Episode 92. I’m Not in a Good Mood Today.
Watching that bastard laugh — after losing our inner force duel, after getting slapped across the face, after once shitting his pants from laxatives — was infuriating beyond words.
“Stop laughing before I stop you myself.”
The Left Envoy grinned. “I thought you were something special since my master spoke so highly of you. Turns out you’re just a bumpkin with no manners. Alright, alright — I’ll stop laughing.”
“Crapper, anyone can sweet-talk women with a few clever lines. You don’t need to act like bedding them is some kind of talent.”
He replied dryly, “Anyone can, but not you. You’d probably start by slapping them, then yelling, then dragging them by the hair and throwing them out the door. Tell me I’m wrong.”
“…”
“See? I’m right, aren’t I? Hahahahaha!”
The lunatic laughed so hard he pounded the table. I even chuckled a little myself. Maybe he wasn’t entirely wrong. Perhaps I really had been like that… in my past life.
No. I can’t remember clearly anyway — that’s the problem with me.
I called for the waiter, paid the tab, and stood up. The Left Envoy asked, “Leaving already? Where to? Off to find your ‘true love’? Where do you even go to find something like that? Hey, why not just stay here in Baekungji? This place is full of beautiful women — more than that fancy Namgung clan tavern across town.”
The waiter, overhearing, smiled and added, “I hope you find your true love, sir.”
The Left Envoy burst into laughter again. “Pahahahaha!”
I said evenly, “If I come across something I need to ask your master, I’ll visit again.”
He nodded. “Don’t get cocky just because you won one fight. Keep training. Oh, and if Master looks for you, where should I send him?”
“I’m at the Black Cat Hall.”
“Wait — aren’t you the Hao Sect Master?”
“I’ve been cleaning up the surrounding dark factions — beating, killing, or absorbing them as I go. I’m the Black Cat Hall Master now.”
“Ah, I see.”
He seemed to have something else to say, but I’d had enough of him. As I walked away, his voice followed from behind.
“Go on, bumpkin. Find your true love and come back once you do!”
I nodded slightly. The lonely road of a man — a path that lustful fools like him could never understand.
Suddenly, faces flashed through my mind — the most beautiful women of the Central Plains, the famed beauties of the righteous sects, even the ones renowned for skill yet remembered more for their looks. It meant nothing. Just memories surfacing on their own.
Now that I think about it, I probably scolded or insulted half of them at some point. But that’s fine. This time, I won’t. Not yet, anyway.
My steps felt lighter as I left the city.
On the way back, I deliberately took the paths where bandits usually lurked — forest trails, narrow ridges, shadowed bends perfect for ambush. I walked in plain view, but none showed up.
Unlucky day.
Even though I was young, dressed in clean white robes like a scholar, returning from Baekungji — prime prey — no one dared appear. So I arrived at Black Cat Hall without incident.
Even there, all was quiet.
Since wiping out the nearby dark gangs, the peace had been unnervingly steady. Fortunately, within the hall, So Gun-pyeong kept everyone disciplined, and Cha Seong-tae was training like a madman. The atmosphere was good.
I spent most of my days meditating beneath the plum blossom tree, refining my inner energy. Only by deepening my Dual Flow Qi could I eventually perform the Thunder Sword Form or my own Plum Blossom Sword Form. Of course, I could force it now — but in real combat, power means nothing if you have no reserve left afterward.
Besides, Hyeoncheol, whom I’d sent to Yongdu Iron Workshop, still hadn’t returned with my finished sword.
So I waited — training, meditating, watching the petals fall.
Change came, as expected, from a visitor I knew would eventually appear.
Byeok, the hall’s steward, reported, “Master, a man claiming to be the Leader of the Nammyung Association has arrived. He’s waiting outside. Brought a fair number of subordinates, but came in alone.”
I opened my eyes. “Bring him to the main hall.”
Sooner than I thought. He probably hadn’t come because of the assassins of Ilwido-gang yet — more likely to discuss a threat before anyone struck. Though in the end, he’d die without ever learning who hired them.
Meaning, right now, he was probably here to talk about that very employer — either Paegeomhoe or Namcheon-ryeon.
When I took my seat in the hall, Nam Garak entered, guided by Byeok.
I couldn’t quite remember how I’d spoken to him before, but he spoke first. “Master, I’m here.”
“So you are.”
I didn’t bother with formality — unless the other man was a Sword Demon, I didn’t bother. As he crossed the courtyard, he commented, “Your men train diligently.”
“They’re weaklings. If they want to live, they have to.”
He sat calmly, so I asked, “Something going on?”
“Just got word — Namcheon-ryeon and Paegeomhoe clashed recently. It’s not the first time, but this one was bad.”
“How bad?”
“Dozens fought at first, but the battle spread — both sides sent reinforcements until even their leaders showed up. Total carnage. Neither side won.”
“Casualties?”
“Heavy losses on both sides. Since it happened on neutral ground, they both withdrew.”
That told me everything.
“The Namcheon leader went berserk afterward,” Nam Garak continued. “He contacted every dark faction nearby — demanded they join him or be exterminated after his next fight with Paegeomhoe.”
He pointed to himself. “He called me too.”
I nodded. “I see.”
“Then, a day later, Paegeomhoe sent their own envoy. Same demand. So now every minor faction around here has to pick a side — or die.”
“What’s your plan?”
“I’ll refuse both.”
I rested my chin on my hand. “I don’t know their politics well. I only founded the Hao Sect to protect the lives of working men. But since both are black factions, you’d know which is worse.”
He explained, “Paegeomhoe got rich by forcibly merging trading guilds. Money runs everything for them. They undercut markets — if something costs two silver, they sell it for one, ruin the local guild, then ‘negotiate’ the takeover. When that fails, they send enforcers… or hire assassins.”
Paegeomhoe hiring assassins? That fit with Ilwido-gang. My suspicions deepened.
“And Namcheon-ryeon?” I asked.
“Pure black faction,” he said. “Formed when Sa Doh-heng unified all the southern gangs by force. Became king of the south before turning twenty. A man no amount of gold can buy.”
“Judging by that, Namcheon-ryeon sounds better.”
Nam Garak frowned. “Maybe, but that man’s a tyrant. If you told him you were the Hao Sect Master, he’d make you kneel before he spoke. That’s why I won’t bow to either.”
I crossed my arms. “Where I stand, I’m the only king. Two kings can’t share one throne.”
He chuckled. “Then you’re no different from Sa Doh-heng.”
Before we could continue, the main doors opened and So Gun-pyeong rushed in. “Master! Delegates from Paegeomhoe have arrived.”
“Paegeomhoe?”
It was surprising they’d reached even here — clear desperation. With their wealth, they were gathering soldiers like they hired assassins.
I glanced at Nam Garak, then told So Gun-pyeong, “Let them in.”
Nam Garak snorted. “They’ve got nerve, coming all the way here.”
I muttered, “And here I’ve been in a foul mood lately. They picked the wrong day to test me.”
The doors swung open. A young messenger from Paegeomhoe entered, scanning between us. “Which of you is the Black Cat Hall Master?”
He strode over and sat across from Nam Garak without being invited.
“That would be me,” I said.
The man nodded, then jerked his chin toward Nam Garak. “Your subordinate should leave.”
I looked at Nam Garak, then back at him. “He’s not my subordinate. State your business.”
“Very well. I’ll introduce myself—”
“Hey.”
“…”
“I don’t care who you are. Just get to the point.”
The envoy twisted a lock of his hair with his finger, glaring at me. “So arrogant. I’m from Paegeomhoe.”
“Oh? I forgot already.”
I smirked at Nam Garak, who chuckled in response. The envoy, expression stiff, began reciting his orders.
“Three silver coins per man of Black Cat Hall — daily wage. If the Hall Master himself joins, ten gold coins a day. If the Great Na-Chal joins, fifty gold coins daily. Payment begins from the day of engagement. Once all allied factions are gathered, we will crush Namcheon-ryeon in one stroke. Refusal means facing the wrath of our Lord. What say you?”
Nam Garak laughed and turned to me. “They offered my men five silver per day. Looks like my lot’s worth more than yours.”
I laughed too. “How shameful. Though I suppose they’d offer less, not knowing the Great Na-Chal is dead.”
The envoy’s face tightened. “Ah… so you’re a sect leader too? My apologies. I only deliver orders — I didn’t know the Great Na-Chal had fallen.”
Nam Garak ignored him. “So, what’ll you do?”
“What do you think?” I asked back.
“Honestly? I wish their two leaders would just fight one-on-one and settle it. I don’t understand why they need to drag everyone else into their mess. Both are idiots — I’ll serve neither.”
I nodded. “Agreed. That’s how men should be.”
The envoy stood. “So that’s your answer? Very well. We’ll meet again after the war.”
“So Gun-pyeong!” I barked.
The doors opened immediately. “Yes, Master?”
He blocked the envoy’s path. I gestured toward the man. “That’s Paegeomhoe’s messenger — and our soon-to-be enemy. Take him to the inner courtyard and test his skill. Gather the men to watch. Let’s see what kind of fighters they’re sending.”
The envoy glared. “Are you insane?”
I ignored him and said to Nam Garak, “Bring your men in too. We’ll test them together. I don’t like Namcheon-ryeon or Paegeomhoe — so let’s just fight them both, starting here.”
Nam Garak grinned. “I like it.”
I rose to my feet. “Get ready for a duel, messenger.”
As I stepped outside, I turned back and slapped him across the face — crack! — sending him tumbling to the floor.
He clutched his cheek, glaring up at me. “Deaf, are you? Get up. I’ve been in a foul mood lately, and some nameless errand boy thinks he can mouth off to me.”
He got up, fury in his eyes. “You’ll regret this.”
I’m not the kind of man who kills messengers for sport — but slapping them? That’s fine. So I hit him again. Whack! He rolled three, four times across the floor.
“Prepare yourself for a duel,” I said. “Better that than dying from another slap.”
Then Nam Garak and I walked out to the courtyard together.