Namgung Heavenly Demon - Chapter 78

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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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Chapter 78

Deep dawn, nearly a full day after Namgung Cheon and Lady Namgung Rin had entered the stone chamber.

Branch manager Namgung Seon looked out the office window with an anxious expression.

His gaze naturally turned toward the stone chamber.

‘They’re not coming out.’

A full day had passed, yet the stone chamber area was as quiet as a tomb.

They were precious guests from the main family.

He didn’t know why they needed the stone chamber, but their skipping meals and staying secluded worried him greatly.

Whether there were any inconveniences, or if there was some problem.

‘I can’t go and ask them…’

Namgung Seon sighed and turned around.

That’s when it happened.

Urgent footsteps could be heard from outside the door.

“Branch manager! A guest has arrived.”

“A guest?”

Namgung Seon’s brow furrowed.

There shouldn’t be any guests visiting at such an early hour.

“Turn them away. What business could there be at this crack of dawn.”

“However… Ma Daesan, the head of Cheonripyoguk, has come personally.”

“…!”

Namgung Seon’s expression brightened at that name.

Cheonripyoguk.

A newly established pyoguk that had been expanding its influence at a frightening pace throughout the Hannam region recently.

And.

‘Did the escort mission succeed?’

Namgung Seon had invested in their escort mission to overcome the branch’s financial difficulties.

‘The promised date should still be several days away.’

But the fact that the head came personally meant things had been completed earlier than expected and successfully.

‘Thank goodness. I can deliver good news while the main family members are here.’

Namgung Seon straightened his clothes with relief.

“Bring him in quickly. He’s an honored guest.”

Shortly after, the door opened and a middle-aged man with a protruding belly, Ma Daesan, and what appeared to be his bodyguards entered.

“Ah, branch manager. It’s been a while.”

Ma Daesan gave a weak greeting and slumped into a seat.

“Welcome. You’re earlier than expected. Did the escort mission go well?”

Namgung Seon asked, unable to hide his anticipation.

Then Ma Daesan let out a deep sigh and shook his head.

“That’s the thing… Something terrible has happened.”

At those words, Namgung Seon’s expression darkened completely.

“…Don’t tell me.”

“The silk cargo was completely robbed by those Green Forest bastards!”

“What are you saying!”

Namgung Seon’s voice rose.

“Are you saying this escort mission… failed?”

“Do you think I’m comfortable about this? Several escorts died and were injured.”

Ma Daesan made an aggrieved expression.

But Namgung Seon couldn’t believe his words at face value.

“Didn’t you say it was bringing silk from Sichuan to Hannam? It’s a route where Green Forest’s influence isn’t strong, so are you telling me there’s a Green Forest stronghold on that path bold enough to touch Cheonripyoguk’s flag?”

“Branch manager, you don’t know how the world works. Green Forest isn’t what it used to be these days.”

Ma Daesan clicked his tongue and continued.

“Ever since a new chief took over, they’ve been moving very systematically. This time too, they came at us with full intent. We were helpless.”

The changes in Green Forest.

Since it was indeed a rumor spreading throughout Gangho, Namgung Seon had no particular words to refute it.

“Even so…”

Namgung Seon couldn’t continue his words and clenched his fists tightly.

He had invested all of his personal wealth and nearly half of the support funds sent from the main family.

And now that money had gone down the drain.

Then, Ma Daesan opened his mouth as if he had been waiting for this.

“However, no matter what, a contract is a contract, isn’t it.”

“…”

“Joint investment method. We share profits when they come, but we also share responsibility for losses.”

Saying this, Ma Daesan pulled out a contract from his chest and waved it.

“It’s clearly stated in the contract. Investors must also bear losses due to force majeure accidents.”

At his words, Namgung Seon’s eyes turned cold.

“Then what happened to the trading guild that commissioned the silk? Isn’t it none other than the famous Taeju Trading Guild?”

Taeju Trading Guild.

Among the trading guilds rooted in Hannam, it was the most prestigious and largest in scale.

The reason Namgung Seon decided to invest was because this job involved the Taeju Trading Guild.

However.

“Oh, don’t even mention it. Their head merchant is also in an uproar. He’s raging about compensation for the goods, and we’re about to go bankrupt too.”

Ma Daesan beat his chest as if aggrieved.

“…”

Such smooth excuses, perfect evasion of responsibility.

Namgung Seon’s eyes narrowed.

“Fine. Let’s say it was an accident, giving you every benefit of the doubt.”

Namgung Seon stood up, pressing his hands on the table.

“But I can’t believe it until I confirm it with my own eyes. Let me meet directly with the others who participated in this investment and the head merchant of Taeju Trading Guild.”

“What?”

Ma Daesan’s eyes twitched.

“I need to get to the bottom of this. Whether it was truly an unavoidable accident.”

At Namgung Seon’s firm attitude, Ma Daesan’s expression hardened.

“You don’t trust what people say, branch manager.”

“Trust isn’t built with words.”

“Ha, this is really something.”

Ma Daesan smiled coldly and leaned back.

His eyes sank coldly.

“How long are you going to keep throwing this tantrum?”

“Tantrum?”

“Didn’t I tell you it failed, that everything was robbed!”

As Ma Daesan shouted, the four bodyguards standing behind him stepped forward in unison.

Thoom!

A heavy vibration that shook the floor.

Energy rose from their entire bodies.

Each one was a master who had reached the pinnacle realm.

“…!”

Namgung Seon stepped back in shock.

“What is the meaning of this! How dare you, in a Namgung branch!”

Namgung Seon shouted angrily, but Ma Daesan sneered.

“Don’t hide behind the Namgung name. This isn’t clan business, it’s your personal problem of whining after losing money, isn’t it?”

Ma Daesan flicked his finger.

Then.

Sring—.

The bodyguard warriors drew their swords and took another step toward Namgung Seon.

A chilling killing intent pierced his skin.

‘These bastards… they’ve made up their minds.’

They probably had no intention of killing him.

Killing the Namgung branch manager would bring too much trouble later.

However, their plan was likely to subdue him with overwhelming force so he could never speak up about this matter again.

Sring—.

Namgung Seon also drew his sword.

Though he was outnumbered, he couldn’t abandon his pride as a warrior.

Namgung Seon’s eyes became bloodshot.

“I’ll ask one last time. Tell me the truth!”

“Ha, I already told you the truth. You’re the one who won’t believe it and is throwing a tantrum.”

Ma Daesan sneered.

That mockery severed Namgung Seon’s last thread of reason.

“You bastard!”

Unable to hold back, Namgung Seon let out a roar of rage.

Then the bodyguards pointed their swords at Namgung Seon.

Just as an irreversible fight was about to begin.

“Stop.”

A single word that thundered through the office.

At that one word, both Namgung Seon and the bodyguards froze simultaneously.

And.

Creak.

The tightly closed office door quietly opened.

Through the open doorway, the long shadows of two people backlit by moonlight stretched out.

A young man in black martial robes and a woman holding a pipa.

It was Namgung Cheon and Namgung Rin.

“Wh-who are you!”

Ma Daesan shouted in panic.

But Namgung Cheon’s gaze was.

“How dare you.”

Directed at the bodyguards who had drawn their swords.

“Point swords at the Namgung.”

* * *

“…”

Ma Daesan’s breath stopped at the chilling sensation touching his nape.

He stiffly lowered his head like a creaking wooden puppet.

What came into view was.

“Ahhh!”

A blood-stained blade.

Moreover, red blood flowing from his own neck was dripping down the sword one drop at a time.

The scene was so surreal that he only belatedly realized a blade had entered his neck.

‘When…’

He couldn’t understand it.

Four peak-level masters.

It was enough force to cause trouble anywhere without any problems.

But why.

Why is there a blade at my neck?

“Kugh… uugh…”

Then, at the suppressed groaning sounds from behind, Ma Daesan slightly turned his head.

“…!”

And he doubted his own eyes.

The four peak-level masters he had trusted so much.

They were all collapsed on the floor, clutching their wrists and writhing.

Severed wrists and swords scattered on the floor.

Fresh blood splattered everywhere added to the reality with its fishy smell.

“…”

He had really only blinked once.

That was the signal to attack.

But after that, something like a blue flash seemed to pass by, and this situation unfolded.

He hadn’t seen when the sword was drawn or how the movement happened.

Only the results were spread before his eyes.

Only then did Ma Daesan slightly raise his head to face the sword’s owner, Namgung Cheon.

Indifferent eyes that showed no emotion.

However, the moment he met those eyes, Ma Daesan’s body began trembling.

The fear of death crawled up his spine.

“P-p-please spare me!”

Ma Daesan’s lips trembled as if convulsing.

“A mere pyoguk wouldn’t dare do such things against the Namgung… Tell me who’s behind this.”

At Namgung Cheon’s question, Ma Daesan shook his head frantically and said.

“I-I don’t know! I-I only received a request from the Taeju Trading Guild! I-I just did as I was told!”

“Taeju Trading Guild.”

Namgung Cheon murmured quietly.

He looked down at Ma Daesan for a moment.

Cutting off his head right here wouldn’t be difficult.

However, if that happened, it would be like cutting off the tail with his own hands.

‘If they’re bold enough to pull such a scam against a Namgung branch, the ones behind this are certainly not to be underestimated either.’

It wasn’t enough to just kill the bug; he had to completely block up the hole the bug crawled out of to avoid future troubles.

It would be right to take this opportunity to thoroughly identify and eliminate those behind this.

Swish.

Namgung Cheon withdrew his sword.

Chaeng—.

With a clear sound, he flicked the blood off the blade into midair.

Then he looked at Namgung Seon and spoke.

“Branch manager.”

At Namgung Cheon’s quiet call, Namgung Seon, who had been standing dazedly, suddenly came to his senses.

He still couldn’t tell if the scene before his eyes was reality.

The four peak-level masters he had been prepared to risk his life fighting against.

They were bleeding and crawling on the floor.

“Tie them all up.”

At the command heard once more, Namgung Seon startled and answered.

“Yes, yes! I’ll bring something to tie them with!”

Namgung Seon hurriedly went outside and quickly brought rope along with the branch warriors.

Then he pressed the acupuncture points of the dazed Ma Daesan and the bodyguards and tied them up.

Once the situation was sorted out, Namgung Cheon spoke to Ma Daesan, who was only rolling his eyes around.

“I’m going to the Taeju Trading Guild right now.”

His voice was cold as ice.

Having said that, Namgung Cheon slowly sheathed his sword and continued speaking.

“And if your words are lies, you will die, but if they’re true….”

His eyes gleamed coldly.

“The Taeju Trading Guild will disappear.”

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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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