Chapter 142 - War Clouds Over the North
A few days later, at the Golden Merchant Group's headquarters.
Bang!Crash! The table shattered, fragments flying everywhere, but everyone in the hall held their breath. Even Garak kept his mouth shut today. Wang-jeok's face was flushed red as he snorted repeatedly, murderous intent shooting from his eyes in beams.
"Who will convince me otherwise!"
"……!"
"Garak!"
"Yes."
"You chatter endlessly at other times, so why are you clamping your mouth shut today! Speak up!"
Garak calmed his gaze. Then, in a measured tone, he replied.
"The North's intervention ruined everything. Neither Yeomso nor Heo Hoe could have anticipated their involvement."
"Fine, let's say they didn't predict the North's meddling. But the force committed numbered in the thousands! How the hell did you train them that an entire army got wiped out!"
"……."
Garak was at a loss for words. In truth, he had been in overall charge of training and drilling the Golden Merchant Group's warriors. For that reason, he enjoyed privileges like living in a palace-like mansion with twenty servants and maids, plus a monthly stipend of five thousand silver taels.
'They should have sent me instead of that idiot, you old fool.'
Garak seethed inwardly. He had been slated to go originally, but Wang-jeok had accepted Yeomso's request, sending him in his place. If he had gone, he was confident he would have completed the mission regardless of the North's involvement.
But he couldn't say that. Given Wang-jeok's temperament, voicing it might lead to who-knows-what befalling him.
"Why can't you say anything!"
Bang! The half-remaining table flew at Garak from Wang-jeok's kick. Garak didn't budge an inch, taking the full impact with his body.
Crack! Twitch.
As Garak's eyebrows curved like knife blades, the middle-aged man sitting right beside him pressed down firmly on his knee. That was when it happened.
A warrior entered the hall.
"Group Leader, we just received an express report from the northern branch…… The North's lord has shut down operations and seized all the silver and jewels stored in the vault. Also, all the guarding warriors stationed there have been killed……."
"……What?"
The room froze cold. This was like fanning flames onto a burning house.
But that wasn't all.
"Group Leader!"
Another warrior burst in.
"What now!"
"Lord Yeom has returned!"
Flames erupted in Wang-jeok's eyes.
"Drag that bastard in here right now!"
"Well……."
"You fool! What are you dawdling for! Go fetch him this instant!"
"……Understood."
The warrior went out. And shortly after, he returned with Yeomso.
The moment Yeomso appeared in the hall, Wang-jeok and everyone else's expressions changed drastically.
"No way……."
Someone even groaned.
Yeomso's state was that pitiable. Both legs were severed, and his exposed chest was a mess of clotted blood. But what shocked them even more wasn't just his wretched appearance—it was the message written on his chest.
"You lowly scum dared provoke our North. You will pay the price in blood later."
Garak asked the warrior.
"Where was this guy found?"
"The guards discovered him collapsed at the main gate of the headquarters and brought him in."
"Send out forces immediately and capture any suspicious bastards! Hurry!"
"Yes!"
As the warrior dashed out, Garak looked up at Wang-jeok, about to say something, but held back. For now, staying silent was wisest.
Wang-jeok, who had been raging wildly, suddenly fell quiet. That change only heightened everyone's anxiety.
After a suffocating silence, Wang-jeok lifted his head and stared at Garak. Then, in a voice as heavy as his gaze, he asked.
"When did the Blood Family's lord say he'd arrive?"
An unexpected figure was mentioned from Wang-jeok's lips. Garak answered calmly.
"The Wall Thunder Family's envoy said they'd arrive in about four days, so he should arrive around then."
"Got it. Everyone, withdraw."
All left the hall with uneasy hearts. Once outside, the middle-aged man who had stopped Garak spoke in a grave tone.
"Judging by the Group Leader, things seem about to escalate…… You okay with that?"
"Escalate to what? War with the North at worst?"
"How can you take it so lightly? Even if the North is the weakest among the Eight Great Families, they've held their seat for centuries. Avoiding war is best, no?"
"If you're so scared of war, go tell the Group Leader yourself."
"No……."
"Then I'm off."
Garak left the bewildered middle-aged man behind and headed to his quarters. On the way, two Black Cloaks tailed him.
"What about the investigation I ordered?"
"We bribed one of Wang-ho's close aides to check…… His secret warehouse was already empty before he died."
Drip.
Garak halted and turned.
"You said it was empty before he died?"
"Yes. His aides said they barely pried the door open after his death, and not a single tael of silver remained—it was completely cleaned out. We tortured a few, but they claimed they had no idea what happened."
Twitch.
"That damn brat must have pulled some trick before dying."
"Why would a dying man do that?"
"You idiot. That bastard Wang-ho was gulping down elixirs and medicines right up to the day before he died, trying to cure himself. You think a guy like that believed he was going to die? Tsk tsk tsk."
"Ah……."
"He must have diverted it somewhere else, so find the hiding spot by any means necessary. The money from human trafficking must be enormous. Find it, and your fortunes will soar."
"Understood. When we do, please don't forget our merit, Elder."
"No need to say it twice. Of course. But remember this to your bones: only you two and I know this. If it reaches the Group Leader Wang or even the lord's ears, we'll end up worse than dogs chasing chickens—and we might even bring disaster on ourselves. Got it?"
"Yes, we'll keep it in mind."
"Go."
The Black Cloaks vanished like ghosts, and Garak resumed walking. After a few steps, another Black Cloak appeared.
Garak asked again.
"What did they say?"
"We confirmed the entire Ghost Corps dispatched on the mission is dead."
"……What?"
"There are plenty of survivors who saw them die, so it seems certain."
Garak's face twisted horribly at the Black Cloak's words.
"Four Ghost Corps wiped out…… Just who in the North killed them?"
"The ones sent to Mudang Sect fell to young experts, and those pursuing Hwasan Sect ran into the Blood King Army and met their end."
"……The Blood King moved?"
"Yes. Survivors say it was unmistakably the Blood King appearing with his Blood King Army. Even Poison Eye Sword Heo Hoe died without landing a proper blow against him."
Garak's eyes sank heavily. The Blood King was a being that instilled chills even in those who feared nothing in the world.
'With the Blood King there, the North is no easy foe. Wi Yeon Gwang seeks alliance with us because of the Blood King and his army. We can leverage that to extract a huge price for the alliance.'
Garak, elder of the Blood Family, top executive of the Golden Merchant Group, and renowned expert, spun his mind rapidly.
* * *
News of the clash between Northern Murim and the Golden Merchant Group spread across the world on the wind. The first to hear, thanks to their vast intelligence network, was the White Night Cartel.
Clack.
Somubaek's expression was grim as he set down his teacup. Cheol Gun-ak, sitting opposite, was the same.
"The world may not know, but the Golden Merchant Group is deeply tied to the Blood Family. And the Blood Family is seeking alliance with Northwest Murim. For something like this to happen now……."
Cheol Gun-ak trailed off with a quiet sigh.
"If Northwest Murim, who've long eyed the North, allies with the Blood Family…… the North becomes their common enemy."
"In the worst case, one of them could declare war on the North."
"Indeed. They need a declaration to preempt other families' intervention."
"……Yes."
"With such heavy losses, the Golden Merchant Group won't accept mediation from the Cartel."
"Alone, maybe, but if the alliance forms, their power gap widens, so they'll naturally refuse."
"Haa……."
Somubaek sighed deeply, sinking into his chair. It was clearly a crisis for the North. What was frustrating was that the Cartel could do nothing. Operating on the iron rule of survival of the fittest, wars between the Eight Great Families fell within that rule. The Cartel could mediate first, but the overwhelmingly superior Golden Merchant Group and Northwest Murim wouldn't accept.
"I should meet the Elder Council Chairman."
"Don't."
"……Pardon?"
"If the Great Earth Sovereign raises the North's crisis first, the other families will cry foul on fairness. Even if frustrating, best to watch the situation unfold."
"If war breaks out, won't we just watch the North fall without lifting a finger?"
At Somubaek's words, Cheol Gun-ak shook his head firmly.
"The North won't crumble easily. The Blood King and his army are with him. Trust in him. The Great Earth Sovereign needs to solidify his base quickly—that way, when true aid is needed, we can help the North."
"Of course I trust him. But if those two ally, their combined might is overwhelming……."
"We must trust anyway. That's the best we can do now."
Thus, as Somubaek and Cheol Gun-ak gravely discussed the North's crisis, signs of change stirred on the frontlines between the North and Northwest Murim.
* * *
Tens of thousands of Northwest Murim troops are advancing toward the border region. Thus, emergency alert to the entire army—vigilantly monitor enemy movements…… (abridged).
Commander Yun Hoe
A large force presumed to be Northwest Murim has assembled in the southern mountainous border region…… (abridged).
Commander Ma Ui Tae
Clack.
Yeon-hoo set down his teacup indifferently, as if he had anticipated it. Sinhwi, checking the dispatches next, subtly furrowed his brow.
"They're moving faster than expected."
"The Golden Merchant Group and Blood Family are practically one, so Wang-jeok must have pulled strings."
"Confident in their overwhelming superiority, they'll declare war openly instead of ambushing—to block other families' intervention in advance."
"If they do, that's convenient."
"Meaning we buy time?"
Yeon-hoo nodded silently. Sinhwi continued, brow furrowed.
"Where should the Blood King Army head?"
"We'll decide while watching the situation."
Snicker.
A smile tugged at Sinhwi's lips.
"You don't seem worried at all."
"If frowning in worry solved it, I'd do it ten or a hundred times."
Clack!
Yeon-hoo set down his cup and sank into his chair. He interlaced his fingers, his gaze settling.
"If it's an unavoidable war anyway……."
"Got a picture already?"
"Still pondering. I'll tell you first when decided."
"Tell me when you do. Ready to charge anytime. Huhuhu."