Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: 200 Nyang of Gold. Okay, Thank You.
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I flashed a grin at Mun-seok, who was radiating killing intent, and pointed to the left wall.
"Uncle, do I look like an idiot to you? If you're gonna fool someone, at least put some sincerity into it."
"......"
"This is a fake wall. I've known since the first time I came here. Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"
I got up myself and tapped the wall I'd pointed to a couple of times.
Thud, thud.
A bright, hollow sound rang out. It meant there was empty space behind it.
"And my qi sense is pretty sharp. There's someone inside with way more qi than you, Uncle Mun-seok. I figured it was the Hao Gate Leader keeping an eye on things, and it looks like I was right?"
"......"
"Sigh... Uncle, we've met a bunch of times now. Can you stop glaring at me?"
"......"
"Man, seriously..."
Even after my advice, Mun-seok didn't soften his expression. His killing intent stayed the same too.
That got me a little annoyed. So...
Ssshh—
"......!"
"......!"
"...You're not the only one who can release killing intent, Uncle."
I couldn't hold back and let out some of my own.
The reaction was immediate.
Mun-seok flinched like he was about to draw a weapon from his robes, and the youngest disciple next to me looked shocked by my killing intent.
Even...
"......"
There was some kind of response from the person behind the fake wall.
It was a tense situation that could erupt into violence at any moment, but I kept tapping the wall to provoke Mun-seok.
"Wow, I've never even seen the Hao Gate Leader before... Hey, why don't you come out and introduce yourself?"
"...That's enough."
"Why? I'm interested in the Hao Gate Leader. I'd love to meet you."
I meant that sincerely.
The Hao Gate Leader was someone who never even appeared in the novel.
'He never showed his face once, even when the world went to hell.'
How secretive did you have to be to avoid appearing even in that kind of chaos? I was dying to know.
So if possible, I really did want to meet him in person.
"...You're crossing a line."
But Mun-seok was as prickly as a hissing cat.
He looked ready to draw his sword any second, so I dropped my approach to the Hao Gate Leader and got back to negotiating.
"200 nyang of gold."
"...If you stop everything right now, I can do 100 nyang of gold."
"No compromises. 200 nyang of gold."
"...Are you really set on making an enemy of the Hao Gate?"
Thud.
I didn't draw my sword. Instead, I just placed it, still in its sheath, on the table. Then I gradually increased the amount of killing intent I was emitting.
"I'm confident. Are you?"
"......"
"I'm confident I can take you, the guy hiding next to you, and all your underlings upstairs. Are you?"
"......"
He couldn't be confident.
Mun-seok had glimpsed my power to some extent, so he'd be even less so.
One of the Hao Gate's chronic weaknesses was their lack of martial prowess. It was unavoidable since the sect was made up of people from all walks of life.
That's why showing strength and pushing hard was a way to gain the upper hand in negotiations with the Hao Gate—if you had the confidence.
Well... I hadn't planned to do this from the start, but they were the ones who tried to deceive me and haggle the price down first.
"Clean deal: 200 nyang of gold. Then I'll leave without another word."
"......"
They probably thought 150 nyang would be a decent save, but seeing how they were acting, I could push it to 200.
I kept grinning to urge a quick decision, but Mun-seok still couldn't respond.
That didn't mean he was doing nothing, though.
My qi sense kept picking something up, so he was probably communicating via transmission with the guy hiding behind the wall.
I waited patiently to give them time to talk it over.
As time dragged on, I prayed inwardly.
'Please... please...'
If a fight broke out right now, I could win, but my goal wasn't to fight them—it was to sell the goods.
And honestly, I didn't want to make enemies of the Hao Gate if I could help it. They were too useful as allies and too annoying as foes.
'So please, just settle at 200 nyang. Or... damn it, did I call too high? I would've been happy with 150...'
Time passed with me looking relaxed on the outside but anxious within...
"......"
Finally, the verdict came. The presumed Hao Gate Leader must have made up his mind.
"200 nyang of gold..."
Mun-seok slowly opened his mouth. His sharp expression from moments ago, when he'd looked ready to kill me...
"Would paper money be alright?"
...had turned soft and affable, just like when we first met.
Yes! Success.
"Of course. Paper money's easier."
I'd planned to take paper money anyway. 200 nyang of gold was too heavy. Paper money worth 200 nyang was much more convenient for me.
"Haha, thank you. You're as generous as the heavens."
"Haha, Uncle Mun-seok, you've gotta give points for generosity this time, right? Ahaha—!!"
Just like that, we laughed warmly as if we'd never exchanged killing intent and clasped hands.
The negotiation was a success.
**
After paying the 200 nyang of gold in paper money and seeing Mu-yeon off, Mun-seok headed back to the room where the negotiation had taken place.
"Damn that sly fox..."
200 nyang of gold...
Sure, selling the Shanxi Liu Clan goods they'd gotten in exchange would more than cover it, but it would take too long, and the immediate loss was huge.
And there was an even bigger immediate problem...
Creak—
"Ah, Gate Leader..."
"......"
That snake of a guy had noticed the Hao Gate Leader's presence. They'd kept the leader's whereabouts and all related info top secret!
Feeling apologetic, Mun-seok bowed his head first before the Hao Gate Leader.
"I'm sorry, Gate Leader... It was my shortcomings that led to this mistake."
"No, it was my error in underestimating him."
The Hao Gate Leader forgave Mun-seok graciously, then fell deep into thought before speaking.
"He does seem to have the skills you recommended so strongly."
"Yes, that guy's been showing up at our Hao Gate Sichuan branch for a few years now. He's a hidden master who conceals his power so well I can't even gauge it fully."
"And he looks so young, yet you can't gauge his power..."
"That's the most I know. If not for the Shanxi Liu Clan business, I might never have learned his name. He's obsessive about hiding himself..."
The Hao Gate Leader asked again.
"Then... could we pull him in for the upcoming matter?"
"You mean this incident...?"
Mun-seok was shocked by the Gate Leader's words.
The Hao Gate was facing a major crisis that could threaten the organization's survival.
They desperately needed every bit of combat power they could get, but as a sect, they were short on fighters.
However...
"Regrettably... I don't think so. He's too rebellious and hates getting involved..."
No matter how he thought about it, Mun-seok couldn't come up with a way to recruit Mu-yeon.
They couldn't force him, and there was no way he'd help out of the goodness of his heart.
"Hmm..."
The Hao Gate Leader seemed to agree it would be difficult and hesitated before saying casually,
"By any chance... does that guy like alcohol?"
"I know he's enjoyed drinking and revelry since we first met when he was 16."
"Huh... That's precocious. In that case... even a sparrow can't pass a millstone without stopping, right?"
"Gate Leader... What are you planning...?"
When Mun-seok asked with worried eyes, the Hao Gate Leader smiled as if he'd thought of something fun.
"He's in Sichuan, so we do things the Sichuan way. Branch Head, tell the courtesans to prepare clothes and bring me all the info we have on him from the Shanxi Liu Clan."
"...Yes, understood."
The most important value in the Hao Gate was strict obedience to orders.
So Mun-seok bowed without a word, but he couldn't shake a vague unease.
Of course, the Gate Leader was no pushover...
'...You're not the only one who can release killing intent, Uncle.'
Remembering how Mu-yeon had emitted killing intent moments ago filled Mun-seok with worry.
**
Blue Moon Pavilion.
It was the tallest pleasure house in the already crowded streets of Sichuan City, packed to the brim.
Especially since Blue Moon Pavilion was famous for its beautiful courtesans, their exceptional arts, and delicious liquor, drawing massive crowds.
Two young men stepped into such a place.
"Oh... Customers..."
The errand boy approached them to turn them away.
They looked shabby... and young people rarely had much money.
It was peak business, so the pavilion's strategy was to manage clientele by rejecting unprofitable guests.
"Sorry, but we're full."
"What? No seats?"
The man sounded like he was about to argue, so the errand boy pointed to the packed tables to explain.
But...
"Yes, as you can see..."
Flutter.
The man held out a single sheet of paper to the errand boy.
Looking closely... it was a banknote worth a whopping 2 nyang of gold.
2 nyang of gold. It was overly generous for a pleasure house, but the man handed it over freely and said,
"I've heard so much about Blue Moon Pavilion's famous liquor... but no seats?"
"...As you can see, there's no seat for a valuable guest like you. Everyone here's low-class. So we'll escort you to the top floor right away."
"Yeah, good."
Mu-yeon chuckled at the errand boy's complete 180 and followed him.
"Ah, money really is the best."
He'd made a killing, so now it was time to enjoy.