Chapter 77
Chapter 77
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: A Blade of Deceit
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ok Ho-bang.
He was the Jeon-ju, the man who managed all of Dong-pyo-seo-rang's finances.
But four years ago, the Rang-ju, who had entered seclusion for training, entrusted him with full authority to run Dong-pyo-seo-rang.
This was because of his exceptional financial acumen and his sharp eye for not only recognizing talent at a glance but also placing it in the right positions.
Just as the Rang-ju had hoped, Dong-pyo-seo-rang flourished even more once Ok Ho-bang took charge.
Jobs poured in from all over the Central Plains, and skilled ronin flocked to Dong-pyo-seo-rang.
*—Perhaps I should make Dong-pyo-seo-rang my own before the Rang-ju returns.*
As Dong-pyo-seo-rang rose to become a new power in the Murim, Ok Ho-bang began to harbor a dark ambition.
He decided to build his own faction, ensuring that even if the Rang-ju returned, there would be no place for him.
*—Recruit skilled and ambitious ronin!*
He had his subordinates scout and recruit ronin who were not only exceptionally skilled but also eager to make a name for themselves in the Murim.
Most of them were of ill repute or had committed serious crimes, but Ok Ho-bang didn't care.
*—Aren't ronin supposed to do dirty work anyway?*
Ok Ho-bang promised high positions and great wealth to the ronin he gathered.
He then won over four of the eight most outstanding ronin—the Eight Great Ronin—and made them his limbs.
Thus, having gained both money and power, Ok Ho-bang began to manipulate Dong-pyo-seo-rang to his liking.
Inside the Geumhwa Hall, Ok Ho-bang's office.
Four ronin, each in different attire, stood there with their swords held at their sides.
They were his confidants among the Eight Great Ronin who held sway over Dong-pyo-seo-rang under his command.
“What are we to do about this?”
Ok Ho-bang's face was a mask of frustration.
“The Yeong-sa-sin-geom was originally a gift meant for the Lord of the Hell Blood Fortress. I intended to make a big splash with the martial arts tournament, but... this fellow Bu Eun-seol came out of nowhere and ruined everything.”
“Well, now that it's come to this, don't we have to give him the sword?”
said Gwi-gyeom, the ronin standing by the office window.
“Countless members of the Murim watched him win. We can't go back on our word now, can we?”
“Easy for you to say. Do you think the Hell Blood Fortress will accept that?”
Ok Ho-bang replied irritably, and Hyeol-chu, who was sitting opposite him, spoke up.
“Didn't Lord Yang forfeit the match himself? Since he gave up, it shouldn't matter if we don't give him the sword, right?”
“Lord Yang was only supposed to retrieve the sword. The promise to offer the Yeong-sa-sin-geom to the Hell Blood Fortress must be kept.”
“Is that so? But why on earth did he forfeit...?”
As Gwi-gyeom trailed off, Ok Ho-bang said with a gloomy expression.
“That's what I don't understand either. He left Dong-pyo-seo-rang after the final match without a word...”
A heavy silence fell over the office.
Ok Ho-bang had requested a close partnership with the Hell Blood Fortress to maintain and expand his power.
But what if things went wrong right from the start, and he fell out of their favor? He would find it hard to survive in Guizhou.
“In that case, what if we give him a different sword instead of the Yeong-sa-sin-geom?”
Ok Ho-bang shook his head at Hyeol-chu's question.
“I've already sent someone to suggest that... but the man demanded the Yeong-sa-sin-geom as promised.”
“Then the conclusion is clear.”
Hwa-ran, the woman fiddling with an iron pipe next to Hyeol-chu, gave a venomous smile.
“Either we give him the divine sword as promised, or we don't.”
Gwi-gyeom, looking at Hwa-ran's murderous gaze, spoke in disbelief.
“Are you mad? Did you not see the martial prowess he displayed when he fought Seo Mun-gyeong? I don't know about the other matches, but that fight was real.”
“Hmph. Is there anyone here who reached their position on martial skill alone?”
Hwa-ran said, placing a hand on her slender waist.
“Bu Eun-seol... no matter how skilled that brat is, he's still a greenhorn in the Jianghu. Once he gets a taste of my beauty and the Hwanhui-geukrak-bun, he won't be able to resist.”
At that, Ok Ho-bang waved his hands dismissively.
“A honey trap is out of the question. If it fails, my name will be dragged through the mud.”
Hwa-ran pouted.
“Force won't work, a honey trap won't work. Then what method...?”
As the conversation seemed about to go in circles, Baek-myeon, the large man who had been standing silently in the corner, spoke up.
“Then, in the end, only one method remains.”
“And what's that?”
Baek-myeon grinned at Hwa-ran's question, revealing his white teeth.
“All the schemes mentioned so far.”
***
Bu Eun-seol was walking through the grounds of Dong-pyo-seo-rang with Heuk-pyo.
The headquarters of the ronin market, a dominant force in the Guizhou region, was truly like a waxing moon.
It was flourishing greatly, like a crescent moon growing into a full one.
“Over there is where contracted ronin get their health check-ups. And that's a shop that sells rations and antidotes. And over there, for the ronin who venture beyond the Central Plains...”
Walking beside Bu Eun-seol, Heuk-pyo explained the various places in Dong-pyo-seo-rang as if he were a tour guide at a famous landmark.
“But if he's holding a martial arts tournament in his own front yard, why hasn't the master shown his face?”
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Heuk-pyo's beaming smile stiffened.
“That is...”
Heuk-pyo answered in a small voice, a troubled look on his face.
“The one currently running Dong-pyo-seo-rang is Jeon-ju Ok.”
“The Jeon-ju?”
“That's right. The Rang-ju has been in secluded training for four years. Before he left, he entrusted the operation of Dong-pyo-seo-rang to Jeon-ju Ok, who managed the finances.”
Heuk-pyo scowled deeply, looking around Dong-pyo-seo-rang as he continued.
“Since Jeon-ju Ok took over, the atmosphere here has changed completely. Before, even though we were small, everyone was a good person, and we all treated each other like family. But now...”
“Now?”
“Our influence has grown, but so has the number of criminals and vicious murderers. The Eight Great Ronin who became Jeon-ju Ok's confidants are... ah, now that Yeop-hwa is dead, I guess it's the Seven Great Ronin.”
“The Eight Great Ronin?”
Heuk-pyo replied to Bu Eun-seol with a grave expression.
“It's a term for the eight most skilled ronin in Dong-pyo-seo-rang. Four of them have already become Jeon-ju Ok's henchmen.”
As they talked, they arrived at a large building on the western outskirts of Dong-pyo-seo-rang.
It was the Great Armory, which held enough weapons to arm every ronin in Dong-pyo-seo-rang.
“Young Master. This is the Great Armory.”
“Hmm.”
Bu Eun-seol narrowed his eyes as he looked up at the Great Armory, built of dark stone.
“They're keeping the divine sword here?”
“To be honest, I don't know where the Yeong-sa-sin-geom is kept.”
“Keeping a divine sword coveted by the Murim in an armory...”
Bu Eun-seol narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
“It's customary to award the tournament prize immediately after the victory. I don't understand why they're delivering it this way.”
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Heuk-pyo rubbed his nose awkwardly.
“Actually, our organization has never offered a prize as incredible as the Yeong-sa-sin-geom before. This prize was a treasure that Jeon-ju Ok acquired personally.”
As Heuk-pyo continued and tried to lead Bu Eun-seol into the Great Armory, a guard blocked their path.
“The Jeon-ju has ordered that only the winner, Young Warrior Bu, may enter.”
“It's fine. I have a formal contract with Young Master Bu...”
“Only Young Warrior Bu may enter.”
The guard cut Heuk-pyo off, and Bu Eun-seol nodded.
“Wait outside.”
“What? But...”
Bu Eun-seol's eyes, which should have been cold and still, were blazing red.
Meeting that gaze, Heuk-pyo swallowed hard.
*‘Something is going very wrong.’*
“Please follow me.”
The guard then led Bu Eun-seol into the Great Armory.
As the heavy iron gate opened, a deep rumbling sound echoed. Looking at the side of the gate, its thickness seemed to be at least a foot.
The door swung wide open.
When the armory door opened, a deep and wide space was revealed, filled with countless weapons on display.
The weapons, arranged in neat rows, each emanated a sharp aura.
In the corners, heavy weapons used on battlefields, such as giant ballistae and catapults, were also displayed.
“The interior is quite impressive.”
Bu Eun-seol remarked in admiration.
Normally, the guards would have been pleased or proud, offering explanations. But the guard guiding him simply led the way with a tense expression.
Clang. Thud.
The armory was vast and deep, and Bu Eun-seol passed through several closing gates.
Each time they passed through a section, the guard would awkwardly pull a torch set on the wall.
Watching this, Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
*‘This means no one ever comes this deep into the armory.’*
Creeak.
The place they finally reached was a small training room.
A thirty-foot empty space had been converted from the armory, with several tables placed inside. It seemed to be a place made for brief sparring matches or seated discussions.
“Welcome, Young Warrior Bu.”
And in front of a table stood a man in white robes and a woman of bewitching beauty.
“I am Baek-myeon, the one who manages this Great Armory.”
“I'm Hwa-ran.”
The man and woman bowed politely to Bu Eun-seol.
Bu Eun-seol returned the gesture calmly and spoke in a low voice.
“The divine sword?”
“It is being brought out. It's in the deepest part of the Great Armory, so it takes time to disarm the mechanisms.”
Baek-myeon gestured to the table and said politely.
“Please have a seat and wait for a moment. We have prepared Byeoksan's Sun and Moon Tea.”
Byeoksan's Sun and Moon Tea is a high-grade tea, comparable to Geommi Mountain's Oolong tea and West Lake's Longjing tea.
As he spoke, Hwa-ran placed a steaming teacup on the table.
“Please, sit.”
As Bu Eun-seol sat, Baek-myeon and Hwa-ran raised their teacups and said.
“Congratulations on your victory, Young Warrior Bu.”
And the two of them took a sip of tea.
But Bu Eun-seol simply stared at them, not touching his tea.
“Is the Sun and Moon Tea... not to your liking?”
At Baek-myeon's question, Bu Eun-seol looked down at the tea, which gave off a clear, refreshing aroma.
“It's fine.”
Hwa-ran then asked carefully.
“Shall I bring another tea?”
“No. Don't worry about it.”
Bu Eun-seol said in a low voice.
“I'll just wait and take the sword when it arrives.”
At that, Baek-myeon and Hwa-ran glanced at each other.
In truth, the Sun and Moon Tea poured for Bu Eun-seol contained Hwanhui-geukrak-bun, a potent aphrodisiac that induced powerful hallucinations and lust.
*‘I knew he had a strange personality... but I didn't think he wouldn't even touch the tea we offered.’*
The first part of the plan was the honey trap.
The idea was to have him drink the Hwanhui-geukrak-bun in the tea, and once the hallucinations and lust took hold, Baek-myeon would leave.
Then, if Bu Eun-seol succumbed to Hwa-ran's seduction, they would bring in other ronin, frame him for lewd conduct, and strip him of his winner's title.
*‘It can't be helped. On to the next phase...’*
Resigned, Baek-myeon tapped the table and called out.
“Is the divine sword not here yet?”
A moment later, a low voice came from outside.
“The guards have brought the divine sword.”
“Bring it in.”
The door opened, and two guards brought in a large metal box, placed it on the table, and left.
Baek-myeon opened the box with a careful expression, revealing a treasured sword gleaming with a brilliant light.
“This is the Yeong-sa-sin-geom.”
Reflecting the light, the Yeong-sa-sin-geom looked like a work of art.
The slightly yellowish blade was engraved with a mystical, dragon-like pattern, and the guard connecting the blade to the hilt was embedded with a blue, glowing jewel.
“So this is the divine sword.”
Baek-myeon blinked at Bu Eun-seol's mumble.
“Is it not to your liking?”
Bu Eun-seol let out a short laugh, then suddenly shot them a look that glinted with a chilling coldness.
“If this is a divine sword... then there's nothing in the Murim that isn't.”