Chapter 27: White Snake Bandits Part 6

In the early dawn,

In the darkness where not even the roosters crow to announce the morning, the flames of rebellion erupted within the White Snake Bandits’ headquarters with fierce cries.

Baek Mo Sa’s ambush had begun. This was a surprise attack to overcome the enemy’s numerical advantage.

“Leader!”

At the sudden commotion and the sound of his subordinate roughly opening the door, Wang Jong Gu immediately grabbed the greatsword he had placed by his bedside and sprang up from his bed.

“What is happening?”

“The Deputy Leader has launched a surprise attack on us!”

“That ungrateful bastard dares…!”

Who would have thought he would move so quickly? Wang Jong Gu’s face contorted like a demon. He was paying dearly for his complacency.

The sound of the clashing of weapons outside was as loud as thunder.

“Is Baek Woo Jin among them?”

“Baek Woo Jin is not visible, but there is a masked swordsman next to the Deputy Leader.”

“Hmmm…!”

The masked swordsman was surely Baek Woo Jin.

The moment rumors spread that a member of the orthodox faction had interfered in the power struggle of another unorthodox faction, it would bring disgrace to his name, so he must have worn a mask to hide his identity.

Wang Jong Gu’s mind became tangled with thoughts.

It was hard enough for him to deal with Baek Mo Sa, but what was he supposed to do about Baek Woo Jin?

“Leader, you must go out immediately!”

However, his thoughts could not continue for long. If he didn’t stop one of them, the damage to his subordinates would snowball, so now was the time to act quickly.

“We go at once!”

“Yes!”

Wang Jong Gu smashed the door open with his greatsword and sprang out.

At that moment,

A masked figure dressed in black infiltrated the now-empty bedroom.

Descending silently from the ceiling to the floor, the intruder’s large chest heaved. They were unable to conceal their presence for long.

“Phew!”

The intruder was Shin Ye Hwa. She let out a sigh of relief as she surveyed the cluttered room.

“How on earth am I supposed to find it here?”

Her sole purpose in infiltrating this place was to find the secret ledger that the White Snake Bandits had kept until now.

“Is it really here?”

Baek Woo Jin had said that the secret ledger was an absolute secret that should never be shown to anyone. Although she doubted it would be kept in the bedroom, Baek Woo Jin spoke with confidence.

He said that the more untrustworthy a person was, the closer they kept their secrets to themselves.

“So, I should check the bed…?”

Based on what Baek Woo Jin had told her, she pushed the enormous bed which could easily accommodate three or four adults to the corner of the room.

When she slipped a knife into the fine line on the floor under the bed and flipped it over, the flooring lifted to reveal a hidden safe.

“Wow!”

Mission accomplished.

…

The ambush had been successful.

Just like Baek Woo Jin predicted, Wang Jong Gu had not anticipated the attack today.

As a result, they were able to defeat several of Wang Jong Gu’s unprepared subordinates. This allowed them to easily overcome their numerical disadvantage.

Hehe, more than that, with me now is …!

Baek Mo Sa’s gaze turned to the masked Baek Woo Jin standing beside him in a relaxed manner.

In his eyes, there was a clear expression of gratitude toward Baek Woo Jin, who had gone so far as to wear a mask to avoid being recognized as a member of the orthodox faction.

It was the first time he had felt such trust toward someone else as a member of the Underworld.

“Alright, let’s proceed as planned.”

“Don’t worry! I’ll hold off that bastard Jong Gu, so please take care of the others.”

“Alright.”

It had been a prearranged plan. While Baek Mo Sa held off Wang Jong Gu, Baek Woo Jin would sweep through the surroundings and solidify his victory before joining him.

At first, Baek Woo Jin had hoped to face Wang Jong Gu himself, but he agreed when Baek Mo Sa pointed out that it might cause issues with loyalty if he, as their leader, was seen cutting down subordinates without hesitation.

“You bastards!”

Finally, Wang Jong Gu appeared on the battlefield and his voice was filled with rage.

As his greatsword swung around, the body of one of Baek Mo Sa’s subordinates fighting nearby was cleaved in half.

“Baek Mo Sa, you ungrateful wretch! Where are you hiding?”

As he roared like a tiger, the tide of the battle began to turn. A warrior who appeared with him raised his sword and shouted.

“The leader is with us! Just a little more and we’ll achieve victory!”

“Waaaah!”

Wang Jong Gu’s arrival gave his forces the strength to hold on.

Realizing that any further delay would lead to irreversible consequences, Baek Mo Sa urgently ran forward while shouting.

“Expired Wang. Are you looking for me?”

“You bastard!”

Clang

Wang Jong Gu’s greatsword and Baek Mo Sa’s spear clashed together, creating a loud noise in the air.

“Ugh!”

The first to retreat from this show of strength was Baek Mo Sa. Facing the innate strength of Wang Jong Gu, who swung his greatsword like a tree branch, seemed almost impossible.

Time is on my side anyway!

Baek Mo Sa glanced sideways to check on Baek Woo Jin, who was wreaking havoc on the battlefield. Every time he moved, the surrounding subordinates fell like straw.

“Hehe, Expired Wang. If you surrender now, I will spare your life.”

“Shut up!”

Wang Jong Gu’s anger was rising to the top of his head, and he slashed the air with his greatsword. Baek Mo Sa calmly stepped back and lightly parried the edge of the incoming greatsword to block the attack.

“Ugh…!”

One side kept advancing, and the other side kept retreating.

Although they had already exchanged dozens of blows, Wang Jong Gu had not inflicted a fatal wound on Baek Mo Sa.

“How long do you plan to keep running away?”

“Hehe, do you think I would engage in a head-on fight with a brute like you?”

Despite his relaxed words, Baek Mo Sa was dying inside.

Damn it, he’s ridiculously strong!

Wang Jong Gu was at the middle stage of first-rank, while Baek Mo Sa was at the early stage of first-rank. Even though they were in the same first-rank realm, there was a clear difference in level between them.

Moreover, the gap was widened by Wang Jong Gu’s innate strength. Despite Baek Mo Sa’s efforts to defend by lightly deflecting the incoming greatsword like a windmill, the shock transmitted through his spear made his hands numb.

What on earth is Baek Woo Jin doing…!

Baek Mo Sa’s eyes widened as he urgently scanned the battlefield. He was searching for Baek Woo Jin.

“What, what is this…?”

Baek Woo Jin swung his sword while avoiding the flying weapons from all directions with smooth and soft movements as if he were dancing in the middle of the battlefield.

Wherever his sword pointed, blood flowed and the enemy dropped their weapons, rolled on the ground, and cried out in pain.

At this point, Baek Mo Sa might have felt relieved, thinking Baek Woo Jin was fighting effectively, but the problem lay with whom he was targeting.

Why, why is that guy attacking my subordinates too!

Baek Woo Jin’s sword did not distinguish between friend and foe. Whether they were on Wang Jong Gu’s side or Baek Mo Sa’s, he disabled his opponents by cutting off their arms or legs and prevented them from fighting further.

“Co-Could it be…!”

The worst-case scenario formed in his mind.

What if the current situation was exactly what Baek Woo Jin intended?

“You dare to look away, you have guts!”

As Baek Mo Sa shuddered with goosebumps, Wang Jong Gu took advantage of his distraction and charged.

The greatsword swung stronger than ever and quickly closed the distance.

“Ugh!”

Baek Mo Sa snapped back to reality and hurriedly leaped away, but he was too late to completely avoid the attack. The blade sliced a long gash in his thigh as it passed.

Shuk!

“Gah…!”

Baek Mo Sa lost his balance and tumbled to the ground.

“Ugh…!”

“Hahaha!”

The wound wasn’t very deep. However, because the cut was long, the pain was worse than expected and it hindered his movements.

Wang Jong Gu was convinced that he had gained the upper hand and laughed softly as he slowly approached.

“Haha.”

Suddenly, Baek Mo Sa who was sitting on the ground burst into laughter with a dejected expression on his face.

When Wang Jong Gu reached a spot where a single swing of his greatsword could sever the man’s head, he frowned.

“Have you gone mad in the face of death?”

At his words, Baek Mo Sa pointed behind him with his finger.

“Look and see, if you have eyes.”

Wang Jong Gu aimed his long sword at the enemy’s neck, turned his head slightly back, and looked in the direction his former subordinate had pointed out.

The battle had already ended. There was no victor. Everyone had fallen and they were groaning in pain from injuries to their arms or legs.

Only one person remained standing. It was Baek Woo Jin who had removed his mask and was drinking in a relaxed manner amidst the quiet battlefield.

Feeling their gazes, Baek Woo Jin waved at them as he approached.

“As expected, a drink is perfect after sweating. Would you like a sip?”

“Wh-What is the meaning of this?”

Wang Jong Gu could hardly understand the situation unfolding before him.

No, perhaps he refused to understand it.

The current situation only spoke of the complete downfall of the White Snake Bandits.

“You, you bastard…!”

Wang Jong Gu’s eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Baek Woo Jin with great killing intent.

He withdrew the greatsword aimed at Baek Mo Sa’s neck and swung it immediately, but Baek Woo Jin evaded with a light sway of his body.

“Die, die!”

To Wang Jong Gu, the White Snake Bandit headquarters was his fortress, his palace.

Here, he was the emperor, the absolute ruler over all.

But it had collapsed in an instant.

The foundation of his lifelong efforts had been uprooted overnight.

“My entire life was here!”

He shouted in fury, but it did not resonate with Baek Woo Jin at all.

Instead, it amused him.

“This is really funny.”

Whether it was a fantasy world, Earth, or a martial arts world.

Those who live by stealing from others, and those who live off others, had one thing in common regardless of where they lived.

When they took from others, they felt no guilt or sympathy, but when their own things were taken, they cried and resented as if their very lives had been stolen.

“Where is anything of yours here?”

His eyes, which were so cold they seemed capable of freezing anyone who met his gaze, stared at Wang Jong Gu.

“There is nothing here but what you’ve stolen from others, nothing of yours.”

Magnificent buildings, clothes made of silk, delicious food and drink.

“There isn’t even a single blade of grass or a handful of soil here that belongs to you.”

You own nothing.

His voice carried the stern authority of a judge passing a sentence.

“So shut up and wait.”

Wait for the judgment that will be delivered to you.

He struck the back of the man who had completely lost his fighting spirit.

The White Snake Bandits’ leader collapsed to the ground like a rotten piece of wood.