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C95 - You Can Rest a Little
Kaifeng.
Tianxiang Restaurant (Cheonhyang).
The owner of Tianxiang Restaurant, Cheok Dogwang, nicknamed "Heavenly Assassin's Eye," is a peculiar person. Despite being a prominent figure of the Evil Faction, he saved money and opened a large restaurant called Tianxiang.
While most leaders of Murim live contentedly, he values relationships. As a result, he is now one of the ten elders of the Evil Faction Alliance of Kaifeng, known as the Black Society.
The way Tianxiang Restaurant operates is also unique.
Tianxiang is a normal restaurant, but it also has a black market selling human meat and an assassination service.
Cheok Dogwang delegated the management of each section to three of his disciples: the First Young Master handles the restaurant, the Second Young Master the black market, and the Third Young Master the assassination service.
Since there are three managers in one building, the rivalries between the disciples are intense, but he sees their intrigues as entertainment and encourages them.
Cheok Dogwang, with snake-like eyes, looked at the Third Young Master, Shim Yeongchun, known as the "Ghost Sword."
"Two assassins died. And all because of some mere guards of the pavilion."
Although his tone was calm, Shim Yeongchun trembled and lowered his head.
"The martial skills of the target were unexpectedly high..."
"Do you know how much it costs to train an assassin?"
"Please forgive me."
"At least ten thousand taels of silver. Do you think you just need to feed them, clothe them, and give them lodging? You must teach them, treat them, and if necessary, provide them with rare medicines."
"......"
"It takes at least five years for a person to meet the expectations. But the Sixth and Seventh Assassins had been training for over ten years. Their value was at least twenty thousand taels of silver. By killing two of them, you have caused me a minimum loss of forty thousand taels of silver."
"It's all Chu Yeopjin's fault. He didn't provide the right information..."
Shim Yeongchun tried to shift the blame to Chu Yeopjin.
"Was it a request from the Sahae Chamber of Commerce?"
"Yes. If they had hired a wanderer, they should have known their skill level, but they didn't say anything. I checked several times."
Shim Yeongchun seemed indignant.
No wonder, since a problem as simple as dealing with a pavilion guard had become so complicated.
"If I had known the opponent was so skilled, I would have taken a different approach. I would also have charged more than three thousand nyang instead of seven hundred. Surely, they tried to deceive us deliberately."
The blame shifted from Chu Yeopjin to the Sahae Chamber of Commerce.
Cheok Dogwang's gaze darkened at Shim Yeongchun's subtly changing words.
Shim Yeongchun's intention was clear.
He wanted to get compensation from the Sahae Chamber of Commerce.
If Tianxiang Restaurant and the Sahae Chamber of Commerce faced off directly, Tianxiang Restaurant would be defeated.
The Chamber of Commerce has at least forty guards.
In contrast, Tianxiang Restaurant only has seven assassins in the assassination service. Originally there were nine, but two died.
However, if they avoid a direct confrontation, Tianxiang Restaurant would have the advantage.
If the assassins set their minds to it, killing the head of the Chamber of Commerce, Sang Jaeyong, would be easy. Even that cunning Sang Jaeyong must know it.
The problem is that Sang Jaeyong is also extremely greedy. Otherwise, why would he request the assassination of his own pavilion guards?
Cheok Dogwang stroked his beard and said:
"Sang Jaeyong might demand a penalty for the mission's failure."
"Then I'll kill him."
Shim Yeongchun's eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
"Tsk, tsk. You want to kill your client out of anger. How can I trust you with the assassination service then? Until further notice, you are removed from the assassination service."
"......"
Shim Yeongchun's head dropped.
This is the worst possible outcome.
It was the last thing he wanted to hear from his master.
"Tell Sang Jaeyong to meet me tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Kangwol Pavilion."
"Yes..."
Shim Yeongchun responded in a dejected voice.
It seems he will be doing minor errands until his master calms down.
---------------
Henan Province.
Zhengzhou (Jeongju).
Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province, also known as Jeongju, is a city that could be considered the heart of the continent.
The last day of October.
Under the late autumn sun, an ox cart entered through the city gates.
The cart, which was advancing along the main avenue, stopped in front of the Zhongyuan Restaurant.
The driver, who had dropped the reins, looked back and shouted, "We've arrived!"
After a moment, two men descended from the cart.
They were Yeon Jeokha and Old Shim, who had left Luoyang.
It seems they finally managed to get a cart like the one from Changhae Military Academy that they envied so much.
Although it was early for dinner, the two men entered without hesitation. They had a light lunch and couldn't wait until dinner.
Seated and waiting for the food, Old Shim glanced sideways at Yeon Jeokha.
"What is it?"
"I suddenly remembered why you came down from the mountain, Young Master."
"What nonsense."
Feeling thirsty, Yeon Jeokha poured water into his cup and drank it in one gulp.
"Have you made any progress?"
"How many days have passed since I met the Sage of Heaven and Earth for you to be talking about progress?"
"Well, it's just that it seems like you've been neglecting your martial arts lately."
"Didn't you say I should rest when I couldn't advance?"
"Resting is fine, but I'm worried you're relaxing too much."
"Do you want me to rest or not?"
"Jeje, I just want you to do it moderately."
"You know something? Even a frog crouches before it leaps far."
"Yes, yes, just make sure you don't stay crouched."
"At my age, I can rest a little. But for you, Old Shim, staying still is dangerous."
"Oh, God! I was wrong. Forget what I said."
"It's okay. Ah, by the way, wasn't Brother Pung poisoned? Shouldn't we look for an antidote? Going there without it won't help much."
"Isn't that why you were looking for that assassin organization?"
"Hmm?"
"I thought you wanted to get the antidote from them."
“I just wanted revenge.”
“Hahaha.”
Old Shim laughed awkwardly.
His martial skills were so high that he often forgot that he didn't actually know much about the Murim World.
"If we find who did it and punish them, we might get the antidote."
“Oh! I see.”
“Those who use poisons usually have the antidote.”
“Then we must find Old Shim's friend quickly.”
“Hahaha, he's not a friend. We barely know each other.”
Knowing an assassin is not common.
Perhaps he could be considered a friend, but Old Shim denied it firmly.
“The driver said it would take half a day to reach Kaifeng, right?”
“Yes, but the horses and the driver also need to rest, so it's better to spend the night in Zhengzhou.”
“Right? I hope Brother Pung holds up well...”
“Don't worry too much. Those of Murim usually endure more than normal people. Besides, Brother Pung has learned the True Classic of the Nine Heavens, so he will hold up well.”
Yeon Jeokha, nodding, suddenly looked at Old Shim.
“Who could have ordered the assassination? What could they gain from Brother Pung?”
“That I don't understand either. Brother Pung worked at the pavilion, so it shouldn't be for money.”
“If we catch that guy, I'll...”
Yeon Jeokha gritted his teeth.
Trying to kill someone who had returned to his family after so many years...
Having been mistreated since childhood, Yeon Jeokha has a strong longing and affection for family. That's why he was so enraged, as if it had happened to him.
“Since we're in Zhengzhou, aren't you really going to visit the Daeyeon Chamber of Commerce?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Later... when things are calmer. Then I'll see them.”
Old Shim asked no more questions, seeing the melancholic expression on Yeon Jeokha's face.
-------------
Kaifeng
Kangwol Pavilion
The Kangwol Pavilion, one of the three main pavilions in Kaifeng, was always bustling with customers seeking fine liquors, delicious food, and beautiful courtesans.
In a private room reserved for distinguished guests, Cheok Dogwang, the owner of Tianxiang Restaurant, and Sang Jaeyong, the head of the Sahae Chamber of Commerce, sat facing each other.
The table was laden with liquor and snacks.
Both old men barely touched the snacks with their chopsticks, not saying a word.
Had a quarter of an hour passed?
Sang Jaeyong, who had been slowly picking at the snacks, suddenly stared at Cheok Dogwang.
“Hahaha. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, I’m just curious why you wanted to see me so suddenly.”
Sang Jaeyong’s brazen response made Cheok Dogwang laugh.
Two assassins had died on their mission, and he acted as if nothing had happened.
“Chu Yeopjin did something interesting.”
“Really?”
“He made a request for seven hundred taels of silver. There’s no way a mere guard had that amount of money. It must have been your doing, right? I have suffered many losses because of it.”
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. I have more than forty guards, why would I need to hire you?”
Cheok Dogwang’s smile faded from his face.
“Sang Jaeyong. Don’t act smart. Do you think those guards can protect you?”
“......”
Faced with the sudden threat, Sang Jaeyong remained silent.
Although the assassins in the assassination service were fearsome, Cheok Dogwang, who was sitting in front of him, was a master of the Evil Faction. Sang Jaeyong was just a wealthy merchant without the strength to defend himself.
However, even though he feared Cheok Dogwang, he did not submit.
He knew that if Cheok Dogwang took his life, he and Tianxiang Restaurant would also be finished. The other knew this, so he was only barking loudly.
“You didn’t provide the correct information about the target. I lost two of my best men, trained for ten years. I won’t say more. How do you plan to compensate me?”
“It seems there is a misunderstanding. I repeat, I know nothing about any request.”
Sang Jaeyong continued to deny everything.
From the beginning, he had kept his distance, foreseeing that things would get complicated.
“Do you want me to end everything with Chu Yeopjin? Do you think it will be that simple? Chu Yeopjin, who works for you, requested the assassination of a pavilion guard. What do you think will happen if that gets out? People will want to know why he did it, won’t they?”
Despite Cheok Dogwang’s provocation, Sang Jaeyong remained calm.
The ultimate goal of his plan was to reveal the background of the request. Although it had become a bit complicated, the end result would be the same.
“I also want to know why Chu Yeopjin did that.”
“......”
Cheok Dogwang looked at Sang Jaeyong with fury.
‘Brazen. Does he insist on denying everything?’
If Chu Yeopjin's request was revealed, the Sahae Chamber of Commerce would suffer the consequences. However, he didn’t understand why Sang Jaeyong remained so calm.
Finally, Cheok Dogwang sighed deeply.
“Ha, Sang Jaeyong, I’ve lost. Let’s try to resolve this in a way that benefits both of us. To do business, we need friends, not enemies.”
Cheok Dogwang acknowledged that he could not overcome Sang Jaeyong.
“Hahaha, very well said. We need more friends, not enemies. Alright. I have a proposal that will benefit us both. Do you want to hear it?”
“Tell me.”
“Reveal who ordered the assassination from Chu Yeopjin. Then, I’ll make a request to you. It will be easy, and the payment will be satisfactory.”
Cheok Dogwang looked at Sang Jaeyong in amazement.
You never really know what these merchants want.