Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 63

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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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#063

 

Hwangbo Taejin heard hopeful news.

 

“The Beggar’s Sect came?”

 

“Yes. After they arrived, the attacks on Deungmyeong Manor stopped.”

 

It felt like a downpour had stopped and bright sunlight was shining through.

 

“Once we reach Jinan, everything will return to normal. Hurry.”

 

They quickened their pace and finally reached the Jinan they had so desperately wanted to reach.

 

But Jinan was not the atmosphere they had hoped for.

 

“Where are the Beggar’s Sect members?”

 

Not a single member of the Beggar’s Sect, who were supposedly spread throughout Jinan, could be seen.

 

That wasn’t all.

 

The attire of the Hwangbo Clan had always received respectful gazes, but not now.

 

People began whispering while glancing around nervously.

 

“Did the Hwangbo Clan really do such things?”

 

“There are countless businesses that had their enterprises unjustly stolen.”

 

“The methods were so terrible that over five hundred people died. Many innocent children were among them.”

 

Hwangbo Taejin, who would normally have been outraged, was too shocked to speak.

 

If even ordinary people, not martial artists, were talking like this, it meant the rumors had spread beyond control.

 

As they walked uncomfortably, fortunately familiar figures came into view.

 

“Lord. I am Hwangbo Jinil of the Northern Guard Unit. I am overseeing the warriors gathered in Jinan.”

 

Behind Hwangbo Jinil, who was responsible for moving the northern warriors, about a hundred warriors stood in formation.

 

“I will escort you to Sando Guesthouse first.”

 

Even if the clan had fallen, there were plenty of places for them to stay.

 

“I’ll check the main house first.”

 

“I will escort you.”

 

Leaving the surrounding gazes behind, Hwangbo Taejin went to the main house and was shocked.

 

Though he had expected it, seeing it directly with his own eyes made his mind reel.

 

At least workers were cleaning up the ashes and preparing for reconstruction, but their expressions were all dark.

 

They too had heard the rumors.

 

“What are the rumors circulating about us?”

 

Hwangbo Taejin asked the question he had briefly postponed. Hwangbo Jinil answered with a calm expression.

 

“It’s not just rumors – the diary written by the Subordinate and the stolen ledgers have been made public. Hao-mun disclosed them to the Beggar’s Sect, and the Beggar’s Sect withdrew completely immediately after confirming them. And those materials are spreading nationwide.”

 

This meant it was material acknowledged by both Hao-mun and the Beggar’s Sect. Then this was no longer a rumor.

 

‘It’s not a rumor but the truth that’s spreading.’

 

Cold sweat ran down Hwangbo Taejin’s face.

 

Then, a clan warrior who had rushed over bowed his head and reported.

 

“Somyeong Merchant Guild, which had agreed to help with the clan reconstruction work, suddenly notified us that they’re canceling the schedule.”

 

That wasn’t all.

 

“All those who had promised to lend strength to the main house are withdrawing.”

 

“Muho Wuguan has canceled the warrior dispatch.”

 

“Isn’t Muho Wuguan like our subsidiary martial hall?”

 

“They said there was a conflict with another martial hall, but we couldn’t determine the truth.”

 

It was probably an excuse.

 

‘It’s a martial hall that the branch family established using bribes. For such a place to turn their back…’

 

Hwangbo Taejin decided to see the rumors directly.

 

“Bring me the materials that Hao-mun disclosed.”

 

He moved to the nearby Sando Guesthouse. And in a luxury room for distinguished guests, he faced that truth.

 

The content compressed into three sheets of paper included incidents that even Hwangbo Taejin didn’t know about.

 

“Did such things really happen?”

 

After checking all the incidents, he became ashamed of being part of the Hwangbo Clan.

 

Among them were things he couldn’t understand at all.

 

-Blacksmith Jang Hansub, who made farming tools in Southern Jiangjia Village in Shandong Province, was murdered in the process of refusing to join Shandong Cheobbang. And to cover this up, they even killed his five-year-old daughter and pregnant wife.

 

“Why on earth would they do such a thing…”

 

-They framed Jangpung Pyohyeon and massacred the escort agency head and his family. About a hundred people from the escort agency died. There were three nursing infants alone, and seventy who had not learned martial arts.

 

After reading all that content, Hwangbo Taejin no longer coveted the position of Lord.

 

‘I want to escape.’

 

It felt unfair that he had to take responsibility for all these things.

 

‘What should I do now?’

 

Only then did Hwangbo Taejin see the various people waiting for his instructions.

 

Annoyingly, even the elders who always gave advice were keeping their mouths shut.

 

“Find Ja-gang-cheon and Song Ja-in.”

 

The answer didn’t come immediately. After enough time for several deep breaths passed, his subordinates answered in deflated voices.

 

“We will follow your command.”

 

The subordinates knew that Ja-gang-cheon and Song Ja-in had already left Jinan.

 

Yet they didn’t bother to say so because they knew there was no better command than this.

 

‘Let’s just escape from this position.’

 

For now, escaping from this uncomfortable position was important.

 

***

 

More than a month had passed since Hwangbo Taejin returned.

 

-The Donghai Merchant Guild and Deungmyeong Manor people who had left Jiao-nan have all returned.

 

-The money entrusted to Shandong Jeonjang is rapidly draining out. All the major businesses are withdrawing completely. If we don’t replenish funds, we’ll be unable to make payments.

 

If the exchange house couldn’t return the money entrusted to it, trust would plummet rapidly.

 

From that point on, there would be no meaning in operating.

 

The exchange house was the core of operating the massive Hwangbo Clan, and if they closed, other businesses would be meaningless.

 

-The new Shandong Trading Company head has rejected the support plan requested by the main house.

 

-Places wanting to purchase Shandong Medicine Shop and the fabric store have appeared.

 

This was what he heard all month long.

 

As the exchange house’s credibility plummeted rapidly, the funds moving within the clan dried up.

 

Having no funds to operate over ten thousand family members meant they would soon collapse.

 

And the most feared thing happened.

 

-We were refused participation in the Five Great Clans’ autumn meeting.

 

The other Five Great Clans refused to associate with the Hwangbo Clan.

 

That was the decisive blow.

 

The Hwangbo Clan, having lost the prestige of being one of the Five Great Clans, couldn’t hold on. Even the businesses that had been watching until the end withdrew money from the exchange house and pressured them to hand over business rights if payments were delayed.

 

The sturdy great tree began withering from the branches, and now even the roots were rotting.

 

-All businesses are reducing personnel. It seems the main house should also reduce people.

 

A clan is bound not by money but by blood relations. Casting out someone from here was never an easy task.

 

Still, they had to reduce people to survive, but the sense of betrayal from those cast out was very deep.

 

‘The entire future is crumbling.’

 

Hwangbo Taejin, who had become as haggard as the crumbling clan, now hated even receiving reports.

 

He wanted to step down from the Lord position immediately, but no one would take it.

 

No matter how much it had fallen, why would they refuse the position of Hwangbo Clan Lord?

 

‘They want me to carry it all.’

 

There were several who coveted the Lord position immediately, but they wanted Hwangbo Taejin to carry all the blame.

 

They wanted to take the Lord position in a somewhat cleaner situation.

 

‘I want to end this quickly.’

 

The past month had been enough to break Hwangbo Taejin’s will.

 

And as if waiting for that moment, a visitor arrived.

 

“The Gaebang Bangju and Deungmyeong Manor Jangju have requested a visit.”

 

“You’re saying they’re coming together?”

 

“Yes.”

 

An official letter arrived from Deungmyeong Manor. However, instead of Hao-mun, the name of the Gaebang Bangju was written as the mediator.

 

“When?”

 

“In three days.”

 

“Understood. Prepare to receive them.”

 

There was no martial artist in the world who would refuse a visit request from the Gaebang Bangju.

 

And so, three days later, Hwangbo Taejin was finally able to see Ja-gang-cheon’s face in person, which he had so desperately wanted.

 

Ja-gang-cheon entered the main house of the Hwangbo Clan, where only basic construction work had just begun.

 

Wooden pillars were erected in various places, but it didn’t feel like restoration was progressing actively.

 

“How does it feel to return to a place you personally set on fire?”

 

Hwangbo Taejin greeted him with sharp words at the place where they arrived after being guided.

 

“Not pleasant. This sight could have been our Deungmyeong Manor.”

 

When Ja-gang-cheon boldly retorted, Ho-bang-gae, who came with him, stepped forward.

 

“This old beggar came personally out of concern. It’s been a long time since I last saw you when you were about ten years old.”

 

“Please come in. I apologize for receiving you in such a humble place.”

 

“What apology? It’s natural for a beggar to go to humble places.”

 

Ho-bang-gae acknowledged that the site of the Hwangbo Clan’s main house was indeed humble.

 

He was subtly reproaching the Hwangbo Clan.

 

Hwangbo Taejin, who couldn’t be unaware of this, showed an uncomfortable expression, and he saw other figures who touched his nerves.

 

Behind Ja-gang-cheon were three people, and their eyes looking at Hwangbo Taejin were extremely fierce.

 

“I am Ak-pung-jin, the leader of Jangpung Pyohyeon.”

 

Ak-pung-jin’s voice trembled faintly as he greeted. He was suppressing his anger.

 

“I am Jin Hyeon-pil of Jinjuk Martial Arts School.”

 

“I am Baek Seo-u of Iseongsadan Merchant Guild.”

 

At the greetings filled with hostility, Ho-bang-gae stepped forward.

 

“The person who used coercive measures against you all is not the current Lord. How about listening to what he has to say first?”

 

Who would dare refuse Ho-bang-gae’s suggestion?

 

The meaning of this gathering was revealed.

 

Hwangbo Taejin had already anticipated this and accepted the situation helplessly.

 

With a temporarily made table between them, Hwangbo Taejin and Ja-gang-cheon sat facing each other. Ja-gang-cheon somehow remembered the moment when he had sat facing Hwangbo Baek before.

 

At that time, neither of them was interested in peaceful negotiations, so that meeting had no great significance.

 

But today’s atmosphere was different.

 

“I’ll give you an opportunity.”

 

Ja-gang-cheon spoke first.

 

“An opportunity?”

 

Hwangbo Taejin unconsciously responded with hostility. Ho-bang-gae sent him a sharp glare.

 

“Let me say something to the Lord first.”

 

“I will listen carefully.”

 

“If today’s negotiations fall through, at least within the orthodox sects, there will be no one who wants to associate with the Hwangbo Clan ever again. Including Gae-bang.”

 

That’s why Ja-gang-cheon called it an opportunity.

 

“The only chance for the Hwangbo Clan to cast off everything and start anew is right now.”

 

“What do you want?”

 

“Acknowledge all past wrongdoings in the name of the Hwangbo Clan. And personally apologize and provide sufficient compensation to those who suffered damages.”

 

In the Hwangbo Clan’s current situation, providing damage compensation would mean giving up most of their businesses.

 

Knowing how heavy the weight of a single word could be, Hwangbo Taejin pondered repeatedly.

 

But the moment he looked at Ja-gang-cheon across from him, he realized he was mistaken about something.

 

Ja-gang-cheon’s expression was cold.

 

As if he didn’t like this meeting at all. So he asked.

 

“Do you dislike this negotiation, Jangju?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Why is that?”

 

“Because I can’t kill you.”

 

Hearing that concise answer, Hwangbo Taejin clearly realized his reality.

 

“If you want to fight so much, why did you come to negotiate?”

 

“Because the value of the lives I must protect is greater than the life I want to kill.”

 

This answer made Hwangbo Taejin ashamed.

 

Hwangbo Taejin’s complicated thoughts were organized by that single statement.

 

‘What choice should I make for the Hwangbo Clan?’

 

He had never thought about this before.

 

He had always thought, ‘What would benefit the Hwangbo Clan with me as its Lord?’

 

For the first time, Hwangbo Taejin thought only of the Hwangbo Clan.

 

“How could something so simple… what kind of swamp have I been trapped in all this time?”

 

Hwangbo Taejin spoke in a deflated voice.

 

“I will accept it.”

 

It was the moment when the Hwangbo Clan raised the white flag to Deungmyeong Manor.

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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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