An Accurate Summary
Morning broke. Jin Seongun basked for a moment in the sunlight pouring through the window before rising from his bed. Every morning, the same thought crossed his mind. 'Was it all a dream?' Of course, he knew it wasn't. But the things that had happened to him recently were strange enough that he could have believed they were dreams, if only for a moment. An orphan from the backstreets who had spent his whole life as an inn waiter now ran a prosperous establishment of his own. It was, in fact, the only inn outside of Deokyang permitted to sell Yanghe Daqu, and business was booming because of it. He had learned martial arts from the Martial Gods. An elite assassin of Salmak cooked in his kitchen. The second young master of the Seomun Clan worked as a waiter, and a Wudang elder... Jin Seongun burst into a hollow laugh without realizing it. Rather than dwelling on such thoughts, it was high time he went out and prepared for the day's business. He changed his clothes and stepped out to the shop. Seomun Ak, once branded the greatest wastrel of his generation, had become an entirely different person somewhere along the way. He was now the first to arrive at the inn each morning, readying everything before anyone else.
"Hah. I beat him out of bed today."
Feeling a quiet sense of victory, Jin Seongun stepped outside the inn. A handful of diligent merchants were already setting up their stalls. Amid the bustle, a horse-drawn carriage came clattering up from far down the street, hooves striking the cobblestones with a racket. Jin Seongun slipped to the side in advance. But the carriage did not pass by. Instead, it came to a smooth halt directly in front of Seongun Inn. A neatly groomed middle-aged man soon stepped down from the carriage. He glanced back and forth between the inn and Jin Seongun for a moment before speaking. "Could you perhaps be Great Hero Jin?"
"If you're looking for Jin Seongun, that would be me."
At Jin Seongun's calm reply, the man's expression transformed—into one of impeccable courtesy. "My name is Mun Hyosang, the new Chief Manager of the Hwaun Merchant Group. It is a true honor to meet you at last."
Chief Manager Mun bowed so deeply his forehead nearly touched the ground. His voice was so resonant that onlookers began murmuring and turning to stare. Jin Seongun hurriedly bowed in return. "Ah, yes. Jin Seongun." "Heo! Why on earth would you bow to me!" "No, I..." Dumbfounded as he was, Jin Seongun instinctively studied the Chief Manager in detail. The flow of his qi was remarkably clear and gentle. Unlike most martial artists, it wasn't particularly hardened, but at the very least, the absence of any accumulated turbid energy suggested he was no wicked man. Then again, Hwa Yeonseol—who had lived through that entire ordeal—would surely have poured her heart into selecting a new Chief Manager. Chief Manager Mun broke into a warm smile. "I expect we'll be seeing quite a lot of each other from now on, so I stopped by to pay my respects."
"You came all this way just to say hello?"
Jin Seongun's expression turned baffled once more. It was, of course, because he had no real grasp of his own standing. The future of the Hwaun Merchant Group hinged on the cooperation of the Tang Family. And the very foundation of that cooperation was Jin Seongun himself. In other words, to the Hwaun Merchant Group as it stood, Jin Seongun was the most precious man in the world.
"If you ever encounter any inconvenience in running your inn, please tell me at any time. If you so wish, I could even station an informant here in Yichang to..."
"Th-there's really no need for that."
Chief Manager Mun's eyes sparkled like the stars of the Martial God Realm. Whether he knew it or not, anyone could see the man harbored an enormous passion for his work. Jin Seongun thought that if a man like this had devoted himself to the martial path instead, he might have become a truly formidable master. Just as Chief Manager Mun was smiling in evident satisfaction, a voice rang out. "Tell me if there's anything you want, you say?"
A gruff old man's voice. Jin Seongun and Chief Manager Mun turned their heads at the same time. It was a gaunt, towering old man, dark and sunbaked as weathered wood—Shin Mok. He looked Chief Manager Mun up and down for a moment before continuing. "I'm Seongun's uncle, you see."
"Aah!!"
Chief Manager Mun bowed so deeply again that his forehead nearly touched the ground. Shin Mok burst into hearty laughter. "Just kidding."
"..."
Chief Manager Mun stared at the old man, utterly dumbfounded. What in the world is wrong with this geezer? Even as such a look crossed his face, Jin Seongun spoke in a sighing voice. "He is indeed an elder I serve. He's the one who restored Seongun Inn to..."
"Just a carpenter, roughly speaking. But you were saying—if I need anything, just ask? Well then, as the resident carpenter here at Seongun Inn, I happen to have a few proposals of my own."
Shin Mok cut in before Jin Seongun could even finish. Chief Manager Mun, by now having roughly grasped who Shin Mok was, clasped his hands together politely and nodded. "Of course, please, speak freely! Whatever direction you wish to take, venerable master, the Hwaun Merchant Group will provide our full support!"
Before coming to Yichang, Chief Manager Mun had heard it so many times from Guild Leader Hwa Yeonseol that his ears had ached. Make Seongun Inn the finest inn in all of Hubei. The first step toward that goal had been Yanghe Daqu, and the second step was to be the inn's expansion.
"Hmm, is that so."
Shin Mok smiled with evident satisfaction. Chief Manager Mun was prepared to accept every single proposal, whatever it might be. It wasn't as if they were building the Imperial Palace—constructing an inn was nothing. No matter how enormous the expense, the Hwaun Merchant Group was one of the Ten Great Merchant Groups of the Central Plains.
"Then I'll build everything up on my own and bill the Hwaun Merchant Group afterward. Our dear owner here has been saying he'd like some guest rooms added. That'll be all right, won't it?"
"Oh, of course, of course! Unfold your dreams right here to your heart's content, venerable master!"
"I see? Hehe. Seems the Merchant Group has hired itself a rather agreeable Chief Manager. Splendid young man, truly excellent." "Ahahaha, you honor me with your kind words!" It was a remarkably harmonious scene. Before long, Shin Mok nodded several times in approval and departed.
Jin Seongun, who had watched the whole exchange with a baffled face, turned to Chief Manager Mun. "...Is that really all right?" "Oh, of course it is! This is about furnishing Great Hero Jin's inn—what would a mere million gold taels matter?" "It might actually come to a million gold taels." "I beg your pardon?" Chief Manager Mun blinked rapidly. Then an ominous premonition flashed through his mind. "W-would you... perhaps be able to tell me in more detail who that venerable gentleman just now was?" "That was Elder Shin Mok." "Sh-Sh-Shin Mok!"
Chief Manager Mun's legs nearly gave out beneath him on the spot. Shin Mok—who was Shin Mok, exactly? One of the Three Great Master Craftsmen of the World. Every martial artist in the realm, every high-ranking official, even members of the imperial family—all of them scrambled and schemed to obtain his works. Naturally, his work commanded whatever price he named. The newly appointed Chief Manager, his face drained white, spoke in a trembling voice. "M-may I... may I step away for just a moment?" "...Ah, yes." Even in that state, he had asked permission first. It seemed this was a man who would keep to protocol even with a blade at his throat. Just as Jin Seongun was silently praising the Chief Manager's composure, Chief Manager Mun let out a shout and began sprinting off in the direction Shin Mok had vanished. "Venerable masteeer! Wait, please!"
Of course, Shin Mok's martial arts were on par with a Wudang Sect elder, and he had already unfurled his lightness technique and vanished entirely from sight. "Maybe I should have warned him first." Jin Seongun watched the direction the two men had disappeared in, then scratched his cheek. He gazed at the inn for a while, picturing how it would look once the new guest rooms were complete. Before he knew it, he had gathered quite a number of people who could be called acquaintances. The Wudang Sect, the Seomun Clan, the Tang Family, and now the Hwaun Merchant Group as well. If they each came to visit Yichang someday, it would be a fine thing for Seongun Inn to provide them lodging and meals. Alone, Jin Seongun allowed himself a contented smile, then set off. The Hwaun Merchant Group had promised to cover the construction costs, but he figured it was worth confirming how much money he had on hand before any major work began. The inn's own business was doing quite well, but the funds flowing in through Oh Jeongsan's Hyeongju Merchant Guild were nothing to scoff at either. He had scarcely ever withdrawn from that account, so the money should have piled up neatly in the bank. "That should help things along." With that thought, he arrived at the Wuhan Bank of Yichang. For some reason, the gatekeeper who recognized Jin Seongun's face went deathly pale and bowed deeply at the waist. "Great Hero Jin, is it truly you!" "Ah, you know of me?"
It felt a little burdensome, how many people were calling him "Great Hero" today. The gatekeeper shook his head vigorously, then promptly ushered Jin Seongun inside. The Wuhan Bank in Yichang was only a branch office, so it wasn't especially large. But since the Wuhan Bank itself was a considerable financial institution headquartered in Wuhan, Hubei Province, the atmosphere was anything but casual. Come to think of it, they said the Wuhan Bank runs on Mangeum Manor's capital too. Of course, the Mangeum Bank was a separate institution. Still, he had heard that numerous banks operating under Mangeum Manor's umbrella were scattered throughout the Central Plains. Once again, the phrase Number One Merchant Group Under Heaven struck home. As he crossed the bank, every employee who spotted Jin Seongun bowed gracefully. Evidently, institutions of this caliber trained their staff down to the smallest gesture. He walked on, thinking little of it, until a peculiar feeling began to creep over him. "Just where exactly are we going?" Did these people have some sort of scheme in mind? Having only just returned from wandering the Jianghu, Jin Seongun felt a needless wariness rising in him and asked. The gatekeeper answered with a sheepish grin. "We're nearly there, sir." By now, even the man's speech pattern had shifted into something resembling an inn waiter's. Jin Seongun followed along, utterly bemused. At last, the gatekeeper led him to the branch manager's office at the very back of the bank. "Manager! Great Hero Jin has arrived!"
There was more than one man surnamed Jin in Yichang—would this even make sense to anyone? Contrary to Jin Seongun's concerns, a moment later came a great clattering and crashing from within. Then the door burst open with tremendous force, and a middle-aged man even portlier than Noh Sang-won appeared, greeting Jin Seongun with a beaming face. "Aiyah, at last!"
Jin Seongun's face went blank with confusion. Oblivious or indifferent, the branch manager took hold of Jin Seongun's sleeve with the utmost gentleness and courtesy. "Welcome, most welcome! How I have longed to meet you all this while. Hehehe. Attendant! Bring refreshments!"
Jin Seongun was genuinely moved by the Wuhan Bank's hospitality. Truly, merchants of national standing were a different breed altogether. The branch manager soon took his seat—and strangely, not in the seat of honor, but in the guest's chair. Jin Seongun sat down across from him. Guest or no guest, it hardly seemed right to claim the seat of honor in another man's workplace. At that, the branch manager spoke up. "Why do you not sit somewhere more comfortable?" "Ah, this seat suits me fine." "Aah!" The branch manager sprang to his feet and hastily rearranged the table. Jin Seongun had merely been sitting there, but somehow his seat had become the seat of honor. Unbelievable... Was banking really a business that demanded this much groveling? Even as he thought this, the branch manager broke into a fawning smile. "So then, to what do we owe the honor of our most distinguished guest personally visiting our humble Wuhan Bank?"
"Hmm. I came to check how much money is in my account."
Most distinguished guest? Jin Seongun tilted his head. Won Gisang, branch manager. He was a man who had, quite literally, climbed from the very bottom to reach his current position. Granted, it was a branch rather than the headquarters, but it was not a post that could be occupied on ordinary ability alone. Reading Jin Seongun's expression, Won Gisang immediately grasped the situation. "Aah, you were unaware. Well, heroes of your stature never concern themselves with trifling matters, do they?" With that, Won Gisang had a servant fetch a bundle of documents. The papers laid upon the table were covered in a dizzying sprawl of numbers. Just as Jin Seongun's eyes were beginning to swim, Won Gisang cleared his throat and spoke in a grave tone. "Ordinarily, a bank does not disclose account details to its patrons so readily, but for a guest of your distinction..." Won Gisang pointed to one section among the sea of figures. "This is the sum currently sitting in your account, Great Hero Jin. For reference, that amounts to thirty percent of all the funds handled by this Yichang branch."
Perhaps it was the effect of confronting such a vast figure all over again, but somewhere along the way the manager's speech had slipped into waiter-speak as well. Jin Seongun blinked a few times as he stared at the number. One thousand eight hundred and forty taels. In gold. When Jin Seongun had first purchased Seongun Inn, he had paid a mere twenty gold taels. Granted, the price had been cheap because of the rumors—about the inn that was haunted... well, the inn where ghosts appeared. It was roughly enough money to buy close to a hundred inns like his. Only now did he understand why the people of the Wuhan Bank were being so extraordinarily courteous. Thirty percent of the capital this bank operated on was tied up in Jin Seongun's name alone. The moment Jin Seongun chose to move his account, the branch manager would be hauled before headquarters in Wuhan.
"W-well, I've confirmed it."
An inexplicable discomfort settled over Jin Seongun, and he gave a vague nod and rose to his feet. It seemed that his mere presence here was enough to throw a great many people into turmoil. "Already, sir? If you would only stay for a meal before you go, it would be our great..." "Hold on."
Jin Seongun cut the branch manager off mid-sentence. Still standing, he expanded his perception outward. There was something alien in the bank—a presence with a subtle, off-kilter qi. It was so well concealed that even Jin Seongun had nearly passed over it without noticing. "Is there a martial artist in this bank right now?" "Ah, well, there is, but... burglars have been running rampant lately, you see. So a gentleman from the Sama Clan came to service the protective formations."
"It's not the Sama Clan."
"I beg your pardon?"
The Sama Clan was a prestigious orthodox family. If word was to be believed, their standing had lately risen even above that of the Zhuge Clan, one of the Five Great Clans. There was no way such people carried a covert, chilling aura like this one. If anything, it resembled Seo Yugyeom's qi. The qi of an assassin. A thief. Jin Seongun walked out on quiet footsteps. The scene before him was one of ordinary bustle and peace—a perfectly everyday tableau. And within that ordinary picture, an intensely hidden and alien qi was unmistakably present. Faint, but... Jin Seongun's head turned slowly, and then stopped at a single point. CRACK—! He surged forward in an instant, unleashing his raw force. It all happened in the blink of an eye. BOOOM—! The pillar supporting one corner of the eaves burst apart outright. At the same moment, Jin Seongun clearly saw a blurred figure rising up from behind the pillar. Just as he reached out to seize the figure, a bizarre pressure abruptly bore down upon his entire body. Jin Seongun narrowed his eyes slightly. He had felt something similar before, back at the Saryong Syndicate in Deokyang. A formation... For a moment, Jin Seongun considered releasing his qi to shatter the formation outright—but he held back. If he did that, Won Gisang and countless others would be caught in the blast. In the meantime, the shadowy figure vanished completely. Jin Seongun let out a small sigh, and shortly after, a group of people came hurrying over at a frantic pace, shouting in fury. "Which madman dares lay hands on the Sama Clan's formation!"
Jin Seongun turned to look at the man who had shouted. He was a handsome young noble draped in garments that gleamed as if woven from gold thread. His sharply angled eyebrows twitched, as if to say he found all this profoundly displeasing.
"...There was a thief."
"Nonsense. The formation masters of the Sama Clan held this entire bank under perfect control—how could a thief possibly have slipped inside?" "That is what happened." The more Jin Seongun spoke, the hotter the Sama Clan warrior's fury seemed to burn. "Can you take responsibility for those words? If what you say is a lie, I may just have that insolent tongue of yours cut out." "The thief has already fled because of your formation—how am I supposed to take responsibility for that?" "Heh. You barge in out of nowhere, wreck the formation, and now you claim it's the formation's fault that the thief escaped?" With every icy word that fell from his lips, the surrounding air seemed to freeze solid. It wasn't merely imagination—it was the influence of the Sama Clan's signature, sneering martial arts. As the tension thickened around them, Jin Seongun spoke. "An accurate summary."
"..."
Their gazes crossed in the empty air. Neither man wore an easy face by any measure, and the onlookers tensed up visibly. Chief Manager Won Gisang above all felt as though a painting of hell itself had unfolded before his eyes. Wh-why is this happening to me...? A shattered pillar was nothing. On one side stood Jin Seongun, the distinguished guest who held thirty percent of the bank's capital in his name. On the other, Sama Hui, the 'Formation Dragon' destined to become the next head of the Sama Clan. And those two very men were glaring each other down right in front of him. Won Gisang had just collided with the greatest dilemma of his life, second only to being asked as a child which parent he loved more.