Chapter 192
Chapter 192
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 192
Chapter Title: Starting with the Farthest One
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Byeok Taesan strode forward.
His companions followed behind him.
Yeon Harin walked closely beside him.
She glanced at his face.
He seemed to be in a good mood for some reason.
The people diligently following him were everyone who had accompanied him when they first arrived in this city.
Even Hwaok was with them.
Byeok Taesan had entrusted the entire matter with the Golden Moon Trading Company to Je Wiryong.
Having met and assessed him in person, Je Wiryong's capabilities fell a little short of his expectations.
But it didn't matter. The power of the Cheonnoe wasn't determined by the leader's abilities anyway.
Besides, Je Wiryong was still young.
He was well past forty, of course, but considering Sima Jin had been nearly sixty when he took the position of Cheonnoe, he still had a long way to go.
Any shortcomings could be filled by pushing him and pushing him some more.
In any case, it was worth entrusting the task to Je Wiryong at least once.
The Underworld Sect and the Secret Heaven Group would assist him anyway, and he could receive reports on the situation whenever he wanted.
Byeok Taesan could intervene at any time he wished.
Not that he had any intention of intervening.
He planned to leave this matter entirely to them, whether they succeeded or failed.
If they succeeded, all the better. If they failed, it would be enough if Je Wiryong could properly grasp his own capabilities and use it as a stepping stone for the future.
Besides, no matter how badly things went, the moment Byeok Taesan intervened, the entire story would change.
With Je Wiryong devising the strategy, the Cheonnoe providing support, and Byeok Taesan stirring the pot from above, what could possibly go wrong?
He had always done things that way back when he was the Heavenly Demon.
That was why the Cheonnoe and Sima Jin of that time had suffered such headaches.
How difficult must it have been to support a variable running wild as he pleased, trying to control the situation from the sidelines?
Byeok Taesan's mood improved at the thought that he could soon make Je Wiryong experience the same feeling.
Adversity, after all, was the key to growth.
'He'll thank me after he's grown through it.'
Just as Sima Jin had told him. Of course, he didn't care whether Sima Jin had meant it or not.
In any case, he had brought his entire party along, and he was looking forward to what was to come, so it was only natural for him to be in a good mood.
And it showed slightly on his face.
"Young Master, where are we going?"
At Yeon Harin's question, Byeok Taesan glanced at her.
"We'll strike the one furthest away first."
"The furthest?"
Yeon Harin's eyes widened, and she reflexively turned to look for Hwaok.
Hwaok was the only one here who had the entire group's schedule and destinations memorized.
"The farthest location is Nanchang."
"Nanchang? The one in Jiangxi?"
"To be precise, it's Poyang Lake, near Nanchang."
"Poyang Lake..."
It was a vast lake north of Nanchang.
"Don't tell me... we have to search the entire lake?"
"We have pinpointed the location. However, we lack the means for continuous surveillance, so it's difficult to know if anything has changed in the interim."
"Difficult to monitor?"
"He has settled in one of the water fortresses. The fortress itself is quite isolated from civilian areas, making surveillance difficult. The target is also extremely skilled."
"I can see how that would be the case."
This meant the target might not even be there when they arrived.
"It doesn't matter. We can find his trail and track him. He's just a rat, anyway."
Everyone fell silent at Byeok Taesan's conclusion.
It didn't seem likely that the target wouldn't be there. No, he had to be. Otherwise, they would have to search for him all over again.
Hwaok wasn't particularly worried.
The water fortress where the man was staying was quite large.
He was living like a king there. He would probably continue to eat and drink his fill for the time being.
That would be the case, unless something major happened.
For instance, a group on the level of the Five Great Families launching a full-scale subjugation of the water fortress.
* * *
Ping Jarim, the Master of the Golden Moon Trading Company, frowned as he watched his general manager rushing towards him from a distance.
Judging by the way he was running, something troublesome had clearly occurred.
Recently, those bastards from the Underworld Sect had been pulling pathetic tricks, leaving Ping Jarim in a very foul mood.
Because of that, the gambling house affair he had assigned to Ping Daeeon was also stagnating.
Since their attempts to shake the Golden Moon Trading Company weren't working, the Underworld Sect bastards had targeted that instead.
They were trying to prevent the Golden Moon Trading Company from using the gambling house for a cash infusion.
However, that issue was also starting to show signs of resolution.
No matter how much they struggled, the Underworld Sect was still just the Underworld Sect.
How could they possibly stand against the power of a massive merchant guild like the Golden Moon Trading Company?
Especially when they had three powerful martial sects on their side.
As he was thinking this, the general manager burst into his office with an urgent expression.
Ping Jarim raised a hand, stopping the words the general manager was about to pour out.
"First, calm down. Settle your breath and your mind. Then, gather your thoughts and speak slowly."
The general manager faithfully followed Ping Jarim's words.
He took a deep breath and tried his best to calm himself. Then, he slowly began to speak.
"The deal we had with the Tongun Trading Company has fallen through."
Ping Jarim looked puzzled.
"Why? The Tongun Trading Company won't be in a good position if that deal collapses either."
"The Tongun Trading Company betrayed us. Our commercial rights have been encroached upon."
Ping Jarim stared at the general manager in disbelief.
"We were taken down this absurdly? Do those madmen at the Tongun Trading Company think they can handle the consequences?"
"That's not the only problem."
A stream of reports about trading companies and commercial rights poured from the general manager's mouth.
As he listened, the names sounded strangely familiar.
"Aren't those... all the same tactics the Underworld Sect used to keep us in check? Didn't you patch things up properly?"
"They came at us from a completely different angle. And... we didn't expect them to try something that had already failed once."
As expected, carelessness was the culprit.
"Hah! Look at these bastards. Turn this around, whatever it takes. Punish those who backstabbed us and make sure to brand it into their minds what happens when they dare to oppose the Golden Moon Trading Company."
The general manager hesitated.
"What are you doing? Go and handle it!"
"I'm afraid it will be quite difficult this time."
"What?"
"The damage is too severe. It would be better to use our resources elsewhere rather than trying to reverse this."
Saying this, the general manager finally handed over the documents he had prepared.
Ping Jarim quickly reviewed the documents.
They clearly outlined how and in what manner they had been hit. It was clear that, in this situation, there was no need to pour resources into it.
"Also, some of the cash flow with our branches has been blocked."
Ping Jarim pressed his temples with his fingers. A headache was setting in.
"For now, handle the parts that can be dealt with by force. Don't hold back; use everyone you need. You've tightened internal security, right?"
The general manager looked troubled.
"We had... but another incident occurred."
"What?"
"Honestly, the situation is looking grim on multiple fronts. We've run into problems with our martial forces as well."
"What kind of problems?"
Ping Jarim scowled. His heart began to pound rapidly. He felt like he might collapse at any moment.
"We've gotten messily entangled with the Martial Alliance and the Black Alliance."
His heart sank. A cold sweat ran down his back.
"What? What do you mean?"
"To be honest, I don't know. We haven't been able to grasp the full situation yet. It all happened so suddenly..."
"So what happened?!"
"It seems the Martial Alliance and the Black Alliance fought with the warriors dispatched from the Cheongmu Faction and the Sangcheon Sect."
"A fight? Why? Our people have no reason to fight the Martial Alliance."
"We haven't identified the cause yet. We need to investigate."
Things were escalating rapidly.
Ping Jarim could not dismiss this series of events lightly.
The affair with the Underworld Sect had been frankly laughable.
After all the years the Golden Moon Trading Company had endured, how could a mere organization like the Underworld Sect cause problems for their business?
But the feeling and atmosphere now were completely different from back then.
"Handle each problem thoroughly, from the ground up. I... will go see Hyeokryeon Hwi."
The general manager bowed his head and retreated.
Since he couldn't use the Golden Moon Trading Company's power, he had no choice but to ask Nameless for help.
The problem was whether Hyeokryeon Hwi would willingly help.
'If we fall, Nameless will have much to lose as well, so he won't be able to turn us away cold-heartedly.'
Since the gambling house affair that Nameless was concerned about was also involved, there was a high probability he would extend a helping hand.
Ping Jarim let out a long sigh and looked up at the sky.
The thick gray clouds were a deeply ominous sign.
* * *
It didn't take long to reach Poyang Lake.
By now, everyone was so used to running with Byeok Taesan that it wasn't even that difficult anymore.
It was the reward for enduring the harsh abuse they had received so far.
"Ah, what a magnificent view."
The Divine Doctor of the Ages exclaimed in admiration as he looked down at Poyang Lake.
Byeok Taesan's party was currently on a tall pavilion by the shore of Poyang Lake.
They had arrived yesterday afternoon, rested for a full day, and were now about to make their move.
Their target was a water fortress on Poyang Lake.
The fortress was located on an island in the middle of the lake, so they had to take a boat.
Hwaok was in charge of procuring a boat.
Hwaok had secured a boat as soon as they arrived yesterday; it was quite large and ornate.
The boat was clearly visible from the pavilion.
The One-Needle Eccentric came up beside the Divine Doctor of the Ages and looked down at the boat.
"That's the boat?"
"That's right."
"Shit, we're not going to do that thing again like last time, are we?"
The Divine Doctor of the Ages couldn't answer. He had a feeling that if he said anything, it would come true.
"Brother, let's not talk about that. It would be troublesome if our words become reality, wouldn't it?"
"But there are more of us this time, so won't it be a bit easier?"
"The boat is bigger, too. And what if the Young Master doesn't help?"
"Uh... let's just shut up."
The One-Needle Eccentric nodded and clamped his mouth shut. He then looked down at the boat again with anxious eyes.
"Have you heard when we're departing?"
"I don't know. They'll call us when it's time."
As soon as the words were out, Cheon Gyeongwan came rushing up from the floor below.
"The Young Master says to come quickly."
The two physicians jumped in surprise at the mention of the Young Master.
"Huh? The Young Master?"
"Don't tell me... he's waiting for us?"
Cheon Gyeongwan nodded with an awkward expression.
"Shit."
The One-Needle Eccentric spat out a curse and vaulted over the windowsill.
The Divine Doctor of the Ages was startled to see this, but soon followed him over the windowsill.
Cheon Gyeongwan shook his head at the sight.
Of course, he too jumped out the window.
* * *
The boat set off.
It didn't shoot off like an arrow shrouded in energy, like when he had shattered the Golden Moon Trading Company's fleet.
It simply glided across the water, propelled by a light burst of energy from the stern.
Byeok Taesan had experienced the aftereffects of doing that last time.
Now, Yeon Harin and all of his handmaidens were on board. He couldn't subject them to that embarrassing aftereffect in this situation.
The boat sailed smoothly onward.
Byeok Taesan felt a gaze on him and glanced in that direction.
It was Yu Seoyeon.
She was staring at him with blazing eyes.
It was a look that seemed to ask why he wasn't doing *that thing* from last time.
Shifting his gaze slightly to the side, he saw Cheon Gyeongwan standing with his head bowed.
A small chuckle escaped him at the sight.
"How much further?"
Byeok Taesan asked, looking at Hwaok.
Hwaok gauged their position and direction for a moment before answering.
"At this speed, it should take about one shichen in this direction."
"Is the direction precise?"
Hwaok gave a wry smile and shook her head. Of course it wasn't precise. They would have to head in this general direction, check the terrain along the way, and change course a few times.
"We'll need to change direction a few times."
Byeok Taesan nodded and released a faint burst of energy.
"Then it's time to pick up the pace."
The faint energy Byeok Taesan released enveloped the boat tightly.
Seeing this, a deep look of disappointment crossed Yu Seoyeon's face.
And Cheon Gyeongwan finally lifted his head. He looked at Byeok Taesan with grateful eyes.
The boat began to pick up speed.
The acceleration was extremely brief. In an instant, the boat was surging forward at a tremendous speed.
As the boat sped up, Hwaok constantly gauged their direction with a tense expression.
She had confirmed the location beforehand, but pinpointing a precise spot on a lake was no easy task.
But Hwaok performed the task admirably.
Sticking close to Byeok Taesan, she guided them to the water fortress with only two changes in direction.
In less than a quarter of a shichen, the island with the water fortress came into view.
Finding the fortress wasn't difficult.
Since the island itself was in a hard-to-find location, the fortress was built brazenly large right on the island's edge.
The boat headed straight for the fortress.
But as they approached the fortress, the boat didn't slow down. No, it actually got faster.
Everyone looked back and forth between Byeok Taesan and the fortress with anxious expressions.
The corner of Byeok Taesan's mouth lifted slightly.
A chill ran down the spines of those who saw it.
They all scrambled toward the stern.
And the boat rammed straight into the water fortress.
*Kwagwagwagwang!*
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