Book 11: Chapter 3: Realizing One’s Position

Just a short while ago.

"Run! Run!"

The voice of Hyang, the captain of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment's maid division, was loud and clear.

"No matter what happens, never stop!"

The train of armored carriages galloped madly through the narrow alleys.

Even when the reinforced armor plates fell off after catching on haphazardly extended buildings.

Even when the carriages shook violently as the wheels caught in potholes created by slum dwellers digging up the road.

"Everyone, hold on tight!"

All the members of the maid division clenched their teeth so hard that blood almost leaked from their gums, and they supported their bodies as if clinging to the carriages.

"Blue smoke…!"

And in the midst of that, a maid who was holding a repeating crossbow and gazing toward the uppermost reaches opened her eyes wide.

"Elder! It's the signal!"

Leaning her upper body out through the roof, she lowered her head and shouted toward the inside of the carriage.

"Squad Leader Tang Baek succeeded in assassinating the leaders!"

Elder Gwak, the closest confidant of the Fourth Young Master, who had secured her body inside the carriage with the help of the maids, burst into laughter.

"As expected of Squad Leader Tang Baek! His timing is perfectly precise!"

Even inside the carriage that was shaking frantically, and even while the enemies who popped out from various places in the narrow alleys to block the carriages were being crushed.

"Everything is going exactly as planned!"

The sight of the elderly old woman, who had no internal energy in a body that did not belong to a martial artist, bursting into wild laughter.

Had a side that sent chills down the spines of even the maids of the maid division.

"Now, the time has come for us to do our part!"

No sooner had those words ended than their vision opened up wide, and the narrow alley ended.

[A massive number of enemies spotted!] the maid in the lead carriage sent a sound transmission toward the following column.

[Confirmed the enemy's central front line! Our current position is the rightmost end of the enemy's central front line!] Elder Gwak was indeed an individual worthy of the moniker "Crouching Dragon of Nanman".

"We found it precisely…!"

'Leading the frantically running column to the precise point with only a single map and a compass…!'

Hyang, the captain of the maid division, who admired her in her heart, lowered her stance and shouted with a sharp voice carrying internal energy.

"Everyone, prepare for impact charge!"

Even before her instruction was heard, the maids had already lowered their stances and prepared their posture.

The armored carriages, which began to go down the slope, started to gain speed even more than when they were running at full strength in the alleys.

[Th-The speed is too fast!] the axles and wheels shook violently as if they would break at any moment.

[Never get scared and touch the braking devices! The carriages will overturn! Trust the maintenance team, and trust the warhorses!] it was a dizzying speed even for those who possessed internal energy and had learned martial arts.

"Charge!"

The sound of the horn blown by the maid in the rear carriage echoed through the valley.

And.

Along with a roar that shook heaven and earth.

The train of armored carriages collided with the rear of the enemies.

"——!"

As if struck by a boulder launched from a catapult.

Flesh, blood, and broken body parts of the enemies scattered in all directions.

* * *

The lower reaches of the Valley of Sin. "……!"

"…Ah!"

The patriarchs of the new allied families standing on the rooftop let out sounds that could not be distinguished as admiration or sighs.

They looked as if they themselves had been struck by the charge of the armored carriage train.

Among them, those with weak courage even closed their eyes tightly at the moment the carriages collided with the enemies.

'Tremendous charging force…!'

The couple of the Seo Family, who belonged to a military family, could not take their eyes off the scene.

'Although I knew that the Sword Family's armored carriage technology was famous throughout the state of Zhongyuan…!'

'The Eldest Young Master's armored carriages are on a different level…!'

The warhorses.

The bodies of the carriages.

The maid division pulling those carriages.

Their level was incomparable to the combat armored carriages they generally encountered.

"…They aren't stopping their charge."

The acting patriarch of the Seo Family let out a hollow laugh.

Just as she said.

The train of armored carriages that struck the right rear of the enemy's central formation.

Did not slow down but was still charging, grinding down the enemy lines.

The massive weight of the armored carriages.

The warhorses that had accelerated to the limit.

The enemy who had exposed their rear in an undefended state.

And it was the chilling result created by the downhill slope of the valley.

"…Shouldn't that rather be called a chariot?"

The son-in-law of the Seo Family trembled, feeling a shiver at the unfolding scene.

At that moment, he recalled the voice of the old man riding in the departing armored carriage shouting when they arrived.

"Trust the armor, and trust the mobility!"

"The maid division will pierce through the enemy lines at once and split the enemies in two!"

Indeed.

The rear of the enemy's central formation.

The train of armored carriages of the maid division, which had charged into its right end.

Was piercing through the enemy's central formation not longitudinally.

But horizontally in a long line.

* * *

The floor below the rooftop where Yeon So-hyeon and the new allied patriarchs were.

Those who were watching that overwhelming sight were not only the patriarchs of Yeon So-hyeon's new allied families. "……."

Those wearing silk clothes in the reception room.

Attached themselves to the windows without exception, engraving that sight into their eyes. "……."

They were none other than.

Those who had visited to retrieve the investment funds they had invested in the Valley of Sin.

Because the situation that occurred suddenly was what it was.

They were virtually trapped in the reception room, unable to go anywhere.

"…Is this the power of the Eldest Young Master?"

At a single comment dropped by someone, those who had been staring out the window as if possessed came to their senses.

"You all seem to be quite deeply impressed."

The woman who threw a sarcastic comment at them.

Was the closest confidante of the Fourth Young Master, who was dealing with them on behalf of the absent Eldest and Fourth Young Masters.

She was Tang Ye-rin.

"Ahem."

"Hmph. Hmph."

Even at her oddly thorny words, everyone merely coughed dryly, which had its reasons.

"You will be able to leave this Valley of Sin safely. It's just that it has been temporarily delayed, as I have been saying 'constantly since earlier'."

It was not an illusion that Tang Ye-rin placed particular emphasis on the words 'constantly since earlier'.

"D-Do not blame us too much."

When one person said so, the others also chimed in with grumbling voices.

"When they suddenly came from the government to take the Eldest Young Master, how could we not be shaken?"

"Although we got our investment funds back, we were bound here. So wasn't it natural for us to protest?"

Tang Ye-rin sighed.

"Sigh."

Their behavior was spectacular to this extent.

"The people here…"

She looked around with a pathetic gaze.

"Since this morning, everyone lined up to get their investment funds back from the Fourth Young Master. And then…"

Those who met her gaze avoided her eyes.

"As soon as the Eldest Young Master arrived in the Valley of Sin, everyone said they would get their investment funds back directly from the Eldest Young Master."

Her words continued.

"After that, when the blood wind began to blow due to the matter of the Third and Fourth Young Ladies, everyone clamored to meet the Fourth Young Master instead of the Eldest Young Master." "……." "……."

Did they remember how shameful the things they did were?

"And later, when the district chiefs came with government soldiers and the atmosphere turned bad, you pressed me to return the money immediately."

No one interrupted Tang Ye-rin.

"And when I, by the order of the Eldest Young Master, promised to remove your names from the investor list collectively, everyone was pleased."

She looked at them with an expression almost close to contempt and said.

"But now."

Tang Ye-rin pointed out the window.

"Because you confirmed our power with your own eyes, you want to put your names back on the investor list?"

Her voice rose.

"Do you think this is a place for children's games?!"

As her voice rang out sharply, everyone looked startled.

"Ahem."

But to be shameless in any situation.

Wasn't that the virtue of professional investors like them who had survived in Luoyang by their wits alone?

"So, instead of just putting us back on the list, didn't we say we would pay additional investment funds?"

"Indeed. So how much more should we invest?"

"To show our apology, we will give a generous amount of additional investment."

'These people, seriously…'

At their shamelessness, Tang Ye-rin inwardly felt disgusted.

'Not that they would pay an apology fee, but they would invest more.'

Didn't this simply mean they wanted to take more profit?

However they interpreted her silence, the investors acted even more shamelessly.

"Do not think simply."

"If it becomes known to the investment world of Luoyang that we are investing solidly, wouldn't you be able to secure investment funds more stably?"

"It would be interpreted as meaning that the Eldest Young Master's power is solid, enough to protect his allies."

However.

Her silence while feeling disgusted.

Was not only because of their shamelessness.

'Everything is exactly as the Eldest Young Master predicted.'

Yeon So-hyeon had already predicted all of this would happen.

What moves the investors would show.

What conditions should be offered to such investors.

He had finished giving her simple and clear instructions.

"Very well."

As Tang Ye-rin nodded, everyone's faces brightened.

But as her words continued, their faces stiffened.

"Since the previous investment funds have already been recorded as returned to you on the ledger."

She offered a bright smile.

"If you wish to invest, everyone must pay 'new' investment funds."

Before complaints could burst from the investors' mouths, she spoke first.

"This matter was instructed directly to me by the Eldest Young Master! So if you have complaints…"

She raised her finger toward the rooftop above.

"Please complain directly to the Eldest Young Master on the rooftop."

No matter how shameless the investors were.

Looking at the scene unfolding outside the window, there was no one with the guts to complain directly to the Eldest Young Master. "……."

They realized their position.

Through this opportunity, they accurately recognized it once again.

"Oh, by the way."

Looking down at them with a smile on her lips, Tang Ye-rin said.

"Since you are practically trapped here and have not heard external information, I am telling you this."

Chuckling, she paused for effect and continued.

"Right now, they say that the Great Immortal Merchant Group of the Second Young Master's side is undergoing investigation by the main family's Central Inspection Department and the Inner Courtyard." "……!"

There was no need to say more.

"I-I will pay the investment fund right now!"

"Should I pay it to you?!"

"The contract! Bring the contract right now!"

* * *

The rooftop.

"Great Immortal Merchant Group…?"

Unlike the investors.

The complexions of the new allied patriarchs, who kept a communication channel to the outside open, changed once again.

"Yes, that's correct."

Receiving the gazes of the patriarchs collectively.

The Seo Family retainer reported to his acting patriarch, sweating cold sweat.

"Right now, they say the Central Inspection Department and the Inner Courtyard of the Sword Family have jointly begun a forced investigation."

The messengers of other families who arrived almost at the same time as the Seo Family retainer also added a word each.

"The Second Young Master's side of the Sword Family is strongly protesting…"

"The Great Immortal Merchant Group side stated that they will not hesitate to enter a armed conflict for their right of self-defense."

"Practically, analysis is coming out that the armed conflict can already be considered to have begun."

There was no one who asked again to confirm the truth.

Because the person who knew this situation far better.

Was right in front of their eyes.

"Eldest Young Master."

Receiving everyone's gazes from behind.

Yeon So-hyeon, who was looking at the upper reaches with his hands behind his back, replied in that exact posture.

"There is nothing wrong with their information."

He glanced back.

"If I add a bit of confidential information to that…"

Hanging on the Eldest Young Master's face, which was slightly visible, was a smile.

"By now, the Third Young Master's side must have begun a political clash with the Yeon Family blood relatives of the main family." "……!"

And that was clearly a smile directed toward the new allied patriarchs.

"With this."

Yeon So-hyeon said to them.

"You have become even more desperate for this alliance, and your value to me has dropped further." "……."

At that moment.

"We won!"

"It's our victory!"

Far away, the cheers of Yeon So-hyeon's side announcing the victory in the battle were heard from the upper reaches of the valley.

Yeon So-hyeon's low voice cut through the faintly echoing cheers and struck their ears.

"Now, you must have sufficiently realized your position in this alliance."