I cooked and ate an enormous centennial fleeceflower root.

I ate it as a salad, dipped it in sauce, and brewed it into a restorative soup.

It didn’t sit right with me to give such a potent tonic entirely to the young Yoran, so the Centennial Fleeceflower ended up in the stomachs of the Four Great Villains, Cha Seong-tae, Sister Hong, and Deuk-soo as well. There was so much of it that for three days, we used it as a side dish for every meal, having retrieved it from beneath Manjang Gorge.

On the fourth day—

Sword Demon, the Drunk, and the Lecher had shut themselves in their rooms since morning, likely cultivating their energy.

In the end, the bored Yoran played with me all afternoon before being dragged off by Sister Hong.

Who knew playing with a child would be this exhausting?

Yoran kept bombarding me with questions about terms and martial arts used in Jianghu, leaving me with no chance to rest.

It was harder than beating people with a black blade.

Finally, while I was sitting alone in front of the Zaha Guesthouse enjoying a rare moment of peace, a stranger approached and spoke from ahead.

“I’m here to see the Lord of Haomun.”

“That’s me.”

“Lord, I am Yeom Igeon, an escort from the Namyang Escort Bureau.”

I had never heard of the name Yeom Igeon, but I had heard of the Namyang Escort Bureau’s reputation.

“Escort Yeom, thank you for coming all this way.”

Yeom Igeon pulled a letter from his inner pocket and said,

“I was entrusted with delivering this letter to the Lord of Haomun. I’m glad I was able to deliver it safely. May I proceed?”

“I’d prefer it if you read it aloud.”

Yeom Igeon looked troubled as he held the letter.

“Lord, if you will consider the letter successfully delivered, I will open and read it.”

“I, the addressee, have received it without issue.”

Carefully opening the letter, Yeom Igeon said to me,

“For your information, the contents of this letter have nothing to do with the stance of the Namyang Escort Bureau.”

“I understand.”

Yeom Igeon stared at the letter in silence, let out a short sigh, then read aloud.

“Haomun Lord, this is a claim for damages. You are accused of destroying and seizing merchandise at Black Fragrance without any affiliation.

The losses are as follows:

One Hundred Yin-Yang Pills from the Gu Clan Apothecary, the sword of swordsman Wi Jisan, the lives of the Three Killing Tigers, a mixed-blood girl, other miscellaneous auction items, the lives of auction participants, and material damage to the auction site. Taking into account your past conduct in Jianghu, Black Fragrance will settle for one thousand silver nyang in damages. The death of the Sword Guest is not included in this claim, as it was his failure despite having learned martial arts from me. However, full compensation for the damages to Black Fragrance is expected. Should you refuse, the one thousand silver nyang will be reassigned as a bounty on your head, which would be a sum most assassin organizations would find hard to refuse. From Dongho, The Number One of the Evil Path.”

Yeom Igeon tucked the letter back in and looked at me.

“That’s the full reading. There was no poison on the letter. May I hand it over now?”

“A mixed-blood girl, huh... Give it here.”

Only then did Yeom Igeon approach and respectfully hand over the letter. I took it with my pressure-injected hand and placed it on the table.

“If you’re not in a hurry, take a seat. Water?”

“Yes.”

I poured him a cup from the kettle I was drinking from. Seated across from me, Yeom Igeon downed the water in one go and put the cup down.

“So, the Number One of the Evil Path is the Greatest Sword of Dongho?”

“Yes.”

“Any other messages?”

“The client said a few things.”

“Let’s hear them.”

“Judging by your history, he thought you would most likely refuse.”

“I see.”

“...He also said, should you refuse, people will understand why even Alliance Leader Im Sobaek hasn’t made a move against the Greatest Sword of Dongho, despite his name being on the list of martial criminals.”

“So he’s foolishly flaunting his confidence. He’s hiding, that’s why Alliance Leader Im can’t move on him. Why use the Namyang Escort Bureau instead of his own men?”

Yeom Igeon replied,

“He likely assumed a direct messenger would be killed by you... That’s my assumption.”

“How many assassin groups would move for one thousand silver nyang?”

“All the groups hired by Dongho would. Even if payment is only made to the one who succeeds, it’s still enough. In other words, his own subordinates will likely come too.”

“Is Namyang Escort Bureau under the influence of the Number One of the Evil Path?”

“No. We’re prohibited from delivering to martial criminals, but we were threatened in this case and had no choice. I plan to report this to the Martial Alliance after completing this delivery.”

“You’ve handled it well.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Escort Yeom, do you know why the Martial Alliance hasn’t captured the Greatest Sword of Dongho yet?”

Yeom Igeon nodded.

“Yes. For one, we don’t know his location. Unlike land, rivers and islands require thorough searching, which is difficult for most forces. Also, many skilled people have attempted to assassinate him for the bounty, but none have returned. Even if the Martial Alliance were to step in, the costs would be enormous. He reigns over all of Dongho, and even procuring boats to access the area is a problem. Moreover, his martial strength is said to rival even Alliance Leader Im, making it difficult to act.”

“The Ten Great Swordsmen?”

“Yes. Even by swordsmanship rankings, he definitely makes the list. And he’s incredibly wealthy.”

“So I’ve gotten myself into trouble just for hitting an auction site. Escort Yeom.”

“Yes.”

“They were selling children at that Black Fragrance auction. I had no choice but to kill everyone there.”

“I see.”

“I didn’t know the Greatest Sword of Dongho had business outside Dongho.”

“Likely, it was his disciples or executives gathering funds... I can’t be sure.”

“Escort Yeom, do you need my reply to complete your delivery?”

“Yes.”

“You’re going to meet the client, I assume?”

“I’ll return to Namyang Escort Bureau. They’ll send someone else to receive the response.”

I stared at Yeom Igeon for a moment and asked,

“Do you think I should hand over the one thousand nyang?”

“Are you asking my personal opinion? I already know what your answer is.”

“What do you think it is?”

“Of course you won’t pay.”

“Correct. But I have a reason.”

“What is it?”

“If I hand over the one thousand nyang, they’ll just use it to hire assassins to kill me. Since I’m already marked, there’s no reason to pay. I think they’re trying to make an example of me—telling the Martial Alliance, the noble clans, and the sects to stay out of Dongho.”

“That’s plausible.”

I nodded.

“...As you can guess, I refuse. Escort Yeom, have a meal before you go.”

“Honestly... hearing it directly from you makes my heart heavy. I’ve lost my appetite.”

Yeom Igeon stood and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“Lord, I’ll return now. If it’s a matter of money, may I suggest negotiating with our Escort Bureau? Or perhaps discuss it with the Martial Alliance?”

“I already told you. That money would just go to an assassin group. That bastard probably wants me to die using my own money.”

Yeom Igeon looked at me.

“Not being able to help is deeply frustrating. Regardless, I’ll report this to my superiors at the Escort Bureau.”

“Escort Yeom, may I ask you a favor? It’s a bit difficult.”

“Yes. If it helps, I’ll feel better.”

“It’s not easy.”

“Still, please go ahead.”

Ever serious, Yeom Igeon met my eyes with a determined gaze. After some hesitation, I gave him a difficult task.

“...If a messenger from Dongho arrives, please pass along my message.”

“Yes, what should I say?”

“Tell him this—‘You dumb bastard.’”

“Pardon?”

“Just say the Lord of Haomun called him a dumb bastard. Keep it short. I feel a bit bad—it’s a tough request.”

Yeom Igeon stared at me with his mouth slightly open, then answered.

“Ah, ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) understood. Just that?”

“That’s enough. I’ll appreciate it.”

“Yes, I’ll deliver the message. ‘Dumb bastard’—a fitting description.”

Yeom Igeon gave me a respectful bow.

“Then, Lord, I wish you good fortune.”

“May you return safely, Escort Yeom.”

Yeom Igeon turned, walked a few steps, then vanished using light footwork.

As soon as he left, the guest room windows of the Zaha Guesthouse opened one by one.

When I turned around, the Drunk and the Lecher were sticking their heads out of their rooms.

I looked at them and said to the Lecher,

“What are you looking at? Dumb bastard.”

As the Lecher sighed, the Drunk asked,

“So, when are we leaving?”

“What do you mean, when? Go cultivate your energy. I need to think.”

“What do you make of his intent?”

“I doubt the Greatest Sword of Dongho will leave Dongho. Sending his minions is just to bother me. He’s probably trying to lure me out. Hiring assassins to kill me won’t work. In the end, he wants to trap me in Dongho...”

The Lecher said,

“Shouldn’t we ally with the Martial Alliance?”

“Maybe.”

The Greatest Sword of Dongho, in either this life or the last, was a public enemy never caught.

Even while the Demonic Cult ran rampant, he lived calmly in the Dongho region like the kingdom of Wu holding its own.

He was like a beehive—too risky to touch.

“Kill one person, and it never ends.”

But this is Jianghu.

The Drunk said,

“Let us know when you’ve decided.”

“Got it.”

I stared at the sky in front of the Zaha Guesthouse until the sun began to set.

I understood most of the letter’s contents. In Jianghu, these kinds of demands for money aren’t uncommon. But the inclusion of the mixed-blood girl’s “value” kept echoing in my mind. Every time I recalled that short phrase, it became harder to contain my anger.

As I blankly stared at the sky turning slowly purple, Cha Seong-tae walked over and spoke.

“Lord, why the angry face? Something happen?”

“Seong-tae.”

“Yes?”

“How much money is left at Maehwaru?”

“A lot. Aside from the renovation costs for the Zaha Guesthouse, we’ve hardly spent anything.”

“Use some of it.”

“Yes.”

“Post this everywhere in Jianghu, no need to state a date.”

“Go on.”

“Say the Greatest Sword of Dongho, the Number One of the Evil Path, was discovered to be trading a young girl at an auction and is a sponsor of Black Fragrance.”

“Yes.”

“And that the Lord of Haomun will go to Dongho to duel him one-on-one.”

“When?”

“I don’t know. No need to specify. Just write that soon... the Lord of Haomun will personally visit Dongho for a one-on-one match with the Number One of the Evil Path. The reason is exactly what I just said. Understood?”

“Yes, understood. But... will this really make him face you one-on-one? The man never shows his face, plays the mystery.”

I looked at Cha Seong-tae.

“There’s no particular goal. A one-on-one isn’t necessary. But the world should know why we’re fighting. It’s part of the plan—to reduce the entire matter to ‘a dumb bastard doing dumb bastard things and getting punished by me.’ Spread it like a letter to all of Jianghu. First tell those who know me, then have them tell those who don’t. Pass it along like that. Read the letter.”

When I nodded at the letter, Cha Seong-tae read it quickly.

His expression turned grim.

“So this dumb bastard mentioned Yoran, huh?”

“......”

“Instead of repenting... I understand. I’ll inform all the bases—Black Cat Pavilion, Black Line Pavilion, Namyeong Society—and their leaders too. Since it’s your order, it’ll spread far faster than if I do it alone.”

I nodded.

“Let’s see who dies if we take this to the end. While we’re at it, I hope everyone trying to kill me comes swarming in. I’ll drag them all into Dongho and sink them.”

Cha Seong-tae nodded and let out a quiet sigh.

“Understood. Please calm down. You’ll get sick with rage. Your face looks like the sunset.”

“My face looks like the sunset?”

“Yes.”

I looked at the sky.

“Probably because the sunset is spreading. Why would a person’s face look like the sunset?”

Cha Seong-tae turned his head and stared at the sky with me.

“Maybe.”

Just then, another window opened and Sword Demon stuck his head out.

“Lord, when do we depart?”

I looked at Sword Demon and asked,

“When will eldest brother finish cultivating?”

Sword Demon replied,

“If we’re going to prepare anyway, about three days.”

I nodded.

“Then we’ll leave then.”

“Understood.”

Sword Demon closed the window with his usual blank face.

From inside, Jang Deuk-soo’s voice came.

“Everyone, let’s eat dinner. Administrator Cha, come in too.”

Cha Seong-tae answered in my stead.

“...Coming.”

That evening, I watched the unusually beautiful sunset until it disappeared without harm.

It felt like this wouldn’t be easy, but then again, we’re not easy men—so it didn’t matter.

As Cha Seong-tae packed the letter, he said,

“Let’s eat first and get angry afterward. Relax your face a bit. Yoran might get indigestion seeing you like that.”

I nodded.

“...Let’s eat.”