Chapter Title: Fish Gold Family
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My alter ego.
My beloved sword.
My greatest sword under heaven!
I grabbed the Dragon Sword first.
Then.
Clop clop.
Clop clop.
Silent Wolf brought horses.
Two of them.
One for him to ride, and one for me.
Oh!
Riding horses, we made it from our village to Chang'an in half a day.
Really great.
I wish I could travel like this every time.
Of course.
Horses aren't bought with silver taels—they cost gold.
A top-grade horse runs five gold taels, and even a swaybacked old nag demands at least one.
In silver, that's five hundred down to a minimum hundred taels.
For me, utterly impossible.
"Here it is. Head on in."
"Ah, yes."
I'd come at the summons of the terrifying woman, Blood Flower Yi Boreong.
Figured it had to be some massive job.
But the place Silent Wolf pointed out was a rundown shack of an inn.
Men's sweat-stink seemed to seep right out into the street.
"Aren't you coming along, Silent Wolf hero?"
"I've got other business. Once you're inside, the others will tell you what needs doing."
"And Blood Flower Yi heroine...?"
"Hmph."
My endless questions must've gotten on his nerves.
Fair enough.
Even running errands for Blood Flower Yi Boreong, Silent Wolf himself was a first-rate rogue.
A third-rate like me pestering him with questions? Naturally irritating.
"Sorry."
With that, he was gone.
I trudged into the dingy, reeking hovel of an inn.
"Oh! New guy's here!"
"That face rings a bell."
"It's Jin Muhyeon. That kid."
"Hah! Have to work with trash like that who ain't on our level."
"Hey, pretty boy! We won't bite—get in here."
Exactly nine men inside.
Third-rate rogues from the Western Rogue Market.
Third-rate they might be, but unlike me, these were the roughest of the rough.
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I figured Blood Flower had called me because I'd smashed the Human Money Five Ghosts solo.
Assumed it was some insane, high-risk gig.
Wrong.
"You punk! Where else you gonna find a plum job like this? Guarding a rich kid's daughter on her way to the wedding? Pure gold. Safe as houses, stuff your face with grub, fat paycheck. Lucky bastard."
"Yes."
Bludgeon Seven, Jewel Ga, Four Slaps.
These three were playing joint bosses over the ten third-rate rogues.
Most notorious of the Western Rogue Market's bottom-feeders.
Me? Experience, everything—total rookie.
But come on.
Why keep slinging arms over my shoulders when they talk?
Not like they're shaking me down.
Waiting in front of the Fish Gold Family estate.
Spent last night in that stinking flop house, got here at dawn to stand by.
Still haven't laid eyes on Blood Flower Yi Boreong... Ah!
There she is.
But she's not alone.
Flash Blade Wi Yeon with her.
Two special-grade rogues?
Heard the Fish Gold Family swam in cash, but this is next level.
Hiring two elites just to escort a daughter to marriage.
And that's not all.
Five proper famous first-rate rogues from the Western Rogue Market too.
Two special-grade, five first-rate, ten third-rate.
Bandit hordes couldn't touch this lineup.
"Whoa! Here she comes. Fish Gold Family's precious only daughter. How pretty could she... Gurk! Wh-what the hell is that? A woman?!"
"Four Slaps, shut your trap before she slaps it off!"
"Jewel Ga, you shut your pie-hole! That's a human face?!"
"You idiots, pipe down. Don't want the freakshow hearing us."
Bludgeon Seven, Four Slaps, Jewel Ga lost it.
Fish Gold Family's marriage-bound only daughter had shown her face.
And they weren't exaggerating—she looked so godawful, you had to wonder how humans could even form like that.
Her groom must've racked up karma debt in a past life.
"Bludgeon Seven hero. This young lady's heading to Phoenix Heaven Manor in Hanzhong for the marriage?"
"Yup. Hey! Call me bro."
"Isn't Phoenix Heaven Manor one of Hanzhong's top martial houses?"
"Spot on. Fingers-into-fist in Hanzhong. Word is they're hurting for cash though. So hitching to the filthy-rich Fish Golds."
"Ah! Got it. Still... sigh."
"Call me bro."
"Ah, yes."
"Anyway, safer than ever now. Who'd snatch that Fish Gold ugly duckling? Heh heh."
"True enough."
"Bro."
"Yes. Yes."
Cost-benefit checked out, I guess.
Fish Gold Family famed for wealth, feeble on muscle.
Patriarch's loaded but a notorious cheapskate.
Hires rogues only when needed, barely trains their own.
"Gah! That's White Hair Silver Spear Du Chuwon."
"Damn! Daughter's a troll, but blood's blood. Sending their ace, half their muscle."
"Phoenix Heaven Manor's big shot's sworn bros with White Hair Silver Spear. They say he set up the match himself."
Fish Gold Family wasn't warriorless.
Top dog: White Hair Silver Spear Du Chuwon, as Jewel Ga named him.
Spear master wielding the rare spear in the martial world.
Plus two first-rates, five seconds, five thirds—thirteen total.
Nearly their full might.
"We move out!"
"Yes sir!"
Flash Blade Wi Yeon and Blood Flower Yi Boreong or not, leader was Fish Gold's White Hair Silver Spear Du Chuwon.
His order, and Fish Gold warriors and rogues bellowed back as one.
The procession kicked off, guarding the only daughter's carriage.
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Shaanxi's Chang'an to Hanzhong: quick as nine days.
Slow, twelve tops.
Day seven already.
No trouble—a dream run.
Made sense.
Thirteen Fish Gold warriors, twenty-seven rogues.
Thirty-odd servants and hands besides.
Seventy-strong caravan.
'Fish Gold Family' banner up front to boot.
Bandits skirt that size usually.
Toll per custom, wave through friendly.
Unless demon-possessed or flat crazy.
Even they dodge bloodbaths like this.
Smooth sailing for us.
"Heavy?"
"Fine."
"Bro."
"Yes."
Why do Bludgeon Seven, Four Slaps, Jewel Ga keep with the bro crap?
Ah!
Bigger issue.
Why me?
Hired rogue, escort gig.
Why am I hauling luggage meant for Fish Gold grunts?
Flash Blade Wi Yeon, Blood Flower Yi Boreong?
Didn't they hire me special?
Expected something from me?
Zip.
Seven days, zero words.
Zero glances.
Not just them.
Specials stick to specials.
Firsts to firsts.
Seconds clump together.
No orders or tasks? Zero chit-chat.
Fish Gold warriors treat us third-rates like house mutts.
So why drag me along?
Sigh.
Gotta master the 32 Rogue Arts' back half pronto and make it big.
"We bunk here tonight! Unload at this inn, everyone!"
"Yes!"
All day snaking small hills and low ridges.
Bandit ambush central, could've popped ten times over.
Passed clean.
But not done.
Tomorrow near-identical boonies trek.
Luck this midpoint had an inn—skirt camping.
Lone shack amid deep woods.
"Nothing around—no villages, zilch. Inn or not, stay sharp!"
"Yes!"
Talk tough.
But dinner hits, White Hair Silver Spear Du Chuwon cheers the crew, pours drinks.
Worn Fish Gold crew and rogues beam, snatch cups.
Then.
"Wi hero. Join us for one."
"Rogues don't drink on the job. Kind thoughts suffice."
White Hair Silver Spear personally pouring.
Flash Blade Wi Yeon shuts it down.
His words cut deep.
Rogues mid-gulp glance around, drop cups.
Not a drop passed rogue lips that night.
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"Four Slaps hero. Jewel Ga hero. Hey, Bludgeon Seven hero!"
Ink-black predawn.
Fish Gold warriors drunk-flat out early.
Bushed rogues deep in dreamland.
Us third-rates? Guard duty outside, no rooms.
But Bludgeon Seven, Jewel Ga, Four Slaps.
Sneaked booze somewhere, plastered—not watching, snoring.
Won't wake for love or money.
"Hey, Bludgeon Seven! Up, punk!"
Slap!
Cheek smack, but blackout drunk—dead to world.
More slaps.
Night air crisp? Heart lighter? Who knows.
Slap!
Slap!
Got fun going, kept at it.
Nice workout too.
Four Slaps especially—cheek like slapping ripe fruit.
Then!
Ssshh.
Rustle!
Movement.
Distant brush—definite stir.
Not solo. Pack.
Slap! Slap!
Thwack!
Hard palm on Four Slaps.
"Grooo. Wolhwa... mmm, bro's pure heart..."
Bludgeon Seven crew? No stirring.
Bushes rustle nearer.
No—right here.
Finally.
"Enemy! Enemy! Intruders!"
Bellowed loud, bolted inside inn.
Warriors, rogues snatch weapons, swarm from rooms.
I kept sprinting indoors.
Clang!
Clang-clang!
Crunch!
Crash!
"Argh!"
"Uwaaagh!"
"Hold the line!"
"Kill! Slaughter 'em!"
"Kwaaa!"
Fights erupt everywhere.
Blade clashes, screams unending.
I never stopped running.
Full tilt to there.
Bam!
Kicked the door to splinters.
Fish Gold only daughter's room.
Sure enough.
Assassin. Killer for sure.
Black-clad blade at the only daughter's throat.
No pause—I drew Dragon Sword.
Drew and swung for his neck.
He sensed peril, sword flies my way—not hers.
Punk!
This here's Dragon Sword.
My Dragon Sword meets his in midair... Crunch!
Eh?
My Dragon Sword...
My alter ego, beloved blade...
Maybe the world's finest...
Shattered to bits.