Chapter 142 <Must Listen>
Byeok Taesan stood by the window in his room, gazing outside.
Though it was a pitch-dark night without a trace of moonlight, his vision was as clear as daylight.
His eyes glinted as he peered outside.
"It seems they're finally starting to move."
He sensed subtle movements spreading throughout the manor.
Behind him, Hwaryeong, who had been standing silently, approached with her eyes gleaming.
"It appears they truly have something they’re searching for in the Golden Wall Manor."
It was one of the hypotheses they had predicted.
Hwaryeong and the Owner of the White Flower House had analyzed several possibilities regarding why the Golden Moon Merchants insisted on building such a peculiar relationship with the Golden Wall Merchants.
The possibility that the Golden Wall Manor housed something they desired was among those theories.
Now, judging by their actions, it seemed such an item indeed existed.
Hwaryeong cautiously asked, "What should we do? Their skills are formidable, and it wouldn’t be easy for most to secretly follow them."
The Owner of the White Flower House added, "I’ve already warned those keeping watch to be especially careful."
Byeok Taesan turned to Hwaryeong and asked, "How many among our people can avoid detection?"
"About three."
Across all the Heaven Guard Corps, the number would be far greater, but within the Golden Wall Manor, only three were available for immediate use.
And even among them, one was somewhat unreliable.
Byeok Taesan didn’t respond but continued to gaze silently out the window.
Suddenly, he had an inexplicable premonition.
"How many people can move right now?"
"Thirty."
"Send them all to the Leader's office."
"Excuse me?"
"There’s no need to hide. Have them patrol the vicinity, train in the area, or simply rest nearby."
Hwaryeong gave him a puzzled look.
However, Byeok Taesan’s orders were absolute. She bowed her head in acknowledgment.
"Understood. I’ll make the arrangements immediately."
As Hwaryeong was about to leave, Byeok Taesan added one more instruction.
"We’ll be using them for escort duties for a while, so inform my elder brother in advance as well."
•••••••
Gwan Hooseung frowned as he looked at his subordinates.
It was now the fourth night, yet there was no progress.
"Are you sure you’ve checked properly?"
One of his subordinates stepped forward to respond.
"We searched thoroughly, but we couldn’t find any location where a mechanism or formation was installed."
"Did you examine the entire Golden Wall Manor?"
"There are two places we haven’t been able to check."
"Two places?"
Gwan Hooseung’s expression darkened further.
They had spent four nights scouring the manor from top to bottom, yet there were still two unchecked locations? And it wasn’t just one place but two?
Judging by their words, there must have been a reason.
"There are too many guards near the Sect Leader’s office. Moreover, they are all highly skilled. It’s difficult to approach recklessly."
Gwan Hooseung tilted his head, puzzled.
"That’s strange. Does the Golden Wall Manor really have such skilled warriors?"
"It’s not just one or two. From what we’ve learned, they aren’t part of the Golden Wall Merchants but seem to have been brought in temporarily from outside."
"The Golden Wall Sect Leader must have gone to great lengths this time. And the other place?"
"It’s the residence of the second young master, Byeok Taesan."
"The second young master? Byeok Taesan?"
"Yes, that’s correct. There are also many skilled warriors there."
Gwan Hooseung scowled.
"How can such an average merchant group have so many experts?"
"Byeok Taesan has been steadily recruiting them, individuals like the Heavenly Divine Healer or the Needle Master, for instance."
"Are they really that strong?"
"It’s not just them. There are others as well. Just approaching the area makes your skin tingle."
Gwan Hooseung’s face grew grave.
He turned to look at Jang Joong-san, who had been observing nearby.
"Pavilion Master, are you sure this is the place?"
"The chances are over ninety percent. Personally, I’d say it’s certain."
Gwan Hooseung nodded at his confident reply.
He had witnessed Jang Joong-san’s extraordinary intuition multiple times. He had no reason to doubt it now.
"It seems sneaking around is no longer an option."
Jang Joong-san nodded in agreement.
"I think so too. Besides, there’s been an unexpected variable."
"Variable? What happened?"
"The Azure Martial Hall Faction has arrived."
Gwan Huseung's expression immediately twisted.
"Did those bastards break their promise? How many of them came?"
"Quite a few. And they're not here to skulk around looking for goods like us, they're here to fight."
"Ha, they've made up their minds, these lunatics. They know full well how many factions are entangled in Wuhan right now."
"Perhaps they're feeling desperate? If we secure this spot, that makes two for us, while Azure Martial Hall Faction hasn't found even one yet."
"Well... then shouldn't we hurry too? If we wrap this up quickly, they'll end up like dogs chasing chickens."
Jang Joong-san nodded.
"That's why I plan to meet them tomorrow. At this point, paying an appropriate price is inevitable."
"It won't be easy..."
"That much we have to endure. The gains outweigh the losses, don't you think?"
Jang Joong-san's eyes gleamed as he spoke.
"But, coming here and seeing it firsthand, I was surprised by how formidable the Golden Wall Merchants are. Byeok Taesoo, he's quite capable."
"So, are you planning to recruit him?"
"Why not? If handled well, he could be a remarkably useful blade to keep hidden."
Gwan Huseung shook his head as if the idea gave him a headache.
"Handle that as you wish. I'll just stick to the tasks assigned to me."
Jang Joong-san chuckled.
"Then rest up. You might need your strength tomorrow. If they don't cooperate, we might need to show them just how formidable we are."
Gwan Huseung rose from his seat, chuckling softly.
"Fine by me. If I'm told to, I'll follow through."
The next day, visitors arrived at the Golden Wall Manor.
The Manager was flustered by the unexpected guests.
"May I ask where you said you were from?"
The young man who stepped forward answered confidently.
"We're from the Golden Moon Merchants."
The Manager, unsure how to respond, hesitated. Before he could say anything, the young man continued.
"We're the real ones. I'm the one who secured the new trading partner for the Golden Wall Merchants."
The Manager's face showed clear confusion, unsure of how things stood.
The man smirked, but his smile carried an eerie edge.
"It seems there were some people from our merchants who arrived a few days ago, is that correct?"
"Yes, that's correct."
The man's grin deepened, his tone unsettling.
"They're impostors trying to steal my credit."
"What? But—"
"Ah, I understand you wouldn't know. This is an internal matter within the Golden Moon Merchants. Regardless, given the situation, I believe I have a right to speak with your leader, don't I?"
"Very well. Please come inside and wait in the reception room for a moment. I will deliver your message and bring back a response."
The Manager led them into the Golden Wall Manor and quickly ran off to inform Byeok Taesan.
Since matters concerning the Golden Moon Merchants were under Byeok Taesan's purview, the Manager didn't hesitate.
'We arranged a meeting for today, but I have no idea what's happening now.'
With that thought, he quickened his pace.
Jang Joong-san stared at the young man before him with a deeply unpleasant expression.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Did you think I'd just sit back and watch?"
The young man, Jang Deok-chul, smirked crookedly.
"Surely, you didn't think I'd resort to brute force, did you?"
Jang Joong-san let out a dry laugh and adjusted his expression. His face lit up with a smile, as if his displeasure had never existed.
"Of course not. Who would dare underestimate the Vice Leader of the Azure Martial Hall? Your brilliance is well-known."
"Haha. No matter how capable I am, I can't compare to the renowned Lord of Moon Pavilion, whose fame has echoed since before I was even born."
Jang Joong-san nodded, his smile widening.
"But don’t you think you brought too many warriors this time?"
"Do you think I wanted this? I know bringing so many warriors can cause misunderstandings, but what could I do? They insisted on coming, saying they were worried about me."
"You don't seem to have a firm hold on your subordinates. While informal camaraderie is fine, failing to establish a proper command structure can be dangerous."
Jang Deok-chul chuckled and waved dismissively.
"Ah, that's going too far. I can be strict when needed. If I told them to die, most would at least pretend to. Well... maybe a few would actually die."
As the two exchanged sharp words, the door opened, and the Golden Wall Manor’s manager entered.
Bowing respectfully, the secretary addressed them.
"Thank you for waiting. The Manor Master and Second Young Master have arrived."
The two men turned to the door with sharp, focused eyes.
Byeok Taesoo and Byeok Taesan entered the room slowly. Following them was Hwaryeong.
Seeing Hwaryeong, the two men’s eyes widened.
Jang Joong-san spoke, his gaze fixed on Hwaryeong.
"I expected only the two of you, but I didn't anticipate such a beautiful young lady accompanying you."
Jang Deok-chul quickly interjected.
"I agree. If it’s just a bunch of grim men talking, the atmosphere gets too dreary, doesn’t it?"
Jang Joong-san looked at Jang Deok-chul with a baffled expression.
Jang Deok-chul, however, didn’t even glance at Jang Joong-san, keeping his eyes fixed on Hwaryeong.
Noticing the lustful look in Jang Deok-chul’s eyes, Jang Joong-san smirked.
Then, as if reevaluating, he turned his gaze to Byeok Taesoo.
‘Indeed... he’s no ordinary talent.’
Once Byeok Taesoo and Byeok Taesan took their seats, silence filled the room.
Jang Deok-chul was the first to break it.
"I’m a martial artist. I prefer not to waste time on anything unrelated to martial arts training, so let’s keep this short."
Byeok Taesoo looked at Jang Deok-chul calmly and asked,
"As you wish. So, what is it that you want?"
Jang Deok-chul grinned and was about to respond when Jang Joong-san cut in.
"We’re looking for the Golden Wall."
Jang Deok-chul scowled at Jang Joong-san but quickly turned back to Byeok Taesoo, focusing on his own point.
"The name ‘Golden Wall Merchants’—it originates from that, doesn’t it?"
Inside, Byeok Taesoo was deeply alarmed. However, his expression remained meticulously composed.
Byeok Taesan, on the other hand, was different. His gaze shifted between Jang Joong-san and Jang Deok-chul with growing interest.
The fact that they knew about the Golden Wall suggested they were connected to the Demonic Cult.
However, if an organization as prominent as the Golden Moon Merchants were tied to the Demonic Cult, there was no way a Heavenly Demon like Byeok Taesan wouldn’t know.
‘But I have no knowledge of this. In fact, I didn’t even know about the Golden Wall itself.’
This realization piqued Byeok Taesan’s curiosity, making him eager to uncover the truth about these men.
"Oh ho. I feel I might get along better with the Second Young Master here than the Manor Master. Judging by your expression, it seems you know something."
Jang Deok-chul grinned slyly as he addressed Byeok Taesan.
When Byeok Taesan remained silent and stared at him, Byeok Taesoo quickly interjected.
"Why are you looking for it?"
"It’s of great importance to us."
Jang Joong-san, his gaze sharpening, addressed Byeok Taesoo.
"I seek a fair deal. Sell me the Golden Wall. I’ll not only offer a generous price but also provide opportunities for further collaboration with the Golden Moon Merchants."
At this, Jang Deok-chul stepped in.
"Sell it to me. You’ll find it far more beneficial."
Byeok Taesoo looked troubled as he listened to the two men.
"Unfortunately, the Golden Wall no longer exists."
Both men’s expressions hardened, with Jang Deok-chul looking particularly displeased.
"I have neither the time nor the patience for this. You’d best think carefully."
Despite the implicit threat, Byeok Taesoo’s gaze remained unwavering.
"The strength of the Golden Moon Merchants is formidable, but I can’t produce something that doesn’t exist. Truly, it’s gone. Well... it seems it did exist long ago."
The two stared at Byeok Taesoo in disbelief.
"The history of the Golden Wall Merchants is quite lengthy. While we’ve flourished, there were hard times. I’ve heard the Golden Wall was broken into pieces and sold off to endure those difficulties."
"That’s impossible. Surely... there were those who would have prevented such a thing."
Jang Deok-chul’s comment made Byeok Taesoo’s expression puzzling.
"That’s news to me."
In truth, Byeok Taesoo had never heard of such a matter. All he knew were tales linking the Golden Wall to the Demonic Cult.
Of course, he had no intention of revealing that here.
Jang Deok-chul clenched his teeth.
"Do you think I’ll believe that? If the Golden Wall was truly destroyed, there will be consequences."
At that moment, Byeok Taesan, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke.
"I have a question. Do you happen to know who these supposed helpers were during those hard times?"
Jang Deok-chul looked at Byeok Taesan incredulously.
"And what will you do if I know?"
Byeok Taesan grinned.
"I’ll hear them out."