Chapter 60
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Divine Gold Command Master
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The men of the Shenzhou Merchant Group were already up and bustling about busily.
They hauled out hay to feed the horses, boiled simple porridge for breakfast, retied their hair, and so on.
But the sun had already risen high, and there was still no sign of Seonwoyong.
“I don’t know. Around the Yin hour, he rode off on his horse.”
The one who answered Sa Hongcheon’s question about Seonwoyong’s whereabouts was the man on night watch at dawn.
“I just can’t figure out what’s going on. To vanish like that in these grasslands.”
A short while later, as the group finished preparations and readied to depart, a dust cloud rose in the distance.
It was clearly hundreds of riders charging toward them.
After last night’s events, the merchant guards immediately mounted their horses and drew their weapons.
Even the coachmen and other laborers gripped whatever could serve as weapons, tense with fear.
First, the escort warriors led by Kang Pyo spurred their horses forward.
But unexpectedly, the man at the forefront of that group was none other than Seonwoyong.
Right behind him followed Chae Pil, the one who had come with threats last night, and the group trailing him was unmistakably the Black Wolf bandits.
The bandits halted near the merchants, and only Seonwoyong and Chae Pil rode forward.
Sa Hongcheon and Kang Pyo rode out to meet them.
Seonwoyong calmly reined in his horse, and Black Ears neighed as it stopped.
“What in the world is going on?”
Sa Hongcheon’s question needed no specific recipient.
“It’s nothing much. I was just wrapping up last night’s negotiations on my way back.”
Kang Pyo followed up on Seonwoyong’s reply.
“Negotiations? You mean that escort business?”
“That’s right. The deal for those two thousand horses. But what trade in the world doesn’t involve a little haggling? Isn’t that so, Chief Chae?”
Chae Pil flinched at Seonwoyong’s sudden question and stammered a reply.
“Y-yes. Quite... reasonable words.”
Chae Pil’s appearance was indescribable, words leaking through his gaping front teeth.
The imposing black wolf pelt cloak that had billowed so proudly last night was now torn to shreds, barely holding its shape—and at least two front teeth were missing.
He hadn’t looked like this last night.
Moreover, the demonic saber he’d flaunted so boldly was nowhere to be seen.
Sa Hongcheon spoke up again.
“So, what exactly was agreed upon?”
“The Shenzhou Merchant Group provides a hundred horses. Our Great Cloud Merchant Group will provide a hundred as well. It seems just right for the cost of employing this many men and horses for a month or so.”
Sa Hongcheon was so astonished his mouth hung open.
“Just right, indeed. Two hundred in total—that’s something our Shenzhou Merchant Group could cover entirely. Considering the cargo’s value, and since you personally mediated...”
“No need for that. I have my own agreement with this fellow. Instead, how about providing them a hot meal every evening?”
“Of course. We’ll do that.”
Sa Hongcheon and Seonwoyong haggled over the bandits’ terms like brokers, but Chae Pil himself said nothing, merely listening in silence.
A short while later, Chae Pil returned to his waiting subordinates.
The Shenzhou group began that day’s journey westward.
Unexpectedly, however, Seonwoyong did not stick with the merchants but galloped off after Chae Pil toward the bandits.
“What an amazing guy. What on earth did he do...?”
Bang Chung muttered as he watched from horseback, and Do Gwang, driving the wagon beside him, chimed in.
“What do you think he did? Can’t you tell just by looking? He must’ve snuck in alone at dawn and beat the tar out of them. Didn’t you see that black fellow’s face?”
“No way—one guy against all those?”
“Keh keh keh. An old man like me couldn’t, but don’t assume everyone’s the same. If I set my mind to it, I could wipe them all out too...”
“What? You think you’ve got the skill? You can barely ride a horse... Heh heh.”
Indeed. Do Gwang’s horsemanship was surprisingly abysmal, which was why he stuck to wagons.
“Hmph! If they were all asleep, what couldn’t I do?”
“Hey, old timer. If they lay there begging me to kill them, sure, I’d manage. But all that bluster. Heh heh heh.”
As the two bantered on, Seonwoyong was already riding alongside Chae Pil.
“So, you’ve dug traps along the north road to Qinghai Lake and are lying in wait?”
At Seonwoyong’s question, Chae Pil replied deferentially.
“Yes. Our role is just to drive them there...”
Chae Pil’s men followed a good distance behind them, while far to their right, the Shenzhou group’s rear was visible.
Seonwoyong had grilled Chae Pil and learned everything.
No Deuk and So Myeongcho had passed through Lanzhou, sought out Black Wolf leader Chae Pil, and offered a hundred taels of gold with a request.
To herd the Shenzhou Merchant Group into the mountain pass north of Qinghai Lake.
In return, they’d hand over one-fifth of the cargo the Shenzhou was carrying.
“What fools. How long have you been at this?”
“Forgive us. But we haven’t taken any private gains.”
“Shut up. Don’t you know extorting innocent merchants is crime enough?”
“I know we’ve sinned, but we had to find some way to survive.”
Seonwoyong sighed at Chae Pil’s mention of survival.
“Fine. How many of the church’s warriors are wandering like this across these grasslands?”
“At least several thousand, I’d say. There are easily more than ten bands like ours.”
“What are the Discipline Hall enforcers doing, letting this go on?”
“If I may... the Discipline Hall’s no better off. The church’s priorities are just survival first.”
Seonwoyong sighed again.
Lanzhou marked the eastern edge of the Great Cloud Bright Religion’s domain.
Naturally, from Lanzhou onward lay their territory.
The first Eastern Orthodox warriors Seonwoyong encountered upon entering that domain proper were bandits.
Hearing that countless had turned to banditry out of desperation made his heart ache.
Sixty years ago, after the Blood Cloud Cult uprising, the Great Cloud Bright Religion’s forces in the Central Plains had been uprooted, with most fleeing here.
The problem was this barren, desolate land—farming was impossible, and herding sheep and cattle was the best they could manage.
Having suffered the full brunt of the Great Ming Empire’s oppression and the orthodox sects’ persecution, on top of struggling to survive, the faithful’s resentment was predictable.
Even Chae Pil’s bandit group was, in truth, the Black Ink Iron Cavalry Regiment under the Xuanwu Banner—one of the Great Cloud Bright Religion’s five major armed units.
“So, who’s the commander of the Xuanwu Banner now?”
Chae Pil flinched at Seonwoyong’s casual question, then eyed him suspiciously.
“B-but... are you truly one of the church elders?”
Seonwoyong didn’t answer right away, instead gazing at the distant grassland sky.
Chae Pil tensed and reined his horse.
“Follow me. It’s been too long since I last stood on these plains.”
Seonwoyong muttered and extended his hand toward Chae Pil. A golden plaque flew into Chae Pil’s grasp.
Chae Pil examined it.
<[Great Cloud Brightness Divine Gold Command Master]>
Chae Pil gaped in shock and hastily followed Seonwoyong.
It was the Divine Gold Command, symbolizing the previous Pope’s status.
A sacred relic rivaling the Pope’s authority-symbolizing Divine Wood Command, and the only item that could control it.
For old-timers like Meng Huo or Ha Hongjin who knew U Gyeongcheon personally, no such token was needed.
But such figures were now exceedingly rare in the church, leaving no choice.
Just days ago, the gold ingot he’d tossed to Ha Wolhyang—with its imprinted mark—had been this very Divine Gold Command.
Now, he wielded it for the first time.
Chae Pil hurried over and reverently offered the plaque back to Seonwoyong.
“Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand upon ten thousand. This Chae dares to behold the Supreme Pope.”
Astride horses, he couldn’t perform the six full prostrations, but his demeanor brimmed with respect.
“Enough. Pretend only you’ve seen this plaque. There are still many who hate me, aren’t there?”
Chae Pil hesitated at Seonwoyong’s question.
“Y-yes, but...”
“So, which side are you on?”
Seonwoyong asked coldly.
Chae Pil still couldn’t answer.
“I see. You’re like that too. All this hardship is my fault, so let’s follow that child Gyeongcheon and conquer the world—what’s that about?”
“Forgive my impertinence, but one question.”
“Ask.”
“Do you truly believe this world is just and bright enough to preserve as is?”
Chae Pil’s question was sharp, piercing straight to the heart.
Seonwoyong turned to meet his gaze.
His eyes brimmed with a sadness and rage unlike any before.
“I believe so.”
Chae Pil burst into laughter at Seonwoyong’s reply.
But half that laughter was sobbing.
“The ones who chained my child self by neck and limbs with iron, branding me with red-hot irons. The ones who traded me around for profit, mocking my skin color and treating me like an animal. Have you ever passed out from a whip’s lash?”
Now Seonwoyong couldn’t reply easily.
“The man who bought me, freed me, treated me as human, taught me martial arts, and made me who I am today—I can’t betray him.”
“Who is that?”
“Pope U, of course. He is my lord and my life.”
Seonwoyong nodded.
“I see. Very well. Then have you heard of just a hundred-odd years ago, when parents boiled their children in pots from starvation, and grown children abandoned their parents on mountains?”
Chae Pil had no real response.
Seonwoyong fell silent too, urging his horse onward.