Monopolizing Fortunes (102)
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Monopolizing Fortunes (102)
"The magistrate shouldn't leave his official duties for too long, so please return to Hangzhou."
"Is there anything left for you to do in Fuyang?"
"Things here seem mostly wrapped up, so I should go look around elsewhere."
"Hahaha! You're planning to pacify the whole Zhejiang Province area, aren't you? No, with someone like Lord Do, you could easily pacify the entire night of the Central Plains. Absolutely, without a doubt!"
Gong Myeong-un, who had diligently sucked up to Do Tong-dal, returned to Hangzhou in high spirits. He had rushed over in alarm, but he went back with one hundred nyang of silver in his pocket, so the trip had paid off handsomely.
After sending Gong Myeong-un off, Do Tong-dal rose from his seat. He had eaten breakfast and even had a cup of tea, so it was about time to leave.
Hwangmi Dal asked.
"Where are you going?"
"What's it to you, old man?"
"I need to at least know where you're going so I can move accordingly."
"You go your own way, old man!"
"Your way is my way."
"Why? I'm asking seriously—why do you keep following me around?"
To answer seriously, it was because he was fascinating. Do Tong-dal was an Underworld thug. Not a cover identity for something else, nor a stepping stone for something else—just a thug to the bone.
And he was a genuine thug who wanted to remain a thug in the future. A guy who called himself a thug and whose status was that of a thug, yet he didn't seem like a thug at all.
His martial arts were hard to match among the rising generation, and what about that backing of his—a magistrate who even knelt before him while calling him "lord"?
On top of that, calling Hwangmi Dal—the Alliance Leader of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance and one of the Ten Greatest Masters Under Heaven—"old man" was a nerve that could only come from someone prepared to die.
If anyone else had done that, their skull would have been cracked the moment the word "old" left their mouth. But the way Do Tong-dal called him "old man" felt affectionate.
In other words, his ability to steal people's hearts was also outstanding. Of course, it might have been because he had heard a lot of good things about him from Ha Su-ran and had saved his life.
But that kind of favorable impression gets pushed aside as secondary the moment you actually meet the person and experience him.
Real feelings ignite naturally when you rub shoulders with each other.
The first impression of "This little shit is fucking rude" turned into the feeling of "Savior or not, I just want to—" then shifted to the bafflement of "How can there be such a peculiar guy?" Then a slight fondness poked its head out: "That guy's got guts. He definitely has balls." And it concluded with the positive assessment: "Oh-ho, so there was a reason Su-ran praised him so highly."
No matter how much you peeled away, something new came out. He couldn't stand not knowing what kind of person this Do Tong-dal really was.
That was his serious reason for traveling with Do Tong-dal.
"Because I'm bored."
Of course, that was also a serious reason. As expected, Do Tong-dal shouted in exasperation.
"You have plenty to do! Right now, figuring out who tried to kill you alone should be a mountain of work—!"
"Strategist Ha will handle that. Using my head isn't my specialty. Once Strategist Ha identifies the culprit, I'll crack their skull. That's the efficiency of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance. Heh heh heh...."
"What kind of efficiency is that! You're abandoning your duties!"
"Fart? What fart did I—sniff sniff! There's no smell."
With a final mutter of "Ugh... martial artists," Do Tong-dal shut his mouth.
So Hwangmi Dal trotted after Do Tong-dal, and only after asking "Where are you going?" thirteen times did he receive the irritable answer: "Shaoxing!"
"Why Shaoxing?"
Do Tong-dal answered Namgung Seol-rin's question in a single breath.
"I have to eat up the places closest to Hangzhou one by one. Fuyang, then Shaoxing next, and then I plan to head north to Yuhang."
Hwangmi Dal, who had quietly backed away, asked Ha Su-ran.
"Are you going to keep accompanying us?"
"Why?"
"If the Alliance Leader and the Strategist both empty out the Northern Unorthodox Alliance at the same time, who's going to do the work?"
Ha Su-ran wanted to join this enjoyable trip instead of her tedious duties, but as Hwangmi Dal said, if the Alliance Leader and the Strategist both left their posts at the same time, the Northern Unorthodox Alliance's efficiency would be cut in half.
"When will you return, Alliance Leader?"
"When I'm bored."
"Alliance Leader!"
"Fine, fine. I'll come back at an appropriate time, so run the Northern Unorthodox Alliance well until then."
Ha Su-ran let out a long sigh and, once they left the city, said her farewells to everyone. A bit oddly, the person who seemed most reluctant was Namgung Seol-rin.
"Sis, you're not even the Alliance Leader, so just blow it all off."
"Should I?"
Hwangmi Dal snapped.
"What do you mean, 'Should I?'! Hurry up and go back!"
"The Alliance Leader is the worst! Just like Do Tong-dal said, you're abandoning your duties! Abandoning them!"
"Why do you keep talking about farts! I told you, I didn't fart!"
Only after a round of shouting did Ha Su-ran depart for the Northern Unorthodox Alliance. She was even slightly hurt by Do Tong-dal's soulless farewell of "See you next time."
With no need to hurry, they stopped to admire the scenery whenever there was a nice view, and if there was a famous restaurant, they took a detour to eat there.
So a distance that could have been covered in a day took four days, and they finally arrived at the outskirts of Shaoxing.
"Coordinator."
On a low ridge with the city of Shaoxing visible in the distance, Jang Yu-seom called out to Do Tong-dal.
Jang Yu-seom, who had gone to fetch the Chief Clerk and ended up bringing the magistrate himself, had even secured a bonus: the lady's permission for the journey to take as long as needed.
"But who is that old gentleman?"
"That old gentleman," Hwangmi Dal, stiffened his expression, while everyone else looked bewildered.
"Huh? What do you mean...?"
"I mean exactly what I said. I'm asking about that old gentleman's identity."
Now? Only after four days of wandering all over the place? He asks like a bolt of lightning.
"Hm. That person is the Alliance Leader of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance."
"I've heard that much along the way, so I know."
Hwangmi Dal, who had been holding back, shouted in exasperation.
"Know? What do you know! You don't know!"
"Hwangmi Dal, Alliance Leader of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance. Is that wrong?"
"That's right, but... you don't know my standing in the martial world, my reputation, or how strong my martial arts are, do you?"
"I don't need to know your standing or reputation in the martial world, and since we haven't sparred, of course I don't know your martial arts. Are you requesting a sparring match right now?"
"Why would I spar with an Underworld thug!"
Jang Yu-seom asked Do Tong-dal.
"Why are you traveling with this person?"
"It's less that we're traveling together and more that the old man is unilaterally following me around. It's annoying as hell."
"That's how it looked."
Hwangmi Dal's face flushed red. But even if he made a threatening remark here like "Should I leave?", it would never work as a threat.
A threat requires the other person to be afraid, but the moment he spat out "Should I leave?", they might even press travel expenses into his hand.
Since earning the epithet Heaven-Splitting Thunder Sword in the martial world, this was the first time he had been disregarded like this.
Do Tong-dal was always like that, and Namgung Seol-rin was a daughter of the Namgung Clan, so there was no way she would bow her head to a leader of the unorthodox factions.
Won Dae-yeon was the greatest hero under heaven and his martial arts rivaled the Ten Greatest Masters, so of course no courtesy could be expected from him, and Jang Yu-seom knew jack shit about the martial world. Naturally, since he didn't know who Hwangmi Dal was, he could only remain stiff.
There were five people in the group, and not a single one was respectful to him! He was even being treated like chaff among the rice.
He felt a twinge of doubt: "Do I really have to be in this group?" But the reason he couldn't pull out was that this journey was too much fun.
No particular incidents had occurred, and nothing had happened to make them burst into laughter, but joining this group to exchange silly jokes, eating together, and drinking together was sweeter than anything.
He couldn't remember how long it had been since he had felt this kind of fun. Far more than being revered by millions, he enjoyed traveling with these people on a journey where nothing special happened.
When he grumbled, "They don't have a shred of respect for their elders," Do Tong-dal's reply came back: "I should make sure I don't get old like that." It turned his stomach inside out once again.
Bickering like that, they entered the city of Shaoxing. They were walking down a street where the number of people gradually increased and shops replaced houses, when five sturdy men came running up and blocked their path.
They were neatly dressed in blue and yellow clothes, but just from their faces, you could tell they were Underworld thugs.
There was no way they would block their path without reason, so it was clear they knew the identity of Do Tong-dal's group.
He was thinking, "Looks like we're in for a scuffle the moment we set foot in Shaoxing," when the thugs suddenly bent at the waist.
"We sincerely welcome Coordinator Do and the Protectors of the Red Tiger Society, who have unified Hangzhou and Fuyang!"
The five of them spoke as if they were one person. It looked like they had practiced at least a hundred times.
"Who...?"
At Do Tong-dal's drawn-out question, a man who looked to be in his mid-forties quickly stepped forward.
"I am Gwak Cheol-ju, Society Leader of the Seven Stars Society, an Underworld society of Shaoxing."
Through prior investigation, he already knew that among the four Underworld societies in Shaoxing, the Seven Stars Society had the greatest power.
"It is an infinite honor to meet the members of the Red Tiger Society like this."
He wasn't just bowing deeply; he looked like he was about to drive his head into the ground.
Do Tong-dal asked.
"But why did the Society Leader of the Seven Stars Society come out to greet us? You did come out to greet us, right?"
"Rather than a greeting, it's that wel... wel..."
The young man behind the Society Leader quietly prompted him with "welcome."
"Yes. I came to give you that welcome."
"You're saying you came to welcome us because you know what we intend to do in Shaoxing? No, more than that, welcoming an Underworld society you have no acquaintance with is a little..."
"No matter how little acquaintance we have, how could we fail to welcome those who are to become our masters? That would be fucking rude."
"Masters?"
"Of course. We heard the news from Fuyang. They say those stupid bastards didn't know their own strength, ran their mouths, and got beaten to a pulp by the Red Tiger Society's warriors. Unlike those guys, we know our place very well. How could we dare bare our teeth at the Red Tiger Society, which is full of martial-arts masters?"
This was just a dog rolling over and wagging its tail. You can't step on the belly of a dog that's even a little cute.
"I... see."
Gwak Cheol-ju was flustered by Do Tong-dal's sour expression.
"D-did we perhaps offend you, sir?"
"No. It was just so unexpected."
He couldn't say, "If you just lie down and roll over on your own, it's no fun!"
"Society Leader, let's go to the place we prepared."
At the young man's words from behind, Gwak Cheol-ju smacked his own forehead.
"Oh dear! How foolish of me! I've kept such esteemed guests standing on the street for too long. We've prepared a place, so please rest from your journey."
"Resting from the journey" meant eating and drinking, and as expected, they entered what looked like the largest restaurant in Shaoxing—a full three-story building.
The best room is always on the highest floor. Guided to the third floor, they sat at a massive table where even five people could have rolled around comfortably.
"Could this be a plot to poison us?"
For Hwangmi Dal, who had barely survived being poisoned, it was a natural suspicion.
"Then starve."
Do Tong-dal spoke curtly and began eating the food that was filling the table with great relish.
"In the martial world, where scheming and trickery run rampant, you have to be careful and careful again."
He wanted to correct "scheming and trickery" to "schemes and trickery," but he let it go.
'Should I say he's better than Brother Wang Chil, who gets half of it wrong?'
It was an unexplained loss for Wang Chil. Once they finished the meal they had been served, Gwak Cheol-ju carefully opened his mouth.
"We naturally know Lord Do, but the others...?"
Do Tong-dal looked at the speaking Gwak Cheol-ju and laughed inwardly. He knew everything but wanted to seize the chance to gild their faces.
Since he was even wagging his tail, he could at least pat his belly. Do Tong-dal pointed starting from his left.
"This person here is Namgung Seol-rin, who holds the position of Protector in the Red Tiger Society..."
The moment the name came out, Gwak Cheol-ju's group made admiring faces. They had clearly practiced.
"Isn't she the daughter of the Namgung Clan, which stands tall among the Five Great Clans of the martial world, and a heroine who has achieved outstanding merit in the Red Tiger Society?"
Gwak Cheol-ju's group vied with each other to praise the merits Namgung Seol-rin had achieved so far. It had only been fights between Underworld thugs, but from their perspective, back-alley brawls hit closer to home than bloody battles in the martial world.
"And that person is Protector Jang Yu-seom..."
* * *