Chapter 31. How Dare You Without Me?

“Answer me.”

When I pressed him, So Gunpyeong opened his mouth in a calm, settled tone.

“……Spare me.”

So Gunpyeong was a man who knew shame, so his face turned bright red.

I asked.

“Why? Do you have an elderly mother at home, or perhaps a cute daughter? If so, of course I should spare you.”

“That is not the case.”

“That makes it a bit difficult. If you had a cute daughter, it would have been unconditional.”

So Gunpyeong had been about to say, “What kind of nonsense is this?” but swallowed it down.

“There is a possibility that they exist somewhere, but officially, I have none.”

“You bastard…… splitting hairs.”

“I am sorry.”

“I was going to treat you as a captain if you came under me, yet you refused even that. But now you ask me to spare your life, is that it?”

So Gunpyeong, cowered by shame, barely spat out these words.

“I am a man who keeps his promises. If you spare me, I will never touch Haomun again. I swear it. Not only Haomun, but I will never use force against anyone related to the Sect Leader. I swear on my blade.”

From the beginning, I had planned to make this guy my subordinate, but for now, I intended to just let him go.

The esteemed Mr. Wolong personally demonstrated that no matter how stubborn-minded a fellow may be, if you catch and beat him seven times, you can make him your subordinate.

The important point here is that he released him.

Because the opponent still had no intention of coming under me.

It was not the act of the Seven Captures and Seven Releases itself that was important, but because he read people’s hearts that Mr. Wolong could be called a great man.

To be honest, I was also curious how this guy had survived for so long. I am someone who must find out when I am curious about something.

“Go.”

‘It would be even better if you return after growing stronger. After all, you will become my subordinate anyway.’

For a connection to be made, the timing must be right, but I felt that now was not the time. Since he was someone who had survived long in the dark path, we would meet again soon.

So Gunpyeong narrowed his brow and replied.

“Where do you mean for me to go?”

“Get lost, you bastard.”

So Gunpyeong asked back with a surprised expression.

“Ah, may I truly go?”

So Gunpyeong had expected to be beaten to death or tortured to death, so he could not help but be surprised. Those of the dark path always imagine the worst-case scenario, which is why their speech and actions are rough.

I gestured again as if telling him to get lost.

So Gunpyeong could not help but open his mouth, unable to understand the reason he was being spared.

“Why…… are you sparing me?”

“Gunpyeong, I am now the only martial artist who survived in Ilyang County. Do you know how I got here? I killed the human traffickers, buried the worthless ones, and killed all those bastards running brothels. Such fights between martial artists are common. If you return after growing stronger, I will accept your challenge anytime. However…….”

I glared at So Gunpyeong.

“If I hear rumors that you killed merchants or ordinary people from now on, I will mobilize a million Haomun members to find you, tear your limbs into pieces, and kill you. Or I will bury you in the ground like Geumbong Gakju.”

“A million……?”

“Why? Does it seem untrue? All the merchants under heaven, whether they know of Haomun or not, are my people. I decided it so.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

The risen So Gunpyeong opened the door and went out, and Cha Seongtae hastily poked his head in to ask me.

“Are you sending him away alive?”

“Let him go.”

“Hmm…… understood.”

So Gunpyeong slightly bowed his head in front of the door.

“Thank you for sparing me despite my defeat. I will keep my promise until death.”

As So Gunpyeong walked away, I muttered to myself.

“You should. Crazy bastards should fight with crazy bastards.”

While muttering these words, Cha Seongtae, who had been habitually shaking his leg beside the door, stared blankly at me.

I asked Cha Seongtae.

“Isn’t that so?”

“You speak the truth. Crazy with crazy.”

Cha Seongtae pointed at me with his finger, then pointed at himself and nodded his head once.

My mood turned slightly unpleasant.

“Don’t point your finger, you bastard.”

“I apologize.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“For pointing my finger.”

I taught Cha Seongtae one of the ways of the martial world.

“Seongtae, do you not know why pointing fingers is a bad act? Putting manners aside.”

“Ah, well…… is there another meaning?”

I raised one index finger and aimed Jipung (指風) at Cha Seongtae. Fiery energy swirled in my finger and it began to turn red. Cha Seongtae raised both hands high with a pale expression.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I will be careful.”

“Do not point your finger recklessly at anyone. You might end up burning and becoming a hot person. Because that expert might mistake you for a master of Jibeop (指法). Understand?”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Never provoke crazy bastards. What awaits is not curses or violence, but death. And Chief Manager Cha.”

“Yes.”

“How long has it been since I entrusted you with the chief manager duties, yet you haven’t reported once?”

“What report……”

“Total slush fund amount, existing assets of those Joga bastards, costs invested in Chukmun, daily meal expenses of Chukmun, miscellaneous expenses, cleaning fees, manpower status of those who came from Heukmyo-bang. Report everything. Organize it in documents neatly. If it’s too much to handle alone, finding someone good at this is also the chief manager’s job.”

“…….”

For a moment, Cha Seongtae stood blankly in front of the door. Cha Seongtae replied with hazy eyes.

“Did you say execution if I’m dismissed? My memory is a bit hazy.”

“You have a good memory.”

“Is there nothing other than execution?”

“I wonder what there might be.”

I pointed at Cha Seongtae with my finger.

“Getting dismissed, or getting pointed at. Choose. As I am a Sect Leader overflowing with consideration…… I even give choices to my subordinates.”

Cha Seongtae clasped his hands and replied with a solemn expression.

“Sect Leader, I will organize it and report to you. However…….”

“However what?”

“Please set the chief manager’s monthly salary as the highest in Haomun. I can’t work like this.”

This bastard was coming out like this again. I clicked my tongue once and reluctantly permitted it.

“Alright. Do so.”

“Thank you.”

In any case, I hadn’t spent a single coin of my own money, so it wasn’t exactly a bad thing.

* * *

Having arrived safely in front of Maehwaru, So Gunpyeong looked around with a sour expression.

What suddenly came to mind were the words of the Black Cat Gang Leader.

[The target is a waiter. If you fail, take your own life.]

So Gunpyeong muttered.

“No, I have no intention of dying. Why should I?”

After all, his life had been given to him by his parents, not by the Black Cat Gang Leader.

Before he knew it, the sky had grown dark, and So Gunpyeong found himself hungry again. As he walked without thinking, his eyes met Jang Deuksu, who was standing out in front of Chunyang Restaurant.

Jang Deuksu started as if he had seen a ghost, then said,

“Ah, so you were alive.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Jang Deuksu slapped himself over the lips.

Remembering what the Sect Leader of Haomun had said, So Gunpyeong spoke cautiously.

“The meeting only just ended, you see. In any case, may I have a bowl of noodles before I go?”

So Gunpyeong truly had nowhere to go right away. He was hungry, and the places where the Sect Leader of Haomun had struck him were throbbing.

Jang Deuksu looked at So Gunpyeong, then gave an awkward smile and said,

“I’m sorry, but we’re out of noodles.”

“Hmm.”

So Gunpyeong looked at Jang Deuksu and let out a sigh. Then, just in case, he took a silver tael from his robe and tossed it to him. Jang Deuksu caught the flying silver tael in both hands and stood there in surprise. So Gunpyeong said,

“I’ll pay in advance.”

Jang Deuksu looked this way and that, then said to So Gunpyeong in a low voice,

“Please come in, sir.”

A thought occurred to Jang Deuksu.

Business was always something one did with one’s life on the line.

* * *

As So Gunpyeong ate his noodles, he said to Jang Deuksu,

“……I thought I was going to die, but he let me live.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Jang Deuksu looked at So Gunpyeong, who was eating his noodles without much emotion. So Gunpyeong spoke as though curious.

“Owner, have you lived in this neighborhood for a long time? That man wasn’t a waiter to begin with, was he?”

“He was a waiter in the past. That much is certain.”

“Mm. Did he learn martial arts somewhere? His skill is far from ordinary……”

Jang Deuksu answered while wiping a bowl.

“That’s what I’m saying. To tell the truth, we don’t know either. One day, he suddenly started acting like a completely different person. After Jaha’s grandfather passed away, he ran the inn like an absolute mess, so we can only guess that maybe it was because he trained hard in martial arts.”

“He said it was an organization called Haomun. Do you know about it too?”

“Yes. I’m also part of Haomun.”

So Gunpyeong tilted his head.

“Since it’s called a mun, I thought it would be an organization full of experts.”

“It isn’t. Most of us are ordinary, like me. The majority are working people.”

“So that’s why he said he was the only jianghu man.”

Having finished his noodles, So Gunpyeong remained seated and only kept letting out deep sighs.

Jang Deuksu could not help feeling uncomfortable.

‘I wish he’d just get lost.’

As if reading Jang Deuksu’s thoughts, So Gunpyeong first asked for his understanding.

“I’m sorry. I have something to think over for a moment. Would it be all right if I leave a little later?”

“Please do.”

Since Jang Deuksu had received a silver tael for one bowl of noodles, his conscience would not let him chase the man out.

“Shall I make you something more? You paid far too much.”

“Ah, may I?”

“Of course.”

“Anything is fine.”

Jang Deuksu tried needlessly seizing on his words as he replied.

“We don’t have ‘anything.’”

When So Gunpyeong looked at him, Jang Deuksu lowered his head slightly and said,

“It was a joke. I’ll prepare something myself.”

Jang Deuksu went into the kitchen and began boiling the broth again.

Meanwhile, So Gunpyeong chewed over his failure and thought of the subordinates he had left behind at the Black Cat Gang.

If he went back, the Gang Leader would kill him.

But to simply leave for somewhere without even saying farewell to his subordinates did not seem like the behavior of a man either, so his worries could only deepen.

Without realizing it, So Gunpyeong muttered,

“Living isn’t easy.”

So Gunpyeong thought he had been talking to himself, but Jang Deuksu, who was in the kitchen, answered,

“That’s true for everyone. Who would be any different?”

“Is it the same for you, owner?”

“As for me, well, I earn enough each day to eat that day. If only there weren’t bastards around demanding tribute, life would at least be bearable. They say that’s exactly why Jaha—no, the Sect Leader of Haomun—created Haomun.”

“If that’s exactly why……?”

Jang Deuksu poked his head out from the kitchen and replied,

“The protector of those who work ordinary jobs—that is Haomun…… That’s what Jaha said.”

When Jang Deuksu disappeared back into the kitchen to make something, So Gunpyeong folded his arms and sank into thought.

As he recalled the Sect Leader of Haomun, this thought came to him.

‘So he wasn’t a complete madman…….’

* * *

Jang Deuksu took whole pork bones used for gukbap and boiled them as they were. It was a simple dish flavored by pouring in the broth used to make gukbap.

A little while later, Jang Deuksu came out of the kitchen, served three large whole pork bones to So Gunpyeong, and placed the remaining three in his own bowl as he said,

“Please eat.”

So Gunpyeong looked at the boiled whole pork bones and said,

“What is this? It looks like pork bones.”

Jang Deuksu tore meat from a pork bone and replied,

“Would it have a name? They’re just whole pork bones. They taste good.”

Though So Gunpyeong had just eaten noodles, his mouth watered, and he picked up his chopsticks. Then Jang Deuksu said,

“Eat these with your hands.”

“If my hands get greasy, it will be inconvenient when I hold my sword.”

“The only expert in this neighborhood is Lee Jaha. You have already been defeated by Jaha. Eat with your hands.”

“True, I have already been defeated.”

“Exactly.”

So Gunpyeong also held a whole pork bone in both hands like Jang Deuksu and ate. Then, with an impressed expression, he folded his arms as if about to say something.

“Wow, this is…… wow.”

“How is it?”

“This is truly delicious. It’s the first time I’ve had such a delicacy.”

Jang Deuksu grinned broadly.

“I’m glad. It makes doing business worthwhile.”

Just as So Gunpyeong swallowed once, grasped the pork backbone again, and was about to bring it to his mouth…… the door of Chunyang Restaurant opened with a dreary sound.

Creeeak……!

So Gunpyeong, pork backbone in hand, met the eyes of the Haomun Sect Leader who had appeared in Chunyang Restaurant.

“……!”

.

.

.

I glared at the pork backbones So Gunpyeong and Jang Deuksu were eating, then spoke with a look of rising temper.

“You bastards…… leaving me out. How dare you eat pork backbones…….”

Hearing my words, So Gunpyeong quietly set down the pork backbone he had not yet bitten into.