The Namgung Outer Hall warriors Ilryong, Imwoe, and Sambong were originally bandits active on Mount Huangshan. Mount Huangshan was a mountain south of Hefei, where the Namgung family was located. Because the Namgung clan hunted down bandits at every opportunity, the life of a bandit was not easy.
Then one day, Sambong, who had gone down to the village, brought back some unexpected news.
‘Brother Ilryong! Brother Imwoe! Look at this! The Namgung clan is recruiting warriors!’
The Namgung clan was as good as their enemy. However, on the other hand, it was also a place whose name, as mighty as Mount Tai, they couldn't help but admire.
‘This life of a bandit is dirty and cheap, I can't stand it anymore. How about we become Namgung warriors too? We're decent enough at martial arts, and it doesn't look like they care about qualifications.’
‘...’
‘What if they find out we were bandits?’
‘...’
‘We'll just say we wanted a fresh start! They wouldn't kill us, would they? It's the Namgung clan, after all. Keukeukeuk...’
Even as bandits, the three men knew that those who did not bear the Namgung surname would find it difficult to become Inner Hall warriors. However, the three men's goal was not to become Inner Hall warriors.
‘Kuhahaha! Did you see them trembling at the mention of the Namgung name? Hah, it's true what they say, it's darkest under the lamp! Living off others is this easy!’
‘Doesn't it seem like we're doing better than when we were bandits? You did well to listen to me, right?’
Silk from the silk shop, food from the restaurant. They went around from shop to shop, and even if they didn't pay properly, no one could stop them. Simply because of the name ‘Namgung’.
But as they say, if the tail is too long, it's bound to be stepped on. Of all people, they had to be caught by the Black Dragon Unit Leader, the martial force of the Inner Hall.
On the Black Dragon Unit Leader's order to return and reflect on their actions, the three men grumbled as they made their way back to their quarters.
“Aww, damn it! Why did the Black Dragon Unit Leader have to pop out of there?”
“How should I know? Those guys never cared about the security on the streets. I guess he came out to get a meal.”
“Honestly, we went a bit too far with that inn! You can only freeload once or twice without getting noticed! We got caught because we did it day in and day out!”
“But that place has the best dumplings! Aish, just my luck! I just wanted some free dumplings, and now my pay gets cut!”
Even without this, the innkeeper's resistance was strong today, so they had planned to lie low for a while. But of all days, they got caught today! Because of that, their decent salary was cut for three months.
“Brother. Wait a moment.”
Sambong stopped Ilryong and Imwoe.
“What? What is it?”
The hot-tempered Ilryong turned to him, annoyed.
“About our docked pay. Where do you think it will go?”
“Where would it go! They'll probably just happily fill their own coffers! The Namgung clan just robbed us of our money! They're no different from highway robbers! Ha!”
“You think so? This is the Namgung clan.”
“Ah, what are you trying to say now?”
Sambong's eyes gleamed.
“A clan like Namgung, so concerned with formalities, would surely have given that money to the inn. As compensation for the damages suffered. But what kind of place is the Namgung clan?”
“What kind of place? The number one martial family in the Central Plains...”
“A place full of hypocrisy! You've eaten Namgung's food for a few months and you've already become one of them, brother!”
Ilryong said, "Ah," and scratched his head.
“Ah, so what about it!”
“They'll give the money to save face, but they won't care beyond that. It means they won't know even if we go back to that inn right now and cause a ruckus.”
“So?”
“What do you mean, 'so'? Have you lost your touch? Of course, we should go right now and take that money! Our salary!”
“You think the innkeeper will just stand by? Didn't you see the look in his eyes earlier? It looked like he was about to pull out a kitchen knife. Weren't we just saying we should lay low?”
“We have to scare him good. Make it so he can't report us to the Namgung clan, and so he can't resist anymore.”
Sambong's eyes narrowed. His mouth twisted into a meaningful smile.
“Very thoroughly, I mean.”
Seeing that expression, a sinister smile also formed on Ilryong's lips.
“Aha. Just like our old selves, you mean?”
Hehe, hehehe. Hehehehe.
The laughter they shared as they looked at each other grew more and more vicious and cunning. The three men turned back from their path to the Namgung clan and headed for the inn. In case they ran into the Black Dragon Unit Leader again, they decided to use a deserted alleyway.
For the first time in a long while, Ilryong felt his spirits soar.
‘A bandit must do banditry!’
After coming down from the mountain and becoming a Namgung warrior, he had felt like he was just playing kids' games in the alleys! But today was different! This was like stealing money from the Namgung clan!
‘No, that's not right. That money was originally mine.’
I'm just taking back what was stolen from me.
“How is it? Are they there? Did he leave?”
“Wait a moment. It's hard to see because of the pillar. Can't you see from your side, brother?”
Before storming in, the three men crouched in the alley behind the inn and checked the inside through a small window. This was in case the Black Dragon Unit Leader or other Namgung warriors were there. Unlike before, the deed they were about to commit was that of the Unorthodox faction, so they had to be as careful as possible...
“What are you doing?”
“...!”
“...!”
The three men, who were lined up at the window peeking into the inn, were startled by the child's voice coming from behind them. They should have turned around to see who it was, but strangely, their bodies wouldn't move. Not even turning their heads to the side, or moving a finger.
All they could do was remain in the same position, peering through the window, and roll their eyes.
“Don't struggle. I've struck your paralyzing acupoints. You won't be able to move for at least one shichen.”
The three men's pupils trembled with anxiety. They wanted to scream something, but no sound came out.
“Oh, right. While I was at it, I also struck your mute acupoints. It would be a hassle if you screamed.”
‘Just when...!’
They were merely first-rate and second-rate, but a warrior is still a warrior. And yet, they didn't even know when their acupoints had been struck, nor did they sense any presence.
‘A master...!’
From the start, striking acupoints requires delicate control of qi, so it was known to be a technique only masters at the peak level or above could use. Therefore, the one who had struck them from behind had to be at least a peak level master!
‘What in the world do you want!’
You have to let us speak so we can ask what you want!
“You probably have a lot to say, but I don't have time. I'll just say what I have to say.”
‘...!’
“Ilryong. Imwoe. Sambong.”
The rolling eyes of the three men suddenly froze.
‘She knows us...?’
‘But how...?’
“I know guys like you well. The kind who'll do anything for money. Though I didn't expect you to be playing the part of Namgung warriors.”
‘She knows we're Namgung warriors too!’
‘Who is she? Her voice is that of a child.’
Seolhwa looked at the three flinching heads lined up in a row and let out a small laugh.
‘To think I'd meet these guys here.’
Ilryong, Imwoe, Sambong. In her previous life, these three men were followers of the Blood Sect. To be precise, they were bandits belonging to the Green Forest who later joined the Blood Sect.
They demanded to be taken in as subordinates, claiming they knew a lot about the Namgung clan, and indeed, some rather useful information was obtained from them. I wondered how such insignificant guys could know information about the Namgung clan.
‘They were Namgung warriors?’
No, to be precise, they were likely Unorthodox faction bastards wearing the masks of the Namgung clan. There were many things I was curious about, like how these guys got into the Namgung clan and what they were after, but I didn't have much time.
“For guys like you, even a chance to repent is a waste. If you were capable of repentance, you wouldn't have done bad things in the first place.”
The fact that they were here instead of returning to the Namgung clan was proof of that. I felt a little sorry for Namgung Cheongun, but these guys weren't the type to change even if given a chance. They were bat-like creatures who betrayed the Namgung clan, betrayed the Green Forest, and joined the Blood Sect.
In the previous life, their end was death. After their usefulness ran out, they were caught trying to leak the Blood Sect's information and were killed by Ilhwa's hands.
“If I had my way, I'd want to kill you before you can even sprout your rotten seeds...”
The three heads flinched once again.
“I'll let you live since you're Namgung. For now, since you're Namgung.”
For now, since you're Namgung.
‘And they're quite useful, too.’
Ilryong, who was foolish but had decent martial arts; Imwoe, who was quiet but did whatever he was told; and Sambong, who was cunning and good at petty tricks. They were the perfect kind of guys to make use of. Meanwhile, upon hearing Seolhwa's words, Sambong's face brightened.
‘She's letting us live because we're Namgung...?’
Messing with someone from the Namgung clan was no simple matter. Even if they were just Outer Hall warriors, Namgung was still Namgung. There would be no one in the Central Plains who would want to make an enemy of the Namgung clan.
‘As expected of the Namgung clan...!’
Even a master must fear the Namgung clan!
Of course!
Just as Sambong was cheering inwardly, relieved by the fact that he wouldn't die.
‘...!’
Something suddenly appeared from behind them. It seemed to be a hand, but no matter how far down he rolled his eyes, he couldn't see what it was doing.
‘W-what are you trying to do...!’
The attacker's hand forced Sambong's mouth open and shoved something inside. It was something hard, about the size of two finger joints.
‘N-no...!’
He tried his best not to swallow it, but the attacker's hand lifted his chin and struck his throat, and it went down with an absurdly easy gulp. It slid down his esophagus and into his body. Sambong had a gut feeling.
‘I'm done for...’
“I said I'd let you live, I never said I'd let you go.”
A voice, as devilish as it was innocent, drifted into his ears.