So, are you enjoying this? (1)

Ho Gamyeong opened his eyes and covered his face with his hand.

‘Was it a dream?’

An old story. One that had become too old by now.

The memory was vivid enough to almost grasp, yet inevitably faded somewhat by the passage of time.

Cold air brushed the tip of his nose. It was early dawn, and Ho Gamyeong was accustomed to waking up at this hour. He had made sure not to waste a single day since that day.

As he slowly raised his upper body, the blanket slipped down from his chest.

His gaze turned to his chest. His body, which could be described as somewhat lean, bore numerous scars that crossed in various directions.

Though they couldn’t compare to the scars etched on Jang Ilso’s body, the scars on Ho Gamyeong’s chest were a clear testament to the life he had lived since that day.

Having survived all those years, Ho Gamyeong was now preparing for the final battle to take control beyond Gangnam to Gangbuk.

Therefore, he had to ask himself.

‘Am I still… cool-headed?’

This phrase was like a mantra to Ho Gamyeong. It was something he had to uphold, even if the moment of his death came.

It was a means to achieve his goal, but in some ways, it was the first rule that took precedence over that goal.

Ho Gamyeong remained still with his eyes closed. The silence in the room was heavier than when he was asleep.

How much time had passed like that?

Ho Gamyeong slowly opened his eyes again, and his gaze was dark.

Tap.

As he stepped down from the bed and opened the door, a servant, who had been waiting, approached.

“Your meal…”

“No. Prepare my clothes.”

Ho Gamyeong’s cold eyes turned towards the servant. No, they were directed beyond the servant, to somewhere farther away.

“I must see Ryeonju.”

His voice was more resolute than ever.

The manor was not very large. Especially compared to the main base of Sapaeryeon, it was insignificant in size, so it didn’t take long to reach Jang Ilso’s quarters.

However, upon reaching the pavilion where Jang Ilso resided, Ho Gamyeong suddenly halted.

He silently looked up at the sky.

It was still a long time before dawn. The night sky had remained the same as at ‘that time’ until now. But what about the people? Were the people standing under that sky truly the same as back then?

Countless memories flashed through his mind.

Fierce battles with fearsome foes, suffering life-threatening injuries and teetering on the brink of death, desperately fleeing to survive, and the day they first proclaimed the name “Maninbang” to the world…

Over the years, the young Ho Gamyeong had become a man in his prime, and Baekgwidang [White Demons], which once claimed a small back alley in Guizhou as its home, had evolved into Maninbang, the ruler of Guizhou, and ultimately into Sapaeryeon, the dominant force in Gangnam.

No one believed it. Not even Ho Gamyeong believed it.

But they… Jang Ilso had achieved that miraculous feat. Therefore, Ho Gamyeong could live without regrets.

It wasn’t because of the magnitude of their achievements.

Ho Gamyeong could live without a single regret because Jang Ilso remained Jang Ilso. As long as that remained true, even if they were still wandering the back alleys of Guizhou, Ho Gamyeong would have no regrets.

Because Jang Ilso was Jang Ilso, Ho Gamyeong could be Ho Gamyeong.

Therefore…

A faint sigh escaped Ho Gamyeong’s lips. After briefly staring at the pavilion, he finally moved forward.

The guards stationed in front of the quarters bowed deeply upon seeing Ho Gamyeong. Normally, they would at least make a pretense of stopping him, but not this time.

Noting their reaction, Ho Gamyeong’s expression hardened as he silently stood before the door of the pavilion.

“Ryeonju. It is Gamyeong.”

There was no response.

However, without waiting, Ho Gamyeong grasped the doorknob. The guards flinched but did not attempt to stop him.

Entering Ryeonju’s quarters without permission was a deed punishable by immediate execution. However, only one person – among the many in Sapaeryeon – was exempt from this rule: Ho Gamyeong. The guards, of course, were well aware of this fact.

Click.

The firmly closed door swung open, and the cold night air rushed into the room. Without a moment’s hesitation, Ho Gamyeong stepped inside and shut the door.

The room was filled with an almost oppressive darkness, punctured by small, struggling lamplights.

The scene overlapped with the memory of the first time he met Jang Ilso. Despite the stark contrast to the barren space back then, the air in this neat room felt similarly acrid and desolate.

Ho Gamyeong’s gaze instinctively turned to one spot.

A space that the small lamps couldn’t fully illuminate, where the darkness pooled.

Among the deepest and darkest shadows, a blue ghost flame [귀화(鬼火)] bloomed between the red-colored, swaying lanterns..

The ghost flame was so intense that even Ho Gamyeong momentarily held his breath. It was a chilling fire, entangled with indescribable emotions burning chaotically.

“…Ryeonju.”

Jang Ilso was there, in a place not so different from where Ho Gamyeong had seen him in the past.

“…Gamyeong?”

“Yes.”

Ho Gamyeong nodded.

“What is it? At this hour?”

Ho Gamyeong did not answer immediately.

The ghost flame flickered gently.

With the sound of footsteps, Jang Ilso emerged into the faint light. Dressed in a plain white robe, without any makeup. It was the Jang Ilso that Ho Gamyeong knew well… but now seemed slightly unfamiliar.

Ho Gamyeong watched Jang Ilso, who had walked from a corner far from the bed, and asked.

“Did you not sleep?”

“I just woke up a bit early.”

“…I see.”

“I asked, what is the matter?”

There was a slight growl in Jang Ilso’s voice. This roughness was also familiar to Ho Gamyeong, yet somehow also strange.

Without any sign of tension, Ho Gamyeong simply gazed at the spot where Jang Ilso had been. A corner of the room devoid of any furnishings. The most barren part of this space.

“You should rest more comfortably.”

Jang Ilso closed his mouth and looked at Ho Gamyeong. After a moment of silence – brief but weighty – Jang Ilso’s voice softened noticeably.

“There were just too many thoughts on my mind.”

It was the voice and gestures of the familiar Jang Ilso that Ho Gamyeong knew.

“I just needed some time to organize my thoughts. But… didn’t I ask you what the matter was? How many times do I need to ask before you answer?”

“I only came to check if you were well, Ryeonju.”

“Well?”

“Yes.”

Jang Ilso stared at Ho Gamyeong before breaking into a laugh.

“…I can’t tell if I’m the one being childish or if you’re being an old man. You worry about every little thing.”

Jang Ilso walked slowly and sat down in a chair.

“Would you like some tea? Or perhaps a drink, even if it’s early?”

“No, thank you.”

“How dull. Sit down. It’s a pain to look up at you.”

However, instead of sitting in the chair Jang Ilso pointed to, Ho Gamyeong continued to stand and look at him. Jang Ilso narrowed his eyes.

“…It seems you didn’t come just to check on me.”

“….”

“If you have something to say, go ahead. Or should I wait more?”

Ho Gamyeong tried to fully interpret the look in Jang Ilso’s eyes directed at him. It conveyed gentle goodwill and firm trust. And…

“Ryeonju, do you remember?”

Jang Ilso frowned slightly, as if to ask what on earth Ho Gamyeong was talking about out of the blue.

Ho Gamyeong continued speaking calmly.

“I had a dream.”

“A dream?”

“Yes. About the time we first met, Ryeonju.”

At that, Jang Ilso chuckled.

“What a memory to dream about.”

“Back then, you told me to always remain cool-headed, no matter the situation.”

Ho Gamyeong closed his eyes slowly, then opened them again.

“Those words have been my guiding principle ever since. Even when my abilities were lacking and I couldn’t always uphold it, I have strived to maintain my composure.”

Jang Ilso nodded and responded lightly.

“Indeed.”

“Now I understand why you gave me that command, what you wanted from me. So, I have to ask: have I met your expectations, Ryeonju?”

Jang Ilso looked intently at Ho Gamyeong, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

“Why bring this up all of a sudden?”

“Is it difficult to answer?”

Jang Ilso sighed deeply and pressed his temples.

“Yes. You have met my expectations… No, you have exceeded them. Without you, I would have been a rotting corpse, half-buried somewhere in Guizhou. Not the worst fate, I suppose.”

Ho Gamyeong nodded and spoke calmly.

“This morning, I woke up and reflected on myself. Am I still cool-headed?”

“…”

“My answer was ‘no’.”

Ho Gamyeong’s eyes darkened deeply.

“Though I should remain composed, I haven’t been able to. Thus, I now strive to regain that composure. It was your first command to me, and it should be the foremost priority.”

Jang Ilso showed a hint of weariness.

“Your useless preamble is unusually long today. So, what are you trying to say?”

“Then how about you, Ryeonju?”

“……What?”

Ho Gamyeong met his gaze directly.

“What I asked of you wasn’t a harsh obsession, indomitable will, or overwhelming skill. Just one thing… to maintain calmness.”

Jang Ilso’s expression stiffened slightly.

“So, I must ask. Do you have that calmness now? Are you acting like someone who already possesses everything, not someone desperately trying to gain more?”

Jang Ilso’s eyes trembled faintly at the chilling question from Ho Gamyeong.

“Answer me, Gamyeong. What are you trying to say?”

His voice carried raw, unrefined emotions, reminiscent of the Jang Ilso that Ho Gamyeong first encountered.

Ho Gamyeong took a short, deep breath and looked directly at Jang Ilso.

“Do you know why I consider myself not to be cool-headed?”

“…I’ve told you to answer.”

“I asked first.”

“What?”

Ho Gamyeong’s face was set in stone, one could say he was glaring at Jang Ilso.

“Have you maintained your composure?”

“…”

“No, that’s not necessary. Let me ask again, Ryeonju.”

Ho Gamyeong’s eyes saw two images of Jang Ilsu overlapping: the ruler of Gangnam and the young, naive Jang Ilso.

Two people who seemed similar yet different.

Despite the passage of time, nothing seemed to have changed, except for one thing that stood out.

“So, are you enjoying this?”

Jang Ilso’s face changed drastically, a blue, ghostly aura emanating from it. It was an unmistakable hostility, one he had never shown to Ho Gamyeong before.