Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 15

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 15
The Garden of Geumsan Sect, within the Dokgo Clan’s grounds.
Three men sat facing one another at an elaborate table laden with wine, positioned upon the Pavilion over the Pond.
“…And so the matter at Saheon-gak concluded in that manner.”
Son Tae-im, a portly man whose flesh hung loosely upon his frame, poured wine for the man seated at the head of the table.
“I did provoke him as you instructed, but he responded with far more composure than anticipated. Ahem!”
“One would expect him to grow impatient by now…but regardless, he is indeed a man of character. You have labored well.”
Dokgo Maek, the Sect Leader of Geumsan Sect seated at the head of the table, let out a soft chuckle.
As a capable branch family scion and one of the most successful Sect Leaders in matters of commerce, his countenance radiated composure and confidence.
“But tell me—has the matter with the Enforcement Division been settled?”
“It was concluded long ago. All justifications now point toward us. Even the esteemed Sect Leader of Saheon-gak will have no choice but to surrender his authority. Hehe!”
“And the ledgers?”
“I am preparing matters with Prefect Yu. How does it proceed?”
Son Tae-im turned to address the third man seated beside him.
Yu Baek-cheon, the Prefect of Baekcheon Trading Company—a man who should never have been present in this place—bowed respectfully toward Dokgo Maek.
“I have already sealed every loophole. Rest assured.”
“Ah, already?”
“How could it be otherwise, given whose command I follow?”
“Ahem!”
Son Tae-im suddenly cleared his throat, casting a suspicious glance.
“…I understand your ties to Saheon-gak run quite deep. Surely the task was not without difficulty?”
Though his words carried a tone of concern, his inflection bordered on mockery.
Yu Baek-cheon responded to Son Tae-im with an enigmatic smile.
“A merchant is one who pursues profit above sentiment, is he not?”
“Yet trust remains important nonetheless. For you, this constitutes betrayal, does it not?”
“Betrayal? I would call this the fulfillment of duty.”
“Duty?”
“Is Saheon-gak not a sinking vessel? Yet when a far greater ship approaches offering salvation, I simply grasped that hand.”
Yu Baek-cheon finished speaking and drained his cup with satisfaction.
“I have merely offered a sinking ship to my benefactor who saved me. Therefore, this is not betrayal—it is the honoring of faith.”
“Your words flow like a river in spring, do they not?”
Son Tae-im laughed derisively and glanced toward Dokgo Maek.
Yet unlike Son Tae-im, who appeared distinctly displeased, Dokgo Maek’s face bore a satisfied smile.
“Haha! Prefect Yu speaks true. Because you placed your trust in us and grasped our hand, we have been able to advance matters thus far.”
“Yes, your words are correct.”
“Do you not agree, Vice Prefect?”
“…Yes, of course.”
Son Tae-im exhaled sharply through his nose and swallowed his wine in one gulp.
Dokgo Maek’s eyes narrowed as though displeased.
‘He obeys well enough, but still…’
Son Tae-im was satisfied with everything else, but his desire to stand above his counterpart was problematic.
‘On the other hand, Yu Baek-cheon seems quite capable….’
Dokgo Maek regarded Yu Baek-cheon with a subtle smile playing at his lips.
Quick-witted and sharp at handling affairs. It was a flaw that he had lived off the Saheon-gak’s money, but hadn’t he demonstrated the coldness to sever his ties with them by his own hand?
‘Both of them are useful tools.’
The balance was excellent.
When I ascend higher than the Geumsan Sect, they are the sort who will check each other even without my presence.
‘If I hand over complete authority of the Geumsan Sect to that Tae-im fellow, there’s no telling what might happen.’
I had planned to cast out Yu Baek-cheon once the work was done, but now it seemed there might be other uses for him. If the two of them grow while restraining each other, it will all become a stepping stone for me.
“By the way, Sect Leader.”
At that moment, Yu Baek-cheon set down his cup and spoke.
“If I may be so bold, might I ask why you are so determined to obtain the Sect Tablet?”
“Heh heh, do you not know how precious an object the Sect Tablet is?”
“Well, I do understand its value….”
Though not a member of the Dokgo Clan, he understood well enough the importance the Sect Tablet held in the main family’s political structure.
But what significant change could one Sect Tablet bring to the Geumsan Sect, which belonged to no major faction?
“Ahem! Yu Baek-cheon, that is not a matter for an outsider like yourself to concern yourself with.”
Son Tae-im cleared his throat awkwardly, his discomfort evident.
“Oh! Forgive me for speaking out of turn….”
“Heh heh! No, it is time Yu Baek-cheon knew.”
“Pardon? No, Sect Leader. Even so….”
“Now, now. Tae-im, hasn’t Yu Baek-cheon already boarded the same ship as us? He should know what needs to be known.”
Dokgo Maek lifted one corner of his mouth diagonally as he regarded Yu Baek-cheon.
“Yu Baek-cheon. As you said, we are merchants. Then what do merchants do?”
Yu Baek-cheon, after a moment’s thought, answered.
“Are they not people who sell goods to others in exchange for money?”
“No. Money is not what matters.”
“Pardon?”
“The point is selling. Whether we buy and sell, or steal and sell—money, loyalty, pride, anything at all—a merchant is one who sells whatever it takes to obtain what he desires.”
“….”
“Just as you sold the Saheon-gak to grasp our hand. In that sense, you are a true merchant.”
“That is….”
“Now then, consider this. Why does this merchant Dokgo Maek seem to covet the Saheon-gak’s Sect Tablet?”
Yu Baek-cheon swallowed the saliva pooling in his mouth along with his drink.
What does Dokgo Maek desire?
Everyone knows the answer. To rise higher.
But for a mere branch member like Dokgo Maek to rise, money alone is insufficient. Just as he grasped the rope I lowered by selling the Saheon-gak, Dokgo Maek too needs a rope lowered from above.
The moment this realization struck him, Yu Baek-cheon’s eyes widened.
“Could it be…!”
Indeed, a quick-witted fellow.
Dokgo Maek smiled with a subtle curve of his lips.
“You understand why I’m broaching this matter before you, don’t you?”
“Well, that is…”
“I trust you. Once this affair concludes, I shall ascend to greater heights. And you? Shouldn’t you also be playing in these deeper waters?”
“…!”
Though Yu Baek-cheon had barely touched his drink, his face flushed crimson.
‘To speak of this to me means….’
He was being invited to become his man.
Yu Baek-cheon bit his lip firmly, forcibly restraining the corners of his mouth that threatened to rise with unbridled joy.
‘An opportunity!’
A peculiar exhilaration gleamed in Yu Baek-cheon’s eyes.
“Deputy Sect Leader, the same applies to you.”
“Pardon?”
“Should I ever depart from Geumsan Sect, who would stand in my stead?”
“…!”
Son Tae-im’s cheeks trembled slightly.
Dokgo Maek harbored a faint smirk.
‘How easily managed they are.’
Son Tae-im and Yu Baek-cheon—both strove to compose their expressions, yet everything was transparent to Dokgo Maek’s discerning gaze.
“As the saying goes, even a thousand schemes may falter at the final moment. Both of you must prepare meticulously to see this through to completion.”
“Yes! You have our trust!”
“Yes!”
“Come now, the night grows late. Let this be our final toast—to our brilliant future.”
Ting!
Three cups collided.
‘Work diligently. You must become the solid foundation upon which I ascend.’
‘At last, Geumsan Sect shall be mine.’
‘The greater stage awaits!’
Three cups clinked simultaneously at that table, yet the thoughts within each heart diverged entirely.
A night of dreams upon the same bed, yet different aspirations.
* * *
Yu Baek-cheon walked toward the Pyoguk with unsteady steps.
“Master Yu, why do you not ride in the palanquin?”
The servants and guards attempted to dissuade him with troubled expressions.
Yet Yu Baek-cheon merely chuckled softly and waved his hand dismissively.
“Ah! My spirits are too high today—I simply must walk of my own accord.”
Though Yu Baek-cheon was thoroughly intoxicated, unable to walk a straight line, his mind remained remarkably lucid.
‘The work is nearly complete. That suffocating Dokgo Wi-hak and Saheon-gak will be powerless to act!’
Once a loyal subordinate, Yu Baek-cheon now disparaged Dokgo Wi-hak without hesitation.
Saheon-gak would be unable to respond. He would never suspect his own betrayal.
What does it matter if I imagined it? The stage is already set!
‘If I play my cards right, I might actually enter the Dokgo Clan!’
Yu Baek-cheon recalled those words spoken over drinks.
The big leagues!
Just thinking about it made heat rush to his face!
He had been handling tasks according to Dokgo Maek’s orders all this time, but the man had never shown any sign of trusting him.
In other words, this was Dokgo Maek throwing him a lifeline.
And a golden one at that!
‘There was a time I thought I might become a pawn to be discarded once the job was done….’
Instead, I had managed to land on my feet.
Yu Baek-cheon smiled with satisfaction.
Before long, the entrance to the Pyo-guk came into view.
“I’ll stop by the study for a moment. You all go on inside. Have someone bring a lamp.”
Even as intoxicated as he was, sleep wouldn’t come if he didn’t settle his mind.
Yu Baek-cheon dismissed his servant and guard, intending to spend some time in the study.
“Hehehehe.”
Yu Baek-cheon was chuckling to himself as he opened the study door.
“Well, you’re here quite early.”
“…!”
An unknown visitor sat in the study—a place that should have been empty.
* * *
Yu Baek-cheon felt the alcohol instantly drain from his system.
Who is this? An assassin?
The lamplight couldn’t reach the intruder’s face.
Yu Baek-cheon opened his mouth with tension etched across his features.
“…Who are you?”
The intruder answered from the shadows.
“A robber.”
“…?”
“A robber, I said.”
“….”
What kind of robber announces themselves as a robber?
‘That youthful voice, the small frame… but where have I heard that voice before?’
Yu Baek-cheon racked his brain with a puzzled expression, then suddenly recalled someone.
“Could it be… Young Master Dokgo Myeong?”
“….”
“Are you Young Master Dokgo Myeong?”
Yu Baek-cheon let out a hollow laugh.
Since he had originally belonged to Saheon-gak, he had seen Dokgo Myeong several times and could recognize him immediately.
“Yes, I am Young Master Dokgo Myeong.”
The intruder walked slowly toward the light.
Soon, a bare face emerged—no mask concealing it.
Fair skin and delicate features unbecoming of a martial artist’s son.
His gaze seemed sharper than I remembered, but it was unmistakably Dokgo Myeong.
Yu Baek-cheon blinked.
“My, what brings you here at this ungodly hour?”
“I told you. I came to rob the place.”
“…?”
Dokgo Myeong flopped down onto the table in the center of the room.
Then he gestured to Yu Baek-cheon.
“What are you doing? Close the door and come in.”
“Ah, yes….”
Yu Baek-cheon blinked and closed the door behind him as he entered.
“If you cooperate quietly, this will end without trouble. Don’t do anything foolish—let’s keep this simple.”
What is this? Has he lost his mind?
Yu Baek-cheon carefully composed his expression and opened his mouth.
“Ahem! You should have given me notice. I nearly wasted a trip for nothing.”
“That wouldn’t have happened.”
“Pardon?”
“Isn’t it your habit to inspect the workplace before retiring for the night?”
“How did you….”
Dokgo Myeong was right—it was a habit Yu Baek-cheon had developed only after becoming the head of the Baekcheon Trading Company.
Yu Baek-cheon coughed awkwardly several times, his expression uncomfortable.
“Ahem, this is embarrassing.”
“How could someone so diligent end up like this?”
Dokgo Myeong leaned back against the chair and spoke.
Shadows danced and stretched in the lamplight.
“What do you mean, sir?”
“Even if Saheon-gak was easy prey, you shouldn’t be coming and going from Geumsan Sect so openly.”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes gleamed menacingly in the reflected firelight.
“Even a hunting dog doesn’t bite the master who raised it. The Sect Leader recognized and nurtured you when the Baekcheon Trading Company was nothing but a tiny hole-in-the-wall shop, and you betray him?”
Yu Baek-cheon remained silent without responding.
After a moment of deliberation, his eyes rolling, he finally spoke.
“How did you find out?”
“Does that matter?”
“Does the Sect Leader know as well? Not that it would matter if he did.”
“He knows well enough.”
Yu Baek-cheon sighed.
“Young Master, you came without telling anyone, didn’t you?”
“Why would I spread rumors that a grown man has turned to thievery?”
“Heh, I see.”
Yu Baek-cheon nodded.
Then, a smirk crossed his face.
“How fortunate. That you came alone without a word.”
Yu Baek-cheon rose from his seat with a smile playing at his lips.
Whoosh!
True energy began to flow from his body, and with the surging current of qi, the poison of wine was carried forth.
“I knew you were lacking, but to be this foolish. What were you thinking, coming here alone?”
Yu Baek-cheon spoke with a growl.
He was no mere merchant—he was the lord of the Baekcheon Trading Company.
Those of the Baekcheon Trading Company were originally people who stood with one foot in the martial world. No matter how much he had neglected martial cultivation after becoming lord, he had built himself into a master of considerable skill.
But what of Dokgo Myeong?
Despite being a direct descendant of a Noble Family, he was merely a young upstart who had only recently come into prominence.
Internal cultivation, experience, and years of training could not be dismissed.
“How naive you are. Then again, those of Noble Family blood always believe the world revolves around them.”
Yu Baek-cheon sneered.
Growing up without danger within the family had stripped him of all caution.
‘How fortunate for me.’
A golden future awaited him. He could not allow some insignificant upstart to ruin it.
“I knew this would happen.”
Dokgo Myeong rose from his seat, scratching the back of his head as if annoyed.
“Are you alone?”
“What did you say?”
“Whether you called for more people.”
It was similar to what he himself had asked moments before.
Yu Baek-cheon let out a derisive laugh.
“One cannot afford witnesses when dealing with a direct descendant of the Dokgo Clan, can one?”
“Perfect.”
Rumble!
A blue aura crystallized in Dokgo Myeong’s eyes.
“I also made a promise with the Sect Leader.”
He cracked his knuckles.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————