Chapter 12: The Fist King Fires Them All
The Fist King Fires Them All
Episode 12: The Fist King Fires Them All
When Cheol Myung-ho, the Poison Fox, stumbled out of the gambling den with a battered face, tattered hands, and injuries all over his body, the gamblers—who had been tilting their heads in confusion at the earlier commotion inside—stared at him in disbelief.
They had assumed the screams belonged to the Grand Prince of the Silver River Merchant Group. So why was Cheol Myung-ho the one emerging in such a state?
The gamblers exchanged glances.
'There's the Poison Fox.'
'He's a wreck.'
'Even we could take him down now.'
Those who held grudges against Cheol Myung-ho rose from their seats. They saw this as their chance—either beat him to death or at least force him to cough up the money he had swindled from them.
Then Cheol Myung-ho grinned through his bloodied face.
Now that he thought about it, escaping in this condition wouldn't be easy. Even if the gatekeepers tried to stop them, he'd likely get mobbed and beaten to a pulp. For the first time, Cheol Myung-ho understood the fear of the weak. Yet laughter still spilled from his lips.
"Heh heh heh... Damn bastards."
His eyes gleamed with madness as he scanned the room.
"If you don't kill me today, every one of you who lays a hand on me is dead. Think carefully before you act."
A man blocking his path drew a dagger from his waistband and sneered.
"Hand over the money. Unless you want to get beaten to death... I'll just take back what I lost here."
Another gambler chimed in.
"Yeah. Settle the money first, Poison Fox."
Cheol Myung-ho chuckled.
"Funny bastards... Did I ever force you to gamble? You gambling-addicted lunatics. Did I?"
Just then, the door creaked open, and Dan Woo-sung strode out, followed by the Double Report Brothers.
As Dan Woo-sung took the lead, the crowd instinctively parted.
The men blocking Cheol Myung-ho's path looked familiar—less venomous than him, but now they were ready to finish off the half-crippled Poison Fox.
Humans were truly despicable.
Weak before the strong, strong before the weak.
One of the men, drunk on the mob mentality, snorted at the sight of Dan Woo-sung.
"Hey, trash. Did you bribe the Double Report Brothers with money?"
From their perspective, it made sense.
The Grand Prince was unharmed, while even the Double Report Brothers trailing behind him were injured. It looked like they had fought Cheol Myung-ho to a mutual standstill.
Dan Woo-sung, who had been trudging forward, suddenly slapped the man across the face.
THWACK!
The man tumbled backward, unable to regain his balance from the sheer force of the slap. The crowd gasped and scrambled back.
Dan Woo-sung walked past them, speaking coldly.
"What kind of nonsense is this? You crazy bastards. Cut the theatrics and scram. If you want to kill Cheol Myung-ho, wait until he's recovered. Anyone who tries before then—I'll turn them into a cripple just like him."
Cheol Myung-ho stuck out his tongue and glared at Dan Woo-sung.
Dan Woo-sung continued.
"You couldn't even meet his eyes before, and now you're acting tough? Move."
The path cleared.
Dan Woo-sung, the Double Report Brothers, Cheol Myung-ho, and the gatekeeper walked through the parted crowd.
Cheol Myung-ho muttered curses under his breath while staring at Dan Woo-sung's back, but he kept his voice low—lest he provoke another beating.
"Tch, damn bastard... Acting all high and mighty. Where the hell did he learn martial arts? Ugh, pisses me off."
Either way, if he wanted to escape safely, he had no choice but to stick close to the Grand Prince.
The Silver River Merchant Group had gained two new members.
On the night Dan Woo-sung brought Yook Myung-bo and Yook Jin-bo back, the merchant group's halls remained lit until dawn.
After briefly watching the physicians tend to the twins, Dan Woo-sung handed the wealth he had seized from Cheol Myung-ho over to his younger brother, Lee Hwa-eon.
Though the Chief Administrator handled storage and ledger records, the money was technically the Grand Prince's personal property. Even excluding the gold, silver, and jewels, the cash alone amounted to nearly five hundred thousand nyang—a staggering sum.
Lee Hwa-eon was stunned.
"Where did you get this fortune? Did you steal it, Brother?"
"Just beat up Cheol Myung-ho and took it."
"Ah..."
Lee Hwa-eon found it both absurd and amusing. If his elder brother had learned martial arts, this was exactly the kind of money he'd go after first.
Of course, for Dan Woo-sung, the twins were far more valuable than money.
Once they recovered, he planned to teach them the Black Dog Rebound Technique—a martial art that hardened the body until blades could no longer pierce it. Mastering it was excruciatingly difficult, and most practitioners never even attempted it due to the unbearable pain involved.
But among all the martial arts Dan Woo-sung knew, this was the most suitable for the twins. Their physiques were perfect for it—not to mention their endurance. They hadn't even let out a single loud groan despite the beating they took from him.
Dan Woo-sung gazed silently at the twins lying side by side after their treatment.
"Once you're healed, have someone guide you to my quarters."
"Understood."
That was the entirety of their conversation. The twins were men of few words, and Dan Woo-sung saw no need for lengthy speeches. The three of them had already reached an understanding with just a glance.
Dan Woo-sung lingered late into the night, inspecting the merchant group's grounds before finally retiring to his chambers.
A servant cautiously spoke outside Dan Woo-sung's door.
"Young Master, breakfast is ready."
Still lying with his eyes closed, Dan Woo-sung replied.
"Call the brothers I brought last night. They'll be in the annex—Yook Myung-bo and Yook Jin-bo. They'll be staying with us from now on, so let the others know their names. Think of them as escort uncles."
"Understood."
"Prepare plenty for breakfast. We'll eat together at one table. The Yook brothers probably have big appetites. Wake me when it's ready."
"Yes, Young Master."
Having slept late, Dan Woo-sung closed his eyes again.
Yook Jin-bo occasionally squeezed his eyes shut while devouring the rare feast before him.
Dan Woo-sung watched curiously. When both brothers did it again while chewing meat, he tilted his head and asked.
"Why are you closing your eyes?"
Yook Jin-bo's eyes snapped open, and he answered with utmost seriousness.
"It's too delicious."
Though somewhat comical, Dan Woo-sung didn't laugh.
"Good to hear. But eat with your eyes open. In the martial world, hidden weapons could fly at you in an inn, or some schemer might poison your drink."
From Dan Woo-sung's perspective, it was incomprehensible.
The twins accepted his advice without question.
"Understood."
They resolved never to close their eyes while eating, no matter how delicious the food.
Dan Woo-sung spoke calmly.
"Let's eat together often."
"Yes, thank you."
"Thank you, Brother."
Dan Woo-sung added,
"If I'm not around during mealtime, don't go hungry. Just head to the communal dining hall where the rest of the group eats. They prepare meals at all hours for night workers or those returning from distant trips."
The twins exchanged startled glances.
"This merchant group is truly incredible."
"Then we'll eat often at night too."
Dan Woo-sung nodded.
"Eat as much as you want. Somehow, I feel the more you eat, the stronger you'll get. Strange, but... I really think so."
The twins didn't feign humility.
"Yes, we'll eat frequently."
"That sounds wonderful."
Suddenly, Dan Woo-sung set down his chopsticks and spoke formally.
"Myung-bo, Jin-bo. I'll be counting on you from now on. I need people to protect the group when I'm not around. I'll help you grow stronger, so guard the Silver River Merchant Group well in my absence."
"Yes, understood."
Dan Woo-sung had considered assigning them to the Escort Team but changed his mind.
Their eccentric personalities and voracious appetites would only burden the team. It was better to keep them in his quarters and train them personally when time allowed.
Strangely, the twins never questioned how the Grand Prince had suddenly become so strong.
As they finished their meal, a messenger from the Chief Administrator arrived, announcing an upcoming General Assembly.
Embarrassingly, the former Grand Prince had never attended a single one.
The General Assembly was presided over by the Chief Administrator.
Department heads attended, along with key figures like the Deputy Leader of the Escort Team, the Inspection Team Leader, and the Management Team Leader.
Dan Woo-sung listened silently for a while before speaking up during discussions about personnel.
"Where's the Escort Team Leader? Did he not attend?"
When the attendees glanced around uncertainly, Dan Woo-sung continued.
"I wanted to say this in his presence, but it can't be helped. The Guyang Clan's disciples caused trouble, and the Escort Team Leader bears some responsibility—especially since even the Chief Administrator was injured. And regarding the Soseon Sect's monetary demands, the Guyang Clan has been useless. Most importantly, the Escort Team Leader's duty is to protect the Merchant Group Leader, but from what I've heard, Deputy Leader Han Yeop has been handling that all along. Correct?"
Han Yeop nodded.
"That's right."
Dan Woo-sung declared.
"Since this is the General Assembly, I'll propose a personnel matter. The dismissal of Escort Team Leader Guyang Hoo... Additionally, I suggest cutting off the protection fees paid to the Guyang Clan. And of course, fire all external Guyang Clan members within the merchant group. There's no benefit—only expenses. No need to keep this up. If I don't say this now, you'll keep handing over your hard-earned money to them forever."
Silence fell.
This wasn't a simple matter. Lee Si-yang, the Management Team Leader, spoke cautiously.
"Grand Prince, the Guyang Clan issue can't be decided so easily here. The Merchant Group Leader must also be present for a conclusion."
Dan Woo-sung shook his head.
"Uncle, Father is unwell right now. It's better to just report the Assembly's decision to him. He'll approve or deny it. If we wait for his decision on every little thing, there's no point in holding a General Assembly. Even if he makes the final call, he'd want to know the members' opinions."
Lee Si-yang fell silent.
Lee Si-yang was an orphan taken in by the previous Merchant Group Leader and sworn brothers with the current leader, Lee Sung-min. Officially, he was an adoptive uncle, but Dan Woo-sung deliberately called him uncle.
Dan Woo-sung scanned the room.
"You usually decide matters by vote, right? Let's vote on dismissing Team Leader Guyang Hoo first. Only those opposed, raise your hands."
Out of twelve attendees, only two raised their hands in opposition.
Dan Woo-sung turned to Lee Hwa-eon.
"Inform Father that the consensus is dismissal and seek his approval."
Lee Hwa-eon replied.
"Understood."
Just as Dan Woo-sung was pushing through his personnel decisions unilaterally, a voice rang out from outside the assembly hall.
"Who's getting fired?"
The moment he heard it, Dan Woo-sung smirked.
Escort Team Leader Guyang Hoo strode in with his hands clasped behind his back—his face twisted in displeasure after overhearing Dan Woo-sung's words.