Chapter 34: Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Pest Extermination

It had the opposite effect.

Since they called me the Black Path Butcher in surprise, I had thought to use that name.

"Fine. Since it's come to this, let's see Tiger Might Society's skills."

"See our skills? How insolent!"

The Tiger Might Society Leader wielded a heavy iron mace and charged in first.

Waaah—the society members followed behind.

I struck back against the iron mace with Mukheun and sent it flying.

Leaving the Society Leader who tumbled backward with torn palms, I faced the society members.

Axes and spears coming from left and right, and—

"A shovel? A saw? What are these weapons?"

Hideous yet familiar weapons.

Even while fighting, I was curious enough to ask.

"What kind of sword is that! It's incredibly heavy!"

As those who had dropped their weapons increased one by one.

"So what are these weapons?"

"Tiger Might Society originally began from a founder who did construction work! Uaaak!"

The one who answered also dropped his pickaxe and stopped.

I had seen their skills well enough.

This much was sufficient.

"Society Leader, and society members. Listen about the work the Black Path King has done. It's also the reason I fought Black Path in Luoyang."

I told Tiger Might Society.

The Master Dongpae household attempting to raid a pharmacy,

Xinyang Trading and Black Cloud Gang buying and selling people, and so on.

"Such things happened."

"Society Leader, Tiger Might Society is probably just a sect that receives protection fees."

"...Correct. We lived by protecting construction sites and receiving compensation. Our home territory of Gansu had severe crop failure, so everyone's livelihood became difficult. When even putting food in one's mouth is difficult, who would build houses?"

Tiger Might Society was on a different track from the Black Path I had fought until now.

they weren't those who walked Black Path,

but simply people who weren't White Path.

How could the world be simply divided into black and white?

I try to walk White Path.

Originally, people who claim to be either black or white are far fewer.

People living in between are far more numerous.

"I apologize for claiming to be a butcher. I merely thought to use a name that was created anyway."

Black Path gathers under the Black Path King's name. I thought it would be good to have one name to drive them out.

"As you heard, the Black Path King is different from you. He's committing evil acts unrelated to making a living. If you continue staying under him, you'll have to do such things."

"...We'd quit before that."

"Would someone conducting such work easily let you quit?"

The Tiger Might Society Leader made a groaning sound. He also agreed.

"My appearance is an opportunity. Quit at this opportunity."

The Society Leader lowered his head and looked at the floor.

They had come to Luoyang to survive.

Going back to their crop-failed hometown would feel hopeless.

However, he made a choice.

"I can't make these guys do such things. Understood."

He looked around at the society members and finally nodded.

"You thought well. While we're at it, tell me about the Black Path King."

Tiger Might Society Leader Go Dangseong moistened his lips with his tongue.

Glancing at the Ink Sword Hero, he was putting the black sword in its sheath and preparing to listen.

The figure just standing there was merely a fine-looking young man, yet he was this strong.

Tiger Might Society wouldn't be pushed back anywhere either.

Yet they were helplessly defeated.

He had heard rumors about the Ink Sword Hero.

That he was the person Black Path in Luoyang should be most careful of.

The stories heard these past few days were even more tremendous.

That he swept away Black Path whenever he encountered them, that they should avoid him proactively rather than just being cautious, that he was the Black Path Butcher, and so on.

However, unlike what he had heard, the Ink Sword Hero was giving Tiger Might Society a chance to live.

'I have no choice but to tell everything.'

"From sometime last year, word spread all the way to Gansu that someone called Luoyang's Black Path King was summoning Black Path. They said he paid quite generously. At first I was doubtful, but Black Path sects that entered first said they earned a lot of money."

The Ink Sword Hero nodded.

"As I said, in Gansu the path to survival was hopeless."

People cannot overcome nature.

When crop failure occurs, that entire area becomes chaotic. Tiger Might Society was pushed by chaos and entered Luoyang.

"Did you see the Black Path King directly?"

"Never. I only received instructions to work with Banyang Trading."

"I know Banyang Trading is closely connected to the Black Path King. How did newly entered Tiger Might Society come to do work?"

"Don't know well, but probably because we knew construction work. They said they'd build pleasure houses and do land business."

Banyang Trading endlessly expanded business.

This time it was land and buildings.

Tiger Might Society happened to enter Luoyang when they needed to bring in more Black Path.

"If it hadn't been such timing, we would have worked with a small trading company."

Large trading companies had several Black Path sects attached, small trading companies had about one.

When they came to work with Banyang Trading, they had thought it was good fortune.

"Leaders of large sects may have met the Black Path King. Among themselves they boasted about the Black Path King's true intentions and such."

"The names and bases of those sects?"

"I haven't been here long so don't know details. I only know about a sect called Iron Dog Gang."

Go Dangseong spoke about Iron Dog Gang to the extent he knew.

He had spoken everything he knew.

Having learned what the Black Path King was doing, he felt no thought of maintaining loyalty.

Just tell everything and leave Luoyang.

"Then we'll leave Luoyang as is."

He also clasped hands in greeting to the Ink Sword Hero.

They would probably never meet again.

Though the future was pitch dark,

he couldn't keep the society members who followed him under the Black Path King.

Hearing the Ink Sword Hero's words, he wasn't at the level of handling interests but had stepped deep into evil acts.

The Ink Sword Hero pressed his forehead and sank into thought.

Telling us to pull out?

Society members exchanged anxious glances.

Could it have been a lie to extract information?

They said the Ink Sword Hero didn't lie and always kept promises.

However, the words that came from the Ink Sword Hero's mouth were more shocking.

"What I said earlier about pulling out wasn't a lie. But my mind changed."

Simple change of mind?

Is this such a matter?

"Even returning to Gansu, the path to survival is hopeless, isn't it?"

"Your martial arts skills are good, and you know construction work. Do one job with me."

"Ultimately you'll end up helping Luoyang's Golden Cloud Trading. But after doing work with me first."

The Ink Sword Hero even began muttering to himself.

"Right, first correct the house fraud with Tiger Might Society as witness. Mm, mm, fight Black Path too. Perfect."

What was he thinking alone?

Fight with Black Path? Us?

The Society Leader and society members looked at each other's faces.

"Um... we haven't accepted yet?"

"Didn't I say my mind changed?"

The Tiger Might Society Leader was dumbfounded.

If his mind changed? Then we must follow?

Thinking about it, they were already subdued by the Ink Sword Hero anyway.

They did have to follow.

"You're the Ink Sword Hero, right? What I heard wasn't ?"

"Everyone says such things. I think I know what you heard. Now, know this clearly."

"The Ink Sword Hero is now a person who does as he pleases."

The Ink Sword Hero's face was too serious to say "what nonsense."

with sparkling eyes and a slight smile hovering, something unknown...

'Is he proud of himself?'

The Ink Sword Hero spoke again forcefully with a proud expression.

"I'm now a person who does as I please. Mm, that's right."

He was even nodding his head vigorously.

The Tiger Might Society Leader realized belatedly.

If a person who does as he pleases, he could do this with a simple change of mind.

The realization expanded further.

Ah, something went wrong.

"Did you hear? This morning Tiger Might Society was attacked by the Ink Sword Hero."

"The Ink Sword Hero again?"

"Black Path disappears daily at his hands."

A group of men sat around a tea table.

Figures with an atmosphere different from trading captains.

At a glance filled with rough disposition, they had fierce weapons like jagged blades and wolf-tooth clubs beside them.

They were precisely the leaders of large Black Path sects.

"Aren't the trading captain bastards laughing at us again?"

"Hmph, bastards who can't do anything without us."

"If not for the Black Path King's instructions, I'd have already broken several bastards' necks."

Trading captains and Black Path leaders didn't mix with each other.

The Black Path King met trading captains and Black Path leaders separately,

and from the start, the two groups had different dispositions.

Trading captains looked down on Black Path leaders as ignorant people who only knew how to use blades.

Black Path leaders treated trading captains as weak money-grubbers.

"Anyway, getting entangled with the Ink Sword Hero, whether trading captains or us, we're getting wrecked."

"Fortunate that Tiger Might Society are people who entered recently. The Black Path King probably won't be very angry either."

If there was a commonality between trading captains and Black Path leaders, it was that they feared the Black Path King.

One of the leaders asked other leaders.

"But what happened to Tiger Might Society? Were they annihilated like Black Cloud Gang?"

The leaders looked at each other's faces.

Soon they realized no one knew the conclusion.

One of them called a subordinate.

"Wait a moment. I had sent my subordinate toward Tiger Might Society for business."

He had made subordinates surveil to find weaknesses.

The leaders all understood.

Since everyone was doing so, it wasn't surprising.

They had met only because of money swarming to Luoyang anyway.

If they showed even a slight weakness, many among them would bite each other.

The leader who spoke asked his subordinate. One who had spied on Tiger Might Society and returned.

"I told you to find out about Tiger Might Society, right? How did it go?"

"They officially announced dissolution."

The leader tilted his head.

"He didn't annihilate them like Black Cloud Gang? You mean he just let them dissolve and leave?"

The subordinate who was reporting carefully opened his mouth.

At the leader's permission, the Black Path member bowed his head.

"They dissolved Tiger Might Society and founded a new organization."

An even more puzzling story.

Founding right after dissolution. What had the Ink Sword Hero done to Tiger Might Society?

"Organization? Do you mean a sect?"

"No. An organization. Its name is..."

"Speak quickly. What did they change it to?"

The subordinate moistened his lips with his tongue and carefully opened his mouth.

"Luoyang Black Path Extermination Corps."

The Black Path leaders jumped up from their seats.

Black Path, extermination?

Wasn't that a word used only when exterminating vermin?

"That insolent Ink Sword Hero bastard!"

"This is a challenge! A challenge to us!"

attacking the Ink Sword Hero wasn't simpler than expected.

He was strong even alone, but was deeply connected to Luoyang's White Path martial world and government.

Moreover, the Black Path sects were focusing on the Black Path King's business.

They couldn't step forward too much and draw attention.

"Then what should we do?"

Among the leaders, the one using a jagged blade was maintaining composure.

"Though they say they formed a corps, how directly will they take action? Preparation will also take time."

Other leaders exchanged glances.

"Doesn't seem feasible."

"You're saying to attack the Ink Sword Hero."

"No, that's not it. How frustrating."

The Jagged Blade raised his finger.

"The Black Path King will arrange for the Ink Sword Hero. We must clash as sect against sect."

"Ah. The Extermination Corps?"

"Correct. Whether Tiger Might Society did so voluntarily or under pressure from the Ink Sword Hero, we must attack them to show an example."

At the Jagged Blade's words, the atmosphere changed.

Cruel smiles hung on the leaders' faces.

"Right. Exactly that. Doesn't matter what Tiger Might Society bastards were thinking."

"Showing an example is what's important, isn't it?"

"What shall we do? Hang their heads in the marketplace?"

It would be a symbolically created organization anyway.

Even if they took actual action, preparation would take time.

Then even as soon as tomorrow, attack the Tiger Might Society bastards—

Someone was running urgently.

"What? What's the commotion?"

The one running shouted even before entering inside.

"The Ink Sword Hero! They say the Ink Sword Hero attacked!"

The leaders' gazes moved quickly.

Especially gazes focused on sect leaders working with Banyang Trading.

Because Tiger Might Society had been under Banyang Trading.

It was a simple thought that after Tiger Might Society, wouldn't it be the Black Path sect working with Banyang Trading next?

However, the one who entered inside was a gang member of a Black Path sect called Iron Dog Gang.

Iron Dog Gang had no connection to Banyang Trading.

"Boss, you should go quickly!"

While other leaders watched, the Iron Dog Gang Boss urgently rose.

There was no time for preparation whatsoever.

Outside Luoyang City, the front yard of an abandoned inn.

Iron Dog Gang's base mentioned by the Tiger Might Society Leader.

At this place where the ferry was clearly visible and river wind blew coolly.

"Uaaak! It's the Ink Sword Hero!"

"Black Path Butcher bastard!"

"The madman attacked!"

I was facing curses and blade strikes.

My familiar alias, Ink Sword Hero.

My new alias—though I didn't know if it could be called an alias—Black Path Butcher.

No matter how I heard it, just a curse: madman.

Iron Dog Gang members called me by various titles.

"Fuck, this time he even brought subordinates!"

"Calling them my subordinates. Don't disgrace those people."

"What? Anyone can see they're subordinates?"

Behind me was the former Tiger Might Society.

"Why would anyone see them as subordinates..."

Their appearance wearing face coverings as instructed.

"Ah, they do look slightly like subordinates."

One Iron Dog Gang member shouted angrily.

"The only one with an exposed face is you, Ink Sword Hero bastard!"

I revealed my face, and all former Tiger Might Society wore face coverings.

"It must feel like I dragged them to attack."

From among the former Tiger Might Society, Society Leader Go Dangseong spoke quietly.

"Isn't it true you dragged us..."

A voice nearly dying.

"Why are you like that? In the end, you accepted the position of 'Corps Leader' too. Saying it would be better to stay here since livelihood is hopeless even returning."

Former Tiger Might Society had accepted my proposal.

Though they refused at first, thinking about it, it wasn't a bad proposal.

"Because I didn't know what would happen if I refused to the end."

"Mm? I didn't hear that well."

"I didn't know 'doing one job together' meant this."

"I didn't hear that either. Corps Leader, why do you lack confidence?"

I was calling him Corps Leader. Dıscover more novels at novel•fire.net

He wasn't Society Leader anymore.

I formally introduced them to Iron Dog Gang members.

"Those who came with me aren't my subordinates or anything. They're members of the 'Luoyang Black Path Extermination Corps' officially launched in Luoyang."

"Black Path Extermination Corps?"

"This is the Corps Leader. Corps Leader, please give a greeting."

Now I could see the overall picture of the Black Path King's forces.

The Black Path King was manipulating trading companies and Black Path sects.

Trading companies conducted wicked work and earned money,

with that money they gathered Black Path,

Black Path helped trading companies' evil acts.

Creating a cycle of darkness.

"Now, now, like that. Good. Continue waving your hand."

That I had never heard of a Black Path King conducting work at this level meant he was hiding quite well.

I couldn't let him continue hiding.

The Black Path Extermination Corps was a declaration of war against the Black Path King.

And simultaneously part of the extermination plan.

A bastard like a cockroach. I would definitely exterminate him.