Chapter 59

Episode 59

“That’s surprising. “I thought you would definitely lead me to Giru (妓樓).”

“What’s the point of going to Giru? “It’s not like I can invite a courtesan to sit next to me.”

“Well, it’s probably not something worth talking about in front of other people.”

“To talk about the dull past, you can talk about it with men in a quiet room over drinks. “Let’s go in.”

Damun guided me to a base near the entertainment district.

He said it was the most sophisticated and luxurious place he knew, but the atmosphere was indeed different from a typical base running place.

Damun and I rented an entire room on the second floor.

As we sat across from each other across the table, the clerk brought out the dishes and drinks we ordered one by one.

“Aside from the alcohol, why did you order so much food? “I don’t think it’s a quantity that the two of us can handle.”

“You don’t have to worry. “Because you can eat it all.”

“...Have you heard anything?”

“I usually eat a lot.”

We filled each other’s glasses with alcohol and raised them and clinked them together.

After clearing his throat once, Damun began to tell the story in a relaxed tone.

“As you may know, I am from the Sima family in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province.”

“I understand that you are the legitimate son and only son of the Sima family.”

“Just like you said. “Because there was no one else to consider as a successor, he was designated as the next head of the family at the age of ten and received a strict education.”

“It must have been difficult.”

“It wasn’t particularly difficult. When I think about it now, it was a very oppressive life, but at the time it was just fun. People around me praised me and said I was a genius who only comes along once in a hundred years. “I thought so myself.”

Young Hanryang calmly calls himself a genius.

Strangely enough, it didn’t look arrogant or funny.

Is it because he knows that in the not-too-distant future he will be called by the nickname of Qiunlong?

“At that time, I thought I was a great person.”

“.......”

“I think I had a fulfilling day every day. I felt it was rewarding in its own way. Martial arts, etiquette, academic taboos, calligraphy, and painting. In addition, I learned various techniques. In some areas, I have achieved achievements that surpass even my teachers.

“.......”

“But that great achievement led my father astray.”

Damwoon sighed deeply and filled his empty glass with alcohol.

“Father, the head of the family judged me as a talented person who could revive the Sima family. “He was trying to achieve the rebirth of his family, which he was unable to achieve in his own generation, through me.”

“.......”

“That’s why you put so much effort into my education. “He even took on a debt to send me to study at Zhuge Dynasty.”

I nodded silently and listened to Damun’s story.

I had no intention of interrupting the story with unnecessary additions.

I guess he would never reveal his past again, except now that he was in the mood.

“It was good up to that point. In the past, when I grew up, I promised myself that I would live up to my father’s expectations and work hard to revive the family. But it turns out that the matriarch did not do anything one by one. “He seemed to think that no matter how talented the next head of the family was, there wasn’t much he could do with his own strength.”

“.......”

“They accepted kickbacks from a group of black thieves, became their backers, had a hand in running a gambling house and selling drugs, created divisions between nearby martial arts factions and started fights, and secretly gathered orphans and taught them to form assassin groups. .”

“.......”

“I was greatly shocked, as I firmly believed that Sima Family was a noble Wulin Segara of the right path. But in the end, I closed my eyes and ears and pretended not to notice it. “I told myself that it was not a problem I could handle.”

“.......”

“But the head of the family seems to have not been satisfied with just that, so he pushed for one more thing. “He was trying to gain a powerful friendly force by marrying me to the daughter of the Kwonmun family.”

“.......”

“But I already had a child born in the womb. There was a merchant who helped the Simase family when they were having a difficult time due to financial difficulties. His wife became pregnant around the same time as my mother. “Did you say it was a promise made at that time, pledging friendship between us?”

“.......”

“I’m sorry, Chief, but I have no intention of getting involved in Moorim’s affairs.”

“How long do you plan to just avoid it?”

“Having me as your subordinate means turning the Simase family into your enemy.”

“In that case, all we have to do is erase Sima Shiga from the world.”

“...!”

“Why do you think you can’t do it?”

I stretched out my chopsticks and lowered the liquor bottle from top to bottom.

The bottle burst open and the contents poured out.

Damun looked at it with a blank expression and muttered.

“A swordsman...?”

“Among the warriors who have registered with Sima Family, are there any skilled fighters who are ranked among the world’s 100 greatest masters?”

“No.”

“In that case, someone like Simase is no match for me.”

“Does that mean that the executioner is a skilled person ranked among the top 100 masters?”

Damwoon let out a laugh.

There was a little bit of life in the face that had been dying.

I nodded calmly and played with my chopsticks again.

“Think carefully. This is an opportunity that will never come again. “This is a recommendation from the future greatest person in the world.”

“What can I gain by becoming the executioner’s subordinate?”

“Wealth, fame and power. And the map of the true law left by reporter Cheon.”

“...!”

“Don’t you want to break free from Sima Ga’s shadow?”

“I will say this.”

“I will help you.”

“That’s a sweet offer.”

Damwoon ran his hand across the neatly cut cross section of the liquor bottle.

The fingertips split and blood seeped out.

“Why do you do this to someone like me?”

“I saw the value of small cooperatives very highly. What other reason do you need?”

“Thank you, but I am not as great of a person as you think.”

“I make the decision.”

“...Give me time to think.”

“Of course.”

I called the clerk to clean up the broken bottle and ordered a new drink.

When I handed him the silver coin, the clerk’s face, who had been organizing the liquor bottles, brightened up with a sullen expression.

Damwoon, who belatedly picked up the chopsticks, shoved some vegetables into his mouth and asked.

“Are you sure you won’t regret it?”

“It’s not something big enough to make me regret it.”

“The power of the Sima family is greater than what the executioner thinks.”

“I am a greater person than you think.”

“First of all, I will help you attack Gija Cheon’s secret location.”

“Well thought out. “We’ll be leaving in two days, so get ready in the meantime.”

“Two days? “Isn’t time too tight?”

“There is no reason to waste time. “There’s not much to prepare.”

“That’s true.”

“Then I understand that you have accepted it.”