Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 49

Nine Dragons Chronicle (49)

The rainy season began in Shanxi Province, marked by the first rainfall of the season.

In the Central Plains, the year is divided into distinct rainy and dry seasons. The rainy season typically lasts from half a month to a month and a half.

While the rainfall isn’t usually heavy enough to cause widespread flooding, occasionally, intense downpours can submerge villages or even entire counties.

Last year, Sanyang County experienced significant flood damage, causing hardship for many residents.

Hwa-Rin stood in the manor, observing the rain.

“It’s a refreshing rain.”

He anticipated that the sweltering heat would diminish after the rainy season, making it a good time to prepare for autumn and winter.

“If there are no major disruptions during the rainy season, the Nine Dragons Pavilion construction should be completed by next spring. If things stabilize by autumn, I plan to begin my journey through the Murim [martial arts world] starting in winter.”

Hwa-Rin briefly contemplated the period after the following winter. Until now, his life had been dedicated to fulfilling his promise to Danri Hyuk-Kwang, but from next winter onward, he intended to embark on his Murim journey to honor his promise to his father.

“Manor Lord.”

Lee Seo-Jeong, who was managing the Nine Dragons Manor in place of the chief manager Seo Dae-Young, called out to Hwa-Rin.

“What is it?”

“Manor Lord, Master Jeong of Hwayang House has arrived to see you.”

“Is that so? Please escort him to the office and offer him some light refreshments.”

“Understood.”

Hwa-Rin watched the rain for a moment before taking a deep breath.

“It’s fortunate that he needed accommodation. Its proximity to the Nine Dragons Pavilion makes it ideal for housing the workers.”

Hwa-Rin seemed to anticipate the reason for Master Jeong’s visit.

“Acquiring another nearby inn to provide meals for the workers would be perfect. But no one seems willing to sell an inn or tavern…”

He had hoped that news of his favorable acquisition of the brothel from Master Jeong might entice others to sell, but instead, inn and tavern owners were observing the situation, anticipating that the Nine Dragons Pavilion’s opening would benefit their businesses.

“I’ll have to rely on Master Jeong to spread the rumors effectively.”

Hwa-Rin was about to head to his office when someone appeared before him and knelt.

“You’ve arrived.”

It was Lee Do-Moon, the lord of Salmak Valley.

“Did you settle everything?”

“I attempted to, but they all chose to remain with me, so I couldn’t send them back.”

“Is that so? Then there’s nothing I can do. Will you continue to maintain Salmak Valley?”

“Yes, that’s correct. After consulting with the elders and assassins, we’ve decided to keep the valley operational. However, instead of accepting requests from Murim people, we will focus on fulfilling requests from ordinary citizens.”

Hwa-Rin nodded.

“That’s something you can manage. If Valley Lord Lee is with me, will there be any issues in Salmak Valley?”

“I’m considering relocating Salmak Valley to Sanyang County. We’ll maintain our current method of receiving requests, leaving only two or three people in Nyeonggang City to receive and confirm them, and bringing all the assassins here.”

“What about the headquarters?”

“I’ll search for a location near the manor.”

“Near the manor… Instead, the Nine Dragons Pavilion will be completed and operational next year.”

“I’ve heard about the Nine Dragons Pavilion.”

“It’s a large complex, so establish your headquarters there. The Hao Moon [a martial arts sect] is also planning to use the Nine Dragons Pavilion as a branch. If you avoid conflicts with them, you can operate discreetly.”

“If that is your wish, I will comply.”

“I’ll inform you later about the Hao Moon members working in the Nine Dragons Pavilion, so instruct your subordinates to avoid their attention.”

“Understood.”

“Are you encountering any difficulties in learning the Dark Shadow Three Skills?”

“I’m currently learning the stances and variations, so there are no major obstacles yet.”

“That’s good. If you encounter any difficulties or have questions, feel free to ask me.”

“I will.”

“I must meet with someone now, so keep that in mind. I look forward to working with you in the future.”

“I will protect your side with my life.”

* * *

The rumor that Hwa-Rin, the lord of the Nine Dragons Manor, had acquired Hwayang House from Master Jeong spread throughout Sanyang County. This led to malicious rumors suggesting that the Nine Dragons Manor was attempting to acquire all the brothels and inns in the area.

Hwa-Rin remained focused on his objectives, regardless of the rumors.

“So, please ensure that construction can commence after the rainy season.”

“Understood. Thanks to you, I have a steady stream of work. Thank you, Manor Lord.”

“I’m asking you for this favor because of your exceptional skills. I wouldn’t entrust the construction to someone with inferior skills, no matter how low their price.”

“Thank you for your trust. I will do my best to ensure this construction meets your satisfaction.”

“Yes, please do so. The payment terms will be the same as before: 30% as a down payment, 40% as an interim payment, and 30% as the final payment upon completion.”

“Understood.”

Hwa-Rin met with the construction contractor and entrusted him with the renovation of the acquired Hwayang House.

After concluding the conversation at the inn, he gazed out the window. The rain was still falling steadily.

He observed people wearing straw hats walking purposefully in the rain, but it was clear that fewer people ventured out on rainy days.

“Head Cook, I believe we can close up shop for today.”

“Haha, it seems the Manor Lord isn’t greedy enough. On rainy days, there are always people who prefer a drink to a meal.”

“Isn’t that what the brothels would prefer?”

“People who can’t afford the brothels will come to the inn for a drink.”

“Well, I suppose so.”

“Then, please prepare a bottle of wine and some hwajeon [flower cakes]. I’ll enjoy a drink while watching the rain.”

“Haha, understood. Please wait a moment.”

Hwa-Rin watched the rain, recalling old memories he preferred to forget.

* * *

The Frontier!

It is land belonging to the Central Plains, but unlike other provinces, lords or officials are not dispatched to manage the area. Instead, tribal people manage the land and maintain security on their own.

There are several lands in the Central Plains that are treated as frontiers, with the most representative lands being Myogang, Xinjiang, and Heilongjiang Province. The Murim people of the Central Plains also treat Liaoning Province as a frontier, but since lords and officials are dispatched to govern the land, it strictly belongs to the administrative region of the Central Plains.

Myogang is an area with tropical rainforests, and numerous tribal people live inside the rainforest.

Among the tribal people in the rainforest, the Yoharichi tribe has a folk remedy that can create anesthesia to forget pain, but this anesthesia has side effects that cause hallucinations and severe addiction.

If you go down a little further from Myogang, you will come to the Wolha region, which is a neutral area between the Beacon Kingdom and the Central Plains, but in reality, the Beacon Kingdom exerts its control and imposes taxes on Wolha to collect them.

This Wolha is a neutral area, so neither the Central Plains nor the Beacon Kingdom dispatched officials to maintain security on their own. The force that dominates and governs this Wolha was a group called the Full Moon Palace.

This Full Moon Palace used the folk remedies of the Yoharichi tribe to mass-produce and distribute narcotic painkillers, and as these narcotic painkillers flowed into the Central Plains and spread widely among the people, causing social problems, the Central Plains’ Fierce Tiger Death Squad moved to destroy the Full Moon Palace.

The Fierce Tiger Death Squad attacked the Full Moon Palace, which was located in the jungle area of Wolha, and their resistance was stronger than expected.

After administering the narcotic painkillers to the warriors of the Full Moon Palace, they were sent into battle. Even if their arms and legs were cut off, or their chests were deeply cut and bleeding profusely, they rushed towards the Fierce Tiger Death Squad as if to kill them.

The members of the Fierce Tiger Death Squad were intimidated by such appearances, and the war situation gradually became unfavorable.

Hwa-Rin enlisted in the Fierce Tiger Death Squad, and his mind went blank as this situation unfolded on his first mission.

Killing people for the first time, and the sight of these people, who were desperately trying to kill him even after being cut with a sword, made Hwa-Rin feel intimidated and tremble with fear.

“Get a grip!”

The person who took care of Hwa-Rin and shouted was the squad leader, Danri Hyuk-Kwang.

Even with Danri Hyuk-Kwang’s cry, Hwa-Rin was blankly staring into space, and Danri Hyuk-Kwang eventually punched Hwa-Rin.

“Did you come here to die? I told you, the place we’re going, the place we’re standing is a living hell. Get a grip!”

Danri Hyuk-Kwang cut the chest of the approaching man and kicked him away.

“Ugh.”

Danri Hyuk-Kwang frowned at the sight of Hwa-Rin vomiting.

‘Is he a lost cause?’

Most of those assigned to the Fierce Tiger Death Squad were Murim people, either those who had caused accidents in Murim or those who came for practical experience, so they had no aversion to killing people, but Hwa-Rin did not adapt because it was his first time in a battlefield where people died and blood was rampant.

Danri Hyuk-Kwang was about to give up on such Hwa-Rin. Dozens of people died each time a mission was carried out, and it would not make a difference if Hwa-Rin died during the mission.

At that moment when Danri Hyuk-Kwang was about to move to save a slightly better member than Hwa-Rin, his younger brother suddenly came to mind.

The image of his younger brother, who was two years younger than Hwa-Rin, overlapped with Hwa-Rin’s image, and Danri Hyuk-Kwang kicked Hwa-Rin’s butt hard.

Swoosh!

At that moment, a sword fell vertically in the spot where Hwa-Rin was, and Danri Hyuk-Kwang thrust his sword and stabbed the Full Moon Palace warrior in the abdomen. Then, after twisting the sword to point it upwards, he gave strength and strongly lifted it up, causing a long wound and the enemy to fall.

“There is no one to help you on the battlefield. I don’t know what your story is, but do your best to survive for now.”

Danri Hyuk-Kwang shouted at Hwa-Rin, and thanks to that, Hwa-Rin was able to regain his senses a little.

“To become the king of the world you have chosen, you must be ruthless. That is how a king lives.”

Hwa-Rin gritted his teeth, recalling the words his father had said for him.

The strength in the hand holding the sword was released, and the stiffness of the body was relieved. Hwa-Rin stood up from his seat as if he had awakened and looked at the warriors of the Full Moon Palace approaching him.

Blue light flashed in Hwa-Rin’s eyes, and he moved his feet towards the approaching warriors of the Full Moon Palace.

In an instant, Hwa-Rin’s figure slipped and penetrated between them, moving his sword. Each time the sword, emitting a blue light, cut through the air, the head of the Full Moon Palace warrior separated from his shoulder and fell to the floor.

There was no flamboyance in Hwa-Rin’s movements, but there was a simplicity that quickly and accurately struck the opponent’s neck.

It was also the fastest way to subdue an opponent who could not feel pain.

Danri Hyuk-Kwang breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of such Hwa-Rin.

“I won’t have to worry for a while.”

In terms of martial arts alone, Hwa-Rin’s martial arts were the highest in the Fierce Tiger Death Squad. However, he was worried because he had no practical experience.

Now, seeing Hwa-Rin subduing the warriors of the Full Moon Palace with overwhelming… no, overwhelming force, he thought that he no longer needed to take care of him.

“If I leave the squad leader to that guy in the future, I can finish it more easily than I thought. I have to talk to the squad leader when I get back.”

The lord of the Full Moon Palace also took the anesthetic drug and came forward, and seven members of the Fierce Tiger Death Squad died to him. In the end, Hwa-Rin stepped forward to subdue him, and after exchanging over fifty moves, his neck was blown away by Hwa-Rin’s sword.

With his death, the mission could be successfully completed, but with this mission of the Full Moon Palace, 150 members of the Fierce Tiger Death Squad died or were injured.

“Squad leader.”

Hwa-Rin called Danri Hyuk-Kwang.

“Thank you.”

At those words, Danri Hyuk-Kwang ruffled Hwa-Rin’s hair with his hand and said.

“There’s no need to thank me. You can take care of the rookies who show promise among the newcomers who come in the future and help them survive and be discharged. That’s also the role of a senior.”

“What about the rookies who don’t show promise?”

“Let them die. Because more members may die as a result. Well, it’s a good idea to kill him first if you get a chance.”