Because I Am a Man
"Please wait a moment."
I had received an invitation to the Nammyung Association and came alone.
It wasn't just about coming alone; it was important that I came personally.
Many of my subordinates wanted to accompany me, but I knew more about the Nammyung Association than they did.
If my forces clashed with them, I would have to eliminate each member of the Nammyung Association one by one to settle the matter.
They were a tightly-knit organization.
Destroying a single faction of the Black Path wouldn't be particularly impactful, but it would cost the lives of dozens of my subordinates.
Not wanting that, I had come to meet the leader of the Nammyung Association alone.
As the main hall doors opened, the executives of the Nammyung Association began to appear one by one, taking their seats at the long table where I was sitting.
Among them was Nam Yeonpung.
Perhaps because it was a rather strict organization, the executives, including Nam Yeonpung, did not utter a word in the main hall.
I found myself dozing off while observing their faces.
Lately, I had been dozing off often because I had been practicing my breathing techniques all night.
It felt like I was painstakingly peeling off the energy that had clung to me.
Having reached the realm of the fighting cocks too quickly, I also felt a sense of fatigue.
Even if I dozed off like this, I wasn't too worried.
My body would react faster than my awareness to any surprise attack.
Perhaps because it was such a strictly disciplined organization, no one shouted or clicked their tongues at me for dozing off.
So, I managed to take a short nap.
When I felt drool pooling at the corner of my mouth, I heard someone's voice.
"Is everyone here?"
"Yes."
I opened my eyes and looked at Nam Garak, the leader of the Nammyung Association, as he walked out.
Ah, it's that guy.
As Nam Garak took his seat at the head of the table, he commanded his subordinates, "Bring the Black Cat Leader."
Nam Garak, not noticing me among the executives, gave orders to his subordinates.
Then, an executive sitting to Nam Garak's left spoke in a quiet tone.
"Leader, he is here."
"What?" After wiping my mouth with my thumb, I made eye contact with Nam Garak.
I deliberately widened my eyes, feeling a double eyelid form.
Nam Garak narrowed his brows and asked me, "The Black Cat Leader?"
After yawning, I replied, "That's me."
A moment of silence fell over the main hall.
Nam Garak looked at the expressions of the executives before asking me again, "Did you come alone?"
"I came alone."
I nodded and then spoke to the attendant waiting nearby.
"Get me some water. What kind of hospitality is this?"
The attendant bowed his head and replied, "Understood."
As soon as the attendant answered, he realized he had made a mistake by looking at the expressions of the executives.
The attendant froze like a statue, and Nam Yeonpung stepped in.
"Don't worry, just bring the water."
"Yes, Leader."
Only then did Nam Garak, regaining his composure, speak to the executives.
"You all stand by."
The executives simultaneously jumped up and moved away from the table, positioning themselves to surround the main hall.
Nam Garak looked at me and introduced himself.
"I am Nam Garak of the Nammyung Association."
I introduced myself appropriately.
"I am the Black Cat Leader, Ija Hada, from Il Yang County..."
I seemed to still be half asleep.
The attendant placed a glass of water down and poured it directly from the pitcher.
I glanced at the attendant and asked, "There's no poison, right?"
The attendant bowed his head and stepped back.
"No, there isn't."
I took a refreshing sip of water and let out a deep breath.
I was starting to wake up.
"Hoo..."
While I was slapping my cheeks with both hands, Nam Garak asked, "Did you doze off here?"
I nodded and replied, "It seems so."
"What were you thinking coming alone? I heard you have quite a few subordinates."
"If I received an invitation, it's only natural to come. My subordinates would just be a hassle, so I came alone."
Nam Garak laughed with a look of disbelief.
"Hah."
Only then did I take a closer look at Nam Garak.
He appeared quite young, probably in his late twenties or early thirties.
He was handsome, but his eyes were too sharp, and an intimidating aura surrounded his entire face, making him the type of man that women would likely fear.
If a reckless man like Deokgo Saeng charged in without a plan, this man seemed to carry a sense of responsibility that was evident in his expression.
Men who had held leadership positions from a young age often had this kind of aura.
Nam Garak continued to scrutinize me and asked, "Why did you kill Gu Yangbok?"
"I went to engage in a martial arts gambling match, but it turned out to be a scam. They sent women who hid drugs in their hair ornaments, and I got caught."
"You, the leader, went to a martial arts gambling match?"
I nodded.
"I heard that someone named Dongbang Yeon was quite skilled, so I went. They say he is known as the King of Martial Arts Gambling, but his actual skills didn't live up to the title."
Nam Garak said, "I heard that Gu Yangbok revealed he would pay tribute to the Nammyung Association before he died."
"That's right."
"And yet you killed him."
I looked at Nam Garak with an indifferent expression.
"Would you have spared him?"
"..."
Nam Garak couldn't respond.
It seemed he had intended to call me out and scold me before asking for tribute, but his expression changed throughout our conversation.
In any case, Nam Garak had committed no offense against me, so I was speaking as politely as possible.
It was surprising that I hadn't cursed at him.
Nam Garak asked the executives, "Is it true that the leader really came alone?"
It sounded like he was questioning whether I was truly the Black Cat Leader.
The executives replied, "Yes."
Both the executives and Nam Garak seemed taken aback.
It was likely because the leader of a faction embroiled in conflict had never appeared like this before.
Nam Garak, seemingly at a loss for words, brought up the topic of money.
"I heard you swept away Gu Yangbok's wealth. What do you plan to do with the money that the Narak Association was paying tribute?"
Hearing about money immediately put me in a foul mood.
"Are you a beggar? What are you saying? Are you asking me to pay tribute? Are you declaring war?"
Nam Garak's face turned bright red.
Eventually, one of the observing executives seemed to be the first to explode, speaking to Nam Garak.
"Leader..."
Nam Garak interrupted with a pointed finger.
"Shut up."
I asked Nam Garak, "Did your subordinates not report properly?"
"What report?"
"I called the entire Narak Association to the arena and faced them alone. It was a martial arts gambling match agreed upon by Gu Yangbok. The winner would take everything. A match is a match, and gambling is gambling. Since I won, I have Gu Yangbok's wealth. After all, Gu Yangbok earned all that wealth through gambling. Even if Gu Yangbok were to come back to life, he couldn't argue with me about money."
I subtly hinted at the situation when I killed Daenachal.
"I also killed the former Black Cat Leader and his master, Daenachal, alone. That's how I became the Black Cat Leader. And you ask me what I will do with the money that was paid as tribute? Your question is quite off."
If I had explained this much and he still didn't understand, I had nothing more to say.
I could only stick the Flashing Dagger into the table...
Nam Garak replied briefly, "That's a valid point. Then what is the reason you are here?"
"I came because I was invited."
The executives cleared their throats from various corners.
I glanced around at the executives and nodded.
Since they had all thrown their lives away to fight against Ilwidogang, they all seemed brave.
So, I was willing to overlook any somewhat arrogant behavior.
Those who could risk their lives deserved respect.
Nam Garak likely called me to either kill me or recruit me, but I had come mainly to observe him and his subordinates.
"I heard from my subordinates that the Nammyung Association has refused the membership request from the massive faction, the Paegyeom Association, and also declined the invitation from Nam Cheonryeon, maintaining its independence. I was curious about what kind of people you are. By the way, if you continue to refuse the requests from the Paegyeom Association or Nam Cheonryeon, there will surely be bloodshed. Do you have any plans?"
In truth, this was not something I had heard from my subordinates but rather a guess of mine.
In any case, Ilwidogang was an assassination organization, and someone must have requested the leader of the Nammyung Association to be killed.
Of course, because of that request, Ilwidogang was also staggering, and the Nammyung Association was on the brink of annihilation, so I suspected that the strong factions of the Black Path, like the Paegyeom Association or Nam Cheonryeon, had come up with a plan to deal with both.
Especially since Ilwidogang's request fees were very high, an ordinary sect could end up in ruin after making a request.
Nam Garak said, "I have no plans. I have no intention of bowing my head to the Paegyeom Association or Nam Cheonryeon. If blood is to be shed, then so be it."
I nodded.
"A straightforward approach."
Since it was a phrase I used often, there was no reaction.
In any case, a manly man deserves respect for being himself.
I made a proposal to Nam Garak.
"Look, Leader Nam, not everyone in the White Path is righteous, just as not everyone in the Black Path is trash like Gu Yangbok. I deal with people based on their merits. If the Paegyeom Association or Nam Cheonryeon harasses you, I can help."
"..."
Nam Garak, who had a momentary look of confusion, burst into laughter, and the waiting executives chuckled as well.
After laughing for a while, Nam Garak said, "So you want me to pay tribute?"
"No need for that. I don't receive tribute from the Black Cat, the Black Line, Master Su, the God of Death, or the subordinates of Il Yang County. I've already distributed a lot of Gu Yangbok's funds to my subordinates.
I provided funds for those who wanted to farm, and I told those who wanted to do business to leave. I also supported those who wanted to learn carpentry or blacksmithing. Only those who don't know what to do are still clinging to me.
In fact, I haven't killed many of Gu Yangbok's subordinates. I think I only killed about five or six. The rest are probably looking for their own paths now that the gambling house has disappeared."
I was conveying that I was not the kind of Black Path he imagined, but it seemed Nam Garak had never encountered someone like me and didn't quite understand.
"Using someone else's money for such things."
"Anyway, money that Gu Yangbok had is useless. If even one person finds what they want to do, that is a better outcome. I'm not someone who looks out for the troubles of foolish people, but if a man sets his mind to do something, I am the kind of person who supports him. I only asked them for one thing. When I need help someday, to gather again under the name of Hao Mun."
Somehow, I ended up explaining about Hao Mun.
Nam Garak asked, "So your true identity is the leader of Hao Mun?"
"Something like that."
I stood up from my seat.
"If you want to wage war against me, go ahead. If you want to join Hao Mun, that's fine too. Whether friend or foe, whatever you choose, I will respect it. But do not ask me for tribute, threaten me, or harass my subordinates. And do not let me hear that the Nammyung Association is harassing merchants or those who haven't learned martial arts. If that happens, it will be war. Hao Mun is that kind of organization. Since there has never been such an organization until now, I came to explain it to you personally."
I informed Nam Garak, who was listening with wide eyes.
"Think it over and give me an answer."
I glanced around at the executives and walked toward the entrance of the main hall.
Just then, Nam Garak called out to me.
"Hey, Leader Hao Mun."
"What?"
"You need to show your skills for me to make a decision, right?"
I turned around and looked at Nam Garak, smiling.
"Leader Nam, don't get cocky just because you have some subordinates. Can you see my skills?"
"..."
I pointed at the executives with my finger and said to Nam Garak, "I can line up everyone here in order of strength. Just by looking, I can tell."
After reaching the realm of the fighting cocks, I became more sensitive to sensing the aura of my opponents.
Aura refers to the overall energy circulating in the body, and when martial artists mention aura, they often consider the atmosphere, disposition, and physical completeness along with that energy.
In other words, just as one might guess a person's character or fate through their appearance, martial artists can roughly infer an opponent's strength by observing their aura.
Nam Garak asked me, "Who do you think is the strongest here, excluding you?"
I simply replied to the obvious question.
"You."
Nam Garak stood up.
"Then let's have a match first and continue our conversation afterward. One-on-one."
Hmm, finally a one-on-one match that I like?
Nam Garak said in a calm tone, "If you lose, all the forces of Hao Mun will come under the Nammyung Association. I thought you were just a fool dozing off, but after talking, I've changed my mind. You are someone who keeps your word. Will you accept the duel with conditions?"
"If you lose."
Nam Garak looked around at his subordinates, his brows furrowing into an eight.
"Is that even possible? That's ridiculous."
"Hahaha."
Only then did the subordinates burst into laughter.
I also responded joyfully to the entire Nammyung Association.
"That's ridiculous. I'm speechless. There's no handle on the millstone. It's absurd. It's nonsensical."
"..."
"In the midst of this absurdity and confusion, I feel a chill."
The laughter faded from Nam Garak's face, and he opened his mouth with a stern expression.
"Enough."
I mimicked Nam Garak's expression, furrowing my brows into an eight. "…That's ridiculous."
A man who must win even in a verbal battle, a man who has been doomed to be a hero from his past life to this life, a man who deliberately dozed off to create a strange atmosphere in the meeting, a man who came alone and ultimately drew out a one-on-one duel—though it may be absurd, that is me.