Heavenly Inquisition Sword

Episode 129: What's the Situation with the Chamber of Commerce?

Around the campfire.

The group had gathered in a circle around the campfire, including the coachman, Lee Sa, who usually kept to himself. The crackling of the fire was the only sound as they conversed quietly.

Taking advantage of a pause, Jin Seolha initiated a conversation.

"Yeon Sohyeop, isn't it difficult to wander through the Murim?"

"Yes, it is. And you, Sister Jin, how are you feeling?"

"Ah! Sitting all day makes my back ache."

Jin Seolha complained like a small child.

"Should we take more breaks starting tomorrow? Anyway, no one is going to say anything."

"Really? I'd love that. Moving around a bit to gather firewood has done me some good. Yeon Sohyeop, you should also move around during the breaks."

"Well, I actually help the coachman, but..."

Yeon Jeokha shot a quick glance at Lee Sa. Although in reality, he just hovered around without doing much.

"Oh, really? Relax, there's no need to push yourself so hard."

Lee Sa, who was warming his hands, shot a fleeting look at Jin Seolha. He felt a bit unfairly treated since he was doing all the work alone.

"Ah, it's so cold!"

Lee Sa exaggerated his movements, rubbing his hands vigorously, in the most emotional display a coachman could show.

Yeon Jeokha scratched his head uncomfortably, while Shim Tong pretended not to have heard anything.

After a while, Seol Chasu brought out rations from the cart. With not much else to do, the others began gnawing on the hard winter food without complaint.

Lee Sa, who was nibbling on his ration, suddenly stood up and brought a cast iron pot from the cart.

"Hehe, I'm going to boil some water."

Seeing everyone looking at him, Lee Sa gave a nervous smile as if he were apologizing.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Namgung Cheon pointed to a nearby spot.

"There's a stream if you go a little further down."

"Yes, yes."

Lee Sa quickly headed towards the stream with the pot. Meanwhile, Seol Chasu and Yoo Geunsik adjusted the campfire to hang the pot.

Lee Sa returned after about fifteen minutes and placed the pot full of water over the fire, adding a suitable amount of rice.

As the rice began to boil, the atmosphere became more relaxed. Not satisfied with just the rice, Lee Sa added various other ingredients from the cart, making the aroma even more enticing.

Just as everyone was eagerly eyeing the pot, hurried footsteps were heard in the distance.

Although everyone had a curious expression, only Shim Tong didn’t seem concerned.

Yeon Jeokha grumbled slightly.

"Old Shim, how can you be so calm with the sound of those footsteps?"

"Hehe, if it were the Yoomyung Cult, they'd be moving stealthily. It's most likely just some Wanderers running. Nothing to worry about."

"Really?"

Yeon Jeokha, feeling a bit embarrassed, nudged some branches into the fire with his foot.

Sparks flew into the sky.

Namgung Cheon nodded in admiration.

"Senior Shim is right. Experts don't make that much noise. It must be someone who saw our campfire and is heading this way."

Soon after, two men arrived panting from the darkness.

Both were in a pitiful state, covered in blood.

The man in his thirties, known as Geonwon, cautiously looked around before asking.

"Can we rest here for a moment?"

Seol Chasu instinctively looked at Shim Tong, who gave no signal. Taking it as a yes, Seol Chasu responded on behalf of the group.

"Go ahead. But, who are you?"

Geonwon stepped forward as the leader.

"We're from the Fusheng Chamber of Commerce in Chuseong. I'm Geonwon, leader of the Great Defense Unit, and this is my subordinate, Jojeong."

"Jojeong, at your service."

The young man in his twenties bowed.

Geonwon cautiously asked.

"May I know the names of such distinguished warriors?"

Seol Chasu felt uncomfortable at the idea of being called "warriors," as if they were all from the righteous sects.

With no other choice, Seol Chasu pointed to his group and introduced himself.

"I am Seol Chasu of the Heavenly Sword Sect in Zhengzhou. Those are Yoo Geunsik of the Golden Sword Sect, and Jin Seolha of the Changin Sect."

Geonwon and Jojeong asked no more, satisfied with the introductions.

Lee Sa, having served the rice, approached Yeon Jeokha respectfully.

Soon, Shim Tong, Namgung Cheon, and Namgung Yeon received their portions in that order.

The others, considering Lee Sa’s effort, served themselves.

Feeling sorry for the two blood-covered men, Lee Sa approached and offered them some as well.

"There's enough, so if you're hungry, you can eat."

"Ah, thank you. We'll gladly accept."

Geonwon and Jojeong, now relaxed, didn’t hesitate to take some.

While waiting for the rice to cool, Seol Chasu asked.

"Did you encounter bandits on your way? Are there bandits in this area?"

"No, it's not that..."

Geonwon hesitated before replying.

From a distance, Shim Tong gave them an intimidating look.

"Ah!"

Geonwon realized he needed to answer sincerely.

"Actually, we've been in conflict with the Wanli Chamber of Commerce in Je-ryeong for a month now."

"A month of conflict?!"

Seol Chasu couldn't understand how two Chambers of Commerce could fight for so long.

"Yes. Before, the Justice Alliance intervened to prevent serious conflicts."

"Ah!"

As a member of the Justice Alliance, Seol Chasu nodded sadly. He understood.

"It all started with the Baekse Chamber of Commerce in Luoyang. They began attacking various Chambers of Commerce, and with no one to mediate, everyone realized they had to fend for themselves."

"Are other Chambers also in conflict?"

"There's not a famous Chamber of Commerce that hasn’t drawn swords. Many of them are affiliated with the Yoomyung Cult or the Justice Alliance, so mediation is impossible."

"Wow! It must be worse than a sect war."

Jojeong, who had been eating silently, chimed in.

"It is worse. There's no sect in Murim that isn't involved in this struggle. Even the great sects are mobilizing their disciples."

"Wow! I had no idea. Everything was so calm in Zhengzhou."

Yoo Geunsik commented.

"It's because you weren't paying attention. In Zhengzhou, too, there were many conflicts between Chambers of Commerce."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Why do Chambers of Commerce fight instead of doing business?"

"They want to take over profitable businesses. In our sect, we also had many issues with them."

"Well, our sect isn't big enough to work with the Chambers of Commerce. We don't have that many disciples."

Jin Seolha sighed.

"Ah! Now I understand. The situation is grave. The Chambers of Commerce are in a war like never before."

"Really?"

Yeon Jeokha, seeing the lively conversation between Seol Chasu and his group, muttered to himself.

"I wonder if everyone will be okay."

By then, most of his sworn brothers would have already found their place in the world.

Unless they formed their own sect, most warriors ended up working for Chambers of Commerce.

Having recently seen the lives of Pung Yeoncho and Tak Gomyung, Yeon Jeokha felt worried.

Shim Tong, while eating his rice, commented.

"Don't worry. If something happens to them, I'll avenge them ten or a hundred times over."

"Tch! Your words don't help at all."

Yeon Jeokha clicked his tongue.

He hoped everyone would be fine, not talking about revenge.

"You'll personally take care of it? That's fine too."

"Hey! I didn't mean that. I hope there's no need for revenge. Understand?"

"Yes, yes. Don't worry. Everyone follows their own fate."

"Ah, that's disgusting! Don't make those noises while eating. It's repulsive."

"Did I?"

"You old man! Are you doing it on purpose?"

"No, really not! If I did it on purpose, may lightning strike me."

"If you do it again, I'll make sure lightning strikes your head."

Yeon Jeokha was really willing to use his lightning technique on Shim Tong's head.

Frightened, Shim Tong fell silent.

Before Geonwon and Jojeong finished eating, other unwanted visitors arrived.

With much noise, ten warriors emerged from the darkness.

They were from the Wanli Chamber of Commerce.

Geonwon and Jojeong, horrified, immediately stood up.

The leader, Gyeong Cheom, shouted.

"Geonwon! You're here! It's useless to run. Surrender now."

Geonwon and Jojeong quickly hid among Seol Chasu's group.

Gyeong Cheom looked suspiciously at the seven unfamiliar men and women.

He didn't know what their relationship with the Fusheng Chamber of Commerce was, so he spoke to Seol Chasu, who was at the front.

"I am Gyeong Cheom, leader of the Great Defense Unit of the Wanli Chamber of Commerce in Je-ryeong. We're in conflict with the Fusheng Chamber of Commerce. Do you have any relation to them?"

"Not at all. We were just resting here."

Gyeong Cheom's face brightened a little.

"Ah, I understand. We're here to capture them. Could you cooperate?"

Seol Chasu looked uncomfortably at Gyeong Cheom and then at Yeon Jeokha. Although he had been in the Justice Alliance for three years, he had never faced anything like this.

"What kind of cooperation do you need?"

"As you can see, they are hiding behind you."

Jin Seolha interrupted coldly.

"Are you asking us to hand over these two?"

"......"

Gyeong Cheom hesitated at the cold words of the woman.

Honestly, that was what he wanted, but seeing the atmosphere, it seemed unlikely to happen.

It was an unreasonable request from the beginning. No one in Murim would hand someone over under these circumstances.

After being reprimanded by Yeon Jeokha, Shim Tong, regaining his spirit, let out a sarcastic laugh.

"It's rare to see something like this. Taking advantage of others without shame and speaking without knowing who you're talking to."

With his comment, both Geonwon and Jojeong, as well as Gyeong Cheom's men, tensed up.