Chapter 128

“What’s the wager’s format?”

“You stand with both feet on the ground at an arm’s reach and contest. Whoever lifts either foot off the ground loses.”

It was, in other words, palm wrestling.

“Simple, I like it.”

Yeon Mujin readily agreed.

Gyu Guja looked at him and inwardly gnashed his teeth in glee.

“Right now?”

“Is there any point in delaying?”

“Very well.”

At that moment, Ha Do-yeop approached Yeon Mujin, who was preparing for the wager, and said.

“Captain, be careful.”

He knew what Gyu Guja’s intent was.

“That Gyu Guja’s ability is specialized for wagers of this kind. He can…”

Yeon Mujin stared at Ha Do-yeop, then abruptly cut him off.

“Do-yeop.”

“Yes?”

“Who are you giving advice to right now?”

“……”

“Don’t worry, just sit and watch. I’ve never lost a wager in my life. If there’s a bet, even for a single coin, the man who wins is me.”

“……”

Ha Do-yeop let out a deep sigh.

He was right.

Who on earth is worrying about whom?

Instead, he cheered for Yeon Mujin in the External Protection Troops’ manner.

“If later the captain starts walking around barking on all fours, I’ll pretend not to see.”

“I’ll be the one running after you barking.”

“The Manor Lord will be embarrassed.”

“A man destined to become the world’s greatest family’s captain can endure that degree of humiliation.”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Yang Gwan-wol, who made a remark from the side, inevitably got smacked.

“Why are you hitting only me?”

“As the water above must be clear for the water below to be clear: the discipline of the External Protection Troops starts with the deputy captain.”

“By that logic, doesn’t the deputy captain’s discipline stem from the Captain as well?”

“Shut up. Who dared tell the captain to talk back?”

“Damn it, everything you say is right in this world.”

The External Protection Troops members couldn’t really get tense even over a wager that concerned Yeon Mujin’s dignity.

In their minds, it was unimaginable that Yeon Mujin would lose.

If Yeon Mujin were to lose?

That would be fine too — it would give them a perfect pretext to tease the captain until his dying day.

“A trusted leader, indeed.”

“As you can see, discipline’s a mess, so the kids don’t listen.”

“The External Protection Troops’ leader has an odd personality, so the External Protection Troops are odd too.”

“In my life I’ve never met anyone more reasonable than me.”

“Are you blind by any chance?”

Yeon Mujin lightly ignored Gyu Guja’s words and took his stance.

“Remember: if either foot comes off the ground, it’s over.”

“I understand, so hurry up and come at me.”

Yeon Mujin spread his palms and made a little twitch.

Seeing that, a vein bulged at Gyu Guja’s temple.

“Well then, let’s go!”

Gyu Guja first thrust his double palms toward Yeon Mujin.

Yeon Mujin responded immediately with his own double palms.

Swoosh!

Their palms collided, and the first exchange took place.

Gyu Guja was startled by the force transmitted beyond the palm.

‘So the Third’s humiliation wasn’t just luck!’

A solid impact, as if striking a rock.

He had never felt this kind of sensation from anyone other than the Third.

But this palm-wrestling wasn’t a wager always won by the stronger man.

After all, Gyu Guja always won this match whenever he did it with Bi Mokja.

Whoosh!

Gyu Guja sharpened his fingertips and jabbed at Yeon Mujin’s Adam’s apple.

Those new to this wager honestly contest tensile strength to push the opponent back.

But that was a trap. The condition was simply ‘if either foot leaves the ground you lose.’ That was all.

Outside of that, anything goes. It was A-Bi-Gyu-Hwan’s rule.

Tsk!

Gyu Guja’s fingernail narrowly grazed the nape of Yeon Mujin’s neck.

An outcry of anger erupted among the watching External Protection Troops members.

“What the hell! That’s a killing move!”

“Didn’t you say this was a light bet!”

But Gyu Guja paid it no heed.

They were just mistaken among themselves; he had not lied.

Gyu Guja inhaled through his large mouth and puffed his cheeks full.

In that state, he spat what was in his mouth toward the nearby Yeon Mujin.

“Puuuu!”

Dark droplets of spit spread outward.

It was plainly not ordinary saliva.

There was an acrid smell and the sound of something burning.

“Is that a poisonous mist?”

“Gyu Guja deals with the uncanny. I heard he forms a poison sac in his middle dantian to create poison inside his body, and like boneless beasts, he can grotesquely lengthen or shorten his limbs.”

“What?”

Hearing Pyo Gang-hyeok’s words, the External Protection Troops’ members felt a chill along their spines.

A person spits poison like a snake and even their limbs stretch at will?

That’s not a person — it sounds like some kind of wyrm.

“So that fellow was originally nicknamed the ‘Fearsome Poison Serpent’ back in Guiyu.”

As Pyo Gang-hyeok said, Gyu Guja’s arm stretched straight out.

Through the gap in the view veiled by the poison mist, he thrust both palms with all his might.

Strong? Exceptional martial skill?

None of that matters.

What use is strength when you can’t see, and how can you run when both your feet are planted even if your footwork is excellent?

‘I’ve won!’

The moment Gyu Guja was so certain.

Thud!

He felt hands seize both his arms.

The flustered Gyu Guja peered through the poison mist and shouted at the face Yeon Mujin had shown.

“How!”

“I’m used to fog.”

As the poison mist Gyu Guja spat spread from Yeon Mujin’s mouth, he felt like a depraved hound spewing poison.

When Gyu Guja met Yeon Mujin’s gaze, he felt an unaccountable pressure of intimidation.

The very fear people felt when the one called the Fearsome Poison Serpent displayed his sorcery before them!

“Shall I see how far your arm can stretch?”

“…What?”

Yeon Mujin gripped one of Gyu Guja’s arms like a chain and said.

“Wajajajajaja!”

“Aaaaargh!”

Yeon Mujin pulled hard on Gyu Guja’s right arm as if in a tug-of-war.

“Stop! Stop it, stop! Your arm’s going to come off, you fool!”

“The world’s Fearsome Poison Serpent — why is your tongue so long! Isn’t the Bone-Stretching Art your specialty? Let’s see you endure until the end!”

Every time Yeon Mujin pulled the arm, Gyu Guja’s limb stretched further and further.

Can it stretch more? Is that really a human arm? It’s like a strip of taffy, not an arm.

By the time such thoughts crossed his mind, Gyu Guja’s pain had reached its limit.

Yeon Mujin’s strength was such that even when he tried to retract, he gripped firmly and wouldn’t let go.

When the arm reached the limit beyond which it could not stretch, Gyu Guja’s body inevitably had to be pulled along toward Yeon Mujin.

“Ooooh!”

Gyu Guja’s forward-slung body was moments from overlapping with Yeon Mujin.

Both his feet had long since left the ground.

The airborne Gyu Guja met Yeon Mujin’s gaze again as Yeon Mujin mercilessly hauled at his arm.

“You filthy bastard, I don’t have a hobby of embracing men.”

Wham!

Yeon Mujin’s fist struck heavily into Gyu Guja’s face.

Thud!

Gyu Guja flew backward even faster than when he’d been pulled and slammed into the ground.

The gazes of A-Bi-Gyu-Hwan traced the arc of Gyu Guja’s flight, followed him, and then returned to Yeon Mujin.

Yeon Mujin’s two feet remained exactly where they had been, not moving a step.

Clack! Clack!

Yeon Mujin dusted his palms with a clap and said to the remaining A-Bi-Gyu-Hwan.

“What are you all just staring at? I won the wager. Wake your brothers and let’s move quickly.”

Of course.

A-Bi-Gyu-Hwan did not willingly bow their pride.

They were veteran rogues who had spent decades in the martial world.

Words like loyalty or propriety did not exist in A-Bi-Gyu-Hwan’s dictionary.

There was only one person they followed and were loyal to: the Ghost Valley Manor Lord.

Breaking a promise?

That wouldn’t affect A-Bi-Gyu-Hwan’s conscience by so much as a hair.

They could just claim they didn’t remember and deny it — in fact, that was their intention.

However, if there was one problem for them…

It was simply that this time the opponent wasn’t in their favor.

“Gyu Guja!”

Gyu Guja, his face swollen twice its normal size, pretended not to hear Yeon Mujin and played dumb.

“Hey, big-mouth! Among you ugly sworn brothers, you’re the ugliest. Your face’s all squashed like a steamed bun. You look like a steamed bun with red bean paste bursting out.”

Yeon Mujin didn’t stop jabbering until Gyu Guja turned to look.

“Captain Yeon. People keep staring.”

They had already entered the village connected to the main road.

“Let’s stop now.”

“I am a man who treats promises like gold. A wager is a form of promise. I cannot leave someone who breaks a promise alone.”

Yeon Mujin said to Bukgung Dam-deok.

“Isn’t that right, Ghost Valley Manor Lord?”

“Uh, uh, uh?”

When Yeon Mujin spoke to Bukgung Dam-deok, A-Bi-Gyu-Hwan turned their heads in unison.

“Gui-gok Hall Master, you were present when the wager was made. The conditions were fair and the match was honest. You’re effectively a witness. Shouldn’t Gyu Guja keep his promise to me?”

Bukgung Dam-deok looked at Gyu Guja.

Gyu Guja pleaded with his eyes.

Please, young master!

“I-I-I think the External Protection Troops’ Captain’s words are right… Gy-Gyu Guja, keep your promise with the External Protection Troops’ Captain.”

“No, young master!”

Gyu Guja shouted.

“Gyu Guja, if you don’t keep your promise, what will happen to the promise I made to my younger sibling?”

“…!”

It was Bukgung Dam-deok’s piercing remark.

Gyu Guja had no choice but to comply.

“Alright, Gyu Guja. We’ll wait here, so go secure lodgings for our stay. Oh, and bring food with you.”

For the record, Gyu Guja was more than twice Yeon Mujin’s age.

Seeing that bright young brat boss him around turned Gyu Guja’s mood upside down.

“V-very well…”

“And make all the reservations on your own money.”

“…Yes!”

The thoroughly enraged Gyu Guja disappeared into the crowd.

Bi Mokja and Ai Ja, who ranked below Gyu Guja, stepped forward to help him, and only Hwan Bija remained by Bukgung Dam-deok’s side.

Bukgung Yoon spoke to Bukgung Dam-deok.

“Brother, you don’t meddle with your subordinates as much as I expected. In this wager and the previous fight, you could have stopped them if you wanted to.”

Bukgung Dam-deok stared at his younger sibling and replied.

“Y-you, Yoon, I think you’re the one who’s more like that.”

“…It’s not that I don’t stop them, it’s that I can’t.”

Yeon Mujin may outwardly follow Bukgung Yoon’s orders, but he was never a subordinate who could be controlled.

Bukgung Dam-deok glanced at Hwan Bija, then quietly moved closer to Bukgung Yoon and lowered his voice.

“S-still, I’m actually g-grateful to the External Protection Troops’ Captain.”

“Huh? Grateful for what?”

“Normally when A-Bi-Gyu-Hwan and we head out into the Central Plains, they kill or torment people according to their mood. Even if I protest it’s only for a moment. But this time is different. No one died, no one was hurt.”

Bukgung Dam-deok smiled faintly and said.

“It’s… all thanks to the External Protection Troops’ Captain’s virtue. This is the first time we’ve had such an easy trip.”