Chapter 140: Please Help
Everyone’s roles were clear.
Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak fought without hesitation, pouring their strength into one another.
Jjjeooooooong–!
A huge explosion erupted, immediately drawing the attention of everyone inside the Red Cliff Escort Agency.
In the midst of it, Jin Seong-un casually waved his hand, dispersing part of the force. He was protecting the building’s inner walls and its expensive furnishings from being destroyed.
Urgent voices came from outside.
Wh-what is going on!
Chief Escort Captain, sir! The honored guests inside suddenly started fighting…!
A rush of hurried footsteps followed.
It seemed everyone had gathered near the guest room, but none dared open the door and intervene in a martial artists’ fight.
That meant they would have to step out themselves.
For some reason, Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak exchanged nods. Never before had the two felt so in sync.
Seo Yu-gyeom blasted Seomun Ak away.
Seomun Ak went crashing through the door. Since the door was relatively cheap and would need to be replaced entirely once damaged, he smashed it completely to pieces.
The Seong-un Inn group’s fights were always cost-effective.
Kwaa-jijijik–!
The massive Seomun Ak soared through the air, ripping the door apart like paper, and crashed into the center of the courtyard.
Screams broke out among the servants.
“Kyaaah!”
“M-Masters! Why are you doing this!”
The new Chief Escort Captain of the Red Cliff Escort Agency—
The very man who had come all the way to Seong-un Inn to dryly inform them of Bang Man-bok’s passing—ran over with a pale face.
The Chief Escort Captain tried to help Seomun Ak up, but Seomun Ak shoved him aside and leapt to his feet.
“Out of my way!”
“Aaah! I’m going to die!”
The Chief Escort Captain toppled onto his back, bewildered and terrified. Bewildered at why this nonsense was happening in the courtyard of his own home, and terrified of getting caught up in the brawl.
It was ridiculous, yet awkward to intervene.
Seo Yu-gyeom stepped outside, and Seomun Ak snorted heavily, glaring at him.
“You’re dead today. I’ve had it with you for a while. That inn waiter—is he a servant of the chef or something? Why are you trying to boss me around like I’m your underling?”
It seemed like his true feelings slipped out for a moment, but Seomun Ak quickly unleashed a fierce aura and returned to the act.
Suddenly, Seo Yu-gyeom surged forward with a chilling aura aimed at Seomun Ak.
Kwaaaang–!
The two clashed once more.
The ground trembled faintly, and those without martial arts collapsed in fright.
Even the escorts and guards who had some martial training rushed over in groups, but none dared step into their fight.
“S-someone, go get Escort Leader Hwang!”
The Chief Escort Captain shouted desperately.
That was when an elderly man appeared.
Judging from the look of relief in everyone’s eyes, he must have been the strongest expert in the agency.
The old man stared gravely at the two fighters.
“Escort Leader Hwang!”
The Chief Escort Captain scrambled to his feet and hurried to Hwang. Instinct, perhaps—after all, the safest place now was beside Escort Leader Hwang.
Meanwhile, Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak were talking.
“No matter what, does it make sense to come all this way only to be told to go back?” Seo Yu-gyeom threw out.
“Then what? Is it right to ignore people who came all the way here out of loyalty, leaving them hanging for half a day? That’s just telling us to get lost.” Seomun Ak snapped back.
The onlookers murmured. It seemed none of them knew that the guests from Seong-un Inn had been waiting so long.
Seo Yu-gyeom pressed again.
“Of course the Escort Master must be busy. But do you really think he would neglect guests who came all this way for no reason?”
“Then he should’ve explained, explained!”
The two were using their “fight” as an excuse to loudly call out the new Escort Master’s behavior.
The reason was simple. Even if leadership had changed, not everyone under the Escort Master would have.
Indeed, Escort Leader Hwang let out a long sigh and asked the Chief Escort Captain beside him,
“Are their words true?”
“Khmm, well, the Escort Master has been busy with affairs…”
“But I’ve heard there haven’t been any escort runs lately.”
The Red Cliff Escort Agency had no time to worry about outside matters. In other words, the acting Escort Master had little reason to be busy.
With another sigh, Escort Leader Hwang approached Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak and bowed his head.
“I am Hwang Chi-yeon, Chief Escort Captain of the Red Cliff Escort Agency. On behalf of the agency, I apologize to our honored guests. If the Escort Master was too occupied to attend, I at least should have been attentive.”
The white-haired elder bent at the waist, and even Seomun Ak and Seo Yu-gyeom looked sheepish.
“Well, it’s not something you need to apologize so deeply for.”
“Still, the Escort Master must truly be busy.”
Hwang responded in an awkward voice.
“It is just the times. I will speak again with him, so please wait just a little longer.”
As the situation calmed, Jin Seong-un approached Hwang.
“The broken furnishings will be compensated by Seong-un Inn. My apologies.”
Hwang glanced around the guest room.
Fortunately, nothing expensive had been damaged. At worst, just a couple of doors.
“Ahem, no need. It was our fault for slighting our guests first—how could we demand compensation?”
Hwang’s gaze toward Jin Seong-un softened.
He knew well that, in the process of Jin Seong-un handling Song Jae-mun, the Red Cliff Escort Agency had been spared great misfortune.
And he also knew just how fondly Bang Man-bok had thought of Jin Seong-un.
Having served Bang Man-bok for decades with deep respect, it was natural that Hwang also held Jin Seong-un in good regard.
.
.
.
Barely half a shichen after Hwang had gone to meet the acting Escort Master, Jin Seong-un, Seo Yu-gyeom, and Seomun Ak were finally permitted into the Escort Master’s office.
When the door opened, the three looked at the temporary Escort Master.
Jin Seong-un was calm, while Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak wore blatant expressions of “let’s see what kind of bastard he is.”
And then, all three flinched.
The man sitting at the desk looked strikingly like Bang Man-bok.
If Bang Man-bok had looked a bit fiercer and practiced martial arts, he would have looked exactly like this.
The man rose to greet them.
“Welcome. I am Bang Myeong-ho, acting Escort Master of the Red Cliff Escort Agency.”
At the mention of his name, they immediately understood.
He must be related to Bang Man-bok.
Bang Myeong-ho chuckled lightly.
“From your faces, I can tell what you’re thinking. Yes, the late Escort Master was my cousin elder brother.”
“My condolences.”
At Jin Seong-un’s words, Bang Myeong-ho nodded with a bitter expression.
“Yes. He was so vigorous that I never imagined he would pass so suddenly. And so I have been forced to take on this burdensome position. I must find Cheon-woo soon.”
“Cheon-woo?”
“Ah, my elder brother’s eldest son. My nephew.”
Jin Seong-un recalled what Bang Man-bok had once told him—his eldest son, the Free-spirited Young Lord, Bang Cheon-woo.
“You still haven’t found him?”
“He was always wandering, and in recent years, had little contact with the agency. It is not easy.”
“Have you tried requesting help from the Hao Sect or the Beggars’ Union?”
Bang Myeong-ho flinched.
It was only for an instant, but Jin Seong-un did not miss it.
“I am trying everything I can. I am the one who most wants him found. I am not fit to be Escort Master.”
“Is that so.”
Jin Seong-un stared straight at him.
Perhaps uncomfortable with that look, Bang Myeong-ho quickly changed the subject.
“Now, don’t just stand there… have you eaten yet?”
“We Beg Your Help”
“I’m sick of drinking and snacking already.”
When Seomun Ak answered curtly, Bang Myeong-ho scratched his cheek in slight embarrassment.
“Once again, I apologize. The escort agency is in chaos, and I am still inexperienced, so I have not been able to handle matters quickly. For now, let us at least share a meal together.”
With that, Bang Myeong-ho led the three of them to the banquet hall within the escort agency.
Inside were Escort Leader Hwang, the Chief Escort Captain, and several others who seemed to be senior members of the agency.
Bang Myeong-ho naturally took the head seat and spoke.
“The matter of the Bamboo-Shadow Mushroom—I will see it resolved for you.”
By saying this, it made it sound as if the only reason the three had come was because of mushrooms.
Just as Seomun Ak was about to snap, Seo Yu-gyeom spoke first.
“The mushrooms can be resolved slowly. That’s not why we came.”
“Ah, of course. You came all this way to mourn my elder brother. Once again, my thanks…”
“That’s not it either.”
“…Then what?”
Everyone looked at Seo Yu-gyeom in puzzlement.
Seo Yu-gyeom calmly swept his gaze across the hall before speaking.
“The late Escort Master often said this: ‘There must be a spy within the agency. Song Jae-mun’s methods were always the same.’”
“…”
“‘If something should happen to me, it will surely be the work of a spy within the escort agency. I will not ask for much—only protect my sons.’ That was what he said.”
The hall fell into silence.
Reactions varied.
Some seemed lost in memory of the late Escort Master, while others strained to grasp Seo Yu-gyeom’s true intent.
Seo Yu-gyeom noted each of their reactions without missing a beat. The sharp intuition of a Deathshroud assassin swept across the senior members of the Red Cliff Escort Agency.
“But now the second son has perished alongside him. Out of old ties, I came to confirm at least whether the eldest is safe. And yet, in a massive trading agency like the Red Cliff Escort Agency, you still haven’t managed to find a single person? Not just anyone, but…”
Seo Yu-gyeom deliberately left his words hanging.
Which only hammered the thought into everyone’s heads even harder—how strange it was that the Escort Master had died, and yet his son still had not appeared.
In Seo Yu-gyeom’s eyes, it could only be one of two things.
Either they had found him and killed him. Or they had no intention of looking.
After gathering his thoughts, Seo Yu-gyeom continued calmly.
“In any case, that is why we came. I ask for your understanding.”
“Understanding for what?”
Bang Myeong-ho’s voice had an edge.
It was because of the mention of spies.
Even if only acting Escort Master, the one to be suspected most immediately would be Bang Myeong-ho himself.
Seo Yu-gyeom, unbothered, replied flatly.
“In the end, the eldest son will return home one day. We plan to stay here until then, confirm his safety, and, if necessary, provide some protection. That was the request of the late Escort Master.”
Eyes rolled all around the room.
Martial artists who smashed the guest room on their first day, fought in the courtyard, and now declared they would stay indefinitely?
And with no set timeline—the eldest son’s return was uncertain.
Bang Myeong-ho sighed.
“That would be troublesome.”
“Why.”
The two locked eyes for a moment before Bang Myeong-ho spoke again.
“You three are outsiders. The escort agency handles all manner of information and goods. Its structure cannot allow outsiders to stay for long. Furthermore, you yourselves said there is a spy. If that is true, then it is a matter that must be resolved within the escort agency. An organization whose inner halls are unsettled is doomed to fall. That is why we cannot accept outside help on such a crucial matter.”
His words were polished and smooth.
Seo Yu-gyeom cut them down to size.
“You mean, get lost?”
He deliberately used provocative words.
Bang Myeong-ho looked at him for a moment, then gave a short laugh. Whether it was from disbelief or mockery, no one could tell.
“That’s right. I would appreciate it if you left. You three have neither the reason, authority, nor right to interfere in our agency’s affairs.”
“This is ridiculous. Instead of thanking us for offering help, you drive us out.”
“I have already thanked you plenty. Leave after finishing your meal.”
Seo Yu-gyeom nodded.
He had already confirmed everything he needed.
“Lost my appetite anyway. I’ll be going.”
Clicking his tongue, Seo Yu-gyeom walked out.
Having sensed the mood earlier and been busy stuffing food into his mouth, Seomun Ak patted his full stomach with satisfaction and followed.
All eyes turned to Jin Seong-un, left alone.
Jin Seong-un looked at them, then spoke softly.
“The late Escort Master was a good man.”
Then he bowed his head and left, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.
Within that uneasy silence, Escort Leader Hwang’s gaze grew endlessly deep.
That night.
The three stayed at a nearby inn.
Of course, they had no intention of returning just yet.
From the brawl in the guest room, to the scene at the banquet, to the order to leave—
All of it had been planned by Seo Yu-gyeom.
“They’ll react soon enough.”
“He acts like he’s some kind of strategist.”
As usual, Seomun Ak and Seo Yu-gyeom locked eyes in another staring contest. In between them, Jin Seong-un sighed.
“But Seo, what have you been sketching since earlier?”
Ever since they’d arrived at the inn, Seo Yu-gyeom had been drawing. It looked like some kind of manor or compound.
Seo Yu-gyeom answered casually.
“Oh, this? A diagram of the Murim Alliance.”
“…”
Jin Seong-un turned his gaze out the window as if he hadn’t heard.
Meanwhile, the orthodox prodigy Seomun Ak felt like washing his ears out with water.
“Why are you even drawing that.”
“You never know.”
“Never know what.”
Seomun Ak looked at him like he was crazy.
Unconcerned, Seo Yu-gyeom went on.
“The Murim Alliance can’t always be righteous, can it?”
“What nonsense. Do you even know what the Murim Alliance is? The alliance of the Orthodox Factions. A symbol of justice. Don’t you know that?”
Seo Yu-gyeom smirked.
“Just because it’s the Orthodox Faction, does that mean everyone’s good? By that logic, there wouldn’t have been any scoundrels in the Seomun Clan. You damned scoundrel. And what about people like Sima Hwi or Captain Hwang Eung? Where’s the justice in that?”
“Why are you dragging scoundrels into this again?”
“What, you got a problem?”
Seomun Ak pressed his forehead. No matter how much time passed, that “scoundrel” label never seemed to leave him.
The two glared at each other, and of course, it escalated into grabbing each other by the collar.
At that moment—
Jin Seong-un, still looking out the window, spoke.
“They’re here.”
Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak froze.
“Consider yourself lucky.”
“I should’ve cut you down earlier and blamed it on an accident.”
They glared once more, then simultaneously turned their heads.
Someone was coming up the stairs to their floor.
Footsteps moved down the hall and stopped in front of their room.
After a pause, a voice called out.
“Guest Dragon, are you inside?”
It was a seasoned, weathered voice.
Jin Seong-un rose and opened the door.
It was Hwang Chi-yeon, Chief Escort Captain of the Red Cliff Escort Agency.
He gazed at the three, young enough to be his grandsons, and after a moment, bowed deeply.
“…Please help our agency.”