The Lazy Young Master of the Jin Clan

"But the Hongjung Sect's power can never stand against the Saseong Sect."

"That's unfortunate."

As Jin Sohyun stepped back as if it were none of his business, Ju Hyeol became desperate.

If things continued like this, it was only a matter of time before the Hongjung Sect was dismantled by the enraged Saseong Sect.

"Please help us!"

"For free?"

"M-Money! If you need money, I'll give you as much as you want!"

The Hongjung Sect was a surprisingly wealthy sect.

At Ju Hyeol's shout that he would give as much money as needed, Jin Sohyun looked at Ham So'eon.

"How much does it cost to build a mine?"

"That depends on the scale. But why do you ask?"

"You said there's an iron ore vein under the Deungho Mountain, right? We have to dig it up."

"That's..."

Ham So'eon hesitated, as if he was bothered by the idea of digging up the ancestral mountain where his ancestors' graves were.

Jin Sohyun, who had read his complicated feelings, said gently but firmly.

"As long as the iron ore vein exists under the Deungho Mountain, the Deungho Sect will be constantly threatened. Just like now. So, let's just dig up all the iron without damaging the graves. And with that money, let's make the Deungho Sect even more prosperous."

If that happened, the number of disciples of the Deungho Sect would increase greatly, and its defenses would also be strengthened.

"Wouldn't your ancestors be more satisfied if the Deungho Sect could become prosperous by digging up the iron ore vein?"

The dead have no say.

There was no way to know what the ancestors really wanted.

But this was the land of the living.

The living could not die for the dead.

Ham So'eon, who had finished his thoughts, met Ju Hyeol's gaze.

"Isn't the budget for building the mine already set?"

"It is."

The Hongjung Sect, which had been promised the business rights of the mine from the Saseong Sect, had already finished its calculations.

"Then the calculation will be quick. The Hongjung Sect, please pay that amount to the Deungho Sect. And the Deungho Sect... please promise to give me a portion of the iron that is dug up."

At Jin Sohyun's words to give him the iron, Ham So'eon nodded his head without hesitation.

"As much as you want."

It was Jin Sohyun who had protected the sect from the clutches of the Saseong Sect and the Hongjung Sect.

‘It’s natural for Young Hero Jin to want a reward. He’s human too.’

It was natural for anyone to want a reward and be greedy.

Moreover, Jin Sohyun was the benefactor of the Deungho Sect.

Ham So'eon was willing to give him as much iron as he wanted.

Anyway, if it weren't for Jin Sohyun, all the iron would have belonged to the Saseong Sect.

"Now, then, shall we prepare to deal with the Saseong Sect?"

"Can we stand against the Saseong Sect with just the power of the Deungho Sect and the Hongjung Sect?"

As Ju Hyeol spoke with a self-deprecating voice, Jin Sohyun looked at him with a face that said, 'what do you mean?'

"Why the Deungho Sect?"

"Wh-Why? Weren't the two sects supposed to join forces and fight the Saseong Sect? That's why you told us to give the Deungho Sect the cost of building the mine."

"Hey, no. If the Saseong Sect is that strong, the Deungho Sect shouldn't step forward. It's dangerous."

Ham So'eon's eyes also widened.

He had also been planning to join forces with the Hongjung Sect and fight the Saseong Sect in exchange for the cost of building the mine.

After all, the Deungho Sect could only be safe if the Saseong Sect was gone.

"Then is there another way?"

Jin Sohyun, who had nodded his head, smiled brightly.

"We have reinforcements to help us."

***

Jin Sohyun, who had told the Hongjung Sect to return to their sect and prepare for battle, called his team members.

"Did you call?"

"Brother! Did you look for this Peng!!"

After the fight with the Four Sword Unit, the treatment of the team leader, Jin Sohyun, had completely changed.

The team members' eyes were filled with awe.

It was so burdensome that it was like looking at the eyes of well-trained soldiers.

"Since the situation is like this, we have to fight the Saseong Sect."

"We will trust and follow you."

Sangsuk answered vigorously.

They now trusted Jin Sohyun infinitely.

"What should we do?"

Un Bang was the same.

But there was one more reason for their loyalty.

‘Damn it! To think that lazy bum was this strong… if he finds out that we badmouthed him, we’ll all die!’

Un Bang and Sangsuk, who had committed a sin, followed Jin Sohyun even more.

And Yu Useon and Peng Ogyeong looked at Jin Sohyun with eyes full of respect.

"The rest of you, prepare to go to the Hongjung Sect with me. Ogyeong."

"Yes! Brother!"

"We need the help of the Hebei Peng Clan. We can't defeat the Saseong Sect with just the power of the Hongjung Sect and us."

"I see! But I can't give you a definite answer."

It was the power of the Hebei Peng Clan, one of the Five Great Families.

As they represented Hebei, they were not a place that could be easily moved.

It was because if the Peng family moved, it was no different from Hebei moving.

As Peng Ogyeong made a diffident face, Jin Sohyun placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'm not asking for help without any compensation. The Peng family is a martial family, so don't you need high-purity iron?"

"Of course we do!"

For sects or martial families, iron for making swords or sabers was very necessary.

Especially if it was high-purity iron, they could make special-grade weapons, so there was no sect or martial family that would refuse it.

At the words that he could get high-purity iron, Peng Ogyeong's eyes sparkled.

"Send a letter to the Peng family right now. If possible, by the fastest means."

Jin Sohyun handed the letter he had written in advance to Peng Ogyeong.

"I'll be right back!"

While Peng Ogyeong was sending the letter at a nearby post station, Jin Sohyun also moved busily.

"Let's move too."

"Yes!"

The third group of the Special Operations Unit, whose distrust had disappeared.

They moved busily according to the lazy bum's instructions.

Of course, the footsteps of the bull carrying them were still leisurely.

"Aigoo... what a hassle."

Jin Sohyun, who was lying on the pile of hay, hummed a tune.

Although a rather terrible sound came out, the team members who had witnessed his power could not say anything.

And so, the bull cart carrying the officials of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple moved forward, letting out a terrible song.

***

"What!? The Four Sword Unit was completely wiped out?"

As the Saseong Sect leader, Go Palsak, went on a rampage, the Four Sword Unit leader, Cheolgyeom, slammed his forehead on the ground.

"Please kill me! I never dreamed that there would be a master of the Martial Arts Alliance at the Deungho Sect!"

"The Martial Arts Alliance...!"

Go Palsak tried to calm his anger.

"So, who is the master sent by the Alliance?"

"His name is Jin Sohyun. The way he handles the flying sword is no less than the Flying Heaven Ten Swords, and he blew away the main gate of the Deungho Sect with a single sword. If that sword had flown at us... none of us would have survived."

"Keuk!"

Go Palsak had a headache.

The Four Sword Unit was the best force that the Saseong Sect had raised.

Especially Cheolgyeom, a martial artist at the beginning of the peak.

Most masters could not be Cheolgyeom's opponent.

But the young master sent by the Martial Arts Alliance had defeated the Four Sword Unit single-handedly.

Moreover, he had shown the arrogant compassion of sending them back alive.

‘Don't tell me… the Martial Arts Alliance has noticed that an iron ore vein is buried in the Deungho Mountain?’

If not, there was no reason for the Martial Arts Alliance to help the Deungho Sect, which was located on the outskirts of Hebei.

Especially not by sending a master of the peak or higher.

"The situation is getting complicated... how should I explain this to them..."

Creak—!

The closed door opened roughly, and a man appeared.

The man, with a generally dark impression, approached, dragging his black robe on the ground.

"What happened to the mine?"

At his appearance, Go Palsak prostrated himself on the floor.

"Elder! There's a problem."

"A problem?"

"Yes. The Martial Arts Alliance has intervened between the Deungho Sect and the Hongjung Sect."

"The Martial Arts Alliance? How did the Martial Arts Alliance know and intervene?"

"The exact circumstances are not yet known, but it is true that the Martial Arts Alliance has sent a master of the peak or higher."

As the man extended his hand, Go Palsak's prostrated body floated up.

At this, the greatly surprised Go Palsak swallowed dryly and trembled all over.

Soon, the man's hand touched Go Palsak's neck.

Squeeze—!

"Keo-eok...!"

"I'm sure I told you to handle it quietly. That if the existence of the iron ore vein were to be revealed to the outside, a pack of hungry wolves would flock to it."

"S-Sorry... ke-keuk... keuk!"

"This whole thing was directly ordered by the Alliance Leader. You must know well what will happen to the Saseong Sect if you fail, right?"

"A-A chance... keuk keuk!"

As he couldn't breathe properly, Go Palsak's face turned blue.

Cheolgyeom, who couldn't even raise his head, slammed his face on the floor and trembled.

"Don't disappoint me again, Go Palsak."

As the man let go of his hand, Go Palsak, who had barely become free, sat down on the floor and gasped for breath.

"By the way, tell me about the master sent by the Martial Arts Alliance."

This time, Cheolgyeom explained about Jin Sohyun without delay.

The corners of the man's mouth, who had heard his explanation, twitched.

"Jin Sohyun, you say?"

"Yes. He clearly introduced himself as Jin Sohyun."

"A member of the Special Operations Unit... interesting."

The man seemed to know the reason why the Saseong Sect had failed.

If Jin Sohyun had really been at the Deungho Sect, they could not have defeated him with their strength alone.

"Go Palsak."

"Yes! Elder!"

"Mobilize all the forces that the Saseong Sect can muster."

"I understand. I will make sure to get the ore vein back..."

"No. Our target is the master who came from the Martial Arts Alliance."

"Jin Sohyun... you mean?"

"Yes."

The pupils of the man wearing the robe burned hotly.

"Our target is the disciple of the Ten-Armed Blood Ghost, Jin Sohyun."

***

"Ugh!"

Ju Giltae, who had been sleeping for a whopping twelve shichen, finally came to his senses.

"Phew... I'm alive. For an assassin, he keeps his promises properly."

His whole body was sore.

Especially the back of his neck, where a tremendous pain remained, as if he had been hit by a mace.

Ju Giltae, who had barely gotten up from the floor, caressed his chin and neck and went out.

"Prepare!"

"Move quickly!"

"...What?"

Ju Giltae, who had come out of his quarters, realized that the atmosphere of the Hongjung Sect was quite different from usual.

It was chaotic and busy. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Ju Giltae, who did not know the reason, looked around and met Ju Gilseok.

"Brother."

"Giltae? What have you been doing that you're only showing up now!"

"Th-That's..."

Since he couldn't reveal that he had been beaten by an assassin and had fainted, Ju Giltae just spouted whatever came to mind.

"I-I think I drank a little too much."

"You moron. The sect is on the verge of destruction, and you're drinking!"

"D-Destruction... what do you mean by that?"

"Shut up! Just get ready to fight!"

Ju Gilseok, who had finished speaking unilaterally, huffed and puffed and disappeared, and Ju Giltae kicked the innocent ground.

"This is bullshit! He could have at least explained the situation."

Ju Giltae, who was also huffing and puffing, discovered a completely unexpected face.

"Why is that brat here...?"

Ju Giltae, who had approached the man with quick steps, extended his hand and grabbed his collar.

"You son of a bitch! Why are you here!?"

Jin Sohyun, who had been grabbed by the collar, smiled brightly.

"Oh, you're awake?"

"What? Don't tell me... you were that assassin!"

"Yes. That's right."

"You brazen...!"

Ju Giltae could not say the next words.

It was because Ju Gilyeon, who had flown in like the wind, had kicked him in the side.

"You moron! What are you doing!!"

"Keoheok!"

Ju Giltae, who had been kicked in the side, rolled on the ground unsightly.

"S-Sister..."

"Are you alright?"

Ju Gilyeon looked at Jin Sohyun's well-being with a pale face.

"I'm fine. By the way, are the preparations going well?"

"Yes. We are preparing as you said."

"You've worked hard."

"...Yes."

Ju Giltae, who had belatedly come to his senses, could not understand this situation at all.

Why was the Hongjung Sect preparing for a fight?

And why was Ju Gilyeon making a shy face in front of Jin Sohyun?

‘What on earth is going on?’

Ju Giltae, who could not contain his curiosity, kicked up from his seat and called a young disciple who was moving a weapon.

"Hey."

"Ah, yes, Young Master."

"Explain what on earth happened."

"That's..."

The young disciple explained about the fight between the Four Sword Unit and Jin Sohyun that had taken place at the Deungho Sect.

Ju Giltae's face changed from moment to moment as he listened to it.

At first, it had turned blue, and now it had turned completely pale.

"That brat wiped out the Four Sword Unit by himself?"

"Yes. That's right."

Ju Giltae was confused.

Not only had the Hongjung Sect and the Saseong Sect become enemies overnight, but they were now preparing for war.

And at the center of it was Jin Sohyun.

‘Don't tell me… it’s because I told him about Ju Gilyeon?’

Ju Giltae swallowed dryly and shrank his neck.

If all of this had happened because of him.

No matter how much he was the son of Ju Hyeol, he could not survive.

No, even if he survived, he could never live as before.

‘Let’s get out of here first. With the money I have…’

"Giltae."

At the voice of Jin Sohyun calling him, Ju Giltae was startled and looked back.

"D-Did you call?"

Jin Sohyun, who had walked up to Ju Giltae's side, said with a friendly smile.

"I think there's something you need to do for me."

"I..."

"Don't tell me... you're not going to say 'why me?', are you? It's thanks to you that I was able to come this far."

Although he still had a friendly smile, there was a sharp dagger in it.

Ju Giltae, who had realized that there was no way to escape, asked with a half-dead face.

"What... should I do?"

"A spy."

"...What?"

Jin Sohyun raised his fist and said.

"You, you're a spy from now on."

(End of Chapter)