59. I Guard My Own Rice Bowl (3)
"Heh, a plaque starting with 'Millennial Cold Iron' and 'Hebei Paeng'—it's obvious, isn't it?"
"So that's the Hebei Paeng Family patriarch's plaque?"
"Why's it here?"
"Then..."
It was utterly absurd, but if the Hebei Paeng Family's patriarch plaque had come from the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf's body?
That meant, per the contract, they had no choice but to hand over the beast's corpse to Paeng Hanbin.
Unable to believe their eyes, the sect representatives passed the millennial cold iron patriarch plaque around, examining it closely.
No one could forge a patriarch plaque made of millennial cold iron.
Paeng Hanbin spoke up.
"That's enough checking now. You'll wear it out."
"Ahem, got it."
Jeong Juseop returned the plaque to Paeng Hanbin.
Receiving it back, Paeng Hanbin turned to Hwang Bo-gyeon-u.
"Young Master Hwangbo, thank you for revealing the truth."
"Hmph, just doing what was right."
Hwang Bo-gyeon-u was inwardly raging, jumping mad. Not only was he losing the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf's corpse, but he'd helped make it happen—his face was saved, but barely.
At that moment, Paeng Hanbin continued.
"I'm grateful, but when you cut off the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf's head, you strayed a bit from the spot I mentioned. If there's a neidan in there..."
"No way that's possible."
"Yes, of course it shouldn't be. This Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf corpse is meant for His Imperial Majesty, after all."
"H-His Imperial Majesty?"
As Hwang Bo-gyeon-u's eyes widened to their limit, Paeng Hanbin turned to Jeong Juseop.
"Your subject, Paeng Hanbin of the Hebei Paeng Family, hereby offers this Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf corpse to His Imperial Majesty. Please accept it on his behalf, my lord."
Paeng Hanbin dropped to one knee and cupped his fists in salute. This time, Jeong Juseop's eyes trembled.
An unbelievable situation was unfolding.
Didn't every martial artist covet spirit elixirs, spirit beasts, and the neidans of demonic beasts?
Yet he was handing it over just like that?
His hesitation was brief—too many eyes were watching. Jeong Juseop had to respond quickly.
"Thank you. I'll report this to the city lord and swiftly deliver it to His Majesty."
Finishing his words, Jeong Juseop knelt toward a distant point and shouted.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long, long live!"
In unison, everyone echoed.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long, long live!"
No martial artist could object to Paeng Hanbin's actions.
Who would argue when he was dedicating it to the nation rather than his own family?
The way the martial artists looked at Paeng Hanbin changed.
In truth, Paeng Hanbin lost nothing.
The hide of a top-grade demonic beast like the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf needed to be processed with its neidan intact to preserve its toughness.
Of course, extracting the neidan perfectly required pulling it out quickly, like Paeng Hanbin had, before the qi leaked away.
In its current state, the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf was like an empty shell.
Paeng Hanbin had secured the maximum benefit.
Now it was time for the final act.
Ignoring the admiring gazes casually, Paeng Hanbin said to Jeong Juseop,
"If the neidan is missing or damaged, don't be too angry with Young Master Hwangbo—he bears some blame for the poor cut."
"Gasp."
Hwang Bo-gyeon-u, listening nearby, startled in shock.
But this was merely the prelude to Paeng Hanbin's real scheme.
Turning around, he unfurled the contract.
The martial artists were surprised.
"Why's he pulling that out?"
"Yeah, he said he's offering the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf to His Majesty."
As complaints arose, Paeng Hanbin spoke.
"As you can see here, the one who slays the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf claims the full deposit. The beast belongs to His Majesty, but the hundred taels of silver are mine. Those sects and families who signed—step forward with the silver."
Paeng Hanbin snapped his fingers behind him. Sim Miho and Jo Ho rushed over like the wind.
Jo Ho carried sturdy sacks, while Sim Miho prepared brush and paper.
Paeng Hanbin glanced sideways.
Akbigwang was there, sighing in relief—obvious to anyone.
Smirking, Paeng Hanbin began one-on-one negotiations with the sects and families.
A moment later, he finished with the Baekdo Sect last.
"Young hero, our Baekdo Sect isn't a major power, so..."
"That's why I adjusted the interest rate for you, right?"
"Still, a bit more..."
"Heavens, you'd think I was a loan shark."
At Paeng Hanbin's scolding, Park Pil-u gritted his teeth.
To him, Paeng Hanbin was a loan shark.
Since Baekdo Sect hadn't traded at Hebei's battlefields, gathering that much silver required a trip to Shandong.
And now, interest on top of the delay.
Of course, the other sects were in the same boat.
If only one had been hit, they could borrow from others—but all at once? Funds were dried up.
With no choice, Park Pil-u signed Paeng Hanbin's terms.
He cupped his fists deeply and left.
In truth, Paeng Hanbin's greed was a tad excessive, but he had no intention of letting those who tried to dip into his rice bowl sleep soundly.
Having collected addendums from all, Paeng Hanbin declared,
"Time to head back!"
"Yes, my lord."
Sim Miho bowed deeply, and the warriors behind her followed suit.
But everyone's minds were filled with questions.
No one who had witnessed Paeng Hanbin's every move was present.
Sim Miho glanced at Jo Ho. He nodded in response.
A signal to piece together the full story once back.
As they moved away from Absol Valley, several pairs of eyes watched them.
They were Heukcheon assassins.
A few with light wounds had observed Paeng Hanbin's actions.
One approached Hyeolhwa.
"Leader, time to go."
"Wait a bit longer."
Hyeolhwa couldn't tear her eyes from Paeng Hanbin's receding figure.
"He's out of sight now, Leader."
"Shipaho, what do you make of that guy?"
Shipaho, the top-grade assassin who had first clashed with Paeng Hanbin, answered.
Though stabbed repeatedly, he'd cleverly avoided vital spots and could still stand.
"A peculiar man."
"Peculiar, right? Does he strike you as a coward, Shipaho?"
"No. To me..."
Shipaho trailed off. The previous day's torture lingered in his body.
Seeing him shudder, Hyeolhwa asked,
"What's wrong?"
"That man—no, that bastard—is a torture technician straight from hell."
"Pfft, an assassin turned torture expert?"
"Yes, exactly. A real assassin thinks of the most efficient kill. But not him."
"How's he different? Tell me."
"He enjoys torturing. A total pervert. If we meet again..."
Shipaho swallowed the rest. Intrigued, Hyeolhwa pressed.
"Why do you keep stopping? Go on."
"I want to kill him if we meet again... but I never want to see him again."
"Hmm, I see. We'll set that guy aside for now. Time to deal with our delinquent client back home."
"Yes. Leave that to me."
Finishing, Shipaho ground his teeth.
All the assassins wore the same expression.
They'd received pity from their target.
In other words, a debt to Paeng Hanbin. But the cause lay with the client who fed them false info.
The remaining assassins burned with killing intent.
Three days later, in the Hebei Paeng Family patriarch's hall.
Paeng Hanbin and the Mangho Squad, back from their mission, shone with pride.
Once acting patriarch and law enforcement leader Paeng Daewi took his seat, Paeng Hanbin strode forward confidently.
He drew the patriarch plaque from his bosom.
"Here it is."
"Word is you put it to good use?"
"Moderately so. Without it, I'd be a dead man."
"Is that right? Rumors say you sold it for profit—is that true?"
"Ahem."
Paeng Hanbin cleared his throat awkwardly and looked away.
He'd succeeded in screwing over the sects eyeing his turf, but backlash followed.
Those sects spread rumors that Paeng Hanbin had conned them with a fake patriarch plaque.
Thus, his feats were downplayed.
Optimistically, it hid his strength; pessimistically, he was all show, no substance.
Of course, that was just surface-level.
Paeng Daewi laughed heartily at Paeng Hanbin's expression.
"Kehahaha! It's all investigated—no worries. Just testing you. Those thieves deserve it. Impressive catching the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf, though. The Mangho Squad alone couldn't have managed."
"We threw ourselves at it desperately and barely succeeded. Nearly died several times, honestly."
Paeng Hanbin omitted any mention of Heukcheon.
If the family learned of them, his plan to use proxies to eliminate Jeong Hwabu would fail.
If Heukcheon sought revenge and stirred trouble, Jeong Hwabu would surely cut ties.
Heukcheon's operations in Hebei would also shrink.
Thus, they'd aligned their stories.
Publicly, the wolf pack extermination and Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf hunt were all Paeng Hanbin and Mangho Squad's achievements.
Paeng Daewi stared silently into Paeng Hanbin's eyes.
As if reading his mind.
Paeng Hanbin met the gaze steadily. Paeng Daewi flashed a slight grin, showing white teeth.
"Interesting. Very interesting. When Uncle emerges from seclusion, there'll be much to celebrate."
"Thank you."
Paeng Hanbin bowed his head politely.
Paeng Daewi had likely sensed Paeng Hanbin's cultivation realm.
His inner power was half a jia.
Pure inner power placed him at peak First Rate.
Just one thin wall from Peak realm.
Paeng Daewi snapped his fingers.
Snap!
Before the echo faded, law enforcement warriors brought wooden trays before Paeng Hanbin and the Mangho Squad.
"This is the family's reward."
"We gratefully accept."
Paeng Hanbin saluted as if to the patriarch himself. His group behind followed suit.
"Loyalty to the patriarch!"
"Glory to the Hebei Paeng Family!"
The echo lingered long in the Mangho Squad's hearts.
Paeng Hanbin felt no such emotion—not even close.
He hadn't yet heard the news he truly awaited.
Paeng Hanbin received the news he awaited exactly three weeks later.
He was leaning against a rock by the training ground, organizing the formulas of the Yongrin Sword Art.
Someone approached from afar, kicking up dust.
Paeng Hanbin narrowed his eyes at the bull-like charge.
As the dust cleared, the face appeared.
It was Cheolno.
Stopping before Paeng Hanbin, Cheolno panted heavily.
"Huff, huff, Young Master!"
"What is it? Fire at Cheonhwa House? Or some family invading Paengga?"
"Young Master, why would another family invade us? Got something to hide?"
"Tch, as if I'd do anything shady. Rumors say an imperial edict's coming soon for the extermination."
"Not about the edict."
"Then what, Cheolno?"
"Merchant caravans from Hebei Paeng Family are getting hit left and right."