Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: The Duke of Loyalty and Valor Faction
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Having torn up *Show Me the Martial Arts*, we returned to the War King Gate, champion’s prize in hand.
Naturally, the atmosphere was indescribably good.
Hearing the news, Myo Hyang prepared alcohol and meat for the disciples. The disciples, who had starved for two days, devoured it all as if possessed by a pride of lions.
Yuk Hak and the other nine executives also mingled among the disciples.
“Tsk, tsk… They shouldn’t be doing that…”
It was a sight that made me shake my head.
Isn’t this like having the company commanders and battalion commanders join the enlisted men's party?
“What are you all doing? Not filling the Gate Master's cup!”
“Yes, sir!”
They should be enjoying it from a corner, like me.
Trying not to disturb anyone.
Truly, our executives don't have an ounce of consideration.
Just as we were enjoying the feast.
Yu So-pyeong brought some news through an informant.
“This quickly?”
The dissolution of the White-Silver Gate.
In other words, the merger was canceled, and they had split back into the White Island Sword Sect and the Silver Family Stronghold.
I had fully expected it. I was just surprised it happened in a single day.
“It seems the Silver Family Stronghold pushed for it strongly. Since they were eliminated from the competition, they lost their reason for the merger.”
“They came on stronger than I thought.”
“Thanks to that, the White Island Sword Sect is grinding its teeth. If the Silver Dragon Hall doesn't help them, a fight could break out as soon as they return.”
“A storm of blood is about to blow through the Yunnan martial world.”
Yu So-pyeong replied with a very serious expression.
“The Lord of the Silver Family Stronghold wishes to see you, Gate Master.”
“…It's no matter to us, but aren't they in a position where they have to be wary of the Silver Dragon Hall?”
“I don't know the exact details, but it seems they intend to sever ties with the Silver Dragon Hall.”
“A branch family cutting ties with the main family… They've made a very difficult decision.”
“According to them, the Silver Dragon Hall sold out the Silver Family Stronghold. To the White Dragon Hall.”
“Haa… What's the point of calling themselves a righteous faction? Their actions are no different from some unorthodox scoundrels. Don't you think?”
“I agree.”
Yu So-pyeong drank the alcohol before him and continued.
“I am against it.”
“Why?”
“We could inadvertently give the Silver Dragon Hall a pretext. As you know, it's quite dangerous for the War King Gate to become enemies with one of the Eight Halls right now.”
“Hmm…”
He wasn't wrong.
We’ve just been selected as a subcontractor; we can't afford to antagonize a major shareholder of the primary contractor.
However.
“They're on our side.”
“…Wouldn't it be more accurate to see it as a business relationship?”
“I don't know about that, but didn't we win this competition thanks to them?”
“That is true, but…”
“Then set a date. Even if it causes some trouble, we have to take care of our own.”
“…Understood.”
“Wait.”
I stopped Yu So-pyeong as he was about to leave.
“Since we're meeting anyway, let's just invite everyone.”
“Pardon? Who…”
“Who do you think? Sect Leader Oh and Fortress Lord Woo. They're still in the fortress, aren't they?”
The bigger the stage, the better.
* * *
The next day.
Late at night, Oh Ryang, Woo Gong-baek, and Eun Jin-san paid a visit.
This was out of consideration for Eun Jin-san, who had to be wary of the Silver Dragon Hall.
Thanks to this, two of the world's greatest masters, known as the Seven Hegemons, came in disguise.
“I am truly sorry. It's all my fault…”
“It's fine. There is no one here who doesn't know of your circumstances, Lord Eun.”
“Sect Leader Oh is right. We don't mind, so you need not worry.”
Woo Gong-baek and Oh Ryang stopped the apologizing Eun Jin-san.
Oh Ryang, in particular, showed no sign of being bothered, even though he likely harbored no good feelings toward the White-Silver Gate.
‘He truly is a great man.’
Unlike a certain someone who was probably getting drunk on Black Snake Road.
“Please, have a seat. I'm not sure if it will suit your tastes, but these are dishes my sister prepared with the utmost care.”
“…It looks delicious.”
“Indeed. I have never seen food of this quality, not even at the Mountain Fortress.”
“I agree as well.”
Well, after all that praise, saying it tasted bad would be admitting you're a psychopath.
And in reality, Myo Hyang's cooking was exceptionally good.
“Come, come, please accept a cup from your junior. This is called Honghwaju, made by the Red Dragon Hall, and its taste is simply exquisite.”
The three men tasted the Honghwaju and spared no praise.
“Hah… To think such an alcohol existed…”
“I envy the Nine Dragons Fortress… In Guizhou, it's hard to find any alcohol at all.”
“I had heard of its fame, but I never imagined it would be this good…”
Only after a few rounds of drinks did I get to the main point.
“My reason for gathering the three of you here is not merely to build friendships.”
“…”
Oh Ryang and Woo Gong-baek nodded as if they had anticipated this.
As for Eun Jin-san, given his situation, a look of grief filled his eyes.
In fact, I could understand his sense of injustice.
He had spent his entire life obeying the main family's orders, only to be cast aside.
“I would like to propose a business venture.”
“A business venture?”
“Yes. It won't bring in a fortune, but it will be a venture that can certainly help with running your sects.”
The corners of Oh Ryang's and Woo Gong-baek's eyes twitched.
It was understandable. The very reason they participated in this bid was to solve their financial difficulties.
It would be a lie to say they weren't intrigued.
“…Could we hear the specifics?”
At Oh Ryang's question, I clapped my hands.
*Clap.*
The door opened, and today's presenter entered.
“I am Myo Hyang, the general manager of the Hanzhong Merchant Guild.”
“A woman…?”
“Gender doesn't matter as long as one is capable.”
She looked at Oh Ryang with clear eyes.
Oh Ryang chuckled and nodded.
“I was merely surprised, not intending to criticize. To hear that a woman has reached the position of general manager only increases my confidence.”
Myo Hyang bowed her head to express her gratitude for Oh Ryang's compliment.
“Now, allow me to explain the plan.”
She hung a large scroll on the blackboard set up for presentations in my office.
The Great Artery.
The three men stared at the characters with eyes full of questions.
“It is a plan to create an artery that starts in Hainan, passes through Guizhou, Yunnan, and Sichuan, and connects all the way to Hanzhong.”
She first addressed Oh Ryang.
“Hainan Island produces a variety of precious seafood, such as dried sea cucumbers and abalone, correct?”
“That is so.”
“And you would naturally know how to catch them.”
“There is no one on Hainan Island who is not familiar with the sea.”
“Then things will be simple. As soon as you return, please catch as much seafood as possible and dry it.”
“…I have dealt with various merchant guilds before. It didn't seem to be very profitable.”
“Of course not. They likely paid you not even a tenth of the price they sold it for.”
“I had no idea.”
“From now on, you will receive a fair price.”
“What should we do?”
“It's simple. Just secure the goods and transport them to the Silver Family Stronghold. We will purchase the ships, so you don't need to worry about the initial capital.”
“Understood.”
Myo Hyang met Woo Gong-baek's gaze.
“I heard that Guizhou is uninhabited.”
“…That is so.”
“That means the mountains there could be teeming with precious medicinal herbs, right? Since there would have been no one to gather them.”
Fundamentally, good medicinal herbs grow wild in uninhabited areas.
In that sense, the mountains of Guizhou, which had been virtually uninhabited for hundreds of years, must have naturally become a habitat for these herbs.
Even in modern Korea, don't herb gatherers seek out remote mountains?
For reference, in my past life, my younger brother served at a border guard post in a remote mountain province. He once dug up and ate a wild ginseng root and didn't catch a single cold for ten years.
“That may be true, but it's difficult to sell them…”
“That's because you were trying to sell them within Guizhou.”
Myo Hyang smiled brightly and continued.
“Upon your return, have your disciples collect medicinal herbs. We will provide an expert herb gatherer, so you can learn how to handle them.”
“Then…?”
“We'll take care of the selling, so just bring them to the Silver Family Stronghold. However, you'll need to receive payment, so you'll have to station dozens of your warriors at the Stronghold, right? The same goes for the Hainan Sword Sect.”
Hearing this, the Silver Family Lord's expression brightened.
He must have understood the meaning behind her words.
“Our role seems perfectly clear.”
“That's right. You will transport the goods you receive to Hanzhong. I heard you run an escort agency, so it shouldn't be too difficult, right?”
“Of course. That is our specialty.”
In truth, including the Silver Family Stronghold wasn't just for transportation.
It was to have warriors from the Taemo Mountain Fortress and the Hainan Sword Sect stay at the Silver Family Stronghold, announcing to the world that the Silver Family Stronghold, Taemo Mountain Fortress, Hainan Sword Sect, and the War King Gate were business partners.
In other words, it was to weave a network of connections that would replace the one they had with the Silver Dragon Hall.
This way, not only would the White Island Sword Sect be unable to touch the Silver Family Stronghold, but their main family, the White Dragon Hall, would also feel the pressure.
And that network would also apply to our newly formed War King Gate.
‘Making money and handling diplomacy at the same time.’
This must be what they call killing two birds with one stone.
I patted Myo Hyang's shoulder after she finished her presentation.
“Good work, sis.”
“It was nothing.”
Myo Hyang bowed her head slightly and stepped back.
“So, what do you think? Are you pleased?”
*Nod.*
“Pleased is an understatement. This scratches an itch I've had for so long. Isn't that right?”
“Indeed. I'm even beginning to think the reason I came all the way from Hainan Island was to meet Gate Master Jin.”
“If I could, I'd even want to offer my daughter's hand.”
Woo Gong-baek, Oh Ryang, and Eun Jin-san replied in turn.
“Then, as the one who proposed this, may I be allowed to name our association?”
“Of course! You absolutely should. It wouldn't even exist if not for Gate Master Jin.”
Everyone, including Myo Hyang, looked at me with sparkling eyes.
Clearing my throat, I told them the name I had pondered all night.
“The Duke of Loyalty and Valor Faction. How does the name ‘Duke of Loyalty and Valor Faction’ sound?”
“…A powerful name. What is its meaning?”
“It means that the energy of the universe surrounds us.”
It was also because my mother in my past life was from the Jeonju Choi clan, the Duke of Loyalty and Valor branch.
“Indeed! As expected of a young Gate Master, your sense is extraordinary.”
“I think it's a perfectly fitting name.”
“I agree.”
Uwahahahaha-!
And so, in that congenial atmosphere, the Duke of Loyalty and Valor Faction Union, which would one day unify the commercial power of the southern Central Plains, was born.
* * *
The story of the final victory in *Show Me the Martial Arts* swept through the Nine Dragons Fortress.
Rumors spread rapidly, centering around the marketplace.
“Hey, did you hear the news? That the War King Gate defeated all those formidable sects?”
“Of course! It was touched by the hand of Squad Leader Jin… no, Gate Master Jin. How could they not achieve at least that much? I knew from the start the War King Gate would win.”
“Hah, what bullshit… You think anyone here doesn't know you bet your money on the Hainan Sword Sect?”
“Ah, wha…”
Thanks to this, the recognition of the new War King Gate rose rapidly.
In truth, this kind of recognition is extremely important.
Due to the nature of the martial world, which is rife with swindlers, even simple transactions are decided based on the other party's name.
And, thanks to this series of rumors, the recognition of the Hanzhong Merchant Guild and the Duke of Loyalty and Valor Faction also rose.
“I've decided. Starting today, I'm going to supply my goods to the Hanzhong Merchant Guild.”
“Just a while ago, you were saying we had to protect the interests of the market merchants. Weren't you saying we had to drive out the Hanzhong merchants?”
“Haven't you heard the rumor? Gate Master Jin has joined hands with the Hainan Sword Sect, the Taemo Mountain Fortress, and the Silver Family Stronghold.”
“Gasp! Is that really true?”
“It is. A man magnanimous enough to embrace his competitors would never bring harm to us merchants.”
“Indeed… He is worthy of being called a great man of the world.”
Something like that.
‘Puhuhu, nice.’
I was having tea at a teahouse on the main street for the first time in a while, and all I heard were good things.
However.
‘The more rice ripens, the lower it bows.’
At times like this, I must not lose my humility.
“Could you be Gate Master Jin?!”
“Oh, dear. I was just trying to have some tea quietly and leave, but I've been found out… That's right. I am Jin Mujeon, the Gate Master of the War King Gate, the one who tore up the recent competition.”