Chapter 150: Making an Enemy of the Hwangbo Clan
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 150: Making an Enemy of the Hwangbo Clan
The Hwangbo Clan.
Located in Jining, Shandong Province, the Hwangbo Clan was a regional powerhouse whose name commanded respect throughout the province.
Of course, their influence had waned somewhat after the Cheonmu Alliance—the greatest force of the Orthodox Faction—established its headquarters in Jinan, Shandong. Nevertheless, the Hwangbo Clan still wielded immense power within the region.
Furthermore, the clan was currently enjoying its greatest golden age since the Great War of Righteousness and Demons.
This was entirely due to the presence of the clan head, Hwangbo Gang, a hero of that very war.
The Heavenly King Divine Fist, Hwangbo Gang.
He was the strongest warrior of the Hwangbo Clan, famous for crushing the skulls of countless villains during the Great War.
In battle, his image—charging forward faster than anyone else to shatter the heads of his enemies—had stirred the hearts of many martial artists. It was more than enough for him to be revered as a living legend.
As long as he lived, the Hwangbo Clan would never face a crisis.
Or so they thought.
At least, until that happened.
Riding the wave of success following the Great War, the Hwangbo Clan had been unstoppable. Every business they touched turned to gold, and merchants were falling over themselves to invest in them.
This led Hwangbo Gang to fall under a massive delusion: that he was not only a peerless warrior but also a brilliant businessman.
In reality, the businesses that had succeeded until then were mostly in the transportation sector, like escort agencies, where the clan’s prestige and martial might played a significant role. Because the Hwangbo Clan’s name had spread far and wide during the war, they were able to secure investments easily and achieve success.
Unaware of this reality and blinded by overconfidence, Hwangbo Gang began to dabble in reckless ventures.
He expanded the already successful transportation business even further and branched out into the restaurant industry, distribution, and even the entertainment sector.
The result was utter ruin.
Not only did the new ventures fail miserably, but he even managed to run the once-prosperous transportation business into the ground.
It was then that Hwangbo Gang realized the truth: he had absolutely no talent for business.
However, the "tuition fee" for this life lesson was agonizingly high. The Hwangbo Clan’s finances plummeted, pushing them to the brink of bankruptcy.
Hwangbo Gang scrambled in every direction to save the clan. Casting aside his dignity as the Heavenly King Divine Fist, he bowed his head here and there, begging for loans.
He even went so far as to visit the Tang Clan—whom he had secretly considered rivals—and knelt before the Poison King. One didn't need to see it to know how dire the situation had become.
In the end, he managed to prevent the clan's bankruptcy, but the pride of the Heavenly King Divine Fist was severely fractured. Stained with shame, Hwangbo Gang spent many nights in tears, forgetting even his own age.
Still, perhaps thanks to him swallowing his pride, the Hwangbo Clan’s finances stabilized to some degree, and they escaped the immediate threat of ruin.
Then, one day, just as the clan was settling into stability...
Crisis struck the Hwangbo Clan once again.
Hwangbo Gang’s "business fever" had returned.
This time, he became obsessed with the Western trade business. He had been completely seduced by the promise of astronomical profits relative to the investment.
Of course, Hwangbo Gang wasn't a complete fool; he knew how high the risks of Western trade were. Hadn't the Qingcheng Sect suffered a massive blow in the past after investing in a Western venture led by the Mangeum Bank?
But Hwangbo Gang wasn't worried. He planned to send the elite masters of the Hwangbo Clan along with the merchant group.
Ultimately, he dispatched three elders and one of the clan's strike units to accompany the caravan heading West. It was a force incomparable to the few main sect disciples and secular disciples the Qingcheng Sect had sent in the past.
He was confident. He believed this Western venture would allow the Hwangbo Clan to soar to new heights.
Then, one day, while he was eagerly awaiting news of the venture's success...
Hwangbo Gang received a shocking report. The merchant groups that had departed for the West had been annihilated by a foreign army.
Hwangbo Gang flew into a rage, screaming that it made no sense. How could an army, not a band of bandits, slaughter merchant groups?
Soon after, he learned the full story.
The problem lay with the elders the Hwangbo Clan had sent. Upon arriving in the West, they had clashed with foreign nobles. The elders, brimming with the pride of the Hwangbo Clan, had collided head-on with nobles who were equally steeped in their own sense of elitism.
In the end, the foreign nobles were killed by the elders. Using this as a pretext, the foreign army wiped out the entire merchant group. To make matters worse, all the trade goods were confiscated.
Upon hearing the news, Hwangbo Gang’s jaw dropped. The elders he had sent had caused a catastrophe.
Investors who had put money into the merchant group began swarming the Hwangbo Clan, demanding compensation for their losses.
Hwangbo Gang fell into despair. He had already invested more than half of the clan’s operating funds into this venture. Now, the headache of paying out damages was added to his woes.
He began seeking help everywhere once again to raise the funds. He suffered the humiliation of begging the other Five Great Clans and even reaching out to his married-off daughters.
Crisis had returned.
And in the midst of all this, the clan’s legitimate heir, Hwangbo Ak, caused another incident. He had borrowed a staggering three thousand nyang in banknotes from the Mangeum Bank using the clan’s name.
When Hwangbo Gang heard the news, he beat Hwangbo Ak to a pulp. He didn't even ask for a reason. He simply raised his fists and struck.
Terrified of his father, Hwangbo Ak began to explain in detail why he had borrowed the money. Upon hearing the reason, Hwangbo Gang was consumed by fury.
The Tang Clan—a family he now felt ashamed to even call a fellow prestigious clan—had extorted money from the heir of the Hwangbo Clan.
He was ready to march to the Tang Clan immediately and engage in a life-and-death duel with the Poison King.
But then, a sudden thought struck him, clearing his mind.
He realized he might be able to use the Tang Clan to overcome the Hwangbo Clan’s crisis. He quickly reached a conclusion: it was entirely possible.
The difference between the Hwangbo Clan and the Tang Clan was that the former lacked a monopoly. Unlike the Hwangbo Clan, which only knew how to wield martial power, the Tang Clan’s manufacturing of weapons and medicinal herbs was considered irreplaceable.
Because of this, the Tang Clan could boldly expand their business, and even if they failed, they wouldn't take a fatal hit. If things went south, they could simply close that branch and focus on their core industries.
So, what if the Hwangbo Clan could absorb the Tang Clan’s monopolies?
If they could achieve that, they would not only overcome their crisis but also proudly establish themselves as the greatest clan in the Central Plains.
The mere thought of it was exhilarating.
Having finished his calculations, Hwangbo Gang quickly summoned the heads of the other Five Great Clans. He believed that they, having suffered similar losses, would become allies who shared his vision.
After gathering them, Hwangbo Gang subtly revealed his intentions. He made a proposal: if they could successfully take over the Tang Clan’s businesses, he would promise them a certain share of the profits.
The other clans jumped at the offer. They had coveted the Tang Clan’s businesses but had been hesitant to act for fear of the Cheonmu Alliance’s reaction. Now that the Hwangbo Clan was offering to take the lead, why would they refuse? Especially with a guaranteed share of the spoils.
They moved according to Hwangbo Gang’s wishes and began to pressure the Tang Clan. They issued orders to every ironworks and apothecary in their respective regions: do not trade with the Tang Clan.
At first, the businesses resisted, but after a few visits from the sword-wielding warriors of the Great Clans, they quickly tucked their tails and requested a cessation of trade with the Tang Clan.
Had the Tang Clan been at its peak, such a thing would have been unthinkable. But the Tang Clan had been severely weakened by the Demonic Cult’s raid. The local businesses chose to submit to the immediate threat of force before them rather than trust in the distant Tang Clan in Sichuan, and they notified the Tang Clan of the trade suspension.
Thus, all regions where the Five Great Clans held sway simultaneously announced the cessation of trade. The Tang Clan was hit hard, losing half of its clients.
Everything was proceeding exactly according to Hwangbo Gang’s plan.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Hwangbo Gang burst into a fit of mad laughter. He was delighted. Beyond delighted.
Not long after he had sent a rejection to the Tang Clan’s letter of reconciliation, another letter arrived from them, accompanied by a gift.
It was a gift of precious Shu Silk from Sichuan, along with a letter once again pleading for reconciliation.
Checking the gift, the smile never left Hwangbo Gang’s face. How could he stop laughing?
The Tang Clan, once called the greatest clan in the Central Plains...
The Tang Clan, praised as the primary contributors to the victory in the Great War...
They were now kneeling before the Hwangbo Clan.
He felt an extreme sense of pleasure, unlike anything he had ever experienced. Finally, the Heavenly King Divine Fist had defeated the Poison King.
"Hahahaha!"
His laughter echoed through the main hall.
Watching this, the Chief Steward, Hwangbo Gap, let out a sigh of relief. He didn't know what was in the letter, but his temperamental clan head seemed satisfied.
"Hey, Steward!" Hwangbo Gang called out.
"Yes, Clan Head," Hwangbo Gap replied quickly.
"Do you know what is written in this letter from the Tang Clan?"
Hwangbo Gang continued, his face still split by a wide grin. He simply wanted to share this joyful news with someone.
"It’s a declaration of surrender! Hahahaha! That arrogant Tang Clan has knelt before the Hwangbo Clan!"
Hwangbo Gang handed the letter to Hwangbo Gap and burst into laughter again.
Hwangbo Gap took the letter and read it. There wasn't much to it. It was a desperate plea for him to accept the gift and ease his heart, though the writer didn't seem to know exactly what had caused the offense.
Tsk.
Hwangbo Gap clicked his tongue inwardly. How riddled with inferiority must the Clan Head be to make such a fuss over something like this?
However, if he showed his true thoughts, he would surely be met with a barrage of the Clan Head’s boulder-like fists. Hwangbo Gap looked at Hwangbo Gang with a bright expression.
"Congratulations, Clan Head."
Hwangbo Gap bowed deeply and offered his congratulations. Since the man was so happy, he didn't want to spoil the mood. After all, the Clan Head hadn't had much to smile about since the failure of the Western trade venture. If anything, it was a relief to see him laughing like this.
"Steward! Send a reply to the Tang Clan immediately!"
"What shall I write?"
"Tell them that if they truly want forgiveness, the Clan Head himself must come here and kneel!"
"What!?"
Hwangbo Gap was startled. This was crossing the line—way across the line. No matter how much the Tang Clan’s power had waned, their leader was still the Poison King. He was a hero of the Great War and one of the strongest men in the Murim. To demand that such a man come and kneel?
It was no different from an open declaration of war.
He had to stop this.
"Clan Head, please calm yourself. No matter how much the Tang Clan has weakened, they are not people who will simply overlook such an insult!"
"Hmph, I don't care. I am the Heavenly King Divine Fist, Hwangbo Gang! Do you think I fear those poison-using bastards?"
Despite the steward’s protest, Hwangbo Gang declared his stance with a face full of confidence. He was certain. Whether it was the Poison King or the entire Tang Clan that came, he was confident he could sweep them all away.
In fact, he secretly prayed that they would use this as an excuse to attack. Wouldn't that give him the perfect justification to swallow the Tang Clan without having to resort to underhanded schemes?
Hwangbo Gap felt a headache coming on. Even though he shared the Hwangbo bloodline, he couldn't understand Hwangbo Gang, who acted as if his brain were in his feet. In the end, if the truth came out, public opinion would turn against the Five Great Clans and the prestigious Orthodox sects. How could he be so thoughtless?
It seemed his overwhelming greed had blinded him.
"Clan Head, even so, please reconsider one more time..."
Hwangbo Gap trailed off. His mind was entirely focused on stopping him.
"Silence! How can a member of the Hwangbo bloodline be so spineless? When a fight is picked, you must stand your ground! Why do you try to solve everything with words like a little girl?"
Instead, Hwangbo Gang rebuked Hwangbo Gap.
"Send it exactly as I said, without changing a single word! Tell them there will be no forgiveness unless Tang Jin-cheol, the Poison King, kneels in person!"
Hwangbo Gang remained stubborn, refusing to budge.
Hwangbo Gap’s face began to turn pale. It seemed this obstinate Clan Head had no intention of changing his mind.
Hwangbo Gap let out a long, internal sigh. He had a feeling that something disastrous was about to happen.
*
The Sichuan Tang Clan.
Tang Seo-yoon was organizing documents with a vacant expression. Her eyes were hollow, and deep shadows hung beneath them. One look was enough to tell she had been up all night.
"My lady, why don't you go and get some rest?"
Madam Tang, who was standing nearby, spoke to her with a worried expression. It had already been three days since Tang Seo-yoon had last slept. Even if she was a martial artist of the Super-Peak Realm, she might die of overwork if this continued.
"I'll just finish this document and then go to sleep," Tang Seo-yoon replied with a weary face.
It wasn't that she wanted to work through the night. But there was a shortage of hands to calculate the penalty fees and commissions for the clients who had simultaneously requested trade suspensions.
She picked up another document with trembling hands.
It was then.
"My lady, a letter has arrived from the Hwangbo Clan!"
Geum Jeok-hwa came running toward her, holding a letter.
"Have you checked the contents?" Tang Seo-yoon asked as Geum Jeok-hwa handed her the letter.
"I think you should see it for yourself."
Geum Jeok-hwa nodded with a grave expression.
Tang Seo-yoon felt a sense of foreboding. What could possibly be in the letter to make Geum Jeok-hwa look so serious?
Taking the letter, Tang Seo-yoon began to read it carefully.
Before long, her hollow expression began to harden. Then, her face flushed a deep red.
Rip! Rip!
She tore the letter to shreds.
"The Hwangbo Clan..."
She looked around at everyone and continued.
"As of today, they are our enemy."
A volcanic rage smoldered in her eyes.