Chapter 88 : Chapter 88

Chapter 88. I’ll Show You What I Can Do (1)

Jungang.

The greatest strongman under heaven, born with the Great Strength Vajra Body.

In truth, his potential was on par with Tang Seoyeon, who possessed the Myriad Poison Body, or Baek Sua, the owner of the Dragon Eyes.

The reason he failed to make a significant impact before regression was simple.

He had learned crude martial arts from a third-rate sect.

The fist techniques he learned after joining a place called the Jangga Fist Sect were so inferior that even after ten years of relentless training, being called second-rate would have been considered fortunate.

In the end, Jungang died without ever allowing his overflowing talent to bloom.

But now, things were different.

The current Jungang had learned the Eonga Fist of the Jinju Eon Clan.

Now that he had mastered proper martial arts, no one could say just how strong Jungang truly was.

To be honest, even Janghyeon wasn’t confident he could defeat Jungang in a one-on-one fight—though he was sure he could at least escape alive.

‘Even arrows won’t pierce that body…’

Sometimes, Janghyeon found himself thinking about it.

If someone with abilities like that were to possess a wicked nature and run rampant, the entire world would fall into chaos.

Such a person should naturally be watched carefully and kept under constant scrutiny, but…

“Why? Got somethin’ on my face?”

“No, no.”

“Hehehe…”

“By the way, what’s that at your waist?”

Pointing at the small (relatively speaking) pouch hanging from Jungang’s belt, Jungang answered with an innocent smile.

“Oh, this? I bought rice cakes at the market.”

“Rice cakes? Why?”

“They’re for my ma.”

Janghyeon felt a pang of guilt.

Caution? Against this guy?

He just smiled.

The odds of this simple-hearted fellow becoming a villain were lower than the Shaolin Abbot breaking his vows.

“Head in early today.”

“Really? That’s okay?”

When Janghyeon nodded, Jungang beamed and headed toward the house where his mother was waiting.

Granted, it was just an annex within the same estate.

For the record, Han Cheong-un had specially assigned a scenic annex in the rear garden for Jungang’s mother.

Thanks to that, Jungang was able to care for his widowed mother in comfort.

***

Most of those who challenged the Geukdo Sect were, at best, second-rate, maybe barely first-rate if one was generous.

The majority of them were dealt with by Jungang alone.

Splaash! Crack!

Thud! Crunch!

Bang! Thoom!

Challengers were carried in and carried out every day, and eventually, those who dared challenge the sect head-on grew fewer and fewer.

The rumors that a strongman with unrivaled divine strength lived within the Geukdo Sect only accelerated that trend.

But not everyone chose to challenge them directly.

Some tried to quietly establish themselves within Geukdo Sect territory through indirect means.

Bandits, mostly.

“Hahaha! The profits are pretty sweet.”

“Indeed. Is this jade?”

“So the merchants traveling to and from Yueyang really do make a lot of money.”

These were exactly that sort.

They didn’t directly touch the Eon Clan Merchant Group operated by the Geukdo Sect, but as Yueyang’s commerce grew, the number and scale of passing merchant caravans increased.

Bandits began settling nearby to prey on that traffic.

And so, Eon Sohee moved.

“Captain Jo.”

“Oh, beautiful Miss Eon.”

“I called you because I have something to say.”

“Today as well, Miss’s dazzling beauty blinds these eyes of mine.”

“It seems bandits have settled near Yueyang recently. Businesses under our protection have suffered losses.”

“Thinking of Miss pains me deeply. Please, save me from this suffering. Only Miss can save me.”

“Captain Jo, personally deal with all the bandits around Yueyang. I’ll give you one month.”

The conversation was completely disjointed.

Each spoke only what they wanted to say.

Kneeling before Eon Sohee, whose rejection rendered his passionate advances meaningless, Jo Bi cried out dramatically.

“If you will not save me from this agony, then at least tear out this burning heart and ease my pain! My heart already belongs to Miss—”

Before he could finish, Eon Sohee pulled a dagger from her robes and unsheathed it.

She leveled the sharp blade at him and said, “Alright. Go ahead. Line it up.”

At last, the conversation connected.

Though not in the direction Jo Bi had hoped.

“Ah—ah. No, no. Miss Eon, that was just a figure of speech. I didn’t mean to actually take it out…”

“……”

Jo Bi hurriedly changed the subject.

“M-more importantly, the bandits are the problem.”

“That’s right.”

“Hm, that is indeed serious. As a descendant of Zhao Zilong of Changshan, the final great general of the Late Han, and the inheritor of the Jo Family Spear Art, I cannot ignore this.”

“Can you handle it?”

“Have their locations been identified?”

“We’ve gathered testimonies from victims and have an approximate area, but you’ll have to find the exact location yourselves.”

“Hm, not an easy task. It’ll take time, and we’ll need proper preparations…”

He was clearly stalling.

To be fair, searching through deep mountains to hunt down bandit groups was no easy feat.

Eon Sohee smiled beautifully at him.

“Do it within half a month.”

“What? Didn’t you say one month just now?”

“Half a month.”

“Miss Eon, please be lenient. Half a month is too tight.”

Jo Bi pleaded shamelessly, unbefitting of a proud man.

Eon Sohee replied calmly, “If you fail to deal with them within half a month, Captain Jo will be banned from entering every pleasure house in Yueyang.”

“……What?”

“If you’re curious whether I mean it, try going to—”

Before she could finish, Jo Bi bolted outside.

And then—

“Jo Family Cavalry, assemble! I’ll count to ten. Anyone not here by then is dead!”

He knew.

Eon Sohee truly had the power to control every pleasure house in Yueyang.

And barring Jo Bi from them was like telling a fish not to enter water.

“Hurry up and grab your weapons and horses! Food? Food, my ass. In the north, we survived by grazing and hunting. Just bring your weapons!”

Within half a watch, all preparations were complete.

“Let’s go! I’ll wipe those bandit bastards off the face of the earth!”

Just like that, a fifty-man cavalry unit charged out, kicking up clouds of dust.

Watching their retreating figures, Eon Sohee sighed as Janghyeon approached.

“Will he do well?”

“He will. He has the ability.”

It sounded like ability was all he had.

Janghyeon chuckled.

“Still, half a month is tight. Should I lend a hand?”

“No need. Considering how much money we’ve sunk into training that cavalry, they should at least earn their keep.”

“Hahaha…”

“More importantly, Hero Jang, I have another task for you.”

“What is it?”

“It seems some scum from the underworld has slipped in, taking advantage of the Sect Leader’s absence.”

“Oh?”

“Please lead the ronin and secure order within Yueyang. Even with the Sect Leader absent, we must show that the Geukdo Sect remains unshaken.”

“I will follow Director Eon’s command.”

After that.

For a time, bandits settled near Yueyang were brutally crushed.

“You damn bastards! Do you know where you’re running wild? Die!”

With bloodshot eyes, Jo Bi fully exploited the cavalry’s mobility and the tracking skills he’d honed in the north, hunting bandits like rats.

And then—

“You dare traffic people within Geukdo Sect territory? Tsk, you’ve got some nerve.”

“P-please, Hero, spare me just once.”

The man begging was a vile underworld figure who enslaved debtors unable to repay loans and sold them elsewhere.

Janghyeon looked at him coldly.

“In my experience, sparing people like you does the world no good.”

“N-no…”

“Be good in your next life.”

Thud!

And a swiftly fired arrow from Jeonghyeon pierced straight through the top of his head.

“Commander, what about the rest?”

“Dispose of them all.”

“Yes!”

“Wipe them out!”

That night, the streets of Yueyang were thoroughly cleansed of underworld filth by Janghyeon and the ronin following him.

Even in the Sect Leader’s absence, the Geukdo Sect perfectly protected its territory.

That was because the talents Han Cheong-un had gathered from across the world were that capable.

But then, one day…

***

Late at night, as Eon Sohee worked through documents, someone clad in black night attire appeared.

“Master, I have something to report.”

“Chwi-ah.”

The one who appeared was Chwi-ah, one of the assassin children taken in by the Geukdo Sect, like Yeonhwa.

The children usually hid in everyday roles.

Chwi-ah, in particular, worked as an apprentice merchant in the Eon Clan Merchant Group.

Of course, her true identity was an assassin belonging to the Geukdo Sect, focused on intelligence work.

And the fact that she had come without being summoned meant—

“It seems you have something important to report.”

Chwi-ah nodded and spoke.

“The Hell Gate is moving north from Guangdong.”

“…What?”

It was far worse than expected.

One of the Evil Path Eight Sects—the Hell Gate—was moving north?

From Guangdong northward meant Hunan.

Hunan was the territory of the Mugeuk Sect, but Yueyang, occupying part of Hunan, was also within striking distance.

That meant—

“We’re their target.”

There were no signs of infighting among the Evil Path Eight Sects.

That made Yueyang the most likely destination.

“The Hell Gate of the Evil Path Eight Sects…”

Eon Sohee let out a sigh.

Facing them without Han Cheong-un present would be a heavy burden.

For a moment, she considered sending someone to Sichuan to inform the Sect Leader—

‘No. No.’

Han Cheong-un was handling something major in Sichuan.

Something that might decide the fate of the entire martial world.

Informing him now would only disturb his focus.

‘A good wife keeps the household in order while her husband handles great affairs elsewhere.’

That was a bit exaggerated…

Still, Eon Sohee thought—

The current Geukdo Sect could handle at least one of the Evil Path Eight Sects even without Han Cheong-un.

More than anything—

“Good. I’ll show you what I can do.”

She wanted to display her capabilities.

After all, Eon Sohee had single-handedly dragged the fallen Jinju Eon Clan up to its current position.

She was a born leader.

***

The first impression of this man could be summed up in one word: unimpressive.

A small stature that barely reached an average adult’s chest.

An ugly, shriveled face, as if burned by fire.

The only thing about him that looked impressive was the single saber hanging from his back.

Yet no one dared look down on him.

Those around him wouldn’t even raise their heads without his permission, nor dared to cough loudly.

And for good reason.

Hellfire Dragon Yado.

He was the Sect Leader of the Hell Gate, and the most brutal among the leaders of the Evil Path Eight Sects.

He plopped himself onto a lavishly prepared chair and spoke.

“Jacheon.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The summoned subordinate answered immediately.

“How is the preparation going?”

“Everything is ready. At your command, five hundred members of the Hell Gate will charge toward Yueyang.”

“Good.”

The Hellfire Dragon smiled in satisfaction.

When he extended his hand, a beautiful woman presented a silver tray of fruit.

Taking a piece, he said,

“If we’re ready, there’s no need to hesitate. We march on Yueyang at once.”

At that, one subordinate cautiously raised his hand.

“Sect Leader, there is one concern.”

“What is it?”

“To attack Yueyang, we must pass through Mugeuk Sect territory. That troubles me.”

“What of the Mugeuk Sect? Are you afraid of them?”

“No. It’s just that they are also one of the Evil Path Eight Sects, so perhaps we should be cautious—”

“Cautious?”

Everyone flinched.

The experienced ones bowed their heads deeper, and the man who had spoken turned pale.

“Do you think this Yado needs to be cautious when dealing with someone like Cha Mu-gyeom?”

“H-how could that be? Compared to you, Sect Leader, Cha Mu-gyeom is nothing. I merely—”

“No. You placed me and that disgusting bastard Cha Mu-gyeom on the same level.”

“Sect Leader, please spare me. I swear—ugh!”

The man’s body suddenly began to swell.

Seeing his entire body balloon like an enraged pufferfish, those nearby hastily retreated.

Pointing at him with a finger, the Hellfire Dragon said curtly, “Explode.”

Boooom!

As soon as the word left his mouth, the man’s body burst like an explosive shell, chunks of flesh flying everywhere.

“……”

“……”

Faced with the hellish scene, everyone bowed their heads deeply.

The women attending him trembled in terror.

Looking at his subordinates, the Hellfire Dragon smiled in satisfaction.

“Anyone else wish to defy my will?”

“No!”

“No!”

Pleased with the unanimous response, he spoke to his trembling followers.

“Good. Then let’s go!”

Shortly after.

Five hundred members of the Hell Gate began their northward march.

At their center, reclining leisurely atop an ornate palanquin carried by eight subordinates, was the Hellfire Dragon Yado.

***

Upon hearing that the Hell Gate was advancing north, Eon Sohee immediately convened a meeting, gathering all of the sect’s forces.

“With both the Sect Leader and Vice Sect Leader absent, I will assume temporary control of the sect. If anyone objects, speak now and present an alternative.”

“……”

“……”

There were none.

“Very well. I will assume unanimous consent and issue orders under my authority from this point on.”

Securing command, Eon Sohee spread out a map.

“If the Hell Gate attacks, we will meet them here.”

She pointed to the outer region of Dongting Lake.

An uninhabited area, occasionally visited by couples enjoying quiet boat rides.

“That would minimize civilian casualties.”

“But even if we want to fight there, will it go as planned? What if they attack Yueyang directly?”

At Janghyeon’s question, Eon Sohee replied,

“We’ll use bait.”

“Hm. Please explain.”

Eon Sohee smirked.

She pulled out a sheet of paper from her sleeve and began reading.

“Hellfire Dragon Yado. Estimated age: late fifties.”

All eyes focused on her as she read aloud in a clear voice.

“He harbors severe inferiority over his unattractive appearance, is extremely jealous, and possesses a cruel temperament. As a result, his confidants and concubines rarely survive beyond a year.”

She smiled sweetly at everyone.

“A textbook Evil Path demonic head, isn’t he?”

“Where did you obtain such information?”

“If a merchant is dull when it comes to information, they should take down their signboard.”

“……”

“And strategy begins with knowing your opponent.”

“……”

“Trust me. The Hellfire Dragon will never escape the palm of my hand.”

Eon Sohee’s confident smile looked incredibly reassuring to everyone present.