Chapter 50: Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Singing With His Head Thıs text ıs hosted at NovelHub(.)net

A stone chamber deep in the mine tunnel.

In a room made by painstakingly carving bedrock with a sturdy door attached—

"The Black Path King will arrive soon."

One Black Path said from outside the door.

His gaze peeking inside through the small window in the door wasn't very favorable.

"Black Path King is coming? Black Path King?"

"Guyang Je, even if you've lost your mind, don't forget respect for the Black Path King."

Black Path's gaze went beyond unfavorable to vicious.

Momentum to immediately enter swinging a blade.

Watching such Black Path, Guyang Je burst out empty laughter.

"Respect? Blood Path Guest, have you forgotten respect for me? I was the one who dispatched you to make this hideout in the first place."

"What are you saying? We followed the Black Path King, not you. Stay quiet and report to the Black Path King."

That Blood Path Guest had no regard for Guyang Je was certain.

He disguised as a Rogues' Guild member and arrived at the hideout. Since there were Black Path he'd dispatched, he planned to use them plotting revival.

The atmosphere was completely different from before.

Black Path didn't follow Guyang Je.

Even the stone chamber they guided him to recover in was no different from prison from another angle.

Only one person could make Black Path behave .

"Blood Path Guest. Did the Black Path King come and go here separately?"

"Don't forget respect! That's why the Black Path King ordered keeping the visit fact secret!"

"That's right. He said can't fully trust you. Indeed had foresight. Becoming a loser, you lost even courtesy."

Blood Path Guest closed the window and left before the stone chamber as if no longer worth dealing with.

Left behind, Guyang Je muttered to himself.

"Heuh, Black Path King."

Now he could guess what would happen going forward, who would enter calling himself Black Path King.

Guyang Je checked his demonic arts.

Gooo—deep in his qi center, sin sweet even to the point of sweetness squirmed.

Demonic arts he had no occasion to reveal to anyone while living as trading captain.

Heavy and dark energy circulated through blood paths.

Didn't take long for the energy to spread through his whole body.

Recent failures became blurred.

Instead, strength overflowed in muscles and senses sharpened.

Feeling sweet fragrance at the nose tip was minor side effect. When strength overflowed , what did slight sensory distortion matter?

This power changed his life.

One day frustrated as a failed examination candidate—

he grasped that person's extended hand.

Tear apart human restraints with beast's fangs and claws.

The self shrunken and broken from failure disappeared. What replaced that spot was new Guyang Je full of endless confidence.

Even facing old schoolmates who passed provincial examination, he wasn't intimidated at all.

Of course, he didn't forget to kill that schoolmate with demonic arts.

Crime traces were cleanly handled.

Because he was intelligent. The world just didn't recognize.

So being entrusted with the great task of dominating Luoyang was natural.

Breathing lengthened.

"Black Path King? Keuk, Black Path King?"

Right, I'm strong enough to defeat him.

The moment checking demonic arts ended—

deureureureuk—the stone chamber door opened.

"My, my. Killing intent flows even outside."

The man Guyang Je expected.

From beside, Blood Path Guest got angry.

"Guyang Je, won't you quickly show courtesy? Black Path King sir, just give the order! I'll handle that bastard."

"No. Go far away. And even if loud sounds occur, don't let anyone approach."

The exchange of orders was natural.

Blood Path Guest shouted acknowledgment and disappeared.

Guyang Je looked at the opponent.

Someone who shared the task of dominating Luoyang with him,

together threw Luoyang into chaos,

and shook Murim Alliance Luoyang branch from inside—

Guyang Je used to call him 'White Path' with mocking meaning.

Being in the Alliance, wasn't he White Path?

"Guyang Je. You're still the same. How did you act fearing me before trading captains? When actually looking down on me this much."

White Path's voice rang through the stone chamber.

Not disguised rough voice but original voice.

"It was for the Cult, so wasn't difficult."

"Anyway, your loyalty to the Cult is tremendous."

"Unlike bats like you."

Luoyang's trading captains and Black Path leaders all truly feared the Black Path King.

Only Guyang Je was different. He didn't acknowledge him, someone from the Alliance. Just unavoidably followed because of Cult instructions.

"Heuheue, it was the Cult that entrusted the Black Path King to that bat. Still no wavering?"

White Path stabbed the painful spot.

Originally Guyang Je was scheduled as Black Path King. But suddenly appearing White Path took that position. Guyang Je was given the role of becoming trading captain executing Cult plans.

"Hmph, even on the day the Cult rises, will you White Path be Luoyang's Black Path King? In the end, it was a position that would return to me."

"Would it have? Well, when the Cult rises, they'd have ordered me to enter deeper into the Alliance."

If so, whether White Path would remain in Luoyang was unclear.

"Entrusting you White Path with Black Path King was just to appease in the first place. Because you're crazy about power."

"Didn't you do all sorts of things playing Black Path King? I'm one thing, but you who were originally White Path martial artist doing that much. More than me."

Among things Guyang Je did through trading company-Black Path alliance, many were White Path's instructions.

"Can't you think of it as loyalty to the Cult?"

Guyang Je ground his teeth.

"Loyalty? Hand over the funds you embezzled before speaking."

If White Path's usefulness as spy ended, would have sent evidence to Cult purging him.

"Right. I thought you'd investigate my background. So wondered if I should handle it soon."

"Right. Wouldn't it be clean to handle before the Cult rises? Erasing when the name Guyang Je is still only known as trading captain. Anyway, the Cult will send replacements."

"What will you tell the Cult?"

"That was worrying. But you see."

White Path suddenly shook his belly laughing.

"Things turned out . You were thoroughly beaten by Ink Sword Hero Jin Yeomyeong."

Jin Yeomyeong ran wild.

White Path and Guyang Je didn't need to compete.

"Being beaten , will the Cult value you highly? Even saying you died amid chaos, they won't care now? Since Black Path here also don't follow you, nothing could be better."

Even this place was seized by White Path.

Keeping it secret from him, he came and went secretly making Black Path abandon Guyang Je.

This wasn't a simple hideout.

"I'll also continue excavating Wind God Sword's secret treasure."

An excavation site for finding secret treasure to offer the Cult.

Secret treasure that would raise Guyang Je's status at once. Had that much value.

"Don't worry about miners' rebellion. Unlike you, I'll resolve it well through negotiation."

White Path looked down.

He became small again.

Can't stand before that person .

Guyang Je couldn't endure and raised demonic arts.

White Path bared teeth smiling.

"Right, that makes pushing subordinates back worthwhile. Try struggling."

The two gauged each other's distance.

"White Path, you think you can withstand demonic arts that person gave?"

"Someone like you is possible. Our family martial arts are sufficient."

Because White Path was inside Alliance, he didn't learn demonic arts. He took his family martial arts' starting stance.

Guyang Je without even calling it starting stance coiled his body like a snake.

"Rather fortunate. I wanted to kill you slippery bastard anyway. Before fighting Jin Yeomyeong, I'll kill you first."

"Hahaha, Jin Yeomyeong? Your dreams are too big. I also quite wanted to kill someone like you who doesn't know your place."

Now unhidden killing intent exploded.

Guyang Je's demonic arts boiled.

Pupils split vertically like a snake.

Unlike Cloud-Severing Sword, there seemed no other changes besides that.

However, White Path knew.

The body's elasticity had already changed.

Fingernails would also be stained with poison.

Simultaneously, White Path was confident.

'I win. Bastard Guyang Je, your wits dulled from frustration and demonic arts.'

He deliberately chose the stone chamber.

For Guyang Je to utilize his demonic arts in combat, space needed to be wide. Nimbly evading opponent's attacks then like a snake springing up, using lethal techniques on the opponent at once.

Conversely, he was fine even with narrow space. Just push with strong power overwhelming the opponent.

"This stone chamber... White Path, you prepared it?"

Guyang Je also seemed to belatedly realize that fact.

Not being a martial artist from the start, he was slow recognizing traps in duels.

"Should have just composed poetry and lived."

White Path grinned—sssik.

Following that—kwaaang kwaaang kwaaang—sounds shaking the mine tunnel continued.

"Hmm. Easier than expected."

White Path wore a slippery smile.

He opened the stone chamber door and shouted.

Blood Path Guest seemed to have been concentrating on sounds, rushing over at once.

"This stone chamber—no, collapse this entire passage by removing supports."

Infighting wasn't good for Cult superiors to know. Bury traces completely.

Then—kwaaang kwaaang kwaaang—sounds shaking mine tunnels from somewhere else were heard.

"Probably. What they're doing trying to make escape routes. Some even escaped earlier."

"Don't worry. Subordinates followed. Sent Nine Black Ghost too."

"I see. Nine Black Ghost is trustworthy."

Masters like Blood Path Guest, Nine Black Ghost, Tangshan Twin Killers, and Life-Severing Second Brother existed here.

To not have Wind God Sword's secret treasure stolen under any circumstances.

"This place isn't a hideout. Dragon's den, tiger's lair. Since Black Path like you gather, whoever comes won't preserve their life."

Blood Path Guest trembled with emotion at the Black Path King's encouragement.

Kwaaaang kwaaaang kwaaaang—louder sounds buried the thanks.

The Black Path King tilted his head.

"Isn't the sound too loud?"

What were the miners doing?

"Old Master Dang, please eat some porridge."

One child around ten years old brought porridge.

Old Master Dang—Dang Yang raised his head looking at the middle-aged miner across. When he refused the porridge brought, seems he sent the child.

The miner conscious of the gaze burst out shouting.

"Elder! Elder, you have age. That we're enduring now is also thanks to Elder. Please eat even a little!"

As if responding to those words, the child also thrust the porridge bowl forward.

"Elder, please eat. If Elder doesn't eat, we won't eat either!"

Not just this child—other children only held bowls without moving spoons.

Kkeuung—ultimately Dang Yang couldn't win and received the porridge bowl.

He was already an old man with hoary white hair.

Born in a village near the mine, spent his life as a miner, and in old age specialized in tunnel design.

Field miners called such Dang Yang "Elder," trusting and following him.

Hureup—though porridge with nothing in it looking pale, for now trapped in the tunnel, even this was precious.

"You also quickly go eat."

The child disappeared to their spot.

Bokdak bokdak—at the sight of children gathered among themselves eating porridge, old Dang Yang also lifted his spoon.

The rebellion was raised by Dang Yang.

Because of those children.

At first, only adults.

Thought hired by trading company, but coming here, there were Black Path.

Though not shown to miners, seemed to be treasure maps.

Black Path and treasure maps.

Obviously would kill miners after work ended.

Dang Yang stalled for time preparing escape.

The justification that not seeing maps meant work took long exerted power.

Things went according to plan more or less.

Had it gone according to plan to the end, might have properly dug escape routes.

One day, Black Path bastards captured young children.

Seemed to intend making children dig small tunnels.

Experienced Dang Yang could know.

With children's bodies, couldn't endure this labor. Not until work ended—would die immediately.

Couldn't delay more. Though preparation wasn't perfect, attempted escape.

Even Black Path were martial artists.

Miners were enduring by collapsing tunnels and digging inward.

Black Path also, fearing all carefully dug tunnels would collapse, didn't recklessly push in.

Occasionally like today attempted sporadic escapes, but even that wasn't easy.

Kwaaang kwaaang kwaaang—sounds shaking tunnels awakened Dang Yang from reverie.

"Seems Black Path are doing something."

At someone's words, others' expressions darkened.

The middle-aged miner who first recommended porridge to Dang Yang approached.

"Elder, if it comes to it—"

"Must burn everything."

Dang Yang fumbled the book in his chest.

Black Path didn't know.

That miners already reached the tomb's end.

In the tomb were many books.

Among them, they accessed martial arts with books they could read.

Wondering if it might help escape.

"The books protected by mechanism formations inside are definitely profound martial arts. In worst case, must set fire to the tomb."

The middle-aged miner nodded.

"If they don't meet proper owners, rather they'd become world's harm."

"Right. Must prevent that."

Black Path heard of after coming here—

People like Blood Path Guest, Nine Black Ghost, Tangshan Twin Killers, Life-Severing Second Brother had formidable martial arts.

Even seemed to be someone commanding such people.

If the tomb opened to them, just thinking was horrifying.

At the middle-aged miner's words, Dang Yang shook his head.

"I'll do it directly."

Actually, there were words not told to others.

'Everyone seems not to know. The tomb has double structure. Better no one knows this.'

Inside the inside seemed to contain something even greater.

Dang Yang made up his mind firmly.

"I'll directly set fi—"

Kwaaaang kwaaaang kwaaaang—louder sounds buried the words.

Dang Yang tilted his head.

"Isn't the sound too loud?"

What were Black Path doing?

The sound's protagonist was neither miners nor Black Path.

No, in some sense could be called Black Path.

In another sense could be called White Path.

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

"Tangshan Twin Killers and Life-Severing Second Brother! Killed all four simultaneously!"

Double this and it's four.

The Ink Sword Hero who cut four like that was now—

"Iron Head Fierce Tiger is caught!"

Having caught one Black Path who trained Iron Head technique hardening his head—

Kwaaang kwaaang kwaaang—was vigorously slamming him into the tunnel wall.

Performer was White Path, instrument was Black Path.

So the sound's owner was both Black Path and White Path depending on perspective.

Of course, Black Path Iron Head Fierce Tiger didn't seem to think so.

"Fascinating. Quite solid, isn't it?"

Jin Yeomyeong continued the performance cheerfully.

Kwaaaang kwaaaang kwaaaang—Black Path's head sang of hope.