Chapter 120 : Chapter 120

Chapter 120. Are We Cursed or Something (6)

The eldest son of the Seomoon Clan, Seomun Ak. He gritted his teeth.

Screams and shouts raged from all sides.

His mouth was dry, and his limbs screamed as if they would break off at any moment.

From the moment he set foot on the island, the base of the Dragon King Fortress, there hadn't been a single moment to catch his breath.

“Haa. Haa.”

His companions behind him were also gasping for breath as if they were about to die.

It was a strange thing.

The Seomoon Clan was a martial family. He had been training in martial arts since he was young.

He would swing his sword or practice his movement techniques for several shichen a day. The same was true for his companions.

But in just over a quarter of an hour, their stamina had reached its limit.

Even so, blades continued to fly from all directions.

There was no time to even catch a breath. He felt like he was going to die.

No.

Clang!

“St-Stand back!”

“Please catch your breath for a moment.”

If that large man and the young girl hadn't protected them, he or one of his companions might have died.

Then, at some point, the enemies’ movements became somewhat clumsy.

The latter-generation disciples, who had been too busy trying to survive to notice, were finally able to hear the pirates’ shouts.

“F-Fortress Leader!?”

“T-The Fortress Leader has been defeated!!”

Soon after, gruesome cutting sounds echoed continuously from the center of the island.

Before long, a path of blood opened up, and a young man covered in blood appeared.

As that young man appeared, even the bastards who had been resisting until the end all started to flee.

From then on, it was not a battle but a one-sided slaughter.

Seomun Ak, who had been watching this for a moment, led his heavy body forward.

Just like last time, he blocked the path of the blood-covered young man.

No matter how heavy his body was, no matter how much the young man’s skills surpassed his own, he wanted to stand by the beliefs he held.

“The fight is already over! Any more killing is meaningless!”

The blood-covered young man, Jin Yuseong, silently looked at Seomun Ak.

Then, he let out a deep sigh and shouted towards Baek Hyang and Nam Geon.

“Protect the injured and clean up the mess!”

“G-Got it, Hyung-ah.”

“I understand, Senior Brother!”

After hearing their answers, Jin Yuseong spoke to Seomun Ak and the latter-generation disciples.

“Follow me.”

And then, without any lingering attachment, he turned his body and started walking towards the center of the island.

Thinking that man would start another massacre, Seomun Ak led his heavy body and followed him.

The path following Jin Yuseong.

Corpses and blood were scattered everywhere.

Was it because the urgent battle was over?

As if their tension had been released, some of them suddenly felt a wave of nausea and had to quickly cover their mouths.

“Ugh.”

Regardless, Jin Yuseong kept walking.

After a brief, awkward journey without a single word exchanged, they reached the center of the island.

There too, countless corpses were scattered about.

And among those corpses, there were also places where gold and silver treasures were piled up, and also the sight of women tied up with their hands and feet.

While the latter-generation disciples were frozen at the miserable sight of the women, Jin Yuseong lightly clicked his tongue and hastily used his movement technique.

“Tsk.”

There were a few pieces of trash left who couldn't abandon their lingering attachment to the treasures and had returned.

“St-Stop!!”

Seomun Ak shouted belatedly, but Jin Yuseong’s sword was already slaughtering them.

While the latter-generation disciples shivered at the cruel sight.

Jin Yuseong, who had dealt with all the trash, approached them again and asked.

“Is something wrong with your head?”

“You’re the one with something wrong with your head! How can you kill everyone, even those who have already lost their will to fight.”

Jin Yuseong let out a sigh and then swung his fist at Seomun Ak.

Thwack!

Seomun Ak, who was hit in the face, rolled on the blood-soaked ground, and his companions belatedly drew their swords.

Regardless, Jin Yuseong stretched out his hand with a face full of annoyance, towards the women who were trapped on one side.

“You feel pity for those trashy bastards even after seeing that sight!”

As the latter-generation disciples flinched at that shout, Jin Yuseong said coldly.

“Go and tell those women now. That it’s a pity to kill the ones who raped you. So, please forgive those pitiful pirates.”

“Th-That is…”

Pyo Daecheol trailed off.

Seomun Yeong and Pyo Hayeon had already lowered their swords.

Was it because they were women too? They couldn't even dare to utter such words.

As the latter-generation disciples remained silent, Jin Yuseong let out a deep sigh.

“Haa.”

Jin Yuseong, who had barely suppressed his anger, said to them.

“Guard this place. I’ll tell the head escort to bring some people.”

Right after Jin Yuseong left, an awkward silence fell among the latter-generation disciples.

Seomun Ak, who had been hit by Jin Yuseong, staggered to his feet.

“A-Are you alright, Brother Seomun?”

“Older Brother!”

At his companions’ shouts, Seomun Ak replied with a bitter smile.

“I’m fine.”

Seomun Ak, who had gotten up, looked around.

He saw the scattered corpses.

He had no intention of advocating for unconditional non-killing like a Taoist or a monk. He was from a clan that was close to the secular world.

But he thought there was no need to kill even those who had no will to fight.

He believed that it was enough to cripple their martial arts and give those who had committed crimes a chance to repent for their sins.

Seomun Ak’s gaze turned towards the piled-up gold and silver treasures beyond the corpses and the trapped women.

He recalled the young man’s words from a moment ago.

To spare those who have committed evil deeds and let them atone for their sins.

Would those women, would those whose treasures were stolen, want that?

Did he have the right to force forgiveness upon them?

He felt that the things he had thought were right until now were being shaken.

‘Was I truly a frog in a well?’

While Seomun Ak was lost in such thoughts, the young man who had left returned, along with the escorts of the Azure Stream Escort Agency.

Looking at the pile of gold and silver treasures, the head escort clicked his tongue.

“Disgusting bastards. They’ve extorted quite a lot over the years.”

“This is only a part of it. The amount of wealth they’ve spent buying food, weapons, and women from the Black Heaven Sect would be quite substantial.”

At Jin Yuseong’s answer, the head escort tilted his head.

“Black Heaven Sect? It’s the first I’ve heard of them.”

“They are the ones who run the Black Market. Weren't there also some dressed in black mixed in? They were from the Black Heaven Sect.”

The head escort’s face turned dark.

“Out of the frying pan and into the fire.”

He thought things would get easier now that the Dragon King Fortress was taken care of, but now they had become enemies with a group called the Black Heaven Sect.

As the head escort sighed, Jin Yuseong replied indifferently.

“Go around badmouthing me. Say that the Ghost Sword Young Master took the escorts hostage and forced them to work.”

“W-What are you talking about, Young Hero?”

“Literally what I said. We’ve already made an enemy of the Black Heaven Sect. Nothing will change if you blame us. Ah. Even if you badmouth us, if they come looking for you, tell them we headed to Zhejiang.”

The head escort looked at Jin Yuseong with a speechless expression.

The latter-generation disciples who were listening to the conversation from the side also had dazed expressions.

Coming from prestigious clans that valued honor, it was a method they had never even thought of.

What brought them back to their senses was Jin Yuseong’s voice.

“Instead, take some of the treasures there and take care of those women. So that they can settle down in a city or village that doesn’t ostracize outsiders.”

Pyo Hayeon, who had been listening quietly, carefully opened her mouth.

“Wouldn’t it be better to send them back to their hometowns?”

She was afraid she would get her cheek slapped like Seomun Ak, but surprisingly, Jin Yuseong answered calmly.

“Those who want to can do so. However, it will be hard for them to have a good time even if they go back to their hometowns. They might be welcomed at first, but there will surely be people pointing fingers behind their backs.”

Although it was expressed in a roundabout way, everyone here understood its meaning without difficulty.

“In addition to that, take the funds needed to repair the escort agency’s ship and for the treatment of the injured escorts. I’d like to hand over all the treasures, but if too much wealth goes into the Azure Stream Escort Agency, the Black Heaven Sect might get suspicious.”

“Ahem. That much is more than enough. Thank you for your consideration for our agency, Young Hero.”

The head escort performed a clasped hands greeting to Jin Yuseong.

It wasn't that he wasn't tempted by the pile of treasures.

But from starting as an escort to becoming the head escort, having been in the jianghu for decades.

He knew better than anyone that excessive greed brings disaster.

No, just looking at the corpses of the pirates scattered all over the island, he could tell.

Those bastards had also been greedy and got on the wrong side of that young hero, leading to their downfall.

At that moment, Seomun Ak, who had been listening quietly, interjected.

“Ahem. If you’re going to sell a name anyway, please sell the name of our Seomoon Clan.”

“The name of the Seomoon Clan?”

“That’s right. Please spread the rumor that we punished the pirates. The main family will surely be pleased that the young master has gone outside and succeeded in a chivalrous act.”

Jin Yuseong looked at Seomun Ak who was talking with the head escort.

Was Seomun Ak coveting some trivial fame?

Seomun Ak, whose eyes met Jin Yuseong’s, let out an awkward dry cough and added.

“The great Seomoon Clan dealt with the pirates. It’s not a strange story, is it? So there should be no need to spread a strange rumor about being threatened by that young hero.”

Only then did he realize.

That man was trying to protect him.

It was as Jin Yuseong had guessed.

‘To have to take the blame in order to help others. This is not right.’

Seomun Ak was thinking this.

Jin Yuseong felt a laugh about to escape.

It wasn't that his attitude of trying to protect him, despite being a brat, was funny.

Though he was a brat, it seemed he at least had a sense of chivalry.

As Seomun Ak stepped up like that, this time Pyo Daecheol also spoke up.

“I also have the same thought. Please spread a rumor that the Seomoon Clan and the Pyo Clan were unreasonable. We would be very grateful if you could spread a big rumor that we subjugated the Dragon King Fortress thanks to that. Ha. Hahaha.”

As expected, Pyo Daecheol was also speaking while sneaking glances at Jin Yuseong.

***

The ship of the Azure Stream Escort Agency, which had rescued the women and collected the treasures, left the island.

The ship of the Azure Stream Escort Agency first returned to the place where it had let people off. There, they picked up the people again and collected the escort goods, and then they once again set off on the waves of the Yangtze River.

On one side of the ship, which had become chaotic with more people.

The latter-generation disciples were gathered together, talking.

“What do you think of that young hero? Don’t mind me and speak frankly.”

The first to speak at Seomun Ak’s words was Pyo Hayeon.

“At first, I thought he was a murderer mad with bloodlust. But on second thought, he seems to be a very meticulous person.”

At her somewhat excited words, her older brother Pyo Daecheol let out a dry cough with an anxious expression.

“Ahem. Have you perhaps taken a liking to that young hero because he saved you?”

Pyo Hayeon answered with a start.

“W-What are you talking about, Older Brother! I thought so because of what that young hero said.”

Seomun Yeong nodded her head.

“It’s the same for me, Young Master Pyo. When he said that all the pirates must be punished for the sake of those women there. I honestly felt like I had been hit hard on the head.”

As Seomun Yeong, who was of the same age, agreed, Pyo Daecheol could no longer argue with his younger sister.

At that moment, Seomun Ho, the third son of the Seomoon Clan, opened his mouth.

“I also think that that young hero is not an evil person, older brother.”

“Why do you think so?”

At Seomun Ak’s question, Seomun Ho answered.

“Didn’t he tell them to sell their names to protect the Azure Stream Escort Agency from the group called the Black Heaven Sect? I had always thought so. That a true chivalrous hero should value honor more than wealth.”

For Seomun Ak, it was a rare sight.

Even though he was his younger brother who had grown up with him for twenty years, he had never seen his eyes shine so brightly.

“But it wasn’t. To be able to abandon even honor to protect the weak. That is what a true chivalrous hero was!”

It was like the innocent eyes of a child who had discovered something brilliant for the first time.

Pyo Daecheol, who had been looking at those eyes for a moment, let out a dry cough and said.

“Ahem. Brother Seomun. I was also just worried that my younger sister might have developed some vain affection. I do agree with the young hero’s words to some extent.”

“Older Brother!”

Regardless of whether Pyo Hayeon screamed in surprise, Pyo Daecheol looked at Seomun Ak with a serious expression.

As all his companions looked at him, Seomun Ak nodded his head and said.

“I don’t think everything that young hero said is right. But at least one thing seems certain. That young hero and his companions are far more experienced than us. Also, they are people who live with their own will, so it seems there is much to learn from them.”

***

A few days later.

The ship of the Azure Stream Escort Agency arrived in Wuhan.

The head escort of the Azure Stream Escort Agency bowed his head to Jin Yuseong’s group.

“The condition of the ship is not very good, so it seems it will be difficult to go to the original destination, Jiangxi.”

“I understand. As promised last time, please take good care of the escorts and the women.”

“I will do so, Young Hero.”

After a brief farewell with the head escort, they moved on to find a new ship from Wuhan to Poyang Lake in Jiangxi.

But before they had taken even a few steps, they had to stop.

Because the latter-generation disciples were blocking their path.

“Is there anything more to say?”

At Jin Yuseong’s indifferent question, they hesitated for a moment before Seomun Ak stepped forward and opened his mouth.

“Ahem. C-Come to think of it, we haven't even introduced ourselves after all this time together. I am Seomun Ak, the eldest son of the Seomoon Clan.”

“My family name is Jin, and my given name is Yuseong. I don’t belong to any particular place.”

“I-I see. B-But, w-where are you planning to go now, by any chance?”

“I plan to go to Poyang Lake in Jiangxi.”

“Th-That’s great. W-We were also just planning to go to that P-Poyang Lake. It must be fate that we met like this, so h-how about we go together?”

A truly awkward way of speaking.

Dang Sopyeong looked at them, wondering why they were acting like that.

Then he realized something peculiar.

Somehow, they all had a familiar look in their eyes.

Dang Sopyeong turned his head and looked at Baek Hyang and Nam Geon.

A look similar to when those two looked at Jin Yuseong.

Dang Sopyeong let out a deep sigh.

“…It’s gone beyond being cursed; he’s staining the whole world.”