My Father Is the Number One Under Heaven - Chapter 77

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 77. Haomun
His eyes sparkled now with a peculiar brightness, so unlike before that one might wonder if even one’s gaze could be feigned.
At the same moment, the middle-aged woman beside him bowed respectfully and withdrew.
It was the complete opposite of how she’d entered the room moments ago.
When the man asked how he’d known, Yeo Unhwi answered as though it were nothing.
“Just a hunch?”
“A hunch, you say?”
“You looked far too well-nourished for a servant. The attendants I know all look exhausted, but you didn’t seem that way at all.”
“Is that truly your only reason?”
“If I’d been wrong, I would have assumed your household treated its servants generously. But fortunately I was right, so my instinct proved sound. Wasn’t it?”
“What? Ha, ha, ha, ha!”
The man burst into hearty laughter.
He found himself wondering when last he’d laughed so freely.
This visitor was quite an amusing person, whoever he might be.
He was bold to the point of rudeness, and he was clearly a formidable master of martial arts.
Regardless, the man found Yeo Unhwi oddly appealing.
There was something magnetic about him.
“I thought my disguise was flawless, but I never considered such details. I’m grateful. I’ll be more careful in the future.”
“Do as you like.”
Yeo Unhwi gave a slight shrug.
The man, who had been wearing a faint smile, soon fixed Yeo Unhwi with a serious gaze.
“Then I have but one question.”
“Go ahead.”
“If you wish to conduct proper business with us, you must first reveal your identity.”
“Why? Don’t you people sell information to anyone who pays enough?”
The man shook his head at Yeo Unhwi’s words.
“That applies only when we’re dealing in less crucial information—the lower grades. Given that you’ve sought us out directly, I gather you’re after something considerably more valuable. In such cases, the customer’s standing must be established above all else.”
Though he hadn’t yet asked, it was clear enough.
The information Yeo Unhwi sought surely belonged to the highest tier they handled.
But even so, the man’s demand for his identity seemed unreasonable at first glance.
Seeing Yeo Unhwi’s hesitation, the man released a long breath.
“To be more candid—we must confirm you’re not a Demonic Cult member. We never deal with them.”
“Mm. I like that.”
Now understanding, Yeo Unhwi nodded.
It made sense.
While they doubtless maintained certain principles, the real concern was clear: were word to spread that they’d sold critical intelligence to a Demonic Cult member, they risked becoming a public enemy of the Martial World and wouldn’t survive. That particular detail they guarded with absolute rigor.
As for whether they might expose his identity elsewhere, he had no such worries.
Revealing a client’s information would be the same as destroying all trust an intelligence organization possessed.
In fact, from the moment Yeo Unhwi had decided to find this place, he’d assumed their relationship would be long-standing and had no intention of hiding his identity.
He’d simply questioned the demand out of curiosity.
“I am Yeo Unhwi, the commander of the Baekrangdae of the Peng Family.”
“Mm? The Baekrangdae—you mean the Martial Force Brigade of the Peng Family that severed the head of Geukaksomaor the Extreme Evil Demon?”
“Fortune smiled on us.”
The man’s face registered genuine surprise at this unexpected revelation.
The Baekrangdae of the Hebei Peng Family.
If one were to name the most celebrated and widely discussed Martial Force Brigade in the Martial World these days, it would be them.
Once merely a nuisance to the Peng Family, they had abruptly become the center of attention when they severed the head of one of the Absolute Evil.
Word had it that the Clan Patriarch of the Namgung Clan, who had lost family to the Extreme Evil Demon, and the leader of the Sadao Alliance both wished to meet them personally and offer their gratitude.
Yet for all the acclaim the Baekrangdae had received, there were voices on the other side who dismissed their feat—cutting down an Extreme Evil Demon who was already gravely wounded—as unremarkable.
This was something suddenly famous groups always encountered.
And moreover.
Even now, despite their acclaimed victory, many harbored doubts about the Baekrangdae’s true capabilities.
They argued that the Baekrangdae still fell far short of being compared to such elite Martial Force Brigades as the Changgeong Sword Brigade and the Jewang Sword Brigade of the Namgung Clan, or the Nine Dragon Brigade of the Sacheon Tang Clan.
There was certainly some merit to such claims.
The Baekrangdae’s previous record had been the complete opposite of what it was now.
Thus many wondered what the Baekrangdae would do next.
Their reputation would be shaped by what came afterward.
Though the members themselves paid it little mind.
And there was one more curious thing.
Even as the Baekrangdae distinguished itself and gained renown, it remained surprisingly unknown who the commander was, or what kind of person he might be.
His achievements were remarkable enough to warrant stepping into the spotlight and earning greater renown, yet he seemed to deliberately shy away from prominence—and so rumors about the Baekrangdae’s leader only multiplied in the streets.
And yet,
‘So it’s him. The leader of Baekrangdae.’
The man stared at Yeo Unhwi intently.
His eyes gleaming with a peculiar intensity.
And he noticed that the Extreme Evil Demon’s true circumstances differed greatly from what the world had been told.
“I’d heard the Extreme Evil Demon was grievously wounded when he fell to Baekrangdae. But that wasn’t quite right, was it?”
At the man’s question, Yeo Unhwi let out a soft laugh and replied.
“You ask a great many questions, don’t you? I came here to purchase information, not to regale someone with tall tales about trifles.”
“Ah, my apologies! Ha! I’m simply the sort who can’t restrain his curiosity. In any case, your identity is beyond doubt. I understand.”
Though he wasn’t making a show of it, the man found himself not merely surprised but bewildered by Yeo Unhwi’s demeanor.
What would others have made of such words?
To call the slaying of the Extreme Evil Demon a trifle.
Who in this world would speak so casually of such a feat?
One thing was certain: an exceptional figure had walked into this place.
“Then allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Jin Sobaek, Master of Haomun.”
The man smiled faintly.
“So, what information do you seek?”
At Jin Sobaek’s question, Yeo Unhwi answered without the slightest hesitation.
“Every fortnight, I’d like to receive comprehensive reports on the movements within the Central Plains martial world as a whole, including major events and the activities of all organizations classified as Special Grade.”
At Yeo Unhwi’s words, Jin Sobaek’s face twitched slightly.
In other words, this was tantamount to asking him to meticulously compile and deliver all intelligence arising in the martial world every fortnight, without exception.
“This… the information value would be quite steep. Are you certain?”
“That’s precisely what I wanted to ask you. Can you manage it every fortnight? If it seems too much, say so at any time.”
Can we manage it?
Jin Sobaek’s lips curved upward.
Such a provocation. In all his years as Master of Haomun, he’d never heard such a thing.
“You’re not questioning the intelligence capabilities of Haomun, surely?”
“Hardly. If I had, I wouldn’t have troubled myself to come here. I simply thought to return your concern for my finances with a concern of my own for yours.”
…….
This man’s martial prowess was formidable enough, certainly.
But his force of personality was equally unrelenting—his character altogether extraordinary.
Jin Sobaek let out a short breath and nodded slowly.
“It’s possible. Then let me ask: you’re certain about the money, yes?”
Money.
First and foremost, everything hinged on whether money was available or not.
Strong martial arts didn’t necessarily guarantee deep coffers.
This was the one point Haomun absolutely had to confirm beyond doubt.
“What would be appropriate?”
“Two thousand taels every fortnight.”
Jin Sobaek smiled inwardly.
How many people in the Central Plains could pay out two thousand taels every single fortnight without fail?
So he’d deliberately quoted five hundred taels higher than he’d originally considered, hoping to shake the man’s resolve.
And yet,
“That works. Let’s go with that.”
“Pardon?”
“I said let’s do it. And whenever you provide additional information I request, add another thousand taels on top. Will that suffice?”
“Well, that is to say—”
“This is an advance payment.”
Immediately, Yeo Unhwi set a Money Pouch on the table. Then he smiled wickedly.
“You know well enough where to find me. I’ll await two weeks hence. Let’s see what Haomun’s intelligence capabilities truly amount to.”
“Wait, just a moment—!”
Jin Sobaek called out urgently to Yeo Unhwi.
But Yeo Unhwi had already vanished.
Only the empty seat where he’d been sitting remained, echoing with silence.
His Lightness Martial Arts was so extraordinary that even the eye couldn’t follow his departure.
“Just who is this man?”
Jin Sobaek’s face went slack with astonishment.
But then his eyes began to gleam.
“Hah, truly. This is how it’s done. All right then. Let me show you. Let me show you what Haomun’s intelligence capabilities are worth. You won’t believe what we’ll turn up!”
Thus, Haomun’s master Jin Sobaek had just landed himself a major client—one worthy of the Special Grade.
Even better, he’d secured a promise of substantial, steady payments.
Yet it was curious how his face bore an irritated expression when he ought to have been pleased. Was it merely his imagination?
***
Yeo Unhwi’s silhouette slipped rapidly out of Beijing.
Why had he chosen Haomun today instead of Gaebang?
Granted, Gaebang also ranked and sold information, just as Haomun did.
The procedures were admittedly more cumbersome than Haomun’s, though as someone affiliated with the Peng Family, Yeo Unhwi might have found dealings with them more advantageous on the surface.
Yet in the long view, such a choice struck him as unwise.
Gaebang was, after all, one of the Nine Great Sects and One Bang.
The more he dealt with them, the more they would begin to scrutinize him.
And he risked drawing the attention of the Nine Great Sects themselves, including Gaebang’s own leadership.
In other words, dealings with Gaebang would only tighten the noose around his own neck.
Haomun, by contrast, was refreshingly straightforward—money in, information out.
Fortunately, he’d learned entirely by chance before his return that Haomun’s headquarters was based in Beijing.
At that time, as the Blood Demon, the knowledge had been useless to him. Now, here he was, putting it to use.
And so Yeo Unhwi had settled on Haomun.
True, he’d had to reveal his identity in the process, but there was no danger of that information leaking.
If he were honest, with his current resources, he could have founded an information network himself without much trouble—but that would have been exhaustingly tedious.
In fact, establishing such an organization would cost him several times more than simply bankrolling Haomun.
Since he harbored no ambition for Martial World Unification, he saw no reason to go to such lengths.
Still, two thousand silver taels every half-month was a considerable sum.
An amount ordinary people could scarcely dream of.
Yet with the wealth Yeo Unhwi now possessed, he could fund Haomun’s information for him until his dying day without feeling the slightest pinch.
Jin Sobaek’s reputation had reached his ears even before his return, so the master would surely prove worth the investment.
Whether he truly lived up to that renown—well, he’d find out in a fortnight.

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