Like other prominent trading companies, the Baekhwa Trading Company had established branches throughout Zhongyuan.
Of course, it was said there were no branches in regions where the Moyong Clan, who controlled key territories, or local authorities had not granted permission.
Still, even excluding those areas, the company’s reach spanned nearly the entire continent.
The main headquarters was reportedly located sowhere in Xi’an.
When asked why Xi’an, out of all possible cities, was chosen as the headquarters, the answer was likely simple: the Mihoran Clan, to which the trading company’s master belonged, was based there.
Not that I had ever visited.
‘Why would I even go there?’
Perhaps soone like Gu Yeonseo or Gu Heebi might have reason to, but it certainly wasn’t my kind of destination.
Anyway, excluding its headquarters, the Hanam Branch was easily the most influential of all the Baekhwa Trading Company’s locations.
Hanam was not only ho to Wudang and the Murim Alliance headquarters, but also one of Zhongyuan’s largest cities.
This branch generated more revenue than even the headquarters itself.
Its importance was reflected in its grandeur—the building was one of the tallest and most prominent in Hanam, a clear expression of the Baekhwa Trading Company’s stature.
Currently, I was standing on the top floor of that towering structure, in the Hanam Branch of the Baekhwa Trading Company.
The room was impeccably clean.
Not a speck of dust was in sight, and the air carried an almost oppressive sense of cleanliness.
It was so spotless it made breathing feel like a guilty act.
Or maybe I just felt uncomfortable in the space, which could explain why it felt that way.
Regardless, being here was undeniably unsettling for .
“It’s been a while.”
The voice drew out of my thoughts.
Gulp. I swallowed dryly.
The tea set before remained untouched.
I cautiously lifted my gaze and offered my respects.
“It has been a long ti, Madam Mi.”
The person before was none other than Mi Horan, the master of the Baekhwa Trading Company—
And the mistress of the Gu Clan.
It had been roughly a year since I last saw her.
The last ti had been during a particularly grueling period when I was training under Paejon.
Even then, I had gone out of my way to avoid her whenever possible.
Masking my true feelings, I addressed her politely.
“I happened to be in Hanam for business. Since I heard you were here, I thought it would be proper to pay my respects.”
Madam Mi nodded at my words.
And that was it.
“…”
“…”
Silence hung thick in the air.
The room, already stark, now felt even more barren.
‘…Should I just leave?’
Would it be best to simply greet her and go?
That thought crossed my mind.
Though I was here for business, this was not how I had expected things to play out.
I hadn’t anticipated a one-on-one eting with Madam Mi herself.
‘I only planned to greet her briefly.’
I had assud she would be in Xi’an or Shanxi, not here in Hanam.
When I learned she was in town, my first instinct had been to feign ignorance.
But my business required to acknowledge her presence.
Even so,
‘Can’t the business handle itself without ?’
I was strongly tempted to limit my visit to just a polite greeting.
That’s how uncomfortable I felt.
In many ways, Madam Mi was even more intimidating to than my father.
Not only did I not know how to interact with her, but there was sothing inherently unsettling about her.
Sothing that defied explanation.
How should I proceed?
Would it be better to excuse myself now?
As I wavered, Madam Mi broke the silence.
“I’ve heard the news.”
“…Pardon?”
For a mont, I wasn’t sure what she ant.
“You entrusted the company with a stockpile of Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron.”
“Ah.”
Her words clarified the situation.
The Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron I had obtained in Guangdong—
I had left it with the Baekhwa Trading Company for safekeeping.
Clearly, she was referring to that.
“The quantity is impressive. Would you care to explain how you ca across it?”
Her tone was calm, but the amount in question was indeed extraordinary.
Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron was no longer being discovered.
Over ti, the tal had beco so rare that finding even a small quantity was a monuntal event.
Most of what remained was held by the nine great sects, the four noble families, or other powerful organizations.
Even these groups only possessed small amounts, often diluted with other tals to create alloys of imnse value.
In short, Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron was a priceless resource.
And I had delivered it in its raw, undiluted form.
‘Several chunks of it, no less.’
It wasn’t just a single piece.
For all I knew, the amount I had brought could rival the total known reserves across Zhongyuan.
That Madam Mi could inquire about it so calmly was, in itself, remarkable.
“…I ca across it by chance while in Guangdong. It seed ownerless, so I brought it back.”
I told the truth, avoiding any lies.
There was no point in lying to Madam Mi—she would see through it instantly.
Her gaze lingered on for a mont, and it felt uncomfortably heavy.
Then,
“Did you report this to the Murim Alliance?”
Gulp.
I swallowed hard at her question.
By law, any discovery of such materials within the orthodox sects’ jurisdiction had to be reported to the Murim Alliance.
Of course, I hadn’t reported it.
If I had, they would have confiscated it under the pretext of “unclaid property.”
“…No, I didn’t report it.”
Madam Mi said nothing, simply staring at .
Was she about to chastise ?
If she did, I wouldn’t take it lightly.
‘Do you know what I went through to get that?’
This iron was crucial for my plans. If Madam Mi disapproved,
‘I’ll just take it to another trading company.’
I was already prepared to retrieve it and sell it elsewhere.
As I braced myself, she finally spoke.
“You did well.”
“…?”
Her unexpected praise left dumbfounded.
I stared at her in disbelief as she continued,
“Did you inform your father?”
“…Not yet.”
“That, too, was the right choice. If your father knew, he would have insisted on reporting it to the Murim Alliance.”
She wasn’t wrong. My father was the type to adhere strictly to established laws, even if he didn’t agree with them.
He was a man of little material desire, which only made things more frustrating.
“I will handle the matter. You needn’t worry.”
“…Thank you.”
Though surprised, I was relieved to hear her response.
And perhaps because the tension had eased, I found myself asking a question I’d been holding back.
“Um… where is she?”
“You’re asking about the branch master, I presu.”
“Yes.”
I was referring to Moyong Hee-ah, who had recently beco the Hanam Branch Master.
The fact that she had joined the Baekhwa Trading Company at all was surprising enough.
The news of her rapid promotion to branch master had been even more shocking.
She had told it was to “gain experience,” but…
‘I praised her a little, and she went and did this!’
What could she possibly have done to rise so quickly?
Madam Mi was no ordinary person. If Moyong Hee-ah had achieved this position, it was a testant to her exceptional abilities.
This ant one thing:
"Moyong Hee-ah must have done an exceptional job to impress Madam Mi."
While I already knew Moyong Hee-ah was talented in this line of work, even I found this surprising.
“The branch master is currently away on an assignnt,” Madam Mi said.
“An assignnt?”
“Yes. It’s also the reason I’m here in Hanam. And…”
Tap.
The sound of Madam Mi folding her fan echoed through the room.
“It’s related to you as well.”
“…Pardon?”
I furrowed my brows at her unexpected words.
“Related to ? What do you an?”
“It’s not confird yet, so just keep it in mind. When the ti cos, I’ll explain everything.”
“Wait a mont, Madam Mi, I—”
“I’ll handle the matter of the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron personally, ensuring it’s dealt with favorably.”
“…”
Her words left silent.
What she ant was clear: she would take care of the iron in exchange for my silence on the current matter.
And, when the ti ca, I was to listen obediently to whatever request she had.
“So that’s why it went so smoothly.”
It seed I’d been roped into sothing whether I liked it or not.
“I suppose it’s unavoidable.”
Still, I couldn’t exactly call it a bad deal.
If Madam Mi was personally overseeing the iron’s handling…
“The profits will likely be higher, and it’ll be much safer.”
The risks I’d normally have to manage would be significantly reduced.
The only real issue was…
“What could she possibly want to do?”
That was the troubling part.
What kind of task warranted sending Moyong Hee-ah, not to ntion Madam Mi herself being here in Hanam?
And why did it involve ?
I had countless questions, but there was no way to ask them now.
Clicking my tongue silently, I shifted gears.
Since Madam Mi had effectively shut down further inquiries, I decided to change the topic.
“Madam Mi, if I may ask a favor unrelated to this matter…”
Her gaze sharpened slightly, intrigued by my sudden request.
“A favor? What is it?”
“Would you be able to help arrange lodging? I’ll likely be staying in Hanam for about three months.”
Both for my recovery and other plans, I needed a place to stay for an extended period.
While I could arrange this myself, going through the trading company would undoubtedly be quicker and more efficient.
"Originally, I planned to ask Moyong Hee-ah for help."
Unfortunately, she wasn’t available at the mont.
Madam Mi considered my request for a mont before nodding.
“There’s a suitable place nearby. I’ll send soone to guide you there.”
“Thank you very much.”
I didn’t ask about the cost.
I was wealthy now, after all.
“Gone are the days of begging Muyeon for spare change.”
Those tis when I barely had any allowance—and often none at all after one of my many misadventures—were behind .
No longer did I need to scrutinize price tags just to afford a single dumpling.
Anyway, since I’d gotten what I ca for, it seed like a good ti to make my exit.
As I subtly prepared to slip away,
“You ntioned staying for three months.”
Madam Mi’s words made pause and sit back down.
“Does that an you plan to participate in the martial tournant?”
She was referring to the Shinryong Martial Tournant, an event hosted by the Murim Alliance during the sumr—a festival that would coincide with my ti in Hanam.
“Yes, I figured I’d give it a shot since it’s happening.”
It wasn’t sothing I needed to hide, so I answered plainly.
Madam Mi regarded with a peculiar expression.
“I see.”
Her gaze carried an unusual weight, and her next words were spoken with an uncharacteristic caution.
“I don’t have much advice I can offer, but if you insist on participating… please take care of yourself.”
“…?”
Her unexpected concern left wide-eyed.
This was even more surprising than the complint earlier.
“…Thank you,” I stamred, bowing my head.
Madam Mi simply nodded in acknowledgnt, saying nothing further.
The silence that followed was unbearably awkward.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I rose to leave.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave. I’m sure you’re busy, and I wouldn’t want to intrude any further.”
With that polite excuse, I stood up, feeling a sense of relief.
“Talking to her feels ten tis more exhausting than fighting soone.”
Even though it was just a brief conversation, I felt utterly drained.
As I made my way out,
“By the way,” Madam Mi called out.
I froze mid-step.
“She ntioned Miss Tang is here with you.”
The ntion of Tang So-yeol made pause again.
“…Yes, we happened to et by chance.”
Chance wasn’t the wrong word. There was no need to elaborate further.
Madam Mi then asked,
“Will she be staying at the sa lodging as you?”
“Most likely.”
Unless Tang So-yeol specifically asked for separate accommodations, we’d likely share the sa place.
It wasn’t like the lodging would be small, especially with Seong Yul staying with us as well.
At my response, Madam Mi seed to hesitate briefly, as if sothing about the arrangent bothered her.
After a mont, she spoke again.
“You’re becoming more like your father in so ways, which is comndable. But there are aspects of him you needn’t emulate.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
Her cryptic statent left baffled.
“What do you an by that?”
“Never mind. Off you go now.”
She dismissed my question with a wave, signaling the end of the conversation.
Confused, I tilted my head but complied.
As I turned to leave, however, I caught her muttering under her breath:
“Of all things, it’s that trait he inherited… those children will have a hard ti.”
I stopped in my tracks and turned back, but Madam Mi was already engrossed in a letter, no longer paying any attention.
“Did I hear that right?”
Was I just imagining things because I wasn’t feeling well?
That had to be it.
It seed more urgent than ever to seek out the Divine Doctor. My condition might be worse than I thought.
“I’ll stop by the lodging first and then head straight to find him.”
With that plan in mind, I followed the guide to my new accommodations.
However, I wouldn’t even have the chance to settle in before realizing how unnecessary that plan was.
Upon arriving at the lodging,
“You bastard! How dare you make a move like this!”
“Ah, your age must be catching up with you. No wonder you’re struggling to keep up.”
“What did you just say!?”
I froze, dumbstruck by the scene before .
Instead of the quiet respite I’d expected, I was t with utter chaos.
“You’ve been losing every ga so far, and yet your mouth is running wild!”
“And yet, I’m winning now, aren’t I?”
The property was spacious, nestled near a mountain with a pond that housed large koi fish. The atmosphere was serene—until now.
“Damn it all! One more ga, right now!”
The Divine Doctor, who I had planned to visit, was flipping over a Go board and shouting furiously.
“Haha,”
Across from him sat a young man with familiar black hair, laughing at the outburst.
No, not a young man—
It was Paejon, one of the Three Supre Beings, also known as Heaven’s Exile, smirking smugly at the Divine Doctor.
“How amusing. Unfortunately, I have no desire to continue. Your skills are so lacking that it’s not even enjoyable. Perhaps next ti, if I’m in the mood.”
His words were insufferably condescending.
“Grrr!”
The Divine Doctor, seething with frustration, collapsed into his chair.
Paejon, anwhile, continued to laugh heartily.
As for …
“…”
I could only stare, speechless, at the chaos unfolding before .
Reviews
All reviews (0)