Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 18

Nine Dragons Chronicle (18)

“Since the Black Sand Gang of Sanyang County collapsed, no one’s been collecting protection money from the market streets and stores.”

Many thugs were eyeing the market streets and stores of Sanyang County, but a gang called Daebang seemed to have the most power.

Daebang operated in Sangnam County, but the Mandeok gang, protected by the Red Tiger Clan, a third-rate martial arts sect, had taken over the market streets and stores there. So, they were looking to Sanyang County.

“What about Danri Hyeokjin’s gang?”

“I heard they were defeated by the master of Guryong Manor. He took care of them.”

“Then won’t we be defeated the same way if we go?”

“That’s why we need to bring in the Red Tiger Clan.”

“The Red Tiger Clan?”

“Yes. We go to the Red Tiger Clan and tell them…”

The idea was to visit the Red Tiger Clan and offer them a cut of the protection money collected from the market merchants and store owners in Sanyang County every month. If any trouble arose, they would ask for the Clan’s help, preventing the master of Guryong Manor from interfering.

“Wouldn’t the Red Tiger Clan step in directly?”

“They’re a martial arts sect; would they collect protection money from market merchants and store owners? They have their own businesses.”

“That’s true.”

“We need to move before Donggu’s gang does. They must be thinking the same thing.”

“How much does Sang Mandeok offer the Red Tiger Clan every month?”

“As far as I know, they offer two *nyang* [a unit of currency] of gold.”

“Then Donggu will offer three *nyang*.”

“How about we offer four *nyang*?”

“Just say we’ll give them five *nyang*. Donggu must be thinking the same thing as me.”

“Understood. I’ll convey the leader’s intentions through a warrior of the Red Tiger Clan that I know.”

“Do that. Let me know when you make an appointment. I need to prepare a gift.”

“Don’t worry.”

* * *

“Hyungnim [term of respect for an older brother or senior], are you really going to do this?”

Thugs who used to be under Danri Hyeokjin visited the inn and pleaded with him.

“I’ve quit. I’m no longer a thug.”

“The kids are being swept up by the Daebang gang from Sangnam County. Yesterday, two of them had their legs broken and were crippled.”

“What?”

Danri Hyeokjin was surprised and was about to rush out, but when Hwa-rin’s image flashed in his mind, the fear of that day took over.

“That’s why I told you to quit being thugs and look for new jobs.”

Danri Hyeokjin scolded his brothers, contrary to his true feelings.

“Hyungnim!”

His subordinate called out to him, but he couldn’t leave the inn.

His heart wanted to be with them, but his body wouldn’t cooperate.

“No. So, you guys should come to your senses and find other jobs.”

At his firm voice, one of his brothers shouted at him.

“✕uck, are you even a *hyungnim*? You son of a bitch! What did you say when you were coaxing us? That we would die together, that we were a family. But now you’re pretending not to know?”

He was momentarily taken aback by those words, but he couldn’t deny them because he had said those things and had lived that way with them.

“What are you doing there when we’re busy as hell!”

Suddenly, the head cook came out through the back door of the inn’s kitchen and shouted at Danri Hyeokjin.

“Sorry. I have to go in now.”

As Danri Hyeokjin was about to enter the inn’s kitchen, one of his brothers grabbed his clothes.

The moment Danri Hyeokjin turned around, his fist struck him in the face.

Pow!

Danri Hyeokjin was hit by the unexpected blow and fell over. As he frowned and was about to say something, the head cook’s voice was heard.

“Are you not going to come and work soon?”

At the head cook’s shout, Danri Hyeokjin got up, wiped the blood from his lips, and turned to enter the kitchen.

“Son of a bitch!”

His brothers were disappointed.

“Let’s go. I’m an idiot for believing in and following such a guy as our leader.”

Hyungdan, who took over the gang after Danri Hyeokjin left, cursed him and left the inn.

After parting with his brothers, Danri Hyeokjin entered the kitchen to work, but he couldn’t focus.

“Yesterday, two of them had their legs broken and were crippled.”

Hyungdan’s words kept echoing in his head.

“What are you thinking about?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Foolish guy, are you wavering because those guys came to you asking for help?”

Danri Hyeokjin couldn’t say anything.

“Do you think those guys really came to you because they think of you as family?”

“Then isn’t that the case?”

Danri Hyeokjin retorted.

“No. They just need your help to solve their current difficulties. If they really thought of you as family, they shouldn’t have come here.”

“That’s…”

“Would you go to your sister and ask her for help, knowing it’s a bad thing?”

Danri Hyeokjin was speechless.

“That’s what family is. They want you to do well, not lead you down a bad path. They won’t look for you once their current difficulties are resolved.”

“No. They…”

“Do you think they will come back and share the profits they’ve earned with you? If they did, they should have come and shared some of their profits with you while you were working here, shouldn’t they?”

“That’s…”

“Why, are you saying no? Do you want to believe them?”

Danri Hyeokjin didn’t answer, but his eyes and expression said yes.

The head cook shook his head.

“Think that way now. Later, as time passes, you will surely regret this.”

Danri Hyeokjin felt a surge of anger, but the more he did, the more Hwa-rin’s image came to mind.

The sight of Hwa-rin annihilating the Black Sand Gang’s warriors was shocking and terrifying.

It didn’t take her long to kill them.

All she did was walk slowly and flick the iron piece in her hand.

Each time, the iron piece pierced the foreheads of the Black Sand Gang’s warriors.

Not their arms, legs, or bodies, but exactly between their eyebrows, without a single error.

Hwa-rin did something she wouldn’t be able to do even if she was told to do it to someone standing still, without any hesitation.

That sight was so deeply engraved in Danri Hyeokjin’s mind that it had become an indelible shackle.

“Prepare all the vegetables, then divide them into portions according to the amount of food you will make and put them in bowls.”

At the head cook’s words, Danri Hyeokjin had no choice but to obey, even though he made a face.

‘Damn it…’

* * *

“Is that so?”

“Manor Lord, please help us. They’re trying to collect excessive protection money from the market merchants and store owners.”

A market merchant visited Hwa-rin and told her about the thugs’ tyranny and asked for help.

“Those guys used to be thugs in Sangnam County, but they took advantage of Danri Hyeokjin’s gang losing power and came here…”

“Where are those guys?”

“They’re at Osong House in the market district.”

“I understand. I’ll meet them and persuade them. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much, Manor Lord.”

In Sanyang County, there were magistrates and soldiers in charge of security, but when problems arose, the people didn’t go to the government office but to Guryong Manor.

Hwa-rin listened to the merchant and went to Osong House.

Osong House was a fairly old brothel in Sanyang County, a red-light district where they sell alcohol and women’s bodies, unlike the blue houses where female entertainers sell their talents such as alcohol, songs, instruments, and dances.

In red-light districts, there were more older female entertainers than young ones. Most of them used to work in blue houses when they were young, but as they got older and had fewer customers, they naturally moved to red-light districts.

As Hwa-rin entered Osong House, a woman came out to greet him.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.”

“I’m from Guryong Manor. I heard that thugs who used to be active in Sangnam County are staying here.”

“Ah… but why are they…?”

“I heard that they were causing trouble in the market streets and stores under my influence.”

She had heard that all the market merchants and store owners were Hwa-rin’s people and didn’t know what to say.

‘Isn’t he crazy?’

She also knew what kind of help Guryong Manor was giving to the market merchants and store owners. However, they weren’t people who moved according to Hwa-rin’s will. Osong House was one such example.

“Would you call them out? Or would you prefer that I go inside and drag them out?”

She hurriedly replied, “I’ll notify them and bring them out.”

She bowed and went inside, and Hwa-rin’s gaze turned to the third floor.

Miok, the owner of Osong House, was looking down from the window of a small room.

The moment their eyes met, Miok instinctively judged that she was someone to be careful of.

Miok had risen from the bottom of the Hao Clan to the head of a branch. She had met countless people and could grasp them to some extent through their words and actions, but the moment she saw Hwa-rin, an unknown sense of unease swept over her.

‘He’s a dangerous person.’

Guryong Manor hasn’t shown any major moves yet, but it was rapidly expanding its influence in Sanyang County.

To exert such influence in a short period meant that he understood people’s psychology well.

If he was moving with the intention of entering the martial arts or commercial world, he wouldn’t stop at a small breeze.

“We need to report to the Hao Clan and classify him as a subject of investigation to obtain continuous information.”

Miok decided to request information and an investigation about Guryong Manor from the main branch of the Hao Clan in order to prepare for a possible future situation.

She looked down and saw the Daebang gang coming out in droves.

The Daebang gang, consisting of more than ten people, faced Hwa-rin.

“The master of Guryong Manor? He’s young?”

“Did you threaten the market merchants?”

Their faces were filled with sneers.

“So? What are you going to do, Manor Lord, now that you’ve come?”

“If you back off now, I’ll be considerate and let you walk back to Sangnam County, but if you continue to stay here and intimidate the market merchants and store owners, I’m thinking of making you crawl back.”

“Hahaha!”

The thugs laughed.

“Are you saying we’re so scared that we can’t even walk on the road?”

Daebang, the leader, took a step forward and placed his hand on Hwa-rin’s shoulder.

“Do you know who’s behind us to be saying such things?”

Hwa-rin smirked.

“You’re laughing?”

“Then do you know who’s behind me?”

Daebang was taken aback.

“All you have behind you is probably a third-rate sect. Anything more than that wouldn’t be at your level and wouldn’t even hold your hand.”

Daebang sent a look to his brothers.

“On the other hand, I have a manor called Guryong Manor. I also run several businesses, so do you think the sect that supports me would be a third-rate sect like you?”

Daebang took a step back.

“Sanyang County is geographically close to Jongnam Mountain and Hwasan [two prominent martial arts sects]. Hwasan is close to Hwaeum County, and Jongnam is close to Chang’an City, so you must know that this Sanyang County is also under their influence.”

They were intimidated.

The plan to come to Sanyang County with the Red Tiger Clan behind them and take over the market streets and stores had gone wrong from the start.

“I’ll give you a chance to choose. Whether you’ll walk back to Sangnam County now, or crawl back.”

Hwa-rin’s energy dominated the space, affecting the thugs.

“We… we’ll go back.”

Feeling that their bodies were sinking under an unknown heavy energy, they sweated profusely and said they would go back.

“Did you pay for staying, eating, drinking, and playing with the female entertainers here?”

“That’s…”

“Make sure you pay the price before you leave.”

They momentarily looked like they were about to cry, but they felt like they would really become leg cripples and have to crawl back if they didn’t.

“I understand. We’ll do that.”

Daebang immediately agreed and collected all the money his brothers had, paying for their lodging and meals at Osong House.