Chapter 20 Isn't that a good thing
Isn't that a good thing?
Chapter 20 — Isn't that a good thing?
When the auction began, Bu-yeon looked at the dais with a tense gaze.
The rescue method Muk Yeo-jin and Bu-yeon had planned in advance was extremely simple.
— We just buy Bu-daein’s sister ourselves.
— Eh? But if it’s a secret black-spot, the auction price will be considerable… I’ve already spent money trying to find my sister, I don’t have that kind of money…
— What are you saying, Bu-daein. Have you forgotten who I am? My father is the Sadochun Lord. He is the richest man in the world. Just trust me.
When Bu-yeon recalled the conversation he’d had with Muk Yeo-jin back then, his chest swelled with emotion again.
Why would someone who he’d never even met go to such lengths for him?
He didn’t know. Nor did he need to know.
He only resolved that if he regained his sister he would serve Muk Yeo-jin as a benefactor for the rest of his life.
That was enough.
Sensing Bu-yeon’s ardent look, Muk Yeo-jin furtively averted his eyes.
‘He’s really misunderstanding this properly.’
In fact, there was one thing Muk Yeo-jin had not told Bu-yeon in advance.
Muk Yeo-jin currently did not have a single coin.
Having only just held his ascension ceremony, he could not frivolously draw on Sadochun’s funds.
Sadochun was not the sort of lenient organization that would let someone spend the Lord’s money merely because he was the Lord’s child without any post or merit.
Of course, the plan had no flaw.
He had arranged everything from the start.
However—
‘That method is, even to my mind, a bit extreme.’
Clap clap.
At that moment Geohan-su of Chosongru clapped twice and men carried in a wooden chest.
“Now, let us begin the auction. Today’s first item.”
Geohan-su took a small medicine vial from the chest.
A liquid rippled within the bottle. After pausing a moment, Geohan-su opened his mouth.
“This is the famous Sambo Danmyeong-san of the Sacheon Dangmun. It is an ultra-poison that, once it takes hold, can kill the opponent before they take three steps. The acquisition history of this poison is—”
Muk Yeo-jin snorted at Geohan-su’s long-winded explanation.
Sacheon Dangmun’s Sambo Danmyeong-san is a three-void deadly toxin — colorless, odorless, tasteless.
Whether the vial contained an odorless, tasteless toxin or not, from a distance it clearly looked bluish.
But the vainglorious fools with the same poor discernment merely kept exclaiming “ooh” and rushed to raise the bid on that fake poison to an absurd price.
The items that followed were no different.
Endless shabby items, touted as peerless elixirs or legendary swordsman relics, poured out day and night.
During that tedious auction, at one point—
“Well, it seems all the items we prepared have been sold. Now we will introduce the goods our Chosongru black-spot is proud of. I think most of our guests have been waiting for this time.”
Muk Yeo-jin put a hand on Bu-yeon’s shoulder.
He, too, seemed to have realized the meaning of Geohan-su’s words and was trembling.
Sure enough, Geohan-su shouted toward the corridor behind the dais.
“Hey, what are you dawdling for! Come up here and greet the masters!”
Clang, clank.
Soon women wearing gauzy robes came up onto the dais in a line.
Thick iron chains were wound around their legs.
They were all beauties with various charms, but they shared one thing in common.
Their eyes lacked life.
Their eyes held the look of wanderers who had lost hope, not merely the pallor of imminent death.
And at the head of that procession she stood.
Bu-yeon’s sister, Bu Yeong-seol.
The moment he saw her Bu-yeon’s eyes snapped wide.
Blood dripped from his tightly clenched fists.
‘Sister!’
The sister who had always smiled like sunlight was nowhere to be seen.
Her face had grown gaunt from so many hardships, and her dilated eyes were filled only with the light of despair.
Geohan-su grabbed Bu Yeong-seol’s slender arm and pulled her forward.
“First item. Her face is somewhat haggard, but those cherry-like lips and her pure gaze are charming. Above all, this item’s curves are excellent.”
The crowd leered at Bu Yeong-seol and began to appraise her with obscene looks.
Grit—
A murderous sound escaped Bu-yeon’s teeth.
He wanted to pull out Geohan-su’s tongue and gouge out every eye in this place.
Breathing in ragged with rising rage, Bu-yeon received a silent transmission from Muk Yeo-jin.
『Calm down, Bu-daein. We can get her.』
Right. He was right.
The sister who he didn’t even know was alive was right here in front of him.
It was as if they’d already crossed the abyss.
There was no use getting excited now.
Hoo.
At last Bu-yeon steadied his breath and calmed himself.
Thinking the mood had been suitably raised, Geohan-su began the bidding.
“The starting price for this item is five hundred nyang.”
“Five hundred and ten nyang!”
“Six hundred nyang!”
As one after another raised the bid the hall heated up.
Meanwhile, Bu Yeong-seol’s mind, who had to watch it all, was being swallowed into an abyss.
She painfully lifted her head and looked around.
Only grotesques with eyes full of lust surrounded her.
‘Why… am I here…’
What sin had she committed to merit this?
Would she never return home again?
‘If so, then rather—’
Just as she thought it might be better to die, among the monsters ready to devour them, she caught sight of a man’s familiar face watching her.
‘Oh…’
She blinked in disbelief and shook her head, then looked again.
“Ah….”
It was not a mistake. It was unmistakable.
The man was her only younger brother, Yeon.
“Ye—!”
Bu Yeong-seol instinctively wanted to call his name, but she clamped her mouth shut.
She saw Bu-yeon press a finger to his lips.
Then Bu-yeon mouthed words to Bu Yeong-seol.
Sister, I’m here now. Don’t worry anymore. Wait.
Tears welled up in Bu Yeong-seol’s eyes.
How had he known and found this place?
Her younger brother’s face looked much thinner than before.
She could plainly see how much hardship he must have endured to find her.
All the sorrows pressed down in her chest surged up.
After a moment of mutual gazing, Bu-yeon pulled the veil back over his face.
“I’m sorry. Muk-gongja, I thought this would put my sister at ease…”
“It’s fine. Everyone was focused on the auction so no one paid attention. But from now on you must not remove the veil.”
“I will remember.”
Meanwhile, Bu Yeong-seol’s bid price had already exceeded one hundred nyang.
At the same time Bu-yeon’s face darkened.
The bids were higher than expected.
‘If it exceeds the money Muk-gongja prepared…’
Sensing Bu-yeon’s worry, Muk Yeo-jin replied in a voice with a hint of laughter.
“Don’t worry, Bu-daein. I have a lot of money. Shall I show you how much?”
“Eh?”
At that moment someone shouted a bid of one hundred fifty nyang.
“One hundred fifty nyang! Any bids above one hundred fifty?”
One hundred fifty nyang.
That money could buy ten myo of fields and a fine warhorse.
Even so, spending that much on a maid was excessive.
The bidders felt it stingy to go higher.
Just as the gaunt, ragged-bearded old man who called one hundred fifty nyang expected to win—
“One hundred thousand nyang.”
“What?! One hundred thousand nyang has been called… huh?!”
“Are you deaf? I said one hundred thousand nyang. And I will buy all the women presented today.”
Everyone in the hall and even Bu-yeon looked at Muk Yeo-jin in astonishment.
A sum unheard of in their lives. Geohan-su showed disbelief.
But—
“Why don’t you believe me? About one sijin from here there is a small sangdan that runs a usury called Tongcheonchae. If you go there and say you came to receive one hundred thousand nyang on the order of Jang-chung (長㳘), they will hand it over immediately. Send your men to fetch the money at once. I will remain here until then without stirring.”
Saying so, he could hardly be a fraud.
After all, if the payment was not made, they could simply not hand over the antidote.
Geohan-su’s grin rose to his ears.
“Hahaha!! One hundred thousand nyang! One hundred thousand nyang! Any more?”
Who would have that kind of money? Even if someone had it, no sane person would spend such on a single night’s entertainment.
All participants gave up and began to storm out.
“Hahaha! Then today’s auction is over. Don’t be too disappointed. We will prepare high-quality goods again in ten days. Now, honored guests will be guided to the private rooms.”
Muk Yeo-jin and Bu-yeon were led into Chosongru’s private room.
“We will hand over the antidote once payment is confirmed.”
“Do so. Send the women here first.”
“Yes! You’re in a hurry, ha ha!”
Soon the women who had been on auction, including Bu Yeong-seol, were brought in.
“Sister!”
At the sight of Bu Yeong-seol, Bu-yeon burst into the tears he had been holding back.
“Yeon! Is it really you?”
Bu Yeong-seol clung to her brother’s face and wept without restraint.
After a long, emotional reunion, Bu-yeon introduced Muk Yeo-jin.
“Sister, without this man we would never have met again.”
“Thank you, thank you. How can we ever repay such a kindness?”
Muk Yeo-jin tapped Bu-yeon’s shoulder and said,
“No need to thank me. You are fortunate to have such a fine sibling.”
Then Muk Yeo-jin looked at the other women.
“Don’t worry. We will take responsibility and return you to your families.”
Only then did the women break down in tears and wail.
How much time passed, no one kept count.
Soon Geohan-su, who had gone to Tongcheonchae and fetched the one hundred thousand nyang, returned with a broad smile and distributed the antidote to the women.
He even provided a top-class carriage so they could travel comfortably.
“Then be on your way.”
“Be on your way.”
Gok Pansu, who had received a commission of hundreds of nyang for bringing such distinguished guests, also saw them off with a smile.
He was given, as the “antidote,” mere tea-leaf dregs.
It had never been a real antidote to begin with.
Muk Yeo-jin, seated on the coach box, did not look back as the carriage began to run.
They had already left Hogu-myeon behind a good distance when Muk Yeo-jin drove the horses tirelessly.
Seeing that, Bu-yeon said with concern,
“Muk-gongja, please rest a bit. You’re wearing yourself out.”
“There is no time for that. We must hurry and flee.”
“Eh?”
What? What was that about suddenly?
Muk Yeo-jin grinned.
“Actually, the one hundred thousand nyang isn’t my money.”
“Then whose is it?”
“Jang-chung is someone’s true name. Tongcheonchae is a business that stores that person’s slush funds. Because so few know of it, if one goes there and asks for money in that name, they will hand it over. But within a few days they will discover it was an impersonation.”
A trace of unease rose in Bu-yeon’s chest.
Who was this Jang-chung that made Muk Yeo-jin so anxious, even though he had not flinched at the sight of flying swords?
“People call him Cheongpyeong Geumgwi, Yeon Sin-chu.”
“Gah!”
At the name that soon spilled from Muk Yeo-jin’s lips, Bu-yeon could not hide his shock.
Cheongpyeong Geumgwi!
There are three giants who divide the Central Plains — the Three Sovereigns of the World.
Beneath them are the eleven Absolute Supreme of the Heavenly Martial Eleven.
Cheongpyeong Geumgwi holds one seat among the Heavenly Martial Eleven.
And he is notorious as a fiend for money.
To touch that man’s funds—
“Chosongru and its backing Gwangcheonmun will be erased from the human world without a single blade of grass left. Isn’t that a good thing?”
It would be good. Those detestable scum would vanish.
But if by chance Cheongpyeong Geumgwi caught wind of this, wouldn’t they meet the same fate as those scum?
Only now did Bu-yeon understand why Muk Yeo-jin had been so obsessed with concealing his identity.
Realizing how grave the situation was, Bu-yeon’s demeanor changed.
“What are you doing?! Muk-gongja! Don’t you run faster!”
Muk Yeo-jin burst out laughing.
“Hold tight, everyone!”