Chapter 230

“It is written here that you will repay ten thousand Nyang of Gold, plus seven thousand Nyang in interest, by the end of next month. This is a promissory note signed by Jin Wolmyeong, the Clan Head of the Jin Clan, himself.”

Jang Gwang-san deliberately shouted loudly for everyone to hear.

He even imbued his voice with Internal Energy, so there wasn’t a single person who didn’t hear him.

The people who heard Jang Gwang-san’s words began to murmur.

“Is that really true?”

“They borrowed money from the Golden Mountain Manor?”

The people’s murmurs reached Jin Si-woo’s ears as well.

Jin Si-woo couldn’t answer for a moment, his face turning red. It was because he felt ashamed.

Pyo Wol, who was watching the scene, muttered.

“They’ve been had.”

“What do you mean? Had?”

Oh Ju-gang looked at Pyo Wol.

His face was demanding an explanation from Pyo Wol.

“With just a few words and a scrap of paper, they’re tarnishing the Jin Clan’s authority.”

“What does that…?”

“It doesn’t matter if the promissory note is real or fake. From the moment they presented that note, the Jin Clan became a failing clan struggling to make ends meet. Once that perception is planted in people’s minds, they’ll start to have doubts. Can I really entrust myself to the Jin Clan? Did I foolishly join a place with such poor finances that they can’t even repay their debts? Those doubts won’t be erased.”

“Hmm!”

“I don’t know who it is, but there’s someone at Snow Blade Sword Manor who knows how to use their head properly.”

“Are you saying someone planned this?”

“Then do you think they came here for no reason? At this exact moment?”

“That is…”

“It was all calculated. When to reveal this fact to inflict the greatest damage on the Jin Clan…”

Whether the Golden Mountain Manor sold the promissory note directly to Snow Blade Sword Manor, or if the two factions were on the same side from the beginning, was unknown. In any case, if they could plant seeds of doubt in the minds of the Jin Clan’s supporters with a mere ten thousand Nyang of Gold, it was by no means a high price to pay.

“Ugh!”

At Pyo Wol’s explanation, Oh Ju-gang let out a groan.

He had simply thought Jang Gwang-san was being unreasonable, but now he realized for the first time that such a high-level calculation was hidden behind it.

Even at that moment, Pyo Wol’s words continued.

“Si-woo should have either flatly denied ever writing the note, or said he would repay such a paltry sum.”

It was obvious that Jin Si-woo lacked experience.

He only showed his fluster at the unexpected revelation, unable to even grasp how to handle the situation.

Such a sight of Jin Si-woo would surely make the people who came to help the Jin Clan anxious.

“The outcome will be decided here. Depending on how he responds, people’s choices will also diverge.”

Pyo Wol looked at Jin Si-woo.

Jin Si-woo still looked like he couldn’t get his bearings. But it wasn’t a matter Pyo Wol could step into.

Jin Si-woo had to judge for himself and overcome the crisis.

Namgung Wol, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth.

“If what Great Hero Pyo says is true, this is a truly harsh ordeal for Si-woo.”

“They’ve properly stabbed a knife into the Jin Clan’s lifeline.”

“Hoo!”

Namgung Wol let out a sigh and stepped forward.

He had realized what he needed to do at this moment.

He walked straight up to Jang Gwang-san.

“And who are you?”

Jang Gwang-san raised his voice, his bulging eyes glaring.

His intense Qi was enough to make an ordinary person wet themselves. But Namgung Wol opened his mouth without batting an eye.

“My name is Namgung Wol.”

“Namgung? Don’t tell me, the Thousand Water Society?”

For a moment, Jang Gwang-san’s pupils wavered.

No matter how arrogant Jang Gwang-san was, he couldn’t remain composed before the name of the Thousand Water Society.

“That’s right! But I have no intention of using the Thousand Water Society’s name here, so you need not be so frightened.”

“Should I take that to mean you are here in a personal capacity, not as a member of the Thousand Water Society?”

Namgung Wol nodded his head silently.

A smile instantly spread across Jang Gwang-san’s lips.

The Thousand Water Society as a faction was fearsome, but there was no reason to feel fear towards Namgung Wol as an individual.

“Heh heh! I don’t know why Young Master Namgung is here, but it’s not too late. What future could there be in a place that incurs a King Yama Debt like this and can’t even pay it back? It would be better to leave now and return to the Thousand Water Society to preserve your reputation.”

“You are mistaken.”

“What?”

Namgung Wol took out two pieces of paper from his robes and threw them at Jang Gwang-san.

The papers flew gracefully on the wind like butterflies and landed softly in Jang Gwang-san’s hand.

Jang Gwang-san looked at the papers with a puzzled expression.

His expression contorted in an instant.

“What the?”

The papers in his hand were two Banknotes, each worth ten thousand Nyang of Gold.

“They’re Banknotes issued by your beloved Golden Mountain Manor. They’ll probably exchange them for Gold Taels if you take them there. If the principal is ten thousand Nyang and the interest is seven thousand Nyang, that leaves three thousand Nyang. Seeing as Snow Blade Sword Manor’s finances seem to be in such dire straits that you’d send a forged scrap of paper, use the remaining three thousand Nyang to supplement your living expenses.”

“Wahahaha!”

“Woooah!”

A burst of cheers erupted from the surroundings.

Namgung Wol’s magnanimity made people forget the situation from just a moment ago and laugh.

Jang Gwang-san, who had suddenly become a liar, had his face contort.

“Are you saying this promissory note is a fake?”

“Who knows! You would know that better than I. In any case, the Banknotes I sent you are real, so you can return with peace of mind.”

Everyone couldn’t help but admire Namgung Wol’s magnanimity in casually spending twenty thousand Gold Taels.

‘Hyung-nim!’

Jin Si-woo also looked at Namgung Wol with a moved expression.

Jang Gwang-san and Sa Okyeon’s faces twisted hideously.

They, too, felt the atmosphere had been reversed.

They had tried to shake the Jin Clan with a single promissory note, but Namgung Wol’s intervention had changed the situation.

Everyone surrounding them was sneering.

It was the first time in their lives they had been the target of so much ridicule.

“How dare you!”

Sa Okyeon flared up in anger.

A whip was already in her hand.

Chwahak!

The whip flew towards Namgung Wol, the source of the humiliation.

“No! Dammit.”

Jang Gwang-san tried to stop her belatedly, but it was no use.

The whip was already about to reach Namgung Wol.

“Chahat!”

At that moment, Oh Ju-gang moved.

He swung his sword like a flash of lightning and cut Sa Okyeon’s whip.

“Eek!”

As the whip was cut in two, a flustered expression appeared on Sa Okyeon’s face. Oh Ju-gang unleashed his Special Technique towards her.

Shwishwishwik!

The sword cut sharply through the air.

Oh Ju-gang’s Sword Stance was like a venomous snake full of poison, and Sa Okyeon couldn’t easily block it, being pushed back.

Jang Gwang-san tried to help her, but before he could, Oh Ju-gang’s kick exploded into her stomach.

Peong!

“Ack!”

With a sound like a leather drum bursting, Sa Okyeon’s lithe body flew backward.

Oh Ju-gang had deliberately kicked her with his foot instead of his sword.

For Sa Okyeon, it was an even greater humiliation than being struck by a sword.

Oh Ju-gang’s face was filled with fury.

He wasn’t as sharp-witted as Pyo Wol, so he didn’t know the hidden intentions. But the moment he realized that Jang Gwang-san and Sa Okyeon’s actions were a deliberate attempt to disgrace his friend Jin Geum-woo’s family, his anger boiled over.

He was a man who believed there were lines that must be upheld.

He thought that even when fighting as enemies, a minimum level of honor should be maintained.

Snow Blade Sword Manor sending Jang Gwang-san and the others to mock them was an unforgivable act. At least by his standards, it was unacceptable.

“Are you okay?”

Jang Gwang-san helped the fallen Sa Okyeon to her feet.

Fortunately, she hadn’t suffered any major injuries, only bleeding slightly.

Sa Okyeon wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her sleeve and glared at Oh Ju-gang as if she wanted to eat him alive.

“What is your name?”

“My name is Oh Ju-gang.”

Oh Ju-gang proudly stated his name.

Sa Okyeon retreated with Jang Gwang-san and said.

“I will remember that name.”

“Hmph! By all means.”

Oh Ju-gang snorted.

He was not afraid of Sa Okyeon.

Realizing that the momentum had already shifted, Jang Gwang-san supported Sa Okyeon and retreated.

‘Dammit! I should have shaken them up more.’

He should have dragged them into a bigger mud fight, but it was a pity that it had all come to nothing because of Namgung Wol and Oh Ju-gang.

Fortunately, Jin Si-woo and the Jin Clan’s Martial Artists did not attack them further as they left.

Whatever their intentions, it was because Jang Gwang-san and Sa Okyeon had visited as envoys.

If they killed envoys when they hadn’t even clashed in earnest yet, it would be hard to avoid criticism from the Jianghu. The reason they had let Jin Yu-sang go alive was the same.

Only after the two had disappeared did Namgung Wol finally let out a sigh.

“Hah!”

For him, too, spending twenty thousand Gold Taels was a huge blow.

Moreover, the Gold he had spent was not his personal money but the public funds of the Thousand Water Society. When he returned, he would have to find a way to replenish the cost.

He had become a pauper in an instant, but Namgung Wol had not a single regret about his actions.

It was the same for Oh Ju-gang.

“Thank you, Hyung-nims!”

When Jin Si-woo expressed his gratitude in a low voice, Namgung Wol shook his head.

“Give your thanks to Great Hero Pyo. If it weren’t for him, we would have been had with our eyes wide open.”

“Hyung-nim?”

Jin Si-woo looked around for Pyo Wol. But Pyo Wol was nowhere to be seen.

＊＊＊

“Dammit! What kind of bullshit is this…”

Jang Gwang-san ground his teeth.

He had been full of vigor when he came to the Jin Clan, but the thought of returning to Snow Blade Sword Manor like a dog with its tail between its legs made his vision go dark.

“I will never forgive them.”

Sa Okyeon also looked back with eyes full of resentment.

They had already come a long distance, so the Jin Clan was not visible even when she looked back. Nevertheless, Sa Okyeon burned with rage as if the Jin Clan were right in front of her eyes.

“Anyway, I have no face to show the Steward.”

Jang Gwang-san muttered, looking at the two Banknotes in his hand.

It was his first time seeing a Banknote worth ten thousand Gold Taels.

For a moment, he felt greedy.

If he ran off with this money, he could live in luxury for the rest of his life. But not only would it be difficult to exchange the Banknotes for Gold Taels, but more importantly, he was afraid of the consequences, so he couldn’t do it.

No matter how famous Jang Gwang-san and Sa Okyeon were in the Henan region, they couldn’t compare to a massive power like Snow Blade Sword Manor.

What the world knew of Snow Blade Sword Manor’s power was just the tip of the iceberg.

What was hidden was far greater than what was revealed.

He too had initially thought lightly of Snow Blade Sword Manor. But after confirming a little of its true nature, he changed his mind.

‘This is a fight the Jin Clan can never win. No matter how much they struggle, they can never defeat Snow Blade Sword Manor.’

The problem was that he had to return without completing the mission given by Snow Blade Sword Manor.

What Snow Blade Sword Manor had wanted was to tarnish the Jin Clan’s reputation with the promissory note, but instead, it only made Snow Blade Sword Manor look ridiculous.

He was afraid of what kind of reprimand he would face for this. Still, he couldn’t Escape. If he did, the consequences would surely be endless.

The two walked powerlessly towards Snow Blade Sword Manor.

Their figures, walking with slumped shoulders, even looked pathetic from behind.

That was why they didn’t know.

The fact that there was a man quietly following them.

The man, who moved while matching his breathing, stride, and even his heartbeat to theirs, was none other than Pyo Wol.

After leaving the Jin Clan, Pyo Wol had been tailing them. Yet, they were completely unaware of that fact.

Pyo Wol followed them, observing their every move. And he reached one conclusion.

‘These two don’t have the brains to pull something like this off.’

Someone had given them the promissory note and instructed them to cause a disturbance. He was clearly the brains of Snow Blade Sword Manor.

The one who planned all this, and who commanded numerous Martial Artists as if they were his own limbs.

Perhaps it was because of his intervention that Snow Blade Sword Manor had regained its former prestige.

Pyo Wol wanted to see his face.

Jang Gwang-san and Sa Okyeon would open the way to him.