Episode 322

“Impossible.”

“Why?!”

Dan Woo-hyun frowned.

The idea of destroying a perfectly good place or putting bugs in food was utterly absurd and unbelievable.

Each person’s personality was clearly revealed.

Sa Dohak wanted to smash everything in sight, while Jeok Mu-seong plotted behind the scenes to sabotage the business.

Namgung Chun, with a subtle smile, was inciting Sa Dohak and Jeok Mu-seong, but when they started speaking, he would step back as if he had never been involved, merely watching the situation unfold. Namgung Chun seemed to be the worst of them all.

Dan Woo-hyun sighed softly and shook his head.

“So what do you gain from it?”

“Well…pocket money?”

Sa Dohak muttered with an awkward expression.

Dan Woo-hyun was dumbfounded by the words that came out of his mouth. How angry would the people involved be, trying to destroy the inn and the merchant union just to get a little more pocket money?

“Ah, no, aren’t they the ones who would pick a fight anyway? So, we’re just saying let’s smash them first.”

Sa Dohak hastily blurted out an excuse, as if even he found it absurd. Yet, as Dan Woo-hyun’s gaze didn’t waver, he turned his eyes away like a chastised puppy and drooped his shoulders.

He felt pitiful, unable to buy even the liquor he used to enjoy when he was in a good mood, now that his allowance had decreased.

“How can those who are old think in such a manner?”

Dan Woo-hyun sighed deeply and shook his head.

They say that the older you get, the more you become like a child, and it seemed like that saying was made for those present here.

“Heh heh heh, but it’s not wrong. If the Tons of Gold Merchant Union is acting like that, it means they’re trying to take away our influence.”

“See, I was right! Wouldn’t it be better to just smash them all?”

“I’m telling you, just catch those rats and let them loose.”

“Heh heh heh.”

In the slowly calming atmosphere, Namgung Chun’s words reignited the fire once again.

Sa Dohak looked as if he was about to smash them to pieces at any moment, while Jeok Mu-seong seemed to be thinking of catching all the rats nearby and setting them free.

Looking at these three, Dan Woo-hyun shook his head.

“Let’s just keep watching a little longer. There’s no need to make a move first, is there?”

“You’re too laid-back. Do you only move when the blade is at your throat?”

Sa Dohak looked at Dan Woo-hyun with a nonchalant expression.

As long as there was no direct threat in front of him, he didn’t even bother. He had long known that was his nature, but now it felt somewhat frustrating.

In any case, it was impossible to coexist under the same sky with the Tons of Gold Merchant Union.

Just as with Namgung Chun, clashing with the Tons of Gold Merchant Union was unavoidable in taking over the commerce of Hunan.

“Something really big might happen if you keep that up?”

Even at Sa Dohak’s words, Dan Woo-hyun shook his head. In a sense, he could understand what was being said, but he had no such hobby of bullying the weak.

Dan Woo-hyun was always the strong one, and he knew that better than anyone, which is why he avoided meddling as much as possible.

This might be seen as the leisure of the strong, but it was also a strict principle that Dan Woo-hyun held.

“Leave it be. A dog won’t bite unless provoked.”

He smirked slightly, suppressing a laugh.

The small sneer at the corner of his mouth seemed to ridicule all his opponents.

Swish-

A man hurriedly bowed his head and spread a wanted poster from his bosom onto the table. The face, somehow all too familiar, was scrutinized by everyone present, who nodded in understanding.

“These are the things Yun Gong desired.”

Yun Gong of the Tons of Gold Merchant Union.

The person who earned the name of the greatest merchant union under the heavens, perhaps possessing a mind sharper than Zhuge Yun, the right hand of Man Hu-ryang.

Although his name wasn’t widely known, he was the one who managed to regroup and solidify the Tons of Gold Merchant Union, which was on the verge of disbanding due to Man Hu-ryang’s absence.

“Speak from that side first.”

At Yun Gong’s words, the innkeeper of the Tons of Gold Inn nodded. Having established the Tons of Gold Merchant Union and the inn while observing the situation in Yueyang, he gathered as much information as possible to store in his mind.

Among them, the most important was collecting information about the Hunan Dan family.

“From the far left, Dan Woo-hyun, he is the central figure and head of the Hunan Dan family. His origins are unknown, and even his age is unclear, but he seems to possess considerable skill.”

“Seems?”

When the speculative words came out, Yun Gong frowned.

For a merchant, speculation without certainty was tantamount to words that invited death.

However, the innkeeper’s expression did not change.

Despite the presence of the formidable figure Yun Gong, he spoke his conviction without hesitation.

“He is someone about whom nothing is precisely revealed. Or perhaps he is the Goblin Mask man who has been the talk of the town recently.”

“I see.”

The innkeeper glanced at Yun Gong.

He quickly examined Yun Gong’s face, who nodded slightly in understanding. Seeing him agree so readily, it seemed clear that he knew much more than himself.

‘Well…it is a direct order from the Merchant Union leader. There must be something I don’t know.’

“Additionally, I am convinced that the skills of the Gentleman Sword and the Demon Gentleman are beyond what they showed at the martial arts tournament. Besides them, there are Namgung Sohye, Kwon Mujin, and Ma Jang-kang.”

Yun Gong nodded and looked at the portrait on the far right. The face of a child was drawn, resembling the child he had seen a few days ago.

“This child?”

“It’s the child of someone named Dan Woo-hyun. Though she is an adopted daughter….”

“Adopted daughter?”

Yun Gong gazed intently at the two people’s appearances.

Dan Woo-hyun and Dan Somi.

They resembled each other too much to believe she was adopted. It was believable enough to be considered a biological child, but being told otherwise was hard to accept.

“Hmm, what is this child’s origin?”

“…Well…that is….”

For a moment, the man hesitated and couldn’t continue speaking.

Yun Gong, unable to understand, frowned.

Clang!

The person behind Yun Gong, Ja Hak-sang, raised his sword. The intense aura suggested he would behead the man if a proper story didn’t emerge.

The man gulped dryly.

“Ju…just a simple slash-and-burn farmer’s child…”

“And? What’s the problem with that?”

Yun Gong frowned and glared at the man. Watching him sweat profusely, an inexplicable, strange feeling arose.

He subtly raised his finger.

Srrrng-!

The sword, sheathed in its scabbard, was slightly drawn out.

The man soon raised his voice.

“Do… Do you remember the slash-and-burn farmers who were annihilated a few years ago while searching for the location of the Martial God’s papers?”

“Yes, I remember it well.”

Ha- ha, a hollow breath escaped from Yun Gong’s mouth.

They had obtained information that the Martial God was hidden near Hunan. It was truly information gained by chance, but it was too certain to dismiss as mere rumor.

“Were there any survivors?”

“…It seems so.”

“What a wretched affair.”

Yun Gong’s expression grew even more furrowed.

That incident resulted in nothing but the worst outcomes.

In the end, they couldn’t find the location of the Martial God Scripture, and only the innocent villagers were massacred.

It would have been better if it had ended there, but suddenly, the experts of the Tons of Gold Merchants were also annihilated by the pursuing Martial God.

Ultimately, they lost money and only saw blood without gaining anything.

Thanks to this, Yun Gong had to endure harassment from Man Hu-ryang for a while.

Tap, tap, tap-

Yun Gong tapped the table with his fingers and took a deep breath.

“In the end, that child owes us a debt, so to speak. And the same goes for us…”

Glance.

Yun Gong looked at Ja Hak-sang.

It was Ja Hak-sang’s subordinates who attacked the slash-and-burn village. They were the top warriors of the Tons of Gold Merchant Union, and if not for the Assassin Emperor, it would never have failed.

Ja Hak-sang’s fist clenched tightly.

Eyes blazing with intensity seemed ready to chase and swing a sword immediately.

However, Yun Gong shook his head.

“These are not things that can be won by force right now. Don’t you know?”

“Without clashing, I know nothing.”

“Hahaha-!”

At Ja Hak-sang’s words, Yun Gong burst into loud laughter.

Such confidence is admirable.

Isn’t that why he is called the top warrior of the Tons of Gold Merchant Union?

After laughing for a while, Yun Gong took something out from his bosom and placed it in front of him. It was a peculiar-looking pill, numbering in the dozens.

“Take it. It’s to prepare for unforeseen circumstances. Distribute them one by one to the subordinates.”

“…Understood.”

Ja Hak-sang bowed his head and accepted it without question.

He doesn’t know what it is, but he knows at least that it was directly given by Man Hu-ryang.

He thought it might surely become a secret move that could defeat the Hunan Dan family.

“Then where should I start…?”

Yun Gong murmured as he stroked his chin.

His eyes sparkled.

“Hey, you bastard! I’m telling you that’s not it!”

At that moment, a loud voice was heard from somewhere.

At first, he thought it was just a customer raising their voice a bit, but the commotion gradually grew until it reached a level that could no longer be ignored.

“Is this food or rice cake? Huh?! How can you expect us to eat something like this after paying so much?”

Yun Gong frowned at the sound he heard.

It was clear that a commotion had broken out at the inn.

One good hour ago.

“What did you say?”

Jang Sam-tae, now accustomed to it, opened his eyes with an indifferent expression and asked. Although he was rubbing the areas where he had been hit due to the pain, there was nothing particularly serious.

Getting beaten every day seems to have even toughened his resilience.

Watching Jang Sam-tae, Zhuge Yun laughed. He was quite fond of Jang Sam-tae’s round, raised eyes.

“Aren’t you quite proud of your cooking?”

“Of course! Though I’m stuck here because of our Manor Lord, there are people out there who would pay a fortune just to eat my food.”

“Puhaha!”

Jang Sam-tae burst into a big laugh.

Jang Sam-tae had two things he could be proud of: one was his footwork skill, and the other was his cooking.

Wasn’t it thanks to that that he ended up staying here?

“Right. So, how about you go to that Tons of Gold Inn and give it an evaluation?”

“Huh? Why should I do that?”

“Haha, there’s a rumor that their cooking is quite delicious. So you should go and try it. You can also check which is tastier, your cooking or theirs.”

Zhuge Yun casually patted Jang Sam-tae’s shoulder. It seemed like he was joking without any particular meaning, but the way he was glancing at Jang Sam-tae suggested some sort of scheme.

“Those guys… They claim to make the best cuisine in Hunan. But isn’t the best cuisine in Hunan made by you?”

“Do they really say that? Is it that delicious?”

“They boast like that. Honestly, I’m not sure.”

Zhuge Yun feigned indifference.

However, Jang Sam-tae gnashed his teeth as if he were on fire. Just how delicious could the food be for them to claim it was the best in Hunan?

“I’ll go and try it myself!”

“Here is the travel expense.”

Zhuge Yun, as if he had been waiting, took out a money pouch from his bosom. It seemed quite heavy, indicating a considerable amount inside, but Zhuge Yun didn’t mind at all.

Rather, he smiled.

“Try everything.”

“Understood!”

Stride-stride-!

As Jang Sam-tae walked towards Yueyang, Zhuge Yun laughed.

‘How will it turn out…’

Information that suspicious people had entered Tons of Gold Inn had already been received.

It was a move to confirm whether it was truly a beehive or not, even if it meant being sorry to Jang Sam-tae.