Chapter 119: Let’s Not Do Bad Things
Coincidence, he said. Something that happened without any cause or reason.
Jin Seong-un quietly repeated the word.
As the man had said, there were too many unsettling points for this to be dismissed as a mere coincidence.
Even so, in the world, absurd coincidences happened all the time.
That was why what mattered was proof. Proof that this was not just a coincidence.
“How can you prove it was no coincidence?”
“Proof, huh…”
The man’s expression grew a little darker.
If such a thing had been possible, he wouldn’t have needed to pick up a blade and go after that man in the first place.
The man suddenly stripped off his upper garments.
At the unexpected action, Jin Seong-un watched him carefully.
Soon, the man’s bare skin was revealed.
Jin Seong-un furrowed his brows unconsciously.
His torso was covered with scars, tangled and crisscrossing as though someone had drawn a complicated map across his flesh.
“…What in the world is this?”
Jin Seong-un had sparred and even bathed with many martial artists. None had ever carried such grotesque scars on their body.
The man spoke in a flat tone.
“When I went to look for Song Jae-mun, he beat me savagely, saying I was grabbing an innocent man.”
Jin Seong-un studied the scars closely.
They looked as though they had been made by thin branches or a whip. Judging by their tracks, he had been bound so he couldn’t resist and then beaten.
It was clearly a very different image from the kind and benevolent face Song Jae-mun had shown—or perhaps, had tried hard to show—earlier.
The man put his upper garments back on.
Calluses upon calluses had long since covered the wounds, so he didn’t even feel pain anymore.
It was a glimpse into the kind of mindset he had carried throughout his years of training.
Jin Seong-un hesitated for a moment.
Even he, who usually spoke without much thought, found himself reluctant to say what came to mind.
But the man, as though he already knew what Jin Seong-un was about to say, opened his mouth first.
“You’re right. There’s no proof these scars came from Song Jae-mun. Do you think a man that vile would leave behind evidence? That’s exactly why he’s been praised by everyone until now.”
“Hmm.”
Jin Seong-un nodded.
He still didn’t know what kind of man Song Jae-mun really was.
But it was true that too many things felt suspicious.
Above all, though he had only seen him for a few days, something deep inside Jin Seong-un already recoiled against the man.
“So, you’re planning to try to kill Song Jae-mun again?”
“Yes.”
The man answered without a trace of hesitation.
“…Then you will die.”
If what the man said was true, Song Jae-mun would never allow someone who had tried to kill him twice to live.
All the more since, after last night’s events, his guards would be even tighter.
“I don’t care.”
The man remained resolute.
Then, glaring toward where Song Jae-mun was staying, he said,
“Among the escort leader and escorts who died back then, my elder brother and younger brother were there. If I live pretending I never knew, how could I ever face their faces—or the faces of the subordinates who trusted and followed me—after death?”
“I understand your circumstances, but…”
Jin Seong-un clicked his tongue.
Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to say that his dead brothers and men wouldn’t want him to throw his life away in vain.
The man’s face was so firm it seemed no persuasion could sway him.
Jin Seong-un thought of several people—the ones around him who were best with words.
First, his teacher, the Merchant King. Second, Chef Seo. If it were them, what would they say to a man like this?
After carefully choosing his words for a moment, Jin Seong-un spoke.
“What was it you said earlier? Back then, you were young and had time to challenge again. That’s why you didn’t sell your escort agency.”
“…Yes.”
“You haven’t turned into an old man in just ten years. If you’re going to do it, then do it properly. Don’t doom yourself to failure out of impatience. Of course, I don’t really have the right to say this. But at least, I’m telling you not to die today.”
“…”
“You never know how things will turn out. This sudden ‘coincidence’ from the Merchant Festival might very well turn out terribly for Song Jae-mun. Just wait. Slowly.”
With those words, Jin Seong-un began to walk away.
One way or another, he intended to investigate Song Jae-mun.
If what the man said was true, he couldn’t allow someone like that to linger around Oh Jeong-san.
As he walked farther, Jin Seong-un suddenly stopped and turned back toward the man.
“Of course, the choice is yours. But if you die, I’ll see that your funeral is carried out. After all, I’ve now heard your past. That much, at least, is my duty.”
With that, Jin Seong-un leapt off the cliff.
As he fell helplessly through the dizzying empty air, he suddenly thought,
‘I should have brought him with me.’
After all, he had been the one to bring the man up to the cliff. Leaving him there alone meant he would have to make his way back down the mountain path by himself.
‘Hmm.’
Well, maybe it would help him clear his thoughts and calm his mind.
Just as he thought this, Jin Seong-un landed lightly on the ground.
The people moving about nearby widened their eyes in shock as they stared at him.
Jin Seong-un went straight to Oh Jeong-san.
Though he was overwhelmed with handling the Merchant Festival, Oh Jeong-san still welcomed him warmly and poured tea.
But Jin Seong-un didn’t wait for the tea to steep and went straight to the point.
“That man, Song Jae-mun. Can he be trusted?”
Oh Jeong-san looked startled at him.
So Jin Seong-un recounted everything about Song Jae-mun and the man.
As the story went on, Oh Jeong-san’s face grew darker, and in the end, he pressed at his temples as though with a headache.
“…You’re right. Jo-yang Escort Agency’s master may not be such a good man after all. In truth, among great merchants, it’s rarer to find one who isn’t like that.”
“Is that so? Then you as well, Guild Leader?”
“…Do you think so?”
Jin Seong-un drank his tea.
Oh Jeong-san continued,
“I became a great merchant through the Wudang Sect’s influence, so it doesn’t apply to me. Some might still point fingers, but at least I can say I never did anything shady behind the scenes. Anyway, back to the point…”
He briefly recalled Song Jae-mun’s amiable smile before going on.
“But the thing is, like you said, that man had no proof at all, did he?”
“Yes. That’s why I came to ask you, Guild Leader. You’d know Song Jae-mun better than I do.”
“Haah…”
Oh Jeong-san let out a long sigh.
Jin Seong-un’s sense of rejection and unease.
Oh Jeong-san was feeling the same thing.
Song Jae-mun’s business had grown at an astonishing speed.
If one possessed great talent for commerce, and heaven’s fortune aided him, it was possible.
Such cases were rare, but not entirely unheard of either.
But if Song Jae-mun had used such despicable means behind the scenes…
Regrettably, his rapid success became far easier to accept.
“First, first let us look into it a bit more.”
“Yes.”
Jin Seong-un nodded calmly.
In truth, the reason he had come all the way here to speak of Song Jae-mun was not only to seek advice, but also to warn Oh Jeong-san to be wary of him.
Judging by Oh Jeong-san’s expression, his purpose had been achieved.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes, I just had breakfast at the inn.”
“Then let’s eat again. I haven’t eaten yet.”
“…Yes.”
Thus, the two shared a rare meal together before parting ways.
.
.
.
That evening, as dusk fell, the Merchant Festival grew lively once more.
Jin Seong-un found himself distracted by thoughts of the man, and wandered the festival grounds as though patrolling.
‘I should have at least asked his name.’
Fortunately, the man was nowhere to be seen.
Given his attitude and determination, it was unlikely he had given up, but at least tonight he seemed willing to let things pass.
That was enough.
As he walked, lost in thought, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.
“Guest Dragon! Over here!”
It was Song Jae-mun.
Whenever he called out to Jin Seong-un, he never used other titles, always calling him by his alias, Guest Dragon.
Each time, it caused a stir among the people nearby, making it seem as if he and Guest Dragon were on very close terms.
Jin Seong-un walked toward his table.
Around him were merchants he had seen yesterday, and others he was meeting for the first time.
“I am Jin Seong-un of Seong-un Inn in Yichang.”
Jin Seong-un offered greetings first to the senior merchants.
They nodded in satisfaction and introduced themselves in turn.
It was truly a gathering of men who conducted business across all regions.
Just as he was committing their introductions to memory—
“I am Bang Man-bok of the Red Cliff Escort Agency.”
Unlike the others, it was a short, concise introduction.
His tone was filled with confidence, as if to say, ‘Just that much should be enough for you to know.’
Indeed, Jin Seong-un was not unfamiliar with the name Red Cliff Escort Agency. He could not recall exactly, but the very fact that he had heard of it meant it was a very large escort agency.
The drinking continued with light conversation.
But Jin Seong-un’s focus remained entirely on Song Jae-mun, who once again steered the atmosphere with his distinctive manner of speaking.
“Say, about that escort run coming from the Western Regions next month. Wouldn’t it be a bit too much to handle solely by river?”
Song Jae-mun’s tone was subtle.
Bang Man-bok, master of the Red Cliff Escort Agency, chuckled.
“Oh-ho, are you trying to covet another’s rice bowl? Too much, you say? The Yangtze River is vast. Even if the escort run were three times larger, our Red Cliff Escort Agency could handle it just fine.”
“Come now! That’s not what I mean. I’m only suggesting that as fellow merchants of Hubei, perhaps you could share just a little. Just a little, so I might also form some ties with the Western merchants.”
From what he heard, Song Jae-mun’s Jo-yang Escort Agency was strong in mountain routes, while Bang Man-bok’s Red Cliff Escort Agency dominated the river routes along the Yangtze.
When escort runs grew in scale, they naturally relied on the river, so the Red Cliff Escort Agency would often deal with the larger merchants.
With a faint smirk, Bang Man-bok said,
“Heh-heh, well, I’ll speak with them, but those great merchants of the Western Regions are not easy to deal with.”
Song Jae-mun clicked his tongue.
Bang Man-bok, full of greed, would never share willingly.
Seeing that, Bang Man-bok spoke in a firmer tone.
“Listen here. Do you know how much effort our Red Cliff Escort Agency has put into the Shui Band these past hundred years? It was thanks to that effort we gained these opportunities. How could I give that up to you? Let’s not do this. Help each other when needed, yes, but respect each other’s territories.”
The Red Cliff Escort Agency had poured great effort into securing the Yangtze from river bandits.
They had bribed and courted the leaders of the strongholds, and whenever the Chief Escort Captain changed, they treated him as if a new king had ascended.
Generations of such effort had earned them their current prestige.
And now, to have a merchant casually ask for a share, ignoring all that hard work—how could it not be infuriating?
When Bang Man-bok spoke firmly, Song Jae-mun smoothed over the mood with his trademark smile. Filling Bang Man-bok’s cup, he said,
“Hahaha, I only spoke from envy, a harmless jest. Why take it so seriously and embarrass me? Guest Dragon, don’t you agree he’s too serious?”
The others laughed and turned to Jin Seong-un.
But Jin Seong-un showed not the slightest smile.
The moment he heard of the Shui Band, he remembered where he had heard of the Red Cliff Escort Agency.
—Hyung-nim, I heard the late Chief Escort Captain had planned to attack the Red Cliff Escort Agency?
—What?
Won Hu-hyeok, Jang Gwang’s right-hand man, and now Chief Escort Captain of the Yangtze River Eighteen Strongholds.
That was a conversation he once had with Jang Gwang at Seong-un Inn.
In short, the late Chief Escort Captain had intended to attack the Red Cliff Escort Agency.
Not merely to extort money, but to plunder all their escort goods and slaughter every escort and porter.
The reason was simple: he had already received a huge payment in advance from someone.
Before the great escort run from the Western Regions arrived.
If the Red Cliff Escort Agency were to suffer such a devastating attack from the Shui Band, the Western merchants would lose all trust in them.
They would then be forced to send at least part, if not all, of their escort run by mountain routes instead of the river.
And the one to profit was clear.
Jin Seong-un looked at Song Jae-mun.
He recalled that first day in Oh Jeong-san’s office, when Song Jae-mun had spoken of his grand ambition to seize even the river routes.
He also remembered the downfall of the man’s own Ui-seong Escort Agency. Back then it had been mountain bandits; now it would be river bandits. The resemblance was uncanny.
The only difference was—
This time, the river bandits would not attack the Red Cliff Escort Agency.
—Nonsense. With all the trust we’ve built with them, how could they?
—Right? That’s what I thought too.
Jang Gwang and Won Hu-hyeok had dismissed the plan outright. Strangely enough, they had even asked Jin Seong-un’s opinion.
—What do you think, Innkeeper?
—You agree with Big Brother too, don’t you?
Won Hu-hyeok had called Jin Seong-un “Big Brother,” by a simple logic—he was the elder brother of his elder brother.
At the time, Jin Seong-un, having become a thief and even feeling like the leader of the river bandits, suppressed his discomfort and said,
—Let’s not do bad things.
At that simple answer, Jang Gwang and Won Hu-hyeok had nodded in agreement again and again.