The Owner Of The Thousand Gold Coins Is A Military Official - Chapter 99

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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 99

When he came out at the time for the merchant caravan to depart, an enormous scale was waiting for Cheongun.

It wasn’t an ordinary merchant caravan, but almost equivalent to an entire trading company relocating to find a new base.

“This is the young master who will be joining today’s caravan, so you must serve him well so he experiences no inconvenience.”

“Yes!”

A merchant caravan setting out on the long journey to Shandong.

It seemed they had made thorough preparations accordingly.

According to what he had heard beforehand, they had hired ten first-rate martial artists and three peak-level martial artists as guards.

In addition to this, existing guards belonging to the trading company were also following along.

The number of those dedicated to guard duty alone was close to fifty.

With peak-level experts and others, ordinary bandits or mountain brigands wouldn’t be able to do anything.

As Cheongun was about to board the prepared carriage, the person responsible for today’s guard duty approached.

“Greetings, young master. I am Mawi, the chief guard responsible.”

Mawi, now entering middle age, was characterized by a large scar over his right eye.

It was also impressive how he sincerely bowed his head to show respect to Cheongun, who was much younger.

“Please take good care of me.”

“Yes. Please let me know if there’s anything that makes you uncomfortable.”

Though he was said to be a guard belonging to the trading company, apart from his martial prowess and such things, it seemed they had gathered people with good basic character.

In this Gangho martial world, there are many with outstanding martial prowess, but those equipped with righteousness are remarkably few compared to that number.

Though he would need to observe more for now.

Riding in a carriage felt like it had been a very long time.

Usually he would travel on horseback, or after reaching a certain level, he didn’t even ride horses.

Forced leisure created for the sake of a plan.

Though he thought it wouldn’t be very pleasant, it wasn’t too bad.

“…Young master.”

“What is it?”

The Branch Manager approached and bowed his head to Cheongun as he spoke.

“Please take care of yourself and return safely.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

It was an action meant to be seen by everyone else.

Since he, the Branch Manager, was paying such great attention, there should be no inconvenience.

“Now, we depart!”

With the voice of the Branch Manager’s adjutant, who was the chief responsible for this caravan, Cheongun’s merchant caravan heading to Shaolin began.

And there was a gaze watching such a caravan.

“…A merchant caravan heading to Shaolin.”

If going alone, it might not be such a distant place, but with a trading company of that scale, it would take quite some time.

Should it be called good fortune?

Or should it be called misfortune?

For now, that watching gaze also soon disappeared without a trace.

A super-massive scale merchant caravan.

The wealth loaded in the carriages alone was enough to buy all the land in the surrounding area and still have plenty left over.

As such a caravan set out on the road from early morning, everyone in the marketplace was sending curious glances.

He felt it anew.

Previously, he had been in that position.

And from a corner at the very edge at that, sending gazes filled with inferiority complex.

Is this what they call the feeling of things having changed dramatically over time?

“The journey might be a bit boring…”

At times like this, Geomma’s absence felt particularly large.

If only there were someone to engage in sword discussion with.

As he fell into solitary thought, before long the presence of people began to thin out.

The well-maintained road soon changed to a rough and crude path.

* * *

For Mount Hua, this matter was a very big deal.

Moreover, since it was about going to meet Sinui, none other than the Patriarch himself had stepped forward.

The last time seemed to be when he caused a big incident in childhood and had to flee when his master told him to run.

That he had deployed lightness skill like this.

“Huff…”

Lightness skill that made none other than the Patriarch himself catch his breath.

The Patriarch, who had arrived at Cheongeumjang at a speed far beyond common sense, climbed straight toward Cheongeumjang’s main sect without a moment’s hesitation.

Befitting Cheongeumjang’s status, a place called the golden city.

Though it was a place that didn’t fall behind compared to where those great sects gathered, the Patriarch’s gaze remained fixed only on the peak of Cheongeumjang’s main sect.

“…Is Sinui in that place?”

Even after seeing that token, he still seemed unable to believe it.

Since when had he become so suspicious?

It seemed that suspicion and distrust had grown together with age.

Cheongeumjang’s main sect was a special place.

Normally there would be at least minimal personnel in front, but that wasn’t the case.

“The power of gold truly reaches the heavens…”

This surrounding area?

No.

Cheongeumjang had firmly established this entire city as their territory.

While paying enormous taxes to the Imperial Court.

After briefly collecting his thoughts, the Patriarch soon climbed the towering stairs.

He could feel gazes watching him from the surroundings.

They were of quite decent level.

“Right. To protect all that gold, military force is essential.”

The Patriarch deliberately infused his internal energy into this step he took to show them.

Those ripples began to spread outward to the surroundings.

It was a quiet and courteous notification, but felt all the heavier because of that.

And there was no way those at Cheongeumjang could fail to sense this.

“This is…”

It awakened the alertness of those who had been spending only leisurely comfort at Cheongeumjang.

“I’ll go check.”

Gomujin stepped forward, but Dangmuryang, Sinui, and the Master of Righteousness shook their heads.

“Let’s go together.”

When everyone came outside, Sowol, Cheongun’s mother, was already out waiting.

“You came out?”

“I came out first.”

“Yes. Uninvited guests with manners are rare.”

Exactly so.

So gentle yet overflowing with dignity, yet inevitably an uninvited guest.

Those footsteps were gradually drawing closer, and everyone was growing tense accordingly.

Such an existence.

The current power.

When they finally climbed to the end of the stairs and their identity was revealed.

“Hmm…?”

“That person is…”

Surprise began to fill the eyes of everyone who recognized that identity.

And this was the same for Mount Hua’s Patriarch who appeared from the opposite side.

“Hmm…?”

Rather, this side seemed to have a more surprised reaction.

“How… senior brothers…”

“Well, who might this be?”

“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other.”

The Patriarch of Mount Hua.

A massive sect that boasted a long history.

He was the pillar and representative figure of that place, and there weren’t many in the current Gangho who could treat him lightly.

“How did the senior brothers come to be in this place…”

Before his eyes.

Unless they were those who had disappeared into the back alleys of history and were watching from afar.

“Haha! It’s such a pleasant face to see after so long.”

Gomujin also showed quite an excited voice, and Dangmuryang couldn’t hide his delighted expression either.

“It doesn’t seem like a place for me to be.”

Sowol tactfully vacated the area.

“What brings the Patriarch of Mount Hua here?”

Especially the one most delighted was Gomujin.

During the time when Gomujin was in his early twenties.

The son of someone who had been his friend was precisely the current Patriarch.

Since they had been sworn brothers, Gomujin had cherished that son considerably.

This was the first time since meeting a few times back then.

Meeting again after not just over ten years, but decades had passed.

“Uncle Go…”

“…I’m sorry. Please forgive this pathetic younger brother who couldn’t be with elder brother at his end.”

“Not at all. How could I blame Uncle?”

With a bit of suspicion.

Who would have thought such a distinguished person would be at Cheongeumjang, which he had arrived at with wariness and distrust.

His connection with Dangmuryang wasn’t particularly deep.

However, he did owe him a debt.

Any martial artist in Gangho lives with at least one favor or grudge.

Dangmuryang was simply one of them.

“Master of Righteousness was here as well.”

“Yes. I greet the Patriarch.”

Everyone was glad to see each other, but that was only momentary.

Dangmuryang, whose smile and eyes that had contained joy disappeared, soon stood before the Patriarch and continued speaking.

“However… what brings the Patriarch of Mount Hua all the way here?”

What could he hide.

He had no intention of hiding anything, nor could he.

“I met… the Patriarch of Cheongeumjang.”

“Oh ho, you met that child.”

“By any chance, did all the senior brothers meet that child?”

It was a question asked while already knowing the answer.

“We met that child, and it’s also because of that child that we gathered here.”

“That’s right.”

“Indeed.”

Everyone nodded without the slightest denial.

If you went out to Gangho right now and mentioned these people’s names, there wouldn’t be anyone who didn’t know them.

Yet such prominent figures had all gathered here because of just that one Patriarch.

“Why did you come here?”

Though they knew each other all too well, they still didn’t completely abandon their wariness.

‘…It doesn’t seem like a simple relationship.’

Just passing by and dropping in.

Simply gathering out of curiosity couldn’t produce such gazes and wariness.

Just what had that Patriarch done to make people of this caliber all gather like this?

“How so. You have an expression full of questions.”

“I won’t deny it, but that’s all there is. I met the Patriarch, and came to be here because of that child.”

“I see. Now tell us what your purpose is.”

At Dangmuryang’s words, the Patriarch brought up the main point.

“I came to meet Sinui.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. And I heard his master is also here.”

At those words, all the wariness that had been lingering in their eyes finally disappeared.

That last statement proved everything.

Knowing about the Master of Righteousness who wasn’t present in this place.

It meant the same thing as having come here because of Cheongun.

“So they say. What about you?”

“The reason for seeking me wouldn’t be simple, would it.”

Someone sick.

And someone in a serious condition at that.

“…I ask for your help, Sinui.”

“What is the condition?”

The Patriarch then explained everything he had seen and what his disciples had experienced.

“Hmm…”

Hearing the explanation, it wasn’t that serious.

However, knowing that it wasn’t serious was itself not an easy matter.

‘…An opportunity to leave a debt with Mount Hua.’

Sinui was now someone who belonged with Cheongeumjang.

So, he should choose the case that would benefit Cheongeumjang the most.

“I think I need to go see directly.”

“W-would you do that?”

“Yes. Isn’t it the Patriarch’s request.”

“…Thank you. Here, this is your master’s token that I received from the Patriarch.”

“I’ll prepare. Let’s go right away.”

“Really… thank you.”

If Sinui comes, it’s over.

Moreover, seeing him say he needs to go directly, was it really that serious?

It wasn’t like he lacked knowledge in medicine, herbs, and poisons, and even the Patriarch who had quite profound knowledge was seeing it for the first time.

“While Sinui prepares, how about we have a conversation for a moment.”

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

Still, since they were connections met after a long time, shouldn’t they catch up somewhat.

Thus Dangmuryang, Gomujin, and the Patriarch conversed about what had happened during the time while Sinui finished preparing.

“Truly… is that the truth?”

“Why would I tell lies to the Patriarch.”

So it wasn’t a chance encounter.

Both Gomujin and Dangmuryang.

Even Sinui – Cheongun had directly approached and contacted them all.

‘…’

Actually, it might be a story of no great importance.

However, there was an important point.

The suspicion about whether his current meeting was also planned from the beginning.

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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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