Ghost Demon and I had previously tried to kill each other due to our differences in opinions.
Also, it wasn’t just me.
Past life Poison Demon also tried to kill Ghost Demon but failed.
However, it’s not necessary to prepare poison for the dinner tonight.
Anyhow, to entertain Ghost Demon in his Master Yukhap days along with his subordinates, I prepared a feast in the Black Rabbit Union main hall.
The food was directly prepared by the officials of Black Rabbit Union.
This is because I have sent Mrs. Son and the maid to Ilyang beforehand so no women will be harassed by the Gold Silver Seven Insects.
As soon as the sun goes down, I sit alone in the main hall and wait for the past life Ghost Demon, Master Yukhap, with the union doors wide open.
Whether to kill him or not…
Truth is, I don’t really have an opinion.
I dozed off after stabbing Moonlight Dagger on the table….
After a while, I hear the buzzing conversation of the Gold Silver Seven Insects.
The pests come in chatting as if Black Rabbit Union was their kitchen and sit at the table.
“Are you the leader of the Low-Down Sect?”
“Yes.”
“We’re here, Low-Down Sect Leader. Master hasn’t arrived yet.”
“He’s dozing off.”
Chatting amongst themselves, the seven pests sit down.
Only then did I open my eyes and look at the young faces of those I killed with my own hands in my previous life.
From Il Chung to Chil Chung…
Memories came back one by one as I looked at them.
Their words and expressions as they died flashed through my mind. I can’t wait to see the guys I beat to death with my own hands sitting around me.
It feels as if I invited ghosts over to dinner.
I ask the pests without addressing any names,
“Where is Master Yukhap?”
“He’ll be here any minute. By the way, you’re quite young, Low-Down Sect Leader.”
I nod without reacting much to the pests’ words and look at the Moonlight Dagger still stuck on the table.
“…….”
For a moment, I have the fleeting thought of finishing these seven insects off before Master Yukhap.
Master Yukhap and I don’t get along. Master Yukhap thinks of other people as bugs.
It was the same in my Crazy Demon days.
Ghost Demon even treated Poison Demon like crap.
Ghost Demon looked sloppy but had redundant self-esteem.
As I stare at Moonlight Dagger, one of the pest’s gaze is directed at the dagger.
“What’s that? A knife is stuck here. Are you looking for a fight?”
The pests laugh altogether.
“Yeah right. I guess you don’t know what our master is like.”
I look around at the bugs and close my eyes.
“Insect bastards, wake me up when Master Yukhap arrives.”
“…….”
The pests complain noisily while my eyes are closed.
“Shouldn’t you at least serve us a glass of water? What’s with this terrible hospitality?”
With my eyes closed, I speak towards the inner side of the main hall.
“Get them water.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
As I closed my eyes, I could feel Il Chung staring at me. He was the most hostile of the bunch. However, these guys can’t do anything without Master Yukhap’s order, so there’s no need to feel threatened.
The ones who will play the role of servants for today’s feast are Cha Sung-tae, Hoyeon Cheong, So Gun-pyeong, and the other Black Rabbit Union officials. When the men bring the water jugs, the pests protest once again.
“Jeez, why can’t I see a single maidservant here?”
“This place is only filled with stinky men, pathetic.”
“Leader, are there no women around here? Did you move them somewhere else? See, I told you we should have come yesterday.”
With my eyes closed, I ignore the bugs’ words and hear So Gun-pyeong’s voice.
“Would you like a glass of water, Leader?”
Then I open my eyes and nod. While So Gun-pyeong pours water, he looks at the waiting insects.
Now everyone’s expressions went dark.
I look at the pests and say,
“When Master Yukhap arrives, you guys should shut up. You’re noisy.”
After a while, I hear clothes fluttering outside. As soon as Master Yukhap, who seems to have flown over the wall, appears from the main hall, I guffaw.
“Hello, Low-Down Sect Leader… It’s nice to meet you. I’m Yukhap.”
I nod and reply.
“Nice to meet you, Master Yukgap. Welcome.”
“Not Yukgap1, but Yukhap.”
Master Yukhap sits down at the far end of the table. Facing me.
I stare at Master Yukhap, who is much younger than he was in his Ghost Demon days.
Anyhow, it’s kind of nice to meet him again.
In Ghost Demon’s younger days, he looked like he was in his early 30s.
He was a rival during my time as Crazy Demon, so I wonder what his skills are like now. If I become certain his skills are inferior to mine during the meal, I will kill him along with the Gold Silver Seven Insects here.
However, it was very difficult to gauge Master Yukhap’s skills in the past and even now. He’s the type to thoroughly hide his Qi.
I ask Master Yukhap,
“Would you like to have a meal? I’ve prepared a lot for this evening.”
Master Yukhap replies,
“You prepared for us? Are you sure it’s not poisoned, Leader?”
“There’s no poison. It’s not my style anyway. You can’t be killing strangers with poison.”
Master Yukhap replies with a smile.
“Then let’s eat. Please serve my subordinates as well.”
“Of course.”
After a while, the officials bring out the dishes and put them on the table. The dishes were cooked up by the officials, so the taste cannot be guaranteed.
As the pests take out silver needles to check for poison, Master Yukhap says,
“Just eat.”
“Yes, Master.”
The insects quietly put away their silver needles and begin to gobble down their food loudly.
As it was in the past, the role of these gluttons is always to make others’ irritated, provoked, and uncomfortable.
If I somehow respond to the pests’ behavior, Master Yukhap will examine my personality.
Master Yukhap asks,
“Why aren’t you eating?”
I answer while looking at the gluttons.
“I lost my appetite since it doesn’t look appetizing. Eat up.”
Master Yukhap takes out a smoking pipe in front of the dinner table and starts smoking daylilies.
The insects eat as they wave the smoke away with their hands.
What an unfortunate sight that makes the slaves look especially pitiful.
I ask Master Yukhap the purpose of his visit.
“Why don’t we get to business? Master Yukgap.”
“My name is Yukhap. Not Yukgap.”
“Nonetheless, what is it that you want to talk about at this first meeting?”
As he is puffing out smoke, Master Yukhap says,
“I heard you have a lot of money.”
“Moderately. Just enough to live by.”
“Who knew being humble about having just enough to live by could sound this annoying. I heard from Mu’s subordinates that you took Bajian Society’s fortune, and you killed Dae Na-chal too. You also killed Mister Su. I heard you have exterminated all the nearby orthodox factions. Is that right?”
“That’s right.”
“You became a rich lord at a young age. Congratulations.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“South Horizon Sect is not active these days. Did they fall into your hands?”
“I don’t know about that.”
Master Yukhap says with a grin,
“I have an amazing business plan, so hear me out.”
I raise my hand to interrupt Master Yukhap.
“Wait a minute. Master…”
“Go ahead.”
“Are you interested in money?”
“Of course.”
“Then why didn’t you kill the people I killed and just rob them? Why are you envying someone else’s property.….”
Master Yukhap replies with a snicker.
“What are you going on about? You’re in no position to say that to me. I was close to Mister Su. Bajian Society also doesn’t deserve to be exterminated.”
I don’t know what this guy is talking about.
He’s always been like that, so I just dismiss it.
Furthermore, I don’t look forward to the business plan he mentions every time since it’s always childish and nonsensical.
Master Yukhap says,
“You must have quite a lot of troops. Mobilizing Low-Down Sect troops, me, and my subordinates, we can rob Million Bank. If we succeed, we will retire from Kangho. I think we can rob Million Bank overnight with your troops and my wisdom combined. What do you think?”
I nod.
“I have a lot of money in Million Bank, so it won’t be necessary. If anything happens to Million Bank, I’ll have to help them in order to protect my funds. Let’s hear the next plan.”
“Oh, really?”
Until now, Master Yukhap didn’t take even a sip of water. He is looking at the gluttons who are eating passionately.
If the food really was poisoned, it’s about time for the insects to die.
Is that why?
While Master Yukhap and I are talking, the gluttons are sweating as they eat. They might have kept going until Master Yukhap tells them to stop.
Just in time, while looking at the gluttons demolishing the food, Master Yukhap says,
“Stop eating.”
“Yes.”
The seven bugs put down their chopsticks at the same time wordlessly and wait.
Master Yukhap asks Il Chung,
“No poison?”
“Yes.”
“How does it taste?”
“It doesn’t taste good.”
Only then did Master Yukhap grin at me.
“The taste of the food is a mess.”
“I think so.”
“How so?”
“If you want to eat delicious food, go to a restaurant. Don’t come to me. We’re men who only need to fill our stomachs.”
Master Yukhap asks me with a smile,
“What a strange gentleman. Do you have any thoughts to join me? I’ll let my subordinates go under you. You’re young but you have quite the aura. It’s no exaggeration to say you have an aura of a dragon or a tiger. You’re born different from these subordinates you fed.”
“Born?”
“That’s right.”
“Born? I used to be an errand boy.”
“You mean you became a faction leader as you worked as an errand boy? What the hell happened to you? I know you don’t have a master.”
I answer the truth as it is.
“I fell off the cliff. I got a rare opportunity from the cliff.”
“Ah…”
“Kangho people are originally doomed when they meet a cliff miracle. Actually, I was the same.”
I look at the pests.
“If you want to stop living like idiots, try jumping off a scenic cliff somewhere. If you’re lucky, you can be like me.”
The pests snort.
“Ah, really?”
“Wow, our Low-Down Sect Leader. You are a great person. Surviving off the cliff.”
“Hehe, we’ll try to jump down if we have a chance.”
“Don’t do that. Why don’t you tell us the cliff you jumped from? I think that would be faster.”
I giggle as I listen to the sarcasm of Gold Silver Seven Insects. That’s what these guys are supposed to do. Of course, this is also why they were beaten to death by me in the previous life.
While picking my nose in front of the guests, I say,
“Master Yukgap, do you have other business proposals? Strangely enough, I have no idea how good you are. If I can’t figure it out, it means you are skilled, right? Instead of Million Bank, why don’t we exterminate a faction bigger than Bajian Society….”
With glinting eyes, Master Yukhap responds.
“For example?”
“For example, the Orthodox Association….”
I realize it was a slip of the tongue as soon as I utter it. Master Yukhap replies with a puzzled look.
“Is there an organization called the Orthodox Association in Kangho?”
The pests answer back.
“No, there isn’t.”
Master Yukhap asks,
“Are you referring to Jecheon Clan?”
I nod roughly. The name changed along the way, but I was confused. Sometimes, my knowledge about Kangho gets mixed up with what I knew during my Crazy Demon days. Right now, it’s Jecheon Clan. During the Crazy Demon era, they already had changed their name to the Orthodox Association.
Master Yukhap smiles and says,
“Even the Alliance won’t dare to mess with them, how could we mess with them? There’s a limit to spewing nonsense.”
Although we had a bad relationship in our previous life, I convey my honest thoughts to Master Yukhap now that we’ve met after a long time.
“Master Yukgap… I’m not saying to attack them right away. We need to have big ambitions. Build power, make money, deal with the Jecheon Clan, and keep the Demon Cult in check. Though it is important for a man of Kangho to train in martial arts, isn’t it important to build the faction as a whole? What’s the point of bringing pests around and scorning the weak?”
Master Yukhap retorts,
“Scorning the weak?”
“As far as I know, I hear that you don’t go near anyone powerful. You always avoid the alliances’ territories. You never approach areas where the rumored powerful warriors lurk. As if you only snoop around the alleyways on dark nights and hit people roaming the roads from behind. Am I wrong?”
The pests look at Master Yukhap with surprised faces. The face of the former Ghost Demon is unusually distorted even to me.
