I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 72

< The Curtain Rises 2 >

Moyong Hui’s sword silenced everyone.

Moyong Hui addressed the assembly, his words directed at no one in particular.

“By the end of this gathering, ugly truths will surface. Let no one even contemplate drawing a sword or flaunting their strength. Next time, my sword might taste blood.”

It was a Sword Saint’s warning, carrying the full weight of the Alliance Leader’s authority.

‘Wow, that old man is really something. It’s like teleportation.’

Jo Gwangyun’s eyes widened with admiration as he witnessed the true nature of the strongest person for the first time.

Moreover, Gu Seung and Yeom Sin, standing behind Im Bonjae and Jo Gwangyun, were speechless. They understood the realm of absolute martial prowess. Confirming the level of martial skill that they couldn’t achieve even with a lifetime of training filled them with a sense of inadequacy.

“Sect Leader Im, I don’t know what you’re scheming, but choose your words carefully. In this place, you must not utter anything that isn’t the truth.”

“Our relationship with the Mukdo Association [a fictional martial arts organization] was severed long ago. Back then, the Changryong Sect wasn’t even a member of the Murim Alliance [a coalition of martial arts sects]. Furthermore, it’s impossible that we’re still paying tribute to the Mukdo Association. Now that we’ve become members of the Murim Alliance, any threat from the Mukdo Association to our Changryong Sect would be a challenge to the entire Murim Alliance.”

Im Bonjae turned his gaze back to Namgung Hyosin.

“Before that, the circumstances surrounding the deaths of our three young disciples must be revealed. On the day of the tragedy, you must explain why a member of the Namgung family was staying at a remote inn in Seoa. You not only hid that fact, but we still haven’t received any answers.”

“Are you determined to humiliate our family until the very end? Enough with the nonsense. Don’t utter another word.”

Im Bonjae chuckled as Namgung Hyosin shouted.

“Think carefully. Didn’t I directly seek your understanding when we established our branch in Anhui Province? What does the Changryong Sect gain from humiliating the Namgung family? Why are you so eager to devour us?”

“So, you’re implying you have someone backing you. Who is instigating you to frame our family as the culprit?”

Moyong Hui’s eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

The backer Namgung Hyosin alluded to was undoubtedly the Moyong family. Moyong Hui’s anger began to simmer at the attempt to link the Changryong Sect with his family.

“Instigation? Backer? Are you suggesting our Changryong Sect is someone’s puppet, doing errands?”

As Im Bonjae protested, feigning humiliation, Jo Gwangyun watched Moyong Hui’s expression. Seeing it grow increasingly distorted, he became anxious.

If Moyong Hui were to explode in anger now, it would be an unexpected deviation from the script. He had to quickly regain control of the situation. No one should speak carelessly.

Jo Gwangyun stepped forward.

“I suppose the Namgung family believes that anyone who isn’t one of the Nine Sects [major martial arts sects] or a prestigious clan is merely an errand runner.”

As soon as Jo Gwangyun spoke, Namgung Hyosin raised his voice again.

“Who do you think you are, daring to step forward, you mere merchant?”

“Can’t you be a little quieter? Let’s listen to Sect Leader Im’s statement until the end and then make a judgment.”

The Head of the Hwasan Sect stepped forward, unable to watch the scene unfold any longer. The overall atmosphere was becoming increasingly unfavorable to the Namgung family. Already, the heads of numerous minor factions seemed to have aligned with Im Bonjae, barely suppressing their anger.

“Alliance Leader, and Heads of each sect. I can’t think of any other way to prove the truth of my words. I lack power. The powerless people of the Central Plains [the heartland of Chinese martial arts culture] die because of the schemes of the powerful, and the powerless righteous people of the Jianghu [the martial arts world] die at the hands of hypocrites. I, Im Bonjae, lack the power to remove the hypocrite’s mask, so I will end my life here today. But if justice lives and chivalry is practiced, the hypocrite’s mask will be removed.”

Im Bonjae raised his right hand and struck his left shoulder. His left arm was severed, and a fountain of blood spurted out.

“This is proof that the Changryong Sect and the Mukdo Association are unrelated.”

Jo Gwangyun quickly supported the staggering Im Bonjae.

“Sect Leader!”

Im Bonjae gritted his teeth and said.

“Now, with my life, I will prove that everything I have said so far is true. Head of Jo Gwangyun… I entrust the aftermath to you.”

With these words, Im Bonjae struck his own heavenly crown [the top of the head, a vital point]. The aftermath that Im Bonjae entrusted to Jo Gwangyun meant that he wanted him to keep his promise.

Starting from the market streets of Gaebong, Im Bonjae met Jo Gwangyun and enjoyed wealth and glory for several years, only to die at Jo Gwangyun’s hands.

Jo Gwangyun’s eyes, as he held Im Bonjae’s body, were bloodshot and filled with tears. These tears were genuine.

‘Farewell. Your life was quite decent as it is. How many men leave their name in the Jianghu before they die?’

Im Bonjae’s sincere last words and Jo Gwangyun’s tears made it clear which side held the truth.

Unexpectedly, Namgung Hyosin was confused, unsure of what to do. He was desperate for someone to resolve this situation. Even Zhuge Mogun would do.

“Oops. I’m a little late. Hehe.”

However, the savior Zhuge Mogun appeared completely drunk, a bottle of alcohol in his hand.

The moment Zhuge Mogun saw Im Bonjae’s body being held by Jo Gwangyun, he understood the situation. And he knew that he had been treated generously.

He was almost grateful that the guy who would use even lives if necessary had only asked for a declaration of conscience.

“Oh dear. A disaster has already occurred. If I had known this would happen, I would have drunk more alcohol. Haha.”

“What is this, Military Advisor Zhuge! What’s wrong? Are you in your right mind? What are you doing at this important time? Get a grip.”

Namgung Hyosin grabbed Zhuge Mogun by the collar and shook him. He felt like he was going crazy as to why this guy was in this state at this crucial moment.

“Mind? It’s stranger to be in one’s right mind in this place. Look. Because I’m drunk, I can at least look at that corpse properly. How can I look at the corpse of that righteous man without being drunk?”

Righteous man.

The moment Zhuge Mogun called Im Bonjae a righteous man, the scales of truth tipped in Im Bonjae’s favor.

“What is this friend saying now? He’s not in his right mind because of the alcohol.”

Namgung Hyosin realized that Zhuge Mogun was not a savior and wanted to rip out his tongue.

Zhuge Mogun shook off Namgung Hyosin, straightened his clothes, and bowed.

“I bid my final farewell to the esteemed members of the Jianghu. The Murim Alliance, where such conspiracies are rampant, is not the place I dreamed of. Therefore, from this moment on, I resign from my position as military advisor and leave the Jianghu. I want to quietly teach or write.”

“This bastard! Is this situation funny to you? As you said, a righteous man has committed suicide. But you’re going to retire to your hometown and become a teacher? Is the Murim Alliance a third-rate inn? To come and go whenever you want?”

Paeng Dongho burst into anger. If things continued like this, the Murim Alliance would truly become a laughingstock.

“Then what price must I pay to leave the Murim Alliance? Should I leave an arm or a leg behind too?”

“You’ve truly lost your mind.”

“Didn’t I tell you? I can’t live with a sane mind.”

Zhuge Mogun was still babbling. He had to do as Jo Gwangyun instructed. That was the only way his family would survive.

In the end, the Alliance Leader stepped forward.

“Everyone, stop!”

What was important now was that evidence of the Namgung family’s guilt had to be revealed. Otherwise, it would be a situation where innocent people had died without anything being resolved, so it wasn’t the time to argue.

Moyong Hui said to Zhuge Mogun.

“Military Advisor Zhuge. I understand your intentions. But as you know, it’s not right to just ignore such a serious matter. So, I hope you will tell us what you know without adding or subtracting anything.”

Moyong Hui looked around the assembly again and continued.

“No one is to open their mouth before Military Advisor Zhuge finishes speaking. This is a warning.”

Now, whatever Zhuge Mogun’s last words were, this situation had to be concluded. Zhuge Mogun realized that this was the moment Jo Gwangyun wanted and that he was the protagonist.

“I didn’t hear Sect Leader Im’s words. So, I will only say what I know.”

Namgung Hyosin felt like he was sitting on top of hellfire. It was clear that Zhuge Mogun had already turned his back on the Namgung family.

“The Namgung family was displeased with the rise of the Changryong Sect, and even more displeased that the Changryong Sect was becoming a force for the Moyong family rather than the Namgung family.”

This alone was enough. It reeked of conspiracy, and anyone would suspect it.

“In the end, they committed the tragedy in Seoa as a warning, and when suspicion turned towards them, they tried to cover up the murder with a new fact. That new fact is Jo Gwangyun’s past. This is all I know.”

The flames of Namgung Hyosin’s hellfire soared. As if to prove his unease, he had even sent a telepathic message to the Namgung family’s warriors to prepare for any eventuality, and a carrier pigeon containing a warning signal was already flying towards the main family.

“I can’t help but feel devastated that the Beggars’ Union’s investigation was delayed, leading to this situation.”

As Zhuge Mogun finished speaking, Chwi Gae, the Chief Inspector of the Beggars’ Union, spoke with a hollow expression.

“As a result of the Beggars’ Union’s confirmation, the Mukdo Association once extorted money from the Jo family in Gaebong without any particular activity, but they cut off all relations after annihilating the black forces in Gaebong.”

‘Jo Gwangyun… he’s even extended his reach to the Beggars’ Union… He’s a hundred times more meticulous than me.’

Zhuge Mogun clicked his tongue.

With Chwi Gae’s testimony, there was nothing more to investigate or find out. It was certain that the Namgung family was responsible. However, since the target was the strongest of the orthodox factions, there were too many things to consider to come to a conclusion right now.

As everyone hesitated, the Head of the Hwasan Sect cautiously spoke.

“How about we end it here for today? After careful consideration of how to handle this matter in the future, I believe it would be advisable to hold another meeting.”

The Nine Sects wanted to gather separately, and the prestigious clans wanted to gather separately to discuss, so everyone welcomed the suggestion, and Namgung Hyosin breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that it would be resolved in this way.

But how often does everything go as planned?

Thump!

“Who said so?”

The one who slammed the table and shouted was Jo Gwangyun. His face looked like it would explode with anger.

“What are you trying to do now? Such specific testimony has been given, and what? End it here?”

Since he was the victim of an innocent sacrifice, no one blamed his rude tone.

“Three lives of the orthodox faction, who are like one body, have been taken away, so expulsion from the Murim Alliance wouldn’t be enough… Careful consideration? If the target was the Changryong Sect, would you carefully consider it? No way. My head would have already been taken.”

“You bastard! Do you think you can humiliate this main family and live? With just a few words from a drunken guy… What? Expulsion?”

Even the Nine Sects were postponing it, but how dare that brat!

Namgung Hyosin wanted to cut off Jo Gwangyun’s head right away, but he was afraid of Moyong Hui’s warning.

“Who humiliated whom? It’s your family that committed murder. There’s a limit to being brazen. You’re truly shameless.”

“This guy is talking down to me. Do you really want to die!”

Namgung Hyosin’s blood ran cold at the rudeness of that rootless merchant.

“Everyone, stop it!”

A heavy voice filled with profound inner strength was heard. Moyong Hui exploded again. A moment of silence followed, but the merchant Jo Gwangyun was still unafraid.

“We just wanted to be safer within the Murim Alliance. We don’t have great power or fame, so we just wanted to survive in the Jianghu without deviating from the right path.”

Jo Gwangyun steeled his heart.

From now on, it’s the real beginning. There is no next time. He had to end it in this place.

“However, the Murim Alliance, instead of protecting us, is letting a huge prestigious clan drive us into a corner. It seems that the Namgung family and the Nine Sects view us no differently. The Murim Alliance belongs to the Nine Sects and the prestigious clans, and we were just rootless errand runners.”

Jo Gwangyun’s calm voice, which had replaced his earlier agitation, showed that he was no longer swayed by emotion.

Jo Gwangyun glared at the heads of the Nine Sects and the Alliance Leader and said.

“We now refuse the role of sword-wielding errand runners.”

And his gaze turned to Namgung Hyosin.

“Our Changryong Sect officially declares war on the Namgung family. We cannot live under the same sky as the Namgung family, who drove our Sect Leader to suicide.”

Moyong Hui was speechless.

He thought it was impossible, but he really did it.

“You said earlier? Just a few words of testimony? Yes, isn’t it power that creates the truth with just that? Also, you said it was the crime of treason? Treason is death. You know that well, right?”

Jo Gwangyun pointed his finger at Namgung Hyosin’s face, which had turned white.

“You’ve been indulging in the role of the eldest son of a wealthy family, so you’ve forgotten that this is a Dosan Sword Forest [a mountain of knives and a forest of swords, a metaphor for a dangerous and ruthless place]. There’s no need to talk anymore. The one who wins with strength is the truth and justice here.”

Namgung Hyosin felt like this wasn’t reality. It was insane. Daring to challenge the Namgung family?

Jo Gwangyun warned the heroes again.

“This is to resolve the grudges between the two factions. I hope no one interferes. We don’t want the Murim Alliance to mediate either. The Changryong Sect and the Namgung family. One of them… will be annihilated.”

Jo Gwangyun shouted at Gu Seung and Yeom Sin, and the disciples of the Changryong Sect, who were lined up behind him.

“From now on, the Changryong Sect will advance on the Namgung family. Tell all the Changryong Sect brothers throughout the Central Plains to gather in Anhui Province, leaving not a single mangy dog in the house! This fight will not stop until there is not a single mangy dog left in the Namgung family!”

“Understood!”

With a thunderous shout, they ran outside.

Jo Gwangyun glared again at Namgung Hyosin’s eyes, which seemed to have lost his soul, and said, emphasizing each word. He had to show his determination.

“Be prepared! I don’t know how many years your family’s history is, but this year is the last!”

< The Curtain Rises 2 > End