The Fallen Ones (5)

Jin-hyeon snorted.

“Why? Can’t I?”

This wasn’t a matter of trying. It was a matter of possibility.

He had smashed the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild, one of Sichuan’s three great merchant guilds, so one could think there was no reason he couldn’t do the same to the Divine Iron Merchant House.

But the Divine Iron Merchant House was fundamentally different from Mighty Tiger. Mighty Tiger had become a giant in a short time, but Divine Iron was a heavyweight of the commercial world that had grown through a long history, stitch by stitch.

If you looked only at raw funds, the Fragrant Brocade Merchant Guild might even surpass Divine Iron. But in fame and connections, it couldn’t match Divine Iron.

So Divine Iron and Mighty Tiger couldn’t be placed on the same line. Even if he had smashed Mighty Tiger, Divine Iron was bound to be difficult.

At least, that was how Seomun Hoe saw it.

“You’re going to bring down Divine Iron Merchant House… If you truly mean it, and you truly bring it down, everything we’ve worked so hard on will go up in smoke.”

“Then help me again. I’ll make sure you get a generous share of Divine Iron’s assets, too.”

If it came to that, their toil would be repaid.

Seomun Hoe let out a sigh. Even he, famous as the hardest Gold Pillar of Black Society to read, was helpless in front of Jin-hyeon.

“Why not target the First Young Master?”

Han Cheol-sang’s eyes flashed.

Jin-hyeon asked in a flat voice.

“Why is the First Young Master suddenly coming up?”

“If you’re planning to cut off Divine Iron’s lifeline, isn’t it easier to strike the next Patriarch, the First Young Master first? You’d be cutting off the line, literally.”

“That’s true.”

“Gyeong Se-hwi, the adopted son of the Divine Iron Merchant House and the man once called Kangho’s next number-one smith, vanished. Even if he hadn’t vanished, the Patriarch’s seat has been passed by blood for some time, so there’d be no need to remove Gyeong Se-hwi. But Gyeong Do-cheon is different.”

Han Cheol-sang gave a wry smile.

Even Black Society’s Gold Pillar didn’t know the man standing before him was Gyeong Se-hwi.

“In fact, when we looked into it, the First Young Master held most of Divine Iron’s operations except the ironworks business. That is, if you remove him, the Divine Iron Merchant House’s commerce will be paralyzed for a time.”

He was right.

And if Gyeong Do-cheon dies, the Divine Iron Merchant House loses its successor. There was nowhere rumors spread faster than the commercial world. On the surface they’d offer condolences, but behind the scenes, groups would appear that wanted to cut their contracts with Divine Iron.

Jin-hyeon let out a bitter laugh.

“There’s a reason.”

“…”

“Either way, it seems you’ll be helping me again. I’ll repay this debt double, so put it on the tab.”

After looking at Jin-hyeon in silence, Seomun Hoe shook his head.

“I won’t.”

“Free information? Then I’m grateful.”

“It isn’t free.”

“Do you want something besides money?”

Seomun Hoe fell silent for a moment.

‘Hm?’

Why?

He didn’t think it had been a long time, but today Seomun Hoe felt subtly different.

His eyes, face, and voice were the same, but the energy was different. The atmosphere was different.

And Jin-hyeon couldn’t tell what that atmosphere meant.

He waited until Seomun Hoe spoke again. Instinct told him the man had made some big decision.

How much time passed?

“I don’t want to become enemies with you.”

“Me neither.”

“Beyond not wanting to be enemies, I want to be bound to Jin-hyeon, in business and in private, in a relationship tied by trust.”

Jin-hyeon’s brow twitched.

He never expected such an absurd thing to come out of Seomun Hoe’s mouth.

“Do you even know what that means?”

“I won’t beat around the bush.”

Was it because it was night?

In a world filled with darkness, Seomun Hoe somehow looked smaller than usual.

“You’re a strange and dangerous person. At least, to me.”

“…”

“And your ability is real.”

“So that’s what it is.”

“I’m too rotten to ask for friendship on the pretext of baseless fondness.”

It was an honest statement. And as a Kangho person, he had no regret about losing purity.

“From Mighty Tiger to now, you and I have been tangled a lot. You used me in your own way, but I also benefited greatly thanks to you.”

“That’s right.”

“But no one knows how the road ahead will turn. I don’t want to clash with you.”

“A man who’s a Gold Pillar of Black Society, why are you talking so weak?”

“If someone who could bury Black Society with a thought says that, it doesn’t move me.”

“Heh.”

Seomun Hoe shook his head.

“A new wind is blowing through Black Society. And that wind is starting in Sichuan. Under the name of the Five Tigers Merchant Guild.”

“…”

“I don’t know how far you intend to go, or how big you’ll grow. But to me, you’re not someone who’ll die in some sloppy way.”

“Then how do you think I’ll die?”

“Even if you die, you’ll die in big waters. That’s how it looks to me.”

“So what are you saying? If you say, ‘Let’s be close without separating public and private,’ does a relationship just form on its own? I don’t think so.”

“Couldn’t something at least begin?”

Jin-hyeon shook his head.

“Stop chasing clouds. I have no desire to build anything more with you. A strict business relationship is enough.”

“I see.”

Seomun Hoe nodded.

“I understand your thoughts well.”

“Go now. When things settle down, then…”

Jin-hyeon couldn’t continue.

Seureuk.

The rustle of cloth brushing his arm sounded unusually loud.

Seomun Hoe was bowing deeply. It was an extreme courtesy, as if he were facing a superior.

Watching him greet in silence, Jin-hyeon frowned.

“What are you doing?”

Seomun Hoe slowly straightened from his deep bow.

“The Merchant Guild Master of the Five Tigers Merchant Guild, kin to the Black Society Leader, is a remarkable talent.”

“…”

“But compared to his overflowing talent, he still lacks experience. Unfortunately, he still hasn’t overcome the flaws and weaknesses countless geniuses go through.”

“…”

“Whether it’s friendship beyond public and private, or a strict business relationship, being with him will benefit Teacher greatly. Guide him well going forward.”

“…”

“I ask you sincerely.”

Jin-hyeon, watching Seomun Hoe with a strange look, smacked his lips.

“So you came because of that?”

“Half-baked knowledge causes worse results than ignorance. I believe the single letter the Merchant Guild Master sent to Patriarch Seol lit an unnecessary fire in Teacher’s vigilance.”

“…”

“I judged I could cut off Teacher’s vigilance, so I came here in person.”

Honest, and honest again.

The reason Jin-hyeon kept Seomun Hoe closer than Dam Jun wasn’t because he was his superior, but because his instincts were good.

His words about building a good relationship beyond public and private were sincere. And so was asking him to look after the Merchant Guild Master, even knowing that sincerity could be diminished.

He knew how to use calculation and sincerity in balance to earn trust. He had the flexibility to be sharp with sharp people, and just enough with fools.

Jin-hyeon smiled in amusement.

“How did you know I’m wary of that brat?”

“You clearly separate your own people from others.”

“Did it look that way.”

It was only one letter. Like Seol Hong-baek said, it could be taken as goodwill.

The fact he came all the way here and even bowed deeply over something Jin-hyeon could have let slide proved Seomun Hoe found Jin-hyeon difficult.

“If you want something, you’re the kind of person who can bend his waist and knee more flexibly than anyone.”

“…”

“Tell the Merchant Guild Master. If he wants to know me, he should see me himself and judge. Like at that abandoned house back then.”

“I’ll tell him.”

Jin-hyeon said in a voice tinged with laughter.

“Come to think of it, it was only one letter, yet you and I both reacted too seriously. Seems I’m pretty stiff.”

“It means you’ve seen us strictly as business partners.”

“Of course.”

“I have no regret about that either.”

“Enough of this. Go rest now. Coming all the way here at night must have been tiring.”

“There’s something left to say about Divine Iron Merchant House’s Supreme Patriarch.”

Jin-hyeon tapped the documents.

“Information that isn’t written here?”

“Yes. It’s information I’m not fully sure of.”

“Let’s hear it.”

Seomun Hoe’s eyes sharpened.

“I heard there are many masters at the Supreme Patriarch’s residence.”

“That’s written here too.”

“Among them, I obtained information that someone saw masters believed to be the Northland Twin Demons.”

“The Northland Twin Demons?”

Jin-hyeon cocked his head, but Han Cheol-sang, well-versed in Kangho affairs, was shocked.

“Don’t tell me… Maoshan’s?!”

“That’s right.”

At the word Maoshan, Jin-hyeon’s gaze changed too.

The Maoshan Sect.

A sect based at Mount Maoshan in Jiangsu Province, so far from Sichuan it might as well be the end of the earth. It was a main pillar of the Heavenly Will Alliance, and one branch of the Nine Great Sects said to be the strongest under heaven.

And Jin-hyeon knew them well too. Because he had fought a brutal blood battle with Maoshan Sect Daoists alongside the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader.

“The Northland Twin Demons refers to two disciples expelled from the Maoshan Sect. They were born with outstanding talent, but their natures were so vicious they caused every kind of trouble.”

“As I understand it, the Maoshan Sect is as skilled in all sorts of arts and curses as it is in martial arts.”

“That’s right. But the Northland Twin Demons were men obsessed with martial arts more than the study of the arts. Of course, they won’t be ignorant of those arts.”

Strength gathered in Seomun Hoe’s eyes.

“One thing is certain. Each of the Northland Twin Demons’ martial strength overwhelms the level of the leaders of the Eight Martial Houses.”

“Sichuan Murim is so weak that even hearing that, it doesn’t feel real.”

“Then I’ll put it this way. They’ll be stronger than Ha Suk-heon of the Cheongyang Association, whom Teacher met.”

At that level, you couldn’t call them anything but formidable foes.

“I don’t yet know if it’s true. But there are countless other masters as well, so if you intend to kidnap or kill the Supreme Patriarch, it will not be easy.”

“Alright. I got it.”

Seomun Hoe nodded.

“If you need me, come find me anytime.”

“I will.”

With that, Seomun Hoe left.

Watching his back recede, Han Cheol-sang said,

“I felt it before too. He’s a very smart man.”

“Smart, and scary.”

“Scary?”

“If someone like that decides to stab you in the back, no one can handle it easily.”

“At least, it doesn’t seem like he would do that to you, Patriarch.”

“Of course he shouldn’t.”

Han Cheol-sang’s expression twisted, as if it left a bad taste.

“But Patriarch, you don’t know the Northland Twin Demons?”

“I don’t.”

“Guess you really did nothing but swing a hammer.”

“Are they very dangerous?”

Han Cheol-sang’s face hardened.

“Before they were expelled, the two were fellow junior disciples who learned martial arts under one master.”

“…”

“And the two of them killed their master.”

“Vicious.”

“It’s a rumor spread all over the Kangho. They’re on the Heavenly Will Alliance’s public wanted list, and I heard the Maoshan Sect still dispatches disciples every year even now to find them.”

If it’s true, it’s hard to describe even with the words ‘betraying one’s master and annihilating one’s ancestors.’ It wouldn’t be strange to give them the ultimate punishment, not mere expulsion.

“Leaving all that aside, they learned Maoshan Sect martial arts. The Nine Sects’ peerless teachings contend for the peak of the Kangho. They’ll be very different from the ones we’ve fought until now.”

“That’s true.”

Thinking of the days of the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader, it wasn’t especially new.

As he nodded, Jin-hyeon suddenly asked, remembering something.

“But is it true?”

“Hm?”

“The rumor that they killed their master.”

“I’m not sure. I didn’t see it myself.”

“…Hmm.”

Jin-hyeon rolled his shoulders.

“Well, shall we go for now? You’re not scared just because it’s dangerous, right?”

Han Cheol-sang snorted.

“If I were scared, would you not take me?”

“Like that would happen. You’re the one who said we should go together, Brother Han.”

“Don’t worry. I was only surprised because they’re famous. I’m confident I won’t be pushed back in a blade fight.”

“Good. You’ve got guts.”

Jin-hyeon looked up at the sky.

The moon was hidden by clouds. It was an unusually dark night.

‘Supreme Patriarch…’

It was clear why Gyeong Do-cheon had sent his grandfather, the Supreme Patriarch, away like an exile.

‘I meant to end it by catching Gyeong Do-cheon alone, but I’m hopeless too.’

Jin-hyeon closed his eyes.

And when he opened them again, his pupils were glowing blue.

“Let’s go.”