Chapter 24: Law Of Equivalent Exchange

Is there a law of equivalent exchange that I am unaware of in this world?

As if to balance out my luck after meeting a good person like Yeon Ja-seong, unwelcome guests appear in front of me.

Two people in matching clothes are blocking the road, and the younger of the two asks me.

"Are you Sect Leader Lee Zaha?"

I shake my head and reply.

"No, I'm an errand boy."

Hearing the answer, the man sighs.

"... My name is Hyeok Ryeon-hong, the Black Rabbit Union messenger. I came to deliver a message from my superior."

"The Black Rabbit Union again?"

I check for weapons on the two of them and spot one of them carrying something under a large cloth.

There is a high probability the thing under the cloth is either a special tool or assassination weapon.

If it's not either, then it must be a human head.

Hyeok Ryeon-hong says in a serious voice.

"The Golden Phoenix Pavilion Leader(金鳳閣主) would like to see you."

"And who's that? Tell him I don't want to see him. It sounds like a stinky middle-aged man crazy for money from the name Golden Phoenix."

Hyeok Ryeon-hong does not respond to my rude remarks.

Actually, I already know about the leader of the Golden Phoenix Pavilion.

His name is Ban Sa-woong (潘思熊).

I've never seen him, but I've often heard his name.

The person who was investigated for secretly siphoning off the funds of the Black Rabbit Union and ended up being dismembered into five pieces, the Golden Phoenix Pavilion Leader Ban Sa-woong.

All in all, he's a money freak.

The Golden Phoenix Pavilion Leader is a man in charge of the interests of the Black Rabbit Union and is a leading figure regardless of his martial art ranking. He's a special case who got promoted to a pavilion leader at a young age because he bribed his way up to the upper echelons.

It is not dramatic to say Ilyang Prefecture got into trouble later because of this guy's commands. His terrible treatment of his men led to them lashing out at the weak, causing a domino effect.

A person who makes money in an Unorthodox Faction is bound to be familiar with cruelty. Besides, it is known that Ban Sa-woong also accumulates money through a murder contract business unrelated to the Black Rabbit Union.

Ban Sa-woong is a man who did everything he was eventually condemned for.

It's no surprise to find these bastards in Unorthodox Factions.

Hyeok Ryeon-hong coaxes me.

"He didn't send anyone armed, so it would be wise not to refuse the invitation. Assassins will come if I return alone, Sect Leader Lee Zaha."

Hyeok Ryeon-hong smirks as he speaks, probably finding it amusing how he is speaking formally to me.

"Looks like I have no choice."

"That's right."

"When does he want to see me?"

"He's hunting nearby. The sooner, the better. It's better to leave to see him this evening at the latest."

As I am curious about the cloth, I ask the two about it.

"What are you holding? I think you brought it to show me."

"Ah, you're right."

Hyeok Ryeon-hong looks at the man holding a cloth and points with his chin. Then the man walks forward and opens the cloth to show what is inside.

Inside are heads of people I didn't expect.

Jeon Pung and Han Go-wook.

It seems like they'd brought the heads as a threat, but it has no effect on me.

"How can you kill my drinking friends so recklessly."

Hyeok Ryeon-hong says.

"These two knew about the incident in the Ilyang Prefecture and covered it up. It's a sin to know such big news late, so their state is thanks to you. The story was ridiculous when I heard it while torturing them. I heard you only made them drink liquor, is that right?"

When I nod, Hyuk Ryeon-hong grins and says.

"That saved you. The leader finds that part amusing. The reason why he didn't send assassins right away was that you piqued his interest."

I think for a moment about whether to kill or let them go.

I only think of killing them briefly, but the guard holding the box suddenly grabs Hyuk Ryeon-hong's shoulder and steps back with a movement skill.

Pa-ba-ba-bak.......

Their footsteps are loud and clumsy.

Hyeok Ryeon-hong says after widening some distance

"Sect Leader? We're only here to deliver the message. That's some serious murderous intent."

"Fuss..."

I scan the two of them and say.

"Must I go after you'd brutally murdered Jeon Pung and Han Go-wook? I have no plans to return as a dead body."

Hyeok Ryeon-hong scratches his head and replies.

"If you're scared, you can run away instead. Quite a few people ran away because they didn't want to get involved with th Black Rabbit Union. It's good for both sides, and there wouldn't be any senseless killings in the Ilyang Prefecture."

If I want to continue to be the boss in Ilyang Prefecture, I need to bow my head to the Black Rabbit Union.

That's a hint they will spare me if I run away and get out of Ilyang Prefecture.

"Run away?"

Hyeok Ryeon-hong smiles.

"Yes."

"That won't be manly."

Hyeok Ryeon-hong asks.

"So? Should I give you some time until this evening? Or would you like to go now?"

The Black Rabbit Union is so good at their job that they bargained and left no room for rejection.

As I keep my mouth shut, Hyeok Ryeon-hong says.

"Also, we won't be drinking with you."

"What a shame."

Perhaps no one in the Black Rabbit Union will ever drink with me again.

If this is how the Black Rabbit Union comes forward, there's nothing I can do.

I have no choice but to meet them.

I extend my arms as if for them to look at my outfit and say.

"I can't meet them in this attire. We can leave once I get a better fit. I'm going to meet a big shot of the Black Rabbit Union, so I should dress for the occasion. I look like an errand boy right now."

Hyeok Ryeon-hong nods.

"That's true. You do look like an errand boy."

"..."

"Lead the way. I'll follow you."

Having these two follow behind me like tails, we head for the Plum Blossom Pavilion.

After changing into decent clothes, I inform Cha Sung-tae where I will be going.

"I have to meet the Golden Phoenix Pavilion Leader of the Black Rabbit Union."

"The chief of Golden Phoenix Pavilion? Isn't he a money-crazed murderer?"

Cha Sung-tae looks at me with surprise in his eyes.

"Jeon Pung and Han Go-wook, who visited last time, are dead with their heads chopped off."

"And yet you're still meeting him?"

"He didn't call for me. I'm going because I want to."

Cha Sung-tae says with excitement.

"You don't have to go alone. I'm going to call everyone together. Let's fight this war."

I sigh as I look at Cha Sung-tae.

'How childish.'

If someone in town dies or gets hurt, aside from making things dull, there will be no place to eat rice soup, no place to drink alcohol, no place to make weapons, and no one to steal clothes from.

It's already so boring to breathe. If these guys disappear, I would have to paste the nickname Crazy Demon (狂魔) on my forehead.

"Forget it. I'm going alone."

"Have you lost your mind? If you go, you'll almost certainly die."

Cha Sung-tae continues with a grim look.

"I'll go with you."

"Are you serious?"

Looking at the ground for a moment, Cha Sung-tae replies with a troubled look.

"To be honest, I'm not."

I hit Cha Sung-tae on the head for the first time in a while.

"Watch that mouth of yours. Stay here and recover."

Cha Sung-tae suddenly takes off his robe and dresses me. I always steal his clothes, and this time he gave them away first.

I ask.

"Is this another one of your precious clothes? You have so many."

"Of course, they're precious."

"It could get torn."

"It's alright if it came back as rags."

I pat Cha Sung-tae on the shoulder and leave the room.

"I'll be back."

Cha Sung-tae says as he takes the lead.

"Rebirth."

The word rebirth sounds like some kind of slogan.

Cha Seong-tae has a mission to transform the three pavilions that used to be blue pavilions into red pavilions.

Yeon Ja-seong is at a period of devoting his blood, sweat, and tears to building the new Zaha Inn from scratch.

And Geum Chul-yong will probably still contemplate how to make the Crazy Blade and present it as a gift to me.

Jang Deuk-soo will be making rice soup again today to earn a living.

While they're doing what they can.......

Once again, I have become a Sect Leader that conducts a One Person Extermination (一人殺門).

People should do what they're good at.

Hyeok Ryeon-hong looks at my new attire and says,

"Now you look dashing. Let's go."

"Let's go, pawns of the Black Rabbit Union."

"What?"

"I said let's go."

Hyeok Ryeon-hong tries to say something, but he swallows it with a cough. Since the order of his superiors was to bring him back, it was Hyeok Ryeon-hong's responsibility to not let his personal feelings get in the way.

While we walk, no one speaks a word.

As I look around, I speak for the first time in an hour.

"Are we going to Jeongho Mountain?"

"That's right. We would've gone to the headquarters if the Union Leader summoned you, but since you are on your way to meet the Golden Phoenix Pavilion Leader, it'd be a cabin near the hunting grounds. We don't just let anyone inside the headquarters."

I reply with what I already know.

"Because of the Twelve Generals?"

Hyeok Ryeon-hong pauses in his tracks and looks at me.

"Yes, that's correct. The members of Twelve Generals are currently present in the headquarters. Now that I see it, you're well versed about Kangho for a young leader."

As he resumes climbing the mountain path again, I say.

"When you sell alcohol in an inn, you hear news and stories."

Hyeok Ryeon-hong smirks.

"How can an errand boy of an inn know about Twelve Generals? That makes no sense."

"Anyway, can a member of the Black Rabbit Union own a private cabin?"

"Why not? He owned it before joining the Black Rabbit Union. He likes hunting, so he has several cabins in various places."

"I see, so he's rich."

"Of course. That's why we're also living comfortably. He gathers us underlings and grills meat for us, and if he wants to relax for a day, he stays in the cabin."

"The Black Rabbit Union Leader would be pleased to know about that."

The Golden Phoenix Pavilion Leader is killed by the Black Rabbit Union Leader, so I can't help but be sarcastic. Hyeok Ryeon-hong says while smiling.

"Please refrain from saying that in front of the Pavilion Leader. He has a fiery personality..."

He has a fiery personality...?

I had no choice but to smirk like Hyeok Ryeon-hong.

The private cabin of the Golden Phoenix Pavilion Leader is used for many purposes.

As Hyeok Ryeon-hong said, it is a vacation spot, a place to bury or incinerate elimination targets, and a secret spot where extorted funds are hidden.

Ordinary people would not understand it, but the Black Rabbit Union is an Unorthodox Faction.

No wonder the people who belong to the group commit all sorts of outrageous things.

After walking through the woods for about an hour, we arrived at the cabin's entrance.

A high iron gate stands in the centre, and the wall leading from the iron gate is covered with vines, making it hard to see inside. It is more like a fortress with its back against the cliff rather than a mountain cabin. With the iron gate and vines in place, it looks more like a safe house (安家).

It is a place fit for evil deeds.

Hyeok Ryeon-hong reports in front of the iron gate.

"Hyeok Ryeon-hong is back. I brought Sect Leader Lee Zaha with me."

The iron door opens without a reply from the inside.

When I follow Hyeok Ryeon-hong inside, the atmosphere changes instantly. More people are walking around the cabin than I anticipated, and a bonfire is at the centre of a wide seating area.

I see a man of sturdy build sitting in a chair next to the bonfire.

From the first impression, it is evident that he is a ruthless human being.