Chapter 21

Chapter 21
## Chapter: 21

### Chapter Title: Who the Hell Are You Guys? (1)

—

“Why in the world is this so gristly?”

Chief Patrol Officer Neung Wi spat out a chunk of half-chewed meat and snatched a jug of spirits.

The liquid was potent enough to turn his windpipe to cinders, but Neung Wi drained the entire container in a single breath.

“Kuh! Now that hits the spot.”

Neung Wi twisted his face in a satisfied grimace and shifted his gaze toward the subordinate busy roasting the kill.

“How many days have we been rotting in this place?”

“It has been eleven days, commander.”

“Damn it, this isn’t just a short stay. I am fed up with this garbage.”

Reaching for another jug, Neung Wi cut a glance toward the man standing like a statue at his back.

“What is the word from Golden Fox Stronghold?”

“They are in the middle of parleying with Juhae Escort Agency.”

“I am aware of that. I am asking about the progress of the talks.”

“There is no significant breakthrough yet, but the intimidation is escalating. They cannot hold out for much longer.”

“That is good to hear. Once the business with Juhae Escort Agency is finished, there is no reason for me to linger here, is there?”

The man wavered, causing Neung Wi to scowl.

“What? Is there a problem?”

“Based on the most recent intelligence, Golden Fox Stronghold has successfully executed another raid.”

“Another one? Those idiots think they are unstoppable just because we keep giving them credit.”

Neung Wi irritably flung the empty jug aside and spoke with a frozen tone.

“We have squandered enough time here—eleven days. The moment Juhae Escort Agency is settled, we purge the area and depart.”

“However, Chief Patrol Officer.”

The man—Deputy Patrol Officer Yeom Heuk, Neung Wi’s trusted aide—appeared distressed.

“What? Speak up.”

“The take is massive.”

“A massive take? From where?”

Neung Wi inquired with an expression of total indifference.

“Water Dragon Merchant Association.”

“Hm.”

A low sound of shock escaped Neung Wi’s lips at the mention of the Water Dragon Merchant Association.

“They are on a completely different level than Ilseong Merchant Group or Yeonhwa Escort Agency.”

“I know that.”

Neung Wi snapped back, licking his lips before he continued.

“By the way, what was the tribute demanded from Juhae Escort Agency?”

“One hundred gold taels.”

“We extracted fifty taels each from Ilseong Merchant Group and Yeonhwa Escort Agency, so if we wring the same from them, that makes two hundred. But if we can successfully plunder Water Dragon Merchant Association as well…”

“We could rake in that much all over again.”

“The danger is equally high. Ilseong Merchant Group, Yeonhwa Escort Agency, Juhae Escort Agency—they are small fry. But Water Dragon Merchant Association? They have connections to the highest powers. They will not break easily.”

“If we squeeze them with the same pressure we used on Yeonhwa and Juhae Escort Agencies, they will have no immediate choice. Regardless of the fallout later, they will hand over the coin first. The point is, we have a method to scrub the stains, don’t we?”

A cruel grin spread across Neung Wi’s features at Yeom Heuk’s suggestion.

“You mean offering up a well-cooked hunting dog after the chase is done?”

“Precisely. We follow the original blueprint—deliver the head of Golden Fox Stronghold’s chief to them, and our hands are clean. Everything was perpetrated by the chief alone under the pretext of a vendetta. The main headquarters bears no blame. In fact, we gain the moral high ground for punishing those overstepping thieves and can mend our ties with the escort agencies.”

“Not a terrible strategy at all.”

Neung Wi gave a satisfied nod at Yeom Heuk’s reasoning.

No Geuk would suffer a heart attack if he learned of this, but he had been earmarked as a sacrificial lamb from the beginning.

Total Bandit Chief Neung Cheon Kang possessed both talent and greed, but he held no genuine affection for No Geuk.

Certainly, No Geuk’s wealth and influence had been useful during skirmishes with rival strongholds. But from the seat of ultimate authority, No Geuk was merely a tool to be utilized and discarded.

Permitting him to visit the stronghold and sending the Chief Patrol along was not a gesture of kindness toward No Geuk—it was a move to seize the wealth Golden Fox Stronghold had stashed away.

Allowing No Geuk to vent his fury at the destroyed stronghold was just a way to intercept any tribute he managed to extort. His execution was a foregone conclusion.

“It cannot be helped. We will endure for a few more days.”

Neung Wi resolved to put up with the tedium a bit longer, his mind on the colossal profit from shaking down the Water Dragon Merchant Association.

“Let the elders know as well. They must be as restless as I am… Ah, there they are.”

Neung Wi stood up as he noticed the elderly figures pushing through the thicket.

His father commanded the bandits, and he held the rank of Chief Patrol, but the three elders of the bandit main headquarters were men who commanded absolute respect.

Green Forest Emperor Yu Ji Hak had united the outlaws and established the main headquarters at Mokbu Mountain—bordering Huguk, Hunan, and Jiangxi—two hundred and fifty years ago.

Numerous strongholds had risen to power and produced leaders since the era of the Green Forest Emperor, but one custom remained unshakable.

The Green Forest Emperor had left no heirs.

No bloodline remained, yet his formidable power stayed intact. They swore fealty to each successive chief according to his decree. However, during internal power struggles—particularly over the leadership—they remained strictly impartial.

As time passed, personal greed had somewhat tarnished the tradition, but the core structure remained.

The Elder Hall was the pillar maintaining that heritage, so it was only natural for Neung Wi to act with caution.

“Hahaha! Why a common boar? I thought you said you were tracking tigers.”

At Neung Wi’s laughter, the elder walking with a colossal boar draped over his shoulder—Giant Strength Overlord Jang Gwal—laughed and slammed the beast to the earth.

“Don’t get me started. Where the devil did all the tigers vanish to? I couldn’t find a single hair.”

“Still, a beast of this magnitude must have been as fierce as any tiger.”

Neung Wi clicked his tongue at the boar, which was larger than a full-grown cow.

“It was violent. But that was the end of it. Two strikes from this man left it in that state.”

Nine Mountains Woodcutter Poong Yo Sang, with a pipe between his teeth, poked the boar’s crushed cranium.

“Failing to kill it with one blow is a source of regret.”

Jang Gwal’s comment earned a dismissive gesture from Neung Sa Jong at his side.

“A creature of this size is a freak of nature. Only you, Elder, could break it with your bare hands.”

Neung Sa Jong, the brother of Total Chief Neung Cheon Kang, was the only man from the stronghold to attain the rank of elder. Yet compared to Jang Gwal or Poong Yo Sang, he was inferior in every category.

“Kahaha! Elder Neung is putting a shine on my old reputation. But it feels good, so I suppose I am a man of the world after all.”

“Tsk tsk, are you only realizing that now?”

Poong Yo Sang made a clicking sound of disapproval and looked toward Neung Wi.

“What is the status? It feels like it is time for us to depart.”

“Juhae Escort Agency should be concluding soon, but it might require a little more time.”

Poong Yo Sang’s eyes, clouded by boredom, suddenly turned sharp as ice.

“More time? What does that mean?”

Neung Wi found it hard to swallow under that predatory gaze and quickly recounted his conversation with Yeom Heuk.

“Water Dragon Merchant Association. A significant prize, but…”

Jang Gwal caught the tail end of Poong Yo Sang’s mumble and slapped him on the back.

“We have lingered this long—what are a few more days? The reward is immense; it will provide a massive boost to the main headquarters.”

“If you insist. But I have one requirement.”

“What is it?”

“That fellow belongs to me.”

As Poong Yo Sang ran his tongue over his lips, the sixty-something Jang Gwal—his body rippling with muscles—visibly recoiled.

“That is…”

“You don’t agree? Fine. We will leave for home as soon as Juhae Escort Agency is finished.”

Jang Gwal paused at Poong Yo Sang’s rigid stance, but a desperate Neung Wi clasped his hands together and bowed frantically. Jang Gwal erupted into boisterous laughter.

“The Chief Patrol representing the outlaws does not bow so easily. Very well, have it your way.”

Poong Yo Sang’s expression brightened instantly.

“I saw that No Geuk wielding a blade quite well earlier. It should be entertaining to break him.”

“Exactly!”

Jang Gwal shouted in annoyance and moved toward the dead boar. With a single fluid motion, he sliced it open, pulled out the gallbladder, and squeezed it into a bottle.

“A present. It isn’t bear bile, but from a boar of this size, it will certainly have a kick.”

“My thanks, Elder.”

Neung Wi bowed and accepted the container.

In that instant, someone hurried toward them at high speed.

Neung Wi’s guards reacted instantly but lowered their steel upon recognizing the man emerging from the brush.

“Chief Patrol Officer!”

The messenger dropped to one knee in front of Neung Wi.

“What is the news?”

“A dispatch just arrived.”

He presented a narrow scroll.

Neung Wi’s expression grew grim as he read the contents.

“What has occurred?”

Neung Wi crushed the paper in his fist and spoke with a freezing edge.

“Nangong Clan is on the move. They are coming this way.”

“Nangong Clan?”

Jang Gwal and Poong Yo Sang shouted in unison.

“Is this from Juhae Escort Agency?”

Neung Sa Jong inquired.

“No. It appears Yeonhwa Escort Agency pulled some levers.”

“Nangong Clan is no minor player. There must be a hidden tie we weren’t aware of.”

Poong Yo Sang tapped his pipe softly against his hand at Jang Gwal’s remark.

“I was getting tired of the wait. This is preferable. Let us finish this before they get here.”

Poong Yo Sang began walking away without a second thought.

“Whew! Nangong Clan, of all people. A few more days and we would have been swimming in coin.”

Neung Sa Jong comforted Neung Wi by patting his shoulder.

“Do not dwell on it. Ilseong Merchant Group and Yeonhwa Escort Agency paid out well. And we can still wring some profit from No Geuk’s remains too.”

“That is pocket change.”

Neung Wi could not hide his irritation despite the words of support.

—

Poong Yo Sang’s gait toward the stronghold was bouncy, his face showing a strange sort of glee.

However, as the charred remains of Golden Fox Stronghold appeared, his smile died, and his eyes became stones.

“Ignore the weaklings. But No Geuk is mine.”

Jang Gwal let out a weary breath at Poong Yo Sang’s claim.

No Geuk’s followers had some talent, but as Poong Yo Sang noted, they were merely filler. There was no joy in crushing them for a master of his caliber.

“Fine. Just do not botch it—do it correctly.”

Jang Gwal made an annoyed gesture.

“Botch it? You’d be better off waiting for the moon to fall…”

Poong Yo Sang sneered, then suddenly snapped his head to the side.

Jang Gwal followed the movement.

Two figures were ascending the mountain trail.

The path was vertical and treacherous, yet their rhythm remained perfectly steady.

“Who are you supposed to be?”

Poong Yo Sang demanded.

“And who is this old fossil? Hm, those fellows standing around look like outlaws with ‘I’m a bandit’ written all over them, but you are something else.”

Cheol Woo, who stepped onto the clearing first, looked over Neung Wi’s subordinates and spoke.

“Old fossil? Ha! You’re a witty piece of meat. I will give you one last chance—who the hell are you?”

Poong Yo Sang laughed, but his murderous aura began to probe Cheol Woo and Sima Geon, who followed behind him, with icy precision.

“There is no reason for simple shopkeepers like us to give our names. It is our turn to ask—who are you, old man? A bandit from Golden Fox Stronghold?”

Poong Yo Sang immediately inferred from Cheol Woo’s final question that they were there to settle a debt with Golden Fox Stronghold.

Technically, they weren’t rivals if they were both after No Geuk’s head—there was no logical reason to start a fight. However, the instincts of a martial artist outweighed his logic. He was particularly grated by Cheol Woo’s mocking tone.

“What if we are?”

At Poong Yo Sang’s biting sarcasm, Cheol Woo answered without a second of doubt.

“Then you are dead men.”

Cheol Woo stepped forward, his presence expanding with a crushing weight.