Chapter 11

11. Are you Guan Yunzhang?

Amidst the table filled with delivered alcohol and snacks, I said,

“Eat a lot. It’s the precious money you earned. The money you made by making young women work, right? No? Ah, it’s the precious money you earned by passing off third-grade liquor as first-grade. Our Plum Blossom Pavilion manager, eat a lot.”

“Yes, yes, I’ve already eaten a lot.”

“Is there no poison in the snacks?”

“We’re eating them together, aren’t we? Are you a paranoid patient?”

“Is that so.”

Chae Sung-tae had already emptied two jars of alcohol with the snacks he bought. I drink well too, but Chae Sung-tae was the type who could drink a lot.

We ate the snacks and drank the alcohol as if we were assaulting them, in a seriously violent atmosphere. Chae Sung-tae, with his pride hurt, drank a lot, and I, being too dry at the moment, ate excessively.

If I gained weight, I could practice external martial arts. Since I had a perfect solution, I ate like a pig. I planned to finish the urgent task and then focus on martial arts practice.

While eating the snacks, Chae Sung-tae said,

“I’m worried about how the Black Cat Gang will react if Jiao Yujue and Jiao Yilin die.”

“If you’re worried, practice martial arts. You, always worrying with your mouth. I’m worried. What should I do about this? What should I do about that? Stop it. Are you storing worries in your dantian? Why do you have so many worries like a fool?”

Chae Sung-tae is a man with a temper. As I kept provoking him, his expression changed, and he retorted like a misguided young man.

“Who the hell are you? You’re not Zha Xia, are you? Take off your mask.”

As my hand rose, Chae Sung-tae quickly changed his tone.

“Anyway, I understand. If we get into a fight with that dog-like Black Cat Gang, we can just kill them all. I’ll practice martial arts even harder.”

“Can you handle it with your skills?”

“Then can Mr. Zha Xia handle it?”

At the mention of Mr. Zha Xia, I couldn’t help but smile.

Was it because I was a waiter back then?

Chae Sung-tae’s attitude made me realize my current situation anew.

Being a waiter and being looked down upon was indeed an advantage, but I needed to quickly improve the level of the Golden Dragon Roaming Technique.

Only then would the advantage of being easily looked down upon shine even more.

While drinking, I said to Chae Sung-tae,

“After drinking this, go and kill Jiao Yilin. If we have to kill him, we should do it quickly.”

“...Are you Guan Yunzhang? Suddenly while drinking?”

Even while drinking a lot, Chae Sung-tae looked at me with a surprised expression.

“The problem is the youngest, Jiao Sanping. Where can we find this guy?”

“He should be coming back soon.”

“Can you handle him when he comes back? You’re completely useless.”

Chae Sung-tae replied with an angry expression.

“I’m Chae Sung-tae.”

“So what?”

“I can handle the youngest with my skills. But it might be a bit difficult because of my injured eye.”

“Just do one thing, you. Can you handle it or not? Don’t be confusing.”

“I’ll look for an opportunity and use the element of surprise. Haven’t you heard of the Surprise Chae Sung-tae? My nickname is the Master of Surprise.”

“Master of Surprise.”

This was the first time I heard such a childish nickname.

Chae Sung-tae said it to make me laugh, but I didn’t laugh.

“I need time to practice to deal with the Black Cat Gang. I’m asking if you can take control after killing Jiao Yilin. Can you manage three brothels?”

“Manage, you mean?”

I lit up.

“Normally.”

“Normally, you mean?”

“There are people who make a living in the brothels, so it’s impossible to eliminate them. Pay the workers accurately. Don’t cheat by selling third-grade liquor as first-grade. Take care of those who are sick. Send those who want to return home. This is normal management.”

I’m such a normal person.

Chae Sung-tae’s reaction was rather negative.

“That’s a difficult task.”

“Even if it’s difficult, you have to do it.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s better than being ambushed by me, the Master of Surprise.”

I pointed at Chae Sung-tae’s eye patch with my finger.

“If you’re in charge and this place still turns into a mess, I’ll ambush you and send you to the Jiao brothers.”

Chae Sung-tae put down his chopsticks and said,

“Ah, I can’t eat this, it’s dirty. No, damn it. You always talk about killing. I’ll retire and go into the mountains.”

“Do as you please.”

“Hmm.”

I threw a bait to Chae Sung-tae.

“Anyway, if you manage well, you’ll be in charge of three brothels. If you have no ambition and a small heart, go live in a cave in some mountain village, meditating. Eat wild herbs. And don’t crawl out of the cave unless necessary.”

“Why?”

“If you come up the mountain looking for medicinal herbs and run into me, I’ll kill you. Got it? If you want to run away, live in a deep mountain spring or under a eave.”

After drinking the last of the alcohol, I got up and took off my clothes.

Chae Sung-tae asked with a puzzled look,

“What are you doing?”

“Take off your clothes, you. I need to change.”

“What kind of highwayman are you...”

As Chae Sung-tae took off his clothes, he continued,

“About Jiao Yilin. A highwayman-like guy. Put on my clothes and go kill him. He’s at the Yi Hua Pavilion. If I go in with my beggar-like clothes, I’ll stand out too much. Changing is the best option.”

I put on Chae Sung-tae’s clothes and said,

“Give me that robe too.”

“This is a bit expensive. It’s my cherished outfit for going out.”

As I grabbed the whip on the table, Chae Sung-tae quickly handed over the robe.

“Wear it nicely.”

After changing into Chae Sung-tae’s well-dressed clothes, I wrapped the Dragon Whip around my waist. After wrapping it three times, it became a belt. Since I was wearing the robe over it, it didn’t look like a weapon.

I spread my arms and asked Chae Sung-tae,

“How do I look?”

“Wow, you look great. You have that waiter look, but not really. Now I see, you’re a distinguished person. Our waiter Zha Xia looked like a beggar because he wore clothes like a beggar. Oh, clothes are wings! Just like a fairy’s wings...”

I hit Chae Sung-tae on the head.

“Enough.”

“Yes.”

“You start to mock as soon as I let you a little. Have you gained the enlightenment of deserving a beating?”

“Stop hitting me.”

Hearing this, I wanted to hit him again, which is human nature.

I hit him again.

Only then did Chae Sung-tae say in a repentant tone,

“I’ll be careful. But can you kill Jiao Yilin alone? He has many subordinates.”

“Why kill the subordinates? If possible, just kill Jiao Yilin. They’re all locals. If they die in a fight, it can’t be helped.”

As I left the inn and headed for the Yi Hua Pavilion, Chae Sung-tae said in a surprised tone,

“Hey, at least sober up a bit.”

“You smell of alcohol. You’re well-dressed. You have no money. It’s a perfect day to go to a brothel.”

‘Why are you going to a brothel with no money, you crazy guy?’

Chae Sung-tae swallowed these words, thinking the waiter might come back if he said them. As the waiter disappeared into the dark street, Chae Sung-tae said in a low voice,

“I wish you good luck. Zha Xia, you damn guy.”

Suddenly, Chae Sung-tae drank a cup of alcohol in the now ominous Zha Xia Inn and looked around. What was this ominous feeling of becoming a waiter? Getting hit on the head for a slip of the tongue and being dressed as a waiter.

“I learn something new today.”

Chae Sung-tae stood up to return to the Plum Blossom Pavilion but sat back down.

He couldn’t go like this, it would be too embarrassing.

Suddenly, Chae Sung-tae held his forehead.

Thinking about it, the money pouch with the hidden money was in the inner pocket of the robe.

“Damn.”

* * *

I arrived at the main gate of the Yi Hua Pavilion and glared at the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper’s eyes scanned my body, then met mine. I deliberately narrowed my eyes and glared, and the gatekeeper looked away and said,

“Welcome.”

The gatekeeper was intimidated by my decent attire and the sword at my waist.

I didn’t enter the Yi Hua Pavilion but said in an angry tone,

“Is Jiao Yilin, the owner, inside?”

Only then did the startled gatekeeper bow and say,

“Yes. Where are you from?”

“I’m Zha Xia, the messenger of the Black Cat Gang. Take me to Jiao Yilin.”

“Zha Xia?”

As the gatekeeper tried to meet my eyes, my hand flew to his cheek.

“Take me in, kid. I’m busy. Don’t chatter.”

“I’m sorry.”

The gatekeeper, who had been slapped, turned and opened the door. He then whispered to a guide,

“He’s from the Black Cat Gang. Take him to the owner.”

I deliberately looked at everyone with a murderous gaze. Combined with the story that I was from the Black Cat Gang, most people avoided my gaze. They could only see the lower part of my chest, where a rather expensive robe and a long sword with a dragon head hilt were visible.

Again, the dragon head handle of the Dragon Whip was very ornate. The ornateness gave the impression of being expensive at first glance.

“I’ll inform the owner. Please wait a moment.”

“Tell him to come out quickly. Before I set the place on fire.”

“Yes.”

Following the guide, I reached the top of the Yi Hua Pavilion, where a spacious banquet hall appeared. Beyond it was an exaggerated Taishi chair, the kind that would be used by the head of a sect or a clan.

‘He must be eager to start a sect.’

While looking around the banquet hall, I said to the waiting attendants,

“I need to talk to the owner alone. Get out.”

“Yes.”

As the attendants left, I sat in the Taishi chair and waited for Jiao Yilin.

During my waiter days, I had never talked to Jiao Yilin alone and could barely look at him when we passed each other.

Now, sitting in the Taishi chair and waiting for Jiao Yilin, I felt a new sense of emotion.

‘I remember he was a heavyset guy.’

Some people are naturally big-boned and imposing, and Jiao Yilin was one of them.

After a while, footsteps were heard, and Jiao Yilin, with an unpleasant expression, appeared, adjusting his clothes. For some reason, Jiao Yilin’s size seemed smaller than I remembered.

Jiao Yilin looked me over and said,

“I don’t recognize you.”

Arriving unannounced at this late hour, sitting in the Taishi chair, and glaring at him without standing up all made Jiao Yilin uneasy.

My first words were,

“Jiao Yilin.”

“Yes.”

“Ugly face, greasy, and violent pig. Long time no see.”

“Huh, huh, huh, huh...”

Jiao Yilin tilted his head and walked somewhere.

“Let’s start with introductions. What kind of insulting remarks are these? Please understand, I came in a hurry.”

While talking, Jiao Yilin grabbed the sword hanging on the wall and turned around. He was a cautious man.

“You know, I’m Jiao Yilin. I apologize for the late introduction.”

Jiao Yilin looked at me as if expecting an introduction. Out of curiosity about his reaction, I introduced myself like this,

“I am Bai You.”

“Bai You? Excuse me, what position do you hold in the Black Cat Gang?”

I smiled faintly.

“Who said I was from the Black Cat Gang?”

“That’s what I was told.”

Out of curiosity about Jiao Yilin’s reaction to the Twelve Guardians, I introduced myself like this,

“Listen carefully. I am Bai You of the Twelve Guardians.”

“Pardon?”

Jiao Yilin’s eyes widened, and he knelt on one knee in a half-crouched position.

“Jiao Yilin greets Bai You of the Twelve Guardians.”

Wow, it worked?

I just threw it out, and Jiao Yilin knelt.

It seems the Twelve Guardians were still feared in this area.