Chapter 132 <Interesting>
Jeong Gyeol Gyeong strode forward, his face full of anger.
At the moment, he was on his way to meet Jin Sahong.
Their meeting place was a nameless, small tavern in the back alleys of Wuhan.
He had deliberately avoided the larger, well-known taverns or brothels in Wuhan, as most of them were under the influence of the Hao Clan.
In the distance, he spotted the dilapidated tavern.
Around it were shabby inns and buildings on the verge of collapse, but Jeong Gyeol Gyeong didn't pay them any attention.
He quickly entered the tavern and immediately scanned the area for Jin Sahong.
A server hurried over and bowed politely.
"He is waiting for you upstairs."
Jeong Gyeol Gyeong cast a glance at the server before practically flying up the stairs.
At a table in the center of the second floor, Jin Sahong was seated, leisurely sipping from his cup.
Jeong Gyeol Gyeong walked over with long strides and dropped into the seat across from him.
With fierce eyes, he glared at Jin Sahong.
"How am I supposed to interpret this situation? Should I report this as a declaration of war from the Murim Alliance? Would that be acceptable to you?"
Hearing this, Jin Sahong returned the glare with cold eyes.
"Judging by how angry you are, it seems you're serious... but I can't make sense of it. Do you truly not understand why I’m saying this?"
Jin Sahong’s voice was laced with barely concealed fury and hostility.
"Ridiculous! Did you really think I wouldn’t know that the Murim Alliance sent the Heaven Sword Corps to Wuhan?"
"It’s a single squad, thirteen people, to be exact. What do you think we could accomplish with that? Did capturing them improve your situation in any way?"
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"You must be aware by now. The unorthodox factions have been creating so much commotion in Wuhan that even the locals can’t ignore it. Are you seriously unaware of that?"
"Hah! Look who's talking. Did you think I wouldn't realize that the Murim Alliance has been trying to absorb Wuhan’s unorthodox factions right under our noses?"
Jeong Gyeol Gyeong glared at Jin Sahong with murderous intent.
"Stop with the nonsense. Return the thirty of our men you captured, alive. If they're dead, at least give us their bodies. And don’t forget compensation!"
"Hah! Compensation? Coming from you? The ones you captured belong to the Heaven Sword Corps. Surely, you’re aware of the consequences of provoking them?"
"Do you think a pathetic attempt at intimidation will work here? Did it not occur to you that sending the Heaven Sword Corps to Wuhan was already crossing a line? And then, stirring up the unorthodox factions and capturing our men on top of that? What do you think we’ll do next?"
Neither side showed any intention of backing down.
The tension between the two men crackled as if sparks might fly at any moment.
For a while, they continued to argue heatedly until both grew tired and fell silent.
An uneasy silence hung between them.
Now that the heat of their argument had subsided, both began to think more clearly. Though Jeong Gyeol Gyeong had hurled accusations in his earlier outburst, he could now analyze the situation more rationally.
It was Jin Sahong who broke the silence first.
"Let’s not escalate this any further. Wuhan isn’t just about the Murim Alliance and the Black Lotus. We also have to deal with the Namgoong Clan and the Zhuge Clan. Let’s settle this here."
"Hmm. Well... even I understand that fighting won’t do either of us any good. Fine, let’s put the issue of compensation aside for now and focus on resolving the matter of our men."
"Good. I’m glad you see reason. So, when will you return the captured members of the Heaven Sword Corps?"
Jeong Gyeol Gyeong’s brow twitched.
"What are you talking about? Return them? How can I return what I don’t have? It’s your side that needs to release the thirty men you captured, all of them!"
"Are you still going on about that?"
Jin Sahong looked incredulous. However, now that he had calmed down, his response was more measured than before.
"Are you telling me... your people were actually captured? Really?"
Jeong Gyeol Gyeong’s expression hardened as he sensed something amiss.
"Then... are you saying your Heaven Sword Corps members were truly taken?"
The two men stared at each other, scrutinizing one another for any sign of deception.
Neither wanted to be the fool caught off guard by a lie.
"If... we’re both telling the truth... then who could have taken them, and where are they now?"
Jin Sahong ground his teeth in frustration.
"For now... the unorthodox factions seem the most suspicious. We should start by crushing them."
"I agree."
The two men stood simultaneously.
Without another word, they left the tavern together.
Jin Sahong gathered the remaining warriors from the Murim Alliance and set off.
Although members of the Heaven Sword Corps had been taken, enough warriors remained to form a sizable force.
He led fifty warriors to the site where the Heaven Sword Corps members had been ambushed.
The unorthodox faction operating there was said to be a group called the Black Axe Gang.
Starting with them seemed the most logical choice.
The Black Axe Gang was located in a secluded area of Wuhan.
Despite being rundown, the area had all the typical establishments, a few inns, taverns, and brothels.
Upon arriving at the location, Jin Sahong encountered Jeong Gyeol Gyeong and his Black Lotus warriors, who had arrived around the same time.
Jeong Gyeol Gyeong had also brought all his remaining forces to this spot.
The Black Lotus had lost as many as thirty warriors this time, but true to their nature of operating in large groups, there were still sixty warriors remaining.
Jin Sahong and Jeong Gyeol Myeong exchanged a glance before turning to glare at the street where the unorthodox path thugs were said to be.
"Let’s go."
The warriors of the Murim Alliance and the Black Lotus charged into the street with an air of confidence, scattering their menacing auras and murderous intent as they surveyed their surroundings.
Eyes filled with fear stared at them from various places.
They were the residents of this area.
However, no matter how carefully they searched, the unorthodox path thugs were nowhere to be found.
Jin Sahong and Jeong Gyeol Myeong’s expressions grew grim.
"Don’t tell me…!"
"Everyone, spread out and search! Subdue anyone who looks like they might be with the unorthodox path! See if anyone here knows anything!"
The warriors of the Murim Alliance and the Black Lotus dispersed in all directions.
Jin Sahong and Jeong Gyeol Myeong didn’t move separately. Instead, they stayed together, as neither fully trusted the other. To minimize the chance of concealment, it was best to remain side by side.
The two of them calmly observed the warriors bustling about and started questioning the nearby residents to find out where the unorthodox path thugs had gone.
However, the people’s responses were strangely tepid. If the thugs had really run rampant here, there should have been some lingering emotions, but there weren’t many signs of that.
In fact, there wasn’t much information at all.
It was certain that the unorthodox path group that had taken control of this area was the Black Axe faction. The residents testified to this.
The problem was that the group hadn’t been here for long.
Some even said they hadn’t realized the group was part of the unorthodox path until recently.
Their relationships with the locals had been surprisingly good.
In contrast, the sudden intrusion and disruptive behavior of the Murim Alliance and the Black Lotus warriors had left a worse impression.
"So we’ve become the villains," Jin Sahong remarked.
Jeong Gyeol Myeong shrugged.
"I’ve always been a villain, so it doesn’t bother me. Perhaps it’s the same for you?"
"Are you trying to provoke me?"
"Provoke? Don’t be offended. I’m just speaking the truth. The truth is always painful."
Jin Sahong frowned but refrained from escalating the conversation into an argument.
Solving the immediate issue took precedence over squabbling.
After a while, the scattered warriors returned.
Their expressions were dark. They had gathered no useful information, nor had they found anyone resembling the unorthodox path thugs.
"Well, the unorthodox path isn’t confined to this area. For now... let’s look into other groups of thugs,"
"Agreed."
The Murim Alliance and the Black Lotus regrouped and headed towards the bustling districts of Wuhan, where several large unorthodox path factions operated.
They intended to investigate those factions and inquire further about the Black Axe faction.
•••••
Byeok Taesan frowned as he listened to Hwaryeong’s report.
"That happened, and you’re only now finding out?"
Hwaryeong bowed her head.
"My apologies. They seem to be highly organized and skilled at information management. They struck at the exact moment and retreated swiftly."
Byeok Taesan’s lips curved slightly.
"Interesting."
The Black Axe faction had somehow evaded the Hao Clan’s watchful eyes.
They had revealed themselves only to the warriors of the Murim Alliance and the Black Lotus, then disappeared after capturing them at the perfect moment.
Now, the Murim Alliance and the Black Lotus were frantically searching for the missing unorthodox path group, creating quite a commotion.
"They’re not connected to the Golden Moon Merchants, are they?"
"It’s possible, but there’s no evidence linking them to the Golden Moon Merchants in Wuhan."
"I see…."
"We’re trying to track the ones who vanished, but it’s proving more difficult than expected."
"What about the Namgoong Clan and the Zhuge Clan?"
"They’re observing the situation for now. It doesn’t seem like they’re involved."
Hwaryeong paused briefly before cautiously adding her opinion.
"If this situation isn’t resolved soon, the Murim Alliance and the Black Lotus will likely escalate their involvement."
"Which means it’ll get noisier."
Hwaryeong’s expression turned troubled.
The issue wasn’t just the noise. It was possible that the Murim Alliance and the Black Lotus could end up clashing in Wuhan.
The two factions were fundamentally incompatible. They had only cooperated thus far due to the unspoken threat of the Demonic Cult.
Now that the Demonic Cult seemed isolated from the world, it was only a matter of time before factions like the Murim Alliance, the Black Lotus, and the Five Great Clans began making their moves.
Wuhan could very well be the starting point for those movements.
"What do you think? Who are they?"
Hwaryeong took a moment to organize her thoughts before answering.
"The most likely culprit is… the Nameless Sect."
This group had yet to reveal its true nature or structure.
Recently, considering the people and the half-Jiangshi mobilized by them at Hao Clan, it was clear they were no ordinary group.
Reanimating masters who had died decades ago and controlling them, how formidable could they be?
And to achieve that, how immense their power must have been, and how long they must have prepared for it.
"Indeed... it seems highly probable. Still, this time, they didn’t seem to deploy half-Jiangshi."
Byeok Taesan showed a hint of disappointment.
Through the physicians of the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion, one could absorb energy as if it were an elixir, but it was still no match for the power of a half-Jiangshi.
Except for Cho Seoran.
"Regardless, find them. Mobilize everything available. Whether they’re unorthodox factions or wanderers, use them all. Don’t just leave it to others; command them yourself."
Hwaryeong gave a slight bow.
"As you wish."
The ones who dominated the unorthodox and wanderer markets were Yuk Taegu and Jang Gakwoo. Both of them belonged to the Heaven Guard Corps.
The Heaven Guard Corps was an organization that gathered and managed information across the world.
Assigning their command to Hwaryeong showed how exceptional she was and how much was expected of her.
"Good. I’m counting on you."
At those words, Hwaryeong beamed at Byeok Taesan.
"I will live up to your expectations, Young Master."
Hwaryeong withdrew with a pleased expression, and Byeok Taesan rose from his seat and approached the window.
The view of Golden Wall Manor stretched before him.
The sun was beginning to set.
"It's been a while... Perhaps I should go for a walk?"
As Byeok Taesan stepped out of the pavilion, Soso came running up to him and looked up expectantly.
"Young Master, are you heading out?"
"Yes."
Byeok Taesan nodded and kept walking.
Soso quickly caught up and asked, "Should I call the guards for you?"
"No need. I’m just planning to take a light stroll around the area."
"Understood. Then, have a pleasant outing."
Soso bowed deeply in farewell.
Byeok Taesan stopped, turned around, and silently observed her.
"Why... why are you looking at me like that?"
"What are you scheming?"
At his question, Soso jumped in surprise.
"Huh? Scheming? I’m not scheming anything!"
Byeok Taesan chuckled softly and turned away again. Whether she had schemes or not didn’t matter to him.
"Fine. I’ll be back."
As he resumed walking, Soso bowed once more.
"Yes, Young Master, have a good walk!"
Then she scurried off somewhere else.
Byeok Taesan continued walking without sparing her another glance.
When he reached the main gate, he noticed someone waiting for him, slightly out of breath.
It was Yeon Harin.
She smiled brightly at Byeok Taesan.
"Young Master, I heard you’re going out. May I join you?"
Byeok Taesan smirked. So Soso’s scheme was this.
"Well, do as you like."
Yeon Harin’s smile grew even brighter.
She quickly positioned herself close beside him.
The two of them exited through the main gate of Golden Wall Manor together.