seon beckoned the man with her finger.

"What's the matter?"

When the man brought his head over, Yuk Ha-seon wrapped her arms around the man's neck and kissed his cheek.

"What are you saying, honey? Your only purpose for living is me. The Poison Dragon is second."

"Huh? Um... yes. But Master Mu-gak..."

The man's face turned red. Unlike his heavy appearance, he was flustered by Yuk Ha-seon.

"Master Mu-gak wasn't exactly inflexible either. So we need to stop the Poison Dragon. So you won't have to step in."

"Hearing my sister's words, that does seem right. But..."

The man blushed and hemmed and hawed.

"But... if the Poison Dragon doesn't die, I'm... um, I mean... I'm for life..."

Yuk Ha-seon stroked the man's cheek as if he was cute and said.

"Alright. If we finish this matter well, I'll go find Master Mu-gak and talk to him. That it's time for you to retire and bring in a successor."

"Thank you, sister."

The man's face brightened considerably.

"So take good care of Old Master Bian Bu, and if possible, look after the Poison Dragon's children so nothing happens to them."

"Understood. Ahem."

Bian Bu clicked his tongue.

"Tsk tsk, did you rust or something? How can you do proper work like that? Demon-Exterminating Monk will be furious. That the blade has dulled."

The man rolled up the paper, held it in his hand, and swung it quickly.

Swish! Swish swish!

Bian Bu's hair flew wildly. In an instant, over a dozen sword marks appeared on the wall behind Bian Bu. Without injuring Bian Bu at all! Moreover, the sword marks were all uniform in depth and length.

"Wow! Amazing!"

The Blade of Mu-gak, Seo Gyun, unfolded the paper again and said in a cold voice.

"The blade has not rusted one bit. Therefore, the old man must clearly convey to the Poison Dragon. If the Poison Dragon were to act foolishly! The blade will certainly fulfill its role."

Yuk Ha-seon scolded him.

"Honey? You were cool but you went too strong."

"Ah, sorry. Ahem. But... was I cool?"

Watching Seo Gyun grin widely, Bian Bu shook his head from side to side.

***

Tang Gyeong led the way, dragging over a dozen bandits tied in a line to the magistrate's office in Huadao. Tang Yu-jeong and Jin Heon walked behind at some distance. The thinking was that since Tang Gyeong was leaving the Tang Family Estate for the first time, no one would recognize him anyway.

However, the bushy-bearded Merciless Twin Axes kept looking back and giving Tang Yu-jeong eye-smiles even while being dragged with both hands bound.

"Mister, stop looking back. People will think we're companions."

"Hey, let's not do this and solve it through dialogue. Nothing in the world can't be resolved through dialogue."

Tang Gyeong was disgusted.

"Ugh, why does that bandit mister talk like that? With that fierce face."

The Merciless Twin Axes glared at Tang Gyeong with a fierce expression.

"What, punk?"

"Mister. That kid's personality is worse than mine."

The Merciless Twin Axes opened his eyes round and cutely.

"The younger sibling also has a bright face, resembling the heroine sister. Your family members are all handsome and beautiful."

"Huh? We look like family?"

"Of course. You resemble each other. Anyone can see you're of one bloodline."

As Jin Heon was about to get angry, Tang Yu-jeong pulled Jin Heon, stopped, then fell further behind as they walked. While muttering.

"Ah, I didn't think of that. That all three of us resemble each other."

Jin Heon looked at her incredulously.

"You told me I resembled that man, but you yourself didn't realize you resemble him? Didn't you say someone was targeting us?"

"Ahaha, I didn't think of it. Really."

Tang Yu-jeong laughed innocently. Already, passersby were looking surprised and whispering at the sight of bandits being strung along.

Jin Heon sighed.

"And you still hope not to draw people's attention. That's a thief's mentality if there ever was one."

The Merciless Twin Axes immediately turned around.

"Excuse me. Excuse me? Were you calling me?"

***

Tang Gyeong and the bandits arrived in front of the magistrate's office.

But from afar, someone came running and shouted loudly.

"Stop! Young hero over there, please wait a moment!"

Tang Gyeong glanced and ignored them, trying to enter the magistrate's office. He thought there was no one who knew him anyway, so there was no reason to call him.

The martial artists who were running saw this and ran even harder.

The martial artists blocked Tang Gyeong's path.

"Wait a... we said wait... couldn't you... huff, hear us?"

Tang Gyeong asked back as if wondering why.

"Me? Why?"

A middle-aged martial artist said.

"I'm from the Song Il Sect. As the vice sect leader of Song Il Sect, my fellow martial artists in the jianghu generously call me by the undeserved sobriquet Tiger Throat Sword."

Tang Gyeong gave a greeting as he heard from his sister.

"Ah yes, Tiger Throat Sword great hero. I'm just a passing Jin someone."

"Passing? Ah, well, fine. Our Song Il Sect is an orthodox righteous sect that has long protected this region. We're very closely related to the lives of the common people."

Tiger Throat Sword leisurely put his hands behind his back as if asking if he understood now. Tang Gyeong asked blankly.

"So?"

"Oh my."

As Tiger Throat Sword deliberately let out a sigh mixed with lamentation, a young martial artist stepped forward from behind.

"What he means is that we're in charge of security in this region."

When Tang Gyeong still tilted his head in confusion, another person said in a frustrated tone.

"If a passing wanderer catches bandits that appeared in this town and hands them to the magistrate, it wouldn't look good for us, would it?"

"But these bandits were just strutting around on the street and even entering restaurants."

The young martial artist shouted at the bandits.

"You bastards! How dare you rob in the village in broad daylight when our Song Il Sect is here!"

The Merciless Twin Axes, knowing Tang Yu-jeong and Jin Heon were behind him, couldn't answer carelessly and rolled his eyes while twisting his mouth as much as possible to point behind.

"Did he get facial paralysis? Why is this guy's face like that? Isn't there anyone who can speak for him?"

Another bandit answered cautiously.

"How could we bandit in a place where the great heroes of Song Il Sect are present? We never did that."

"Then are you saying this young hero is lying! If you don't answer properly, I'll give you a beating!"

"We're really wronged. Can't we even eat? We went to eat and a small dispute arose, so..."

"Hmm. So that's what it is."

Tiger Throat Sword gave a subtle eye signal.

One martial artist took out a money pouch.

"What's this?"

"Even if you take them to the magistrate, they won't necessarily be punished. They need to be interrogated and evidence needs to be presented, and if it's mistakenly revealed to be false accusation, the young hero could receive heavy punishment for false charges. Seeing that you didn't reveal your real name, it seems you don't want to reveal your sect, but at the magistrate's office, you'll have to tell everything truthfully."

Tang Gyeong blinked. The martial artist pressed the money into Tang Gyeong's hand and said.

"Isn't good being good? Please see our face and let it go for today."

Tang Gyeong scratched his cheek. Having just come out into the world, Tang Gyeong found some aspects of the current situation hard to understand.

'Sister? What should I do? It's gotten complicated. Sister?'

Tang Yu-jeong and Jin Heon were watching Tang Gyeong and the Song Il Sect people bickering from afar. They were also hearing all the conversation.

Jin Heon sneered and said.

"Obvious trick. Bandits need to exist so people will be scared, and then they'll depend on martial sects. They're all in cahoots. Even at the magistrate's office, at least the lower officials would have taken bribes. See, I told you it would get troublesome?"

"Ah, so that's why they came running when they heard the bandits were caught."

Tang Yu-jeong stared at Jin Heon.

"But you knew that and still let it be?"

"They don't greatly harm people, so I had no choice but to leave them. Am I supposed to get involved and reveal who I am?"

"Hmm."

While Tang Yu-jeong and Jin Heon were talking, Tang Gyeong was getting more anxious.

Since Tang Gyeong wasn't answering while waiting for Tang Yu-jeong's words, Tiger Throat Sword thought he was pondering and subtly persuaded him.

"Look, young hero. I know your chivalrous spirit is excellent. But living in the world, there are things that can't be judged strictly in black and white. Looking closely, even those people didn't become bandits because they wanted to. They're people who entered the mountains as a means of survival after suffering from the nation's excessive taxes while cultivating slash-and-burn fields. Wouldn't it be too much to process such people by law?"

"Well..."

"So release them and come to our Song Il Sect with us. I'll grandly welcome the young hero with guest etiquette. How about it?"

The Song Il Sect martial artists thought Tang Gyeong was being persuaded and chimed in from the side.

"Young hero. Actually, I almost became like them. Because of the Poison Dragon, the jianghu became a mess, I lost my livelihood and was on the verge of ruin when Tiger Throat Sword great hero took me in."

"...Ah, yes?"

"If it weren't for Tiger Throat Sword great hero here, it might have been me tied up, not them. So young hero, according to Tiger Throat Sword great hero's words, with us..."

Tang Gyeong was a follower of Jin Ja-gang. He could tolerate ordinary people or bandits cursing, but when fellow orthodox martial artists openly badmouthed Dad, heat rose from within.

"What does that have to do with the Poison Dragon? In the end, this mister decided to become a bandit himself, the Poison Dragon didn't order him to bandit, did he?"

He tried to hold back, but thorns grew on his words.