Chapter 13: A New Crisis

Two days later.
Bushin’s marketplace was abuzz with strange rumors.

“The Black Wolf Sect was taught a lesson by the Moyong Clan Head?”

A fishmonger, having just heard the story from his friend, asked again with a surprised face.

“Are you joking?”

His friend’s expression was utterly serious.

“…Are you serious?”

“Well, I didn’t believe it at first either, you know?”

It was a hard rumor to believe. At least for the people of Bushin, it was.
It had been several years since the Moyong Clan struggled under the Black Wolf Sect’s oppressive influence.
For the people of Bushin, accustomed to the Moyong Clan’s decline rather than any counterattack, the prevalent opinion was that the Moyong Clan would soon disappear into the annals of history.
At the center of this was Moyong Yeon, the Clan Head.
His young age and the loss of his parents were regrettable, but due to his overall lack of aptitude, including martial arts, he had fallen short of people’s expectations.
But for such a Moyong Yeon to teach the Black Wolf Sect a lesson? It was truly a dream-like story.

“Was there anyone who saw it?”

“You know the Wang family, right? That fellow has been frequenting Tiger Moon Tower lately, trying to woo Sohyang. Well, he went to the tavern and saw it.”

“The Moyong Clan Head beating up the Black Wolf Sect?”

“Not exactly, but…”

“Then what did he see? I’m dying of frustration, hurry up and tell me.”

“He saw the Moyong Clan Head coming out of Tiger Moon Tower with sacks of money!”

“What?!”

Tiger Moon Tower was well-known as a tavern directly operated by the Black Wolf Sect.
For the Moyong Clan Head to come out of such a place with money sounded significant even to those who didn’t know the detailed circumstances.

“That’s not all. The Vice Leader of the Black Wolf Sect, leading dozens of subordinates, chased after him. And with a very menacing face!”

“What did you say?!”

The thought alone was terrifying.
It was a widely known fact in the marketplace that Moyong Yeon was particularly frail.
If it came to a fight, nine times out of ten, wouldn’t it be a losing battle for the Moyong Clan Head?
The fishmonger glared at his friend.

“Why are you telling such a terrible story!”

“No, what’s so terrible about it?”

He clearly tricked me, saying it was a lesson or whatever at first!
An attendant sweeping the floor with a broom subtly joined the conversation.

“That’s right, it was terrible. The Black Wolf Sect’s defeat in the fight was truly horrible.”

“You rascal, look! This fellow also says the Moyong Clan Head’s defeat in the fight was terrible! …Huh? No, wait, what did you just say?”

Suddenly, the fishmonger, doubting his ears, asked the attendant.
The attendant’s expression, puffing out his chest as if he had won, was priceless.

“W-Who? Who lost?”

“The Black Wolf Sect. I saw it myself the next morning. They couldn’t even walk properly, as if their whole bodies ached. No matter what tricks the Moyong Clan Head used, he clearly taught them a good lesson.”

“What did you say?”

“That’s right! Now, the Black Wolf Sect withdrawing from Bushin might not be far off!”

His friend chimed in.

“Good heavens…”

The fishmonger was astonished and fell silent.
His trembling eyes spoke of his confusion.
He couldn’t be sure if this rumor was true, but he, too, wanted to believe it was.

“…I really hope it happens.”

The Moyong Clan.
Although the real power of Bushin had now passed to the Black Wolf Sect, they had not forgotten the days when Bushin was peaceful under the rule of the Moyong Clan.
They practiced chivalry and took the lead in helping the common people.
They were different from the Black Wolf Sect, who were exploiting the people under the guise of protection.
Therefore, a heavy burden remained in a corner of their hearts.

“Although we couldn’t help when the Moyong Clan fell, didn’t everyone receive help from the Moyong Clan at least once?”

“Indeed. In the past, riff-raff like the Black Wolf Sect wouldn’t have dared to act up.”

The two men looked at each other and smiled bitterly.

At that moment.
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the marketplace changed.
Everyone was looking in one direction, whispering.
At the end of their gazes stood two individuals of striking appearance.
Although the tall man alone wouldn’t allow them to identify them, it wasn’t difficult to guess their identities by the youthful appearance of the boy.
His light brown hair, almost blond when caught by the light, was a hair color rarely seen here.
Moyong Yeon, the Clan Head, had appeared, accompanied by his bodyguard.

“It’s Moyong Yeon!”

“What brings him here?”

The people who had been gossiping about the rumors moments ago brightened their eyes with interest.
It was even more so because Moyong Yeon, who usually didn’t go out, had appeared.

“Did he come for an inspection, perhaps?”

They wondered if today’s outing had something to do with the rumors.
Some overly curious people even spoke to Moyong Yeon.

“We’re rooting for you!”

“You’re amazing!”

Yeon’s eyebrows furrowed upon hearing the people’s shouts.
He was bewildered by the cheers he had never heard before.

‘Inspection? Cheers?… What are they talking about?’

Namgung Yeon, while not doing evil deeds to the common folk, was seen as a mad dog by public rumor, making him an object of fear in the marketplace.
Moyong Yeon, on the other hand, was regarded as a pitiful child and a pathetic Clan Head.
In either case, there was no reason to receive such fervent adulation.

‘But what’s with this reaction?’

Had what happened at Tiger Moon Tower the day before yesterday spread?

‘Aish, ignore it.’

It wasn’t important right now.
The reason Yeon came out today was to buy medicinal herbs.
This decision was made after he solved the problem with the Black Wolf Sect and then suffered for a full day.

‘I really almost died yesterday.’

From muscle aches to chills, he received diligent care from Il-Woo.
The steward also kept hovering nearby, unlike usual.
It seemed he was concerned about the Clan Head being sick.
There was no need to say more when even a finely boiled chicken porridge, prepared with care, was served for his meal.

– The Steward himself bought the ingredients.

The scrupulous gentleman from his memories seemed to have softened considerably after Yeon brought back a bundle of money.
Phew.
Yeon let out a laugh.
It was because the steward’s face from the early morning two days ago, when he heard the full story of the incident, flashed before his eyes.

– Hiiieek!!! T-The Black Wolf Sect! Y-You did th-that to them?!!

How terrified he was at first.

– You must never do that again. Never again!! Answer me!

But soon after.

– Steward… the corners of your lips are turned up.

– What?! Il-Woo, you rascal! My lips are turned up, you say? Phew, Sshh!! What’s turned up… Khahaha!! They’re not turned up!! Don’t look at me like that!!

It seemed that not just the money, but also the revenge on the Black Wolf Sect, who had always bullied them, was exhilarating.
He was a simple gentleman.
On the other hand, there was also someone who was not simple.
Who was it, you ask?

‘Who else?’

It’s the guy behind me, of course.
Even without looking back, he could feel the parasitic gaze clinging to his neck.
He glanced.
He hadn’t shown his face at all during Yeon’s illness, but as soon as Yeon said he was going out today, he followed like a ghost.

‘I wished he hadn’t followed.’

Unlike going to Tiger Moon Tower, buying medicinal herbs at a pharmacy didn’t seem dangerous.
Moreover, the marketplace was where all sorts of rumors gathered, wasn’t it?
He had thought it would be fine to discreetly blend in with the passersby and inquire about the Namgung Clan, but with Muyoung around, he couldn’t do anything.

‘He probably followed because he has many questions.’

But why doesn’t he ask a single question?
In truth, Yeon knew best why Muyoung wasn’t asking anything.
Muyoung, like his kind, was inherently suspicious and would never believe anything until he saw it with his own eyes.

‘Of course, I have no intention of answering.’

Even if he asked directly, Yeon planned to change the subject anyway.

‘Still, this is a bit much.’

Yeon scratched the back of his head.

‘At this rate, there’ll be a hole in my head.’

Looking won’t reveal anything.
After a brief, unseen struggle, they arrived at the pharmacy he had marked.

“Oh dear, isn’t it the Moyong Clan Head? What brings you here?”

The pharmacist, who seemed surprised by his unexpected visit, greeted him with wide eyes.
But his reaction wasn’t important, so Moyong Yeon casually accepted the greeting, then skillfully began to select medicinal herbs.

“Give me this and this.”

“Yes, Clan Head. You mean hasuo and seolyeopcho, right?”

He bought a few more medicinal herbs besides these.

‘This much should be enough to make it.’

Yeon looked at the medicinal herbs with satisfied eyes.
This should somewhat resolve his current problems.

‘Though it’s not a superb spirit medicine like Shaolin’s Grand Elixir.’

At the very least, it should be able to provide about one to two years of internal energy and slightly improve Moyong Yeon’s frail constitution.
For the future, he had to resolve his stamina and internal energy problems before moving forward.

“How much is all this?”

“Clan Head. You don’t need to pay much. I’ll just take this much.”

What kind of nonsense was this again?
The money the pharmacist said he would take was less than a quarter of the amount Yeon was supposed to pay.
The pharmacist smiled shyly at Yeon, whose eyes widened.

“When I first opened my shop here, hooligans were rampant in this market. If the Moyong Clan hadn’t helped me back then, I wouldn’t have been able to do business here.”

“…”

“This is very late, but it’s a small token of repayment from that time. I’m truly sorry… and thank you for enduring until now.”

Thank you, he said.
Yeon’s face was tinged with bewilderment.
It was because he could count on one hand the number of times he had received thanks from someone in his life.
Moreover, the fact that it wasn’t something he had done made him feel even stranger.

“Why aren’t you taking it?”

At Muyoung’s prodding, who seemed suspicious, he accepted the items handed to him.

“…Since you’re giving it, I’ll gratefully accept. You won’t ask for it back later, will you?”

He didn’t think they would ask for it back later, but he felt awkward and needed to say something.

“Yes.”

At Yeon’s blunt reply, the pharmacist merely smiled with apparent joy.
At that moment.
A voice calling Yeon came from somewhere.
And in a very urgent tone.

“Clan Head!! Clan Heaaad! Oh dear, gasp, gasp. You were here!”

The person was none other than his servant, Il-Woo.
He was very out of breath, as if he had run at full speed.

“Is something wrong?”

Yeon asked, frowning.
Il-Woo, having finally caught his breath, spoke.

“Gasp, gasp! Something terrible has happened! B-Boss Black Wolf!! Boss Black Wolf has come looking for you!!”

“What?”