Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 103

Nine Dragons Chronicle (103)

Arriving at the mine in Mount Oh, it was set up for people to live in, resembling a small village.

Not only were there houses and inns, but also general stores selling daily necessities, catering to both the miners and visitors.

“This place is a microcosm of the world, isn’t it?”

“Indeed. They have everything they need. Seeing this, it seems the Dongseo Dok Merchant Guild is quite competent, unlike some others.”

“Is Senior well-acquainted with the heads of the Dongseo Dok Merchant Guild?”

“I don’t know them intimately, but I have a connection. That’s how I acquired the mine from them. I need to question the workers about something.”

As Hwa-rin approached the miners at work, the two quietly followed.

Hwa-rin inquired about various matters, and the supervisor, noticing them, approached.

“Who are you? What business do you have interfering with our work?”

“I’m not interfering. As the owner of this mine, I’m simply asking if the workers have any difficulties or needs.”

“What? You’re the mine owner? What nonsense are you spouting? The Yeongcheon Merchant Guild owns this mine. I haven’t received any notification of a sale, so leave now. Don’t cause trouble.”

The supervisor spoke in a flustered tone.

“Didn’t the heads of the Dongseo Dok Merchant Guild inform you that they sold the mine? It’s been over six months since the ownership was transferred to the Nine Dragons Manor.”

“Stop spreading such lies!”

“Lies?”

Hwa-rin narrowed his eyes, observing the supervisor, whose face betrayed his unease.

“Then, where have you been sending the mined minerals all this time?”

“Naturally, to the Yeongcheon Merchant Guild, as they are the owners.”

“These fellows are determined to bring about their own downfall. I warned them explicitly.”

Sensing Hwa-rin’s darkening mood, Namgung Soo-yeon distanced herself and communicated telepathically with Hyuk Ji-seok.

– Step back. Don’t get caught in the crossfire.

Upon receiving Namgung Soo-yeon’s telepathic message, Hyuk Ji-seok also moved away from Hwa-rin.

“You will be held accountable for those words. If you’re slandering Dongseo Dok, neither you nor your family will be safe.”

“Is this person insane? If you’re going to be crazy, at least do it quietly. I’m dumbfounded that you suddenly appeared and tried to claim ownership.”

As he grew angrier, a faint smile touched Hwa-rin’s lips.

Namgung Soo-yeon hadn’t seen that smile in a while, but it sent a chill down her spine.

“Soo-yeon!”

“Yes, Master.”

Knowing Hwa-rin was deeply displeased, Namgung Soo-yeon responded with unusual politeness.

“Do you know the location of the Yeongcheon Merchant Guild’s main branch?”

“I believe it’s in Luoyang, Henan Province.”

“Go there and bring Dongseo Dok to me, invoking the name of the Nine Dragons Manor. Eliminate any resistance.”

The supervisor and Namgung Soo-yeon were taken aback by the order to kill them all.

“Are you serious about killing them?”

“Yes. They repaid my kindness with treachery. I was too lenient. I should have simply executed them and seized their assets back then. What are you waiting for? Move!”

“Ah… Understood.”

As Namgung Soo-yeon vanished like mist, Hyuk Ji-seok, standing nearby, was astonished.

‘I knew Namgung Soo-yeon possessed exceptional martial arts skills, but I didn’t realize they were of this caliber…’

“Team Leader Hyuk.”

“Yes?”

“Keep a close watch on this man. We need to confront him with Dongseo Dok.”

“What?”

The supervisor, overhearing this, was outraged at being placed under surveillance, but Hwa-rin’s imposing aura silenced him.

“If I act solely on your word and slaughter Dongseo Dok’s family and clan, will you take responsibility?”

Only then did the supervisor realize that the man before him was not bluffing.

“It’s true! I received no notification of the change in ownership. Furthermore, the Yeongcheon Merchant Guild is providing the workers’ wages.”

He repeatedly offered trembling excuses, claiming he had received no notice, but Hwa-rin remained unmoved.

“That’s how it’s going to be. The Yeongcheon Merchant Guild will continue to provide the workers’ wages and daily necessities. For now, you will eat, sleep, and live here until Dongseo Dok arrives.”

* * *

Hwa-rin stayed at the mine with the workers, observing and waiting for Dongseo Dok. The daily mineral yield was substantial.

“Have you been working at this rate for a long time?”

Hwa-rin asked a miner.

“Not really. The workload has increased in the last few months.”

“In the last few months?”

“Yes, about six months, I think.”

“Then the accumulated amount must be significant, if you’ve been mining heavily for six months.”

“That’s correct.”

“Has the supervisor met with any strangers recently?”

“Are you asking about the supervisor?”

“Yes. The head of the Dongseo Dok Merchant Guild might haggle over prices, but he’s not the type to commit fraud.”

“Well… now that you mention it, he’s been absent from his post occasionally. He always returned flushed, as if he’d been drinking somewhere.”

“Really? Then we should interrogate the supervisor.”

“Oh, please don’t say that. The Green Forest Gang [a common term for bandits] backs the supervisor.”

“Green Forest? You mean bandits?”

“That’s right. Developing a mine inevitably leads to conflicts with the Green Forest.”

“So, the supervisor is friendly with the Green Forest bandits, and he handles any problems that arise with them. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Exactly. That’s why they give him the position of supervisor, even though he lacks skills.”

“So he’s been slacking off and enjoying himself because of his connections with the Green Forest Gang.”

The worker didn’t answer, but his expression confirmed it.

“Then the problem isn’t with Dongseo Dok, but with the supervisor. Where has he been diverting all those minerals?”

“Oh, I don’t know anything about that.”

“Understood. I’ll take care of it, so don’t worry.”

– Team Leader!

Hwa-rin sent a telepathic message to Hyuk Ji-seok.

– Yes?

– Come to my location for a moment.

Shortly after, Hyuk Ji-seok arrived.

“The supervisor seems restless, doesn’t he?”

“He’s showing signs of anxiety. Judging by his behavior, it seems he’s lying.”

“That’s right. The owner changed, but he hasn’t reported it even after six months. That’s plenty of time to hatch other plans.”

“What should we do? Should we interrogate him?”

“Soon, he’ll lead us to the ones who embezzled the minerals.”

Hyuk Ji-seok looked puzzled, unsure of Hwa-rin’s intentions.

About an hour passed.

“He’s moving now. Follow him discreetly.”

Hyuk Ji-seok followed Hwa-rin. They walked along the mountain path of Mount Oh at a moderate pace, ascending the mountainside. A mountain fortress came into view.

“That’s it. It seems to be the Oh Mountain Fortress. The supervisor mentioned colluding with bandits, so it seems that’s the case.”

“I’ll go and meet the chief of the Oh Mountain Fortress.”

“Let’s go together. We need to secure a firm agreement regarding the mine.”

The two slowly approached the fortress. The bandits guarding the entrance spotted them and shouted to stop them, but they couldn’t finish their sentence.

“Halt! Do you know where you are…?”

Without hesitation, Hwa-rin clenched his fist and launched it towards the fortress gate. A powerful energy erupted, taking the tangible form of a tiger lunging at its prey.

Kwaaaang!

The tiger slammed into the gate, shattering it and revealing the interior of the fortress.

The bandits guarding the gate were torn apart like paper. Seeing the destroyed gate, the remaining bandits wondered if the rumored Fist King [a martial arts master known for their powerful fist techniques] had arrived, and they collapsed to the ground.

“Let’s go in.”

Hyuk Ji-seok was dumbfounded by Hwa-rin’s display, but he also realized that this would make negotiations much easier.

As Hwa-rin and Hyuk Ji-seok entered the fortress, the bandits, alerted by the commotion, rushed out.

“Being a bandit must be a lucrative profession. There seem to be at least fifty people.”

“Well, the Oh Mountain Fortress is a large one, so that’s to be expected. The Hang Mountain Fortress, a little further away, has twice as many bandits.”

As a former leader in the Jeongcheon Alliance, Hyuk Ji-seok possessed extensive knowledge of the Green Forest.

“Who are you?”

A bandit shouted bravely.

Hwa-rin smiled, curled his thumb and middle finger, and flicked them.

A small, shiny object shot out, striking the bandit between the eyebrows. The bandit fell backward, collapsing instantly dead.

The remaining bandits flinched, exchanging nervous glances.

They knew there were opponents they could handle and those they couldn’t. Hwa-rin’s single move had clearly established him as the latter.

“Who’s the boss here?”

It seemed none of the bandits who had initially emerged were in charge, as they continued to look at each other.

A few more people emerged belatedly, including the supervisor.

“That’s him. He’s the one claiming to be the mine owner.”

The supervisor pointed out Hwa-rin to one of the newcomers, whom Hwa-rin recognized as the chief.

Bang Seok-gu, the chief of the Oh Mountain Fortress, narrowed his eyes at the supervisor’s words, looking back and forth between Hwa-rin and Hyuk Ji-seok.

“I’ve seen that face somewhere…”

Bang Seok-gu seemed to be pondering something as he looked at Hyuk Ji-seok, his eyes widening in surprise.

“Could it be… are you the commander of the Hyeonmu Unit of the Jeongcheon Alliance?”

Bang Seok-gu had intended to eliminate them swiftly for causing a disturbance, but he hesitated upon learning the identity of one of his opponents.

“What brings the commander of the Hyeonmu Unit to my mountain fortress?”

He hoped to resolve the situation peacefully through negotiation.

“I am no longer a member of the Jeongcheon Alliance.”

“Then?”

“I am now serving the Nine Dragons Manor, responsible for their security.”

“Ah, I see. But what brings you here on behalf of the Nine Dragons Manor?”

“Look at you, stealing and denying it. You’re practically begging for death.”

Bang Gu-seok was enraged by Hwa-rin’s words.

“What, stealing?”

“You stole minerals from my mine and profited from selling them. That’s stealing. Well, from a bandit’s perspective, you worked hard, so I suppose I can’t entirely blame you.”

“You little brat, the way you talk…”

“Do you use honorifics when fighting someone? Why fight if you’re going to be polite? Just resolve it with words. Don’t you agree?”

Bang Seok-gu blinked, seemingly at a loss for words. Then, he chuckled and said,

“Kid, no matter how skilled the person next to you is, he can still have his head taken while dealing with us.”

“Then try it. But if you fail to take my head, you will all die.”

“That bastard!”

As Bang Seok-gu was about to explode in anger, Hwa-rin addressed the bandits.

“Alright, make your decision now. Those who don’t want to fight me and wish to continue your banditry here, move to the right.”

The bandits hesitated, looking at each other, but Hwa-rin added,

“Once you fight, you will all die. Anyone who tries to fight will end up like that, without exception.”

Hwa-rin pointed to the dead bandit, and the bandits began to move to the right.

Bang Seok-gu had acknowledged Hyuk Ji-seok as a formidable master, so the bandits concluded that they stood no chance against the two of them.

Bang Seok-gu was dumbfounded.

“You bastards, what are you doing? Do you want to die?”

Bang Seok-gu shouted, but the bandits remained on the right, convinced that fighting would mean certain death.

“Okay, then you’re excluded. Among those who are loyal to the boss, anyone who wants to become the new owner of this fortress, move to the left.”

“This bastard!”

Bang Seok-gu stepped forward to threaten Hwa-rin, but Hyuk Ji-seok intervened.

“If you take one more step, your head might fall from your shoulders. Try it if you dare.”

“No matter how skilled Commander Hyuk is…”

“First, we need to catch that guy so he can’t run away.”

Ignoring the exchange between Hyuk Ji-seok and Bang Seok-gu, Hwa-rin used Tanjigong [a martial arts technique involving finger strikes] on the supervisor.

The energy projectile flew like a ray of light, piercing both of the supervisor’s thighs. He screamed in agony and collapsed.

Bang Seok-gu’s blood ran cold. The young man before him seemed even more dangerous than Hyuk Ji-seok.

“Chief, please save me!”

As the supervisor begged for help, Bang Seok-gu turned and kicked him squarely in the face.

The instep of his foot struck the supervisor’s chin with brutal force, knocking him unconscious.

Bang Seok-gu turned back to Hwa-rin, forcing a sly smile.

“Young master, I believe there has been a misunderstanding. Wouldn’t it be better to resolve this through conversation?”

Hyuk Ji-seok burst out laughing at Bang Seok-gu’s sudden change in demeanor.

‘Seeing this, it doesn’t seem like the manor lord is acting recklessly.’

It seems like he’s acting as he pleases, but when you look at the results, he always gets satisfactory results, so it’s a really amazing thing.

“Conversation? What conversation? You said you were going to kill me?”

“Haha, didn’t I say there was a misunderstanding? Young master, so…”