Chapter 117 : Chapter 117

Chapter 117. Are We Cursed or Something (3)

While Jin Yuseong was feeling dizzy, his companions also approached.

Getting a grip, Jin Yuseong asked the latter-generation disciples.

“Were you perhaps escorts of the Azure Stream Escort Agency?”

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

“We have perfectly fine clans, why would we become escorts?”

They replied by proudly presenting the characters embroidered on their respective martial arts uniforms or swords.

For Jin Yuseong, it was a sight that made him wonder what he was supposed to do.

“Then why are you trying to keep them alive? Those who escape will surely regroup and commit piracy again.”

Seomun Ak flinched once and then asked back.

“So you killed them indiscriminately for that reason? Because of their revenge?”

“That’s right.”

“Still, your methods are too excessive. They were taught a big lesson today, so they will surely be scared and be careful.”

Jin Yuseong felt a suffocating frustration, as if a rock was lodged in his stomach.

But he couldn't just kill them because he was frustrated. He shook his head and said.

“If they were the type to do that, they wouldn’t have started piracy in the first place. Trash like that will harass the Azure Stream Escort Agency, claiming to make an example of them.”

“Isn’t that something we won’t know until it happens?”

“By the time it happens, innocent people will all be dead, so what’s the point? If you’re going to intervene, shouldn’t you at least take responsibility for it properly?”

“That is…”

As Seomun Ak trailed off, an unexpected person answered instead.

“You’ve said it well! What on earth are you going to do about this!”

The head escort, his face full of anger, was approaching them.

At that, the latter-generation disciples replied with awkward expressions.

“Ahem. Still, we have defeated the pirates, have we not?”

“There are those who swam and escaped, but their numbers are not that great.”

The head escort snorted violently.

“Do you think we prepared the goods because we were afraid of them? They are just subordinates sent from the Dragon King Fortress. But if you attack them as you please like this, what are we, who have to come and go here in the future, supposed to do?”

Jin Yuseong asked with a grin.

“So those Dragon King Fortress bastards have a separate fortress?”

“...Is that something to ask with a smile right now?”

The head escort alternately glared at Jin Yuseong’s group and the latter-generation disciples with a stern expression.

Was it because of the head escort's gaze?

The latter-generation disciples showed a childish bravado.

“W-We will take responsibility!”

“Where is the main base of that Dragon King Fortress! We will take care of it!”

It was clearly bravado, but it wasn't entirely detestable.

Though they were fools, it seemed they at least had a sense of chivalry.

“This is for the better. Tell us the location of the Dragon King Fortress. We should clean it up while we’re here.”

At Jin Yuseong’s words, Dang Sopyeong once again shook his head.

“Haa. Is that damn bastard possessed by a ghost that died unable to fight? Why do the fights never end?”

Jin Yuseong ignored Dang Sopyeong’s complaint and looked at the head escort.

The head escort sighed and said.

“If I tell you, are you going to raid the place?”

“That’s right.”

“By what means? Without a ship.”

Jin Yuseong pointed a finger to the side.

The ship abandoned by the Dragon King Fortress bastards was there.

“We can just go with that ship.”

At that moment, Seomun Ak interjected into the conversation.

“Ahem. We will also go with you on that ship.”

For a moment, a thought flashed through Jin Yuseong’s mind.

‘Do I really need to get help from these guys?’

In fact, their skills weren't bad.

Jin Yuseong was accustomed to chaotic battles, so he had observed the situation in the middle of the fight.

Thanks to that, he had roughly grasped the level of the latter-generation disciples.

Seomun Ak seemed to be at the early stage of the peak level.

The other four also seemed to be at a level that could be called first-rate masters.

To reach such a level at that age was quite fast growth.

It was just that Jin Yuseong’s standards had become strangely high.

It couldn't be helped.

From the moment he returned, his target had been the Seven Evils.

But if he changed the comparison target to the Jin Yuseong of his past life, he could see how outstanding they were.

In his past life, he could only be called first-rate when he was in his mid-thirties, and he could never even dream of reaching the peak level in his entire life.

The reason Jin Yuseong was hesitating despite their useful skills was simple.

Because they were like Yeongcheon.

The head escort asked the Yeongcheon-like people.

“Come to think of it, the young heroes here were from the Seomoon Clan and the Pyo Clan.”

“That is correct.”

As expected, they answered with a tone full of pride.

“Then how about going to your clans instead? Wouldn’t it be better to be with the martial artists of your clans rather than taking a risk?”

It was a rather reasonable judgment.

But the head escort made one mistake.

Young people full of vigor. Those who now believe they have become adults.

For such people, asking their clan for help was a matter of pride.

“There seems to be no need to call the clan elders for a matter of dealing with mere pirates.”

“Yes. What’s so special about pirates.”

The head escort was momentarily filled with anger.

If pirates were nothing special, did that mean they, who paid them a toll every time, were less than vermin?

But he did not express his anger.

Instead, he indirectly coaxed them.

“Ahem. Aren’t both the Seomoon Clan and the Pyo Clan famous for their chivalrous deeds? The Dragon King Fortress is a place notorious in this area, so they would surely be pleased.”

As the head escort threw out the bait, some of the latter-generation disciples showed tempted expressions.

Jin Yuseong, who had been listening to their conversation, opened his mouth indifferently.

“Then we’ll go alone.”

“No. It’s a matter that can be resolved by waiting a few days. Are you in your right mind?”

At the head escort’s question, Jin Yuseong frowned and answered.

“It will take at least ten days to go to the Seomoon Clan and the Pyo Clan from here and come back. In the meantime, other people who come and go here will continue to suffer. Isn’t it crazier to just watch that happen?”

At that moment, the latter-generation disciples who had been listening quietly opened their mouths.

“Ahem. We also have no intention of asking the clan for help over something like this.”

“As that young hero said. How can we just pass by and leave the wicked alone.”

They had been contemplating for a moment, but Jin Yuseong’s words had set their pride on fire.

The head escort felt like his chest would burst with frustration.

“No. Where do you think that place is that you’re going there by yourselves!”

As if he understood, Dang Sopyeong nodded his head and said.

“I’m sorry, but this bastard is a person who doesn’t listen to reason. Just give up.”

Why was it?

The head escort disliked Dang Sopyeong, who was adding comments from the side, more than Jin Yuseong.

Whether he was oblivious or not, despite the head escort's murderous gaze, Dang Sopyeong kept running his mouth.

“A while ago, he charged into a place where hundreds of Underworld bastards were gathered and having a gang fight. What was it? It was a place where an old man called Blood Fist Golden Ghost and a guy called the Silver Wolf Unit Leader were fighting.”

The head escort, who had been staring at Dang Sopyeong, made a surprised face.

“Did you just say B-Blood Fist Golden Ghost?”

“Ah. Is he someone you know?”

“The young generation these days might not know, but everyone in Hubei our age would know. Until twenty years ago, he was a demonic leader who was very notorious in the Hubei area.”

The head escort, who answered with a look of disgust, asked.

“But you went there and came back alive?”

“That’s right.”

“Then, what happened to that Blood Fist Golden Ghost?”

“He died.”

“...Don’t tell me, this young hero here killed Blood Fist Golden Ghost?”

Dang Sopyeong shook his head and said.

“The guy called the Silver Wolf Unit Leader I mentioned earlier killed him. And this bastard killed that Silver Wolf Unit Leader.”

The head escort looked at Jin Yuseong with a half-believing, half-doubting expression.

Was it because his head had cooled down a bit?

He recalled the fight from a while ago.

The scene of him using Flying on Water and even a sword screen. Furthermore, the scene of him literally slaughtering the pirates.

For some reason, he felt that this young hero might have really done so.

The head escort’s mind worked quickly.

It seemed impossible to stop them anyway.

In the worst case, what if one of those latter-generation disciples died?

There was a high possibility that the Seomoon Clan and the Pyo Clan would step up and wipe out the Dragon King Fortress.

The problem was that in the process, they could get into big trouble.

Because they had stepped back even though they knew full well that they were going to the Dragon King Fortress.

On the other hand, if they went with them?

Come to think of it, their skills were all outstanding for their age. Especially the skills of that crazy young man were far above his own.

‘If their story is true, he might be a greater master than the Dragon King Fortress Leader.’

If so, wouldn't it be worth a try?

It wasn't like they were willingly offering goods to the Dragon King Fortress.

They were just enduring it because they had no power.

The head escort, who had finished his calculations, snorted and said.

“If that’s the case, it would be better for all of us to go together!”

***

After advancing through the waves of the Yangtze River for a while.

The ship of the Azure Stream Escort Agency temporarily stopped at the mouth of the river.

It wasn’t that they had arrived at the main base of the Dragon King Fortress.

It was to let off the people who would not be participating in the battle, such as the porters and the merchants who were on the ship.

While they were at it, the people who were going to battle also had their meals.

The escorts were all eating with rather solemn, or tearful, faces.

As if it were their last supper.

On the other hand, there were some who seemed somewhat relaxed.

“L-Land. I-I’m not dizzy.”

Nam Geon was even grinning from ear to ear as he shoveled food into his mouth.

“Hmm. It would be better to take the seasickness medicine in advance now.”

Dang Sopyeong was also leisurely grinding medicinal herbs.

Baek Hyang and Jin Yuseong didn't say anything, but a sense of composure was subtly showing.

If the escorts were making long faces and Jin Yuseong’s group was relaxed, the atmosphere of the latter-generation disciples was subtle.

It was an atmosphere mixed with excitement and tension.

They felt like they had become the chivalrous heroes from the stories, and at the same time, the thought of the life-threatening battle ahead made their tension soar.

One of them, Seomun Ak, would turn his head from time to time to look at Jin Yuseong’s group.

“Is there something on your mind, Brother Seomun?”

At Pyo Daecheol’s question, Seomun Ak smiled bitterly.

“I was bothered by what that man said earlier.”

“What did he say?”

“The part about not being able to just leave the people who will suffer while we go to our main houses and the Pyo Clan.”

“Ah…”

He had never thought about something like that.

He had spent his whole life just training in martial arts at his clan.

At best, he had only traveled around the area near his clan.

This time, after receiving permission from the elders of both families, they had all come out together, which was in a way their first journey into the jianghu.

“I thought he was just a murderer, but after hearing his story, it seemed rather reasonable.”

At Seomun Ak’s words, the second child, Seomun Yeong, nodded her head.

“Come to think of it, he said he charged into a place where Underworld people were fighting a few days ago.”

“Yes. Did he say it was a place where hundreds were fighting in a tangled mess?”

The third child, Seomun Ho, let out a dry cough.

“Ahem. Honestly, isn’t hundreds an exaggeration?”

Pyo Daecheol shook his head.

“Considering the level of mastery that young hero showed earlier, it doesn’t seem like an exaggeration.”

Seomun Ak also nodded his head.

“Look at their attitude. A battle is right before them, yet don’t they look relaxed?”

It meant that battle was no different from their daily life.

Unlike them, who had only trained at their clan their whole lives.

As they talked, they kept glancing at Jin Yuseong’s group.

Naturally, Jin Yuseong’s group also noticed this.

“If they have something to say, they can just come and say it. I don’t know why they keep staring so unpleasantly.”

As Dang Sopyeong muttered in displeasure, Jin Yuseong answered indifferently.

“If you’re unhappy about it, go and complain to them instead.”

“Doesn’t it bother you?”

Only then did Jin Yuseong slowly turn his head to look at the latter-generation disciples.

Those who had been sneaking glances were startled and turned their heads away.

‘Seomun Ak…’

The man who, like Nam Geon's enemy Danmok Hwan, would become one of the Seven Swords North of the River in the future.

Naturally, just as he had visited the Danmok Clan to request a duel, he had also visited the Seomoon Clan.

Just like with the Danmok Clan, the one who came out for the duel was not the clan head but the young master. The son of Seomun Ak over there.

But it was different from the Danmok Clan.

That son had sincerely participated in the duel and had not tried to cripple Jin Yuseong’s body.

‘Come to think of it, that too was a favor, if you can call it that.’

Because he had received a lesson of sorts.

“Well, since we’re fighting together anyway, I should at least make sure they don’t die, right?”

It was like repaying the favor he received from the son to the father.

Jin Yuseong, who had answered while thinking of the future Seomoon Clan, belatedly felt a strange sense of unease.

‘Hmm.’

Come to think of it, the future Seomoon Clan was quite reclusive.

Originally, the Seomoon Clan had refused Jin Yuseong’s request for a duel.

After begging for a duel in front of the Seomoon Clan for a while as usual, the young master of the Seomoon Clan suddenly appeared and accepted his request for a duel.

The young master fought the duel with sincerity and then asked Jin Yuseong about the outside world.

Puzzled, Jin Yuseong had asked the young master back.

- Have you never traveled the jianghu?

- Embarrassingly, that is correct.

It was a surprising thing. At that time, the young master’s age seemed to be at least thirty.

- My father, no, the clan head, does not wish for us to leave the confines of the clan.

At that time, it was something he had just let pass.

But thinking about it now, it was strange.

‘He went on a tour of the jianghu himself at such a young age, but he stopped his children from going out?’

A truly contradictory action.

Puzzled, Jin Yuseong stared intently at Seomun Ak’s group.

At that sight, Dang Sopyeong tilted his head.

Jin Yuseong’s unusual attitude.

The sight of Jin Yuseong staring intently at them.

Soon after, a sly smile appeared on Dang Sopyeong’s face.

“Hoh. Is there perhaps a woman over there that you like?”

Jin Yuseong’s expression, who had been in the middle of reasoning about the contradiction, crumpled.

As he was about to open his mouth to say something, looking at Dang Sopyeong as if he were a bug, Nam Geon and Baek Hyang spoke first.

“H-Hyung-ah only thinks about killing bad guys.”

“That’s right, Young Master Dang. Senior Brother isn't interested in anything other than martial arts and punishing the wicked.”

“Who knows about that? In the end, he’s still a man, isn’t he?”

“M-My mom was beautiful. B-But Hyung-ah ki-killed her without hesitation.”

“Ah…”

The moment Dang Sopyeong was speechless at Nam Geon’s shocking words, Baek Hyang added.

“That’s right. If there were the world’s most beautiful woman and a martial arts manual in front of Senior Brother, he probably wouldn’t give the world’s most beautiful woman a single glance.”

Dang Sopyeong, who had been listening quietly, frowned and said.

“...At that point, isn't he a eunuch?”

Jin Yuseong, who had been listening quietly, stood up with a sigh, promptly struck Dang Sopyeong, and said.

“You guys stop with the nonsense too.”

“G-Got it, Hyung-ah.”

“I-I’m sorry, Senior Brother.”

Was the sound of hitting Dang Sopyeong too loud?

The gazes of everyone around were all focused on Jin Yuseong.

Jin Yuseong, who had turned his head to look at them, said indifferently.

“How about we get going now?”

He had rested enough, so it was now time to clean up the trash.

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