Ten-Battle Assassin No. 50

Chapter 75

Episode 75. Let Them Learn the Hard Way What Happens When You Stir Up Trouble in Xiangyang

"Hey, you over there. You're here as event staff today, right?"

Jong Bi called out to the anxious-looking people standing in the corner of the warehouse.

They were the event staff recruited by Ohgu.

The staff approached and asked, "What exactly are we supposed to do?"

"Nothing complicated. Go outside, organize people into lines, and keep an eye out for anyone trying to cut. Let them in one by one."

As soon as the appointed time arrived, a crowd gathered in front of the warehouse. The number easily surpassed the expected three hundred—by a rough count, there were at least a thousand.

Jong Bi was shocked. "What is going on? I know it's a Martial Arts Duel between two of the Hundred Great Experts, but people are actually paying to watch?"

The staff waved flags and shouted, herding people into lines.

"Please line up! If you don't, you won't get a spectator pass. Cooperate, please!"

"I got here first! Why do I have to stand behind this guy?"

"Whoever lines up first gets priority. Please, line up! Line up!"

Some grumbled amid the chaos, but with the warriors from Clear Water Sect and the Heavenly Observation Pavilion standing guard, no one dared to protest openly.

The first in line entered the warehouse. He was a middle-aged man in fine silk clothes, clearly well-off.

Won Seung, wearing a dog mask, sat at a desk with a ledger open and asked, "Are you supporting either the Heavenly Observation Pavilion or the Clear Water Sect?"

"Ahem. I suppose the Heavenly Observation Pavilion is better. The Clear Water Sect really disgraced the Xiangyang Murim this time, didn't they?"

"Not for sale!" Won Seung cut him off without hesitation.

"What do you mean, 'not for sale'? What are you talking about? I even brought silver coins!"

"For the sake of fairness, we can't issue spectator passes to anyone who isn't neutral."

"What? I've been waiting for this duel all day!"

The man protested, but the staff grabbed his arms and escorted him out.

"You heard that, right? Anyone supporting either the Heavenly Observation Pavilion or the Clear Water Sect—tell them to go home."

Jong Bi and the staff went outside and made the announcement to the crowd, but no one left.

The next person came in, and Won Seung asked the same question.

"I don't support either the Clear Water Sect or the Heavenly Observation Pavilion. I just want to see a fair duel."

"What's your name?"

Won Seung wrote the name in the ledger and marked "Neutral" beside it.

'What a farce!' Jong Bi thought, clicking his tongue inwardly. The spectator passes sold out in no time.

"Heh heh." Jong Bi couldn't stop grinning at the pile of silver coins in the chest.

Won Seung handed out three nyang each to the staff, and gave a handful to Hwa U-cheon and Gwan Ju-gyeon as well.

"Buy something nice to eat for the warriors who worked hard."

'This bastard... With all the silver coins he raked in, and he's tossing us pocket change?'

Gwan Ju-gyeon's eyes drifted toward the chest full of silver coins.

Of course, Won Seung noticed.

"Those silver coins will be evenly deposited into the accounts of the Heavenly Observation Pavilion and the Clear Water Sect."

At that, Gwan Ju-gyeon couldn't push his luck any further. He assumed the money would go to the Heavenly Observation Pavilion since it was being deposited into their account. Of course, Won Seung had no such intention.

The silver coins would be moved to a secret basement next door to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

By afternoon, disturbing rumors were spreading through Xiangyang.

Word got out that Gu Ak-pyeong, the owner of Flower Clear Pavilion and known as the Black Society boss, had been assassinated, and that the Sect Leader of Gansu Sect was also found dead.

Won Seung pressed Jong Bi. "You killed the Gansu Sect Leader, didn't you?"

"He deserved it. Ohgu was dying, and he just stood by and watched."

With the justification of avenging Ohgu, Jong Bi seemed much lighter, having shaken off the emotional burden he'd carried from Elder Bi.

Seeing how Jong Bi could end a life and treat it as nothing, Won Seung was a bit shocked.

So this guy... really is an assassin.

But what's done is done.

If the Black Path caught wind of this and came swarming, things would get ugly. After a moment's thought, Won Seung went to see the captain of the city guards stationed on Seohwa Street.

"You're working hard to keep Xiangyang safe. I can't just stand by and watch."

He slipped him a hefty ten nyang of silver.

The captain beamed. "The magistrate himself is paying special attention to the security of Seohwa Street, so don't worry."

He even lined up guards in front of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

*

That afternoon, Won Seung took a carriage to the magistrate's residence.

Chief Steward Jeong Gu-in came out to greet him.

"The magistrate is currently meeting a guest from Seongwang House in the imperial capital."

Hearing that the guest was from Seongwang House, Won Seung was secretly unsettled. It felt ominous.

'The Three-way Martial Arts Duel is tomorrow, and someone from Seongwang House shows up?'

Feigning casual curiosity, Won Seung asked, "A guest from Seongwang House? Who is it?"

"It's a scholar named Yu Bulgwan. Do you know him?"

Jeong Gu-in believed Won Seung was also a scholar from the capital.

"I've only heard the name."

"Would you like to go greet him?"

"No, thank you. He seems to be here on official business—I don't want to cause any trouble."

Just then, So San-san, having heard of Won Seung's arrival, came in.

After Jeong Gu-in gave a polite bow and left, So San-san spoke up.

"I was just about to come see you, but you beat me to it."

"I wanted to see you too, San-san. Things have been so hectic lately."

Won Seung let out a deep sigh.

"I'm worried about Yeowol. The Three-way Martial Arts Duel is tomorrow."

"Yeowol isn't even the one fighting. You don't need to worry so much."

"But depending on the outcome, the Clear Water Sect could take a big hit."

"It's the fate of anyone living in the Murim. You have to accept it."

Won Seung spoke solemnly.

His mind was in turmoil. Yu Bulgwan showing up at this moment...

He couldn't have come all this way for nothing. He was clearly here because of the Three-way Martial Arts Duel, and meeting with the magistrate was probably to exert some pressure.

'If that's the case, the magistrate might not be able to get involved.'

If he were in So Yeong-gwan's position, he would use the excuse of neutrality to step back entirely. If he participated in the duel, it would be hard to ignore a request from Seongwang House.

Won Seung realized that Seongwang House was more deeply involved than he'd thought.

Yu Bulgwan himself had stepped in.

At the same time, he felt a sense of doubt.

He knew how hard Gu Ja-ang and Cheon Il-hae had worked to secure Seongwang House's support.

As he mulled it over, a shocking theory made him spit out his tea.

He remembered what Jong Bi had said that morning.

'Gu Ak-pyeong... He worked hard to pit the Heavenly Observation Pavilion and the Clear Water Sect against each other, didn't he? If this whole setup was orchestrated by the Xiangyang Black Society...'

The Xiangyang Black Society answers to the Henan Black Society, which in turn is part of the national Black Society... and Won Seung had heard that the head of the national Black Society was connected to the Imperial Family.

If Seongwang House had joined hands with the national Black Society, it would explain why Yu Bulgwan kept his distance from the Heavenly Observation Pavilion.

'If this is all a conspiracy at the level of the national Black Society...'

Maybe the goal was to have both the Heavenly Observation Pavilion and the Clear Water Sect destroy each other. That would explain why Gu Ak-pyeong called together the Xiangyang Underworld and tried to consolidate his power.

As his theory solidified, Won Seung's mind raced.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" So San-san peered at him with her big eyes.

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking about the saying, 'Do your best and leave the rest to fate.'"

So San-san misunderstood.

"Yeowol said she's going to the temple tomorrow to pray. I want to go with her, but as the magistrate's daughter, if I side with Yeowol, people might get the wrong idea. So I can't go."

"You're right. It's a very delicate situation right now. Even a small misunderstanding could have big consequences, so you have to be extra careful."

As they chatted, a servant from the magistrate's residence arrived.

"Young Master Pung, the magistrate requests your presence in his office."

"San-san, I enjoyed our talk. Let's meet again with Yeowol after the Three-way Martial Arts Duel."

Won Seung bid So San-san farewell and followed the servant to the magistrate's office.

So Yeong-gwan was sitting there with a heavy expression.

"I'm sorry, but it looks like I won't be able to oversee tomorrow's Three-way Martial Arts Duel."

Just as Won Seung expected, So Yeong-gwan was trying to step back.

"What did Yu Bulgwan want?"

"He said a report was sent to the Imperial Court, accusing the Heavenly Observation Pavilion and the Clear Water Sect of extorting merchants passing through Xiang River. His Majesty ordered Seongwang House to investigate, so Yu Bulgwan was sent."

So Yeong-gwan looked at Won Seung, clearly at a loss.

"What did you say?"

"I told him that both the Heavenly Observation Pavilion and the Clear Water Sect have only ever charged reasonable service fees. And it's true. If either Sect had been gouging people... do you think I would have let it slide?"

"Of course, you would have taken action."

Won Seung agreed, trying to soothe So Yeong-gwan's mood.

So Yeong-gwan snorted. "He said he'll investigate personally, so we'll see how fair he really is."

Since the Emperor had ordered Seongwang House to act, even as magistrate, So Yeong-gwan couldn't object. But if there really had been any wrongdoing, or if either Sect had been profiteering, the blame would fall on him too.

He could even be accused of taking bribes to look the other way. So if Yu Bulgwan didn't conduct a proper investigation, So Yeong-gwan had no intention of letting it go.

Won Seung nodded in understanding.

"You must have your own difficulties, Magistrate. Fortunately, the duel is tomorrow. If we can just get through today, the duel will settle things. Today is the real problem."

"Get through today? Are you saying someone else might try something?"

"The Xiangyang Black Society is aiming to take both the Heavenly Observation Pavilion and the Clear Water Sect down together."

"The Black Path?"

"The Black Society isn't just a bunch of thugs. It's a nationwide organization—a profit-driven syndicate. And its leadership... is said to reach very high places."

Won Seung explained about the Black Society.

So Yeong-gwan was furious.

"So you're saying... all this bloodshed in Xiangyang is happening because of the ambitions of the Black Society's leader in the capital?"

"I'm saying we can't rule out the possibility."

So Yeong-gwan furrowed his brow, deep in thought, then spoke.

"I think you're right. It was strange from the start. Why would two Sects that have always gotten along suddenly fight to the death?"

"Someone orchestrated this on a grand scale."

"I can't allow something like that to happen in Xiangyang, under my watch!"

The magistrate shouted in anger.

"Summon Captain Son!"

A moment later, Son Hyeong-geuk, the head of the guards whom Won Seung had met before, entered.

"For the next three days, station city guards throughout central Xiangyang. If you see any Black Path thugs threatening the people, arrest them all!"

"Understood!"

After Son Hyeong-geuk left, the magistrate began pacing.

"Even the city guards might not be enough. We're dealing with Martial Artists. I may have to call up the Xiangyang Army."

The Xiangyang Army referred to the troops stationed in the region. So Yeong-gwan wasn't just a local official—he had military command, so he had the authority to mobilize the army.

Won Seung was secretly pleased.

'Oh, Magistrate... Excellent, excellent.'

With the Xiangyang Army involved, neither the Black Society nor the Heavenly Observation Pavilion would dare run wild.

So Yeong-gwan's eyes flashed fiercely.

"Whoever tries to stir up trouble in Xiangyang... will learn the hard way what it means to cross the line!"