Chapter 43
Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Severing Blood Ties
The day after the disaster.
I visited the Eun Merchant Group early in the morning.
"Come here!"
This time, I didn't kick open the main gate.
I wasn't there as a debt collector, after all.
As I pushed open the gate and stepped inside, I saw people bustling about.
And in the midst of them, Eun Garyeon issuing orders.
"Ah, Mok Xiaoxie! You've come?"
"Working hard since morning, I see?"
The courtyard was piled high with goods, so it looked like they were resuming operations right away.
Eun Garyeon smiled brightly at my words.
"Gotta get back to work quick to pay off what we owe Mok Xiaoxie."
"Owe? What debt? The 200 nyang on the IOU? Or the 100 nyang that Eun Sojeo borrowed from me?"
"The IOU, the IOU! When did I ever borrow 100 nyang from you, Mok Xiaoxie!"
She shouted, but her face was lit up with cheer.
I'd been a little worried after yesterday's mess, but she seemed fine.
"Fine, forget it. You don't have to pay that back. Just pocket some pocket money for me later."
The 20 nyang of silver I'd lent her before? That should be fair game.
Eun Garyeon hesitated at my words before asking,
"But Mok Xiaoxie... when are you planning to leave?"
"Hmm, who knows?"
My business here was done, for now.
Still, I wanted to see the Eun Merchant Group back up and running smoothly before I went.
The Red Serpent Sect has me a bit concerned, too.
According to Somwol, the Four Black Alliance wouldn't make a move, but the Red Serpent Sect was another story.
The northern region where they operated was quite a distance from both the Four Black Alliance and the Murim Alliance.
If they had any sense left after all that, they wouldn't come near the Eun Merchant Group.
But when had the Red Serpent Sect ever been known for having any sense?
So, I planned to stick around for about a month, until the goods from the Sichuan Tang Family arrived and were sold off.
She let out a sigh of relief after hearing my plans.
"That's a relief. If you'd said you were leaving right away, I wouldn't have even been able to see you off properly. The merchant group is so swamped right now..."
"Yeah, I can see that."
As I glanced around while she spoke, I spotted a few familiar faces.
"Huh? What are those guys doing here?"
"Oh, them?"
They were the ones who had barely escaped with their lives yesterday and sworn they'd quit the Eun Merchant Group.
There must've been over a dozen of them.
"They're essential to the Eun Merchant Group, so I asked them to stay yesterday."
"Hmm..."
Well, she'd handle it fine on her own.
It'd be ridiculous for me to start giving orders.
"Anyway, don't you have any questions for me?"
I finally brought up the real reason I'd shown up at the crack of dawn.
It must seem pretty strange from her perspective.
I hadn't explained a thing yesterday.
There hadn't been time.
Someone she'd thought had left had suddenly shown back up—had to have been a shock.
But Eun Garyeon just shook her head.
"I heard the gist from Somwol and Jang Xiaoxie yesterday. Even about the signal flare they gave Jang Xiaoxie..."
"Oh? That Jang bastard... Where is he, anyway?"
Now that I thought about it, the guy who was always hanging around was nowhere in sight.
Her expression hardened slightly at my offhand question.
"Jang Xiaoxie... he's at the clinic getting treated right now."
"Clinic?"
Right.
He'd been pretty banged up.
Jang's level was barely first-rate.
No helping it—he'd fought a peak Flower Realm expert.
Hmm, the guy really went through it.
To think only now: if Jang hadn't bought me time, things could've gone really south.
If everyone at the Eun Merchant Group had died and Eun Garyeon gotten kidnapped, it'd have been a headache.
"Tell him to come find me later."
I should teach him that Formless Finger Technique I'd mentioned yesterday as a reward.
That way, even if the Red Serpent Sect came mobbing after I left, he'd handle them fine.
"Got it. By the way, Mok Xiaoxie, where will you be staying from now on? The annex is gone, so should I prepare the room you used before?"
Eun Taehyeok's old room where I'd crashed for two months wasn't bad, but the annex I was in now was way better.
Perfect for relaxing without a care.
"Nah. I'll stay at the Silver Flower Pavilion... Oh, speaking of, did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"About Eun Taehyeok. They've caught the bastard."
Sparks flew from Eun Garyeon's eyes at my words.
"Uncle...?"
Looked like she hadn't heard yet.
Makes sense—I'd only learned from Somwol last night myself.
"Yeah. Wanna go see him now?"
"...No. Too much to do first... Can I go later?"
"Sure, whatever. He's not going anywhere."
She thanked me and went back to directing the workers.
Her energetic vibe was a far cry from her powerless days before—a sight for sore eyes.
I watched for a bit, then got bored and headed back to the Silver Flower Pavilion.
That evening.
"Mok Xiaoxie. Can I see my uncle?"
Eun Garyeon had come to the Silver Flower Pavilion.
She looked resolute, like she'd steeled herself.
"Sure. Let's go together."
We followed a Shadow Gate Sect disciple's lead to the basement beneath the Silver Flower Pavilion.
Passing through a hidden passage, we emerged into a dim prison.
I hadn't even known this place existed until today.
"This is..."
Eun Garyeon kept glancing around, seeing the prison for the first time.
At the far end, a figure was bound to a chair with ropes.
"...Garyeon."
Eun Taehyeok looked utterly haggard after just one day.
"Uncle. So this is where you've been."
"Grr, wasn't this your doing?!"
Misunderstanding something, he suddenly bellowed.
Eun Garyeon replied calmly.
"No. This is all on you, Uncle."
After trembling in rage for a while, Eun Taehyeok finally hung his head.
"Fine. I lost. So what now? You gonna kill me?"
"Yes."
Stunned by her firm answer, he snapped his head up.
"What? You're gonna kill me?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
Her eyes and voice were utterly flat.
Just like when she'd asked me to kill Chu Munrak yesterday.
Realizing she meant it, Eun Taehyeok thrashed against the chair.
"You... you're gonna kill your only blood kin?!"
"You killed my father, too, Uncle."
"That was..."
At a loss for words, he clamped his mouth shut.
Eun Garyeon sighed.
"Uncle, why did you do it? Was the Eun Merchant Group that tempting?"
Her words must've hit a nerve—he started ranting again.
"Argh... I'm an Eun clansman too! What's wrong with me wanting to run the merchant group?!"
His follow-up was as predictable as they come.
Born the second son of the merchant group's head, he'd worked hard.
But his father had ignored him and passed it to his older brother.
"He gives me just one inn to manage...! Does that make sense?! We're brothers! I worked harder!!"
The guy was spilling his inferiority complex everywhere.
But the colder Eun Garyeon's eyes grew.
"Uncle. Don't you know why Grandfather didn't entrust the Eun Merchant Group to you?"
"That eldest son! That second son crap!!"
"No. You lack integrity. The Eun Merchant Group has always valued loyalty above all. But you? You'd lie without hesitation if it benefited you."
"What do you know, you little brat?!"
"We spent three years together. Think I wouldn't notice? You're just not cut out for the Eun Merchant Group."
"Argh...!"
If he weren't tied up, he'd have lashed out right then.
But he was bound tight, unable even to twitch a finger.
After struggling awhile and realizing it, he finally turned his venomous glare on me.
"If it weren't for that guy! If not for that damn bastard!!"
Suddenly, the sparks flew my way.
Is he insane?
He was caught here because I'd gotten involved, true.
But what if I hadn't?
Chu Munrak would've wiped them out yesterday.
In the first timeline, the Eun Merchant Group hadn't even existed.
Even without me, she'd have held out until yesterday, and Jang would've protected her.
Then Chu Munrak would've shown up.
Eun Garyeon kidnapped, everyone else at the merchant group dead.
No way he'd leave survivors.
Oh, Jang might've gotten nabbed too.
Come to think of it, when I'd arrived yesterday, Chu Munrak had been carrying him over his shoulder.
Possible.
Anyway, that was the deal.
My interference had only changed the Eun Merchant Group's and Eun Garyeon's futures.
Eun Taehyeok's downfall was inevitable either way.
But he couldn't accept that, keep cursing me nonstop.
"Let's see how long you last! Know who you killed yesterday? A Four Black Alliance elder! You're done for..."
Tired of his bullshit, I glanced at Eun Garyeon.
She gave a subtle nod.
"Go ahead... kill him."
The moment she gave permission, my sword severed his neck in one stroke.
Squirt-!
Blood gushed from the headless body.
Eun Garyeon, drenched in her only blood kin's blood, looked utterly sorrowful.
"Thank you, Mok Xiaoxie. I... I'll head back first..."
She bowed to me.
Watching her trudge away left a bitter taste.
I'd planned to feel her out a bit starting today, but the mood was all wrong.
Even I, girl-crazy as I am, knew better than to push now.
Well, it's not like today is the only day.
I had plenty of time ahead.
That could wait.
"I'll walk you back."
For now, I'd just comfort her.