Chapter 6
“Why are you giving this to me?”
I took out a single silver coin and handed it to the owner of Heaven’s Fire Workshop. But he did not take it.
One silver coin. The entrance fee to the Black Market. Yet the owner of the workshop lifted his head slightly, looking at me as if to ask why I was offering it.
“Customer? I’m afraid the shop you’re looking for is not here.”
“……”
The information I’d gotten from the Beggars’ Sect said that Heaven’s Fire Workshop was one of the entrances to the Black Market. So there was no reason to doubt the intelligence itself.
The owner had probably realized the moment I stepped into the workshop that I was a man of the Orthodox Faction. Then again, it wouldn’t have been easy to mistake me for anything else from my clothes alone.
A little side income, then.
“I’ll give you two more silver coins. Step aside.”
“Well, I don’t know what you mean.”
The owner continued to play dumb, acting as though he had no idea what I was talking about.
Now he was openly holding out his hand, asking for more money.
“Greed’s getting the better of you.”
“Greed?”
“That’s right.”
The moment the words left my mouth, I slammed my hand down on the workshop desk.
At the same time, I snatched up a carving knife that had bounced up from the impact and, in the blink of an eye, laid it against the man’s throat.
“W-what is this...?”
Startled, the owner swallowed hard.
I spoke quietly, but with perfect clarity.
“Open the door.”
“Y-yes, of course.”
Only then did the workshop owner nod rapidly.
Once I withdrew the carving knife and set it down, he hurriedly stepped back and shut Heaven’s Fire Workshop’s door in a fluster.
“Th-this way, please.”
The owner moved to the center of the workshop and, pushing aside the desk where he had been working, pressed down firmly on the floor.
“Welcome to the Black Market.”
Creak, creak.
As he lifted his hand, the sound of a mechanism moving rang out, and a door in the floor slowly opened. Beyond it lay a staircase swallowed by pitch-black darkness.
I descended without hesitation. The basement, devoid of even a single ray of light, was far deeper than I’d expected. By the time I counted the stairs I’d taken, it was about three floors down. Just as I was thinking it was quite deep, I reached the end.
A door forged from solid iron blocked my way.
Tuk, tuk, tuk, tuk.
I knocked on the iron door in a steady rhythm. Then, with a long, grinding screech of metal, it slowly began to open.
Once the door was fully open, light washed over me. It wasn’t bright light, but my eyes had already grown used to the dark, so even that faint glow felt overpowering and robbed me of sight for a moment.
After a brief pause, my vision returned, and the view before me became clear. What I saw was no different from the market aboveground.
There were clothing shops, armor smiths, inns, taverns, and all manner of buildings packed tightly together. Merchants called out to customers, and buyers examined the wares laid out before them.
“The Black Market really is the same no matter where you go.”
The Black Market I’d visited in my past life had been the one in Guizhou. But whether it was the Black Market in Guizhou or the one in Jiangxi, the structure was remarkably similar.
I gave the surroundings a quick scan. Someone might ask why, if it was just like any ordinary market aboveground, they had gone to the trouble of building the Black Market underground.
The reason was simple. This was where the major transactions of the unorthodox sects took place.
Which meant, in other words, that illegal trade was rampant here.
That was right. The Black Market. A kind of underground bazaar established in every unorthodox territory.
There were inns here too, and merchants selling goods. The problem was that neither the food nor the merchants were exactly decent people.
“Hah. Shall I get going, then?”
I crossed the market and walked toward the Black Market’s central district. My appearance made it obvious that I belonged to the Orthodox Faction, so I could feel flashes of hostility and killing intent here and there, but since the Black Market was, in principle, a place where no blood was to be spilled, there were no direct threats.
After walking for a while, I eventually arrived at a massive tavern that could only be called the center of the Black Market.
-Tujeonru.
“Welcome to Tujeonru. Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“Understood. It is our honor to receive you. Would you prefer the fighting arena, the money hall, or both?”
“I’ll use the money hall.”
“This way, then.”
Following the courtesan, I went into the tavern. Unlike most taverns, the first floor was completely open. Guests were directed to the second floor, where many martial artists were already seated and drinking.
In an ordinary tavern, the places for drinking are separated. It is normal for each guest to drink in a private room. But not here. Everything was open, arranged so everyone could look down toward the first floor. There were also no courtesans going around pouring drinks.
“You may use this area. Would you like some liquor brought to you separately?”
“I’ll call for it if I need it.”
“Then I hope you enjoy yourself.”
The courtesan guided me to my seat and smiled, her lips curving faintly.
Good thing I didn’t bring Muheun with me.
If Baek Muheun had come to the Black Market, it would have been a pain beyond words. I could already hear him saying things like, “Senior Brother, how can righteous men like us go to a place of evil, and to a tavern at that? I am ashamed of you, Senior Brother,” and so on.
Dong!
The bell’s chime pulled me from my thoughts. At once, a voice rang out from the first floor, and everyone on the second floor turned to look down. There, standing below, was a man dressed in black training clothes.
“Thank you all for coming to Tujeonru!”
He clasped his hands in a polite martial salute, and light applause followed.
“Tujeonru is a place where those who have trained their martial arts over the years can compete, temper themselves, and grow through contest. I have no doubt that everyone here will make great progress today. Of course, with your generosity and encouragement, they’ll work even harder.”
The man laughed heartily. Taken at face value, he sounded like someone running a righteous martial tournament meant to foster individual growth, but no one present believed a word of it.
“Before we present the main stage, we’ve prepared a light warm-up match for your enjoyment, so please watch and have fun! I hope you all spend a delightful time here today!”
Dong!
When the bell rang again, the man slowly walked off the stage, and two men began stepping into the center.
They had scrawny bodies that looked as if they hadn’t eaten for days. But their eyes were full of venom and fighting spirit.
Dong!
At the next bell, without either waiting for the other, they raised their fists and began pounding each other. Before long, both faces were swollen beyond recognition, and blood began to pour freely from their faces and knuckles.
Thwack! Thwaaaack!
In the end, one of the men standing on stage collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
The victor then clenched his fist and thrust his arm into the air.
“That was a light bout prepared for you all. I hope it proved entertaining. The fighters who appear next will show a match that cannot even be compared to this one! Please enjoy yourselves!”
After the man in black training clothes made one more grand martial salute, he disappeared from the stage. The match I’d just seen was, in the plainest sense, a dogfight of punches and kicks. But the reason I had come to Tujeonru was also to watch that very kind of thing.
Hngh.
I clasped my hands together and stretched my arms high overhead. Then I looked around. Most of the people here were martial artists from the unorthodox side, with a scattering of wandering ronin as well. They were already gathering in small groups, beginning to predict who would win the next bout.
One of them caught my eye.
So he’s here too.
I began moving slowly. Carefully, so as not to make a sound. Then I stopped behind the man in martial training clothes and brought my palm down hard on the back of his head.
Smack!
A crisp sound filled Tujeonru.
“Ah! Which bastard was that!”
“Brother Kim! It’s me, it’s me! Huh? That’s not Brother Kim?”
“Has this bastard lost his mind? Wait, it’s not?”
“My apologies! I thought you were someone I knew!”
I played the fool and turned around, then lifted the corners of my mouth, making sure he could see it.
“You there. Stop.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You.”
“I told you, you’ve got the wrong person. Why are you making such a fuss? Mistakes happen in life.”
“A mistake? Well, yes. Since we’re human, mistakes do happen.”
The man approached me with a sharp killing intent, closing the distance until he was within striking range.
“But tell me this. What makes a righteous-faction bastard think he can crawl in here?”
“……?”
“And lay a hand on me while you’re here?”
A rough voice rumbled out. I scratched my head and looked back at him.
“Why does justice matter in a place where money’s changing hands? If you’ve got nothing more to say, I’m leaving.”
My words twisted his expression. It looked like the face of a demon or a yaksha.
“Would you still talk like that if you knew who I was?”
“You? Who are you supposed to be?”
He struck his right chest hard. On the spot where his fist landed was the embroidered character for Pae.
“I’m Woo Dae-un, the young master of the Paeggeom Sect.”
“The young master of the Paeggeom Sect...”
Inside, I nearly cheered. The reason I’d slapped the top of his head was because his training clothes were those of the Paeggeom Sect. But the young master himself? That was a perfect catch.
“……”
When I didn’t answer, Woo Dae-un sneered and went on.
“You’re completely frozen in place, aren’t you? I don’t know how a coward with such a tiny backbone made it all the way here, but if you don’t want to die, don’t let yourself be seen by me again.”
“You’re obnoxiously loud.”
“What did you say?”
“I said you’re obnoxiously loud.”
“You really do want to die, don’t you?”
“Today I met exactly two men like you.”
“What?”
“One of them was crying and sniveling with his arm ripped off, and the other was crying and begging me to stop.”
“A righteous-faction bastard really has gone mad, saying whatever comes to mind!”
As soon as I finished speaking, I took out the two wooden tags I’d stolen from the Paeggeom Sect martial artists and shook them in the air.
“I think those two also said they were from the Paeggeom Sect.”
With a broad smile, I tossed the tags at Woo Dae-un’s feet.
Thunk.
The tags rolled across the floor and came to rest before him. At that sight, Woo Dae-un could no longer hold himself back and grabbed my collar hard.
“Ah! So you’re that bastard from Jiangxi Ironworks, are you?”
“Yep. I’m that bastard.”
“You came all the way here yourself? You really must want to die.”
“Pfft.”
“You’re laughing?”
At my light snort, the veins in his temples bulged and his face flushed red.
“Ah, sorry. It’s just that hearing a halfwit who can’t even control his own temper call himself a young master made the Paeggeom Sect sound about as capable as I expected.”
“You bastard!”
Woo Dae-un released my collar and drew his sword. At the same time, the courtesan who had greeted me at the beginning stepped between us.
“Gentlemen, please stop this in a place meant for enjoyment. It does neither of you any good. Why not just sit down and enjoy yourselves?”
“Move. I’m going to butcher this bastard today.”
The courtesan smiled and looked at Woo Dae-un. Then she let a trace of her presence leak out.
“The elder says to stop.”
“But...”
“I don’t say things twice.”
Was he pressed down by the courtesan’s presence? Or by the words of this so-called elder? I couldn’t tell, but in the end Woo Dae-un sheathed his sword.
“I’ve got my eye on you.”
“I’m not interested in men.”
“I’ll be watching how long that smart mouth of yours lasts.”
Still seething, Woo Dae-un returned to his seat. Even now, the look in his eyes and the murderous pressure he was giving off remained fierce.
It’s a pity I didn’t get to draw his sword, but this is a decent first greeting, isn’t it?
Provoking the Paeggeom Sect. Slapping Woo Dae-un on the head. All of it had gone exactly as planned. A man who has recognized me will make a move in some way or another.
Even if I don’t move, he’ll come looking for me.
After the courtesan pulled Woo Dae-un away and seated him, she came over to me. Her expression was cool as she spoke.
“Young master, the Black Market does not place separate entry restrictions on the righteous and the unorthodox. That said, please refrain from attracting attention.”
“My apologies. That wasn’t my intention, but I’ve caused you trouble.”
“Not at all. Please tell me if there is anything you need.”
“Then...”
I looked at the courtesan and let the corners of my mouth lift slightly.
“Bring me a betting slip.”
“Yes, understood.”
Well, there had been a loud fool or two making a scene, but for now I needed to focus on the matter at hand. If you came to the fighting arena, what were you supposed to do?
Obviously, you enjoyed yourself. Now it was time to enjoy it properly.