Chapter 344
Chapter 344
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 352
Chapter Title: The Huangbo Patriarch's Desperate Visit
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Chapter 352
The Huangbo Clan's heavyweights had withdrawn, leaving Huangbo Xing, Chief Steward Hwangbo Cheol, and four elders in the Heavenly King Hall.
The six men's expressions were graver than ever.
"Unorthodox sects stirring trouble...?"
What did it mean for evil factions to suddenly rise up in Shandong Province, a place as clean as a purified zone?
One of the elders spoke in a voice thick with sorrow.
"Does this mean our clan's influence has weakened this much already? For those scum to operate openly in our territory!"
"Is that the important thing right now? This is a disaster, Patriarch! If the unorthodox sects cause a commotion in this situation, our clan will be shaken to its core again!"
"You think our clan would be rattled by those rootless bastards?!"
"Then what? What do we do?! We need to call a meeting right away and request aid—that's our reality now, isn't it?"
The elders raised their voices, veins bulging in their necks.
Huangbo Xing rubbed his throbbing temples.
"No, are you saying the only ones who can help our clan are those brats?"
Chief Steward Hwangbo Cheol let out a heavy sigh.
"Everyone's terrified at the mention of the Frontline Society. Rumors are flying that they orchestrated the Black Dragon Sect's ousting from behind the scenes, so no one's willing to step forward."
"What about the Orthodox Heaven Alliance?"
"You know how they are. They didn't even respond when the Nangong Clan was surrounded by unorthodox forces. No way they'd help against the Frontline Society."
Huangbo Xing's frown deepened.
Hwangbo Cheol spoke up.
"Brother, you need to go in person and ask for their help."
"...What? You want me to go begging those kids myself?"
The patriarch of the Huangbo Clan personally seeking aid from the younger generation?
There was no such precedent in the world.
"We requested a meeting—that should be enough!"
"Exactly! The patriarch represents the clan! If you bow to them, it's the same as the clan submitting!"
"Right. We should set a date, meet on equal terms, and talk it out! Besides, we haven't even caught the Nangong Clan's rebel faction yet! Ahem!"
The elders wore displeased expressions.
Veins twitched on Chief Steward Hwangbo Cheol's forehead.
"Do you know the state of our clan's finances right now?"
"It's tight because everyone's squeezing us from all sides, but..."
"It's not just tight—it's completely sealed off. All our ongoing ventures are collapsing one after another. How long do you think it'll take to recover? Do we have to lose three or four pillar industries before you snap out of it?"
"No, Chief Steward, isn't that a bit harsh? The financial side of things..."
"You'll have to get poorer than a Beggars' Sect beggar, stripped of that silk robe you're wearing, before you grasp how dire this is!"
Hwangbo Cheol bellowed, and the elders flinched, bowing their heads.
No one could argue against Hwangbo Cheol, who knew the clan's finances better than anyone, when he was this furious.
"Do you think it's a coincidence that the unorthodox sects stirred up trouble right now?"
"Th-then?"
"I'm saying the Nangong Clan is definitely involved! I don't know how they pulled the strings on the Frontline Society, but!"
"Hmm?!"
The elders—and even Huangbo Xing—let out heavy sighs.
An orthodox clan manipulating evil sects?
'Not disguising themselves as unorthodox, but actually backing them?'
Had the world-renowned Nangong Clan fallen that far?
"...That's too far-fetched..."
"Then does the current situation make sense?"
"......"
Hwangbo Cheol looked at Huangbo Xing.
"If we go on like this, we'll starve to death without even thin gruel. We'll be dirt poor, asses torn open!"
"......"
"We'll be expelled from the Five Great Clans, and our standing in the Orthodox Heaven Alliance will keep crumbling! Those Nine Great Sects pulling the strings will be thrilled—one of the Five Great Clans wiped out!"
Hwangbo Cheol huffed and puffed.
"Admit you were wrong, grovel, and apologize! Brother! Let's survive this!"
"......"
"The clan will be exterminated! Exterminated!"
Huangbo Xing's brow twitched.
"...Damn it."
Even his last shred of pride was being ground to dust!
"Fine, fine. Hoo..."
"Don't go scowling."
"I said I know!"
Huangbo Xing shouted reluctantly.
"I'm heading to Hangzhou now—everyone, prepare!"
* * *
Changcheon Merchant Group Leader Go Dong-gil let out deep sighs.
"How's the damage?"
"We barely managed to contain the losses."
"Hoo! To think things turned out like this."
They had been elated at the prospect of massive gains from the deal with the Huangbo Clan, only for it to fall apart, turning all their preparations into losses.
After frantically salvaging things, they had finally covered the damages.
"Isn't this all because of that conscienceless Huangbo Clan?"
"Men without even eunuch-level integrity! How can martial artists flip like a palm and break their word?!"
"Indeed."
The Changcheon Merchant Group had nearly had their arms and legs broken by the Huangbo Clan's unreasonable bullying and unilateral contract cancellation.
From Go Dong-gil's perspective, he couldn't help resenting the Huangbo Clan.
As Go Dong-gil groaned, the chief steward cautiously asked.
"But Leader, are we really okay just leaving them as is without disposing of them?"
Even after things had gone south, leaving the ships prepared for material transport, horses, and laborers untouched made no sense no matter how he thought about it.
"This servant truly can't understand. It's all a burden on the group..."
"Hmm!"
"Frankly, wasn't this mess caused by that Young Master Lee pushing the negotiations so aggressively?"
Go Dong-gil looked at the chief steward. He spoke in a firm tone.
"Chief Steward, that's not it."
"......"
"Not keeping faith is the Huangbo Clan's fault, not Young Master Lee's. In my life, I've never seen a negotiation genius like him. If the talks had gone through, it would've been an unprecedented windfall! He's proven his ability with that alone."
"...My thinking was too narrow, Leader. Things were so frustrating..."
The chief steward readily admitted his mistake.
Go Dong-gil said.
"Young Master Lee must have delayed the disposal for some other reason. Anyway, hasn't the Huangbo Clan quieted down lately?"
"They got their heavenly punishment."
"Anyway, ahem!"
A strange smile flickered on Go Dong-gil's lips before vanishing.
"So from now on..."
That was when it happened.
Commotion erupted from outside for a moment.
Bang!
The office door flew open as if it would shatter, and the gate guard captain burst in.
His momentum made Go Dong-gil and the chief steward flinch.
Before they could catch their breath, the gate guard captain shouted.
"Th-the Huangbo Clan sent people!"
The Huangbo Clan?
At a time like this?
No, more than that, the gate guard wouldn't be this frantic just because the Huangbo Clan showed up.
"Did an elder come?"
"N-no!"
"The chief steward?"
"W-well..."
"Is it the patriarch?"
It had to be at least that level to provoke such a reaction.
As Go Dong-gil rose tensely, the gate guard captain gasped for air and yelled.
"A-all of them came!"
"What... did you say?"
"The patriarch, chief steward, elders! All the Huangbo Clan's heavyweights are here!"
"Th-the heavyweights are all here?"
"Elders, chief steward, and the patriarch himself! Leader!"
Go Dong-gil shot to his feet.
What was going on?
The Huangbo Clan's top brass—even the patriarch—had come to the Changcheon Merchant Group?!
Go Dong-gil steadied his pounding heart and hurried outside.
No matter how strained relations were with the Huangbo Clan, the Changcheon Merchant Group couldn't dare ignore their procession.
Especially with the patriarch coming in person!
'What is this? Are they here to cause more trouble? Why are they all coming in droves?'
All sorts of ominous thoughts raced through his mind.
He even considered imposters, but who would dare such madness?
Go Dong-gil headed to the reception hall, tense.
The moment he saw Huangbo Xing there, he froze like stone.
Though haggard, his aura and dignity were beyond what a mere mortal could gauge.
Huangbo Xing, reminiscent of a massive boulder, gazed down at him silently.
It felt like his breath was being choked off.
"Are you Leader Go?"
The heavy voice boomed, and Go Dong-gil unwittingly bowed and cupped his fists.
"I am Go Dong-gil, leader of the Changcheon Merchant Group..."
"Hahaha! Leader Go! Good to see you—I'm Huangbo Xing!"
"Y-yes...?"
Go Dong-gil gaped as Huangbo Xing grabbed his hand and patted it warmly, as if delighted.
"You must have suffered greatly these past days."
"Pardon?"
"You must have felt slighted for a while, but forget it all! I've come to the Changcheon Merchant Group in person to clear up the misunderstanding!"
Go Dong-gil's eyes widened.
"P-Patriarch?"
"You're a merchant too, so you understand my heart! Running a family business means unwanted troubles crop up often. You get it, right? We merchants have that in common!"
...Huh?
We merchants?
'A martial artist calling himself one of us merchants?'
Huangbo Xing was the patriarch of the Huangbo Clan, one of the pillars of the Orthodox Heaven Alliance at the pinnacle of the martial world.
Even a tycoon dominating the Central Plains would be ignored, yet here he was, rubbing his hands and fawning.
Who could have imagined such a sight?
Considering the status of martial artists versus merchants, this scene was utterly impossible.
'C-crazy. Why is the Huangbo Patriarch acting like this?'
'Heard his fortune got robbed by bandits—does that change a man this much?'
'He looks exactly like someone begging for money. Why else would he be so chummy with the leader?'
Onlookers gaped and whispered.
The Huangbo people glared sharply, so no one voiced it openly, but their shock was beyond imagination.
Go Dong-gil stammered in confusion.
"S-so you came in person?"
Huangbo Xing, who had been rubbing his hands, straightened up.
His massive forearms flexed, along with his jaw muscles.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and a thunderous voice erupted.
"Of course! Misunderstandings must be cleared up immediately!"
"...Misunderstanding?"
"Hahaha! Seems the Nangong kids got the wrong idea. We have to fix it, don't we?"
Misunderstanding?
Fix what?
What was the Huangbo Patriarch talking about?
Huangbo Xing kindly explained to the bewildered Go Dong-gil.
"I'm talking about the meeting—the thing we need to straighten out is the meeting, right?"
"Th-the meeting?"
"Yes, the meeting!"
Huangbo Xing nodded vigorously, as if thrilled to get the awaited response.
The gesture was unusually frivolous, but his presence remained overwhelming.
'The meeting?'
No, why bring up the meeting he'd already ended himself?
And come here for it?
'But what does he want from me...'
Go Dong-gil masked his bewilderment and said.
"P-Patriarch."
"Yes, speak."
Go Dong-gil swallowed dryly as he looked at the smiling Huangbo Xing.
Gulp!
His face paling slightly, Go Dong-gil steeled himself and spoke.
"I-it's not something I can arrange. And the young masters aren't people I can summon on my own..."
"So?"
"Y-you'll have to speak to the young masters directly..."
"Directly?"
Huangbo Xing glared angrily, making Go Dong-gil tense.
Even saying this took great resolve for him.
The Changcheon people around knew it too, shrinking back as they watched.
"Hahaha! Of course! So where are they? Where do I go?"
Go Dong-gil inhaled sharply, and the merchant group members' eyes bulged.
"P-pardon? What did you..."
"I'll go to them. Isn't it natural for the one with business to visit? Ha, hahaha!"
Go Dong-gil gaped at the chuckling Huangbo Xing.
'The p-patriarch is going to visit the young masters in person?'
The Huangbo Patriarch?
His mind went blank in that instant.