The Eye Is Faster Than The Hand (1)

A bustling district of Mi county in southern Shaanxi.

Yu Jinsan and his granddaughter sat on the pavilion’s roof, watching something.

Like two sparrows….

“That building is the one, all right.”

“Is the Money Ghost there?”

Yu Jinsan snorted and shook his head.

“Not Money Ghost, but Gambling Ghost. He’s the most famous man in the gambling world.”

“Gambling~?”

“Yes. They gamble for stakes; whoever wins takes the opponent’s money and goods. See over there?”

Yu Seol stared where her grandfather’s index finger pointed.

Vagrants lined the area around the pavilion where the gambling was taking place.

They looked as if they’d lost everything in the world.

There was no dream or hope in their eyes.

“Yeah. Poor men….”

“Even if they’re pitiful, they brought it on themselves. It starts as fun, but human greed is endless. Once you fall in, you can’t stop until you lose everything. So our Seol must never gamble, understand grandpa?”

“I know. I won’t do it until I die.”

“Oh, how obedient.”

Yu Jinsan raised his right hand and ruffled his granddaughter’s hair as if proud of her.

The grandparent and grandchild sat on the roof, snacking, chatting, and watching.

Small gambling games happen in the marketplace, but the big games take place in enclosed rooms like that.

Near the entrance, warriors could be seen from time to time.

You can’t wander around unarmed where big money changes hands. Escorts who followed the rich waited outside.

They had been watching for a while when it happened.

Kwang-!

Someone stormed out of the pavilion, panting as if furious.

“This damn bastard dared to use a technique?”

One of the guards watching the entrance hurried up and stood by his side.

“Even monkeys fall from trees; looks like today isn’t your day, sir.”

“Damn it. I got taken by that Pung-Gwi bastard for once.”

“If there are times to lose, there will be times to win. Next time will surely be better, sir.”

When he’d lost money, no consolation would reach his ears.

He strode off nervously toward somewhere.

“Just you wait. Once I get the funds, I’ll pay you back for sure.”

The grandparent and grandchild secretly watched him walk away.

“That guy might be good. Should grandpa go alone?”

“I want to go too.”

They began tailing the pair across the pavilion roofs.

After a while, they turned into a secluded alley.

Taat-!

Yu Jinsan and his granddaughter landed on the ground and abruptly blocked the gambler’s path.

“Hold on, can we have a word?”

Already in a foul mood, the gambler’s brows knitted tightly at kids blocking his way and speaking so curtly.

“What? Have a word!? Get these brats out of my way!”

Unfortunately, the gambler hadn’t seen the pair’s earlier display of Xing Shen technique.

But his bodyguard was different. He was frozen with a very serious expression.

“….”

“What are you doing? I said get them out!”

“Er—sir. Please watch your words.”

The most important trait for a bodyguard is keenness—being quicker to notice things than others.

How could he not have memorized the appearance of the Yin Yang Twin Monsters that had recently shaken the Shaanxi murim world?

But to the gambler, who knew nothing, they looked like mere children. Of course he was annoyed.

“What? You think you’re funny just because I lost money?”

“N-no… It’s just that they might be the Yin Yang Twin Monsters.”

“Whether they’re the Yin Yang Twin Monsters or the Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams, get out from my sight right now—”

The gambler couldn’t finish his sentence; the escort pressed a pressure point to stop him.

“Our sir is ignorant of martial affairs and did not recognize you. Please forgive the rudeness.”

Silenced, the gambler’s eyes rolled wildly.

His escort bowed and offered kowtow to kids? And the children even stood with their hands behind their backs. No wonder his head spun.

“….”

As tension rose, Yu Jinsan nodded once and stepped toward the gambler.

“You’ve got a surprisingly competent guard for your station. I hear you’ve run the gambling tables a long time—what’s your moniker?”

The guard answered in his stead.

“Our elder is called Jak-sun.”

“Jak-sun, huh. So you need funds?”

Yu Jinsan glanced back with a nod.

Yu Seol took down the cloth bundle hanging from her shoulder and opened it on the ground.

Thud-!

“One hundred and fifty silver coins.”

At that moment everyone’s eyes widened.

Yu Jinsan was also quite surprised for another reason—he had only told her to hold it; he never told her the amount.

Could she have calculated it by weight alone? It was astonishing.

Then the guard released the pressure point from the gambler.

“W-what is this money?”

Jak-sun’s tone had changed one hundred and eighty degrees; only now did he realize the children before him were high-level martial artists in disguise.

Yu Jinsan didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly.

“Can you set up a game with Gambling Ghost?”

“G-Gambling Ghost!?”

Yu Jinsan knew well why the gambler was shocked.

According to reports, those who faced Gambling Ghost invariably lost their lives or their entire fortunes.

“If you join, I’ll give you a tenth of any winnings. How’s that?”

A tenth was no trivial share; this was a huge game with vast sums on the line.

It was tempting, but Jak-sun wanted assurances.

“No one has ever beaten Gambling Ghost. If we lose all this money, what will become of me?”

“That won’t happen, so don’t worry. Even if it did, I would not hold you responsible.”

Where else would such an opportunity come from? From Jak-sun’s viewpoint, there was nothing to lose.

Yet he couldn’t help hesitating; Gambling Ghost was a terrifying figure in the gambling world.

“….”

“No answer, huh. Is Gambling Ghost scarier than us?”

“W-wait, may I think about it for a moment?”

“Be my guest.”

Jak-sun took his guard to the corner of the alley and asked in a very low voice.

“If Gambling Ghost fights those kids, who do you think would win?”

“Lower your voice, sir. The man on the left over there is Yin Monster—one of the Ten Great Murim Warriors.”

“What? He looks weak—aren’t you mistaken?”

Jak-sun’s guard lowered his voice further.

“I’m certain. He is an unrivaled master of Banrohwandong, so don’t be fooled by appearances. No matter how skilled Gambling Ghost is, he’s nothing before that man; just a neighborhood pup.”

“What a day this is…. And even if we win the money, there’s no guarantee they’ll spare us, is there?”

“Don’t worry about that. They reportedly do no harm to non-martial folk.”

“Hmm… Is that so? If this goes well, we might make a killing and retire from this business.”

“It will surely happen.”

Finally deciding, Jak-sun clasped his hands and approached politely.

“I accept the offer. With these funds, we can summon Gambling Ghost.”

“Good. Set the game up as soon as possible. And don’t worry; if you don’t pull any foolish tricks, they won’t harm you.”

Jak-sun flinched for a moment but showed no sign of it.

He offered an awkward smile and bowed once.

“Here he comes!”

The granddaughter hopped excitedly on a pavilion roof—finally the one they’d been waiting for had arrived.

A sharp-featured middle-aged man, adorned with jewelry head-to-toe, gripped a thick silk bundle in his hand.

Yu Jinsan watched him intently as he approached, but his clothing covered his neck so Yu Jinsan couldn’t tell whether he bore the Blue Dragon Troops tattoo.

“How can you tell?”

“Hmm. He’s a bit strong, that man.”

From the granddaughter’s mouth, “a bit strong” meant nearly Peak. Such a master wouldn’t appear here suddenly; unless he was Gambling Ghost.

As he drew nearer, Yu Jinsan too perceived his qi.

‘What a strong murderous qi that is.’

Unlike a warrior’s proud aura, it exuded an unpleasant, oppressive qi.

It was likely a tactic to crush the opponent’s spirit from the very start.

Jak-sun, who had been waiting by the door, wore a grim expression.

“You came alone? You said you’d bring a disciple too?”

He spoke brusquely, but the tone suited him.

“He’ll arrive soon.”

“If he’s Jak-sun’s disciple, he has the right—if he has the money.”

“….”

“Let’s go inside.”

Gambling Ghost entered with abundant nonchalance.

Jak-sun, by contrast, seemed cowed and frozen.

As soon as Gambling Ghost entered, he called out in a rough voice.

“Hey, owner! Once one more person comes in, lock the door.”

The noisy, profanity-filled room fell silent at once.

The gamblers who recognized Gambling Ghost were all rendered speechless. Not only that; the guards inside tensed visibly.

“I—I will show you this way.”

A table had been cleared in the center of the room.

The two who sat facing each other placed their prepared funds on the table.

In gambling, simply crushing the opponent’s spirit increases your odds.

At a glance, Gambling Ghost’s silver looked ten times larger. He’d come with a lot of money from the start to intimidate his opponent.

“Is that all? Eighty coins won’t even cover ten rounds.”

“You don’t know until the game finishes.”

Gambling Ghost nodded, drew a dagger from his waist, and stabbed it ‘plunk’ into the table.

“You know the rules? If you cheat, you’ll lose your head. Let’s begin.”

“W-wait… my disciple hasn’t come in yet.”

“Whether he’s your disciple or not, he’s already run. There was no one nearby.”

Gambling Ghost was certain; he had checked all nearby auras before entering.

Then something happened: Jak-sun, who’d seemed cowed, suddenly straightened his shoulders.

There was strength in his neck as well.

“He’s just arrived; so shuffle the tiles and get ready to play!”

“…What?”

“He’s right behind you now.”

Was it the sudden change in Jak-sun’s attitude that felt strange?

Gambling Ghost glanced back on impulse and nearly stumbled in shock.

Two children, about nine or ten years old—exactly matching the description of the Yin-Yang Twin Fiends who had terrorized orthodox sects.

“…W-why are the Yin Yang Twin Monsters here?”

Jak-sun’s disciple being one of the Yin Yang Twin Monsters; what an absurd situation.

At his words, the guards in the room flinched and widened their eyes.

Yu Jinsan didn’t even glance at them and spoke to his granddaughter instead.

“We’ll be quick and return; seal the doors so no one goes in or out.”

“Got it.”

Yu Seol crossed her arms at the door and fixed her gaze—determined to let no one pass without grandpa’s permission.

Yu Jinsan hoisted the pouch and trudged forward with his granddaughter behind him.

This time the goal wasn’t simply to catch Gambling Ghost; his funds and a few other things were also targets.

“This will be my seat, then.”

Gambling Ghost’s previously confident expression had hardened.

He kept glancing toward the door as if worried about the Yin Monster pair.

Seeing him intimidated, Jak-sun began to taunt.

“Why is the great Gambling Ghost like this? Come on, shuffle the tiles!”

In ordinary times, he might have drawn his dagger and slit Jak-sun’s throat.

But Gambling Ghost had no luxury of that sort; how could he use martial arts recklessly with the Yin Yang pair watching? Besides, he was busy calculating the situation.

He judged that the Yin-Yang Twin Monsters would not act against him without cause; too many people were watching.

“Then let’s begin.”

The card game dealt five tiles, discarded three after combining numbers, and then compared the remaining two for ranking.

But in a head-to-head matchup, they play with only two tiles from the start to decide the outcome quickly.

Gambling Ghost took a breath and then expertly began dealing the tiles.

Chak-! Chak-! Chak-! Chak-! Chak-! Chaak-!

There was nothing suspicious about his touch—only the slightest differences in sound.

Though Yu Jinsan and Jak-sun noticed nothing, someone was watching everything intently.

“Grandpa. He just took the bottom one.”