Chapter 57
“……What?”
Kang Yongchong, so startled that he asked back, saw Youngho nod as if he understood everything and speak.
“I said I’d entrust the job to you.”
“N-No, that’s…….”
Kang Yongchong glanced at the man he had been speaking with just monts ago and said,
“I don’t think that will wo—”
“I’ll give you an advance first.”
With those words, Youngho took a light step forward and handed One Nyang of Silver to Kang Yongchong in a way that made sure the Black Dragon Branch man could see it.
“This should be more than enough to cover the interest…….”
As Youngho cast a sidelong glance at the man while speaking, Kang Yongchong caught on to his aning and imdiately handed the silver over to the man.
“H-Here is the interest paynt.”
At the sight of the silver Kang Yongchong offered, the man’s face twisted fiercely.
“What do you think you’re doing right now?”
The man glared viciously at Youngho as he spoke. And Youngho, in order to make not only the man but Kang Yongchong recognize that he was a custor, said,
“What else? I’m commissioning work from a blacksmith. That makes
this forge’s custor now.”
“Hah!”
The man let out a snort, dumbfounded beyond belief.
“Since when?”
“From the mont I handed over that One Nyang of Silver.”
“Don’t get cocky, brat. If you interfere in adults’ business, you won’t keep your life.”
“Do I look like I’m trying to play the part of so half-baked wandering hero?”
“Wouldn’t be the first.”
“Then why do you think I ca all the way here?”
“What?”
The man let a trace of killing intent slip as he glared at Youngho. Though unmistakable murderous intent shot toward him, Youngho waved his hand as if annoyed.
“This is a forge rarely visited by anyone. Did I really co all the way here just to act the hero? Or did I co to commission work from a blacksmith?”
“…….”
Even the man had nothing to say in response to Youngho’s question. Youngho was right. No matter how much one wished to play the hero, one had to be known by people to be called a hero.
But would soone truly co to a forge where not even an ant passed by, simply to play the hero?
“……My apologies. It seems I was mistaken.”
There was no justification. No justification to drive away the brat before him. Moreover, he had just received silver from Kang Yongchong, leaving him even less to say.
He had only co to collect money, and Kang Yongchong had paid the proper amount.
“Well then, you’ve received the money. Would you mind leaving now? I have matters to discuss with the owner.”
The man examined Youngho from head to toe with a asuring gaze before nodding.
“Kang Yongchong. I’ll co again next ti.”
After delivering a light warning, the man left the forge.
Feeling the suffocating air finally clear, Kang Yongchong unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
“That’s a relief…….”
Seeing him like that, Youngho asked in a puzzled voice,
“I thought I heard you ntion the Black Dragon Branch just now. For mbers of the Black Faction, they seed rather reasonable.”
Kang Yongchong startled and said,
“Please refrain from saying such things. If soone overhears, it will cause great trouble.”
“Why? They’re just so Black Faction rabble.”
At Youngho’s continued dismissive tone toward the Black Dragon Branch, Kang Yongchong struggled to calm his pounding heart.
“Please, do not speak ill of the Black Dragon Branch any further. They say words spoken in the day are heard by birds, and words spoken at night are heard by mice.”
“Hmm…… Fine for now. I think I roughly understand the reason anyway.”
“What do you an?”
“You’re capable.”
“……What?”
“You’re so capable that that Black Faction bastard treats you well. Am I wrong?”
Struck at the heart of the matter, Kang Yongchong fell silent for a mont.
“You don’t have to answer. I can tell. Those Black Faction bastards treat people with nothing like trash. But to soone with ability like you, they approach very kindly.”
“…….”
“You’ve had your skills acknowledged as a blacksmith. Unfortunately, by Black Faction scum.”
“……That is correct.”
There was little point in denying it further. Youngho was convinced, and even if he denied it, it was obvious what Youngho would think. So Kang Yongchong simply spoke the truth.
“As a blacksmith, my skills are considered fairly good. Though at present, due to circumstances, I borrowed money and cannot even repay the interest.”
“I know. Now let’s talk about the job.”
Kang Yongchong widened his eyes and stared at Youngho.
“You won’t ask anything further?”
“Ask what?”
“No, I an…….”
There was much he wished to say. And he had assud the other party would have many questions as well.
A blacksmith was, after all, soone who forged weapons ant to kill. For that reason, most blacksmiths had one foot in Jianghu.
Because they could beco entangled in the Gratitude and Grudge between martial artists, people usually tried to confirm many things before commissioning a blacksmith.
However, the boy did not ask further. Despite his dismissive tone toward the Black Dragon Branch, it seed as though he simply wished to pass by quietly.
Co to think of it, that was not the only strange thing. Even earlier, when the Black Dragon Branch man had demanded repaynt, he had received help.
To be precise, proper compensation had been paid, but Kang Yongchong was not so foolish as to fail to realize that such reasoning was rely a pretext.
Youngho could have simply commissioned the work. He did not need to pay an advance. Yet by deliberately paying the advance, he removed any justification for the Black Dragon Branch man to cause a scene.
Why had he helped him like this? For what reason?
“You’re thinking too much, Owner.”
Startled back to his senses by Youngho’s words, Kang Yongchong lowered his head.
“My apologies. What commission have you co to entrust?”
“It’s nothing much. I’m planning to forge a Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron Sword.”
“I see. A Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron Sword…… What?”
Kang Yongchong struck the back of his own head hard once, wondering if he had misheard.
“Did you just say Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron?”
“Yes. The purity is top-grade. If you don’t believe , check it yourself.”
“Y-You possess top-grade Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron?”
“Yes. I wrapped it in a bundle and brought it. If you don’t believe , take a look.”
At Youngho’s signal, Kang Hosan and Kang Chowon unwrapped the bundle they had been holding. Youngho smiled in satisfaction just at the sight.
“Owner, do you see it? This luster is incredible—ah, you’re already looking.”
Kang Yongchong had already approached right up to the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron. He carefully lifted it, as though even the slightest scratch would be unforgivable.
His hands trembled as he spoke in a quivering voice.
“It’s… it’s real. It’s exactly like what I saw in the books…!”
Overco with joy at seeing such a precious material in his lifeti as a blacksmith, Kang Yongchong briefly lost himself and shouted in elation.
‘He brought sothing this precious wrapped in a re bundle?’
He even cursed slightly at his own custor, Youngho, in his mind.
After staring blankly at the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron for a mont, Kang Yongchong suddenly ca to his senses.
“I do not believe I can accept this commission.”
At his firm refusal, Youngho let out a faint chuckle.
“I won’t kill you. So make it.”
I won’t kill you. Hearing those words, Kang Yongchong’s pupils trembled violently, realizing his thoughts had been seen through.
His eyes shook pitifully as though an earthquake had struck, revealing just how flustered he was.
“Surely… I will not have to lose my tongue and eyes…?”
“Not that either. I swear in my na. I will not cause you any harm.”
“B-But that makes no sense….”
Embarrassed even by his own words, Kang Yongchong lowered his head deeply.
A blacksmith was soone with at least one foot in Jianghu. As such, he stood within the range of Gratitude and Grudge and could not entirely avoid being swept into it.
That was why blacksmiths often said, half in jest and half in sincerity:
If you have no backing, do not display your exceptional ability. Kang Yongchong agreed wholeheartedly.
Even now, had he not rely shown a fraction of his true skill, yet attracted a massive pest called the Black Dragon Branch?
If he were to craft a supre sword from this Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron, one of two things would inevitably occur.
Either the client would attempt to recruit him into his own faction… or…
‘Kill him.’
The reason was simple and cruel. He might forge a weapon of equal caliber for soone else.
If that soone were an ally, it would not matter.
But if a blacksmith forged a supre blade for an enemy and that blade turned against them, it would be a disaster. Better to prevent such misfortune in advance.
Yet the boy before him was saying he would not do such a thing. It was absurd.
No, in truth, that would be the proper course of action—but it was not sothing a martial artist twisted within the vortex of Gratitude and Grudge would normally say.
Was it a lie? Or the truth? Just as Kang Yongchong was about to speak, Youngho opened his mouth first.
“If possible, I’d like you to co over to our side. But it’s fine if you don’t. I promise I will not cause even the slightest harm. And the commission fee is Ten Nyang of Gold.”
“Ten Nyang of Gold!”
It was an absurdly large sum. One Nyang of Gold was worth one hundred Nyang of Silver. And one Nyang of Silver could support a household of three or four for a month.
“And.”
Youngho had not finished speaking. Kang Yongchong focused intently, sensing that what followed was the true point.
“Let’s keep friendly terms. Even if we don’t formally retain an outstanding blacksmith, I’d like to maintain a close relationship.”
At those words, Kang Yongchong understood. And he felt reassured.
At this very mont, he beca certain that Youngho had no intention of killing him.
It was rely a blacksmith’s instinct. An instinct without preparation or defense.
“It’s almost laughable that soone who isn’t even from the Orthodox Sect says sothing like that.”
“Pardon?”
“I said it’s laughable.”
“No, before that—what did you say?”
“That I’m not from the Orthodox Sect?”
Blank.
Seeing Kang Yongchong stare at him with a stunned expression, Youngho smirked.
“I’m from the Unorthodox Faction.”
“……mbers of the Unorthodox Faction don’t usually help in situations like earlier….”
“You think soone from the Orthodox Sect would?”
“W-Well, of course….”
Kang Yongchong trailed off and finally closed his mouth. He rembered. Why he had co to this wretched place, and why he was in such a state.
“Judging by how your face darkened, you must have your own circumstances. In any case, I want you to forge the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron Sword.”
“Before that, may I ask which affiliation you belong to?”
“The Unorthodox Alliance.”
“……!”
‘Certain!’
The Unorthodox Alliance did not lie. Though they committed evil deeds, they were famous for not speaking falsehoods.
“May I ask your na?”
“It’s not worthy of such formality. I’m called Youngho.”
“Surely… not the one called the Fla Dragon?!”
Kang Yongchong could not contain his shock.
“The Fla Dragon? What’s that?”
anwhile, as Youngho looked genuinely puzzled, Horyeung let out a quiet chuckle.
‘He truly has no interest in worldly affairs….’
It was just like Youngho to pay no attention to anything beyond his imdiate circle.
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