Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: An Unwelcome Guest
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The main gate of Sinpyeong Brewery.
Yeom Seong-in, the owner of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild, was waiting, leading a group of carpenters with various tools hanging from their waists.
His purpose was singular: to find out the Demonic Cult's intentions in helping Sinpyeong Brewery.
But he couldn't just go up to the cultists and ask them directly.
What if those vicious cultists took offense?
So, Manager Han Yeol-bi had devised a clever plan to meet the cultists, and Yeom Seong-in, following that plan, had come to Sinpyeong Brewery with a host of carpenters and their tools.
“Master Yeom, what brings you here?”
Hwang Ja-seong, who had just arrived at the main gate after hearing the news, asked in a gruff tone.
“Aigoo, Master Hwang. It's been too long!”
“…”
Yeom Seong-in, his expression changing in an instant, approached with a look of pity and took Hwang Ja-seong's hand.
“I just heard about the unfortunate incident at your esteemed brewery. Can you believe it?”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed. I've been so busy with one thing and another…”
“…”
Hwang Ja-seong's face twisted at the sight of Yeom Seong-in's wide, forced smile.
He knew it was a lie.
Was it really possible he hadn't known?
He had been obstructing Sinpyeong Brewery's business with all sorts of excuses for ages.
“There's no need to pretend.”
“My, why would you say such a thing? Sinpyeong Brewery and the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild are practically family.”
“Family?”
Who was he calling family? What kind of family stabs each other in the back?
“By the way, I heard my son committed a great discourtesy to Sinpyeong Brewery.”
“Discourtesy?”
“A discourtesy, indeed. How could he put a price on the hardships of Sinpyeong Brewery, who are like family to us?”
“…”
“I heard that rascal asked for a whole kwan of silver for the construction costs.”
“He did.”
“That damn fool… When I heard the story, I gave him a good thrashing on his backside before I came.”
At those words, Hwang Ja-seong couldn't help but scoff.
*As if he would.*
Who didn't know that the son of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild was treated like a precious gem?
There were countless sordid tales about him, but the most recent one involved that very son—the one who supposedly got a thrashing—getting drunk, causing a ruckus, and injuring someone.
But an innocent passerby was named the culprit.
Despite there being more than one or two witnesses, the son's crime was pinned on someone else.
Hwang Ja-seong had stepped in when he learned of the situation, but the witnesses had already been bribed by the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild, and the passerby ended up being severely punished for a crime he didn't commit.
That kind of man did what? Gave his son a thrashing?
It was utter nonsense.
Furthermore, he was probably the one who had set the ridiculously high construction price for the brewery in the first place.
“Well, I see. For a moment, I mistakenly thought it was your doing, Master Yeom.”
“Of course not.”
Hwang Ja-seong's words were barbed, but Yeom Seong-in parried them nonchalantly, as if he had expected them.
“In any case, to atone for that discourtesy and to help Sinpyeong Brewery, I've brought all of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild's renowned carpenters.”
“…”
“This time, I will do it for free, with all my heart.”
“For free? That's as likely as the sun rising in the west. The Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild, who charges a silver coin just to build a doghouse, offering their services for free?”
Hwang Ja-seong, already guessing the situation, had no warmth in his gaze, and his tone was filled with sarcasm.
But Yeom Seong-in's expression remained unchanged.
“Haha, I never thought you would say such a thing, Master Hwang.”
“What?”
“Isn't it so? Don't you attach the grand name of Taibai Wine to mere liquor and charge a fortune for it?”
“What? How dare you!”
“You see? You're angry too, aren't you, Master Hwang? What is Taibai Wine? It is the very essence of Sinpyeong Brewery's distilling techniques. It is the same for me. Even if it's just a doghouse, it's built with dedication and skill. How can a single silver coin be excessive? Only the ignorant would say such things. Am I wrong?”
“…”
Caught in Yeom Seong-in's verbal trap, Hwang Ja-seong gritted his teeth and glared at him.
He wasn't wrong.
The high price of an item comes from the artisan's devotion poured into the materials.
The cost of the ingredients for Taibai Wine alone was tens of silver coins, and the aging process took over a decade.
And not every batch was a success.
But how could the saying about 'a doghouse from the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild' be the same?
It was an exaggeration meant to publicly condemn their practices, but it wasn't far from what actually happened.
They would slap the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild's name on a shoddily built shack made of planks and charge an enormous sum.
That's what people were pointing out.
But what was the point of arguing? He was a man he didn't even want to speak to in the first place.
“…Go home. We have no need for the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild's help, not now and not ever.”
“Go home when the brewery has collapsed? The losses from being closed for even a single day must be immense. Are you sure about this?”
“What? Haha, ahahaha!”
“…”
“Well, now, this is like a mouse worrying about a cat. You, Master Yeom, who never moves without a profit in sight, are concerned about our losses at Sinpyeong Brewery?”
Yeom Seong-in, who had been calmly deflecting Hwang Ja-seong's sarcasm, finally showed a change in his expression.
The order of his words was the problem.
A mouse and a cat? Why was he the mouse?
It seemed the damn fool still looked down on him.
“Listen here, Master Yeom. They say a white heron should not set foot where crows play. I don't even want to accept your sentiment.”
“You won't even accept my sentiment?”
“That's right. Besides, someone has already taken on the construction work, so how could I let another into my house? The night is late, so please go home.”
At the polite dismissal, the corners of Yeom Seong-in's mouth lifted slightly. He had finally heard the answer he wanted from Hwang Ja-seong.
“Oh, is that so? It seems you've already made a contract with someone. That's a relief. But who is it? Who is this person helping Sinpyeong Brewery?”
“Why would it matter to you who it is?”
“It matters. Yes, it matters a great deal.”
“What?”
“Actually, I heard a ridiculous rumor.”
“…?”
“That you hired people from the Demonic Cult.”
“…!”
For a moment, Hwang Ja-seong saw a glint in Yeom Seong-in's eyes.
*Ah…*
In my anger, I forgot that this snake of a man wouldn't have come without a reason. I should have considered that he must have had an ulterior motive.
“If, and I'm just saying if, the Demonic Cult really has taken on the work for Sinpyeong Brewery, then I, for one, cannot simply let it slide.”
“You can't let it slide?”
“Isn't it obvious? The Demonic Cult is a martial arts faction.”
“…”
“And this is Zhongnan territory.”
At those words, Hwang Ja-seong's lips tightened.
“According to what I found out after sending a message to Zhongnan, the place where the Demonic Cult is to establish its branch, through their agreement with the Orthodox Murim Alliance, is a place called Daeryeo, north of Huayin County where the Mount Hua Sect is based.”
“…”
“From what I hear, the Orthodox Murim Alliance only permitted them to conduct business related to their interests near the established branch. But isn't making a contract in Zhongnan territory, which is quite far from Daeryeo, not allowed? It could be called a clear violation. A matter that could cause friction between the Orthodox Murim Alliance and the Demonic Cult, perhaps?”
As Yeom Seong-in smirked, Hwang Ja-seong's face grew increasingly rigid.
Only then did he realize. The reason Yeom Seong-in had come to see him.
“Why the silence? Did you hire the Demonic Cult for the construction?”
“…”
Hwang Ja-seong couldn't answer.
Just a single bottle of Taibai Wine. That was the price Neung Un-bi had asked for in return for rebuilding the brewery.
It was essentially a favor done for free.
But now, that very act was about to cause trouble for the Demonic Cult.
If they made an issue out of that single bottle of Taibai Wine, it could escalate into a serious problem.
No, given Yeom Seong-in's character, he would more than escalate it. Though it was just wine, Taibai Wine sold for a considerable price on the market.
He would surely add fabricated stories to frame them.
“Hey, Master Hwang. How long are you going to stay silent? Speak up. Did you make a contract with the Demonic Cult? Did the Demonic Cult truly profit from this?”
“…That is.”
As Yeom Seong-in clung to the point like a leech, Hwang Ja-seong was at a complete loss.
Just then.
“Jeez, I was just going to listen quietly… What if we did make a contract?”
“…?”
At the voice that came out of nowhere, Hwang Ja-seong and Yeom Seong-in turned their heads at the same time.
“Th-Third Young Master!”
“…?”
Hwang Ja-seong couldn't hide his bewilderment at Neung Un-bi's sudden appearance.
The timing of his appearance was terrible.
What good could come from them being seen together?
“You must be… the much-rumored Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult?”
“…”
Yeom Seong-in, who had been staring at Neung Un-bi, immediately bowed his head in greeting, a smile on his face.
*Isn't he younger than I expected?*
*His martial arts might be formidable, but how much experience of the world could he have?*
*His thoughts probably aren't that deep either.*
*I've already come fully prepared on how to deal with the Demonic Cult, so for now, I just need to confirm the situation without upsetting him and then leave.*
But he waited for a long time, still bowed, and there was no response.
*Should I raise my head? Or should I keep waiting like this?*
Unsure how Neung Un-bi would react, Yeom Seong-in waited in silence as Neung Un-bi stared down at the back of his head.
He had heard their entire conversation on his way over.
It was said that one should never judge a person after hearing only one side of the story. How could those full of resentment make a fair judgment?
But right now, anyone could see that Yeom Seong-in's actions were reprehensible.
Wasn't it obvious he had come to pressure Hwang Ja-seong by bringing up his connection to the Demonic Cult?
And Zhongnan?
He'd never met a good person who cornered others by flaunting their backing.
In other words, the scales of judgment had already tipped toward Yeom Seong-in being the bad guy.
Therefore… he had no desire to treat him well. Naturally, there was no courtesy to be shown to him.
“Ahem, Third Young Master. I am from the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild…”
“Who asked you?”
“…Pardon?”
“I asked, did I ask who you are?”
“What do you mean…?”
“Do I have to spell it out for you?”
“…”
Yeom Seong-in's eyes twitched slightly as he clamped his mouth shut under Neung Un-bi's chilling gaze.
*This young brat…*
But what did age matter?
Yeom Seong-in, who groveled even before the second-generation disciples of Zhongnan, could not act carelessly toward the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult.
“Elder.”
“…Yes?”
Neung Un-bi's voice as he called out to Hwang Ja-seong.
It was just one word, but the atmosphere was starkly different.
To Yeom Seong-in, it was "you," but to Hwang Ja-seong, it was "Elder."
“From the looks of it, this person seems to be a guest… no, not even a guest. If your business is finished, let's go back inside. With you gone, the mood at the drinking table has soured.”
“Yes?”
Hwang Ja-seong could only blink blankly at the words delivered with a slight smile.
“Hey, you. Go home too. If you have business, come back after sunrise. Honestly, you have no manners, none at all.”
“Th-Third Young Master. I am from the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild…”
“Jeez, you're slow on the uptake. I never asked to exchange names, so why do you keep bothering me?”
“…”
Neung Un-bi scowled in annoyance, shooting a sidelong glance at Yeom Seong-in.
At that murderous gaze laced with demonic energy, Yeom Seong-in and his carpenters flinched and took a step back.
He wasn't usually the type to be so rude to his elders.
He hadn't learned about the order between elders and juniors for nothing, after all.
Neung Un-bi also knew that his current attitude was disrespectful, but what good would come from talking further with Yeom Seong-in in this situation?
He had clearly come here with a specific purpose.
In cases like this, it was better to end things ambiguously.
*However… Yeom Seong-in, Master of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild.*
*I'd heard bad rumors about you, but I was going to let it slide. I thought it wasn't right for the martial world to get involved in your squabbles.*
*But now, you threw the first punch.*
*Thanks to you bringing up Zhongnan and the Orthodox Murim Alliance, the martial world now has a foot in the door.*
*In that case, it wouldn't be right not to hit back.*
*Just you wait.*