Small Branch Leader Announcement Ceremony (6)
In Sungyang County of Hubei Province, the largest merchant group was the Eunhae Merchant Group.
However, since the Eunhae Merchant Group didn't monopolize everything in Sungyang County, there were several other merchant groups as well.
One of them was the Black Liquor Gang.
True to its name, it was a group of unorthodox martial artists who supplied alcohol to small taverns that resembled little pubs.
Though "supply" was putting it nicely—it was essentially extortion.
The owners of these small, weak taverns had no choice but to accept their strong-arm tactics.
This situation began to change three years ago.
The Eunhae Merchant Group had entered the alcohol supply business.
Offering high-quality liquor at reasonable prices, the tavern owners naturally wanted to source from the Eunhae Merchant Group.
But the existing supplier, the Black Liquor Gang, wasn't about to welcome the competition.
When the tavern owners started glancing nervously at them, the Eunhae Merchant Group made a proposal to the owners.
They would hire the Changin Escort Bureau to ensure the Black Liquor Gang couldn't cause any trouble.
The Eunhae Merchant Group's own forces weren't weak to begin with, but with the Changin Escort Bureau joining in, the tavern owners' hearts tipped decisively.
In the end, every tavern in Sungyang County began sourcing alcohol from the Eunhae Merchant Group.
This put the Black Liquor Gang in a dire predicament.
.
.
.
Bam!
The Black Liquor Gang leader, O Dae-deuk, slammed his fist down on the table.
"You fucking bastard!"
He glared at the subordinate trembling before him.
"So, he got caught?"
"Y-yes, that's what we heard."
"He swallowed my hundred taels of hard-earned silver and got himself caught?"
"……."
"Answer me, you fucking punk!"
O Dae-deuk grabbed a liquor bottle and hurled it.
Crash!
The subordinate, Bang Do, whose forehead split open from the impact, prostrated himself on the spot.
"P-please spare me, Gang Leader!"
"Get up! Who's gonna kill you?"
As Bang Do shakily rose, still trembling, O Dae-deuk commanded him.
"Explain in detail."
"Yes, well, it went like this……."
"Skip the fluff. Be as concise as possible."
"Yes, sir!"
Bang Do explained to Gang Leader O Dae-deuk what had happened at the announcement ceremony banquet for Eun Jeong-ho, the eldest son of the Eunhae Merchant Group leader and the new small branch leader.
After hearing it, O Dae-deuk ground his teeth.
"What an idiot! What assassin pulls a hit in broad daylight with guards everywhere?"
It was an unjust situation for the faceless assassin, but O Dae-deuk, unaware of the full details, could only erupt in rage.
"B-but, Gang Leader."
Another subordinate standing nearby cautiously spoke up.
"What if that dumbass spills that we commissioned the hit?"
"Just deny it! We've done that all along—what's so special now?"
"B-but…… we might've poked the wrong bear."
"How many places were we supplying liquor to?"
"From what I remember, one hundred sixty-eight."
"How many in the last month?"
"……Not a single one."
"They swooped in and took every damn client! There's such a thing as merchant decency! We're starving, twiddling our thumbs, while they throw banquets—doesn't that piss you off?"
"……."
O Dae-deuk huffed as he continued.
"That's why we sent a warning! Mess with us, and even the Eunhae Merchant Group's eldest son ends up like that. So take our booze again."
"What I'm saying is, how do you plan to handle the fallout from this……."
"You fuck! I told you—deny it! Wanna die? You want to die?"
"S-sorry! Spare me, Gang Leader! I overstepped my place!"
Thud thud thud!
Someone came running in, shouting.
"B-big trouble, Gang Leader!"
"What?"
"Government troops! The troops are coming!"
"Government troops? Not just constables—actual troops?"
"Yes!"
"How many?"
"At least a few hundred."
If something major happened, Sungyang County's magistrate could request government troops.
But hundreds of them meant higher authorities were involved.
One subordinate cried out.
"Fuck! Does that mean the inspector general's on the move?"
"Has all our past shit finally caught up?"
O Dae-deuk shot to his feet and bellowed.
"Tell them to fight back!"
"Pardon?"
"Government troops! You think we'll get off easy if we're caught? Better to die fighting than endure torture and get executed at the sixth hour!"
The subordinate who brought the news bit his lip.
"I'll die fighting."
He rushed out.
As the others momentarily averted their eyes to his retreating figure—
Slash!
Stab!
Thrust!
O Dae-deuk drew his sword and cut down and stabbed the remaining subordinates in the room.
"W-why……?"
To their bewildered questions filled with injustice, he grinned wickedly.
"You all know about the secret passage."
Slash—!
Having slaughtered everyone, O Dae-deuk hurriedly grabbed his bundle.
In the life of an unorthodox martial artist, you never knew when trouble would strike.
That's why he always kept an escape kit ready.
In the distance, the sounds of his gang's subordinates clashing with the government troops echoed.
"Stupid fuckers. Fight your hearts out. I'm outta here."
He opened the secret passage hidden under the desk and dove in.
He crawled through the narrow tunnel for a good while.
How far had he gone?
Light appeared ahead, and he cautiously peered outside.
No one was there.
'Of course! How would they know about this? Heh heh heh.'
He quickly emerged from the secret passage and started down the pre-scouted escape route.
But he soon had to halt.
A voice came from the side.
"Looks like there really was a rat hole."
* * *
I pointed my sword at Gang Leader O Dae-deuk.
As expected, he'd escaped through the rat hole and was about to flee.
He'd been slightly delayed by getting spotted by Palgap midway and tussling a bit.
Speaking of which, Palgap was hiding well in the bushes…….
Huh?
Why couldn't I sense Palgap's presence at all?
Anyway, if I'd been even a little later, he would've slipped away.
"Who the hell are you?"
I smirked at his question.
"Does it matter?"
In that instant, Gang Leader O Dae-deuk charged at me.
His blade sliced fiercely through the air, aiming for my shoulder.
Clang—!
But I had no intention of yielding my shoulder to such a basic attack. I swiftly swung my sword to parry his upward.
Clang clang clang—!
O Dae-deuk retreated, grunting in frustration.
"You're no ordinary punk!"
He readjusted his grip on his sword.
Looks like he planned to get serious.
In that case, it was only polite to meet him properly.
I recalled the first form of the Jin Seol Twelve Style Swordsmanship I'd learned in my previous life—no, recently.
Descending Snow.
Snowfall marks the beginning of winter.
Mountains and rivers turn white, and all things shrink from the biting winter wind.
Likewise, the first form, Descending Snow, was the starting point and most crucial step of the Jin Seol Twelve Style Swordsmanship.
Clang—!
Clang clang!
His sword clashed against mine.
My hands tingled, but it was still far from enough.
Stepping steadily with the Mu Hyeon Step Method, I unfolded the sword form of Descending Snow.
"Urgh……."
Strength began draining from Gang Leader O Dae-deuk's sword, and the momentum shifted increasingly in my favor.
If he were far superior to me, he would've discerned the true intent of this form and broken the flow instead of clashing blades endlessly.
After all, the purpose of Descending Snow's sword form was to draw the opponent's momentum toward me.
Of course, without my past memories, I couldn't have led the fight this way.
Having only learned the first form, I wouldn't have grasped its true essence.
But with over a decade of practice in my previous life, I knew the essence of Descending Snow well.
I also knew it was the most domineering technique among the twelve forms.
Clang!
O Dae-deuk's sword flew from his hand into the air.
Snap—!
My blade pressed against his throat.
"Surrender?"
"Hah…… I surrender."
As Gang Leader O Dae-deuk said this, he reached into his bosom.
But did I just let him?
I've dealt with plenty of unorthodox types like him.
I quickly knocked away what he held, kneed his gut, and struck his neck with my sword hilt.
"Gah!"
He let out a dying screech and collapsed.
I bound him while he was out.
Not killing him here? Because a quick death would be too merciful.
He should suffer every bit of pain he deserves before dying.
I called out toward the bushes.
"It's over. You can come out now."
The bushes rustled, and Palgap emerged.
His presence really hadn't been detectable…….
What the heck?
Unaware of my thoughts, Palgap stared in shock.
"Young master? Is that really you?"
"Who else? A ghost?"
"N-no, it's just……."
Palgap scratched his head and glanced at the unconscious O Dae-deuk.
"You're way stronger than I expected…… Have you been hiding your skills?"
"Yeah. If word got out about my level, people might get wary."
Specifically, to avoid scrutiny from the Murim Alliance and Baekcheon Merchant Group.
"That makes sense, but…… when did you get this strong?"
"After taking that spiritual medicine."
"Ah……."
Knowing about the strange phenomenon back then, Palgap nodded easily.
"So keep it secret for me."
"Of course. Got it."
Palgap nodded and asked.
"What about this bundle?"
The bundle Gang Leader O Dae-deuk had been carrying.
It seemed important.
"Open it."
At my words, Palgap untied it, and we both gasped in surprise.
"Gasp!"
"Oh my!"
It was packed with an enormous hoard of gold and jewels.
If this went to the government, would it go to O Dae-deuk's victims?
No.
Assets seized from criminals always revert to the state.
So it rightfully belongs to those harmed by the Black Liquor Gang.
I retied it and picked it up.
"Palgap."
"Yes."
"We've got some urgent work ahead."
* * *
A few days passed after that.
"Young master, did you hear?"
I tilted my head at Palgap's words.
"Hear what?"
"The Black Liquor Gang leader got caught."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. They found him dangling from a tree."
"Good call hanging him from that tree."
I'd planned to just leave him, but worried beasts might attack or he might crawl away, so I strung him up.
Palgap continued.
"People are guessing it was one of his enemies with a grudge."
"I figured they'd blame some wandering hero……."
"Don't you think that doesn't make sense either, young master? What wandering hero in the dead of night, in some remote spot, would know who he was?"
"True enough."
"Anyway, they're investigating who did it."
Palgap and I exchanged smirks.
Since it was us, after all.
"And about the silver we distributed……."
We'd divided the silver among the Black Liquor Gang's victims.
"Oh, how'd that go?"
"The gang leader confessed his gold and jewels bundle went missing, so they're assuming the one who strung him up distributed silver to the people."
"Makes sense."
"The government tried to claim it as criminal proceeds……."
Something boiled up inside me.
We worked so hard breaking it into silver taels— and they're taking it?
"The old man at the sundries shop asked if they had proof it was the gang leader's escape loot. It was all silver, not the gold he claimed."
"And?"
"So they let it be."
"Nice."
Good news.
"Guess I should swing by the sundries shop later to say thanks."
Worth the effort converting it to silver.
"Alright, off to work."
"Yes, sir."
I left Palgap behind and headed to the Finance Pavilion.
Revealing my martial arts level to him felt like the right call.
Otherwise, I'd have to fake Weak Aura Realm illusions every time I left—exhausting.
And soothing a sulky Palgap later would've been a pain.
Was buying that dummy a waste?
Eh, it'll come in handy eventually.
Thinking that, I soon arrived at the Finance Pavilion, received the clerks' greetings, and went to Deputy Director Yu's office.
Shift starting.