Volume 6 Chapter 1 – Golden Evil Snake

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Translated by Rain

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Luoyang Sword Family, Second Young Master’s Camp.

South of the River Division Headquarters.

“…Are you really not going to look for another way?”

Tactician Choi, in charge of responding to the Fourth Young Master, asked in an anxious voice.

“You know it too, don’t you? This is the only way left now.”

“However…”

Tactician Han Myeong-hwi continued with glistening eyes.

“In the end, we tacticians think nothing of throwing away others’ lives, but we do not deploy strategies using our own lives as collateral.”

His eyes narrowed.

“If we want to deal a blow to the Eldest Young Master and the Fourth Young Master somehow, we have no choice but to take the risk ourselves.”

“…”

Tactician Choi bowed his head with an uncomfortable expression.

“You, at this rate, it will be a demotion. You know that, right? The last method left to us is Geum…”

Han Myeong-hwi, about to say Geum-jil’s name, swallowed his words at Tactician Choi’s sharp gaze.

“…Anyway, we must obtain cooperation from that man, Geum.”

In Han Myeong-hwi’s mind, which was already backed into a corner, Elder Son’s strict warning had long since been pushed aside.

“…Understood.”

Tactician Choi, gathering his thoughts, made up his mind and stood up from his seat.

“Let’s go.”

“Where are we going?”

Tactician Choi spoke while grabbing his coat.

“In the past, when I dug into that man Geum’s background, there was someone I came to know.”

* * *

Gradually, the sky was stained red, and everything on the ground was drenched in blood color.

However, even that sunset, stretching long and expanding its domain from a low place, could do nothing about the darkness.

Tactician Choi and Han Myeong-hwi, who had wrapped themselves in cloaks to cover their faces, were walking down an alley where darkness had already fallen.

To Han Myeong-hwi, who asked Tactician Choi as he walked through the complicated and dirty back alleys while checking the path occasionally:

“…This is a dangerous area. Is it alright for us to come by ourselves without escorts?”

Tactician Choi replied while avoiding pedestrians with gloomy impressions.

“That man will vanish the moment we bring someone along.”

“Just what on earth does that man do that…”

Han Myeong-hwi, who was grumbling out of habit, almost bumped into Tactician Choi’s back when he suddenly stopped walking.

“It is here.”

Tactician Choi went down to the basement of a worn and dirty building.

The old wooden stairs creaked, leading into the mouth of a deep darkness that had not a single oil lamp.

“…”

Sometimes Han Myeong-hwi thought.

The darkness of Luoyang was a darkness of a different depth compared to the cruel darkness of Gangnam where he used to be.

The darkness of Luoyang, which constricted tightly and stickily, was like trying to swallow anyone who dared to estimate its depth.

Han Myeong-hwi swallowed his saliva once and followed Tactician Choi down the stairs.

* * *

‘An underground gambling house…?’

The place, filled with tobacco smoke, was occupied by gamblers muttering low curses and failed dirty jokes.

Bloodshot eyeballs intoxicated by new drugs, faces vacant and stupified by opium.

Flickering oil lamps burning cheap oil hung here and there like hung corpses.

Crossing the dark interior, they finally arrived at the table furthest inside.

As it was the furthest corner, it was the darkest spot.

The table was empty.

Tactician Choi pulled out a worn-out chair and sat down without a word, and Han Myeong-hwi also took a seat next to him.

The fishy stench of vomit, the heavy smell of cheap alcohol, the unpleasant odor of people living without washing properly.

Insects like ephemera and flies, drawn to the disgusting environment, hovered around their faces.

As the meaningless monologues muttered by drunkards or drug addicts began to ring in his ears, Han Myeong-hwi could not bear it and spoke up.

“Just when on earth is the man we agreed to meet…”

“Are you chasing what should not be chased again?”

A chill ran down his spine as if he had fallen into a midwinter sea.

“……?!”

Clearly, someone was sitting in front of him, which had been empty just a moment ago.

Through the torn gap of the bamboo hat pulled down low, eyeballs that looked like those of a dead person were watching him.

Han Myeong-hwi cried out reflexively.

“W-we must find that man!”

“…Do you not know?”

The person wearing the bamboo hat spoke in a deep, pressing voice.

“In the world, there exist things whose opposite side must not be looked at.”

The man spoke as if insects were scraping away at rotting food.

“Just as one does not look at the back of a cracked magic mirror, just as one does not peer through a torn talisman. Just as one does not peek into the hollow of a rotten old tree.”

Han Myeong-hwi looked to his side, but Tactician Choi was only breaking out in cold sweat from the moment the presence wearing the bamboo hat appeared.

“…Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.”

Looking closely, he had closed his eyes and was diligently spinning his Buddhist rosary.

‘What a pathetic fellow!’

Seeing that sight, he felt his mind clear up completely.

Han Myeong-hwi gritted his teeth and spoke.

“…I do not believe in such superstitions!”

Teeth dyed black were revealed beneath the bamboo hat.

“If there are things that are bright and clear, there are also things that are dark and silent. Why do you fail to realize that obvious principle?”

Han Myeong-hwi shook his head firmly.

Before he knew it, the cold sweat running down trickled to the left and right.

“If it is stories about ghosts and spirits, I have heard more than enough of them from the Gangnam sailors. I merely wish to meet the man who uses the surname Geum.”

“Geum…?”

The eyeballs visible through the gaps of the bamboo hat curved with amusement.

“This poor one is not warning you about that ‘half-baked monster.’”

Han Myeong-hwi knitted his brows.

“What does that mean? Are you saying Geum-jil is a half-baked monster?”

“Indeed.”

The eyeballs rolled once and replied.

“You have already called ‘its’ name several times, so it will find you.”

He could not understand.

“That man will find me…?”

“It is a natural principle.”

The tongue covered in white fur, visible between the black teeth, was disgusting.

“Just as a stillborn child, cast out into the field without proper offering, follows the golden cord back to its parents. Just as a curse-killing, performed by burning hair bound by resentment, returns to oneself.”

“…”

Because he had spoken Geum-jil’s name several times, Geum-jil would find him?

‘Just what on earth…’

Han Myeong-hwi shook his head roughly.

“If so, what was the story you told earlier? What does the warning you gave refer to?”

The eyeballs narrowed.

“What you are chasing. That which must not be chased. That which must not be peeked into. That which must not be known. That which must not exist.”

“What I…? I am after Geum:”

What had he tried to chase by finding Geum-jil?

Words suddenly slipped out of Han Myeong-hwi’s mouth before he knew it.

“The Eldest Young Master. And…”

His voice grew thin.

“The Dark Venera… mmm.”

He barely managed to stop himself from speaking the name.

The eyeballs narrowed.

“Clever. But that is an existence unrelated to names.”

Han Myeong-hwi knitted his brows.

“Is that Dark… is that man so dangerous?”

“How dangerous is an ‘existence that must not exist’?”

Through the teeth dyed black from the influence of the Southern Barbarian shamanic rituals, a sticky laugh seeped out.

“Originally, if one wishes to ask a question to this poor one, one must pay the corresponding price.”

Was he asking for a fortune-telling fee now?

Han Myeong-hwi searched his pockets roughly.

“Yes, fine. How much…”

“But why does this poor one seem to be answering your questions so willingly?”

“What does that…?”

The eyeballs peeking through the bamboo hat seemed to mock Han Myeong-hwi.

“This poor one is making an offering for one who is already as good as dead.”

The bamboo hat waved a hand.

“Karma as karma.”

“What does that mean…?!”

His hands were full of Southern Barbarian shamanic character tattoos, which Han Myeong-hwi could not recognize.

“Are you saying this Han Myeong-hwi is destined to die soon?!”

Han Myeong-hwi kicked back his chair and stood up violently.

The chair he had been sitting on rolled over with force.

Han Myeong-hwi panted heavily, trembling with rage.

“Why, why are you doing that?”

Beside him, Tactician Choi was looking at him with a dumbfounded face.

Seeing that foolish expression, Han Myeong-hwi’s anger flared up even more.

“Just now this man to me…!”

Han Myeong-hwi’s pointing hand fell weakly.

“Th-this is…?”

There was no one opposite him.

Startled, Han Myeong-hwi hurriedly looked around.

Perhaps because he had stood up abruptly and shouted, the attention of those gathered was focused on him.

The hollow gazes were bizarre and ominous.

“You, your condition is not good.”

Tactician Choi put the Buddhist rosary he was holding in his pocket and stood up from his seat.

“It seems that man will not be coming today. Let’s get out of here first.”

How they crossed the gambling house and climbed the stairs, Han Myeong-hwi could not remember.

He was merely led by Tactician Choi’s hand back to the dirty, narrow, dark back alley.

“…”

To Han Myeong-hwi, who had a vacant expression, Tactician Choi asked.

“You, it seems you saw something?”

“…”

Han Myeong-hwi nodded slowly without an answer.

Tactician Choi nodded.

“Yes. I understand. I have also had a similar experience in the past. Do not try to tell me what it was. Let’s return for now.”

The two turned around and headed toward the direction they had come from.

And they realized that not a single pedestrian could be seen in that narrow, dirty back alley.

“……?!”

Startled, Tactician Choi looked in all directions.

Beneath the blood-red sky, they were the only ones in the darkened alley.

Han Myeong-hwi gritted his teeth.

“Are you Geum-jil’s subordinates?”

Startled by Han Myeong-hwi’s words, Tactician Choi looked in the same direction.

In that place where no one had been just a moment ago, two small figures were standing blankly.

“Geum-sasa is Geum-jil’s daughter.”

“Geum-sasa is father’s adoptive daughter.”

In the darkness, the figures approached creakingly.

“Why do you seek father?”

“For what business do you seek Geum-sasa’s master?”

Those that revealed themselves were girls who looked as if their entire bodies were patched together.

“H-hiik?!”

Tactician Choi, who was supporting Han Myeong-hwi, lost strength in his legs and sat down on the spot.

“Ugh…!”

Han Myeong-hwi, who had almost fallen with him while leaning on him, gritted his teeth and stood his ground.

For some reason, at this moment, he could faintly feel it.

The ‘things’ in front of him were clearly of the ‘same kind’ as what he had just seen in the basement.

“Speak.”

“Proclaim.”

They revealed gums that looked as if they were rotting.

Han Myeong-hwi shouted.

“I, I want to join hands with your father and catch a common enemy!”

The girls fell silent.

“Did the Luoyang Sword Family’s Eldest Young Master and Fourth Young Master not occupy the Valley of Sin? I am their enemy! And did Geum-ju and the Black Bone Gang not get wiped out by the Dark Venerable?! I also have business with him! So, ally with me…!”

“Father already knows.”

“What you are chasing.”

The gazes of the Geum-sasas, which clearly had others’ eyeballs sewn into them, scanned Han Myeong-hwi as if evaluating him.

Finally, the mouths of the Geum-sasas opened, and what leaked out was a middle-aged man’s voice.

“…Very well.”

“…Very well.”

As the Geum-sasas simultaneously generated the middle-aged man’s voice, the voice echoed ominously.

“I shall lend you my power.”

“I shall lend you my power.”

Joy appeared on Han Myeong-hwi’s pale face.