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Light Novel: Volume 15 Episode 10
Manhwa: N/A
“Argh!”
“Ugh!”
Groans echoed throughout various places around Poyang Lake.
It was the sound of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group’s members subduing the members of the Blood Ant Gang. The members of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group were fearsome.
They knew well how to find the hidden members of the Blood Ant Gang.
Like scraping the bottom of a lake with a tight net, they systematically rooted out the people associated with the Blood Ant Gang from the ground up.
Until now, they had taken no action, but the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group had gathered a considerable amount of information about the Blood Ant Gang.
Collecting information about individuals who could pose a threat to them was one of the group’s basic practices.
While there was no immediate conflict of interest between the two parties before, there was no telling what problems might arise if the Blood Ant Gang grew larger in the future, and so the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group had gathered information on the Blood Chamber in case that happened.
Furthermore, they have sufficient justification.
Not only had the members of the Blood Ant Gang cruelly killed Gu Changhae of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group, but they had also mutilated his body, dishonoring him.
All of the martial artists of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group were furious.
They hunted down everyone associated with the Blood Ant Gang as if to show them what blood vengeance was all about. As a result, even those who had been hiding the gang’s members could no longer bear it and began revealing their whereabouts.
“Something bad has happened! My brother has been captured by the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group!”
“Brother Doeul has also been killed!”
Reports came in one after another.
“Damn it!”
Deung Chol-ung bit his lip until blood oozed out.
He hadn’t expected the Blood Ant Gang to collapse so quickly.
The place where he was staying right now was one of the safe havens of the Blood Ant Gang.
Except for his trusted subordinates, no one knew about this secret place.
At first, he thought it was just a passing shower.
Although the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group was formidable, he believed he had the capacity to withstand and oppose them. He really thought that his power was enough. However, his confidence was shattered within half a day.
He shuddered at the thought of being relentlessly pursued by the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group, starting from the bottom.
Deung Chol-ung raised a bottle of alcohol and gulped it down.
“Do you think I’m going to back down like this? Fuck that! Imperial Yuan Merchant Group? Let’s go until the end! I will show you just how tenacious and fearsome Deung Chol-ung can be.”
Deung Chol-ung’s anger flared.
“Hoho!”
At that moment, the sound of someone’s mocking laughter echoed through the room.
The laughter came from a woman squatting at one side of the room.
She was the woman who had been captured because her father, unable to repay his debt to Deung Chol-ung, had turned her over to him. She had been thoroughly humiliated and ruined by Deung Chol-ung, so there was a gleam of pure hatred in her eyes.
“You bitch!”
“Hoho! How amusing. You made others shed tears, that’s why you’re now facing divine punishment.”
“You bitch–!”
Smack!
Deung Chol-ung struck the woman’s cheek in a fit of rage.
Struck by his hand, which was as large as a pot lid, the woman collapsed to the ground. She had received such a tremendous shock that she couldn’t even scream.
“Damn you! Kicking someone while they’re down? You bitch!”
Deung Chol-ung snorted in disdain as he looked at the fallen woman.
Nevertheless, his anger still hadn’t subsided, so he continued to trample on the woman.
“My lord!”
Had Deung Chol-ung’s subordinate, Oh Shin-pyeong, not entered in time just then, the woman would have died.
Deung Chol-ung glared at Oh Shin-pyeong, who had a nervous and concerned expression.
“What’s the matter?”
“They have arrived.”
“They? The ones who caused this mess?”
“Yes!”
“Damn it! Where are those bastards?”
“They are outside right now.”
Upon Oh Shin-pyeong’s reply, Deung Chol-ung rolled up his sleeves and headed outside.
There were about ten martial artists standing outside.
A dangerous scent emanated from the men wearing red robes and red hats.
Deung Chol-ung’s expression, which had been fierce when he came out, instantly softened like a gentle lamb.
Even though Deung Chol-ung was someone known for his unruliness and fearlessness, he wasn’t foolish enough not to read the atmosphere and aura of others. In fact, he was exceptionally keen at reading such cues, to the extent that no one could match him.
“Have you arrived?”
Deung Chol-ung cautiously opened his mouth.
The man who appeared to be the leader answered,
“I heard there is a problem.”
The moment Deung Chol-ung heard his voice, a chill ran down his forearm.
‘Holy shit! How fucking scary.’
Deung Chol-ung knew if he made even the slightest wrong move here, he could lose everything in an instant, so he spoke with utmost courtesy,
“We came to assist you, but it seems our involvement with you has caused trouble for our business.”
“No wonder it was noisy outside. So, the Blood Ant Gang is under attack.”
“Yes! If things continue at this rate, the Blood Ant Gang will be annihilated. If the Blood Ant Gang falls, we will no longer be able to help you anymore.”
“Are you threatening us?”
“It’s not a threat. I’m merely stating the facts.”
“Hmm!”
Fortunately, it seemed that the non-threatening form of persuasion from Deung Chol-ung had worked, since the leader seemed to think for a moment.
Deung Chol-ung silently observed the leader with bated breath.
“The Imperial Yuan Merchant Group, right? They’re the ones who turned the Blood Ant Gang into such a mess?”
“That’s right. If you can kill Noh Tae-tae and a few key members of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group, we’ll take care of the rest.”
“Hmph! Do you have the confidence to seize control of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group once those people are removed?”
“Heh heh! I have lived my whole life embracing wickedness and ruthlessness. If I can’t even accomplish that, then I might as well kill myself.”
“Good! We will solve the problem for you then.”
“Really? Thank you.”
Deung Chol-ung hesitated for a moment and then bowed deeply.
The leader looked at Deung Chol-ung with a contemptuous gaze, but fortunately, his face was hidden by his hat.
Thanks to that, Deung Chol-ung couldn’t see the scornful look in the leader’s eyes.
Deung Chol-ung cautiously asked,
“When do you plan on making a move?”
“Once tonight is over, everything will have changed.”
“Haha! I see. I’ll make my own preparations as well then.”
“Preparations?”
“Yes! Shouldn’t we turn the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group upside down too? Hehe!”
Deung Chol-ung said.
The ominous glint in his eyes, as if he had never been intimidated, further annoyed the leader of the group of martial artists. However, since cooperation with individuals like Deung Chol-ung was essential for them to operate comfortably along the shores of Lake Poyang, the leader endured.
“Be cautious and refrain from taking any action until you hear good news.”
“Don’t worry. Our expertise lies in biding our time and seizing opportunities. Hehe!”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
With those words, the leader set out with his men.
Once outside, the leader looked back at the hideout and muttered to himself,
“To think that I, Cheol Dae-jin,  has to work with such lowlifes. Life is truly fleeting.”
“Isn’t it a necessary evil? Try to think positively.”
One of his subordinates standing by his side spoke cautiously.
Cheol Dae-jin nodded and turned to his subordinate,
“Who are the key figures in the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group?”
“Noh Tae-tae, the head of the organization, and Ju Seolpung, who is currently leading the suppression of the Blood Ant Gang.”
“Ju Seolpung?”
“He is the great-grandson of Noh Tae-tae, and is a renowned talent in the region.”
“Is that so?”
“He possesses exceptional martial arts and other skills. If he becomes the leader of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group, he will undoubtedly cause many more problems for us in the future.”
“Then include him as a target for elimination as well.”
“Understood.”
Cheol Dae-jin looked around at his subordinates and spoke,
“Just to be safe, send a letter to Prison1 as well. Prepare for any unexpected situations.”
“Do we really need to do that? If we handle it quietly among ourselves, no one will know.”
“That’s why we wiped out the Hao clan branch, but still, such a situation arose.”
“I apologize.”
“I’m not blaming you. I’m just taking precautions.”
“Understood. I will send a letter to Prison.”
“Mmm!”
Cheol Dae-jin nodded and looked out at Poyang Lake. The martial artists wearing blood-red clothes shuddered at the sight of his back.
It was because they knew his true identity.
Not a single blade of grass remained where he had passed. That’s why he was given the nickname, the Grass-Cutting Blood Demon Sword.2
* * *
Ju Seolpung sat by the window, gazing outside.
“I have found seven individuals associated with the Blood Ant Gang.”
“We have discovered one of their secret bases.”
Reports continued to pour in.
They were all related to the Blood Ant Gang.
A smile appeared on Ju Seolpung’s lips.
He had always wanted to deal with the Blood Ant Gang someday.
The Blood Ant Gang had been growing like poisonous mushrooms in their territory for quite some time now. When he initially thought nothing of it, they had already taken root and spread all over Poyang Lake, leaving him uncertain of where to begin.
However, thanks to Gu Changhae, he had gained a good justification.
Although Gu Changhae’s death was regrettable, it had created an opportunity to uproot the Blood Ant Gang.
There was more good news.
Ju Seolpung picked up the note on the table.
Inside was a formal invitation letter.
“Anti-Golden Heaven Society…”
The invitation letter contained a message inviting Ju Seolpung as a member to form the Anti-Golden Heaven Society.
Ju Seolpung was well aware of what kind of organization the Anti-Golden Heaven Society was.
Even though he was listed in the Golden Heaven Society, he hadn’t received any invitations from the said organization.
Although he pretended to be unaffected on the surface, his pride had been greatly wounded.
Even if an offer had come, he would not have accepted it, but the fact that he had never received an invitation made him furious.
On the other hand, the Anti-Golden Heaven Society recognized his worth and sent a formal invitation. The ones who sent the invitation were Yong Hasang of Dragon Sky Valley and Namgung Wol of the Heavenly Guardian Association.
Their names alone carried weight.
The fact that they acknowledged him as an equal pleased him.
“However, joining the Anti-Golden Heaven Society requires careful consideration.”
One of the most important things for a merchant was to have a discerning eye for the current trends.
He had to accurately grasp the flow and make decisions, as a wrong move could not only jeopardize himself but also the entire Imperial Yuan Merchant Group.
He had to gain as much benefit as possible by navigating between the Golden Heaven Society and the Anti-Golden Heaven Society. That was the path to benefiting the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group.
“But first, I must completely deal with the Blood Ant Gang.”
Dealing with the Blood Ant Gang would strengthen his relationship with Pyo-wol.
Especially during times like these where there were signs of turbulence everywhere, building a strong relationship with someone like Pyo-wol would be a great help in the future.
Ju Seolpung smiled and stood up from his seat.
The Imperial Yuan Merchant Group owned mansions in various locations around Poyang Lake, and the place where Ju Seolpung currently resided was one of them.
Being located at a transportation hub made it convenient for receiving reports and handling other matters. That’s why he frequently used this place.
Fortunately, the task of dealing with the Blood Ant Gang was progressing smoothly.
At this rate, everything would be settled within a day, just like he had promised Pyo-wol.
It was then.
“Keugh!”
Ju Seolpung suddenly heard a soft scream.
The sound was so faint that he thought of it as nothing at first.
“Heuk!”
At that moment, he heard another scream.
Only then did Ju Seolpung realize that what he had heard was not an illusion.
“Who?”
Ju Seolpung hurriedly picked up the sword he had placed next to the table.
Goosebumps rose all over his body.
He felt a strong sense of danger.
“Could it be a counterattack from the Blood Ant Gang?”
Ju Seolpung quickly rushed outside.
The mansion was silent.
It was as if no one was there.
Considering that just a moment ago, people were coming and going, delivering reports, the serene scene in front of him seemed like a lie.
Ju Seolpung shouted,
“Is anyone here?”
But there was no answer.
“What?”
Ju Seolpung’s face contorted unpleasantly.
It was then.
Someone approached Ju Seolpung, flickering in and out of view.
“Yo, Young Master!”
“Is that you Ahchil? What happened to you?”
Ju Seolpung recognized the identity of the bloodied man.
He was Ahchil, one of the members of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group.
“Hurry! R-Run away–”
“What?”
“They… demons… keuk!”
At that moment, Ahchil collapsed.
Behind his falling figure which resembled a collapsing sand castle, three people wearing blood-red clothing could be seen standing.
“Ju Seolpung of the Imperial Yuan Merchant Group, right?”
SoundlessWind21’s notes:
Thank you for reading!
Prison. Raws: 옥(獄).獄 yù – prisonGrass-Cutting Blood Demon Sword. Raws: 삭초혈마검(削草血魔劍).削 xuē – to pare / to reduce / to remove草 cǎo – grass / straw / manuscript / draft (of a document) / careless / rough血 xuè – blood 魔 mó – devil / magic劍 jiàn – double-edged sword