Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 99

The Nine Dragons Inn Opens

“The Nine Dragons Inn has opened?”

“Yes, it’s been open for half a month, and people are flocking to it after hearing the rumors. Some jokingly say that the Nine Dragons Market is raking in all the money in Shanxi Province.”

The Yin Evil Sect, the largest force among the heterodox [unorthodox or heretical] sects rooted in Shanxi Province, had backed off after their dealings with the Nine Dragons Market didn’t go as planned. However, upon hearing the rumors that the Nine Dragons Inn was making a tremendous amount of money, their interest was piqued once more.

“Moreover, the Nine Dragons Inn has drawn so many people to the surrounding area that other businesses are also seeing a significant increase in sales.”

“We don’t have any affiliated sects in Shanyang County yet, do we?”

“No, we don’t. After the Black Snake Gang was destroyed and the Scarlet Fox Clan in the nearby Shangnan County also met their end, there are no heterodox sects or even street gangs in Shanyang, Shangnan, and Shangzhou counties.”

“Not even street gangs?”

“The Nine Dragons Market cleaned them up and is preventing them from taking root. They say that even if they hear rumors of a street gang forming, they go and smash it to pieces.”

“I see. The Nine Dragons Market, the Nine Dragons Market…”

Sadohyeong, the leader of the Yin Evil Sect, nodded at the report from his chief manager, Samawoo.

“They were involved in the incident where Elder Hyeon and the Yin Assassins were defeated.”

Sadohyeong’s cheek twitched as he recalled the past. He wasn’t sure if they were actually involved with the Nine Dragons Market, but since the Scarlet Fox Clan was destroyed and those sent for that matter lost their lives to hidden experts, the Nine Dragons Market wasn’t a connection he wanted to make.

“That’s right. We’ve been investigating the matter continuously, but those who appeared at the time have vanished without a trace.”

“If the Nine Dragons Inn makes a lot of money, many flies will be drawn to it, right?”

“That’s expected, but so far, there hasn’t been any major trouble.”

“Is that so?”

“Rumor has it that Hyeok Jiseok, the former commander of the Black Tortoise Unit of the Righteous Heaven Alliance, is in charge of security at the Nine Dragons Inn.”

“What?”

Sadohyeong widened his eyes in surprise and asked again.

“Why Hyeok Jiseok?”

Hyeok Jiseok was a master so skilled that even he couldn’t confidently claim victory against him.

“Due to the conflicts between the righteous and the heterodox in Sichuan and Chongqing, the Black Tortoise Unit was dissolved. Perhaps out of shame, he left the Righteous Heaven Alliance and went to the Nine Dragons Inn.”

“No, what I mean is, why would a supreme master not establish his own sect or join another sect, but instead go to work as security for a brothel?”

“I cannot know that.”

Sadohyeong became thoughtful.

If Hyeok Jiseok was at the Nine Dragons Inn, it would be difficult to threaten the Nine Dragons Market’s owner and obtain a portion of the inn’s profits.

“Which heterodox sects are nearby?”

“The White Mound Sect, located in Hyeonjung County.”

“Aren’t we closer than the White Mound Sect?”

“Yes, we are. In reality, that area falls within the sphere of influence of the orthodox sects, making it difficult for heterodox activities.”

“Why do you think so?”

“The Jongnam Sect is to the west, and the Mount Hua Sect is above. To receive help from the heterodox sects, Henan Province might be better than Shanxi Province.”

“Henan Province?”

“Yes. In the past, after Naseonggi, the leader of the Bloodshed Sect, a branch of the Blood Alliance in Henan Province, died, the Bloodshed Sect pointed to the Nine Dragons Market as the culprit.”

“I’ve heard of it. But wasn’t it said that there was no direct connection? And I heard that the Scarlet Sign Sect and the Warm Water Sect are vying for the Bloodshed Sect’s position.”

“That has been the trend until recently, but after Madam Yiran stepped forward, the provocations from the two sects have subsided somewhat.”

“Indeed, she is remarkable. Like father, like daughter.”

Sadohyeong wore an expression of agreement and gently stroked his chin with his fingers.

It was a habit he had when he was thinking. Samawoo, who knew this habit well, waited for him to organize his thoughts.

“Now that Naseonggi is dead, even the Bloodshed Sect wouldn’t be able to stand against Hyeok Jiseok.”

“Madam Yiran’s martial arts are outstanding, but she is not someone who can face him. At the very least, her father, Lee Cheonguk, the leader of the White Horse Temple, would be needed to contend with Hyeok Jiseok.”

“An unexpected obstacle. If Madam Yiran and I joined forces, we could face Hyeok Jiseok, but the damage would be significant.”

“Wouldn’t it be enough if you, Master, didn’t get hurt?”

“As long as it’s not me?”

“If we form an alliance and Madam Yiran is injured or killed while working on the Nine Dragons Inn, Lee Cheonguk, her father, might step in with that justification.”

Sadohyeong pictured it in his mind.

“Are you sure Lee Cheonguk can subdue Hyeok Jiseok if he steps in?”

“Yes, I am. Lee Cheonguk is one of the Hundred Great Masters of the Martial World. Unfortunately, Shandong Province is home to powerful clans such as the Hwangbo Clan, the Ak Clan, the Je Clan, and the Ardent Blood Sect, so he cannot be called the ruler of Shandong Province.”

“Then we need to create a situation where Madam Yiran has no choice but to be harmed.”

“That would be ideal, but if they sense something amiss and start investigating, it would be better to create a situation where Hyeok Jiseok naturally kills Madam Yiran.”

“How?”

“First, send Madam Yiran a letter asking if she will cooperate. I will create a plausible plan within it.”

“Good. Do that. And you, come with me to the Nine Dragons Inn. We need to see with our own eyes how well it’s doing.”

Samawoo bowed his head at Sadohyeong’s decision.

“I will accompany you.”

* * *

Although it had only been half a month since the Nine Dragons Inn opened, its lights had never been turned off. This was because of the constant stream of customers who came after hearing the rumors about the inn, keeping it open twelve hours a day.

As a result, the Nine Dragons Inn was ablaze with light at night and crowded with people during the day, leaving no room to set foot.

With so many people gathering, pickpockets and beggars naturally flocked to the area as well.

“Truly amazing. It’s only been half a month since it opened, and it’s already so crowded.”

Sadohyeong and Samawoo had come to the Nine Dragons Inn in Shanyang County.

Rumors were usually exaggerated, but looking at the Nine Dragons Inn now, it seemed that the rumors might have been somewhat understated.

“Let’s go inside and see why there are so many people.”

The two entered the first floor of the Nine Dragons Pavilion.

“Welcome.”

The clerk at the entrance greeted them with a bright smile.

“Is this your first time at our Nine Dragons Inn?”

“It is.”

“Our Nine Dragons Inn consists of the main pavilion, the Nine Dragons Pavilion, and the auxiliary pavilions: Plum, Orchid, Chrysanthemum, and Bamboo. If you need guidance, we can assign you a guide.”

“A guide?”

“Our Nine Dragons Inn is a bit different from ordinary brothels, so having a guide can help you understand it more quickly. Otherwise, you can explore and learn at your own pace.”

“I see. Do we have to pay the guide for their services?”

“There is no set price. However, any gratuity given for satisfactory service is at the discretion of the guests, so we do not specifically demand it.”

Samawoo looked at Sadohyeong. When he nodded, Samawoo asked the clerk to introduce them to a guide, and the clerk soon called a woman.

“I am Jayeong, and I will be guiding you. I look forward to serving you.”

Jayeong greeted the two and began to guide them.

As the two followed Jayeong, a man walked towards the clerk. It was Hyeok Jiseok, who was in charge of security at the Nine Dragons Inn.

“Do you know who those two are?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Those two are the leader and chief manager of the Yin Evil Sect. Remember their faces well, and in the future, if those two come, guide them and find me first.”

The clerk widened his eyes in surprise.

“I will keep an eye on those two, so tell the security guards to be especially careful to prevent any disturbances.”

“Understood.”

Hyeok Jiseok took a deep breath and cautiously followed the two.

Jayeong, who was guiding the two, asked as they walked.

“Would you like to enjoy some games?”

“Games?”

“I am referring to gambling. The words ‘gambling’ or ‘wagering’ have a negative connotation, so we use the word ‘games’ instead.”

“That’s fine. Since we’re here, we should give it a try, shouldn’t we?”

“Then you need to exchange your money for the currency used in the games.”

“What does that mean?”

“At our Nine Dragons Inn, there is a limit to the amount of money that can be used for games.”

“A limit?”

“Yes, that’s right. The maximum amount is ten gold coins per day, and you cannot use more than that.”

“Why is that?”

“The owner believes that it is not good to be too immersed in gambling. Also, most of the people who come here come to play games, and if someone with a lot of money keeps occupying a seat, other guests cannot enjoy themselves, so that measure was taken.”

“So, if you lose your money, you have to get up from your seat?”

“Yes, that is the rule of our Nine Dragons Inn. However, you can enjoy the games again the next day with another ten gold coins, so there shouldn’t be any major complaints.”

“I’d be frustrated if I lost my money and had to get up from my seat.”

“There have been such people, but if we explain it to them slowly, they usually understand.”

“Explain?”

“We offer various helpful words, but ultimately, we say that they are currently upset because they have lost money and are becoming overly greedy in an attempt to recoup their losses. We suggest that they take a break, think about why they lost the game, calm their minds, and then enjoy the games again, so they can regain the money they lost.”

After listening, it seemed reasonable, so it would be difficult to get angry.

“But what happens if they insist on continuing to gamble until the end?”

“We kick them out.”

“Kick them out?”

“Yes. There are rules everywhere, and we have determined that it is more beneficial for many people to enjoy the games if we expel those who do not follow the rules.”

“I see. Then let’s exchange the money needed to gamble. Here are ten gold coins.”

“Don’t give them to me; please follow me.”

Jayeong took them to the exchange.

“You can exchange your money here.”

As Jayeong instructed, they each exchanged ten gold coins. The currency used at the Nine Dragons Inn was a small, square token made of copper, with the characters for ‘one,’ ‘ten,’ ‘hundred,’ and ‘thousand’ engraved on it. The colors were also different, making it easy to distinguish them at a glance.

“It’s a bit unfamiliar.”

“What happens if you win money?”

“You come here, give us the gold tokens you have, and we will exchange them for the corresponding amount.”

“Ah, so these are called gold tokens?”

“Yes, they are.”

“What happens if someone with bad intentions makes these outside and brings them inside?”

“I’ve heard that the production cost is higher, so it’s a loss to make them.”

“Ah, then what happens if you secretly take them out and sell them? Wouldn’t that create a bigger profit?”

“I’ve thought about that too. But the owner told me something.”

“What was it?”

“They said that you wouldn’t even get half the price of scrap metal.”

Upon hearing those words, Sadohyeong laughed out loud.

“That’s the right answer. You’re saying that it costs a lot of money to make them outside, and if you sell them, you’ll receive less than exchanging them, so no one would make them?”

“Yes, that’s right. Well, there might be some crazy people who would make them at a loss, but it would only be for fun once or twice, and they wouldn’t be able to make them continuously.”

Sadohyeong nodded. Seeing this, he thought that the owner of the Nine Dragons Market had a pretty good head on his shoulders.

“If you have exchanged your money, please follow me.”

Jayeong explained the facilities on the second floor of the Nine Dragons Pavilion in detail before going up to the second floor.

There were many people sitting and ordering or eating food on the second floor, and everyone was talking about the Nine Dragons Inn.

—It seems to be doing better than I thought. The cost of the dishes I ate here alone would be quite a bit of money.

“This is the restaurant. It is a place where guests who have come from afar and have missed a meal, or who are feeling peckish while playing games, can order food and fill their stomachs.”

Ding-a-ling… Ding-ling…

On one side of the restaurant, women who appeared to be courtesans were playing instruments, but those dining on the second floor didn’t seem to be very interested in the performance.

“That doesn’t seem very interesting.”

“The owner has provided this as a consideration so that guests who are eating can enjoy their meals in comfort.”

“They seem too busy talking about their own things.”

“That’s true, but they can’t repeat the same stories until they finish their meals, so the owner said that there will be some among them who will listen to the music.”

“The owner is very thoughtful. Is the owner of this place the head of the Nine Dragons Market?”

“Yes, that’s right. But the person who actually runs this Nine Dragons Inn is Lady Miok.”

“Miok?”

“She is the one who used to run the Osong Inn, and she is now running the Nine Dragons Inn.”

“Then what about the owner of the Nine Dragons Market?”

“He is very concerned, but he knows less about brothels than he knows, so he is currently studying a lot.”

Whether she realized she was telling them more than she needed to, the two gave Jayeong a gold token with the number ten written on it, as they liked her.

“Is your guidance only available for today?”

“No, it is not. If you specify me, I will be happy to assist you with your games tomorrow as well.”