Byeokun Merchant Group (2)
The moment I revealed my identity, it felt as if the air around us had frozen.
No—judging from the servant’s eyes, which had gone cold and hard in an instant, it wasn’t just an illusion.
“Paeng Yeohun… are you truly the eldest son of the Hebei Paeng Clan, Lord Paeng Yeohun?”
“Yes. I’m the Hebei Paeng Clan’s good-for-nothing Paeng Yeohun.”
It wasn’t exactly what I meant to say, but the water was already spilled. At this point, I might as well be shameless about it.
“Ahem. Please wait a moment.”
Maybe he hadn’t expected me to introduce myself that way. The servant kept clearing his throat, unable to hide how rattled he was.
“Was that really necessary?”
Watching the servant hurry off, Byeok Unseong clicked his tongue lightly.
“If it’s something I can’t keep hiding anyway, better to get it out in the open from the start.”
“That may be true, but still…”
He nodded after hearing my explanation, though he still didn’t seem convinced.
Which, honestly, I could understand. There was far more to lose than gain from revealing the name Paeng Yeohun.
“More importantly, are you prepared?”
“I did what you told me to do, but… are you sure that’ll be enough?”
“It’s enough.”
“Aren’t you relying too much on luck? And are you really sure the Paeng Clan people are coming…?”
I’d thought I’d explained the plan well enough, but Byeok Unseong still couldn’t quite shake his unease.
In the end, he hadn’t really placed his hopes on Paeng Yeohun the person, but on whatever scraps might come attached to that name. So I couldn’t exactly blame him.
“Before we go in, there’s something I need to say.”
“Something?”
At my suddenly grave tone, Byeok Unseong tilted his head.
* * *
“...I’ll escort the two of you. This way, please.”
How much time had passed? The servant who had vanished in such haste finally reappeared.
“Ah, are we going to see my father?”
“Yes. The guild master is waiting.”
“I see.”
Following the servant’s lead, we made our way through the Byeokun Merchant Group’s estate. It was enormous and complicated, its winding passages twisting like a maze until my sense of direction began to blur.
The servant carefully rapped on the door of the detached building we’d arrived at.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
As a deep voice drifted out from beyond the door, Byeok Unseong visibly flinched.
From that transparent reaction alone, there was no need to guess whose voice it was.
“Please go in.”
The servant opened the door cautiously and guided me and Byeok Unseong inside.
I bowed slightly to the servant and stepped over the threshold.
The instant I entered, a pressure like a physical weight wrapped itself around me.
“Hng.”
A faint groan slipped out before I could stop it.
“What is it?”
Byeok Unseong glanced at me in confusion when he heard it.
But the truth was, I was the less affected of the two.
He was straining so hard to keep himself from trembling that it was almost pitiful.
“It’s nothing.”
I shook my head and lifted my gaze.
In that moment, I knew Byeok Unseong hadn’t been lying.
There, at the center of the study, stood a middle-aged man. He looked us over with obvious interest, and from his body poured a sinister aura that made no attempt to conceal itself.
So this is the effect of the Blue Wolf Mind Method?
Leaving Byeok Unseong aside, everyone else seemed normal.
Which meant I was the only one sensing it, and that made it likely the Blue Wolf Mind Method was the cause.
“It’s a pleasure. My name is Paeng Yeohun.”
For now, I kept my expression carefully neutral and offered the middle-aged man a polite bow.
“The pleasure is mine. I’ve heard much about Lord Paeng. I’m Byeok Ungang, the guild master of the Byeokun Merchant Group.”
Byeok Ungang—the middle-aged man who received my greeting—rose from his seat and extended a hand with a smile.
He’s heard much about me, huh.
Given what the name Paeng Yeohun meant, that was hardly praise.
“Not at all. Thank you for receiving us so warmly despite the sudden visit.”
I took Byeok Ungang’s hand and returned a friendly smile.
At times like this, acting just a little clueless was the best way to turn the situation in my favor.
“Ahem, I wouldn’t call it warmth.”
Apparently he hadn’t expected such a dim-witted response. Byeok Ungang frowned slightly.
This man is Chuhongeom.
The martial artist who had single-handedly brought down the Baekak Sect.
Tension rose in my chest, and I licked my lips without thinking.
Don’t get ahead of yourself. There’s still one final check to make.
It was obvious that the owner of that sinister aura was Byeok Ungang.
And yet it was too early to be certain. I still had to account for the possibility—however slim—that I was missing something.
Taking a life was that sort of business.
“By the way, I’d like to ask how you came to know Unseong.”
Byeok Ungang spoke casually as he offered me a teacup.
The emotion in his eyes was sincere.
If not for the sinister aura and Byeok Unseong’s warning, I might have mistaken him for a father worried about his son.
“I happened to receive help from him.”
I gave a response that was neither quite true nor quite false and raised the cup to my lips.
The fragrance numbed my nose. He must have used expensive leaves.
“Is that so?”
At my answer, Byeok Ungang turned his questioning gaze on Byeok Unseong.
“Y-yes, Father.”
Apparently he hadn’t expected the blade of the question to swing his way. Byeok Unseong stumbled over his reply.
That tiny mistake seemed to rub Byeok Ungang the wrong way, and a faint crease appeared between his brows.
“Tsk, tsk. I told you to answer with confidence, didn’t I? You’re still this tense?”
“I-I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. Did I raise a Byeok family child to bow so easily?”
“...No.”
Clenching his jaw, Byeok Unseong shot me a look.
His brown eyes were clearly asking me, When are we starting?
I was just about to, idiot.
I answered by tossing him a wink that carried my entire soul.
The sudden wink made his expression sour a little, but I ignored it.
“Ahem.”
“Ah, pardon me, we were being rude in front of a guest.”
Hearing the awkward throat-clearing, Byeok Ungang inclined his head toward me slightly.
“Not at all.”
“Still, to what do I owe the pleasure of Lord Paeng’s visit to the Byeokun Merchant Group?”
“There’s an item I’d like to trade for personally, so I came despite the inconvenience.”
“Trade?”
At my unexpected proposal, Byeok Ungang couldn’t quite conceal his disapproval.
He was probably wondering what kind of shameless idiot the Paeng Clan’s trash son had to be to propose a trade.
“Yes. I’m sure it will be of use to the merchant group.”
I didn’t back down.
This was the moment—the real turning point where I would rip the mask off Chuhongeom, who was hiding behind Byeok Ungang’s face. I couldn’t afford to retreat now.
“Father, I checked it myself.”
Sensing the current of the exchange, Byeok Unseong jumped in to support me at just the right moment.
“Hmm. Then show me.”
When both Byeok Unseong and I pressed the matter, Byeok Ungang took a half-step back as if reluctantly conceding.
“Thank you.”
With permission given, there was no reason to hesitate any longer.
I took out what I’d prepared in advance from my robes.
“Liquor?”
Seeing the small bottle in my hand, Byeok Ungang looked interested.
“Something far more interesting than that.”
Once I removed the seal, the deep, aged fragrance of old liquor flooded the room.
“It smells good.”
“It’s a rare spirit.”
Whoosh.
Without hesitation, I poured the contents of the teacup onto the floor.
Byeok Ungang’s eyes widened in surprise at my abrupt action.
“What in the world are you—”
Glug.
Before he could finish, I filled the empty cup with liquor.
The clear liquid brimmed to the edge of the cup.
“So? Is this liquor the item you wanted to trade for personally?”
“You’ll understand in a moment.”
I shook my head firmly.
It was too early to be astonished by this.
Whoosh!
I set a flame over the cup.
“What are you doing?”
Seeing me set a perfectly good spirit on fire, Byeok Ungang could no longer hide his confusion.
Instead of answering, I thrust the burning cup toward him.
“Have a good long sip. This is called fire liquor; it’s become rather fashionable among those who enjoy their drink.”
“I don’t particularly enjoy liquor.”
Byeok Ungang stared dazedly at the flame dancing over the cup, then swallowed and shook his head.
“What do you mean you don’t enjoy something this good? That’s a loss in life, if you ask me. Close your eyes and take a drink—you’ll see the world differently.”
Then, right in front of him, I drained the cup in one go.
The liquor was strong enough to sear my throat and heat my face, but I didn’t care.
Glug.
I filled the cup again.
“What exactly are you trying to do?”
Byeok Ungang’s voice was cold as he watched me stage a one-man drinking scene.
“I’m simply demonstrating the value of the goods I’m offering.”
I shot back at once, as if he’d asked something too obvious to be worth asking.
Then I tossed back the liquor again.
The buzz was beginning to rise, and my vision had started to wobble.
“Would you care for a cup?”
I relit the flame above the cup and offered it to him.
Whoosh!
The fire dancing over the liquor flickered pitifully.
* * *
Gulp.
Byeok Unseong kept swallowing dryly.
Damn it, damn it! He never explained that the plan was exactly this!
Inside, he hurled abuse at Paeng Yeohun that would have been unprintable anywhere decent.
Thud.
Completely unaware of Byeok Unseong’s turmoil, Paeng Yeohun kept drinking.
The picture of a drunk out of control—the very image of a shameless, overbearing bastard.
Crazy bastard!
Where was the Paeng Clan support he’d bragged about? Not even a shred of Paeng cloth was in sight.
Byeok Unseong resented Paeng Yeohun, but at the same time he also resented himself for trusting him enough to create the situation they were now in.
Thud.
After downing cup after cup on his own, Paeng Yeohun finally planted his head on the table.
He’d probably collapsed from not being able to withstand the liquor.
“Filthy stuff. I didn’t think you’d hold out this long.”
Byeok Ungang clicked his tongue lightly, then snatched up Paeng Yeohun’s cup and drank it down in one go.
“...A typical cheap spirit. The aroma is nice, but that’s about all it has going for it. They’ve mixed all kinds of ingredients together to boost the fragrance, so the flavor’s a mess.”
Despite the rather brutal assessment, Byeok Ungang licked his lips with obvious disappointment.
“Byeok Unseong.”
Thunk.
After lingering in that moment for a beat, Byeok Ungang finally called Byeok Unseong in a cold voice.
His empty gaze seemed to pierce straight through him, making it feel as though every secret had been stripped bare.
“Is this your answer?”
After a long pause, Byeok Ungang pointed at Paeng Yeohun and asked in the warm tone of a father speaking to his son.
“Kh-hah! Don’t speak like you’re my father, you monster!”
Byeok Unseong couldn’t take it any longer.
The idea of that thing in a human skin pretending to be his father was revolting beyond words.
“Monster, is it? That’s a harsh thing to say.”
“Show your true face!”
Unable to contain himself, Byeok Unseong raised his voice without realizing it.
“Tsk. This is why I hate children. They never understand what you’re saying.”
Byeok Ungang clicked his tongue lightly.
In that instant, the mood in the room changed sharply.
“What did you say?”
“I was already getting tired of wearing this old bastard’s skin, so I’d been waiting for a chance. And now you’ve handed it to me. How very considerate.”
Byeok Ungang rose slowly from his chair.
His thanks were sincere.
Just as he’d been growing impatient, knowing his time in the skin mask was running out, they’d delivered the perfect piece of bait to him with their own hands.
“Maybe this is what family affection means.”
“U-uhh…”
The sinister energy pouring from Byeok Ungang’s body—no, from Chuhongeom’s body—was now overwhelming.
It was so powerful that even Byeok Unseong, who knew nothing of martial arts, could feel it.
T-this was a trap!
Only then did Byeok Unseong realize his mistake.
While he had been preparing a snare, he’d forgotten that the other side might have been doing the same.
A fatal mistake. And the price for it would surely be paid in blood.
“P-please, save me!”
“There’s no need for father-and-son playacting anymore.”
Shiiing!
Byeok Ungang smoothly drew the sword hidden beneath the table.
“I’ll teach you a final lesson.”
The only reason Chuhongeom had kept his head down until now was because he feared the Martial Alliance’s gaze.
But with such obedient prey in front of him now, there was no need to keep watching his step.
Kill this brat, pin it on him, and nothing becomes a problem.
A perfect plan—slip away while everyone else was still in chaos.
“I-is anyone there?”
Byeok Unseong called out desperately for help.
“Useless. I already warned them not to come near, so no one will.”
Byeok Ungang—no, Chuhongeom—smiled thinly as he lifted his sword.
Just thinking that he’d finally taste blood again after so long made him a little excited.
“G-get up!”
Byeok Unseong shook the collapsed Paeng Yeohun in a panic.
But Paeng Yeohun didn’t move at all, as if he were already dead.
“No use. He drank tea laced with Soul-Bewildering Powder. He won’t wake until tomorrow.”
Byeok Ungang curled a nasty smile at the corner of his mouth.
“Now, it’s time to go meet your father.”
He had dragged this out longer than expected because the boy had held out longer than anticipated, but now it was time to finish this.
“Even so, ‘time to go meet your father’ is a little emotionally insensitive, don’t you think?”
“W-what? Y-you, h-how—?”
Byeok Ungang could not hide his confusion at the voice he had never expected to hear.
“I’m honored you’re reacting so well.”
Paeng Yeohun slowly rose to his feet.
The man who had clearly been drunk a moment ago was now smiling with bright, sharp eyes.