Chapter 180: Chapter 180

For the first time, Dan Woo-hyun’s expression and posture were seen to waver.

Namgung So-hye gained even greater certainty upon seeing that.

With her fists clenched tight, she sent him a look pleading for any kind of word, but a deep silence fell and did not easily lift.

How much time had passed?

She suddenly realized that the silence, which had seemed like it would never end, lasting like long years, was in fact nothing more than a brief instant.

Namgung So-hye, who had been staring blankly at Dan Woo-hyun’s face, swallowed hard.

At that exact moment, the silence was broken.

“I do not know…… what you are talking about.”

“Ahaha…… I, I just said that for fun.”

She laughed it off as if it were a joke.

Through the silence just now, Namgung So-hye realized that Dan Woo-hyun did not want that fact to be discovered by anyone.

Also, Dan Woo-hyun seemed to wish that she would no longer bring up this matter.

Understanding each other and reaching a tacit agreement, the two of them smiled at the same time.

“The martial arts of Namjuryeon…… I happen to know it by chance, and it is in my head. However, I cannot guarantee that it is perfect.”

“Even that is fine. Please teach me.”

Hmm- Dan Woo-hyun stroked his chin.

However, his contemplation was not deep.

Whether he had intended to do so from the beginning, he nodded and readily complied with Namgung So-hye’s request.

“It is not difficult. Come to that empty lot from last time starting tomorrow morning.”

“Understood.”

Nodding readily, Namgung So-hye turned around.

Her wildly beating heart had still not calmed down.

Facing Dan Woo-hyun directly like this, and openly talking about his secret, took considerable courage on her part.

“Haa.”

She let out a small sigh and clenched her fists tightly.

Her curiosity was not completely satisfied, but she had achieved her goal.

She could still go…… even higher.

Smiling, Namgung So-hye ran toward her quarters.

“I had a feeling she had noticed…… but how did she know?”

Watching Namgung So-hye’s disappearing back, Dan Woo-hyun fell into thought. It was not that he desperately wanted to hide the fact that he was the Martial God.

In the first place, even if he told someone, they would not believe it. The passage of a thousand years of time was something that not even Dan Woo-hyun could stop.

Where on earth was a human who could make that possible?

Even the Blood Demon, who was said to be versed in immortal arts and capable of transferring his very soul, could not stop the flow of time.

That was why he had been at ease, thinking that no one would know.

Yet, a moment ago, the look in Namgung So-hye’s eyes was close to certainty.

“Is this your doing as well?”

He raised his head and looked toward one place.

A high cliff visible beyond the massive manor.

Upon it lay the graves of three people.

Dan Woo-hyun looked at the image of the beautiful woman rising before his eyes.

The hazy figure of the woman looked at Dan Woo-hyun and showed a mischievous smile.

Looking at that, it seemed there was no doubt about it.

Dan Woo-hyun frowned.

“You were always full of mischief.”

He smiled and walked.

His footsteps seemed unusually light today.

He felt a sense of relief, as if he had unburdened a worry he had kept alone in his heart for a long time.

* * *

“Well, I was roughly aware of the series of events…… but to think they would come out like this.”

Two days later.

Zhuge Un, who had recovered enough to walk around now, listened to the story of what had happened with the Hunan Merchant Group in a place where Dan Woo-hyun, Namgung Cheon, and Sa Do-hak were gathered.

There were things he already knew, and things he did not.

He was quite confident in gathering information, but it was the first time he had heard that the enemy had set a trap and waited.

It meant that there was someone on that side who also knew how to use their head in their own way.

Zhuge Un let out a smirk.

“The damage this side has suffered so far is quite large.”

The wine and silk, the most important items of the Golden Ring Merchant Group, were stolen.

It was right to catch those bastards first, but if not even a trace of them could be found, a rather troublesome situation would arise.

If they could not be found, that was.

Zhuge Un looked at Dan Woo-hyun.

“What is the Golden Ring Merchant Group doing?”

“Who knows?”

Dan Woo-hyun quietly turned his gaze to look at the room door. Gwon Mu-jin, who had been standing blankly there, strode over and gave a brief bow.

“Currently, we have hired dozens of wanderers and are guarding the perimeter of the merchant group like an iron fortress.”

Fortunately, the Golden Ring Merchant Group had not lost everything.

At the Dan family residence, there was still the wine of the Hoyeon family and the wine that Dan So-mi had occasionally made for fun, and thanks to that, there was no immediate disruption to doing business.

“After the theft, did anyone send people out or anything like that?”

“I believe not.”

Zhuge Un nodded.

The Golden Ring Merchant Group was quite an old merchant group in business as well.

As the scale was small, the people working there were also comprised only of trustworthy individuals who had worked for at least ten years.

“Since the volume of the goods is large, no matter how many dozens of people raided, traces are bound to be left. However, the fact that not a single thing was left behind means…….”

“There was someone on the inside who helped.”

This was a suspicion that Dan Woo-hyun had also kept in mind.

However, Geum Eun-hak had ruled out such a thing. Since they were employees who had been together for a long time, he must have firmly believed they would not betray him.

Therefore, Dan Woo-hyun had left it alone without saying anything about it.

A person who made a mistake once was bound to make it again unless they changed.

Therefore, the current Geum Eun-hak would have no choice but to suffer in one way or another.

Until he realized it himself and caught the culprit, the same thing would happen over and over again.

Of course, by the time he realized the truth through such repeated mistakes, it would be too late.

By that time, Dan Woo-hyun would have already discarded Geum Eun-hak.

A foolish person was not needed.

In that regard, Dan Woo-hyun was sharper than anyone.

“The goods should still be safe. Even for the Hunan Merchant Group, this Hunan Province is too clean to dispose of such a large amount of stolen goods.”

Zhuge Un smiled broadly as he looked at Dan Woo-hyun.

It was none other than thanks to Dan Woo-hyun that the roots of criminals were pulled out in this land of Hunan.

Synthesizing various pieces of information, the fact that not a single bandit was seen, especially near Yueyang, must have been due to the influence of Dan Woo-hyun, who put Hong Won-chang forward.

“They must have definitely taken the stolen goods using the water route. To perfectly erase traces, taking a boat is the easiest way.”

“It would be so.”

Dan Woo-hyun nodded, and Namgung Cheon slapped his knee, agreeing.

The lack of traces left inside meant there was someone who helped, and the lack of traces outside must be because the internal helper returned and erased them.

Also, rather than using carriages, if they used the water route safely, they would not be able to find traces in any way, and there were countless hiding places near Dongting Lake, making it suitable for hiding goods.

“So what of it?”

Sa Do-hak asked, picking his ear as if it were bothersome.

Whether there was a betrayer inside or not, whether they used the water route or not, what did that matter now?

Dan Woo-hyun was not very active in finding the goods.

What was the reason for that?

It meant he already did not care about the goods.

It was just that the Hunan Merchant Group, which had offended him by doing such a thing, was the problem.

Wasting time to find the goods was not the best policy.

“You aren’t planning to go on a treasure hunt at this point, are you?”

Under Sa Do-hak’s displeased gaze, Zhuge Un held his breath.

The opponent was none other than the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

Even as the Chief of Staff of the Martial Alliance, he was a person whose difference in class could be clearly felt.

Such a great figure that even the Sword Emperor beside him could not guarantee Zhuge Un’s life.

Zhuge Un swallowed his saliva and opened his mouth.

“Just once.”

“What?”

Sa Do-hak asked back with a somewhat displeased expression.

The impulsive thought of whether he should cut off that tongue that kept speaking ambiguously in halves stimulated his mind.

As that sharp gaze was directed at him, Zhuge Un flinched and trembled.

“With just one move, we can cut off not only the Hunan Merchant Group but also most of the sprouts that are associated with those bastards.”

“Hooh.”

It was none other than Dan Woo-hyun who let out a soft exclamation.

He hated bothersome things.

As his personality was such that he had to solve things at once even if he started something, although he did not know what Zhuge Un’s plan was, it could be said to be a very attractive proposal.

“An eye for an eye…… a tooth for a tooth, is it not?”

Zhuge Un showed a thicker smile than ever before.

* * *

Late at night.

A man was quickly heading somewhere while scanning his surroundings.

His expression was filled with anxiety, wondering if he would be caught by someone, and thus he repeated the bizarre behavior of taking a few steps and then scanning his surroundings.

The man moved for a long time, slipping out of Yueyang and continuing to walk along the Dongting Lake road.

Since it was late at night, not to mention the cries of beasts heard from the forest, even the flapping of birds’ wings made his skin crawl.

Only after moving for another half-hour did the man stop.

The place where he stood was a forest.

The surroundings were filled with large old trees, rocks, and thickets.

As the man stood there and looked around with anxious eyes, just in time, several strange shadows stopped in front of him.

“I heard you have new information. It goes without saying, but……”

“Of…… Of course. I will never speak a word about this place, and i-it is important information that nobody else knows.”

The man trembled violently and bowed his head.

Then, the figures took out a small purse from their bosoms and threw it to him. Realizing that the object falling with a thud was quite heavy, the man quickly picked it up.

However, he did not dare to check inside.

It was because a sword was already touching the back of his neck.

“Ugh……!”

“Before you check the inside, state your business for calling us. If it is useless information, you will have to leave your neck here.”

“Heup…… T-That is…… The…… The Geum Merchant Group Leader…… is planning to organize a large merchant caravan.”

“A large merchant caravan?”

“Yes, he is gathering wanderers as much as he can. Because he seems to meet them so secretly, I don’t know the exact number, but it seems to be over fifty……”

“……I see. But are there enough goods for that?”

“A large amount of wine has recently come in again from the Dan family……. I-I suspect he might be going to sell that, but……”

“So it is not certain……?”

At the figure’s question, the man recoiled in fright.

It was definitely not certain. It was true that a large amount of wine had come in, but he had not seen any signs of packaging it.

However, he had already confirmed that goods were loaded onto several wagons. Although he did not know the contents covered by the cloth, since what the Golden Ring Merchant Group mainly sold was wine, the wagons must have contained wine.

“That…… is? This is something I overheard……”

“What is it?”

“There are rumors going around among the porters that the destination of this trade journey might be Beijing……”

“Is that true?”

“It…… It is a rumor, a rumor……. However, I heard the Golden Ring Merchant Group Leader muttering to his son that he would sightsee Beijing after a long time.”

At the word Beijing, the figures were startled.

The Golden Ring Merchant Group sold the wine of the Hoyeon family. That wine had arrived in large quantities again, and going to Beijing meant the wine might enter the imperial palace.

This was information that had to be reported to the Chief of Staff quickly.

The figures quickly turned their backs.

“I tell you once again……”

“Hehe, of course. This mouth will not open even if I die and wake up again.”

The man laughed foolishly.

He had made a lot of money. An amount he had not been able to earn even while working for over twenty years at the Golden Ring Merchant Group, he had obtained in less than a month.

Where else would there be such a source of money?

Looking at the disappearing figures, the man bowed his head repeatedly. Because as long as they targeted the Golden Ring Merchant Group, they would be very important customers.

Satisfied with the heavy pouch, the man turned his back.

“Hick?!”

At that moment.

He saw someone in front of him.

A dark shadow smiled, revealing pitch-black teeth.

Soon, the pitch-black hand of that dark shadow slowly reached out.

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