Chapter 13
Mad Demon Dokgo Jin was an ordinary man.
He simply had a lot of anger inside him.
A little more than most people. No, a great deal more.
So when martial artists killed his family, instead of thinking about how strong they were, he picked up a sickle and stormed into a nearby gathering place for Unorthodox martial artists.
From that day on, the slash-and-burn farmer became Dokgo Jin. As the years passed, he became Mad Demon Dokgo Jin.
A weirdo who loathed martial artists despite being one himself.
The martial art he’d gained through a fortuitous encounter was extraordinary, and born under an unlucky star, he was hard to kill. He was the sort of martial artist who would inevitably cause a scene, and that was Mad Demon Dokgo Jin.
And yet, there was one kind of person he never laid a hand on.
“…Old man, you really won’t take me across?”
“Ah, come on. You’re a huge fellow, and yet you’re being stubborn as hell. Listen, I told you—I can’t take you with that enormous lump of iron.”
“…Haa.”
When another boatman refused to take him, Dokgo Jin could only sigh and turn away.
To reach Shenyang, his destination, he had to cross the Pajeo River along the way.
But most of the boatmen refused to take him.
It was because of his fearsome appearance, his size, and, above all, the enormous great saber he carried.
They knew nothing good came of taking martial artists aboard, but the biggest problem was that the river wasn’t very deep, so no large boats sailed on it.
There were only small boats, and the boatmen all refused him, afraid that one might capsize if they took aboard someone as huge as Dokgo Jin, carrying such a massive weapon.
‘Damn it…’
He couldn’t use an advanced lightness skill like Treading on Duckweed to Cross Water (登萍渡水), and every boatman had refused to take him. In the end, Dokgo Jin rolled up his sleeves.
“W-What are you doing?”
“I’m going to swim across.”
“Are you crazy? With that enormous lump of iron strapped to your back?”
“If I sink, that’ll be the end of my life.”
Just as Dokgo Jin was about to throw himself into the river, a young girl stepped in front of him.
“W-Wait!”
“What is it, kid?”
“Would you… like to take my grandfather’s boat?”
“…A boat?”
Dokgo Jin pointed to the great saber strapped to his back.
“You can take me even though I’m carrying something like this?”
“Yes! My grandfather’s the best boatman on the Pajeo River!”
“Then show me the way.”
“Ah… yes!”
The girl scampered ahead, then suddenly spun around and bowed her head.
“Oh, my name’s Biyeon!”
Then the girl smiled brightly.
That was how Dokgo Jin and Biyeon met.
Following the girl, he found an old man who looked too frail to row properly.
“…That man?”
“Yes!”
“…He looks like he can barely row.”
“No, he can! My grandfather’s the best!”
“Haa…”
Dokgo Jin approached the old man, still unsure.
“…Excuse me.”
“Hm?”
“I’d like to cross the river…”
“…What was that?”
“I SAID I WANT TO CROSS THE RIVER!!”
“Ahh, the river… You want to cross?”
“…”
The old man already looked frail, and now that Dokgo Jin had confirmed he was hard of hearing, he began to worry.
‘…What if we sink halfway across?’
He was uneasy enough to consider backing away, but Biyeon was standing behind him with a beaming smile.
“Hurry and get on!”
“…All right.”
Just as Dokgo Jin stretched out a foot to climb aboard, the sound of hooves came from afar.
‘That’s more than one or two. What’s going on?’
When Dokgo Jin looked toward the hoofbeats, he saw riders shouting from horseback.
“From this moment on, every boat here is being rented by the Murong Clan! We’ll pay you later, so hurry up!!!”
“…What?”
After the riders swept past, martial artists appeared behind them.
‘…Looks like there was a fight.’
Seeing the wounded martial artists, Dokgo Jin snorted.
“So the defeated bastards are the ones barking up a storm.”
“…Pardon?”
Biyeon flinched at his chilling words, and Dokgo Jin reached out to pat her head.
“It’s nothing. Come on, let’s get aboard.”
“B-But… if we disobey the Murong Clan here…”
“…Looks like the Murong Clan has spread its reach to Jilin Province.”
“…”
When Biyeon couldn’t answer, Dokgo Jin started to climb back off the boat.
But the old man stopped him.
“…Don’t get off.”
“Hm?”
“…The first passenger to board should be the first to leave. That’s a boatman’s rule.”
“…Are you sure you’ll be all right, old man?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? Once the boat’s on the water, they won’t be able to say anything.”
The old man gazed at the Murong Clan’s martial artists with his cloudy eyes.
“There are plenty of boats, so one passenger shouldn’t be a problem.”
“…Fine. But weren’t you hard of hearing?”
“I tend to close my ears to the complicated affairs of the world.”
“Heh…”
Hearing the old man’s words, Dokgo Jin took a liking to him.
Anyone who’d lived to that age had surely seen plenty of hardship, and most of it had been caused by those thugs called ‘martial artists’ who were scattered throughout the Central Plains.
“Thank you for taking me, old man.”
“I’m not taking you for free, am I?”
“Hahaha! I’ll pay you a little extra, then.”
When Dokgo Jin climbed aboard, the boat rocked for a moment, but thankfully it stayed afloat. The old man put his strength into pushing the oar.
“Biyeon.”
“Yes!”
Just as the girl called Biyeon began to untie the rope securing the boat to shore, a martial artist approached.
“Wait!”
“…”
Clang!
When the old man stopped the boat, the martial artist immediately drew his sword and shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Didn’t you hear the messenger? The Murong Clan said it would rent the boats first, right now!”
“Eek!”
Seeing a young punk draw his sword before even asking a question, Dokgo Jin couldn’t help sighing.
“Haa… This old man’s hard of hearing.”
“Who are you?”
“You’re a little rude, aren’t you?”
“Ha! Do you know who I am?”
“What a load of crap. Old man, wait here a moment.”
Just as Dokgo Jin was about to step forward, the old man grabbed his arm.
“…Don’t.”
“…It’s all right. I’m strong, you know?”
“…”
At Dokgo Jin’s words, the old man let go of his arm, and he stepped off the boat.
Seeing that, the martial artist scoffed.
“Ha! You’ve swung a sword a little, and now you’re acting proud. Listen well! I am—”
“Fuck you!”
Whoosh!
Dokgo Jin swung the flat side of his great saber into the man’s waist.
“Guh!”
“Oh… He flew pretty far.”
He hadn’t used any special martial art; he’d simply swung his weapon. When the man flew farther than expected, Dokgo Jin watched him with a grin.
“Hahaha! Look at that guy! What a splash he made—how spectacular!”
“…So you’re a martial artist too.”
“Didn’t you know that when you took me aboard?”
“…So you were a martial artist after all…”
Hearing the old man’s feeble voice, Dokgo Jin furrowed his brow and was about to ask him what he meant when—
“Hm…!”
Dokgo Jin sensed a sword strike flying toward him from behind.
Clang!
He raised his weapon and blocked the strike, then looked to see who had attacked him.
Amusingly, the attacker was more surprised than Dokgo Jin, the one who’d been struck at.
“…You must be someone of note to have blocked my sword. Who are you?”
“What a load of shit. You bastards never introduce yourselves first.”
“…Are you that Unorthodox martial artist they’ve been calling the ‘Mad Demon’ lately?”
“What the fuck do you mean, Unorthodox? I’m not even a martial artist.”
“You really are crazy. I’m Noh Sun-pyeong. Have you heard of me?”
“The only martial artists I know are the Tang Clan bastards and the Sword God.”
“…You’re a madman.”
“Heh heh heh. Why don’t you stop running your mouth?”
Dokgo Jin rested his great saber on his shoulder and beckoned to Noh Sun-pyeong.
“You guys have your usual way of doing things, right? You draw your swords first. Why don’t we just fight?”
“…You’re asking for a beating, then.”
When Noh Sun-pyeong raised his sword, Dokgo Jin laughed like a madman and charged at him.
“What a load of crap!!”
Dokgo Jin’s eyes turned red, and his memories cut off there.
When Dokgo Jin came to again, Noh Sun-pyeong was standing before him, and the gravel riverbank lay beneath him.
Looking at the countless boats crossing the river in the distance, Dokgo Jin spoke.
“Cough… You’re damn strong…”
“Hoo… You have some skill yourself.”
“Bullshit…”
Noh Sun-pyeong frowned at Dokgo Jin’s words.
“Do you have no manners?”
“Should I show manners to a beast?”
“…I see.”
Shing.
Noh Sun-pyeong’s blade touched Dokgo Jin’s neck.
“…Any last words?”
“Fuck off.”
“Farewell.”
As Noh Sun-pyeong raised his sword into the air, Dokgo Jin closed his eyes.
‘Fuck… So this is as far as I get.’
As he waited for Noh Sun-pyeong’s sword to fall—
Clang!
He heard the sound of sword meeting sword.
“…Clan Head.”
“Just call me brother-in-law. Most of the clan members have already boarded anyway.”
“…All right, brother-in-law.”
Dokgo Jin moved his eyes. A middle-aged man in splendid clothes stood before him.
Looking at the man’s face, Dokgo Jin spoke with a sneer.
“…You snake.”
“Are you the Mad Demon? The one who stirred up the entire martial world by declaring you’d wipe out the Tang Clan?”
“Heh heh… Yeah. That sounds like me.”
“Oh?”
The middle-aged man stroked his chin and said,
“Brother-in-law, let’s spare this one.”
“…Is that your judgment as Clan Head?”
“Yes. This lowlife seems to have some skill. If we let him go, he’ll harass the Tang Clan on his own. He could be useful to the Murong Clan’s future.”
“Heh heh heh…”
Hearing that, Dokgo Jin laughed, and Noh Sun-pyeong scowled.
“What’s so funny?”
“Ah… Looks like I’ll live again.”
“…Consider it your good fortune. You won’t get a second chance.”
“Ah, heh heh heh. I’ve heard that plenty of times.”
Dokgo Jin got to his feet.
“You. What’s your name?”
“Hm?”
“You’re the Clan Head, right? I’d like to know the name of the benefactor who spared my life.”
“Those eyes look like you want the name of your prey, not your benefactor.”
“Think whatever you want.”
“Murong Byeok.”
Murong Byeok, the head of the Murong Clan, leaned close to Dokgo Jin with a smile.
“I’m stronger than my brother-in-law, so keep that in mind.”
“…I’ll remember.”
“Hahaha! Let’s go, brother-in-law.”
“…All right.”
Murong Byeok and Noh Sun-pyeong boarded the last remaining boat.
As it happened, it was the very boat Dokgo Jin had been about to board.
“Set off.”
“…The child has to come with us.”
“The child?”
Murong Byeok looked at Biyeon.
Then he smiled and reached out to her.
“Come here.”
“Ah…”
But when Biyeon stood frozen with fear, Murong Byeok’s eyes narrowed.
“Come here.”
“I-I don’t want to.”
“Biyeon! Just get on…!”
“Haa… This is why commoners are…”
At Murong Byeok’s glance, Noh Sun-pyeong nodded and stepped in front of Biyeon.
“Get on. Hurry.”
“Th-This uncle is coming too…”
Smack!
When Noh Sun-pyeong slapped Biyeon across the face, the old man cried out as if having a fit.
“Sir! Please spare her… Sir!!!”
“You beat a little girl who can’t even use martial arts, you dog bastards!!”
Dokgo Jin shouted, spitting blood, but Noh Sun-pyeong sneered at him.
“The weak are useless.”
“…What?”
“Those born weak submit to the strong. Isn’t that the law of the martial world?”
“…They’re ordinary people who’ve never learned martial arts.”
“Vermin who’ve never even tried to become strong.”
Crack.
Dokgo Jin gritted his teeth in fury.
He wanted to rush over and kill Noh Sun-pyeong right then, but his body wouldn’t move.
“You’re saying it’s a sin to be born weak?! They’re busy trying to make a living! When are they supposed to get stronger?!”
“I don’t understand. If being born weak isn’t a sin, then what is?”
Then Murong Byeok, who had been quietly listening beside them, spoke.
“…Brother-in-law.”
“Yes, Clan Head.”
“Don’t bother trying to reason with the lowborn. I’m starting to get bored.”
“…Yes.”
Noh Sun-pyeong drew his sword and stabbed Biyeon in the stomach.
Thrust.
“…Ah?”
“You crazy bastard…!!”
As Biyeon clutched her stomach and collapsed, the old man screamed.
“Bi… Biyeon! Biyeon!!”
“Don’t make such a fuss, old man. She won’t die from a wound like that.”
“…Pardon?”
“But if we’re too late, she will.”
Noh Sun-pyeong hoisted the limp, bleeding Biyeon over his shoulder and climbed aboard the boat.
“If you’re late, your granddaughter will die. Start rowing.”
“C-Can she really survive?”
“…Do I look like the sort of man who lies?”
Murong Byeok gave him a cold reply, and the old man gritted his teeth and began to row.
“Y-You said she could survive!”
“Yes… I promise. If you get her to a doctor quickly, she’ll live.”
“…Yes!”
Dokgo Jin could only watch the whole thing unfold.
‘You fucking bastards…!’
It was a day later that he recovered enough to swim across the river.
And that was when he found the bodies of Biyeon and the old man on the riverbank.
“…I swear. I’ll make those dog bastards pay.”
He buried Biyeon and the old man, and kept that promise two years later.