Chapter 542

You could tell a lot about a person from the way they walked.

That was especially true of martial artists. Their footsteps revealed more than most people would think.

Someone who relied on brute strength in their martial arts tended to walk heavily and roughly. Someone who practiced a more graceful art—or worked as an assassin—might move so lightly you could barely hear them.

Whoever was coming up the stairs now wasn’t just announcing his presence. His footsteps were practically screaming it.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Listen to that.

The noise was heavy enough to make an ordinary person’s heart sink. With every step, the solidly built staircase creaked and a faint tremor ran through the floor.

Jeok Cheongang had already taken the gourd from his side and begun sipping from it. He spoke with a grave expression.

“Dark Heaven. Now they’re turning people into monsters. What sort of trick did they use?”

“Huh?”

For a moment, I had no idea what he meant. Then I understood and waved a hand.

“Sorry to interrupt, but the guy coming up isn’t from Dark Heaven.”

“Hmm. He’s no one to worry about, regardless. Knock him down as soon as he opens the door and comes in. Hand him over to the Murim Alliance, and we may get something useful out of him.”

“……He’s not from Dark Heaven. And you already smashed the door, Old Master. What door are you talking about?”

“What?”

Jeok Cheongang’s eyes went wide as he spoke, spraying spit.

“You mean that fellow coming up is a pure human?”

“Amazingly, he’s all-natural.”

“Well, you do see some things if you live long enough. The qi I sense from him isn’t particularly pure, though.”

Hyuk Mujin had returned after taking the injured man downstairs. Wiping his palm, still slick with Old Man Ilyang’s blood, on his trouser leg, he answered.

“Ah, as expected of Great Hero Jeok. You recognized demonic, heterodox arts at once.”

“Demonic, heterodox arts?”

“Yes. The Young Sect Leader of the Black Dragon Demon Gate and his subordinate.”

The thundering footsteps had drowned out the other sound, but there had been two people coming up from the start.

At last, they appeared through the doorway Jeok Cheongang had blown wide open.

“This junior of Murim, Sama Pyo, pays his respects to Great Hero Jeok Cheongang, the Fire King.”

Tall and handsome. The moment I saw him, my mouth felt as gritty as if I’d bitten into sand.

Two words had flashed through my mind.

Former fiancé.

Whether he knew what I was thinking or not, Sama Pyo clasped his hands in greeting to Jeok Cheongang, then nudged the hulking figure standing blankly beside him.

“What are you doing? Pay your respects.”

Tiger Giant Child Taishan, whose name and epithet fit him perfectly, bent at the waist.

“Nice to meet. Taishan saw Fire King.”

“……”

That was a new one.

I stole a glance at Jeok Cheongang. He looked ready to introduce Taishan to Yama¹ instead of the Fire King.

Sama Pyo seemed to notice and quickly explained.

“As you may have guessed, his vocabulary is limited. That’s the best he can do.”

“……In that case, I suppose it can’t be helped.”

Jeok Cheongang muttered, looking less than pleased.

“I’ve seen some strange fellows in my time. Fine. This old man has seen you too.”

“Heh heh.”

Taishan smiled innocently and gave him two thumbs up.

“Fire King. Strong. Taishan likes strong people. Nice to meet.”

“Y-Yes. This old man is pleased to meet you too.”

“But Taishan. Hungry.”

“W-What?”

“Want to eat that. If Fire King says yes, Taishan grateful.”

His hungry eyes had already moved past our shoulders.

Jeok Cheongang spotted the refreshments on the table and nodded before he quite knew what he was doing.

“G-Go ahead.”

“Wow! Refreshments! Taishan thanks you for the food!”

Thud! Crack!

The innkeeper was going to weep tears of blood.

The enormous man charged forward, smashing what remained of the door on his way in. As though he’d been waiting for permission, Taishan swept up everything on the table. Jeok Cheongang watched him in a daze.

“Have I lived too long?”

Even Jeok Cheongang couldn’t help being taken aback.

Then again, he was used to people cowering the moment they heard the words Fire King. Aside from Cheongpung, this might be the first formidable opponent he’d encountered.

Anyway.

I scratched the back of my head and looked Sama Pyo up and down.

“So. What brings you here?”

“I have important business. If it’s all right with you, I’d rather discuss it inside.”

“It’s not all right with me.”

Sama Pyo shrugged.

“I asked out of courtesy, but you really aren’t ordinary. Do you also harbor ill feelings toward the demonic, heterodox path?”

“It’s not that, exactly……”

Damn it. Put that way, I didn’t have much of an answer.

I had only met him once, but my first impression of him had not been particularly bad. Nor was I some hardcore zealot who shouted about eradicating the heterodox path and glorifying the orthodox faction whenever I got the chance.

Jeok Cheongang didn’t seem to feel much differently.

“What are you two doing standing there? Falling for each other?”

With Jeok Cheongang saying that, I had no good reason to keep Sama Pyo out. I jerked my chin toward him.

“Damn it. Come in, then.”

“Thank you. And thank you, Great Hero Jeok.”

Sama Pyo entered with a polite bow. Jeok Cheongang nodded.

“The young brat has some manners. Or did he inherit his father’s sly streak?”

Sama Pyo paused, then smiled.

“Probably the latter. So you remember my father.”

“I’d forgotten him until I saw your face. You’re the spitting image of the Black Night King in his younger days.”

Black Night King Sima Gong.

Sama Pyo’s father, and the man who had built the Black Dragon Demon Gate into what it was today.

His epithet made him sound like one of the Ten Kings, but according to Gung Gibang, he had nothing to do with them.

Just like the Green Forest Battle King, the Green Forest Alliance Leader, and the Escort King of the Yongbong Escort Bureau.

They were Supreme Peak masters whose martial prowess was beyond most people’s reach. That still wasn’t enough to make them part of the legend of the Ten Kings.

Black Night King Sima Gong, one of the greatest masters in the unorthodox martial world and the Sect Leader of the Black Dragon Demon Gate, had apparently received the title in much the same way.

“Still……”

Jeok Cheongang studied Sama Pyo, then frowned.

“I didn’t know the Black Night King had a son so young.”

“I have seven older brothers and nine older sisters. I’m the youngest.”

“Hah. The Virility Saber King would weep if he heard that. So you’re the Young Sect Leader.”

Sama Pyo’s eyes widened slightly.

“I am, but how did you—”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Jeok Cheongang snorted.

“Given the Black Night King’s personality, that is exactly what he would do. If your talent was sufficient, he wouldn’t care even if it meant burying all his other children alive as sacrifices.”

“……”

“He hasn’t changed much, then. You could never tell what that man was thinking. Sly as a fox and cunning as a viper.”

Look at him, casually throwing a parent insult right to his face. My heart almost swelled with awe.

The insult implied he recognized Sama Pyo’s talent, but it was still an insult. Before the dutiful son could take offense and start something, I cut in.

“So what brings you here?”

“……Hmm. Well.”

Sama Pyo’s expression was hard to read. He reached inside his robe and took something out.

Paper—a fairly expensive commodity in Murim. The words at the top caught my eye at once.

★I Was a Nameless Foot Soldier, but in the Two Dragons Pavilion, I’m a Murim Hero?!★

I stared at the sheet he’d laid on the table and rubbed my chin.

“This looks familiar.”

Sama Pyo gave a quiet laugh.

“It would.”

“I don’t know who came up with it, but they’re a genius.”

“It’s rather bold, too.”

Tap.

Sama Pyo’s long finger came down on one part of the sheet: the recruitment requirements Hyuk Mujin had scrawled in his terrible handwriting. Of all the lines beneath them, he pointed to one in particular.

# Gender and sect affiliation don’t matter

His soft voice continued.

“I especially like this part.”

“So?”

“I’d like to apply. To the Two Dragons Pavilion.”

I’d suspected as much, but hearing him say it still left me with mixed feelings.

I thought for a moment, then clicked my tongue.

“Why?”

“The moment I heard the song, I had a feeling. This is exactly the place I’ve been looking for.”

“Yeah. Bullshit.”

That wasn’t even funny.

The song promised a new era of success, more sects seeking you out, and a changed life. None of that applied to Sama Pyo.

The Black Dragon Demon Gate was one of the three most powerful sects in the unorthodox martial world. Even if Sama Pyo hadn’t been its Young Sect Leader, being born the Black Night King’s son all but guaranteed him wealth and status.

And he wants to join the Two Dragons Pavilion?

Even if the orthodox faction’s diehards held up picket signs and protested, Sama Pyo was more than capable of securing a position within the Murim Alliance.

I folded my arms and stared at him.

“If this is a joke, it’s not funny.”

“Fortunately, I’m serious.”

“Cut the bullshit. What’s the real reason?”

“The notice didn’t say I had to give one.”

“Then get lost. I won’t see you out.”

Sama Pyo shrugged as though he had no choice.

“I thought that if I joined the Two Dragons Pavilion, I might be able to shed the label of belonging to the demonic, heterodox path.”

“You don’t seem all that eager to shed it.”

“Is that really how I seem?”

“I don’t trust you.”

“Fair enough. Then I’ll speak frankly.”

“Go on. Unless you want the shit beaten out of you.”

Sama Pyo gave a quiet laugh. Then his expression hardened.

A low voice slipped from between his perfectly smooth lips and pierced my ears.

“I intend to use you for my own benefit. Depending on the circumstances, you will become a useful card to me in one way or another.”

A heavy silence fell.

Even Taishan, who had been chewing noisily without pause, stopped moving. Hyuk Mujin stared back and forth between Sama Pyo and me with eyes as wide as lanterns.

Then someone broke the silence.

“What an interesting fellow.”

Jeok Cheongang was watching Sama Pyo with an expression I couldn’t read. Was he amused or angry? He turned to me.

“What do you think?”

I considered it for a moment.

“He makes quite an impression. I doubt this is his first interview.”

“Will you take him?”

“Hard to say.”

Black Dragon Saber Sama Pyo. I couldn’t tell how much of what he’d said was a joke and how much he meant.

But one thing was certain.

He’s interesting.

Tap. Tap.

The only sound echoing through the silence was the tapping of fingers against the table.

I gathered my thoughts in that brief silence and looked Sama Pyo straight in the eye.

“Let’s make one thing clear first.”

“By all means.”

“If you try anything—”

“Summary execution,” Sama Pyo said before I could finish. “I’ll remember.”

“Huh. Straight to the point.”

“It’s only natural. Are we done, then?”

“You haven’t been accepted yet. I’m only keeping you under consideration for now. For today, go.”

“Very well.”

What in the world was this man after?

I watched Sama Pyo and Taishan prepare to leave, my curiosity only growing. Then I remembered one important thing.

“And one more thing.”

“……?”

“You’re paying for that guy’s food.”

“……!”