Chapter 38
Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Red Serpent Sect's Assault
Four days had passed since the day they decided to repay the debt to the Red Serpent Sect.
And the Red Serpent Sect disciple who had been chased away on the first day came visiting every single day.
"When are you going to pay up! It's already been four days!"
The Red Serpent Sect disciple who only barked empty threats—perhaps thanks to Jang Yunho's show of force the other day.
Eun Garyeon's attitude toward such a guy was always the same.
"We're not ready yet, so come back later."
"Tch, keep this up and you'll regret it."
But there wasn't much a lowly Red Serpent Sect warrior could do.
Besides, they couldn't actually report it to the authorities.
Watching him leave after his empty bluster, Eun Garyeon suddenly found it all rather ridiculous.
'It's not as big a deal as I thought.'
How much had she fretted over the name "Red Serpent Sect" all this time?
Yet when it actually came down to it, they were nothing special.
Mok Jimyeong throwing a fit about collecting money had been far more terrifying.
Back then, it had been so brutal.
With him causing a ruckus every day, she could feel the employees shrinking in fear.
In contrast, things now were...
"Tsk tsk, you think that'll get him his money?"
"Right? I really thought we were in deep trouble the other day."
The employees were casually gathering in groups, chatting away without a care.
This was all thanks to having dealt with that man called Mok Jimyeong beforehand.
'Come to think of it, wasn't Mok Xiaoxie supposed to be the scion of a righteous faction family?'
And yet he'd been scarier than the Red Serpent Sect. Truly bizarre.
Jang Yunho seemed to share the sentiment as he spoke to Eun Garyeon.
"Compared to that bastard Mok Jimyeong, these guys are downright boring."
"...Yeah. Still, we can't let our guard down yet."
She didn't think it would end just like this.
But she couldn't prepare for everything in advance either.
She had plenty of other things to handle.
"Escort Jin, can we talk for a sec?"
"Ahem, Leader. I told you, this is getting awkward."
"Just help me this once. It's like a light stroll—just make a trip to the northern region..."
"Haa, fine. Let me know when everyone's gathered."
Perhaps thanks to Eun Garyeon's persistent pleas, employees were starting to come around one by one.
It was still far from enough to form a proper caravan, but possibility was slowly opening up.
Just as that spark of hope began to flicker...
That day arrived.
The debt collector showed up with a horde of rough-looking warriors in tow.
"Today, I'll drag you lot off by force if I have to!"
There were at least thirty of them, each armed with menacing weapons.
It was obvious to anyone they were gearing up for violence.
Swords, sabers, spears—even massive axes were visible, instantly silencing the Eun Merchant Group.
"Ptoo! Trying to stiff the Red Serpent Sect on our money?"
"Get the leader out here!"
Not a single one of the so-called escorts stepped up to stop them.
The Red Serpent Sect crew brazenly crossed the grand gates of the Eun Merchant Group.
And the one who stood alone to block their path was Escort Warrior Jang Yunho.
"Halt, all of you."
He didn't expect them to actually stop just because he said so.
Jang Yunho immediately drew his sword and assumed a stance.
"That guy's the one?"
"That punk's the one messing with the Red Serpent Sect's business?"
A powder keg ready to blow.
In that moment, the Red Serpent Sect disciple who had been showing up daily stepped forward first.
"I've had it in for you since the beginning, you bastard!"
A sharp sword came whistling down toward Jang Yunho's head.
Not to subdue, but to kill.
In this life-or-death fight, Jang Yunho steeled himself.
'It's fine. Not my first rodeo.'
He'd faced situations like this countless times on the trip to Sichuan.
Except now, there was no one watching his back.
'The Leader's safe inside...'
All he had to do was focus on the fight.
His sword began to move.
'Calmly, one at a time.'
Blood sprayed from the throat of the first Red Serpent Sect disciple to charge.
Before he could even register it, Jang Yunho's blade was buried there.
"Guh... ugh..."
The man collapsed, gurgling blood.
But Jang Yunho had no time to savor it.
It was just one down.
Dozens more remained.
'They can't all come at me at once anyway.'
He could handle three or four at most simultaneously.
With skills like theirs, he had no fear of losing.
He planted his feet firmly and straightened his back.
The martial art Jang Yunho knew—the Benevolent Guardian Swordsmanship that any Eun Merchant Group escort could learn.
'Protect the grace.'
The former leader, Eun Taeho, who had taken him in as a child.
The grace he owed could be repaid by protecting his daughter, Eun Garyeon.
Thus, Jang Yunho had to protect Eun Garyeon.
"Kuh... ugh..."
"How's a guy like this an escort warrior..."
Even against dozens alone, he was upholding that promise.
Blood splattered across the Eun Merchant Group's grounds.
All of it from the Red Serpent Sect disciples.
Jang Yunho's body remained pristine, without a single wound.
As the number dwindled from over thirty to ten, the Red Serpent Sect disciples flinched and retreated.
Jang Yunho didn't pursue the fleeing foes.
His job wasn't extermination—it was defense.
Just when it seemed over...
"Well, now. Escort Jang, your skills are better than I thought."
Im Jungdo emerged from inside the building, dragging Eun Garyeon with him.
A blade pressed to her throat.
"Deputy! What the hell are you doing!"
Jang Yunho bellowed at the sight.
But Im Jungdo ignored him, scanning the surviving Red Serpent Sect disciples as he spoke.
"And you Red Serpent Sect trash are more useless than expected. Forcing me to step in because of you lot."
"S-Sorry."
The Red Serpent Sect disciples bowed their heads in apology.
Only then did it belatedly dawn on Jang Yunho.
'They're in cahoots...?'
He knew Im Jungdo was on the same side as Eun Taehyeok.
But he hadn't expected this level of betrayal.
Still, this was the deputy who'd worked at the Eun Merchant Group for four years.
What the hell was he doing now?
"Deputy?!"
"Why the leader...!"
The gathered employees were stunned beyond belief.
Even Eun Taehyeok, supposedly on the same side.
"No, Deputy. Why would you...!"
Im Jungdo clicked his tongue in response.
"Tch, it could've ended peacefully, but no... With the boss visiting in person today, I had no choice but to do this."
'Visiting?'
Jang Yunho racked his brain but couldn't figure out who it was.
No, it didn't matter right now.
What mattered was Eun Garyeon in Im Jungdo's clutches.
"Leader!"
At Jang Yunho's cry, Eun Garyeon gave a wistful smile despite the blade at her throat.
"Sorry, Jang Xiaoxie. I should have seen it when Mok Xiaoxie used force on him..."
Im Jungdo bristled at her words.
"Shut it! Just thinking of that damn bastard makes my teeth grind..."
Im Jungdo gnashed his teeth at the mere thought of Mok Jimyeong.
How much hell had that guy put him through? His injuries from back then still hadn't fully healed.
A brief silence fell.
Eun Taehyeok was the one to break it.
"Deputy! Let Garyeon go!"
Eun Taehyeok raised his voice in an overly dramatic tone.
Im Jungdo let out a hollow laugh.
"Cut the act. You useless punk. I told you to either convince Eun Garyeon to go to the Red Serpent Sect or talk Jang over there into joining us. You couldn't do either, so now I have to step in?"
"That's..."
With his secrets suddenly exposed, Eun Taehyeok panicked and glanced around.
Only then did Jang Yunho piece it all together.
'So Im Jungdo was the ringleader from the start.'
How had Mok Jimyeong known?
And why had it taken him so long to realize?
He recalled what the guy had said before leaving.
-You keep guarding the merchant group as usual.
'Sorry. I couldn't even protect the leader.'
Eun Garyeon was already a hostage in Im Jungdo's hands.
There was nothing Jang Yunho could do in this situation.
"You... This wasn't the deal!"
Realizing he was screwed, Eun Taehyeok yelled at Im Jungdo.
"You're the one who broke the deal. I went out of my way to kill your brother for you, and you can't even handle one little girl? Tch tch."
The employees murmured at the further revelations.
Im Jungdo cackled at their reactions.
"Since it's come to this, might as well wipe out every last root of the Eun Merchant Group."
"You vile unorthodox scum..."
Even as Im Jungdo and Eun Taehyeok talked, Jang Yunho's eyes stayed locked on Eun Garyeon.
She mouthed words at him.
-Run, while you can.
Their goal was her body anyway.
And Jang Yunho could escape if he wanted.
But he ignored her, channeling his inner energy throughout his body.
Ready to rescue her at any moment.
However...
'Too far.'
The distance was too great.
Im Jungdo knew Jang Yunho's skill and was keeping well back.
'Just a moment, even a split second...'
And then, the miracle happened.
"You filthy traitor!"
An escort standing by Im Jungdo suddenly drew his sword and lunged.
One of those Eun Garyeon had persuaded sometime before.
"You worm, where do you think you're going!"
Im Jungdo's sword, aimed at Eun Garyeon's throat, swung toward the escort.
And in that instant.
Jang Yunho's body shot forward like an arrow.
Clang-!
Im Jungdo barely blocked Jang Yunho's sword.
But thanks to that, the escort who had charged first successfully pulled Eun Garyeon free.
"Leader, this way!"
Another escort stepped up to help her—one who had previously refused her request.
"Protect the leader!"
The Eun Merchant Group members surrounded Eun Garyeon, forming a defensive ring.
Even among them was someone who had once badmouthed her.
"Eun Merchant Group! Protect the leader from these filthy traitors!"
The employees, who hadn't budged when the Red Serpent Sect invaded, were finally banding together.