Chapter 38
Chapter 38
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Taking Sang Gang-jo as a Confidant!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Jang Ung spoke seriously.
"My lord, if you have plans to greatly expand the Peerless Sect, I will be the one to build its treasury."
The Peerless Sect, with only fifteen disciples, would need a great deal of money to grow.
"That's for you, the Sect Leader, to decide."
"What are you saying? You are the leader of the Peerless Sect, my lord."
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"Am I your subordinate, my lord?"
"You are."
"Are all the members of the Peerless Sect your subordinates?"
"They are."
I answered, but I felt like I was being drawn into something.
Jang Ung's expression turned serious.
"If you have taken me as your subordinate, then everything related to me, including my life and the lives of the Peerless Sect members, belongs to you. Am I wrong?"
"Hmph!"
A chill ran down my spine. It felt like a noose was tightening around my neck.
"That is an undeniable fact that can never be retracted."
If I denied it now, I had a feeling even more forceful words would come from Jang Ung.
Suddenly, something clicked.
"You planned this from the start, didn't you? Bringing up the taverns and entertainment houses of the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union and the Dong-ro branch of the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path?"
Jang Ung looked sheepish.
"Yes. My apologies."
"Hah! I've taken in a tiger!"
"You, my lord, are a hidden dragon."
"My name has 'dragon' in it."
"Ah! What is your esteemed name, my lord?"
Come to think of it, Jang Ung had become my subordinate without even knowing my name.
"It's Ak Bi-ryong."
"A magnificent name!"
I already knew my name was cool.
"Let's sort this out."
"Please speak."
"The Peerless Sect will take over their nineteen establishments."
"It will be done."
Jang Ung hammered the final nail in.
"I, too, will sort things out."
I knew what he was going to say.
"You, my lord, are the leader of the Peerless Sect."
"Hmph! Fine."
It seemed there was no way to win against Jang Ung short of brute force.
***
A month had already passed since I came to the Dong-ro Branch of the Martial Alliance.
Since killing the five brothers, including the leader of the Black Shield Saber Gang under the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path, nothing had happened.
But I instinctively felt it was the calm before a raging storm.
For the past ten days, I had been staying in a separate villa.
An Do-pil had strongly insisted I move to the villa, saying it was unbecoming for the Grand Branch Master to use a small room in the Samjo Hall.
Tonight, Ja-un, the mistress of the Ja-un Pavilion, came with a courtesan and a servant, bringing delicious food and wine.
To hide the fact that she was visiting the Dong-ro Branch, Ja-un and her maid had covered their heads and faces with long cloaks.
She had come even before the Ja-un Pavilion had closed for the night.
A splendid table of food and drinks was set up in the villa.
Ja-un had brought a feast of the finest dishes from her pavilion.
I was seated across from a young man who looked to be about thirty-two or thirty-three, while Jang Ung, Ja-un, and the maid stood in a row beside us.
Jang Ung pointed to the seat next to me.
"Ja-un, you sit next to our lord."
"No, I'm fine. Sit somewhere else."
I didn't know why, but I'd never had a woman sit next to me, and the thought made my skin crawl and my hair stand on end.
As I waved my hand in refusal, Jang Ung spoke gently.
"My lord, this is part of your education."
When I looked at him, Jang Ung said solemnly.
"A hero must be well-versed in all things. Among them, the study of women is essential. People will laugh if a hero is a bumpkin who knows nothing of women."
Jang Ung glanced at the nondescript young man sitting across from me.
"Isn't that right?"
"Indeed."
In truth, the young man before me was Sang Gang-jo in disguise. Five days ago, Jang Ung had sent a master of disguise to transform him.
Thanks to that, the forty-eight-year-old Sang Gang-jo now had the unremarkable face of a man of thirty-two or thirty-three.
Sang Gang-jo looked at me and said quietly.
"For a hero, wine and women are essential."
"That's right. A hero who is good at fighting but shuns or knows nothing of women is a crippled hero."
With both Jang Ung and Sang Gang-jo ganging up on me like this, I'd be the odd one out if I refused.
"Fine. Do as you please."
As if she'd been waiting, Ja-un quickly sat down next to me.
"Thank you, my lord."
She expertly arranged the chopsticks, an empty cup, and dishes in front of me before picking up the wine bottle.
"My lord, allow me to pour you a cup."
"Go ahead."
Seeing me nod awkwardly, Sang Gang-jo and Jang Ung smiled faintly.
"Uncle Jo."
"Please speak."
Sang Gang-jo put down his cup and assumed a respectful posture.
I gazed at Sang Gang-jo for a moment before speaking.
"I want you to be one of my confidants."
"Ah!"
"But I am not taking you as a subordinate. I am simply asking you to stay by my side."
"I will do so."
This decision was a mix of my trust in Sang Gang-jo and the contents of the letter sent by the Alliance Lord.
Since his arrival, Sang Gang-jo had never once mentioned his own name. Even when I offered him a place as a confidant, he didn't speak of his future resolve.
Nevertheless, I could well imagine how Sang Gang-jo was feeling right now.
"Jang Ung."
"Your orders."
Jang Ung immediately rose, knelt, and bowed his head.
"I appoint Jang Ung as the General Manager of this sect."
"I accept your command."
Just then, Ja-un stood up, knelt beside Jang Ung, and gently touched her forehead to the floor.
"Ja-un, what are you doing?"
"Will you not grant this humble girl a position?"
Come to think of it, Jang Ung had made Ja-un pledge her loyalty as well, so she was also my subordinate. It was only right to give her a position.
But I couldn't think of a suitable position for Ja-un, the mistress of the Ja-un Pavilion.
With his head still bowed, Jang Ung spoke respectfully.
"The position of Personal Attendant would be suitable."
"What's that?"
"A close aide."
"What kind of close aide?"
*Chinshin* meant a close aide.
I didn't see Jang Ung and Sang Gang-jo exchange glances.
Jang Ung said seriously.
"As General Manager, I cannot serve you at close quarters. Therefore, a Personal Attendant is needed to assist you directly."
It sounded plausible. His silver tongue was the best in the world.
"Don't be ridiculous!"
Jang Ung, Sang Gang-jo, and Ja-un all looked up at me with stunned expressions.
I waved my hand dismissively.
"It's late. Ja-un, you may leave."
***
The Dong-ro Branch had no place suitable for indoor martial arts instruction.
So, Sang Gang-jo would demonstrate techniques indoors, and the branch members would watch carefully, memorize them, and then go practice in the courtyard.
This was because Sang Gang-jo was in no position to teach martial arts openly.
With the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union and the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path searching for him with bloodshot eyes, being discovered teaching advanced martial arts at the Dong-ro Branch would be tantamount to digging his own grave.
The branch members weren't from any specific sect or faction; they had all learned their skills at martial arts halls, so they were all similarly inept.
Branch Master An Do-pil and Team Leader I, Hyeong In-geol, were slightly better, but even they were no more than martial artists of an ordinary level.
However, since Sang Gang-jo began teaching, the branch members' skills had been improving by leaps and bounds with each passing day.
Literally different from one day to the next, and better tomorrow than they were today, the branch members were ecstatic.
Because their skills had been at rock bottom without any proper foundation, Sang Gang-jo's instruction, though lasting just over a fortnight, had produced dazzling results.
The arts Sang Gang-jo was teaching were the Mysterious Heaven Heart Art and the Sixteen Linked Fist and Foot Forms of his own Diancang Sect.
It was the first time the branch members had ever learned a heart art.
Normally, it was forbidden to pass on a sect's martial arts to outsiders, but Sang Gang-jo had broken this taboo because I had asked him to.
If the branch members practiced the Mysterious Heaven Heart Art and the Sixteen Linked Fist and Foot Forms diligently for just three months, they could walk the streets and not be easily defeated unless they encountered a true master.
I didn't know how long Sang Gang-jo would stay at the Dong-ro Branch, but once the members had a decent grasp of the Sixteen Linked Fist and Foot Forms, I planned to have him teach them the Sun-Shooting Swordplay, another exclusive art of the Diancang Sect.
Sang Gang-jo was also teaching the Mysterious Heaven Heart Art, the Sixteen Linked Fist and Foot Forms, and even the Sun-Shooting Swordplay to the members of the Peerless Sect. He was going to the Peerless Sect to teach them directly.
Since the Peerless Sect members were already first-rate martial artists, they absorbed the heart art, fist and foot forms, and swordplay simultaneously with ease.
I had no idea where Jang Ung had found such talented individuals, but all fifteen members of the Peerless Sect were outstanding talents with no discernible flaws.
***
Ever since Jang Ung arbitrarily appointed Ja-un as my Personal Attendant, she would arrive at the Dong-ro Branch punctually at the Hour of the Dragon, around eight in the morning, and leave at the Hour of the Dog, around eight in the evening, after neatly making my bed.
Her job was to attend to my every need, from one to ten.
Three times a day, Ja-un had all sorts of dishes delivered by carriage, alternating between the Peerless Tower and the Ja-un Pavilion.
Her devotion was so profound it was almost tear-inducing.
***
During a meal, Ja-un spoke with a subdued voice.
"My lord, I have something to tell you."
"Go on."
"With the nineteen taverns and entertainment houses run by the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union and the Dong-ro branch of the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path, we now have a total of twenty-four establishments."
"Hmm? Not twenty-one?"
Nineteen plus the Ja-un Pavilion and the Peerless Tower made twenty-one.
"We originally had five."
"You did?"
"Three are in Hangzhou."
That was unexpected.
"They're all entertainment houses."
"And?"
I was quite surprised.
I had been surprised to learn that the siblings Jang Ung and Ja-un, both in their twenties, owned two places, the Ja-un Pavilion and the Peerless Tower, but now I found out they had three more entertainment houses in Hangzhou.
Jang Ung and Ja-un frequently surprised me.
"With twenty-four taverns and entertainment houses, it's now a group."
"Indeed."
An operation of that size could be considered a group, if not quite a merchant guild.
"So, my brother said we should have a name, and he asked that you name it, my lord."
"Name it based on your feeling."
"How about a dragon, lying down and asleep?"
I was referring to my current self.
"A crouching dragon!"
Ja-un clapped her hands, her face alight with joy.
"The Crouching Dragon Group! How is it?"
"It's good."
Ja-un smiled brightly and bowed her head.
"Thank you, my lord!"
***
As the meal was drawing to a close, a twenty-one-year-old member of the Peerless Sect named Jin U-gun burst into the villa.
"My lord!"
"What is it?"
I sensed that something important had happened.
"The General Manager has ordered me to bring you to the main sect at once!"
"Let's go!"
As I left the villa, I called out to Sang Gang-jo.
"Uncle Jo! Come with us!"
***
At the Peerless Sect, Jang Ung was busy compiling, organizing, and analyzing the contents of letters arriving moment by moment via carrier pigeon.
When Sang Gang-jo and I entered the main hall of the Peerless Sect, Jang Ung and two of his subordinates paid their respects.
"My lord!"
"What's going on?"
Jang Ung's face was as hard as stone.
"Our enemies are closing in, all at once!"
The Demonic Emperor's Grand Union, the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path, and the Northern Underworld Manor were all descending on Dong-ro County in force.
From the Demonic Emperor's Grand Union, two hundred elite masters from the Jiangsu Demonic Alliance were marching south towards Dong-ro County from the north.
From the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path, a force of over seven hundred, including elite masters from the Zhejiang Unorthodox Heaven and their subordinate factions, were approaching from the east, where Hangzhou was located.
And from the Northern Underworld Manor, a hundred mercenaries had already drawn the closest to Dong-ro County.