Chapter 257

“If you want your debt absolved, you have to run a business according to the terms set by Mangum Jeonju? And if you fail, you shoulder all the debt? You actually accepted such terms?” When Im Hayeon heard what transpired between me and Mangum Jeonju, she couldn’t close her mouth in shock. “The debt owed to Daseogak would take ages to repay, even if we sold Danggapungun. Given the chance for full debt relief, it was worth considering.” In retrospect, Mangum Jeonju's proposition could be perceived as a loss for their establishment. If I win, a massive debt vanishes instantly, which is a loss for them. Even if I lose, they only break even. “I know what the ledgers show, but... Do you want me to head back to Yichang right now and bring over Danggapungun?” “We can't use Danggapungun. That was one of Mangum Jeonju's conditions.” “Then what are we going to do?” Im Hayeon asked me anxiously. “We have some time to brainstorm a business plan. I'll have to ponder this thoroughly for a while.” Should I restart my work as a mediator? Turn Danggapungun into a play and sell tickets? It might turn out to be quite an entertaining theater production if I work with Im Hayeon. Perhaps I should sell medicine for added revenue. If it's medicine from the Dang family, it might sell like hotcakes among the people of Yichang. Of course, doing that would get me instantly repatriated to the Dang family. Even if I sold books alongside the medicine, I doubt I could satisfy Mangum Jeonju’s expectations. “W-Well, if it comes to that, maybe I could sell...” “What?” “I could sell my novels for profit.” Im Hayeon said with a firm expression, as if she had made a huge resolve. “Hahaha.” “Why are you laughing! You never know, it might work!” Perhaps my laughter turned her resolve into embarrassment. Im Hayeon blushed deeply. “I'm not mocking you. Don’t misunderstand. I just didn’t explain it properly. Mangum Jeonju said no bookstores.” I laughed because I found her idea adorable. “Ugh, you should’ve said that from the beginning...” Looking disgruntled, Im Hayeon pouted. “Hahaha. Now that my hands are tied and I can't rely on any contacts, let's think this through together.” Before returning to the inn, standing alone made me feel like I was isolated with no one to lean on. However, knowing that there's someone willing to share in my worries and help me makes it much more bearable. I looked at her as if she were a fellow adventurer, one who would buff and support me just by her presence. “T-Then let’s give it our best shot.” Maybe my gaze was too intense. Embarrassed, Im Hayeon nodded, avoiding my eyes. When is the food coming, I wonder. “Hyungnim, I completed the task you assigned.” As I waited for the food at the table in the inn, a familiar voice speaking Joseonian startled me. Turning around, I saw a man with black hair. He seemed like the Joseonian beggar who approached Hyungnim before we entered the inn earlier. “Great. Did it go well? And the money?” “Here it is. But Hyungnim, about...” The man glanced at his children, hesitant to meet the innkeeper’s eyes. “Tsk. This isn’t enough for your trouble. I’ll get you some gukbap, so feed the kids before you go.” “Thank you so much, Hyungnim!” It seems the innkeeper, Mr. An, is quite generous. He probably gave this man a small chore as an excuse to feed him and his kids. But come to think of it, are there many Joseonians in Wuhan? “It seems like a lot of Joseonians come here. I’ve seen several since we arrived.” As if reading my mind, Im Hayeon whispered to me. “Since this inn is run by a Joseonian, they likely come to eat Joseonian food.” “They seem more like beggars than customers.” “Hmm.” In this world, black hair often leads to discrimination. Come to think of it, the other Joseonians I passed by were amazed at my luxurious clothing. Are they all living difficult lives? “Kang dongsaeng! Haha! Are you two having a romantic conversation?” Hyungnim placed the food on the table and laughed heartily. “It’s nothing like that!” “Seems like the young lady is quite shy. Does she act the same at night?” Hyungnim, with a cheeky smile, whispered to me in Joseonian so that Im Hayeon wouldn’t understand. “She cries her eyes out at night.” She barged into my room and cried on my bed that night. “Hahaha! I can imagine.” “What are you saying in Joseonian?!” “Hyun Sojeo, I was merely saying you're the most beautiful woman I've seen in Wuhan. I agreed with him.” “It doesn’t seem like that’s what you said...” She seemed suspicious but, after looking at me repeatedly, she seemed to take pride in the flattery and didn’t press further. “Hyungnim, are there many Joseonians in Wuhan?” I asked Hyungnim, who hadn’t left the table yet. “Dongsaeng, you know there are many mainlanders in Wuhan. We Joseonians can find work doing odd jobs here.” So there are quite a few Joseonians doing hard labor in Wuhan. “Wait, a Joseonian? Do you know Hyungnim?” The man who had been eating gukbap with his children approached us. “Ah, yes. He’s a fellow countryman I happened to meet today.” “Is that so! Our Hyungnim leads the Joseonian community here in Wuhan.” “Hyungnim?” “Yeah, he’s one of the few successful Joseonians in Wuhan.” “Ahem, this guy!” The innkeeper, seemingly embarrassed, lightly tapped the man’s shoulder and laughed. The inn may seem shabby, but it should not be underestimated. Here we are in Hubei province's Wuhan, neither a trade route with Joseon nor near its coasts. A place where people with various circumstances gather. Operating an inn here is comparable to a poor foreign laborer owning a restaurant in the heart of Seoul. “Wow, Hyungnim succeeded in Wuhan, and I secured my place in Yichang. There seems to be something about us Namwon folks.” I chattered on with a broad smile, trying to flatter Hyungnim. “Dongsaeng! You said you ran a small bookstore in Yichang? Fascinating. There must be something about people from Namwon, indeed.” “It must be the energy of Mt. Jirisan that we grew up with.” I spoke in a sincere tone, as if I were an elementary student deeply believing in the school anthem of a school in Namwon. “Heheheh! We may not know much about the mainlanders, but Mount Jiri is indeed spiritual!” “Haha! Maybe that’s why people from Namwon thrive even when they move to other places!” I chattered enthusiastically, like a third-generation Namwon local who, after being swindled in a gambling scam, wandered the world like a Jirisan dark haired ghost. “Ah... But I might have to close up shop soon.” “What do you mean by that?” “I started out as a helper here and learned the culinary arts in Joseon to get this far. But alas, the inn is...” “Is business not doing well?” Looking around, it’s clear there aren't many customers. “It’s because it’s run by someone with black hair. People tend to avoid it. Still, since it's in a residential area, people who don’t want to cook at home come in, so we barely get by. But of all things, those bastards... Excuse me! Welcome!” The innkeeper stopped mid-sentence to greet the person entering through the door. Huh? That’s... It's the person I saw at the port this morning. He's from the Si-mun faction of the Hao-mun. “The head of Si-mun summons you.” We hadn’t even lifted our spoons yet. --------------------------- The Wuhan Hao-mun lacks a division chief. Instead, various faction leaders, called hyangju, gather to make major decisions. Each branch in Hubei province takes orders from these hyangju, yet they also operate with a certain degree of autonomy. This is because Hao-mun wasn’t formed like other sects from the top down, but emerged from groups such as helpers, courtesans, coachmen, thieves, and gamblers. We were guided through a giant restaurant—one even larger than those found in Yichang—into an opulent room where the head of Si-mun resided. Various imaginative creatures were carved into the pillars, indicating that Wuhan Hao-mun made a lot of money. Entering the room with the Si-mun hyangju, rather than a rough, typical villainous face, we were greeted by a hearty man who looked like he could be running a family restaurant and taking orders from his wife at home as the head of the household. “Those Dogmun bastards have lost their minds. They attacked their own kind?” The Si-mun hyangju, upon reading the report I brought from Usan, crumpled the paper with a grinding teeth expression. “While there’s no decisive evidence, the circumstantial evidence is compelling.” The Dogmun rebellion. This might serve as a useful card for Im Hayeon. “So, those Dogmun bastards are showing their true colors... Fine. Deputy Chief Gwak, what do you want in exchange for this valuable information?” “Miss Hayeon was merely a victim of the Dogmun's scheming. I request your assistance in freeing her from her fugitive courtesan status.” “No can do.” Dismissed outright. “W-Why not?” “May I ask the reason?” Feigning willingness only to refuse immediately. If there’s no reason, this behavior is too frivolous for a leader of such standing. “I have an inkling of why those Dogmun punks acted up. Digging into this recklessly could repeat the events from ten years ago.” Referring to the bloody rebellion within Hao-mun? “Are you saying you intend to ignore this?” “The fact that they pulled such crap means they're ready to be caught. Without solid evidence, we risk falling into their trap. For now, keeping an eye on them and ensuring they don’t pull another stunt is the best course.” “Are you saying there’s no way to resolve Miss Hayeon's issue?” In the end, without concrete evidence, we can't let internal conflict escalate recklessly. “The Dogmun is closely watching and looking for her. Us stepping in ambiguously might make them more wary.” “But the Usan Hao-mun suffered!” “If you have grievances, take them up with the Gimun kids or the Dogmun.” Despite Im Hayeon's earnest appeal, the Si-mun hyangju was indifferent. “Is there no way?” “Hmm. A solution... Kang Yunho, was it? Have you slept with her?” “What are you talking about?!” Im Hayeon, flustered by the unexpected question, trembled. “We are absolutely not in that kind of relationship.” “What did you say?” Why is she looking at me? “Hehehe. So, that’s your relationship. Fine. For Deputy Chief Gwak's sake, we’ll continue protecting her for now. But the rest is up to you, Kang Yunho.” “Are you serious?” “Kang Yunho of Daseogak. The leading bookstore and tea house owner in Yichang. I acknowledge that Deputy Chief Gwak has brought a very talented individual to Si-mun. But that doesn’t mean I personally acknowledge you.” “What do you mean by acknowledgment?” “That you are not one of us yet. So create a reason for me to help you. Show me your abilities. Then I’ll consider helping your woman.” The conversation with the head of Si-mun ended there. ---------------- “Everyone wants to see abilities from you these days.” Should I just show them my status window or something? “Status window! Staaatus window! Status!” I felt like if I had one, I'd want to show it off right now. Unfortunately, nothing appeared. “What are you talking about? Are you feeling unwell?” Im Hayeon, who had finished her business, asked with a surprised expression. “Gu gu gu!” “Do not approach—stay away.” “Gu gu...” At her single command, dozens of pigeons fluttered away, seemingly disappointed. “Just shouting nonsense out of frustration. But where did these carrier pigeons come from?” You didn’t bring them when you came here. “They are the ones I had sent to Wuhan from Usan. I was told to take them back. They’ll become ordinary pigeons once released into the wild, so I'm contemplating whether to just let them go.” Carrying them around would make her look like a pigeon mom rather than a shadowless martial artist. “Aren’t they considered spiritual creatures?” “Occasionally, some like Gu Gu here understand human speech, but most only serve as sturdy, intelligent carrier pigeons. That’s why they aren’t individually named.” Like mass-produced spiritual creatures. Nodding, I headed back to the inn where we were staying with Im Hayeon. “Abilities that could earn recognition from the Si-mun folks, huh.” After Mangum Jeonju and now Hao-mun’s Si-mun... It feels like I’m being forced on to the next test without even completing the listening portion of this one. “Don’t overthink it and just focus on Daseogak. If it really doesn’t work out…” Im Hayeon trailed off, unable to bring herself to say it. She’s considering giving up again. “I’ll handle both issues. Don’t even think about giving up; just help me out with all your effort.” Sometimes simple encouragement is good, but it’s crucial to emphasize that she’s needed. It gives people the courage to stand up on their own two feet when someone reaches out. I tried to reassure her. “…Does that mean…” “Stop it, you rascals!!! You’re ruining my inn!!!” Hayeon’s words were cut off by the distant sound of shouting. “That sounds like it’s coming from our inn.” ------------- “What’s going on here?” Rushing to the inn, it was already a chaotic mess inside. “Aigo!” Turning my gaze, I saw the innkeeper, Mr. An, sobbing loudly. What on earth happened? “Ahem. Innkeeper, cover the repair costs yourself.” “Why do you always fight in my inn!” “Because the first blood was drawn here, it’s only fitting we settle it with blood here!” “You fight here because there’s little risk of getting hurt yourselves, right!!!” Martial artists were fighting in the inn. Amidst the chaos, there were five or six armed martial artists and several others who were already corpses. Judging from Mr. An’s reaction, this wasn’t the first time. “Black-haired barbarian, empty your pocket! So we can repair the place for your next brawl!” “This won’t even buy one chair!” “What’s that? Let’s go. You know, fights are best in an inn.” “Isn’t it just!” The martial artists left the inn with pleased expressions, ignoring the innkeeper’s despondent gaze. “Hyungnim, what’s going on?” I asked An, who was moving the severed limbs of a martial artist to one corner. “Dongsaeng, I’m closing the inn today. I can no longer run this place because of these martial artists.” Turning his head away, perhaps to hide his tears from a younger fellow countryman, An trembled as he spoke. So the reason he was closing the inn was the incessant brawls inside. Martial artists are no good for anyone’s life. This really proves why running an inn is the worst profession in martial arts fiction. Wait, an inn? Suddenly, the pieces of the puzzle started coming together in my mind. What am I lacking? Connections. Origins. What do I need to do? Si-mun’s test. Mangum Jeonju’s test. What assets do I have? What can I attempt? What advantages can I leverage? Alright. “Hyungnim.” There’s one way to solve all my problems at once. “What?” “I’ll take over this inn.”