Chapter 06
Protection Fee is Quite High!Protection Fee is Quite High!
"Uh..., uh? So, you're a bandit...? But why are you helping me...? Uh?"
Yu Jinmyung, the young master of the Yu family from Shanxi, stammered as if experiencing cognitive dissonance.
Hmm... how should I explain this? It's too much trouble to explain...
"Brother-!!"
"So-Somyeong!"
At that moment, Yu Somyeong ran over and hugged the lying Yu Jinmyung. From a glance, it seemed tears were welling up in her eyes.
"Brother-!! Sniff... What happened?"
"Somyeong... I'm glad you're safe. Elder Wi started a rebellion while Father was away. More importantly... who is this person next to you...?"
"Oh, that guy... no, that person..."
Yu Somyeong blushed, embarrassed about receiving help from me.
"...He's the leader of the bandits from Mount Hyungak."
"...What?"
"I'll explain later. Things are urgent right now."
"Young lady, you spoke well. The situation is indeed urgent. Look ahead."
Even though I had kicked him hard in the chest, the old demonic figure in front of us was rising to his feet.
No way...
"Huff... This is ridiculous..."
Is he even angrier now?
Seeing this, Yu Somyeong screamed in surprise.
"Elder Wi! How could you betray us...!!"
"Is he really an elder? But isn't he a demon?"
"...What? A demon?"
Yu Somyeong looked incredulous, but my intuition was clear. That person called Elder Wi was a demon.
And to confirm my suspicion, Yu Jinmyung, lying at my feet, shouted desperately.
"That's right, Somyeong... Elder Wi is truly a demon. Look at that dark red aura around his sword."
"...Really."
"And... Elder Wi is not someone you can handle. The situation is urgent, so we need to escape..."
"Brother..."
Hearing Yu Jinmyung's desperate voice, Elder Wi straightened his back and laughed heartily.
"Ha ha ha ha-!!"
Then, he raised his sword towards Yu Somyeong.
"As expected, the young master is quick to assess the situation. But do you think I'll spare the bloodline of the Yu family of Shanxi? Somyeong, I'll soon make you just like your brother."
"You traitor..."
Seething with anger, Yu Somyeong picked up her sword with trembling hands, ready to charge at the demonic elder Wi.
"No, young lady, wait."
I sighed and raised my hand to stop her. From my perspective, Yu Somyeong wasn't ready to face the powerful demon named Wi Yongmyung.
She should know that very well, too.
But still...
"You promised to pay double the protection fee. I'll help you."
"...No."
"...What?"
Instead, Yu Somyeong pointed beyond the western wall.
"Over there, there's a medical clinic with a doctor living inside. With all this noise, the doctor is surely awake. Please take my brother to the doctor."
"......"
I looked down at the fallen Yu Jinmyung at my feet.
Blood was flowing from his mouth, and his internal energy was in disarray, making him highly unstable.
'He's internally injured.'
If this continues, he could become a cripple or even die.
I glanced at Yu Somyeong and asked.
"Are you sure? The old man in front of us seems pretty strong. Wouldn't it be better if I handled it...?"
"...You're a bandit! What do you hope to achieve by interfering in a martial artist's fight?!"
Oh?
"I'll repay your kindness someday, so please save my brother. And if things go wrong..."
Yu Somyeong's next words didn't come out as a voice but were transmitted telepathically.
'Take my brother and run away.'
"......"
I couldn't easily respond to that.
So, the righteous faction is still the righteous faction, huh? Even in this chaos, she's thinking about her family.
My subordinates would have abandoned the ship and fled immediately in a situation like this.
More importantly...
'...You're a bandit! What do you hope to achieve by interfering in a martial artist's fight?!'
I was a bit surprised by her concern for me, despite all the bad things I had done.
No, I should say I was impressed.
I was impressed by her kind nature.
"Well, if you insist..."
Ignoring her earnest request would be unreasonable.
In reality, the young master of the Yu family did seem like he might die soon...
So, I carried him on my shoulder and climbed over the wall.
"I'll go ahead."
"Somyeong-!!!"
The young master cried out, perhaps expecting her end, but Yu Somyeong didn't look back.
I then headed towards the medical clinic with the young master in tow.
**
"You think I'll let you go?!"
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Wi Yongmyung roared and lunged at her brother. Yu Somyeong immediately raised her sword to attack him.
Seeing her charge, Wi Yongmyung counterattacked, slashing down at her from above.
Clang-!
"Ugh-!"
Just like that, Yu Somyeong was slammed to the ground.
In a single exchange, she could clearly feel the difference in their levels.
She managed to stand but her body began to tremble slightly.
Now, the realization of fear began to set in.
Wi Yongmyung sneered at her, befitting his demonic nature.
"Are you scared?"
"Shut up...."
"If you're scared, close your eyes. I'll send you off painlessly for old times' sake."
"Shut up-!!"
Yu Somyeong raised her sword straight and leaped forward, preparing to use the Willow Blossom Sword Technique.
'As expected...'
Seeing this, Wi Yongmyung prepared to defend his neck. The basics of the Willow Blossom Sword Technique aimed at the neck, so he expected Yu Somyeong to do the same.
However...
Slash-!
"Argh-!"
Yu Somyeong's sword aimed not at his neck but at his torso.
It was a lucky coincidence, overlooking her habit.
Reluctant to kill, she preferred to slash her opponent's torso to subdue them rather than go for the neck.
'It worked.'
For some reason, her attack succeeded, and the momentum shifted to Yu Somyeong.
Her natural talent didn't miss the opportunity presented by the moment.
Slash, slash, slash-!
"Ugh-!"
Though he blocked her attacks repeatedly, Yu Somyeong relentlessly pressed Wi Yongmyung.
As she moved her sword, her speed also increased. Facing Wi Yongmyung, she felt her skills improving in real-time.
And then...
'A gap...'
Slowly, she began to see gaps in his defense.
What started as a seemingly impossible battle gradually turned in her favor through a combination of luck and growth.
Finally...
Slash-!
"Argh-!"
When her sword grazed Wi Yongmyung's wrist...
Thud-.
In pain, his sword began to drop from his hand.
'This is my chance.'
In a sword fight, dropping your weapon meant defeat.
The gap created by Wi Yongmyung dropping his sword was so significant that Yu Somyeong had a moment to consider.
Should she decapitate him or not...
And then...
'This man is a traitor.'
She decided to decapitate him.
Wi Yongmyung was a traitor to her family. He had hurt her brother. As a member of the Yu family of Shanxi, she had to punish him.
'This ends now.'
Yu Somyeong finally aimed her sword at Wi Yongmyung's neck.
But...
"Heh heh..."
"How could you..."
Wi Yongmyung's sword was indeed on the ground. But with his hand full of demonic energy..., he caught her sword.
"You didn't even notice I dropped my sword on purpose."
"A swordsman purposely dropping his sword?"
"Oh, I forgot to mention. Somyeong, actually, I..."
As he spoke, he charged his fist with demonic energy...
"...am not a swordsman but a martial artist."
...and struck Yu Somyeong's chest.
Thud-!!
"Argh-!"
Unlike Wi Yongmyung's demonic fists, Yu Somyeong's young body was still fragile.
She felt her insides twist with pain as she rolled on the ground.
"Huff... Huff..."
Is this what it feels like to be stabbed in the guts?
Even though she was an exceptional late-stage martial artist, she was still only 18. Raised in luxury, Yu Somyeong had never once been in a real battle.
This unbearable pain and fear of death were new experiences for her.
'It hurts, I'm scared...'
Even as these thoughts filled her mind, Wi Yongmyung approached her slowly.
His approach seemed more like that of a demon beast than a human to her.
"I told you to accept a painless death. It pains me to see you like this."
"Don't... come any closer..."
"Don't worry. I'll soon send your father and brother to join you..."
With those words, Wi Yongmyung raised his fist high. Yu Somyeong, tears streaming down her face, prayed for the impossible.
'Father, Mother, Brother...!'
Even at that moment, his fist was coming down on her small head.
'Please save me...'
Whoosh-.
'...save me.'
Clang-!
Wi Yongmyung's demonic fist seemed unstoppable. However...
"Why are you crying, young lady?"
With those now strangely familiar, incomprehensible words, I stood before her.
"Protection fees will be tripled. Okay?"
A now familiar bandit stood in front of her.