Bok Ha-gyu and Pyo Hol-deuk clashed fiercely. The fight between swordsmen was definitely different from how saber wielders competed. They moved endlessly to take each other's blind spots, confusing the vision with dazzling feints and sharply stabbing at gaps.
The insidious battle of wits unique to sword techniques, lacking the boldness of saber techniques, ran rampant dizzyingly. When we fought at the Wandering Swordsmen Inn previously, neither Bok Ha-gyu nor I had the murderous intent to kill each other. We only intended to check skills and suppress if necessary, so we didn't use full strength.
Now, killing intent and fighting spirit to kill the opponent with every form were burning. The fake Pyo Hol-deuk was not being pushed back at all. Clearly, the energy he exuded wasn't that great, but seeing him use the sword made the back of my head tingle.
I saw it wrong. That guy was undoubtedly a master. Someone who knew how to hide his energy to deceive the opponent's eyes, like a beast hiding its claws.
The two opium merchants wearing Alliance member clothes also had significant martial ability. The four Black Night Gang members were not clumsy dark path practitioners who lived off threats and violence. Perhaps because Bok Ha-gyu hand-picked them, their sword skills and body movements were quite good.
They had two more people in number. Nevertheless, they could not take the upper hand in the fight at all. They were busy just blocking the opponent's attacks.
"Those guys are too strong? They are not simple opium merchants."
Geuk-hwan also agreed.
"They are from a proper sword school. It is understandable that the inspector's group and the Kongtong Sect martial artists suffered."
Argh!
As one Black Night Gang member was hit by a sword and fell, the tight balance of the battle broke. It was a close match even with four, but with one less person, the Black Night Gang members began to be pushed back, their hands and bodies stained with blood here and there.
Bok Ha-gyu, who checked his subordinates' situation out of the corner of his eye, bit his lip. It seemed he didn't know they would be this strong. He attacked spiritedly, but if it went on like this, it would be the Black Night Gang members who would be annihilated.
If all his subordinates fell and the two opium merchants joined Pyo Hol-deuk to attack together, Bok Ha-gyu also had no chance of winning.
Whoosh!!
Bok Ha-gyu swung his sword widely to shake off Pyo Hol-deuk and threw his body toward his subordinates. It seemed he intended to deal with those two first and surround Pyo Hol-deuk with his subordinates. It was the best judgment in the current situation.
As if he read the move, Pyo Hol-deuk sneered and boldly leaned only his upper body back to let the sword strike flow past, then kicked off the ground. There was distance between the two and Bok Ha-gyu moved first, but Pyo Hol-deuk's reaction was too fast.
Before Bok Ha-gyu could take a few steps, the enemy's sword flew toward his back. Bok Ha-gyu, sensing the presence, hurriedly turned his body and swung his sword.
Clang!!
He barely blocked the blow with almost animalistic reaction, but his center of gravity tilted backward. He lost his balance for a moment and his feet slowed down. Pyo Hol-deuk did not miss the opportunity.
He poured killing moves toward the face, then slipped into the left blind spot and slashed Bok Ha-gyu's thigh as if grazing it.
"You bastard!!"
Bok Ha-gyu burst out in anger and poured out sword strikes wildly. Pyo Hol-deuk busily blocked them and retreated far back. Bok Ha-gyu advanced about ten steps and then stopped.
Blood flowing from his thigh left bloodstains on the dirt ground. Judging by the movement, it wasn't cut deeply. He just needs to wrap it with a bandage or cloth to stop the bleeding.
Of course, Pyo Hol-deuk would not allow that. He would persistently hang on and keep driving the sword into his body. Until his body became heavy from excessive bleeding, his vision blurred, and he eventually suffered a fatal wound and collapsed.
The match was practically over. My head got complicated watching it. It's none of my business if the others die or not, but Bok Ha-gyu is different.
If that human dies here, there is no way to meet Jeok Chu-yeong. I made a deal with Bok Ha-gyu. I don't even know the faces of the other two of the Black Night Gang trio.
If I were the head of a huge organization or had a powerful backer, it might be different, but I was just a mere martial artist working with one foot in the Underworld Information Clan. Even if I went to find them, they wouldn't meet me. It was also a problem if Bok Ha-gyu lived.
Since it was revealed that the Murim Alliance Inspector was a fake, it results in me having deceived him. He will claim the deal is void and refuse to keep the promise, and of course, try to get revenge on me for mocking him.
However, if I help him here and save his life, I can reverse the situation at once. I don't know much about Bok Ha-gyu. Guessing based on what I've experienced so far, even though he is of the dark path, he wasn't a despicable villain who repaid kindness with enmity.
It is not a welcome situation, but if I can meet Jeok Chu-yeong and find out where Sister Soso and the others went, I could willingly bear it. I made up my mind and drew the long blade from my back.
"I must intervene."
Geuk-hwan stopped me.
"It is a foolish act."
From the Underworld Information Clan's perspective, sure. They had no reason to intervene in this fight. It is enough to go down and take the remaining opium after the dark path members and imposters all become corpses together.
"I have a deal with Bok Ha-gyu. If that human dies here, it all becomes in vain. Does the Underworld Information Clan accept requests from the Black Night Gang?"
"We do sell information sometimes."
"That works out. That Unit Leader Bok over there looks desperate, so how about making him owe a debt while we're at it?"
When taking over the Choi Family Manor, the Underworld Information Clan had temporarily joined hands with the Black Night Gang. Something similar might happen again in the future. If we help now, we can use Bok Ha-gyu later.
We've already grasped the skills of Pyo Hol-deuk and his subordinates. Geuk-hwan nodded after observing the battle situation with cold eyes.
"Fine. Let's give it a try."
I left Hwang Hae behind and stood up. I went down the slope pushing through the bushes between the trees in a lowered posture. Ambushing and catching them off guard is best, but if I don't handle things clearly, Bok Ha-gyu might say something else later.
After exchanging glances with Geuk-hwan at the end of the slope, we jumped into the scene. I headed for Pyo Hol-deuk, and Geuk-hwan headed for the two opium merchants. At the sudden intrusion of uninvited guests, Pyo Hol-deuk stopped swinging his sword at Bok Ha-gyu and retreated far back.
The two opium merchants were also surprised by the sharp sword strikes Geuk-hwan scattered and separated from the Black Night Gang members. We stopped there for now. As the metallic sound of clashing weapons ceased, the wolves that had been holding their breath began to howl again.
Awoooo.
While Geuk-hwan aimed his sword at the two opium merchants to keep them in check, the Black Night Gang members dragged their fallen comrade back. They checked the injured area and wrapped bandages. Bok Ha-gyu, recognizing me, glared as if to kill.
"You bastard, how dare you deceive me?"
"Calm down. I was deceived too."
"Hmph. Did you come to help the inspector, your backer? To take my head?"
"I came to help Unit Leader Bok. With the Underworld Information Clan here. If I intended to kill Unit Leader Bok, I would have joined forces with this guy and ambushed you immediately."
As Bok Ha-gyu's gaze turned toward him, Geuk-hwan spoke.
"The circumstances of the person claiming to be an inspector were suspicious, so we were tailing him. If Unit Leader Bok came after us, you would have seen the Underworld Information Clan's carriage. Unit Leader Bok, will you ask for our clan's help?"
They were unexpected reinforcements, but Bok Ha-gyu did not refuse.
"Good. I will make a request. I need help."
"How will you pay the price?"
"We'll talk later. For now, finish off those guys first."
Geuk-hwan readily accepted.
"Let's do that. Unit Leader Bok is not a stingy person with calculations."
The battle began again. As Geuk-hwan and I joined, the tide of battle was completely reversed. I excitedly poured out the fierce continuous slashing of the Heavenly Steel Saber Technique.
Pyo Hol-deuk, who thrust his sword to break the saber strike, hurriedly threw his body to the side. Bok Ha-gyu's sword, which flew aiming for the back of the head, stabbed the empty air. Being attacked from front and back, Pyo Hol-deuk's hands and feet became frantically busy.
Geuk-hwan aimed for the flanks of the opium merchants fighting the Black Night Gang members. As I felt when we first met, he used a Swift Sword so fast that the blade was invisible with light body movements. He struck and retreated so fast that a hole was punctured in one opium merchant's shoulder in an instant.
Pyo Hol-deuk was also hit by a sword on his back. The depth was very shallow, but Pyo Hol-deuk was terrified. He swung his sword like a madman and hurriedly retreated back.
After checking the wound, he ground his teeth and glared at me. He seemed to struggle for a moment whether to try something or not, then turned around and ran into the forest just like that. Bok Ha-gyu couldn't run due to the leg injury.
I didn't particularly have a reason to track Pyo Hol-deuk. I saved Bok Ha-gyu at the necessary moment, so that was enough. Out of the blue, Geuk-hwan requested to switch with me, saying he would chase Pyo Hol-deuk.
"Great Hero Jeong, I will follow that guy's trail, so you take care of these guys."
"Wait! Manager Geuk, help here!"
Bok Ha-gyu stopped Geuk-hwan and looked back at me.
"You chase after that guy! Bring the item I mentioned earlier. Then I won't ask about the crime of deceiving me and the Black Night Gang with the fake inspector on your back, and I will pay the promised price too."
What Bok Ha-gyu demanded from Pyo Hol-deuk were the inspector uniform he was wearing, the identification token, and the seal. I didn't know where on earth he intended to use them, but it seemed he tailed and attacked Pyo Hol-deuk because of that.
Even if Geuk-hwan chases Pyo Hol-deuk and gets those items, there is no way he would hand them over to the Black Night Gang. If the fact that he sold a Murim Alliance executive's identification token and seal to the dark path became known, the Underworld Information Clan would suffer a great disaster. I am different.
I have a desperate situation where I must meet Jeok Chu-yeong, and currently, there is no method other than Bok Ha-gyu arranging it. Even in this urgent situation, Bok Ha-gyu thought that far and entrusted the tracking of Pyo Hol-deuk to me, not Geuk-hwan. I thought he was a simple warrior with weak schemes, but his brain worked quite well.
"Fine. Let's do that."
I put the long blade into the sheath and ran up the mountain slope chasing Pyo Hol-deuk. Through the blood-boiling metallic sounds of Geuk-hwan and the Black Night Gang members fighting the remaining two opium merchants, Bok Ha-gyu shouted.
"Don't come back to Western Village empty-handed! You'll be chopped up by my hands!"
He is on edge with anger, but unmistakable desperation wafted from the end of his words. * It wasn't easy to find someone who decided to hide in the mountain. I couldn't tell where Pyo Hol-deuk went.
The frost that fell at dawn hadn't melted, making a crunching sound every time I stepped on the grass, but it wasn't enough to leave footprints. As I crossed a small mountain and valley, fortunately, Pyo Hol-deuk sitting in a clearing halfway up the mountain came into view.
Whether he was tired or the sword wound went wrong, he didn't move from his spot even after seeing me. Knowing he was alone, I approached immediately without worrying about an ambush. As I appeared, Pyo Hol-deuk stood up from the rock and drew his sword.
"You're like a hunting dog. Do you not know that if you just chase diligently without knowing what you are chasing, only a boiling cauldron awaits?"
"Seems you are in exactly that situation?"
At my nonchalant retort, Pyo Hol-deuk looked serious as if I hit the mark. He glared at me with a grimly distorted face.
"I will cut off your limbs and throw you alive as food for the wolves."
Pyo Hol-deuk held the sword with both hands and slowly took a sword stance. In an instant, Pyo Hol-deuk's energy became formidable. An ominous intuition flashed through my mind.
Before I could realize what it was, Pyo Hol-deuk rushed in instantly. I held the long blade and prepared firmly, but that wasn't enough. Before I could blink a few times, Pyo Hol-deuk reached close range.
I missed his movement for a moment. It was ridiculous speed. He couldn't have this much stamina left after fighting so fiercely earlier and crossing a mountain.
No, this isn't a matter of stamina. He wasn't this fast down below earlier. Seeing me half-dazed, Pyo Hol-deuk thrust his sword with a cruel smile.
Too late to block. I threw my body sideways just like that. The sword passed by dangerously close over my tilting chest.
As soon as my body touched the ground, I didn't stop and kept rolling forward. Consecutive sword strikes pierced deep into every spot I rolled with terrifying speed. Only after touching the side of a rock did I kick off the ground, jump up, and take a stance.
Pyo Hol-deuk spun his sword round and round, grinning as if amused. I guarded against the guy with the long blade and pulled up inner energy from my energy core. I circulated it into my body along the path of circulation.
As the inner energy stretching out to my limbs wrapped around my face, my vision cleared a bit. Pyo Hol-deuk kicked off his spot again. It was unbelievable speed, but unlike just before, his movements were clearly visible.
I didn't dodge this time. I stood firmly with both feet and struck the sword blow with a secret art of the Heavenly Steel Saber Technique.
Bang!!!!
Thanks to channeling inner energy into the form, my blade didn't lose in speed or power to Pyo Hol-deuk. I tilted the blade back to let the sword flow past and rotated my wrist to aim for the back of his head.
As the attack was blocked and he was immediately counterattacked, Pyo Hol-deuk hurriedly lowered his posture to dodge the blade and retreated back with long leaps. Trembling with shock and astonishment, he glared at me.
"How does someone like you have inner energy..."