Chapter 118
For a brief moment, a tense silence descended over the surroundings.
I silently surveyed the area. Aside from the three people on the roof, I could sense presences nearby as well. More precisely, there were several people beyond the walls.
I chuckled.
‘Quite a lot of underlings you brought along, considering how grand your entrance was.’
Just then, a voice came from the rooftop. It was a hoarse, phlegmy voice.
“How dare a mere dog try to bite its master just because it hasn’t been fed for a few days? What an insolent cur.”
By “dog,” he must have meant the man we had just killed.
I didn’t know what they meant by “food,” but it was clear that the Pleasure Sect had been providing these people with something, and after suddenly cutting it off, the anxious man must have acted impulsively.
Thanks to that, we had managed to draw out an expert from the Pleasure Sect. Or perhaps they had already been planning to make a move, and this had simply given them an excuse…
“It is an honor to meet you.”
At that moment, Daoist Woonhak stepped forward.
Unlike usual, the smile had completely disappeared from his face, replaced by an expression of tension. He clasped his hands toward the rooftop and spoke politely.
“I did not realize that you gentlemen were coming, so I failed to come out and greet you despite being so close. I hope the three of you and the brothers outside will kindly forgive this poor Daoist.”
Then he immediately asked,
“I apologize for asking this upon our first meeting, but may I ask you one thing? Are you gentlemen members of the Pleasure Sect?”
Unexpectedly, the masked man on the roof simply nodded.
“Yes.”
“If that is the case…”
“You lot came from the Martial Alliance, didn’t you?”
……!”
At those unexpected words, Daoist Woonhak’s eyes widened. Seeing that, the masked man let out an unpleasant chuckle.
“Judging by the Taiji Swordsmanship, that Daoist must be a disciple of the Wudang Sect, while the one using the Five Tigers Severing Gate Saber must be from the Hebei Paeng Family. And it seems quite a few promising young disciples from various orthodox sects have gathered here as well.”
‘Since when have they been watching us?’
“It’s obvious where promising young disciples would be operating if they came from the Martial Alliance. You suspect that our organization is connected to the Demonic Cult?”
“Of course we do!”
Paeng Mirang, who had already been angry since the masked man mentioned the Five Tigers Severing Gate Saber, shouted.
“Think about what you bastards have done! You’re nothing but a backwater unorthodox sect, yet you suddenly grew this large and gathered this many members? How? What kind of illegal business did you use to expand your organization?!”
“……”
“And we also know that the people you took away with promises of money never returned! So you’d better come clean and tell us–”
“And what if we don’t?”
The masked man asked in an even tone.
“So what if you claim this organization is connected to the Demonic Cult? What can you do about it, little brat?”
“……”
An uneasy silence descended. The members of the Inspection Team stared intently at the rooftop, each reaching for their weapons.
The masked men likewise glared down at them without a word.
As the suffocating standoff dragged on…
“Hahahaha! Big brother, isn’t that taking the joke a little too far?”
A shrill laugh rang out.
The laughter also came from the rooftop. If the man who had been speaking with us until now was the one in the center, then the one laughing was the man to his right.
He laughed heartily before continuing in a genial, smooth-talking manner.
“Our organization being connected to the Demonic Cult? Does that even make sense? We’ve never worshiped some religion or another in our entire lives.”
“……”
“I don’t know why those elders over there have taken such a dislike to our organization and decided to brand us as members of the Demonic Cult, but if they’re so dissatisfied, tell them to come see us themselves. Who knows? If the Alliance Leader comes personally, perhaps our boss might even receive him himself.”
“……”
“Well, does that answer your questions?”
At his sarcastic tone, Daoist Woonhak’s face twisted.
It was understandable. They hadn’t properly answered a single one of their questions, yet they were asking whether their curiosity had been satisfied.
“Then perhaps you could explain in a little more detail…”
Just as Daoist Woonhak was about to respond…
“Then I suppose it’s time for you lot to pay for your crimes as well, isn’t it?”
Daoist Woonhak paused. At some point, the masked man on the right had raised his weapon and was pointing it toward the Inspection Team.
“Did you really think we’d let you go quietly just because you’re the Inspection Team? Don’t be ridiculous. Even if you’re nothing but inexperienced youngsters acting on youthful impulse, if you interfere with our organization, you should be prepared to pay the appropriate price.”
“……!”
“Do you know how much our organization has suffered because of you bastards? If we start tallying it up, there’ll be no end to it. So we’ll have to collect the price from you.”
The masked man continued with a cackle.
“But don’t worry. We won’t kill you. We need someone alive to deliver a message to the Martial Alliance, after all. We’ll just turn you into cripples. We’ll destroy your dantian and sever the meridians in all four limbs so that you’ll never be able to set foot in the martial world again.”
At the masked man’s sinister words, the members of the Inspection Team stiffened. They all tightened their grips around their weapons once more.
However, their weapon-holding hands trembled faintly, and their faces had gone pale, making it obvious just how tense they were.
Of course, I was tense too… But my attention was focused elsewhere.
‘That weapon.’
The weapon the masked man on the right was holding.
Steel Claws.
The Steel Claw was, just as its name suggested, a steel weapon shaped like human fingernails.
Ten claws, shaped like human fingers, were attached to the end of a long handle. Each one had been sharpened to a razor’s edge with steel, and a wrong hit could tear a person’s entire body to pieces. And as far as I knew, there was only one person in Ningbo who used such a weapon.
‘Moreover, if they were three brothers…’
I carefully examined the weapons of the others as well, then muttered as though I had finally realized something.
“The Ningbo Three Devils?”
Silence descended in an instant. Everyone’s eyes turned toward me.
Especially the masked men on the roof, who glared at me fiercely.
I looked up at them with a smile and continued.
“The one holding the Ghost-Crying Scissors must be the eldest, First Devil. The one holding the Iron Whip must be the second, Second Devil. And the one who has been explaining everything so enthusiastically until now, the one using the Steel Claws, must be the youngest, Third Devil?”
The masked men’s eyes widened further and further. Eventually, the man in the center, the eldest, First Devil, asked in a grim tone,
“You recognize us… Who are you?”
“Does my identity really matter? And in Ningbo… or rather, in all of Zhejiang, who doesn’t know the Ningbo Three Devils?”
“…Really?”
“Of course. The worst of the worst among villains, dominating the Ningbo region and taking people’s lives in an instant with their ghostly skills. Yet they’re masters of the unorthodox path whose skills are so formidable that no one dares to lay a hand on them, aren’t they?”
“Ahem.”
At my praise, the three of them, the Ningbo Three Devils looked bewildered yet secretly pleased.
As expected, even masters enjoyed being complimented.
“I can’t express how honored this junior is to meet the senior Ningbo Three Devils.”
“Hm, well, we also…”
“But when did you join the Pleasure Sect?”
The Ningbo Three Devils froze.
“How strange. As far as this junior knew, the Ningbo Three Devils never belonged to anyone and traveled only among the three brothers. When did you become members of the Pleasure Sect? That is rather strange.”
“……”
“Did you perhaps lose to the Pleasure Sect’s boss? Or was the Pleasure Sect’s boss even more impressive than I imagined, so you bowed your heads to him first?”
“Shut up.”
“Either way, it’s a shame. This junior truly admired the senior Ningbo Three Devils, but now you’ve fallen so low as to become the Pleasure Sect’s dogs. Ah! Why not change your nickname while you’re at it? Instead of the Ningbo Three Devils, how about the Ningbo Three Dogs?”
“You bastard!”
First Devil finally let out a thunderous roar. The sound reverberated far into the distance.
His internal energy was clearly no ordinary matter.
“You dare mock our title? Now I don’t care whether you’re a promising young disciple or not. I’ll make sure you die. With these Ghost-Crying Scissors, I’ll peel your flesh off piece by piece and throw it to the beasts!”
Just as the enraged First Devil was about to charge…
“Big brother.”
The masked man on the left, who had remained silent until then, the Second Devil, blocked his body.
Second Devil spoke in a low voice.
“His provocation is impressive. He even managed to get you worked up, big brother.”
“Is that so?”
“But we came here not to deal with them ourselves, but to confirm their fate. Others will take care of you lot.”
At those words, dozens of martial artists leaped onto the walls.
Tap, tap!
Members of the Pleasure Sect, carrying various weapons, began surrounding us from both sides. As they gradually closed the distance, the members of the Inspection Team, who had been scattered around, gathered together in one place.
Looking at the Inspection Team, now gathered in a circle, I casually glanced behind me. Then I spoke lightly to those wearing tense expressions.
“Well, since things have come to this, from here on, survive on your own. I can’t help you anymore, so prepare yourselves.”
“Hah. When did you ever help us?”
“Someone should keep an eye on the monk.”
“…I’ll stay with you.”
“Good. Then, my friends. Have you ever had dirt and dust thrown all over you?”
“Huh?”
Just as Zhuge Ye made a bewildered sound…
“Attack!”
BOOM!
I stomped down with a heavy kick.
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