Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 3

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Third-rate Martial Arts Family, Greatest Under Heaven – Episode 003
Gu Ak had just turned twenty this year, making him six years younger than Baek Moo-ryang and twenty-two years older than Yang Hwi.
In other words, he was far too old to be called “older brother” by someone so young and green.
Yet Yang Hwi, with an audacity that bordered on refreshing innocence, used the same form of address once more.
“Elder brother Gu! This humble one offers his respects!”
“You bold little bell, who are you?”
“Soon to be the son of Baek Moo-ryang, the great master of the Ten Thousand Sword Alliance, I am Yang Hwi!”
“What?”
“Until just two hours ago, I was a wretched boy who nearly became enslaved and sold by those Na Heuk-pa dogs—creatures more despicable than puppies—who operated beneath the banner of the great Hong Gyo-bang.”
In that instant, Gu Ak’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
Yang Hwi’s words could be interpreted in two distinct ways.
First: Na Heuk-pa deceived Hong Gyo-bang and committed atrocities.
Or second: Those operating under Hong Gyo-bang’s banner committed acts that the White Island sect could never overlook.
“I have no taste for murdering children, little bell. But if you’re thinking of playing witness or some such nonsense, don’t expect to leave here alive.”
“How could I ever do anything to harm you, Elder Brother Gu? Hahahaha.”
Speaking with playful flattery, he used the title “Elder Brother Gu” once more, then carefully gauged the reaction.
“By the look of it, I’m at least thirty years your senior. What kind of elder brother are you calling me?”
‘His tone has softened somewhat. He understands I mean no threat.’
Thinking thus, I responded with shameless audacity.
“The four seas are one family, are they not? In a sense, we are kin.”
“If that’s your meaning, wouldn’t it be more proper to call me uncle rather than elder brother?”
“If I did that, Elder Brother Gu would become my father’s brother.”
“….”
In that moment, Gu Ak found himself thinking involuntarily.
‘I’m supposed to be fine becoming elder brother to this brat…?’
Was this child mad? How could he be so fearless?
“You bold little bell with your liver hanging out—what exactly do you want?”
“It’s simple. I wish to repay a debt of enmity with kindness.”
“You’re saying a mere little bell can repay the debt I’ve incurred today?”
“Precisely correct, Elder Brother Gu.”
Gu Ak snorted derisively.
“If you can manage that, I’ll call you elder brother myself.”
“Truly? A true man of honor never speaks false words, as you well know?”
Yang Hwi’s lips curled upward in a smile, and he delivered but a single phrase.
“The spy of Cheongsa-bang. You’re searching for them, aren’t you?”
In that instant, the faces of both Gu Ak and Bukak-sin hardened like stone.
“Little bell, how did you come to know that?”
Cheongsa-bang was one of the Black Island sects most fiercely contesting territory with Hong Gyo-bang in recent times.
“Until two hours ago, I was a wretched beggar boy destined for slavery, but until four days past, I wandered everywhere begging for scraps. I’ve heard much from here and there, you understand.”
“Speak only the essentials, little bell.”
“Indeed. Well then, would you be willing to come closer to this younger brother?”
Gu Ak’s lips twitched immediately.
“Look at this bell-wearing rat getting cocky. How dare you order me around!”
Yang Hwi continued calmly.
“Then please command Gu’s sworn brother to step far away, and I shall approach you.”
“What kind of nonsense is that!”
“Just hear me out first. If my words seem like nonsense, then I won’t complain even if you take my life.”
Gu Ak stared intently at Yang Hwi’s face as he spoke of his own death so casually.
“Your guts truly spill out of your belly. Fine. Bukak-sin, step back ten paces.”
“Brother, do we really need to humor this bell-wearing rat’s tricks?”
“Isn’t it entertaining? The boy is wagering his life.”
“….”
Bukak-sin slowly retreated with an unreadable expression.
“Come here, bell-wearing rat. Tell me what you know.”
Yang Hwi scurried forward and brought his lips close to Gu Ak’s ear.
“Strangely, whenever fights broke out, didn’t Cheongsa-bang move as if they knew Hong Gyo-bang’s inner thoughts? That’s why you’ve been agonizing over finding the spy. By the way, that tattoo on your forearm looks quite impressive, Gu.”
A splendid red palanquin was inscribed on Gu Ak’s shoulder.
A tattoo signifying membership in Hong Gyo-bang. All members of Black Island gangs bear such marks.
Given Black Island’s nature—where betrayal and apostasy are common—they brand the person themselves to prevent wavering hearts.
“Bell-wearing rat, I already told you to stick to the main point.”
‘He’s impatient by nature.’
Yang Hwi continued immediately.
“You must know that all the hall leaders of Cheongsa-bang bear a blue serpent tattoo. Check Bukak-sin’s body.”
Gu Ak, whose fierce face was already menacing, twisted it further as he seized Yang Hwi by the throat.
“You dare cross the line. Are you saying my sworn brother is the spy?”
“Yes.”
“Then your life belongs to me now. I’ve already checked my brother’s body.”
“It’s been over a year since you last checked, hasn’t it? I suspect the last time was when he received his tattoo during initiation.”
Gu Ak let out a scornful laugh.
“Wrong. I checked every hall leader’s body just a month ago. My brother even volunteered to show himself first to prove his loyalty.”
Despite the rebuttal, Yang Hwi remained composed.
“Is that so? He would have removed his lower garments, but did Bukak-sin remove his underclothes as well?”
“….”
‘There’s no way he did. I knew Bukak-sin wouldn’t remove his underclothes, so I struck first.’
Gu Ak, struck by the truth, said nothing. Yang Hwi continued with fluent eloquence.
“Cheongsa-bang needed assurance that the spy harbored no treacherous thoughts, and the spy wanted the tattoo placed where discovery was impossible. Thus the location was decided—the groin, specifically deep inside the inner thigh.”
Not a common place like the scalp mentioned in street tales or cheap novels, yet a place no man would ever see on another man.
Truly a clever location.
“…How did you know that?”
‘Because in the future, a traitor emerges and exposes the identities of all the other spies.’
Of course, I couldn’t tell him the truth.
“Who would see the inside of a man’s thigh? I overheard someone at the Red Bridge Hall talking about a man who had a blue serpent tattoo etched on the inside of his thigh—a place no one would normally see—while he was begging there.”
Yang Hwi laughed openly at Bukak-sin.
“Because I knew what the blue serpent signified, I confirmed who that man was. It seems he had the courage for espionage but lacked the restraint to resist temptation.”
“….”
Gu Ak walked slowly toward Bukak-sin, gesturing to his subordinates as he did.
Bukak-sin, suddenly surrounded, cried out in panic.
“Boss! I don’t know what this young punk is saying, but why are you doing this!”
“Ak-sin. Remove your clothes. Everything, including your undergarments.”
In that instant, Bukak-sin’s body trembled as if struck by lightning.
“Brother! Do you intend to humiliate this younger brother!”
“I only need to verify. If I’m wrong, I will kneel and apologize.”
“….”
Bukak-sin’s silent choice was to flee.
‘That bastard makes quick decisions.’
Now that things had reached this point, there was no way to avoid verification, whether done in secret or openly.
Realizing this fact, he must have judged that escape was his only path to survival.
‘Poor fool—slower than Gu Ak, but still quick.’
Before Bukak-sin could even break through the encirclement, the axe that had earned Gu Ak the epithet “Bloodstained Axe” buried itself in his calf.
“Krraaaagh!”
Bukak-sin’s agonized scream intersected with Gu Ak’s roar of fury.
“Bukak-siiiiin! You wretch! After I cherished you so, you betray me!!”
The axe tore through Bukak-sin’s lower garments. Though Gu Ak’s rough hands also tore the flesh of his thigh, causing blood to flow, it was enough to confirm the blue serpent-shaped tattoo.
“So the tattoo is real.”
“Boss! Boss! I was wrong! Please listen to what the young master says—krraaaagh!”
White fragments fell in chunks from Bukak-sin’s mouth.
Gu Ak, having sealed his mouth with an iron-like fist, took further measures.
‘He’s not killing him outright. Well, now that his status as a spy is confirmed, he’ll need to be taken away for interrogation.’
As I watched Gu Ak break Bukak-sin’s limbs, rendering him incapable of escape or resistance, my vision suddenly darkened.
A calloused palm. Baek Moo-ryang had covered my eyes.
“This is quite cruel for a child to witness.”
“….”
After savoring the warmth for a moment, I grasped Baek Moo-ryang’s hands with both of mine and lowered them.
“I’m fine, Family Head. Besides, I still have more to say.”
With those words, I stepped forward once more.
“Brother Gu.”
Gu Ak, whose anger hadn’t subsided even after breaking Bukak-sin’s limbs and was still venting his rage, turned his head.
“Little brother.”
The form of address had changed from “runt” to “little brother.”
“I believe this is sufficient to settle the debt of eliminating a third-rate gang of thugs. What do you think?”
“…I’ll acknowledge it. I owe you a debt, younger brother.”
For a moment, I nearly blurted out the old wanderer’s habit of saying I’d call him Gu from now on.
But making such a joke in this situation would be nothing short of reckless—like my liver had jumped right out of my belly.
‘Still, I’ll have to use that later.’
“I ask once more. Since the grievance has been settled with silver in place of blood, the debt between Red Bridge Hall and the Main Family no longer exists—is that correct?”
“As the son of the Red Bridge Hall Master and the Hall’s Vice-Commander, I declare it unequivocally. The debt has vanished.”
The retainers of Baek Manor, who had worn expressions of anxiety throughout, finally showed relief on their faces. Even Baek Moo-ryang, maintaining the dignity befitting a family head, couldn’t hide a subtle brightening of his expression.
But.
Yang Hwi had no intention of stopping here.
“Then we must recalculate, it seems.”
“Recalculate? What calculation remains, younger brother?”
“Silver and blood have met and been settled, yet one grievance remains. This time, it belongs to our Baek Manor.”
Yang Hwi gestured toward the shattered gate.
“How do you intend to make amends for it, older brother Gu?”
Let me say it again—the gate of a manor symbolizes a family’s dignity and honor.
To smash such a gate and invade the household without permission was, in fact, a greater grievance than merely sweeping away third-rate rabble.
‘Truth be told, by the measure of grievance alone, this one is far greater. Enough to justify a life-or-death confrontation.’
They must have thought they had justification and acted without considering the consequences. But now the situation had changed.
“I trust you’re aware that the Main Family’s head, like yourself, has a sworn brother.”
Baek Moo-ryang’s sworn brother was none other than a direct descendant of a great noble house—incomparable to someone like Bukak-sin, and a most formidable ally indeed.
As Yang Hwi recalled Baek Moo-ryang’s sworn brother, whom he had met in his past life, Baek Moo-ryang asked with a puzzled expression.
“Hwi, how did you know I have a sworn brother?”
“When one makes the roads and fields their home, one hears much. I’ve also heard that today’s rumors alone would be enough to make him roll up his sleeves and step forward—such is the bond between you.”
Yang Hwi, having replied with courtesy, now turned his gaze toward Gu Ak, whose expression had grown grave.
Gu Ak clearly knew who Baek Moo-ryang’s sworn brother was.
‘He knew, but thought he couldn’t interfere because the justification was on his side.’
“Indeed, silver and blood have met and vanished, leaving one grievance remaining. What would you have, younger brother?”
“The family head is not one to fret over trifles. He would simply laugh heartily and overlook it if you provided some funds to repair the gate.”
Funds to repair the gate. Gu Ak clicked his tongue as he grasped the meaning behind the words.
“Younger brother, you’re cunning beyond your years.”
“I’ll take it as a compliment.”
Gu Ak sighed and looked around at his subordinates.
“Everyone, empty your coin purses and place them on the ground.”
Gu Ak himself produced a hefty purse and set it down, even extracting Bukak-sin’s purse before cupping his fist toward Baek Moo-ryang.
“A moment of recklessness. I apologize for the rudeness I have committed. As atonement, I leave all the money I possess as funds for repairing the gate.”
If word of today’s events spread, what rumors would circulate?
Likely that Red Bridge Hall had smashed Baek Manor’s gate, and in return, lost all their money and retreated in defeat.
‘Unlike my past life, the Main Family’s reputation won’t be dragged through the mud.’
Watching this unfold, Yang Hwi smiled with satisfaction.
He had turned what happened in his past life into its exact opposite.
“With this, it seems the grudge between our Main Family and the Baek Family has been completely resolved. We shall take our leave now. Everyone, follow me.”
Moments after Gu Ak and the Hong Gyo-bang faction withdrew like a receding tide.
Yang Hwi grinned at the steward.
“Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Baek Yang-hwi of the Baek Family.”
“….”
Silence descended. Not a single member of the household dared refute Yang Hwi’s words.

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