Chapter 530

Henan truly deserved to be called the Central Plains.

Civilization had begun along the Yellow River, and for thousands of years, Henan had stood at the center of the world. It had been home to the capitals of nine dynasties that rose and fell like wildfire over the ages.

So even now, with the Murim Alliance officially restored and the threat of war hanging in the air, Henan Province had not lost its vitality.

If anything, the opposite was true.

“Is it just me, or are there more people around? The atmosphere seems pretty good, too.”

Hyuk Mujin was right. The broad main street was packed, and there was little sign of serious worry on anyone’s face.

Now and then, someone cast an uneasy glance at a passing martial artist carrying weapons, but that was all.

I pulled my bamboo hat lower. “Yeah, it does.”

“Strange. Until recently, things were pretty grim. Is this the calm before the storm?”

“…You lunatic. Why don’t you pray for something to happen while you’re at it?”

“Considering the situation, I’m not exactly wrong.”

He had a point. But Hyuk Mujin was overlooking something. I considered smacking him upside the head, then shook my head.

“I think those people have realized something.”

“What?”

“That Henan is the safest place in the world.”

“…Ah.”

To ordinary people, martial artists were like wild beasts no one could control.

But most of the martial artists now in Henan had come together under the banners of chivalry, the greater good, and the Murim Alliance. And there weren’t just dozens or hundreds of them. There were thousands.

News of a war among martial artists must have frightened the commoners at first, but people were quickly settling down.

If this were the modern world, they wouldn’t be so relaxed.

Imagine a war breaking out between the United States and Russia.

The moment the war began, the citizens of Moscow or Washington, DC, would either be running for their lives or staring up at the sky, trying to guess when an intercontinental ballistic missile or a nuclear weapon might come flying toward them.

Not that Henan is guaranteed to be safe.

Could Dark Heaven sweep through half the world and reach Henan?

It wasn’t impossible. The Murim Alliance had formed, and countless martial artists had gathered beneath one flag, but no one could know how the war would end.

The bigger problem was that Dark Heaven had other ways of getting here.

The Moving Formation. Or should I call it a warp magic circle?

It was a disturbing truth, hard to believe and not yet known to everyone.

A truth like that could make people more vigilant. It could also cause tremendous shock and chaos. That was probably why it hadn’t been made public yet.

When that happens, people won’t be smiling like this anymore.

I smacked my lips bitterly and looked around.

Children watched passing martial artists with fascination. Merchants were delighted by the unexpected boom. Martial artists moved along the main street, their faces showing a mix of tension and excitement.

None of them, at least, knew everything about Dark Heaven. Those privy to its deeper secrets were already in a meeting with their new Alliance Leader, one that might go on indefinitely.

“Captain?”

“What are you thinking about so hard? You’re making people stare.”

“…Nothing. Let’s go.”

I must have spaced out. I started walking again.

Standing still in the middle of a crowded main street was bound to draw attention. Sure enough, a few sharp-eyed people were already looking our way.

They’re not ordinary martial artists. They’re masters.

That didn’t make them Dark Heaven’s agents. They wore martial uniforms and carried their weapons openly, and I could sense pure qi from every one of them.

“Captain.”

Hyuk Mujin’s voice came quietly from behind me. I kept walking as though nothing was wrong.

“It’s fine. Just keep going.”

“You knew?”

“Of course.”

“I’m still worried.”

I understood why. Since the Mount Song Resolution, I’d become something of a celebrity.

The Sleeping Dragon of Shanxi and the Blazing Flame Divine Dragon were already epithets firmly imprinted throughout the Murim. But by raising the Murim Alliance’s flag before thousands of martial heroes, I had left an even more definite impression.

I wasn’t on the level of the heads of the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Families, but more people knew my name and face than those of most Elder-level masters from major factions.

“What’s there to worry about? Pretend you haven’t noticed them and keep walking.”

“No, I’m worried something really bad is going to happen.”

Gung Gibang clicked his tongue.

“What a tiny little heart you have. What serious thing is going to happen just because they recognize his face? It’ll only be annoying. This is exactly why he’s wearing that bamboo hat.”

He glanced at me. “What’s gotten into him?”

“Leave him alone. It’s kind of touching that he noticed them first and started worrying.”

“…I suppose.”

I smiled to myself.

I didn’t usually show it, but I had a soft spot for Hyuk Mujin. Since coming to Murim, I’d spent more time with him than anyone else, and we’d been through all kinds of trouble together. Of course I cared about—

“This is driving me crazy. What are you two talking about?”

“Huh?”

“What?”

Hyuk Mujin looked at Gung Gibang and me, his face pale.

“I’ve been about to shit myself this whole time, and you two keep saying the weirdest things. Seriously.”

“…!”

“…!”

Touching, my ass.

When he said something bad was going to happen, he’d meant that.

As Gung Gibang and I stared at him, speechless, Hyuk Mujin broke into a cold sweat and hurried ahead.

“Where are we meeting? Hurry! It’s coming out!”

Look at that determination. I’d never seen him look so desperate, even in a fight. Gung Gibang pointed at a building on reflex.

“O-over there.”

“That one? The three-story inn?”

“Uh? Yeah.”

“Then I’m going ahead. Pooooop!”

Was that last cry sheer determination to hold it in? Or a booster powered by the last of his sphincter’s strength?

Hyuk Mujin staggered as he wove through the crowd at incredible speed. Gung Gibang muttered, “Drunken Eight-Immortals Step¹…?”

“…Please don’t talk bullshit. He just needs to shit.”

God. Buddha. Why am I surrounded by nothing but idiots?

Lamenting my fate, I looked toward the three-story inn Hyuk Mujin was heading for.

It wasn’t far away. Yet the part of my chest that had settled down during the journey suddenly began to churn.

“…A month? No, has it been two?”

Gung Gibang narrowed his eyes at my unguarded mutter.

“Oh-ho.”

“What, you bastard?”

“Is it what I think it is?”

“You can think?”

“I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Want to get hit?”

“Come to think of it, the atmosphere back then was a little strange.”

“Want me to pick out your grave?”

“That clever dodge tells me I’m right.”

“Want me to hit you so fast you can’t dodge, clever or not?”

“Pfft. That bastard Hyuk should’ve seen this.”

“…No, it’s not— Ah, forget it.”

Normally, Gung Gibang would have changed the subject by now, if only to avoid getting hit. Today was different.

His laughter sounded like air leaking out as he kept glancing at me. My fist clenched, but strangely enough, I didn’t feel like hitting him.

“Pfft, pfft, pfft.”

“…”

Bam!

Watching him laugh brought the urge right back.

He couldn’t even scream. I grabbed him by the back of the neck and hauled him up as he clutched his solar plexus.

“So. That’s the place, right? The three-story inn.”

“Urgh. Y-yes.”

“I’m going for the food. Because I’m hungry.”

“I-I know.”

“I heard that Kunlun Cloud Dragon guy or whatever is there, too. I’m going to see him because it’s been a while. And while I’m there, I’ll build a little rapport with that Hwangbo fellow or whatever his name is.”

“…I’ll remember that.”

“See that you do. Unless you want the Ten Dragons and Phoenixes to become the Nine Dragons and Phoenixes.”

That seemed to drive the lesson home. Once I let him go, Gung Gibang rubbed the spot I’d hit.

“Vicious bastard.”

“What was that?”

“N-nothing.”

As if that would fool me. Gung Gibang hastily changed the subject.

“Anyway, I’m looking forward to it. When they hear you’ve come, they’ll welcome you with open arms.”

“I don’t care whether they do or not.”

I wasn’t particularly interested in the Kunlun Cloud Dragon or that Lesser Family Head of the Hwangbo Family.

There was, though, one person I hoped would be genuinely glad to see me.

But Gung Gibang misunderstood my answer and hurriedly continued,

“No! Hwangbo Ak is a bit of a pain, but once he hears you came all this way, he’ll come running out barefoot and—”

He never finished.

Boom!

A thunderous crash swallowed his voice and every sound on the bustling street.

A silence too brief to call an instant fell, then broke.

“Aaah!”

“Eeeeeek!”

“Gowolru! Gowolru is…!”

People screamed and scattered in every direction like a swarm of locusts.

I stood where I was and stared.

Gowolru.

I could see it clearly. A section of the three-story inn where we were supposed to meet had been blown wide open.

Someone came hurtling out through a shower of debris and a cloud of dust.

Whoosh! Crash!

A street stall not far away shattered, and a deep gouge opened in the ground.

A man managed to right himself and get to his feet.

Thud, thud, thud.

Who’s that?

His martial uniform was torn to shreds, and his leather shoes had come off. His handsome face was filled with fury and dismay.

“How dare you… You bastard! I’ll tear you apart……!”

Just then, Gung Gibang gaped at the man, who was speaking through clenched teeth.

“H-Hwangbo Ak!”

“…?”

“What are you doing out here?”

What? That’s Hwangbo Ak?

Hwangbo Ak faltered at the sound of his name. I looked him up and down.

“He did come running out barefoot.”

Was this a surprise for me? Some impromptu welcome from the Ten Dragons and Phoenixes?

Judging by the way Hwangbo Ak’s face twisted, probably not.

“What did you just say?”

“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“You damned bastard…”

“You look busy. Let’s talk later. Ah, here it comes.”

“What?”

His confusion lasted only a moment. Hwangbo Ak seemed to have forgotten something, but urgency and horror rose across his face.

Whoooosh—boom!

Something enormous shot through the air and slammed into Hwangbo Ak.

I could tell how fast it was moving, and how much force it carried, just from the sound. He would have been hard-pressed to deal with it while fully alert. Distracted as he was, the result was inevitable.

“Guhk!”

Hwangbo Ak went flying, spraying blood. A massive shadow moved to pursue him.

What should I do? I didn’t have to think long.

Never a quiet day around here.

I stepped forward with a soft sigh.

An enormous man blocked out the sun, casting a vast shadow over me. He looked down at me with eyes as big as bowls.

“You. Move.”

I answered calmly.

“Me. Don’t want to.”