Chapter 002: The External Squad's Duties

xx

It was the day of the monthly external squad meeting.

Even though I wiped the fingerprint off as usual, my duty changed from gatekeeping to patrolling.

‘Oh no! This is a big problem.’

Just when I thought I had a long way to go, I ended up with the least profitable assignment.

How am I supposed to achieve my goal like this!

With a heavy heart, I informed Yousoping of this fact, and he surprisingly took it well.

“It’s a pity, but what can we do? The duty assignments are rotated.”

Indeed, no amount of whining would change that.

The gatekeeping duty is the one everyone in other squads drools over.

“At least we got a silver coin each, so there shouldn’t be much to complain about.”

Yousoping got up from his seat and asked.

“So, which area are you assigned to?”

“Taeryong Road.”

Yousoping’s face crumpled.

***

As the sun set, we headed to Taeryong Road.

As the most bustling street in Gongyang City, it was lined with taverns and inns, and in the red-light district, half-naked women leaned out of windows, calling to passersby.

But why were the squad members’ expressions so grim?

Because this is the duty that requires the most effort.

The external squad serves a role similar to the police in modern society.

In other words, the busier the area, the more you have to be prepared for fights with drunkards.

Don’t think of them like drunkards in modern society.

No matter how much they pretend to be from a righteous sect, martial artists are essentially psychopathic killers who start swinging swords at the slightest provocation.

Moreover, when a skilled martial artist goes on a rampage, the powerless external squad warriors can only suffer.

“Let’s just endure it for a month. I’ll try to get a better assignment next time.”

“...Yes.”

Despite my encouragement, the squad members answered weakly.

But that moment of calm was short-lived.

“Thief! Catch that guy!”

“Eek! What are you touching!”

“You little brat! I’ll make today your last!”

“I’ll kill you all!”

Incidents started breaking out like a rising tide.

“Jinheng and Dangba, you go that way. Yousoping and I will take this side.”

“Yes!”

We split into two groups and ran around for three hours.

By the time it was close to midnight, the once bustling Taeryong Road had become quiet.

“I’m completely drained.”

“This is all because of the strange duty assignment, isn’t it?”

“It’s not up to me. I just follow orders from above.”

I consoled Yangjiang, who was grumbling, and headed to a nearby inn.

“I’m hungry. Let’s get some food.”

“Is the squad leader paying?”

“We’ll each pay our own.”

“Always felt that the squad leader is really stingy.”

He doesn’t understand how clean the culture of Dutch pay is.

“Welcome!”

“Bring us boiled pork and a bowl of noodles each.”

As I tossed a coin, the waiter bowed deeply.

It’s a bit of a waste, but he always gives me a bit more meat when I come.

If I only came once or twice, it wouldn’t matter, but since I come often, it’s a better deal to get a bit extra.

“Always appreciated, sir.”

After a short wait, the waiter brought a tray full of food.

“Enjoy your meal!”

“Thank you.”

The meal began.

“Slurp. Munch. Ah! Cough! Slurp.”

Yangjiang made noises that showed his appetite, but in the Dutch pay competition, the one who eats the most wins. I was also busy with my chopsticks.

“Shall we have a drink?”

“Sure.”

“Two bottles of white wine!”

“Coming up!”

Yangjiang ordered, and the inn owner, not a waiter, brought the wine.

“Hey, you guys. What are you drinking during work hours?”

It was Guo San, who had retired from the external squad and opened an inn.

Yangjiang, who usually got along well with him, spoke casually.

“Do you have a problem with that?”

“I’d be grateful if you buy me a drink.”

“Alright, then. What’s it to me.”

“By the way, how’s it going?”

“The new squad leader is more capable than I thought, so it’s been smooth.”

“Tsk, I thought someone from Dangtian Pavilion would be strict, but you’re surprising.”

As we chatted, a commotion came from upstairs, and a waiter rushed over.

“It’s a big problem, sir!”

“What’s all the noise about?”

“There’s a fight between martial artists upstairs!”

“Damn!”

Guo San clicked his tongue and got up.

“Will you be okay?”

Guo San showed his arm, revealing thick muscles from his twenty years of experience.

“I’m still in good shape. Don’t worry.”

“If you say so.”

With confidence, Guo San.

“Big problem! It looks like a fight between skilled martial artists. You guys need to help!”

He turned pale and ran down after just 30 seconds.

“We need backup if it’s skilled martial artists...”

Crash! Bang!

The sound of something breaking made Guo San’s face even paler.

He had just invested all his savings in the inn.

‘This is why opening a restaurant with your retirement money is risky.’

In reality, Gongyang City didn’t even pay a retirement bonus, let alone a weekend allowance.

“If you can resolve this, I’ll reward you with this much.”

Guo San spread his hands, indicating he would serve ten bottles of white wine.

It was a pretty satisfying quest reward, so I nodded quietly.

“I’ll resolve it and be back soon.”

“Will you be okay? They’re skilled martial artists, and there are two of them.”

“I forgot, I’m from Dangtian Pavilion.”

“Oh...”

In 21st-century South Korea, Dangtian Pavilion is like the law school of Seoul National University.

Although I joined the external squad to earn a living, the hard work and martial arts training I did there can’t be erased.

“I’ll be back before this drink gets cold.”

As I poured a glass of white wine, Yangjiang and Guo San looked at me with admiration.

“This is cold sake, by the way...”

I climbed the stairs and saw two men exchanging punches.

Bang!

The bald man seized the opportunity and hit the long-haired man’s chest several times.

“Ugh!”

Swish.

The long-haired man’s eyes turned red, and he suddenly drew his sword.

He was ready to draw blood.

If I didn’t act quickly, all the tables on this floor would be destroyed.

“Stop moving. Put your sword away. Using weapons inside the city is forbidden, don’t you know?”

“Can a swordsman not use his sword when fighting a martial artist?”

That’s a fair point.

“Regardless, fighting here is forbidden. If you want to fight, go outside. You’ll have to pay for the damaged tables. They were bought with the owner’s hard-earned money.”

“Hmph! I’m Kuaijian Sha Wengchao. Why would I listen to a mere external squad warrior?”

He said a typical line from a cheap, third-rate villain and raised his sword.

‘How much did he fail to learn...’

Even if I give a hundred excuses, people can get into fights while drinking. In the martial arts world, it can be more violent than in modern society.

But you shouldn’t cause harm to others, right?

Even after I put it mildly, he kept babbling, so I sighed.

“What do you think?”

The bald man crossed his arms and shook his head.

“Anyway, he attacked me unilaterally. If he puts his sword away, I’m willing to stop the fight. And I didn’t break the table, so I can’t pay for it.”

After hearing the bald man’s answer, I asked Kuaijian Sha.

“What will you do? Are you going to continue?”

“Hmph! I’ll kill both of you!”

He instantly closed the distance and lunged at me.

Simultaneously, he drew his sword.

Judging by his momentum and speed, he lived up to his nickname.

But.

I had seen this level of quick swordsmanship to the point of boredom at Dangtian Pavilion.

Click.

I stepped aside using footwork and grabbed his right hand with the San Yang Shou (三陽手), a common technique from Dangtian Pavilion, before he could draw his sword.

“Huh!”

“Are you going to continue?”

“Grr!”

In the end, he couldn’t draw his sword and tried to shake me off with a punch.

Boom! Crack.

My front kick hit his chest first.

“Thud.”

He flew like a cannonball and hit a wooden pillar, foaming at the mouth and fainting.

As I searched his body for compensation, the bald man approached and spoke.

“Kuaijian Sha is a well-known wandering martial artist in Yunnan Province. It’s impressive that he couldn’t even draw his sword.”

“So, you shouldn’t fight after drinking. You can’t even show half your true strength, which is why you end up like this.”

“He hardly drank any alcohol.”

“Well, then let’s say he’s weak.”

“What’s your name?”

“What do you need to know for?”

“Just in case we meet again. It’s good to know beforehand.”

“Jin Wuzhan. Squad leader of the 17th external squad.”

“Jin Wuzhan of the 17th squad... I’ll remember that.”

With that, the bald man left the inn.

I took three silver coins from the unconscious man’s pouch and gave them to Guo San, who smiled widely.

I kept the remaining two silver coins without him noticing.

***

The next day, after securing and imprisoning Kuaijian Sha in the external squad’s prison, I was enjoying a rare day off at home when a familiar face visited.

It was Jihualan, a junior from my Dangtian Pavilion days.

With a beauty like a red rose, fitting her nickname Honghua Xiujian (紅華秀劍), her arrival made the surroundings as bright as if 100 fluorescent lights had been turned on.

“It’s been a while, senior.”

“Indeed. How long has it been?”

“I haven’t seen you since you joined the external squad, so it’s been about two years.”

“You should have visited. I would have treated you to a meal.”

“Really?”

Of course, it’s a lie.

I need to save money to leave Gongyang City as soon as possible. How can I afford to treat others?

“Of course. Since I have night duty today, it’s going to be tough, but let’s have a meal another time.”

I made a vague promise, and Jihualan was pleased.

“Alright. I’ll visit soon.”

Yeah, I won’t treat you even if you come.

“By the way, what brings you here today?”

“I came to collect the money you borrowed.”

The sudden debt collection felt like a bolt of lightning.

‘I thought you had forgotten about it!’

“How much was it again?”

“Don’t you remember? With interest, it’s nine silver coins.”

“With coins?”

She answered, looking exasperated.

“With silver coins!”

“Ahem, my financial situation isn’t good right now...”

I subtly declared a moratorium, and Jihualan smiled.

“Of course, you can pay later.”

“Really?”

“Just sign this new IOU.”

She showed me the IOU.

It was the notorious high-interest loan IOU from the Red Dragon Gang.

‘Ugh!’

“I’ll pay.”

In the end, I took the money from under my bed, and she smiled, having recovered the old bad debt.

“If you need money in the future, just let me know. I’ll give you a special interest rate, senior.”

As she left, I couldn’t help but shed a tear of blood.

To collect the money and even charge interest, she’s really heartless.

“Ugh! Damn woman. I treated her so well.”

Thinking about it, she was acting strange from the beginning.

When I called her with a letter to borrow money, she stuttered.

‘What, what, what do you want to say? I’ll listen to anything today, just say it.’

She threw her pouch at my face.

‘Bad kid.’

She even swore and left.

Maybe, as the granddaughter of the notorious Red Dragon Gang leader, she has a personality disorder.

Anyway, how can I make up for this loss?

It’s a day that made my dream of the Three Concubines and a Mistress even further away.