Thud!
Cho Myung, who seed to be about to soar endlessly into the sky, hit his peak and landed on the ground.
Although it was a matter of course for ordinary people, and even for martial artists, to be startled if soone fell like a teor right next to them while they were sitting on their buttocks, Ilpyeong, who had seen it so often, did not even turn his eyes.
"It seems you jumped higher today."
"I guess it's because I'm excited."
"Excited?"
"Yes. There's a reason for that. But what's wrong with you, big brother? You're not even training today."
"I'm not excited."
"Why?"
"Myung."
"What?"
"Teach so martial arts."
"Big brother, I'm sorry. My master told to only teach it to my disciple after twenty or thirty years."
"Yes, I guess so."
"Are you in a bad mood because I won't teach you?"
"No."
"Then why are you like that?"
"It's just... I'm depressed thinking about why I wasn't born into a prestigious family. Heeing, I can't even cry now that I'm all grown up."
"Cry. They say it's okay to cry when you want to."
"Kids can do that, but adults can't."
"Why?"
"Because... I'm an adult."
"Can't adults cry?"
"Uh, no. You can't cry over sothing like this."
I don't know. Why can't adults do it?
I guess I'll just have to accept it.
"Let's go. It seems it's going to get dark soon. If you're in a really bad mood, let's go down and have a drink. They say you'll feel better after a drink."
"Shall we?"
"Yes."
"The drink... will you ask for it?"
"Yes, I will."
Cho Myung reached out and helped Ilpyeong up.
Ilpyeong put his arm around Cho Myung's shoulder and they went down side by side.
The ronin of the Gale Squad, who had finished their training, were waiting for the two below.
"Ilpyeong hyung said he wants a drink today. I'll ask the master, so let's go quickly."
"Ah, that's right. Brother Song said that he was going to the market with the master in the afternoon to buy groceries. He said he couldn't join the afternoon training because of that."
Eom Tak said.
At that, Ilpyeong's face imdiately brightened.
"Will he buy alcohol too?"
"It must feel like walking on thin ice every day, so how can he endure without alcohol?"
"That's right?"
"Yes."
"Leader, let's go down quickly."
"You all heard, right? We're running at full speed towards Yifeng Hall! Go! The last one to arrive cleans up the drinking party!"
While everyone was saying a word each, the leader, Mak Rip, suddenly spoke and ran off. The other ronin followed him with excited faces.
"Where is it that you're suddenly doing this!"
Ilpyeong, who was holding Cho Myung's shoulder, ran last and shouted.
Cho Myung grinned at the sight.
'Big brother, cheer up.'
When Cho Myung and the ronin of the Black Wind Squad returned after finishing their training, a thunderbolt from a clear sky was waiting for them.
"Myung! The master and everyone, everyone... they say they've been attacked."
Gwak No approached and barely managed to say.
At those words, Cho Myung was shocked as if he had been struck by lightning.
As if drawn by sothing, he ran and saw that the front yard of Yifeng Hall was lined with corpses.
The martial artists of Yifeng Hall, who had been eating with them just at lunchti, had returned as bloody corpses. And in front of those corpses, the three martial artists who had remained in Yifeng Hall were kneeling and wailing.
The ronin of the Gale Squad could not even offer words of comfort and just watched.
"It was the work of the Heaven of Killing Emperors. They say they were suddenly attacked while they were trading groceries. A passerby, a person disguised as a custor, suddenly rushed at them..."
Gwak No explained.
It was what he had heard from the person who had brought the corpses on a cart.
The mont he heard those words, Cho Myung clenched his fist.
And he turned around.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
It was the sound of Cho Myung, who had disappeared over the wall in an instant, running towards the Evil Family Fortress.
***
Gwak No had the ronin of the Gale Squad prepare to cremate the corpses.
Because Yifeng Hall had a tradition of cremating the corpses of their dead comrades.
The three surviving martial artists of Yifeng Hall, when the ronin of the Gale Squad had finished preparing for the cremation, began to carry the corpses of their comrades themselves.
"That's enough. We'll do it ourselves."
When the ronin tried to help, one of the three martial artists said.
The ronin could only watch with their hands down as the three carried the corpses.
But before they had even carried half of them.
In the midst of the darkness that was beginning to settle in, there were assassins who were crossing the wall of Yifeng Hall like a pack of dogs.
The first to notice was Gwak No.
"It's the enemy! Everyone, gather here! Hurry!"
In a fluster, the ronin gathered towards Gwak No. On the other hand, the three martial artists of Yifeng Hall rushed towards the assassins. They did not spare their bodies because they were grieving over the death of their comrades. They deflected the hidden weapons that the assassins had thrown in a bunch and rushed in a straight line, launching a fierce attack.
"Ugh!"
"Gasp!"
The assassins whose necks were cut off fell with a last word.
But the mont they turned their swords to find the next prey, a sword like an iron skewer suddenly shot out from the shadow of the falling assassin.
It was the attack of a top-class assassin who had undergone a high level of training to the point where even his presence could not be detected.
Clang!
Thwack!
The martial artist of Yifeng Hall was startled and looked back.
Gwak No was visible.
He had intervened at the last mont, blocked the sword with his left hand, and had sent the head of the top-class assassin flying with his right hand.
"Be careful...!"
It was the mont Gwak No was warning him to be careful.
The other martial artists of Yifeng Hall were also facing a life-or-death crisis.
Gwak No, who was about to rush in a hurry, staggered.
It was because he had suddenly moved in a state where his internal injuries had not healed, and his body had been strained.
But it was at this ti.
Thud!
A roar that shook the front yard of Yifeng Hall suddenly burst out. And at the sa ti, a heavy impact sound followed.
Thwack! Thwack!
The top-class assassins who were launching a surprise attack on the martial artists of Yifeng Hall were sent flying like split firewood.
That was not all.
The assassins who had flocked like a pack of dogs and were pushing the ronin began to fly in all directions like autumn leaves.
"Myung, Myung!"
Gwak No was relieved and sat down on the spot.
Cho Myung had returned.
The assassins could not even react to Cho Myung's speed and had to block the powerful punches with their whole bodies.
The ti it took for all those assassins to be sent flying was very short, only enough to drink a few sips of tea. The angry Cho Myung had moved with all his might.
"I'm glad you ca back."
When Cho Myung had finished the fight, Gwak No said as if he were muttering.
Cho Myung just nodded his head and looked around at the people.
Fortunately, no one was dead.
"What happened in the anti?"
Ilpyeong approached and asked.
"I thought it would be like this. You were attacked when I wasn't here."
The people who had gone to buy groceries had been killed because they were not with him.
Cho Myung, who was furious, suddenly realized that fact while running to the Evil Family Fortress. So he had returned in a hurry, and fortunately, he had been able to save the people, but Cho Myung was not happy at all.
Because he had realized that he could not protect everyone, and he had to run to the Evil Family Fortress again, but he could not judge what to do.
"I have to go to the Evil Family Fortress..."
Only a frustrated muttering ca out of Cho Myung's mouth.
One of the martial artists of Yifeng Hall, who was nearby, heard those words.
He was a person nad Yu Yeosang, and since he was of a similar age, he had beco close to Ilpyeong and was the most casual with the ronin.
"Young hero Ban, let's go together."
"I think they'll be waiting."
Cho Myung also knew now.
The enemies were waiting for him to move.
So they must have launched a surprise attack on this place while he was running out.
"That's right."
Yu Yeosang nodded his head. And then he looked around at Gwak No and the other ronin of the Gale Squad and said.
"I will break the contract with you all at this mont."
"What do you an by that!"
Ilpyeong widened his eyes.
"It's just as I said. As you have seen, Yifeng Hall is finished. Any further sacrifice is just a dog's death. Elder Zhongshan, it would be better to calculate the monthly wages of the brothers of the Gale Squad."
At Yu Yeosang's words, Yi Zhongshan nodded his head and headed to Yu Bicheon's residence.
Yu Yeosang looked around at the ronin again.
"I will never forget the loyalty you have all shown."
Yu Yeosang bowed his waist and clasped his hands in a polite manner. At that, the remaining martial artist of Yifeng Hall, Guan Pyo, also clasped his hands towards the ronin. The ronin could not say anything and just made a pitiful face.
They also knew.
That the fight of Yifeng Hall was over.
In the midst of the heavy silence, Yu Yeosang looked back at Cho Myung.
"Young hero Ban, are you really thinking of going to the Evil Family Fortress?"
"I'm going."
Cho Myung was resolute.
"Thank you. Let's go together."
Cho Myung wanted to go alone, but he could not say so.
"Elder Pyo, let's finish the funeral of our brothers."
"Let's do that."
Guan Pyo and Yu Yeosang began to move the brothers of Yifeng Hall, who had gone to buy groceries and had returned as corpses, again. The ronin who were watching the scene approached one by one and began to help.
Guan Pyo and Yu Yeosang did not stop them this ti and did it together.
A mont later, a large fla shot up in the front yard of Yifeng Hall.
The acrid sll of burning corpses spread in all directions.
Yi Zhongshan, Guan Pyo, and Yu Yeosang stood blankly with faces as hard as lead. The ronin also just stood there silently.
"Elders, we must also go before the bodies of our brothers are completely burned."
Yu Yeosang said.
At that, Yi Zhongshan turned around and said.
"Are you trying to leave out because you keep stepping forward without your elders?"
"Did you notice?"
"You foolish brat, you're still young."
"I'm over thirty. I'm old enough to choose my own end."
"You foolish brat."
Yi Zhongshan turned around, muttering as if he were grumbling.
He grabbed the hilt of his sword and began to walk with a swagger towards the main gate of Yifeng Hall.
"Let's go."
Guan Pyo followed him, and Yu Yeosang followed with a smile that was so bright that it was sad. Cho Myung, who had watched the three, turned to Eom Tak, Gwak Gyeong, and Ilpyeong.
"Big brothers, I said that when I felt that I no longer needed the life of a ronin, I would quit. I think today is that day."
The three widened their eyes in surprise.
But they soon sighed and nodded their heads.
"It doesn't matter how great a person you beco. We will continue to be your big brothers until you say you don't want to."
"Yes."
Cho Myung answered Ilpyeong's words.
Ilpyeong was so sad that they were parting like this that he wanted to say sothing more, but he could not hold back Cho Myung's steps towards the Evil Family Fortress, so he kept his mouth shut.
"I wish you to get what you want."
Eom Tak said.
"I wish you good fortune in battle."
Gwak Gyeong said.
Cho Myung t their eyes one by one and nodded his head, and then he looked around at Gwak No and the other ronin, bowed his head for the last ti, and then followed Yi Zhongshan, Guan Pyo, and Yu Yeosang, who had gone ahead.
"I thought we could be together a little longer..."
Ilpyeong muttered.
"As long as we're alive, let's hope we can see each other again. At least we'll be able to hear news of him. Because he's such a great guy."
Eom Tak said, thinking of Cho Myung, who was now out of sight.
Gwak Gyeong also could not turn his head, as if he were very sad.
"What are you all doing! What if they launch a surprise attack again!"
When Gwak No shouted, the three, who had co to their senses, packed their respective luggage.
Yifeng Hall, which had struggled to sweep away the villains of the land of Guiyang and further from Guizhou, had ended like this. But the fight of Yifeng Hall was not over yet.
***
Guiyang, Evil Family Fortress.
Four people appeared side by side on the straight road in front of the main gate of the Evil Family Fortress.
They were Cho Myung, Yi Zhongshan, Guan Pyo, and Yu Yeosang.
In front of the four, the pavilions of the Evil Family Fortress were buried in darkness, exuding a desolate feeling.
"Young hero Ban."
Yi Zhongshan called Cho Myung.
"Yes."
"The reason we are attacking the Evil Family Fortress is not to take revenge."
"......!"
"We are now going to a place to die. So please go ahead, young hero Ban. And no matter what you hear from behind, never look back."
"That's right. Even if death drags us away, even if I, the unworthy, scream, do not even give a glance."
Following Yi Zhongshan, Guan Pyo said. And after him, Yu Yeosang opened his mouth.
"It is to die in the na of Yifeng Hall rather than to live in hiding because we are afraid of dying. If it were just us, it would not even be a struggle, but thanks to young hero Ban, I think we can go with a good feeling. Thank you very much for being with us on our last steps."
Cho Myung wanted to say that there was no need to die on purpose, but he could not say that at Yu Yeosang's words.
He could not understand why they were going to a place to die. But he could not stop them. Because the attitude of the three was so solemn, and because he, a young person, could not argue about the choice of adults.
Cho Myung silently stared at the main gate of the Evil Family Fortress.
The Evil Family Fortress in the darkness looked like a den of demons.
'I'll smash it!'
(End of Chapter)
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