episode_0051

Cheongun suitably emptied the safe, organizing the vouchers and valuables.

He wanted to take all of it to Black Forest Sect and throw it at Ryeonie, but that would make it seem like he had raided this place merely for money.

He wasn’t short on money right now, so there was no reason for that.

Above all, there was a good reason why Cheongun had gone to the trouble of raiding this place.

Firstly, Namhyuk, who begged for forgiveness but showed no sincerity, was somehow infuriating.

Secondly, the usual behavior of those guys, as relayed by Bang Jongdae, irritated him to an unusual degree.

Doesn’t it happen sometimes in life?

Looking at those guys, he felt inexplicably unpleasant, yet he had no proper justification to mess with them.

But on second thought, did he need to tolerate it?

The martial world is a place where the strong prevail, and he was strong, wasn’t he?

Upon reflection, enduring such a situation was foolish.

So he thought, ‘Who cares?’ and just did it, and what do you know?

His mind felt refreshed, and he earned money besides; it was truly like killing two birds with one stone.

Thus, the Chengdu branch of the Manryong Escort Agency was now completely under his control.

They had been so spectacularly corrupt that upon digging through the ledgers, he found dozens of victims who had been extorted by them.

Was this an escort agency or a den of swindlers?

He had taken it over, but it was like a rotten food item of the worst kind.

At the very least, to avoid indigestion, the thoroughly rotten parts had to be cut out.

To do so, cleansing the sullied name of the Chengdu branch was the priority.

Currently, he had entrusted Bang Jongdae and Yeonbaek with handling the punishment of those who had committed misdeeds.

Had the news slowly reached the Manryong Escort Agency headquarters?

Probably so.

At any rate, with such a commotion, the news couldn’t help but reach their ears.

Lee Gunbaek, the Agency Head of the Manryong Escort Agency.

A man who held the title of ‘Three Great Escorts,’ a title only three escort masters in the Central Plains could ever receive.

He valued trust more than his life and was a man of upright character who kept his relationships to the very end once formed.

However, due to his temperament, he trusted people too much, which ironically led to this incident.

He was quite a likable character in the original work, and since he had somehow gotten entangled like this, Cheongun intended to see it through to the end.

Just then, Yeonbaek returned after finishing his task.

“Chief Escort! Something terrible has happened!”

“What terrible thing?”

“It seems the news has reached the Escort Agency headquarters. They say the Agency Head has personally departed for this place to ascertain the truth.”

“Is that so? Good.”

Cheongun casually nodded.

Because it was exactly as he had expected.

“It’s not something to just laugh off. Do you know how dearly the Agency Head cherishes his people?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Of course it’s a problem. Haven’t you, Chief Escort, smashed all their teeth? Furthermore, you dragged them around and made them bow their heads and apologize to those they had extorted.”

“I did. Why, did they get beaten when they went to apologize?”

“Isn’t it obvious? It would be a blessing if they just got cursed at and chased away. Some of them were hit with stones or clubbed while apologizing, becoming crippled. Considering the things those guys have done, do you think they’d be easily forgiven?”

Cheongun looked at Yeonbaek and said indifferently.

“Yeonbaek. You foolish bastard.”

“Yes?”

“Then do you think those who swindled people out of their homes would be forgiven? Do you think I told you to drag those guys around just so they could get forgiveness?”

Yeonbaek asked back.

“Then what’s the reason?”

“Ha, how frustrating.”

Cheongun clicked his tongue.

Then he lightly poured the gourd containing the liquor into his mouth.

“Was your name Yeonbaek?”

“Yes.”

“What do you want to do with your insignificant martial arts?”

“Suddenly?”

“Just do as the Chief Escort tells you.”

“…I want to become strong.”

Cheongun nodded.

“Like me, you mean.”

“Well, you’re not necessarily my goal, Chief Escort.”

“That’s why you’re weak.”

“…”

“Anyway. Every human being lives with a dream in their heart. Why, don’t you also wish to become strong with your paltry martial arts level? That’s what dreams are, after all. Whether big or small, isn’t it ultimately about wanting a better life?”

Cheongun tapped the table with his fingertips and spoke.

“That’s why humans with dreams live so tenaciously. Let’s take an example. Yes, you. What’s your current level?”

“Third-rate.”

“What’s your reason for crawling into an escort agency where first-rate martial artists abound, being a mere third-rate? To become an amazingly cool escort master? No. You merely used this place as a stepping stone. Because an escort agency would be the only place in the entire Central Plains where someone as lowly as a third-rate martial artist could be treated as a martial artist at all. Am I right or wrong?”

“…You are right.”

“So, let’s say you painstakingly climbed from the bottom and became strong. What do you want to do then?”

At Cheongun’s question, Yeonbaek blinked blankly.

“Why are you staring? If you become strong as you wish, what do you want to do then? You’re not one of those Daoist or Buddhist guys, so becoming an immortal wouldn’t be your goal, would it?”

“That’s true. But now that you ask, I can’t quite think of it.”

“That’s because you’re foolish. You foolish bastard.”

“…”

Yeonbaek fell into thought.

“Firstly, I don’t want to be looked down on by others.”

“That’s obvious.”

“Hmm, I also don’t want to starve again for lack of food.”

“That’s right. Eating is a serious matter.”

“If possible, I also want to start a family.”

“And have a beautiful concubine?”

“That sounds good.”

Cheongun chuckled.

“And what else?”

“I also want to show filial piety to my father.”

“That’s a lot. What do you need to do all that?”

“I’ll need a lot of money, won’t I?”

“If you have a lot of money, what will you do first?”

“Wouldn’t I buy a house first?”

“Why?”

“If I don’t have a house, no matter how much money I have, won’t I just be a wanderer?”

Cheongun nodded.

“That’s right. If you have no place to live, you have no family, and if you have no family, you have nothing to protect. Even beggars have a base called the Beggars’ Sect, and monks have a sanctuary in their temples. Ultimately, everyone seeks a place to set down their own roots. That could be a home, a sect, or a family. But if those roots are taken away, people are bound to collapse.”

“…”

“What those guys have done so far is exactly that. They uprooted them, trampled their dreams, and crushed their hopes. How was this possible?”

“Isn’t it possible because they have power?”

“Well said. That’s right. It’s possible because they have power. So do you think those who are powerless can simply accept that?”

“…”

“Of course not. Anger builds up, preventing them from sleeping at night, making their entire bodies weary, and even fearing the thought of tomorrow. Do you know how terrible Hwabyung [a physical and mental illness caused by accumulated suppressed anger and frustration] is? If you suffer from Hwabyung, both your body and mind decay. So what would be the ultimate end of that?”

At those words, Yeonbaek gulped.

“Revenge, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. Do you know why people seek revenge? Just because they want retaliation? Of course not. It’s to survive, to live. Hwabyung is that terrifying. Do you understand?”

Cheongun steadily gazed at Yeonbaek.

And then, he calmly recited the future of the Manryong Escort Agency as it unfolded in the original work.

“So how do those without power get their revenge? They’ll cultivate power. In the easiest and most efficient way. And that’s Demonic Arts. Since it’s a martial art that deals with negative emotions, the more anger a person has inside, the faster its effects. If such people increase one by one, where do you think the tips of their blades will eventually point?”

Yeonbaek blinked blankly.

“The Manryong Escort Agency, isn’t it?”

“Yes. From then on, only killing and being killed remains. It becomes a dreadful vicious cycle that cannot be broken, even if one wishes to.”

Cheongun flicked his fingertips.

“That is what’s called Eunwon [a complex concept of intertwined favors and grudges, where past kindnesses or slights can lead to a cycle of reciprocal actions].”

That was indeed true.

The Manryong Escort Agency, surprisingly, would later be completely wiped out by those who had lost their homes due to the Chengdu branch’s despicable acts.

“Now do you understand why I had them dragged around, apologizing one by one?”

“Yes.”

“That’s why a leader of a force must always be vigilant and supervise their subordinates. Otherwise, this is what happens. The Agency Head cherishes his subordinates? You foolish fellow. This isn’t cherishing; it’s neglect.”

Cheongun placed the gourd down on the desk with a clack!

And he turned his head.

There, a man was already watching them.

Cheongun smiled as he looked at the man.

“Isn’t that right? Agency Head.”

At Cheongun’s words, Yeonbaek’s head snapped around.

Yeonbaek flinched in horror the moment he saw him and stepped back.

Because standing there was a man with a familiar face.

The Agency Head of the Manryong Escort Agency.

Lee Gunbaek, one of the Three Great Escorts.

“Haha.”

He chuckled with a complicated expression.

“Are you Young Master Cheongun?”

“That’s right.”

Lee Gunbaek murmured in a strained voice.

“…I heard your story from a moment ago clearly. It gives me much to think about in various ways.”

Cheongun nodded.

At least he was a man with a certain degree of sense, just as described in the original work.

“Did you come here alone, Agency Head?”

“Yes.”

“Without any escorts?”

“Would I need escorts?”

Look at that confidence.

Still likable.

“At first, I intended to negotiate with Young Master.”

“What kind of negotiation?”

“Given Young Master’s background, wouldn’t it be quite troublesome for the Escort Agency to make an enemy of you? So I planned to give you what you wanted to appease the situation.”

Too honest, even.

As Cheongun gestured with his chin for him to continue, Lee Gunbaek resumed speaking.

“But my thoughts are changing.”

Lee Gunbaek cleared his throat.

“I want to make a proposal.”

“Speak.”

“I wish to offer Young Master the position of Vice Escort Agency Head of the Manryong Escort Agency.”

Cheongun cut him off as if there was nothing more to hear.

“I refuse.”

“Why?”

The reason is simple.

The Chief Escort position allows one to enjoy power without much responsibility, but the Vice Escort Agency Head position comes with various responsibilities.

“That’s a shame.”

A shame, my foot.

I also have a grand goal.

That is, Sword Control.

And to achieve that, he needed to acquire extremely pure yin energy, for which he had to search for the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Crystal.

It would be a long journey.

It’s bothersome, but what can be done?

It’s Sword Control, after all.

Just then, Lee Gunbaek spoke.

“I also prepared a gift for Young Master.”

“A gift?”

“Yes. Would you like to hear about it?”

A gift, he says.

Should I hear him out?

“Let’s hear it.”

“A spiritual elixir.”

“I don’t need it.”

Cheongun said flatly.

Rather than taking a spiritual elixir, it was better to keep a demonic practitioner by his side.

Lee Gunbaek clicked his tongue regretfully.

To be honest, he hadn’t even imagined being rejected so decisively.

Still, just in case, he finished his sentence.

“It’s a spiritual elixir called the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Crystal. Have you heard of it?”

It was then.

Cheongun abruptly extended his hand to Lee Gunbaek for a handshake.

“…”

Lee Gunbaek shook his hand with a bewildered expression.

Then, Cheongun spoke.

“From now on, I am the Vice Escort Agency Head of the Manryong Escort Agency.”

“But just now you clearly said you didn’t want a spiritual elixir…”

“Forget it.”

“…”