The Samhonbu, bathed in the morning sunlight, collided head-on with the Yasudo.
Boom!
The Yasudo, thrown back by the aftermath of the collision, drew an arc and flew like lightning toward Gangchan’s heart. Simultaneously, Gangchan’s Samhonbu extended toward Yeopae’s chest.
Whoosh. Thud!
Along with the sound of metal clashing, the Yasudo heading for Gangchan’s chest was blocked by his left hand. A red energy flickered from Gangchan’s hand, which had stopped the tip of the blade. The Soul Axe had appeared in his left hand.
From Yeopae’s perspective, unaware of this, the situation was bewildering. To block a blade with a bare hand? And to even hear the sound of metal clashing?
“Huh?” Yeopae muttered, staring at the Yasudo blocked by the Soul Axe that had emerged from Gangchan’s palm.
On the other hand, the Samhonbu that had extended toward Yeopae was stopped precariously close to his chest. Yeopae instinctively tried to retract his Yasudo, but his arm lacked strength. Slowly, the power drained from his entire body.
Yeopae looked down at his chest. The opponent’s weapon was peculiarly shaped, but it was definitely an axe. it was not a weapon meant for piercing.
Furthermore, it had stopped right in front of him without even touching his chest. Nevertheless, a large hole had been carved into his chest, and blood was gushing out from it. A Thunder Spike had emerged from the tip of the Samhonbu, pierced his chest, and then vanished.
The Blood Axe Ghost Soul Second Form: Noiseomp’a. No one had seen the technique that had been executed in an instant.
The Samhonbu flew through the air, following Yeopae as he staggered back. Soaring into the sky, the Samhonbu struck Yeopae’s left hand as fast as a ray of light.
Thud. Ugh!
Before he could even feel the pain, his left arm was severed.
“This is the earnestness of a son who wanted to protect his parents.”
The Samhonbu rose again. This time, Yeopae’s right ankle was sliced off. Yeopae stumbled and collapsed sideways.
“This is the desperation of a husband who just got married and wanted to protect his wife.”
Yeopae knelt on one knee, leaning on his blade with one hand as he glared at Gangchan.
“I should have killed them all sooner… But you’ll be following right behind me, so go first and wait. I guarantee it.”
Gangchan looked down at him expressionlessly.
“Why? Because those bastards were useful to me. But you went and ruined everything.”
“So, should I kill you? Or not? Pwahahahaha!”
“Wait patiently. I’ll grind them down one by one and send them to you.”
“You dogs… If you had given me the second half sooner, I wouldn’t have been defeated like this.”
The Samhonbu rose once more and aimed for Yeopae’s neck. Yeopae instinctively raised his Yasudo to block it.
Whoosh. Clang! Thud!
However, the Samhonbu cut through both the Yasudo and his neck in a single blow.
“This is the despair of a young boy who lost his father and brother and wanted to die.”
Gangchan cut Yeopae down in the exact same way Yeopae had killed his father, Ganghwan, all those years ago.
‘Father, are you at peace now?’
The memory of his father’s final face, looking at him sorrowfully even as he collapsed to the ground, slowly faded away. The disciples of Cheongangmun, who had tried to live happily and without greed, and his own father—would they finally be at peace in the afterlife?
Gangchan looked up at the sky for a moment, lost in the futile thought of what might have happened if he had been as strong then as he was now.
Everyone engaged in the battle was seized with terror upon witnessing Yeopae’s death. At 그 moment, as if remembering something, Gangchan pulled an arrow from the body of a fallen bandit and quickly aimed to the left.
Whiz. Thud!
Hae Byeok had been wondering about Yeopae’s sudden staggering and death when he was startled by the incoming object and quickly dodged. However, the arrow curved as if following him and pierced his shoulder.
Thud. Ugh…!!
‘What kind of ridiculous arrow trajectory is this…?’
Hae Byeok was so shocked that he fled the scene frantically without even checking the wound on his shoulder.
“What a waste.”
Gangchan grimaced. His dissatisfaction was evident, as if the result did not please him. He approached the bandits who were fighting fiercely with his team members.
“Everyone, step back.”
His voice, devoid of emotion and even pitch, caused the team members to step back as if possessed. There were roughly fifty bandits remaining.
Looking at his team, he saw blood flowing from various parts of their bodies, and they were all breathing heavily. Fortunately, no one had lost a limb.
‘I’m so glad they’re alive.’
Gangchan smiled brightly at his team. In fact, he had noticed their condition was deteriorating and had chosen to end his fight quickly because of it.
As Gangchan approached, the bandits retreated in terror, letting out screams.
“Don’t come! Please, don’t come! We were wrong!”
Some threw down their weapons and knelt on the ground, beginning to cry.
“We were wrong! Waaaaah….”
“I am Gangchan, the one who has come on behalf of the innocent people you murdered twelve years ago. Have you ever spared a single person who begged for their life? I will punish you on their behalf for every sin you have committed with your mouths, hands, feet, and hearts.”
As Gangchan spread his hands, adorable axe blades appeared floating on both sides of his head. The Soul Axes, imbued with a red light, glowed enchantingly.
“Haah!”
With a shout, the Soul Axes flew through the bandits like a gust of wind. The screams of the bandits followed.
For a long time, only their screams echoed through the courtyard of the Blood Wolf Band. Except for the 100 or so bandits who were with Muchideok, everyone lost their lives. The courtyard was filled with the blood the bandits had shed.
The sun, which had finally fully risen, shone brilliantly upon the world as if nothing had happened. Gangchan walked over to where his team was standing.
“Is anyone hurt?”
The team members’ eyes seemed to have lost focus, having been shocked so many times today. They had vaguely guessed that their Leader’s martial arts far exceeded their imagination, but they never dreamed it would be to this extent.
Du Ilchung, who was the first to snap back to his senses at Gangchan’s question, grimaced as he moved his body. He had lacerations on his left arm and leg, and blood was still flowing.
“Ah! Yes, I’m fine. Is everyone else okay?”
Du Ilchung looked at the rest of the team.
“Well, I got hit by a sword a few times, but it’s not enough to die,” Jomu replied, wiping blood from his face.
“I just have a few scratches from the blades. Don’t worry.”
The team members spoke that way, but they were busy avoiding Gangchan’s gaze like people who had committed a crime. A smile spread across Gangchan’s face as he saw them pretending to be fine so he wouldn’t worry.
‘It’s a relief.’
“Treat your wounds before they fester.”
In truth, the team members felt ashamed and embarrassed to look at Gangchan. They had followed the Leader almost by force when he said he would go alone, but instead of being helpful, they felt like they had been a burden.
There was no way they could miss the look of concern in Gangchan’s eyes as he looked at them. The outcome probably wouldn’t have changed even if they weren’t there. In fact, they thought it might have been settled even more simply.
Gangchan approached the 100 bandits staying with Muchideok. The bandits were gripped by fear and didn’t know what to do. At that moment, supported by someone, Muchideok stepped forward.
“These men have nothing to do with Guihon Village. No, some were present at the scene at the time, but they never harmed anyone. Please, just end it with me.”
Muchideok shook off the support, staggered a few steps closer to Gangchan, and knelt. Gangchan felt their energy without answering. It didn’t seem like a lie. He didn’t sense much evil energy from them.
Of course, there was no way Gangchan would fail to notice hidden malice. Evil is always swift, clever, and permeates everywhere.
‘There are some who hid just to survive.’
“That might be true. But how can I trust your words?”
“I will offer my neck.”
“Your neck? If you had kept the promise you made that day after offering your neck, none of this would be happening now, would it?”
“If you’re talking about that day, I have nothing to say even if I had ten mouths. But for one last time, could you give them a chance?”
Muchideok’s head pressed closer to the ground.
Actually, when Gangchan realized Muchideok was the person who had saved his brother, he had intended to spare him. He had also been contemplating how to deal with the people who had stayed out of the fight to protect the injured Muchideok after sensing their energy.
“Fine. I’ll think about it. First, clear those things away.”
Perhaps because hope of living had blossomed, the bandits’ movements became rapid as soon as Gangchan’s instructions were given. They cleared the corpses piled in the yard and busily cleaned the area.
Gangchan inspected the three large buildings with his team. In one of the three warehouses, various looted goods were piled up.
‘Why did they amass so much wealth?’
Another was a food storehouse, and the last was a stable. After touring all the buildings, Gangchan ordered the Dongbang Bureau’s wagons left in the yard to be organized and then entered the building Yeopae had used.
Sitting at a table, Gangchan fell into deep thought. The overall level of martial arts was too high for mere bandits. And who was that person who fled after being hit by an arrow? What on earth were they planning?
Furthermore, thinking about Yeopae’s dying words made his head ache. If what Yeopae said was true, there was a high possibility they would come looking for him first.
However, Gangchan decided to think very simply about it. He would just clean up this place and go home. What if they came looking for him? He would just deal with them then.
He was no longer the young and weak being of the past. He now had the ability to protect not only himself but his family from any danger. Nevertheless, despite his clear conclusion, the premonition that the business with the Blood Wolf Band wouldn’t end here did not disappear.
In any case, having sorted out his thoughts, the remaining issue was the disposal of the 100 or so members of the Blood Wolf Band. It wasn’t easy to decide what to do with them. Even if they didn’t possess evil energy, would these men who had lived as bandits be able to do any other work?
The surviving bandits were martial artists, regardless of their past. Looking closely, there were quite a few who had reached the first-rate level, and most were at the peak of the second-rate level.
‘If I let them go, they’ll just become bandits again.’
That was the dilemma. The best way would be to just eliminate them all, but that wasn’t so easy either. According to Muchideok, while some were present during the Guihon Village incident, many had joined afterward.
While he was agonizing over the bandit problem, the injured Muchideok sought out Gangchan again.
“I’ll say it again, just kill me.”
“I recall already answering that.”
“I’m telling you to kill me.”
“Why should I?”
“I am a martial artist, and I lost to you. So don’t humiliate me and kill me quickly.”
“A martial artist? Who? You? Aren’t you a bandit?”
Muchideok felt disgraced, but he had no words to refute him.
“Don’t pester me. I’m thinking about it right now.”
“Then first promise to spare my subordinates.”
“The thing is… if I release them, is there a guarantee they won’t go back to being bandits? Just because I get a promise… There’s no guarantee they’ll keep it this time when you didn’t keep your promise in the past.”
“We will definitely keep it this time.”
“Maybe you will, but how can you guarantee what the rest will do after you die?”
“…”
“I can’t exactly keep an eye on them all the time. So go back. I’ll decide soon whether to let everyone live or kill them.”
Muchideok glared at Gangchan for a while before turning his uncomfortable body toward the door. Just as he was about to step out, Gangchan spoke.
“Ah, and… the people from the Dongbang Clan you attacked will be here soon. Guide them here.”
Muchideok stopped in his tracks, scowled, and whipped around. Ignoring him, Gangchan smiled and added.
“With proper manners.”
Boom!
The building shook at the sound of the door slamming.
“I wonder if a person can truly change.”
Gangchan’s mutter pierced Muchideok’s chest like an arrow.