Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
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Chapter 344: Because I Don’t Allow It
The approaching carriage came to a stop about ten meters away.
The fifteen martial artists who had been escorting the carriage also dismounted from their horses. Among them were Geom Mugeuk and Jin Hagun.
However, the Black Snake Gang Leader was only staring at the carriage. He was tense at the thought of meeting the Young Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance. He had only heard of him through rumors—this would be his first time meeting him in person.
‘What kind of man is he, really?’
The carriage door opened, and Bih Sa-in stepped out.
In this moment, Bih Sa-in was not the one who’s often teased by Geom Mugeuk, joking about being picky with food.
He was the cold, composed Young Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance, exuding a sharp aura thick with the scent of blood.
‘As expected! A successor is still a successor!’
Those watching couldn’t help but feel admiration.
Bih Sa-in walked slowly toward Choo Goeng. The Thirteen Wolves of the Alliance—no, now the Fifteen Wolves—followed closely behind him.
The Black Snake Gang Leader's first impression upon seeing Bih Sa-in’s face up close was this:
‘Terrifying as hell!’
He had heard rumors that the Young Leader had a fierce impression, but he hadn’t expected it to be this intense. Moreover, the martial artists guarding him appeared to be far stronger than he had anticipated.
At that moment, the Black Snake Gang Leader’s gaze naturally fell upon one individual. Despite the person showing no outward aura, his eyes were drawn to the youngest martial artist standing at the end.
When their eyes met, the other person grinned.
‘Is he insane?’ 1
It was the first time he’d experienced a guard smiling in such a situation.
But now was not the time to be concerned about that.
“I greet the Young Leader.”
The Black Snake Gang Leader bowed politely, but Bih Sa-in only nodded in response.
“I’ve heard much about your reputation, Gang Leader.”
The cold reply confirmed Choo Goeng’s suspicion.
‘As I thought! He’s trying to assert discipline?’
But Bih Sa-in’s cold demeanor wasn’t because of that. These were men already infamous for their involvement in all sorts of filthy deeds, and the fact that they even kidnapped and sold children left him with no goodwill toward them.
“There’s good wine and fine food prepared in the village below. Please join me.”
“No need. Let’s talk here.”
“Very well. It seems even the weather knows an esteemed guest has arrived today.”
The Black Snake Gang Leader signaled with his eyes to Song Chung. Song Chung brought forth a box containing the Sun and Moon Sword.
“A small token of my sincerity.”
He offered the box containing the Sun and Moon Sword to Bih Sa-in.
‘Let’s see if he can keep acting stiff after receiving this.’
It would be a gift meant to soften that bristly wild boar’s hair into gentle lamb’s wool.
One of the Thirteen Wolves stepped forward and received the box in his stead—just in case a hidden weapon had been concealed inside.
Once the box was confirmed safe, he took out the sword and handed it to Bih Sa-in.
Bih Sa-in drew the Sun and Moon Sword.
As its sharp blade gleamed, the Sun and Moon Sword immediately captured the attention of every sword-user present.
“A fine sword.”
It couldn’t quite compare to the Black Demon Sword wielded by Geom Mugeuk, but even so, among ordinary treasured blades, it was one of the finest. It truly was a gift Choo Goeng had offered with a heavy heart.
“It suits you well, Young Leader.”
Right then, a sound transmission from Geom Mugeuk reached Bih Sa-in.
–That sword. Give it to me.
He wasn’t the type to ask just because he coveted a weapon.
–What are you up to this time?
–You should at least give a gift like that to the youngest of the Fifteen Wolves.
Bih Sa-in looked over at Geom Mugeuk. He wondered what his intentions were, but how could one see through such abyss-like depths just by looking?
“Fifteen Wolf!”
“Yes.”
As Geom Mugeuk stepped forward, Bih Sa-in handed him the sword.
“A welcome gift for becoming the Fifteenth Wolf of the Alliance.”
“I humbly accept it. Young Leader!”
Without hesitation, Geom Mugeuk received the sword.
From that scene, Jin Hagun could tell. There was no way Bih Sa-in would have handed over the sword he had just received from the Black Snake Gang to Geom Mugeuk without prior thought. It had to have been Geom Mugeuk’s idea from the start.
As Geom Mugeuk turned with the sword in hand, he sent a playful sound transmission to Jin Hagun.
–Didn’t I tell you to become the Fifteen Wolf? He gave it to me because the youngest one is just too adorable.
–If you’re adorable twice, he’ll probably give away the entire Unorthodox Alliance.
–Then I’ll have to make a wish on a falling star—half of it might come true.
When the Sun and Moon Sword was handed off to a subordinate just like that, not only the Black Snake Gang Leader but all the martial artists he’d brought along were visibly shocked.
Especially Choo Goeng—he was stunned. He had offered up a sword he deeply cherished, and it was handed off to a subordinate right in front of his eyes? 2
‘This is outright disrespect.’
An uncontrollable fury surged within him, but he held it back with effort.
The one who couldn’t hold back was Black Dog. He suddenly shouted out loud.
“Young Leader!”
Having lived his life without regard for anyone, not even the title of Young Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance could restrain him.
In fact, he’d been lying in wait for just such an opportunity. A chance to show loyalty to the Gang Leader, and to prove to everyone else how bold and gutsy he was.
Especially, it was the perfect moment to step on Song Chung, who’d been sucking up to Choo Goeng.
“That sword was a gift from our Gang Leader to you, Young Leader. Wouldn’t giving it away to a subordinate be considered discourteous?”
Bih Sa-in simply looked at him with that terrifying face, as if the remark was too ridiculous to even warrant a reaction.
The Black Snake Gang Leader quickly stepped forward.
“Discourteous, you say? What insolence toward the Young Leader! Apologize at once!”
Of course, Choo Goeng’s true thoughts were the same as Black Dog’s. Black Dog had merely voiced what he himself wanted to say. It was part of why he had brought him along in the first place.
At the Gang Leader’s rebuke, Black Dog lowered his head and said,
“My apologies. I only thought that was a sword not meant for just anyone to wield, and I overstepped.”
But what could be felt from him was not sincere regret, but lingering dissatisfaction. If Bih Sa-in hadn’t been the Young Leader, foul words would’ve already left his mouth.
Not only Black Dog, but the other Black Snake Gang martial artists standing behind him all felt the same way. Naturally, the atmosphere became stiff and heavy.
Bih Sa-in sent a sound transmission to Geom Mugeuk.
–Is this what you were aiming for?
To which an unexpected answer returned.
–It’s still lukewarm. We need to bring it to a full boil.
Geom Mugeuk spoke to Black Dog.
“You said not just anyone can wield it? Well, I’m not just anyone.”
When Geom Mugeuk responded with such force, Black Dog’s face hardened. He was barely managing to stay civil because it was the Young Leader, yet now the youngest-looking brat was looking down on him?
“The Young Leader values me more than some measly sword. Isn’t that right, Young Leader?”
When Geom Mugeuk directly asked, Bih Sa-in wore a troubled expression. Watching the exchange, Jin Hagun was relieved that he wasn’t the one caught in that situation.
In the end, Bih Sa-in gave a subtle nod.
“See? He says he cherishes me more.”
Seeing Geom Mugeuk grinning triumphantly, Bih Sa-in sighed inwardly. He could already hear Geom Mugeuk’s voice in his head: You said you cared about me, so why are you like this? Didn’t you say you cared about me?
‘He’s going to tease me with this for a while, isn’t he.’ 3
Meanwhile, Choo Goeng couldn’t make sense of the situation. The Young Leader gave a sword to his subordinate, and now that subordinate was asking the Young Leader if he cared more about him than the Gang Leader?
‘What kind of scheme is this supposed to be?’
But things were only getting started. Geom Mugeuk brought out something new to further stoke the flames. What he pulled from his robes were several sheets of paper.
“I actually did some background checking on all of you. I received this before arriving.”
The papers contained information on the Black Snake Gang sent by Hidden Moon. It detailed who had done what, and how they had conducted their operations up until now.
The Black Snake Gang Leader looked at Bih Sa-in with a face that asked, ‘What the hell is going on?’
But Bih Sa-in, with a similarly blank expression, was staring at Geom Mugeuk. It looked like he hadn’t even read what was written in the young man’s hands. 4
Judging from that alone, it didn’t seem like this was something they had conspired on.
‘Just what the hell are they?’
And if they had done their investigation, shouldn’t they have shown it to the Young Leader? Why had he kept it hidden until now? No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t add up for the Gang Leader.
Then Geom Mugeuk tossed someone into the growing fire.
“Who here is Black Dog? Let me see your face.”
Black Dog flinched in surprise at the sudden call.
And it had come from the one person who’d been bothering him the entire time—the brat.
“That’s me.”
The frustration he couldn’t take out on the Young Leader now turned into anger directed squarely at Geom Mugeuk.
“You’ve got eyes, nose, mouth—seem human enough. So how did you go and commit such filth?” 5
Black Dog flared up. If it hadn’t been for the Young Leader, he would’ve already drawn his sword and charged in.
Seeing Black Dog on the verge of exploding, Choo Goeng stepped forward. If he didn’t intervene now, blades would be drawn.
“He is serving an honored guest. Do not act rashly!”
Then he turned to Bih Sa-in and asked,
“But may I ask why you’ve called me here?”
Only after one unexpected event after another did he finally ask the reason he had been summoned. And Bih Sa-in’s answer was just as unexpected.
“I called you to give you an order.”
An order? Not a request, but an order.
The Black Snake Gang Leader was inwardly displeased, but he smiled even brighter as he replied,
“Please command me.”
Then, an unexpected remark flowed from Bih Sa-in’s lips.
“I hear you’ve been kidnapping and selling children?”
Choo Goeng was so shocked he was momentarily speechless.
‘What is this now?’
He clearly already knew, so lying was out of the question. No, there was no need to lie. Something like that—what problem could there be? 6
“That’s correct.”
Then Bih Sa-in issued a firm command.
“From this moment on, you will cease.”
Not only the Black Snake Gang Leader, but all of the gang’s martial artists were stunned.
“May I ask the reason?”
In that very moment, Bih Sa-in realized how much he had changed. If he had never met Geom Mugeuk, this would never have happened in his life—he never would’ve said such words.
And Bih Sa-in asked himself: Are you doing this because you truly want to? Or because of Geom Mugeuk, and you have no other choice?
At the very least, he could find an answer to that question.
“Because I don’t allow it.”
Maybe Geom Mugeuk was the cause, but he himself could not condone this. A heretical sect that kidnapped and sold children—that was not his Unorthodox Alliance.
“If even a single child is abducted again, your Black Snake Gang will be erased from the martial world.”
Since disembarking the carriage, Bih Sa-in hadn’t released even a hint of aura. He spoke this line just as calmly—but a heavy, fearful silence spread across the area.
Choo Goeng had reached his limit. His pride was crushed beyond repair, and his rage had peaked.
“Understood?”
Ever since establishing the Black Snake Gang, no one had dared to tell him what to do. Those who opposed him had their eyeballs gouged out and limbs chopped off before being tossed to the pigs. That had been his life.
In the end, the Black Snake Gang Leader bowed his head and answered.
“I understand.”
Just as Bih Sa-in turned and began walking back to the carriage—
Someone shouted from behind.
“Return the sword before you leave!”
The one who yelled was Black Dog. While the Gang Leader managed to hold back, Black Dog could certainly not. What little patience he had left had already been spent a hundredfold.
Geom Mugeuk looked back at him and said,
“Come take it, if you think you can.”
Black Dog stepped forward, clearly intending to do just that.
But the ones whose expressions hardened were not Geom Mugeuk, nor Bih Sa-in, nor Jin Hagun.
They were the Thirteen Wolves of the Alliance. Even if Geom Mugeuk wasn’t a real member, he was still dressed just like them.
And yet, that Black Snake Gang bastard had dared to challenge him. It was clear he had taken them lightly.
The Black Snake Gang Leader quickly shouted,
“If you go through with this, you’ll face retaliation. Stand down!”
Geom Mugeuk played along with Choo Goeng’s intent. Looking at Bih Sa-in, he spoke.
“Let’s agree not to seek revenge, no matter who dies.”
How could the Black Snake Gang Leader or Black Dog possibly know this was all part of Geom Mugeuk’s plan? 7
Bih Sa-in gave a nod.
“I promise, in the name of the Young Leader. This duel ends with the two of them.” 8
Black Dog stepped forward, sword in hand. He didn’t quite measure up to Black Night, but he was still the third strongest in the Black Snake Gang.
Geom Mugeuk unsheathed the Sun and Moon Sword.
“Let’s test how good this sword really is.”
Knowing Black Dog’s pride wouldn’t let him back down, the Black Snake Gang Leader quickly stepped in.
“That wouldn’t be fair. Use your own sword.”
Geom Mugeuk looked down at his Black Demon Sword.
“That would be far more unfair, though?”
Choo Goeng had no idea what he meant by that.
“Well, if you insist. Fine by me.”
Geom Mugeuk walked forward.
Black Dog thought only of beating his opponent to earn merit. He’d take back the Sun and Moon Sword and reclaim his place beside the Gang Leader.
“I’ll show you battle-hardened skills built from the ground up!”
Black Dog lunged forward with his sword.
Puk!
Before he knew it, Geom Mugeuk’s Black Demon Sword had pierced his left shoulder.
“Wha—?”
It had happened so fast, he didn’t even realize he’d been stabbed. It felt like a dream.
Then, puk! again.
This time, it stabbed into his right shoulder. Only then did the excruciating pain from his left shoulder begin to rush in. Just as he screamed in agony, the Black Demon Sword struck again, driving repeatedly into his elbows.
Normally, Geom Mugeuk would finish his opponent in a single strike, but today was different.
He was cutting through the joints—one by one—in the most agonizing spots.
“Aaaaaaaagh!”
A terrible scream burst out, but Geom Mugeuk’s blade didn’t stop. With each thrust, it severed another part of the body where human pain reached its peak.
Bih Sa-in and Jin Hagun looked at each other. It was their first time seeing Geom Mugeuk kill someone this cruelly. He wasn’t one to act without reason, so the two simply watched in silence.
The Black Snake Gang Leader didn’t dare to intervene. No—by now, it was too late to stop anything. Black Dog had already been stabbed dozens of times and was in shreds. More shocking still, he hadn’t died yet.
That alone meant the one doing the stabbing was a true master.
When there was nowhere left to stab, a final slash swept across the one remaining spot.
His head, now severed from his body, rolled to a stop beside Choo Goeng. In that moment, the dream of standing at his leader’s side had finally come true.
The Gang Leader looked down at Black Dog’s head, his eyes wide open, staring up at him.
‘Was a mere escort's martial skill really at this level? And he’s the youngest?’
Was it all just bluster, a way of showing how filthy one’s hands must become to erase people like this? His body trembled involuntarily.
A sound transmission from Bih Sa-in reached Geom Mugeuk.
–This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?
From the start, he hadn’t intended to just leave with a warning to the Black Snake Gang.
–That’s right. By my standards, they fall under absolute evil.
After a short pause, Bih Sa-in asked,
–What if, someday, I fall under that ‘absolute evil’ too?
Geom Mugeuk walked up to him and handed over the sealed document he had received earlier.
–You’re certainly not the kind of person who would become that.
As Bih Sa-in read the contents, his expression gradually darkened. The atrocities committed by Black Dog and the others weren’t mere acts of evil. Their deeds were so cruel and inhuman that even demons would shake their heads in disgust. Violating a young girl or boy in front of her parents was nothing to them. They had once locked up an entire helpless family and burned them alive while drinking their lives away using their screams as background music. 9
Now it was clear why Geom Mugeuk had asked for the Sun and Moon Sword and steered things this way. Why he had chosen to kill Black Dog so painfully.
Normally, Geom Mugeuk would’ve wiped them all out instantly. But this time, he had deliberately staged everything—killed them within the framework of reason, restrained himself as much as possible, out of consideration for Bih Sa-in’s position and authority.
Bih Sa-in’s face flushed hot. After all, these men were still part of the same heretical world he belonged to.
With firm strides, Bih Sa-in walked up to the Black Snake Gang Leader. He handed him the sealed document and asked calmly,
“This all—was it your doing?”
While Choo Goeng hesitated and fumbled for an answer, a cold and menacing killing aura spilled from Bih Sa-in’s eyes.
“I asked if you ordered it.”
1 : Just a bit ^^
2 : Isn’t it more intelligent to give it to a trusted subordinate who can use it better than you ? That’s just common sense !!!
3 : Yup ^^ My condolences XDXDXD
4 : Lol, poor Bih Sa-in XDXDXD Just after giving away teasing material too ^^
5 : Direct stab at the heart of the matter, as always ^^
6 *Ruin countless people lives* > “something like this” *Facepalm*
7 : Mugeuk is a man who always has a plan when he’s dealing with villains.
8 : “But ONLY this duel. You’ll pay the rest accordingly ^^”
9 : Even though it’s already been made pretty clear how absolute evil behaves, hearing those kinds of descriptions is still disgusting and despicable.