Chapter 33 – You’ll die if you interfere

Small clans of the Unorthodox Faction often reside in areas with busy shopping districts, but the Black Rabbit Union is different. They are located a little away from the shopping districts, in a place like a mansion for high-ranking scholars.

I am looking at the front gate of Black Rabbit Union and say to So Gun-pyeong.

“Wait here for a bit.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to go in together? We’ll have to fight anyway.”

I look at So Gun-pyeong.

“You said the leader of the Black Rabbit Union has orders to kill me immediately. I have no choice then but to kill everyone who approaches. So let’s do it my way for now. If I scratch the leader’s pride, I can have a one-on-one match with him. It’ll be better for you to step up when things go wrong or when the right time comes. Do you understand?”

So Gun-pyeong must understand my actions because he’s been verbally abused and provoked by me.

“I understand.”

So Gun-pyeong moves first toward the wall, and I walk proudly with the broadaxe on my shoulder and knock on the gates of the Black Rabbit Union.

The center of the wooden gate opens with a screech, and two eyes appear in a small rectangular space.

“Who is it?”

“Lee Zaha of the Ilyang Prefecture.”

The man’s eyes examine my face.

“Who is Lee Zaha?”

I sigh briefly and reply.

“Stop asking questions and open the door before I smash it open.”

“What a shit joke.”

The gatekeeper snorts and shouts inside.

“Is there anyone who knows Lee Zaha from the Ilyang Prefecture, a pale-faced young man who is arrogant and rude?”

I sigh a little, but it is a proper introduction. But I don’t have the patience to wait for the door to open.

I leap up with the broadaxe and land lightly on the front gate.

I could see a panoramic view of the large Black Rabbit Union mansion.

While I think they are well off regardless of their influence, I am strangely upset.

“You’re doing well. Living well…”

No matter how I look at it, the building structure is unfit as an Unorthodox Faction headquarters. But it’s not surprising to think that the Black Rabbit Union Leader probably stole it from someone else in the past.

I stand on the gate with a broadaxe on my shoulder, and the men who found me approach with shouts and furrowed brows.

It’s been ages since I’ve heard so many curses.

Son of a bitch, how should I break this whelp, should I stab his stomach… a series of threats continues.

Of course, it’s the Unorthodox Faction; what can you expect?

After hearing a full stomach of curses, I land in the center of the spacious outer courtyard.

I grab a round chair that is in the middle path, place it down in the center of the courtyard, put the axe upside down in front of it, and sit down.

My expression and presence.

The act of walking leisurely with a large axe on my back and settling down in the middle.

And if my silence isn’t working, I will attack the scum staring at me right now.

But all this catches their attention. I then exchange glances with the Unorthodox Faction dirtbags that are doing nothing to get in the way.

In the meantime, the officials appear one by one. Officials arrive one after another at the podium inside the courtyard. The waiting subordinates settle as if they are building a siege line.

The old man that arrives last asks me.

“You’re Lee Zaha of the Ilyang Prefecture?”

I nod as I look at the old man who seems to have rotted for a long time in the Unorthodox Faction.

“That’s me.”

“Are you here alone?”

“I’m not here to talk to you, old fart. Tell the rabbit-masked fellow to come out.”

Just in time, a deep voice rings from inside the main building.

“Who’s here?”

“Lee Zaha, who killed the Golden Dragon Pavilion Leader, came in person.”

A man wearing a rabbit mask walks out, and the officials make way by moving aside.

I look at the posture and atmosphere of the Black Rabbit Union Leader. His physique is average, and I feel nothing from his presence.

Looking down at me, the leader of Black Rabbit Union says.

“Are you the errand boy?”

When waging a war of nerves, the way of Kangho is to answer a question with a question.

“So you’re the slave rabbit of that idiotic old man, Dae Na-chal?”

“…”

“Should I call you a rabbit slave instead of a slave rabbit? Anyway.”

As the officials’ eyes widen, grave silence follows. Their leader’s expression cannot be seen because of the mask.

My words continue before the Black Rabbit Union Leader could muster his own words.

“How dare you, a slave playing at being a general in a rural village, send a killer after me? If you run away right now and have all your men come at me, will your escape succeed, or not? You insolent black rabbit. Now open that damned mouth of yours.”

Someone next to the leader judges my words and says.

“He’s not just a normal lunatic.”

I speak with great effort in a clear, articulate voice.

“Listen up, Black Rabbit Union. If your leader agrees to fight against me, he’s a worthy leader regardless of his skills. But if he tries to test how skilled I am by ordering all of you to attack me first, he’s not worth being your leader. Then he’s merely a dirtbag of the Unorthodox Faction, a vermin, a coward…”

So Gun-pyeong, listening to this near the wall, shakes his head.

“…Dae Na-chal’s slave, an incompetent, presumptuous moron, a rat bastard hiding behind his mask, a nobody who makes you comply with Dae Na-chal’s prestige. An utterly useless son of a bitch.”

As the criticism floods like a storm, a completely different silence falls.

“…”

Meanwhile, some of the subordinates’ eyes turn slightly to their leader. In fact, my words aren’t false if the curses are taken out. Everyone present is hoping their leader will step out this time.

I extended my hand to the Black Rabbit Union Leader.

“Do you not know what this silence means? He is not the man of the Unorthodox Faction but a fool. Who said that? These are the words of the errand boy of the Ilyang Prefecture, Leader of the Low-Down Sect, a secluded master who can’t find a decent opponent. The common saying that Kangho is wide and has a lot of masters doesn’t apply to me, so keep that in mind.”

I let out a low laugh as soon as I finished my words.

The Black Rabbit Union Leader finally opens his mouth.

“Who do you think you are to determine the nature of the Unorthodox Faction? It is the Unorthodox Faction way to lick where it’s told to lick and bark when told to bark. That’s what the Unorthodox Faction is.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“That’s how the Unorthodox Faction is.”

“Did you get the wrong education? I guess that’s how Dae Na-chal raised you. Like a dog… so you ended up like this.”

At that moment, several officials almost laugh and hurriedly try to manage their facial expressions. When the angry Black Rabbit Union Leader looks around at the surrounding officials, the subordinates already manage to keep a stiff expression on their faces.

I laugh as I shake my shoulders at the leader and his subordinates.

“Ah, that’s why Kangho is a funny place. Your men can’t even laugh as they please.”

Kangho is indeed a place where one can die if they laugh. There is no funnier place in the world than this.

The Black Rabbit Union Leader then says.

“So, you’re asking for a one-on-one match. What kind of sect leader would be easily swayed by your taunts? Your thoughts are just as naive as your face. Your plan is just as sloppy as your mind. Perhaps because you’re a countryside bumpkin?”

Bastard, won’t you look at that flow?

Suddenly, he notices how his subordinates want him to come forward and have a one-on-one match as he looks around. He sighs.

The Black Rabbit Union Leader glances at me with fury.

“Very well, I’ll accept your challenge.”

“Oh…”

“Instead, those who made the wrong choice on who would win the match must die. Those of you who think I’m going to lose, move behind the errand boy. Wouldn’t that be more interesting, errand boy?”

The Black Rabbit Union Leader says as he looks around.

“Don’t look at me, and get moving. Do you think you’ll only die?”

Of course, no one is moving yet.

Suppose the Ilyang Prefecture’s errand boy and the Black Rabbit Union leader are to compete. In that case, it is natural to think the latter would win.

The Black Rabbit Union Leader looks at me and jeers.

“This is your reality, errand boy. Do you understand?”

Then, a man jumps from the wall and lands lightly on the courtyard floor.

People’s eyes direct themselves to the man who suddenly appears. Brief exclamations of surprise mixed with various emotions are heard from the crowd.

“Ah.”

“Huh?”

Of course, it was the Golden Dragon Pavilion Leader and future 18,000 Years of the Low-Down Sect, So Gun-pyeong.

The Black Rabbit Union Leader scoffs at So Gun-pyeong’s unexpected appearance.

“How are you still alive, Chief So? I believe I ordered you to end your own life if you fail. Did you beg him to spare you?”

Having determined his life path, So Gun-pyeong replies plainly in response to the leader’s question.

“Who cares if I begged him or not? My life is now my own, Leader. Do you think there’s some kind of deep affection and loyalty between us? Don’t just decide on your own. I don’t think we’re that close.”

I break into their conversation with a quick word.

“He has a point.”

The eyes of the Black Rabbit Union Leader turn to me.

“Why did you spare him?”

I speak to answer the Black Rabbit Union Leader’s curiosity.

“I’m not you, shithead. So Gun-pyeong and I shared pork ribs. Didn’t we?”

As I suddenly look at So Gun-pyeong while talking about pork ribs, So Gun-pyeong nods dumbly.

“Ah, yes.”

So Gun-pyeong tries to turn the mood around as he faces the Black Rabbit Union Leader.

“Anyway… you two will have a one-on-one match. My fate will be decided based on the result. Men of the Golden Dragon Pavilion, join me. I bet my life that the leader of the Low-Down Sect will win.”

So Gun-pyeong thinks that he will know whether or not he has lived a proper life depending on how his subordinates make their choice.

The Black Rabbit Union Leader ridicules him.

“Would there even be any?”

A moment later, a subordinate of the Golden Dragon Pavilion tells Black Rabbit Union Leader.

“Goodbye, Leader. I’m going over that side.”

The young swordsman says as he heads straight to So Gun-pyeong.

“Leader, what’s wrong with your face?”

So Gun-pyeong greets his men with a smile.

“What do you mean? Of course, it’s because I got my ass kicked.”

“I’m glad you’re alive. It’s good to see your ass-kicked face.”

The Black Rabbit Union Leader had no choice but to become angry.

“It’s just one person.”

As soon as the leader finishes his words, another swordsman of the Golden Dragon Pavilion opens his mouth again.

“Only two people.”

As soon as he walks to where So Gun-pyeong is standing, five or six people follow him.

When one of them draws a sword, So Gun-pyeong stops him.

“Put the sword back in. As I said, this is a one-on-one duel.”

“Really? Understood.”

So Gun-pyeong remains expressionless, but he is delighted. All the subordinates he’d shared his joys and sorrows under the Golden Dragon Pavilion came to his side.

So Gun-pyeong asks me who is sitting in a chair.

“Leader, are you confident? If we lose, we’ll all die.”

“What confidence?”

“Of course…”

“Shut up.”

I grab the axe and stand up.

“This is a one-on-one match between that rabbit bastard and me. I don’t care if anyone intervenes. They’ll have to die too, this is my promise…”

Although I have not finished speaking, something cuts through the wind from the left and flies toward my forehead.

Shi-ing!

I quickly turn my head back before figuring out the hidden weapon. The weapon whirls by, like lightning, and strikes the wall.

“……!”

Everyone shut their mouths in shock. Someone attacked before I could even face the Black Rabbit Union Leader. Even the officials of the Black Rabbit Union are frowning and uttering.

“How despicable…”

“Who was it? Doing something you weren’t ordered to.”

I immediately discover the man whose movements become exaggerated as he throws a side glance at the hidden weapon.

I don’t know who ordered him to make a surprise attack. Maybe he decided on his own and struck.

In this case, I had no choice but to forget what I was going to say.

I channel the force of my entire body and throw the axe like lightning at the man who hurled the hidden weapon.

Shi-inggggggggggg!

The man who threw the hidden weapon’s body is hit by the broadaxe and split grotesquely.

Pswark!

The broadaxe flies fiercely while blood is soaring high in the air. It then strikes the wall with a loud bang.

When I follow the urges of my temper, the axe provided by the Dragon Head Smithy leaves my hand for the first time. However, the dragon head handle that I was worried about and the axe head separates and breaks into two as it plunges into the wall. The axe was used for intimidation anyway, so I didn’t mind.

Looking at the grotesquely torn body, I say in a low voice.

“You’ll die if you butt in. I don’t know why you’re taking precious lives for granted. Is this the nature of the Unorthodox Faction?”

While the atmosphere subsides heavily, So Gun-pyeong speaks in a serious tone.

“Don’t butt in again. The officials too… Please.”

So Gun-pyeong knows best that I’m not lying.

If they don’t stop it at the right moment…

Then the whole of the Black Rabbit Union will be exterminated.