Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Competition on the Waterway
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“On behalf of the Paeng family, I sincerely apologize for disregarding the honor of the Demonic Cult and acting rashly… Say it again. Politely.”
“…”
As Neung Un-bi provided the exact wording for the apology, Paeng Won-gil’s eye twitched.
*This bastard…*
He didn’t even offer me a seat, kept me standing this whole time, and now he says this?
“What’s wrong? Can’t you do it?”
“…”
“Hey, scion of the Paeng family.”
“…Speak.”
“An apology is the act of seeking forgiveness for one’s transgressions.”
“…”
“The very word implies shame and regret. In other words, it must be accompanied by genuine remorse, not just trying to smooth things over with a paltry sum of money like you are. Understand?”
At Neung Un-bi’s words, which sounded as if he were lecturing him, Paeng Won-gil ground his teeth. But he had no choice but to endure it.
“I… apologize…”
“Good. It’s not entirely satisfactory, but considering Elder Jin San’s efforts, I won’t question your sincerity. However, you should thank Elder Jin San for letting this end here. Be careful from now on.”
“I will… keep that in mind.”
“Then you may go. I’ll take good care of the settlement agreement.”
“…”
Neung Un-bi casually tossed the settlement agreement aside and waved his hand dismissively.
Then he turned his back on him.
His face flushed crimson, Paeng Won-gil glared at Neung Un-bi’s back as if he could devour him, then spun around sharply.
*Just you wait, you damned Demonic Cult bastard…*
*I'll endure it for now. But I'll make sure you know who gets the last laugh.*
Paeng Won-gil seethed, repeating the thought over and over as he left the Demonic Cult's branch.
“Let’s go!”
“Yes, sir!”
Watching through the window as he barked an order and left with his subordinates, Neung Un-bi smiled coldly.
*It must be humiliating.*
*You must feel utterly disgraced.*
*Yes, everyone feels their own pain most acutely.*
But your wound is nothing more than a splinter under a fingernail.
Compared to my grudge, born from losing comrades before my very eyes and being brutally crushed while screaming in despair, it is nothing.
So if you think this is the end of my revenge, you are mistaken. The real game begins now.
One day, I will uproot the very cornerstones of the Paeng family.
As Neung Un-bi stared out the window, vowing his revenge again and again until Paeng Won-gil was out of sight, Jin San, who had been present, spoke cautiously.
“Young Master Neung.”
“Ah, Elder Jin San. Thanks to you, the conflict with the Paeng family has been resolved without major incident. Thank you.”
“Ah, that…”
As Neung Un-bi bowed his head in gratitude, Jin San, who had been about to say something, gave an awkward smile.
There was a clear difference.
Paeng Won-gil’s apology and Neung Un-bi’s gratitude. There was a vast difference in their actions.
The presence or absence of sincerity.
Paeng Won-gil’s apology, delivered with a sour face as he handed over the settlement, was enough to make even him frown. His expression alone seemed to say, ‘I’ve done my part; it’s up to you to accept it.’
But Neung Un-bi’s gratitude was so heartfelt that it made Jin San himself feel a bit embarrassed.
“Hoo, Young Master Neung. I don’t know how you’ll take this, but…”
As Jin San hesitated, Neung Un-bi smiled and said.
“Please, don’t hesitate to speak. I am always ready to listen to your esteemed opinion.”
“Since you put it that way, I’ll share my thoughts.”
“Yes.”
“I understand you were angry about the Paeng family’s actions. You had every right to be. As a member of the Orthodox Faction, I was ashamed myself.”
“…?”
“But… wasn’t it a bit excessive? I mean, didn’t you push them too hard?”
“What do you mean?”
“The Paeng family is not to be taken lightly.”
“I know. They possess power great enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Nine Sects.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m saying they never forget a grudge, much like the Tang family.”
“…A grudge?”
“That’s right. For now, with public eyes on them and you holding the moral high ground, they’ve conceded… but they will dwell on this incident and try to obstruct your affairs.”
At Jin San’s worried words, Neung Un-bi smiled faintly.
“That’s a problem to think about when the time comes.”
“Hah, my boy. If it were such a simple problem, why would I be telling you this?”
“…?”
“Let’s say you helped the branch and received an apology from the Paeng family for now. But what about later? Why did you provoke them like that?”
Neung Un-bi stared intently at Jin San, who was venting his frustration.
“Think about it. What happened after the Sea Dragon Escort Agency revealed itself as a Demonic Cult branch?”
“…”
“Didn’t even the merchant guilds they’d been trading with cut ties?”
“They did.”
“Now that you’ve provoked the Paeng family, they’ll work even harder to isolate the Demonic Cult branch. Eventually, they’ll try to drive it out. Do you think the branch can withstand their offensive without you? And it’s quite a distance from the Demonic Cult’s main fortress; will support even arrive in time?”
“…”
“Although I’ve dedicated my life to martial arts and am not well-versed in these matters, I’m not a complete novice. Winning a negotiation is important, but you must always leave your opponent an escape route.”
Perhaps due to his excessive worry, Jin San’s words had grown quite long.
But Neung Un-bi, whether he understood the elder’s concern or not, simply kept smiling faintly.
“Um… Elder Jin San, are you worrying about the Demonic Cult right now?”
“Huh? I… When did I?”
“Aren’t you doing it right now?”
“…”
*Now that he mentioned it…*
Unlike the calm Neung Un-bi, it was Jin San who had been passionately worrying about the Demonic Cult branch.
“Ahem! Nothing of the sort.”
Seeing Jin San turn his head away with a slight blush, Neung Un-bi gave a mischievous smile.
*What a transparent old man.*
*It seems he really is a novice in these matters, to reveal his thoughts so easily…*
“Anyway, the Nine Sects and the Five Great Families are different.”
“How are they different?”
“They are! Hmm…”
Jin San, who was about to shout, swallowed his words.
But Neung Un-bi already guessed his meaning.
Though it was thirty years ago, how could Neung Un-bi, who once knew the ins and outs of the Orthodox Faction’s powers, not understand what he wanted to say?
The Nine Sects and the Five Great Families. Though lumped together and called the Orthodox Faction, their origins were fundamentally different.
Those who pursued martial arts starting from the Path and Buddhism, and those who pursued martial arts for profit.
The difference in their starting points led to enormous disparities.
What do they prioritize?
Of course, it wasn’t that the Nine Sects always did the right thing, nor that the Five Great Families were always obsessed with their own interests. After all, some of Neung Un-bi’s enemies had been scum from the Nine Sects.
But the prejudice created by such facts could not be ignored.
Wasn’t it the same with the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions?
It was a difference of values, yet people always believed the Orthodox Faction was in the right.
Furthermore, even the Nine Sects and the Five Great Families found it hard to escape such prejudice.
The Nine Sects, with their history and tradition.
The Five Great Families, with their wealth and military power.
They were competitors, yet they existed in a mutually complementary relationship…
Jin San probably wanted to tell him something along those lines.
But he must have held his tongue because he was speaking to a member of the Demonic Cult.
Whether one likes it or not, blood is thicker than water, and he knew that in the end, it would be like cutting off his nose to spite his face…
“Huu, anyway… I’m worried about whether the Demonic Cult branch will be able to hold on.”
At Jin San’s repeated worries, Neung Un-bi smiled faintly and said.
“Really… do you think so?”
“Hmm?”
“We’ll have to wait until the end to see who can’t hold on.”
“Huh?”
At Neung Un-bi’s sly smile, Jin San could only tilt his head in confusion.
*Why do you think I went to the Yellow River?*
*Damn it, my whole body still aches.*
*That blasted Chief…*
*An elder should know the meaning of moderation. I agreed to a spar, but did he really have to go all out?*
Well, thanks to that, I did get a little closer to the enlightenment Dokgo Seong showed me.
Because I practice a different sword art, I couldn’t make plum blossoms bloom, but…
*Squeeze.*
Neung Un-bi clenched his fist tightly, a strange smile on his face.
* * *
The next day.
The Golden Toad Merchant Guild, based in Samun Gorge, hurried to prepare for their trade journey from early dawn.
Carts full of goods were brought to the docks, and porters lined up to load them onto the ships. They once used the ships of the Sea Dragon Escort Agency, but now they used those of the escort agency run directly by the Paeng family.
It was a routine trade journey, but the guild master, Ho Gye-cheong, had to calm his trembling heart and slight nervousness.
Was a trade journey ever a simple affair? Unexpected problems could erupt at any moment.
Moreover, today was the first journey since changing escort agencies, so they had to be thoroughly prepared.
Checking if the cargo was loaded properly, if there were any issues with the inventory list, and so on.
The checks were complete. All that was left was to wait for the martial artists sent from the Paeng family’s branch to arrive.
But at the far end of the docks, a strange scene was unfolding.
“Huh? Hey, manager.”
“Yes, Guild Master.”
“Isn’t that the Sea Dragon Escort Agency, no, the Demonic Cult branch?”
“What?”
At Ho Gye-cheong’s words, the manager of the Golden Toad Merchant Guild snapped his head around.
Carts and people were approaching the dock. The flag identifying them was the Sun and Moon banner, different from before, but it was clearly the Demonic Cult branch, formerly the Sea Dragon Escort Agency.
But carts? And they’re full of cargo?
What in the world is going on?
It’s been so long since they revealed themselves as a Demonic Cult branch and all ties with the merchant world were severed…
“Tsk, tsk. It seems there’s still a merchant guild that hasn’t grasped the situation. To still be associated with the Demonic Cult branch…”
“But… the goods being loaded onto their ship look similar to our guild’s, don’t they?”
“Hmm…”
“Should I go and ask where they’re headed?”
“Go on.”
At Ho Gye-cheong’s order, the manager quickly departed.
A short while later, he returned with a bewildered expression, and the news he brought was quite shocking.
He couldn’t find out the name of the merchant guild, but their destination was the same as theirs. Moreover, their cargo was identical.
No matter how he thought about it, the situation was incomprehensible.
Was there even a merchant guild in Samun Gorge that handled such goods?
“Oh! Guild Master Ho! Good day to you!”
“…”
While he was deep in thought, Jeong Hyo-sang, the branch master of the Demonic Cult, greeted him familiarly.
But Ho Gye-cheong, worried about getting caught up in unnecessary gossip, deliberately ignored him and turned his head away.
A moment later, the martial artists from the Paeng family’s branch arrived with annoyed expressions, and soon, the Golden Toad Merchant Guild’s ship departed from the dock.
*Flap!*
The sight of the Golden Toad flag, depicting a golden toad, and the Paeng family’s flag fluttering side by side next to the sail was quite reassuring.
He didn’t know where they were going, but the Demonic Cult branch was still in the middle of loading. And the porters were working at a leisurely pace, taking their time.
The foundation of trade depends on how quickly you deliver the goods… At this rate… Tsk, tsk.
Besides, since their destination and cargo were the same as theirs, the merchant guild that chose the Demonic Cult branch would surely suffer a great loss.
Ho Gye-cheong clicked his tongue and turned his head in the direction the ship was sailing.
They sailed smoothly along the waterway for some time.
“Halt!”
River pirates, a common rite of passage for any trade journey, appeared. It was Ung Pyo, the Chief of the Seoha Fortress, with whom he was acquainted.
They had to stop. No matter that they flew the Paeng family’s flag, the river was their territory.
“Chief Ung Pyo, it’s been a while.”
“Ah, Guild Master Ho. So you’ve switched to the Paeng family’s ships as well.”
“That’s right. I look forward to your continued cooperation.”
“Hahaha, cooperation? It’s none of our business who the Golden Toad Merchant Guild aligns with. We just need to collect our rightful toll.”
“Of course. That’s perfectly reasonable.”
Ho Gye-cheong smiled and handed over the toll he had prepared in advance.
“Thanks as always. But today, I’m afraid we’ll have to inspect the ship.”
“Inspect it?”
“Yes. Someone escaped from our fortress.”
“Ah!”
“You don’t mind, do you?”
“Of course not. We will cooperate.”
Just as Ho Gye-cheong, not wanting to cause unnecessary trouble, allowed Ung Pyo to inspect the ship.
*Swoosh.*
“…?”
He saw a ship passing by leisurely.
But that ship… was none other than the Demonic Cult branch’s ship.
It sailed on calmly in front of everyone. And didn’t Ung Pyo just glance at it and pretend not to see?
“Um… Chief Ung Pyo?”
“Huh?”
“That ship is passing by, you see?”
“I saw it. Judging by the Sun and Moon banner, it’s the Demonic Cult branch’s ship.”
“…”
*Who wouldn’t know that?*
*But why aren’t you shouting your usual command? Shouldn’t you be yelling ‘Halt!’?*
“Umm… does the Demonic Cult branch not pay the toll?”
“Not pay? They do.”
“Then why…?”
“Ah, it’s a post-payment system.”
“What?”
*Post-payment? Since when was that a thing?*
“It’s an order from the Grand Chief. He made a deal with the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult. We’re to let them pass, record the ships that go by, and settle up later.”
“…Then what about the search?”
“Hey, this is the Demonic Cult we’re talking about. Would they let some unknown person on their ship?”
“That may be true, but… we’re on a Paeng family ship…”
“What? Are you talking back to me? Don’t tell me you’re hiding the runaway!?”
“…”
As Ung Pyo stared at him with suspicious eyes, Ho Gye-cheong clamped his mouth shut.
Meanwhile, the Demonic Cult branch’s ship was disappearing into the distance.
Calmly…
Time is life in the trade business. If the Demonic Cult branch’s ship unloads the same goods at the same destination first, what would become of them?
Ho Gye-cheong felt his world go dark.