Chapter 23: What Do You Want to Do With Me?

As I hesitated, the Master of the Moon-gazing Pavilion tilted her head.

“I am Weolhwa, the Master of this place. Great Hero, is there a problem?”

“Well… in this wine…”

“Pardon? I can’t hear you well.”

She interrupted me and leaned in closer as if to listen better.

Step-.

“…!”

As she took a step closer, my already hesitant body flinched greatly.

‘This is strange.’

Yes, it was strange.

Weolhwa, the Master of the Moon-gazing Pavilion. With each small movement she made, my body stiffened and my heart pounded.

My whole body felt stimulated…

Sniff, sniff.

And her scent was so pleasant…

Just smelling it made me feel as if I had drunk several glasses of strong liquor, making my mind hazy.

……

Wait a minute.

My mind is getting hazy?

It was a close call. Just before I lost my senses, I managed to check my body due to my suspicion.

And then…

I could see that my Yang energy was being abnormally expelled. At some point, Yin energy had thickly settled in this space as well.

“Ah… haha…”

“……”

“Damn, my heart was pounding so hard I thought I had met my destined first love. But damn, what is this…?”

Charm Technique.

The reason I was acting so strangely was all because of the Charm Technique. It was my first time being affected by it, so I couldn’t respond immediately.

Well, at least I know now.

I immediately circulated my Qi to dispel the abnormal state of my body.

Then, the Master of the Moon-gazing Pavilion appeared clearly before my eyes.

She was beautiful.

If I had to describe her, she seemed like the cool beauty type who would look great in office attire.

However… seeing her without the influence of the Charm Technique, my heart didn’t race, nor did my mind become hazy.

I retrieved my blade from a distant corner and spoke to her.

“How will you atone for the crime of trampling on a man’s pure heart? Leader of the Lower Filth Gate.”

“Oh…?”

Oh, my ass.

The moment I regained my senses, I realized she was the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate. She hadn’t even tried to hide her identity.

Earlier, when she was hiding underground, she showed me the same Qi without any change.

For some reason, the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate, who always kept her identity a secret, had revealed herself to me.

Despite her identity being exposed, the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate smiled pleasantly and spoke.

“I apologize for adding another poison to the wine. I just wanted to test your skills.”

“Who are you to test me?”

The Leader of the Lower Filth Gate sat down as if she wanted to have a conversation, but I didn’t sit. I had nothing to discuss with her, and I didn’t know what she might do.

The Leader of the Lower Filth Gate, who had been hiding like a rat during the earlier transaction, now openly revealed herself. In this absurd situation, she spoke with a sly smile.

“I understand you work as a Mountain Bandit. Since Mountain Bandits and our Lower Filth Gate are both Unorthodox Sects, can’t we get along?”

“Bullshit. Just say what you need to say, pay for the poisoined wine, and get lost.”

Realizing that a pleasant conversation was impossible, the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and spoke.

“I have a proposal for you.”

“Rejected. Pay for the wine and leave.”

“I will also provide appropriate compensation.”

“Compensation, my ass. Do I look like I need money right now?”

I had just pocketed 200 Gwan of gold from the earlier transaction. Although I would eventually spend it all, I didn’t need money at the moment.

‘What do they want me to do in exchange for money?’

It wouldn’t be easy for the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate to make such a direct proposal. As someone who sought a peaceful life, I had no intention of getting deeply involved with them.

As if she anticipated my refusal, the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate continued without hesitation.

“The Lower Filth Gate can offer more than just money. We hold a vast amount of intelligence, second only to the Beggar’s Sect.”

“You’re offering intelligence as compensation? But I have no questions.”

“How about information on the Heavenly Demon Cult?”

“What…?”

I flinched for a moment. It was because the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate mentioned something completely unexpected.

I asked her, bewildered…

“Why are you suddenly bringing up the Heavenly Demon Cult…”

“If you accept our proposal, I will tell you everything.”

…She didn’t answer easily.

“So, what do you think? Are you interested now?”

“……”

The Lower Filth Gate was indeed a mysterious group. Suddenly mentioning the Heavenly Demon Cult… It sharply piqued my interest, but…

“…Rejected.”

I rejected it again.

“…May I ask why?”

“They only occasionally skirmish with the Murim Alliance at the borders… Those shady guys don’t do anything special, right?”

“What makes you say that?”

“I just know.”

I had read the novel. At this point, the protagonist was monopolizing fortuitous opportunities and growing stronger, while the Heavenly Demon Cult was lying low, waiting for the right time without causing any major incidents.

I didn’t know how she knew I was concerned about the Heavenly Demon Cult, but she was bluffing with insignificant information.

However…

“No matter how much information you have, do you think it’s more than what we, the Lower Filth Gate, possess? We have people secretly stationed even in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.”

“So?”

“Currently, the Heavenly Demon Cult’s activities are classified as top-tier information by our Lower Filth Gate.”

“……What?”

Top-tier information.

Although not the highest level, it was still considered highly important. In the novel, the Heavenly Demon Cult was lying low at this time, but now the Lower Filth Gate classified their activities as top-tier information?

If this was true, it meant the novel’s content was changing. I scrutinized the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate’s face to see if she was lying, but it didn’t seem like it.

In my confusion, I took out money and spoke to her.

“You said it was top-tier information, right? How much to access it? I’ll pay.”

I was willing to pay even if it cost 10 or 20 Gwan of gold. However…

“…That information has just been upgraded to the highest level by my authority.”

“…What?”

“The highest level information is priceless. And I want to offer this information about the Heavenly Demon Cult…”

“……”

“For 200 Gwan of gold.”

“……”

I was speechless at her outrageous demand.

This crazy woman was asking me to cough up the 200 Gwan of gold I had just received from selling the Shanxi Yoo Family’s treasure.

For a moment, I felt an urge to punch her.

“Fufu, 200 Gwan of gold is indeed a steep price. If you accept my proposal, I will give you the information about the Heavenly Demon Cult as compensation.”

“Damn… What the hell is this proposal?”

“I will tell you only after you accept it.”

The Leader of the Lower Filth Gate didn’t reveal the content of the proposal. This meant it was undoubtedly a significant and dangerous matter.

‘Ha… What should I do…’

Of course, I had to think about it.

I was curious about the information on the Heavenly Demon Cult, but I didn’t want to get deeply involved with the Lower Filth Gate.

As I pondered for a long time, the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate, who had been smiling brightly, spoke first.

“You seem to be in great distress.”

“Are you mocking me?”

“No, I’m not mocking you. I’m trying to help. If you find it difficult to choose, how about making a bet with me?”

“…A bet?”

“Yes, if you win the bet, you can get everything you want.”

Although her cheerful smile made me uneasy…

“…What kind of bet?”

A bet, huh.

If I could get what I wanted without any cost, I nodded my head.

**

After I accepted the bet and sat down, the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate had someone bring something. It turned out to be three bottles, presumably containing liquor.

“In Sichuan, this is called Jugeol. Are you familiar with it?”

“…I know.”

“Then I won’t need to explain.”

Jugeol. Literally translated, it means a drinking battle. But in Sichuan, it’s not just about who can drink more.

First, the two participants decide who will serve the liquor and who will drink it.

The one serving the liquor mixes a poisonous drink and gives it to the other. The one drinking must consume it.

If the drinker can remain conscious and sober after drinking, they win. If not, the server wins.

It’s a contest that tests detoxification ability, Inner Qi, and drinking capacity.

“As you might have guessed, these bottles contain poisonous liquor. I will be the one serving. Is that alright?”

“Fine.”

“Then let me explain the rules. You just need to drink one glass from each bottle. For each glass you drink, I will give you the information you want.”

“What if I can’t endure after drinking?”

“Then you must accept the proposal from our Lower Filth Gate.”

“Hmm… I see.”

As I trailed off, the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate smirked as if she found it amusing. She seemed very confident in this bet.

However…

“If your life is in danger, I will detoxify you, so don’t worry. Ah, if you’re scared, you don’t have to accept the bet.”

“Scared… Pfft.”

“…?”

Just as she found me amusing, I found her amusing as well.

Foolish woman.

She wants to have a drinking battle with me using poisonous liquor?

“There’s no way I’m scared.”

I was confident. Confident that I could make that arrogant face of hers crumble.

“Pour the liquor. I’ll drink it right away.”

From the moment she tried to control a man’s heart with the Charm Technique, I didn’t like her.

And now she wants to bet with poison?

Fine, I’ll strip her of everything.

I resolved to teach the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate a lesson.