Chapter 143

Chapter 143
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**Chapter 143: Black Mirror Gang Leader**

The Black Mirror Gang Leader let out a low, menacing growl.
“You insolent little whelp—you’ve got some nerve, don’t you?”
“Eh, I’ve heard that line plenty of times before.”
“Have you no respect for your elders at all?”
“Respect? Oh, respect! That’s a precious thing, isn’t it? Since we’re on the subject, why don’t we all introduce ourselves properly?”

Yang-hui turned to the companions beside him and waved his hand in a light, teasing manner.
“What are you all standing around for? Go on, say hello.”
“……I am Dang-gun, Young Lord of the Tang Clan.”
“Zhuge Seol-ha, of the Zhuge Clan. It is an honour to make your acquaintance.”
“I’m Adu!”
“And just so you know—he’s a monk from Shaolin.”

Those stepping forward to offer their greetings were none other than representatives of the Tang Clan, the Zhuge Clan, and Shaolin Temple itself.
No matter how deep the divide between the paths of light and shadow, basic courtesy demanded a response.
“I am Gu Yang-bu, Leader of the Black Mirror Gang. The jianghu knows me as the Bristly Spear.”
True to his title, an enormous spear with a thick, heavy tip rested slung across his broad back.

“Your turn now, boy.”
“Baek Yang-hui, First Young Master of the Heaven-Covering Baek Clan, based in Gangseo! But you already knew that perfectly well—so why bother asking?”
“……Are you in earnest?”

Yang-hui let out a sharp, derisive snort at the look of utter disbelief on the Black Mirror Gang Leader’s face.
“The ancient wise men taught that those who abandon propriety and courtesy are scarcely human at all. And here you are, a brute from the shadow paths, fussing over empty formalities? Figures that you would.”

Tension tightened across Dang-gun’s features. Charging headlong straight into enemy territory was nerve-racking enough—what on earth was Yang-hui doing, provoking their host so recklessly?
*Hwi, my brother… shouldn’t we rein it in just a little right now?*
“It’s fine, truly. This is exactly how one ought to speak to the Black Mirror Gang Leader.”
He did not soften his tone, not even in response to the silent telepathic plea.

“You speak so highly of respect… yet you swindle and prey upon ordinary, defenceless folk?”
The boy’s bold, cheeky jabs twisted the gang leader’s face with fury, yet he held his tongue instead of snapping back. Just as Yang-hui had expected.
*He is a villain, make no mistake—but he is not one without a scrap of self-awareness.*

Among those who walk darker paths, some carry no inkling that their deeds are wrong, nor feel a flicker of remorse. Others know full well the evil of their acts, yet press on, driven by ambition or greed.
Most would say the latter are the more abhorrent, yet the truth tells a different story: those who understand their faults will at least show a sliver of mercy when they strike.
The Black Mirror Gang Leader was such a man. A wretch deserving of being rooted out and destroyed, yes—but one conscious enough of his own failings to feel shame at what he had become.

“So—what will it be? Fight us? Take us hostage? Or talk this through like reasonable men?”
The gang leader set his jaw hard, studying Yang-hui with a searching, piercing gaze.
Know your adversary—his eyes probed, trying to gauge the young man standing before him.
“Staring so intently won’t tell you anything you don’t already know. Let’s speak plainly and weigh one another’s words instead.”
“Very well. Speak. But if your words are worthless, I will act. There is no rush.”

Was he carrying himself with such superiority because he held the upper hand?
If they were to speak honestly, they needed to stand on equal footing.
“Don’t fool yourself—even if you chose to strike, you could never take us as hostages.”
“Already spouting nonsense?”
“Hear me out. I will explain everything.”
“Do not run your tongue too freely. Even the shortest yapping dog grows tiresome.”
“Woof, woof!”
*Brother Hwi! I don’t want to die!*
*Senior brother! You have truly gone too far this time!*
“I told you—it is fine. Trust me.”

He waited quietly to see how the gang leader would react.
Thankfully, neither Dang-gun nor Zhuge Seol-ha saw any sign that he would order them cut down where they stood.
*Brother Dang-gun… I never imagined one from the shadow paths could hold his temper so well.*
*Wow… he is actually restraining himself.*

“I will give you one chance. Give me a single good reason why I should let you walk away from here unharmed, with all that loose tongue of yours.”
“Black Mirror Gang Leader—you have no desire for this conflict to spiral out of control. If you took us hostage, you would hand the Tang Clan, the Zhuge Clan, and Shaolin perfect justification to intervene.”

The gang leader’s expression shifted to one of scepticism, though he gestured for Yang-hui to continue.
He had struck a nerve, and he knew it.
The man was cornered.
“Am I wrong?”
“I could simply kill you all here and now, and be done with it.”
“And what then—when our clans learn what happened?”
“……”

As the gang leader fell silent, Yang-hui organised his thoughts.
*The Black Mirror Gang Leader does not want this conflict to escalate. That scoundrel Namgung Cheon-hu is not feeding him information as a spy, after all.*
Though he could not yet be certain. He would need to dig deeper. That was precisely why he had come all this way, to the heart of the gang’s stronghold.

“If the Namgung Clan had not interfered—if this were merely a clash between the light and shadow paths within Gangseo—victory would have been yours.”
“You speak truly there.”
By all objective measure, the shadow paths held the upper hand in Gangseo’s martial community.
The Black Mirror Gang, as its undisputed overlord, naturally had no wish for outside forces to meddle in their affairs—least of all when the light path was scrambling to cobble together some grand alliance under the banner of justice, as their pretext for war.
*Even so… I would have prevailed in the end.*
With the knowledge of his past life and all his cultivated strength at his command, he was certain of it. It was the course he had charted from the very beginning, from the moment the White Gate struck first. Though that carefully laid plan had long since fallen apart.

“You people from the light path are all the same. You preach righteousness and honour with every breath, yet when defeat looms, you scramble for help. You cowards dragged the Namgung Clan into this mess.”
It was a misunderstanding: they had not called for aid. The Namgung Clan had forced their way in, offering their support uninvited.
“Tell you what—why don’t we join forces and wipe the Namgung Clan out first?”
*Brother Hwi!*
*Senior brother! You have crossed the line again!*
“Only jesting.”

The seemingly reckless remark was a test, to see how the gang leader would respond.
This man had certainly not formed an alliance with the Namgung Clan. He likely had not even received a single message from them.
*Though it could be merely well-practised self-control, masking his true feelings.*
To distinguish composure from deceit, Yang-hui had paused for a heartbeat before declaring it a joke. Had the gang leader been in league with the Namgung Clan, he would have questioned the proposal. Anyone gathering intelligence would never dismiss such an offer out of hand—not unless they saw it as utter nonsense. Which would mean he was convinced the Baek Clan would never turn against the Namgung Clan… or perhaps something else entirely.
*Or he believes he can win, even with the Namgung Clan standing against him.*
Which would mean he had struck a pact with someone else—without doubt.

“Honam. It is the Honam region, is it not?”
A flicker of surprise broke through the gang leader’s stern, unyielding face.
“Aha—so it is Honam. You are quick to confirm it. Have you already sworn your alliance?”
“I have no idea what you are implying.”
“Playing the fool? There is so much you claim not to know. If you keep feigning ignorance to every question, we shall never reach any understanding.”

A vein throbbed at his temple. The gang leader drew a long, deep breath, his chest swelling, then let it out slowly.
“Young man… show a modicum of respect, if you truly wish to speak.”
The form of address had shifted—no longer “boy”, but “young man”. It was the first concession. Time to set aside his teasing and speak more directly.

“Black Mirror Gang Leader… the truth is, you care not who rules over Gangseo, do you? So long as the Gu River estuary and your stronghold remain firmly under your control.”
Yang-hui’s confidence in this was rooted in certainty, not guesswork. In his past life, the Black Mirror Gang had never sought to expand its territory across Gangseo. When the White Gate had moved to crush the Upright Moon Gate, the gang had stood by and let it happen—all because it served their interests. Had they held designs on wider control, they would never have suffered a potential ally to be destroyed.
*War would bring no true gain. It would only leave them vulnerable, while others reaped the reward.*
Unaware that he spoke from the wisdom of a life lived before, his words laid bare truths the gang leader had never spoken aloud. Shock flashed across his face, plain for all to see.

“I have no idea what makes you think such things. Who would turn their back on greater wealth, greater power?”
“The Gu River estuary stands at the heart of the Yangtze trade routes.”
“……”
Those few words left him speechless, as though his tongue had been sealed.
“To pry into another’s secrets is ungracious. But surely this much explanation is due.”
“……If you truly see so clearly… you are a fiend, are you not?”
“I have been called worse. So—Black Mirror Gang Leader—one final question.”
“Ask. Though I reserve the right to remain silent.”
He tensed, every instinct on guard, choosing his words with deliberate care.
*Hmm. Now that Honam is confirmed, too much caution might raise suspicions.*

“If you remain so guarded, I shall have to change my tack. Let me rephrase—has the Namgung Clan sent you any proposal or offer at all?”
Confusion flickered briefly, followed by a deepening frown. He understood the implication clearly: the Baek Clan had not sought help from the Namgung Clan, nor did they trust them.
“That is two questions, not one. Speak plainly.”
“And how can I be certain this is not a ploy, feeding me information to serve your own schemes?”
He was the foremost power in Gangseo for good reason: he might carry the bulk of a bear, but his mind was sharp as any blade.
Yang-hui simply shrugged. Every answer, every reaction, had already told him more than he had hoped to learn.
“Fair enough. This gang has received no communication whatsoever from the Namgung Clan.”
“Excellent. Then our business is concluded. We shall take our leave.”
“You believe me?”
Even now, he could not resist one last probing remark.
“As though I have trust to spare for those who walk the shadow paths. I do not trust you—I trust the facts before us.”

“Until we meet again. Oh—were you planning to take us hostage? Give me warning, and I shall surrender without resistance.”
The gang leader remained silent for a long time, weighing his words in quiet deliberation. At last, he spoke.
“Others I might spare—but you? You would have to die.”
Eh? That was not what he had expected.
Yang-hui’s gaze darted subtly, mapping out the paths of escape.
“Go. But remember this—you owe me a debt.”
He spoke of killing him, yet let him go, and spoke of a debt. There could be only one meaning.
*The Black Mirror Gang Leader does not trust his allies either.*
He was leaving the door open for future agreement.

“The debt is noted. One last thing—which sect from Honam are you allied with?”
“Is an alliance already a settled matter?”
“No deception between those who understand the game.”
“The Hyeong Mountain Sect.”

In that instant, Yang-hui’s expression hardened like stone.
The Black Mirror Gang Leader hefted his spear, settling into a fighting stance, and a terrifying aura of destruction surged forth from him.
“What have you done, you treacherous dog!”
Yang-hui made no reply. His face was set in stone, yet a ferocious, terrible grin spread across his lips.
“The Hyeong Mountain Sect…”

He saw again, in his mind’s eye, the face of his father, as he had fallen in that other life.
In four years’ time, those villains from Honam would finally force their way into Gangseo. He would see their faces then. Everything the Hyeong Mountain Sect had done—every atrocity—deserved to be repaid a thousandfold, their hearts torn open and laid bare.
*Hyeong Mountain Yin Blood…!*

“Hahaha! You boast of nothing but righteousness—how utterly pathetic!”
“Of all the hypocrites I have ever known… you are the most contemptible wretch of all, Peerless Righteous Helper!”
“Hyeong Mountain Sect.”
He spoke the name again, and his voice carried a weight of cold, unbridled fury.

*Heaven-Defying Life Swap—turn the wheel of fate, reverse the course of heaven itself*
*Restore the True Flow—set things aright, let the world run as it should*
*Return and Fulfil Your Wish—go back, and make right what was lost*

*Return and Fulfil Your Wish.*
The voice rang out, defying time itself.
And he would.
He would consume them all.
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