Chapter 26

26. The Innkeeper Hides His Martial Skills

When the Black Path suddenly emerges as the most terrifying force in the Jianghu, there is one common trait.

It is when they consider each other as brothers.

This makes it difficult to gauge the strength of the Black Path by numbers, for they fight with a ferocity that is truly fearsome when they lose a brother.

In my opinion...

This is the essence of the Black Path.

The power of a Jianghu person can be broadly categorized into internal and external skills, but the power that arises from human anger is beyond comprehension. Naturally, these people were not a powerful Black Path force that considered each other as brothers.

No one stepped forward even after the leader was killed.

I suddenly looked at the table, and the food was gradually cooling.

"Let's fill our stomachs first while we talk. Wow, what a feast."

I tasted various dishes with my chopsticks while observing the kneeling men.

One of them asked me cautiously.

"Will you spare our lives?"

I tore a piece of meat from the whole roasted chicken and replied.

"That's a difficult question. Why should I?"

As soon as I said it was difficult, a few of them exchanged glances.

I warned them.

"It's said that even dogs don't bother each other while eating. If you try to make me a dog during the meal, I'll kill you in a more cruel way than your leader. Stay calm. If you don't want to die."

Those who were about to run or resist were silenced by my strange threat.

The one who had spoken earlier asked again.

"Do you have any demands? If you plan to kill us all, we have no choice but to fight to the death. Please give us a way out."

I looked at the man who mixed his proposal with a subtle threat.

"Are you a negotiator? How about revealing your identity first and then making your proposal?"

In response to my question, a man with a ponytail, who looked rather plain for a Black Path member, replied.

"My name is Sima Fei, an undercover inspector."

"Sima Fei..."

I recalled my past life for a moment.

Most of these people were supposed to die along with the Golden Phoenix Gang leader due to their involvement in crimes, so information was scarce. While I know most of the future, the less famous ones are less likely to be in my knowledge.

"Ponytail, what do you think is happening now?"

Sima Fei answered honestly to survive.

"It seems like an absurd and unexpected event."

"You didn't think I would win, did you?"

"That's right. To be more honest, if our leader's skills were on par with yours, we would have joined forces to turn the tide."

"But?"

"It seemed you weren't showing your full strength, so I restrained the excited ones."

"Quite impressive. The innkeeper hides his martial skills, and you see through the tactics."

"Hmm..."

I did the same in my past life.

Hiding one's strength is always effective and interesting. I carefully observed Sima Fei's eyes and face again and said.

"Is it because you're a Sima? You have the potential to be a strategist."

Despite receiving praise, Sima Fei's expression remained serious.

"Can you read faces?"

I pointed at Sima Fei with a chicken bone I had picked clean.

"You have the potential to be a strategist, so I'll spare your life. If you're quick-witted, it's only natural to survive. You pass."

Sima Fei replied with a shocked expression.

"Really? What about the others?"

"Who can report to the Black Cat Gang?"

"I will never report."

"That's impossible. If a full-scale war with the Black Cat Gang breaks out now, my journey will be exhausting. The rest of you, attack me. All at once, if you like."

I threw the chicken bone aside as if preparing to fight again.

"Wait!"

Sima Fei called out urgently, calmed his excited comrades, and said to me.

"Isn't it enough if we promise not to report to the gang?"

I replied with a feigned cold expression.

"How can I trust that? It's impossible."

"Then, can you trust me?"

I glared at Sima Fei.

"Will you report? You seem like the next leader, both in your eloquence and your face..."

"That's right."

"Can you survive by reporting to the higher-ups? Even if you do, you'll be treated like a cripple. You watched the Golden Phoenix Gang leader die without a scratch on your body. You'll die if you return to the Black Cat Gang. In fact, the others won't have a bright future in the Black Cat Gang either. They'll be half-traitors."

Only then did Sima Fei realize the harsh reality.

Because the atmosphere in the Black Cat Gang was indeed like that.

Moreover, despite being an inspector, Sima Fei had turned a blind eye to the leader's embezzlement, so his crime was not light compared to the Golden Phoenix Gang leader's.

As I was about to draw my sword, Sima Fei said urgently.

"I have an idea! Please listen to me once before making a decision. I beg you."

I smiled and replied.

"Wow, already? Zhuge Liang or Sima Yi would have needed to reincarnate to come up with an idea."

"We will embezzle the money in the mountain lodge ourselves. We'll commit the crime openly, all together."

As soon as Sima Fei finished speaking, a cold wind blew coincidentally.

Sima Fei continued with a desperate tone.

"There is a lot of money embezzled by the leader in this mountain lodge. If it's reported to the higher-ups, the entire Golden Phoenix Gang will be killed. We cooperated, after all."

"How will you report the embezzlement?"

"Of course, we will transport the money to Yiyang County. By openly moving the embezzled money, we will become accomplices who can't escape."

"If the news reaches Yiyang County, the Black Cat Gang will swarm in."

Sima Fei said.

"This is a last stand. And since you've already killed the Golden Phoenix Gang leader, you must have been prepared. We will join your last stand. If we keep our mouths shut to survive, we can buy some time. This is better than dying here immediately."

This guy seems to be misunderstanding something.

Even if the entire Black Cat Gang comes, they can't catch me.

They are at the level of wannabe Jianghu people who swagger around in academies or martial arts schools, and compared to the Heavenly Net of the Wu Lin Alliance or the Demon Sect, they are nothing.

I, who had eaten three meals a day under the Heavenly Net of the Wu Lin Alliance and the Demon Sect, didn't need to exaggerate.

"That's true. Since the Golden Phoenix Gang leader is dead, it's inevitable. I'll supervise the procession, and you transport the money. Crimes should be committed together."

Sima Fei, thinking he had saved his comrades, advised me with a happy tone, like a strategist.

"There are a few ways to connect the disappearance of the leader. The relationship with the Black Fox Gang has become tense recently, and there are the Twelve Generals."

"Sima Strategist, don't involve the Twelve Generals for now. I'm tired."

"Strategist?"

I looked at Sima Fei seriously.

"Your surname is Sima, right?"

"Yes."

"Then you're a strategist. Not a grand strategist yet, though."

"Hmm."

Traditionally, when a Jianghu group recruits a strategist, the best are the Sima and Zhuge families.

I don't know why.

How can I know everything about the world?

Regardless of whether Sima Fei was flustered or not, I recruited him as a strategist.

"We need to reach Yiyang County within an hour. Sima Strategist, supervise the procession with me. You lead, I follow. If bandits interfere, kill them without hesitation. Let's go."

Sima Fei replied.

"Yes, I understand."

Sima Fei gathered his comrades for a moment, as if to tidy up the chaotic atmosphere.

"To survive, this is the only way. We were already on thin ice. If an inspector from another organization had come, the mountain lodge would have been raided. If the leader dies, we would have been discarded. What do you all think?"

Sima Fei, who had received bribes with threats from the Golden Phoenix Gang leader and had no way out, said.

"Let's do it this way."

I entrusted the operation of transporting the slush fund to Sima Fei and picked up my chopsticks again to taste the food. Then, I called out to Helian Hong, who was wandering with a pale face.

"Our messenger Helian Hong, it's good to see you alive again. Come here."

"Ah, yes."

Helian Hong, who had come as a messenger, approached hesitantly. He was intimidated because he had witnessed the Golden Phoenix Gang leader being killed without much resistance.

I asked.

"Are you planning to run? Your eyes are wandering seriously."

"No, I'm not planning to run."

"Really? Don't. I'm much faster than you. Your only escape is to hell. But today, the weather is unusually pleasant, so I plan to end it with the death of the Golden Phoenix Gang leader. Don't show off your quick feet in front of me. Don't make me kill more people."

"Yes."

"You know, seeing blood right after eating makes me uncomfortable."

Helian Hong's face turned pale.

"Anyway, this is the best option. If things go wrong, I'll have to kill all of you. If you're a decent fighter like the Golden Phoenix Gang leader, it might be different, but killing mediocre people continuously makes me feel bad. Don't make me feel that way. Got it?"

"Yes."

I wasn't particularly happy about the money, as I didn't have a big interest in it.

So, I planned to use this money to build a martial arts family like an inn, and if there's any left, to buy some mediocre elixirs to snack on.

I plan to spend the money as soon as I earn it, like scattering flower petals.

Because in the life of a Jianghu person, who knows when they might fall off a cliff, money is not that important.

Remember.

Money is earned to be spent.

I will be satisfied if I can eat three meals a day and beat a crazy monkey.

This is what it means to be content with a simple life.

* * *

I returned like a victorious general with the embezzled wealth of the Golden Phoenix Gang and his subordinates. The merchants all came out to watch the procession I brought.

While the slush fund was safely transported to Plum Tower, I said to Sima Fei.

"Anyway, the embezzlement was successful."

Sima Fei replied.

"Yes. Since we moved the embezzled money together, we have no reason to return. Thank you for your generosity."

I replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"There's no need to thank me. I don't plan to spare those who cause trouble here."

"I'll make sure no one causes trouble and will manage and supervise them well."

"Think about what the remaining people will do."

"Can you give me an example?"

"This is a place with a developed business district, so you can't live like a martial arts sect. There are jobs like innkeeping, blacksmithing, construction, and inn management. You can't assign them to brothels; there are too many women, which could cause problems. Discuss with the riffraff and decide."

"Understood."

"I have many sub-organizations. As more Black Path members join, I'll temporarily create a Black Gate. Keep that in mind. For now, do ordinary jobs. There are useless kids who can't even do ordinary jobs..."

After saying this, I felt a bit uncomfortable.

Because Jiadou noodles came to mind.

"Understood. But you said you have many sub-organizations. What is the main organization?"

I observed Sima Fei's expression and said.

"We are the number one Haoke Sect in the world."

"Haoke Sect... I've never heard of it."

I narrowed my eyes and replied.

"Really? You've never heard of it?"

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry. I don't have much knowledge..."

"It's fine. I created the sect recently. The key is not the roughness but the fact that it was created."

Sima Fei, who didn't understand what I meant, quickly managed his expression and replied.

"Ah, understood."

Sima Fei thought the name Haoke, which means low and dirty, was a very unsuitable combination for a sect's name, but he couldn't say it out loud.

Sima Fei had a dazed expression, so I asked.

"What are you thinking?"

"Ah, yes. I was thinking about the 'number one' part."

"The bottom of the world, number one."

Sima Fei immediately understood.

"Ah..."

"Why? Do you think you're not like that?"

"No, I am. I've always been at the bottom."

I nodded seriously.

"Then it's settled."

After a moment, I added.

"Passed."

Only then did Sima Fei smile for the first time, then quickly managed his expression and replied.

"Thank you."