It was a vicious woman.

The Warrior of Kunlun, Baek Domeong, rubbed his swollen cheek.

His movement was beast-like. He allowed one hit due to the unexpected action.

A master like me getting hit by a girl with no skills?

Baek Domeong stepped forward and slapped the captured woman with all his might.

—Slaaap!!

Her head whipped around. But more than her face, Baek Domeong noticed his own hand becoming redder.

“Interesting girl…”

But that was all. Interesting.

Even with tough skin and strength, in the end, she knew nothing about martial arts, making her predictable.

Baek Domeong slammed the woman down onto the ground. After stomping on her struggling head, he turned away.

“Wasn’t it just a girl you got hit by?”

“Y-yes! Great one! It was a man in black clothes!”

“What about the one who ran away?”

“Th-that guy wasn’t him either! Completely different…”

Baek Domeong flicked his finger. A bandit dressed like an ordinary person approached.

—Slaaaap!

The slapped cheek hit the wall.

*Gack!*

“Come here again.”

A series of slaps followed, with teeth falling to the ground.

Baek Domeong wiped his bloodied hand.

“It’s the last time you meddle with us. Got it?”

“Y-yes… Great one! I-I completely understand…”

“You’ve also fallen behind on this month’s payment, haven’t you?”

“Th-that’s… this month, there were hardly any passersby…”

—Slaaaap!

*Gack!*

“Do I have to consider your circumstances? Isn’t it your job to figure that out to stay alive?”

“Y-yes, absolutely!”

“If you’re short on funds, find a way. Pillage nearby villages, capture passersby, do something!”

“……”

“Ten days. Bring the payment by then. If you don’t… I’ll have no reason to keep you alive.”

“I-I’ll make sure to gather it! Great one!”

“Good.”

Baek Domeong stood up. The bandit on the ground timidly asked.

“Um… So, what about this woman?”

“If you start, you must finish. I won’t let either of them go. If I use the woman as bait, he’ll crawl out from somewhere. They looked close, so he’ll definitely come.”

“…….”

“After everything is done, I’ll hand the women to you as an excuse for punishment. But remember not to forget the promised amount.”

“Yes! Great one! I’ll bring the promised payment!”

“Hang them in the market square. With the word bandit. No need to worry about the officials. I’ll handle that.”

Baek Domeong lifted the head he was stepping on and spat on the face of the now ruined woman.

“She has a pretty face, but with dirt on it, she doesn’t seem worth eating.”

“…….”

“Blame your luck. You foolish thing…”

“This bastard! Let go of my sister!”

Baek Domeong turned his head.

Through the broken door, a man trembled while holding a sword.

He was looking all around. But there was only one presence. Did he come alone?

“Where’s the other one?”

“L-Let her go! You bastard!”

“You need to see blood to listen, huh?”

Baek Domeong released the woman’s hair.

“Annoying pests.”

…

Dawn broke. I met an uncomfortable day.

Honestly, it wasn’t refreshing at all. It was because of Gwangyang, who visited me twice last night.

My mind was twisted. What had he wanted to say?

Leave early in the morning…

Why?

First, I simply washed up. After tidying myself, I put on the clean clothes again.

I packed my bags. I had prepared to leave anyway, regardless of his absence.

But I still didn’t know exactly what to do.

I had things I needed to take care of before I could quietly leave.

Yet, the thought of moving away felt discomforting.

First of all, I moved to have a simple breakfast. But from everywhere around me, whispers arose.

“They say someone from Kunlun is coming to make an example of them?”

“The bandits? With what?”

“I heard they captured a bandit.”

“Seems they’re finally working after a long time…”

“I saw it on the way, and there was a woman too.”

“It looked like they were interrogating her. Hanging her up.”

…A woman?

I put down the food I was eating. I exited the inn, headed towards the gathering of whispers.

People were crowded. It was so packed I couldn’t see inside.

I slowly pushed forward, asking for space until I could see what was happening up front.

Two were tied to a tree. And in front of them stood a warrior.

The cudgel in the warrior’s hand was drenched with blood. Blood was also splattered all around.

Narin.

And…

Gwangyang, who told me to leave last night.

The warrior raised his cudgel. He brought it down once more.

—Whack!

With a clean sound, blood poured from the two.

“Tell me about the underlings! I command you to speak of the ones who attacked the innocent!”

“……”

“……”

“Can’t you speak up?!”

Underlings?

Gwangyang’s eyes met mine as he was tied up. He had been silent until now, but he spewed blood and opened his mouth.

He shook his head several times. His eyes were signaling something.

Hurry and leave.

“In the first place… I-I did this all by myself…!”

“This bastard!”

“I-I was the one! I did it on my own…! I-I did it all by myself…!”

Gwangyang, coughing up blood mixed with saliva, lost it.

“I was the one who smashed the bastard who attacked our stronghold! It was me! I broke all his arms and legs! The woman tied there… She was just… a girl I wanted to have some fun with…!”

“Gwangyang! N-no…! It was me…! I did it! It was all me…! I-I did it by myself…!”

—Whack!

“Stop… Stop hitting meeeeeee!!!!”

Gwangyang’s eyes instantly flickered out.

His voice quieted down. But even while panting from the pain, his gaze remained fixed on me.

He spoke to me with his eyes.

“I… did it alone…”

He urged me to escape. To continue.

“…….”

The stronghold raid. The bandit who smashed arms and legs. The warrior bearing the symbol of Kunlun.

Gwangyang, trying to keep his mouth shut. Narin, shedding tears.

And lastly…

A man leaning on a cane, a step away from the crowd.

The situation was easy to understand.

That man, using the cane, was a bandit too. If my eyes weren’t deceiving me, he was the very man I had smashed up myself.

Yet, it was Kunlun who was on the side of such bandits now.

Why was that?

…Am I being deceived?

Or are they in cahoots?

There was only one way to check both. At the same time, I wasn’t happy with the way things were going right now.

Gwangyang’s words from last night. The attitude they showed me now.

Even Narin, who met my eyes belatedly, was desperately trying to avoid my gaze.

The intention was pretty clear.

Despite their lives hanging by a thread, they were trying to protect me. From Kunlun.

Was it a matter of repaying a debt?

“…Hah.”

The moment to decide had come.

I stepped forward, towards them.

“What’s going on here?”

“*Ugh… Ugh…*”

“Ah, n-no!”

The warrior turned his head at the hurried shaking of their heads.

A glance that swept over.

“Scar… Black clothes… Is it you? Are you with those lowlifes?”

With those words, I had been pondering the same all along. But having seen this scene, I couldn’t help it.

I had my suspicions, but now it was clear.

At the very least, those guys had the ‘decency’ of being human.

“That’s correct.”

“What?”

“I said that’s correct. Is there any need for additional words?”

“Now you’re admitting to being a bandit?”

“I am not a bandit. Neither are those two behind me.”

“Huh? The victim is right there, and you want to deny it?”

“From my memory, those two are landscape workers. They clear roads and maintain things, they’re just people making a living.”

“What nonsense are you talking about now…”

“I am a warrior of the Martial Alliance. I can prove my identity.”

He pulled out a badge.

Long hidden, now faded. A badge managed by Ilma, handed to me, glimmered in the sunlight.

The identity badge I received just before leaving the Martial Alliance.

The warrior from Kunlun flinched.

“The Martial Alliance…? A warrior of the Martial Alliance?”

“Check for yourself.”

“…This is indeed… the badge of a Martial Alliance warrior.”

The warrior’s eyes narrowed as he turned to glance. The bandit, who met his gaze, started to fumble.

“I-I was not aware! B-but those two are different! Great one! I know! Those bastards are certainly just commoners dwelling around here! You must catch those!”

With that one sentence, it became clear.

Those two were in cahoots.

The symbol embroidered on their clothing was the emblem of Kunlun. To think that Kunlun, one of the eight great factions, was colluding with bandits…

I couldn’t help but smile in despair.

Perhaps misunderstanding the intent behind my smile, the warrior from Kunlun shrugged his shoulders.

“…The Martial Alliance. Yeah, I see. It appears I had a misunderstanding.”

“If you’ve cleared up your misunderstanding, that’s all I need.”

“Proceed on. I can’t detain you since you are conducting public affairs.”

“And what will you do with the remaining two?”

“Those two aren’t workers. I guess you were mistaken. They are bandits. I saw it with my own eyes. You’re the one who has misunderstood.”

Hidden beneath those words lay a subtle warning.

Not to cross the line any further.

Yet, I took a step forward. I walked past him and freed the two.

“Go, just leave…”

The warrior from Kunlun twitched his eyebrows.

“I told you to pass. Are you refusing to listen to Kunlun’s orders, here in Kunlun’s territory?”

“I said they are my companions.”

“You’re lying. No proof or badges to back up your claim. There were also witnesses confirming they are bandits.”

“They’re landscape workers.”

“…You’re trying to make excuses?”

“No, you’re the one making excuses here.”

I let the ropes fall. Looking back, I pointed at the surroundings.

“The one I captured yesterday was certainly a bandit. But why, for some reason, are they standing just fine over there? Disguised as commoners.”

“…So you’re saying I’m lying?”

“Since their words contradict each other, someone must be lying, no?”

“You! Just because you claim to be a Martial Alliance warrior, you think everything will go your way?!”

“Well, that’s not it. I’ve never acted that way while carrying the name of the Martial Alliance.”

I grabbed the two. I tossed away the cudgel and drew my sword at the warrior.

The energy was swirling. An intimidating power flowed from the tip of the sword.

A skilled martial artist, for sure.

“I am Baek Domeong! A disciple of Great Kunlun! Do you dare to say I’m lying?!”

“Is this how Kunlun solves things, by drawing swords first?”

“If my honor has been insulted, I must pay the price!”

“The price…”

I placed my hand on the sword.

I didn’t draw it, just resting it on my shoulder.

“Why must I pay a price for only speaking the truth?”

“YOOOOOOOOU!!!”

In an instant, the enemy burst forward. That strike aimed at my arm. Did he intend to cut it off?

I lowered my stance, swinging the sword without drawing it.

—KWAHAAAH!!!

An explosion of pressure erupted. Dirt flew up all around in the air.

People screamed. The bandit disguised as a commoner retreated.

As the dust settled, the force of the clash was everything.

The colliding swords rattled. I turned my head to Narin.

“We’re running. Catch him. We can’t let him get away.”

“……!”

In a heartbeat, Narin rushed out and tangled with the bandit who was trying to escape. Seeing that, I tightened my grip on the sword.

—Kudududuk!!

The swords slowly fell. Baek Domeong’s sword, previously raised, was now being pushed back.

Though the blade trembled defiantly, it was merely for a fleeting moment.

Unable to cope, one of Baek Domeong’s knees buckled.

“W-what?!”

“Even with your sword drawn, your power is weak, filled only with greed…”

I pressed with all my strength once more.

Not only one knee, but both legs of Baek Domeong were driven into the ground as his sword shook violently.

“St-stop…”

—KWAHAAAH!!!

Dust shot up. Baek Domeong, pinned to the ground, vomited blood.

I wiped his blood off my sword sheath neatly.

“Don’t call yourself a martial artist. It’s disgusting.”