Hidden Currents
"Are you hurt anywhere, brother-in-law?"
It had been a while since they last met, and Ha Tae-gun had not changed much. He still welcomed Yoo Sung with his usual good-natured smile.
However, his physical appearance had transformed significantly. His frame was now packed with lean muscle, and his hands were heavily calloused. Observing a body so thoroughly trained—unbefitting the heir of a merchant guild—Yoo Sung silently acknowledged Ha Tae-gun's immense effort.
"It seems you have made some progress."
"Indeed. I was quite fortunate."
Though it was a humble reply, Ha Tae-gun truly believed that the strength he had gained was merely a stroke of good fortune.
"Even if you call it luck, your mastery of the Shinmi Art is remarkably deep."
The Shinmi Art was an internal cultivation method designed specifically for the Heavenly Fragrance Saber Art. It had been lost while the Cheonhyang Merchant Guild was searching for the Heavenly Fragrance Saber Art, and no one had realized that the two martial arts were two halves of a whole. Ha Tae-gun had been no exception. It was only after learning the Shinmi Art through Yoo Sung that he realized it was the prerequisite for mastering the Heavenly Fragrance Saber Art.
"Now that you have reached the fourth stage, it won't be long before your foundation is fully formed."
"It is all thanks to you, brother-in-law."
Ha Tae-gun was sincerely grateful to Yoo Sung.
"Helping family is only natural," Yoo Sung replied nonchalantly.
Ha Tae-gun smiled at Yoo Sung's indifferent response.
"I am looking for the people you mentioned, but it is not easy."
"I expected as much."
The Vagabond Unit was one of the Murim Alliance's darkest secrets. They had gathered martial artists to fight Matian, but in truth, they only needed a shield to minimize the sacrifices of the Orthodox sects. Among those shields, the Vagabond Unit had spilled the most blood. Only the identity of the Vagabond Unit's first commander was known; after him, no subsequent commander had ever received the proper recognition they deserved. An organization buried forever, its very records erased—that was the Vagabond Unit of the Murim Alliance.
Jegal Jong-mi. I wonder if that woman knows about the Vagabond Unit.
Honestly, it was a fifty-fifty chance. Considering her grandfather, Jegal Min, who had served as the Chief Military Advisor, Jegal Jong-mi was more likely to be in the dark. The Vagabond Unit had been created under the leadership of the Alliance Leader, the elders, and the Deputy Military Advisor of the Sima Clan, rather than Jegal Min. By the time Jegal Min discovered its existence and tried to rectify the situation with appropriate measures, it was already far too late.
When I eventually go to Henan, I should meet him.
He didn't know when that would be, but Jegal Min was one of the very few truly good and righteous men within the Murim Alliance.
"Still, it is not entirely without progress. We found someone near Qingcheng whose appearance closely matches the description you gave. I will keep an eye on them a bit longer and contact you immediately."
"Take your time. It is not that urgent. More importantly, let us talk about our current situation. What is the problem?"
"Information regarding the guild is constantly leaking to the outside."
This was a highly critical matter. While no organization welcomed internal affairs being leaked, it was far more severe for a merchant guild. Clients often made highly confidential requests, and many wished to procure rare items that were kept secret from the world. Ultimately, for a merchant guild that survived on trust and credibility, internal leaks were a grave threat that could jeopardize its very existence.
To resolve this issue, the Guild Master had personally issued a decree to his heirs.
"To the one who resolves this incident, I shall grant a twenty percent share of the guild."
It was an incredibly unprecedented offer, and it completely shifted the mindsets of the heirs. Ha Tae-gun was also putting in his utmost effort to prevent the shares from falling into the wrong hands. Of course, that was not his only motivation.
"Do you have anyone in mind?"
At Yoo Sung's question, Ha Tae-gun answered firmly without a moment's hesitation.
"Chief Administrator Yoon. And centered around him, Lee Jang-shim is a traitor."
Yoo Sung nodded at Ha Tae-gun's unusually resolute tone. The names he mentioned perfectly matched those written in the secret letter Jegal Jong-mi had sent him.
"Then we must look into them."
"Indeed. We happen to have a journey to make together soon. Would you like to join me?"
"I will."
And so, the blades of Yoo Sung and Ha Tae-gun were pointed directly at Chief Administrator Yoon and his faction.
Tap. Tap.
The tapping of her fingers was incredibly grating. Ha Tae-young's long, slender fingers were severely testing Kwak Young's patience.
"So you failed again, I see?"
"...!"
Ha Tae-young's nonchalant question stung Kwak Young deeply. Under normal circumstances, he would have immediately flared up in anger at her. However, since he truly had no excuse for his failure, he had no choice but to swallow his pride. Even after that, Ha Tae-young continued to subtly prick at his ego. It was her petty revenge against Kwak Young, who clearly looked down on their arranged marriage.
He's remarkably quiet today.
Unlike his usual self, Kwak Young was exercising a surprising amount of patience.
I suppose Yoon Ji-gang's death really dealt a heavy blow.
The sudden death of Yoon Ji-gang was an event that shattered the balance of the Five Swords of Cheondo and threw Cheondo Gate into chaos. The only reason Cheondo Gate had maintained its internal cohesion despite its rapid growth was largely due to Yoon Ji-gang acting as its central pillar. Now that he was dead, the cracks he had kept hidden would inevitably begin to surface. The aftershocks of this loss fell squarely on Kwak Young. Once the most promising candidate for the next sect leader under Yoon Ji-gang's protection, he now found himself in a position where he had to prove his worth at every turn.
I should stop here for today.
Since her own situation was far from secure, she decided to put an end to her teasing.
"Is there anyone suspicious within the guild?" Kwak Young asked.
At his question, Ha Tae-young answered without a single moment of hesitation.
"Chief Administrator Yoon. That man has been an eyesore for quite some time."
Ha Tae-young also suspected Chief Administrator Yoon. However, unlike Ha Tae-gun, she had yet to secure any concrete evidence. Even so, she remained entirely composed.
"Is there really a need to make things so complicated? We can simply suppress him with force."
Her gaze drifted toward Kwak Young.
Fuck, what is with that look?
Ha Tae-young's gaze was dizzyingly seductive, yet it carried a chilling, spine-tingling edge. Any ordinary man would have been completely captivated and shaken to his core by a single look. Having barely managed to steady his mind using his inner energy, a strange suspicion began to bloom in Kwak Young's mind.
Is that woman... a demonic practitioner?
What was the connection between Ha Tae-young, who had mastered the Soul-Bewitching Art to manipulate others with her gaze, and the demonic path?
If I play this right...!
An ingenious scheme to swallow the Cheonhyang Merchant Guild without even having to marry Ha Tae-young flashed through his mind.
What an idiot.
Watching him, Ha Tae-young clicked her tongue inwardly. She wondered if this fool had any idea that no matter what wicked scheme he plotted, he was dancing entirely in the palm of her hand.
Kwak Yoo, how much longer are you going to let your idiot son run wild?
Ha Tae-young smiled as she thought of Kwak Yoo, who stood behind Kwak Young. She found herself eager to see the proud and arrogant Master of Cheondo Gate, Kwak Yoo, fall into utter ruin and despair. As the man and woman sat together, each harboring entirely different schemes, the seeds of chaos within the Cheonhyang Merchant Guild were quietly beginning to bloom.
"Is this really going to be alright?"
The middle-aged man remained perfectly calm despite the anxious voice beside him. In contrast, those who had staked their entire futures on this middle-aged man grew more restless with each passing day.
"Did I not warn you? Choosing to walk with me would not be an easy path."
"But that is...!"
The middle-aged man's words were not wrong. Indeed, he had clearly warned them of the risks and rewards of aligning with him. Yet they had followed him anyway because the future he promised was too grand to ignore. But now, with that future right before their eyes, an unexpected variable had arisen.
"We should have killed Ha Tae-gun much sooner."
"Tsk! Your mouth is always your greatest weakness."
"Am I wrong? Contrary to your expectations, Chief Administrator, that bastard survived."
"That is true."
Even in the face of blatant criticism, the middle-aged man—Chief Administrator Yoon, widely known as the intellect of the Cheonhyang Merchant Guild—remained completely unbothered. Even by his own estimation, the primary reason their plans were unraveling was Ha Tae-gun's unexpected growth.
"The hidden strength of the Heavenly Sword Academy is far greater than I anticipated."
"Indeed."
When it was first announced that Ha Tae-gun would marry the eldest daughter of the Heavenly Sword Academy, everyone in the Cheonhyang Merchant Guild believed his prospects were dead. Lacking a powerful maternal family, and with his in-laws on the brink of ruin, it should have been impossible for him to defeat the other contenders. Though his good-natured personality and status as the eldest son might have introduced minor variables, everyone assumed the ultimate outcome was set in stone. And yet...
"This is why one must never be too certain about human affairs," Chief Administrator Yoon murmured, quietly acknowledging his miscalculation, yet his composure remained entirely unshaken.
Sensing his absolute confidence, the other man finally realized something.
"Have the orders arrived?"
"Yes. We will eliminate them during this upcoming expedition."
"Finally...!"
The man was filled with sheer ecstasy at Chief Administrator Yoon's words. The end of their long wait was finally within reach.
"Since they likely already suspect me of being a traitor, I will act as the bait myself. In the meantime, you are to subdue the Guild Master and the Deputy Guild Master."
"Understood!"
With their current strength alone, subduing the master and the second-in-command of the Cheonhyang Merchant Guild should have been an impossible task. Yet, the two men were brimming with confidence. The time had finally come to bloom the seeds they had planted deep within those two targets over a long period of time.
Yoo Sung set out on the trade journey alongside Ha Tae-gun. Dang Hwa-soo accompanied them as well. Originally, Dang Hwa-soo had planned to remain at the guild to keep an eye on things, but their destination weighed heavily on his mind.
Cheolgajang.
The Cheolgajang, where the master artisans who dominated Sichuan gathered, was the primary trading partner of the Cheonhyang Merchant Guild. However, it was said that the internal conflicts among the artisans of Cheolgajang had recently intensified. The root cause of this conflict stemmed from the very core of Cheolgajang's beliefs.
"The current master of Cheolgajang insists on not losing their founding spirit," Ha Tae-gun explained.
"You mean the belief that an artisan does not discriminate when it comes to their creations?" Yoo Sung asked.
Ha Tae-gun nodded at Yoo Sung's response.
"I believe the master of Cheolgajang is in the right."
"My thoughts differ somewhat," Dang Hwa-soo interjected.
Unlike Ha Tae-gun, Dang Hwa-soo found the decision of Cheolgajang's master to be highly regrettable.
"Upholding one's beliefs is only possible when one possesses the strength to back them up. Otherwise, they are no different from bats fluttering from side to side. In fact, that very issue is the primary reason Cheolgajang's reputation has begun to decline."
Cheolgajang's core philosophy was to sell their wares to anyone who came to them, regardless of whether they belonged to the Orthodox or Unorthodox paths. In the beginning, they were able to uphold this belief thanks to the powerful retainers who protected Cheolgajang. However, as the long war against Matian dragged on, Cheolgajang's strength gradually waned. Although the retainers who remained by their side were still highly formidable, conflict had begun to brew among them as well.
"The problem is that this conflict is highly suspicious," Dang Hwa-soo noted. "While there have always been minor disagreements, they have never escalated so openly like this."
Just as Dang Hwa-soo said, someone was deliberately destabilizing Cheolgajang.
"Then why didn't you look into it sooner?" Yoo Sung asked.
At Yoo Sung's question, Dang Hwa-soo clicked his tongue.
"Contrary to what you might think, Cheolgajang is incredibly insular. Perhaps even more so than the Tang Clan. They absolutely despise external interference, so if we were to rashly send in spies, it would only backfire on us. Especially since it is nearly impossible to procure high-quality weapons in Sichuan without Cheolgajang's cooperation."
"Which is why this journey is our perfect opportunity."
That was the exact reason Dang Hwa-soo had insisted on accompanying them to Cheolgajang.
Something feels incredibly off about this.
Listening to their conversation, Yoo Sung could not shake a lingering sense of unease. Starting with Ha Tae-gun's departure for Cheolgajang, the other heirs had also left the Cheonhyang Merchant Guild as if they had been waiting for this exact moment. Even Chief Administrator Yoon, their primary target of suspicion, had set out on a trade route alongside the heir he supported. This left only the Guild Master and the Deputy Guild Master back at the headquarters. While it was unlikely anyone would be bold enough to harm them...
When people grow desperate, they make swift decisions. Or perhaps...
They might have been the targets from the very beginning.
"Do not worry. I have left the Dark Moon Unit to guard them."
Dang Hwa-soo was no fool. Neither was Ha Tae-gun. They had hidden their own trump cards in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances.
Well, for now, I should focus on Cheolgajang.
Their survival was of little concern to Yoo Sung anyway. Right now, it was time to focus on the task at hand. At that very moment, Cheolgajang was also busy preparing for the guests who were about to arrive.