Monopolizing Fortunes (164)
Monopolizing Fortunes (164)
The Plum Blossom Swordsman who had been about to speak drew his sword.
"Words are unnecessary! I'll cut off that cunning tongue of yours and the wrist that brought this trouble upon you!"
Do Tong-dal, who had kept his mouth shut for a long while, spoke.
"Don't wreck the place. Take it outside."
"And who are you?"
Wang Du-sik flared up.
"Why, you son of a bitch! How dare you speak to my brother like that—!"
"If you're not going to fight with your mouth, get outside."
Wang Du-sik immediately followed the order.
"Come on out, you bastards."
The three Plum Blossom Swordsmen eyed Do Tong-dal as they went out.
'Remember my face well.'
Wang Du-sik, who had been about to step through the door, asked.
"Brother, aren't you going to watch the fight?"
"No. It's all fine, but don't kill them."
"One or so wouldn't hurt...."
"Don't kill them."
"Yes, Brother!"
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen were dumbfounded. He was clearly nothing more than a slightly strong thug, yet he was showing such reckless bravado against three Plum Blossom Swordsmen!
They rationalized the situation with the thought, "He's acting like that because he doesn't know who the Plum Blossom Swordsmen are."
Left alone, Do Tong-dal moved to the window. If they didn't go out into the street, the only place to fight was the rear garden, so he could see well from this spot.
They were said to be the finest rising talents of Mount Hua Sect, but the three Plum Blossom Swordsmen could not be a match for Wang Du-sik.
Wang Du-sik and the three Plum Blossom Swordsmen appeared in the rear garden. Since they had already exchanged plenty of words inside, the conversation back and forth was not long.
Wang Du-sik told them to come at him all at once, and one of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, angered at being looked down on, stepped forward.
The first fight did not last long. The attack of a Plum Blossom Swordsman who did not know Wang Du-sik was reckless.
Wang Du-sik did not fear the Plum Blossom Swordsman's sword. Having reached the peak of the Vajra Body-Acquisition Art, Wang Du-sik would not even suffer a scratch on his skin from most weapons.
As the cloth at his armpit was cut, Wang Du-sik drove inside and slammed his fist into the Plum Blossom Swordsman's jaw.
That one blow was the end. If another Plum Blossom Swordsman had not caught the man as he went flying, it would not have ended with just a shattered jaw.
The astonishment of the remaining two Plum Blossom Swordsmen reached its peak. No matter how careless he had been, for a fight to end in a single exchange—
"I told you. Come at me all three at once."
The two Plum Blossom Swordsmen no longer concerned themselves with face. They gave their all, as if they had met the sworn enemy of their lives.
But giving their all did not suddenly increase their skill. Within twenty moves, Wang Du-sik broke the two Plum Blossom Swordsmen's ribs and nose bones.
The only damage Wang Du-sik took was torn outer clothing and trousers.
"Not killing them is hard work too."
Wang Du-sik asked the one Plum Blossom Swordsman who had not lost consciousness.
"You can take these guys with you, right? If it's too hard, ask the pleasure house for help."
After saying that, Wang Du-sik returned to the room and grinned at Do Tong-dal.
"How's my martial arts?"
Do Tong-dal, who had returned to his seat, answered.
"Against small fry like that, I can't tell. Be careful when you meet a real master."
"Of course. I'm not that ignorant."
"A guy who can't read and had to ask a waiter to write for him isn't ignorant, sure."
Do Tong-dal rose as he spoke.
"Starting tomorrow, come into the Jang Merchant Company."
The Jang Merchant Company was the new name of the Hwangdae Merchant Company.
"What? Are you kicking me out of the pleasure house?"
At the pitiful rabbit-like expression, Do Tong-dal let out a short laugh.
"You smashed three Plum Blossom Swordsmen. Do you think Mount Hua Sect will sit still?"
"I'm not afraid of phantoms like that!"
"That's the problem. Don't judge Mount Hua Sect by the ones who came today. The ones who came today are low-level even within Mount Hua Sect."
He looked deeply regretful, but since it was Do Tong-dal's order, he could not refuse.
"But if I go, won't the Jang Merchant Company be in danger?"
"A danger I create myself isn't a danger."
* * *
"Sixteen secret branches have already collapsed under the imperial palace's attacks. That amounts to three-tenths of the Revenge Society's strength. If we're pushed any further, we won't have the strength left to fight the orthodox sects."
Even at Ha Jo-un's report, Won Jin-u's expression did not change.
"We expected that much damage. What matters now is a solution. Has there been no word from Protector Jeon, who said he would try to make connections with high-ranking officials?"
Word had come from Protector Jeon Tae-song, who had gone to Beijing with solemn resolve.
"It seems it is not easy. They say the atmosphere inside the imperial palace has been unsettled lately, and the higher the rank, the more people are keeping their heads down. And bribing low-ranking officials would be of no help, so he appears to be caught between a rock and a hard place."
Do Tae-dong, the Ice Sword and Chief Hall Master who had once been called by the ridiculous name of the Three Saints of Hwangdae at the Hwangdae Merchant Company and had only now recovered his own name, spoke.
"Didn't we hear strange news from the one who was watching the Hwangdae Merchant Company the other day?"
The Fire Sword clicked his tongue and asked, "What now?"
"What news do you mean?"
"They say the Branch Chief came to the Hwangdae Merchant Company."
"The Branch Chief? Why?"
"I don't know that much, but they say he was very courteous to Jang Bu-ok."
"As far as we know, Jang Bu-ok has no connections with any high-ranking official."
The Lightning Sword also nodded reluctantly.
"At that time, we did bribe the local Branch Chief, but it was literally just paying him. There wouldn't be any personal ties."
Ha Jo-un spoke.
"If the Branch Chief came in person, doesn't that mean Jang Bu-ok knows someone powerful enough to move that Branch Chief?"
Jo Il-yang nodded.
"We have to see it that way. We thought we had fully grasped Jang Bu-ok, but it seems we missed something."
"Or it could be Bae Cheong-dong's doing."
Everyone looked at Won Jin-u, who had spoken.
"There's no way Bae Cheong-dong has that kind of ability."
"None of you properly grasped Bae Cheong-dong's martial arts either. We didn't know he might draw in a master like the Three Beyond the World. Even if he has other abilities, I won't be surprised anymore."
They all had no choice but to accept Won Jin-u's words. Won Jin-u went to the desk and tossed an envelope onto the table.
"This came from the Hwangdae Merchant Company today."
Ha Jo-un checked the contents of the envelope and was startled.
"It's three hundred nyang of silver."
"They said it's five-tenths of this month's income. They said they will send five-tenths of their income every month from now on."
"They've only been established in Luoyang for less than a month, and they've already started a business and raised this much income? I knew Jang Bu-ok's commercial talent was outstanding, but I didn't know it was to this degree."
"Of course, Jang Bu-ok's commercial talent is outstanding, but Bae Cheong-dong's contribution to getting established in less than a month was immense. No, in fact, it should be seen as Bae Cheong-dong's ability."
Won Jin-u informed everyone of what he had learned while watching Bae Cheong-dong and the Hwangdae Merchant Company.
"What? They got into a dispute with Mount Hua Sect?"
The reason they could not help reacting strongly to the name Mount Hua Sect was that it was one of their two greatest enemies.
"In the midst of that, another master joined Bae Cheong-dong. From what I've roughly determined, he doesn't reach the Three Beyond the World, but he's said to surpass a first-rate master."
"Hah! How on earth does Bae Cheong-dong find people like that?"
Ha Jo-un asked.
"What do you intend to do about the dispute with Mount Hua Sect?"
"For now, we watch. It's not the time for us to act rashly."
"But what if the Hwangdae Merchant Company is destroyed by Mount Hua Sect in the meantime?"
Mount Hua Sect certainly had the power to do that. If a fight broke out, that was surely how it would end.
"Well, I don't think Bae Cheong-dong will go down that easily. No matter how much of an opponent Mount Hua Sect is."
"Aren't you overestimating Bae Cheong-dong?"
"We'll see in time. First, we have to resolve the imperial palace problem, so I should pay Jang Bu-ok a visit."
"A visit? You mean you will go personally, Young Society Leader?"
"It's to solve our biggest problem, so we should show at least that much sincerity."
* * *
"I'd like to establish a sect."
At Do Tong-dal's words, the chopsticks of all five people stopped at once.
"A sect? You mean a martial sect?"
At Jang Yu-seom's question, Do Tong-dal nodded.
"Yes."
Namgung Seol-rin tapped Do Tong-dal on the shoulder.
"You said you weren't interested, but you did have ambitions in the martial world."
Wang Du-sik let out a voice full of disappointment.
"You're leaving the Underworld? You and I are supposed to unite the nights of the Central Plains. Where would you even go?"
"I have no intention of quitting the gangster life. A pine caterpillar has to live on pine needles."
Won Dae-yeon asked with a puzzled face.
"Then why establish a sect?"
"First, because of Mount Hua Sect. If things grow bigger and Mount Hua Sect commits its full strength, it'll be hard for us to handle alone."
"It's certainly too much with just the five of us."
Jang Yeon-seon's "I'm here too!" was dismissed as mere cuteness.
"Another reason is preparation for when the Revenge Society collapses. For Yeon-seon to become Society Leader, she needs a force befitting that position."
"Even if we do found a sect, it will take quite a long time for it to become strong enough to oppose Mount Hua Sect. Will Mount Hua Sect wait until then?"
Jang Yu-seom spoke.
"And it's questionable whether the Revenge Society will quietly tolerate it."
"The Revenge Society will actually welcome it. No matter how things turn out, it'll be a blow to Mount Hua Sect."
"How do you plan to recruit disciples? It's not something that can be done just by filling a headcount."
"If we pull a few from the government and the military and borrow a few from the Alliance Leader, it should roughly work out."
Wrinkles formed on the foreheads of Won Dae-yeon and Namgung Seol-rin.
"You're going to bring in people from the unorthodox sects?"
"Then we'll be branded as an unorthodox sect the moment we establish it."
"We'd only be giving Mount Hua Sect a justification to fight. Shouldn't we make it so Mount Hua Sect can't attack us easily?"
"That's true, but no matter how much I rack my brain, I have no way to bring in people from the orthodox sects. On the other hand, the Alliance Leader is easy to sweet-talk."
In all the Central Plains, Do Tong-dal was probably the only person who would call Hwangmi Dal, the Alliance Leader of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance, easy to sweet-talk.
After thinking for a moment, Won Dae-yeon asked.
"How much time do we have?"
"We have to finish preparations within ten days."
"Ten days... That should be enough."
"Do you have something else in mind, Won Dae-yeon?"
"I can't promise, but there are some people worth bringing in."
"If you can't promise, that means you'll have to say some regrettable things."
"That's true."
"Then let's drop it. I don't want to damage your reputation, Won Dae-yeon."
"If it weren't for you, I'd have died long ago as an opium addict. To someone like me, face means nothing."
"But...."
Won Dae-yeon cut off Do Tong-dal's words.
"Don't try to carry every burden alone. That's an insult to a companion walking the same path."
"Since you put it that way, I can't dissuade you any further. Then I'll leave it to you."
"I'll leave tomorrow. Until I return, avoid clashes with Mount Hua Sect as much as possible."
"Understood."
Namgung Seol-rin asked.
"Then you'll be the Sect Leader, Tong-dal?"
"No."
"Then Won Dae-yeon?"
Won Dae-yeon waved his hand.
"I absolutely don't want a position like that."
Do Tong-dal's hand came to rest on Jang Yeon-seon's shoulder.
"She's right here."
The meat pancake caught on Jang Yeon-seon's chopsticks dropped with a plop.
"What? Master, what did you say?"
"You're going to become the Revenge Society's Society Leader, so naturally you should be the new sect's Sect Leader."
"Wh-what do you mean? I've only just started learning martial arts, and I'm young, and... anyway, it's absurd!"
The thing one had vaguely wished for and the reality now approaching before one's eyes bring a sense of disconnect and fear.
"You can do it, and you have to do it."
"You could do it, Master."
"Was what you said about becoming the Revenge Society's Society Leader just empty boasting?"
"No, I meant it, but...."
Do Tong-dal spoke to the mumbling Jang Yeon-seon.
"It'll be hard. You'll be afraid too. It's a burden that doesn't suit your age. If you can't bear that weight, you'll be criticized too. It'll probably be twice as hard as if I did the Sect Leader's job. If you really don't want to do it, I won't force it on you. I understand your fear well enough, so don't worry about it."
Namgung Seol-rin also soothed Jang Yeon-seon.
"Right. We're not telling you to suddenly take on the Sect Leader position like this. For now, just focus on your training."
Jang Yeon-seon set down her chopsticks and left the room, looking as if she might cry at any moment.
Namgung Seol-rin scolded Do Tong-dal.
"How could you spring it on her so suddenly? You should have given her time to prepare!"
"She'll prepare from now on."
"You think Yeon-seon will accept the Sect Leader position?"
"Because she's strong."
Jang Yeon-seon, who had gone out, returned before two ke had passed.
"I'll do it. Sect Leader."
* * *