Chapter 190: v8c15 - Intensification
Volume 8 Chapter 15 – Intensification
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The Luoyang Sword Family, the Second Young Master’s camp.
A room where the light of the setting sun shone.
There was a mirror.
It was a glass mirror that could not yet be manufactured with the State of Zhongyuan’s own technology.
An old man was looking into that glass mirror, which was adorned with silver decorations elaborately crafted by artisans of Europe (Gurapa), with an expressionless face. “…….”
He groped the spot where his eyeball used to be.
The glass mirror reflected that hollow, dark empty hole.
The physician of the Medicine Fairy Sect had recommended that he must wear an artificial eye.
It was along with a warning that the space left empty without the eyeball would collapse over time, making one side of his face look as if it were melting down.
“…You say the Lee Family’s merchant group has been sold?”
The resounding voice that had put his age to shame was gone, and a raspy, phlegm-filled voice leaked out.
“Yes, Elder.”
His closest aide, who was waiting behind, sweated coldly in the unusual atmosphere and bowed his head deeply.
“It is said that it was divided into dozens of parts and sold depending on the region. We are currently identifying the list—”
The Elder cut him off.
“There is no need. The meaning of them going out of their way to buy the divided Eternal Tile Merchant Group from the Eldest Young Master is clear. Those families have essentially expressed their intention not to intervene in this war.”
The old man lifted an artificial eye carved from crystal and pushed it into his empty eye socket as he continued speaking.
“And at the same time, it means we have also lost the families who could have become potential allies.”
The moment he heard the report, the Elder had read the situation as if he had been present at the transaction site between Yeon So-hyeon and the families. “…….”
The old man’s closest aide, who had been about to express admiration for the Elder’s ability as usual, kept his mouth shut.
Now was a time when saying such things would only produce a counter-effect.
“You say the patriarchs of the influential families who joined hands with us are here?”
“…Yes. For now, I have shown them to the reception room.”
“They must be throwing a fit, asking what we were doing while the Lee Family was being shattered to pieces.” “…….”
Since those were accurate words, the closest aide only bowed his head even lower.
The Elder stared into the mirror and muttered in a low voice.
“Should we at least think highly of them for coming to find us instead of fleeing like the Jang Family…?”
The ruin of the Lee Family.
They did not even have the time to do anything.
By the time they grasped the information, it was already too late.
The unexpected blow the Eldest Young Master dealt to the Lee Family was that swift, powerful, and merciless.
“The Cheong Family and the Kong Family…”
A grating sound came from the mouth of the Elder looking into the mirror.
Blood flowed from his gums, and a fishy smell of blood hovered in his mouth.
As soon as he heard the report on the sale of the Lee Family’s merchant group, he had pierced through the surrounding circumstances.
The minds of the patriarchs of the influential families who must be gathered in the reception room throwing a fit right now could be seen clearly.
But what was the use of that.
“Yeon So-hyeon…!”
That Eldest Young Master’s thoughts could not be read.
The Eldest Young Master’s actions could not be predicted.
The footsteps of his lord seemed to be heard in the Elder’s head.
Clank, and click.
The sound of his lord’s left-hand armor clutching and opening echoed in his head with a creaking noise.
[Elder Hahou.]
The words his lord had left for him when he was bleeding from his eye came to mind.
The murderous intent contained in his lord’s hoarse voice was vivid even now.
[I will give you one more opportunity.]
It was a statement meaning that the next failure would mean his disposal. “…….”
His remaining eye reflected in the mirror was bloodshot red and trembling.
However, the artificial eye was just fixed without any movement, without any focus.
The artificial eye occupying the empty socket felt exceptionally cold.
“Uaaah…!”
With a roar, Elder Hahou struck down with his fist, and the glass mirror shattered and scattered in an instant.
Because he did not channel his internal energy, his fist became bloody.
“Whew. Whew.”
He raised his hand, which was trembling not from pain but from anger, and wrapped a silk eyepatch.
The silk eyepatch covering the artificial eye was stained with the blood that flowed from his hand.
The blood that dripped down also got on his face.
Red blood dripped down onto the carpet covering the floor.
‘…If I cannot stop that Eldest Young Master, there is no back path for me.’
He pulled a cigarette from his bosom, put it in his mouth, lit it with Samadhi True Fire, and took a long drag of the smoke.
Along with the turbid smoke of the cigarette, the smell of his own blood completely filled his lungs.
He opened his mouth.
“…Let us go to those patriarch bastards.”
It was time to teach them that they, just like him, had nowhere to retreat.
* * *
“Isn’t that Eldest Young Master’s strength different from what we heard at first?!”
The Patriarch of the Wang Family raised his voice.
He was the one who had hurriedly visited the Second Young Master’s side after confirming that the Jang Family’s patriarch and closest aides had fled.
“They said the Sixteen Imperial Capital Families would absolutely never move, yet isn’t the Kong Family raising a storm of blood?!” “…….”
At his scolding, the figures on the Second Young Master’s side who were dealing with them turned their heads or avoided their eyes.
Although they would have ignored ordinary people with a snort, the ones in front of them were patriarchs of influential families in Luoyang, none of whose names lacked renown.
“Was it nonsense in the first place? Did you deceive us? Or did you just babble without even properly grasping the situation?!”
The Patriarch of the Wang Family tapped on the thick conference table.
“If you all have mouths, speak up!”
As soon as his scolding ended, the patriarchs sitting to his left and right, regardless of who they were, began to burst into outcries reproaching the Second Young Master’s side.
“Should you not bring out counter-measures immediately?!”
“You babbled boastfully in the past, so what on earth are you going to do?!”
“What on earth were you doing while the Lee Family was being ruined?!”
A patriarch jumping up from his seat and shouting.
A patriarch pointing his finger while spraying saliva.
A patriarch even voicing curses.
The Lee Family, which was erased from history in an instant.
The fear and helplessness the patriarchs felt upon seeing the ruin of the Lee Family were turning into resentment and reprimand, pouring out.
Internal strife.
It was exactly as Yeon So-hyeon intended.
Just then, the door opened and a butler’s voice was heard.
“Elder Hahou of the Main Family is entering.”
The person in charge had arrived.
Everyone, including the Wang Patriarch, looked at the open door with gazes that targeted prey.
“Finally, an opponent with whom we can talk properly has appeared!”
“Elder Hahou! Why are you so late?! The seriousness of the current situation…!”
The expression of the patriarch who was shouting toward the entrance suddenly turned sallow.
“The seriousness…”
The mouths of the patriarchs, who had been about to pounce like a pack of wild dogs to bite Elder Hahou, closed.
“You have all worked hard to come a long way.”
Elder Hahou, holding a cigarette in his dripping hand, spoke to them in a thoroughly hoarse voice.
His single remaining eye was hollow, and his complexion was stiff like a corpse.
In that eye, even madness could be felt.
The hearty and bold figure of Elder Hahou they remembered was no longer there. “…….”
The patriarchs had shut their mouths due to the same anxiety felt when suddenly encountering a madman.
But their silence was not long.
“…The Luoyang Sword Family is also in Luoyang, so what is there to call a long way?”
Since they were not patriarchs to be swayed by mere impressions and atmospheres.
The Wang Patriarch rather sneered as he looked at Elder Hahou.
“Looking at that complexion, it seems Elder Hahou has put quite some thought into preparing an amazing counter-measure.”
Another patriarch assisted him, pressing Elder Hahou.
“Yes, let us hear that amazing counter-measure once.”
“Surely you have not failed to prepare even a counter-measure yet?”
“No way. Would a person who already made a major mistake with wrong information act like that? He surely has a plan.”
Toward them who were wagging their tongues like snakes, Elder Hahou answered in a raspy voice.
“There is no separate plan for you gentlemen.” “……!”
The faces of the patriarchs instantly crumpled, and looking into their faces, Elder Hahou continued.
“Nothing has changed. As in the original plan, if we smash that bastard Yeon So-hyeon’s business to the point where it cannot recover, everything will end.”
Raising his bleeding hand, he blew out cigarette smoke.
“The reason that bastard is struggling like this now is to protect the foundation he first began to build.”
Elder Hahou looked at the smoke drifting in the air and spoke.
“The moment that foundation collapses, he will return to being all alone as before, reduced to doing nothing but squeezing out strategies and utilizing personal networks.”
That was an analysis that accurately pointed out the current situation of the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon.
Because the series of moves starting from his first official outing were for Yeon So-hyeon to secure and expand his power.
If he lost the flow of funds that was the root of all that, namely his business foundation, a major brake would be put on his current expansion moves.
“…Those are good words, but we did not gather here to listen to such analyses.”
“You must at least prepare a counter-measure to stop the Cheong Family and the Kong Family, shouldn’t you?”
Elder Hahou lowered his gaze and looked down at the patriarchs.
“Counter-measure?”
In that eye, not a single trace of emotion could be found.
“You gentlemen are precisely our counter-measure.”
He bared his teeth and wore a sinister smile.
“Bite and tear at the Cheong Family and the Kong Family. Even a single piece of flesh. Until you die. Without backing down.”
Although the Lee Family fell in an instant due to a concentrated surprise attack, those families were, after all, influential families in Luoyang.
If they rushed in prepared for death, no matter how great the Cheong Family and the Kong Family were, they could not help but suffer a major blow.
But that was merely a one-sided coercion by the Second Young Master’s side.
“What kind of nonsense is that?!”
It was obvious that the families would suffer immense damage in the process.
The angered patriarchs jumped up from their seats.
“Listening quietly, you are unmatched in arrogance!”
“Are you treating us, your precious allies, like mere shield fodder?!”
“…Precious allies?”
At those words, a laugh flowed from Elder Hahou.
“For mere subjects who parasitized us because Evil Tyrant Heaven existed, and clung to my lord to expand their own power.”
The faces of the patriarchs, who felt insulted by his blatant mockery, turned crimson.
“…If you act this way, our Wang Family will leave this alliance!”
Led by the Wang Patriarch, the patriarchs of other families, without exception, shouted for the dissolution of the alliance.
However, even while listening to the words of the patriarchs, Elder Hahou simply smoked his cigarette, not even offering a reply.
“Elder Hahou! Does the ‘above’ also know about this sloppy policy of yours?!”
At those words, Elder Hahou chuckled.
“‘Above’…”
He flicked his finger to drop the long ash onto the floor.
“Even if you didn’t mention it, the person ‘above’ said she has something to say to you directly.” “……?”
Before the patriarchs could even open their mouths to say anything, the butler standing at the entrance shouted in a loud voice.
“Grand Madame Ouyang of the Main Family is arriving!”
At that shout, all the patriarchs, while standing up, hurriedly straightened their posture.
“Precious guests have arrived.”
Along with a woman’s voice that was voluptuous yet laced with poison, dozens of maids and butlers entered and lined the walls.
The Second Young Master’s mother, Grand Madame Ouyang, revealed herself with elegant steps.
“Elder Hahou.”
“Yes, Grand Madame.”
She scanned the crowd and smiled.
“To tell such precious allies to go back and fight without proper counter-measures. Should there not at least be clear guidelines?”
“My apologies.”
However, in the face of Elder Hahou who said those words, there was not a single sign of feeling sorry.
It was an act, no different from a play.
She met the eyes of the patriarchs in the crowd.
“This Grand Madame will personally inform you of the special guidelines for you.”
The Wang Patriarch, with a displeased expression, offered greetings on behalf of the group.
“…We will listen closely.”
“Ah! Come to think of it.”
Grand Madame Ouyang clapped her hands as if she had just remembered.
“First, I forgot that there are people I should introduce.”
As she flicked her hand, the warriors waiting outside entered.
They were holding a head in each of their hands. “……?!”
Whether they had just been cut off recently, blood was still dripping from the severed necks.
They placed the heads on the conference table.
Their actions were as careless as a butcher putting a pig’s head on a cutting board.
“Hehe.”
Grand Madame Ouyang raised her fan to cover her mouth and laughed.
“Look closely. They are familiar faces. Why don’t you all offer a greeting?”
It was the heads of the Jang Family’s patriarch and his family.
They, whom they had heard had left Luoyang throwing away everything. “…….”
Regardless of gender or age, those heads retained the exact expressions of screaming in pain at the moment of their deaths.
The patriarchs shuddered at the unimagined reunion.
“Surely everyone has guessed by now the counter-measure and guidelines this Grand Madame is handing down to you?”
She spoke, smiling widely toward the crowd like a carnivorous plant blooming its flower.
“Defeat and retreat may happen, but I will not forgive flight.”
At that moment, the patriarchs realized.
That in the first place, there was only a single choice they could make.
If they did not bite and tear at the Eldest Young Master, only death awaited them.
Whether their lives ended like the Jang Family, or their family ended like the Lee Family.
In order to survive, they had to defeat the Eldest Young Master.
Pressing down and covering the twitch occurring on his wrinkled face with his hand, the Wang Patriarch opened his mouth.
“…I have understood the Grand Madame’s guidelines. However.”
Even while feeling his lips burning dry and his throat choking, he continued speaking.
“You surely do not intend to throw only us onto the frontline, right?”
At his words, Grand Madame Ouyang nodded.
“Of course.”
Elder Hahou, who stood beside her, opened his mouth.
“Our side has already begun the counterattack.”
* * *
A certain grand avenue in Luoyang.
A steel carriage drawn by two spiritual beasts was running relentlessly along the grand avenue.
Far off in the direction the carriage was heading.
Perched on the hill as if looking down on the downtown of Luoyang sat the main house of the Luoyang Sword Family. “…….”
Gazing out the window of the carriage at the walls of the double fortress, which seemed to burn red under the setting sun, the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, was wearing a smile.