To Hire You (2)
The next night, Wang Gon stared out the window as he listened to Wang U's report.
"I've dismissed everyone except the warriors directly under your command in the branch."
"Well done."
Beyond the warriors operating out of the branch, he had personally trained others as a precaution for crises. Yet when the crisis actually struck, those were the first to be sent away. In other words, they hadn't been a proper contingency.
One decisive lesson from this ordeal.
'I don't have enough money.'
Using money to weather the crisis was fine, but staggering like this was unacceptable. If another crisis hit, he'd be utterly helpless.
'I need to squeeze out cash somehow.'
That was his conclusion now. With ten thousand gold, even the Shin-hwa-bang Lord could be swayed.
"I've borrowed that much nyang from Yang the Elder."
"Good."
"It's not good. That damn old geezer acted like he didn't know me and demanded two percent interest per month."
"It's fine. Once we get past this hurdle, we can recover it all."
Wang Gon didn't give up. Surely, a way would present itself after this trial.
But there were plenty of tasks before then. He absolutely couldn't let it slip that he'd bribed Jeong-pung. He had to convincingly explain to the higher-ups that Yeom Jeong-gil—not himself—was the mastermind behind this mess. And he needed to push forward the delayed iron ore business to make the branch untouchable.
"From now on, you're in charge of the iron ore business."
It had originally been Heuk Su's responsibility.
"Report everything related to it, from one to ten."
"Yes."
Wang Gon raised his voice at the hesitant reply.
"You're too timid—that's your problem. You'll end up committing the folly of small gains, great losses."
It was right then. A voice that absolutely shouldn't be heard here drifted in.
"And what do you think your problem is?"
Wang Gon and Wang U whipped around in shock.
Yeom Jeong-gil stood behind the half-open door.
"Yeom the Hero! You've been released."
Though inwardly stunned, Wang Gon played it cool. Wang U's face, however, drained of color.
"Yes, just a little while ago."
As Baek So-cheon had predicted, he had come straight here.
"You must have suffered. Hero."
"Why did you do it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why bribe Jeong-pung?"
Yeom Jeong-gil didn't turn away. He was too furious and exhausted for that.
Naturally, Wang Gon denied it flat-out.
"It's a misunderstanding. I never did such a thing."
"Then why borrow money from that Yang the Elder?"
He had overheard their entire conversation.
Yeom Jeong-gil's gaze shifted to Wang U. Unlike Wang Gon, who lied without a flicker in his eyes, Wang U was pale and rigid with tension.
'That fool!'
Even if he feigned innocence with utter conviction, this trembling would ruin everything. It was enough to pin nonexistent crimes on him.
Wang Gon came clean. Upon reflection, with Yeom Jeong-gil freed, hiding it was impossible anyway.
"I'll be honest. Yes, I bought Jeong-pung off. I thought turning him to our side was the only way you and I could get out."
"But you got out first."
"I judged that I needed to move from outside to spring you easier. If my thinking was shortsighted..."
At that exact moment, Yeom Jeong-gil's sword flashed free.
Shiiik.
Sek.
The blade didn't just cut off Wang Gon's words. Wang U's throat split wide open.
Papapapapa!
Blood fountained from his neck as Wang U toppled backward.
"No!"
Wang Gon lunged, but Wang U was already dead from a single stroke.
"What have you done?!"
Wang Gon bellowed in rage.
"My answer to your bullshit."
Wang Gon drew his sword.
But he couldn't charge at Yeom Jeong-gil. That was the kind of man he was. Even losing his son before his eyes, he prioritized his own life—rationalizing that charging into certain defeat was a dog's death.
"How dare you! Even you—the Lord won't let this slide!"
"And if he doesn't? Kill me too after losing you? That'd be too great a loss, wouldn't it? Do you think our Lord is the type to suffer setbacks?"
Neither had risen through Shin-hwa-bang from the ground up. Most warriors, save a few top leaders, were the same.
When Shin-hwa-bang established itself in Jeol-gang Province under that name, the Lord had recruited many warriors. With money, promises of power, honey traps, blackmail—whatever it took.
That was why Shin-hwa-bang ran on raw ability and results, not bonds of loyalty or camaraderie.
"The Murim Alliance won't stand for this either."
"The culprit behind Yang Chu's family massacre will come to light as that guy."
"What?!"
Yeom Jeong-gil's sword hurtled toward Wang Gon.
Wang Gon swung to parry. But he was outmatched from the start. He barely blocked a few exchanges before failing to evade. Tables and decorations split apart, and so did Wang Gon's heart.
Thud.
Wang Gon collapsed, lifeless.
He had tried to frame the killer of Yang Chu's family to take out Im Choong and Beon Saeng.
But in the end, he died hearing that very rationale. While many villains sneered that karma was a myth, Wang Gon at least couldn't.
As Yeom Jeong-gil turned to leave, he startled. Another figure stood where he had been moments ago—by the door. Baek So-cheon.
"Even if it's someone who deserves death, who slays a child before their parents' eyes?"
Confirming his opponent, Yeom Jeong-gil recoiled.
"You!"
He almost asked how he'd gotten here but stopped. The earlier words, the look in his eyes—it was utterly different from before.
No matter how fatigued, Yeom Jeong-gil could grasp the situation.
"Did you plan for me to kill the branch head?"
"Not some grand scheme—just using you. You can't endure being wronged for even a moment, can you? No matter how I tormented your remnants, they could never touch me. Isn't that right? Looks like it from today."
The arrogance and flippancy Baek So-cheon had steadily shown were gone.
Recalling their first meeting, Yeom Jeong-gil said,
"I never liked your vibe from the start."
"Was it as bad as mine?"
"What's your real identity?"
"You really don't know me? Someone like you should. Baek So-cheon—never heard of me? Ah, I need to reflect on that."
Yeom Jeong-gil blinked at the nonsense, then jolted. The name that flashed first then vanished—Baek So-cheon.
"No way—you?"
"Yeah, the guy you're thinking of. That's me."
"Don't make me laugh! That man's way older than you."
"I've aged plenty myself."
Yeom Jeong-gil refused to believe it to the end. Or rather, he didn't want to. Shaking off the unease, he bellowed,
"What gives a powerless punk like you the balls to strut like this?!"
Fortunately, he'd confirmed Baek So-cheon had no inner power himself.
"A hundred nyang."
"What?"
"I'm strutting on a hundred nyang."
Right then, someone whispered in Yeom Jeong-gil's ear.
"Pay ten times that, and you can have me. Though even a billion gold wouldn't get you there."
Cheon-geuk had appeared silently behind him.
Yeom Jeong-gil whipped around in terror, swinging his sword.
But before it turned halfway—
Puuaaaak!
A sharp dagger pierced through his throat.
Yeom Jeong-gil twisted to see his killer, but Cheon-geuk yanked the dagger free first.
Paaaaak.
Blood sprayed as Yeom Jeong-gil collapsed.
Looking down at the corpse, Cheon-geuk said,
"No matter how I think about it, a hundred nyang is too cheap."
"No, too expensive."
"Expensive?"
"This scum isn't worth a single nyang."
"Hmm. Do you know that?"
"What?"
"For me to move personally, it takes considerable resolve."
"I know."
"You do?"
"There are opposing factions in the alliance, right? If they learn of this, they'll exploit it politically."
"You get it."
Footsteps approached from outside. Cheon-geuk vanished soundlessly, saying,
"Good, as long as you do."
Jeong-pung entered with Jeol-gang branch warriors. Im Choong and Beon Saeng were with them.
Jeong-pung froze at the scene inside.
'They're all really dead. Just like Baek So-cheon said.'
The others were equally shocked.
Of course, one among them was utterly delighted.
Im Choong.
Gazing at Wang Gon's corpse, he grinned wide. Even if Yeom Jeong-gil had ordered his death, he hadn't sought revenge through murder.
But Wang Gon was the one who'd threatened his wife and child. His subordinates had even come to kill them for real.
Now, the direct threat to his family was gone. Not a shred of pity for Wang Gon's death—only satisfaction. Same for Wang U. How much suffering had that brat's selfish whims inflicted? How much more would it have caused?
Jeong-pung looked at Baek So-cheon.
"What now?"
"Shin-hwa-bang's branch head and four great warriors are dead. They were even summoned over the Yang Chu clan incident. At this point, doesn't it justify arresting and interrogating the Shin-hwa-bang Lord?"
"The Lord?!"
Everyone gasped at the mention of summoning the Lord.
"You've planned this from the beginning."
"The order to massacre Yang Chu's family came from the Shin-hwa-bang Lord."
"Why go this far?"
"Meddling in a family's death you didn't even know? Nosy business?"
"Well, not exactly. But say it is."
"If you're not going to live that way, you shouldn't be in the Murim Alliance."
"...!"
"If you plan to half-ass it, look the other way, and play dumb, live a different life. Plenty of other paths—earn more money even. But if you choose to eat Murim Alliance rice, then even if you don't seek out injustice, you can't ignore what's right in front of you."
"You shame me."
"No need. People think and live differently. You don't have to feel ashamed just for standing here. Let's say Shin-hwa-bang was just unlucky. I've been needing an outlet for my anger lately."
"And that's cleared it?"
"We haven't even started. Let's go—arrest the Shin-hwa-bang Lord."
Now that things had unfolded, Jeong-pung's anxious heart eased.
"Fine, let's go. Confirm if that madman really ordered the Yang Chu massacre. Giving them time puts us at a disadvantage, so we'll travel by night straight to their main base."
"Good! With someone to take responsibility if it goes wrong, my heart's at ease."
"Did you have to say that?"
Jeong-pung shook his head in exasperation, but he was grateful for Baek So-cheon's reminder. This was ultimately his affair. As the one leading it, any consequences were his to bear.
'Right—no regrets.'
This gave him the chance to think that way.
At least he wouldn't regret it later amid the chaos.
Jeong-pung left a few warriors to clean up and headed out.
As Baek So-cheon followed, Cheon-geuk's transmission reached him.
-Can I come watch? Won't charge the hundred nyang.
Unable to transmit without inner power, Baek So-cheon nodded slightly.
He sensed the hidden Cheon-geuk and her four guardians trailing him.
Im Choong and Beon Saeng followed after.
Since seeing Wang Gon's body, Beon Saeng's heart had been pounding nonstop.
At the iron ore site, the two had first learned their foe was all of Shin-hwa-bang.
They hadn't imagined it would crystallize so concretely before their eyes—and so swiftly become reality.
Beon Saeng murmured to Im Choong.
"Branch Head, we'll be okay, right?"
"I want to say yes... but honestly, I don't know. And from now on, call me brother in private."
Beon Saeng startled, then felt another barrier between them crumble.
"Yes, brother."
"This is official."
"Yes, Branch Head!"
Beon Saeng's steps lightened as he walked.
Feeling upbeat for no reason, he exaggerated toward Baek So-cheon.
"With Big Bro here, it'll be fine. Even storming the Murim Alliance itself."
"Murim Alliance is too far."
"Hahaha."
Beon Saeng laughed heartily.
A Jeol-gang branch warrior ahead turned with a scowl, as if asking how he could laugh now. Beon Saeng schooled his expression.
'Right, not the time to laugh. Shin-hwa-bang Lord—you just wait.'
If only it were me.
'Our brother’s coming for you now!'