Chapter 1424: Is This The Sichuan Tang Family? (4)

“G-Great Young Master! Th-The Four Sects Alliance… The Four Sects Alliance has just reached the city gate!”

At the Third Chief’s words, Jo Woong’s face hardened with tension.

‘Of all times, Father had to be away on official business!’

Jo Woong swallowed dryly as if to calm his burning throat, snapped his head around, and looked ahead.

“Did you relay my orders?”

“Yes. I ordered everyone to be taken into the hall and remain cautious.”

“Tell them not to make a sound!”

“Yes!”

Large beads of sweat rolled down Jo Woong’s forehead.

News that the Hegemony Lord was coming here had only just reached the Four Seas Merchant Guild. It was already too late to flee. All Jo Woong could do was hold his breath and pray that Jang Ilso’s reach would not extend to the Four Seas Merchant Guild.

“W-Won’t that be a problem?”

“…It will be fine.”

Jo Woong swallowed again and continued.

“From what I’ve heard, the Hegemony Lord is feared throughout the land, but he rarely harms commoners who haven’t trained in the martial arts. If we remain as quiet as mice, he won’t bother persecuting us.”

His reason for thinking so wasn’t solely based on the Hegemony Lord’s reputation.

The Sichuan Tang Family is in this city. If Four Seas Merchant Guild, would he?

“B-But… w-wouldn’t there still be some connection between the Hegemony Lord and us?”

At that, the Third chief spoke in a trembling voice. When Jo Woong glanced at him, he hesitated a moment before speaking.

“I’ve heard the Four Sects Alliance treats Mount Hua like an enemy. And y-you are a Mount Hua person, aren’t you, Young Master?”

“…”

“Would they still leave us alone? We’re the family of their enemy, and aren’t those bastards from the Evil Sect heartless and merciless?”

Jo Woong’s hand trembled slightly.

His younger brother Jo Gul was not just any Mount Hua disciple. He was one of Mount Hua’s famed Five Swords, renowned even within Mount Hua.

If the rumor were true and the Four Sects Alliance truly harbored such deep resentment toward Mount Hua, who knew what they’d do to the Four Seas Merchant Union, Jo Gul’s family home?

“That won’t happen.”

“But…”

“I said it won’t happen. Stop worrying and go secure the households! Quickly!”

“Y-Yes… Yes, Great Young Master.”

Watching the chief reluctantly move, Jo Woong bit his lip. He knew his worry wasn’t entirely unfounded, but there was nothing else to do now. Panicking would only spread fear.

They were mere merchants. If the Four Sects Alliance set its mind on the Four Seas Merchant, what use would fleeing be? They would be slaughtered before they could go ten li.

So now they could only pray to heaven that Jang Ilso would pass through unaware that this was Jo Gul’s family home.

It was at that very moment.

“Oh, he’s coming!”

A terrified voice rang from outside. Startled, Jo Woong ran instinctively toward the still-open main gate.

Peering out, he saw a procession walking down the middle of the wide road far off.

‘…The Hegemony Lord Jang Ilso.’

He could tell at a glance.

There couldn’t possibly be two people in the world who dressed so ostentatiously. Behind him came men wrapped in ominously dark crimson robes, and among them a tall man wearing a red long coat, his chalk-white face chillingly locked in Jo Woong’s sight.

Snapping out of his daze, Jo Woong gave an order.

“Lock the gate! Quickly!”

“Yes! Yes! Great Young Master!”

Screech!

The large gate of the Sahae Trading Company slammed shut.

Bang!

A heavy bolt slid down and the door was firmly locked. Seeing the securely closed gate, Jo Woong instinctively clasped his hands together.

‘Please…’

“Hmm.”

Jang Ilso strolled leisurely along the city’s main road, looking around. Despite this being the largest and most famous city in Sichuan Province, there wasn’t a single ant in his eyes.

“Oh dear. I didn’t expect a warm welcome, but this snub is a bit much. I didn’t think Sichuan folk were so stingy.”

Jang Ilso snorted and cast his gaze into the distance. The quickest route to the Sichuan Tang Family was through this city, but that wasn’t the only reason he had chosen this path.

He wanted them to know who had come here, who would rule this place from now on.

As he took a step with one corner of his mouth lifted, a subordinate’s voice whispered to him.

“Hm?”

Jang Ilso’s steps slowly halted. Those following him stopped in unison.

“…Oh?”

Jang Ilso, standing still, turned his head very slowly. His gaze fixed on a large pavilion bearing the signboard ‘Four Seas Merchant Guild’.

A crooked smile bloomed at the corner of Jang Ilso’s mouth.

Kwang!

“Ugh—!”

The firmly bolted gate shattered in an instant as if struck by an explosive cannon. Fragments scattered everywhere, and the ground shook as if it might collapse.

Everyone covered their heads and collapsed to the ground. Jo Woong could not. Not because he wasn’t afraid, but because he had seen something before the fear could fully take hold.

Beyond the broken gate stood a man.

A man wearing an ornate long coat embroidered with dragons, bedecked with ostentatious jewelry that seemed exaggerated. His face was unnaturally white and his lips were red as blood. But more than anything, what seized Jo Woong’s gaze were the man’s eyes.

Thanks to his status as the head son of the Four Seas Merchant Guild, Jo Woong had lived all over the land and had seen the world’s rarest things with his own eyes.

Yet there was no way to liken that gaze to anything he knew.

A snake? Ridiculous. Even the deadliest serpent would be frightened by those eyes. Even a creature incapable of understanding their meaning would be terrified.

Those two eyes, inscrutable in their contents, were staring straight at Jo Woong.

“Hmm…”

Jang Ilso emitted a faint hum. With that small sound, the world, which had momentarily frozen, began to move again. For Jo Woong, it was an unwelcome sensation.

Jang Ilso tore his gaze from Jo Woong and slowly, suffocatingly slowly, scanned the trading house from left to right, then spoke.

“Is this… the home of Mount Hua’s Five Swords, Jo Gul?”

Jang Ilso’s eyes, having stopped, returned once more to Jo Woong.

“Is that right?”

Jo Woong could not answer.

Not just because the answer might strangle him. Even if he had an answer that could perfectly defuse the situation, he could not bring himself to speak.

His whole body froze like a mouse confronted by a snake. The back of his neck prickled and his hairs stood on end.

Seeing Jo Woong so petrified, Jang Ilso raised the corner of his mouth.

“So it seems.”

Jang Ilso regarded Jo Woong as if probing and asked.

“Then you… are his sibling, right?”

Jo Woong’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His throat, parched from nerves, ached even when swallowing saliva.

“You do resemble him a little. Hmm.”

Jang Ilso slowly approached Jo Woong.

Step. Step.

His walk was brimming with ease.

Jo Woong didn’t even know what he was feeling. The word ‘fear’ seemed inadequate. Even if the grim reaper approached, he wouldn’t tremble like this; death was frightening, yes, but everyone must accept death eventually.

But the sensation this man conveyed was different. It choked the breath from him and constricted his body. He could not foresee what would happen or what he would have to endure. Everything felt swept up into chaos.

‘Is Geol… fighting someone like this?’

With such a monster?

At that moment, Jang Ilso, having reached right in front of Jo Woong, stared at him like a snake eyeing its thickly wrapped prey.

“Do you know who I am?”

“…”

“Answer me.”

Jo Woong’s body trembled uncontrollably.

“Hurry.”

“You are Jang Ilso…”

“…”

“T-The Hegemony Lord… Hegemony Lord Jang Ilso…”

“You know.”

Jang Ilso smiled as if pleased.

“Then you also know that your brother and I have quite a history.”

A thousand thoughts flashed through Jo Woong’s mind.

He had to deny it. Even if it was filial, he had to deny the connection. Only then could everyone survive.

Gul had already left the family. Our ties with him were severed. He is a brother in blood but not in tie. Therefore it would be unjust and pointless for the Hegemony Lord to unleash his wrath on us.

But all those thoughts failed to become words. Unable to deny his brother, Jo Woong kept silent, trembling violently.

“Ho?”

Seeing him, Jang Ilso faintly nodded as if he roughly guessed his thoughts.

“Yes. Brothers are a good thing. That’s what family should be. Family implies the resolve to share fate. Isn’t that so?”

Jang Ilso stepped close and lifted his hand to lightly grasp the nape of Jo Woong’s neck. His nails pricked Jo Woong sharply.

If that large grip tightened even slightly, Jo Woong’s neck would collapse like rotten straw. That would be the signal that none in the trading house would survive.

Facing this gruesome crossroads, Jo Woong’s face turned as white as paper.

Jang Ilso leaned in and, very quietly, whispered into Jo Woong’s ear.

“So…”

His voice was sly and concise, almost devilish.

“Convey my regards.”

Jo Woong’s eyes widened of their own accord.

“Tell him I stopped by. Understand?”

Jang Ilso pulled his head back, wide-eyed, and smiled faintly at the frozen Jo Woong.

“Your answer?”

Jo Woong couldn’t bring himself to speak; summoning all his strength, he desperately nodded. Jang Ilso took a step back and nodded in return.

“Good. A dutiful child.”

Chuckling at the stunned Jo Woong, he then spun on his heel as if he had no lingering regrets.

“Work hard. Pay your taxes on time. Hahahaha.”

As if waving to a close friend, Jang Ilso waved his hand over his head, stepped out the gate, and led his group away.

As if bewitched, Jo Woong watched the scene until his legs finally gave out. He collapsed on the spot, sweat pouring from his entire body, soaking his clothes in an instant.

“G-Great Young Master!”

The Third Chief, who had run up belatedly, quickly tried to support him, but Jo Woong pushed him away with trembling hands, refusing help.

“…I’m fine.”

Jo Woong couldn’t get up and stared blankly at the now quiet scene outside the gate as if nothing had happened.

Where there was no trace left of Jang Ilso.