Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 21. Even the Strong Get Devoured (1)

 

With the Black Tiger Gang’s downfall, those who had borrowed money were essentially free from their debts. The Gang Leader and all the key figures were dead, so there was no one left to repay.

 

However, if contracts existed, the story would be different.

 

Just because the lenders were dead didn’t mean the contracts became worthless scraps of paper, right?

 

There were many in this world who ignored logic and common sense, especially the thugs of the Dark Path and Unorthodox Faction martial artists who were notorious for being unreasonable.

 

There might be those who would create all sorts of excuses, claiming the Black Tiger Gang was actually under their command, and threaten people to pay up.

 

Naturally, burning the contracts as well was the surest method.

 

“Excuse me, are you truly the Grand Young Master of the Moyong Family?”

 

At the question from a man with a gentle appearance, Moyong Bi nodded.

 

“That’s right.”

 

“I, I see.”

 

The man couldn’t make proper eye contact with Moyong Bi.

 

Moyong Bi chuckled softly.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

“Well, that is…”

 

Just then, the woman beside the man spoke with a trembling voice.

 

“Please forgive this man.”

 

“Forgive? What do you mean by that?”

 

“This man didn’t know Young Master Murong was such a great person when he did what he did. If you could forgive him just once with your generous heart, we will repay that kindness for the rest of our lives!”

 

What are they talking about?

 

Moyong Bi examined the man’s appearance.

 

Though his clothes were old, they were worn quite neatly. However, oil and seasoning stains were scattered across the front and belly area.

 

Just from the clothes and the calluses on his thumb and index finger, it was clear what kind of work this person did.

 

“What is your name?”

 

“Are, are you asking me?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“I am… Beom Gwang.”

 

The man’s complexion was particularly pale as he answered. Since Moyong Bi was even asking for his name, he seemed to think he might really be in for a terrible beating.

 

Moyong Bi knew without looking what had happened between his great grand nephew and Beom Gwang.

 

“Beom Gwang, the places where you hit me still sting.”

 

“Gasp!”

 

Beom Gwang prostrated himself on the spot.

 

“Please forgive me, Young Master!”

 

His voice trembled violently.

 

Moyong Bi smiled bitterly and gestured with his hand.

 

“It’s a joke, so please get up.”

 

He had heard that the man spent all day drinking alcohol on Market Street.

 

Naturally, people’s gazes toward a drunkard couldn’t be kind. Moreover, considering Su Hyang’s reaction, it seemed he had caused quite a bit of trouble.

 

Who would like a scoundrel who was physically weak yet relied on his crumbling family clan to cause nothing but trouble?

 

“Wasn’t I the famous troublemaker in the marketplace? If anything, I should be the one apologizing.”

 

“…What?”

 

“I’ll take this opportunity to apologize for all the wrongs I’ve committed.”

 

Moyong Bi bowed his head respectfully.

 

It wasn’t just an apology to Beom Gwang, but to all the unspecified masses who had suffered from the troubles caused by that great grand nephew bastard.

 

Why apologize for something he didn’t do himself?

 

It couldn’t be helped. Since he had to live as Moyong Bi from now on, for the revival of the family clan, he might have to endure anger, and there might come times when he’d have to smile when he should cry.

 

He had to apologize properly, not for himself but for the family clan, and when you think about it, it wasn’t really someone else’s business either.

 

Even if not direct lineage, blood was still blood. He had to think of it as his own fault.

 

That’s why his apology felt sincere.

 

“There won’t be such incidents in the future. If by any chance I get drunk again and make you all grab the back of your necks in frustration, then I’ll just go live in the mountains.”

 

Though he meant it sincerely, quite a few people chuckled. They seemed to have taken it rather pleasantly.

 

Moyong Bi spoke to Beom Gwang.

 

“When I visit later, please prepare delicious food again. I absolutely won’t cause any trouble.”

 

“Oh my, if you’re coming as a customer, of course I should provide delicious food.”

 

Someone Beom Gwang’s age knew well that people don’t change easily.

 

Yet even so, Beom Gwang responded warmly to the attitude Moyong Bi was showing now. His wife kept poking his ribs from the side, but he didn’t mind.

 

He was someone with quick perception.

 

“I feel like apologizing for half a day wouldn’t be enough, but unfortunately, I have something I need to do right now.”

 

Moyong Bi took out fire tongs from his waist.

 

“Among those who borrowed money from the Black Tiger Gang, there must be people who borrowed thoughtlessly, and people who borrowed out of desperation. There must be people who were scammed, and people who borrowed with the intention of running away.”

 

“…”

 

“Whatever the circumstances, the Black Tiger Gang is trash. I also borrowed one hundred taels from these bastards, and within a few days it ballooned to 1,080 nyang. Oh, and 70 mun too.”

 

Vivid anger rose on the faces of the crowd.

 

Among these people, there weren’t many who had borrowed money from the Black Tiger Gang. It was hard for debtors to set foot in places like this.

 

However, the Black Tiger Gang hadn’t only engaged in Yama King Debt.

 

There wasn’t a single fraud case they hadn’t touched, and there were more than a few gang members involved in assault, rape, and even murder cases.

 

To them, the Black Tiger Gang members were people it was hard to live breathing the same air with.

 

Naturally, they couldn’t help but be outraged.

 

“I got so pissed off that I smashed them all to pieces, but I couldn’t leave the cleanup unfinished. So I’m planning to burn all the promissory notes and business contracts in front of everyone.”

 

Moyong Bi shrugged his shoulders and asked.

 

“Anyone have objections?”

 

The crowd cheered with one heart.

 

“No!”

 

“Burn them!”

 

“Burn them all up!”

 

The quiet plaza became a cauldron of enthusiasm in an instant.

 

Moyong Bi grinned.

 

“With everyone’s enthusiastic support, I’ll burn them all away refreshingly.”

 

“Waaaah!”

 

That was when it happened.

 

“W-wait a moment!”

 

Moyong Bi glanced back over his shoulder.

 

Hwang In Hwa walked over, shouting urgently.

 

“Young Master Murong, please calm down first…”

 

“It seems Miss Hwang of the Ten Sword Gate opposes burning these.”

 

Moyong Bi looked back at the crowd.

 

“Does anyone know why she opposes it?”

 

Instantly, hundreds of pairs of eyes turned toward Hwang In Hwa.

 

The fearful gazes from before were nowhere to be found. These were truly murderous glares that seemed capable of tearing a person apart with looks alone.

 

Hwang In Hwa unconsciously drew in a breath.

 

These weren’t the usual gazes she received. Every single one was intoxicated with rage and filled with venom – the atmosphere suggested she might literally be beaten to death if she spoke carelessly.

 

“Did the Ten Sword Gate perhaps back the Black Tiger Gang?”

 

“Wh-what did you say?!”

 

“Otherwise, there’s no reason to oppose burning these documents, right? Or perhaps Miss Hwang personally has connections with the Black Tiger Gang?”

 

The crowd’s gazes became even more murderous.

 

Though it was only a brief moment, more than half of them seemed to have moved beyond suspicion to actually believing she had connections, even showing killing intent.

 

Hwang In Hwa unconsciously shouted.

 

“Th-that’s ridiculous! Why would I associate with such lowly…”

 

“Lowly? I can see how you usually view people.”

 

“That’s not what I meant!”

 

“Who said what?”

 

In the midst of urgency, the atmosphere was getting worse. Hwang In Hwa was furious.

 

Moyong Bi’s skill at twisting words was unmatched even in those days. His constant effort to avoid getting angry had instead improved his sarcastic techniques.

 

“I don’t know if they’re lowly, but they’re definitely trash. So, do you oppose burning these documents?”

 

“That’s…”

 

“Speak clearly.”

 

Hwang In Hwa unconsciously hesitated.

 

Her heart wanted to say ‘Of course not!’ but there were too many watching eyes.

 

But it was also difficult to back down like this.

 

Wuhan was a city with economic activity so vibrant it ranked among the top ten in the Central Plains. Naturally, the scale of money involved was different.

 

Those promissory notes probably held the value of hundreds of thousands of nyang. Combined with the business contracts, it meant a jaw-dropping fortune would vanish completely.

 

‘No! If they burn it…’

 

Then, Myeong tugged at her sleeve.

 

When she turned her head, Myeong looked at her with desperate eyes. It meant she absolutely shouldn’t do anything to stand out.

 

Hwang In Hwa bit her lip.

 

The water was already spilled, but she couldn’t easily give up.

 

Actually, more than the money, she regretted losing the opportunity.

 

‘I have to steal it somehow. If I can take that, Father will trust me more than Elder Sister.’

 

She raised her head sharply and was about to open her mouth when she suddenly swallowed hard.

 

Moyong Bi’s expression was truly peculiar. A smile that would crush the hearts of those who saw it. His gaze, as if finding everything laughable, was truly masterful.

 

Though she felt a surge of anger without realizing it, Hwang In Hwa simultaneously came to a realization.

 

If she made a wrong move, she might lose everything before even gaining power within the sect.

 

“…I don’t oppose it.”

 

The crowd’s gaze became somewhat calmer.

 

Moyong Bi opened his mouth again.

 

“If you’re not going to oppose it, why did you tell them to calm down? Are you going to light it yourself?”

 

“What?”

 

“Well, I can make that concession. Actually, as long as they burn, it doesn’t matter who lights them.”

 

Moyong Bi handed the bamboo container with fire tongs to Hwang In Hwa.

 

“Go ahead, burn them.”

 

The crowd’s eyes turned toward Hwang In Hwa again.

 

Hwang In Hwa’s cheeks trembled.

 

‘This crazy bastard!’

 

If she couldn’t even take them away and had to burn them with her own hands, how would Father view her?

 

She could just say she wouldn’t light them. Since Young Master Murong had destroyed the Black Tiger Gang, she could tell him to finish it himself.

 

But somehow those words wouldn’t come out of her mouth.

 

The reason was absurdly due to her pride.

 

‘A piece of trash from a third-rate family!’

 

Moyong Bi was someone who could say many things with just his expressions.

 

Right now, his expression was like this:

 

“Do you even have the guts to light a fire in front of all these people?”

 

It seemed like he was openly looking down on her. No, it wasn’t just seeming like it – he was actually looking down on her.

 

If it were someone else, it might be different, but being looked down upon by someone she used to toy with made her feel like she was going crazy.

 

In the end, Hwang In Hwa proved to everyone that the Sages’ words were right once again – when you wrestle with your own pride, the situation always gets worse.

 

“Fine.”

 

She snatched the fire tongs and opened the bamboo container.

 

Whoo whoo, the fire ember came alive nicely without even needing to blow on it.

 

Now that she had snatched it and was about to light the fire, she hesitated again the moment she brought it close. Pride was pride, but reality was reality.

 

Just then, Moyong Bi casually said,

 

“Do you have hand tremors?”

 

“…?!”

 

“If you can’t do it, give it back to me. You seem quite reluctant to part with them.”

 

Swoosh.

 

The fire ember from the fire tongs caught onto the edge of one promissory note. Perhaps due to the moderate wind, the fire spread to the entire package in an instant.

 

Whoooosh!

 

The sight of the document bundles, heavy enough to be worth nearly five silver nyang, burning fiercely was quite spectacular.

 

“Wooooaaah!”

 

“Waaaaah!”

 

The crowd erupted in cheers. Some shed tears while embracing each other.

 

Hwang In Hwa unconsciously swallowed her saliva.

 

‘Is, is this really okay?!’

 

When it wasn’t even enough to have it taken away, she had set fire to it with her own hands.

 

For a moment, Father’s roar echoed like a hallucination. Elder Sister’s viper-like sneer rose like a phantom.

 

“Eeeeek!”

 

This was all because of Moyong Bi.

 

Hwang In Hwa whipped her head around and glared at Moyong Bi.

 

“You!”

 

“Miss Hwang.”

 

Moyong Bi’s expression changed moment by moment as he slowly lowered his head.

 

Before she could even count to three, watching his face change from mockery to expressionless made him look like a monster wearing a mask made of human skin.

 

Her explosive rage quickly cooled.

 

Before leaving the main gate, it was that same expression from when he had pressured her and Myeong with his merciless energy wave.

 

“I can’t live with debts. That’s why I came directly to the Black Tiger Gang. To repay what I owe.”

 

“…!”

 

“Come to think of it, you owe me quite a debt too, don’t you?”

 

The corners of Moyong Bi’s mouth turned up.

 

“I’ll come to collect soon, so don’t think about chasing me away like these trash for not giving notice. Your main gate would be more expensive, wouldn’t it?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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