Vol 2 Chapter 75. Oh, hey—put it away. Put it away (2)
After repelling the Demonic Faction’s attack, Thousand Hands County moved quickly to repair the damage.
Many people had been killed or injured, and many intact houses had been destroyed.
However, considering that hundreds of Demonic Faction members and as many as three disciples of the Heavenly-Shattering Martial Emperor had invaded, this level of damage was relatively minor.
Even so, in order to restore even that minor damage and comfort the victims, the disciples of the Twin Dragon Sect worked diligently.
If it had been another sect, they might have loudly publicized their achievements and proudly held their heads high.
But the Twin Dragon Sect acted in the complete opposite manner.
“We are sorry. We were still lacking and failed to stop the enemy in time.”
“No, no. Please raise your head.”
“This is a small consolation fund, given in the name of our sect. Please use it to repair the damaged houses.”
“No, no. A person must have a sense of decency. It is already enough that you protected us—how could we….”
“If you refuse, our Sect Leader will scold us.”
“Oh dear….”
“Please accept it, Elder.”
In this way…
The disciples of the Twin Dragon Sect, acting on Go Seok-hyeon’s orders, went through every corner of Thousand Hands County, comforting the victims and distributing compensation.
Although adversity had struck, the public sentiment of Thousand Hands County hardened like ground packed even tighter after rain.
And then…
“Aii….”
“…Gooo!”
“Srubraaaah!”
“How unfaaiiirrr!”
There were two troublemakers rolling around on that hardened ground.
To understand why these people were acting like this, let us rewind time just a little.
***
Ma Jin-chang, who had been utterly destroyed by Patrick, did not die.
It was strange enough that he was even alive at all.
And Chu Un-hwi demanded custody of that Ma Jin-chang.
“Hand him over to the Beggars’ Sect. There is much we can learn through interrogating him.”
Just as Go Seok-hyeon, the Sect Leader, was about to nod in agreement…
“Wait. That request cannot be granted.”
Patrick stepped forward and objected.
In truth, Patrick also had things he wanted to test on Ma Jin-chang once Persona arrived.
There was a reason he had captured him alive instead of killing him.
“I caught that guy, and ownership belongs to me. So I decide. And my answer is… yeah. No. I’m not giving him.”
Was this really the logic of the Orthodox Faction?
Chu Un-hwi glared sharply at Patrick and spoke.
“We must interrogate Ma Jin-chang to thoroughly investigate the mastermind behind this incident. And we must share that information with the Jianghu. Do you not understand that?”
“Yeah. I don’t understaaand.”
It was an attitude guaranteed to make anyone angry.
Then Chu Un-hwi said…
“What kind of bastard is this?”
“Huh?”
“What? Why? I’m just saying out loud what I felt. Why?”
“Uh… uhh….”
Because Chu Un-hwi came out so boldly, Patrick was the one who ended up slightly flustered.
If this had been someone from the same sect or an enemy, he could have simply beaten them up.
But this was an ally from the same Orthodox side who had also helped in the battle, so no matter how much of a great demon risen from hell Patrick was, it was difficult to use violence carelessly.
And on top of that…
“I don’t really want to say this, but you see. For the sake of this Twin Dragon Sect, yeah. I went through hell, bled, fought, and protected the disciples.”
“Uh… well….”
“And yet, a person who calls himself the Bong-gong of a prestigious Orthodox sect doesn’t even know gratitude. Huh?”
“……”
“Tsk tsk tsk. What’s going to happen to justice in the Jianghu? Tsk tsk tsk, these are truly the end times.”
At that moment, Patrick thought to himself.
This is bad.
This beggar bastard is trying to seize control of the conversation by bringing up points favorable to himself.
If he lets this flow continue, he’ll end up getting taken advantage of.
So…
“Ah, come to think of it, if I’d arrived just a little later, the Beggars’ Sect—excuse me, but how does the chain of command work within your Beggars’ Sect?”
“Heir Beggar, sir. You didn’t even know that?”
“Heir Beggar? You? Really?”
“What? What? Why? Why?”
“Well, whatever. The Beggars’ Sect handles its own affairs. Ahem, any·way.”
Patrick forcefully cut him off and continued.
“If I’d arrived just a little later, this battle would’ve been lost and your head would’ve been chopped off, right? Yes or no?”
“…What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying that I saved the Heir Beggar of the Beggars’ Sect. Yeah? The very future of the Beggars’ Sect! The next Sect Leader! This Radiant Dragon—no, I mean, Lord Bong-gong Patrick saved you, right?”
“Well, that’s….”
“It’s true, right? Or is it not?”
“Originally, this battle—”
“Hey now! The grudges and entanglements of the Jianghu are complex things. If you trace their origins, there’s no end to it, so we must first look only at the surface-level results!”
Was that even a real line of logic?
It was Patrick’s first time hearing it.
“And if we look at the result, I saved your life, didn’t I? I saved the future of the Beggars’ Sect, didn’t I?”
“Uh… that is….”
“Right? Or am I wrong?”
“No, wait—”
“No waiting. Let’s talk about results only. Results! It’s true, right? I’m the great benefactor who saved the future of the Beggars’ Sect, right?”
“…….”
This was bad.
This Orthodox Bong-gong bastard seemed highly skilled in trickery.
He was forcefully pushing only the points advantageous to himself, leaving the other side unable to deny them.
In that case…
“Uh-uh… who said I’m the future Sect Leader? Huh? Who?”
Chu Un-hwi suddenly put on a dazed expression.
Then, with a vacant smile, he said,
“I’m just a beggar, y’know? The future of the Beggars’ Sect? I don’t really know about that. Why is a prestigious Orthodox Bong-gong saying strange things to a hungry, pitiful beggar?”
When he started saying that, Patrick’s expression turned serious.
‘This bastard….’
As soon as the situation turned unfavorable, Chu Un-hwi activated the move known as ‘I’m stupid so I don’t know anything.’
It wasn’t easy to use.
Normally, people couldn’t bring themselves to do it because of their pride.
But precisely because of that, if it could be used, its effect was powerful.
“I don’t know. Master said to take Ma Jin-chang. So just give him to me. I only know what I was told.”
“Huh? What did you say? I can’t hear you very well. Cough, cough… Hmm. Did my internal injuries from this battle flare up? I suddenly can’t hear anything.”
‘This bastard. The situation turned unfavorable, so he’s suddenly pretending to be sick to stall for time.’
‘This beggar bastard. He’s pretending to be clueless to the very end to achieve his goal.’
‘This guy is….’
‘…the real deal.’
Their gazes crossed.
And the very next moment, both of their bodies suddenly dropped down…
“Aii….”
“…Gooo!”
“Srubraaaah!”
“How unfairrrrr!”
Then the two of them began rolling around on the ground, shouting.
“People! People of the neighborhood, look here! A hero of the Beggars’ Sect is oppressing a sick man!”
“People! Look here! A prestigious Orthodox Bong-gong is bullying a powerless, starving beggar!”
“Aigooo! I even saved his life, but the Beggars’ Sect hero doesn’t even know gratitude!”
“I fought bleeding with a stick to protect Thousand Hands County! Aigooo! How unfair! Everyone, please listen to this pitiful beggar!”
The iron rule of tantrums.
Do not listen to what the other person says, and only shout what you want to say.
Both of them were following that rule perfectly.
‘Not bad.’
‘An enemy, but an admirable one.’
Even as they acknowledged each other internally.
If superiority could not be decided through techniques, then the deciding factor was inner power.
In other words, whoever shouted louder won.
“Aigoooo! Srubraaaaaaaaa!”
“How unfaaiiirrrrr! Bring Po Cheong-cheon heeere!”
They began shouting even louder, as if their throats would tear.
Watching this scene, Go Seok-hyeon looked up at the sky and muttered,
“Ancestors, why do you bestow such trials upon me?”
[Sorry.]
It sounded as though someone had apologized, but it did not reach Go Seok-hyeon’s ears.
***
Some time later.
The desperate struggle between the two finally ended when Sect Leader Go Seok-hyeon, unable to watch the dignity of the Orthodox Faction fall any further, stepped in to stop it.
“Are you not ashamed, being the Bong-gong of the Twin Dragon Sect and the Heir Beggar of the Beggars’ Sect?!”
Go Seok-hyeon shouted sternly.
And the two replied…
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
Bold, indeed.
“Hahaha. Sect Leader. For the sake of my sect, I can lower my dignity as much as necessary.”
The words themselves sounded quite impressive.
“What does a beggar have to be ashamed of? I’m someone who begs off others.”
That, too, was technically true.
Go Seok-hyeon let out a deep sigh.
In the end, the only way to resolve this situation was for him to make a decision himself.
“Bong-gong, this time our sect owes Great Hero Chu of the Beggars’ Sect a great debt.”
“Oh, come on. Why worry about something like that? People help each other as they live.”
That was usually something the one who received help should say, not the one who gave it.
“Ahem, anyway, isn’t our Twin Dragon Sect a sect that does not forget favors?”
“Are we?”
With a look on his face that clearly said, This is the first I’m hearing of it, Patrick made Go Seok-hyeon stare off toward a distant mountain with a forlorn expression.
‘I want to quit being Sect Leader.’
An extreme occupation: Sect Leader of the Twin Dragon Sect.
Go Seok-hyeon took a deep breath, steadied himself, and then spoke.
“Anyway, we must repay this favor. If Great Hero Chu wishes to take custody of Ma Jin-chang, I believe it is right to hand him over.”
“No, Sect Leader, that’s—”
“This is my decision as Sect Leader.”
“Grrrgh….”
“Bong-gong, will you oppose this decision to the end?”
“Well, that’s… uh… umm….”
This won’t do.
Once Persona arrived, there were things Patrick wanted to learn through Ma Jin-chang.
Handing him over before that would be a problem.
But…
“Bong-gong.”
“Well, uh….”
Defying the Sect Leader of the Twin Dragon Sect.
That act, surprisingly, triggered a taboo within Patrick’s conscience.
Yes.
Surprisingly, Patrick did have a conscience.
It was smaller and duller than average, but it did exist.
“If the Sect Leader says so… I’ll follow it. I’ll follow it, but….”
“Thank you, Bong-gong.”
“Grrrgh….”
Patrick groaned.
Damn it, there was no helping it.
It was true that he owed that beggar bastard a big favor this time, so perhaps it was right to let it go for now.
“Ebebebebe.”
No. Should I just punch him?
Resisting the urge to punch that face felt like it went against the morals of the Jianghu.
Just as Patrick’s fist was about to move forward…
“Honey!”
From afar, Elione called out to Patrick.
She had arrived slightly later than him and, upon arriving, first checked the World Tree, then kept watch over the warehouse where Ma Jin-chang was imprisoned.
But…
“Something terrible happened, honey.”
“What is it?”
“The captive died.”
“What? Suddenly?”
“…….”
Patrick was startled, and Chu Un-hwi’s expression turned grave.
The group immediately rushed to the small room where Ma Jin-chang had been confined.
And what they saw there was…
“This is Ma Jin-chang?”
“Hmmm… his vitality has completely dried up.”
There lay Ma Jin-chang, dead and shriveled like firewood.
He had stubbornly clung to life even after being brutally beaten by Patrick.
That astonishing vitality had been so strong that it seemed no further measures were necessary.
Yet, in the brief moment their eyes were off him, he had ended up like this.
Patrick spoke with a serious expression.
“Did anyone approach this place?”
“No. I was watching it the whole time.”
“I see.”
Then it was unlikely.
Elione used wind spirits.
Even Patrick would have difficulty approaching while evading her senses.
Which meant this must have happened naturally…
“I believe this is a kind of internal deviation.”
Go Seok-hyeon, who was examining the body, proposed a hypothesis.
“Internal deviation?”
“Yes. The state of the corpse resembles that of someone who starved to death. When a martial artist fails to control their qi and the vessel of innate energy breaks, it can result in a condition like this.”
At Go Seok-hyeon’s medically grounded reasoning, Patrick tilted his head.
It made sense.
It did make sense, but why would internal deviation suddenly occur?
If inner demons had arisen due to the shock of defeat, it should have happened immediately after losing to Patrick.
But to suddenly fall into inner demons and internal deviation long after the defeat, when no one was watching?
It wasn’t completely impossible.
There was a possibility.
But…
‘It feels unsettling.’
Sometimes, even when everything lines up logically, doubt does not disappear.
A moment when, beyond logic, instinctively you feel that something is off.
This was exactly that moment.
“Well, if he’s dead, there’s nothing we can do.”
Patrick said with a sigh.
If pondering did not yield answers, the best course was to set it aside in a corner of one’s mind and accept reality.
And then do what could be done immediately.
“He’s dead. So it can’t be helped.”
“Hmm….”
“We’ll hand the body over to the Beggars’ Sect and use that to settle the debt we owe them this time.”
At that, Chu Un-hwi, standing beside him, was startled.
“W-wait, handing over a corpse—how could that—”
“Hey, hey. Put it away. Put it away.”
“What, are you acting like you’re giving me something nice?”
“Hey now, I said put it away. Don’t be so grateful—just put it away.”
“Who’s grateful?”
A man who squeezed value out of something until the very end.
That was Patrick Sky Schneider.
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