Chapter 420: Plotting an Assassination-3
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 420: Plotting an Assassination-3
"Tell me. Exactly how do you plan to assassinate Jang Sun-woo, the man they call the next World's Greatest Martial Artist?"
Zhuge Ju-kyung pressed for an answer, her voice laced with urgency. Her curiosity was piqued; she wanted to know what kind of scheme that viper of the Tang Clan had cooked up.
Jang Sun-woo was a talent so formidable he was already being hailed as the next World's Greatest. While his exact level of martial prowess remained unknown, it was estimated that he had reached at least the Super-Peak Realm, if not higher.
Naturally, she was curious. How on earth did Tang Jin-seol plan to kill such a man?
"It is simple," Tang Jin-seol replied calmly.
"Simple?" Zhuge Ju-kyung asked back, her expression clouded with doubt. She couldn't wrap her head around it. How could killing Jang Sun-woo possibly be simple?
"We just need to send a master who is stronger than him," Tang Jin-seol continued in the same composed tone.
Zhuge Ju-kyung’s brow furrowed deeply. She felt a surge of disappointment at such a moronic, straightforward answer.
Send a master stronger than the target? Who doesn't know that?
The crucial elements here were stealth and certainty. There could be no traces left behind—nothing that could point back to who had commissioned the hit. Moreover, they needed absolute certainty. They needed to be sure he would die in a single strike.
And yet, this woman dared to give such a brainless answer?
"If that truly is the extent of your plan, Madam Tang, I must say I am disappointed," Zhuge Ju-kyung said, her face twisted in a scowl.
"Perish the thought. I merely explained it simply to match your level, Madam Zhuge," Tang Jin-seol replied with a cold, thin smile.
"I appreciate the consideration, but I would prefer you be more specific. Before I decide to walk out of this meeting room, that is," Zhuge Ju-kyung retorted, glaring at Tang Jin-seol with sharp eyes.
"Very well." Tang Jin-seol smirked under the weight of that gaze. "I intend to set the stage. A stage where Jang Sun-woo has no choice but to die."
Her tone turned serious. "And the protagonists of that stage will be masters even stronger than Jang Sun-woo."
"And who are these masters?" Paeng Ga-ryeon asked, looking confused.
Currently, Jang Sun-woo's true strength was a mystery. Some predicted he had just entered the Super-Peak Realm, while others speculated he had already reached the Transcendent Realm. Since he had no notable achievements other than suppressing the Rising Stars of Dragon and Phoenix, the rumors varied wildly.
Where would they find a master stronger than such a man?
"Phoenix Unit Leader Kang Ha-yoon."
Tang Jin-seol dropped the name with total composure.
A heavy silence instantly descended upon the room. The shock of Tang Jin-seol’s statement left everyone speechless.
Kang Ha-yoon? Why was her name being brought up so suddenly?
She was the second wife of Lee Jae-won and a renowned female martial artist who served as the Phoenix Unit Leader. Why would such a woman ever agree to participate in an assassination?
"…Are you serious?" Zhuge Ju-kyung asked, her voice trembling. She had never imagined that name would come out of Tang Jin-seol's mouth.
"Of course." Tang Jin-seol’s expression remained firm.
"That’s impossible! How could she participate in an assassination? That woman is as rigid as a stone!" Paeng Ga-ryeon shouted, her temper flaring.
Paeng Ga-ryeon had bitter memories of being dealt with harshly by Kang Ha-yoon during the recent arrest incident. Knowing her character, she couldn't understand it. How could a woman who would rather break than bend ever take part in the assassination of Jang Sun-woo?
"I also find it hard to believe. The Phoenix Unit Leader, Kang Ha-yoon, committing an assassination… that shouldn't be possible, should it?" Moyong Ran added with a grim expression. She knew all too well how upright Kang Ha-yoon’s personality was.
"It is possible," Tang Jin-seol said, her eyes gleaming.
"How! She doesn't care for money, power, or fame! How could you even ask her to do something as dishonorable as an assassination?" Paeng Ga-ryeon raised her voice, unable to comprehend the situation.
She had put in immense effort to bring Kang Ha-yoon over to her faction in the past. However, recruiting Kang Ha-yoon—who was obsessed only with martial arts and her duties—was a pipe dream. She was a true martial artist who disregarded wealth and status.
How could such a woman be dragged into an assassination plot?
"Normally, it would be impossible. A woman with her integrity would never be swayed by persuasion," Tang Jin-seol said, nodding. "However, thanks to a certain generous individual, an opportunity has recently arisen."
Tang Jin-seol gave Paeng Ga-ryeon a knowing look. "I have made it so that she owes a life debt."
"……"
Paeng Ga-ryeon fell silent, realizing exactly what life debt Tang Jin-seol was referring to.
"For a woman like her, who hates being indebted more than she hates death, she will have no choice but to accept. That is simply the kind of woman she is," Tang Jin-seol said with absolute conviction.
"……"
"……"
Silence filled the room once more. They realized Tang Jin-seol was right. If it was a life debt, it might actually be enough to move Kang Ha-yoon.
"And it’s not just Kang Ha-yoon. There are more protagonists."
"You’re sending another master besides her!?" Hwangbo Yu-yeon asked in shock.
Kang Ha-yoon alone was more than enough power. Why would they need to provide even more support?
"Because the job must be finished with absolute certainty," Tang Jin-seol replied calmly. "I intend to place a request with the Blood Sea."
"The Blood… Sea?"
"Good heavens, are you talking about that Blood Sea?"
The women in the room began to react vehemently. They never expected to hear that name.
There were three famous assassination sects in the Murim.
Polar Night, famous for the cruel ways they killed their targets.
Amhon, a sect specializing in massacres on a clan-wide scale.
And finally, the Blood Sea—the sect that would assassinate anyone as long as the price was right.
Among them, the Blood Sea was the ultimate assassination group with a history so long they were considered the root of all other such sects. They would bring back the head of any target regardless of who they were, provided the payment was sufficient. Some even whispered that they wouldn't hesitate to take the Emperor’s head if the price was right, boasting a level of assassination technique that was nothing short of perfection.
To hear that a request would be placed with a group of such reputation was naturally shocking.
"Have you lost your mind?" Zhuge Ju-kyung asked, looking dumbfounded.
The fees for the Blood Sea were astronomical. Their results were guaranteed, but they demanded a staggering amount in return. To commission them for the assassination of the man called the next World's Greatest? The cost would surely be beyond imagination.
"I am perfectly serious," Tang Jin-seol said. "He is not someone we can face with half-hearted resolve."
"But… the cost… it won't be cheap," Hwangbo Yu-yeon stammered.
She knew the Tang Clan was wealthy, but she didn't think even they would readily part with such a massive fortune for an assassination fee.
"That is why I am requesting your cooperation, ladies." Tang Jin-seol looked around at the group. "The funds I can secure from the Tang Clan are not enough to cover the entire fee. Even for me, requesting a sum as large as one million nyang from the clan is a bit much."
"One… one million nyang!?"
"Are you saying the commission fee is one million nyang!?"
The wives' eyes widened in shock at the amount. It was a truly staggering sum.
"Yes. That is the price set assuming Jang Sun-woo is a master of the Transcendent Realm. In a way, it’s not even that expensive. After all, we are talking about killing a Transcendent master."
Tang Jin-seol spoke with total composure. She truly believed it was a bargain. The Transcendent Realm was a stage that those without talent could never even hope to glimpse, no matter how much wealth they spent. It was a realm that even many of the sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects had failed to reach.
To kill such a master for one million nyang? It felt cheap to her.
"……"
"……"
Despite her reasoning, no one spoke up. It wasn't easy to step forward when faced with such a massive sum as one million nyang.
"How much do we each need to contribute?" Zhuge Ju-kyung finally asked.
It was a burdensome amount, but if split among the five of them, she figured it wasn't entirely impossible.
"Since I made the proposal, I will contribute four hundred thousand nyang. That leaves six hundred thousand, so one hundred and fifty thousand nyang per person should be sufficient."
"Hmm… that seems reasonable." Zhuge Ju-kyung nodded in agreement. If one hundred and fifty thousand nyang could remove Lee Ye-seol’s winning card, she felt it was a fair trade.
"I am also fine with that amount," Moyong Ran agreed. One hundred and fifty thousand nyang was a significant sum, but it was manageable.
"Me too. If we can eliminate Jang Sun-woo for one hundred and fifty thousand nyang, it’s actually a steal," Paeng Ga-ryeon added, having remained quiet until then.
"Madam Tang."
Hwangbo Yu-yeon spoke up, her voice weak. "I can't do it. The Hwangbo Clan doesn't have the resources to pay that kind of money."
She spoke bitterly. It was impossible for her to contribute to such a massive sum. The Hwangbo Clan was already suffering from a severe financial deficit. How could she possibly provide that much money?
"Don't worry. Madam Hwangbo, you can provide something other than money," Tang Jin-seol said with a smile.
"Something else?" Hwangbo Yu-yeon asked, confused.
"You have Thunderbolt Bombs left, don't you?"
"What!?" Hwangbo Yu-yeon gasped. She never imagined Tang Jin-seol would know about the Thunderbolt Bombs kept deep within the family vaults.
"The Blood Sea specifically requested them. They said having the Hwangbo Clan’s Thunderbolt Bombs would make the assassination much smoother. If you hand them over, they will surely waive your share of one hundred and fifty thousand nyang."
"……"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon fell into deep thought. She wasn't sure what choice to make.
"…Fine."
Finally, she reached a conclusion. While the bombs were incredibly valuable, she felt it would be a net gain if they could kill Jang Sun-woo. A 'winning card' like him was a more troublesome existence than she had imagined.
"Thank you for making a difficult choice," Tang Jin-seol replied with a smile.
"I didn't make this choice for your benefit," Hwangbo Yu-yeon snapped back. This was all for her daughter—the daughter who needed to inherit the succession position. She didn't need any gratitude from this viper of a woman.
Tang Jin-seol simply smiled in response. She was just happy to have received a satisfactory answer, regardless of the tone.
Phew, I managed to handle it somehow.
Tang Jin-seol let out a silent sigh of relief. Things had gone better than expected. Although she had made the proposal, she had been gambling. If even one of the women here had disagreed, she would have had to overhaul the entire plan. A one-million-nyang fee was just that burdensome.
But fortunately, they had stayed until the end and pledged their cooperation. Everything had fallen perfectly into place.
……Jang Sun-woo.
Tang Jin-seol’s eyes sparkled as she thought of him. No matter how great a talent he was, no matter if he was called the future World's Greatest, he wouldn't survive a plan this perfect. They were sending Kang Ha-yoon—who had surpassed the Mid-Transcendent Realm and was looking toward the Profound Realm—along with the assassins of the Blood Sea, the greatest assassination group in existence.
A thick smile spread across Tang Jin-seol’s lips. The thought of everything going according to plan made her want to laugh out loud.
Goodbye, Jang Sun-woo.
Tang Jin-seol bid him a silent farewell in her heart—a final courtesy to a talent she had once favored.