While Dan Woosung had shut himself away in his quarters, devoting himself to the White Lightning Tenfold Technique and cultivating internal energy, the one disturbing him wasn't the Smiling Immortal Sect or Ouyang Hou, but rather a different kind of formidable opponent—the so-called Four Scoundrel Kings.
News of the return of the First Young Master of the Eunha Merchant Group had spread fast. With so many people coming and going through the merchant group, rumors traveled just as quickly.
Even the drunkard from the lower village and the wastrel from the upper village knew about it. The failed scholar with chronic stomach problems and the womanizing wanderer had also heard the news. Those who had once swindled money from the First Young Master, and even dragged him into gambling dens, had all been eagerly awaiting the return of their favorite sucker.
Among them, it was the trio belonging to the Women-and-Wine Life-and-Death Gang who were most genuinely pleased.
These three were Sima Geuk, Zhu Jaryang, and Gu Ung. Add Lee Jin-Eon to the mix, and they became the four-man group known as the Women-and-Wine Life-and-Death Gang. Others called them the Four Scoundrel Kings, but they proudly referred to themselves as the Four Heavenly Kings of the Women-and-Wine Life-and-Death Gang.
What all four had in common was a total lack of meaningful occupation. Sima Geuk had considerable martial talent, but that was all he had—he repeatedly failed the entrance exam for the Murim Alliance, making him a perpetual exam candidate.
Zhu Jaryang was eloquent and well-studied, but his chronic diarrhea and stomach aches would always flare up during tests, earning him a reputation as a failed scholar.
Gu Ung, heir to West Wind Escort Agency, was second only to Lee Jin-Eon in money-burning habits, yet had no job to speak of. His father, having suffered much in life, had never permitted Gu Ung—his only child and a late-born son—to take part in escort missions. In a way, he was an overprotected man.
Compared to others, they had a shred of conscience, but even they were unashamedly fond of and envious of the First Young Master's money.
The three walked shoulder to shoulder as they arrived at the Eunha Merchant Group and called out for the First Young Master. It was already deep into the night, the bright moon shining overhead.
.
.
.
When Dan Woosung appeared at the front gate, the problematic trio threw their arms wide open.
"You're alive, you bastard!"
"Wahahahaha!"
The three rushed in, grabbed hands with Dan Woosung in the center, spun in circles, and started singing.
"Our sucker young master has returned!"
"He's back to blow cash. Blow it, blow it, blow all that money!"
"The greatest of all, the First Young Master of the Eunha Merchant Group has arrived. Pour the drinks, sing the songs, strip the clothes!"
Even Dan Woosung couldn't help but laugh a few times like air was leaking from his lungs. These three were, at least, the few people from the past he had once been close with.
Still, they were undoubtedly madmen.
They shamelessly called their friend their sugar daddy and sucker young master right to his face. They were fools stuck in the madness of youth.
They may have been important friends to Lee Jin-Eon, but not to Dan Woosung.
Dan Woosung hadn't come out to catch up with friends. Whether it would be for a while or forever, he had come to sever ties.
As he calmly looked over the friends who existed only in his memories until now, Dan Woosung spoke.
"Let's go. To Silver Jade House…"
The three pointed toward Silver Jade House and sang in chorus.
"Let's go get drunk—aaah!"
Dan Woosung planned to offer today's drinks to the dead First Young Master. He hadn't even been given a proper memorial service despite being dead. The four of them stormed into Silver Jade House, sat around a square table, and began making a ruckus even before the drinks arrived.
Sitting next to him, Gu Ung started poking and prodding Dan Woosung's body.
"What the hell? Why's your body all stiff and weird? You been doing push-ups in a safe house this whole time? What's with this? Were you tortured by someone?"
Gu Ung had already noticed something had changed about Lee Jin-Eon's body the moment he approached. He was now pressing down on his friend's firm chest.
Sima Geuk, who had also noticed the change earlier, looked at Dan Woosung with curiosity.
'What the hell? He really learned martial arts?'
He could feel energy flowing from Dan, and Sima Geuk was clearly the most surprised.
Once the drinks arrived, Dan Woosung personally poured liquor into four cups.
Even then, Dan Woosung kept his mouth shut. It was a meaningful silence. Only then did the trio realize for sure that the First Young Master of the Eunha Merchant Group had truly changed. They exchanged glances and blinked.
The failed scholar Zhu Jaryang asked,
"Are you really Jin-Eon?"
Dan Woosung poured the last cup for himself and replied,
"That guy's dead."
Zhu Jaryang nodded and said,
"I see. That piece of trash. Good riddance. Let's drink to celebrate."
The other two burst into laughter.
"Hahaha…"
Dan Woosung also grinned.
The four of them looked at each other briefly, then drank. Zhu Jaryang was the first to empty his glass and spoke up.
"You really did change. What happened? Something must've gone down."
Dan Woosung nodded as he picked up the bottle again.
"Something did."
Once again, he poured silently. The gurgling sound filled the quiet. The second round was poured.
When Dan Woosung raised his glass without a word, the others followed with increasingly serious expressions. They could feel it—he truly wasn't the same person.
Dan Woosung asked,
"I've changed, but what about you guys?"
It was a simple question, but something about it stirred the others.
They each responded.
"What do you mean, what?"
"Beats me, man."
"If we were the kind to change easily, we wouldn't be us. Just drink."
Dan Woosung wasn't speaking much because every time he drank, memories of their past drinking sessions together came rushing back.
As he reached for the bottle again, Gu Ung, who had the weakest tolerance, grabbed his head and groaned.
"Let's take a break before we keep going. What's the rush?"
Dan Woosung said,
"Women-and-Wine Life-and-Death Gang. Just drop dead, you bastard."
Gu Ung sighed.
"Ah, shit… It is Jin-Eon. I was hoping it wasn't."
Dan Woosung poured another round, and the four drank again. For some reason, the liquor felt especially strong today. They were drinking without any snacks, swept up in the mood, so it was no wonder they were quickly getting drunk. After three rounds, the Four Scoundrel Kings of the Women-and-Wine Life-and-Death Gang all fell silent.
After a moment, Zhu Jaryang spoke, both happy and bitter.
"You really have changed. Congrats. Whatever it was that happened, it doesn't seem bad."
Sima Geuk asked,
"Who did you learn martial arts from? No way you figured it out on your own."
Dan Woosung looked at his friends and said,
"I was given a chance."
Sima Geuk nodded.
"So it's that legendary Jianghu fortune, huh? Never thought it'd be you. That's wild."
Since it was common not to reveal one's master, they didn't press. Seeing the guy who used to only chase after women and booze now seemingly mastering martial arts, the mood grew even stranger.
Gu Ung spoke, sounding disappointed.
"Feels like our youth just ended out of nowhere. This sucks already. Honestly, I knew this day would come. Dammit, it's over, you bastards… I'm the one who said we should kidnap this sucker when he went back to the safe house, didn't I? Now the scoundrel's grown up and come back. The world's gone nuts."
This time, no one laughed. The three of them exchanged bitter glances.
Dan Woosung's demeanor had already answered everything.
It was clear that he would no longer associate with them going forward. The fact that the friend they thought would mature the latest had changed first left them all quite shocked.
Dan Woosung smiled and asked,
"How have your elders been? In good health?"
The three began to answer, and only then belatedly asked about the Merchant Lord, who had reportedly collapsed some time ago.
Dan Woosung replied,
"He'll be up soon. He's a strong man…"
Sima Geuk, who kept up with Jianghu affairs more than the others, asked,
"I've heard some talk about the Smiling Immortal Sect in tavern conversations lately. Rumor has it they've decided to work with your merchant group. It didn't sound like something that made sense. What's going on?"
Dan Woosung nodded.
"Yeah, I've heard a bit. But the reason behind it is obvious."
Zhu Jaryang replied as if it was plain as day.
"Money, of course. Damn thieves, they're worse than us."
Sima Geuk added, as if giving a heads-up,
"There's word they're planning to set up a branch here. Groups like your Eunha Merchant Group and other major firms make this place attractive. Actually, it's surprising that no sect has established itself here until now. Just collecting tribute from this place would be pretty profitable."
Dan Woosung let out a crooked grin. This was news to him. Perhaps because they were drinking buddies, they knew a lot about what went on in the nearby pleasure quarters and taverns.
Dan Woosung asked, just in case,
"Does the Captain of Guard Division, Ouyang Hou, frequent the brothels too?"
Zhu Jaryang nodded.
"Ouyang Hou? That guy's in and out of them constantly. How much is your merchant group paying him every month? He practically lives at Golden Blossom House—goes there like it's his own room. Wouldn't be surprised if he was embezzling company funds."
Dan Woosung folded his arms and replied,
"So the man called Captain of Guard Division has been hanging around the brothels even when the Merchant Lord is bedridden, instead of watching the perimeter. Even now, the Vice-Captain is guarding… What a cushy life. I should pay him a visit soon."
Sima Geuk said,
"Handle Ouyang Hou carefully. It's not him that's scary, but the Ouyang Family behind him."
"I know."
Even among hopeless scoundrels, there was still some sense of loyalty.
Gu Ung stared at his empty glass with a sunken expression.
"Damn it, I thought this was a welcome-back party for a fellow scoundrel, but it turns out it's a farewell drink. Let's drink and call it a night. Gu Ung's lost his taste for alcohol today."
The three each reflected on what they were doing with their own lives. It didn't feel like their friend had returned—it felt like he had gone somewhere far away. Feeling a strange mix of emotions, Sima Geuk, who hadn't responded to Gu Ung's pathetic ramblings, looked at Dan Woosung and asked,
"So what are you going to do now?"
Dan Woosung replied,
"There's a debt I have to repay related to my sect. I'll keep preparing while overseeing the merchant group. Other than getting stronger, I have no other interests."
Sima Geuk nodded, then picked up the bottle himself and filled the empty glasses.
"For someone with that kind of resolve, you still came to see us. Thanks for that. If you ever need help from us scoundrels, don't hesitate to reach out. One day, we'll pay for the drinks. Let's have just one more and call it."
No one objected to ending the gathering there. It felt like a turning point in life had arrived, and youth had suddenly become a distant memory.
The four raised their full glasses, met each other's eyes, and quietly drank. That truly marked the end of their drinking session.
A moment later, the three of them stood outside awkwardly, while Dan Woosung, heading in the opposite direction, looked back at them on his way to the Eunha Merchant Group.
The three waved their hands with awkward expressions.
"Go on."
"Take care."
"Train hard. Don't get your ass kicked somewhere."
Dan Woosung nodded and replied,
"Farewell, friends."
Sima Geuk, watching blankly as his friend disappeared into the distance, muttered,
"He didn't come home, he left for Jianghu."
Gu Ung, still staring at the brightly lit night street, spoke in lament,
"Damn, tonight feels lonely as hell. Let's go too."
Then the failed scholar Zhu Jaryang looked toward a nearby brothel and replied,
"Where to? There? Golden Blossom House? The three of us?"
Gu Ung smacked the back of the scholar's head.
"Go home, you bastard. Go study, you damn exam flunky."
Rubbing the back of his head, Zhu Jaryang calmly replied,
"Hey, how many times do I have to tell you? It's not that I don't know how to study, I just suck at taking tests."
"What's the difference?"
"There is one."
.
.
.
Dan Woosung walked the nighttime streets alone, and upon reaching a familiar neighborhood, turned down an alley. He wasn't heading home, but to a place where he had poured out countless amounts of money. A place he considered far worse than alcohol or brothels.
< Fist King, Farewell > End