25. We’re Going to Save Them.
Sun Wukong had the battered Im Bo carried by Azure Hero Society’s martial artists and headed for the Iron Workshop.
Im Bo, drenched head to toe in blood, was a rare spectacle. Naturally, a murmuring crowd gathered.
Muhwa bit her lip.
“Aren’t we drawing too much attention?”
“We need to draw attention.”
“If you have another plan, you should tell me.”
“If you asked for my help, just watch for now.”
“……”
Muhwa sighed, staring at the back of Sun Wukong’s head.
His long, shimmering blond hair fell past his shoulders, and her mind grew more tangled.
Building up justification and then launching an attack—this was a common tactic in the world of Murim.
It was the main topic most often discussed by the Namgung Clan’s elders.
They’d put Sun Wukong out front, and if the Azure Hero Society picked a fight with him, the Namgung Clan would have a reason to intervene, claiming they were protecting their retainer.
Muhwa had opposed it. The Namgung Clan already had the worst reputation; if they showed such shameless scheming for profit…
Of course, the elders had just sneered, saying, “Who cares about the so-called logic of the Orthodox Faction?”
‘As expected, this really does suit the Namgung Clan’s style.’
Muhwa sighed again.
Her head throbbed, wondering how she’d clean up this mess.
‘If this works out, people will start thinking that solving things with a sword is the easiest way.’
Her thoughts didn’t last long. The Iron Workshop was just across the street, and they arrived quickly.
The sight of the bloodied Im Bo and the martial artists who looked like defeated soldiers threw the Iron Workshop into chaos.
Sun Wukong called for Master Artisan Hyeok, whom he’d met before.
“Wh-what is this…?”
“These martial artists are the owners here, right? But they swung their swords at me, trying to steal my meteorite iron.”
“……!”
“They charged at me, waving their swords, demanding I sell the meteorite iron for cheap. They tried to rob me.”
Sun Wukong’s voice rang out loud and clear.
Muhwa pressed her forehead.
It seemed her suspicions about his plan were correct.
The Iron Workshop was packed with martial artists from Anhui Province. Among them, there were surely members of the Hao Sect and the Beggar’s Sect.
Even if there weren’t, it wouldn’t be long before word of this spread throughout Anhui.
‘He’s building up justification. Properly.’
The crowd buzzed at Sun Wukong’s words.
Meteorite iron? The Azure Hero Society tried to steal it?
Well, who wouldn’t want meteorite iron? But is it really meteorite iron? And who’s that foreign-looking guy?
Huh, how’s this going to end? Is he really going to fight the Azure Hero Society alone? Maybe he has someone backing him?
With all eyes on him, Sun Wukong finally spoke.
“Who would trust crooks like this with an order? I’m canceling it.”
“Ah…”
The artisans looked as if they’d lost their country.
‘Nothing like this ever happened when the Namgung Clan ran the Iron Workshop.’
Back when it was the Namgung Clan’s business, things like this never happened.
Recalling the past, Master Artisan Hyeok sighed and bowed his head.
“We were still discussing how to forge it, so we haven’t touched it yet. We’ll return it to you immediately.”
The artisans brought out the box with heavy faces.
Even more people crowded around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the legendary meteorite iron they’d only heard about in rumors.
Sun Wukong even made it easier for them to peek inside, stepping aside slightly.
“Sir, there’s no other place in Anhui that can handle meteorite iron. Please, reconsider…”
The artisan pleaded desperately, his voice full of regret.
But Sun Wukong ignored him and opened the box.
“…Huh?”
Suddenly, silence fell over the crowd.
The excited murmurs vanished in an instant.
In the suffocating stillness, only the dumbfounded voices of the artisans could be heard.
Watching from behind, Wujing finally spoke, his face incredulous.
“It’s gone? Where did it go?”
The box was empty.
Wujing stuck his hand inside, searching every corner.
“There’s nothing here except a single strand of the Great Hero’s hair. The sword fragment is gone!”
He held up a golden hair, his voice full of disbelief.
The artisans hurriedly looked inside, equally stunned.
“H-how could this happen…?”
“We locked it up with a padlock!”
The atmosphere grew tense. The martial artists in the crowd glanced at each other uneasily.
It was a fact that the meteorite iron had been entrusted to the Iron Workshop. The Azure Hero Society had tried to steal it. That was also true. So, of course, Sun Wukong wanted his meteorite iron back. But now, the entrusted meteorite iron had vanished?
“…Did the Azure Hero Society steal it while we weren’t looking?”
“Even so, they’re supposed to be part of the Orthodox Faction.”
“How can we trust this place with our valuables now?”
The commotion grew. The artisans frantically searched the area, but there was no way the missing meteorite iron would turn up.
Sun Wukong, watching, spoke coldly.
“They say ‘opportunity makes the thief.’ How crude.”
His tone was no longer playful.
Only his eyes had turned cold, but that was enough to make the artisans shiver as if their hearts had frozen.
“The Azure Hero Society will have to take responsibility for this.”
His voice was deep and heavy.
Im Bo and the Azure Hero Society’s martial artists, who had been standing off to the side like the dead, froze.
*
Namgung Clan’s Pavilion of Elegance.
Sun Wukong stood at the center, with Namgung Cheon-Young, Muhwa, and Wujing gathered around him.
Muhwa asked, her voice skeptical,
“There really was meteorite iron, right?”
“Dozens of people saw it. There’s no doubt the Iron Workshop’s artisans had it in their care.”
“And you really think the Azure Hero Society just stole it?”
“……”
Sun Wukong fell silent. Muhwa eyed him suspiciously.
Did the Azure Hero Society really take the meteorite iron?
Sure, it was possible.
‘They tried to take more meteorite iron back at the tavern, so maybe they got greedy. But this doesn’t add up.’
The incident at the tavern could be explained away as a few rogue martial artists acting on their own.
An apology, punishment for those responsible, and proper compensation could have settled it.
But stealing the meteorite iron that had been officially entrusted to the Iron Workshop was a different matter entirely. That was the responsibility of the entire Azure Hero Society, not just a few individuals.
And all the martial artists had witnessed the whole thing.
Now, the Azure Hero Society looked like greedy thieves who had stolen the meteorite iron and even used force.
No matter how she looked at it, the right thing would have been to return the meteorite iron on the spot.
The Azure Hero Society Muhwa knew had been quick to snatch up the Namgung Clan’s assets for cheap during the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.
‘So maybe there was never any meteorite iron to begin with…’
What trick had they pulled? Wujing, instead of Sun Wukong, was the one fuming.
“Are they really part of the Orthodox Faction? We handed it over for real. I should’ve known when they were trafficking courtesans and running shady businesses. These guys are just like the Black Path. Now they’ve even stolen the meteorite iron? Unbelievable.”
Sun Wukong still wore a light smile, his true feelings unreadable.
Wujing, on the other hand, was completely transparent.
He looked utterly wronged.
‘Did the Azure Hero Society really steal the meteorite iron?’
If that were the case, it would certainly work to their advantage.
“The Namgung Clan can definitely intervene now.”
Namgung Cheon-Young spoke, a bit excited.
“Sun Wukong is our retainer, and if we just say the meteorite iron was clan property, that’s all the justification we need.”
Muhwa bit her lip, looking at Sun Wukong.
He still wore that sly expression, teasing a cat with his finger.
“They’ll have to compensate us for this. We might even get back some of our lost assets.”
“In the long run, this isn’t a good thing.”
Muhwa shook her head firmly.
“We might get a few assets back as an apology, but we’ll never get the real prize, like the Yangha Iron Workshop. The real problem is that public opinion will turn against us. People will think the Namgung Clan set a trap and schemed this whole thing. Definitely.”
“Hmm…”
“Unless we completely crush the Azure Hero Society and absorb everything, we’ll have to settle for a compromise. And the moment we accept a few assets, people will think we set the trap and pulled a fast one. Then it’ll be even harder to get back everything we lost.”
No matter how you looked at it, it wasn’t a win. The Namgung Clan’s finances were running dry, so even a little extra income was tempting. Just thinking of the Golden Clan Lord’s perpetually furrowed brow was enough to remind her how desperate their situation was.
At that moment, Sun Wukong cut in.
“The Azure Hero Society is part of the Orthodox Faction, right?”
“They’re a bit sly and sometimes act like bullies, even pulling tricks like the Unorthodox sects, but yes, they’re Orthodox.”
“Then that’s all that matters.”
“…What?”
Muhwa tilted her head, not understanding.
Sun Wukong shrugged.
He wore a faint smile, his gaze distant.
“The Azure Hero Society wanted the meteorite iron, but there are those who want not the iron, but the Seven Star Sword’s fragment itself.”
*
Mo Seon-bo, the Azure Hero Society’s leader, let out a heavy sigh.
“So, you’re saying that meteorite iron really was entrusted to the Yangha Iron Workshop?”
“Yes, sir. All the artisans confirmed it, and other customers at the workshop saw it too.”
“Then where the hell did it go?!”
Mo Seon-bo exploded in anger. If it had simply vanished, he could have feigned ignorance. But Im Bo had led the martial artists in a failed scheme, and now the whole martial world would be watching.
They’d tried to steal someone else’s property and ended up looking like Black Path thieves.
“Clan Leader, it seems the Golden Monster is the Namgung Clan’s new retainer.”
“Damn it, the Namgung bastards were trying to buy the Yangha Iron Workshop’s business rights, and now they’ve pulled a stunt like this.”
The disappearance of the meteorite iron was a fact. Mo Seon-bo could only nod.
“We’ll have to negotiate.”
“So?”
“We’ll have to give back some assets. We’ll call it compensation and an apology for the meteorite iron. As long as we keep the best ones, it’s fine.”
Honestly, even that was hard to give up. But it was the best option—and maybe even an opportunity.
Mo Seon-bo was shrewd. During the Great War of Righteousness and Evil, while the Namgung Clan bled, he’d built up his own power.
‘Every crisis has been an opportunity.’
Right now, the Azure Hero Society looked like the culprit.
If they compromised and returned some assets?
Everyone would think the Namgung Clan had used their retainer to set them up.
The Namgung Clan was already shunned by the Orthodox Faction.
The Azure Hero Society could keep the prime assets and still win the support of other sects.
Just as Mo Seon-bo decided to head to the Namgung Clan—
“Clan Leader, something’s happened!”
An unexpected event.
“What is it?”
“A monster has appeared, demanding the meteorite iron at swordpoint. His skills are extraordinary.”
“So the rumors have spread. Meteorite iron, huh. Of course every wandering martial artist would want a piece.”
Mo Seon-bo sneered coldly.
Just a single rumor about Zhang Baodao appearing was enough to draw a crowd in Murim.
If meteorite iron had surfaced at the Yangha Iron Workshop, every martial artist in Anhui would want a look.
“How dare they look down on the Azure Hero Society…”
Mo Seon-bo ground his teeth.
Back when he was just the successor, the Azure Hero Society couldn’t even lift their heads in front of the Namgung Clan.
But since becoming leader, he’d grown the society enough to fight over assets with the Namgung Clan.
They weren’t so weak that just anyone could barge in.
Mo Seon-bo’s eyes gleamed with pride and coldness.
“Take the martial artists and deal with it. Show no mercy. There’ll be plenty of wanderers drawn by the rumors, so make an example of them.”
“Yes, sir.”
The martial artists left, brimming with confidence.
They didn’t return.
Or rather, they didn’t return alive.
Thunk!
“…!”
The corpse of a martial artist, who had charged out so bravely, landed right at their feet.
Mo Seon-bo’s eyebrow twitched.
His trembling gaze landed on the doorway, where a hulking, blood-soaked brute stood.
The giant, wielding a massive blade, glared out from beneath his filthy hair.
“Where is it? The meteorite iron—or rather, the Seven Star Sword’s fragment.”
“……”
Mo Seon-bo sensed it instantly.
A chilling presence. Even within the Orthodox Faction, sects sometimes saw each other as enemies, but when a true evil appeared, they could unite in fear.
“Hand over the fragment.”
“…And if I refuse?”
“Then I’ll have to kill everyone and burn this place down. It’ll be the only thing left in the flames.”
The brute spoke in a flat, emotionless tone.
*
“The Azure Hero Society has been attacked!”
The news reached the Namgung Clan in a flash. Whether the rumors were true didn’t matter.
The Azure Hero Society had sent a direct request for help.
Muhwa looked at Sun Wukong. He didn’t seem surprised at all—in fact, there was a faint smile on his lips.
‘So he had another plan all along!’
Muhwa asked in a stiff voice,
“What’s going on?”
“Human greed knows no bounds.”
Sun Wukong replied casually.
Human greed is endless.
The Azure Hero Society coveted the meteorite iron.
“But it wasn’t the meteorite iron they wanted—it was the Seven Star Sword’s fragment. And it seems those who truly wanted it were here in Anhui Province all along.”
Meteorite iron—or rather, the Seven Star Sword’s fragment.
Sun Wukong had thrown out bait. Not to the Azure Hero Society, but to those above the Blood-Iron Fiend.
“Well then, it’s time for us to go save the Azure Hero Society.”
Sun Wukong grinned, as if he was having the time of his life.