We Can Make This a Little Bigger. (4)
"Welcome, everyone."
Hwang Mun-yak spread his arms wide and greeted the Mount Hua disciples as they entered through the gate.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Guild Leader."
"Haha. Hospitality? Come now. Mount Hua is the best friend of our Eunha Merchant Guild. How could I not welcome you properly?"
Seeing Hwang Mun-yak look genuinely delighted, Hyun Young smiled in return.
If Hwang Mun-yak had only shown this kind of reaction after Mount Hua had regained its reputation, Hyun Young’s expression would have been very different indeed.
But Hwang Mun-yak had declared himself Mount Hua’s supporter back when they were still struggling in the mud.
So how could he possibly feel any hesitation?
"Rather than standing around like this, please come inside. We’ve prepared a light meal."
"Thank you for your consideration."
After giving Hyun Young a smile in answer to his thanks, Hwang Mun-yak casually glanced at Chung Myung.
"It hasn’t been long, and yet here you are again, little Daoist."
"Has it? Have you been well?"
"I had some trouble refilling all the fine liquor the little Daoist drained dry before he left."
"Hehe. Then I guess I’ll have to empty it again."
"Would I have it any other way?"
Hwang Mun-yak burst out laughing.
If anyone else had said that, he would have called them rude. But Chung Myung was different. Chung Myung was the sort of person who could say or do whatever he pleased here and not be faulted for it.
Honestly, how much money had Eunha Merchant Guild made thanks to that one Chung Myung alone?
Even setting everything else aside, just being able to join the tea trade in Yunnan this time means we’ll recover several times the money we invested.
But even that was nothing if he thought about the money they would make in the future.
Mount Hua’s influence had now spread beyond Hwayeum and was beginning to reach Xi'an. And soon, it would spread not just across Xi'an, but throughout all of Shaanxi.
If Eunha Merchant Guild could ride on Mount Hua’s back, then dominating Shaanxi—and growing into a merchant guild that could speak of the world itself—was no longer some ridiculous dream.
So how could he not find Chung Myung adorable?
And it’s not just the little Daoist either.
Hwang Mun-yak looked at the Mount Hua disciples heading inside and smiled warmly.
The brats who had once been crushed beneath the huge name of Zhongnan had now become promising younger heroes, their reputation spreading across the whole world.
Even Hwang Mun-yak, who had watched Mount Hua’s rise from right beside them, found the pace of their growth astonishing.
If this keeps up...
It would not be easy, of course. But now, he could at least dare to put the words the greatest sect under heaven into his imagination. A phrase he had not even dared to dream of just a few years ago.
And this visit to Xi'an was surely the beginning of that path.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Hwang Mun-yak, Hyun Young wasted no time summoning the disciples into a room.
"Hmm. You arrived sooner than I expected."
"Thanks to that, we were able to bring the schedule forward a little."
Hyun Young gave a light nod.
"Enough talk. Let’s get moving right away. Baek Cheon."
"Yes!"
"Take the disciples and go inspect the public sentiment in Xi'an. Even though we’ve closed our gates, Xi'an was once the place most strongly influenced by Zhongnan. It won’t be friendly to us yet."
"Yes. I’ll look into it carefully."
"Baek Sang, you go to the honorable Hwang and draw up a list of supplies the sect will need."
"Yes, Elder!"
Hyun Young assigned tasks to several other disciples as well.
It was indeed the swift way of handling things befitting the head of the Finance Hall.
"Do you all understand?"
"Yes, Elder!"
"There’s no time to waste. Time is as valuable as gold, so move now!"
"Yes!"
"Elder?"
"Hmm?"
"What about me?"
Chung Myung, seated in a corner, raised his hand and asked. Hyun Young responded with a pleased smile.
"Yes, Chung Myung. You’re coming with me to look over the buildings."
"Ah, the building where the sect will be set up?"
"That’s right."
"Got it. Then I guess I should go."
"Yes. Come with me. Hahahahaha."
"Hahahahaha!"
Watching the two of them laugh at each other with such obvious delight, the other disciples all shuddered with an inexplicable sense of dread.
"Oh..."
Yoon Jong looked around in a daze.
"It’s huge."
"You’ve seen Luoyang too, and you’re still acting like this? And didn’t you also stop by Chengdu before?"
"It feels different from there."
Baek Cheon let out a snort.
"Take a good look around. We’ll be coming here often from now on. This place has to become as familiar to us as Hwayeum."
"Yes, Sasuk."
Even as he answered, Yoon Jong seemed distracted by everything around him, his eyes moving nonstop. Baek Cheon chuckled and glanced around casually as well.
Nothing strange yet, right?
The mounting tension made him let out a deep sigh without even realizing it.
This was a place where Zhongnan’s influence ran strong, so it was entirely possible there were still quite a few people hostile to Mount Hua.
Every move had to be made with caution.
Then it happened.
"Hey. Over there...?"
"What? What is it?"
"Isn’t that Mount Hua Sect?"
A few passersby noticed the plum blossom insignia embroidered on Baek Cheon’s group and began whispering among themselves. Their voices were very small, of course, but there was no way the Mount Hua disciples would miss them.
The disciples’ shoulders tensed slightly.
"They seem young."
"Then they must be those younger heroes who got the best results in the recent All-Heavens Martial Tournament."
"Right, right!"
The reaction was much more favorable than expected, and the shoulders that had been hunched up began to straighten again.
The response isn’t bad.
See? People need results.
The Mount Hua disciples exchanged glances. In particular, Jo Gul and Yoon Jong could hardly hide their pride, grinning from ear to ear.
"Wow. They said Mount Hua’s momentum has been incredible lately, and now we’re actually seeing Mount Hua disciples in Xi'an."
"Amazing. Yes, amazing indeed. Until recently, they were so far off the radar that people barely even mentioned them as a fallen sect, and now, in the blink of an eye..."
"You don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve been paying attention ever since I heard Mount Hua won at the Zhonghua Assembly."
"Oh, come on! Don’t just slap that on there!"
The murmuring grew louder and louder.
Before long, the place had become a noisy uproar, and whether it was because more people were hearing the conversation or because more of them had recognized Mount Hua’s plum blossom insignia, the number of eyes turning toward them kept increasing.
Baek Cheon hurried his steps, a face half pride and half embarrassment.
The Mount Hua disciples barely managed to escape the gathering crowd before each let out a long breath and looked at the others.
"Looks like they’re welcoming us."
"There don’t seem to be many openly hostile people. They haven’t even mentioned Zhongnan."
"Yeah. I thought there’d at least be some who looked displeased."
Jo Gul, who had been listening quietly, shook his head.
"That’s just human nature."
"Nature?"
"Isn’t that what Chung Myung always says?"
"Ah..."
- What? Righteousness? Heroic virtue? Oh, wow, look at Mr. Noble Hero over here! Hey, you morons. If righteousness were that damn important, then the sects would be ranked by who did the most good deeds. What, are you telling me those Shaolin bald monks shut themselves up on the mountain and chant sutras all day, and that’s enough to make them the greatest sect under heaven? The jianghu is just strength. The guy who’s best with a sword is king.
"...He isn’t exactly wrong."
The group all shook their heads as they recalled Chung Myung’s words.
No matter how true it was, this was not something people who called themselves righteous should say aloud.
"People in Xi'an, and Shaanxi beyond that, have long considered Zhongnan to be the sect that represents them. That wasn’t because Zhongnan has such a deep history, nor because it performed any great acts of righteousness."
"It’s because they were the strongest."
"Yes, exactly."
Jo Gul nodded vigorously.
"The goodwill people in Xi'an showed Zhongnan was ultimately because of the sect’s strength, wasn’t it? But now Zhongnan has closed its gates, and Mount Hua is producing results."
"So from here on, Mount Hua will become the sect that represents Shaanxi in Zhongnan’s place."
"Yes. Once the news of Zhongnan’s seclusion spreads through Xi'an, that trend will move even faster."
Jo Gul paused for a moment, then smiled faintly.
The timing isn’t bad.
If they opened a lay branch in Xi'an, they could speed that process up.
"From the looks of it, rumors about the All-Heavens Martial Tournament have spread widely here too. Everyone must be wondering how Mount Hua grew so strong."
"Then there will probably be plenty of people who want to learn Mount Hua’s martial arts."
"Yes. And what’s even better is that Mount Hua’s reputation was built by the accomplishments of its second- and third-generation disciples. People who are newly entering a sect to learn martial arts are usually on the younger side, aren’t they?"
"That’s true."
"When parents decide whether to let their child join a sect, the fact that it has strong younger heroes will be a huge advantage."
"So it’s a reputation as a place that truly trains people well?"
"Exactly."
Baek Cheon nodded with a pleased expression.
In any case, it was a cause for celebration that Mount Hua had come to enjoy a good reputation.
"We still need to visit a few more places, but in any case, Xi'an’s public sentiment seems better than we feared."
"I think so too. Though we can’t jump to conclusions. Since Zhongnan dominated Xi'an for so long, there are probably plenty of people who make their living off Zhongnan’s reputation. Those people won’t be happy about Mount Hua opening a lay branch."
"That much we’ll have to bear."
A resolute light entered Baek Cheon’s eyes.
"Everyone, remember this. This matter is no different from something that could decide Mount Hua’s destiny. We all need to do our best to help Hwayeong Gate’s leader."
"Yes, Sasuk!"
"Yes, Sahyung!"
Everyone answered with shining eyes and a spirited air. Baek Cheon smiled in satisfaction.
This is how it should be. This!
With that one bastard Chung Myung absent, how could their conversation be so constructive?
Even his usual disciples, who normally seemed only a little less insane than Chung Myung himself, now had eyes brimming with clarity and were showing off their insight like proper scholars.
Anyone standing next to that bastard gets warped.
Even himself, Baek Cheon included.
Once again struck by Chung Myung’s influence, he shook his head and started walking.
"With Chung Myung gone, this is so much more peaceful."
"If he were here right now, we’d be on edge wondering what kind of disaster he’d cause next, wouldn’t we?"
"We wouldn’t even have time to look around."
Like the old saying went—when the beggar’s away, even the king speaks ill of him. Everyone was busy criticizing Chung Myung.
But Yu I-seol, who had been listening quietly, seemed to think otherwise. She frowned slightly and spoke up.
"You’re all being careless."
"...Huh?"
"What do you mean, disaster?"
Everyone looked at her in confusion. Yu I-seol did not smooth out her frown as she continued.
"There was a reason. We had to keep our eyes on Chung Myung."
"...And what reason is that?"
"When we’re not there, he causes even bigger disasters."
"..."
That was true.
That was very true indeed.
Everyone shivered.
Wherever Chung Myung was, he was dangerous, and no matter the situation, he was never the answer.
But the most terrifying Chung Myung of all was the one who wasn’t here right now.
"...W-well, Elder Hyun Young went with him, so it should be fine, right?"
"Adding oil to the fire."
"..."
Ah.
...No way.
Everyone felt the anxiety they had tried so hard to bury come rushing back.
Then—
"Huh?"
Yoon Jong pointed ahead.
"Isn’t that Chung Myung?"
"What?"
Baek Cheon frowned and looked where Yoon Jong was pointing.
"It is. Looks like it. Elder Hyun Young’s with him too."
"What are they doing over there?"
"Well... they said they were going to look at buildings, so I guess they’re looking at one?"
"Oh? Here?"
Baek Cheon glanced around.
Not bad.
This was a major road running through Xi'an. It wasn’t close to the center, but the street was wide and the area looked decent enough for both traffic and daily life.
"Places like this must be expensive."
"Right. And they’d need a large open courtyard where people can train, so it’d be even pricier."
"I mean, Mount Hua’s making a lot of money now, so maybe it’s fine?"
"...Elder Hyun Young?"
At that last remark, everyone fell silent.
Mount Hua might have improved a great deal by now, but Hyun Young was still the sect’s notorious miser, wasn’t he?
For such a man to buy an expensive building on a bustling main road and open a sect branch there was hard to imagine.
"...Well, it’s such an important matter. Maybe the Sect Leader gave special instructions."
"If that’s the case, then thank goodness."
Unable to settle their unease, they slowly edged closer to where Chung Myung and Hyun Young were standing.
But then...
"...Sasuk."
"Hmm?"
"Didn’t you say Elder Hyun Young and Chung Myung were going to look at a building?"
"I did."
"...That one?"
"..."
As Baek Cheon’s eyes moved slowly, they began to tremble like aspen leaves.
A building.
Yes. It was a building, all right.
If something with pillars and a roof had to be called a building, then that thing was certainly a building.
The problem was...
It looks like there’s nothing left except the pillars and the roof.
Could that still be called a building?
A vast plot of land that looked like it had been turned into a haunted ruin a hundred years ago lay sprawled before them.
Overgrown grass, collapsed walls, and half-ruined structures made the whole place look ominous at a glance.
"Isn’t it...?"
"No way... It can’t be, can it?"
"Honestly, an empty lot would be better. At least it wouldn’t collapse. That thing looks like it’ll come down the moment someone touches a window."
"...Mount Hua isn’t the same starving sect it used to be, so surely they wouldn’t—"
Everyone stared at Hyun Young with ashen faces.
They were about to open a lay branch, and surely they weren’t going to buy that haunted wreck, surely not!
But that voice Yu I-seol had spoken earlier kept echoing endlessly in their minds.
Adding oil to the fire.
At that moment, they heard the voice of a middle-aged man standing before Hyun Young and Chung Myung.
"Y-yes! This place is truly, very, very cheap. You won’t find anywhere else this affordable! But... but are you really sure? There’s a reason why such a well-situated building ended up in this state."
"And what reason would that be?"
The middle-aged man glanced around and whispered in a low voice.
"There are rumors that ghosts appear here. There have been several people who bought this place in the past, but after they claimed to see ghosts, they fled without even looking back."
...Ghosts?
Baek Cheon and the others all turned to look at one another at the same time.
In a haunted house, ghosts.
Please! Please, just no!
Please, Chung Myung! Elder! Don’t!
As if hearing their prayers, Chung Myung looked at the middle-aged man with a rare expression of surprise.
"Ghosts, you say? Here?"
"...Y-yes. I’m telling you in advance because I don’t want you to get angry later over something I sold without saying a word about. That’s the rumor."
"Good heavens, ghosts!"
Chung Myung clenched his fist.
"Then it must be really cheap!"
"..."
"Right?"
"...It is cheap, yes... but still, there really are such rumors..."
Chung Myung and Hyun Young looked at each other and smiled with utter satisfaction.
"Perfect."
"Perfect indeed."
"Uh... please think about this again. The rumor that ghosts appear here is so widespread that even laborers refuse to work."
"That’s fine."
"...Pardon?"
Chung Myung smiled brightly, clearly pleased with himself.
"We’ve got laborers to spare. And the sturdier kind, too."
"..."
At that exact moment, Baek Cheon and the others, whose eyes had met Chung Myung’s by pure misfortune, all began to look rotten from the inside out.
"Let’s make the contract!"
Hyun Young’s cheerful voice rang out, as if spelling out their future for them.
This is hell.
I really hope we all die.
Whether they were Mount Hua or not, happiness did not exist anywhere near Chung Myung.