Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 46
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#046
“What brings you here?”
“I came to see the Lord of Deungmyeong Manor.”
“Deungmyeong Manor and Hao-mun seem quite close.”
“I’d like that, but the Lord still keeps his distance for now.”
“For now?”
“I’m working on it.”
Yeon-hee gave a light bow and stood in front of the gate.
Knock. Knock.
“It’s Yeon-hee. I came to see the Lord.”
At her words, the closed door opened again.
“Sister, why did you come so quickly?”
“I’m naturally diligent.”
“I see. Come in.”
Yeon-hee easily crossed the gate that Hwangbo Jeong couldn’t pass.
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
Unable to let them go like this, Hwangbo Jeong left a blatant warning.
“Don’t think too lightly of the Hwangbo Clan. You haven’t even experienced a fraction of our clan’s power yet.”
He mentioned the Hwangbo Clan, not the Shandong Trading Company. Yeon-hee didn’t let it slide either.
“Since I happened to meet the Merchant Guild Leader, I have something to tell you.”
“I have nothing to hear from you.”
“You’ll find it interesting once you hear it. Do you happen to know about Gu Dong-gu’s secret brothel in Jisanpo?”
“It’s the first I’m hearing of it.”
There was no way he didn’t know. However, since he had never visited directly, he could simply deny it. But Yeon-hee’s following words couldn’t be dismissed lightly.
“The Third Young Master of the Hwangbo Clan has been staying at the secret brothel for the past few months. He held drinking parties every night and talked about so many things. There were always courtesans present at those gatherings.”
At the mention of courtesans, chills ran down Hwangbo Jeong’s spine.
‘If there were Hao-mun courtesans there…’
It wasn’t just a possibility.
‘There definitely were.’
It was what Hao-mun did best.
Loose tongues lead to mistakes, and with alcohol involved, there was no telling what he might have said.
“Well then, until we meet again.”
Yeon-hee left those words and followed Ja-gang-cheon into Deungmyeong Manor.
Left alone, Hwangbo Jeong closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long sigh.
‘He’s given Hao-mun a pretext to get deeply involved.’
Hao-mun was more persistent than anyone when it came to such matters.
‘Nothing good will come from this dragging on.’
Hwangbo Jeong felt like he was sinking deeper into a swamp.
***
“Sister. Why did you bring up the secret brothel?”
“I did it to help the Lord.”
Yeon-hee smiled brightly after entering the manor.
That smile looked extremely dangerous to Ja-gang-cheon.
“There are only two reasons why a woman smiles prettily. She’s either in love or wants something.”
Those were Mother’s words.
“Since Sister isn’t in love, it must mean you want something, right?”
“The person who said that probably grew up in a more comfortable environment than I did. My smile like this is a survival instinct. I was able to survive because of this smile.”
“I see. It looked strangely dangerous.”
Ja-gang-cheon didn’t doubt Yeon-hee’s answer. Rather, he could understand the sense of crisis he had felt.
That reaction was unexpected to Yeon-hee.
“Do you believe what I said?”
“Sister has never lied before.”
Yeon-hee found those words truly refreshing.
To think that the Hao-mun Fifth Division Leader had never lied to someone she’d met more than five times!
She had even lied to her direct superior, the Shandong Branch Leader.
“Now that I think about it, that’s true. But isn’t it too much that you still guard against me?”
She felt wronged for a moment.
“Sister, are you wary because you’ve been directly wronged by the Hwangbo Guild?”
“That’s not it.”
As Yeon-hee answered, she realized.
“It’s because I’m from Hao-mun.”
“Can you promise that you’ll never do anything that would harm our manor in the future?”
Yeon-hee didn’t answer. It was her way of refusing to lie.
“Relationships are bound to change. The Lord and I have also changed a lot from the beginning.”
Ja-gang-cheon didn’t deny that either.
Having arrived at the rear garden, they began discussing the real purpose of today’s meeting.
“I’m going to clean up the Shandong Outpost soon. I called you to let you know in advance.”
“You’re not thinking of taking direct action, are you?”
“That’s right.”
Ja-gang-cheon answered as if it were obvious. Yeon-hee was dumbfounded but asked with a glimmer of hope.
“Have you discussed this with the Subordinate as well?”
“Of course. As always, seventy percent or more came from Cheon-gu’s head.”
“Sigh. I thought the Subordinate was somewhat normal.”
“What did you say?”
“Oh. I’m sorry. My inner thoughts slipped out.”
“You’re too calm for that to be the case, aren’t you?”
Ja-gang-cheon didn’t bother to press the issue.
“I’ve said what I needed to say. Before you go back, meet with Cheon-gu. He said he has something to discuss.”
“I will.”
Fortunately, the waiting time wasn’t boring.
As she sat in the rear garden pavilion, a young cook brought out tea.
“Hehe. A pretty guest has come.”
“Oh my! I finally get to hear those words at Deungmyeong Manor.”
Today, instead of Pansuk, the youngest member of the household, So Cheon-i, came with the tea set.
“There was such a warm and wonderful person at Deungmyeong Manor. I’m truly moved.”
“Hehe. Everyone here is a good person.”
So Cheon-i carefully placed the brewed tea in front of Yeon-hee and bowed politely.
“Have a good time.”
“Thank you. If you ever come to the port, please visit me. I’d like to repay you for today’s tea.”
“I’d like to, but I have strict orders never to meet Dan-ju alone.”
“Who gave such an order? The Lord, I suppose?”
“The Lord, the Subordinate, and even Aunt all said so.”
The aunt So Cheon-i mentioned referred to Song Ja-in.
Initially, he called her ‘Advisor’ to match her reputation, but Song Ja-in refused because it felt too distant.
Thus the title ‘Advisor Aunt’ was created, but it was awkward to say, so now everyone just called her Aunt.
Song Ja-in particularly liked that title, so it stuck.
“Everyone dislikes me as if I have some contagious disease.”
“Hehe. There’s no such thing as a pretty plague like this.”
“Oh my. Such a kind person…”
It was when Yeon-hee was making a pitiful expression with wavering eyes.
“Our So Cheon-i won’t do.”
Cheon-gu appeared.
“What won’t do?”
“Whatever it is. It won’t do.”
“Do you know that you’re becoming more like the Lord, Subordinate?”
“That won’t do either.”
“Oh my. Are you displeased?”
“Gangcheon cannot be compared to anyone.”
“I should call him Cult Leader instead of Lord.”
Cheon-gu didn’t answer and sat across from Yeon-hee.
“So Cheon-ah. I’ll ask you a favor too.”
“Yes! Subordinate!”
So Cheon showed his characteristic innocent smile and served tea in front of Cheon-gu.
“Then please have your conversation.”
Having lived at the inn for a long time, So Cheon tactfully left the area. Thanks to this, Cheon-gu and Yeon-hee could get straight to the point.
“I heard you agreed to the Lord’s dangerous plan.”
“I judged it necessary for the Lord and our Manor. Because of that, I have a proposal for Dan-ju as well.”
“What kind of proposal?”
“While the matter is being resolved, please prevent the Hwangbo Clan from coming to Jiao-nan.”
“That’s not an easy task.”
Yeon-hee picked up her teacup and fell into thought. She was instinctively calculating what answer would be most beneficial.
But Cheon-gu had no intention of giving her time.
“Since it’s not an easy task, there will be compensation for Dan-ju. I heard that was already agreed upon with our Lord.”
Yeon-hee paused for a moment.
‘This guy is indeed the most troublesome.’
Yeon-hee had never once gained the upper hand against Cheon-gu.
This time she tried to put on airs since she was in the position of receiving a request, but her opponent balanced things out with just one sentence.
“Fine. But even so, this won’t work without something more to make it successful.”
“I know. So I’ll give you justification.”
“What kind of justification?”
“For this matter only, Deungmyeong Manor will appoint Cheon-o Dan-ju as mediator.”
This meant entrusting Cheon-o Dan-ju with all the grounds and justification that Deungmyeong Manor could present against the Hwangbo Clan.
For Yeon-hee, this was a more reliable weapon than any heavenly sword.
“If it’s such a proposal, I must accept it.”
“Please take care of it.”
They finished their negotiation by exchanging only the necessary words without adding unnecessary details.
Was that why?
Yeon-hee, who was finishing the remaining tea, felt puzzled.
‘I didn’t hear the objective.’
Ja-gang-cheon had said ‘I’m going to settle the Pyo-guk.’
Cheon-gu had said ‘Please block the Hwangbo Clan.’
Simply thinking about it, it meant to block the Hwangbo Clan while settling the Pyo-guk.
‘What’s the point of blocking them like that?’
In the first place, if they didn’t settle the Pyo-guk, there would be no need to negotiate with the Hwangbo Clan.
If she forced herself to understand it, it wasn’t impossible, but no matter how she thought about it, it didn’t feel natural.
‘Just attacking the Pyo-guk because they can’t back down? While leaving the Merchant Guild right next to them alone?’
Yeon-hee put down her teacup and stared at Cheon-gu.
When Cheon-gu met her gaze, he showed a slight smile.
That smile was quite kind and natural.
‘He’s a dangerous guy.’
She realized why Ja-gang-cheon had said such things about his own smile when she looked at Cheon-gu.
***
“Ugh…”
Gu Dong-gu saw the morning sunlight after a long time.
Sitting on the A-frame carrier and looking at the swaying sky was quite poetic.
Not walking on his own legs was also quite an interesting experience.
It had been quite a while since he’d forgotten such romance.
If he could have such a precious experience, he could endure a little pain as the price.
“Ugh! Kugh!”
If only the pain could be a little smaller.
Every time the roughly running six-foot giant stepped down, he received the shock of falling from the Second Floor.
‘Damn bastard. He should have trained more in lightness skills.’
Glancing to the side, he saw Ja-gang-cheon running smoothly as if gliding on ice.
Cheon-gu beside him was also displaying quite excellent lightness skills, now that he looked.
“Kugh!”
At least twenty bones were broken. During that time, he had lain still hoping to recover quickly, but the harsh Cargo Hold environment and insufficient food hadn’t allowed him to recover as much as he wanted.
‘Is it because of karma?’
The time spent in the Cargo Hold like an abandoned dog had become an opportunity to reflect on himself.
At the end of that long repentance, the conclusion he reached was simple.
‘It’s unfair!’
He still felt wronged.
But it seemed like there was no turning back.
‘Crazy bastards…’
The morning sunlight was unusually warm.
‘An assault on such a nice day.’
These guys were currently on their way to launch an assault.
-Come on! Let’s go assault them!
That’s what Ja-gang-cheon had said when leaving the Manor.
What were they doing last night, and why set out in the morning when everyone goes to work?
The flower of surprise attacks isn’t night raids for nothing.
“Stupid bastards.”
It was when he had that thought.
“Ugh!”
Pansuk suddenly stopped moving, causing Gu Dong-gu’s body sitting on the A-frame carrier to shake violently.
“Hyeongnim. This bastard just spoke.”
“I heard.”
Gu Dong-gu got goosebumps.
‘I thought I was thinking to myself.’
This was more of a disaster than a morning assault.
Crack crack crack!
“Aaaaah!”
He was a cruel bastard. He twisted the ankle that had just started to heal like twisting a tree branch.
“Pl-please spare me!”
“I won’t kill you.”
Crack crack crack!
Having twisted his remaining ankle as well, Gu Dong-gu had to endure it by gritting his teeth so hard he could taste blood.
“Only say what’s necessary.”
“Yes! Yes! I understand!”
He was a bastard who deserved every curse imaginable.
If you twisted something, shouldn’t you put it back in place?
That bastard had no idea how agonizing it was to collapse in the Cargo Hold and try to set his own ankle.
“Let’s go.”
The bastard who had inflicted hellish pain spoke in a cheerful voice, as if he were going out to play with a friend.
‘Vicious bastard. Son of a bitch. Fucking bastard. Bastard who should be fried to death in shit water.’
Gu Dong-gu poured out every possible curse throughout the entire journey to their destination. Of course, he never said any of it out loud.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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