Chronicles of the Lazy Sovereign

Chapter 85: The Slacker Grabs a Sword (1)

Wi Yeonho averted his gaze from Gwak Dosan, who was glaring at him, and turned to Jin Soa.

“Looks like you're in a very unfair situation, huh?”

“What do you mean?”

“Who do you think is responsible for this?”

“It’s all because Young Master couldn’t mind his own business.”

“Is that so?”

Wi Yeonho scratched his cheek.

“That’s why people should just take care of their own affairs. I’ve never seen anyone benefit from meddling in someone else’s problems.”

“You’ve learned a good lesson, then.”

Irritating.

Unbearably irritating.

“Ehyo.”

But really, what could he do? This was something Wi Yeonho had brought upon himself.

“So, you’re saying you want to fight?”

Gwak Dosan waved his hand.

“I’m not such a violent man.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“That’s a huge misunderstanding. If I were someone who only knew violence, I wouldn't have been able to build such influence in the rough underworld of Hubei.”

“Well, I wouldn’t know.”

Wi Yeonho had no clue who Gwak Dosan even was, so the words held no weight for him.

“So, are you saying there’s a way to resolve this without a fight?”

“There’s always a second option.”

Gwak Dosan grinned slyly.

“If you give up your rights to the Sacred Hand Grounds and leave behind all the money you have, I’ll spare your life.”

“Boss.”

When Jwa Geol tried to say something again, Gwak Dosan held up a hand to silence him.

“The reason he was marked for elimination is because he posed a threat. But if he no longer poses a threat, there’s no need to remove him. There’s no profit in it.”

“If that’s the case...”

As Jwa Geol backed down, Gwak Dosan threatened again.

“So what will it be? Will you walk away with your life, or die here after a short, meaningless life?”

“...Eh.”

Wi Yeonho plopped down into a chair and, wearing a contemplative expression, turned to Jin Soa.

“What’s for dinner?”

“Dinner?”

“Yeah. I just realized—I never said when I’d be back, right? So if I go back now, there might not be any food left.”

“I… I suppose so.”

“Then maybe I should eat before heading back?”

Jin Soa had no idea what kind of madness this was. For someone to suddenly start talking about dinner in a situation like this—it was something only a lunatic would do.

“You seem to be mentally escaping because you can’t handle the rapid shift in circumstances... But the situation’s not looking good, Young Master Wi.”

“I’m not doing well either. I want to sleep.”

“You might end up sleeping forever.”

“That doesn’t sound all that bad either...”

Wi Yeonho smacked his lips as if regretting something.

“But I do need to eat.”

Because if he were to sleep forever, he wouldn’t be able to eat anymore. That part, he’d rather pass on. Besides, he needed to see his family at least once more.

“Are you toying with me right now?!”

Seeing Wi Yeonho acting like this, Gwak Dosan began to tremble with fury and shouted.

“How dare you slack off right in front of me, Gwak Dosan, the emperor of Hubei’s underworld, known as the Black Land Lord!”

Gwak Dosan was practically fuming at the mouth.

Watching the scene unfold, Wi Yeonho turned to Ha Daebung.

“That guy’s alias is Black Land Lord?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Wouldn’t ‘Black Pig’ suit him better? Or ‘Black Boar’?”

“Actually, he used skinny back in the day.”

“So what happened?”

“Once a starving man gets a taste of fine food, he puts on weight. And when a man who once rolled around the underworld starts sitting at a desk, this is what happens.”

“He should work out a bit.”

Wi Yeonho looked at Gwak Dosan with a sympathetic gaze. That finally pushed Gwak Dosan over the edge.

“Kuaaaah!”

Criticizing someone’s appearance to their face?! What kind of people were they who had no basic manners?

“What are you all doing?! Bring me that brat’s head, now!”

“Yes, sir!”

At Gwak Dosan’s command, the guards surrounding him charged at Wi Yeonho all at once.

“Boss! You mustn’t...!”

Jwa Geol tried to stop Gwak Dosan in a panic, but the guards were faster as they rushed Wi Yeonho.

“Whoa.”

Wi Yeonho waved his hand.

“Let’s just talk this out first!”

“Silence!”

As swords and axes flew toward him, Wi Yeonho grimaced.

“Kkuung.”

Wi Yeonho’s hands began to react instinctively. The reflexes that Baek Muhan had instilled into him over five whole years kicked in, leading to perfect evasion and counteraction in any situation.

Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!

In the blink of an eye, the guards were flung away in all directions—faster than they had rushed in.

Smash!

Those who were thrown backward got off relatively easy.

But those who shot upward burst through the roof and flew outside. Through the gaping hole in the ceiling, bright light flooded into the room.

“...Still a while before sunset.”

“You’re still thinking about food right now?”

“The most important things to a person are sleep and food.”

“Kkueung.”

It was a statement that was both relatable and entirely unrelatable.

“Shouldn’t survival come first?”

“I’m not gonna die.”

Wi Yeonho calmly turned his head and looked at Gwak Dosan.

“W-What just happened...?”

Gwak Dosan blinked in disbelief.

“I told you,”

Jwa Geol said, needling Gwak Dosan.

“I told you he wasn’t ordinary! He’s a top expert!”

“There’s a limit to what a top expert should be capable of…”

Who would’ve imagined that the elite guards Gwak Dosan had handpicked from the depths of the Black Land Manor—fighters who had survived the most brutal corners of Hubei’s backstreets—would be turned into bloody messes and scattered like leaves in an instant?

‘There’s no way this was happening. ’

Gwak Dosan had survived decades in the underworld.

He had made it through countless crises and fierce battles because he was always a careful calculator. Especially in the underworld, the ability to assess the gap between oneself and the enemy was more vital than anything.

With just one exchange, Gwak Dosan had already assessed the situation.

Even if there were ten of him, he wouldn’t be able to handle that young brat.

“D-Did he eat some kind of flood dragon’s inner core or something?”

Wi Yeonho waved his hand dismissively.

“Never tried one of those. I did eat something similar, though.”

Wi Yeonho fell into thought.

If he had consumed the inner core of a martial artist on the level of the Greatest Under Heaven, it wouldn’t be far off from the fortune of eating a flood dragon’s core… but…

“I don’t think I’ve gained much from it.”

He had obtained a miraculous opportunity, sure, but the problem was that the fortune he acquired was specialized in tormenting people. In truth, the inner core of Baek Muhan sitting inside his stomach was a device designed to drain his qi and turn him into a mummy if his progress stagnated.

“Not all miracles are good, you know.”

“What nonsense are you spouting, brat!”

“It’s kind of a long story, so… I’d rather not explain.”

“Y-You little punk!”

If he could, Gwak Dosan would’ve liked to rip that brat’s neck out and kick him into the street. But rushing at the boy now would only leave Gwak Dosan himself in that condition.

“Good thing I made a fuss earlier.”

Gwak Dosan let out a sigh and shouted toward the back.

“I’ll need some help from our esteemed guests!”

At his call, a presence stirred behind the curtain.

Step, step.

Figures cloaked entirely in black garments with their heads covered by black bamboo hats slowly pushed aside the curtain and entered the room, swords hanging from their waists.

“Huh?”

Wi Yeonho tilted his head as he watched the scene.

“Are they people you know?”

“No.”

“Then why do you looking at them like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you recognize them.”

“No, I just wonder what goes through the minds of people who go around basically screaming, ‘I’m suspicious,’ with outfits like that.”

“…Now that you mention it.”

Dressed in black nightwear and black bamboo hats… How had they managed to walk around in public like that?

“What do you need us to do?”

Gwak Dosan nearly flared up at the informality of the black-clad man’s speech, but he kept it off his face. Anyone following that person would clearly be leagues above Gwak Dosan in both status and martial power.

“Take care of that young brat.”

The black-clad man slightly lifted his bamboo hat.

“Understood.”

“Mm…”

Gwak Dosan nodded without even realizing it.

Usually in this kind of situation, people would strut in and complain, asking why they were called in to handle such a brat. Gwak Dosan had seen plenty of those and had even acted that way himself in the past.

But these men didn’t show the slightest hint of disdain for their opponent. They offered no complaints and immediately got into stance.

‘Just how powerful must that person be, to command such people like limbs?’

Gwak Dosan found his respect and fear toward that person rising once again.

“There were no emotion in them.”

Srrng.

The one in front drew his sword and began walking steadily toward Wi Yeonho.

“Hmm.”

Wi Yeonho’s expression grew slightly serious as he watched the scene unfold.

“Y-Young Hero.”

Even Jin Soa could tell the atmosphere had changed. He called out to Wi Yeonho in concern, but Wi Yeonho didn’t flinch—he simply stared holes into the black-clad men.

“Remember what I said earlier?”

“Excuse me?”

“I need to take that back.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Feels like I know them from somewhere.”

Wi Yeonho began scratching his head.

“I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that before, but I can’t remember where. It couldn’t have been within the last five years, so it must’ve been before that.”

The approaching man's posture and footwork felt strangely familiar. He couldn’t place exactly where he had seen it, but something about it tugged at his memory.

“Ugh, my brain’s not working.”

He felt like the memory was right on the tip of his mind but still just out of reach.

In such cases, the best method was simply to ask.

“Mister, where are you from?”

The black-clad man’s footsteps paused slightly.

“…Why do you ask?”

“Don’t we know each other?”

“No.”

“That’s odd. You just look really familiar. Is it because I’ve been dealing with people in black clothes a lot lately?”

Wi Yeonho tilted his head, but the black-clad man gave no reply. He simply resumed walking and raised the sword in his hand.

“The King of the Underworld will answer you.”

“Whoa, harsh.”

Paang!

In an instant, the black-clad man’s sword flew toward Wi Yeonho like a lightning strike.

Clang!

Wi Yeonho’s chair tipped backward and crashed to the floor.

“Whoa, that scared me.”

Wi Yeonho blinked in surprise.

Since the man had approached without a hint of killing intent, he had expected some light scuffle—but the speed of the strike was so blinding that anyone besides Wi Yeonho would’ve lost their neck before realizing what hit them.

‘Is this what they call a shadow blade?’

He’d heard about it from his master.

That out in the world, there were sword styles made for nothing but killing—specialized assassination techniques.

Usually used by assassins or hitmen, these swords were designed to silently eliminate the target without leaving a trace.

“And…”

Wi Yeonho recalled something else his master had said.

“Those types are usually people who’ve killed more than you can count. Don’t ever go easy on them or underestimate them. The best method is to pummel them the moment you lay eyes on them. Got it?!”

“Ugh…”

So annoying. Extremely annoying.

But his master had emphasized it so much that half-heartedly dealing with them felt wrong.

Wi Yeonho rolled backward once and stood back up.

“Mister.”

Wi Yeonho looked at Ha Daebung and spoke.

“Yes, Young Master?”

“Can I borrow a sword?”

Wi Yeonho extended a hand to the side.