Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: The Master Carpenter's Return
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“Pfft! Who came to the Sinpyeong Brewery?”
At the news delivered first thing in the morning, Yeom Seong-in, the master of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild, spat out the tea he was drinking.
“Sin-gong. They said it was definitely Sin-gong.”
“...They brought that old geezer Sin-gong back? Those bastards!”
Yeom Seong-in’s face flushed crimson with rage.
Sin-gong was a master carpenter who had once been his rival.
A fool who knew nothing of business and focused only on building.
What good was skill? What good was the respect of other carpenters? He didn't know how the world worked, so he was bound to lose the fight against him.
Yeom Seong-in had started by chipping away at those around him.
A few had left their hometowns and scattered, but most of the carpenters who had followed Sin-gong were now part of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild.
For him to return now, it had to be a deliberate act.
The Sinpyeong Brewery and the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult.
Judging by how they had treated him, it was undoubtedly their scheme.
He hadn't liked the master of the Sinpyeong Brewery, but that insolent brat from the Demonic Cult kept getting under his skin.
“Father, what should we do? If Sin-gong has returned... the carpenters might be swayed.”
“...”
At the concern of his son and the junior guild master, Yeom Byeong-tae, Yeom Seong-in furrowed his brow.
Though he'd cherished him like a precious treasure, the boy was an incompetent fool who had yet to achieve anything on his own.
Forcibly hiding his disdain, Yeom Seong-in took a breath and shook his head.
“Swayed? What does it matter if Sin-gong returns to the Sinpyeong Brewery?”
“Pardon? But surely they were the ones who brought him here?”
“Of course, they were.”
“...”
“But with the Zhongnan Sect watching with sharp eyes, what can a member of the Demonic Cult possibly do? You, don't worry and just focus on learning how to run the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild as usual. Your father will take care of the rest.”
“...Yes, Father.”
Yeom Byeong-tae nodded at Yeom Seong-in’s confident declaration.
“The rest of you may leave. Watch your mouths so you don't stir up trouble with needless talk.”
“Yes, Guild Master.”
At Yeom Seong-in’s command, Yeom Byeong-tae and the leaders of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild withdrew.
Yes, just as he told everyone, there was no need to worry.
Their intention was obvious. Seeing Neung Un-bi’s attitude toward him before, he was probably thinking of setting up a rival business using Sin-gong.
But by what means?
Even if Sin-gong possessed architectural skills that could astound the heavens, the situation wouldn't allow it.
As he said, there was an agreement with the Orthodox Faction. The Demonic Cult starting a business? That was absurd.
There was no need for him to get involved personally.
No, weren't they opponents too strong for him to handle? Even if he was just a brat who had barely come of age, he was still from the Demonic Cult.
So, he had contacted the Zhongnan Sect. It was a relationship built by spending a fortune to construct the Zhongnan Sect's structural formations. He sent them a letter stating that the Demonic Cult was forming ties with the Sinpyeong Brewery within Zhongnan's territory to reap benefits.
Along with a hefty pouch of gold...
Even without the money, the Zhongnan Sect, which had long upheld the banner of expelling the demonic, would not turn a blind eye.
Would they really stand by and watch the Demonic Cult establish itself in their territory?
Trouble was sure to follow.
Furthermore, even the Demonic Cult couldn't ignore the Zhongnan Sect, one of the Nine Sects. Wasn't it that ill-mannered brat who had ignored the agreement in the first place?
So now, all he had to do was wait.
Whether a fight broke out or blood was shed, that was a matter for the martial artists.
He just needed to be fully prepared for the aftermath.
After the Zhongnan Sect drove out the Demonic Cult. That would be his time to move.
He would exaggerate their ties to the Demonic Cult and drive out both Sin-gong and the Sinpyeong Brewery.
Hadn't he already instructed his general manager, Han Yeol-bi, to draw up a detailed plan for that?
It was what one would call public manipulation.
He would claim that the Sinpyeong Brewery, which had outwardly performed good deeds, was secretly colluding with the Demonic Cult to commit all sorts of illegal acts.
And that no one knew what was in the liquor they produced.
Of course, there were still plenty of palms to grease before that.
Justice? Loyalty?
They were just fancy words, utterly useless.
In all his life, he had never seen money betray him. Money was justice, and money was loyalty.
Of course, it would cost a considerable sum. He had to bribe the officials and show a good deal of sincerity to the Zhongnan Sect's vassal families in the area to ensure their support was on his side.
“Damn bastards.”
Grinding his teeth at the thought of the immense fortune he would have to place in their hands, Yeom Seong-in reached under the table.
Hadn't he prepared ample funds for a day like this?
Illicitly hidden funds, saved for the future of his family. Money that would never cause him trouble, no matter how he spent it.
It was money that couldn't even be recorded in the ledgers, but what could he do? It was for the future of his family.
A sly smile on his lips, Yeom Seong-in firmly pressed the protrusion that opened the secret safe.
*Click, clack.*
The door opened with the sound of turning mechanisms.
“...?”
But something was strange.
It was supposed to be here, but he couldn't see it.
The sole token that could locate the funds he had gathered illegally.
The one he had wrapped in a silk cloth and stored away...
“What is this...”
Blinking in bewilderment, Yeom Seong-in finally lit a lamp and shone it inside the safe.
...Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Staring blankly at the empty safe, Yeom Seong-in’s eyes widened.
There were no signs of a break-in. Besides, didn't even his own son know about the secret safe?
“Haha, my mind must be going... Did I put it somewhere else?”
Yeom Seong-in's hands began to move faster, and soon his residence was turned upside down.
He checked the same places over and over again.
Finally, he realized it.
The token was gone. The only token that could lead him to the money he had secretly amassed over his entire life...
“This is strange. Where on earth did I put it?”
Still not considering the possibility that someone had stolen it, Yeom Seong-in began to meticulously search the completely overturned room once more.
***
“Gasp! What is this?”
“What do you think? This should be enough, right?”
“...”
Neung Un-bi’s words made the old man’s eyes go wide.
Enough? What kind of question was that?
Before the old man were several chests.
Light spilled from the open lids, bathing the entire room in a golden hue.
They were filled with money and gold bars.
Even for an old man who usually regarded gold as mere stone, he couldn't help but be astonished by the sheer amount before him.
“Why... why are you showing this to me?”
The old man asked, his eyes full of disbelief, and Neung Un-bi replied with a faint smile.
“I believe I’ve already stated my intentions.”
“...”
The old man stared at him blankly.
The young man before him, who had identified himself as the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult, Neung Un-bi.
He had heard that no one in the Demonic Cult was sane, but he never thought he'd be truly mad.
The old man, who was called Sin-gong, glanced back and forth between the chests filled with gold and Neung Un-bi.
His real name was Lee Se-deuk, but no one ever called him that.
He was simply Sin-gong. He was called so because his skill in architecture and craftsmanship was considered nothing short of divine.
But while he had the skill, he lacked cunning, and thus fell for the despicable schemes of Yeom Seong-in of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild, losing everything.
He left his hometown and wandered for a long time, looking for work wherever he could find it.
He had just returned after hearing that the master of the Sinpyeong Brewery was looking for him.
In truth, he had practically been captured.
Was his name Ju Seung?
A man had appeared out of nowhere, mentioned the name of the brewery master, and as soon as he consented, he was bundled up and carried away.
When he arrived at the Sinpyeong Brewery, many others were already there. They were the carpenters who had built many buildings with him in the past.
And together, they met a man named Neung Un-bi.
Hadn't he bluntly said he would provide as much money as needed, asking him to run a carpentry workshop?
“Hah, so you were serious?”
“Of course.”
“For what reason? I heard you are from the Demonic Cult... Why would you be interested in a carpentry workshop? Is the Demonic Cult planning some large-scale construction?”
At Sin-gong’s question, Neung Un-bi smiled and shook his head.
“To be honest, I couldn't care less about the workshop.”
“Pardon?”
“I just can't stand the sight of those from the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild strutting around.”
“What do you mean by that...?”
“I hear you hold a deeper grudge against the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild than anyone.”
“That’s an understatement! I'm the one whose blood boils just thinking about what that bastard has done!”
“That’s why you’re the right person for the job.”
“...?”
“It's frustrating, but this isn't a matter where I can use force, is it?”
“W-well...”
“So, I plan to establish a rival company and bring down the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild.”
“...”
Watching Neung Un-bi speak so calmly, Sin-gong couldn't hide his bewilderment.
Was there another Demonic Cult he didn't know about?
Weren't they the ones who would indiscriminately slaughter people, whether in the martial world or among civilians, if they were crossed?
Of course, doing so would cause a major incident with the martial artists of the Central Plains.
“I heard you are a disciple of the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult... If you dislike the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild, wouldn't it be faster to cause a bloodbath? Why take such a roundabout way?”
“Pardon? A bloodbath? What a terrifying thing to say.”
Neung Un-bi feigned shock and waved his hands, and Hwang Ja-seong, standing beside him, chuckled.
“Listen here, Sin-gong.”
“...?”
“This man is not that kind of person.”
“Not that kind of person?”
“Perhaps... we have been too prejudiced against the Demonic Cult.”
“Master Hwang, what do you mean?”
“Well... you’ll come to understand in time, won't you?”
Seeing Hwang Ja-seong seemingly siding with Neung Un-bi, Sin-gong's confusion only grew.
“Listen here, Sin-gong. You know what Yeom Seong-in of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild has been doing all this time.”
“Hmm...”
“That is precisely why the Third Young Master has stepped in. Because he has seen the suffering of those who have been tormented by that man.”
“...The Demonic Cult wants to help people?”
“That's right. That’s why I’ve decided to form a connection with the branch the Third Young Master is establishing.”
“Wh-what? The Sinpyeong Brewery is forming a tie with the Demonic Cult?”
“At the very least... it seems far better than the government office or the Zhongnan Sect, who not only ignore the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild but also cover for them.”
“...”
At those words, Sin-gong stared blankly at Hwang Ja-seong’s face.
He had heard it had only been a few days since he met this man, Neung Un-bi. Hadn't he entrusted him with the construction of the collapsed distillery?
Yet here he was, with a look of such trust, as if he had been brainwashed.
For Sin-gong, who knew Hwang Ja-seong well, it was a situation that was difficult to comprehend.
“...Hmph, how can you guarantee it?”
“Guarantee? What do you mean?”
“The Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild was like that too.”
“...”
“At first, they just helped people. They didn't take a single coin. I once praised his good deeds until my mouth went dry. But it was all a ploy. He started to gobble up the nearby carpentry groups one by one, and in the end, he had a virtual monopoly.”
“I heard. That's when he started to raise the prices indiscriminately, right?”
“That's right. We had no choice. They were the only ones left, so we had to use them, like it or not.”
“...”
“From then on, his greed grew, and he started to dabble in things other than the carpentry workshop. It was the same method. And this is the mess we're in now. I reported it to the officials, and I pleaded with the Zhongnan Sect's vassal families. But they were all in it together. Instead, I was treated like a madman spouting nonsense.”
“I’m sure you were.”
“...So what makes you think I should trust you?”
Sin-gong stared with sharp eyes, but Neung Un-bi calmly met his gaze and smiled.
“Of course, you wouldn't trust the Demonic Cult.”
“...”
“I won't ask you to trust me. But at least one thing is certain.”
“And what is that?”
“We do not use force against those who are not martial artists. Also, I will not interfere in your work in any way. As long as you don't become overly greedy and cause harm to the common people.”
“...”
“On that part, I will promise not in my name, but in the name of the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult. I don't know if you're aware, but for our Demonic Cult, that is a promise as valuable as our lives.”
“...”
He suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine.
Someone who would stake his life on a promise. A martial artist who considered the welfare of the common people.
“Haha, well, well... I don't know if I should believe this.”
Sin-gong let out a hollow laugh and turned his head.
The construction of the Sinpyeong Brewery's distillery was in full swing.
With martial artists carrying the materials themselves, the work was progressing very quickly.
But there was no trace of meticulousness.
It was as if they were just slamming things together with brute force.
“Hey! That won't do!”
“...?”
“How can you do construction in such a haphazard way! I can't just stand by and watch this.”
Looking somewhat angry, Sin-gong suddenly rolled up his sleeves.
“What are you all doing? Are you going to leave the construction to people who know nothing about architecture? Get a move on!”
Sin-gong shouted at the carpenters standing idly behind him and ran toward the distillery.
Seeing this, Neung Un-bi and Hwang Ja-seong looked at each other and smiled faintly.
Sin-gong was persuaded. Now, the real fight begins.
In accordance with the Orthodox-Demonic Pact, he would bleed dry the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild and all the bastards who had committed injustices with them.
All perfectly legal, using the very money Yeom Seong-in of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild had spent his entire life hoarding.