No one likes to lose. Especially if that loss comes with the price of hard-earned military currency.
“Yawn…”
That’s why O Gyeong was feeling bored. For there to be a sound, hands and feet must match, and for gambling, there must be an opponent. As a peak martial artist and skilled gambler, O Gyeong was an overwhelming presence in the underground gambling den where martial artists gathered, yet finding a worthy opponent was difficult.
With only five peak experts visiting the underground gambling venue, he had already fought them to the point of exhaustion. In reality, there were no opponents left, except for the occasional challenger attempting to peek into the higher realm.
Due to this, O Gyeong’s gaze drifted towards the entrance of the underground gambling den.
He had sensed a strange presence.
No, rather than strange, it was alien. Because there wasn’t the slightest hint of a martial artist coming from the person walking in.
“Hmmm…”
O Gyeong fell into deep thought for a moment. Could it be a superb expert capable of deceiving even his eyes? He shook his head at that thought; a level of stealth so profound that even the attention of a peak expert couldn’t uncover any trace of martial arts was simply absurd.
Then, could it really be someone who hadn’t learned martial arts at all?
‘Well, I’ll find out by watching.’
O Gyeong carefully observed the man exploring the underground gambling den. It was a gambling den where military currency, a tool to obtain secret texts, was at stake. While personal transactions of military currency were forbidden since it was the driving force behind the Heavenly Demon Sect’s control of martial artists, the number of martial artists visiting the underground gambling den was considerable.
There were numerous reasons for this.
Some used it as a means to obtain military currency instead of working, others frequent it simply as a place for martial artists to gather and have fun, and some used it as a place to escape the burdensome gazes of commoners attached to the Heavenly Demon Sect’s ideology.
Given the diversity of people there, it was natural to find martial artists of lower realms or those eyeing the pockets of newcomers.
“Ah, is this your first time at the underground gambling den?”
“That’s right.”
Spotting a ripe target in the inexperienced-seeming man, a martial artist approached him and sat down at the table.
“I’m Yeom Sang.”
“Call me Dogwi.”
“Quite a grand name! Nice to meet you, Dogwi! Do you have any funds?”
Dogwi silently handed over a military currency.
“Eh? Just one military currency? What… well, it can’t be helped. Let’s have a hand of gambling. I’ll show you what my underground gambling den is like.”
And so, Dogwi’s one military currency transformed into five.
After the initiation ceremony, more people flocked to Dogwi. Since he showed no signs of having mastered martial arts, they might have thought he was an expert visiting the underground gambling den for the first time, but upon observing him for a while, they realized he hadn’t learned any martial arts at all.
For someone who hadn’t learned martial arts to possess military currency, it was fitting to assume the first to seize it would be the true owner.
“Let’s have a match!”
“Me too!”
Thanks to the martial artists who rushed in, Dogwi’s military currency increased from five to twenty-eight.
O Gyeong felt a strong interest in Dogwi.
Dogwi’s skills were at a level that even O Gyeong couldn’t help but admire.
Why was such a skilled individual, who could easily rake in money in regular gambling venues, resorting to gambling in an underground den?
Did he need military currency?
No.
Despite the military currency accumulating in real-time, there was not a trace of joy on Dogwi’s face or in his eyes. All that could be read from his expression was a burning desire.
What in the world was the author longing for?
At this moment, Dogwi must be feeling considerable pressure. Sensing the aura around them is one of the instincts shared across all beings, so even someone not knowledgeable in martial arts would feel the pressure emanating from the surrounding martial artists. What was it that he wished to achieve while enduring such pressure?
O Gyeong felt a sudden urge to jump into the game right then and there to find the answer to his questions, but he suppressed that impulse.
Although Dogwi was certainly a great gambler, he was not yet a match for O Gyeong.
Thus, O Gyeong decided to wait for Dogwi to grow.
As Dogwi gained experience by competing against the other martial artists in this underground den, he would eventually reach O Gyeong’s level.
Looking at it objectively, O Gyeong’s expectations were excessive. How could an ordinary person like him survive in an underground gambling den teeming with top-tier and peak martial artists?
But O Gyeong was confident that Dogwi would indeed reach him.
The desire he detected in Dogwi was colossal enough to achieve what many deemed impossible.
Unconsciously, O Gyeong leaned back comfortably against his seat.
Dogwi would undoubtedly reach him, but it would take some time before that happened.
Having prepared himself for a long wait, O Gyeong’s gaze followed Dogwi.
Whether or not he was aware of this, Dogwi simply faced the martial artists before him.
* *
In Dogwi’s life, what were martial artists to him?
To Dogwi, the martial artists at the gambling table felt biased and unfair.
Those who didn’t understand even the basics of gambling believed that just being a martial artist was enough to win, and when that assumption was challenged, they were always quick to draw their swords and harm others.
Rather than understanding and accepting the game of gambling, they insisted on imposing their own criteria on the table.
A considerable number of gamblers viewed this attitude as looking down on gambling skills and a disparagement of gamblers. They held negative views towards martial artists frequenting gambling venues.
Dogwi also considered martial artists similar to other gamblers.
However, unlike other gamblers, Dogwi did not hesitate to compete with these martial artists. He believed they made decent prey.
If he could outsmart them with sleight of hand, they felt profound humiliation and resentment, much like asking about a parent’s well-being, yet if the outcome leaned towards the luck of the game or other strategic elements, they often accepted their defeat graciously.
Typically, when people lose money, they hold grudges, but martial artists don’t seem to harbor resentment towards mere gamblers, provided their pride and dignity remain intact.
With that in mind, Dogwi often gambled against martial artists, believing he understood them a bit better than they understood him.
Yet, after competing with numerous martial artists in the underground den, Dogwi realized that his confidence was merely an illusion.
He hadn’t truly understood how to gamble against martial artists.
He simply poked at their weaknesses by understanding their tendencies. Moreover, the fact that he could exploit their weaknesses stemmed from the keen realization that the martial artists were never truly serious about gambling.
Only after reaching the underground gambling den did Dogwi begin to understand the true nature of martial artists.
He comprehended to what degree a top-tier martial artist could maneuver and the extent of their skills.
With the passage of time and continuous rounds of gambling, Dogwi gradually became accustomed to facing martial artists.
“Martial arts are not omnipotent.”
The techniques employed in gambling, while appearing as if they were adjusted to suit personal whims to outsiders, were anything but that. Techniques come with conditional requirements, and skilled gamblers naturally fulfill these conditions, which leads to such perceptions.
The same could be said for martial arts.
Even when one has mastered martial arts and gained inner power, there are specific moments during gameplay when one can effectively use that internal energy.
Looking back now, it seems evident, but it took significant time for Dogwi to realize this.
It stemmed from the preconceived notions embedded in his mind.
What is the respect for martial artists and martial arts in this world? Martial artists are seen as otherworldly beings, and martial arts are the foundation of their staggering powers. Dogwi himself held a vague illusion about martial artists and martial arts, making it difficult for him to grasp their true essence.
Meeting countless martial artists in the underground gambling den allowed Dogwi to shed his misconceptions and confront the real martial artists and martial arts.
Gradually, he became accustomed to them.
Although there remained a vast gulf in speed and technique that seemed insurmountable, Dogwi slowly began to get the hang of facing martial artists.
Despite consistently missing his opponents’ techniques and failing to keep pace, Dogwi was unconcerned.
He was in the process of figuring out when martial artists moved their spirit and when they executed techniques.
In the end, martial arts are skills, and inner power is a resource. Using technology requires understanding when to strike, and inner power also diminishes with use. Gradually grasping the essence of martial arts and inner energy, Dogwi started to overcome the techniques and skills of martial artists.
Months went by.
“Ha, I lost.”
Having accepted the surrender of a peak martial artist, Dogwi approached O Gyeong, the lord of the underground gambling den.
“Could you teach me a thing or two?”
O Gyeong smiled at Dogwi’s request.
“I’ve been waiting a long time.”
Finally, the matchup that O Gyeong had been waiting for began, and Dogwi suffered a humiliating defeat.
* *
“Do you know the saying ‘Four pounds to handle a thousand?’ You might have heard it before.”
“Sure.”
Dogwi nodded. It was a phrase he repeated to himself each time he felt the overwhelming techniques and accuracy of martial artists in this underground gambling den.
“With four pounds of strength, one can handle a thousand pounds. It’s often interpreted as overcoming the strength of an opponent with gentleness or advising not to give up in the face of overwhelming force, but that’s a distortion of its true meaning.”
O Gyeong read the confusion in Dogwi’s eyes and continued.
“When you gain the strength to control a thousand pounds, you can indeed handle it with merely four pounds of force. The true meaning behind ‘Four pounds to handle a thousand’ emphasizes the need to build strength.”
Dogwi’s eyes fluttered at O Gyeong’s words.
“You’ve been navigating this underground gambling den by your own means. However, that approach is surely a detour. Suppressing your opponent’s strengths while highlighting their weaknesses is a clever choice, but eventually, you will reach an unavoidable crossroads.”
Dogwi couldn’t argue against O Gyeong’s words; they were entirely accurate.
While he had grown accustomed to facing martial artists, it was almost solely about curtailing their full capabilities and minimizing the damage when they did unleash their strength.
Although he had managed to reduce the strengths of his opponents and maintain dominance, he remained oblivious when a martial artist truly concentrated.
“Have you been building strength or merely relying on tricks until now?”
Dogwi couldn’t provide a response. As he remained silent, O Gyeong speculated about his innermost thoughts.
Indeed, if anyone had overheard O Gyeong’s remarks, they would have likely found themselves in disbelief. Why are martial artists regarded as sources of fear and awe? It is because they possess overwhelming strength. Yet here he was, suggesting that an ordinary person like Dogwi should oppose such overwhelming power.
If someone of Dogwi’s status could find a way to confront the might of martial artists possessing inner power and martial arts, how could martial artists still hold the place they do in the world today?
Although gambling didn’t directly involve physical confrontation like combat, it would still be impossible for Dogwi to counter the skills of martial artists.
But he had to.
To surpass the opponent Dogwi mentioned, it was a necessity.
‘Ho Cheon-an.’
Upon hearing Dogwi’s mention of his rival, O Gyeong immediately recognized the identity. Despite the vastness of the world, was there another gambler with enough notoriety in the martial world to overshadow Dogwi besides Ho Cheon-an?
If Dogwi truly aspired to defeat Ho Cheon-an, overcoming the physical disparity with martial artists was the hurdle he must clear.
‘Ho Cheon-an would never grant mercy to someone of common birth at the gambling table.’
Could Dogwi possibly find his own answer to confront martial artists?
Logically speaking, it should be impossible. O Gyeong couldn’t fathom how someone as ordinary as Dogwi could uncover clues to match the overwhelming physical capabilities of martial artists.
Yet.
“Then until you’ve built strength, may I have a lesson from you, please?”
Seeing Dogwi’s unwavering determination despite his inability to articulate an answer, O Gyeong couldn’t help but feel a rising hope, thinking to himself that perhaps this man might achieve it after all.
“Very well. I won’t go easy on you.”
With that, O Gyeong smiled and willingly agreed to accompany Dogwi in his training.
* *
After sharing his thoughts, Dogwi took a sip from his cup.
“Ah! Truly remarkable! I know it’s rude, but as one martial artist, I can’t suppress my curiosity!”
Mo Yong Mo, who had unknowingly positioned himself at the same table where Dogwi and O Gyeong were sharing drinks, suddenly spoke up, his attention captivated despite previously being aloof.
“Have you found it? A way to see through a martial artist’s movements and the principles of martial arts?”
However, O Gyeong made no attempt to halt Mo Yong Mo’s actions. I too was curious about Dogwi’s answer, and unbeknownst to me, even the guests listening in leaned in with interest to hear what Dogwi had to say.
In response, Dogwi set his cup down firmly and replied,
“I will show you the answer tomorrow.”
It seemed that in tomorrow’s match, he would indeed have to use his martial arts skills.
