Chapter 156: Handshake
Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak glanced at Jin Seong-un.
To set up an inn directly across the street like this was no different from declaring war outright, completely ignoring business ethics.
But Jin Seong-un only watched the workers at the site with an unreadable expression.
In the meantime, Han Seong-chun came out of the inn, spotted the three of them, and greeted them warmly.
“Was the matter you went to confirm resolved well?”
“Yes, Escort Agency Master Bang Man-bok was alive. It turned out the incident had happened within the agency. But….”
Seomun Ak, who had been answering, turned his gaze toward the site across the street. Han Seong-chun scratched his head with a complicated look and said.
“I heard from the merchants who were there that someone offered a huge sum in a single day and bought it all. Then, starting that very day, they began construction.”
“So they came prepared. But for people like those from Myriad Gold Manor to come all the way into a back alley like this?”
The hostility directed toward Seong-un Inn was obvious, making Seomun Ak click his tongue.
Jin Seong-un, who had been gazing at the site across the street for a while, then spoke indifferently.
“They didn’t steal the land. They bought it fairly and built on it. What else can we do? We just have to mind our own business.”
At Jin Seong-un’s calm, unaffected demeanor, the three showed surprised expressions.
When he entered the inn, Jin Seong-un briefly looked around inside. Since it was a house he hadn’t entered for a long while, his heart seemed to feel somewhat at ease.
Soon after, several men sat side by side around the dining tables. No Sang-won and Jang Gwang, who had appeared upon hearing that Jin Seong-un had returned, also joined the gathering.
The six men, wearing grave expressions, held a meeting for a while.
How should they prepare for the attack of Myriad Gold Manor, the one called the greatest trading company under heaven?
Han Seong-chun, who was seasoned in the trade, continued.
“They’ll surely hire a very skilled chef. Perhaps even bring in one of the most famous in all under heaven. Their dining hall and rooms will be grand and extravagant. And since they aren’t aiming to make money, they’ll likely set their prices aggressively low.”
Besides that, they might bring in renowned wines, or employ a large number of waiters to greatly increase customer satisfaction.
Perhaps just the name value of Myriad Gold Manor alone would be enough to draw countless people from all over the land.
Though various opinions were exchanged for some time, no definite plan emerged.
“Why don’t we just burn the place down before it’s finished?”
Seo Yu-gyeom suggested calmly, but everyone pretended not to hear.
A brief silence followed.
Then Jin Seong-un, who had only been listening, finally spoke calmly.
“There’s nothing we can do for now, so let’s just watch until the inn is completed.”
He was right.
Countermeasures could only be made after knowing exactly what the opponent intended to do.
Though uneasy, no one raised any objections, and they all nodded.
Jin Seong-un immediately headed to the Martial God Realm.
When he opened the door and entered, the vast night sky stretched endlessly before him.
No matter how chaotic the outside world was, this place was always peaceful, and that alone brought comfort.
The Martial Gods were the same.
Just like this unchanging space, they welcomed Jin Seong-un as they always did.
Sword Immortal pretended to greet Jin Seong-un while flipping the Go board, and Noble Enchantress, as if half-resigned, sighed and began gathering the scattered stones.
Merchant King and Divine Thief wrestled, grabbing each other by the collar, while Blood Demon stood a little apart, gazing into the empty sky.
Jin Seong-un suddenly recalled the incident of Mount Heng Sect—how they had lost both masters and martial arts to Blood Demon.
He told the Martial Gods about that incident, along with what had happened in Hunan Province.
As always, the Martial Gods listened attentively to Jin Seong-un’s words and then nodded.
Sword Immortal spoke.
“Killing the Namok Trading Company Master was the right thing to do. When evil men gain wealth and power, they bring about even greater disasters than most demonic practitioners.”
Noble Enchantress, with a look of approval, gently patted Jin Seong-un’s shoulder. From her hand, pure Women’s Moon Qi flared briefly, warming his body.
“Forgiving the Sect Leader of Mount Heng Sect was also wise. Their sins are undeniable, but if those sins stemmed from misfortune, then it is worth seeing from another perspective.”
Some argued that sins should never be forgiven no matter the reason. Others believed that if the reasons could be even slightly understood, then they should be viewed differently.
There was no clear answer, but Noble Enchantress belonged to the latter. She forgave rather than hated, and even toward enemies, she felt compassion rather than vengeance.
As Jin Seong-un looked at her, he suddenly grew curious. Just what grudge had such a person borne to end up confined in the Martial God Realm?
As if reading his thoughts, Noble Enchantress smiled faintly.
“By the way, what about the wealth of Namok Trading Company? Didn’t you bring any of it back?”
Divine Thief stepped forward with a regretful look, as if it was a pity just to think about it. It seemed he was disappointed that his disciple had gone all the way to Hunan and returned empty-handed.
Jin Seong-un replied with a dumbfounded expression.
“…I didn’t go there to steal. The wealth that Namok Trading Company gained through corruption is to be confiscated directly by the Anchaesa.”
“What nonsense is that for a thief? If there’s an opportunity, you just steal it.”
But I’m not a thief.
Jin Seong-un swallowed those words. If he said them outright, Divine Thief would surely be very hurt.
Then Jin Seong-un turned his gaze toward Merchant King. His expression had been grim ever since hearing that Myriad Gold Manor had been involved in the Namok Trading Company Master’s death.
“And now, they’re opening an inn right in front of Seong-un Inn. Myriad Gold Manor probably isn’t trying to make money with this…”
“They’re targeting you, Seong-un. How absurd. How could they even come up with such an idea?”
Merchant King pressed his temples with his fingers, as though suffering from a headache. When he had ruled the world of merchants, such a thing would never have been imaginable.
“Seong-un, the current Myriad Gold Manor is very different from the one I founded.”
Merchant King spoke as if making excuses, since the other Martial Gods were giving him sharp looks as if urging him to explain.
Jin Seong-un suddenly wondered.
“But how do you all know about what happens outside?”
After all, these were masters who stayed only in the Martial God Realm.
They might not know every detail, but it seemed they were aware of all the major events.
Merchant King answered casually.
“When the Eye of Heaven that watches this place is obscured, even for a short while, we can catch glimpses of the outside world. Of course, it’s not as if we can see everything clearly like the palm of our hand.”
As he said this, Merchant King glanced at Sword Immortal, as if asking whether it was all right to reveal this much.
Sword Immortal smacked his lips but nodded.
Then Jin Seong-un asked.
“By the Eye of Heaven… do you mean an eclipse?”
“That is correct.”
Jin Seong-un recalled something.
When he was about ten years old, the sun in the sky had been devoured by something, plunging the nation into turmoil.
People performed rituals everywhere, saying the heavens were angry, and he heard even the Emperor had prayed for forgiveness.
Thanks to that, the sun returned, and the nation regained peace. That was ten years ago, and since then, he had never seen it happen again.
“How often does such a thing occur?”
“I cannot be exact, but in the flow of time outside, it seems to happen once every ten years.”
Ten years.
Compared to how long the Martial Gods had stayed in this place, it wasn’t a particularly long time.
The Martial Gods, then, had spent all those long years unable to intervene in the affairs of the outside world, only watching.
For centuries, Merchant King had been forced to watch helplessly as the Myriad Gold Manor he founded changed beyond recognition.
The others must have been the same.
Only now did Jin Seong-un understand why, at their very first meeting, the Martial Gods had tried to persuade him so forcefully.
He was the only one who could relieve the frustration they had endured for decades, even centuries.
Feeling a little more weight on his shoulders, Jin Seong-un asked.
“What should be done about Myriad Gold Manor?”
“The current Myriad Gold Manor is beyond saving. It must be restored to what it once was. But if that is impossible…”
Merchant King, wearing a serious expression, thought for a while before speaking with difficulty.
“The current Myriad Gold Manor is better off not existing at all.”
Jin Seong-un nodded.
Since Merchant King’s intentions were clear, all that remained was for Jin Seong-un to fulfill his promise as a disciple.
He looked one last time at Blood Demon.
When the subject of Mount Heng Sect came up, even if only briefly, Blood Demon’s eyes had flickered.
For a moment, Jin Seong-un and Blood Demon locked eyes, like a silent standoff.
Jin Seong-un’s gaze seemed to ask whether Blood Demon had nothing to say about Mount Heng Sect—or about anything else at all.
How much time passed like that?
At last, the usually silent Blood Demon spoke.
“Karmic Retribution.”
“……”
“That is all.”
And with nothing more to add, he lay back down and stared once more at the sky.
Jin Seong-un mulled over his words for a while, then finally left the Martial God Realm.
Seong-un Inn reopened for business.
Using Bamboo-Shadow Mushrooms sent from the Red Cliff Escort Agency, they served up Cheongtang Bamboo Stew, the inn’s new signature dish. As expected, customers responded with overwhelming enthusiasm.
The inn was packed to the brim.
Seo Yu-gyeom occasionally used Ice Arts to cool the heat of the kitchen, while Seomun Ak and Jang Gwang ran themselves ragged attending to guests.
Bang Man-bok personally visited with his two sons.
He wanted to make sure they could taste Cheongtang Bamboo Stew, as the brothers had recently grown unusually close.
Bang Cheon-woo, who had long indulged in life’s pleasures, appeared indifferent. He had already sampled nearly every famous wine and dish known for its flavor.
“If you pretend it’s not delicious, you’ll spoil the fun.”
Seomun Ak joked as he served the stew. Bang Cheon-woo eyed it skeptically, then cautiously took a bite.
At once, his body trembled.
“S-such flavor exists…?”
Though he had enjoyed many delicacies, this was truly his first time experiencing such a taste.
The Bamboo-Shadow Mushroom’s unique and intense fragrance infused the broth, while chicken meatballs and chewy ginkgo nuts added depth and texture.
Watching his elder brother’s dramatic reaction, Bang Cheon-gang also tried the stew with caution.
His response was no less extreme. In fact, it was even more exaggerated, for he had devoted himself entirely to the escort business and lived without caring for fine food or amusements.
Seeing his two sons nearly collapse in delight, Bang Man-bok smiled in satisfaction.
He thought that happiness was not something distant.
Sharing the most delicious dish with his sons in a joyful atmosphere brought him a happiness greater than anything else.
While the three of the Red Cliff Escort Agency enjoyed their family moment, elsewhere Lingbo Immortal Maiden and No Sang-won were performing in perfect harmony.
As always, Lingbo Immortal Maiden captivated the crowd by composing poetry. No Sang-won, perfectly in sync, jumped in at just the right moment and handed her a jug of Yangha Daegu.
Their cups clinked with a clear sound, and the two downed the strong liquor in one gulp.
The sight itself was refreshing to behold. No Sang-won’s talent for showmanship combined with Lingbo Immortal Maiden’s artistic grace created a monster in the world of entertainers.
Unable to resist, many in the crowd ordered Yangha Daegu themselves. Though the wine was terribly expensive, people thought they would rather starve for seven days and nights than go without drinking it now.
And so, Seong-un Inn remained filled late into the night with the fragrance of food and wine, and the sound of laughter.
Everyone, for that moment, forgot the hardships of life and lived only in the present.
KWA-AAAAANG!
A tremendous explosion sounded, followed by violent tremors shaking the ground. A somewhat drunken No Sang-won fell to the floor in shock.
Jin Seong-un rushed over to help him up and looked outside. The explosion had come from the site where Myriad Gold Manor’s inn was being built.
When they stepped outside, an absurd sight awaited them. The half-finished building had collapsed entirely.
As laborers hurriedly moved the debris, a young man’s voice rang out.
“What did I say? I told you it must be the greatest inn in the Central Plains. This level of work is unacceptable—start over from the beginning.”
Those inside Seong-un Inn, who had been enjoying their drinks and meals, began murmuring.
Though their words differed, one thing was clear in all their voices: anticipation.
If Myriad Gold Manor was building an inn with such effort, just how extraordinary would it be?
In an instant, the crowd’s attention shifted from Seong-un Inn to the man across the street and the collapsed inn.
After firmly commanding the laborers, the young man stared at the ruined structure for a moment, then turned toward Seong-un Inn.
Step by step, he approached. The closer he came, the more his face, hidden in shadow, was illuminated by the inn’s light.
He looked about the same age as Jin Seong-un. He was a bit shorter and not very large, but his eyes, catching the inn’s glow, shone as brightly as stars.
Looking straight at Jin Seong-un, he spoke.
“So, you are the rumored Guest Dragon. A pleasure to meet you. I am Ha Ju-yeon, third son of Myriad Gold Manor.”
In his gaze burned an enormous fighting spirit.
Anyone could see that he regarded Jin Seong-un as either a rival or prey.
Though Jin Seong-un had faced many martial artists’ competitive stares before, never had one been so blatant and intense.
Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak, who had come outside, immediately sensed the danger in that look.
The reason was simple: if someone touched the inn itself, Jin Seong-un would never let it slide.
Then, Ha Ju-yeon suddenly extended his hand to Jin Seong-un with a grin.
As Jin Seong-un stared at the hand, Seomun Ak and Seo Yu-gyeom whispered through Voice Transmission from either side.
Let it go just for today.
Don’t kill him.
That was the kind of existence Myriad Gold Manor held.
When Jin Seong-un did nothing, Ha Ju-yeon laughed heartily and said.
“Ah, I see. I didn’t explain properly. This is a Western greeting called a ‘Handshake.’ As the name suggests, by clasping hands, it shows neither hides any weapon.”
Jin Seong-un looked at the hand and replied.
“Such a greeting is meaningless among martial artists. Even bare hands can kill.”
“Haha, terrifying indeed. So, will you not accept my greeting?”
Finally, Jin Seong-un clasped Ha Ju-yeon’s hand. Ha Ju-yeon, satisfied, shook it up and down.
Jin Seong-un’s face betrayed no emotion as he continued the so-called ‘handshake.’
Those beside him—Seo Yu-gyeom, Seomun Ak, and others familiar with his temperament—watched breathlessly as their hands remained clasped.
For some reason, that small, delicate hand caught in Jin Seong-un’s grasp looked terribly fragile.