Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Birth of the First Line Society
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The top floor of the Celestial Tower, one of Hefei's three great pleasure houses in Anhui Province.
The floor was laid with fine marble from Yunnan, while the ceiling was adorned with gold and silver carvings depicting the scenery of Mount Huang.
Depending on the angle of the light, the etched landscapes of Mount Huang on the ceiling shifted like a kaleidoscope.
Beneath them, ten pillars bore intaglios of dragons ascending to the heavens, adding grandeur and splendor.
From the wide-open windows on all sides, the streets of Hefei sprawled below at a glance, giving the illusion of being up in the clouds.
Ding! Ting-a-ling! Ding-ding-ding!
As the musicians struck up a lively tune, dishes were laid out on the banquet table.
It was a spread rivaling the imperial full-course feast.
Namgung Hyeok, seated before it, lifted his cup.
"Hmm."
Do Daeung popped up beside him in an instant.
Glug-glug-glug!
"This is Maotai liquor, the emperor's favorite, young master!"
The clear, transparent liquor filled Namgung Hyeok's cup to the brim.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Namgung Hyeok tilted his cup with an intrigued look.
Gulp-gulp!
A fiery first taste was followed by a deep, rich aroma lingering long in his mouth.
Do Daeung clapped enthusiastically, thumbs shooting straight up on both hands.
"As expected! As expected! I could sense the heroic spirit in you, young master—downing even this fierce Maotai in one go! Let me pour you another!"
"Hey! Emperor's favorite, my ass! That's all bullshit. That's fake. This is the real Maotai! From the Seven Reds Gang—Seo Chilhong! Trust me!"
Seo Chilhong, head of the Seven Reds Gang, hoisted a fist-sized bottle of liquor and sidled up flirtatiously.
Namgung Hyeok turned his head slightly toward Do Daeung.
"It's fake?"
"N-No, it isn't! This crazy barkeep's lying!"
"Bah! This is the real Maotai!"
Do Daeung and Seo Chilhong raised their voices at each other.
Just then, Yeom Wangsu, leader of the Salt King Gang, dragged his legs with a creak and shuffled over.
"Heh heh, young master. Take this instead of that swill. It's a priceless family heirloom passed down through generations. Heh heh heh!"
He flashed a wooden box containing jewelry, then slyly slid it onto the seat beside Namgung Hyeok before waddling back to his spot.
Do Daeung, victorious in their contest of strength, grinned and calmly poured more liquor into Namgung Hyeok's cup.
Glug-glug-glug!
"The moment I laid eyes on you again, young master, this Do knew it—ah, this is fate! The glorious chance to serve at your side has come! Hahaha!"
Do Daeung's voice boomed over the musicians' performance.
Things had come to this anyway—he planned to bare his throat and spill his guts.
Better than getting his head lopped off in some nameless alley.
'Better the dragon's tail than the snake's head!'
Amid the embarrassingly lavish praise, Namgung Hyeok eyed Do Daeung's bald pate with disgust.
". . .What's with you?"
"Ah, I didn't recognize you! You've become so handsome and imposing, young master! Rumors don't do you justice! My eyes are dazzled—blinded!"
". . . ."
"Ahem! This is getting a bit dull. . . ."
Seo Chilhong, who'd lost the strength contest, perked up.
"Young master! Seo Chilhong of the Seven Reds Gang will perform a sword dance for you!"
Shing!
He drew his blade with fierce eyes.
Faster than anyone, he leaped to the center of the hall, swinging his sword vigorously as he soared about.
Whoosh-whoosh!
"Hup! Ha-ha! Ha! Whew! Whew!"
Keeping rhythm, Seo Chilhong whirled his blade.
The other black path leaders followed suit, offering delicacies, opening jewel boxes and antiques, and piling them into Namgung Hyeok's arms.
Namgung Hyeok drank his liquor in a daze, watching the black path leaders' antics.
Do Daeung, mid-pour, casually shifted his position.
The moment he did, fire blazed in the eyes of the black path leaders.
When Do Daeung hauled up a wooden plank to the Celestial Tower, the others swarmed him.
"What the hell are you doing?! Wanna die?!"
"You sneaky bastard, trying to hog it all!"
"I prepared that, you punks!"
"Damn it, we're in the same boat—don't be like that!"
"Let go, let go!"
"Shut up, that moron's sword dance is over. Whoa, young master’s looking this way!"
"Shit!"
Do Daeung scowled as he moved to the center of the hall.
As he grimaced, Yeom Wangsu of the Salt King Gang beat him to it.
"Young master, we've all pooled our hearts for you."
"Pooled what?"
When Namgung Hyeok looked puzzled, Do Daeung smoothed his crumpled face and held up a pledge document.
'. . .A pledge?'
They even knew how to write.
It roughly vowed to serve and revere him.
Do Daeung slammed the pledge down and drew a dagger.
"I pledge my loyalty to you, young master! Behold my sincerity."
". . .Uh, sure."
Slash!
Scribble-scribble-scribble!
He signed it in blood.
Slash-slash-slash!
"Do Daeung of the Great Might Gang pledges loyalty to the young master!"
"Yeom Wangsu of the Salt King Gang will be your hands and feet!"
"Chil—Seven Reds Gang's Seo Chilhong swears a blood oath!"
The leaders shoved shoulders, squeezing in to sign one after another.
Then they eagerly stamped their bloody fingerprints.
Thud!
Namgung Hyeok scratched his head.
". . .You didn't have to go that far."
He'd demanded it from Hefei's Ten Great Sects out of necessity, but he hadn't expected these black path gangs to step up on their own.
"This is our sincerity—accept it! We're resolved to be your hands and feet for life!"
"Huh."
Namgung Hyeok let out a hollow chuckle, gulping down Maotai.
Do Daeung and the black path leaders knelt with shining eyes.
"Accept us, boss!"
"Boooss!"
"We'll serve as your boss!"
"We'll go under you!"
With their blood oaths, the black path leaders shouted vigorously.
Watching from a step back, Geon Cheonhwi's jaw dropped.
"Ah. . . ."
So this is how a massive black path sect is born.
'. . .History in the making.'
The great unification of Hefei's underworld.
And Nangong family scion Namgung Hyeok was being hailed as its leader.
A spectacle never seen before or since.
As Geon Cheonhwi scratched his chin, watching the birth of a new tragedy in Nangong family history—
'. . .But is it okay to just go wild like this?'
He'd culled the unsavory parts like human trafficking, but what if the Nangong family found out later?
'Money's nice. . . really damn nice. . .'
. . .Yeah, too nice.
Even after culling, thousands of silver taels flowed in effortlessly.
That kind of money could remake your fate a hundred times over.
"Ahem."
And strictly speaking, was this really bad?
If black path scum ran it, it's underworld; if Nangong Hyeok's scion ran it, it's righteous path.
Geon Cheonhwi had already been dyed by Namgung Hyeok's philosophy.
'What's there to worry about?'
Through this incident, he'd seen Namgung Hyeok draw lines, vowing to earn money legitimately.
Ahem.
* * *
Namgung Hyeok tapped the pledge and scanned the black path leaders kneeling rigidly before him.
"Listen up."
"Yes! Boss!"
"You're family now, so no fighting among yourselves—live well together."
"Of course not!"
Namgung Hyeok murmured languidly.
"Normally, I'd uproot black path scum and behead their leaders, hanging the heads in the city square as a warning. . . ."
Do Daeung and the gang leaders gulped at Namgung Hyeok's casual words.
Namgung Hyeok grinned.
"But that'd be too harsh. You're just trying to eat and survive, right?"
"As expected of the boss! We feel your heroic grace!"
"Yeah, whatever—who cares if you kill each other."
Uh. . . shouldn't you care about that?
And didn't you just say no fighting?
Do Daeung swallowed his words.
Namgung Hyeok continued.
"I expect you to bring in as much as you work hard. Don't disappoint with your labor. No fudging numbers, no skimming. Got it? I'll get mad."
Do Daeung gritted his teeth, eyes downcast.
'. . .Just sit back and rake in the cash.'
Is this what drowning in shit feels like?
Tremble-tremble, beside him, Seo Chilhong's hands shook.
Even that tough bastard's shaking.
The atmosphere grew solemn at Namgung Hyeok's chilling declaration.
Namgung Hyeok smiled brightly.
"You're merchants, aren't you?"
"Y-Yes."
"I'm planning to expand the business big-time."
"Here? Even bigger?"
"We'll talk details later. I believe competition drives progress. So the best performers get rewarded more."
What about the losers?
The question nearly escaped, but all listened in silence.
"I'll reward the top ones, promote them up the ranks for status too. Keeps things flowing."
"Y-Yes!"
"Good."
Namgung Hyeok nodded firmly.
"I'll explain the ranks now."
"What?"
. . .He's really giving ranks?
For real?
As they stared in confusion, Namgung Hyeok spoke.
"Everyone starts at Iron rank."
"Iron rank?"
"From Iron, up through Bronze, Silver, Gold."
Confusion deepened among the black path leaders.
Do Daeung hesitantly raised his hand.
"B-Boss. How do we get promoted?"
Namgung Hyeok clapped, exclaiming.
"Oh, great question."
". . .Thank you!"
"Promotions based on monthly profit settlements from your operations!"
"Ah. . . ."
"Simple. Profits up, rank up—that's it."
"Uh. . . ."
"Higher ranks mean higher pay and profit shares."
. . .It's mine already.
Do Daeung trembled with rising grievance but rubbed his hands eagerly.
"An honor, boss! I'll prove my loyalty from now on!"
Namgung Hyeok smiled pleasantly, pointing at him.
"Good attitude. You start at Bronze."
"B-Bronze?"
"You manage and report on these guys in between. Watch if they're skimming or not."
Do Daeung's eyes rolled sideways.
He saw the black path leaders' darkened faces.
'. . .I'm above them?'
After years of back-and-forth, superiority was set.
Do Daeung's mouth stretched to his ears.
"Heh heh, brilliant idea. How do you come up with such genius? I respect you! I'll work hard, boss!"
Do Daeung was fully won over.
A smile tugged at Namgung Hyeok's lips.
Black path idiots—thrilled just at a rank bump.
'That's why it's fun to manage them.'
Namgung Hyeok chuckled inwardly.
"Now that we're united, we need a name."
"Yes! Right away."
"We're the First Line Society. Means one line."
"What does that mean?"
"It means one."
"Kuh! The boss's naming sense!"
Do Daeung burst in admiration, grinning ear to ear.
As his shoulders puffed up—
"Young master."
Jang Ung piped up from among the Thunder Dragon Squad at the back.
"If we work hard too, do we get ranks?"
Out of nowhere.
Geon Cheonhwi's pupils shook at the words.
What the hell is this punk saying?
A strange smile played on Namgung Hyeok's lips.
"You want to climb too?"
"Yes."
"Then you gotta sell too."
"Sell. . . you mean?"
"Our First Line Society needs people. Top recruiters get Gold or higher."
". . .Applies to Thunder Dragon Squad too?"
"Business is business. Outside, higher rank means higher up."
"Ah!"
Jang Ung's eyes sparkled with a gasp.
Seeing that glint, Geon Cheonhwi panicked.
"Y-Young master, what do you—!"
What kind of messed-up hierarchy is this?!
Geon Cheonhwi stared blankly at Jang Ung and Namgung Hyeok.
'This punk?'
The maknae’s lost it?
He was hiding his claws!
Namgung Hyeok glanced at the chaos in the Celestial Tower with a laugh, then turned to the window.
The view outside spread before him.
'That about wraps it up.'
Funds secured as planned, unnecessary scum culled without issue.
Goals met.
No one left to clean up except these guys.
Namgung Hyeok gazed out contentedly.
Looking down at the back alleys below now under his control, he found himself humming.
'Hefei's a big city—taking it over was this ea—'
Just then, a flicker in Namgung Hyeok's eyes.
"Hm?"
A busy street corner.
Nothing special, nothing impressive.
But. . . .
Namgung Hyeok's gaze didn't miss the group weaving through the crowd.
'What? Those guys?'
They hid their auras, but Namgung Hyeok's senses caught the faint trace.
Murky and viscous.
A true evil scent, unlike the street punks before him.
'This?'
Namgung Hyeok's eyes narrowed.
An aura he'd felt recently.
The same sensation from the black-clad figure at the Silver Phantom Horse Stable—emanating from them now.
Namgung Hyeok's gaze darkened.
'Gotta check it out.'