Chapter 85
"Well then. Since we're all gathered here for once, why don't we do that thing we haven't done in a while! What do you say, Young Master?"
That thing? What could it be?
Peng Seo-jin sighed deeply as if he understood Gu Wang-pyo's words.
"...You only call me Young Master at times like this."
"Hahaha! Why be so sensitive about such trivial matters? What's good is good, isn't it?"
"Haa! Yes. Yes."
Peng Seo-jin nodded reluctantly.
Yeo Un-hwi, who had no idea what they were talking about, looked puzzled.
Soon, Gu Wang-pyo turned to Yeo Un-hwi with a pleased smile and asked.
"Do you drink?"
"Drink?"
"...Puha! Kehe. It's your turn now!"
A man who had just downed a large cup full of alcohol in one go said as he wiped his mouth.
Then,
"Hmph! Trying to act tough when it doesn't suit you."
Do-gyeong, who was sitting across from him, smirked and then picked up the large cup of alcohol in front of her.
Without the slightest hesitation, she poured the large amount of alcohol down her throat in one go.
After finishing the drink in an instant, Do-gyeong smiled confidently as if it was nothing.
"Haha. I finished it. It's your turn again, isn't it?"
"Ugh! D-Do you think I'll lose like this! That can never happen! Besides, I might lose elsewhere, but I'll never lose to the White Wolf Unit! Especially to a woman in drinking! Never! Never ever!"
"Oh my, why has this bastard's tongue gotten so long? What, trying to buy time to digest? Drink right now, or else!"
"Ah, alright. I'll drink. I'm drinking!"
The man, caught in his attempt to stall for even a little time, reluctantly picked up his cup.
Then he bravely brought it to his lips.
Gulp gulp.
He seemed to be putting up a fight, but soon his eyes widened.
"Ack. Uweeeeek!"
In the end, the man vomited profusely on the floor and collapsed.
"Tsk! How embarrassing to drink and then vomit like that. What a waste."
"Do-gyeong's 5th consecutive win!"
When Do-gyeong of the White Wolf Unit casually raised her cup, everyone cheered.
Waaaaaah!
The man who had collapsed after the challenge was soon respectfully placed in a corner of the tavern.
There were four others in the same state as him in that spot.
"I'm next!"
"No, I'm next!"
This was a large tavern near the Hebei Peng Family compound.
Right now, all the members of the White Wolf Unit, White Martial Squad, and White Tiger Unit were mixed together, drinking.
Some areas were pleasantly chatting while drinking, while others were arguing loudly.
And in some places, there were even drinking contests.
The tavern was in utter chaos with the drinking party of the Peng Family warriors.
Thanks to this, the servers were so busy they felt like dying, but in contrast, the tavern owner's face was split with a huge grin.
It was understandable.
Days with this much business were rare.
Meanwhile, Gu Wang-pyo, watching his subordinates engage in drinking contests, laughed heartily and shouted.
"White Martial Squad, don't you dare lose to the others in drinking today! Ah, and! If I catch anyone using their internal energy to drive out the alcohol, they're expelled! Expelled!"
"That's not how you use the word 'expelled', is it?"
"Oh, Seo-jin, your biggest problem is that you care about such trivial things! And you still haven't finished the drink I poured you. Drink up quickly. I'll pour you another."
"No. I'm done drinking. I really can't drink anymore... mmph!"
Ignoring Peng Seo-jin's protests, Gu Wang-pyo simply poured the drink into his mouth.
Peng Seo-jin struggled, but it was already too late.
"It went down just fine. What do you mean there's no more room? Tsk."
"Ugh! I have a mountain of work to do from tomorrow morning! I can't drink like this!"
"Oh come on! Haven't I always told you? Tomorrow's worries are for tomorrow. How can you forget such teachings so easily!"
"That's not a teaching, it's the devil's whisper telling you to ruin your life, isn't it?"
"Anyway, I wonder who called such a delicate fellow the Mad Dragon."
"Hey, are you even listening to me?"
"Have another drink. Here."
Watching Gu Wang-pyo pour more alcohol into Peng Seo-jin's cup and silently pressure him to drink it all, Peng Seo-jin screamed.
"Aagh! Be honest. It's not that you're worn out from too much work, you're sick from drinking, aren't you!"
"Oh my. That's harsh language to use on an old man who's just recovered from a long illness, Young Master."
"You only call me Young Master at times like this!"
"Hehe. An old man with not much time left just wants to make some happy memories with the young ones, don't be so harsh."
It was a rare sight to see the usually smart and composed Peng Seo-jin completely helpless and screaming.
Well, even intelligence is useless if the other person won't listen, so it was understandable that Peng Seo-jin was at his wit's end.
After drinking enthusiastically for a while, Gu Wang-pyo looked at Yeo Un-hwi with a surprised expression.
"By the way, you're quite a good drinker, aren't you?"
"Ah. Is that so? Haha."
Come to think of it, Yeo Un-hwi was drinking as much as Gu Wang-pyo, a renowned drinker, but he didn't seem affected at all and looked very relaxed.
This was despite not using his internal energy to drive out the alcohol at all.
His delicate appearance suggested he wouldn't be able to handle alcohol well, so it was quite unexpected.
In fact, Yeo Un-hwi himself hadn't drunk often before, so he wasn't sure of his own alcohol tolerance.
With an interested look, Gu Wang-pyo continued to pour drinks for Yeo Un-hwi.
Each time, Yeo Un-hwi drank without hesitation.
Yet his face didn't redden, nor did he show any signs of intoxication.
Rather, it was Gu Wang-pyo who seemed to be getting drunk, his face starting to flush.
Somehow, Gu Wang-pyo found this situation strangely frustrating.
"Elder, you seem to be getting drunk now. Why don't you stop?"
"Nonsense! What are you talking about! I'm not even slightly drunk yet."
Despite Peng Seo-jin's attempts to stop him, Gu Wang-pyo continued to boast about his drinking prowess.
"You're really quite something. Alright, let's see who passes out first today!"
"I don't particularly mind if I pass out first, though."
"Oh! Admitting defeat already takes the fun out of it! Let's see this through to the end!"
There are people like that.
People who might yield on everything else, but absolutely cannot accept someone else drinking better than them.
We call such people 'stubborn drinkers'.
One such stubborn drinker was right in front of Yeo Un-hwi.
"Come on, come on! More, more! Drink! Drink! Uahaha!"
As Gu Wang-pyo started to get carried away, even those who were about to restrain themselves began to drink again.
And so, at this rare gathering, everyone drank enthusiastically like horses with loose reins.
Then,
"Ugh. I'm getting drunk. Drunk."
"Let's stop now."
"You're not drunk yet, so how can we?"
"I'm very drunk too. I'm dizzy."
"Oh? Is that so? Hehe. Now that you mention it, you are stumbling."
Yes, that's because your eyes are playing tricks on you.
Gu Wang-pyo, who had drunk so much he was completely intoxicated, saw Yeo Un-hwi as stumbling.
Looking around, everyone else was passed out.
Come to think of it, Peng Seo-jin had disappeared at some point. He must have slipped away after seeing how things were going.
He must have suffered through such gatherings more than once, as Peng Seo-jin seemed uncharacteristically averse to them.
Hmm.
Yeo Un-hwi slowly looked around.
While he could just let these guys wake up in the morning and find their own way back, he couldn't leave Elder Gu Wang-pyo behind.
In the end, Yeo Un-hwi decided to carry him on his back and slowly head back to the Peng Family compound.
He could have used his lightfoot skill to return quickly, but the night air felt pleasant, and he wanted to sober up a bit, so he just walked.
It wasn't really that far anyway.
After walking for a while like that.
"Stop right there."
Suddenly, someone appeared in front of Yeo Un-hwi as he was slowly returning to the Peng Family compound with Gu Wang-pyo on his back.
It was deep into the night, but the moonlight was unusually bright, allowing him to see the other person clearly.
It was a swordsman in black clothes with a tall stature and long arms and legs.
What's this about?
"I won't waste words. Put that man down and leave. If you don't want to die."
"What's this about?"
"I have a grudge against that man. Don't make me repeat myself. Leave now, and I'll spare your life."
The man growled in a fierce voice, trying to be threatening.
But Yeo Un-hwi calmly replied, not showing the slightest fear.
"I'm afraid I can't do that. Besides, he's completely drunk and unconscious."
"A martial artist should always be ready to fight. If he wasn't, that's his responsibility. Tsk. It seems you have no intention of stepping aside."
He then drew his long, large sword.
And,
"Fine. If you wish to die, then die with him!"
Swish.
He swung his sword down quickly, as if to cut down both Yeo Un-hwi and Gu Wang-pyo in one stroke.
But,
Thunk.
His sword was caught far too easily in Yeo Un-hwi's hand.
"Wh-What?"
The man's eyes widened.
Unable to believe the situation, he tried to pull his sword back forcefully, but it wouldn't budge.
"L-Let go! You bastard!"
"If you have a grudge against someone like him, you're probably not much better yourself. Right?"
"So what if I am!"
"Well, in that case."
Crunch.
Crack!
As Yeo Un-hwi gripped the sword in his hand, the blade snapped in half.
The swordsman stared blankly at his broken sword, then looked at Yeo Un-hwi with trembling eyes.
"Um... I'm sorry, but who are you?"
"Someone that evil people like you wouldn't want to see even in their dreams? And your question comes too late."
"No, w-wait! This is seriously wrong..."
There was no need to listen any further.
Yeo Un-hwi lightly flicked his finger.
That was the last thing the owner of the broken sword remembered in this world.
But then,
"Hey you."
Suddenly, Gu Wang-pyo, who was being carried on Yeo Un-hwi's back, spoke up.
"Oh? You're awake?"
"You've been hiding your skills."
"Haha..."
"For someone who looks like that... you sure can drink well. Let's have another... another drink. For me to... lose to such a young friend... it's embarrassing... Zzzz. Zzzz... Snore!"
Yeo Un-hwi couldn't help but chuckle at Gu Wang-pyo, who was sleep-talking in his drunken state on his back.
He thought this person was quite unique indeed.
In any case, the night was growing deeper.
And so ended the wild drinking party of the Three Great Martial Forces.