Chapter 3

Chapter 3
Chapter: 3

Chapter Title: Evil Ties and Good Ties (3)

—

Sima Geon was only fourteen years old during that period.

At that time, he was employed by the Eunseong Escort Agency, which was navigating the heights of Golden Well Mountain for a transport job. It was none other than Beon Gak who launched the raid, butchering every escort and seizing ten captives—including him, the youngest. Beon Gak was also the individual who oversaw their sale at the slave market.

‘The name of that brother was… yes, Won Sang. Ha Won Sang.’

Sima Geon thought back to the teenage porter who had fought against being sold, attempted a breakout, and was executed by having his throat slashed right before his eyes.

The trauma of watching the person who had shown him the most kindness during his early days as a laborer die in such a manner was beyond description.

The horror of the blood geyser erupting from the open wound and drenching his skin had plagued his sleep with terrors every single night.

“It was… Beon Gak, wasn’t it?”

Hearing Sima Geon’s inquiry, Beon Gak’s eyelids narrowed into slits.

“How do you recognize me, you piece of trash?”

In that heartbeat, a heavy, wicked grin played across Sima Geon’s features.

“It appears your memory has failed you. I suppose it makes sense. The Golden Fox Bandit Lair has seen countless souls pass through its gates. Furthermore, while the insect being crushed suffers in agony, the boot that does the stepping remains ignorant of what it destroyed. Even so, it hurts a bit. I have been anticipating this reunion with such intensity.”

Beon Gak felt the staggering bloodlust pouring out from that grin, and his lungs seized. He was paralyzed, like a rabbit staring down a wolf.

‘Curse it! If he was once here, he has to be one of the prisoners we trafficked.’

He desperately combed through his past, but the visage before him was entirely foreign.

Without thinking, Beon Gak’s eyes darted around. He was instinctively hunting for a way to flee.

Sima Geon’s smile widened.

A bolt of snowy light streaked toward Beon Gak.

A piercing whistle cut the air, and simultaneously, both of Beon Gak’s ears were sliced clean away. The strike was so rapid and precise that the blood didn’t even start to spurt until well after the flesh had hit the dirt.

“Gaaahhh!”

As he turned his skull, Beon Gak was oblivious to what had been done to him. It was only when the warmth of the blood flowed down his jaw to his collar that he shrieked.

“Don’t look away from me. Our conversation isn’t over.”

Sima Geon remained in his initial posture, his grin frozen as if he hadn’t moved a muscle. He looked at the other outlaws who were watching with apprehension and spoke.

“I suggest the rest of you remain perfectly still. If I take your lives, it will be quick. But if that man over there gets involved, your agony will be worse than the afterlife. He hasn’t earned the title Diamond Yaksha for nothing.”

The name Diamond Yaksha carried a weight in the underworld as terrifying as Yama the King of Hell, though it was barely a whisper in the martial arts circles of the Central Plains.

However, the bandits were gripped by a fear as if the Diamond Yaksha himself had appeared, watching Cheol Woo casually poke No Sa Mun’s severed remains with his foot while wearing a smirk.

“Nothing’s coming back to you yet?”

“Th-that…”

Beon Gak didn’t get a chance to finish; his left arm was severed and sent flying.

“Gaaak!”

As Beon Gak howled, a mist of red sprayed the air.

“If you wish for any mercy in your suffering, you should start remembering. Since it’s been a long time, I’ll provide some clues. First: Eunseong Escort Agency.”

Sima Geon leaned his head to the side, anticipating an answer, but Beon Gak could only make choked noises, unable to find words.

‘My cursed memory…’

He had fought so many different escort groups. Just that very morning, they had raided a caravan and taken a significant haul.

When Beon Gak remained silent, Sima Geon snapped a tiny stone from his fingertips.

“Kwaak!”

Beon Gak cried out as he lost his left eye.

“Next will be your leg. Use your brain. Here is the second clue: twelve years ago.”

The moment Sima Geon finished, he started closing his fingers one by one.

Beon Gak frantically searched his mind.

‘Tw-twelve years ago, Eunseong Escort Agency. Wh-what happened back then?’

Twelve years prior was the era when the Golden Fox Bandit Lair had seen a massive surge in power. There had been endless raids and battles.

Even focusing on the Eunseong Escort Agency, he couldn’t recall the specifics. He could still picture the faces of the famous leader and some high-ranking guards from that era, but he wasn’t certain they belonged to Eunseong. Most importantly, no matter how he tried, Sima Geon’s face was nowhere in his past.

“C-could you have been a guard for Eunseong Escort Agency…”

Sima Geon didn’t bother listening; he delivered a kick.

With the crack of splintering bone, Beon Gak’s left leg was mangled into a horrific shape.

The assault continued.

Sima Geon stomped down repeatedly until the bones of Beon Gak’s ankle and knee were reduced to fragments.

Beon Gak lost consciousness several times from the sheer intensity, but each time, Sima Geon struck specific pressure points to drag him back to full, agonizing awareness.

“The final clue. Do you recall the name Ha Won Sang?”

That was the porter Beon Gak had decapitated as a warning to the others during the escape attempt.

Beon Gak still had no recollection.

Sima Geon gave a hollow, mirthless laugh, having expected this. To Beon Gak, Ha Won Sang was just one of the many people—no, pests—he had slaughtered.

“I knew you wouldn’t. You are the one who did the killing, after all. But for the one who suffered, it is a matter of profound injustice.”

Sima Geon reached out toward the broken man.

Beon Gak, missing an arm, an eye, and a leg, tried to crawl away in terror, but it was useless.

Seizing the back of Beon Gak’s neck, Sima Geon leaned in and whispered.

“Twelve years ago, while working as a porter for Eunseong Escort Agency, I was captured by your gang. You sold me to slave traders. Because of that, I have finally returned to my home. After twelve long years.”

Sima Geon began hitting Beon Gak’s pressure points.

Beon Gak trembled in absolute dread, but there was no path for retreat.

“My name is Sima Geon. I am the porter from Eunseong Escort Agency that you sold into bondage. Carry that name with you into the grave.”

A moment later, Beon Gak’s frame began to warp.

“Gaaahhhhaaa!”

A sound that didn’t seem human tore from his throat.

His face, twisted into a mask of pain, turned a violent shade of red, and his veins bulged as if they were about to snap.

That was only the start.

A sensation as if every joint was being ground into dust and snapped apart sent Beon Gak thrashing wildly on the earth. His remaining body parts twisted in impossible directions, losing any human silhouette.

Sima Geon, having applied the bone-splitting tendon-twisting technique to Beon Gak, watched the display with cold, empty eyes.

This was the vengeance he had craved for twelve years.

The moment he had desired even more than returning to the family he saw in his dreams—yet it provided no sense of fulfillment.

Watching Beon Gak, the man who had cast him into a living hell, suffer in such a way only left him feeling bitter and annoyed.

“Cheol Woo.”

“Yes, Boss.”

“Leave none of them breathing.”

“Consider it done.”

Cheol Woo popped his knuckles and asked,

“What about the one at my feet?”

He gestured to No Sa Mun, who was twitching on the ground.

Whether it was the potency of the toxins or something Cheol Woo had done, the man still didn’t seem to grasp the full extent of his pain.

“I don’t plan on giving him a peaceful end.”

“Understood.”

At Sima Geon’s reply, Cheol Woo launched a kick into No Sa Mun’s body.

The torso sailed over thirty feet before hitting the ground. Whatever it impacted caused a scream to erupt from No Sa Mun—a wail so full of agony it made Beon Gak’s screams seem minor—despite his previous silence.

Sima Geon took one brief look at No Sa Mun before walking toward the heart of the fortress to hunt down the bandit chief.

As if cheering him on, the sounds of dying men rose from every corner of the lair.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“Open the door.”

At the blunt order, Yuk Geum tremblingly turned the key to the underground entrance. A revolting odor hit them immediately.

“Ugh! What in the world is that stench…”

Cheol Woo turned away, gagging.

“Move.”

Yuk Geum, shaking with every syllable from Sima Geon, stumbled forward, nearly losing control of his bowels.

When Sima Geon had learned the bandit chief had escaped, he had exploded in fury, turning No Yang—who was hanging there—into something resembling a carcass in a meat shop. And Yuk Geum, who had been standing right there, had been subjected to the bone-splitting tendon-twisting technique himself just to confirm his story was true.

Though it had been brief, the horror was something he would rather die than face again, making Yuk Geum desperate to comply.

Carrying a flame, Yuk Geum went down the stone steps, igniting the wall torches as he descended.

The darkness of the basement slowly receded, revealing cages made of thick iron.

There were three specific cells, and two were overflowing with people. More than ten individuals were shoved into spaces less than three feet wide.

“P-please, have mercy on us.”

“Mercy, let us go.”

The people in the front cell pushed their faces against the metal, begging. However, the prisoners in the back cell didn’t move.

Their eyes were void of life, their faces frozen in a terrifying state of numbness. They were the faces of those who had surrendered all hope, even welcoming the end.

The foul smell coming from those two cages dominated the room. Seeing the cells covered in waste, Cheol Woo instinctively lashed out at Yuk Geum.

Yuk Geum’s body was thrown like a ragdoll, hitting the bars of the filthiest cage before falling.

As Yuk Geum let out a cry, Cheol Woo spat on the floor and roared,

“Try pretending you’re in pain again. I’ll make you scrub this floor with your tongue.”

Yuk Geum whimpered and went silent in fear.

“All of you, step out.”

Sima Geon said as he unlatched the cell doors.

No one moved.

They had begged for mercy when the doors were shut, but now that they were open, they were paralyzed with suspicion.

“I was told members of the Sanghwa Escort Agency were being held here. I believe I spoke with someone briefly at the Yunryong Inn last night—does anyone recognize me?”

Sima Geon asked, thinking back to the information he’d gathered. He had learned earlier that the Sanghwa Escort Agency party he’d seen at the tavern had been ambushed by bandits that morning and disappeared.

“I-I recognize you. Yes, I saw you there.”

The youngest boy’s eyes were fixed not on Sima Geon but on Cheol Woo. It had been a fleeting moment, but the man’s presence was so intense it was impossible to forget.

“You are with the Sanghwa Escort Agency?”

At Sima Geon’s question, the boy gave a nod.

“Yes. My name is Jeong Ok, I work as a porter.”

Even calling him a young man, he didn’t look twenty yet, possessing a youthful face. Sima Geon saw a reflection of his own past in the boy’s eyes.

“Glad to meet you. Come out.”

As Jeong Ok walked out without fear, the others gained confidence and followed him.

But the people in the rear cage didn’t move.

“What’s wrong with you people? Get out of there!”

Cheol Woo yelled at the prisoners who hadn’t budged. They sat like statues, offering no response.

Cheol Woo saw several of them looking at Yuk Geum with sheer terror. He walked over toward the bandit.

Yuk Geum held his breath, shaking uncontrollably.

“Boss.”

Cheol Woo looked back, and Sima Geon gave a quick nod of approval.

“If this piece of filth is what’s scaring you, don’t give it another thought.”

Cheol Woo’s boot came down, crushing Yuk Geum’s shoulder.

“Pl-please…”

Yuk Geum pressed his hands together in a desperate plea, but it fell on deaf ears.

“This is the very last bandit alive in the Golden Fox Bandit Lair. And he won’t be alive much longer.”

As he spoke, bones snapped, and Yuk Geum’s body was pulverized beneath his weight. His life ended in a second, but his final scream echoed through the stone chamber for a long time.

“Now there’s no one left to hurt you. So get out here. How long do you want to stay in this hole? It’s disgusting, isn’t it?”

Even after killing Yuk Geum, seeing the people still stalling, Cheol Woo shouted again.

“I-is it truly safe?”

Someone asked, their face white with dread.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake! Even after watching that…”

As Cheol Woo raised his voice, Sima Geon stopped him.

“They cannot help being terrified. Seeing friends or family slaughtered right in front of them leaves deep scars.”

Waving Cheol Woo back, Sima Geon stepped into the cell and helped the man who had spoken.

“Let’s go. As he said, there isn’t a single Golden Fox bandit left to harm you.”

“R-really?”

The man asked, sounding as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Yes. You can believe me.”

Sima Geon offered the warmest smile he could manage and signaled to the group that had already stepped out.

“Don’t just stand there—help them. They’ve been trapped here so long their bodies are failing.”

Following Sima Geon’s lead, Jeong Ok was the first to move. But little help was actually required. Won over by Sima Geon’s genuine tone and expression, they finally stood and began leaving the cages one by one.

“Th-thank you.”

“Thank you so much. Truly.”

Those coming out wept with relief, bowing over and over to Sima Geon and Cheol Woo.

“Keep the thanks for later. First, let’s get into the fresh air.”

All the captives were finally outside.

Not just those who had been in darkness for weeks, but even those taken that morning found it hard to open their eyes to the light.

It wasn’t just the brightness; it was the fear that opening their eyes would reveal the rescue to be a hallucination.

“Ah!”

A gasp of pure emotion escaped from one of them.

That was the spark—an explosion of pent-up feeling.

Shouts of happiness filled the air as they hugged each other, tears flowing freely.

Sima Geon watched the scene with a sense of relief.

“Ugh, what is this—why is the sun so incredibly bright today!”

Cheol Woo rubbed the back of his neck, trying to act tough.

A surprisingly pleasant smile broke across his rugged face.