Chapter 32
Two weeks had passed since Peng Seo-jin returned after being ambushed by unidentified assailants.
During that time, the Hebei Peng Family had mobilized all their personnel to investigate who was behind this incident, but they couldn't easily uncover the truth.
However, the breakthrough came from an unexpected source... One of the Hebei merchants involved in the incident, fearing that his crime might be discovered at any moment after hearing that Peng Seo-jin had returned alive, voluntarily confessed his guilt.
He was the one who had secretly applied a scent to Peng Seo-jin that wouldn't fade for three days.
"Please spare me. I was momentarily blinded by greed and..."
But there was no mercy.
Although he had confessed his crime voluntarily, it did nothing to quell the fury of the Roaring Tiger.
They only promised not to touch his family members on the condition that they leave Hebei.
And the true mastermind was revealed to be the Golden Manor.
The identity of the mastermind was more significant than expected.
The Golden Manor was a merchant organization that had extended its influence throughout the martial world, with tremendous wealth at its disposal.
It was already widely known throughout the martial world that they would stop at nothing, no matter how dirty, in pursuit of profit.
But their power, wielded through their wealth, was not to be underestimated, so no one dared to challenge them carelessly.
However, what they had done to the Peng Family was absolutely unforgivable.
Peng Mugang, having discovered the mastermind, had no intention of letting them off easily.
But then, a surprising fact came to light belatedly.
The Golden Manor had already been completely burned to ashes several days ago, and the three owners of the Golden Manor had recently been found dead at the bottom of a cliff on a high mountain, their heads smashed.
Though it would have been difficult to identify their bodies by appearance alone, as they were found completely naked, they were recognizable due to the unique markings and accessories indicating their status as the three rulers of the Golden Manor.
In any case, while the Golden Manor would have been a formidable opponent for the Peng Family, that opponent had already completely vanished.
Even more surprising was that all the immense wealth and treasures that had been in the Golden Manor had also completely disappeared.
Those who rushed to the burned Golden Manor hoping to salvage any remaining valuables came away empty-handed.
It was truly astounding.
Each time these shocking facts came to light, Peng Mugang and Peng Seo-jin couldn't help but recall the mysterious master who had saved Peng Seo-jin at that time.
Who on earth could he have been?
Perhaps others would never have made the connection.
But the father and son of the Peng Family had a vague suspicion, though they kept shaking their heads because it seemed so implausible.
"...Why don't you give him something to do?"
In the Family Head's room.
Dan Hee-young suddenly spoke up while enjoying tea and conversation with Peng Mugang.
Peng Mugang looked at his wife with a puzzled expression.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm talking about our one and only son-in-law."
Peng Mugang's face showed understanding, but he immediately snorted.
It seemed he still didn't approve of Yeo Un-hwi.
These days, he had another strange reason to dislike him.
In any case, he was someone Peng Mugang felt he should understand but couldn't quite grasp.
He grumbled:
"Ah, son-in-law? More like a freeloader."
"That's why I'm saying we should help him so he won't be called a freeloader."
Peng Mugang remained unmoved by Dan Hee-young's words.
Dan Hee-young narrowed her eyes at her husband.
"Don't tell me you're planning to just leave him be without doing anything? Shouldn't we help him adapt properly?"
"But he's spent his whole life just reading and studying. What kind of task could we possibly give such a person?"
"We don't know that. I'm sure he'll do well at whatever we give him."
"Based on what?"
When Peng Mugang asked, Dan Hee-young smiled and replied:
"You can just tell by looking at him."
"Well, I look at him and can't tell at all."
"You, really..."
Flinch.
Peng Mugang flinched as Dan Hee-young glared at him.
Indeed, Dan Hee-young was the only one Peng Mugang truly feared.
Where else would this man, who wouldn't flinch even if ten thousand troops charged at him, show such a timid reaction?
Seeing her husband like this, Dan Hee-young let out a short sigh.
"I'm not saying we should give him some grand position. I'm just saying we should give him something to do so he can adapt well here."
But Peng Mugang shook his head once again at Dan Hee-young's words.
"That's not understanding the situation. If we carelessly assign him something, it might just lead to more gossip. They'll say he's living in luxury thanks to marrying well."
"Leaving him idle will cause even more of that kind of talk."
Usually, when Peng Mugang spoke so firmly, even Dan Hee-young would back down.
But today, she showed no signs of yielding.
This was the first time his wife had shown such persistence. Peng Mugang was quite bewildered.
Instead, Dan Hee-young continued even more resolutely:
"Give him a task that others might not particularly want or desire, something he can do well even if he doesn't know martial arts right away."
"Hmm, a job that others wouldn't easily want to do..."
In the end, Peng Mugang decided to accept his wife's suggestion.
However, while Dan Hee-young had simple administrative tasks in mind, what Peng Mugang thought of at that moment was something entirely different. Dan Hee-young had no idea about this at the time.
"Ahem. Well, if that's what you want..."
"Really?"
"Of course. I understand your wishes. I'll do as you say."
Dan Hee-young's face brightened.
She was delighted like a child at her husband's unexpectedly easy acquiescence.
But beside her, a meaningful smile spread across Peng Mugang's face.
'I wonder if those guys are behaving themselves well. Heh heh.'
"Please, please spare us. We've already given you everything we have!"
On a small path in Hebei, a group of men armed with swords were intimidating some people who were transporting goods on carts.
The sword-wielding group snickered, finding amusement in the trembling merchants.
"What are you talking about? You still have something left."
"W-What do you mean..."
"Your lives! Hahaha!"
"Eek!"
Just as these rogue warriors were about to take not only all the possessions but also the lives of the passing merchants,
"Hold it right there."
A new group suddenly appeared before them.
One of them stepped forward and spoke:
"So it's you lot. The ones harassing travelers in this area."
"Huh? Who are you?"
The leader of the rogue warriors narrowed his eyes, looking the newcomers up and down.
Apparently convinced they were in the same line of work, he warned them:
"Looks like you're in a similar situation to us, but this spot's already taken, so you'd better look elsewhere. Even in our line of work, there's a code to follow, right?"
"Pfft. Boss, looks like these guys think they're on the same level as you."
Annoyed by those words, the oldest man in the group glared at the large man and said:
"That was directed at you."
"Hey now, what are you saying? It was clearly aimed at you, boss."
"What nonsense! You're all the same! Boys! Take them down! We can't let them steal our turf!"
"We don't need your turf, you bastards!"
The men who looked similar to the rogue warriors, now visibly angry, drew their swords and charged at those who were about to harm the merchants.
But their skills were far from ordinary.
"W-What the hell? These guys!"
The rogue warriors clearly had the numerical advantage.
And yet, somehow they were being completely overwhelmed.
In an instant, all of the rogue warriors' subordinates were sprawled on the ground.
Now only the leader and one subordinate remained.
The leader of the group that had been pillaging looked around in panic.
Then he grabbed a nearby woman and held a blade to her throat.
"Kyaaaa!"
"D-Don't come any closer! If you do, I'll slit this woman's throat right here!"
Seeing this, the large man in the group let out a dry laugh.
"Ha. Look at this guy. First he treats us like we're the same, and now he's taking hostages. What's the logic here?"
"Yeah, really. Suddenly he thinks we're righteous warriors or something."
"But it's already too late. You have no chance of escaping from here."
"What? What nonsense are you..."
Just as the rogue warrior leader's head tilted in confusion,
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Thud! Thud!
Faster than lightning, an arrow flew and pierced through the heads of the rogue warrior leader and his subordinate in succession.
"Guh..."
Thump. Thump.
And so, the leader of the rogue warriors and his remaining subordinate fell to the ground with holes in their heads.
It was the moment when the rogue warrior group that had been terrorizing the area met their demise.
Soon, the oldest-looking man in the mysterious group quickly scanned the surroundings, confirming that no one was left alive, and then approached the merchants.
"Are you alright?"
"Uh... P-Please, we beg you."
"Huh?"
But strangely, the merchants' eyes didn't look at all like they were seeing people who had come to save them.
"P-Please spare our lives. We'll do anything you ask."
"What? No, wait a minute!"
"Puhahaha!"
The large man burst into laughter.
"See, I told you, boss. They think you look like that too. Haha!"
Amidst the mix of misunderstanding, tears, and laughter,
"Wait, is that...?"
One of the merchants belatedly noticed two emblems on the chests and backs of the men they had mistaken for rogue warriors.
On their backs was the emblem of the Peng Family, and on their chests was an embroidered white wolf.
"C-Could it be! The White Wolf Unit?"
"You mean the White Wolf Unit that represents the Peng Family's military force?"
"So that's it. It was the White Wolf Unit! As expected, they're truly formidable."
The merchants finally understood the incredible skills displayed by the mysterious masters who had saved them.
"Well then, let's head back. We've completed our task, and if we stay out too long, we might get scolded back at the main house."
"Come on, even if we're under probation, can't they cut us some slack when we're doing this kind of work?"
"Right. I'd like to have a drink on the way back. Are we criminals for saving people?"
"Exactly. Sigh, it's our fault for beating up that high and mighty son so badly. Have you ever seen the Family Head that angry before?"
"But that guy deserved it! He wasn't even human!"
"Alright, alright! Enough useless chatter, let's go!"
The rogue warriors... no, the White Wolf Unit disappeared, leaving behind only their refreshing laughter.