Chapter 107

The Jo-ga Trading Company was a trading company based in Meishan, Sichuan Province.

Though not very large in scale, it was a well-known trading company in the Meishan area for its solid management.

There was a time when they were so short on funds that they worried about having to send all their family members away, but from a certain point on, they experienced explosive growth.

Thanks to this, they were reborn as one of the most prominent wealthy families in the Meishan area.

Jo Chiyang was a large man in his late fifties with a portly build.

He was originally somewhat thin, but after the Jo-ga Trading Company became fully established, his gluttony flared up and he gained weight. However, no one could criticize him for being fat. Because he was the owner of the Jo-ga Trading Company.

Jo Chiyang was the owner of the Jo-ga Trading Company and one of the most influential figures in Meishan.

Everyone watched his every move; he never had to watch anyone else’s. At least in Meishan, he was no different from a king.

“Hehe! This is good.”

Jo Chiyang left the White Sun Pavilion with a satisfied smile.

The White Sun Pavilion was the largest Brothel in Meishan.

Although it was said that the Courtesans were slightly less beautiful than those in Chengdu, it was still filled with beauties that were hard to come by.

Jo Chiyang was on his way out after receiving lavish treatment at the White Sun Pavilion. He had played with the three most beautiful Courtesans of the White Sun Pavilion all at once, and there wasn’t a single part of his body that didn’t ache.

Although his body was tired, he felt good.

To be born a man and lose track of time buried in a forest of meat and a pond of wine—it was quite a successful life.

There was nothing to restrain him, nothing to be wary of, which made him feel even better.

Jo Chiyang entered his residence with a satisfied expression.

His residence was the largest building in the Jo-ga Trading Company, always guarded by a dozen or so warriors. That was why he thought it was the safest place.

Jo Chiyang, who had entered the room with a smile, suddenly frowned.

Someone was sitting in his chair.

“Who are you?”

Jo Chiyang raised his voice.

His voice was full of anger.

He felt that his authority had been trampled upon.

“Jo Chiyang!”

“You know my name and yet you dare to enter my residence without permission? And on top of that, you dare to sit in my seat?”

Jo Chiyang hated having his authority challenged.

Without a second thought, he called for the Subordinates standing guard outside.

“Is there no one outside?”

Immediately, a dozen Martial Artists rushed inside.

“Yes! Unit Leader.”

“What is it?”

Jo Chiyang pointed his finger at the person sitting in his chair and shouted.

“Can’t you see that man sitting in my seat right now? How did you stand guard that an outsider entered my residence?”

“Huk!”

“How did that… that man?”

The Martial Artists looked at the man sitting in the chair in surprise. However, a deep shadow was cast where the man sat, so his face was not visible.

“Who are you?”

“How dare you sit in the Unit Leader’s seat? Drag him out immediately.”

The Martial Artists, greatly angered, rushed at the man sitting in the chair.

Shhh! Shhht!

At that moment, a sharp sound of something cutting through the air echoed through the room.

The Martial Artists who had been rushing at the man in the chair stood completely still, as if they had become stone statues.

At that, Jo Chiyang shouted.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and drag him out.”

Thud, thud, thud!

At that moment, the Martial Artists collapsed in a chain reaction.

“Heok!”

Jo Chiyang was so startled that he collapsed onto the floor.

Thick Fresh Blood flowed from the bodies of the fallen Martial Artists. They were completely still, clearly having lost their lives.

“H-How?”

The Subordinates guarding his residence were all renowned Martial Artists in the area, whom Jo Chiyang had specially hired for a large sum of money. Such Martial Artists had lost their lives in vain without being able to lift a finger.

Only then did Jo Chiyang realize that the person sitting in his chair was a tremendous Expert.

“Wh-Who are you?”

“Jo Chiyang! You’ve amassed quite a fortune in the meantime.”

“Huk! Then?”

Jo Chiyang’s face turned pale.

A name he had long forgotten came to mind.

“P-Perhaps… are you… Lord Dark Moon??”

“That’s right!”

“Heo-euk!”

At the man’s answer, Jo Chiyang gasped as if he were about to stop breathing. The terror that the name Dark Moon instilled was that extreme.

The man in the chair looked at Jo Chiyang in silence.

Although his face was obscured by the deep shadow, his gaze was recognizable. It was because a faint Crimson Light was emanating even in the darkness.

Jo Chiyang’s body trembled.

“I-I didn’t recognize you because there has been no contact for so long. Please forgive me.”

“Jo Chiyang!”

“Please spare me. Please, just spare my life. I just thought you weren’t interested in me since there was no contact. Sob!”

Jo Chiyang begged, banging his head on the floor.

His forehead split open and blood flowed, but he didn’t even feel the pain. That was how extreme the terror Jo Chiyang was feeling.

A long time ago, the Jo-ga Trading Company was on the verge of collapse due to a lack of funds.

The one who appeared then was the being called Dark Moon. He gave Jo Chiyang a large sum of money and told him to use it as capital for his business. And he forced him to offer thirty percent of the wealth he accumulated every year.

Driven into a corner, Jo Chiyang accepted the money without looking into its source. He had no other choice.

Jo Chiyang grew the Jo-ga Trading Company based on the funds he received from Dark Moon. And every year, he had to offer thirty percent of the wealth he earned.

One day, he began to feel that the money he offered every year was a waste.

The thought that he had done enough had taken root. So he refused to offer the wealth. Instead, he spent a huge sum of money to hire escort warriors.

He had truly built a curtain of Righteousness. But the next day, he keenly realized how futile that act was.

Not only the warriors who were escorting him, but even his favorite concubine had all been killed.

What was more chilling was that so many people had died, yet Jo Chiyang had been completely unaware and had just slept through it all.

He had woken up in the middle of countless corpses.

The bodies of the escort warriors and his concubine surrounded him.

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was the wide-open eyes of his dead concubine. The unfocused eyes of his concubine were so terrifying that he still couldn’t forget them.

That day, Jo Chiyang keenly realized what a foolish thing he had done, and every year he offered the exact amount to Dark Moon.

Several more years passed like that. But for the past seven years, Dark Moon had not come.

For the first year or two, he suspected there might be some intention behind it. But three years passed, and then four, and still Dark Moon did not appear.

Jo Chiyang thought that something must have happened to Dark Moon. Otherwise, it didn’t make sense that he wouldn’t come.

After that, Jo Chiyang lived forgetting about Dark Moon. No, he tried hard to forget. He felt a thrill at the fact that he was not coming.

The fact that the Shackles that bound him were gone made him happy. After that, he lived without restraint. As the true king of Meishan.

But today, Dark Moon, whom he had tried so hard to forget for so long, had reappeared. The extreme terror returned.

He was so startled that he even wet his pants.

“Please, just spare my life. Since you haven’t visited for so long, this humble one let his guard down. Still, I have been diligently collecting the wealth to be offered to Lord Dark Moon. If you open the storage box next to me, you will see Banknotes and house deeds. You can take them all.”

At Jo Chiyang’s words, Dark Moon opened the storage box and took out its contents.

Flutter!

The sound of him flipping through the Banknotes and house deeds was heard.

Jo Chiyang kept his head down and swallowed dryly.

‘Please! Please!’

He couldn’t even dare to think of resisting. He could only wait for Dark Moon’s decision.

He just trembled like an aspen tree. But no matter how long he waited, Dark Moon’s voice was not heard.

Jo Chiyang carefully raised his head.

In that instant, his eyes widened like saucers. The figure of Dark Moon, who should have been sitting in the chair, was nowhere to be seen.

“I-Is he gone? Heok!”

All the strength left his body, and he fell on his butt, collapsing.

Tears streamed down his face at the thought that his life had been saved. Still, he wasn’t ashamed at all.

Wealth could be earned again, but life was one of a kind.

“T-To think Lord Dark Moon has reappeared. I’ll have to make annual tributes now.”

His hands were still trembling.

The being Jo Chiyang had thought was Dark Moon slipped out of the Jo-ga Trading Company without a sound.

At that moment, the clouds parted and the moon showed its face.

The faint moonlight illuminated Dark Moon’s face. Then, his true form was revealed under the moonlight.

The man with skin as white as snow and more beautiful than a woman was none other than Pyo Wol.

“So this is the Cunning Rabbit Three Burrows.”

Gu Juyang, who had been the leader of the Bloody Shadows Guild, had dispersed his funds in various places in preparation for an emergency.

One of them was people like Jo Chiyang, who had excellent business acumen but lacked wealth. He had invested in them and let them grow the funds on their own.

Because he operated under the pseudonym Dark Moon, the people who received his investment had no idea that the Bloody Shadows Guild was involved.

The booklet Pyo Wol found at Cheonpung Manor contained the names of those Gu Juyang had invested in.

Now it was time to visit the next person.

Just as Gu Juyang had done, Pyo Wol also planned to prepare several burrows in Chengdu.

＊＊＊

Yoo Shinpoong looked at the slums with a serious expression.

In the slums that had turned to ash, people sat in a daze. They looked as if they couldn’t even begin to think about where to start rebuilding.

“Hah!”

Yoo Shinpoong let out a sigh.

It was all because of Yo Seolyeong of the Seven Stars Hall.

Although he had no connection to the Seven Stars Hall, he felt a sense of guilt just for being a fellow Martial Artist.

Lee Soha approached his side.

“It’s not your fault, Uncle, is it? You don’t have to feel so guilty.”

“If only it were as easy as you say. I witnessed their evil deeds and yet I took no particular action. I cannot forgive myself for that.”

“But at the time, you had no choice, did you? You can’t confront the Seven Stars Hall without knowing the clear cause and effect. If the people of Jianghu knew these circumstances, no one would say anything to you, Uncle.”

“Haaah!”

“No matter what anyone says, I believe in you, Uncle. I know how great your sense of Chivalry is, and what a bright and just person you are.”

“Thank you.”

Yoo Shinpoong forced a smile.

Still, thanks to his niece’s comfort, his heavy heart felt a little lighter.

“What are you planning to do now?”

“I must stay in Chengdu and find out about that person.”

Yoo Shinpoong’s eyes sharpened.

The disaster in Chengdu a few days ago had given him a great shock.

On the day the disaster occurred, Yoo Shinpoong had been keeping a close watch on the Seven Stars Hall. Yet, he hadn’t properly seen how the Martial Artists of the Seven Stars Hall had died.

That fact gave Yoo Shinpoong a great shock.

He himself was a renowned Martial Artist in Jianghu, yet even though the Martial Artists he was closely watching were massacred, he had failed to notice not only the culprit but also the method.

It wasn’t difficult to guess the culprit.

It was probably that Assassin who had recently appeared in Chengdu.

He couldn’t even think of anyone else.

‘I must confirm whether he will be a harm to Jianghu. If he is truly a great evil that will disrupt Jianghu, I must eliminate him, whatever it takes.’

Yoo Shinpoong prided himself on being a man of Chivalry in Jianghu.

For him to see a great evil budding and simply pass by was an unthinkable thing.

“You should return to the main family.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Do as I say, Soha!”

“Uncle!”

“I’m saying this for your own good. He is a dangerous being.”

“If that’s the case, then I should stay by your side even more.”

“Don’t be stubborn. If I let you get into danger, I won’t be able to face your older sister.”

Yoo Shinpoong was someone who would usually grant whatever Lee Soha wanted. But not this time.

There was no room for compromise in his firm expression.

“Un…cle!”

Tears welled up in Lee Soha’s eyes. His heart weakened for a moment at the sight, but Yoo Shinpoong steeled his resolve.

“I looked into it, and there’s an Escort Agency heading towards the main family. You should return to the main family with them.”

“I understand.”

“Thank you. And I’m sorry. For not being able to keep my promise to show you all of Jianghu.”

“No, it’s not that.”

Lee Soha shook her head.

This air of Chivalry was not something anyone could possess. That was why she respected Yoo Shinpoong more than anyone.

“I’ll return to the main family. But I will definitely come back.”

“Soha!”

“Just don’t stop me from doing that. If you do, I won’t go back.”

“I understand.”

“You must be careful.”

In the end, Lee Soha went with the Escort Agency, and Yoo Shinpoong, left alone, burned with fighting spirit.

“I will dig up every single thing about you, whoever you are.”