Chapter 27

27. Say something that makes sense

Chase Sung-tae, who witnessed a vast amount of wealth entering Meihuaru, approached with a pale face.

"What is all this wealth? Where did you get it from? Did you learn to steal?"

"It's the funds embezzled by the Black Cat Sect's Golden Phoenix Hall Master. It's also the construction funds for martial arts estates like inns."

"You brought the Black Cat Sect's money here?"

Chase Sung-tae looked utterly bewildered.

"Yep."

"Why?"

"It's my heart. The heart of a waiter, the heart of the Haomen Master, the heart of a thief."

"I understand the thief's mindset, but what if the Black Cat Sect attacks? These guys don't get robbed; they do the robbing. They beat up thieves."

"I'm good at beating people too, so it should be fine."

"Ha..."

I have killed the Jo brothers, the Black Ship Sect's riffraff, and the Golden Phoenix Hall Master, but I haven't used my full strength.

Moreover, I know that now is a time when the Black Cat Sect's leader can't afford to pay attention to Ilyang County. He probably doesn't even have enough time to practice every day.

However, if I explain all this in detail, the atmosphere will become even stranger, so I need to let it pass.

"If the Black Cat Sect attacks, I'll settle things with the Black Cat Sect's leader."

"Settle things, good."

"Or I can beat up the Black Cat Sect's leader. Or I can torture and interrogate him. Or I can make him my subordinate."

"Subordinate, good. Torture? That's a clever method. I was worried for nothing."

"Or I can kill him. I have many options."

The people around me, who had been listening, all sighed and avoided my gaze, while Chase Sung-tae muttered with a dazed expression.

"Say something that makes sense, so I can feel reassured. Ha..."

I looked at Chase Sung-tae and replied briefly.

"Sure."

Being doubted is something I'm used to, but I also need to reassure people.

"Alright. It seems the poor people are worried today. I understand. Tell the leaders of Haomen to gather in the courtyard of Zihak Inn for a while. I need to ease their worries."

"Who are the leaders? I don't know exactly yet."

In fact, later on, I won't know who the Haomen members are, just like Chase Sung-tae. I'll recruit almost everyone in the lower ranks as I walk around. Haomen is originally a group of working people, so in a sense, it's also a Labor Sect.

There is no high or low in work.

However, in the martial world, there were many distinctions of high and low, and people took this for granted.

That's why most of the martial world were my enemies.

"First, Zhang Deshui from the Dianmen."

"Huh? Deshui brother?"

"Are you looking down on Deshui brother?"

"Ah, no, that's not it. The rice bowl is really delicious."

"Jin Chelyong from the Iron Gate and Yan Zicheng from the Zhu Men. Just bring them."

"Um, what about the parade leader from earlier?"

"Leave him. We need to observe him more."

"Understood."

* * *

We gathered around a bonfire in the courtyard of Zihak Inn, where construction was underway, and the young masters and I sat down.

Jin Chelyong said,

"Our Sect Master has something to say."

"Yes."

Because Jin Chelyong was present, I started with formal language.

"I will explain the code of conduct for Haomen. Please bear with me if my words are disorganized. I don't want to give a polished speech; I want to share my inner thoughts."

"Speak freely."

I looked at the burning logs, which crackled, and began.

"From now on, everything that happens in Haomen is my responsibility. If there's a problem, say it was done by the Haomen Master. If someone asks where the Haomen Master is, just tell them where I am. If someone questions something, say it's something only the Haomen Master knows. This is the first rule of Haomen's code of conduct."

In summary:

It's my fault, period.

I finished speaking and looked at the young masters for a moment. As expected, they looked at each other with expressions of confusion.

The elder, Jin Chelyong, asked for clarification.

"Everything is the Sect Master's fault?"

"Yes."

Jin Chelyong tilted his head.

"How can this be a code of conduct for an organization? Explain more."

"Sure. I need to explain more. I have no talent for running a noodle shop, so I turned to the martial world."

"Is that true?"

"Let's move on. But Uncle Jin, who runs the Iron Gate, and Brother Deshui, who runs Chunyang Inn, probably have no interest in the martial world, now or in the future. Right?"

They nodded.

"What interest do we have in the martial world?"

"It's impossible."

I looked at Yan Zicheng and Chase Sung-tae.

"These two are the same."

Chase Sung-tae thought to himself, "Not me," but didn't speak due to the atmosphere.

"Most of Haomen will be the same. But I am different. Without going into specific examples, inn waiters, bodyguards, coachmen, weapon makers, food producers, and various merchants have been killed countless times by martial artists. It's a world where such injustices can't be questioned. It will probably continue in the future. I want to reduce the number of people who die through Haomen, one by one, two by two, three by three... and I want to hold accountable those who unjustly killed others, no matter who they are."

When I was active as a demon, every time the Black Sect and the Martial Alliance, the Black Path and the White Path, clashed, countless innocent people died as if in a war. Many died without any fault.

I have no sympathy for the mad monkeys who practice martial arts and kill each other.

But I can't tolerate an innocent waiter being beaten to death for no reason.

Jin Chelyong asked,

"I understand a little, but how does this relate to having an interest in the martial world?"

Jin Chelyong still seemed confused by my words.

I continued,

"It's related. If Haomen members are injured or killed, I will know. If they are killed by the Black Path, I will kill the Black Path. If they are killed by the White Path, I will kill them before going to the Martial Alliance to argue right and wrong. I will be the protector of ordinary workers. However..."

I looked around at the people.

"Protecting the weak inevitably leads to conflict with existing power structures. The Haomen Master can gain a righteous cause in any conflict because I am the representative of the weak."

In my past life, I had no righteous cause, which is why I easily earned the nickname of demon.

As a result, I was easily criticized and pointed at.

No matter what I did, I was called a madman, and I even had to bear the blame for crimes I didn't commit.

In fact, I often didn't bother to explain because it was too troublesome.

Combined with my temper, I became a public enemy of the martial world in the shortest time possible.

I don't want that now.

Who can understand the feeling of having to run from the Martial Alliance while training to kill the Black Sect's leader?

The situation is different now.

If I don't make proper use of this rare opportunity, I would be a fool, not a madman.

Yan Zicheng spoke first.

"I understand."

Chase Sung-tae raised his hand and spoke.

"I don't quite understand... For this code of conduct to have meaning, the Sect Master must be incredibly strong, right? If the Black Cat Sect attacks tomorrow, according to the code, we should report that everything was done by the Sect Master. But how will you deal with countless sects and experts in the future?"

"Good point."

I looked at the people waiting for my response and said something they found hard to believe.

"If I become the best in the world, it will be solved."

"..."

A suffocating silence filled the air...

Chase Sung-tae tried to cover his mouth but failed to suppress a "Pfft."

This was the signal for Jin Chelyong to burst into laughter, Zhang Deshui to hold his belly and laugh, and even Yan Zicheng to chuckle. Chase Sung-tae, emboldened, burst into laughter, and the young masters roared with laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha ha."

"Kha ha ha ha ha."

"In Ilyang County... the best in the world..."

"The waiter... Ah, sorry."

I smiled gently at the laughing young masters.

Actually, I found it funny too.

A waiter from Zihak Inn being the best in the world...

In the end, I joined the young masters in laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha..."

After laughing for a while, I turned serious and looked at Chase Sung-tae.

"Laugh a little less. You're crying like a madman."

"Understood."

Jin Chelyong, who seemed to feel good just by listening to me, said,

"You're still young. If you work hard every day, you might become a famous expert in the martial world in a few decades. A man should have big ambitions. I support our Sect Master."

Yan Zicheng, with innocent eyes, said,

"I also support you. Become the best in the world. I will be both a Haomen member and your patron."

Yan Zicheng, whose ambition was to be the best in the world in construction, firmly supported this mindset.

My gaze turned to Zhang Deshui, who hadn't said a word.

Zhang Deshui thought,

"The best in the world is not a child's game."

I watched Zhang Deshui's complicated expression and said,

"Brother Deshui, you think it's impossible."

Zhang Deshui, being honest, nodded and replied,

"Isn't it?"

"What about it?"

"There are countless sects, experts, and powers in the martial world, and there are innumerable geniuses in martial arts who start training before they can even walk."

"That's true."

Zhang Deshui expressed it as if he had heard it somewhere.

"But the best in the world is sent from heaven."

Right.

The best in the world is sent from heaven.

And I am the man chosen by an unknown man from heaven.

"That's me."

Actually, the mindset is more important than the result.

"Whether I become the best in the world or not is not that important. What matters is how much effort I put into it. A man who doesn't set a goal and strive for it is not a man. I, Li Zha, will strive to be the best in the world, and I want to know what goals you, the young masters, will strive for..."

I pointed at the young masters with my finger.

"Think about it seriously."

At this moment, I wondered if I was the man called a demon in my past life.

But, yes.

In my past life, I had no plan, but now I do.

If I take good care of Haomen in the future, I can fight the Martial Alliance and the Black Sect. If I become a representative of the weak, I won't be branded a public enemy of the martial world like before.

I need to gain a righteous cause...

To argue justice with the White Path.

To compete in strength with the Black Path.

To beat or recruit the crazy people of the Black Path.

This is the power of a righteous cause.

When someone tries to push a different opinion on the majority of the world.

If they succeed, they are a revolutionary; if they fail, they are a madman.

I want to be a successful madman, unlike in my past life.