Chapter 14: Black Wolf’s Arrival

A little before the commotion erupted.
The steward smiled contentedly, looking at the Moyong Clan manor, which was bustling with life after a long time.
His gaze was directed at the workers carrying construction materials for the manor’s repairs.
Thanks to the newfound surplus money, they had begun a task they hadn’t dared to attempt until now.

“Steward. A smile never leaves your face, does it?”

Il-Woo, passing by, made a remark upon seeing the steward’s face.

“Hahaha, what about your face, Il-Woo?”

Il-Woo’s face was also beaming.
The steward felt a poignant affection for Il-Woo.
He might have pretended otherwise all this time, but that fellow must have gone through a lot of hardship.

‘Excluding that rotten Muyoung, of course.’

How he had struggled desperately to save the declining Moyong Clan.
Collapsed pillars were being erected, and broken roof tiles were being replaced.
Watching the uneven, easily tripped-upon manor floor become neat and tidy…

A lump in his throat.

‘It’s truly wonderful…’

The steward felt as if all the hardships of the past had melted away like snow.
Although it would still be a long way to chase the glory of the past, he was quite satisfied with it transforming into a place where people could live.

“I hope only good things happen from now on.”

“Indeed.”

Of course, he wasn’t without worries.
Although he was pretending not to know, wasn’t the source of all this money the gambling den at Tiger Moon Tower?
Even if it was legitimately won, he wondered if the Black Wolf Sect would think the same.
A sect whose nature was inherently evil would never simply overlook their losses.
The steward also initially felt uneasy spending even a penny of this money due to these thoughts.
But this morning. A brief conversation with the Clan Head was enough to change his mind.

– Clan Head, can I really use this money?

– …? Then throw it away.

Looking at the Clan Head’s face, as if asking why he would ask such a foolish question, the steward gained an epiphany.

‘Yes, if I don’t use the money I already have, isn’t that just throwing it on the ground?’

In truth, Yeon had answered casually out of annoyance at the continuous questioning.
But strangely, to the steward, who had suddenly become infatuated, Yeon’s answer sounded plausible.

‘How miraculous.’

It was full of unbelievable things.
It was like that from the moment he volunteered to go to Tiger Moon Tower alone.
Who could have expected the Clan Head, who was as uneasy as a child by the water’s edge, to return with sacks of money?
And he even severely beat up those Black Wolf Sect bastards.
But what was even more remarkable was the Clan Head’s nonchalant reaction.

– Well, I was lucky.

How could the Clan Head, who hadn’t even visited a gambling den, let alone interacted much with people, do such a thing?

‘It was a very dangerous thing to do.’

An act that could endanger not only Clan Head Moyong Yeon but also the entire Moyong Clan.
Before, he would have been restless and anxious.
But seeing the Clan Head’s fearless demeanor, the steward felt a strange sense of peace within himself.
If not for the Clan Head’s attitude, he wouldn’t have even thought of spending money to hire people like this.

“Ah.”

The steward, as if he had forgotten, looked at Il-Woo and asked.

“Did the Clan Head go out?”

In his busy schedule, he hadn’t even seen the Clan Head leave. Il-Woo replied.

“Yes, he had breakfast and then left.”

“Did he seem alright?”

“He looked better than yesterday, but…”

Il-Woo’s expression wasn’t good.
He was the one who had barely managed to dissuade the Clan Head from going out in that state yesterday.
He could guess why Il-Woo looked like that.

‘The Clan Head’s physical condition couldn’t possibly have improved in just one day. One cannot change what is innate…’

That meant he had endured his poor physical condition and gone out anyway.

“He said he was going to buy medicinal herbs, didn’t he?”

“Yes.”

Medicinal herbs…
It wasn’t that the steward had neglected Moyong Yeon’s physical condition.
After all, what retainer would idly watch the poor condition of the only remaining Clan Head?
However, his body was so inherently frail that ordinary herbs had no effect.
And with their limited finances, money was being spent without end.
The Clan Head seemed to find it difficult to watch this cycle of worsening.
One day, Moyong Yeon said he would give up.
And watching the ever-increasing debt, the steward also found it difficult to say, ‘Let’s try more.’
Money had made people so cowardly and cruel.
Yet, the Clan Head was trying to rise again.
The steward felt a mix of complex emotions.

“How can a person change so much…?”

At the very moment the steward and Il-Woo were talking to each other.

Crash!!

“Aaargh!!”

Something shattered at the main gate, and then people’s screams were heard.
Il-Woo’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s, and he looked at the steward.

“What happened…?”

“I don’t know.”

The steward was just as bewildered.
Only an uneasy suspicion circled in his mind.
The steward hurriedly moved to find the source of the commotion.

‘Good heavens.’

Soon, the steward realized that his fears had come true, and he was astonished.

“Where is Moyong Yeon!”

Black Wolf, the leader of the Black Wolf Sect, had personally appeared at the Moyong Clan manor.
Accompanied by more than a dozen Black Wolf Sect members, including Pil-Gu.
Black Wolf.
With his menacing appearance and brawny physique that seemed capable of easily crushing even an adult man’s head, he exuded a fierce aura.

‘What should I do?’

The steward’s despair was short-lived.
He quickly whispered to Il-Woo, who had followed belatedly.

“Il-Woo. Listen carefully. You must leave this place right now and find the Clan Head. Inform Muyoung of the situation, and absolutely do not let the Clan Head enter the manor until things are resolved. Do you understand?”

“Steward…”

Il-Woo worried about the steward who would be left behind.
But there was no time for such an argument.

“I’ll take care of myself, so hurry!”

Having no choice, Il-Woo obeyed the steward’s order and hurriedly exited through the back door.

“…”

The steward, having sent Il-Woo away, swallowed hard and looked at Black Wolf.
Although he had sent Il-Woo off with a resolute attitude, the steward was still human.

‘…I’m scared.’

He was equally terrified by Black Wolf’s power.
The steward tried to ignore his trembling hands, gripping his other hand tightly.
Meanwhile.
Black Wolf, who had appeared at the Moyong Clan manor, was in a very bad mood.

‘He was clearly on his last legs.’

Workers were rebuilding the surrounding buildings, perhaps using their money?

‘How can there be such despicable fellows!’

Currently, Bushin was a region under the Black Wolf Sect’s rule.
Therefore, the people of Bushin had to appease this Black Wolf.
Yet, they dared to help the Moyong Clan?
It was unimaginable for him.

‘I can’t let this continue.’

Black Wolf, using the nearest worker as an example, grabbed him by the collar and lifted him.

“You scoundrels!!”

“Aaargh!”

The man struggled in mid-air.

“Who dared to say you could help the Moyong Clan without my permission?”

“Keuk…! L-Let go of me…! Ugh!”

Black Wolf, without releasing his grip, casually scanned the surroundings.
As people flinched in fear at his piercing gaze, Black Wolf continued.

“I will say this only once. If anyone dares to help the Moyong Clan again! I swear by my name, Black Wolf, that I will not let them live in peace! Do you understand? I will make them beg for death instead!”

Black Wolf’s chilling voice terrified the people.
They knew from long experience that Black Wolf’s warning was not a lie.
He was a man who, if anyone dared to do something that displeased him even once, would exact revenge to the very end.
That was the leader of the Black Wolf Sect, Black Wolf.
Black Wolf, seeing the ashen faces of the people, finally smiled with satisfaction.
But at that moment.

“What on earth is all this commotion in someone else’s house?”

The steward appeared before Black Wolf.
He tried to act nonchalant, lifting his chin and clasping his hands behind his back, but those behind the steward could see.
That the steward’s clasped hands were to hide his trembling hands.

“If, if you have any complaints… speak to me, the steward of the Moyong Clan. I-I am the one who hired them.”

“Oh, ho. A mere steward dares to block me, Lord Black Wolf?”

Black Wolf threw the worker he was holding.

Thud!

“Keuk!”

The steward flinched at the threatening situation.
His mind went blank with fear for a moment.
He wanted to retreat immediately, but he couldn’t.

‘…Why?’

No matter how low the Moyong Clan’s prestige had fallen, the steward, having spent a long time in the Moyong Clan, had not forgotten the lesson that one must help and give to the common people.

‘If one only acts to enrich oneself, how could that be called the Moyong Clan?’

He could have ignored it to avert the crisis.

‘But if that happened, I wouldn’t be able to hold my head high in front of the former Clan Head, or the ancestors who have protected the Moyong Clan until now.’

He simply couldn’t stand by and watch villainous demonic sect members torment innocent people right before his eyes.
The steward quickly checked on the people who were hastily leaving the manor while he was blocking Black Wolf’s path.

‘This much should be enough…’

After seeing the last person leave, he spoke to Black Wolf.

“…We have repaid all our debts, so what brings you here?”

Black Wolf frowned.

“What? Repaid all the money? Are you serious?”

Black Wolf’s oppressive retort.
The steward almost blurted out that he wasn’t serious.
Because the face shoved in his face was too terrifying.

‘C-Calm down!’

I am the steward of the Moyong Clan.
Moreover, he was the only one left to protect this place.
The steward, barely regaining his composure, replied in a confident voice.

“I am serious.”

“Huh.”

Black Wolf’s sharp gaze this time turned towards Pil-Gu.
Pil-Gu’s face, still unhealed from the beating, was swollen.
Pil-Gu, as if his conscience was bothering him, shouted at the steward.

“You fiend!! Then what about the Black Wolf Sect members who were injured in this incident? Do you think you can attack the Black Wolf Sect and get away unharmed?!”

“Isn’t that unreasonable!”

“Unreasonable, you say? Isn’t your attitude, daring to attack the Black Wolf Sect and then speaking like this, even more unreasonable?”

Black Wolf, spewing anger, grabbed the steward by the collar.
The steward’s face instantly turned ashen.

‘M-My breath…!’

The steward struggled in mid-air.
But his violent resistance gradually subsided.
Just as the steward’s consciousness was about to cut off.
Someone’s voice was heard.

“…What are you doing now?”