Chapter 31

31.

How Dare You Without Me?

"Answer me."

As I pressed him, So Gun-pyeong opened his mouth in a subdued tone.

"...Spare me."

So Gun-pyeong was a man who knew shame, as his face turned bright red.

I asked.

"Why? Do you have an old mother at home, or a cute daughter? If so, I should definitely spare you."

"Neither."

"Cases like that are a bit difficult. If you had a cute daughter, it would be unconditional."

So Gun-pyeong swallowed the words 'What nonsense are you spouting?' that he was about to say.

"There's a possibility somewhere, but officially, no."

"This bastard... playing with words."

"I'm sorry."

"I was going to treat you like Hang-woo if you came under me, but you don't want that either. But you want me to spare you, is that what you're saying?"

Subdued by shame, So Gun-pyeong barely managed to utter these words.

"I am a man who keeps his promises. If you spare me, I will never touch a Hao Moon Path again. I swear it. Not only Hao Moon Path, but I will never use my strength against anyone related to the Moon Lord. I swear on my sword."

From the start, I intended to take this guy as my subordinate, so I'm just planning to let him go for now.

My respected Waryong Seonsaeng personally demonstrated that even a guy with a steadfast heart can be made a subordinate if you capture him seven times and beat him up.

The important thing here is that he released them.

That's because the opponent still has no intention of coming under me.

The act of Seven Captures, Seven Releases itself is not important, Waryong Seonsaeng can be called a great man because he read people's hearts.

Frankly speaking, I'm also curious about how this guy has survived for so long. I'm the kind of person who has to find out if I'm curious about something.

"Go."

'It would be even better ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if you come back stronger. Because you'll be my subordinate anyway.'

For a connection to happen, the chemistry has to be right, but I didn't think it was right now. Since he's a guy who survives for a long time in Heukdo, I'll meet him again soon.

So Gun-pyeong frowned and replied.

"Where are you telling me to go?"

"Get lost, you bastard."

So Gun-pyeong asked back with a surprised expression.

"Ah, is it really okay for me to go?"

So Gun-pyeong, who had expected to be beaten to death or tortured to death, couldn't help but be surprised. Heukdo always imagines the worst-case scenario, so their tone and actions are rough.

I gestured again as if telling him to get lost.

So Gun-pyeong couldn't understand the reason why he was being spared, so he had no choice but to open his mouth.

"Why... are you sparing me?"

"Gun-pyeong, now I'm the only Ganghoin left in Ilyang Prefecture. How did I get here? I killed the human traffickers, buried the incompetent guys, and killed all the bastards running the House of pleasure. This kind of fight between Ganghoin is common. If you come back stronger, I'll accept your challenge again at any time. But instead..."

I glared at So Gun-pyeong.

"If I hear any rumors that you've killed merchants or ordinary people in the future, I'll mobilize all one million Hao Moon to find you and tear you apart limb from limb. Or bury you in the ground like Geumbong Kakju."

"One million...?"

"Why? Doesn't it seem like it? All the merchants in the world, whether they know Hao Moon or not, I am their Moon Lord. I have decided so."

"I will keep that in mind."

As So Gun-pyeong got up and opened the door, Cha Seong-tae hurriedly poked his head out and asked me.

"Are you letting him go alive?"

"Let him go."

"Um... I understand."

So Gun-pyeong bowed slightly in front of the door.

"Thank you for sparing me like this despite my defeat. I will keep my promise until I die."

While So Gun-pyeong was walking away, I muttered to myself.

"That's right. Madmen should fight madmen."

While I was muttering these words, Cha Seong-tae, who was habitually shaking his leg next to the door, stared at me blankly.

I asked Cha Seong-tae.

"Isn't that right?"

"Your words are wise. Madmen with madmen."

Cha Seong-tae pointed at me with his finger, then pointed at himself, and nodded once.

I felt slightly unpleasant.

"Don't point your finger, you bastard."

"I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

"For pointing my finger."

I taught Cha Seong-tae one of the ways of the Martial World.

"Seong-tae, don't you know why pointing is a bad thing? Aside from etiquette."

"Ah, is there another meaning?"

I raised one index finger and aimed at Cha Seong-tae with Finger Wind. The energy of Blazing Chicken swirled around my finger, and it began to turn red. Cha Seong-tae raised both hands with a pale expression.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I'll be careful."

"Don't point your finger at anyone carelessly. They might become a hot person burned by fire. Because that master might mistake you for a master of Finger Technique. Got it?"

"I will keep that in mind."

"Never provoke madmen. What awaits you is not abuse or assault, but death. And Chief Manager Cha."

"Yes."

"How long has it been ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠since I entrusted you with the Chief Manager position, and you haven't given me a report once?"

"What kind of report..."

"The total amount of slush funds, the existing assets of the Cho Family bastards, the costs invested in the Construction Sect, the daily meal costs of the Construction Sect, other miscellaneous expenses, cleaning fees, the current status of the manpower of the guys who came from the Black Cat Clan. Report everything. Organize it neatly in a document. If you're overwhelmed alone, finding a guy who's good at this is also the Chief Manager's job."

"..."

For a moment, Cha Seong-tae stood in front of the door with a blank expression. Cha Seong-tae replied with hazy eyes.

"Did you say it was execution if I was dismissed? My memory is hazy."

"You have a good memory."

"Is there anything other than execution?"

"Let's see, what could there be."

I pointed at Cha Seong-tae with my finger.

"Being dismissed, being pointed at. Choose. Since I'm also a Moon Lord overflowing with consideration... I'll give my subordinates a choice too."

Cha Seong-tae clasped his fist and replied with a serious expression.

"Moon Lord, I will organize it and report it. But instead..."

"Instead of what?"

"Please set the Chief Manager's monthly salary to be the highest in Hao Moon. I can't work like this."

This bastard is doing this again. I clicked my tongue once and reluctantly allowed it.

"Alright. Do it that way."

"Thank you."

Since I didn't spend a penny of my own money anyway, it wasn't a bad thing.

* * *

So Gun-pyeong, who safely arrived in front of the Plum Blossom Brothel, looked around with a bitter expression.

What suddenly came to mind was the words of the Black Cat Clan Leader.

[The opponent is a Shop Assistant. If you fail, take your own life.]

So Gun-pyeong muttered.

"No, I have no intention of dying. Why would I?"

His life was given to him by his parents, not by the Black Cat Clan Leader.

Before he knew it, it was getting dark, and So Gun-pyeong was hungry again. Without realizing it, he walked to the front of Chunyang Restaurant and made eye contact with Jang Deuk-su.

Jang Deuk-su was surprised as if he had seen a ghost and said this.

"Ah, you're alive."

As soon as Jang Deuk-su spat out the words, he hit his own mouth with his hand.

So Gun-pyeong remembered the words of the Hao Moon Lord and said cautiously.

"The interview just ended. By the way, can I eat a bowl of noodles?"

So Gun-pyeong really had nowhere to go right now. He was hungry, and the place where he was hit by the Hao Moon Lord throbbed.

Jang Deuk-su looked at So Gun-pyeong, smiled awkwardly, and said.

"I'm sorry, but we're out of noodles."

"Hmm."

So Gun-pyeong looked at Jang Deuk-su, sighed, and then, with a hopeful feeling, took out a silver coin from his pocket and threw it to Jang Deuk-su. Jang Deuk-su, who caught the flying silver coin with both hands, stood there with a surprised expression, and So Gun-pyeong said.

"I'll pay in advance."

Jang Deuk-su looked around here and there, then said to So Gun-pyeong in a small voice.

"Come in. Customer."

Jang Deuk-su had this thought.

Business is always done at the risk of one's life.

* * *

So Gun-pyeong said to Jang Deuk-su while eating noodles.

"...I thought I was going to die, but he spared me."

"Ah, is that so?"

Jang Deuk-su looked at So Gun-pyeong, who was eating noodles without any emotion. So Gun-pyeong said as if he was curious.

"Has the owner lived in this neighborhood for a long time? That person, he wasn't a Shop Assistant from the start, was he?"

"He used to be a Shop Assistant. I'm sure of it."

"Hmm, where did he learn his Martial arts? His skills are not ordinary..."

Jang Deuk-su replied while wiping the bowl.

"That's what I'm saying. We don't really know either. Suddenly, one day, he started acting like a different person. Jaha speculated that it was because he worked hard at Martial arts training after his grandfather passed away, who ran the inn in a mess."

"They said it's a group called Hao Moon. Do you know about it?"

"Yes, I am also a Hao Moon."

So Gun-pyeong tilted his head.

"I thought it was a group full of masters because it's called a Moon."

"That's not the case. Most people are ordinary like me. Most of them are working people."

"So that's why he said he was the only Ganghoin."

So Gun-pyeong, who had finished eating the noodles, didn't take his butt off the chair and just sighed deeply.

Jang Deuk-su couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

'I wish he would just get lost.'

So Gun-pyeong, who read Jang Deuk-su's thoughts, asked for his understanding first.

"I'm sorry. I have something to think about, so can I go a little later?"

"Please do."

Jang Deuk-su received a silver coin for a bowl of noodles, so he couldn't chase him out out of conscience.

"Should I make you something more? You paid too much."

"Ah, is that okay?"

"Of course."

"Anything is fine."

Jang Deuk-su deliberately caught his words and replied.

"There's no such thing as anything."

When So Gun-pyeong looked at Jang Deuk-su, Jang Deuk-su bowed his head slightly and said.

"I'm kidding. I'll prepare something myself."

Jang Deuk-su went into the kitchen and started boiling the broth again.

In the meantime, So Gun-pyeong pondered his failure and thought about the subordinates he had left behind in the Black Cat Clan.

If he went back, he would be killed by the Clan Lord.

If he left somewhere without saying goodbye to his subordinates, he thought that would be an unmanly act, so he couldn't help but worry deeply.

So Gun-pyeong muttered without realizing it.

"Life is not easy."

So Gun-pyeong thought it was a soliloquy, but Jang Deuk-su, who was in the kitchen, replied.

"That's how it is for everyone. Is there anyone who isn't?"

"Is that how it is for the owner too?"

"Well, I earn a living day by day. It would be bearable if there were no guys around demanding tribute. Jaha, or rather, the Hao Moon Lord, said that's all he wanted when he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠created Hao Moon."

"That's all...?"

Jang Deuk-su poked his head out from the kitchen and replied.

"The protector of ordinary working people, that is Hao Moon... that's what Jaha said."

As Jang Deuk-su disappeared into the kitchen again to make something, So Gun-pyeong crossed his arms and pondered.

While thinking about the Hao Moon Lord, he had this thought.

'He wasn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a complete madman...'

* * *

Jang Deuk-su put a whole pig bone used for pork bone stew into the pot and boiled it. It was a simple dish that used the broth used when making pork bone stew to add flavor.

A little later, Jang Deuk-su came out of the kitchen, gave three large pig bones to So Gun-pyeong, put the remaining three in his bowl, and said.

"Eat."

So Gun-pyeong looked at the boiled pig bones and said.

"What is this? It looks like pig bones."

Jang Deuk-su tore off the flesh of the pig bones and replied.

"Does it have a name? It's just pig bones. It tastes good."

So Gun-pyeong had just eaten noodles, but his mouth watered, so he grabbed the chopsticks. Then Jang Deuk-su said.

"Eat this with your hands."

"If my hands get greasy, it will be inconvenient to hold a sword."

"The only master in this neighborhood is Lee Jaha. You've already been defeated by Jaha. Eat with your hands."

"Well, I've already been defeated."

"That's right."

So Gun-pyeong also grabbed the pig bones with both hands like Jang Deuk-su and ate them, then crossed his arms as if he was about to say something with an impressed expression.

"Wow, this... wow."

"How is it?"

"This is really delicious. This is the first time I've had such a delicacy."

Jang Deuk-su smiled.

"I'm glad. It's worth doing business."

So Gun-pyeong swallowed once, then just as he was about to grab the pig bones again and bring them to his mouth... the door of Chunyang Restaurant opened with an eerie sound.

Creak...!

So Gun-pyeong, holding the pig bones in his hand, made eye contact with the Hao Moon Lord who appeared in Chunyang Restaurant.

"......!"

.

.

.

I glared at the pig bones that So Gun-pyeong and Jang Deuk-su were eating, then said with a frustrated expression.

"These bastards... without me. How dare you eat pig bones..."

So Gun-pyeong, who heard my words, quietly put down the pig bones that he had not yet touched.