The Pot Calling the Kettle Black (2)
Anyway, no matter how much he thought about it, she was no easy figure to serve. The mere idea of seeing such a person every day at home made his chest tighten just imagining it.
Fortunately.
"Don't you know where she is?"
"I want to serve her too, but I have to know where she is first."
"Our son knows."
"......How?"
"Are you saying that because you don't want to serve her?"
"Of course not!"
Gu Seo-jin could only lament like a ghost. How could his son know the whereabouts of someone whose location had been unknown until now? What the hell was in that boy's room?
"She achieved spiritual ascension, didn't she? I was just worried it might disturb her."
"It wouldn't be proper manners for a grandmother to go to a better world while her granddaughter suffers."
......?
Gu Seo-jin stuck out his tongue at his wife's casual, personal brand of common sense. If her grandfather knew of his granddaughter's feelings, he wouldn't just spiritually ascend—he'd clutch the back of his neck and collapse, and that would be fortunate.
She's my wife, but she transcends imagination!
Thanks to his son, the joys and sorrows of family life were flipping back and forth. Yet watching his son calmly sip his tea made him seethe.
"As we expand the family's scale, we must build up our martial strength. The world isn't lenient enough to leave the weak alone."
"......I see."
It was sound advice. Merchants might think selling goods and making money was all there was to it, but reality wasn't so simple. The more wealth accumulated, the more flies gathered—it was only natural. To protect what was his, he needed commensurate power.
"Our great-grandfather has that capability."
Gu Seo-jin instinctively sensed that his grandfather's later years wouldn't be peaceful because of his son. He felt apologetic for dragging in someone who had achieved spiritual ascension just to make her suffer.
It wasn't my idea!
He only hoped his grandfather would understand that much.
Having cast aside his pride and prostrated himself, Tak Jung-il had escaped Bokho Merchant Group's pressure. But he still hadn't escaped the peril of a lamp flickering before the wind.
"Hah! There's just no solution!"
To escape the current crisis, he'd resorted to his final measure, but it was merely buying time. Seongdo Merchant Group and Cheongpung Merchant Group had taken the outstretched hand but offered no active aid. They were content merely with wearing down Bokho's strength.
"They say tell them if I know!"
Even when he desperately sought real support, they demanded he reveal the Nameless Hero's identity. Tak Jung-il was frustrated too. He wanted to tell them, but he couldn't even guess. If he told the truth, Seongdo and Cheongpung might withdraw. And even if he did reveal it, who knew how that money-grubbing ghost would react. The merchant group's situation wasn't good either. His son had stabbed him in the back while clinging to Bokho, and dealing with the factions that formed as a result had slowed the group's momentum.
"But we can't ask for more either......"
The money going to the Nameless Hero was no small sum. Having packaged him as a hero, admitting now that he cared about the money would be shooting himself in the foot.
"What the hell is this bastard doing?"
"Want to know?"
Tak Jung-il hurriedly composed himself at the sudden voice. This wasn't the first or second time an enemy had invaded. They always sneaked into his room uninvited without a sound. He couldn't even badmouth freely in his own space.
Gulp!
Anyway, in his anger, he'd gossiped behind the back. He couldn't predict how this foul-tempered hero bastard would react. If unlucky, he might lose his life. Still, the money he'd extorted wasn't insignificant. Even without loyalty between them, their financial ties were solid. He wouldn't abandon a purse that kept dispensing coin.
"Asked if you want to know."
"I don't want to know."
"Wise. Keep that mindset."
"......Of course."
Now he didn't even dare ask about the identity. Honestly, he wasn't sure if it was even a hero. The nickname was well-chosen, but unable to read the intent, it was frustrating.
"Heads."
Cheon-woo produced the heads of the Cruel Sword, Evil Heart Poison Hand, and Flying Heaven Blood. They were all masters reputed in the unorthodox sects.
Shudder!
Among them, the Cruel Sword was rated mid-Peak Expert, perhaps even at the pinnacle. Seeing such a person's head plopped right in front of him made Tak Jung-il's legs tremble. He was dying to know what this guy really did. The voice sounded young.
Not rejuvenation, surely?
But it felt youthful. No matter how young one lived, faking youth's vitality artificially was hard. Conversely, the domineering aura that subdued all carried the weight of years. Youth and maturity emanating from one body—it was impossible to pin down the identity.
Still, I can't do without him.
He didn't want to build rapport, but without this guy, blocking assassinations would be tough. Bokho's murder plots were intensifying by the day. On the other hand, he wondered if it was worth going this far.
Does he have money rotting away!
If he had that much to spare, give it to me! The money going to the Nameless Hero kept increasing. With the assassins' skills rising, haggling was impossible.
"The money?"
"Can't you give me some time?"
"You got money from Cheongpung and Seongdo."
"That's for rebuilding the merchant group!"
"Is that so."
Tak Jung-il wanted to explode at the Nameless Hero's indifferent response. Despite all the money he'd swallowed so far, there was no mercy. Without paying, his life would be in peril starting today. With a deep sigh, Tak Jung-il relented.
"I'll give it."
"At least you're wise."
Even as the man arbitrarily judged him, Tak Jung-il had to listen meekly. It was unjust, but what could he do? Money was distant, fists were near. This stark reality showed survival without money was hard.
Swish!
As expected, once he took the money, Cheon-woo vanished from the room without lingering.
Grrrr!
Only then did Tak Jung-il grimace and grind his teeth. It couldn't be anything but a dog-like reality. Who would've thought he'd end up in such a position? On the other hand, he was curious how the intruder entered. The office was designed as an isolated fortress on all sides. Changing the structure might provoke him.
"Damn dog bastard!"
"Didn't leave."
"Du Won-gwang~~~ you dog bastard! Hahaha!"
"Quick reflexes. I'll be off."
......?
Coming back after leaving was against the rules! For Tak Jung-il, every moment was a bed of nails. Getting caught cursing could cost his life. Only after confirming even that did Cheon-woo leave. In truth, he'd appeared deliberately. Making him anxious would cloud his judgment.
It's the endgame.
"This bastard's even resorting to blackmail now!"
For Du Won-gwang, it was a reality that made his bones boil with rage. After successive assassination failures, he'd paused to catch his breath. He lacked the spare capacity to hire more people. The failures despite employing renowned martial artists played a big part.
In the midst of that, the heads of the Cruel Sword, Evil Heart Poison Hand, and Flying Heaven Blood were revealed.
This time too, Tak Jung-il had put up those heads and begged no more killers be sent. The target was now public knowledge. He sold medicine without revealing while knowing. But this time, none were sent. A hero with a nickname wouldn't act without orders. Thus, it was Tak Jung-il's bluff and scam. Whining about his crisis to evoke pity and expose Bokho's viciousness—a scheme.
"He didn't hire without my knowledge, did he?"
"How could he? We only follow the leader's orders!"
It could be overzealous loyalty, but Du Won-gwang shook his head. His subordinates knew how much he hated uncontrolled actions.
"Could the heads be fake?"
"Seongdo and Cheongpung acknowledged them. They're not fools to certify obvious fakes."
Such matters required certainty. With room for backlash, Seongdo and Cheongpung wouldn't vouch. For them, dragging it out was fine.
"That bastard's toying with me to the end. At this point, wouldn't a public showdown be better?"
"Cheongpung and Seongdo might get bolder too."
Killing the so-called Nameless Hero publicly would be ideal, but aggressive moves from Cheongpung and Seongdo would be disastrous. Hiding eyes and doing it himself looked bad. But to end this damned situation, the Nameless Hero had to go first. With him guarding, Tak Jung-il rampaged without knowing his place.
"Contact the Gwangpung Corps leader."
"But will they step forward?"
"Say I'll double the support!"
"Understood!"
No more hiding forces. The merchant alliance wasn't far off. Their moves were obvious. He couldn't bow his pride before them.
I'll tear you to shreds!
It was midnight. Ten shadows advanced through the darkness. Despite their considerable speed, their formation remained flawless. Each one exuded sharpness like a honed weapon, laced with feral savagery.
As they neared the target, they halted. The eyes of those in black uniforms gleamed with ferocious killing intent even in the dark. The subtle aura and malice they emitted choked the air.
"The timing worked out perfectly."
"They must've been more impatient than us, Deputy Leader."
"That doesn't excuse derailing the plan."
"The guy's probably near Hwajeong Merchant Group."
They were the deputy leader and members of Gwangpung Corps, who had come to Hwajeong at Bokho's letter. It should've taken longer, but Gwangpung had sought Bokho too. Naeng Cheon-sang's death was unforeseen. In the alliance with Bokho, the Cold Chief Steward's role wasn't small. They'd invested heavily. With a key piece of the grand scheme broken—intended or not—it didn't matter. Deploying ten from the elite Gwangpung Corps signaled no half-measures. This went beyond assigning blame; it warned Bokho. Showing what happened when Gwangpung was recklessly moved.
"Stay vigilant around us."
"Yes."
To capture Tak Jung-il, the Nameless Hero had to be eliminated first. All assassins and ronin sent so far had been unilaterally crushed. Even gauging the battle's nature was hard. Though not exceptional, they weren't foolish enough to repeat mistakes. Thus, either the Nameless Hero's prowess was overwhelmingly superior, or he used sneaky ambushes. Gwangpung's deputy leader, Cheong-gang, assumed the former but weighted the latter. The heads Tak displayed were too pristine for fierce battles.
As Cheong-gang neared Tak's residence, he sharpened his senses. Far from righteous as the nickname implied, the Nameless Hero was closer to a hypocrite. He'd surely be ambushing somewhere, watching. Otherwise, he couldn't block killers so timely.
Ambush won't work.
Gwangpung coordinated auras to sense within twenty zhang. Inside, they'd detect presence; outside, they could block any assault.
Zing!
Whoosh!
The moment ill foreboding struck, Gwangpung swiftly formed a defensive formation. The Gwangpung Iron Wall Formation organically layered energies for minimal inner force drain while maximizing defense.