Chapter 12

When the ruthless gambler Cheolmyeongho emerged into the gambling hall with his face a mess, his hands torn to shreds, and injuries all over his body, the gamblers who had been tilting their heads in confusion over the commotion inside turned to look at him.

They had thought it was the screams of the Great Prince of the Eunha Trading Guild, so why was Cheolmyeongho emerging in such a state?

The gamblers exchanged glances.

‘There comes Cheolmyeong-ho.’

‘He’s become a cripple.’

‘We can beat a Cheol Myeong-ho like that.’

Those who harbored ill will toward Cheolmyeongho rose from their seats. They intended to beat him to death while they had the chance, or at least force him to spit out the money he had amassed.

Then, Cheol Myeong-ho smiled, his face covered in blood.

Come to think of it, escaping this place in his current state didn’t look easy. Even if the gatekeeper blocked the way, he’d likely be caught by the others and beaten to a pulp. Only then did Cheol Myeong-ho feel the heart of the weak. Yet, laughter still seeped through his lips.

“Hehehe… Anyway, you bastards.”

Cheol Myeong-ho said, his eyes wild as he scanned his surroundings.

“If you can’t kill me here today, those who dared to attack me are as good as dead. Think carefully before you strike.”

A man blocking Cheol Myeong-ho’s path drew a dagger from his waistband and said.

“Hand over the money. If you don’t want to get beaten to death… I’ll just take back what I’ve staked here.”

His gambling den partner chimed in.

“Yeah. Let’s settle the money first. You bastard.”

Cheol Myeong-ho laughed.

“What a bunch of clowns… Did I force you guys to gamble? You crazy gambling junkies. Did I ever force you?”

At that moment, the door creaked open, and Danwooseong and the Ssangbo brothers stepped out.

Danwooseong led the way, and the crowd that had been milling about parted to make a path.

Dan Wooseong recognized the faces of those blocking Cheol Myeongho’s path. They were less vicious than Cheol Myeongho himself. Yet, sensing their moment, they were poised to beat the half-crippled Cheol Myeongho to death.

How truly treacherous humans are.

Weak before the strong, strong before the weak.

One man, caught up in the atmosphere, snorted derisively the moment he saw Dan Wooseong.

“Hey, you piece of trash, did you bribe the Ssangbo brothers with money?”

To them, it might appear that way.

The Crown Prince was unharmed, yet even the pursuing Ssangbo brothers were wounded. It was a situation where one could mistakenly believe the Ssangbo brothers and Cheolmyeongho had both suffered losses.

Dan Woosung, who had been trudging along, suddenly slapped the man who had just spoken across the face. With a thud, the man tumbled backward. The sheer force of the simple slap sent him flying so hard he couldn’t steady himself, causing the people around them to gasp in shock and stumble backward.

Dan Woo-sung spoke as he walked.

“What the hell are you talking about? You crazy bastard. Stop trying to set the mood and get the hell out of here. If you want to kill Cheolmyeongho, come at me after you’ve recovered from your injuries. If anyone tries to fight me before then, I’ll turn them into a cripple just like Cheolmyeongho is now.”

Cheol Myeong-ho stuck out his lower lip and glared at Dan Woo-seong.

Dan Woosung continued.

“You guys who couldn’t even meet my gaze normally, what the hell are you trying to pull? Get out of the way.”

The path opened.

Dan Wooseong, the Ssangbo brothers, Cheol Myeong-ho, and the gatekeeper walked down the path people had cleared for them.

Cheolmyeongho was cursing Danwooseong’s back, but fearing another beating from the duke, he muttered like reciting a prayer.

‘Ugh, you bastard… Trying to look cool. Damn it. Where did you suddenly learn martial arts? Ah, this pisses me off.’

Anyway, to get out of this place safely, he had no choice but to stick close behind the Crown Prince.

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The Galaxy Trading Company gained two new members.

The night Danwoosung brought the brothers Yukmyeongbo and Yukjinbo, the Milky Way Trading Company kept its lights burning all night long.

After briefly watching the officials from the Sangdan treat the Ssangbo brothers, Danwooseong approached the second son, Lee Hwa-eon, and entrusted him with the wealth seized from Cheolmyeongho.

The treasurer handles storage and ledger entries, but this money is classified as the Crown Prince’s personal property anyway. Even excluding gold and jewels, the currency alone amounted to a staggering sum nearing five hundred thousand nyang.

Lee Hwa-eon was stunned.

“Where did you get this huge sum? Did you steal it, Brother?”

“I beat up Cheolmyeong-ho and took it.”

“Ah…”

Lee Hwa-eon found it both absurd and amusing. Since his eldest brother had trained in martial arts, it was indeed the most logical target to seize.

Of course, for Danwooseong, the twin brothers were far more important than the money.

Dan Woo-sung intended to teach the Black Dog Rebound Technique to the Ssangbo brothers as soon as they recovered from their injuries. This martial art hardens the entire body until it can withstand spears and swords, making it extremely difficult to master. It is also a technique that subjects practitioners to such agonizing training that those with ordinary physiques would be better off not even starting.

Yet, among the martial arts Dan Woo-seong knew, it was the one best suited for the Ssangbo brothers. Their physiques were perfectly suited for mastering the Black Dog Rebound Technique. Not only their bodies, but the fact that they never uttered a loud groan even when beaten by Dan Woo-seong made them even more suitable.

Danwooseong returned, received treatment, and then gazed intently at the twin brothers lying side by side.

“Once you’re treated, just follow the guidance of the people here and come to my private quarters.”

“Understood.”

That was the entirety of their conversation. The Ssangbo brothers were taciturn, but Danwooseong didn’t feel the need to speak at length either. Before long, the three found that a mere exchange of glances sufficed for communication.

Dan Wooseong was the last to leave, having looked around the merchant group’s quarters here and there before finally heading to his own quarters to sleep.

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Sibi spoke cautiously at Danwooseong’s door.

“Master, your meal is ready.”

Danwooseong replied with his eyes still closed.

“Call the brothers I brought last night. They should be in the annex. Their names are Yuk Myeong-bo and Yuk Jin-bo. Since they’ll be living with us from now on, tell the others their names. Think of them as your bodyguards from now on.”

“Understood.”

“Prepare a generous breakfast. We’ll eat together at the same table. The Yook brothers will probably eat a lot. Wake me when it’s ready.”

“Yes, Master.”

Having slept late into the night, Dan Wooseong closed his eyes once more.

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Yuk Jinbo often closed his eyes while eating the rare feast.

Danwooseong stared blankly, wondering what these guys were up to. A moment later, as he chewed on another meat dish, the Ssangbo brothers closed their eyes simultaneously. Danwooseong tilted his head and asked.

“Why are you closing your eyes?”

Yuk Jin-bo’s eyes snapped open. He looked at Dan Woo-sung and said in a serious tone.

“It’s too delicious.”

It was actually a somewhat funny remark, but Dan Wooseong didn’t laugh.

“Thank goodness. You say it’s tasty… Still, keep your eyes open while you eat. You could get stabbed in the back while eating at an inn, or some shady bastard might slip poison into your drink or water.”

From Danwooseong’s perspective, having lived in the martial world, this was difficult to comprehend.

The Ssangbo brothers accepted Danwooseong’s advice without question.

“Understood.”

The two resolved never to close their eyes again, even when eating something delicious.

Danwooseong said calmly.

“Let’s eat together often.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Thank you, brother.”

Dan Woosung said to the Ssangbo brothers.

“Don’t go hungry if I’m not around during mealtime. Just go to the communal dining hall used by the merchants’ families. Since there are people working late or returning from far away, you can always go there and ask them to prepare a meal for you.”

The Ssangbo brothers looked at each other, clearly startled.

“This is truly an incredible guild.”

“Then I’ll be sure to eat there often at night too.”

Danwooseong nodded.

“Eat your fill. Somehow, the more you eat, the faster you seem to grow stronger. It’s a strange feeling, but… it really seems like that.”

The Ssangbo brothers showed no modesty.

“Yes, we’ll eat often.”

“That’s truly wonderful.”

Suddenly, Danwooseong set down his chopsticks and addressed the two in a respectful tone.

“Myeong-bo, Jin-bo. I’ll be counting on you from now on. I need someone to watch over things when I’m gone. I’ll help you grow stronger, so when I’m not here, the two of you must protect the trading company well.”

“Yes, understood.”

Dan Wooseong hesitated before adding the Sangbo brothers to the escort unit.

These individuals had peculiar personalities and unusual appetites, which would surely cause trouble for the escort. It would be better to have them stay in his own annex and teach them martial arts when he had time.

The Ssangbo brothers showed no curiosity whatsoever about why the young master of the Eunhwa Trading Company had suddenly become so powerful.

Just as they finished eating, an errand boy from the headquarters entered to announce that the general assembly was about to begin.

Embarrassingly, the former young master had never once attended this General Assembly.

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The General Assembly was led by the Chief Administrator.

Representatives from each department were present, along with key members of the main unit: the deputy commander of the escort unit, the head of the inspection unit, and the head of the administrative unit.

Dan Woo-seong listened silently for about an hour before speaking up when the conversation turned to ‘personnel matters’.

“Where is the Deputy Commander of the Guard Unit? Is he not attending the general meeting?”

As people looked around uncertainly, Dan Woo-seong continued.

I intended to speak in the presence of the Guard Captain, but it seems unavoidable. The Gu Yang family’s retainers caused a disturbance, and the Guard Captain bears some responsibility for that. Even the Chief Steward was injured. And regarding the Xiao Xian faction demanding money, the Gu Yang family isn’t offering any help either. Crucially, the Guard Captain’s role has been to protect the Merchant Guild Leader, but as far as I know, Deputy Captain Han Yeop has been handling that all along. Is that correct?”

Han Yeop nodded.

“That is correct.”

Dan Woo-seong said.

Since it’s the general meeting, I’ll propose an additional personnel motion. To dismiss Gu Yanghou as head of the escort unit… And I’d like to cut off the tribute payments disguised as protection fees going to the Gu Yang clan. Of course, fire all outsiders within the merchant guild who are part of the Gu Yang clan too. They serve no practical purpose and only incur expenses—there’s no need to keep them around. I say this because if I don’t speak up, it seems you’ll forever keep handing over the hard-earned money you’ve worked so hard for to the Gu Yang Clan.”

No one responded.

As Dan Woo-seong said, it wasn’t a simple matter. Lee Si-yang, the manager in charge of personnel, spoke up.

“Your Highness, the matter concerning the Gu family cannot be easily decided here. The head of the merchant guild must also be present for a conclusion to be reached.”

Dan Woo-seong shook his head.

“Uncle, since Father is unwell now, it would be better to simply relay the results of the general meeting. Father will decide whether to approve or reject. If the family members won’t even state their intentions and just wait for Father’s decision on every matter, there’s no need to hold a general meeting. Even if he makes a decision, he’ll surely want to know the family’s wishes.”

Lee Si-yang fell silent.

Lee Si-yang was an orphan raised by the former head of the merchant guild, and he had sworn brotherhood with the current guild head, Lee Seong-min. Therefore, the proper title was ‘sworn uncle,’ but Dan Woo-seong deliberately called him ‘uncle.’

Dan Woo-seong looked around the assembly and continued speaking.

“We’ll decide matters by a show of hands here… Starting with the dismissal of Lord Gu Yanghou as head merchant. Those opposed, raise your hands.”

With only two out of twelve attendees raising their hands in opposition, Dan Wooseong addressed Yi Hwa-eon.

“Report that consensus has been reached to dismiss him and seek approval.”

Lee Hwa-eon replied.

“Understood.”

While Dan Woo-sung was making unilateral decisions regarding personnel matters, a middle-aged man’s voice was heard outside the main hall where the general meeting was being held.

“Who are you firing?”

The moment he heard the voice, Dan Wooseong smiled.

From outside, the head of the guard, Gu Yang-hu, walked in with his hands behind his back. Of course, having heard the Crown Prince’s words, his expression was sour.

ⓒ Yoo Jin-seong

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