Chapter 171

“I shall never forget the magnanimity of the Great Hero for as long as I draw breath.”

The shopkeeper attempted to prostrate himself, dragging his fractured limb along the ground, but Dong Bongsu feigned an intervention, gently pulling him back up to his feet instead.

“Direct your concern toward mending that laceration rather than dwelling on such magnanimity.”

Dong Bongsu retrieved a vial of medicinal ointment from the belt of a deceased Iron God Gang enforcer and extended it to the injured man.

The shopkeeper received the container with trembling fingers.

“Executing operatives of the Iron God Gang… I am profoundly indebted to your incredible favor and scarcely know how to respond, yet Great Hero, you have truly set a terrifying sequence of events in motion. Within this River Capital—”

“Cease. What relevance does River Capital or any other location possess? The world is merely divided into things that resemble filth and things that resemble blossoms.”

“What…?”

“I am simply stating that those filthy wretches earned their demise.”

“However.”

The shopkeeper cast a wary glance at his surroundings, dropping his volume to a whisper.

“This entire Western Road exists under the absolute dominion of the Iron God Gang. Their chieftain, Cheol Muhan, is renowned for his ruthless disposition. He is particularly incapable of tolerating any incident that causes him to lose face.”

Sustaining a loss of face, he noted.

Dong Bongsu pondered the phrase briefly before inquiring in a detached manner.

“What precise actions cause such an individual to lose face?”

“That person… no, indeed. Cheol Muhan is… absolute not, Great Hero.”

The shopkeeper swiftly scanned the vicinity once more, pressing his forefinger firmly against his lips.

“Throughout this sector, the Iron God Gang operates as the sole blade and the ultimate authority. They maintain eyes and ears in every corner… meaning you must perpetually guard your speech, guard your movements, and guard your back.”

A subtle, knowing grin manifested on Dong Bongsu’s face.

“My gratitude.”

“Pardon, pardon me? What exactly do you intend by that, master?”

“Are you not implying that I merely need to disregard my speech, disregard my movements, and disregard my back? In order to ensure he loses face.”

“…What?”

“Enough. You ought to hasten back to your residence.”

“But… what shall become of the corpses remaining here?”

“It is of no consequence. Had they desired to keep their remains unblemished, they ought to have conducted their lives like blossoms.”

The shopkeeper, though visibly anxious, had already pivoted halfway to depart.

“While they do not possess the absolute dominion of the Seven Star Immortal Society, the Iron God Gang nevertheless commands two-thirds of this Western Road. The remaining territory is partitioned among the Black Wind Hall, the One-Eyed Sect, and various lesser factions… Furthermore, the chieftain of the Iron God Gang has sired a solitary daughter, and her nature is as venomous as a viper or a scorpion…”

Desperate to assist, he rapidly disclosed every scrap of intelligence he possessed regarding the Iron God Gang to Dong Bongsu, who was visibly an outsider to the region.

“Great Hero, I beg you to exercise extreme caution. The Iron God Gang is—”

“An elderly matriarch?”

“What?”

“You do not happen to be an elderly matriarch, so why harbor such immense anxiety? Simply depart before you entangle yourself further. Did you not mention you have a daughter to care for?”

Dong Bongsu issued a firm directive for the man to clear the thoroughfare.

Despite the instruction, the shopkeeper wavered for a considerable duration before finally taking his leave.

He uttered dozens of additional parting cautions to remain vigilant, even as he hobbled into the distance.

“Remarkably human.”

It was a phenomenon he witnessed across every encounter, but the entity known as humanity was undeniably peculiar.

They were capable of displaying absolute depravity, yet under different circumstances, they could manifest an profound ‘humanity’ identical to that display.

Regardless, once he verified that the shopkeeper’s presence had completely faded from the area, Dong Bongsu unceremoniously transferred the remains of the deceased Iron God Gang enforcers into an isolated slot within his Inventory.

He could have easily abandoned the corpses where they fell, but he reasoned that delaying their ability to trace his identity would be advantageous.

Intentionally leaving nothing behind but scattered crimson pools, Dong Bongsu silently evaluated the tactical details the merchant had shared concerning the Western Road before vacating the alleyway.

He had been momentarily diverted from his path, but the time had arrived to proceed toward his original objective.

Assorted Antique Shop.

A specialty establishment tucked into a narrow passage at the absolute limit of the Western Road.

Upon the exterior placard, the characters denoting ‘Assorted’ were prominently displayed, while beneath them, the words ‘Curios Shop’ were inscribed in a diminutive script.

As if to reinforce the declaration, ‘We maintain an exhaustive variety of items.’

The primary chamber lay just beyond a weathered timber portal.

A distinctive, sharp odor—a blend of decaying organic matter, accumulated grime, and unidentified powdered fragrances and pigments—saturated the interior environment.

Storage frameworks that appeared to extend to the overhead timbers were configured in a labyrinthine pattern.

A vast assortment of detritus was scattered carelessly across the surfaces.

Corroded blades, fractured earthenware, manuscripts of indeterminate origin, and peculiarly sculpted effigies.

Furthermore, situated directly behind the main chamber were several compact storage rooms, and beneath those storage facilities, a massive subterranean evaluation chamber was concealed.

And.

That specific chamber represented the true core of the Assorted Antique Shop, its genuine operations masked within a cloaked sanctuary.

“Curse it! Why is this wretched digit refusing to slide loose?”

A mature male was exerting himself frantically within the deepest recesses of the evaluation chamber.

An unctuous countenance characterized by narrowed eyes.

He projected the quintessential aesthetic of a broker dealing exclusively in plundered merchandise.

He was the proprietor of the Assorted Antique Shop, the notorious broker Ak Bul-jin.

He was currently straining to extract a golden band from a severed human hand of unknown provenance.

The digit, rendered completely rigid by post-mortem stiffening, refused to yield.

Crack-.

He ultimately severed the digit entirely utilizing a compact hatchet.

Crimson droplets sprayed outward, yet he carelessly scooped up the golden band without concern.

“Heheh, this particular piece ought to yield a minimum of ten silver taels as well.”

The evaluation chamber presented a gruesome spectacle.

Unprocessed cadavers were strewn across every corner, and mounds of diverse stolen merchandise were piled high like small peaks.

Blades, ornamental jade pieces, scrolls of master calligraphy, classical artwork, and objects devoid of identifiable purpose.

In a central section of the floorboards, a cavity of sufficient width to accommodate a mature human torso had been excavated.

Ak Bul-jin cast the severed hand and digit down into the opening as though he were discarding ordinary refuse.

Oink oink-.

The muffled resonance of swine clamoring emerged from the darkness beneath.

“Ah, those wretched swine. If you are destined for slaughter regardless, you might at least shed some mass beforehand. This exertion is draining my vitality.”

He clicked his tongue in irritation.

“Though a slow-cooked preparation would admittedly suit the juveniles’ sustenance far better.”

Oiiink oink oink oink oiiink-.

Peering through the narrow aperture of the cavity, he observed the swine violently contesting the ‘nourishment’ that had just descended to them.

“Kekeke. The swine bastards are actively consuming a swine bastard.”

After monitoring his cherished livestock indulge their appetites for a brief spell, he turned back to his primary tasks.

Owing to a brief military engagement initiated by the Northern Yan forces earlier that afternoon, an abundance of inexpensive plundered merchandise had flooded the market, vastly inflating his current duties.

Just as he prepared to step toward a fresh cadaver that retained a corroded hatchet embedded in its side.

Clang-.

The service chime suspended above the threshold vibrated.

“A patron? At this particular hour?”

Ak Bul-jin casually cleansed his hands against the garments of a nearby corpse and proceeded toward the front.

Navigating from the evaluation chamber through the storage area, and from the storage area back into the primary storefront.

Creak-.

He observed an individual stepping through the weathered timber portal.

A young man appearing to be in his mid-twenties.

He was outfitted in unremarkable dark attire suited for nighttime movement, yet he projected an undeniably frigid demeanor.

‘The distinct aroma of fresh gore?’

A potent scent of blood trailed behind him.

Then again, discovering a martial practitioner within this River Capital who lacked the scent of violence was a difficult endeavor.

“Greetings, traveler.”

Ak Bul-jin offered a deceptive smirk and gestured for the newcomer to approach the consultation counter.

“What specific item commands your interest? Or do you intend to liquidate merchandise?”

The visitor offered no verbal reply, instead depositing an object directly onto the timber surface.

Thud.

It consisted of an animal appendage several times more substantial than that of a standard predatory feline.

The lustrous silver coat caught the flickering illumination of the tallow candles, casting an otherworldly iridescence.

‘Could this comprise… a Spirit Creature?’

It might alternatively represent a monstrous entity, yet either classification carried immense inherent worth.

An expression of uncontainable avarice instantly manifested across Ak Bul-jin’s features.

It was a repulsive, oily smirk, akin to a common insect descending upon putrid flesh.

“A vulpines appendage, correct?”

“Its worth?”

Ak Bul-jin shifted his gaze rapidly, executing a more calculated assessment of the traveler.

The man abstained from using the regional vernacular, his countenance was entirely unfamiliar, and he carried no visible armaments on his person.

Though he carried a heavy scent of violence, he failed to display the markers of an elite practitioner.

‘A simple target, a genuine simpleton.’

“Aha? What true worth could a basic vulpine appendage possibly command?”

In response to Ak Bul-jin’s intentionally dismissive remark, the visitor simply spun on his heel to exit without uttering a single word.

“Hold, hold your steps. This patron possesses an incredibly impatient nature.”

Ak Bul-jin interjected with great haste.

“One hundred silver nyangs. Should you disclose the precise locale where you harvested that creature, two hundred silver nyangs. If you surrender the remaining anatomical components…”

The visitor paused, casting a glance over his shoulder.

“One thousand silver nyangs.”

The stranger, having arrested his departure, retraced his steps and assumed a seat directly across from Ak Bul-jin.

‘Precisely as I calculated. The moment I ascertain the repository of the remainder of this Spirit Creature, kekeke.’

Our young livestock shall achieve full maturity in a single afternoon.

Thud.

A manuscript.

A pristine text was deposited onto the timber counter.

《Red Umbrella Lord Saber Art》

“…?!”

“Its worth?”

The visitor articulated the identical query in the exact same cadence as his previous question.

Ak Bul-jin silently turned the initial leaves of the manual.

The first leaf, the second leaf…

Maintain composure, maintain composure…

‘Worth?’

It defied conventional valuation.

This text could only represent the proprietary combat methodology of the legendary Red Umbrella Lord Saber, Na Hang, one of the Twenty Great Masters Under Heaven who had vanished from the realm over a decade prior.

“Hehehe.”

A sound of raw avarice he proved entirely unable to suppress escaped Ak Bul-jin’s throat, straining his vocal cords.

‘Never in my existence have I encountered such an absolute simpleton.’

His finger subtly traced a specialized sigil on the Calling Array concealed beneath the consultation counter, channeling his internal reserves into the mechanism.

The Calling Array, reacting instantaneously to the input, emitted a muted illumination and immediately alerted his enforcement squad.

The duration of a standard repast. In approximately the time required to consume a meal, scores of elite combatants from the Iron God Gang would breach that threshold.

He naturally restored his hand to its original position, acting as though it had never shifted, and rested his jaw upon his palm.

His countenance was now saturated with the most benevolent expression of hospitality imaginable.

“This constitutes an esoteric manual belonging to a historical paragon.”

“Therefore, its worth?”

What inhibition could possibly restrict his words to a man whose demise was already guaranteed?

“My, how can an ordinary merchant place a definitive valuation on an artifact of this magnitude? I shall speak with absolute candor. Provided this text is authenticated, the valuation is entirely subject to your personal demand. Conceivably, do you retain additional treasures?”

He had already been presented with wealth sufficient to sustain his operations for multiple years, yet his greed remained unsatiated.

There might exist further relics.

Ak Bul-jin smiled broadly.

The young traveler, Dong Bongsu, similarly permitted a grin to surface.

Naturally, the underlying intent behind their respective expressions shared zero common ground.

Dong Bongsu proceeded to display the remaining artifacts he had salvaged from the floating landmass one after another.

Several sheets of unfamiliar parchment, five luminescent minerals, and an ornamental jade piece etched with an intricate, atypical configuration.

“Their worth?”

Ak Bul-jin’s eyelids dilated in astonishment.

Particularly upon observing the luminescent minerals, he involuntarily swallowed his saliva.

“Incredible. These represent remarkably exquisite pieces. These specific minerals could easily command a hundred silver taels apiece, and provided these tactical arrays are authentic…”

The process of evaluation persisted for the duration of a standard repast.

And…

Screeeeeak.

The entrance portal finally swung inward once more.

In the immediate aftermath, scores of rough ‘patrons’ flooded into the establishment.

At that specific juncture, Dong Bongsu deliberately rose to his feet.

The duration of an additional repast elapsed.

Oink oink oink.

Enormous swine were thrashing violently within their enclosure.

They bore no resemblance to ordinary livestock.

Their eyes burned with a crimson fury, and their dental structures were unnervingly jagged.

The beasts launched themselves into a frenzied assault.

The sound of splintering bone and the sound of separating sinew reverberated throughout the subterranean livestock chamber.

It constituted a grand feast.

For their kind, this afternoon represented the ultimate feast.

It would concurrently serve as their final one.

From the elevated vantage of the evaluation room, Dong Bongsu observed the carnage beneath with an entirely detached countenance.

“A methodology as devoid of efficiency as it is lacking in intellect.”

While it functioned as an adequate means of erasing remains, the process required an excessive expenditure of time and left behind numerous indicators.

Contrary to popular belief, the biological entity classified as a swine did not possess a flawless digestive mechanism.

Not that these ravenous beasts would concern themselves with such anatomical realities.

He pivoted away and vacated the premises of the curios shop.

Beyond the threshold, the initial light of dawn was fracturing the dark.

The placard designating the ‘Assorted Antique Shop’ shifted awkwardly as if offering a final salutation, one support giving way to leave it suspended precariously.

The specialty establishment where diverse entities were routinely consumed had now arrived at its ultimate conclusion.

[Linked] The Wronged Merchant:

Rendering assistance to the helpless may compel you to confront unforeseen complications.

It is hoped that you navigate those complications successfully.

We implore you.

An adversarial status with the Iron God Gang has been initiated. – Systematically dismantle the Iron God Gang.

Progress: 1.7%

Reward: Hero History +5.

“For the simple act of purging refuse, the acquisition is remarkably substantial, is it not?”

Furthermore, he had successfully completed the evaluation of numerous ‘artifacts’ whose true properties had previously eluded his understanding.

Thump, thump.

Dong Bongsu advanced with a deliberate, yet unyielding stride, precisely matching the demeanor he had displayed upon exiting his lodgings.

Behaving exactly as though he were indulging in an ordinary stroll through a peaceful settlement.