The four of them sat around a round table.

Pyo-wol and Zhang Mu-ryang sat opposite each other, and in between them, Go Dosa and Heo Ran-ju sat.

The place they were sitting was a private room inside of the guest house. It is an isolated space where other peoples gaze is blocked, so it is suitable for sharing confidential information.

Zhang Mu-ryang ordered the most expensive food from the owner of the restaurant.

Pyo-wol sat down without a word and looked at Zhang Mu-ryang.

Zhang Mu-ryang looked at Pyo-wol with his body buried deep in the chair, while Go Dosa and Heo Ran-ju were smiling.

The most surprising thing was Heo Ran-ju. She was looking at Pyo-wol with deep eyes, as if she had no memory of being beaten by him.

She was rather curious about Pyo-wols reaction. Usually people get flustered when they are in this kind of situation. Most of the men she saw were like that.

She expected that this time will be the same too. However, contrary to her expectations, Pyo-wol did not have a single change in his expression.

Tsk! Youre no fun

In the end, Heo Ran-ju pouted her lips with a sullen expression. Then Zhang Mu-ryang opened his mouth.

As you can see, Im having trouble because youre being a nuisance.

Why am I annoying?

You went outside and got yourself hit, so its a problem. Is there anything you can do well?

Damn it!

Heo Ran-ju, who couldnt say anything, rubbed her lips. Although she found nothing scary in the world, Heo Ran-ju had a bit of a hard time dealing with Zhang Mu-ryang, the captain of their group.

This is because Zhang Mu-ryang is not only superior in strength, but also leads the Black Cloud Mercenary Group by setting clear goals with his outstanding leadership.

His strength and strong leadership united the mercenaries of the Black Cloud Mercenary Group.

Although it is said that Heo Ran-ju possessed a brilliant way of thinking, she was also a member of the Black Cloud Mercenary Group. All of her actions were carried out only within the limits of what Zhang Mu-ryang tolerated.

Ran-ju, from my point of view, has mastered some great martial arts so its really amazing for you to be able to subdue her immediately. If you dont mind me asking, can you tell who your master is? Hes the one who raised such a great disciple, so he must be also great.

.

Ah! Dont get me wrong. Im saying this because Im just genuinely curious. I also want to offer a friendly relationship.

.

Youre very reticent. Were you always that way? Or is it because youre uncomfortable at this moment?

You already know. The reason why Im like this.

This time, Zhang Mu-ryang closed his lips.

Hes not going to be easy to deal with.

He was a martial artist who overpowered Heo Ran-ju instantly.

Although she had an outgoing personality and an unruly temper, she was still strong. Otherwise, it would not have been possible for her to become the Vice Captain of the Black Cloud Mercenary Group.

Although it is said that she was careless because she did not anticipate Pyo-wols instantaneous movement, that is not an excuse.

It was true that she had lost, so it was certain that Pyo-wol was that much of a threat. So, he tried to confirm Pyo-wols capability. This is because if it was a warrior with enough skill to subdue Heo Ran-ju at once, then that would mean he would have learned martial arts from a proper master or a master with a high reputation.

However, Pyo-wol was consistently silent. He had an expression of someone resolute of not telling them anything about himself.

This young friend is very suspicious.

I was taught to doubt everything except for myself.

Is that so? Then you learned it right.

Zhang Mu-ryang laughed out loud.

Food came out in the midst of such meaningless conversations.

As the top-class dishes from the guesthouse came out one after another, Go DOsa trembled with his chopsticks.

Lets chat while eating food. When youre hungry, good words dont come out.

Yeah! Ive been starving all day and Im hungry.

Heo Ran-ju also hurriedly picked up her chopsticks.

As the two of them livened up the atmosphere, Zhang Mu-ryang also smiled and raised his chopsticks.But until the end, Pyo-wol did not raise his chopsticks.

Why? Do you think the food is poisoned?

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No. Im just not hungry.

Then why didnt you tell me right away? If I had, I would have ordered a little less food.

But youre going to eat it all, right?

But

Zhang Mu-ryang smiled and looked at Heo Ran-ju and Go Dosa.

The two were playing with their chopsticks like crazy. Where their chopsticks passed, the food disappeared. The two of them ate and ate the food as if they were obsessed with face. Thanks to this, more than half of the food has already disappeared into their stomachs.

It seemed that there was no need to worry about the food having leftovers.

Zhang Mu-ryang knew that it would be of no use to drag the horse beyond this. Although he hadnt said a few words to Pyo-wol, his personality was already pictured in his mind.

He has a lot of doubts, and he doesnt trust people easily. He also draws a clear line and refuses to let anyone in.

For such a person, it might have been more effective to bring out the main point in a straight-forward way than to speak in a roundabout manner.

Ive researched your past. Nothing came out. Oh! Dont be offended. Isnt it natural that you want to know about someone youre interested in? The reason I say this is because Im interested in you.

Interested?

Yeah! I would be lying if I said Im not interested on someone who overpowered Ranju in a short span of time. I want to recruit you into the Black Cloud Mercenary Group. From your point of view, it may just be a group of rogues, but I have a dream. My goal is to make it a proper sect. To do that, I need at least one more talented person. I wont ask you what your past is or why you came to Chengdu. I can also promise you the best treatment, so join the Black Cloud Mercenary Group.

Zhang Mu-ryang looked directly into Pyo-wols eyes.

Pyo-wol thought his eyes resembled those of a bear.

At first glance, he looked more honest than any other animal, but in fact, it was the bear that was cunning which no other animal can rival. With the overwhelming power that came from its huge body, the cunning brain, and the brutality of eating its prey alive with its breath attached, the bear was a top-notch beast.

If you are deceived by that persons nice smile, you will surely be eaten.

Ill give you anything. If you want, Ill give you Ranju as well.

Oraboni!

Heo Ran-ju shouted, but Zhang Mu-ryang did not care and continued,

No matter what her personality is, her looks make up for it. I dont know how the nights with her are like, but all the guys shes slept with seem to be satisfied.

Oh! Really

Heo Ran-ju groaned as if angry. But Pyo-wol knew she wasnt mad.

No matter how angry her expression was, there was something she could never hide. It was the movement of the fine muscles around the eyes. Pyo-wol was able to grasp the emotions of the other person through such fine muscle movements.

Heo Ran-ju was not angry. Rather, she was expecting a positive response from Pyo-wol. Heo Ran-jus slightly shriveled breath was telling Pyo-wol how she felt.

That bitch really likes that guy.

Go Dosa looked at Heo Ran-ju and smiled slightly.

Heo Ran-ju was never a virtuous woman. In fact, it would be strange if a woman who had been a rogue for many years was quiet.

Heo Ran-ju was not called the Black Ranju for nothing.

She was a woman who had to possess a man she liked. The red blush that appeared on her face as she looked at Pyo-wol was proof that she longed for him.

Even if you look at the same guy, that guys face is amazing. If its Ranjus personality, Ill leave it in the room and get bitten and kicked.

Zhang Mu-ryang looked at Pyo-wol with a grin.

It was as if he was looking forward to Pyo-wols decision. It was his idea that a man could not refuse a beautiful woman like Heo Ran-ju.

However, Pyo-wols reply betrayed his expectations.

Its not that compelling.

Which one do you not like? Joining the group or giving away Ranju?

All of it.

Youre more greedy than you look. Youre still not satisfied.

Im not very fond of food that Im sure Ill get sick of eating

Hmm!

Zhang Mu-ryangs eyes grew sharper. Heo Ran-jus face, sitting next to him, was red with anger.

How dare you reject me?

Ive met many men so far, but Pyo-wol was the first to reject her. Her face was full of shameful light. Heo Ran-ju bit her lip until it bled.

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Tension lingered over Pyo-wols refusal.

Go Dosa wiggled his fingers and looked at Pyo-wol and Zhang Mu-ryang. If Zhang Mu-ryangs command is given, he is ready to bounce at any time.

That was then.

Puhahaha!

Suddenly, Zhang Mu-ryang burst into laughter.

After a moments hesitation, he opened his mouth.

Im joking, joking! Why are you making such a serious expression like a fool? No matter how much I like to have you, do you think Ill give you Ranju? What a big person you are.

..

I just wanted to make fun of you because of your serious expression. Well, it doesnt seem to work. Heh! But I want to say something like this. If possible, I hope we dont run into each other. I love to talk, but the other guys dont. Actions take precedence over brains. These words are all for you, so I hope you will listen to them.

Ill say something too

Im listening.

If one day you go down the street with your head falling off your body and you see your world ending, its okay to think its because of me.

..

At Pyo-wols unexpected words, Zhang Mu-ryangs expression hardened.

Im joking. What makes you look so serious? Like a fool.

Pyo-wol smiled. But Zhang Mu-ryang couldnt laugh any more.

* * *

Zhang Mu-ryang and his party left the guest house.

When he came out, the smile disappeared from Zhang Mu-ryangs face.

He looked at the guest house with a dry face. To be precise, he was looking at the private room where he and Pyo-wol had been sitting before.

Pyo-wols face could be seen through the window of the private room.

Pyo-wol was also looking at him.

That guy!

Zhang Mu-ryangs face, which had been dry, turned colder.

A mercenarys life is hard.

They have nowhere to go, and no one welcomes them.

The only places where they are most useful are where disputes or big fights between sects take place.

Most of the mercenaries only learned miscellaneous skills, let alone a proper martial art. So, the reality was that they were not treated properly.

However, the Black Cloud Mercenary group led by Zhang Mu-ryang was different.

There are about 50 warriors who can be called masters, about 100 who can be useful, and the remaining two hundred are horsemen.

With this level of power, any clan could be annihilated overnight. Nevertheless, they wander the battlefield because no one in Jianghu welcomes them.

Existing sects did not welcome the arrival of mercenary groups such as the Black Cloud Mercenary Group under a territory of their jurisdiction.

There was no strong sect that would welcome the arrival of an armed group made up of wild savages. It would have been nice to be able to trample the existing sects by force and take their place, but it was not easy.

Most of the existing strong sects were connected by a close relationship.

In the Qingcheng sect, numerous branches, military officers, pyo-guk (security/escort company), and aristocrats were affiliated with them for over hundreds of years which have led to a sense of community.

It was the same with the Emei sect.

They usually work individually, but when the group they belong to is threatened, they will unite and fight as one.

The power of the Black Cloud Mercenary Group was undoubtedly great. But it was just them.

Unlike the Qingcheng sect, they didnt have their own aristocrats, and there was no other sects to help. Above all, they did not have a proper system and hierarchy.

Although the hierarchy is maintained with the strong leadership of Zhang Mu-ryang and the power of the Vice Captain Heo Ran-ju and Yang Woo-jeong, they have not reached the depth and vastness of the powerful sects such as the Qingcheng sect and Emei sect.

For that reason, they did not dare to rub and intervene in the area occupied by those existing clans. That was also the reason why they had no choice but to remain as a mercenary group despite possessing a powerful force.

In the case of Thunder Gates, luck followed.

They settled in Jintang County, where the War of Demons and Heaven took place, and at that time, the Qingcheng sect and Emei sect were living in a dark period.

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Thanks to that, they were able to become the owner of Jintang County in Sichuan without any checks. However, such luck did not follow the Black Cloud Mercenary Group.

If a huge war such as the War of Demons and Heaven happened again then they could do the same but there was little chance of that happening.

Therefore, he saw the current conflict in Sichuan as a golden opportunity.

The exact reason why the Qingcheng sect and the Emei sect are fighting is not known, but if they can stand on the side of the Emei sect and inflict a heavy blow to the Qingcheng sect, theyre sure that theyll be able to occupy a place near the Western Highlands.

If they exercise their acquaintance and influence with foreign personnel who have built up this place long ago, they will soon be able to establish themselves as a prestigious sect.

If only the Black Cloud Mercenary Group could settle down, there were many rogues that could be attracted. If they absorb those who wander around the world like vagrants, then they wont have to be afraid of the Emei sect either.

That was Zhang Mu-ryangs grand plan.

However, a stumbling block appeared before his plan even started.

It was Pyo-wol, who was just looking at him from the window.

When he heard that Heo Ran-ju was the one who lost, he thought that Pyo-wols martial arts was only great. If he was such a great master, it was worth bringing him into the Black Cloud Mercenary Group. So he came to recruit him directly.

However, the person he saw in person was not someone who would be under him.

The moment he saw Pyo-wol for the first time, he felt goosebumps coming up his spine.

As he led the Black Cloud Mercenary Group, he participated in numerous battles and met so many people. So Zhang Mu-ryang prided himself on having an accurate eye on judging people.

Pyo-wol was the first person to make him feel such a creepy feeling at first sight.

It wasnt just because of his strong martial arts that suppressed Heo Ran-ju at once.

If you simply line up the warriors who will subdue Heo Ran-ju with no feats, there will be more than enough to go around a large lake.

There were many masters in the river, and there were also many martial artists who reached a level that could not be guessed.

Zhang Mu-ryang was not afraid of them. This is because even if their martial arts were strong, they could still understand their inner feelings.

But Pyo-wol was different.

From the moment he first saw him, he couldnt read anything. Not only his thoughts, but also the changes in his emotions, habits, and others could not be grasped.

It was like facing a deep dark darkness.

It was the first time in his life that he felt this way.

If he had encountered it elsewhere, he would have just ignored it. No matter who the opponent is, if it has nothing to do with him, he can just ignore it.

But this place was Sichuan.

It was a place where the Black Cloud Mercenary Group decided to start anew.

Any small variable could not be tolerated.

Go Dosa!

Tell me, Danju!

Add Maun and a few more boys to him. We must keep a close eye on him from now on.

Alright.

And Ranju!

Heo Ran-ju didnt answer. Her lips were torn and bleeding. It was so shocking that Pyo-wol had rejected her. There was a dark life in her eyes.

Ill kill him.

At the creepy voice of Heo Ran-ju, Zhang Mu-ryang smirked.

Of course you should, because he dared to reject my offer. But not now. There is no profit in dealing with him.

Does wealth matter? When my self-esteem is broken?

Ranju! You fool. A person needs wealth to take care of their self-esteem. When this is over, I will let you do whatever you want, so be patient. For now, we need to set up our base in Sichuan Province first.

Do you promise?

Of course.

Zhang Mu-ryangs smile widened.

Even if it wasnt because of Heo Ran-ju, he had no intention of keeping Pyo-wol alive.

This is because Pyo-wols unique atmosphere and eyes were ingrained to his heart.

Surely, hes going to cause some problems.

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