Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Yellow Dragon Merchant Group Leader Yeom Yu-gwang
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There’s a saying that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
By that logic, Wang Ji-kyeong had become an ally to Yi Hwan, someone he now had to fight alongside against their common foe, the Yellow Dragon Merchant Group. Of course, Yi Hwan was the one who had shaped the situation that way.
‘I made the right call in shifting my perspective.’
His original goal had been to eliminate Wang Ji-kyeong.
Clink.
Yi Hwan looked down at his tea.
It was the Dragon Well tea that Yi Yeong had prepared for him.
‘To think I still had feelings like this left in me.’
In his own era, Yi Hwan had been a cold-blooded man without blood or tears.
He had spared no means or methods to achieve his ends, and in doing so, he had unified the world.
Thanks to that, he was revered in the annals of the martial world as a great figure, but he was no chivalrous hero—let alone a true hero.
“My lord, what are you thinking about so deeply?”
Cheol Mu-ok’s voice snapped him out of his reverie.
Yi Hwan drained the last of his tea and stood.
“You said there’s a meeting?”
“Yes. It’s almost time to leave.”
Today, Wang Ji-kyeong would attend a meeting. And the leader of the Yellow Dragon Merchant Group would be there as well.
Even after facing two attempts on his life from the Yellow Dragon Merchant Group, Wang Ji-kyeong hadn’t backed down. It was because he trusted Yi Hwan.
Yi Hwan knew that.
He stepped outside.
Ju Tae was waiting there, looking like a completely different person in his neat white robes and groomed hair.
“Have you gotten used to it yet?”
“Every day feels fresh and new just being by your side, my lord. Let’s get going.”
The three headed toward the main gate.
The carriage and escorts were ready and waiting, but Wang Ji-kyeong hadn’t emerged yet.
Rustle!
Everyone bowed their heads toward Yi Hwan.
By now, he was firmly established as their leader in everyone’s eyes. It was the natural outcome of the martial world’s iron rule: the strong come first.
Yi Hwan mounted his horse and waited for Wang Ji-kyeong to appear. And no one took issue with his demeanor anymore.
A short while later, Wang Ji-kyeong came out.
He was dressed in even more lavish robes than usual, adorned with a golden hairpin that spoke volumes about how seriously he was taking this meeting.
Before boarding the carriage, Wang Ji-kyeong spoke to Yi Hwan.
“I’m counting on you for this trip as well.”
Soon after, they set off.
The sun was especially bright today. Yi Hwan wanted to savor the brilliant light.
“Go slowly.”
“We don’t have much time left.”
“Doesn’t matter. We arrive after the Yellow Dragon Merchant Group, no exceptions.”
Laughter erupted from inside the carriage at Yi Hwan’s words.
“Hahaha!”
* * *
Hero Pavilion.
The meeting was to be held at the place built in the days of King Yeon Taejo to honor the heroes who had roamed the world.
Four people would attend the gathering.
Each was a tycoon renowned across the land.
Whoosh!
Despite the sweltering heat, a cool breeze blew around the Hero Pavilion. The towering mountains and flowing river tempered the sun’s fierce rays.
Three men were already seated there.
“Lord Wang is awfully late. Do you think he got the time wrong?”
“No way. Let’s wait a bit longer.”
The two middle-aged men remained composed. But the leader of the Yellow Dragon Merchant Group was anything but.
‘He’s delaying on purpose to save face? What a joke.’
One of the middle-aged men asked him.
“I hear you’re getting into the inn business too. Is that true?”
“Nothing’s set in stone yet.”
“So you might?”
“If there’s money in it, why not?”
The Yellow Dragon leader’s retort made the other middle-aged man furrow his brow.
“Know your place. If you keep stretching your tentacles everywhere like some octopus, it’ll drag the rest of us down too. We get enough flak just for being rich. Ahem!”
Snicker.
“You’re the last one to talk, making your fortune off girls selling their bodies.”
“What?!”
That was when it happened.
“Lord Wang has arrived.”
* * *
Yi Hwan stared at the carriage.
His eyes naturally went to the Yellow Dragon Merchant Group’s escorts first. But Mount Sang Blood Blade wasn’t among them.
[His wrist is broken, so he didn’t come.]
At Cheol Mu-ok’s transmission, Yi Hwan gazed at the Hero Pavilion. He still couldn’t tell which one was the Yellow Dragon leader.
But he soon found out, thanks to Wang Ji-kyeong’s mocking remark.
“The one in the yellow robes over there is the Yellow Dragon leader. Doesn’t he look just like a snake?”
“Keep your shoulders back and walk up slowly, with dignity.”
“Ahem! Got it!”
* * *
Yi Hwan deliberately had their carriage stop right next to the Yellow Dragon’s.
The escorts eyed him warily—some aggressively, others with clear tension.
Yi Hwan took a seat on the driver’s perch.
That was when Cheol Mu-ok tossed a remark at the Yellow Dragon escorts.
“Back off a bit. You stink.”
“Watch your mouth.”
“Or what?”
“…….”
That was the end of their defiance.
No one dared step forward. Ju Tae swept his fierce gaze over them slowly before leaning against the carriage at an angle.
“No Mount Sang Blood Blade, huh? Did he chicken out and run?”
“What?”
“Oh? Wanna give it a try?”
“…….”
As Ju Tae glared, the bristling Yellow Dragon escort bit his lip and retreated.
Cheol Mu-ok chuckled.
[That guy’s a natural at this.]
Yi Hwan smiled too.
He stared at the Yellow Dragon leader. He couldn’t see his face clearly from the angle, but the man’s upright posture set him distinctly apart from Wang Ji-kyeong.
‘In a world ruled by gold, that man’s at the top of the food chain. Topple him and the Yellow Dragon Merchant Group, and I can flip the board entirely.’
There was an easy way to do it.
Just kill the Yellow Dragon leader right here. But that would provoke the Empress and the Second Prince, and who knew what chaos would follow? He couldn’t risk it.
It all came down to who had the powerful backing.
That was when it happened.
The Yellow Dragon leader turned his head toward Yi Hwan.
Their gazes locked across the distance. But it lasted only an instant.
The Yellow Dragon leader quickly looked away.
Yi Hwan smiled coldly.
‘I can’t kill you yet, but I’m not letting this slide either.’
* * *
Unlike before, there were no raised voices today.
Yi Hwan watched Wang Ji-kyeong descend from the Hero Pavilion. His relaxed expression suggested he’d gotten a satisfactory outcome.
Then he turned his gaze behind Wang Ji-kyeong.
The Yellow Dragon leader was coming down. Their eyes met again.
Yi Hwan strode forward.
The Yellow Dragon leader flinched and frantically signaled his escorts. Several rushed to block his path, but Yi Hwan stopped in front of Wang Ji-kyeong.
It looked like a proper escort to anyone watching, but in that moment, the Yellow Dragon leader felt his heart drop.
That was when it happened.
[You’d better guard that hideous thing on your shoulder well.]
‘That bastard!’
* * *
On the way back to the estate, Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae peeled off from the escort procession. They donned prepared masks in a secluded spot and vanished somewhere.
They didn’t return until long after the group had arrived home.
The two entered Yi Hwan’s quarters.
The metallic tang of blood filled the room instantly.
“How’d it go?”
“We took out about half, so their guts should be shriveled good by now.”
“No injuries?”
“We’re fine.”
“I’m good too.”
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae had attacked the Yellow Dragon Merchant Group on the way back. Naturally, Yi Hwan had brought Ju Tae along for exactly that purpose from the start.
“Go wash up and eat.”
“Yes.”
* * *
Somewhere in the city.
Yeom Yu-gwang, leader of the Yellow Dragon Merchant Group, had a face flushed red with rage. On the way back from the meeting, two masked men had ambushed them out of nowhere, cutting down half his escorts.
He was seething now, but in the moment, he’d been paralyzed with terror.
The gruesome scene still sent chills racing over his skin.
On the other hand, his fury burned hot.
‘After all the gold I poured into hiring them…’
The masked men had overwhelmed the high-priced escorts he’d recruited. And their brutality was beyond words—even Yeom Yu-gwang, watching through the carriage window, had to look away.
‘It has to be that bastard’s doing!’
Yeom Yu-gwang trembled as he recalled Yi Hwan and his warning.
Bam!
Unable to contain his anger, he slammed the table.
The impact sent a teacup flying, shattering mercilessly and soaking the floor.
“Someone get in here!”
Creak!
A middle-aged man rushed in.
He surveyed the mess before approaching Yeom Yu-gwang.
“Go to Spring Guest Inn right now and tell them to hire experts stronger than Wang Ji-kyeong’s escorts, no matter the cost!”
“Understood.”
“Wait!”
The middle-aged man turned back as he headed out.
“Contact the branch in the Qin Kingdom too—have them recruit martial experts from there! As many as possible, as fast as possible! Got it?”
“Yes, Leader.”
Once the man withdrew, Yeom Yu-gwang strode to the window and flung it open.
Creak!
His nape and chest were flushed red from the sheer fury. But there was another thing fueling his anger: Wang Ji-kyeong.
‘What the hell does that guy have to back up all that bluster?!’
At the meeting, Wang Ji-kyeong had said this.
“I’m considering an alliance with the Song family. I hope we won’t clash over trade routes down the line. If you ignore my warning and keep acting like before, I won’t stand by idly.”
More than the words, Wang Ji-kyeong’s attitude grated on him.
Throughout the meeting, he’d openly radiated the vibe that he could crush him anytime.
‘An alliance with the Song family? Has he forgotten who’s behind me?’
Tremble…
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got—twitches even spasming at the corners of his eyes. It only happened when his rage peaked.
‘If that’s how you want to play it, I have no choice. I’ve been lenient so far, expanding while giving you room—but from now on, no mercy. Wang Ji-kyeong.’
* * *
Imperial Palace.
Second Prince Yi Tae-ji sat across from his advisor.
“I wonder what the Yellow Dragon leader’s face looks like right now.”
“Because you refused to meet him?”
“We need to drill some discipline into him before his wealth makes him forget his place. Otherwise, he might turn and bite me.”
“If you overdo it, it could backfire, so please meet him next time. That aside, rumors are swirling that Wang Ji-kyeong has joined hands with the Song family.”
“Who’s Wang Ji-kyeong?”
“The man who amassed wealth rivaling the Yellow Dragon Merchant Group through usury. They call him the Dark Emperor in some circles. If the rumors are true, we should start by digging into his backers.”
“Is he preempting our move into usury?”
“I doubt it. Why join hands with the crumbling Song family for that? What concerns me is that Wang Ji-kyeong surely knows who’s behind the Yellow Dragon Merchant Group, yet he’s coming out so strong…”
The advisor trailed off.
Yi Tae-ji’s eyes flashed as he spoke.
“It might be connected to the Crown Prince’s Palace.”
“Exactly. That’s what worries me most. If the Crown Prince’s Palace has some deal with Wang Ji-kyeong, it could get serious. Right now, our edge over them is funding. If that shakes…”
The leisure vanished from Yi Tae-ji’s face.
Thud!
“Move the Golden Imperial Guards if you have to—get me intel as fast as possible! If the Crown Prince’s Palace is involved, inform Her Majesty the Empress and crush them preemptively! Also, contact the governor and order tighter surveillance on the Song family and Wang Ji-kyeong!”
“Understood.”
As the advisor withdrew, Yi Tae-ji sank deep into his chair, his gaze hardening.
‘If it’s true, I’ll have to cut them all down at the root.’