Revealed Will (1)

“What?!”

Unlike the calm Ok Jin, Jang Gyeong was startled.

“You’re dismantling the Divine Iron Merchant House?”

“That’s right.”

It was none other than the Supreme Patriarch saying it himself.

Gyeong Hang spoke bluntly.

“I can only apologize to all of you. I know how proud our clan’s smiths are of Divine Iron’s name. But our clan…”

“…”

“Now, I think it must disappear into history.”

Jang Gyeong almost opened his mouth by reflex, then soon sighed.

Though he was the one who had turned the Divine Iron Merchant House into the Gyeong clan, everyone knew how much Gyeong Hang loved Divine Iron. Jang Gyeong himself had even joined near the end of Gyeong Hang’s generation.

If the first Guild Master had established Divine Iron’s name, it was thanks to Gyeong Hang that Divine Iron’s name had risen this far in Sichuan. Gyeong In-geol himself had been busy just maintaining Divine Iron’s power. Of course, even that was no ordinary task.

The man who had made the clan prosper said he would close the clan. They couldn’t refuse. If anything, they had to be grateful that he had come and told them like this.

In the end, Jang Gyeong lowered his head deeply.

“I’ll explain it properly to the smiths.”

“Good. I’m sorry.”

“Not at all.”

“I know our clan’s smiths are not people who cling to fame. They have little interest in money either. But money is necessary to live.”

“…”

“As we dismantle the clan, I intend to pay each person one thousand nyang.”

Jang Gyeong was startled, and so was Ok Jin.

One thousand nyang was truly a large sum. With that money, each of them could open a new ironworks and still have plenty left.

The number of clan smiths even reached around two hundred. By simple calculation, that was an expense of two hundred thousand nyang.

“G-Supreme Patriarch?!”

“You are the root of our clan. If it were up to me, even tens of thousands of nyang per person wouldn’t be a waste. But circumstances being what they are, I’m ashamed I can only pay one thousand nyang.”

Just hearing they were smiths from the Divine Iron Merchant House would bring countless customers flocking. Even if they left without taking money, they would have no problem making a living. The two men didn’t know what to do with themselves at Gyeong Hang’s consideration.

“However, I know some smiths came purely to improve their personal skill, and some are mad for experiments.”

Gyeong Hang’s eyes deepened.

“So I have a proposal.”

While Gyeong Hang was persuading the smiths.

“What are you doing?”

“Second Young Master.”

Baek Gyu, who had been clearing bodies and wiping away blood, looked back at Jin-hyeon.

“Please call me Jin-hyeon.”

“Ah, yes.”

A deep shadow lay over Baek Gyu’s face.

He had lost more than eighty percent of the Iron King Squad members in this incident. Only four members survived, and of them, two were in the medical room while the remaining two guarded Gyeong Hang.

At least the Swift Wind Unit, the Merchant House’s only armed organization, was intact. But most of its members had committed many evil deeds under the Trade Routes Department’s orders. Thanks to that, the entire Swift Wind Unit had been bound and tied up in the inner court warehouse.

“I was wiping away the bloodstains.”

“Did you hear? That the Divine Iron Merchant House is being dismantled.”

“…I heard.”

Baek Gyu sighed.

“I also heard that it was the deal between the Patriarch and the Second Young Master, and that the Supreme Patriarch accepted it.”

The condition Jin-hyeon had given Gyeong In-geol was to dismantle the Divine Iron Merchant House and give freedom to the warriors as well as the smiths.

In a sense, it was something that could draw backlash from the members. But Jin-hyeon thought they needed freedom.

All kinds of evil deeds committed by Gyeong Do-cheon would be revealed to the whole world. Since he poisoned his father and even employed assassins, everyone would curse Gyeong Do-cheon as an evil fiend.

But once the rage toward him cooled, public opinion would despise the Divine Iron Merchant House. People would point fingers, calling it a clan that couldn’t even prevent such a thing in advance.

If so, it was better to dismantle it. That was the way to keep ink from staining the labels of the people who would go on living.

For Gyeong In-geol, it was something he could never accept. But rather than let the clan become an empty shell left with nothing but disgrace because of Gyeong Do-cheon, he agreed that it was better to proceed with self-dissolution.

With this, the Divine Iron Merchant House’s two-hundred-year history came to an end.

The Trade Routes Department members who had gone outside on business would soon be captured by Investigation and Defense Court constables as well.

“What do you plan to do from now on?”

Baek Gyu sneered. It was mockery aimed at himself.

“I failed to protect the person I had to protect. I failed at something I couldn’t fail, so I have no right to be a guard.”

Gyeong Do-cheon aside, failing to prevent Gyeong In-geol from being poisoned was ultimately the guard captain’s fault.

Jin-hyeon shook his head.

“I asked what you plan to do from now on. I did not ask about your condition, Squad Leader Baek.”

“…”

“If you have nowhere else to go, come with me.”

Baek Gyu’s eyes shook.

“Second Young Master.”

“It’s Jin-hyeon.”

“…”

“The reason I’m proposing recruitment in this chaotic situation is because I value your ability highly, Squad Leader Baek, and because I hope you won’t use your talent carelessly.”

“…”

“You don’t have to come to me. Just don’t let your talent rot.”

Baek Gyu could tell. Right now, Jin-hyeon wasn’t saying this because he truly wanted him.

He was consoling him. He had probably gone out of his way to add the part about coming to him because he worried Baek Gyu’s pride might be hurt.

“Why do you care for me?”

“Not only you, Squad Leader Baek. I care for and respect the entire Iron King Squad.”

“?!”

“When everyone collapsed and rotted away, the Iron King Squad alone did not.”

Jin-hyeon gave a bitter smile.

“I’ve cut ties, and I have no debt in my heart. Even so, the past in which I lived well as the Merchant House’s adopted son does not change.”

“…”

“If not for you, Squad Leader Baek, the Divine Iron Merchant House would have been ruined before I even touched it.”

That was true. If even the Iron King Squad had collapsed, Gyeong Do-cheon would have killed Gyeong In-geol and seized the Merchant House much faster.

“An organization can escape danger just by having its leader intact. Squad Leader Baek, you protected that leader. And you did it splendidly.”

“…”

“Blame yourself in moderation and look to the future.”

After saying that, Jin-hyeon headed for the gate.

Baek Gyu asked without meaning to.

“Where are you going?”

“Things are mostly settled, so I should go home.”

“…”

“I’d like to help the Supreme Patriarch if I could, but I’d need to know something first. Besides, whether I like it or not, I’m someone who helped bring down the Merchant House. Nothing good will come of staying in a place like this for long.”

Jin-hyeon looked at the low mountain in the distance.

“Patriarch Gyeong was buried where my adoptive mother was buried.”

“…”

“Everyone knows you couldn’t even attend the funeral because of guilt. Once you gather yourself, go visit him.”

Han Cheol-sang stood outside the main gate. Since he had rested for an entire day after the fight ended, his complexion looked quite good.

As Jin-hyeon approached him, he looked back at Baek Gyu.

Baek Gyu stood still, looking at Jin-hyeon.

“The Supreme Patriarch will soon come to our house.”

“!”

“The road by carriage is rather rough. Please escort him well.”

From the Radiant Sword Festival to revenge, a time that could be considered short or long depending how one looked at it had passed.

Returning to Ziyang for the first time in what felt like ages, Jin-hyeon came straight to his house that had been under construction.

“Oh?”

Han Cheol-sang let out a sound of admiration without meaning to.

“It was completed some time ago.”

That was right.

Jin-hyeon’s house, standing tall on a fine site, was rather impressive.

The ceilings were high, so even though it was three stories, it reached the height of most five-story buildings. He had thought it could comfortably hold fifty people even excluding the dining hall and guest rooms, but it looked like more could fit.

Behind the building, a large and elegant annex had been separately prepared. On one side, there was also a tasteful pavilion.

It looked like the home of a wealthy man, and also like an expensive tavern.

Thinking of Sichuan’s architectural style, it was somewhat foreign. But what mattered was Jin-hyeon’s heart.

“Patriarch, what do you—?”

Han Cheol-sang turned to Jin-hyeon, and his eyes widened slightly.

Jin-hyeon’s face, as he looked at the massive three-story house with trembling eyes, was filled with emotion and bittersweetness.

Han Cheol-sang smiled.

“Congratulations. It’s your first house.”

“…Yes. My first house.”

Jin-hyeon slowly ran his hand over the wall beside the main gate and let out a quiet sound of awe. He didn’t know how it had been processed, but the stone wall was also very sturdy and solid.

“So this is my house.”

When he opened the main gate and entered, the inside was even more impressive.

Again, it wasn’t flashy, but anyone could tell at a glance that it had been made with great care. The materials themselves were extraordinary. It was truly a masterpiece completed by Sichuan’s best craftsmen using the best materials.

‘Thank you.’

He was grateful to Jang Pyeong. It seemed Jang Pyeong had paid extra attention as thanks for resolving that matter.

He was also grateful to Seomun Hoe. Jang Pyeong’s power alone couldn’t have made it like this. Seomun Hoe must have mobilized the Black Society’s connections and recruited the best craftsmen.

“This is it.”

At the top of the third floor, there were only three rooms.

Among them, the place with a wide open view of Ziyang below the hill and beyond was the office and master’s room.

Jin-hyeon struggled to calm the emotion welling up inside him again.

How long had he gone on about wanting his own house, his own clan? Now that he stood in the building that would become the first beginning, it finally felt like something was starting.

“Must be nice. The view is killer, and the room is incredible. The table, the bed, everything is top-grade. Looks like the Black Society put in some real care.”

“Brother Han, use it if you want.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Anyone can see this is the master’s place.”

“It’s a little burdensome.”

“I never thought I’d hear that from your mouth, Patriarch.”

“I mean it.”

Han Cheol-sang smiled.

“You have the right to it, Patriarch.”

It was the first praise that truly sounded like praise, and it was Han Cheol-sang’s sincere feeling as well.

Jin-hyeon drew a deep breath.

In the place with the best view in his first house, he revealed his ambition.

“Brother Han.”

“Speak.”

“I want to live comfortably, but it looks like the road ahead will be somewhat difficult.”

Han Cheol-sang gave a small laugh.

“Don’t worry about the dumpling shop.”

“I’ll make the dumpling shop soon.”

“What’s the point of making it? It needs to settle in.”

“That’s true too.”

Jin-hyeon nodded and spoke calmly.

“The Cheongyang Association dreamed of unifying Sichuan.”

“Yes. I heard.”

“Dragging in the Divine Iron Merchant House means they intended to mass-produce weapons.”

“That would be the case.”

“In other words, the moment they reveal their true colors is not far off.”

Han Cheol-sang nodded, then soon tilted his head.

“I know you have a grudge built up with the Cheongyang Association, and that you plan to clean up Sichuan in the meantime. The men they brought this time, claiming they were helping Gyeong Do-cheon, weren’t normal either.”

“They weren’t.”

“In other words, if you’re going to crush the Cheongyang Association, I think it’s better to strike first.”

“I think so too.”

“The problem is justification. With what justification will you bring down the Cheongyang Association?”

I will clean up Sichuan. I will make a house without fences. I will make my own house safer.

The intent was good. But to achieve one’s dream and goal, some degree of compromise with the world was necessary.

If they struck the Cheongyang Association without clear justification, this side would be in danger instead. The justification Han Cheol-sang spoke of meant something certain enough to bring the Cheongyang Association down.

To that question, Jin-hyeon answered like this.

“I don’t need some grand justification.”

Han Cheol-sang’s eyes deepened.

He felt that something had changed in Jin-hyeon after facing the Divine Iron Merchant House.

“Then what will you do?”

“Because of this, I have to do that. Because they come out that way, I respond this way… I won’t act like that anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means I won’t only look at what’s in front of me.”

Jin-hyeon’s eyes gave off a brilliant light like jewels.

“I’ll swallow Sichuan whole first.”