Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: The Carpenter's Scheme
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Yeom Seong-in, Head Carpenter of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild.
Though he had already reached the age of sixty, a lifetime of labor had given the old man a physique as robust as any youth’s.
After entrusting the guild’s affairs to his son upon reaching old age, he had stepped back from the front lines to devote himself to training young carpenters.
There was, however, one matter he never took his eyes off: anything related to the Sinpyeong Brewery.
Although they walked different paths—one in construction, the other in brewing—they were, in a sense, rivals.
Who could possibly match them in the field of construction?
It was enough for his son to simply maintain the status quo.
What mattered was who held more sway with the government and the populace as a local power.
But no matter how much the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild prospered, they were always one step behind, making the Sinpyeong Brewery a constant thorn in his side.
He couldn't stand the fact that those who did nothing but make liquor were held in higher regard than his own noble self, who erected fortresses and constructed buildings.
Thus, he wanted to bring them down, one way or another. Unlike the brewery, which focused more on the common folk, he maintained closer ties with government officials and martial arts sects.
That was precisely why he had built the mechanism formations for the Zhongnan Sect free of charge.
It had cost a fair bit of coin, but couldn't they just make up the profit elsewhere?
Thanks to that, he had forged a connection with Zhongnan.
But just when he thought he had finally caught up, the Sinpyeong Brewery remained stubbornly ahead of them.
It was because of that damn liquor.
Didn't the newly appointed governor of Shaanxi insist on drinking only Sinpyeong's wine?
He could bear it no longer. This time, he wanted to ruin the Sinpyeong Brewery itself.
Then, just in time, an opportunity arose.
A chance to make the Sinpyeong Brewery yield.
However…
“What did you say?”
“…I saw it with my own two eyes.”
The report from Ju Se-gi, whom he had sent to pressure the brewery, was utterly ridiculous.
He’d left in the morning, wandered around until late at night, and this was what he came back with…
“The Demonic Cult is building them a brewery?”
“Yes.”
“…”
Yeom Seong-in stared in disbelief at Ju Se-gi, who nodded with an exhausted look on his face.
“Se-gi. You son of a bitch.”
“Yes?”
At Yeom Seong-in’s lowered voice, Ju Se-gi cautiously lifted his head and blinked.
“Do you really think that makes any sense?”
“Of course, I also think it makes no sense, but…”
“But?”
“I saw it myself.”
“Ah, you saw it with your own two eyes?”
“Yes.”
“…”
“Warriors of the Demonic Cult were carrying massive stones and effortlessly lifting huge trees.”
As Ju Se-gi animatedly explained with gestures and all, Yeom Seong-in’s eyes narrowed further.
“…You, have you been day-drinking?”
“Pardon?”
“Do you even know what kind of organization the Demonic Cult is?”
“Well, they’re one of the three powers that divide the current murim…”
“Right, one of the three pillars supporting the current murim. Furthermore, they are rumored to be teeming with monsters with three heads and six arms.”
“That’s right.”
“And those guys are building a brewery?”
“Yes. I heard the Demonic Cult’s Third Young Master is personally leading the construction.”
“And on top of that, a man of his stature, the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult?”
“Indeed.”
“Why?”
“Pardon?”
“Why is a man like that doing the work of carpenters like us?”
“Ah, that… I was told it’s because of the Taibai Wine.”
“Taibai… Wine?”
“Yes. A warrior of the Demonic Cult I met at the entrance of the brewery told me so himself.”
“…”
Ju Se-gi reported everything without a hint of falsehood. He hadn’t exaggerated a single word.
However…
“Hah, this bastard… I trusted him with a job, and it turns out he really was day-drinking.”
“Pardon?”
“You crazy bastard! Why in the world would the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult be building a brewery!”
Seeing Ju Se-gi’s bewildered expression, Yeom Seong-in’s pent-up anger finally exploded, and his furious roar echoed throughout the room.
“I’ll kill this son of a bitch! I’ve been too soft on you, and now you’ve got the nerve to pull this! Today, I’m going to crack your skull open!”
“H-Head Carpenter, sir! It’s true! I really saw it!”
“You still dare, you bastard!”
Yeom Seong-in snatched the golden hammer that stood beside him. It was a hammer he had commissioned when the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild rose to prominence, feeling they needed a symbol like the martial sects.
It even had a grand name, the Blue Cloud Golden Hammer, and it was now raised high, poised to smash Ju Se-gi’s head.
“Guild Master, please wait a moment.”
“What is it!?”
Just as the hammer was about to swing down, someone stopped his hand.
It was the general manager, Han Yeol-bi, the goateed scholar who managed the guild’s affairs.
“Perhaps… what Se-gi says might be true.”
“What did you say? Did you come here drunk too?”
“It’s not that… A similar incident occurred in a nearby village recently.”
“What? A similar incident?”
“Yes. You must have heard about it, Guild Master.”
“Heard what?”
“The fight between the King of the Green Forest and the Demonic Cult’s Third Young Master.”
“You mean that rumor that’s been going around lately?”
“Yes.”
As Han Yeol-bi interjected, the terrified Ju Se-gi quickly chimed in.
“I heard about it too! I heard all the details!”
“You son of a bitch! You shut your mouth!”
“…”
As Yeom Seong-in glared, raising the hammer high, Ju Se-gi flinched and shrank back.
“Huu, so what? What about it?”
“It was strange. The rumor spread so rapidly, as if someone had deliberately orchestrated it.”
“So what! When has a day gone by without martial artists fighting? What does that have to do with our business?”
“Actually, I did some digging… and it seems the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult is personally overseeing the repairs of the inn and its surroundings that were destroyed in that fight.”
“…”
At Han Yeol-bi’s words, one of Yeom Seong-in’s eyes twitched violently.
These two, were they in this together…?
The Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult was the Cult Leader’s disciple. Why would a man like that meddle in their livelihood unless he was insane?
The Demonic Cult wasn’t some gang of carpenters.
“Hah, General Manager. Don’t you start, too. Do I need to smash your head in as well?”
“You shouldn’t think of it that way.”
“What do you mean, I shouldn’t think of it that way?”
“I looked into it, just in case… and it seems this problem could be quite serious.”
“What?”
“It’s the recent trend in the murim.”
“…”
As Han Yeol-bi’s voice grew grave, Yeom Seong-in finally lowered the hammer and listened.
“The Demonic Cult is said to be establishing branches throughout the murim.”
“What? Why would the Demonic Cult do that?”
“I don’t know the details, but I heard the Orthodox Murim Alliance has entered into an agreement with them.”
“What does that mean? So the Third Young Master isn’t just out for a stroll, he’s here to establish a branch?”
“According to my findings, yes.”
A thought seemed to strike Yeom Seong-in, who put down the hammer with a hardened expression and returned to his seat.
If that was true, this was not a matter to be taken lightly. First, he needed to hear Han Yeol-bi out.
“Se-gi.”
“Yes?”
“You may leave.”
“Leave?”
“Yes. Go.”
“…Yes, sir.”
Though hesitant, Ju Se-gi scurried out of the room as if fleeing, lest Yeom Seong-in change his mind.
The sound of his retreating footsteps followed.
“General Manager.”
“Yes.”
“Continue with what you were saying.”
“Yes.”
Han Yeol-bi took a moment to compose himself before continuing.
“Setting aside the inn repairs, what do you think will happen if the Sinpyeong Brewery forges a connection with the Demonic Cult through this opportunity?”
“Hmm… Are you saying our scheme to ruin the brewery might be exposed? But it’s already collapsed, hasn’t it? We’ve erased all traces.”
“I am speaking of a worst-case scenario.”
“Hmm…”
At Han Yeol-bi’s words, Yeom Seong-in’s face grew even harder.
The Sinpyeong Brewery’s distillery.
Yeom Seong-in had hired mercenaries to intentionally collapse it.
All so that the brewery would suffer losses and self-destruct…
That was also why he had quoted an absurdly high price for the construction and then delayed the work.
But what if, as Han Yeol-bi suggested, the Demonic Cult discovered something?
“Damn it… The entire Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild could be wiped out.”
“Exactly.”
“So, what’s your plan?”
“First, why don’t you confirm it for yourself?”
“Confirm?”
“Yes.”
“What is there to confirm?”
“I’ve found out that recently, carpenters with no connection to us have been flocking to the eastern part of Shaanxi Province.”
“The east? In the Mount Hua Sect’s territory?”
“Yes. I believe that is where the Demonic Cult’s branch is being established.”
“Then why is that Third Young Master fellow causing such a ruckus here?”
“That is something we must find out. But from what I’ve gathered so far, there is only one place in Shaanxi where the Demonic Cult has an agreement with the Orthodox Faction. If they attempt to gain influence in a location outside of that agreement, the Orthodox Murim Alliance will certainly not stand by. The Zhongnan Sect would be the first to rise up.”
“Hmph.”
His words had merit.
No, they were likely accurate. Though he was a scholar who had not learned martial arts, he was once known as a man of great skill in a sizable Unorthodox Faction sect.
Yeom Seong-in had spent a fortune to save him from being executed for embezzlement and to give him a new identity, but it was because of him that the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild had risen to its current position.
And wouldn't a man who had a foot in the world of murim be far more knowledgeable about its affairs than a mere carpenter like himself?
“Tell me. What should we do?”
“First, Guild Master, you should meet with the Demonic Cult’s Third Young Master.”
“Meet the Third Young Master?”
“Yes.”
“…Hmm.”
He was reluctant.
What if he was a monster with three heads and six arms, just as the rumors said?
“Can’t you do it? You know the world of murim much better than I do.”
It seemed that even Yeom Seong-in, who was as fearsome as a tiger to his carpenters, was afraid of martial artists—no, of the Demonic Cult.
“Guild Master, our opponent is the Demonic Cult, an entity the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild cannot even dare to look up to. If someone like me requests a meeting with their Third Young Master, do you think they would even open the gate for me?”
“Still…”
“Do not worry. They will not act rashly.”
“…”
“It will be fine. They are also conscious of the Orthodox Murim Alliance. If they try to threaten you, stand firm and be bold. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to mention your connection with the Zhongnan Sect.”
“Will that be enough?”
“Of course, it will be more than enough.”
“I understand. And what should I do after that?”
“If you find any evidence that they are trying to gain even the slightest influence here…”
Han Yeol-bi’s eyes glinted sharply.
“We must inform the Zhongnan Sect.”
“Huh? Inform Zhongnan?”
“Indeed. Guild Master, would you stand idly by? If a thief barged into your home without permission?”
“I see. Use Zhongnan to drive out the Demonic Cult?”
The tension on Yeom Seong-in’s face finally eased, replaced by a bright expression.
“That’s right. The important thing is to clearly grasp their intentions. Only then can we get Zhongnan to act.”
“Alright. I can certainly make an effort to do that much.”
“If this goes well… we might even be able to completely crush the Sinpyeong Brewery, just as you’ve always wished, Guild Master.”
“What?”
“Think about it. If the Demonic Cult truly violated their agreement…”
“…”
“The Orthodox Murim Alliance despises the Demonic Cult. Would they leave the Sinpyeong Brewery untouched after it has befriended them? Even if they only hired them for construction without forming any ties, they wouldn't look upon it favorably.”
“W-Will it really turn out that way?”
“It will, and more. Just trust me. If we truly succeed in driving out the Demonic Cult, will Zhongnan be the end of it? We might even be recognized for our contribution and form a connection with the Orthodox Murim Alliance itself.”
“…”
Seeing Han Yeol-bi’s confident demeanor, Yeom Seong-in nodded eagerly, his face beaming.
The Sinpyeong Brewery was no longer the issue.
No matter how great the name of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild was, it was just a carpenters’ guild known only in Shaanxi.
But if things went as Han Yeol-bi said, they could establish a direct link to the Orthodox Murim Alliance.
Thinking of it as a golden opportunity to transform from a local carpenters’ guild into one renowned throughout the Central Plains, courage began to boil up from deep within his chest.
Like a greedy frog, unaware of the size of its own mouth, opening wide to swallow a tiger…