The Invincible Commander – Chapter 6

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HwasanSect

[Translator: Chyluck]

[Proofreader: Chyluck]

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Chapter 6

The word “back” in “back streets” carries a shady vibe.

At night, vagrants sprawl across the alleys, sleeping, while rundown inns teem with fugitives hiding from their latest misdeeds.

The Huangdu Gang’s base was right there.

Not for lack of wealth.

It’s where their biggest cash cow—an illegal gambling den—thrived.

But Huangdu, who should’ve been pleased with the crowds flocking to the den, was scowling.

Jangseon, with his torn mouth.

Eungchil, spine broken, lying on a stretcher.

“He was incredible,” said a guy known only as “Woosaeng”—the fool.

Loyal, but dim.

They say he fell from a persimmon tree as a kid, and that’s why he’s slow.

Despite his looks, he’s tough, with three or four times the strength of most, so Huangdu kept him around.

But today, that dimness outshone his toughness, and it was infuriating.

“You.”

“Yes?”

“Eungchil and Jangseon are like this, and you’re fine?”

At Huangdu’s words, Woosaeng let out an “Ah” and fumbled nervously.

“You bastard! You just stood there while they got wrecked?”

Crack!

The wine bottle Huangdu was drinking from shattered on Woosaeng’s head.

But he was fine.

Blood trickled from the broken shards, yet Woosaeng just stood there, looking glum.

“Sorry, Boss.”

“What’re you sorry for?”

Huangdu grabbed a nearby cane and beat Woosaeng relentlessly.

“Sorry, Boss.”

That’s all he said.

It only made Huangdu angrier.

Even as his clothes tore and his head bled, Woosaeng didn’t flinch.

“Huff, huff.”

“Sorry, Boss.”

“Shut your mouth!”

“Sorry…”

Woosaeng clamped his lips shut under Huangdu’s fierce glare.

“Boss, he said he’s with the Seoga family,” said Myunghwan, stepping in to calm Huangdu.

Quick-witted and efficient, Myunghwan was the brains of the Huangdu Gang.

“The Seoga family has someone like that?”

“Not sure. But after these two got messed up, I checked, and he definitely said he’s their servant.”

“Damn it… a servant? Eungchil and Jangseon got taken down by a servant?”

Huangdu’s face twisted.

“You’d know if you saw him,” Myunghwan said, glancing at the bloodied, kneeling Woosaeng.

Could be.

Some people are born with freakish strength, right?

“Damn it. A fallen family with a servant? They got money for wages?”

“Not everyone’s moved by money,” Myunghwan replied.

“What?”

“You know. A widow running a household alone. A bowl of white rice…”

“What, she’s shacking up with him?”

“Who knows? But she’s got a pretty face, right? Enough for a servant to forget his place and fall for her.”

Huangdu smirked at Myunghwan’s words.

“Some noble daughter, reduced to rolling with a servant.”

“You know how it is. No matter how refined, when life gets tough, there’s nothing they won’t do.”

“True. Plenty of fallen noble girls end up in brothels.”

Quite a few.

Families ruined or branded as traitors often saw their daughters sold to brothels.

“Good. Myunghwan, go grab that bastard yourself.”

“Got it. What about the woman and the kid?”

“What about them? Think this is the old Seoga family? Killing one servant gonna satisfy me? They gotta pay for what they did to these two.”

“Fair. She’s a bit old, but with some makeup, she’d pass as a seasoned flower. The kid could be sold as a servant.”

“Seasoned flower” meant an older courtesan.

“Bet it’d be a sight, the Seoga daughter in that state.”

She was the daughter of the top family in the small city of Jeongyang.

Plenty must’ve admired her but never dared speak to her.

A flower they couldn’t pluck, now in a brothel? That’d sell better than expected.

“Take this guy too. Tell him to catch that servant himself. I’m gonna go squeeze the market merchants.”

“Gotta do it right. Keep the order in place.”

“Exactly! Time to show them who runs this place. Raise the tax by thirty percent—they’ll figure out who’s boss.”

“Heh heh heh.”

Myunghwan bowed with a grin, then headed for the Seoga manor with Woosaeng, still bleeding, and their crew.

“Hey, Young Master Cheon.”

“Whoa, ‘Young Master’? Call me Cheon the servant, my lady.”

Sohyang had just put Chang to bed and stepped outside when she called out. Cheon Sinwoo, sitting by the gate, answered politely.

But she looked surprised.

He’d been dodging her for days.

No idea what changed, but she had to say her piece.

“About the servant thing.”

“Oh, let’s talk about that later.”

“No, I need to say this now.”

“…”

“Stop it. Repaying your life debt with the meat you’ve brought is enough.”

“Yes, I’ll stop with the meat.”

“好… wait, what?”

“If you eat the same thing every day, it gets boring, right? The young master’s growing—he needs balanced nutrition.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

She couldn’t get through to him.

Her point wasn’t about healthy eating.

“My lady.”

“Yes?”

“Go inside for now.”

“What?”

“Don’t come out, no matter what. Even if you hear something, don’t open the door.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Same for tomorrow. Don’t go out for work or sewing. Not until I say it’s okay.”

“What?”

Sohyang stared, dumbfounded, at his reckless demands.

This… was he locking her up?

He said he’d be a servant, and now this nonsense?

Why should she stay confined?

She was about to argue when—

Boom!

The old front gate was torn off its hinges.

Men in varied outfits but uniformly menacing auras stood there.

Some held swords.

“W-What’s this?”

Sohyang’s eyes widened in shock, while Cheon Sinwoo flashed a cold smile.

The Huangdu Gang.

Pretty quick on the draw.

Impressive drive.

Didn’t expect them to show up this fast.

But these bastards broke the gate?

It was already a worry, being so old. Good timing.

They’d pay dearly for that gate.

“That’s him!”

Woosaeng pointed at Cheon Sinwoo, shouting.

Myunghwan smirked, eyeing Cheon Sinwoo and Sohyang.

“What’s this? Love blooming between master and servant? Put the kid to bed and off to the mill? Nah, a rundown manor’s got plenty of rooms. You could switch it up every night.”

“Ha ha ha!”

The thugs cackled at Myunghwan’s words.

Cheon Sinwoo’s lips curled into a chilling smile.

He’d planned to just break some limbs and demand gate repairs.

But those words…

They’d sealed their fate.

Running their mouths like that, they’d get them torn.

“Who are you people? How dare you barge into a lone woman’s home like this!” Sohyang shouted, furious at the midnight intruders.

“Us? Oh, too busy cozying up with your servant to notice our kind, noble lady?”

“What?”

“You’ve heard of us. The Huangdu Gang.”

“You’re… those thugs?”

“You know us.”

“But cozying up? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know exactly what. The way you look at your servant, it’s dripping with honey.”

“What are you saying?”

“I get it, I do. Pretty face, lonely widow, must be craving a man.”

“You!”

“Getting mad makes you even cuter. And that figure… not bad at all.”

Myunghwan’s eyes gleamed with greed, his words dripping with humiliation.

Cheon Sinwoo couldn’t take it anymore.

No matter how much a man changes, there’s a limit.

Whether Sohyang saw or not, explanations could wait. That mouth needed tearing.

The moment he stepped forward, Cheon Sinwoo was already in Myunghwan’s face, his fist tracing a wide arc.

Crack!

The full-force punch smashed into Myunghwan’s face.

“Aaagh!”

Myunghwan’s body slammed into the ground.

The thugs and Sohyang stared at Cheon Sinwoo, stunned.

“Boss!”

The thugs rushed to prop him up.

“You Huangdu?” Cheon Sinwoo asked.

“Urgh, what?”

Myunghwan, clutching his nose, answered.

“You Huangdu?”

“You bastard, sneaking an attack…”

Myunghwan kept dodging the question.

“Hey! This is Boss Myunghwan, second-in-command of the Huangdu Gang!” one of the thugs holding him up shouted boldly.

Not the leader, huh.

No wonder there weren’t many.

“No matter. I’ll deal with you first. You know what ‘thug’ means?”

“What?”

“Learned it once. Thug, muroebae—a group with no one to rely on. Wandering, reckless types.”

“What’s this bastard saying?” Myunghwan said, wincing.

Uneducated, so of course he wouldn’t know.

Cheon Sinwoo learned it from Sohyang, reminiscing about his thug days.

Anyway, that’s just the meaning. Thugs don’t wander.

They claim brothels, gambling dens, hubs of illegal activity, and act like kings.

He knew, because he’d done it.

But today.

You lot, who humiliated Sohyang and laughed, I’ll make you true thugs.

Eyes glinting coldly, Cheon Sinwoo struck his old, cocky stance.

Like when he faced hundreds of warriors from righteous and evil sects, brimming with confidence.

“Been a while, so my fists might be rough. You could die, so brace yourself.”

At his sharp threat, Myunghwan and his crew, staring blankly, burst into raucous laughter.

“Pfft, ha ha ha! Damn, almost cried from laughing.”

“…”

“Servant boy saw something somewhere, huh? Think you’re tough? In a bit, we’ll all be lying at your feet?”

That’s a skill too.

One hit should’ve shown them the gap in strength.

But barking with those dog eyes, no wonder they’re back-alley thugs.

Still, thanks for not cowering and coming at him.

“Idiot! What’re you doing?”

“Huh?”

Myunghwan, sneering, glanced at Woosaeng.

“The boss gave you a chance! You know how he is. Go grab him, or your old mother won’t live in peace.”

Woosaeng’s eyes widened at the threat.

His mother…

He knew Huangdu was capable of it.

Especially since he’d just walked away while his comrades fell.

But then—

Thud!

The ground shook with a heavy step, vibrations spreading.

Woosaeng turned, and a massive foot filled his vision.

Boom!

Woosaeng’s huge frame flew back.

“Too much chatter, punk.”

In that split second, Cheon Sinwoo had closed the distance and kicked the massive Woosaeng away, just like he’d done to Myunghwan.

Myunghwan, stunned, stumbled back and shouted.

“What’re you doing? Get him!”

“Yes!”

The thugs charged at Cheon Sinwoo.

Woosaeng was just luck.

They’d been too careless.

But that luck was over, and they weren’t careless anymore.

With orders given, the men would stab and slash as usual…

Imagining brutal, hopeful results.

Then—

“Aaagh!”

The guy stabbing had his knife taken and got stabbed instead. The one slashing had his arm lopped off.