Chapter 26
Chapter 26
26.
The Shop Assistant Hides His Martial Arts
When Heukdo suddenly emerges as the most fearsome force in the Martial World, there's one thing they all have in common.
The top and bottom think of each other as brothers.
It's difficult to gauge the strength of such Heukdo based on numbers alone. That's because they fight with a truly savage intensity when they lose a brother.
In my opinion...
That's the essence of Heukdo.
Ganghoin's power can be broadly classified into Inner energy and External Energy, but the power derived from human rage cannot be understood by common sense. Of course, these guys weren't a Heukdo force strong enough to consider each other brothers.
Even though the Pavilion Lord was dead, no one else stepped forward.
I glanced at the table and noticed the food was gradually getting cold.
"Let's eat first while we talk. Wow, what a feast."
I sampled various dishes with my chopsticks while observing the kneeling men.
One of them cautiously asked me.
"Are you going to spare us?"
I tore off a piece of the roasted chicken and replied.
"That's a difficult thing to do. Why would I?"
As soon as I said it was difficult, a few of them exchanged glances.
Seeing this, I warned them.
"Even dogs aren't bothered when people are eating. If you make me a dog during my meal, I'll kill you more cruelly than your Pavilion Lord. Calm down. If you don't want to die."
Those who were trying to escape or resist held their breath again and waited after hearing my strange threat.
The man who had spoken earlier asked again.
"Is there anything you want? If you're going to kill us all, we'll have no choice but to fight to the death. Please give us a way out."
I looked at the man who spoke, mixing suggestion and threat skillfully.
"Are you a negotiator? Why don't you reveal your identity before making offers?"
In response to my question, a man with a rather plain topknot for a Heukdo member replied.
"I am Secret Inspector Sima Fei."
"Sima Fei, huh..."
I briefly searched my memories of my past life.
Most of these guys were going to die together for being involved with Geumbong Kakju, so I lacked information about them. I mostly knew the future, but the less famous they were, the less likely they were to be in my information.
"Topknot, what do you think is happening right now?"
Sima Fei answered honestly to survive.
"It seems like something absurd that I never expected is happening."
"You never dreamed I'd win, did you?"
"That's right. To be more honest, if your skills were similar to the Pavilion Lord's, we would have joined forces and turned the tables."
"But?"
"I sensed that you weren't showing your full strength, so I restrained a few of the more excitable ones."
"Impressive. To see through the trick of the Shop Assistant hiding his Martial arts."
"Um..."
I was like that in my past life too.
Hiding one's full power is always effective and fun. I scrutinized Sima Fei's eyes and physiognomy again before saying.
"Is it because you're a Sima? You have the face of a strategist."
Despite being praised, Sima Fei's expression remained serious.
"You can read faces too?"
I pointed at Sima Fei with the chicken bone I had stripped of its meat.
"You have the face of a strategist, so I'll spare you. It's only natural to survive if you're quick-witted. You pass."
Sima Fei replied with a startled expression.
"Yes? What about the others then?"
"Who knows who will report to the Black Cat Clan?"
"I will never report it."
"That's impossible. If a full-scale war breaks out with the Black Cat Clan right now, my journey will become troublesome. Everyone except you will attack me. You can all attack at once."
I threw the chicken bone anywhere, as if I was going to fight again.
"Wait!"
Sima Fei shouted urgently, calmed his companions' excitement, and said to me.
"Isn't it enough if we absolutely don't report to the clan?"
I replied with a seemingly cold expression.
"How can I believe that? It's impossible."
"Then do you believe me?"
I glared at Sima Fei.
"You're going to report it? Judging by your eloquence and physiognomy, you seem like the next person in charge..."
"That's right."
"Do you think you can survive by reporting to the higher-ups? Even if you survive, you'll be treated like a cripple in the future. You stood by and watched Geumbong Kakju die without a scratch. You're going to die anyway even if you return to the Black Cat Clan. Well, the rest of you aren't going to have a smooth career in the Black Cat Clan either. Half-traitors, I suppose."
Only then did Sima Fei realize the cold reality.
That was indeed the atmosphere of the Black Cat Clan.
Moreover, even though Sima Fei was an Inspector, he had been turning a blind eye to the Pavilion Lord's embezzlement, so Sima Fei's crime was no less serious than Geumbong Kakju's.
As I was about to draw my sword, Sima Fei said urgently.
"I've come up with a plan! Please listen to me once before you decide. I beg you."
I chuckled and replied.
"Wow, already? It seems like Zhuge Liang or Sima Yi would have to be reincarnated to come up with a plan."
"We can embezzle the money in the manor ourselves. Commit a crime publicly. Together."
As soon as Sima Fei finished speaking, a chilling wind blew.
Sima Fei continued earnestly.
"In fact, there's a lot of money that the Pavilion Lord embezzled in this manor. If it's reported to the higher-ups, the entire Geumbong Kakju will have to die. Because we cooperated."
"How will they know you embezzled it?"
"Of course, we can all transport the money to Ilyang Prefecture. We openly moved the embezzled money ourselves, so we become accomplices who can't escape."
"If the news gets out, the Black Cat Clan will swarm Ilyang Prefecture, won't they?"
Sima Fei said.
"This is a last stand. And isn't that why you killed Geumbong Kakju, because you were somewhat prepared for it? We will join the last stand. And if we keep our mouths shut to survive, we can buy some time. All of this is better than dying here right now."
This guy seems to be misunderstanding something.
Even if the entire Black Cat Clan comes, they can't catch me anyway.
Compared to the Murim Alliance's Celestial Net of Earth, it would be like a Martial World hopeful showing off in a school or military academy, and compared to the Demonic Sect's Celestial Net of Earth, it wouldn't even be a drop in the bucket.
I'm the one who ate three meals a day in the Murim Alliance and Demonic Sect's Celestial Net of Earth.
There was no need to boast with words, so I didn't say anything.
"That's also true. It's going to happen anyway since Geumbong Kakju is dead. Then I'll supervise the procession, and you guys transport the money. Crime should be done together."
Sima Fei, who thought he had saved his companions, advised like a strategist with a happy tone.
"There are several ways to connect the disappearance of the Pavilion Lord. Relations with Black Fan Stronghold have been uneasy lately. There are also the Twelve Divine Generals."
"Sima Strategist, don't involve the Twelve Divine Generals right now. It's tiring."
"Strategist?"
I looked at Sima Fei with a serious expression.
"You're a Sima, right?"
"Yes."
"Then you're Sima Strategist. Not yet a Great Strategist, though."
"Um."
When a Martial World organization recruits a strategist, the Sima and Zhuge clans are the best.
I don't know why.
How can I know everything in the world?
Whether Sima Fei was flustered or not, I recruited him as a strategist.
"We need to arrive in Ilyang Prefecture within an hour. Sima Strategist, you will supervise the procession with me. You're in the lead, I'm in the rear. If bandits or anything interfere, kill them without asking questions. Let's go."
Sima Fei replied.
"Yes, I understand."
Sima Fei briefly gathered his companions as if to organize the chaotic atmosphere and comforted them.
"This is the only way to survive. It's been precarious lately anyway. If even an Inspector from another organization had been attached, the manor would have been robbed. If the Pavilion Lord died, we would have been discarded like hunting dogs. What do you all think?"
Sima Fei was originally a man who had been receiving bribes mixed with threats from Geumbong Kakju and had no way out.
"Let's do that."
I entrusted the secret fund transportation operation to Sima Fei and picked at the food again with my chopsticks. Then I called Hyeokryeon Hong, who was walking around with a haggard expression.
"Our Hyeokryeon Hong messenger, it's good to see you alive again. Come here."
"Ah, yes."
Hyeokryeon Hong, who had come as a messenger, approached hesitantly. He had watched Geumbong Kakju die without much resistance, so he was very intimidated.
I asked.
"Are you going to run away while looking for an opportunity? Your eyes are seriously wandering around."
"No. I have no intention of doing that."
"Right? Don't do that. I'm much faster than you. The only place you can run to is hell. But today the weather is unusually clear, so I'm thinking of finishing things off with just killing Geumbong Kakju. Don't show off your nimble feet in front of me. Don't make me kill more people."
"Yes."
"As you know, if I see blood right after eating, my stomach gets upset."
Hyeokryeon Hong's expression became haggard.
"Anyway, this is the best way. If things go wrong, the only way is to kill you all. I might not mind if it's someone like Geumbong Kakju who's done some sword fighting, but if I keep killing useless guys, I'll feel unpleasant. Don't make me do that. Got it?"
"I understand."
I wasn't very interested in money, so I wasn't very happy.
So I was thinking of pouring this money into building a Martial World clan like an inn, and if there was any left over, I would buy some cheap Elixir to eat as a palate cleanser, like exchanging it for candy.
I plan to scatter money like flower petals all over the world as soon as I earn it.
In the life of a Ganghoin, where you never know when you'll fall off a cliff, money isn't that important.
Remember.
Money is to be earned and scattered.
I would be satisfied if I could eat Chicken Head Noodles three meals a day and beat up crazy monkeys.
This must be what they call simple contentment.
* * *
I returned like a triumphant general with the wealth Geumbong Kakju had embezzled and his subordinates. All the merchants came out to see the procession I had brought.
While the secret funds were safely entering the Plum Blossom Brothel, I said to Sima Fei.
"Anyway, the embezzlement is a success."
Sima Fei replied.
"That's right. Since we moved the embezzled money together, we've lost all justification for returning. Thank you for your generosity."
I replied in a nonchalant tone.
"There's no need to thank me. I don't intend to spare anyone who causes trouble here anyway."
"I will coordinate and control things well so that no one causes trouble."
"You should also think about what to do with the remaining people."
"For example, what kind of work?"
"This is a place where commerce is developed, so you can't just live like a Heukdo gang, training Martial arts. There are restaurants, Iron Squad, inns, and construction work. We can't place them in the House of pleasure. There are many women, so there will be problems. You talk to the rabble and discuss it."
"Yes."
"I have many sub-organizations. If more Heukdo members are gathered in the future, I will temporarily create the Black Gate, so keep that in mind. Until then, do ordinary work. Useless bastards who haven't even done ordinary work..."
After saying that, I felt a little prickling inside.
Chicken Head Noodles came to mind.
"I understand. But you said there are many sub-organizations, what is the main organization?"
I watched Sima Fei's expression and said.
"We are Number One Under Heaven, Hao Sect."
"Hao Sect... I've never heard of it."
I frowned and replied.
"Really? You've never heard of it?"
"Ah, yes. I'm sorry. I don't have much knowledge..."
"It's okay. It's a sect that I roughly created recently. But the point isn't that it's rough, the point is that it was created."
Sima Fei, who didn't understand what I meant, quickly managed his expression and replied.
"Ah, I understand."
Sima Fei thought that the word 'Hao' meant low and dirty, so it was a very unsuitable combination of words for the name of a sect, but he couldn't say it out loud.
Because Sima Fei was making a dazed expression, I asked.
"What are you thinking about so much?"
"Ah, yes. So... you said Number One Under Heaven, so I was thinking about that point."
"Number One Under Heaven, bottom of the barrel lives."
Sima Fei immediately understood.
"Ah..."
"Why? You don't think that's you?"
"No. That's me too. It's always been like that. I was at the bottom."
I nodded with a serious expression.
"Then that's good."
After a while, I added a word.
"Pass."
Only then did Sima Fei smile for the first time, then quickly managed his expression and replied.
"Thank you."