Return of the God of War - Chapter 20

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

Chapter 20 — This is hardly good fortune.
As the auction began, Bu Yeon stared at the platform with tense, focused eyes.
The rescue method that Muk Yeo-jin and Bu Yeon had planned in advance was, in fact, simplicity itself.
“All we need do is purchase your sister for ourselves, Lord Bu.”
“What? But if it’s a secret Black Market auction, the price will surely be astronomical… I’ve spent every coin I had searching for my sister. I don’t have that kind of money…”
“Lord Bu, what are you saying? Have you forgotten who I am? My father is the Master of Sadocheon. The richest man in the world. Trust me.”
As Bu Yeon recalled that conversation with Muk Yeo-jin, his chest tightened with emotion once more.
Why was a stranger expending such effort on his behalf?
He didn’t know. And he didn’t need to know.
If only he could recover his sister, he would spend his entire life in service to Muk Yeo-jin as his benefactor, he swore to himself.
That would be enough.
Sensing the passion burning in Bu Yeon’s gaze, Muk Yeo-jin quickly looked away.
‘He’s gotten himself quite turned around, hasn’t he.’
There was something he hadn’t told Bu Yeon beforehand.
Muk Yeo-jin currently had not a single coin to his name.
As someone only just undergoing the Seungcheon-sik ceremony, he could hardly help himself to Sadocheon’s coffers.
Sadocheon was not so lenient an organization as to let the Master’s son withdraw funds on the basis of blood alone, with no official position or merit to his name.
Of course, there was no flaw in the plan.
Everything had been arranged from the start.
Only.
‘The method I’ve devised is, even to my own thinking, somewhat extreme.’
Clap. Clap.
Then Geo Han-su, the proprietor of Chosongru, clapped his hands twice, and armed servants entered carrying a Mokgap box.
“Well then, let us begin the auction. Today’s first item.”
Geo Han-su withdrew a small Yak-byeong vial from within the Mokgap box.
Liquid rippled inside the bottle. After a theatrical pause, Geo Han-su spoke.
“This is none other than the renowned Sam-bo Danmyeong-san of the Sichuan Doctrine. A single dose, and one’s opponent falls dead before taking three steps—a Geuktok among Geuktoks. As for how this poison came into our possession…”
Muk Yeo-jin let out a smirk at Geo Han-su’s elaborate explanation.
The Sichuan Doctrine’s Sam-bo Danmyeong-san was Sammu Aektok—colorless, odorless, and tasteless.
Whether what lay in that vial was truly odorless and tasteless, he couldn’t say, but at this distance it clearly bore a distinct bluish tint that was plainly visible to see.
But those vain fools, their eyes all equally dull, did nothing but gasp in admiration and eagerly bid the price of this counterfeit poison higher and higher still.
The items that followed were no different.
Miraculous elixirs, relics of legendary swordsmen—only such shoddy wares poured forth in endless succession.
As the tedious auction dragged on.
“Well then, it seems all the items we had prepared have been sold. Now I believe we must introduce the true treasures of Chosongru’s Black Market. I suspect most of our esteemed guests have been waiting for this very moment.”
Muk Yeo-jin gripped Bu Yeon’s shoulder.
He too was trembling, having grasped the meaning of Geo Han-su’s words.
Sure enough.
Geo Han-su called out toward the gallery behind the platform.
“Come now! What are you doing? Bring them up and let them greet their future masters!”
Clank. Clank.
Soon women clad in Rasam so translucent it was nearly transparent filed up onto the platform.
Thick iron chains coiled tightly around both their legs.
Each woman possessed distinct and varied beauty, yet all shared one thing in common.
Their eyes held no Saenggi—no vital spark of life.
Not the life-spark that fades in the shadow of death, but the hollow gaze of wanderers who had lost all hope of ever living again.
And.
At the very front of that procession stood she.
Bu Yeong-seol, Bu Yeon’s sister.
The moment he spotted her, Bu Yeon’s eyes flew wide.
Blood dripped from his fists, clenched so tightly his nails cut the palms.
‘Sister!’
The bright, sunlit smile she once wore was nowhere to be found.
Whatever torments she had endured had left her gaunt and hollow-eyed, her gaze filled with nothing but despair.
Geo Han-su grasped Bu Yeong-seol’s slender arm and pulled her forward.
“Our first item. Admittedly worn in appearance, but note these cherry-like lips and that refreshing gaze—quite alluring. And most of all, observe this exquisite figure.”
The men gathered in the hall began surveying Bu Yeong-seol with lecherous eyes, murmuring their assessments.
Grind. Grind.
The sound of Bu Yeon’s clenched teeth rang out like the scrape of a blade.
At that very moment, he wanted nothing more than to tear out Geo Han-su’s tongue and gouge out the eyes of every man in this room.
Muk Yeo-jin sent a Jeon-eum to Bu Yeon, whose breathing had grown ragged with surging anger.
‘Calm yourself, Uncle. We can save her.’
Yes. He was right.
Here stood his sister, alive and whole before his eyes, when he’d known nothing of whether she lived or died.
It was no different from having crossed over an impossible mountain.
There was no use getting excited now—it would help nothing.
A long breath.
Only then did Bu Yeon steady his breathing and settle his mind.
Satisfied that the mood had risen sufficiently, Geo Han-su began the bidding.
“The opening price for this lot shall be five hundred taels.”
“Five hundred ten taels!”
“Six hundred taels!”
As one person, then another raised their bids, the hall grew fevered with excitement.
Meanwhile, Bu Yeong-seol, who could only watch, felt her mind sinking deeper into an abyss.
Bu Yeong-seol struggled to lift her head and glance around.
All around her were creatures—grotesque beings with eyes glazed by lust.
‘Why… why am I even here…?’
What crime had she committed to deserve this?
Could she never return home?
‘If that’s the case, then perhaps…’
Death might be better than this.
In that moment, among the creatures circling to devour her, she glimpsed a familiar face—a man she knew, looking directly at her.
‘What…?’
Bu Yeong-seol doubted her eyes at first, shook her head once, and looked at the man again.
‘Ah…’
She had not misread it. She was certain.
The man was her only brother, Yeon.
‘Ye—!’
Bu Yeong-seol’s reflexive call of his name caught in her throat as she clamped her lips shut.
She had seen Bu Yeon press a finger to his lips.
Then he formed words silently with his mouth, speaking to her without sound.
Sister, I have come. Now do not worry, and wait.
Tears welled up in Bu Yeong-seol’s eyes.
How had he ever found this place?
Her brother’s face too had grown gaunt since they’d last met.
She could see plainly how much suffering he’d endured in searching for her.
All the sorrow she’d kept locked in her chest came flooding up.
For a moment the two siblings gazed at each other before Bu Yeon pulled the face covering back over himself.
‘Forgive me, Muk. It seemed my sister would only find peace this way…’
‘It’s all right. Everyone’s attention is on the auction—no one noticed. But you must not remove the covering again under any circumstances.’
‘I understand.’
Meanwhile.
Bu Yeong-seol’s price had already climbed past one hundred taels of silver.
At the same time, Bu Yeon’s face darkened slightly.
The bidding had risen higher than he’d anticipated.
‘If it exceeds what Muk has prepared…’
Sensing this worry, Muk Yeo-jin replied with a touch of amusement in his voice.
‘Don’t worry, Uncle. I have plenty of money. Shall I show you just how much?’
‘Eh?’
At that moment, a bid of one hundred fifty taels suddenly appeared.
‘There we have it—one hundred fifty taels! Is there anyone offering more?’
One hundred fifty taels.
That sum was worth ten mou of farmland, or the price of one fine warhorse.
To spend such an amount on a single servant was excessive by any measure.
The auction participants seemed to think that further bidding was wasteful.
Just as the gaunt old man with scraggly whiskers who’d called one hundred fifty taels sensed the hammer falling—
‘One hundred thousand taels.’
‘Did you say—one hundred thousand taels! Eh?!’
‘Are your ears clogged? I said one hundred thousand taels. And I’ll be taking every woman brought up today.’
Geo Han-su and every person in the hall—
Even Bu Yeon stared at Muk Yeo-jin in astonishment when he called out one hundred thousand silver taels.
Geo Han-su, who had never heard of such a sum in his life, let disbelief flicker across his face.
One.
“Why the doubt? If you travel about an hour from here, you’ll find a small trading house called Tongcheonchae that runs a money-lending business. Go there, tell them you’ve come on Jang Chung’s authority to collect one hundred thousand taels, and they’ll hand it over without question. Send your subordinates to fetch the money right now. I won’t budge from this spot until then.”
No swindler would speak with such certainty.
If the payment didn’t materialize, he simply wouldn’t hand over the Haeyak.
The corners of Geo Han-su’s mouth shot skyward.
“Ha ha ha! One hundred thousand taels has appeared! One hundred thousand taels! Is there more?”
There couldn’t be.
Even if such wealth existed, only a madman would spend it on hiring a few night servants.
Everyone in the auction rose, their expressions saying the day was done, and began to leave their seats.
“Ha ha ha! Then today’s auction concludes here. Don’t be too disappointed. In ten days we’ll have more fine goods prepared for you. Come, honored guests, I’ll show you to the private room.”
Muk Yeo-jin and Bu Yeon followed the attendant into the private chamber of Chosongru.
“The Haeyak will be dispensed once payment is confirmed.”
“See that it is. Have the women sent here first.”
“Yes, sir! You’re an impatient one, ha ha!”
Soon the women who had been on display at the auction filed in, Bu Yeong-seol among them.
“Sister!”
The moment Bu Yeon saw Bu Yeong-seol, the tears he had been holding back poured forth.
“Y-you… is it really you? Really?”
Bu Yeong-seol seized her brother’s face and wept without restraint.
After a long and emotional reunion, Bu Yeon introduced Muk Yeo-jin.
“Sister, without this man, I’m certain we would never have seen each other again.”
“Thank you, thank you. Your kindness, your grace—how can I ever repay such debt?”
Muk Yeo-jin tapped Bu Yeon on the shoulder with a gentle smile.
“There’s no need to thank me. It’s all thanks to having such a fine younger brother.”
Then Muk Yeo-jin turned his gaze to the other women.
“Rest assured, all of you. We’ll see you safely returned to your families.”
Only then could the women let their tears flow freely, their sobs finally released.
How much time had passed in this way?
Without incident, Geo Han-su returned with the one hundred thousand taels from Tongcheonchae just as Muk Yeo-jin had promised, his face beaming as he distributed the Haeyak for the women to take.
He even provided the finest carriage for their journey, wishing them safe travels.
“Fare well!”
“Fare well.”
The auctioneer himself, having earned several hundred taels in commission for bringing such a historic client, sent them off with a smile.
To that fool, they’d tossed what they called Haeyak—mere tea leaves crumbled into dust.
It wasn’t real poison to begin with.
Seated on the driver’s bench, Muk Yeo-jin whipped the horses forward without a backward glance.
Long after they’d left Hogeum County behind, Muk Yeo-jin drove the horses relentlessly on.
Seeing this, Bu Yeon spoke with concern in his voice.
“Master Muk, surely you need rest. You’ll exhaust yourself.”
“There’s no time for that. We need to flee quickly.”
“What?”
What in the world did he mean by that?
Muk Yeo-jin broke into a sly grin.
“Truth is, that one hundred thousand taels—it wasn’t my money.”
“Then whose…?”
“Jang Chung is someone’s alias. And Tongcheonchae is a business front where that person keeps their secret reserves. Since very few know of it, when I demanded the money in his name, they had no choice but to give it over. But within days, they’ll discover it was fraud.”
A thread of anxiety coiled through Bu Yeon’s heart.
Who exactly was this Jang Chung, that Muk Yeo-jin—who hadn’t blinked even when blades were flying—would be so anxious?
“The people call that man the Green-Plain Golden Ghost, also known as Yeon Shin-chu.”
“Gasp!”
At the name that fell from Muk Yeo-jin’s lips, Bu Yeon could not suppress his shock.
The Green-Plain Golden Ghost!
Among the three supreme masters who divide the Central Plains, the Cheonha Samjon exist.
And directly beneath them stand eleven absolute masters, the Cheonmu Sibilja.
The Green-Plain Golden Ghost held one of those eleven seats.
And the Green-Plain Golden Ghost was renowned as a ruthless money merchant.
To have touched such a man’s coffers.
“Chosongru and Guangcheonmun behind it will be erased without a trace from this world. A fortunate outcome, don’t you think?”
Good riddance. Those despicable wretches are finally disappearing.
But if we’re not careful and Jang Chung catches wind of us, won’t we face the same fate as they do?
Bu Yeon understood at last why Muk Yeo-jin had been so obsessed with concealing his identity.
Now that Bu Yeon grasped how dire the situation truly was, his demeanor shifted entirely.
“What are you doing?! Hold on tighter!”
At the sight of Bu Yeon’s panic, Muk Yeo-jin broke into laughter.
“Everyone, hold fast!”

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