Book 10: Chapter 5: Blockade

One of the best inns in Luoyang.

A heavy silence hung over Geumjanru, which was formerly owned by the merchant group of the Lee Family.

Those who smoked among the heroes took out tobacco and bit them one by one.

Even those who did not originally smoke took tobacco handed to them from them and smoked.

If the ceiling had not been open, the indoors would have quickly filled with smoke.

Once again, the first to open his mouth was Cheong Ho-wi.

“It was my side that requested a full reorganization of our organization. However, to become the Eldest Young Master's subordinates is…”

His voice gradually trailed off.

“…We also do not doubt that there clearly exists a great cause the Eldest Young Master wishes to achieve, but” he trailed off his words heavily.

“We do not doubt it, but somehow. That is… Hmm.”

He was a person with a sense of shame and a person who knew grace.

“I understand what you mean.”

Yeon So-hyeon smiled and spoke what he wanted to say on his behalf.

“Are you saying it is questionable whether my great cause is as pure as yours?”

“…Ah, yes.”

As Yeon So-hyeon spoke for him, Cheong Ho-wi gave a reply mixed with a sigh.

“That is somehow—” his words could not continue.

Because about half of the gathering burst into laughter as if it leaked out.

The young heroes, including Cheong Ho-wi, looked around with bewildered expressions. "……?"

They could not understand why laughter was coming out at this point.

Yeon So-hyeon wore a bitter smile and sent a telepathic message to the elderly hero.

[Did you not inform your colleagues that I am the Dark Venerable?] it was so.

The reason those including Cheong Ho-wi doubted the purity of Yeon So-hyeon's intentions was because they did not know the fact that Yeon So-hyeon was the Dark Venerable.

[Of course I did not inform them.] shrugging his shoulders toward Yeon So-hyeon while smoking tobacco, the elderly hero replied.

He was one of those who had escaped from the construction site of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering stadium through Yeon So-hyeon.

[We are not people so lacking in fidelity that we would carelessly speak of information that could put our benefactor in danger.] it felt like catching a glimpse of one of the reasons the organization called the Spring of Luoyang could be maintained in secret until now.

[Even if the other person is a colleague?] fidelity.

[Let alone colleagues, it is the same for family as well.] yeon So-hyeon nodded.

“The Eldest Young Master is as much as us, or rather…”

The elderly hero opened his mouth.

“I guarantee that he is someone who harbors a great cause purer than ours.”

Those who had escaped together with him, who had seen another identity possessed by Yeon So-hyeon, chimed in with his words.

“If you want to doubt the Eldest Young Master's pure intentions, you had better doubt me instead.”

“It is the same for me. What I worried about was the future of our organization, not because of doubt about the Eldest Young Master.”

At that moment, the one who was sitting alone in the corner opened his mouth.

“No matter what anyone says,” the gaze of the gathering turned toward him.

He was the one who loathed the Luoyang Sword Family the most and hated those in power among them.

'It is the explosives expert from that time.'

Yeon So-hyeon recognized his face.

He was the one who had made it possible to hold the buildings nearing completion hostage with explosives from the powder magazine.

“From the moment the Eldest Young Master appeared in that hell-like place,” he downed the alcohol into his mouth, whether others looked at him or not.

“I decided to entrust my entire fate to the Eldest Young Master from now on.”

Looking up at Yeon So-hyeon standing on the railing, he spoke as if declaring to the gathering.

“No matter how the decision of this meeting turns out, I am the Eldest Young Master's person from now on.”

Groans leaked out from various places in the gathering, and it soon began to stir.

[It seems something happened there, do you know anything?] his clear gaze turned toward Yeon So-hyeon.

[No. I want to know too.] at that sight, the elderly hero raised his hand to quiet down the gathering.

[Just what did the Eldest Young Master show that…] they were mainly the young heroes who had not been present at the site of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering stadium.

“Wait.”

“I am certain that the Eldest Young Master is not trying to tear us apart to take only a portion. There must surely be a reason why he wants us to enter under his command right now.”

“Is that not so, Eldest Young Master?”

Yeon So-hyeon nodded with a short sigh.

“It is so.”

At Yeon So-hyeon's reaction, the elderly hero let out a sigh.

“…So it was not all completely finished yet.”

“It is not finished.”

The expressions of the majority stiffened, and those who had wondered clicked their tongues.

* * *

The old town of Luoyang where the sun was setting.

In that district where vagrants or anyone else would normally have loitered, no one came near.

[Search of District Three complete. No anomalies.] wearing black robes and masking their faces, they all carried weapons without exception.

[Search of District Five in progress.] because a group of personnel was conducting a pursuit operation in the warehouse district.

[Traces appearing to show movement of multiple carriages confirmed.] only their low breathing sounds could be heard on-site.

[Team One will proceed with tracking the traces. Team Two will obtain information about the carriages through inquiries.] all of their conversations were carried out solely through specially designed telepathy.

[Messenger.] notorious hell hounds rumored to leave only corpses and blood wherever they went.

[Yes.] they were a special mission unit that had previously carried out duties requiring dirtying their hands behind the back of the Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance.

They were the Greedy Wolf.

[Report to the strategist department.] the leader of the Greedy Wolf bared his teeth.

[Saying that we found their traces.]

* * *

The Third Young Master's camp, strategist department.

“Is there still no report from the tracking team?!”

When Grand Tactician Zhuge shouted, a strategist who was sweating profusely while organizing incoming reports cried out.

“We have found the place in the old town where they are presumed to have held their meeting!”

“Any additional information?!”

Another strategist replied while looking into the document that had just arrived.

“There was a statement that about ten carriages were witnessed! On-site, they are tracking the whereabouts of the carriages following that statement!”

Grand Tactician Zhuge gripped the feather fan held in his hand.

“We must catch their tails before the bastards vanish completely!”

“Yes, sir!”

A strange light flashed in the eyes of the man who turned around.

The young genius of the Zhuge family, who had not been able to find a worthy opponent for a long time, was finally fired up.

“If we capture and interrogate those bastards, even the Supreme Executive Council will not be able to ignore their existence…!”

How the Eldest Young Master exerted his influence was unknown, but the first report submitted by the Law Enforcement Department Head of the Sixth Department, who was the legal head of the inspection and monitoring group for the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering construction site, was a complete disaster.

“Just what method did the Eldest Young Master use to win over a department head of the Law Enforcement Court so quickly?”

At the senior strategist's words, another senior strategist shook his head.

“I find it rather more suspicious that the Supreme Executive Council cleanly accepted that preliminary investigation report.”

“Could it be…”

The senior strategist who was listening to the conversation wiped away his cold sweat and spoke.

“Is the Eldest Young Master not stretching his hands even to the Supreme Executive Council?”

“Come on, no matter how great that Eldest Young Master is…”

“Maybe we do not know. Looking at the abilities he has shown so far—” at the annoying conversation heard, Grand Tactician Zhuge's scolding voice burst out.

“You there!”

“Does everyone have nothing to do?!”

The senior strategists hurriedly dispersed and returned to their respective departments.

“Yeon So-hyeon…”

Grand Tactician Zhuge swallowed his remaining words inside.

'I will surely capture those pathetic heroes and reveal that you, Yeon So-hyeon, are behind them.'

He shouted to the strategists in the command room.

“What about the blockade of Luoyang?!”

“It is in progress! We are currently consulting with the Luoyang central government!”

“If we chase them to the end and corner them, the Eldest Young Master will surely try to help them escape from Luoyang!”

A twisted smile hung on the corner of his mouth.

“But they will never escape Luoyang.”

* * *

Geumjanru.

Yeon So-hyeon spoke in a calm tone.

“The Left and Right Grand Tacticians of the Third Young Master's side must be trying to blockade Luoyang right now.”

His voice was not very loud, but because the gathering was so quiet, it seemed to ring through the space.

“They probably intend to comb through Luoyang like catching lice after the blockade and capture you all.”

A hero put his hand to his forehead and spoke as if sighing.

“…The price of touching the Sword Family is harsher than imagined.”

The Number One Family under Heaven.

What was chasing the heroes now was merely a fraction of that, yet the pressure was unprecedented compared to anything they had experienced.

While everyone nodded to agree with those words, another hero raised his hand and questioned Yeon So-hyeon.

“Where did the Eldest Young Master hear that the strategist department of the Third Young Master's side would not let us go?”

Yeon So-hyeon replied briefly.

“A key figure of theirs confirmed it.”

* * *

Luoyang Sword Family, strategist department.

“Trying to shift the responsibility for this matter to our sects is an absurd act!”

“We are not the ones who ruined the work, are we?!”

The representatives of the sects on the Third Young Master's side, surrounding Grand Tactician Sima as if besieging him, were shouting as if screaming.

“As for the uprising of the laborers, the Northern Hengshan Sect has already taken primary responsibility, has it not?!”

“In any case, this matter happened because the Eldest Young Master pulled strings from behind!”

The dispute over the responsibility for losing the construction site of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering stadium to Yeon So-hyeon was in full swing.

“And the cause of it is because you all, the strategist department, failed to make proper predictions and preparations!”

A sect leader of a large sect pointed his finger at Grand Tactician Sima as if stabbing him.

“Should we not take charge of the site, and you of the strategist department watch our backs?!”

At those words, the heads of the sects began to pounce all at once as if to devour Grand Tactician Sima.

“Yes! This matter is indeed the responsibility of the strategist department!”

“Indeed, absolutely!”

Grand Tactician Sima did not show any outward sign, but he was grinding his teeth inwardly.

'If we capture those martial artists, whether they are heroes or whatever, and focus all eyes on that Yeon So-hyeon.'

Grand Tactician Sima glanced slightly at the wall.

'Then the heads of each sect will also turn their eyes to Yeon So-hyeon.'

He and Grand Tactician Zhuge.

That is, the brains of the Third Young Master intended to capture the heroes of the Spring of Luoyang and frame Yeon So-hyeon as the mastermind behind them.

'Claiming that making the laborers revolt was also the Eldest Young Master's trick from the start, inciting them through the martial artists. Setting up public opinion is easy.'

Recalling Grand Tactician Zhuge who would be commanding the operation beyond that wall, Grand Tactician Sima wore a smile toward the gathering.

“Come now, everyone, please calm down…”

Among those arguing back and forth, there was someone who did not participate.

'Unseemly bastards.'

It was the former sect leader of Diancang.

He, who had been the first to flee, normally should have been the spearhead biting at the strategist department, but since his weakness was currently seized, he was keeping his mouth shut quietly.

'Hmm. I see. The blockade of Luoyang is just around the corner?'

However, even if his mouth was shut, his habit of pulling strings behind the scenes went nowhere.

Stealing glances at the reports sent to Grand Tactician Sima, and listening.

The secrets he had secretly handed over to Yeon So-hyeon's side were already aplenty.

He recalled the conversation he had shared with Yeon So-hyeon's subordinate whom he had met not long ago.

* * *

“So, you want me to hand over our side's top secrets?”

“Our side, you say. Since when did everyone on the Third Young Master's side become one family?”

“A family is a family.”

The former sect leader of Diancang ground his teeth.

“A family where each wants to step on the other to climb up.”

In any case, it meant they were a family.

“And you are asking me to betray that family right now.”

Or whatever wind-blown family it might be.

“Oh my. Your words are harsh.”

The fellow named Yeon Ha-eung, who was said to have come representing Yeon So-hyeon, was someone whose name he also knew.

“Rather than betraying family, I would like to express it as seeking a way to survive together with us.”

As expected of someone belonging to the Outer Courtyard, his way of speaking was also exactly like the Outer Courtyard.

“Brat. Put away the diplomatic rhetoric.”

The former sect leader of Diancang frowned.

“If the Eldest Young Master gives me and Diancang benefits, I will cooperate only exactly that much.”

Although called a brat, Yeon Ha-eung, who was used to being ignored by those in power in daily life, only wore a beaming smile.

“Splendid.”

He rubbed his hands together.

“Then you must hand over the entirety of the secrets you have grasped on the Third Young Master's side from now on.”

“Did you not hear my words just now?”

Killing intent was colored in the former sect leader of Diancang's voice.

“I said I will give as much as I receive.”

“Oh my.”

Seeing his hand stealthily approaching the sword hilt, Yeon Ha-eung raised both hands.

“And so here is the thing.”

Between his sly face, his cold eyes gleamed.

“Since the Eldest Young Master will preserve the lives of the Sect Leader and the sect called Diancang from now on,” that gaze was by no means that of a brat.

“that is actually equivalent to obtaining everything.”

Yeon Ha-eung's tongue was smooth, as if rolling on oil.

“What kind of bullshit—” at the sight of the former sect leader of Diancang wearing a hollow laugh, Yeon Ha-eung spoke a single short word.

“Bloody History.” "……."

Expression vanished from the face of the former sect leader of Diancang.

Yeon Ha-eung spoke with a sly smile.

“For your information, I know nothing. The Eldest Young Master merely said that this single word would make the Sect Leader cooperate.” "……."

No reply flowed out from the former sect leader of Diancang.

The old man looked up at the empty air.

That appearance seemed to reflect back on a certain point of the past.

A moment later.

From the old man, along with a long sigh, words close to a lament leaked out.

“…As expected, was that Bloody History a matter the Eldest Young Master carried out from behind, acting on behalf of the Patriarch?”

Yeon So-hyeon's message brought conviction to the question he had harbored in his chest for a long time.

As he had expected, as he had guessed.

Just as he had feared for a long time, Yeon So-hyeon was behind all of those matters.

“As I said earlier, I know nothing about that word.”

“Naturally. Because it was a matter from when you were pushed out of the successor position of the Kaifeng Yeon family and went around whining at the brothels of Kaifeng.”

This time, Yeon Ha-eung wore an expression of having been dealt a blow.

“Those words are a bit painful.”

“Do not speak nonsense.”

Indeed, the opponent was the former sect leader of Diancang.

Coming to this point, he even knew the past history of an insignificant Outer Courtyard advisor. "……."

The former sect leader of Diancang turned his body.

Yeon Ha-eung could hear a telepathic message from him as he moved his steps to leave the place.

[…Please convey to the Eldest Young Master that I look forward to working with him.]