Chapter 45. Sword Demon’s Delirium  

“Ugh…”

Hoyun clutched the Thunderstrike Sword to his chest, leaning his back into the corner where two walls met.

His eyes were shut tight, and cold sweat was dripping all over his body.

—I knew it from the moment you overdid it. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

The Thunderstrike Sword clicked its tongue with a mix of pity and admiration, but its voice could not reach Hoyun.

That’s because his consciousness was currently wandering the back alleys of 300 years ago.

* * *

Even on the outskirts of Chongqing City, people live.

No one lives there because they want to — it’s a place overflowing with crime and violence.

They’re just poor. If poverty is a crime, then that’s their only sin.

“You two should stay home. Wimyung and I can handle it.”

Night had fallen. It was early Hai hour (around 9 p.m.).

In a narrow alley of the Poorfolk District, four children were whispering among themselves.

“B-but brothers… cough! Cough!”

“It’s too dangerous. We should stop.”

Two girls spoke with worried expressions.

The younger one seemed about ten years old, and the older appeared to be about five years her senior.

The elder girl grabbed the thin boy’s collar, trying to dissuade him.

“If something happens to you…”

“It’s already happened. If we want to survive in this rotten world, we have to rot with it.”

“…Wonpyeong.”

“Gaye, let’s live. Even if it’s dirty and cowardly, surviving comes first.”

At Jeong Wonpyeong’s words, Chu Gaye’s eyes welled with tears.

“You… you weren’t like this.”

“…”

“You wanted to be a hero, remember? A hero who helps people in trouble.”

“…Not anymore.”

Shaking his head, Wonpyeong answered bitterly.

“You and Harbin are more precious than some silly dream. Harbin hasn’t stopped coughing for days. We need to call a doctor.”

Cough! “I’m fine…”

“You’ve seen it, haven’t you? Kids like that… they suddenly…”

“…”

Gaye bit her lip hard. Her hand, stroking Harbin’s braided hair, was trembling.

“We’re just borrowing a little. We’ll pay it back later. So you two go back ho—”

“Shh!”

As Wonpyeong tried to persuade the girls, the boy keeping watch against the wall raised a finger to his lips.

Step… step… step…

Footsteps echoed closer. The four children held their breath, hiding in the shadows.

Step… step…

The footsteps started to fade.

Cough! Hic! Cough!

“…!”

“…!”

“…!”

Harbin couldn’t hold it back any longer — she coughed loudly. The fading footsteps stopped dead.

Then—

Rattle-rattle-rattle!

“D-damn it!”

“Wonpyeong! Take them and run—!”

“Well, well…”

Even as the boys sprang to their feet at the returning steps, the man in black appeared before them first.

He had a sword at his waist, and his eyes glinted like a snake eyeing prey.

“Two boys, two girls. Gotta clean them up to check, but two girls? Not bad…”

Cough! Cough!

“Oh? One’s sick? That leaves one good catch.”

“…You!”

As the man eyed Gaye like inspecting merchandise, Wonpyeong shielded her.

The man waved him off like shooing a fly.

“I’m not interested in boys. They don’t sell.”

“You bastard! Are you a lackey from Amun?”

“Oho. Better watch that mouth. You’ll end up sold to the meat market for a few coins.”

“You—!”

Shiiing!

Wonpyeong drew a small blade hidden in his clothes. The man’s eyes narrowed, and his right hand reached for his sword.

No!

Wimyung clenched his teeth.

He knew all too well the gap between a trained martial artist and a mere commoner.

He’d seen a strong man torn to shreds in one strike when he picked a fight with a martial artist in the market.

If we resist, we’ll all die! Not like this! I just got this family!

Others might scoff at orphans playing “family,”

but it was this bond that had kept him alive — even when beaten by beggar gangs or begging for scraps to survive.

I have to do something!

Desperate, Wimyung’s eyes caught a fist-sized rock on the ground.

In that instant, a survival instinct flashed through his mind.

“If you want to die so badly, I’ll grant your wish.”

“Don’t come any closer! I said stay away…!”

As Wonpyeong held his blade out…

Wimyung grabbed the rock — and smashed it into the back of Wonpyeong’s head.

Thunk!

“Kyah! W-Wonpyeong!”

“Cough! Wimyung… brother?”

The two girls screamed at the shocking betrayal.

“Ugh… you…!”

As Wonpyeong collapsed, he turned to Wimyung with a look of deep betrayal.

But Wimyung’s face remained expressionless as he struck again.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

“Stop it! Please stop!”

“Cough! What are you doing?!”

Even as Gaye and Harbin cried out, Wimyung didn’t stop.

Eventually, Wonpyeong’s eyes rolled back, and he passed out.

Huff! Huff!

“…What the hell?”

Plop!

The black-clad man asked in disbelief. Wimyung, now lying flat on the ground, caught his breath and spoke politely:

“First Form of Hao Sect. I greet a master of Amun.”

“…Huh?”

“I want to join Amun. Gaye is quite pretty. If you feed her well, she’ll fetch a good price.”

“You… you bastard…!”

Gaye, checking on Wonpyeong, stared at Wimyung with wide, furious eyes.

Wimyung replied coldly.

“This is the right way. Better us live than all die in this filth.”

“How could you! How could you do this!”

She screamed, but Wimyung’s eyes were fixed on the black-clad man.

“Sir. Harbin is also quite fair. May I take her too?”

“…Heh! What a funny kid.”

The man laughed.

He was a martial artist from Amun, one of the five sects of Hao, specializing in human trafficking.

In all his years, he’d never seen a kid like this.

“Ahaha! You’re made for Amun! Fine. I’ll speak to the team leader on your behalf.”

“Thank you!”

“One lesson from your senior. Brothels don’t buy kids that young. Especially not sick ones.”

“…Understood. Thank you for the advice.”

Wimyung rose, pulled a dazed Gaye by the arm.

“Let’s go.”

“Let go! You bastard! You filthy bastard!”

“Wrap her with this. If she harms herself, she’ll lose value.”

As Wimyung dragged Gaye, the man pulled out rope from his coat.

“Let go! I said let go!”

“Cough! Sis!”

Despite Gaye’s struggle and Harbin’s cries, Wimyung remained calm.

His cold demeanor impressed the man.

“Hah, I’ll take responsibility and—”

Slash!

Just then, a small blade sprang from Wimyung’s sleeve — the very blade he had hidden while lying down.

Shlick!

“Guh…!”

“Too shallow!”

The man reeled from the stab to his side, but Wimyung pressed in for another strike.

“You little shit!”

Slash!

The man swung his sword horizontally.

Wimyung had to retreat, resetting his stance.

“You damned brat! I’ll carve you up and hang your pieces in the meat market!”

“Huff…”

The man radiated killing intent. But Wimyung calmly searched for an opening.

Good, it’s his right side. The stab made it hard for him to put strength into his swings. If I take a hit and aim for the neck…!

His eyes sharpened with deadly resolve.

“Die!”

Step!

The man lunged, sword aimed at Wimyung’s heart.

Wimyung twisted his body — the sword pierced his left shoulder.

Shlick!

“Gaaah!”

Despite the burning pain, he clenched his teeth and countered.

“Raaagh!”

“Y-you bastard…!”

Wimyung advanced, pinning the man. The sword was stuck deep — he couldn’t pull it out.

That moment of hesitation—

Stab!

He drove his small blade into the man’s throat.

“Gurgh!”

“DIE! DIEEEEE!”

Stab! Stab! Stab!

Even after the man dropped, Wimyung didn’t stop stabbing.

His vision flickered. Blood splattered. A ringing filled his ears.

Pant! Pant! Pant!

Blood-soaked, Wimyung slowly pulled himself off the corpse.

I… did it…

His body felt unbearably heavy, shoulder aflame with pain.

But he’d protected his family — just as he planned.

That was enough.

“G… guys…”

As he turned—

He saw something shocking.

“We have to go! Hurry!”

“…Gaye?”

She was carrying the unconscious Wonpyeong, urging Harbin to run.

They’d made it to the end of the alley.

“…Why?”

“Stay away! Monster!”

“…!”

She screamed, staring at blood-drenched Wimyung.

“Murderer! Not Wonpyeong!”

“I…”

“You planned it all! You killed him to sell us yourself, didn’t you?!”

“That’s not…”

“I thought you were useful — I was wrong! Get lost, you freak!”

“…!”

Her words pierced deeper than his wound. The pain in his shoulder vanished.

Step. Step.

Gaye grabbed Harbin and ran, never looking back.

Wimyung stood frozen in place.

Drip… drip… drip…

Rain began to fall.

Whooosh!

A downpour poured on the poorfolk district.

How much time passed?

Footsteps echoed.

Squelch. Squelch. Squelch.

“Captain, Hansam’s lying here knocked out.”

“He finished his quota at least? Huh? Wait—he’s not knocked out, he’s dead!”

“Pwahaha! What a dumbass! Killed by some brat. Look at that sword in his side.”

Four Amun members appeared and saw the corpse and Wimyung standing there.

He was still staring blankly at the alley where his friends vanished.

“Hey, kid. Did you kill Hansam?”

Wimyung stayed silent.

“What, cat got your tongue?”

“Maybe he’s deaf or mute?”

“What a weirdo. Tch.”

Bam!

One of them kicked Wimyung. He slammed into the wall and vomited blood.

“Cough! Gah!”

“Heh. He can talk. Now answer. If yes, grunt. If no, cough twice. Got it?”

“…”

“No answer?”

Punch!

“Guh!”

“Grunt, huh? How’d a brat like you kill Hansam?”

“Captain! There are other traces — looks like a group attack.”

A small man pointed to the alley where Gaye had fled.

“There’s a trail. If it rains more, it’ll be lost. Should we pursue?”

“Yeah, bring them all in. Even a dumb dog deserves revenge for his master.”

Just as the large man nodded—

“St…op…”

Wimyung glared at him with lifeless eyes and whispered.

“Huh? Not mute, huh.”

“Don’t… chase them…”

“What? Don’t chase? You mean the others?”

Grin

The large man smiled wickedly.

“Pwahaha! What a joke. You were just their meat shield. They used you.”

“…”

“I’ll get revenge for you. I’ll sell the girl to a brothel, and the boy to the salt mines. How’s that?”

Blood trickled from Wimyung’s nose.

“Tch. Gonna die soon? I was hoping for a show. Just kill them all.”

The man turned away, bored.

His men began moving toward the alley Gaye had run down.

I’ll… kill them all…!

Hum… hum…

His forehead ached, his vision turned red, rage boiling within.

“I’ll kill… them…”

“Huh? What kind of brat gives off killing intent like that—”

“DIE!”

Flash!

Red energy exploded from Wimyung’s eyes.

A silver flash burst from the man’s waist — his body and head separated.

Splat!

“Wh-what?!”

“Captain’s dead!”

“Who did it?!”

The others panicked, reaching for their swords—

But their sheaths were empty.

“My sword!”

“What’s going on?!”

“L-look!”

The three men saw the boy rising from the ground.

“I told you… not to…”

Hum…!

Four swords floated beside him like royal guards.

“D-demon!”

“What sorcery is this?!”

“Monster!”

Step! Step!

They fled, but Wimyung calmly raised his hand.

Three swords flew forward — piercing each of their hearts.

Stab-stab-stab!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

In an instant, three more corpses hit the alley floor.

“Heh… hehehe…”

Holding his bleeding shoulder, Wimyung slowly walked away.

Hum… hum… hum…

The four swords followed, buzzing like bodyguards.

“I’ll kill them… all of them…”

Crack!

As Wimyung muttered his killing intent, red veins filled his eyes.

It was the moment when the future “Sword Demon” awakened his Will-Bound Blade.

He was only thirteen.

Alone, he had declared war on Amun.

And two years later, at fifteen, Amun no longer existed in Jianghu.

But even then, the world didn’t realize what had emerged.

Nor did they understand why he held such hatred toward all of existence.

* * *

Hoyun opened his eyes.

Sunlight filtered softly through the paper window.

He stared blankly at it for a moment, then smirked and muttered:

“Ah, fuck… what a stupid dream.”