Chapter 23
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: 9. The Evil Manor
Neither the Qingcheng Sect nor the Emei Sect would ever attack the Tang Family. That left only the Black Serpent Hall.
"Has word about the cargo already leaked?"
Tang Ho-gwan's face darkened slightly. This escort mission had been carried out in utmost secrecy. Not even within the Tang Family itself were many aware of it—not to mention the Henan Escort Bureau handling the transport.
Yet if the information had leaked, it meant there was a spy inside the Tang Family... or perhaps at the Fire Manor.
"That's entirely possible."
That was exactly why they'd rushed the operation. If a group as information-sensitive as the Black Serpent Hall had investigated thoroughly, they might have uncovered that the Fire Manor were descendants of the Thunderclap Gate—and that they'd recently produced Thunderclap Bombs.
"Ugh... but it's not too late yet."
A glimmer of hope still shone in Tang Ho-gwan's eyes. Knowing the information and preparing to counter it were two vastly different things. The Black Serpent Hall surely wasn't ready to face Thunderclap Bombs.
How could they possibly block the bombs hurled by Tang Family warriors? Their only option was to ambush the escort caravan and seize the bombs.
Lost in such thoughts as he walked, Tang Ho-gwan suddenly halted and raised his hand. At his signal, the entire caravan stopped in its tracks. The Tang Family warriors swiftly formed ranks, quietly drawing their weapons.
Tang Ho-gwan scanned the surroundings with sharp eyes. His senses had picked up exactly fifty presences.
As the caravan came to a stop, figures began emerging from hiding one by one. They wore no masks, striding out boldly—and each bore a small serpent character etched on their chests.
"Black Serpent Hall riffraff."
Tang Cheol-gi muttered with a sneer. Tang Ho-gwan, however, could only tilt his head in puzzlement. The serpent marks on these men's chests were quite different from those of the attackers from just days ago.
The size and shape were off. The previous ones had been so tiny only he had noticed them. These were large enough for anyone to spot clearly, and the design wriggled like a crawling snake.
"Only twenty of them? And their skills are middling at best."
One man in slightly different attire stepped forward from the Black Serpent Hall warriors, muttering to himself. The others all wore black garb, but this one had a stark white line on his sleeve.
Tang Ho-gwan frowned at the sight of him. He'd crossed paths with this man before—a high-ranking figure in the Black Serpent Hall who'd inflicted serious damage on the Tang Family more than once.
"What business does the Black Serpent Hall have blocking our path? Have you turned to banditry now?"
Tang Ho-gwan replied calmly, prompting the man to burst into hearty laughter.
"Puhahaha! As expected of Tang Ho-gwan. You Tang elders are all such tough opponents. Puhahaha!"
His laughter brimmed with inner energy, but it affected only the Tang Family warriors. They hurriedly circulated their qi to resist it.
After laughing for a good while, the man abruptly cut off and drew his sword.
"Well then, time to wrap this up. What'll it be? Hand over those crates in the back and live... or lose your lives and the goods anyway?"
Tang Cheol-gi's face twisted in rage at the words, and he stepped forward.
"I'll smash that filthy mouth of yours."
Before Tang Ho-gwan could stop him, Tang Cheol-gi hurled hidden weapons at the man.
Papapap!
Five steel needles whistled through the air—vicious darts coated in the Tang Family's secret poison.
The man didn't dare catch them barehanded and swung his sword to deflect them.
Chaeng!
But two needles that hadn't targeted him veered toward other Black Serpent Hall warriors.
Pishuk!
One missed, but the other embedded in a man's thigh.
"Kuhuk!"
The struck warrior's knee buckled. With the deadly poison invading his bloodstream, survival was impossible.
Thud!
Black blood frothed from his mouth as he collapsed. The mood turned ice-cold.
"So that's your choice?"
The man's expression hardened. In an instant, he lunged at Tang Cheol-gi, sword thrusting forward.
Chaeng!
Tang Ho-gwan parried the strike, dispersing the force behind it as he closed in. A dagger slipped from his sleeve—he'd used it to block the sword.
That was the signal. The fight erupted. Enraged by their comrade's death, the Black Serpent Hall warriors swung wildly with bloodshot eyes. The Tang Family warriors calmly held formation, repelling the assaults.
Though outnumbered twenty to fifty, they held the clear advantage. As Tang Ho-gwan blocked the white-lined man's attacks, he inwardly puzzled over it still. This was nothing like the previous ambush. The Black Serpent Hall men weren't weak, but they posed no real threat. The Tang warriors on this escort were among the family's elite.
"Then again, it was stranger that they fell so easily before. So who the hell were those guys?"
As the Tang Family and Black Serpent Hall clashed fiercely, the wagon escorts encircled the cargo, tense with anticipation. They kept stealing glances at Dan Hyeong-u.
Umun Hye and the envoy stared at him in shock. There really had been hidden foes. Only fifty had appeared so far, but Umun Hye sensed fifty more lurking—and they were all too familiar to her.
Umun Hye sent a transmission to the envoy.
『What do we do?』
The envoy sighed in response.
『For now, best to have the family warriors withdraw. I can't guarantee these hidden ones outmatch the Black Serpent Hall.』
Not just can't guarantee—they were far inferior. For the family's sake, withdrawal was obvious.
『The problem is how to signal them.』
The envoy transmitted while eyeing Dan Hyeong-u. He could sense the Umun Family warriors' presences but sending a transmission that far wasn't easy. Someone would have to go warn them directly—and that would expose them as allies in an instant.
As the envoy and Umun Hye agonized, Dan Hyeong-u spoke up.
"Go tell them if you want. I won't stop you."
Umun Hye and the envoy jumped in alarm.
"N-No way..."
Umun Hye couldn't believe it. She'd never imagined anyone could eavesdrop on transmissions.
"Stay, and they all die."
Chilling killing intent laced Dan Hyeong-u's words. The faint murderous aura seeping from the hidden fifty Umun Family warriors grated on his nerves—and that irritation poured out as raw killing intent, far beyond what Umun Hye or the envoy could endure.
"A-Alright. Envoy."
"Yes. I'll go."
The envoy leaped away the moment he finished speaking, heading for the family warriors. Moments later, they vanished just as swiftly.
Returning, the envoy eyed Dan Hyeong-u uneasily. But Dan Hyeong-u stood impassively, watching the Tang-Black Serpent clash as if nothing had happened.
"What an utterly inscrutable man."
Curiosity deepened in Umun Hye's gaze. The envoy felt a chill run down his spine at that intrigued look.
The battle between the Black Serpent Hall and Tang Family was nearing its end. Despite twenty against fifty, the skill gap was too vast. Over half the Black Serpent warriors lay dead; the rest had no choice but to retreat.
The white-lined warrior's corpse sprawled before Tang Ho-gwan.
"Hoo... that was taxing."
"You did well, Uncle."
Tang Ho-gwan nodded at Tang Cheol-gi's words, surveying the Tang warriors. A few bore wounds, but none had fallen. It was a decisive victory—but only because the Black Serpent Hall hadn't been fully prepared.
The remaining road was short, but the dangers ahead would surely dwarf what they'd faced so far.
"Let's hurry. Time's short."
"Yes."
The Tang warriors and wagon escorts worked together to clear the bodies, and the caravan soon resumed.
Thus, they entered the final two days' journey to their destination, Chengdu.
9. The Evil Manor
Umun Hwang frowned. Staring at the bowed Yang Division Leader, he finally sighed.
"Hah... what can be done? It's already happened."
"I have no face to show. It was entirely foreseeable, yet..."
"How could anyone predict where that child would bolt to? Forget it and draw up new plans."
Yang Division Leader inwardly sighed at Umun Hwang's words. The family head was coldly rational—except when it came to Umun Hye. Then he turned foolishly indulgent. If it were him in Umun Hwang's shoes, he'd never let it slide so easily.
"I understand your feelings. But even I can't help this. So forget it and devise fresh plans."
"Understood."
Yang Division Leader startled and bowed politely. Inwardly, he marveled at Umun Hwang's insight—reading his blank expression so precisely. No one else in the world could do that.
"With things as they are, we should abandon the Tang Family angle."
"Mm, no choice."
Umun Hwang trusted Yang Division Leader's judgment. If he said no, it was no.
"Then we target the Fire Manor."
"Yes."
Yang Division Leader nodded and continued.
"Best to approach the Fire Manor with money."
Umun Hwang's face lit with satisfaction.
"Haven't had something this fun in ages. Let's do it."
Umun Hwang plotted the Fire Manor strategy with Yang Division Leader, detailed schemes flowing from their lips.
Once Yang Division Leader withdrew, Umun Hwang sank deep into his chair. The long discussion had left him weary. But he couldn't relax long in that pose.
A shadow rose behind Umun Hwang.
"From the Council."
A eerie voice emanated from the shadow. Umun Hwang shuddered as if struck by lightning, then turned cautiously. A rippling shadow filled his vision.
Umun Hwang said nothing. The shadow monologued at him.
"Second order: Prepare fifty thousand in gold."
Fifty thousand gold taels—enough to buy a small kingdom. Yet Umun Hwang bowed without hesitation, clasping his fists in salute.
"I shall execute the second command."
As he replied, the shadow dispersed into the air, leaving no trace—as if it had never been.
Umun Hwang gazed at the spot and quietly sighed.
"It finally begins."
His murmur rippled through the silent room and faded.
"Just two more days, and it's over."
Hyeong Pyo's words carried a mix of emotions. Jo Seol-yeon, who knew them well, smiled faintly.
"One more night camping like this, and we're done."
"First thing after this escort ends: a proper bed and some real sleep."
The wagon escorts listening to Hyeong Pyo and Jo Seol-yeon grinned. They felt the same. Their legs ached from the final forced march, but only two days remained.
A bit apart from the Henan Escort Bureau folk including the wagon escorts, the Tang Family warriors rested. Umun Hye sat midway between. Naturally, her three serpents stood vigilant around her, eyes gleaming.
Most of the men still stole glances at Umun Hye. Her beauty was a bottomless swamp—the more you looked, the deeper you sank. Even some Tang warriors and escorts had fallen into solitary infatuation.
Hyeong Pyo, being a man, couldn't help his natural interest in her. He also wondered what her true goal was.
As Hyeong Pyo began glancing her way more, Jo Seol-yeon flashed a mischievous smile.
"What? Got a crush?"
"Haha, as if. Just curious what that young lady's scheming."
Jo Seol-yeon nodded with a smile at his reply.
"Me too. Seems connected to Brother Dan somehow..."
She glanced at Dan Hyeong-u, who stood beside her. Hearing his name, he looked at her. Their eyes met again; Jo Seol-yeon startled and turned away.
"If you want, I can kill them all."
Dan Hyeong-u muttered as if commenting on the weather, but it thundered in Jo Seol-yeon's and Hyeong Pyo's ears.
"N-No, Brother! You absolutely can't!"
Dan Hyeong-u nodded nonchalantly at her plea.
"If that's what you want."
Jo Seol-yeon's face flushed deeper. From her heart, she thanked him.
Their conversation hadn't been loud, but anyone with decent inner power could eavesdrop—focusing qi in the ears a bit.
Umun Hye concentrated her qi and caught every word between Dan Hyeong-u, Jo Seol-yeon, and Hyeong Pyo. She'd done it hoping to glean his identity, but hearing that made her inexplicably angry.
"What? She into kids or something?"
As Umun Hye pouted, the envoy beside her asked cautiously.
"Could it be you've taken a liking to him...?"
Her face twisted furiously at his words. On an ordinary woman, it'd look vicious—but on Umun Hye, even that was endearing and beautiful.
"What do you take me for? Absolutely not!"
The envoy smiled in relief.
"A lady like you deserves a sturdier man."
"I told you, I'm not interested in that stuff!"
Umun Hye snapped peevishly. The envoy took her ire with a gentle smile.