Living-Dead Eccentric (4)

The Living-Dead Eccentric spoke urgently.

“Put me down and at least you should run. Even if I’m captured, I can survive, but your life will be in danger! You’ve already done everything you could for me. I will never forget this favor!”

Hearing his voice, I ground my teeth.

Was that really the only way?

My insides boiled with frustration.

Then—

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from somewhere.

“Jin! Keep running!”

For a moment, I froze.

It was a voice I could never forget.

The voice of my role model and benefactor since my past life—Captain Seol Pung.

Grinning, I shouted to the Living-Dead Eccentric.

“Sir! Hold on tight!”

Then I started running.

There was no longer any room for hesitation.

The Black Light Wheels, Gak Gi-hyo, was glancing around, searching for the source of the voice he had just heard.

When he saw me charging toward him, his eyes flared with menace as he shouted,

“A fool like a moth rushing into the flame! Surround him and catch him!”

“Yes, Protector!”

At that instant—

Captain Seol Pung burst out of the bushes to the right of the encirclement like a thunderbolt.

Whooosh!

He leapt forward with the momentum of a hunting tiger.

“Uraaaaah!”

The instant his roaring figure charged into the Black Market warriors, it was like a bomb had exploded—low-ranked warriors were sent flying in all directions, spraying blood.

Splaaat!

“Guaaargh!”

“Uwaaaagh!”

“Keuueegh!”

In an instant, a gap opened around him.

But that was only the beginning.

Now Captain Seol Pung charged straight toward Gak Gi-hyo. Low-ranked warriors scattered like pebbles in a storm, hurled away by his momentum.

It was as if a hurricane were rolling in.

KWA-KWA-KWA-BOOOM!

“Guaaargh!”

“Uwaaaagh!”

It was overwhelming martial power.

From between his closed eyelids, a faint red glow seeped out.

“Wh-what the hell?! Who is that?!”

Gak Gi-hyo, startled to see the captain charging straight at him, raised his wheels and focused.

At that moment, grinning, I flung a hidden weapon while sprinting.

It was Dong Paegyeong’s black dart.

Swoosh!

The dart, hurled with all my might, came flying as though to pierce him. Startled by the sudden ambush, he hastily swung his wheels to knock it away.

Ting!

That was the moment the captain reached him.

“Haaap!”

Captain Seol Pung’s kick, his entire body twisting with the motion, slammed into Gak Gi-hyo’s torso.

“Ugh!”

Gritting his teeth, Gak Gi-hyo barely blocked, but the captain’s crushing stomp struck down onto his wheels.

KWAAAAANG!

“Guooohk!”

The shock was tremendous—he sank into the ground up to his ankles.

That alone would have been a heavy blow, but unfortunately for him, the captain’s Savage Beast Fist specialized in chained strikes.

Riding the force he had blocked, the captain spun in the opposite direction, striking with a Tiger Claw at Gak Gi-hyo.

Horrified, Gak Gi-hyo barely managed to block with his wheels.

CLAAANG!

But the captain seized his wheels as if waiting for that moment, yanked them forward, and drove his fist toward Gak Gi-hyo’s face.

The punch came like a cannon shell, ready to pierce his skull.

Swoosh!

Gak Gi-hyo’s face turned deathly pale.

Even so, as a seasoned pinnacle master, he twisted his head and narrowly avoided it.

Then, abandoning his wheels, he desperately kicked off the ground to fling himself backward.

He wanted nothing more than to escape the captain’s range.

But then—

Suddenly, four long steel claws shot out from the captain’s bracers like projectiles.

Pulling his arm inward, he slashed.

Shhhrrrkkk!

The claws, sheathed in red energy, left bloody arcs across the air like a rainbow.

The crimson glow looked as though real blood was mixed within.

Gak Gi-hyo, retreating, parted his lips—

But with four deep grooves carved into his face, no sound came out.

Soon, blood gushed from the wounds on his face, and he fell dead.

Though he had escaped the reach of the captain’s arms, he could not escape the Tiger’s range.

In the blink of an eye, the impossible had happened, and the Black Market warriors nearby fell into sheer terror.

“Whaaaat?! The Protector!”

“The Protector lost to such a young man?!”

“And so easily?!”

The captain glanced at them with beastlike eyes, and they stumbled back in terror.

Even though he stood unguarded, sliding his Tiger Claws back into place, none dared to approach.

At that moment, landing at his side, I shouted in delight.

“Captain!”

The captain smiled brightly at me.

“Sorry for being late, Jin.”

Damn it, appearing at just the right time to save me and then apologizing like that—

How could someone be so cool and still so humble?

Was it even fair for a man to be this perfect?

Well, except for his fear of women.

Smiling, I shook my head and answered.

“You’re not late at all. You just wanted to make a dramatic entrance, didn’t you?”

Just then, Go Ju-yong’s furious roar echoed.

“How dare you kill my brother Gak! You bastards! I’ll never let you live! Kill them all!”

He himself charged madly down the cliff in the lead.

The captain said,

“Let’s save the details for later. Let’s go.”

And we began fleeing again.

But not in the direction I had originally intended.

“This way!”

The captain led us farther north.

Before long, I understood why.

“Welcome! Well done, Jin!”

“Sayoung!”

At the riverbank, about ten zhang wide, Bi Sayoung was waiting for us.

He must have met the captain earlier.

Moreover, he was holding a rope tied across to the far bank.

Pulling the rope taut, he said,

“Let’s save the greetings for after we cross. Go first!”

Looking at the swift river, I saw that even martial artists would have difficulty swimming across.

If we crossed by rope, we could surely shake off pursuit for a while.

But I suddenly grew worried.

If we crossed, how would Bi Sayoung get across?

I asked, concerned.

“What about you, Sayoung, after we’re all over?”

He grinned confidently, pointing to himself with his thumb.

“You’re not seriously worrying about the Great Disciple of the Bijong Sect, are you?”

I chuckled at his confidence.

“Got it. I’ll leave it to you.”

Carrying the Living-Dead Eccentric, I ran across the rope and quickly reached the far bank.

The captain followed in an instant.

But even that had taken time.

Behind us, Go Ju-yong and the Black Market warriors were charging with furious shouts.

“Catch them! Don’t let them escape!”

“If we get you, we’ll chew you to the bone!”

Go Ju-yong and his third brother, Han Jeoksam, looked ready to burst with rage. Apparently, their sworn-brotherly bond ran deeper than mere contracts.

Worried, I shouted,

“Sayoung! Hurry across!”

Glancing at them, Bi Sayoung grinned and pulled hard on the rope.

Then, using the rebound, he shot forward, leaping like a bird from the riverbank.

Tap!

Bi Sayoung’s lightness skill was astounding.

He soared through the air, covering five zhang in one jump.

Even so, he was only halfway across the river.

Losing momentum, his body began to drop into the raging current.

“Sayoung!”

We cried out in alarm.

But then our jaws dropped in shock.

As he fell, he released the rope—then stepped on it midair, springing upward again.

Tap!

“Wh-what the?!”

Even Go Ju-yong’s men chasing us shouted in astonishment.

Bi Sayoung continued stepping on the rope as it sagged, bouncing across until he landed safely beside us.

We all shouted in admiration.

“Wow, Sayoung! How did you do that?!”

“I thought Seonu Jin’s lightness skill was amazing for his age, but this—this is extraordinary!”

“Incredible, Sayoung! With a little more, you could even achieve Aerial Crossing someday!”

Running a hand through his hair, he answered smugly,

“Hmph, as the Great Disciple of the Bijong Sect, I should at least be capable of this much. I can’t reach Aerial Crossing yet, but someday I might pull off Soaring Flight.”

Instead of scolding his arrogance, I smiled warmly.

Bi Sayoung’s mastery had risen sharply since reaching the first-class realm.

In my past life, my friend had died saving me before ever escaping the second-class realm.

Now, seeing him grow so fast, I couldn’t be happier.

Perhaps this was what it felt like to raise a disciple.

Glancing back, I saw Go Ju-yong and his men on the far bank, raging helplessly at the rushing water.

Now at ease, I introduced my companions to the Living-Dead Eccentric.

“Sir, this is the friend I mentioned who rescued Maeng Un and Yong Ji. And this is our Captain, who leads the Seventh Squad of the Flying Dragon Thirteenth Unit.”

“Oh, so you are the ones who saved my children. Thank you, truly!”

“Ah, I-it was just following Jin’s lead. I didn’t do much….”

“It’s an honor to meet you, senior. I’m glad you’re safe.”

After brief greetings, we set off again.

The Black Market warriors, meanwhile, were busy searching for a crossing.

When they disappeared from view, I stopped.

“Captain, where do you think they’ll cross?”

After thinking, he answered.

“About one ke upstream, the river narrows. They’ll cross there. The current’s the same, but that’s the only spot. Why do you ask?”

Grinning, I replied,

“I intend to cross back over. Then we’ll cross downstream instead.”

Everyone looked puzzled.

Bi Sayoung asked first.

“Not escaping? I think we could get away just fine.”

The captain and the Eccentric both nodded.

“I agree. Just running should be enough.”

“So do I, Jin.”

Of course, that was true.

But I wanted more than escape.

“Sure, we could run. But then they’ll keep harassing you, sir. And since we didn’t hide our faces, they may identify us too. They saw my Black Wolf Sword as well, so they’ll soon know we looted their treasury. That would bring endless trouble.”

The captain nodded slowly.

“You mean we should stay and cause them more damage? Ambush them in the forest?”

That was possible.

But I shook my head with a smile.

“No. That won’t be necessary.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“Because soon, everyone wanting your Life-and-Death Pills will flock here. Even if we do nothing, Go Ju-yong and the Black Market will perish here. All we need to do is make them think you haven’t been rescued yet.”

Bi Sayoung gaped.

“Whoa, you evil bastard. Using borrowed knives to kill like this… even the Blood Cult isn’t this wicked.”

“Not wicked. My principle is simple—good for the good, evil for the evil.”

While Sayoung and I joked, Captain Seol Pung frowned slightly.

“I understand your plan, Jin. It’s a good idea. But… I worry we don’t have enough time. Our leave is only three days left.”

He was right.

Of our seven-day leave, four had already passed.

That left only two days at most.

But I grinned confidently.

“Two days are plenty. Don’t worry.”

The captain looked doubtful but finally nodded.

Of course, it was natural not to believe me.

No one but a prophet could guarantee such a thing.

Still, earning this much trust from my comrades felt satisfying.

I was living this life quite well.

And my prediction came true the very next day.