The Fallen Ones (4)

The letters Seol Hong-baek handed over were filled with corruption the Black Tiger Fist Sect, the Abundant Prosperity Guild, the Divine Spear Clan, and Black Bamboo Fort had committed both openly and in secret.

This wasn’t information from Mighty Tiger. It came from a pure Kangho Murim information network.

That wasn’t all. There was corruption tied to the Red Sword Sect and the Beak-Star Saber Sect as well.

Among them, the Beak-Star Saber Sect’s illegal business and corrupt acts weren’t much different from what had been written in Mighty Tiger’s corruption ledger. In other words, it was fair to say the Beak-Star Saber Sect hadn’t just gone crooked for a moment.

Which meant that five sects out of the Eight Martial Houses were simply rotten to the core.

‘Would you look at these bastards?’

It was ‘corruption,’ but none of it was the truly severe stuff.

In other words, they’d risked their lives to get it, but they hadn’t dug deeper. To learn more, the information network would have had to push itself far too hard.

Even this was enough to see the five sects were like poisonous mushrooms in Sichuan.

‘So they can play a softer game, too.’

Jin-hyeon frowned and folded the letters.

“Later, I should go knock the Merchant Guild Master on the head.”

Seol Hong-baek cleared his throat.

“The reason the Five Tigers Merchant Guild gave me this information is obvious. It likely means they don’t want me misunderstanding Teacher’s moves.”

“I don’t think it ends at goodwill.”

“What do you mean?”

Jin-hyeon said coldly.

“No matter what anyone says, the Five Tigers Merchant Guild is an interest group. Even if I have ties with them, there’s a line neither side should cross. They crossed it.”

Seol Hong-baek’s face turned awkward.

“Didn’t they simply offer goodwill? Let’s think of it positively.”

“Even if they hadn’t given you this, Patriarch’s trust in me wouldn’t have dulled.”

“That’s true.”

“The Five Tigers Merchant Guild knows the relationship between you and me. So this ‘goodwill’ isn’t help. It’s politics. I’ve been doing business with them, not politics, and for now, I have no desire to build anything beyond that.”

“Hmm.”

“Even with good intentions, there’s no reason to dig into someone’s private sphere. The Five Tigers Merchant Guild knows that too. Yet they still sent you these letters. That can only mean they plan to take the upper hand in the relationship at the official meeting to come.”

Seol Hong-baek had been quietly puzzled by Jin-hyeon’s sensitivity, but those words shocked him.

‘He sees that far?’

In most cases, people assume it’s simply to improve relations. They don’t interpret it like that.

Seol Hong-baek realized Jin-hyeon was wary of the Five Tigers Merchant Guild. And that was true.

As he handed the letters to Seol Hong-baek, Jin-hyeon said,

“If Five Tigers had solved Patriarch’s private problem, Patriarch would have felt burdened. But they touched my relationship with you and gently lowered your guard.”

“!”

“When you meet the Merchant Guild Master later, set gratitude aside and judge him with a cold eye. To put it bluntly, you have nothing to lose.”

Seol Hong-baek nodded heavily.

“Alright. I will.”

As he warned him firmly, Jin-hyeon realized the Five Tigers Merchant Guild had another intention as well.

‘Do they want to see my reaction?’

This wasn’t Seomun Hoe’s way. If Seomun Hoe knew him to a degree, they would have stepped forward and spoken plainly, not sent letters.

‘It must be that Merchant Guild Master who’s kin to the Black Society Leader.’

To be honest, it wasn’t something to be deeply offended by. Like Seol Hong-baek said, it could be read as simple goodwill.

‘A proof of ability? Did he want to see an unfiltered reaction? Either way, the fact he can create a situation that can be read two or three ways is enough for him to deserve to be called a great figure.’’

It seemed he would have to meet the Merchant Guild Master separately in the near future.

Seol Hong-baek said evenly.

“Either way, I could tell Teacher is targeting the Sichuan Eight Martial Houses.”

“…”

“As you know, they are dangerous.”

More precisely, they had already become dangerous.

“The Abundant Prosperity Guild and the Divine Spear Clan are moving strangely. They have to. They can’t reach their leaders, nor even their guards.”

“That would be so.”

“Until the remaining events of the Radiant Sword Festival end, branch personnel are spread everywhere, so they can’t openly run wild. But the two sects will send people to look into the sudden loss of contact.”

Of course they would.

Black Bamboo Fort had even been occupied by the Black Tiger Fist Sect. Even if they didn’t know how the board was turning, anyone who wasn’t a fool would realize something was wrong.

“I know how formidable Teacher’s martial arts are. But one hand can’t block ten.”

Seol Hong-baek’s eyes shone.

“I will help Teacher as well.”

Jin-hyeon shook his head.

“There’s no need for you to stain yourself with needless blood.”

“It isn’t needless blood. I’m simply helping Teacher.”

“The swordsmen of the White Sword Seol Clan aren’t ready to fight yet.”

“You misunderstand. The swordsmen of our house are all trained enough to show their skill in any situation.”

“It’s not about their skill.”

“Then?”

“A clan that inherited the lost Tianshan arts doesn’t need to wade into a dirty fight like this and see blood. When the Seol Clan truly steps into the world, it should be after you’ve mastered the secret arts and martial arts you hold.”

Seol Hong-baek’s eyes wavered.

“Teacher.”

“Because of Patriarch’s help, I was able to steady my heart. Thanks to that, I’m living hard to build a great household.”

“…”

“Patriarch should make the Seol Clan great as well. Not as a corner of the Eight Martial Houses, but as the White Sword clan that represents Sichuan. I truly hope you become a prestigious house that overwhelms the old Eight Martial Houses.”

Jin-hyeon bowed his head.

“Please consider my position as the one who passed on the Tianshan arts, and do not step into this fight.”

Seol Hong-baek couldn’t dare say he would.

Jin-hyeon would do well even without him. That faith was clear.

But it was painful to be unable to lend even a hand when the benefactor of his blood kin was fighting a hard battle.

“Teacher.”

“Go on.”

Seol Hong-baek, quietly looking at Jin-hyeon, spoke frankly.

“To me, Teacher acts as if you owe a great debt to me and our clan.”

“I owe a life-debt.”

“I know you mean that sincerely. But in moments like this, I think you may be carrying guilt beyond a life-debt.”

Seol Hong-baek’s perception wasn’t ordinary.

Seol Hong-baek watched the world realistically, yet preferred to smooth things over, so at a glance he could look like a helpless pushover.

But behind that surface was a sharp eye only a Kangho veteran who’d been through everything could have.

That was why Jin-hyeon felt it was fortunate. A person who was only kind would only be called soft-hearted. He couldn’t become great.

“I don’t know why you feel guilt, but from today on, I hope you set aside hardship beyond what’s needed for our house.”

“Patriarch.”

“I regard Teacher as a pure benefactor, and as a friend despite the age gap.”

“!”

“All my life, I ran everywhere to solve the lifespan problem of my clan and bloodline. So I couldn’t even properly make a single friend, while others had several. Yet Teacher, before I knew it, became a friend I could open my heart to.”

“…”

“For this matter, I will only watch, as Teacher said. But I want you to know this much. I, no, everyone in our house can step forward for Teacher with sleeves rolled up.”

Without meaning to, Jin-hyeon felt his throat tighten.

He’d been betrayed by Gyeong Do-cheon, whom he’d lived with like blood kin, and he’d cut ties even with the man he had treated as a father. The tie was settled, so there was no point in saying his heart hurt. But if asked whether he felt good, he couldn’t say that either.

Yet someone who wasn’t even blood kin said he could stake his life just because he had passed on martial arts.

If he died, the martial arts he’d worked for would be worthless.

“I understand Patriarch’s heart even without you saying it. And I also think of Patriarch as a Kangho senior and like an older brother.”

Seol Hong-baek smiled.

Jin-hyeon bowed his head.

“When I’m done, I’ll come take the drink you owe me.”

“Good.”

That was the end of their conversation.

A closing that could be considered long if long, plain if plain. But Jin-hyeon realized that aside from Han Cheol-sang and Im Yeo-wol, who had become people of his household, there was another shadow behind him, deeper than he’d thought.

Jin-hyeon thought that wasn’t a bad thing.

The drinking gathering with Ha Suk-heon wasn’t very long.

It was literally just a gathering for drinks. They didn’t bring up a single official matter. The two truly enjoyed their drinks, and that was how it ended.

Ha Suk-heon didn’t stop Jin-hyeon from leaving, and Jin-hyeon didn’t show much regret either. They only promised to sit for drinks next time.

His relationship with the Cheongyang Association was skewed, yet on the surface it was steadily being completed.

After ending the drinking gathering and moving north, the place Jin-hyeon arrived at was an abandoned house beside a shabby road.

“Patriarch.”

Han Cheol-sang greeted Jin-hyeon.

“Did you drink a lot?”

“I flushed it all out.”

“Since it ended sooner than expected, it feels like you binge-drank. Any other slipups?”

“Nothing. It was literally just drinks.”

Han Cheol-sang gave a bitter smile.

“Ha Suk-heon isn’t ordinary.”

“Right.”

He said that, but Ha Suk-heon was already gone from Jin-hyeon’s mind.

And so the two leaned their backs against the abandoned house’s wall and waited for someone.

How much time passed?

“It’s been a while.”

Seomun Hoe appeared.

“A while? How long has it even been.”

“Then I suppose you made that much of an impression.”

“Enough with the useless talk. Did you look into it?”

Seomun Hoe pulled out several documents and handed them to Jin-hyeon.

“Before we hit Mighty Tiger back then, you handed over one secret about Divine Iron as part of your payment. You said it was worth more than a thousand taels of gold.”

“I did.”

“Three months ago, we confirmed that information was true.”

The information Jin-hyeon gave was simple. Patriarch Gyeong In-geol’s health was failing, and he would soon hand the Patriarch’s seat to the First Young Master.

Someone ignorant might ask what was so special about that. But to those inside an information network, it wasn’t worth a thousand taels. It was worth hundreds of thousands.

Depending on how Gyeong Do-cheon would lead the Divine Iron Merchant House, the flow of money in Sichuan would shake. Knowing that in advance or not meant hundreds of thousands of taels moving hands.

Seomun Hoe was already doing groundwork beneath the surface for that future. Then suddenly, Jin-hyeon asked them to find where the Divine Iron Merchant House’s Supreme Patriarch was.

As always, he didn’t disappoint Jin-hyeon.

“Are you sure the Supreme Patriarch is here?”

“I am.”

“Good work. It couldn’t have been easy to find in half a day.”

“It’s only business.”

“That’s right.”

“But let me ask just one thing.”

Seomun Hoe asked with a hardened face.

“Are you planning to bury even the Divine Iron Merchant House?”