Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 93

Nine Dragons Chronicle (93)

After finishing his business at the Nine Dragons Plaza, Hwa-rin met with Mi-ok, the branch leader of the Hao Clan in Sanyang County.

The stated purpose was to check on the education of the courtesans in preparation for the opening of the Nine Dragons Tower.

“Welcome. You seem to be very busy these days. You don’t visit as often as you used to.”

“I thought you were busier than I am, Mi-ok, so I didn’t want to take up your time.”

“Please, come inside.”

Hwa-rin followed Mi-ok into the room.

“How is the education of the courtesans progressing?”

“It’s going smoothly. We are distinguishing between the ‘Gains of Talent’ [courtesans who excel in arts and conversation] who sell their skills and the ‘Flowers of Seduction’ [courtesans who primarily offer physical intimacy] who sell their bodies, teaching them different etiquette for serving guests.”

“The most important thing is not to inquire about the professions of the guests who visit. Unless the guest mentions it first, they should refrain from asking.”

“We are educating them accordingly.”

“And ensure that guests who come to the Nine Dragons Tower are not directed to other establishments for personal gain.”

“We are emphasizing that to the point of indoctrination.”

“Also, prevent any unsavory incidents, such as falsely inflating the bill with extra drinks when a guest is passed out drunk to increase sales.”

While talking to Mi-ok, Hwa-rin subtly used his sorcery to glean the information he wanted.

“Recently, it seems like there are a few people who have learned the sorcery of the Baegyo [White Jade Sect]. Do you know anything about this?”

“Thirty years ago, the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions branded the Baegyo as heretics, attacked them, and annihilated them.”

“I know about that.”

“At that time, they found and burned all the Baegyo’s sorcery books, but that was only part of the story. Some of the sorcery was secretly taken and learned by martial artists.”

“Is that so?”

“There is a rumor that the martial artists from the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions who participated at that time searched every cornerstone of the Baegyo’s headquarters to find their sorcery.”

Hwa-rin nodded.

“But it was said that the true sorcery of the Baegyo could not be found anywhere.”

“They might have found it and kept it secret.”

“That’s right. It is highly likely that it happened as you said.”

“But if someone is a master in the Hundred Great Warriors of the Murim [martial arts world], they wouldn’t need sorcery.”
Hwa-rin, who had learned the true sorcery of the Baegyo, knew this well.

“I don’t know about that. I speculate that they are studying sorcery to overcome the limitations they face in their training. And even if they are masters in the Hundred Great Warriors of the Murim, they cannot easily access the true sorcery of the Baegyo, so they might be coveting it.”

“I see.”

Hwa-rin also learned sorcery before martial arts, so his martial arts skills improved rapidly. He achieved enough in just over ten years to establish his own school, so there must have been some benefit.

“I understand. How is the Murim now?”

At Hwa-rin’s question, Mi-ok told him everything she knew without hiding anything.

“With the destruction of the three main groups of the Blood Evil Alliance, things are flowing in a slightly strange direction.”

“A strange direction?”

“The Murim has been influenced by the Blood Evil Alliance, the Demonic Cult, and the Righteous Heaven Alliance in that order. The difference in influence between the Blood Evil Alliance and the Demonic Cult was not significant, but there was a slight difference with the Righteous Heaven Alliance.”

Hwa-rin listened intently to Mi-ok, not wanting to miss a single word.

“But with the destruction of the three main groups of the Blood Evil Alliance, the influence of the Blood Evil Alliance and the Righteous Heaven Alliance naturally became similar, and the status of the Demonic Cult rose slightly.”

“What is revealed is not everything, is it?”

“Of course. But that goes for the Demonic Cult and the Righteous Heaven Alliance as well, so putting that aside, that’s how it is based on what is visible.”

Hwa-rin nodded to indicate that she should continue.

“As a result, a slightly strange atmosphere is brewing within the Righteous Heaven Alliance.”

“A strange atmosphere?”

“The Righteous Heaven Alliance seems to have assumed that the Blood Evil Alliance would be quiet for a while, so they are internally competing to seize the initiative.”

“That’s interesting. Is it a conflict between the existing Righteous Heaven Alliance forces and the Nine Great Sects and the Ten Great Families?”

“The Nine Great Sects are not particularly concerned with the power dynamics of the Righteous Heaven Alliance, so they are not involved.”

“The Righteous Heaven Alliance and the Ten Great Families… The Righteous Heaven Alliance’s forces will be slightly disadvantaged.”

“That’s right. The Ten Great Families have attracted thirty-six manors and sixty-seven large sects in the Murim to increase their power, and as a result, their voice within the Righteous Heaven Alliance has become stronger.”

“It’s better to be biased towards one side than to be divided into two, which is advantageous for leading a large group, so that’s not bad.”

“We have to wait and see, but it doesn’t seem like the Righteous Heaven Alliance welcomes it.”

“What about the Blood Evil Alliance?”

“They are strengthening their internal affairs. They are recruiting masters from the Unorthodox factions, and according to rumors, they have accepted over a dozen people who were being pursued by the Righteous Heaven Alliance in the past, including the Eumsu Marauders.”

‘Pyo Du-san, that guy was called the Eumsu Marauder in the Murim. Then those dozen people are likely to be the ones who escaped from the Fierce Tiger Four Blood Evil Squads.’

“Recruiting people here and there will be of great help temporarily.”

“I expect so. And the Blood Evil Alliance is secretly contacting merchants.”

“Merchants? Is it to secure supplies for the war?”

If not, he thought there would be no reason for the Blood Evil Alliance to meet with merchants separately.

This is because the revenue from the merchants who support them, the stores they operate themselves, and the rent they receive from the merchants who do business within the Blood Evil Alliance are enough to sustain them.

“That’s what we understand, but if you look deeper, we speculate that they are trying to prevent merchants from siding with the Righteous Heaven Alliance, and also trying to use merchants as spies.”

Hwa-rin was inwardly impressed by the Hao Clan’s judgment.

‘Well, they’ve had a lot of experience, so they can deduce this much.’

“Then what is the Righteous Heaven Alliance doing?”

“There are no special movements. From the Righteous Heaven Alliance’s point of view, finding the extraordinary person who annihilated the Four Command Blood Demon Squad, the Scarlet Spirit Blood Demon Squad, and the Nine Provinces Death Blood Squad in Sichuan and Chongqing may be more important than meeting with merchants to secure supplies.”

“Why him?”

“To gather strength, they need a focal point. And according to Hyuk Ji-seok, the commander of the Black Tortoise Unit who returned alive at the time, the person who helped him was only one person.”

“So, you’re saying that if they find him and put him forward, they can create a certain amount of influence?”

“That’s right. The Righteous Heaven Alliance and the Ten Great Families probably feel the same way. Of course, the Righteous Heaven Alliance is a little more desperate.”

Hwa-rin smiled faintly as if he understood, and then opened his mouth.

“What about the Demonic Cult? Are they still consolidating their forces in the borderlands and foreign lands?”

“No. We recently found out that the prominent sects in the borderlands and foreign lands have been almost annihilated by a mysterious force.”

Hwa-rin knew well that the mysterious force Mi-ok was talking about meant the Fierce Tiger Four Blood Evil Squads.

“The Demonic Cult has judged that they are no longer helpful, so they have stopped expanding their forces and are creating special forces to provide specialized training.”

“Special forces? Specialized training?”

“Nothing is known about that. We are also trying to find out in every way, but it will probably take some time.”

Hwa-rin thought alone for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“Who came from the Demonic Cult when the Baegyo were destroyed?”

“The Twelve Demonic Armies, the Twenty-Four Demonic Camps, and the Blood Heaven Demonic Family and the Evil Earth Demonic Family from the Five Great Demonic Families, which can be said to be the main forces of the Demonic Cult, participated.”

“Then, how does that compare to the military power of the Blood Evil Alliance or the Righteous Heaven Alliance that attacked the Baegyo at that time?”

“The Blood Evil Alliance and the Righteous Heaven Alliance also sent significant personnel, but it is generally believed that they were one step below the military power dispatched by the Demonic Cult.”

‘Then they would have been able to secure more of the Baegyo’s sorcery than the Blood Evil Alliance or the Righteous Heaven Alliance. Special forces and specialized training, maybe it means they’re focusing on the Baegyo’s sorcery.’

Or he thought that they might be trying to achieve a union of martial arts and sorcery like himself.

“Then, since they are strengthening their internal affairs, it will be quiet for a while.”

“Maybe that’s how it will be.”

“How is Sangrim [lit. Mulberry Forest, a network of spies]? Does the Hao Clan handle information about them too?”

“Of course. Right now, Sangrim is…….”

* * *

Through Mi-ok, Hwa-rin was able to roughly grasp how the Murim and Sangrim were developing.

Hwa-rin parted ways with Mi-ok and arrived in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, on horseback, but the Hwa-myung Merchant Group’s ship carrying the grain had already arrived and unloaded the grain.

Hearing that the grain was loaded onto carts and headed to Suzhou along the main road, Hwa-rin headed to Suzhou again.

Suzhou in Jiangsu Province is located on Lake Tai, a freshwater lake, and is famous for the many poets and writers who visit to discuss the grandeur of Lake Tai with the songs of the courtesans.

Hwa-rin arrived in Suzhou and sought out the inn operated by the Hwa-myung Merchant Group.

The inn operated by the Hwa-myung Merchant Group was located on Lake Tai, and there were many courtesan houses around it, so the area was bustling with activity, and day and night were reversed.

“Haha, hoho…….”

When Hwa-rin arrived here, it was late at night, but it was as bright as day due to the lanterns lit in the inns and courtesan houses.

It was not difficult to find an inn and get a room, but the inn operated by the Hwa-myung Merchant Group did not accept guests, so he had to rent a room at another inn.

“We don’t have any rooms right now.”

“Why? Are all the rooms full?”

“The people from the Hwa-myung Merchant Group have rented all the rooms.”

“From the Hwa-myung Merchant Group? Isn’t the inn across the street the Hwa-myung Merchant Group’s inn?”

“That’s right. But it is said that the rooms in that inn are filled with grain, not people. The Hwa-myung Merchant Group has probably rented all the guest rooms in the nearby inns.”

“Ah, I see.”

“If you want to get a room, you should try around the back.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

Hwa-rin thanked the innkeeper, turned around, and frowned.

‘They’re quite clever, considering how many times they’ve been caught. Well, if they don’t learn from being caught like that, they’re not even human.’

Hwa-rin found an inn, led his horse, and went to the place the innkeeper had told him about, lost in thought.

‘Even if they supply the grain to the Palo-su Army [Eight Wild Boar Army], the amount is insufficient. But they can bring more grain in a few days, so it won’t be a problem if they get scolded and reprimanded. I have to make it impossible for them to deliver the supplies so that I have a chance.’

It was a promise he had made with Grand Prince Yeongcheon, Ju Yeong-un.

‘Then I have to steal the grain in transit, but this time, Hwa Jeong-su will risk his life to protect the grain.’

He didn’t think he would lose even if he fought the martial artists mobilized by Hwa Jeong-su. He was just reluctant to reveal his existence because of the fight.

‘Stealing it while it’s moving isn’t a good idea.’

The distance from Suzhou in Jiangsu Province to Hae-yeom County in Jeollanam-do, where the Palo-su Army is located, is at most a day’s journey.

‘Even if they leave in the morning, they won’t be able to deliver it by night, so they have to spend one night in Jeollanam-do.’

If he wanted to steal the grain, that would be the last chance, and if he missed that chance, the grain would definitely be delivered to the supply depot.

‘Should I just set it on fire?’

If he couldn’t have it, setting it on fire to prevent it from being delivered was also an option.

‘No. It’s a lot of money. Isn’t there a better way?’

Even while thinking, Hwa-rin frowned.

‘My head is stiff. Let’s find an inn and rent a room first, and then think about it slowly.’

Hwa-rin went to the place the innkeeper had told him about and looked for an inn.

A simple inn rather than a fancy one caught his eye. When Hwa-rin entered the inn, an old man approached and asked.

“If you want to eat, you have to order now. The old woman who works in the kitchen is very sleepy, so she has to clean up and go to bed.”

“Ah, do you have any rooms available?”

“Of course. Do you need a room?”

“Yes. Give me a room. And make me something that the old woman makes well. And give this horse some feed.”

Hwa-rin took out a gold coin and gave it to the old man while speaking.