Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 678

678. Birds of a Feather (8)

The night in Liaoyang Fortress, after the Black Wolf Syndicate was crushed, descended into utter chaos.

With the Disciplinary Corps dismantling the Black Wolf Syndicate and shutting down most of the opium dens, the addicts were arrested, tried, and sent to the Aoji and Mushun open-pit mines.

Despite being called open-pit mines, extracting decent minerals required digging at least 10 *jang* [approximately 30 meters, a Korean unit of length], and the prisoners were forced into the most dangerous tunnel excavation work.

It seemed the Liaoyang Fortress issue was resolved, but the chaos was just beginning.

With the collapse of the Black Wolf Syndicate, which had controlled the Liaoyang Fortress underworld, various unsavory characters began vying for power, aiming to take its place.

The problem was that Liaoyang Fortress was a much smaller city compared to metropolises like Beijing and Nanjing.

Because of its size and limited economy, no powerful faction existed that could rival the Black Wolf Syndicate.

Moreover, the surrounding area was populated by the notoriously rough Jurchen people, so few martial artists who considered themselves righteous were present.

In this situation, with the Black Wolf Syndicate gone, the night in Liaoyang Fortress became a free-for-all.

Many aspired to rule Liaoyang Fortress’s nightlife.

The owners of large taverns, who had been paying tribute to the Black Wolf Syndicate and carefully watching their every move, began to aim for the top spot, and loan sharks also joined the fray. Furthermore, those who had been supplying opium to the Black Wolf Syndicate also participated.

The reason for their participation in this fierce and bloody competition was simple: money, money, and more money.

The tavern owners reasoned:

-If we can seize all the other taverns and monopolize the business, we can make even more profit!

-If we can bring the loan sharks connected to the Black Wolf Syndicate under our control, we can solve both the funding problem and the supply of women to sell in the taverns at once!

For the loan sharks, the Military Administration Office’s enforcement of imperial law meant restrictions on interest rates, and tax officials swarmed in for investigations at every opportunity, greatly reducing their income.

-We need to find another source of income! And the red-light district is the best option!

The opium suppliers participated because the opium dens had collapsed along with the Black Wolf Syndicate, which had protected them.

Although many opium addicts had been arrested, a considerable number still remained.

-The best place for these addicts to safely smoke opium is in the taverns!

-If we control alcohol, women, opium, and even the loan sharking to borrow money to buy opium, we can create a perfect, self-sustaining system!

They jumped into the bloody competition, dreaming of the riches they could seize if they emerged victorious.

* * *

Even amidst this bloody battle, the competitors kept a close watch on the Secret Guards’ brothel, located on one side of the entertainment district.

Having seen the brothel quickly regain its former size after the fight with the Black Wolf Syndicate, the competitors hesitated to attack it.

They calculated that any losses they suffered would only benefit their rivals.

“A wise decision, wouldn’t you say?”

The strike team leader nodded in agreement with the Secret Guard branch manager’s assessment of the situation.

Their choice was the best possible one for the Secret Guards.

The more the competitors fought each other and weakened, the easier it would be for the Secret Guards to deal with them.

“Those guys probably know the risks. But they can’t join forces and attack us, can they? They never know when they might get backstabbed. That’s why they’re fighting to the death like this. They’re thinking of settling the situation as quickly as possible and then taking us on.”

The branch manager smiled wryly at the strike team leader’s words and responded.

“Thanks to them, we’re enjoying an entertaining spectacle, and the Liaoyang Fortress Disciplinary Corps commander is ecstatic about the accumulating achievements.”

* * *

As the competition to seize the night in Liaoyang Fortress intensified, the Secret Guards moved busily.

Already skilled in covert operations from their past experiences, the Secret Guard agents moved around Liaoyang Fortress, digging into the weaknesses of the competitors.

The branch manager organized the information obtained and handed it over to the Disciplinary Corps commander, who used it to arrest the competitors.

They raided the tavern owners’ illegal liquor trading sites and human trafficking operations. In the process, loan sharks were also arrested on charges of illegal high-interest loans and forcing people into prostitution. And opium dealers were arrested for opium trading and human trafficking, while the remaining opium addicts were also rounded up.

In addition, the empire confiscated their assets as proceeds of crime.

Thanks to this, the Liaoyang Fortress Disciplinary Corps commander accumulated tremendous achievements and received commendations and decorations from the military and even the Ministry of Finance.

“Thank you! I will offer my full cooperation during my time here!”

The branch manager smiled at the Disciplinary Corps commander’s words and responded.

“We appreciate that.”

About a month and a half after the bloody battles and the Disciplinary Corps’ arrest frenzy, the branch manager and the strike team leader stood up.

“Then let’s start moving.”

“I’ve been itching to move, so I’ll stretch my body a bit.”

The Secret Guards, who had been quietly observing, finally made their move, and in just three days, the night in Liaoyang Fortress fell into their hands.

* * *

As the Secret Guards seized control of the night in Liaoyang Fortress, many things began to change.

First, most of the taverns in Liaoyang Fortress had to contract with the liquor supply association created by the Secret Guards.

And the Secret Guards’ liquor supply association issued a bid announcement to select trading companies to supply the *soju* [Korean distilled beverage] to be used in the taverns.

Many trading companies responded to the announcement, and two of them signed contracts.

The trading companies that contracted with the liquor supply association brought in higher quality *soju* of various grades than what had previously been available in Liaoyang Fortress. The Secret Guards’ liquor supply association sold this *soju* to taverns and civilians at reasonable prices.

Through this process, the Secret Guards were able to profit twice from the taverns alone.

Once by selling alcohol to the taverns, and again from the profits the taverns made.

The brothel established by the Secret Guards continued to thrive even during the fierce competition. While various forces fought to seize the night in Liaoyang Fortress, the residents of Liaoyang Fortress sought out the safe brothel of the Secret Guards.

The wealthy enjoyed music and dance in private rooms, sipping high-end *soju*, while the commoners sat around on the platforms laid out in one side of the tavern’s courtyard, sipping *soju*.

In the process, those who developed a taste for the empire’s *soju* became regulars, and the brothel’s sales increased because of them.

That wasn’t all.

A loan company, one of the front companies created by the Secret Guards, filled the void left by the loan sharks who had been crushed by the Disciplinary Corps.

Although the loan criteria were strict, the loan company, which only charged interest rates set by imperial law, soon had residents of Liaoyang Fortress and the surrounding area visiting so often that their doorsteps wore out.

Eventually, the branch manager had to write a letter urgently requesting support and send it to Sinuiju.

-Send as many smart and calculating guys as you can!

-Note: Make sure they have good impressions!

Sending the letter, the branch manager sighed deeply.

“Business is going too well than expected… Hooo~. But, with these funds, the families of the dead can live without worry… Hooo~.”

Sighing and looking at the documents again, the branch manager muttered, looking south.

“I am truly realizing how great His Majesty and the situation are.”

* * *

Both the loan company and the liquor supply company were projects created by Sejong and Hyang during the economic reform.

It was Jeonjang [government agency in charge of currency] and the loan company that pushed out the loan sharking that had been squeezing tears of blood from the people, and it was the liquor supply company that transformed the alcohol that the people had been making in a rough and ready way into a systematic and legal business.

Things that had become commonplace for the empire’s people had become lifelines from heaven for the residents of the northern lands.

* * *

Although the night in Liaoyang Fortress was changing stably, there were also those who did not benefit.

They were those involved with opium.

Opium was an item that could earn even more money than alcohol, but the Secret Guards’ response was firm.

-It is an item that His Majesty has forbidden because it is poison to the empire! How can we, who protect the empire and follow His Majesty’s orders, simply ignore this!

According to this decision, the Secret Guards immediately notified the Disciplinary Corps upon discovering opium addicts and opium dens, and immediately killed the opium dealers. Occasionally, if the cleanup was insufficient, the branch manager would take a murder license and a report and secretly visit the Disciplinary Corps commander.

“These bastards… Making me annoyed by doing the work like this….”

Each time, the branch manager grumbled as he moved, and the Secret Guard agents had to endure a barrage of scolding.

* * *

As the night in Liaoyang Fortress stabilized, Liaoyang Fortress and the surrounding area soon began to thrive.

The trading companies that came and went to supply alcohol to the liquor supply association soon began to introduce other goods into the market.

The market gradually became lively and began to grow as the number of stores buying and selling goods brought by the empire’s trading companies increased, and the residents of the surrounding area also visited Liaoyang Fortress more often and more frequently than before.

As the floating population increased, restaurants and taverns, large and small, began to appear to cater to them. And the Secret Guard agents moved busily to manage these newly created taverns.

Then one day, one of the Secret Guard’s field agents reported to the branch manager.

“Branch Manager, this is a report on a tavern that opened a few days ago.”

“Are there only one or two taverns?”

“No, you know that tavern full of only men?”

“Ah? That place?”

The branch manager acknowledged with the agent’s additional explanation.

“Don’t tell me it’s a place for sodomy [homosexuality]?”

“It’s not that kind of place, but everyone working at the store is unusual.”

The branch manager’s face became serious at the agent’s words.

“Unusual? Are they from the Ming Dynasty side?”

“No. No matter how I look at it, they seem to be imperial soldiers.”

“Huh?”

After the agent finished the report and left, the branch manager stroked his chin and muttered.

“Soldiers… I can’t rule out the possibility. Hmm….”

After pondering for a moment, the branch manager took out paper and began to write a letter.

“I’ll send up a report first, and then I should visit it once.”

* * *

Two days later, the branch manager visited the tavern in question with his bodyguards.

“‘Miju’ [Beautiful Wine]? Does that mean they’re confident in their alcohol? Come to think of it, this store doesn’t have a contract with us, does it?”

One of the subordinates who came with him immediately answered the branch manager’s question.

“No. When I checked, they reported to the Military Administration Office that they also run a brewery.”

“Hmm….”

The branch manager, who had been stroking his chin, soon moved his steps inside the tavern.

“Welcome!”

As the branch manager entered, loud voices burst out from here and there.

The branch manager, who paused for a moment at the loud shouts, soon took a seat and looked around. The branch manager, who carefully examined the inside of the tavern, smiled wryly.

“How can a tavern feel like a military barracks? Clearly, everything from the fixtures to everything else is a tavern, but it feels like a military….”

As he said, all the fixtures inside the tavern were neatly arranged in rows and columns.

The branch manager, looking at it, shook his head slightly and muttered inwardly.

‘If it’s really a disguised facility made by the military, it’s been a failure from the start (obvious).’