#156. Black Flame Dragon Quiets the Chaos
"Ugh, it's finally over."
Jin Taesan's voice brimmed with emotion. Wang Geumsan had shadows under his eyes that reached his chin, but his face shone like he'd conquered the world.
"Now I can properly call you the head of a legitimate merchant group."
"Shouldn't we call you the master of the Two Great Merchant Groups instead of just the Four Great ones now, Lord?"
"Oh! Is that right? Head Jin?"
"Of course. Lord Wang."
"Hum hahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
It had been a grueling time. Jin Taesan had spent more sleepless nights than restful ones transforming the suddenly thrust-upon Cheonggung Merchant Group into the Daecheon Merchant Group. Wang Geumsan had to cut back on sleep just to manage the doubled number of branches across the land due to the newly opened trade routes to the Western Regions.
On top of that, Wang Soso had proposed expanding into Gangseo's commerce through joint ventures between the Daecheon Merchant Group and the Wang family caravans. The starting point was the iron ore mine owned by Tae-eul Gate.
Tae-eul Gate's iron ore mine held the largest reserves in Anhui Province, and the Wang family used it to control iron prices in Anhui and Gangseo, steadily dominating the market.
"From today, all I want to do for the next week is sleep."
"You too, Head Jin? I'm planning to hole up at home for a fortnight."
As they shared drinks, Jin Taesan clasped his hands in a respectful fist salute.
"In any case, the Daecheon Merchant Group establishing itself so quickly is all thanks to you, Lord."
"Oh, come on. Without Tae-eul Gate supplying the iron, we couldn't have expanded our prosperity like this from the start."
Wang Geumsan spoke humbly, but Jin Taesan knew he'd shown immense consideration for Tae-eul Gate. What did a titan like Wang Geumsan of the land lack that he'd leave his Wang family base in Hebi to work at the Daecheon Merchant Group?
"I truly thank you once more."
"Haha, hearing that makes me grateful. In the end, I feel like I've repaid my debt, and my mind's at ease."
It had been two years already, but whenever Wang Geumsan drank, he wouldn't stop praising Jin Sowoon.
'...That damn brat.'
Even as he praised Jin Taesan's son, Jin Taesan's teeth ground together on their own. It was good news, but all this exhaustion stemmed from Jin Sowoon anyway.
"Now that the Daecheon Merchant Group has a solid foothold, shouldn't it expand its power a bit?"
As he said, with work pouring in, the Daecheon Merchant Group desperately needed to bolster its forces. But from Jin Taesan's position, short on both manpower and time, he had no desire to overwork himself again.
"With the sect still in closed-door seclusion, we'll expand slowly."
Wang Geumsan clicked his tongue.
"Tsk tsk. Business rides on momentum. At this rate, when do you plan to make Daecheon the top merchant group in Anhui?"
"......"
Jin Taesan stared at him sternly, but Wang Geumsan pressed on.
"Didn't the Gyerong Merchant Group collapse in the end? You should hurry and fill that void. Modern merchants lack backbone—backbone. Back in my day..."
"......Wang Soso wanted to trade with the Murim Alliance—why did you stop her?"
"......Hm?"
"Soso was eyeing it because of the nationwide flow of goods and stability through the Alliance. Why block it?"
Wang Geumsan coughed.
"A great merchant like me can't afford enemies in either the white or black paths."
"That's why we offered the Daecheon Merchant Group's help. Plus, if Tae-eul Gate's kids go to the Alliance..."
"Ahem! That's fine. I can't owe Tae-eul Gate any more!"
Wang Geumsan was firm. But so was Jin Taesan.
"Tae-eul Gate doesn't see it as a debt!! You've already given us so much!"
"No, I can't owe you!! Owing your benefactor goes against my principles!"
As they bickered over pushing work onto each other, a servant entered.
"Master."
Both men answered at once.
"What?"
"What is it?"
"......"
Sensing the tense atmosphere, the servant glanced at Jin Taesan.
"A guest has arrived."
"A guest?"
"Yes. He asked to pass a message to Young Master Jin Sowoon."
They spoke in unison again.
"That Sowoon kid?"
"Our Jin Sowoon?"
"......"
Wang Geumsan cleared his throat awkwardly, and Jin Taesan instructed the servant to bring the guest in.
"Ahem, well, Head Jin, I'll be going then..."
"Aren't you curious? Stay and meet him."
"Even so, I'm an outsider..."
"I have things to say—stay!"
"Ahem... Alright."
Moments later, an elderly man entered.
"Are you Head Jin Taesan?"
Strangely, the elder recognized him at once.
"Yes. But how did you know?"
"You look just like Sowoon—impossible not to."
The elder chuckled heartily, then apologized.
"Ah, sorry. First time meeting. We're just close."
Jin Taesan nodded and guided him to a seat. The elder immediately pulled out a promissory note from his bosom.
"......What's this?"
"Money promised to Sowoon."
"Money?"
"Eh?"
Jin Taesan hurriedly unfolded it. Inside was written sixty nyang of gold.
"The village just revived, so profits are only this much yet."
"......?"
"......?"
In the odd atmosphere, the elder continued.
"Didn't he tell you?"
"Tell us what?"
"That we'd share Heukryonghyeon's profits."
"Heukryonghyeon?"
"Heukryonghyeon..."
Jin Taesan and Wang Geumsan locked eyes.
Recently, the Ssangmak Stronghold terrorizing near Cheonmok Mountain vanished, replaced by the Twin Dragon Stronghold. They charged fair tolls and provided escorts through the area, so merchant caravans that once detoured around the mountain began returning. Nearby villages benefited from the boom, birthing new commerce.
One such village was Heukryonghyeon.
"I've heard rumors..."
Jin Taesan had considered advancing into the new market near Cheonmok Mountain but hesitated due to the massive Twin Dragon Stronghold next door. Hearing sudden talk of profit shares left both men dumbfounded.
"Did... Sowoon not mention it?"
"......"
"He clearly promised to return profits from Heukryonghyeon, Geum Pyo-hyeon, Eunho-hyeon, and Dongryong-hyeon villages to Tae-eul Gate."
"......"
"Ah, naming the villages after the kids was for that reason too."
Jin Taesan and Wang Geumsan's jaws dropped. They'd dismissed it as coincidence, but it tied to Tae-eul Gate.
"What exactly happened?"
The elder detailed Jin Sowoon's feats during the regular curriculum. Hearing it all, Jin Taesan ground his teeth.
"That damn brat..."
Dragging his juniors into peril was one thing, but why hadn't he mentioned something so important sooner?
"Heh heh, Sowoon must not have taken our profit-sharing seriously."
"......I'm sorry. I failed to raise him right."
As Jin Taesan bowed, the elder waved frantically.
"Don't say that! Without Sowoon, not just our family but the whole village wouldn't thrive like this."
"......"
Embarrassed by the elder's lavish praise, Jin Taesan couldn't lift his head, but Wang Geumsan nodded proudly as if it were his own doing.
"So you came all this way to honor that promise, Elder?"
The elder waved it off.
"Aigoo, don't call a village bumpkin like me Elder. Just Heo the old man. I came to keep the promise and pay respects. Couldn't enter Tae-eul Gate in seclusion, so here instead."
"Heh heh. Old Man Heo has fine character. Like liquor? Join us for a drink?"
Thus began the drinking session with Village Head Heo.
"And since you run a merchant group, a word: no plans to open a branch in our village?"
"A branch?"
"Yes. With more goods and traffic, folks are buying up land and buildings. But if Tae-eul Gate's merchant group came, that'd be ideal."
As Jin Taesan sensed more work incoming and moved to refuse, Wang Geumsan pounced.
"Oh! Great idea. We were just looking for investment spots."
"......No, Lord Wang, what..."
Before Jin Taesan could refuse, Heo jumped in.
"Oh! Really? We saved the best spot."
"Start there and expand the market. Hahaha!"
"With Tae-eul Gate directly, our villagers will rest easy."
Before Jin Taesan could intervene, it was done. Wang Geumsan grinned triumphantly at him.
"......"
Jin Taesan reeled at the thought of another mountain of tasks. His grudge naturally turned to the source.
Crunch.
'Jin Sowoon, you bastard!!'
#
"Aah!"
My sudden scream made Seong Moran's eyes widen.
"What's wrong?"
"My ear itched all of a sudden. Someone cursing me?"
"Jeez—you scared me."
Unlike the docks and pleasure quarters, the eerie atmosphere here had Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa clutching their chests.
"This way."
Guided by Jang Ujae, our group entered Yujangmun.
"......!"
I swallowed a curse at the sight before me.
'Damn it.'
The scene stirred memories, vividly recalling my past life at Tae-eul Gate.
Was my expression grim? Jang Ujae explained defensively.
"These kids grew up in Yujangmun. We tried evacuating them to an orphanage, but no one would take them..."
Children not yet in puberty gripped ill-fitting real swords, faces tense. As I opened my mouth to respond, sharper memories surged, silencing me.
—Tae-eul Gate's children trembled at their first real swords.
"Muk Blood Hall is infamous for its ruthless persistence, so we're prepared for the worst."
—Tae-eul Gate's adults bound cloth around swords and hands.
Yujangmun adults tore cloth to fix swords to their hands.
—Tae-eul Gate's adults clutched exploding blood pills in one hand each, ready for battle.
"We probably won't last a day once war starts."
—Tae-eul Gate women made rice balls, distributing them everywhere without keeping any.
Huge bonfires blazed everywhere, walls smeared with broken pottery in mud.
Murky silt clouded the lake of memories. Piercing screams stabbed my eardrums.
—Aaaah!
—S-save me!
—Kuhuk.
Past-life screams and deaths at the Demonic Cult's hands were so vivid my head throbbed.
As I stood silent, Namgung Seonhwa asked cautiously.
"......They're not surrendering?"
"We considered it..."
"......?"
"But Shinjeongmun and Hyeonsin Martial Hall declared surrender and were wiped out."
"Even black path..."
"We can't comprehend it either. It's beyond reason."
Not mere posturing—a full war.
"Still, dragging kids into battle feels wrong. Send at least them to the Cheonggung Merchant Group?"
Jang Ujae was stunned.
"......You mean it?"
"I've thought so since Jin Gongja said he'd come. Cheonggungdan will support too."
"Thank you. Thank you."
Jang Ujae bowed repeatedly.
Soon, we met the sect leader and elders in Yujangmun's grand training hall. Their faces, like all warriors', were clouded with worry.
"Father, I'm back."
"What happened?"
"Jeongdohoe can't help, unfortunately."
"Heh... How..."
The Yujangmun lord slumped into his chair in despair.
"......Who are they?"
"Ah, yes. Our academy rep, Jin Sowoon."
"Greetings. Jin Sowoon of Tae-eul Gate."
"Black Flame Dragon!"
"That's him?"
I'd never called myself that, but Black Flame Dragon had taken root as my moniker. Impressive, indeed, the Four Emperors Peak Lord.
"Pleased to meet you. I've heard your name so often my ears rang. Thank you for coming."
"No need. It's where I should be."
"Thinking that means much. For a young one like you to rush here."
The lord's face remained troubled. Jang Ujae stepped forward.
"Father, these are Iron Sword Sect's Seong Moran Sojeo and Namgung family's Namgung Seonhwa Sojeo. She'll support with Cheonggungdan."
Gasps erupted around the lord.
"Cheonggungdan!"
"So grateful."
"Truly, thank you, Namgung Sojeo."
Namgung Seonhwa grew shy amid the fervent response.
"I'll help as much as I can, but a hundred is the max. With all of Akyang in chaos, we have limits."
The lord shook his head.
"No. That's a debt we can never repay. If Yujangmun survives this war, I'll never forget what we owe Namgung family."
The mood sobered again. Jang Ujae quickly arranged to send the children to Cheonggung Merchant Group.
After the bustle, I gathered with our group, Jang Ujae, and academy students.
"Jang Gongja, how many in Yujangmun?"
"Excluding kids, just under three hundred."
Even the numbers matched.
"Exactly five times less."
Muk Blood Hall had over fifteen hundred. Mixed peak and third-rate, but sheer numbers overwhelmed skill.
'Yujangmun wasn't known for many experts anyway.'
No chance, even fried to a crisp. The pottery shards suggested no mechanisms or formations.
"Rep."
Looking at Jang Ujae, his face darkened further.
"Muk Blood Hall has even more gathered now."
"......"
"They sent letters to Hunan and neighboring provinces, calling in experts."
As he said, Akyang's black path had tested the Murim Alliance by annihilating surrenders, confident in no response, aiming to swallow Akyang whole.
"......This won't be easy."
"......"
Hearing my mutter, Jang Ujae's face paled.
I quickly reassured him.
"Don't worry too much, Jang Gongja. I'm close with Akyang branch chief. Mediation through him should allow negotiations."
"Really?"
With Namgung Seonhwa and the Tang family branch chief involved, they'd feel the threat. The Akyang war might ease.
'Akyang falls to the Murim Alliance later anyway. This blood they spill means nothing.'
I addressed the group.
"I'll head to the Murim Alliance Akyang branch first."
"Now?"
Time was urgent, day or night.
"Muk Blood Hall will move fast. So before..."
Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!
Loud bells echoed through Yujangmun. Jang Ujae and the warriors jumped up.
I asked Jang Ujae.
"What is it?"
His face ashen, he stared toward the sound.
"......Enemy approaching signal."
"Enemy?"
Then, a massive roar split the night sky.
"““Waaaaah!”””
"Charge! Leave none alive!"
"““Waaaaah!”””
The bloodthirsty shouts grew closer.