Chapter 194 :

<A Messenger from the Past (5)>

"Uuugh."

Wang Geumsan frowned as he watched Jin Taesan work while making a strange sound somewhere between a groan and a scream.

With Wang Soso devoting herself to training, the workload at the Wang Family Estate had eased considerably.

In the past, he had lamented every day that he could not spend time with his daughter. Now, however, he welcomed her habit of frequently staying overnight at the Taeul Sect under the pretext of training.

Thanks to that breathing room, Wang Geumsan's complexion had improved considerably.

Meanwhile—

'At this rate, he will work himself to death.'

Jin Taesan looked utterly ruined.

Bald patches were already appearing across his head, and his skin was dry and cracked, as though he could not even wash properly.

His eyes were bloodshot, with dark shadows beneath them. When had he last slept?

'Did he say they were building a forge recently?'

Apparently, a renowned blacksmith from Yueyang and a craftsman from the Tang Clan had been recruited and formally joined the Taeul Sect.

The Taeul Sect had truly grown at a dazzling pace over the past few years.

Naturally, that meant plenty of work, but Jin Taesan was still driving himself mercilessly.

"Why not take it a little easier?"

"…"

Jin Taesan briefly raised his head, then lowered it again and resumed working as though ignoring Wang Geumsan.

"You will collapse if you keep this up."

"…Are you bored?"

"Hmm?"

"Or did you come here to mock me?"

"Ahem, ahem. I am already busy enough with my own work. Why would I come all this way just to mock you?"

"Then why did you bring sweets and tea? Does that not mean you intend to spend time here?"

In truth, Wang Geumsan did not know why he had come all this way on his day off either.

Of course, teasing Jin Taesan was entertaining, but meeting high-ranking officials and the leaders of great sects for drinks was quite enjoyable too.

"…I brought them for you. Surely you do not think I brought them for myself?"

"…I have no appetite."

Jin Taesan lowered his head and resumed working.

The Daecheon Merchant Guild was gradually establishing itself in Hefei.

Its freight volume was steadily increasing, and Wang Geumsan had heard that its newly opened branch near Mount Tianmu was doing so well that it was complaining of a labor shortage.

"You can afford to take it a little easier. Why are you working as though your life depends on it?"

"…Did you not criticize me last time, saying, 'Young people these days only think about slacking off'?"

"Ahem! Ahem! That was just something I said."

Of course, he had intended to motivate him, but he had never imagined Jin Taesan would actually work this hard.

Jin Taesan's grumbling expression suddenly grew serious.

"I do it because I am ashamed."

"Hmm?"

Still bent over his work, Jin Taesan continued.

"You know very well, Estate Lord. How frightening money can be."

"…Indeed I do."

"When you truly do not have a single coin in your pocket, the world becomes terrifying. More than you could imagine."

Wang Geumsan had spent his life learning how frightening money could be, but he had never actually been poor.

He had grown up enjoying a comfortable life within the Wang Family Estate.

"Perhaps 'desperate' would be a better word."

Faint lines formed around Jin Taesan's eyes, as though he were revisiting painful memories.

"Should we reduce the grain going into the children's mouths, or reduce the firewood keeping their rooms warm in winter…? The agony of weighing those choices becomes an everyday occurrence."

Setting down his brush for a moment, Jin Taesan pressed both hands firmly against his eyes, as though they hurt.

"And no matter how hard adults try to hide that suffering, the children feel it. That is why children raised in difficult circumstances grow up so quickly."

"Go on."

"You said nothing in this world is free, did you not?"

Wang Geumsan answered immediately.

"Correct. That is the one absolute truth."

"Then what must a sect with nothing, like the Taeul Sect, sacrifice to achieve this much prosperity in so little time?"

"…"

This time, he could not answer immediately.

He had never been in such a position. In fact, he had never even imagined it.

"I cannot simply look at the boy with pride. Because Jin Sowoon is the person most precious to me."

"But I cannot stop him either. If the Taeul Sect becomes poor again, the other children will be thrown back into that cruel world."

Wang Geumsan merely nodded in silence.

Jin Taesan's hands began moving busily again.

"That is why I cannot rest for even a moment. This is the only thing I can do."

As Wang Geumsan listened to Jin Taesan's heartfelt words, a faint smile appeared on his face.

He chuckled softly.

At last, he understood why he had come here on his precious day off instead of meeting high-ranking officials or the leaders of great sects.

That steadfast determination to face his own shortcomings and do everything within his power.

"…"

"And my son is no different."

Thinking of Jin Sowoon, Wang Geumsan cautiously spoke.

"…Would it be too arrogant to say that Sowoon grew into such an outstanding young man because of those circumstances?"

Jin Taesan's head snapped up.

"Yes. It would be arrogant."

His eyes were piercing, his tone firm.

Wang Geumsan might have found those words uncomfortable, but he did not feel particularly offended.

Jin Taesan lowered his gaze again.

"When I heard that Jin Sowoon had passed the official examination in first place, I felt as though my heart would tear apart."

"I did not even want to imagine what he had sacrificed in place of money."

His voice grew thick with emotion.

"I lay awake at night, wondering whether I even deserved to be his father."

"…"

"Every opportunity the Taeul Sect has now was brought to us by that boy."

Jin Taesan looked at Wang Geumsan again.

"Estate Lord, let me ask you something."

Wang Geumsan liked this man, who could seem so inflexible yet remained so upright.

"I was thoughtless. Is there anything I can help with?"

"Something you could help with…"

After considering it carefully, Jin Taesan hurriedly searched through his documents.

Then, as though he had prepared for this, he began reciting smoothly.

"If you could classify goods whose market prices differ between Anhui Province and the neighboring provinces, then calculate their profitability…"

"Ah, my apologies. That slipped out. Today is my day off, so I really must rest."

"…"

As Wang Geumsan cleared his throat unnecessarily, a servant entered and delivered a letter.

Jin Taesan, who had continued glaring at Wang Geumsan, slowly opened it and read its contents.

"Gasp!"

His eyes widened, and he sucked in a breath.

Curious about the letter's contents, Wang Geumsan slowly approached.

Normally, Jin Taesan would not have shown him the letter, but for some reason, he merely clutched it and trembled.

Just as Wang Geumsan took it to read, Jin Taesan threw his head back and burst into wild laughter.

"Mwahahahahaha!"

"…What has gotten into you?"

"Read it."

A broad smile filled Jin Taesan's face.

As Wang Geumsan quickly read the letter, a quiet groan escaped him as well.

"To be designated the Martial Alliance's exclusive supplier… This is truly astonishing."

"Mwahahahahahahaha!"

"Dozens of merchant guilds must have competed for this right. How on earth did this happen…? In any case, congratulations."

"Indeed. I could not be happier to have an opportunity to keep you busy as well."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

At Wang Geumsan's puzzled expression, a sly smile spread across Jin Taesan's lips.

"The Wang Family Estate has also wanted regular business dealings with the Martial Alliance, has it not?"

As the memory returned, Wang Geumsan's hair practically stood on end.

"N-no. Not at all. We could hardly take such a wonderful opportunity away from you."

Jin Taesan immediately shook his head at Wang Geumsan's feigned modesty.

"What are you talking about? With the quantity and variety of goods the Martial Alliance's branches require, do you expect us to handle everything alone? Naturally, we must work with the Wang Family Estate."

"No, I am telling you, it is fine!"

"It is not fine with me!"

"I-I will not accept!"

"Then I suppose I will have to speak to Soso."

"…"

Wang Geumsan's brow furrowed deeply.

For the first time in a long while, Jin Taesan laughed heartily, feeling his exhaustion disappear.

Yaryul Geuk would die.

The first basis for that conclusion was Yaryul Jae.

Yaryul Jae had said that, around this time in my previous life, he had lived like a broken man.

He had never explained why, only saying that he had spent several years drowning himself in alcohol.

Yaryul Jae was not someone who gave in to despair easily.

Had he been that sort of person, he could never have spent years working as a wandering warrior from the moment he reached adulthood, training his martial arts and sending every coin he earned back to his sect.

Naturally, that suggested something had happened during this period to reduce him to that state.

Second, Yaryul Jae had never mentioned his blood relatives.

If he never spoke about them, and I never saw him visit his family, then by the time he joined the Sojeong Unit, he had either fallen out with his brothers or they had already died.

If his brothers had died, and he could not easily speak of their deaths—

'…Then those deaths must have shocked him deeply enough to burden him for the rest of his life.'

Even after a long time, those painful memories would surface, carried along by lingering longing.

Yet if he still could not bring himself to speak of them, he must have been forcibly suppressing that longing.

In other words, the deaths themselves had not been natural.

Not simply an accident or a chronic illness…

But something so painful that every recollection brought guilt and torment.

Third, after completing the Flowing Cloud Divine Art, he had repeatedly expressed regret under the weight of tremendous guilt.

That behavior naturally suggested a connection between the Flowing Cloud Divine Art and his brothers' deaths.

Fourth, he had hated people merely because they came from the Martial Academy.

Putting it all together led to one conclusion.

'Yaryul Jae tried to complete the Flowing Cloud Divine Art through Yaryul Geuk. Under that crushing burden, Yaryul Geuk was trapped in a daily life of isolation and violence, and in the midst of it…'

I abruptly cut off that train of thought.

It was still only a theory.

Even so, I felt as though I could not breathe.

"These brothers really know how to put a man through everything!"

I began searching the classrooms in the main building.

"Who dares run so recklessly through these sacred academy grounds?"

"Stop right there!"

The training masters and instructors tried to stop me from running through the academy, but I used the Taeul Eight Myriad Divine Steps to create afterimages and evade them.

"Young Master Jin!"

At the voice suddenly calling me, I turned to find Seong Moran, Namgung Seonhwa, and Saryeon looking at me in surprise.

"What are you doing? Why are you running in such a hurry?"

I made an urgent request.

"Please help me find Yaryul Geuk."

"What? Who is that?"

"Please. I am counting on you."

Leaving them with those words, I immediately moved on.

I searched every classroom in the main building, then searched both the western and eastern buildings.

I even checked all the rooftops, just in case, but Yaryul Geuk was nowhere to be found.

'I will have to find that bastard.'

The instructors and training masters were chasing me.

They were shouting something, but none of it registered.

Drawing up my internal energy again, I raced toward the dormitory with four-person rooms.

As I entered the corridor, everyone standing outside their rooms turned toward me.

I passed them quickly, checking each face.

"Jin Sowoon?"

Then my eyes met Nam Hwaseong's as he emerged from a room, drenched in sweat.

A puzzled look crossed his face.

"What are you doing here?"

"Do you know which room Ak Jupyeong lives in?"

"Ak Jupyeong? Why are you suddenly looking for him?"

"Do you know or not?"

He flinched at my cold voice.

"Room thirty-eight."

"Is that so?"

"Hey, what is going…"

Ignoring his question, I bounded up to the third floor as though flying and found room thirty-eight.

Crash!

Fortunately, the door was unlocked. I smashed it aside and entered.

An immediate commotion broke out.

"…Wh-what?"

"J-Jin Sowoon?"

The four people inside had apparently been exchanging jokes, as smiles still lingered on their faces.

I immediately picked out the face I wanted.

"Ak Jupyeong."

He leaned back slightly, regarding me with interest.

I questioned him expressionlessly.

"You were with Yaryul Geuk yesterday, were you not? Where was that?"

"Yaryul Geuk? He said he had no connection to you."

"I have no time for games. Where is Yaryul Geuk?"

A nasty sneer crossed his face.

"Why should I answer you?"

"Because that is how you keep your bones intact."

"What?"

Ak Jupyeong's smile disappeared, and he rose.

Although I was fairly tall myself, his eyes were slightly above mine.

He looked down at me as though ready to lunge at any moment.

"Do you think you can do anything to me with your pathetic authority as representative?"

"Do you think I am afraid of your pathetic Ak Family?"

"You bastard…!"

The instant he moved, I gathered energy at the tip of my foot and struck his shin.

"Gurk—"

His lower leg bent in a direction it should never have bent.

Ak Jupyeong's eyes bulged, and he repeatedly sucked in breath.

I decided to give him one more chance.

"Where is Yaryul Geuk?"

"Aaaaaaargh!"

Perhaps the pain had only just reached him, because Ak Jupyeong began screaming.

Just as I was about to bend his remaining leg the wrong way too—

"J-Jin Sowoon! Are you truly not afraid of making an enemy of the White Path Association?"

I turned toward the voice behind me.

"The White Path Association, the Righteous Path Association, and the Twelve Peaks Fortress are already my enemies. What am I supposed to fear?"

"Th-that…"

I bent Ak Jupyeong's remaining leg backward too.

"Aaaaaaargh!"

His eyes rolled back, and foam gathered at his mouth.

With his joints bent completely out of place, he probably would not be able to perform his movement techniques as perfectly as before, even if he recovered.

"Y-yesterday was the last time we saw Yaryul Geuk…! W-we really have not seen him since…!"

One of Ak Jupyeong's lackeys answered.

"I believe I asked where."

"N-near Yangsan Peak."

"When?"

"A-around the Hai hour."

"…How badly did you beat him?"

"…Gulp."

The lackey swallowed hard.

"Would you like joints as unusual as Ak Jupyeong's?"

Terror spread across his face.

"H-he was definitely breathing."

"He was breathing…"

Nearly in tears, the bastard added—

"Y-yes. H-he was definitely alive."

"Did you check whether he returned to the dormitory?"

"…"

The lackey swallowed hard again.

"Yaryul Geuk did not return to the dormitory yesterday."

"…!"

Hearing Ak Jupyeong's screams, academy students began gathering one by one.

Nam Hwaseong was among them.

"You lunatic… What have you done?"

"Nam Hwaseong. You have bullied plenty of students, have you not? Especially the powerless ones."

He looked bewildered at the sudden question.

"H-huh?"

"Is Yangsan Peak where you usually bully them?"

"Wh-what are you…"

"Is it?"

After a moment's hesitation, Nam Hwaseong pointed in one direction.

"Y-yes. It is difficult to climb, and the instructors cannot see you there."

It was autumn, but the temperature would have dropped during the night.

"Fuck."

All the pieces fell into place.

It was no longer merely a theory.

Then the instructors' voices came from among the students. The dormitory supervisor also appeared to be approaching after hearing the screams.

"Nam Hwaseong, take care of things here."

"What? Hey! You bastard!"

I opened the window and jumped out.

Then I raced across the Martial Academy toward Yangsan Peak.

The instructors and training masters pursuing me followed, panting heavily.

I kicked off the ground, leaped onto a building, and began running across the rooftops.

Once the buildings ended, I continued through the trees.

How long had I been running?

At last, I reached the entrance to Yangsan Peak and headed straight for the clearing where they supposedly robbed other students of their money pouches.

And there, I saw a figure that filled me with dread.

"Damn it… Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it."

It was Yaryul Geuk.

There was no color in his face, and his body was cold.

Had I been too late after all?

After the events in Sichuan had given me confidence that I could change the future, I had still failed so helplessly to save my comrade's brother.

"Fucking hell!"