The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 206

Early morning.

A man rushed into Ryung So-mil’s office.

It was Jang-il, who was in charge of the Nanjing area among the heads of the merchant guild.

“The Green Forest bandits have appeared!”

At Jang-il’s report, Ryung So-mil chuckled and rose from his seat.

“So, they’ve finally come again.”

Having anticipated it to some extent, Ryung So-mil did not lose his composure.

However, his eyes wavered at Jang-il’s next words.

“It’s not just Muwi [a specific bandit group].”

“What?”

“The mountain fortresses, which had been lying low for a while, have simultaneously resumed their activities throughout the Kangho [martial arts world]. Moreover, they are openly targeting our Shinma Merchant Guild and carrying out attacks.”

“What’s the extent of the damage?”

“Today alone, we’ve encountered bandits in five locations, and four of them paid the toll.”

Ryung So-mil frowned.

“How much?”

“Two hundred nyang [ancient Korean currency].”

“Ha.”

Ryung So-mil was inwardly dumbfounded.

Two hundred nyang sounded like a lot, and it was several times the toll that escort agencies generally paid to the Green Forest bandits.

Of course, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t considered countermeasures.

“I should have issued instructions recently, right?”

In the current situation, it was obvious that a dispute with the Green Forest bandits would arise, so Ryung So-mil recently decided on the merchant guild’s course of action.

The top priority was to travel with nearby escort agencies.

Escort agencies were organizations that safely transported goods.

On the other hand, the Green Forest bandits were those who targeted those goods.

It was natural for them to oppose and antagonize each other, but surprisingly, escort agencies and the Green Forest bandits had considerable ties.

The escort agencies paid a small toll, saving the Green Forest bandits’ face, and in return, they were guaranteed the safety of their goods by acknowledging their sphere of influence.

Although their purposes were different, they needed each other for their own sake.

As a result, they outwardly opposed each other but formed a natural business relationship.

So, for a while, he instructed them to conduct merchant activities with escort agencies.

He judged that even if the Green Forest bandits engaged in a show of force, they could not ignore the face of the escort agencies, who had built long-standing relationships.

Jang-il sighed.

“Some merchants haven’t received the urgent report because they’re on the move. Moreover, in this case, the delivery date is tight, so the heads of the merchants have been a bit reckless.”

The biggest reason why the Shinma Merchant Guild was able to build its current status was trust.

Except for natural disasters, it was a principle to strictly fulfill contracts, and it had never been broken even once, which is why it was able to expand its power to this extent.

To this end, the heads of the merchants leading the merchants were given considerable authority.

They were granted autonomy in their command, based on the principle of reporting after taking action.

This was to enable them to respond quickly to unexpected situations.

“What about the other place?”

“The merchant heading to Honam was asked for an excessively high amount, resulting in a small clash. There were no casualties, but it seems they lost their goods. They said they would have to bring ten times the originally requested toll to get the goods back.”

Ryung So-mil was silent.

“They’ve been properly fleeced.”

Now that the guys who had been quiet for a while, watching the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance], had started targeting the Shinma Merchant Guild, it was clear that this would happen again.

‘It’s really one mountain after another.’

The worst situation he had feared the most had occurred in the already unsettling situation.

After continuing to ponder, Ryung So-mil opened his mouth after a while.

“What’s the situation around Muwi?”

“There’s no particular movement yet.”

Even at Jang-il’s answer, Ryung So-mil kept having ominous thoughts.

“Check to see if those guys are bothering the patients seeking Muwi. If those guys lay a hand on the patients, it will become irreversible.”

“Yes, Guild Leader. I’ll send a messenger bird right away.”

Ryung So-mil pressed his thumb to his temple.

“Wait.”

He turned around and stopped Jang-il, who was about to leave, and organized his thoughts.

Already, the Shinma Merchant Guild had grown to be among the top three in the Central Plains.

Naturally, branches and merchants were widely spread throughout the Central Plains.

Protecting all of them from the Green Forest bandits was virtually impossible.

“Tell all the guild members. If a conflict arises with the Green Forest bandits, it’s okay if there’s a delay in the schedule, so seek safety as much as possible. And for the time being, don’t be tied to contracts and take safe routes without mountain fortresses, even if it means taking a big detour. And when this merchant activity is finished, all guild members will temporarily suspend their work.”

Jang-il was startled at Ryung So-mil’s instructions.

“Yes? But if that happens…….”

“The fact that no one has died so far is a blessing from heaven. Unless this matter is resolved, the emotional rift will gradually deepen, and if that happens, it’s only a matter of time before blood is shed.”

The greatest strength that had built the Shinma Merchant Guild so far was people.

Even if they lost trust and lost existing interests, as long as people remained, they could rebuild from the beginning.

‘For the time being, we should focus on trade with the Western Regions.’

Rather, now might be the right time.

The beginning of the Shinma Merchant Guild and the root that can support it without shaking.

If they take this opportunity to re-examine and reorganize trade with the Western Regions, they can overcome the current crisis sufficiently.

“Is there anything else you want to instruct?”

At Jang-il’s question, Ryung So-mil nodded.

“Okay, go ahead.”

As Jang-il disappeared, Ryung So-mil also rose from his seat and left the office.

First of all, reporting was a priority.

‘I hope there’s nothing wrong.’

He really wanted to avoid any more tiring things.

* * *

“Why are there so many instructions coming down?”

Gwan-jung, the head of the merchants, was annoyed that the departure was delayed.

Just before the carriage was about to depart.

Because of a messenger bird that flew in from the Shinma Merchant Guild’s Guangdong branch, they were stuck there.

A subordinate who checked the note hanging on the messenger bird’s leg hurriedly opened his mouth.

“They say to return by a safe route, even if it takes time.”

“Now?”

Gwan-jung sighed deeply.

“If we detour without crossing this mountain, it’ll be too far.”

“What can we do when the instructions are like that?”

Just as Gwan-jung was hesitating between the instructions and the decision-making power given to him.

“Head!”

At someone’s urgent shout, Gwan-jung turned his head.

It was then that he noticed a cart approaching this place from afar.

“Don’t let your guard down.”

Before Gwan-jung’s words were finished, the merchants had already gathered around the carriage.

They were watching the approaching cart with great tension.

It was impossible for them not to know the ominous rumors that had been heard from various places recently.

As the distance between them gradually narrowed, Gwan-jung noticed something strange.

‘A coffin?’

A cart led by a single horse.

All that was loaded on it was a large wooden coffin.

Moreover, a woman with her face covered in muslin and a black-clothed man with his face covered in a bamboo hat were sitting on the top and bottom of the wooden coffin.

Including the bamboo-hatted man holding the horse’s reins and walking, there were only three people in the simple group.

‘Bad luck to be sitting on a coffin.’

Gwan-jung felt that the sight was extremely bizarre.

However, there was no need to act rashly and create unnecessary trouble.

He remained silent, waiting for them to pass by.

It was then that the cart carrying the coffin passed by the Shinma Merchant Guild’s carriages.

Some of the merchants unknowingly exclaimed.

Gwan-jung, who turned his head following the merchants’ gazes, soon realized the reason.

On the carriage.

It was because of the woman sitting on the coffin.

Although her face was covered with muslin, it was possible to fully guess that she had considerable beauty just from the eyes revealed above the muslin.

Moreover, the addition of gorgeous clothes decorated with red silk created an even more radiant and mysterious atmosphere.

“Wait a moment.”

A clear voice echoed throughout the area at that moment.

It was not difficult to guess that the owner of that voice was the muslin woman sitting on the coffin.

As the cart stopped, the muslin woman’s gaze went straight to Gwan-jung.

The woman, who stared silently at Gwan-jung and the carriages behind him, suddenly opened her mouth.

“Are you people from the Shinma Merchant Guild?”

Gwan-jung’s face, who belatedly discovered a sword that she was holding diagonally, was filled with unconcealable tension.

Good people don’t come; those who come aren’t good.

Based on his experience so far, if the other party recognized him first in an unfamiliar place, there were more bad things than good things.

However, he had more pride than anyone else in being a member of the Shinma Merchant Guild.

He could overcome the crisis with lies, but he could not break even that pride.

“That’s right.”

At Gwan-jung’s answer, the woman’s eyes, revealed above the muslin, narrowed slightly.

“That’s good.”

“……!”

Gwan-jung’s pupils shook.

It seemed like the woman’s shoulders shook lightly, but at some point, she was standing in front of his eyes.

“I was on my way to Muwi anyway, so let’s travel together at least until we get there. I have something to ask, too.”

Bewilderment appeared on the faces of Gwan-jung and the merchants.

As soon as the woman’s words were finished, the bamboo-hatted man who was driving the horse parked the cart next to the merchant’s carriage.

Leaving aside their attitude of acting so naturally, Gwan-jung couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by the woman’s actions of speaking arbitrarily as if it were already a decided matter without even asking for their permission.

“Who are you…… Uh?”

Gwan-jung, who was expressing displeasure at the woman’s impudent words and actions, widened his eyes.

The sword that the woman was holding.

The pattern engraved on the handle was unusual.

A sword cutting through the waves, a clear Byeokpa (劈波) [Wave Splitting] pattern.

The only sect in the current Kangho that uses this pattern as a symbol is one place.

It was the Hainan Sword Sect.

He didn’t know why they were loitering here, away from the isolated island of the South Sea, but one thing was certain.

The Byeokpa pattern was given only to the direct descendants of the Hainan Sword Sect’s sect leader.

It was not difficult to guess the identity of the woman in front of him through this.

The current Hainan Sword Sect’s sect leader, Byeok Dae-kyung, has only one daughter.

‘Byeok Hwa-ryung!’

She was the vice-sect leader of the Hainan Sword Sect.

Controlling his surprised heart, Gwan-jung politely clasped his hands.

Regardless of age, he could not dare to compare his status with hers.

“Gwan-jung of the Guangdong branch of the Shinma Merchant Guild greets Miss Byeok, the Unruly Wave Maiden (猖波一娘) [a title bestowed upon her].”

“Miss?”

Byeok Hwa-ryung, who glanced at the bamboo-hatted men behind her with surprised eyes for a moment, soon smiled brightly.

It had been a long time since she had been called Miss.

In fact, she was not at an age to be called that, and she was always called the vice-sect leader, so the word was more unfamiliar than anything else.

Nevertheless, the word was always a pleasant one to hear.

“I heard that the Shinma Merchant Guild has been expanding its business with a terrifying momentum recently, and indeed, there was a reason for it.”

At Byeok Hwa-ryung’s words praising his social skills, Gwan-jung smiled and returned the smile.

“I also realized why words like ‘flower-like face and moon-like attitude (花容月態)’ and ‘shaming the moon and closing the flowers (羞月閉花)’ came into being only when I faced Miss Byeok’s beauty, which I had only heard about in rumors.”

Byeok Hwa-ryung nodded with a smile and threw a reproach at the bamboo-hatted men behind her.

“Did you hear that? You guys should learn something like that too.”

Whether they did or not.

Byeok Hwa-ryung asked Gwan-jung.

“How did you recognize me?”

“Haha, I’m nominally the person in charge of this Guangdong branch. How could I not recognize the vice-sect leader?”

“Vice-sect leader?”

At Byeok Hwa-ryung’s appearance of glaring sharply, Gwan-jung quickly changed his words.

“The moment I saw Miss Byeok’s appearance, I knew it right away. The only person in this area with such dazzling beauty would naturally be Miss Byeok.”

Whether it was a satisfactory answer, Byeok Hwa-ryung smiled and nodded.

“Good. It won’t be boring on the way if it’s you.”

Gwan-jung’s face brightened.

“We would be simply grateful if you would join us.”

Byeok Hwa-ryung was not only beautiful but also one of the top three masters in the Hainan Sword Sect.

And the two bamboo-hatted men who were escorting her also had unusual auras.

Although he had never learned martial arts, Gwan-jung was confident that he had better insight than anyone else, having dealt with countless people in his profession.

As such, he could bet both of his testicles that they were also considerable masters.

If he was with them, he wouldn’t have to fear the Green Forest bandits.