Chapter 76. Won't They All Die in the Three-Way Duel?
The Taesu's fury enveloped Sangyang.
That afternoon, not only government soldiers but also army troops flooded the city, setting up camps everywhere and conducting strict inspections.
Jwa Hu, the guard who had been tailing Won Seung under Bi Jangno's orders, was in a bind. He simply couldn't predict Won Seung's movements at all.
He had no choice but to report exactly what he'd seen.
"This morning, he took a carriage to a clinic, then visited the southern bureau. After that, government soldiers swarmed the painting district. Around the oh hour, he sold spectator tickets for the three-way duel. Then in the afternoon, he went to the Taesu office, and afterward, both Taesu office soldiers and army troops poured into Sangyang."
Bi Jangno, hearing Jwa Hu's report, was left with nothing but questions piling up.
An assassin going to the government office to request personal protection? And frequenting the Taesu office, no less... What the hell is he up to?
"...After that, he visited Gwancheonbang and Cheongsu Gate, and only returned to Baekhwa Pavilion as evening fell."
"Looks like that bastard's got some role to play in this three-way duel after all."
With government soldiers surrounding Baekhwa Pavilion, even Jwa Hu couldn't keep watch any longer.
That was strange too.
He said he'd set up a safehouse, so why's he staying at a painting shop?
Just then, U Hui entered and reported.
"Jong Bi's here."
"Perfect timing. Send her in."
A moment later, Jong Bi entered, her face tense with anxiety.
"Did you find out what that guy's role is in the three-way duel?"
"He said he's in charge of arranging and hosting it."
"Just as I thought."
Bi Jangno fell into thought for a moment.
Can you even call this assassin work?
The mission was to eliminate Hwa Cheon-gang. Arranging an unpredictable three-way duel didn't count as success. Hwa Cheon-gang had to actually die.
"Is there a way to complete the mission through this duel?"
"He didn't tell me that much."
Jong Bi answered as Won Seung had instructed, then hesitated before adding,
"No. 50 requested support from the branch."
"Branch support?"
Jeokhyeolsan resources couldn't intervene in practical training missions. No trainee had ever even asked for support in the first place.
"Did you tell him about headquarters?"
As Bi Jangno's face darkened menacingly, Jong Bi hurriedly replied,
"No, I didn't. But he seems to have figured it out on his own."
"Clever little shit, isn't he."
Bi Jangno twisted his lips in a sneer, then asked,
"What kind of support does he want?"
"Information on one person."
"Information? What kind?"
"He wants to know the true identity of Sangyang's black society boss."
Bi Jangno furrowed his brow.
"Sangyang's black society boss? The one who got killed last night?"
"That guy was a fake. Just a front man."
"What? A fake?"
A sudden thought struck him, and he asked,
"Don't tell me... No. 50 killed him?"
"I'm not sure."
"What do you know, then?"
Bi Jangno exploded in anger, then shot a glare at Jwa Hu.
You didn't know either?
Jwa Hu flushed with embarrassment and averted his eyes. He'd only confirmed Baekhwa Pavilion's location last night where No. 50 was staying, then returned and resumed surveillance in the morning, so he had no idea about Won Seung's nocturnal outing.
Jong Bi spoke up.
"He did sneak out quietly last night. I only found out later."
"Hmm. Do you know why he's asking about Sangyang's black society boss?"
"The black society killed U Seon-saeng, the manager of Baekhwa Pavilion, so it seems like he's seeking revenge."
Jong Bi gave an answer close to the truth.
"Baekhwa Pavilion? Oh, right. That's your safehouse, isn't it?"
Jong Bi snapped to attention. From here on, she had to choose her words carefully.
Won Seung hadn't forgotten that Jwa Hu had tailed her when she returned last night.
Jwa Hu would have reported to Bi Jangno that Won Seung was staying at Baekhwa Pavilion, along with Hyeol Hwa and Yong Jo-un.
That contradicted what Jong Bi had previously reported to Bi Jangno.
Blaming Jong Bi for not noticing the tail wouldn't help.
Instead, Won Seung had fabricated a new story and decided to request branch support as part of it.
"Baekhwa Pavilion specializes in forgeries, and No. 50 paints and sells pictures there... It's a kind of business connection."
"Paints and sells pictures?"
"He's pretty good at it. U Seon-saeng even set him up with a place to stay in the inner quarters. They get along like brothers."
This dispelled suspicions about safehouse funding and explained why he was living at Baekhwa Pavilion.
So that's the Sipjeon... Disguised as a scholarly painter, huh.
Bi Jangno muttered to himself.
"But for some reason, the black society killed the manager, cutting off his sales channel. No. 50's furious about it."
"So he kills the black society boss instead? Ignores the target he's supposed to kill? What a weirdo."
"No. 50 said it's not just simple revenge—it's connected to the three-way duel too."
Bi Jangno nodded. As a Jeokhyeolsan elder, he was well aware of the shadowy power struggles between martial factions.
With Gwancheonbang and Cheongsu Gate clashing, it was natural for the black dao to muscle in for a piece of the pie.
After a moment's thought, Bi Jangno said,
"Give him what he wants. Tell the branch I requested it."
He then gave her details on the Sangyang branch.
Gwancheonbang was shrouded in heavy tension ahead of tomorrow's three-way duel.
Gu Ja-ang feigned composure all day while secretly preparing his escape.
Packing his hidden funds and valuables, he leaped for joy at the unexpected news that Yu Bul-gun had arrived from Huangdo.
In truth, all this stemmed from Yu Bul-gun. Without his instigation to unify control over the Sang River, there'd have been no reason to act.
Communication had grown sparse lately, putting him in a tough spot...
The Seong Wang's will is firm, after all.
Bringing in Yu Bul-gun to confirm Seong Wang's backing would dispel Cheon Il-hae's suspicions and restore his position as Gwancheonbang's chief steward and strategist.
Yet unease gnawed at him.
He'd heard of Yu Bul-gun's arrival in Sangyang from a subordinate monitoring the Taesu office.
If he's come to Sangyang, shouldn't he come straight to me?
Last year in Huangdo, Yu Bul-gun had personally welcomed him.
—I've long admired Sangyang's premier strategist, Senior Gu Ja-ang. It's truly an honor to meet you.
Those words had filled him with pride.
But now, arriving in Sangyang without even notifying him... A chill settled in his chest.
This isn't the time to dwell.
Disguised and sneaking in, no doubt.
Until now, he'd acted to Cheon Il-hae like he and Yu Bul-gun were old confidants. If Yu Bul-gun ignored him and left, Cheon Il-hae's trust would hit rock bottom.
Gu Ja-ang hurriedly prepared to go out, but Gwan Ju-gyeon tagged along.
"Why are you following me, Elder Gwan?"
"Tomorrow's the duel. The bangju ordered me to protect the chief strategist's safety."
Gwan Ju-gyeon said it casually.
Among Gwancheonbang's top experts, Cheon Il-hae, Gwan Ju-gyeon, and Pyeong In-gang—who was recovering from a recent duel—stood out.
He's babysitting me!
The Cheon Il-hae that Gu Ja-ang knew was hot-tempered and impulsive, but sharp as a tack. He'd anticipated an escape attempt.
"I need to meet someone who's traveling incognito. It can't leak out."
"Treating me like an outsider?"
Gwan Ju-gyeon gave him a look of disbelief, leaving him speechless.
"That's not it, but..."
"Let's make it quick. We've got a lot to prepare for tomorrow's duel."
In the end, they left Gwancheonbang together.
Upon reaching Unhwa House, Gu Ja-ang said,
"As I said, this person's visit must stay secret..."
"Got it. I'll wait here. Go meet him."
Gwan Ju-gyeon plopped down at a first-floor table by the door and ordered drinks and snacks.
Gu Ja-ang ascended to the second floor and headed for the room where Yu Bul-gun was staying. As he raised his hand to knock, a figure slipped out of nowhere to block him.
"What do you want?"
It was a shadowy bodyguard.
"Tell the man inside that Gu Ja-ang of Gwancheonbang is here."
The guard went in, then returned shortly after.
"He says he's busy with important matters right now and can't meet. He'll contact you later—please leave."
"W-what? Did you relay that properly?"
"This old man? You think I'm some errand boy who can't even deliver a message?"
With the haughty demeanor of a Seongwangbu guard, he issued the dismissal.
"Off with you."
Flustered, Gu Ja-ang glanced around and locked eyes with Gwan Ju-gyeon staring up from the first-floor table by the door.
His gaze was ice-cold.
Gwan Ju-gyeon had opposed striking Cheongsu Gate from the start. He resented Gu Ja-ang for convincing Cheon Il-hae to stir up trouble in Sangyang... But that look now.
You got turned away at the door?
It demanded.
Oh, no...
Jo Bang-un's mangled corpse flashed before his eyes.
No wind blew, yet Gu Ja-ang's white chin beard trembled.
The Jeokhyeolsan Sangyang branch was a pawnshop on the antiques street, dealing in loans against old valuables.
Jong Bi had gone straight there and learned the true identity of Sangyang's black society boss.
Won Seung was mildly surprised.
"So Sangyang's black society boss was the Shipowners Association chairman..."
Along the Sang River, guilds abounded. The labor guild was one; there were also the shipowners guild, innkeepers alliance, warehouse guild, and more—covering every human endeavor. These guilds monopolized their trades, shared profits, and solidified their own worlds.
Rumor had it that Deung Noya, the so-called black society boss, owned two-thirds of the ships floating on the Sang River—a true tycoon.
"The chairmen are coming to tomorrow's duel too... So Deung Noya will show up."
Won Seung could guess what Deung Noya wanted.
He aimed to seize the labor guild after the shipowners.
At over seventy, he shouldn't have regrets left even if he died tomorrow... But his greed knows no bounds.
Won Seung knew well that the rich always wanted more.
If the true black society boss was the shipowners chairman... Perhaps the innkeepers or warehouse guilds had joined him too.
The shipowners guild was lucrative, but the labor guild was pure gold. Unlike shipowners who built and operated vessels, the labor guild needed no capital—just an office at the docks.
To them, Gwancheonbang and Cheongsu Gate must have been thorns, raking in massive profits without lifting a finger.
On his way back from the Taesu office, he'd met Cheon Il-hae of Gwancheonbang and Hwa Cheon-un of Cheongsu Gate to finalize duel details, casually probing about the black society. Neither knew the true boss's identity.
That meant Deung Noya was Sangyang's real power broker.
What if they all die in tomorrow's three-way duel?
If the black society allied with Seongwangbu... Hadn't Yu Bul-gun arrived with Seongwangbu elites too?
Deung Noya surely knew about reinforcements from Dosanrim and Geom Yak Jong. He'd prepared countermeasures.
They could just kill everyone and reset the board. Talk about the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the sparrow behind—the classic dangnanggyuseon.
Then a chilling realization hit him like lightning.
My name's probably on Deung Noya's hit list.
Having killed his proxy, Gu Ak-pyeong, Deung Noya wouldn't let the culprit slide.
Time to bounce.
Sangyang right now was a forest of hidden blades. Who knew which blind sword might claim him? Cheon Seok-san was already gunning for him.
Won Seung turned to Jong Bi.
"Pack our things."
"Good call. Small fry like us can't do shit. But how do we carry the silver?"
Jong Bi, who'd been stressed since Bi Jangno arrived, nodded brightly.
"We'll hide it."