Chapter 18
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Just by looking at Dong Chang-min’s cold expression, they could tell that he didn’t come with good intentions.
“Owner!”
Seo Poong-sik came running to the call of Dong Chang-min.
It seems like he knows who Dong Chang-min is with the way his arms were crossed.
“Send all the customers out.”
“Sorry? But….”
“Don’t make me say it twice.”
There are very few people in Hangzhou who can disobey the orders of Dongssi-doga’s Deputy Head.
Seo Poong-sik said, by walking around each table.
“I’m sorry. You will have to go back. Yes, I will not charge you money for the food.”
Many people were grumbling, but most of them obediently left the boarding house. Although they didn’t know who Dong Chang-min is, the cold air radiating from the guy’s body who had the sword in his hand made them hate to be in the same place.
Dong Chang-min who even kicked out Seo Poong-sik was going to sit by placing the chair he brought next to the table, at that time Geom Woo-bin said.
“I never asked you to sit, did I?”
Dong Chang-min was just about to sit, but he stopped moving at a crooked position.
“You?”
“How about being a little polite? If you’re not going to be polite, I will do the same from now on.”
“Do you…. know, whom are you talking to right now?”
Dong Chang-min asked while holding the handle of the sword he had in his waist.
The blood-lions were constantly changing their tones ever since Dong Chang-min showed up.
-Anyone who knows that person?
Yeon Geum-hong answered Seo Seok-san’s question.
-He’s the Deputy Head of Dongssi-doga.
-Dongssi-doga? Ah! The swordsmen in Hangzhou who pass out gas! But, why is that fellow arguing with the abolition?”
-I forgot to say, that Deputy Head guy approached Namgung Hye-yeon with bad intentions.
-Yeon Geum-hong, how did you know about that?
-Yesterday the abolition went to the Western Transportation Company, right? At that time the Deputy Head was there too, so he was sweet-talking Namgung Hye-yeon. However, that woman did not give a hoot about the Deputy Head and she was having fun being all lovey-dovey with the abolition.
-He’s blinded by jealousy. But, isn’t the atmosphere unusual? Should I pull out that sword?
-Looks like you can pull it out with the sound of the breath.
Do Pyeong-su let out a laugh.
-Hehehe… if you pull it out, you’d be dead meat the moment you pull it out. Since he swung the knife first, Geom Woo-bin wouldn’t say anything even if you kill him first, would he?
-Be careful not to reveal yourself! If he becomes aware of our martial arts and bounce off we’ll miss out on a golden opportunity to taste!
At Yeon Geum-hong’s warning, everyone held down their spirits.
“Hahaha! What made the prince this angry?”
The voice of Dong Chang-min that replied to the nosy Yeon Geum-hong was cold.
“Your nephew draws his neck too long to look at a tree he can’t climb. Not knowing that his neck will be chopped off by a sword.”
“How about taking a look at yourself first before blaming others for not being liked by Namgung Hye-yeon?”
“This is called a ripped snout!”
The sword showed up a little more.
The blood-lion saw the sword getting out and shouted constantly.
-Pull it out! For heaven’s sake pull it out!
By doing so, they looked at each other.
Two guys who can be tasted, and four predators aiming for it. The two among the four had no choice but to wave into the air.
‘First of all, it’s advantageous that I and Yeon Geum-hong are the closest.’
Seo Seok-san had such a thought but Do Pyeong-su slowly moved the chair and got closer.
-Why are you clinging on disgustingly?
-I’m doing so because I like it. Hehehe….”
Including Jang Man-dok who was disadvantaged by the distance gave strength to both his feet so that he can storm off.
Dong Chang-min who never knew even in his dreams that he was like a young deer with its head stuck in a tiger’s mouth, still said fiercely.
“I didn’t like you since the time you came to our Dongssi-doga to look for your wine, so this is what happened in the end, I see.”
-The abolition went to Dongssi-doga to look for the liquor? What does that mean?
Everyone looked at Yeon Geum-hong, but she didn’t know anything either.
-This is something we’ve never heard of, isn’t it?
“It’s so cheap to have a grudge on such a trivial thing, isn’t it?”
“Let’s see if you’re saying that after I chop off your wrist!”
Finally, more than half of Dong Chang-min’s blade came out.
-Done!
The impatience of having to flounder faster than the other three made Do Pyeong-su’s spirit rise.
-That, that fellow!
-Do Pyeong-su! Lower your spirit!
Seo Seok-san and Yeon Geum-hong shouted and Jang Man-dok announced his will by glaring.
At that moment, the guy who was just standing next to Dong Chang-min all this while like a cat in a strange garret moved.
He hit the handle with incredible speed and made the blade drop out, so, he grabbed Dong Chang-min and stepped back smoothly.
It was a smooth movement that happened within the blink of an eye.
-Darn!
The prey that entered the mouth quickly escaped. The three of them looked at Do Pyeong-su with a fierce look in their eyes.
-This stupid bastard! What are you going to do if you let go of the perfect opportunity to have fun!
Do Pyeong-su, who had nothing to say even if he has ten mouths, only looked at the three of them.
This newborn Dong Chang-min who didn’t even know that he just died and came back to life screamed at the guy.
“Guard Gum! Why are you doing this?”
“It’s better that we end this here and return.”
“I should do something for me to end it! I’ll feel better only if I chop off one of his limbs today!”
The blood-lion’s wish ‘please come back’ didn’t come true because the guy forced Dong Chang-min to go with him.
Dong Chang-min shouted as soon as went outside.
“Guard Gum, your role is to protect me, not to stop me!”
“I’m faithful to my role.”
“What did you say?”
“The four people who were with Geom Woo-bin, I don’t know all of them, but one among them is an expert.”
Dong Chang-min looked aghast.
“They’re just people who brew liquor, what do you mean an expert? What are you talking about right now?”
“They’re not just people who simply brew liquor.”
Dong Chang-min did not believe, so he asked sarcastically.
“How great of an expert?”
“At least…. it wasn’t a standard that I could cope with.”
At those words, Dong Chang-min’s face stiffened.
Gum Woo-pyeon was never a human who lowers himself. Although he’s not from the Dongssi-doga clan, the details are not known, but it is clear that humility is not a virtue of Gum Woo-pyeon.
-He’s by no means weaker than your second uncle.
His second uncle Dong Cheol-seung is the strongest person in Dongssi-doga other than Dong Seong-bang.
As he went on a journey for strength training three years ago, perhaps he’s stronger than Dong Seong-bang by now.
“Is he stronger than you for real?”
The only person who knew Dong Chang-min’s dual personality in Dongssi-doga is his mother, and she was worried about it, so, the person who was hired for fifteen silver taels a month was Gum Woo-pyeon.
In various aspects, Gum Woo-pyeon is one of the top ten Moorim people that Dong Chang-min knows, so he couldn’t believe it easily.
“I’m certain. If you had pulled out your sword, both of us wouldn’t have been here alive.”
“Does it make sense that such a strong man is just brewing liquor?”
“Until that point, I don’t know.”
First of all, he had no choice but to believe Gum Woo-pyeon.
‘Is that so?’
As Dong Chang-min was going to step inside the boarding house again, Gum Woo-pyeon blocked him.
“Don’t you trust me?”
“No, I do. But, just because we’re still alive it doesn’t mean we don’t have to attack, right?”
“I guess so.”
“Alright then.”
Dong Chang-min approached Geom Woo-bin again, leaving Gum Woo-pyeon behind.
“Today I’m just going back. But, keep in mind. Someday, if there is someone who’d end your life, that’s going to be me.”
By saying that, Dong Chang-min was about to turn around, but Geom Woo-bin’s voice was heard.
“I don’t know about that someday, but today I saved you.”
He wanted to pull out the sword right away and cut off Geom Woo-bin’s head, but he showed superhuman patience.
Dong Chang-min who glared at Geom Woo-bin got out of sight, so, the conversations between them continued.
“So, you brought the liquor back and Dongssi-doga bought it by paying twofold of the price, is it?”
Geom Woo-bin nodded at Yeon Geum-hong’s thesis.
“That’s right.”
“Why didn’t you tell about such a great situation? I’ll destroy these bastards of the Dongssi-doga!”
“That’s why I didn’t say. It’s not a big sin for you to destroy them, is it?”
“Is Seo Seok-san losing hair because he did something wrong?” Whispered Yeon Geum-hong.
“Why am I hearing you talk about my hair over there!”
“That’s how Seo Seok-san looks like with no sins, if one has done something wrong of course he has to pay the price for it.”
Five days after that, rumors began to spread that Dong Chang-min has been focusing only on training. Rumors included that he would never come out until he becomes an expert.
“How many people would be there in Dongssi-doga?”
“I’m not sure, about two hundred people maybe?”
To the blood-lion, the Dongssi-doga was a very unimportant being, so, he didn’t even pay attention to them.
“There would be many women and children who do not know martial arts, but you can’t kill them all.”
“That’s right. Even though the Dongssi-doga did something wrong to be punished by breaking him on the wheel, it’s not right to massacre the civilians who do not know martial arts.”
“Would there be around one hundred people who have mastered martial arts?”
Just as unfortunate, the number ‘one hundred’ made them smile.
“I’ll be able to feel a proper touch for the first time in a while.”
“Just three people.”
All of their faces stiffened at Seo Seok-san’s words.
Everyone is eager to feel the touch, but someone has to stay here to protect Geom Woo-bin.
Do Pyeong-su shook the wooden box which had a hole pierced on it and placed it on the table.
“The person who picks the paper that has ‘rich’ written on it would remain.”
No one objected as they had already made a promise and even had a paper prepared for it.
“I am going first.”
“No, me!”
“What do you mean! I’m first!”
Jang Man-dok expressed his will by blocking the opening of the box. They did not trust each other not knowing what deception would come out.
“How can we not trust each other like this?”
“Then you pick last.” Replied Do Pyeong-su to Yeon Geum-hong.
“I don’t like being the last in anything.”
Creek!
The box shattered due to the excessive force Jang Man-dok gave it, and the contents were scattered. The paper was crumpled up, so, they couldn’t see which was ‘rich’ and which was ‘poor’.
As they looked at the scattered paper among the pieces of wood, they examined each other’s faces.
“How about taking the paper that’s close to you for yourself?”
Upon Seo Seok-san’s suggestion, Yeon Geum-hong and Do Pyeong-su glanced at Jang Man-dok.
Jang Man-dok wouldn’t have intentionally broken the box to induce such a situation. Jang Man-dok cannot be such a meticulous person.
“Alright.”
Everyone agreed.
They certainly knew the paper which was the closest without having to use a ruler.
Yeon Geum-hong reached her hand slowly and grabbed the paper first. As she did so, the other three took their ones.
The dry saliva went down their throats in anxiety.
Perhaps today could be the only opportunity to feel the proper touch. They did not want to miss this one in a thousand opportunity just because of a letter.
‘Please, please…!’
Yeon Geum-hong was the first to open the paper that was folded into four.
-Po(or)
“Yessss!”
“Shh! What are you going to do if the abolition wakes up?”
At Seo Seok-san’s rebuke, Yeon Geum-hong shut her mouth immediately, but she couldn’t stop snickering.
“The probability has been reduced to one-third. Poor middle-aged fellows. Ah! What do I wear to create the sea of blood?”
Creek!
A corner of the table clutched by Jang Man-dok was crushed into powder. In response to Jang Man-dok’s reaction, the other two hurriedly opened their papers.
Similar letters were written on both of their papers.
“Jang Man-dok won!”
Indeed, as everyone’s belief, Jang Man-dok did not play any tricks. Breaking the box was just him digging his own grave.
“Hehehe! Jang Man-dok, please take good care of the abolition.”
“We’ll enjoy your share to our heart’s content as well. Hahaha!”
Each of them left a word and walked out of the room.
Since the time they came out, they were extremely cautious of their behaviors. If they happen to get caught to Geom Woo-bin, they could go back to bed, and spend the entire night without getting a wink of sleep due to withdrawal symptoms.
Such a disaster should never happen.
They crossed the yard without any trace just like assassins.