Chapter 92. As of Today, I’m in a Bad Mood.

Why did it feel so unpleasant to watch a bastard smile so happily when he’d lost to me in a contest of internal energy, been slapped by me, then taken laxatives and shit himself?

“Quit laughing so damn much.”

Jwasa replied with a grin.

“Master spoke so highly of you, so I thought you must be something impressive, but you’re just a country bumpkin who knows nothing. Fine. I’ll stop laughing.”

“Pants-shitter, anyone can sweet-talk someone with a few words and fool them. I’m saying there’s no need for you to be proud of having met one woman after another.”

Jwasa replied in a serious tone.

“Anyone can do it, but I don’t think you can. Wouldn’t you slap the woman first while talking to her? After a few words, wouldn’t you start roaring at her, grab her by the hair, throw her aside, and tell her to get lost? Am I wrong?”

“…….”

“I’m right, aren’t I? Hahahahaha.”

This mad bastard even pounded the table as he laughed. I smiled a little too. Looking back, I think I was like that in my previous life.

No.

In truth, I am a man who does not remember it well.

When I called the waiter, paid for the drinks, and stood up, Jwasa asked.

“Leaving already? Where are you going? Setting off to find true love? Where do you have to go to find it? Hey, don’t do that. Just settle down in Baengeungji. This place is full of beauties compared to anywhere else. The place where those famous Namgung bastards play around and this place still have a lot of beauties.”

The waiter, who had been listening while calculating the bill, cut in.

“I hope you find true love.”

Jwasa burst into laughter again.

“Pahahahaha…….”

I said to Jwasa with a calm expression.

“If I have something to ask my senior while training, I’ll come find you.”

Jwasa nodded.

“Don’t get cocky just because you won one internal energy contest. Train hard. Ah, if Master looks for you, where should he go?”

“I’ll be at the Black Cat Gang, so come there.”

“Hold on. Aren’t you the Hao Sect Leader?”

“I’m beating, killing, taking in, and absorbing every black path bastard who gets in my way. I’m the leader of the Black Cat Gang.”

“Ah, is that so?”

He seemed to have something to say, but I had no further business with him, so I headed back. From behind me, Jwasa offered his farewell.

“Go on, country bumpkin. Go find true love, then come back.”

I nodded.

The path of a lonely, solitary man.

My life, which a lecher could never understand.

Suddenly, the Central Plains’ Greatest Beauty, the Righteous Path’s Greatest Beauty, and all sorts of Greatest Beauties with regional names attached from my previous life came to mind, along with female experts more famous for their looks than their skill.

It meant nothing in particular.

They simply came to mind.

Now that I thought about it, I think half of them had been harassed by me or cursed out by me.

But it was fine.

Because this time, I hadn’t harassed them.

Not yet, that is.

My steps became a little lighter.

On the way back, I deliberately chose mountain roads where bandits often appeared, hill paths, secluded paths, and roads good for ambushes, walking completely defenseless, but the bandits were nowhere to be seen.

‘No luck.’

Even though I was on my way back from Baengeungji, young, and dressed head to toe in white like a scholar.

I simply arrived at the Black Cat Gang without incident.

* * *

Nothing much happened at the Black Cat Gang either.

Since I had cleaned up all the black path forces in the nearby regions, peaceful days continued. Fortunately, So Gunpyeong had the atmosphere within the Black Cat Gang firmly in hand, and Cha Seongtae was training like a madman, so the mood was not bad.

I mainly practiced breathing circulation beneath the plum tree.

I had to build up the Fighting Rooster’s internal power further before I could try using the Lightning Sword Form or the Plum Blossom Sword Form. Of course, even now, it would probably be possible if I forced it. But in actual combat, it only had meaning if I could use it while leaving strength to spare.

Furthermore, the black iron I had sent to the Yongdu Ironworks had not yet returned in its completed form.

While waiting for the sword, I built up my internal energy.

And while building up my internal energy, I watched the plum blossoms scatter.

The one who brought change to this monotonous routine was a visitor I had expected would come soon.

Chief Steward Byeok reported.

“Gang Leader, a man who introduced himself as the leader of the Namyeong Association has come. For now, I have escorted him to the outer courtyard. He has quite a number of subordinates outside, but he entered alone.”

I opened my eyes and replied.

“Guide him to the main hall.”

He had come earlier than I expected.

It probably was not because a problem had already occurred with Ilwido River, the assassin organization. Most likely, someone had threatened him before using assassins, and he had come to discuss it.

Of course, Nam Garak, the leader of the Namyeong Association, would not know later on who had hired Ilwido River either. He would only realize it at the moment of his death.

If so, there was a high possibility that the matter Nam Garak had come to discuss with me now involved Ilwido River’s employer.

Would it be the Paegeom Society? Or the Namcheon Alliance?

When I took a seat in the main hall first, Nam Garak, guided by Chief Steward Byeok, entered alone.

How did I speak to that bastard again?

While I could not remember, Nam Garak opened his mouth first.

“Sect Leader, I’ve come.”

“You’re here?”

Unless it was a man on the level of the Sword Demon, even speaking politely was a bother. Nam Garak voiced his impressions after passing through the outer and inner courtyards.

“Your subordinates were training hard.”

“They’re useless bastards, so they have to if they want to survive.”

Seeing Nam Garak’s expression remain calm, I asked.

“Has something happened nearby?”

“I received word late, but it seems the Namcheon Alliance and the Paegeom Society clashed in a major fight not long ago. They already had overlapping spheres of influence, so they fought often. It’s nothing surprising.”

“And?”

“This time, there were quite a lot of casualties. At first, thirty or forty men fought at Ogyang, but as the fight dragged on, both sides sent reinforcements. Somehow, it escalated until even the Namcheon Alliance Leader appeared, and the Paegeom Society Leader appeared as well, and they fought a huge battle.”

“Who won?”

“It was a war of attrition where both sides suffered tremendous losses. If even one leader had died, people would be saying someone won, but that wasn’t the case. The area where they clashed was neutral territory too, so both sides returned home.”

What happened next was somewhat obvious.

“They say the Namcheon Alliance Leader went almost mad and ran wild. He contacted every nearby black path group, even those outside his sphere of influence, and suddenly notified them to join the Namcheon Alliance. Along with the threat that if they refused, he would exterminate their entire sect without fail once the fight with the Paegeom Society ended.”

Nam Garak pointed at himself with a finger.

“I received word as well.”

I nodded once.

“I see.”

Nam Garak continued.

“But a day later, the Paegeom Association contacted me as well. Their message was similar. In other words, all the nearby underworld factions are being forced to make a choice, just like me.”

“What do you think, Chairman Nam?”

“Naturally, I intend to refuse both.”

Resting my chin on my hand, I asked Nam Garak.

“I don’t know the detailed inner workings of the Namcheon Alliance or the Paegeom Association. In any case, I founded Haomun to protect the lives of working people as much as possible. I understand they’re both underworld factions. Even so, shouldn’t you know better which side is more wicked?”

Nam Garak explained.

“The Paegeom Association is an organization that grew by forcibly absorbing merchant companies. They have a lot of money. The merchant companies must have had no choice but to join because their tyranny was severe.”

“What kind of tyranny did the Paegeom Association commit?”

“For example, if the price of a certain item in some region was two standard silver taels, those bastards would send in a merchant company and supply it for one standard silver tael, disrupting the balance of supply, then negotiate with the local merchants. Since they make an enormous amount of money, they pressure people with money, and if that doesn’t work, they send martial artists from the Paegeom Association, and if that still doesn’t work, they hire assassins. That kind of thing.”

At Nam Garak’s words, I thought it was highly likely that the backer behind the One-Reed River Crossing was the Paegeom Association.

“What about the Namcheon Alliance?”

“The Namcheon Alliance is the underworld, literally. It’s a force created when the alliance leader, Sado Haeng, merged all the underworld factions in the Namcheon region by force. He jumped in alone in his late teens and created the Namcheon Alliance, so he’s the most famous man in Namcheon, and at the same time, he’s a man against whom the Paegeom Association’s vast wealth has no effect whatsoever.”

“Judging by their tendencies alone, the Namcheon Alliance seems better.”

Nam Garak replied as though troubled.

“That’s true, but this Sado Haeng is the king of Namcheon. If you introduce yourself as the Haomun Sect Leader, he’s the kind of man who would first tell you to kneel. That’s why I had no intention of going under either side.”

I folded my arms and replied.

“Where I am, I am the king. There can’t be two kings.”

“Haha, you’re no different from Sado Haeng.”

Before I had decided on anything, the door to the main hall opened, and So Gunpyeong reported.

“Gang Leader, the Paegeom Association has come outside.”

“The Paegeom Association?”

Now that I thought about it, I was also the leader of the Black Cat Gang at the moment. Still, it was curious that the Paegeom Association had reached all the way here. It seemed they were flailing desperately to finish each other off. I figured the Paegeom Association had so much money that they were gathering troops the way one would hire assassins.

I looked at Nam Garak’s expression, then answered So Gunpyeong.

“Tell them to come in.”

Nam Garak snorted.

“How absurd, coming all the way here.”

Suddenly reminded of Jwasa, I muttered.

“I haven’t been in a good mood lately, and they’ve come to see me at a very bad time.”

The door to the main hall flew open, and a man who seemed to be a messenger from the Paegeom Association looked at me and Nam Garak.

“Who is the leader of the Black Cat Gang?”

A man in his mid-twenties spoke as he walked in, then flopped down across from Nam Garak.

I looked at the man and replied.

“Me.”

The young man nodded, then gestured at Nam Garak with his chin.

“Tell your subordinate to leave.”

I glanced at Nam Garak, then answered the Paegeom Association martial artist.

“He’s not my subordinate. State your business.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll introduce myself first. I am from the Paegeom Association……”

“Hey.”

“……”

After calling out to the Paegeom Association martial artist, I continued.

“I’m not curious who you are, so state your business.”

The Paegeom Association martial artist glared at me while twirling his hair around his finger.

“Black Cat Gang Leader, you are truly arrogant. I came from the Paegeom Association.”

“Did you? I forgot.”

When I smiled and looked at Nam Garak, Nam Garak also let out a laugh. The Paegeom Association martial artist stated his business with a stiff expression.

“Three standard silver taels per martial artist of the Black Cat Gang. That is the daily wage. If the gang leader comes in person, ten standard gold taels. Even if you do nothing, we will calculate cleanly from the day you participate in the war and settle the payment. In particular, if the Great Rakshasa comes in person, we will pay fifty gold taels each day. Once all the personnel are gathered, we plan to annihilate the Namcheon Alliance in one stroke. If you refuse, instead of gaining money, you will have to endure the wrath of the Paegeom Association Leader. What will you do, Gang Leader?”

Nam Garak burst into laughter and said to me.

“They told me my men’s daily wage was five standard silver taels. It seems my subordinates are still worth more than the Black Cat Gang, after all?”

I laughed at Nam Garak’s words as well.

“Ah, to think I’d be looked down on like this. How embarrassing. I suppose it can’t be helped if they don’t even know the Great Rakshasa is dead.”

The Paegeom Association martial artist spoke with an unpleasant expression.

“Ah, so this side is also the head of an underworld faction. This is not my opinion. I am merely conveying the message to various underworld forces according to our instructions. And the Great Rakshasa is dead?”

Nam Garak ignored the messenger’s words and asked for my opinion.

“What will you do?”

“What do you think, Chairman Nam?”

Nam Garak expressed his opinion.

“To be honest, I wish the Paegeom Association Leader and the Namcheon Alliance Leader would just meet and settle the matter by competing one-on-one. I don’t know why they’re so desperate to get their subordinates killed. I don’t understand them threatening the surrounding forces into fighting either. Frankly, they both seem like idiots, so I have no intention of going under either of them.”

I nodded.

“I see. Chairman Nam’s words make sense. If you’re a man, that’s how it should be.”

The Paegeom Association martial artist rose from his seat.

“Is that your answer? I heard you well. Let us meet again after the matter is concluded.”

I shouted sharply.

“Pavilion Master So!”

The door to the main hall flew open, and So Gunpyeong answered.

“Yes, did you call?”

As So Gunpyeong answered while blocking the main hall, the Paegeom Association martial artist stopped walking.

I pointed at the Paegeom Association martial artist with my chin.

“He is a messenger of the Paegeom Association, whom we will soon be fighting. Spar with him once in the inner courtyard. Tell the men to gather and watch. I need to check the skill of a Paegeom Association underling.”

The Paegeom Association martial artist glared at me.

“Have you lost your mind?”

Ignoring his words, I said to Nam Garak.

“Chairman Nam, tell all your men to come in as well. The Nammyeong Association should check too. For now, I don’t like the Namcheon Alliance, and the Paegeom Association also pisses me off. Let’s get a rough grasp of the opponent’s skill before we fight.”

Nam Garak grinned and replied.

“Good. Let’s do that.”

I rose from my seat and said.

“You impudent messenger bastard, hurry up and prepare for the spar as well.”

As I went out to the main hall, I slapped the messenger bastard, who was standing still as if about to say something. With a thwack, the messenger tumbled to the floor. I said to the messenger, who looked at me while clutching his cheek.

“Are you deaf? Not getting up? I’ve already been in a foul mood lately, and now some backwater underworlder I’ve never even heard of is getting on my nerves.”

The messenger bastard got to his feet with an enraged expression and, in the end, put his pride on display again.

“Can you handle the consequences?”

I was not the sort of man to casually kill someone who had come as a messenger, so I suppressed my anger. But I could hit him. When I slapped him across the face once more, the messenger rolled three or four times across the floor.

“Messenger, just prepare for the duel. Unless you want to die from getting slapped.”

I went on ahead to the main hall with Nam Garak.