Chapter 103: Chapter 103

“Wow! Are we sleeping here?”

Dan So-mi’s eyes sparkled as she looked around the inn.

While traveling, she had seen quite a lot of places and eaten many things, but it was hard to find a place as splendid as the inn she saw today.

Not only the tables and chairs, but even the grand paintings engraved on the walls captured one’s gaze in an instant.

Furthermore, the entire inn was so large and wide that it would be fine to run around for a long time.

The people inside were also dazzling.

Most of them wore fine clothes, and the dishes they ordered were filled with things she had never seen before.

Occasionally there were things like dumplings or noodles, which also looked so delicious that they were worlds apart from what she had tasted so far.

This place was different from where she had been so far.

That was felt in an instant.

“It is the best inn in Anhui. I have a small connection to it.”

“What is the use of having a connection? We cannot even talk to them.”

At Sa Do-hak’s words, Namgung Cheon shrugged his shoulders.

Although he had a connection, he could not strike up a conversation. Since it was a situation where he could not openly reveal his identity, he just had to pretend not to know.

Furthermore, the atmosphere here was not good right now.

Although people were coming and going to eat, he noticed that several suspicious groups were mixed in between them. It seemed the entirety of Hefei had already fallen into their hands.

“Welcome!”

At that moment, a waiter rushed over vigorously.

Perhaps to liven up the depressed atmosphere, his voice was also loud. He bowed and cleared a path to guide them to a table.

However, the one who blocked him was none other than Namgung Cheon.

“No need for a meal. Rather, I would like you to guide us to a place to rest first.”

“Ah, is that so? Then how many rooms……?”

“Give us an annex.”

Namgung Cheon quietly stepped in front of the waiter and handed him five silver coins and two iron coins. Seeing that, the waiter’s face froze for a moment, but he soon wore a bright smile without a word and bowed deeply.

“Thank you! I will guide you this way!”

At that single loud word, people’s gazes gathered. However, they soon lost interest and focused on their meals. Renting an annex here was only possible for those with plenty of money.

They must surely be one of those kinds.

“It is expensive enough to cost a gold coin to rent an annex for a day, so those fellows are quite something.”

“Well, are there only one or two such people? They probably came to show off their money. But it is strange. Those masks…… they are surely the heroes our kids like, right?”

“Hahaha, what ridiculous fellows.”

Ridicule burst out from here and there.

Judging by their voices, it was clear they were old men. Yet, since they were moving around wearing hero masks that young children liked, how could it not be ridiculous?

Even those who had watched them turned their heads with smirks.

In the meantime, the waiter quickly guided the group to the annex. It was the deepest part of this inn, and unless one was a special guest, it had to be used for a considerably large amount.

Therefore, it was also a place used only by those who showed off their money, those who practically exerted great influence in political circles, or those who were quite famous among merchants.

“Here it is! You may use whichever room you like.”

The waiter spoke, pointing to numerous rooms.

However, because the number of rooms was originally vast and every single one was splendid, no one entered first. Only Dan So-mi looked here and there with a pounding heart.

“Then, I shall…… take my leave……!”

Soon, the waiter, who bowed his head, ran away in a hurry.

As if he had some urgent business, his expression was stiff enough to be quite different from a moment ago. However, Namgung Cheon did not even care and opened the largest of the room doors and stepped inside.

“You use this room. It is the best room for the Manor Lord to stay in.”

“It is a decent place. But……”

“Ah, it is fine. Hahaha.”

Dan Woo-hyun gestured toward the waiter with his eyes.

He had surely noticed something. Looking at that expression and behavior alone, there was no one who would not know. Gwon Mu-jin had slightly drawn his sword, but if Dan Woo-hyun had not stopped him, a corpse would have been made.

“I did not know there was such an inn in Anhui! I must brag to Jin-rang!”

“Hahaha, yes, it is a good place. Since it is famous not only in Anhui but even in Henan and Beijing.”

At So-mi’s words, Namgung Cheon smiled pleasantly.

Yellow Dragon Inn.

Although there were many quite famous inns in Beijing as well, they would not match this Yellow Dragon Inn. Because it was that famous and the dishes were also delicacies, many people would gather even in the late evening.

When coming to Anhui, it was a place one must drop by even if it was expensive.

Clatter!

Just then, a loud noise was suddenly heard outside.

At the sound of unknown meaning, Dan So-mi tilted her head and looked at the door. Soon the sound of someone approaching was heard, and it was felt that they had stopped right in front of the door.

“Ahem! I am the owner of this inn. I have come to pay my respects.”

“Come in.”

Namgung Cheon let him in without even receiving Dan Woo-hyun’s permission. Soon the door opened and a familiar face to Namgung Cheon was visible. He stared with wide eyes as if quite surprised while looking at the people around him.

“We…… welcome you to our inn. Today…….”

“No need.”

Namgung Cheon spoke thus and sat down. Then he took off the mask he had never removed since leaving Hunan, set it down, and smiled broadly.

“A… As expected…… the Alliance L… Leader was…… alive?”

“Stop using the term Alliance Leader. Since it has been a long time since I laid it down…… and do not disclose the fact that I am alive either.”

The innkeeper swallowed a groan and nodded.

It was the word of Namgung Cheon, none other. He had a debt of having his life saved multiple times by him, and there was also the grace of allowing him to settle down in Anhui.

If one was human, one must never forget that.

That was why Namgung Cheon revealed his identity.

Knowing that this human would not betray him even if it meant death.

“……Is the reason the Sword Emperor, who had been missing until now, has returned…… indeed because of the Namgung Family?”

“That is so. Do you know the details?”

“Sigh.”

The innkeeper let out a long sigh.

How could he not know that?

Since he had actually witnessed it before his eyes.

The innkeeper sat down while testing the reactions of the others, excluding Namgung Cheon.

“The story is a bit long. Will it be alright?”

Namgung Cheon glanced at Dan Woo-hyun and Dan So-mi.

In case the two of them would find it boring.

However, Dan Woo-hyun nodded.

“It is fine. Since I have interest, tell it.”

“I…… understand. The story goes back two months.”

* * *

“You lost Namgung So-hye?”

“Yes…… I apologize.”

The man, who had only one arm left, bowed his head deeply and trembled. Cold sweat flowed naturally from fear toward the strange man in front of him.

As if even swallowing saliva was disrespectful, he waited for his reply without being able to make any movement.

“Namgung Gang and the Family Head…… but you lost Namgung So-hye?”

The man frowned and looked at Gang Do-hyul, the leader of the Snake Blood Band. He could not utter a word under the gaze that held no emotion whatsoever.

“Where did she disappear?”

“She went missing at the border of H… Hubei and Jiangxi.”

“She did not go to the Martial Alliance. She is quite smart, isn’t she?”

The man smirked.

If she had entered a Martial Alliance branch, they would have already obtained the information. Wasn’t the reason she disappeared without doing so because she realized she would not receive help even if she reached out there?

“Hmm.”

He sighed with a bored expression.

Where did she go?

The Zhuge Family, which she was closest to?

No, she wouldn’t do that.

Namgung So-hye is quite a smart child. In this situation where she does not know how far their intelligence network extends, she would judge that if she hid in the Zhuge Family, that place might also suffer damage.

Furthermore, since Zhuge Un, the head of the Zhuge Family, had been absent for several months, she would not have been able to borrow his intellect either.

If so, where could it be?

A place where she could hide her body and plan for the future.

The man, thinking up to that point, exhaled with a sigh.

“She will appear soon anyway. We just need to not make a mistake next time. More importantly, how is the control of Anhui going?”

“Due to the fall of the Namgung Family, many forces have either hidden or decided to entrust themselves to us. If a few months pass like this, it seems we will soon dominate Anhui.”

“Too slow. There is a limit to blocking the Martial Alliance. Since they cannot remain inactive forever, you must dominate Anhui quickly and prepare before that time comes.”

“I will accomplish it as quickly as possible.”

Gang Do-hyul replied quickly and bowed his head.

In this case, he had to suppress the remaining forces even by force. Since there was power he had already received from them, it was enough to use that.

“There shouldn’t be any other matters where we need to step forward, right?”

“Yes, we have already received help regarding the Namgung Family case. We will take care of future matters ourselves…… However, there is a report that a few strange groups have entered…….”

“A strange group?”

“It is said they are currently staying at the Yellow Dragon Inn. Although the others cannot be said to have any distinct features, it is said there are two masked men.”

“Masks?”

“Yes, the…… masks of the Gentleman Sword and the Demonic Heavenly Monarch…….”

“Puhahaha! What amusing things.”

The man laughed sincerely.

Weren’t they young children who played such games? But hearing the story, they seemed to be adults rather than children. He was quite curious about how they looked.

“Monitor them, but do not make it too obvious. Carrying out unnecessary actions will only provoke the Nine Sects and One Gang. Even without that, the beggars are making a fuss…….”

“Understood.”

“That aside, what do you plan to do with the captured fellows?”

“We plan to use them as bait to draw Namgung So-hye in for now. In the future, if the work is delayed and a situation arises where the Martial Alliance has no choice but to step forward, we will hold their necks hostage.”

“Very well. It was I who entrusted the work in Anhui to you. You may do whatever you like, but…… if you act against His will, it is immediate death.”

The man stared into Gang Do-hyul’s eyes.

It was a gaze that cowed a person just by looking. Although he had met numerous strong individuals, there had never existed anyone who made him tremble this much.

But what was an even greater problem was.

‘To think that someone like this is only a low-ranking member?’

That the person in front of him was merely a low-ranking member. It was unknown how many more strong people stood behind them. Also, the fact that even the terrifying Martial Alliance was swayed in their hands was the reason he bowed his head, risking his life.

‘If I follow them…… I can obtain a power that cannot even be compared to merely having one arm fly off.’

Having finished his thoughts up to that point, Gang Do-hyul bowed deeply.

Betrayal? Or going against the will of someone whose identity was unknown?

Do not speak of such nonsense.

Having witnessed this much power before his eyes and reached a situation where he could grasp what he desired, there was no way he would do such a thing. He would follow them, carry out their orders, and grasp everything.

Gang Do-hyul bowed his head to them.

“Do not worry. This Gang Do-hyul! I have dedicated everything to Him.”

The sound of a snort was heard.

Then again, that must be so.

Since he did not even know His identity and had never seen His face. No one would believe that he pledged loyalty to such a person.

However, the man did not care.

Gang Do-hyul also knew that hollow word was not bad.

Furthermore, this man in front of him was also.

‘You do not know either. His identity and such.’

He smirked inwardly, ridiculing the loyalty of the man in front of him.

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