Urban Vagabond: Reload

An old man’s hoarse voice—thick with phlegm—echoed through the wide conference hall.

“The Blood Tiger Gang took Lee Taehyun?”

Dozens of martial artists stood in front of the old man with their heads lowered, barely able to breathe. Even though every one of them was an unorthodox master radiating intense internal energy.

“Why is no one answering? I heard they even worked his family and whisked them all away. Did I hear wrong?”

At the old man’s second question, one martial artist sprang to their feet and answered.

“We’re confirming the facts right now. We’ll sort it out as quickly as possible and—”

SHHK!

The pen the old man flicked shot through the martial artist’s earlobe.

A piece of flesh tore away and blood ran down in a thin line, but the person involved thought they were lucky it ended at that.

Because to the owner of the Black Heaven Society, someone like them could be crushed to death like an ant.

“You morons. Another organization takes an executive’s family right out from under your noses, and you just sit there and take it with your eyes open?”

“I’m sorry, society leader!”

KWAANG—!

The Black Heaven Society’s society leader clicked their tongue as they watched an executive slam their forehead into the table, then stood up.

“Tsk. This is why I can’t retire. Listen carefully, all of you.”

The Black Heaven Society’s society leader—a Russian mixed-blood—was a massive man nearly six-foot-three. Even at over seventy, an overbearing, domineering aura poured out of his imposing frame.

“All of you are my brothers—no different from my children. Your families are the same. And yet they dare steal family from me? Can you forgive this?”

Everyone knew the Black Heaven Society’s society leader was the sort of person who treated executives like consumables, but no one here was stupid enough to show it.

“We cannot forgive it!”

At the executives’ unified answer, the Black Heaven Society’s society leader nodded as if satisfied.

“Contact the Blood Tiger Gang.”

They still weren’t quite on the level where they could be compared to the Five Great Unorthodox Sects, but the Blood Tiger Gang’s steep growth was undeniably enough to put the Black Heaven Society on edge.

‘That doesn’t mean I can let them start climbing over me. This is a good chance to stomp them down.’

A moment later, a secretary carefully brought a connected handset up to the Black Heaven Society’s society leader’s ear.

[Yes. I’m on the line.]

“I’m the Black Heaven Society’s society leader. The one who answered—are you the Blood Tiger Gang boss?”

[......I’m Oho. Our boss is currently in closed-door training, so if you have business, you can tell me.]

“Did you not hear who I said I was just now?”

[I heard you. Society leader.]

Even after he’d named himself, the other party showed no fear whatsoever—and on top of that, the other party wasn’t even the Blood Tiger Gang boss. The Black Heaven Society’s society leader’s eyebrow twitched.

In a voice like a knife scraping a chalkboard, the Black Heaven Society’s society leader spoke.

“So that means you’re saying you’re the kind of person who can take responsibility for everything that happens after you speak with me—starting now.”

It was an unmistakable warning.

But at that moment, from the other side of the phone came a soft, scoffing breath of laughter.

[You can consider me the boss’s proxy.]

“......No more bullshit. Let me ask you directly. I heard you took my pup.”

[Are you referring to Lee Taehyun?]

Oho didn’t deny that the Blood Tiger Gang had taken Lee Taehyun.

Because it had been Oho who’d leaked the rumor to the Black Heaven Society in the first place.

[We judged him to be something the Black Heaven Society threw away, so we picked him up. What exactly is the problem with that?]

“What kind of nonsense are you spouting right now!”

It was true the Black Heaven Society’s society leader had thrown Lee Taehyun away.

Because he was no longer useful.

He’d lost his martial arts and his spellcraft, and all the smuggled goods had been taken too—why would anyone bother “rescuing” trash like that?

The Black Heaven Society had dozens of executives who could replace him.

“Lee Taehyun is someone I cherish. So send him back intact.”

But even if it was something he’d thrown away, it was unacceptable for someone else to take it.

If he had to, he’d kill it himself—he had no intention of giving what was his to anyone.

[Society leader.]

And yet the man on the other end—the one called Oho—kept that same insolent attitude.

It was something the Black Heaven Society’s society leader had never experienced even once since becoming who he was.

[Sorry, but that won’t be possible. It took us a fair amount of cost and manpower to bring Mr. Lee Taehyun in.]

With the other party talking back so neatly, the Black Heaven Society’s society leader’s patience began to show its limits.

SSSSSS......

Killing intent—the kind he’d built over decades while reigning as the unorthodox world’s patriarch—started filling the room.

The Black Heaven Society’s society leader spoke in a voice that sounded like he would chew Oho to pieces if he were in front of him.

“Do you think I’m joking with you right now?”

[Senior. Do my words sound like a joke to you?]

For a moment, faced with an unfamiliar experience he hadn’t had in decades, the Black Heaven Society’s society leader fell silent.

Then, he burst into laughter.

“Keh-heh-heh......!”

The executives listening to the call felt their body hair rise.

He was laughing—but his eyes were slick with killing intent.

“What you’re saying right now. Can you really bear it?”

[Thank you for your concern. Fortunately, I do have that level of ability.]

At this point, the Black Heaven Society’s society leader grew curious about this Blood Tiger Gang Oho. The thought also crossed his mind that there might be some other scheme behind it.

“You’re bold. I like it. How about we set a time soon and have a meal together?”

Of course, at that table, he planned to tear off one of Oho’s limbs.

[If you want a business meeting, contact me anytime. I’ll be waiting gladly.]

“I’ll be in touch again soon.”

The Black Heaven Society’s society leader ended the call first, then issued an order to the executives in the room.

“All of you, leave.”

“Yes!”

A moment later.

Alone in the now-silent conference hall, the Black Heaven Society’s society leader tapped the table with a finger and muttered.

“......What do you think? Does it feel like the Blood Tiger Gang has some other scheme?”

Then, empty air rippled translucently—and someone appeared.

A man in a black martial robe, his face covered by a mask, stood at the Black Heaven Society’s society leader’s right and spoke.

“The Blood Tiger Gang is an organization with many things it keeps hidden. Even we have not yet identified the Blood Tiger Gang boss.”

“Hm.......”

“You look troubled. And you seem... impatient, too.”

At the masked man’s words, the Black Heaven Society’s society leader gave a low chuckle and nodded.

“It’s true I’m getting irritated. Yeo Pilgeuk’s been running wild like it’s his world—and now some upstart junior of the same kind is trying to crawl up too.”

Amazingly, the Black Heaven Society’s society leader was speaking to the other man as if they were equals.

Anyone who knew how he spat abuse even at the heads of the Five Great Unorthodox Sects would be horrified.

“Listen, Black Swallow.”

But in the Black Heaven Society’s society leader’s eyes as he looked at the man in front of him, there was respect—and at the same time, extreme wariness.

“Will you help me?”

“What do you want?”

At Black Swallow’s question, the Black Heaven Society’s society leader spoke the four characters he’d kept in his chest for a long, long time.

“Unorthodox Unification.”

The goal he’d desired his entire life.

He’d started from the bottom and become the owner of one of the Five Great Unorthodox Sects—but what he wanted was to become the sole supreme ruler of the unorthodox martial world on this peninsula.

But now that he was over seventy, a growing impatience kept clawing at him—like if he waited any longer, there would be no chance left.

It was around the time those worries had deepened that Black Swallow had first approached him.

And today, the Blood Tiger Gang’s provocation became the trigger that pushed him into a clear decision.

“I want to integrate the Five Great Unorthodox Sects and make them one. I need Red Worm’s support.”

Red Worm.

A foreign mercenary organization that had recently begun forming ties with the Black Heaven Society as an ally.

‘I know that isn’t the whole of your identity.’

The Black Heaven Society’s society leader had even grasped, to a certain extent, the existence of the Cult behind Red Worm.

And who they’d recently “worked,” too.

‘That idiot Jang Jinmyeong was used and discarded.’

Black Swallow had made Jang Jinmyeong learn Demonic Void Art and had nearly succeeded in turning him into a puppet.

If they hadn’t been discovered partway through by the Martial Alliance Leader, they would’ve swallowed one of the Eight Great Sects whole.

Even knowing how dangerous they were, the Black Heaven Society’s society leader had allied with them.

‘I’m not Jang Jinmyeong. I’ll use you and take only what I need.’

An unorthodox old giant who’d spent his life taking what belonged to others—this time too, he believed he would be the one doing the taking.

“Understood. Please wait ten days. I will call Red Worm’s elite.”

He couldn’t be sure Red Worm’s elite would only help and then leave, but the Black Heaven Society’s society leader nodded.

“Even after this is over, I won’t forget the alliance’s help.”

“It benefits both of us. We will do our utmost to ensure you achieve what you desire.”

And Black Swallow’s figure vanished again, melting back into empty air.

After confirming that the other party’s presence had completely disappeared, the Black Heaven Society’s society leader muttered in a low voice.

“When unorthodox unification is over... then it’s your turn.”

It was either the confidence of an old martial artist who’d lived without knowing failure—or arrogance.

*****

Yeo Pilgeuk calmly watched the sect leaders of the Eight Great Sects—gathered in one place—rage at him.

“Martial Alliance Leader! Are you even in your right mind?”

“You want us to attack the Black Heaven Society out of nowhere?”

“Absolutely not. Have you thought about the blood the orthodox young will shed?”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear any of this.”

It was a gathering with many of the Eight Great Sects’ sect leaders present.

Yeo Pilgeuk had proposed that they attack the Black Heaven Society together—and as expected, what followed was chaos and nonstop pushback.

After listening to their denunciations for a moment, Yeo Pilgeuk opened his mouth.

“I won’t force anyone. Any sect that wants out—step out.”

“......!”

The sect leaders who’d been ready to keep yelling fell silent. If he was telling them not to do it if they didn’t want to, there was nothing more they could say.

“However, the martial artists who join this righteous cause will receive the honor of having brought down one of the Five Great Unorthodox Sects.”

......Honor, at most.

Even just a few months ago, no one would’ve cared about that.

The symbol of Korean martial society had been the Eight Great Sects, and honor had always followed them by default.

But now, after a string of incidents had driven their reputations into the dirt, the Eight Great Sects were desperate for honor restoration.

‘If our sect earns major merit in a battle with the Black Heaven Society.......’

‘Is this a chance to restore honor faster than the other Eight Great Sects?’

‘Should we participate? But what about the damage our sect will take?’

Just as Kim Muhyuk had advised, Yeo Pilgeuk pushed the sect leaders into real hesitation—and continued.

“And I say this out of caution, but those who return must be careful with their mouths. If information leaks outside and ruins the operation......”

In an instant, the Martial Alliance Leader’s gaze turned cold as it swept across the sect leaders.

“Then the Martial Alliance will have no choice but to doubt whether a sect that refuses to join a life-or-death battle can truly be considered a comrade of the orthodox martial world.”

“That’s too harsh, Martial Alliance Leader!”

“Are you saying there could be a traitor among us colluding with the unorthodox faction?”

To the sect leaders flaring up again, Yeo Pilgeuk tossed out a single, undeniable line.

“Then what about Jang Jinmyeong?”

“.......”

The sect leaders pressed their lips shut and sank into thought.

Some calculated the costs and benefits of joining the fight with the Black Heaven Society versus not joining.

Others watched each other and stalled their decision.

Then someone raised a hand first—before anyone else.

“AZURE SKY SWORD GATE will fight and aid the Martial Alliance.”

It was Na Ilcheon—the AZURE SKY SWORD GATE sect leader, and the oldest among them.

He gave the other sect leaders looking at him a light smile.

“How many chances do I have left in my life to fight an unorthodox supreme master?”

At the same time, the sacred object at his waist—the Namcheon Sword—WHUMMM! as if it were praising him.

“......Sun and Moon Gate will also lift its temporary closure and join.”

The Glacier Priestess—who had become Sun and Moon Gate’s new sect leader—also declared her intention to participate.

Yeo Pilgeuk greeted the two sect leaders with a look.

‘Thank you. Both of you.’

And he felt grateful toward Kim Muhyuk as well, even though he wasn’t here.

Because both AZURE SKY SWORD GATE and Sun and Moon Gate had ties to Kim Muhyuk—and Yeo Pilgeuk knew Kim Muhyuk had gone in advance to persuade them.

‘That kid Muhyuk really is something.’

‘We’ve received help, so we should repay the favor.’

Both sect leaders gave small nods, quietly.

Once two sects of the Eight Great Sects had decided to join, the rest was easy.

“GREAT HEAVEN GATE will join as well.”

“......Golden Glory Gate will join too.”

“Supreme Pole Sword Gate, of course.......”

In the end, Yeo Pilgeuk obtained unanimous consent from all the sect leaders present, and he smiled broadly.

“Then I’ll explain the full plan. Speed is life in this operation—we’ll strike in an instant and finish it!”

“To maintain secrecy, every plan will be treated as top secret, and the personnel assigned to hit the main base will be limited to thirty elite per sect.”

“We must prepare thoroughly against the poison, hidden weapons, and firearms the unorthodox bastards use. As for how, we will share methods together—”

The Martial Alliance Leader’s eyes were shining more than ever as he led the meeting.

“Let’s use this chance to wipe out the Black Heaven Society!”

It was the most excited the Martial Alliance Leader had looked in a long time.

*****

“The operation date has been set. Ten days from now, the Martial Alliance and the Eight Great Sects’ elites will raid the Black Heaven Society’s base.”

At Choi Geon’s explanation—after he’d come to the house late at night—Kim Muhyuk nodded with a serious face.

“It’s faster than I expected. Wasn’t there pushback from the Eight Great Sects?”

“Keh-heh. The Martial Alliance Leader said he coaxed the sect leaders well, thanks to you.”

As he spoke, Choi Geon looked at his disciple with warm satisfaction.

Because he’d heard that the very first idea—to strike the Black Heaven Society—had come from his disciple’s head.

‘I thought you would change Korean martial society someday, but.......’

His disciple was already creating a massive change in Korean martial society.

Sometimes, it even felt overwhelming—as if he, the mentor, was struggling just to keep up with his disciple.

But that was also the greatest fulfillment a mentor could feel.

“However, Disciple. What will you do in this plan? Will you move separately?”

At the question asking about what came next, Kim Muhyuk hesitated for a moment—then answered with a grin.

“For now......”

“......I’m going to summon all the crew members.”