Chapter 15. The Black Water Society, Tonight
No Ji-san was a merchant who, in a dozen years or so, would rise like a comet in the commercial world while still in his thirties. His success was so monumental that by the time I was locked away in the Brain Prison, he had already made a name for himself as the greatest merchant in Hunan and one of the top hundred in the world.
‘And before I was released, he had finally become one of the top ten merchants under heaven.’
—Is that even a believable story? A waiter with nothing to his name becoming one of the top ten merchants in forty years?
‘That is why he was a myth and a legend of the commercial world.’
I could often hear news from the outside through the guard, Ga Jin-pyeong.
“They say Golden Scale Wind-Frost has finally entered the ranks of the top ten merchants under heaven.”
“Impressive. A man who rose alone now stands shoulder to shoulder with the prestigious merchant houses that have spanned generations.”
“They say he succeeded in his latest venture as well. He succeeds in everything he touches, so it was inevitable he would become a great merchant.”
“Indeed. I have never seen a merchant so aggressive.”
“Whenever a war or rebellion breaks out, he sells warhorses and grain at exorbitant prices. That is why he has the nickname, ‘The Merchant Who Sells Death’.”
The No Ji-san I heard about through rumors was a merchant with immense intelligence networks, an innate sense for investment, and ghostly judgment. He was a man with enough greed to dominate every profitable industry, changing his business focus time and time again.
“There are many ominous rumors as well.”
“I suppose so. In my memory, Golden Scale Wind-Frost also had deep ties to the Evil Path and water bandits of the Southern Murim. He had even established trade with the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance, the Peerless Fortress, and the Evil Path Alliance.”
Golden Scale Wind-Frost, No Ji-san.
His other nickname was the Golden Ghost of Hunan, No Ji-san.
I realized now how that Golden Ghost, who was even called the greatest merchant of the Evil Path, had been forged.
‘He must have suffered a great setback before long.’
Watching the commotion today, I was even more certain.
‘Perhaps the inn went bankrupt, or it burned to the ground. Maybe his father, who couldn't even hear, was insulted by thugs, or perhaps he himself was beaten black and blue.’
—I see. If he suffered such things, he could not have lived on with his sanity intact.
‘A boy who lived with the flames of rage burning in his heart, yet possessed brilliant sharpness. It was only natural that he would eventually become a great merchant. His aggressive, self-destructive business style must have stemmed from that deep-seated resentment.’
I looked at the face of a boy who had not yet fallen into the traps of life, but was struggling to survive in a precarious and difficult world.
“Ji-san.”
“Yes, Branch Master.”
“What is it that you fear most?”
“……I fear that my father might suffer a great misfortune. I can endure being humiliated myself.”
“Correct. A man should be exactly that way.”
Therefore, by taking this boy under my wing today, I was changing the lives of both father and son, and the future of the commercial world, in a profound way.
‘This kid might one day become the strategist, the Chief, or the Hall Master of the Gold Treasury for the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance.’
—Isn’t Han Sa-gwang the Chief?
‘Since when is a position a permanent fixture? If his skills fall behind, he has to step down.’
Would Han Sa-gwang remain as Chief even after the organization grew larger?
That is unlikely. However, if he has the skill and the diligence, I intend to treat him accordingly.
“Ji-san, what would you do if you were in my position? Let me tell you in advance: my martial arts are at a level that does not fear the likes of the Black Water Society Leader.”
“……If that is certain.”
No Ji-san thought for a moment before opening his mouth.
“You must become the dagger that pierces the Black Water Society Leader.”
“How so?”
Since he had read a few books, perhaps he had studied strategy as well. Or had he been reading the *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* diligently?
—There you go with that *Three Kingdoms* obsession again.
‘Anyone who reads the *Three Kingdoms* three times will master the ways of life.’
—Aren’t you the one who has never actually read it properly yourself?
‘Let’s move past the trivial details.’
I watched No Ji-san, whose eyes had become as serious as a strategist’s.
“First, we must observe the enemy. The Black Water Society Leader is extremely ferocious and merciless; he will certainly seek to collect the ‘blood price’ for this incident. Since he has grown his organization by prioritizing that principle, he will not act differently this time.”
“Specifically, how will he come at us?”
I waited for No Ji-san’s next words like Liu Bei waiting for Zhuge Liang’s strategy.
“He will verify your appearance and visit the Iron Fist Chamber to ask about your connection to Jang-o.”
“He will pressure Han Sa-gwang.”
“Yes. But he will not send a large number of men. He will send someone of squad leader rank.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I have watched how they handle their affairs. The Black Water Society Leader has a tendency not to involve himself directly in such matters.”
“Indeed.”
I nodded.
“How should our response be?”
“Instead of yielding to their threats, it would be better to detain them and send back their ears.”
“That is quite a cruel thought.”
No Ji-san stated firmly.
“That is because it is their own method. If we return the favor in the exact same way, he will feel deeply insulted and will launch a war.”
“Then will the Leader come out himself?”
“Not yet. He will send the Vice Leader.”
“Ah, he is that kind of man.”
A man of the type who is slow to move until the very last moment. A man who prioritizes his own safety even if he sends his subordinates to be cannon fodder.
“This is where it becomes important. We must hold our ground without being pushed back too far, but also without being too overwhelming. Only then will the Leader be forced to send reinforcements himself.”
“Indeed.”
“Then, we wait on the path and ambush the Leader.”
“A trap and an ambush.”
I nodded.
“It sounds plausible. But there is still insufficient evidence to be certain that the situation will unfold as intended.”
No Ji-san, who had been pondering for a moment, offered an answer this time as well.
“……Then, how about we add a little spice to it?”
“How so?”
After hearing the strategy that followed, I burst into laughter.
“A man like the reincarnation of Zhuge Liang or Lu Xun was hiding in this small inn.”
“Y-you flatter me.”
The commercial world is a battlefield no less intense than the world of martial arts.
If one reached the pinnacle there, it meant that their talent was, in a sense, the greatest in the world.
“Ah! And there is one more opponent we must be careful of.”
“Who is it?”
“Under the Leader, there is a man with divine strength. He is a man who can hug a tree as thick as a person and pull it out, or lift and throw boulders the size of a house.”
* * *
The warriors of the Black Water Society who had been beaten by Mok Ju-gyeol and fled were trembling on their knees.
“L-Leader. Please, spare us.”
“Have mercy…….”
*Smack!* *Thud!*
The Black Water Society Leader, who had struck down his subordinates as they begged while wetting themselves, wiped the blood from his palms.
“……!”
The subordinates trembled at his cruel handiwork.
“Squad Leader Gok.”
“Give your orders.”
“Since three men have died, I must collect the blood price from three men as well. First, slap the face of the Iron Fist Chamber Master.”
“Yes.”
“Bring me that fellow named Jang-o, his brother, and the waiter from the Dragon Gate Inn.”
Squad Leader Gok bowed his head with a face devoid of any emotion.
“I will have them before you, Leader, before the dawn breaks.”
* * *
“Squad Leader Gok, what brings you here at this hour?”
“What brings me here, you ask?”
Squad Leader Gok, who had marched into the Iron Fist Chamber with his sword proudly displayed, scanned Han Sa-gwang, the Iron-Headed Guest, and a member of the chamber he had never seen before.
“Chamber Master, you surely don’t need to ask that.”
Han Sa-gwang.
A man who was the Iron Fist Chamber Master until recently, but was now serving as the Chief under the Yeongneung Branch Master of the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance.
However, that fact was not yet known to the public.
“I am quite bewildered. To visit in the dead of night and pressure us like this. Could you enlighten me as to what this is all about?”
It was not just his title that had changed for Han Sa-gwang.
He had once been a man he dared not even look in the eye, but now, he was nothing if not confident. For a martial artist, strength is confidence.
“Do you really need to hear the reason from my own lips?”
“I am asking because I do not know.”
Squad Leader Gok snorted heavily.
“That fellow named Jang-o, who is under your command.”
“Yes.”
“Do you know his brother?”
It was the question he had been waiting for. Han Sa-gwang tightened his core and feigned ignorance.
“Are you talking about Jang-sam, or perhaps Jang-i? Did that fellow make some kind of mistake…….”
“Not his biological brother, the one he hangs around with.”
“I do not know. I do not know every friend my subordinates have.”
“Is that so? We will know once we call the person in question and interrogate him. Bring him here.”
Han Sa-gwang protested against his arrogant attitude.
“Interrogate? I cannot accept that. Even if this chamber pays its dues to you—”
*Bang!*
Squad Leader Gok stomped his foot and raised his voice.
“Even if his brother beat down our society’s warriors and brought shame upon us?”
Han Sa-gwang replied calmly.
“I have never heard of such a thing, but even if it were true.”
“It is true.”
“Let us assume it is true. In any case, that brother of his is not one of our members.”
“So, isn’t that why I am saying to bring Jang-o here to hear the situation?”
“If so, you should have requested our cooperation. Ignoring this chamber in such a manner is—”
“Han Sa-gwang.”
Squad Leader Gok’s voice turned icy.
“I tried to settle this with words out of respect for your face, but that won’t do. Are you saying you won’t even cooperate with this?”
Han Sa-gwang did not even twitch an eyebrow at the opponent’s killing intent.
“I would have cooperated if you had requested cooperation. Furthermore, I was under the impression that I was not in a position to take orders from Squad Leader Gok.”
Squad Leader Gok let out a dry laugh.
“I wonder what you are trusting in to be so stiff-necked.”
“…….”
Han Sa-gwang glanced sideways at the man standing behind him.
However, Squad Leader Gok, consumed by anger and annoyance, did not notice.
“Fine. I will inform you now. The Leader is greatly enraged. He struck down the three men who were shamed, and he ordered me to collect the blood price.”
“……You killed them?”
“That is correct.”
Even Han Sa-gwang felt his heart shrink at such cruelty. Killing his own subordinates who had been shamed and demanding the price from them? Where else could such heinous men exist?
“When you say blood price, what exactly do you mean?”
“I see you finally understand the situation.”
Squad Leader Gok spat on the ground and replied.
“Bring me the one who started it, Jang-o, and the waiter from the Dragon Gate Inn. If you do that, the Iron Fist Chamber will be safe.”
“What did you say?”
The air turned cold.
“Are you telling me to hand over the branch’s methods?”
“Han Sa-gwang, I already told you this is a notification.”
Han Sa-gwang let out a dry laugh.
“Ha, a notification, is it?”
Had it been a few weeks ago, he would have handed over Jang-o with tears of blood in his eyes. He knew these men were not the type to change their minds just because he begged at their feet. But the Han Sa-gwang of today was a completely different person.
“I refuse.”
“Ah, so that is the stance of the Iron Fist Chamber.”
A subtle sneer played on the lips of the previously expressionless Squad Leader Gok.
“Then we shall change the order. The Branch Master ordered that if the head of the Iron Fist Chamber failed to manage his subordinates, I should slap him across the face.”
In an instant, Squad Leader Gok closed the distance with his footwork and struck Han Sa-gwang across the cheek.
*Slap!*
Han Sa-gwang, who had taken the blow without resistance, wiped away the blood from his nose.
“Striking the head of a chamber? The arrogance of the Black Water Society has crossed the line.”
“Are you lecturing me right now?”
It was just as Squad Leader Gok raised his hand to strike the other cheek.
*Whish-whish-whish!*
The exchange happened in a flash. The grappling technique of the Grappling Claw Technique aimed at his wrist, the palm strike launched to deflect it, and the fist extended in a counter-attack all tangled together in the air.
‘This bastard!’
Just as Squad Leader Gok was flustered by Han Sa-gwang’s skill, which was far faster and stronger than he had anticipated—
*Bam!*
The second form of the Stone-Shattering Fist erupted, and as he took the palm strike to his chin, Squad Leader Gok’s body stiffened rigidly. This was the Stone-Shattering Fist, the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance’s Fist Hardening Technique capable of crushing even rock.
*Thud!*
Squad Leader Gok fell backward like a log, his eyes rolling back to show the whites.
“……!”
“Sq-Squad Leader!”
Han Sa-gwang looked down at his own palms. The sensation of parrying Squad Leader Gok’s fierce attack and the feeling of striking his chin were vivid. A thrill raced down his spine, making the hair on his body stand on end.
“I-it actually worked?”
It was his first time using it in a real fight. Yet, he had been able to execute it as if his body remembered it.
‘And this is merely the surface level, a mere imitation.’
Even so, it possessed this much power. If he were to master it, just how strong could he become?
“Chief Han, well done.”
Mok Ju-gyeol, who had been standing by disguised as a member of the Iron Fist Chamber, spoke up.
“The lessons learned through pain are not easily forgotten.”
“This is all thanks to you, Branch Master.”
“……?!”
The brief shock at Squad Leader Gok’s defeat was quickly replaced by confusion in the eyes of the attendants as they heard this incomprehensible conversation.
“What are you staring at? Drop your weapons and kneel.”
*Clatter, clatter, clatter!*
The attendants did exactly as Mok Ju-gyeol commanded. When it came to survival instincts, they were truly masters of the martial arts world.
“Chief Han, assemble the branch members.”
.
.
.
Once everyone had gathered, Mok Ju-gyeol pointed at the kneeling Black Water Society martial artists and the unconscious Squad Leader Gok.
“Does everyone know who this is?”
“It is Squad Leader Gok of the Black Water Society.”
“He was incredibly arrogant. He looked down on Chief Han.”
“How dare he!”
“He was a cocky bastard from the start.”
“He is a man who shows no mercy and even harasses commoners.”
“Yet, he could not even last ten moves against Chief Han.”
“……!”
Pride welled up in the eyes of the branch members.
“Do you see now? Even a squad leader of the Black Water Society is no match for Chief Han. That is because he learned martial arts from me.”
“That is correct!”
“Then, will you fear the forces the Black Water Society sends?”
“No!”
“Are they more terrifying than me?”
“Not at all!”
“Good.”
Mok Ju-gyeol nodded and pointed at Squad Leader Gok.
“This man’s crimes do not end with merely insulting Chief Han. To dare to come to a branch of the Ten Thousand Evil Alliance and cause a scene.”
“He deserves to be torn to pieces!”
“……!”
What was this now? The faces of the attendants turned even paler.
“However, we must show that even the Evil Path has its own principles and justice. Return the favor in their own style.”
As of today, Squad Leader Gok would be left with a torn ear.
“Chief Han, prepare yourself. I am going to execute the next operation.”
Han Sa-gwang, having received Mok Ju-gyeol’s order, expressed his concern.
“Branch Master. Are you really going alone?”
Mok Ju-gyeol laughed.
“Worrying about me? You’re a hundred years too early for that.”
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