Episode 440

The thread of bad fate does not easily break (3)

 

“Who’s talking about me? Why do my ears itch so much?”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong scratched his ear with his little finger.

 

By his side was an imposing-looking old man with blond hair and gray eyes. It was Hoe-an, his master and bodyguard.

 

“It seems you’ve committed many sins.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“That’s why someone must be cursing you.”

 

“Hey! Where else would you find someone as kind-hearted as me?”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong shook his head, denying Hoe-an’s words.

 

Hoe-an chuckled and looked at him. It had been a long time since he had traveled with his disciple, and the time they spent together lifted his spirits.

 

Gazing ahead, Hoe-an spoke.

 

“We’re almost at Suzhou.”

 

Suzhou was a city near Taeho Lake, famous for its breathtaking scenery. There was even a saying: “Above there is Heaven, below there is Suzhou and Hangzhou,” emphasizing its natural beauty.

 

What made Suzhou particularly famous was its intricate network of canals, spreading like spiderwebs. The waterways were well connected, and the scenery was so breathtaking that every wealthy merchant in Jianghu owned at least one estate there.

 

Moreover, Suzhou was especially known for its beautiful women, making it a dream for many to settle there with a Suzhou beauty by their side.

 

The reason Nam Woo-gyeong was heading to Suzhou was to meet the leader of the Hao Clan, Shim-wol.

 

Shim-wol had wandered aimlessly across the land, but this time he chose Suzhou as his base for one reason: the many canals made it easy to escape in times of emergency.

 

“You have to admire the sect leader’s caution,” Hoe-an muttered as he looked at Suzhou in the distance.

 

Nam Woo-kyung smiled bitterly.

 

“That’s because so many people are targeting him.”

 

“Well, you’ve suffered quite a bit because of that too…”

 

Hoe-an looked at Nam Woo-gyeong with pity.

 

Though not to the same extent as Shim Wol, Nam Woo-gyeong had also endured his share of hardships. He had nearly been kidnapped by the Nine Dragons Clan and turned into a puppet. Because of that, he, too, was extremely cautious about security.

 

If not for the urgent matter of restructuring the Hao Clan, he would never have risked contacting Shim Wol.

 

Nam Woo-gyeong believed the Hao Clan had reached its limits.

 

The Jianghu was sinking deeper into chaos, and the existing organizational structure could no longer keep up. In his judgment, the current system couldn’t adapt quickly enough to the rapidly changing landscape.

 

To adapt to the shifting tides of the world, he believed the sect’s structure needed to change. He had been contemplating this for a long time, and recently, he had finished outlining a new system.

 

However, to implement the new system, he needed Simwol’s approval.

 

Nam Woo-gyeong reason for coming to Suzhou was to meet Sim-wol and seek approval for the changes he had envisioned.

 

Normally, Nam Woo-gyeong would have acted alone, but due to the instability in Jianghu, Hoe-an insisted on accompanying him.

 

While walking and talking with Hoe-an, Nam Woo-gyeong soon found himself in Suzhou.

 

As expected, the city was full of canals, with boats moving up and down, but Nam Woo-gyeong paid no attention to them and continued walking toward the Hao Sect’s Suzhou branch.

 

The Suzhou branch was quite large, with over a hundred permanent members and more than three hundred affiliated members throughout the city.

 

 

 

For a single city—excluding the main headquarters and key bases—this number of formal disciples was unusual.

 

Suzhou, in particular, had a large number of young disciples, which is why Nam Woo-kyung understood why Shim-wol often visited the city. There was a certain satisfaction in watching the young disciples grow, and Shim-wol took great care to teach the most promising students.

 

“Is the branch manager present?”

 

As soon as Nam Woo-gyeong entered the branch, a chubby man rushed out to greet him.

 

“It’s been a while.”

 

“I’ve been waiting for your arrival ever since I heard you were coming.”

 

“Where’s my master?”

 

“He’s staying at the Gyo Manor.”

 

“Gyo Manor?”

 

The Gyo Manor was one of Suzhou’s most famous estates, renowned for its luxury.

 

“The owner of Gyo Manor is an old friend of the Sect Leader, so whenever he comes to Suzhou, he stays there.”

 

“I see.”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong hadn’t heard this before.

 

“You can meet him if you head to Gyo Manor now.”

 

“Alright, I’ll head there immediately.”

 

“Right now?”

 

The branch manager looked disappointed, clearly reluctant to miss the chance to host Nam Woo-gyeong.

 

Understanding his feelings, Nam Woo-gyeong smiled.

 

“I’ll return after meeting the sect leader, so please prepare a place for me to stay.”

 

“Don’t worry. We’ll reserve the finest room in the Suzhou branch for you.”

 

The manager’s face brightened instantly.

 

After leaving the manager, Nam Woo-gyeong headed to Gyo Manor.

 

Finding it wasn’t difficult—any passerby could point the way, as the manor was that famous.

 

Hoe-an looked around and remarked,

 

“This place seems so peaceful, far removed from the chaos of the Jianghu.”

 

“It probably feels that way because it’s away from the center of the Jianghu. But the struggles here are just as fierce.”

 

“I suppose so. Human affairs are the same everywhere.”

 

“Well, as you said, it’s nice to see such tranquility. I wonder when we’ll ever live so leisurely.”

 

“Envious?”

 

“It’d be a lie if I said I wasn’t.”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong smiled wryly.

 

Understanding his feelings, Hoe-an simply nodded without further comment.

 

Soon, they arrived at Gyo Manor.

 

Perhaps the branch manager had already sent word, as a Hao Clan disciple was waiting at the entrance to greet them.

 

Nam Wo-gyeong also recognized him.

 

“Long time no see, Lee Mun!”

 

“It’s been a while, Young Master!”

 

The man named Lee Mun bowed respectfully.

 

Nam Woo-gyeong asked,

 

“Don’t tell me the entire Death Reaper Squad is here?”

 

“Of course not! Only about twenty of us came.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“The sect leader refused at first, but given the turbulent times, we insisted on accompanying him.”

 

“Good job.”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong smiled in satisfaction.

 

The Death Reaper Squad was the Hao Clan’s elite armed squad.

 

During the Great Heavenly Blood War, the Hao Clan suffered greatly due to its lack of a proper martial force. Afterward, they poured all their resources into creating the Death Reaper Squad.

 

Both Shim Wol and Nam Woo-gyeong personally disliked using the squad as bodyguards, believing the Hao Clan’s final line of defense shouldn’t be exploited for personal purposes.

 

Under normal circumstances, Nam Woo-gyeong would have scolded them for overstepping, but given the dangerous state of the Jianghu, he couldn’t help but worry for his master’s safety.

 

“Please come in. The sect leader is waiting.”

 

“Mm.”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong and Hoe-an followed Lee Mun inside.

 

Inside the Gyo Manor was as magnificent as its reputation.

 

Beautifully landscaped gardens evoked images of paradise, and the pavilions scattered throughout harmonized fantastically with the scenery.

 

Hoe-an marveled at the picturesque beauty.

 

“Hah! This is truly incredible. Who knew a single estate could be so breathtaking?”

 

“Yeah, I’m speechless.”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong agreed.

 

As the Sect Leader of the Hao Clan, Nam Woo-gyeong had seen many places and met many powerful people in Jianghu. But none of the estates he had visited came close to this one.

 

The two of them continued to express their awe as they followed Lee Mun.

 

 

 

They eventually arrived at the deepest part of Gyo Manor, where a meticulously arranged garden awaited them. The surroundings resembled a picture-perfect backdrop, complete with a pond teeming with colorful fish at its center.

 

In the middle of the pond was a beautiful wooden bridge that led to an elegant pavilion.

 

Two men in their sixties were seated across from each other in the pavilion.

 

One was a robust, well-dressed man with a warm complexion. He was the owner of Gyo Manor, Geum Noya.

 

Opposite him seated a much smaller, frailer-looking man. His appearance was ordinary, with sparse hair, someone you could find anywhere in the street. Yet his eyes held an extraordinary sharpness.

 

The man with the piercing gaze was none other than Shim-wol, the Sect Leader of the Hao Clan.

 

“Disciple Nam Woo-gyeong has come to see the Sect Leader.”

 

“Master Hoe-an has come to see you.”

 

Both Nam Woo-gyeong and Hoe-an bowed in unison to Shim-wol.

 

Shim-wol smiled.

 

“It’s been a long time, both of you.”

 

“Haha! I suppose it’s time for me to take my leave.”

 

Geum Noya laughed as he stood up.

 

“My apologies.”

 

“Apologies? I’m the one who called you here from the Suzhou branch. This is only natural.”

 

“Let’s share a drink tonight.”

 

“Are you treating?”

 

“No, you are.”

 

“Tsk! Fine.”

 

Geum Noya clicked his tongue but didn’t seem displeased.

 

He nodded slightly at Nam Woo-gyeong and Hoe-an, then took his leave.

 

Shim Wol gestured for them to sit.

 

“Please, take a seat.”

 

They sat across from him.

 

Shim Wol observed them with a smile.

 

“It’s truly been a long time since I’ve seen you both.”

 

“It’s been over a year.”

 

“Life has been nothing short of chaotic.”

 

“But seeing you in good health brings me joy.”

 

“I’m also glad to see you well.”

 

Shim Wol and Hoe-an exchanged light conversation.

 

Beyond their roles as sect leader and elder, the two were close friends, which allowed them to speak freely.

 

Few in the Hao Clan could converse so naturally with Shim Wol.

 

Shim Wol then turned his gaze to Nam Woo-gyeong.

 

“So, I’ve heard. You want to restructure the organization?”

 

“Yes! The current structure is not sufficient to respond to the chaos in the world. We need to reduce the number of unnecessary branches and concentrate our forces in key locations.”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong explained his ideas in detail to Shim-wol.

 

Shim-wol closed his eyes and listened intently.

 

He had already received the letter outlining the changes. But hearing it directly from Nam Woo-gyeong made it feel different.

 

Nam Woo-gyeong’s sense of urgency and his view of the unstable situation in Jianghu were conveyed through his words.

 

“Hao Clan must change now, or we won’t survive the chaos.”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong pushed for reform.

 

For older people, this kind of suggestion was usually unwelcome.

 

Though Shim-wol appeared to be in his sixties, his actual age was far older. He had lived through countless hardships and close calls, all of which had helped him build the Hao Clan.

 

After years of trial and error, Shim-wol had established the current structure of the sect.

 

To him, this system had become stable and secure. Making changes at this point was not an appealing idea.

 

Normally, an older person would resist such a proposal.

 

But Shim-wol was not an ordinary old man.

 

Even though he had grown old, his ears were open, and he had the wisdom to discern what was best for the future.

 

“Sigh.”

 

Suddenly, Shim-wol exhaled heavily.

 

Nam Woo-gyeong looked at him in confusion. Then Shim-wol smiled bitterly.

 

“I must be getting old.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“It’s hard for me to understand your words clearly now.”

 

“Master! It’s not as complicated as it seems. It might be a bit troublesome, but…”

 

“It’s not that the task is difficult,” Simwol said. “I just feel like I’m getting too old to handle these kinds of matters.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“I’ve grown tired of taking on such heavy work. I just want to enjoy life now.”

 

“But this task can’t be done without your leadership…”

 

“Then you should become the Sect Leader.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong was stunned, blinking in disbelief. Shim-wol laughed.

 

“Haha! Why are you so surprised?”

 

“But right now…”

 

“Such a large-scale restructuring can only be done by the Sect Leader. In the past, I would have jumped right in and taken on the task. But now that I’m older, my heart isn’t as eager as it once was. I’ve grown weary of it, and I want to hand over the burden to you.”

 

“But…”

 

“You already handle most of the Sect’s affairs, don’t you? It’s just a change in title. Nothing else will change.”

 

“Master?”

 

“From now on, you are the Sect Leader of the Hao Clan. I’ve already passed on the leadership to you.”

 

Shim-wol looked relieved as he spoke.

 

Hoe-an then asked, “Is it really okay to hand over the leadership so easily?”

 

“Why does it have to be so difficult? What’s so special about it?”

 

“But…”

 

“It was a burden to me. Not a single day, not a single moment of peace. So now, I want to pass it to Woo-gyeong and live a little more freely.”

 

“……”

 

Hoe-an couldn’t say anything as he looked at Shim Wol, who seemed to have aged suddenly.

 

Shim Wol took Nam Woo-gyeong’s hand and said,

 

“From now on, you are the sect leader. I leave the Hao Clan in your care.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong answered in a trembling voice.

 

Just then—

 

“We have a serious problem!”

 

The Suzhou branch manager suddenly rushed in, his face deathly pale.