Book 25 Chapter 20

Hit the West Coast

-Commence operations

"Hit four places at once!"

Bi Ryuyeon's plan was as follows. If they took the islands one by one, they could concentrate their forces, but it would be too slow. In the meantime, no one could be sure what would happen. Still, they were pressed for time, so they opted for a multi-pronged, simultaneous attack.

Mo Yonghui and Gongsong Zhenghui traveled to the East Sea, Jang Hong and Jade Yujing to the North Sea, Yu Yugumen Hyun Yun and Namgung Sansan to the South Sea, and Bi Ryuyeon to the West Sea in a group with Hyorong.

From the start, things weren't easy for Bi Ryuyeon and Hyo-ryong as they traveled to the West Coast.

Cha-ching!

"Stop! From here on out, this is King Seo's territory, the territory of our Tenth Iron Body Battalion, and we can't go any further!"

Two giant men in distinctive silver armor crossed axe spears much larger than their bodies, blocking Bi Ryuyeon and Hyo Ryong's path.

Where Bi Ryuyeon and Hyo Long now stood was the entrance to the West Sea Road, and these two great men were the guardians of the bridge leading to the West Sea Road. Hyo-ryong hastily sent a message.

"Ryuyeon, they're both in the top five of the hierarchy. Normally, they'd be guarding the bridge, so why are they here……?"

Ryu-yeon Bi chimed in.

"That means something has already been done."

The drawbridge, which would normally be down, was now up, like a castle in battle. The bridges were raised one on each side.

"Chit, you're telling me that even if I knock these guys down, I can only get one down."

Wiping them out was only half the battle. The pulley system to lower the rest of the bridge was obviously behind the wall on the far side of the island.

"What do I do?"

"We need to have a conversation."

We were going to take him down and see, but it looked like we were going to have to change our plans for a while. Hyo-ryong stepped forward first. He didn't know what kind of harsh words would be said if he left it to Bi Ryuyeon, so he took the initiative.

"Let me ask you something, didn't a coffin pass over this bridge a while back?"

"Coffin?"

"Yes, it's a wooden pipe."

After a brief discussion, the two men replied.

"There is."

"Of course!

Bi Ryuyeon and Hyo-ryong looked at each other and nodded. This time, it was Bi Ryuyeon who spoke.

"We just want to know what's in that coffin. Once we see what's inside, we'll go quietly."

Hyo-ryong added.

"So let go of the bridge, and you'll end up unharmed."

And then laughter erupted.

"Foohahahahahahahaha! You think you can hurt us? Who? You? With your flimsy bodies? You think you can land a single blow on our ironclad muscles? Are you a fool? You can't! Puh-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah!"

He was very confident in his own strength.

"You're an idiot."

Ryuyeon Bi commented briefly.

"Your brain must be full of muscles."

There was no time to waste arguing. Bi Ryuyeon was starting to get annoyed.

"Maybe."

Hyo-ryong agreed. It was indeed heartbreaking to watch shovelers dig their own graves. But the world was big and there were many fools. Right now, he had two of them right in front of him.

"So how do I get past it?"

"From here on out, strength is the definition. Only those who have proven themselves strong can cross this bridge."

"Might is right……. Okay, that's simple, so what do I do?"

"It's simple. They just need to take us down."

He said with a laugh that seemed to be his own kind of gruff.

"Is your captain as stupid as you are?"

Bi Ryuyeon said, scratching her head in annoyance.

"What!!!"

"It's really as simple as that. I guess it's true that fool's disease is an incurable disease that can't be cured until you die. If that's how you want to die, I'll grant you your wish, and maybe you'll be cured."

Bi Ryuyeon muttered something in a tired tone, then put one hand on Hyo Rong's shoulder, then stretched out her other hand and pointed her fingertips at the two big men, as if to stab them.

"Come on, Hyorong, do it!"

"What, what, am I, am I doing this?"

Panicked, Hyo-ryong exclaimed.

"Well, you should do it, who else? I don't want to do it, idiot."

Bi Ryuyeon squirmed, and Hyo-ryong grumbled with a fat face, not liking the attitude.

"Can I move?"

"Ugh."

It was a fleeting friendship indeed.

"Go, go! Hyorong! We're going to defeat the two fools! Save the world from the infinite multiplication of fools!"

Bi Ryuyeon cheered from behind, pumping her fist in the air. Hyo-ryong wasn't happy at all, so he didn't even bother to move.

"What are you doing, Hyo-ryong, go! Defeat him!"

What an impudent thing to do, to stand where you're comfortable and have Hyo-ryong himself do the 'dirty work'. Obviously, Bi Ryuyeon herself is right. If there's more than one person like this in the world, it's the end of the world. There's no way a human being can change after seeing them for a month or two……. It seems that humans are not so convenient.

"No!"

Hyo-Ryong said, pouting.

"I'll take one, Ryuyeon, so you can take one, too, so it's fair."

"Well, well. My friend, the world is not fair. I didn't realize you were so naive to look for fairness in an unfair world."

"Shut up, Nami, I'm telling you, it's not me who's weird, it's you, Ryuyeon. Let's get this straight."

"The truth is sometimes cruel."

Bi Ryuyeon said with a smirk.

"Don't you dare distort the truth of the world!"

But she didn't stop talking.

"Difference is what makes the difference. If everything is fair, then there is no such thing as fairness. You have to know what unfairness is in order to know what fairness is. You have to know the pain of constipation to know the value of a good bowel movement."

"Don't use that dirty analogy. I don't need that distinction, I like fairness, so take one for the team."

"Chit, it's not coming over. I was trying to take a break. Okay, we'll take it one by one. Amicably. No complaints?"

"Wanna bet who knocks him out first?"

Hyo-Ryong exclaimed curiously, feeling a bit stuck, having to deal with both and only one.

"Okay, whoever knocks him out later gets to eat."

"Good!"

And they walked side by side toward the giants in good cheer.

Meanwhile, the two who had been so blatantly dismissive of their existence were furious.

They were ready to crush them at any moment.

Finally, the fight was on, and the two big men unleashed their previously ignored frustrations in one fell swoop.

"Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Fearsome greatswords and axes fell vertically from the sky.

Thump!

Hard enough to crack three sheets of ground.

There was a loud bang and a cloud of dust rose.

Ironclad!

The term refers to the four most powerful men in King Seohae's Tenth Dynasty of the Iron Gods. Except for King Seo-hae, who was the first in rank, they were the men who filled the positions of second through fifth in rank. The main force and core of the Tenth Battalion, they were the loyal subordinates and followers of the Tenth Battalion's leader, King Seo-hae.

These were men who worshipped power, so they scoffed at finesse and skill, and worshipped force and brute strength.

Their favorite thing is a one-hit kill!

A wholehearted attack with no second strike, a devastating blow that shatters even the most formidable defenses, was the kind of one-hit killing blow they sought.

Certainly, the one-hit killing blow that comes from endless repetition is powerful. However, it doesn't take into account spacing, which means it lacks a connector.

If the first strike fails, how to follow it up with the next one without losing your balance, without crossing your feet and hands, and with the shortest possible time to move on, is a very important aspect of martial arts. Those who seek a one-hit kill ignore that aspect. Therefore, in order to multiply the power and speed of their attacks, they abandon separation: there is no process of moving up to a certain point and then stopping. They don't stop, they go all the way down. Even the pause for separation is seen by them as hesitation. If there is hesitation in the movement, it cannot be full force. As such, you cannot control the blow. All of your control is poured into the strike.

Because of this, there is no such thing as a one-hit wonder.

If it succeeds, you can clean up the situation in one fell swoop, but if it fails………

Their balance is completely disrupted and they turn into a mere mass of loopholes.

Quack!

A mighty blow fell to the earth, a blow that could split a boulder in two.

Vomit splashed up with an eardrum-tingling sound of destruction. But Bi Ryuyeon and Hyorong had no intention of meeting their blows head-on. It was foolish to take the first blow of someone who relied on one-hit killing.

Power was one thing, but speed was another, as evidenced by its fearsome, wind-splitting ripples. The problem was, in the eyes of Bi Ryuyeon and Hyorong, the speed wasn't all that intimidating. In this world, everything is relative. Especially when it came to martial arts.

A famous master is said to have replied to his disciple's question, "How strong should I be?

Just 'more than the enemy'.

Bi Ryuyeon and Hyo-ryong dodged their attacks by simply moving slightly. Of course, it's not as easy to dodge as a one-hit kill. They've been charging at breakneck speeds in order to capitalize on their strikes. However, to Bi Ryuyeon and Hyorong, their speed only made them look like slugs, especially Hyorong, who had already gone through countless battlefields, and his skill had already increased without him realizing it. Even if they were called 'ironclad', they were no match for him.

Two massive weapons were driven into the ground. If the ground cracked, there was no way they could mount a proper defensive herbivory with their bent backs and weapons embedded in the ground. Besides, for them, offense was defense. There was no defensive herbivory for defense.

Yay!

Bi Ryuyeon laughed.

Yay!

Hyo-ryong looked at him and smiled.

A momentary but ominous feeling of foreboding turned the complexions of the two giants grim. It was completely unexpected that they had managed to dodge the attack instead of blocking it head-on. He looked at the two men with sinister smiles hanging from the corners of their mouths.

"Coward!"

And then she blurted out.

"I was an idiot after all."

"Sure."

Hyorong shouted back. Already in his hands were twin swords drawn, ready to strike the loophole once and for all.

Flash!

Hyorong's eyes flashed like a tiger stalking its prey.

"Take it!"

Righteousness (奧義)

Twin Sword Blood Orchid (雙劍血蘭)

The twin swords begin to dance a halo of light.

Pah-bah-bah-bah-bah-bah-bah!

Two twin swords rained down upon the greatswordsman with dazzling sword energy and flamboyant skill. It was a beautiful sword, combining the flamboyance and subtlety they hated so much.

"Ouch!"

All they could do was scream as loud as they could.

The battle had been decided before the twin swords were even wielded.

Chirp!

Bi Ryuyeon's eyes were a little dazed, but there was a strange light beneath them.

She was the kind of person who would rather give you what you like than what you don't, not because it's the nicer thing to do, but because it's the crueler thing to do.

"If you're so strong, I'll deal with you with strength.

One of his hobbies was breaking people with their organs, and once broken, it was hard to get back up again. But whether or not his enemies recovered was of no concern to Bi Ryuyeon. It was perfectly natural for him to break his enemies thoroughly, to make them unable to recover. He had no desire to make friends with his enemies through hard work, friendship, or victory.

Tooth for tooth, power for power.

"Yum yum yum! Eat!"

With a peculiar cry, Bi Ryuyeon's two fists stretched out like a hundred meteors.

Three Strikes Law (三伏毆打拳法)

Righteousness (奧義)

Redundancy (中伏)

Thrush (餓狗昌昌) Jugu Jangchang

Toush-toush! Toush-toush! Toush-toush! Toush-toush! Toush-toush! Toush-toush! Toush-toush! Toush-toush! Pooh-pooh-pooh!

Pfft!

The dreaded herbivore breathed fire to feed the ever-growing number of hungry dogs.

The two giant men were literally beaten to a pulp and immediately fainted. Their iron armor was crumbling like scrap metal. They were beaten by Bi Ryuyeon and slashed by Hyo-ryong.

"Struck with the back of a sword."

Hyo-Ryong said to his stunned opponent as he sheathed his twin swords. And then Bi Ryuyeon stabbed in.

"Long Yong, aren't your twin swords both double-edged? If you hit them with the back of your sword, you'll just die."

"Oh, right! I forgot, it's a habit, stop……."

It was a habit he had developed while wielding a twin sword, not a double sword. Even though he was usually conscious of the fact that he was holding a sword and not a dao, he often forgot that fact when he was in combat. The same was true for him; although he was holding a twin sword, the martial art he was practicing was still a dao.

"He's got the fool's disease. Dragon, you poor fellow."

Bi Ryuyeon sobbed, tears streaming down her face.

"I didn't do it! I'm clean!"

At first glance, he was bleeding profusely from the blades of his twin swords, but he was still alive, partly because he had lost some strength, and partly because the armor he wore was stronger than it should be. Hyorong heaved a sigh of relief.

"Look, you're not dead, so it's okay, it's okay. Say it's okay."

"Well, is that it?"

It was a bit too easy to accept.

To defeat them without taking their lives was a sign of their superiority.

"By the way, they're pretty sturdy."

"I agree."

But it was a relief.

"Okay, let's lower the bridge, shall we?"

"Sure."

For all their worship of power, the people of the West Sea were fairly simple. The other half of the bridge obediently descended as if the victor was the king.

When the raised bridges on either side joined together, Bi Ryuyeon and Hyo-ryong hurried over the bridge, and soon found themselves at the gate to the West Sea. The island was surrounded by a tall bamboo fence, so the only way in was through the main gate. In front of the tightly closed gate stood two sturdy men in iron armor similar to the ones they had seen earlier, but more ornate. They looked a bit more agile than the previous two.

"Stop!"

I didn't want to, but I stopped. They were indeed men of few words.

"Who is it?"

asked.

"Don't flatter yourself that you've defeated the second son and the third son. If you can't defeat us, the second and third in command, you can't open the door."

"Why don't you stop, you'll hurt yourself?"

"That's what we're going to do, not what you're going to do. If you're scared, stay where you are."

"I can't do that, I really need to go in there. I'm not happy about it, but if you'll just be nice and open the door, I'll make it all go away, because I'm generous."

'Lie,' Hyo-ryong muttered quietly to himself.

"Then let's make it 'power,' as per the teenage rule."

"Relying on strength for discipline is insane."

The original reason for discipline was to control the unbridled power, but the discipline of the teenagers was like throwing oil on a fire. Rather than controlling power, it was encouraging it.

"Might is right, and for teens, the word of the strong is law. You'll have to prove your strength to get through this place."

"When you simplify everything like that, you're bound to get screwed, because the world isn't that simple."

"We don't like loudmouths. It is said that a weak dog barks often."

You've just treated Biyou like a puppy.

"Ooh, this is kind of refreshing."

A refreshing smile formed on Bi Ryuyeon's face.

"Ignorant, but simple. I feel like I'm less intelligent than a puppy. It's times like these that a poultice is the medicine, kids, it's time to take your medicine!"

Bi Ryuyeon exclaimed, her voice filled with affection for the frolicking puppies.

"Wait, Ryuyeon, overdosing is a quick way to die."

Hyo-ryong, noticing Bi Ryuyeon's abnormality, subtly hinted to her to control her hands.

"Perfect. It's okay, it's okay, you know what they say about healthy violence breeding healthy minds?"

"No, it doesn't say that. Violence only wears down the mind!"

"Out of the ruins, new shoots grow."

That was the end of the conversation.

If Ironclad's favorite phrase was a one-two punch, Bi Ryuyeon's favorite phrase right now was one-two punch.

I was doing everything I could on the outside, but on the inside, I was a mess. I tried to recover in a short time, but there was a limit. I thought about leaving everything to Hyo-ryong, but that wasn't an option either.

'A creep.'

He needed to win with minimal effort. Too many collisions would only sap his strength.

To prevent that from happening, I needed to open up the ability of the non-precursor part of my brain a bit more, and that's senses.

With her senses wide open, Bi Ryuyeon began to read the movements of the two armored tigers. Tigress's nerves were all focused on Hyorong. It was unlikely that he would lose to a musclehead like that, so all he had to worry about was his assigned Ironclad. Judging by the behavior of the two of them, as well as the sturgeon he'd made from scrap metal earlier, he had a pretty good idea of the nature and behavior of the troops and their captain. If that's the case, I shouldn't expect a conversation after defeating these guys.

It was clear that they didn't know what "conversation" was. All they could do was talk with their muscles and armor.

"That's a headache.

After all, it takes at least two people to have a conversation, and the only way to communicate well is to choose the right one.

And in this case, the right and appropriate way to communicate was violence.

Hearing only what you want to hear and saying only what you want to say is not communication. You also need to choose the right way to communicate with the other person. In that sense, she was always ready to communicate.

Here's how to have a good conversation

-First, listen to the other person.

Bi Ryuyeon listened to the Ironclad's attack. The attack seemed to be taking shape.

-Second, communicate with reason rather than emotion.

Bi Ryuyeon responded calmly, using cold reason to determine which attacks would be most effective and reasonable. Once again, her first move was focused on evasion.

Boom!

The greatsword of the Ironclad struck the ground. But to communicate is to resonate with your opponent. By matching her body to her opponent's movements, Bi Ryuyeon perfectly avoided the attack.

He rationally reads the enemy's weaknesses and sets up his counterattack. However, as is typical of his rank, he was quick to move on to the next attack even when his first strike failed. However, this was a double-edged sword. The quick transition to distance also meant that he didn't put his heart into his strikes.

-Third, be sincere in what you say.

In this, too, she was confident. In this conversation, she used her fists. Chulgak Ilho seemed to have failed to put his heart into his words, but she was confident that he would not.

He gave me a hearty fist bump and offered to make me a big bowl of muksabal.

By hitting the nail on the head.

"Coward!"

With a guttural scream that I'd heard many times before, both men fell with a "thud!" like giant trees on an axe. Hyorong had apparently knocked out the ironclad at about the same time.

"…These guys are so simple."

At the end of the conversation, Bi Ryuyeon said she was tired, and it wasn't a very fruitful conversation.

"It lacked elegance."

But explaining it would not have made it understandable.

"The one-two punch tactic again, right after they've seen them get beaten……. Are these guys incapable of learning?"

Looking at the two fallen giantesses, Hyo-Ryong spoke up, fed up.

"Well, that's the nature of a one-hit wonder. People who've practiced only it can't easily use other jutsu, because their mindset and hundreds of muscles are all geared to wielding the power of a killing blow. Even if they tried to train in a different way, their bodies wouldn't be able to keep up. It's like a one-hit wonder."

"And what about all those years of training? The days of training when they risked their lives for a single strike?"

Feeling a little sentimental, Hyo-Ryong couldn't help but ask his friend a question.

"Shoveling!"

No questions asked.

"You're such a cruel friend, Ryuyeon."

"Tell me you're being honest, dragon."

She was a biryū-yeon who did not hesitate to use cruelty to crush the years of hardship she had accumulated with a single word.

"Now, let's go meet the big guy."

Regardless of how their time together was judged, for now, she was a nonentity, uninterested in anything but Na Yerin's whereabouts.

And the person holding one of those clues was just beyond the gates. There was no reason to hesitate. As much as I revered power, as much as I revered simple ignorance, once I spoke, I stood by my words. I took down the remaining two members of the Ironclad, and the gates opened of their own accord.

I didn't even have to say, "Open up, sesame!

"They're pretty honest people."

"Something simple."

Bi Ryuyeon and Hyo-ryong walked through the open gates and into the depths of the West Sea.