novelraw Chapter 143 : Luring Him Out
Chapter 143 : Luring Him Out
Chapter 143: Luring Him Out
Before explaining, I asked the question first.
"Ilhong, do you remember the Man Geum Trading Post?"
"Remember it? I know where it is."
Hm, wrong way to ask.
"Then, do you remember the Goat-bearded Merchant?"
"Of course I do, that bastard."
Yes, that’s the way to ask.
Ilhong huffed angrily, just thinking about it pissed her off.
"That bastard openly looked down on beggars, and our people had a hard time because of him."
"That goat beard is the merchant from the Man Geum Trading Post you were just asking about."
"Oh, really?"
I already knew the full story from Yangjo and Yangwi.
Even Ilhong didn’t seem to know every merchant under their wing.
"But why bring up the Man Geum Trading Post all of a sudden?"
"Because our current target is hiding deep inside it."
A runaway black sheep. That guy came back and teamed up with the Eunseong Trading Company’s enemies, constantly vexing his blood sister.
She said she couldn’t concentrate on anything because of the stress.
"So what, we either sneak in quietly or lure him out, right? That target, I mean."
"Exactly. That’s the biggest issue."
To do that, we first needed information.
After all, a trading post in the Central Plains is where vast sums of money are stored, and desperate debtors come to get high-interest loans.
Naturally, the security was bound to be like an iron fortress. It was obvious that it would be crawling with elite martial artists whose names carried weight.
"But Mujin, who exactly is this target?"
What kind of guy holes up in a place like the Man Geum Trading Post? Jo Harang seemed to be asking with that look.
"Have you heard of Eun Yanggon? He’s the disowned older brother of the client..."
Jo Harang shook her head like she didn’t know, but Ilhong’s eyes widened in recognition.
"I know him. He’s that infamous punk from the Eunseong Trading Company. The previous Trading Lord, Eun Jincheong, kicked him out because he couldn’t take it anymore."
Infamous punk. Yeah, that’s a pretty accurate description.
"Wait a second. I heard Eunseong recently had a conflict with the Man Geum Trading Post. But to bring in another direct heir there means..."
"Yeah, you’re thinking it right. Just imagine what our Trading Lord must be going through."
It was obvious he was planning something sneaky.
She was on edge and fidgeting even in front of me because she felt something was going to happen if she didn’t act.
"If you're going to get hit, better to strike first."
This was what you’d call a preemptive strike.
"I get the intention, but the Man Geum Trading Post is basically an impenetrable fortress."
What do the rich fear most in the murim world? A single top-tier expert breaking in and stealing all their accumulated wealth.
That’s why all those running trading posts in the Imperial Capital were thoroughly prepared for such threats.
"Which means we need to find a way."
A way to quietly extract one person from inside.
This kind of job was all about intelligence warfare.
Someone inside susceptible to bribes, someone with dirt to use for blackmail, or just a simple security gap.
If we found one, we could lure him out.
And where could we dig up such behind-the-scenes information?
"Don’t tell me you’re going back to the Mysterious Pavilion Master?"
Exactly. Come out, all-purpose Shrouded Pavilion Master.
As long as she was around, there was no information in the Imperial Capital that we couldn’t uncover.
"She said not to come around lately—too many eyes watching and she’s too busy."
"Like I care. If she didn’t want the heat, she shouldn’t have messed around with parasites and gotten caught."
"...Well, that’s true."
It was, in many ways, self-inflicted karma.
And with that, we nodded and decided to visit the accursed Honghwa Brothel once again.
Borrow the Wind to Sail the Boat.
Money Can Command Spirits.
Such phrases were boldly displayed in a certain Trading Lord’s office. The lavish decorations and grand atmosphere made it clear this place was no ordinary pawnshop.
"Eun Jincheong, Eun Hwaran..."
The Trading Lord Geum Hwangdo, his jowls sagging, clenched a gold ingot tightly enough to leave a handprint, as he bitterly chewed over the humiliation of the past.
"Like father, like daughter. Disgusting, both of them."
He had once dreamed of a golden future.
Swallowing both trading companies and escort agencies, accumulating not just wealth but dominating the logistics and influence across Beijing.
With connections to the Third Prince, he planned to rise as the richest man in the capital.
But then some no-name brat began interfering, causing things to derail. In the end, his entire scheme was ruined by Eun Jincheong’s daughter, Eun Hwaran.
Thanks to that, the Third Prince expressed deep disappointment and reprimanded him. Just thinking about it made him grind his teeth.
And so, to get revenge, Geum Hwangdo moved relentlessly.
He could never live with being wronged. That was the one principle he lived by. In the end, he secured a weakness of the Eunseong family.
Bang.
A man stepped through the door, looking much more haggard than before, as if he’d had a rough time.
Anxious eyes, slouched shoulders, shattered pride.
A pitiful man, utterly out of place in this dazzling setting.
And he looked overwhelmed, unable to pull himself together in the room glittering with golden brilliance.
"Well, look who it is. Been ages. Come in, come in, Young Master Eun Yanggon."
Geum Hwangdo laughed heartily, slapping the gloomy man’s back like welcoming an old friend.
Eun Yanggon, bewildered by the unexpected warm welcome, took a seat.
His eyes widened at the aroma of luxurious delicacies spread before him.
"Th-thank you. I didn’t expect to be treated like this..."
He must’ve been quite hungry. He immediately buried his face in the food, wolfing it down.
Looking completely unsure of how to handle such unexpected hospitality.
"Heh heh, no need to thank me. I’m the one who should be grateful—you came just because I asked."
"Y-you’ve always treated me well, Trading Lord. Yes..."
"You bet I have. That nasty old Eun Jincheong, always picking on you. I felt bad, you know? A man has every right to enjoy life’s pleasures."
"Y-yeah... that’s right."
In truth, it was Geum Hwangdo who, long ago, lured him into gambling and brothels to get back at Eun Jincheong after repeated clashes with the man’s rigid, upright nature.
He exploited how Jincheong favored and protected his daughter, Eun Hwaran, to drive a wedge between them.
Thus, this pitiful man became Jincheong’s greatest shame.
"I heard a rough idea, but... what are you planning to do?"
"What else? As you know, that bitch Eun Hwaran has already gobbled up the entire trading company. Even with you—the rightful heir—watching."
He looked like a toad, but Geum Hwangdo flicked his tongue like a snake.
"B-but... I mean, she kind of deserved it..."
"Hey now! Get it together. That timid attitude is why you’ve had nothing and wandered around living like a beggar."
Such a weakling. Timid, spineless.
Still, if he sat on the Trading Lord’s seat, he’d be easy to control—handing over big business without hesitation.
"Yeah... I’ve really had it tough..."
Eun Yanggon began to tear up, clearly feeling sorry for himself.
"Exactly. And whose fault is that? Who kicked you out?"
Alcohol can stir the mood and relax people, but too much over a long time dulls the mind and makes one foolish.
At Geum Hwangdo’s obvious leading question, Eun Yanggon trembled and pointed toward the Eunseong headquarters.
"That’s it. That’s the spirit. I’ll help you reclaim everything you’ve lost. You’ve got nothing to lose now, right? Trust in me, Geum Hwangdo."
"I-I do? But how...?"
"It’s simple. If that annoying Eun Hwaran were to disappear... then the only direct blood relative left in the Eunseong family is you, isn’t it?"
The late Eun Jincheong’s legacy would, by the iron law of the Imperial Capital, pass to the remaining bloodline.
If Eun Hwaran disappeared, the Eunseong Trading Company and Escort Agency would fall into chaos. That’s when this guy would move in and quietly swallow up the golden businesses.
Of course, he looked like a mess now, so they’d need to clean him up and dress him properly to make him passable.
"Me, the Trading Lord of such a huge company...? I... I like the sound of that... But my sister disappearing, does that mean... m-murder?"
"Whoa now, what a nasty thing to say. Just like you, she’ll simply be exiled somewhere far away. Do we look like murderers to you?"
"Y-you’re right... I understand."
"Good. Remember, it was your own father and sister who coldly cast you out. Steel your heart, yes?"
“Ahem.”
"Otherwise, you could just pay back every last coin you owe the Man Geum Trading Post—gambling debts, booze tabs, and all the money you blew on women."
"……."
No one lends money for free in this world. Especially not a trading post—there’s always something dark behind the curtain.
Even lending money to this hopeless drunkard who had no means of repayment was just a prelude to bigger gains.
"You probably won’t be able to handle it though…?"
Geum Hwangdo flashed a yellow-toothed smile, as if inviting him to imagine that dreadful future.
Eun Yanggon’s face turned pale at the sight.
"Better act wisely. It’s not like things can get any worse for you, right? So what’s it going to be—revenge and riches? Or keep living like a beggar until you die alone? It’s your decision."
With that, Geum Hwangdo waved him off like he’d said all he needed to.
Eun Yanggon slouched and slowly stepped out the door.
But the moment a servant outside mentioned that drinks, food, and pleasure women were ready, his face lit up like a torch.
"Tch."
It was his own doing, but Geum Hwangdo couldn’t help feeling a bit dumbfounded.
"They say, tiger father, dog son."
If both son and daughter had been competent, he wouldn’t have had an opening.
But Eun Jincheong’s rigid nature left a rift between him and his son, and Geum Hwangdo slipped right into it.
"Eun Jincheong, watch from the afterlife—see how the towering legacy your family guarded for a hundred years gets swallowed whole by me."
Geum Hwangdo’s yellow smile spread wide.
His ever-hungry eyes gleamed more wickedly than ever before.
Even though we stopped by the Honghwa Brothel and met with a Rogues’ Guild executive, we didn’t get much information.
All we heard was that, compared to other trading posts, the Man Geum Trading Post was especially impenetrable, and that it was packed with so many martial experts that only someone like Shadowless Divine Thief could hope to sneak in—according to the Shrouded Pavilion Master, Il Hyehyang.
In the end, we had to turn back without any meaningful results.
So when the floor manager said someone might see us, we tried to sneak out of the brothel late at night.
"That promise from before… I can trust it… right?"
From behind came the hushed voices of women.
Ilhong, who had dawdled behind instead of following right away, seemed to be having a conversation with Il Hyehyang.
"Of course… That man who’ll rise to be a great expert… I’ve got him wrapped around my finger… He can’t escape my charm…"
Hearing that, Il Hyehyang seemed to shoot a doubtful look toward the direction I’d gone.
Just what exactly did she have a grip on?
"If you trust me and follow, at least there won’t be betrayal… With no Upper or Lower Spirit… Black Diagnosis Bird will be ousted."
Sounded like they were talking about those secretive high-level Rogues’ Guild members and the Black Diagnosis Bird.
"Yes, I will follow…"
Seemed like she was receiving a vow of loyalty as the next Guildmaster of the Rogues’ Guild.
I approached Ilhong as she finally came out looking relieved.
"What exactly can’t he escape from?"
"…Eek!"
She clearly didn’t expect me to wait instead of coldly walking off like usual.
She was so startled, she kept hiccuping.
"I-it’s nothing! L-let’s go find Lady Jo Harang and share the information."
Then she stammered and suddenly used the Whirlwind Steps she learned from Hwang Geolgae to dart off ahead.
"Honestly."
Whatever she’s scheming, she’s such a little scoundrel about it.
Thinking how laughable it all was, I met up with Jo Harang, who was waiting at the office.
I laid out everything we’d learned, but the three of us putting our heads together didn’t lead to any new ideas.
Jo Harang wasn’t exactly a lightning-fast thinker either, just like the rest of us.
"So, infiltration using a human-skin mask is out too?"
"Yes. Ever since Eun Yanggon was brought in, they’ve been checking every visitor thoroughly for disguise techniques."
Ilhong nodded as she replied to Jo Harang’s question.
I guess it makes sense. If you’re trying to devour one of the Ten Great Trading Companies and an escort agency at the same time, you’d need tight security like that.
"Mujin, can’t you just do what you did in Sichuan and charge in through the front door?"
Jo Harang popped a dumpling in her mouth as she casually tossed out the question.
She was fiddling with her broadsword, saying this time she’d join in as a Peak Master herself—so we could make it work somehow.
But causing a massive scene right in the middle of the Imperial Capital?
I already got the sense when she busted down the academy walls—she was as rough as they come.
"Do you want to get on the radar of the high-and-mighty? Forget it."
Even if we could bulldoze our way through like back with the Tang Clan of Sichuan, this was the Man Geum Trading Post we were talking about—directly linked to the Third Prince.
And Geum Hwangdo held the purse strings, so he likely had webs of connections all through the court beyond just the prince.
We had just paid off our debt and were finally putting down roots in Beijing. We’d spent a fortune setting up the office—we couldn’t just run off. Getting on the court’s bad side now would be stupid.
"So ideally, if we could just lure Eun Yanggon out quietly… Hm. What does he like again?"
"Liquor and women."
Soon as I heard it, I thought—what a simple life this guy leads.
There’s plenty of alcohol in the Man Geum Trading Post already, but weak to beauties, huh.
Even Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu screwed everything up because of women.
I glanced silently back and forth between Ilhong and Jo Harang.
"…What? Is there something on my face?"
Ilhong looked confused, flustered by my gaze.
"Sigh, forget it."
One was a kid who couldn’t even stop cross-dressing, the other was pretty but acted like a tomboy.
No matter how I looked at it, neither seemed capable of luring someone with finesse.
"…What the heck! What was that supposed to mean?!"
"Mujin, even I felt something from that comment. Explain."
"It’s nothing, I swear."
I shrugged like I’d been wronged. I hadn’t said anything out loud, just quietly ruled them out in my head. Why were they both so upset?
But while I was dealing with their protests, someone suddenly came to mind who would be perfect for this job.
"Oh right, Juwol-a. Maybe she could pull it off…"
I heard she’s been busy lately, but maybe she’d do me this one favor.
The moment I named a woman like pulling out a hidden sword, Ilhong and Jo Harang’s eyes narrowed into slits.
"Mujin, I’ll do it."
Jo Harang stepped up, saying she’d take on the mission—whatever it was—herself.
"What is it that you’re doing?"
"I don’t know what it is, but whatever it is, I’ll handle it. So don’t go looking for someone else."
She should stick to what suits her—like swinging that broadsword around. What was this now?
"No, it’s fine. I already have someone in mind for—"
Thud!
The table split with a single strike of her palm.
She barely touched it, and it shattered. She really was a beast of Mount Sung.
"I said I’ll do it."
"Uh, okay."
If a Peak Master wants to do it, I guess that settles it.
And with that, our infiltrator for the Man Geum Trading Post was decided.