Ok Hobang.
He was the Money Master who managed all the finances of Dongpyo Seorang.
However, the Leader, who had entered closed-door cultivation four years ago, had entrusted him with full authority to run Dongpyo Seorang.
This was because he possessed an excellent sense for money and a sharp eye not only for recognizing talent at a glance but also for placing it in the right position.
As the Leader had wished, Dongpyo Seorang prospered even more once Ok Hobang took over its operations.
Jobs poured in from all over the Central Plains, and skilled rogues flocked to Dongpyo Seorang one after another.
—Before the Leader returns, how about I make Dongpyo Seorang my own?
As Dongpyo Seorang rose to become a new power in the Martial World, Ok Hobang harbored a dark ambition.
He decided to build his own power base so that even if the Leader returned, there would be no place for him.
—Recruit skilled and ambitious rogues!
He ordered his subordinates to seek out and recruit rogues who were not only exceptionally skilled but also eager to make a name for themselves in the Martial World.
Most of them were of bad character or had committed serious crimes, but Ok Hobang did not care.
—Aren't rogues those who do dirty work anyway?
Ok Hobang promised high positions and money to the rogues he gathered.
Among them, he won over four of the eight most outstanding rogues, the Eight Great Rogues, and used them as his limbs.
Thus, having gained both money and power, Ok Hobang began to manipulate Dongpyo Seorang to his liking.
Inside the Golden Flower Hall, in Ok Hobang's office.
Four rogues dressed in different attires stood with their swords held at an angle.
They were his confidants among the Eight Great Rogues who held sway over Dongpyo Seorang under Ok Hobang's command.
“What should we do about this?”
Ok Hobang frowned deeply.
“The Spirit Snake Divine Sword was originally intended as a gift for the Lord of Blood Hell Fortress. Although I made a big deal out of it through the Martial Tournament… everything has been ruined because of a man named Bu Eunseol who suddenly appeared.”
“Well, since it has come to this, shouldn't we just give him the sword?”
Gwigyeom, a rogue standing by the office window, said.
“Countless martial artists have already seen him win. We can’t go back on our word now, can we?”
“Easy for you to say. Do you think the Blood Hell Fortress will accept that?”
As Ok Hobang responded irritably, Hyeolchu, who was sitting opposite him, spoke.
“Didn't Hall Master Yang forfeit the match himself? Since he gave up, it doesn't matter if we don't give him the sword, does it?”
“Hall Master Yang was just supposed to retrieve the sword. The promise to offer the Spirit Snake Divine Sword to the Blood Hell Fortress must be kept.”
“Is that so? But why on earth did he forfeit….”
When Gwigyeom trailed off, Ok Hobang spoke with a gloomy expression.
“That's a part I don't understand either. He left Dongpyo Seorang without a word after the final match….”
A heavy atmosphere settled in the office.
Ok Hobang had requested a close cooperative relationship with the Blood Hell Fortress to maintain a larger power base in the future.
But what if things went wrong from the start and he fell out of their favor? It would be difficult to make a living in Guizhou anymore.
“In that case, how about giving him a different sword instead of the Spirit Snake Divine Sword?”
At Hyeolchu's question, Ok Hobang shook his head.
“I’ve already sent a man to tell him so… but he demanded the Spirit Snake Divine Sword as promised.”
“Then the conclusion is set.”
Hwaran, a woman who had been fiddling with an iron thimble next to Hyeolchu, smiled poisonously.
“Either we give him the divine sword as promised, or we don't.”
Gwigyeom, looking at Hwaran's murderous gaze, spoke in disbelief.
“You're mad. Didn't you see the martial prowess he displayed when he fought Seo Mun-gyeong? I don't know about the other matches, but that fight was real.”
“Hmph. Is there anyone here who has risen to this position solely on martial skill?”
Hwaran said, placing a hand on her slender waist.
“Bu Eunseol, that young brat, no matter how outstanding his martial arts are, he’s still a newcomer to the Martial World. Once he tastes my beauty and the Joyful Bliss Powder, he won't be able to resist.”
At that, Ok Hobang waved his hands dismissively.
“A honey trap must never be attempted. If it fails, my name will be dragged through the mud.”
Hwaran pouted.
“Force won't work, and a honey trap won't work either. Then what method is there….”
As the conversation seemed about to repeat itself, Baekmyeon, the giant man who had been standing silently in the corner, spoke.
“Then only one method remains.”
“And what is that?”
At Hwaran's question, Baekmyeon revealed his white teeth and smiled.
“All the schemes that have been mentioned so far.”
*
Bu Eunseol was walking through Dongpyo Seorang with Heukpyo.
The sight of the rogue market, which held sway over the Guizhou area, was truly like the moon waxing to full.
Just as a crescent moon becomes a full moon, it was prospering greatly.
“That is a place where they check if the contracted rogues are in good health. And that is a shop that sells rations and antidotes. And that is for the rogues who are heading to the outside regions….”
Walking beside Bu Eunseol, Heukpyo explained the various places in Dongpyo Seorang as if he were a tour guide of a famous landmark.
“But why is the owner nowhere to be seen when a Martial Tournament is being held in his own front yard?”
At Bu Eunseol's question, Heukpyo's smiling face hardened.
“That is….”
With a troubled expression, Heukpyo answered in a small voice.
“Currently, the one running Dongpyo Seorang is the Money Master, Ok.”
“Money Master?”
“That's right. The Leader has been in closed-door cultivation for four years. And before he left, he entrusted the operation of Dongpyo Seorang to the Money Master, Ok, who was managing the funds.”
Heukpyo, with a deep frown, looked around Dongpyo Seorang and continued.
“Since the Money Master, Ok, started running Dongpyo Seorang, the atmosphere here has changed quite a bit. In the past, even though it was small, everyone was a good person, and we all treated each other like family. But now….”
“Now?”
“The power has grown significantly, but the number of criminals and vicious killers has increased. The Eight Great Rogues who became the Money Master Ok’s confidants are also… Ah, now that Yeop Hwa is dead, I suppose it would be the Seven Great Rogues.”
“The Eight Great Rogues?”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Heukpyo spoke with a serious expression.
“It is a term for the eight most skilled rogues within Dongpyo Seorang. Four of them have already become the Money Master Ok's confidants.”
As they talked, they soon arrived in front of a large building on the western outskirts of Dongpyo Seorang.
It was the Grand Armory, which stored enough weapons to arm all the rogues of Dongpyo Seorang.
“Young Master. This is the Grand Armory.”
“Hmm.”
Bu Eunseol, looking up at the Grand Armory made of dark stone, narrowed his eyes.
“They are keeping the divine sword here?”
“To be honest, I don't know where the Spirit Snake Divine Sword is stored.”
“Storing a divine sword that martial artists covet in an armory….”
Bu Eunseol shook his head, his eyes narrowing.
“It's common to give the prize of a tournament immediately after victory. I don't understand why they are delivering it this way.”
At Bu Eunseol's words, Heukpyo awkwardly wiped his nose.
“Actually, our organization has never offered such an incredible treasure as the Spirit Snake Divine Sword as a prize before. This prize was something the Money Master, Ok, acquired personally.”
As Heukpyo was about to guide Bu Eunseol into the Grand Armory, a guard standing there blocked his path.
“The Money Master said only the winner, Young Hero Bu, may enter.”
“It’s fine. I have a formal contract with Young Master Bu….”
“Only Young Hero Bu may enter.”
At the guard’s words, which cut Heukpyo off, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“Wait outside.”
“What? But….”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes, which should have been coldly still, were burning red.
Meeting that gaze, Heukpyo swallowed hard.
‘Something is going wrong.’
“Please follow me.”
At that moment, the guard guided Bu Eunseol into the Grand Armory.
As the heavy iron gate opened, a ‘thud’ sound was heard.
Looking at the side of the gate, it seemed to be at least a foot thick.
Creak.
As the armory door opened, an immeasurable number of weapons were displayed in the deep and wide space.
The weapons, lined up in rows, each emitted a sharp aura.
In the corner, even heavy weapons used on battlefields like the Giant Crossbow and Catapult were on display.
“The inside is quite impressive.”
Bu Eunseol exclaimed in admiration.
If so, the guards should have been pleased or proudly explained.
However, the guiding guard only led the way with a tense expression.
Clank.
Thud.
The scale of the armory was so vast and deep that Bu Eunseol passed through several closed doors.
Each time he passed through a section, the guard would pull a torch set on the wall with an awkward motion.
Bu Eunseol, watching this action, his eyes flashed.
‘This means it's not normal to enter such a deep area.’
Squeak.
The place they finally arrived at was a small training room.
An armory had been built in an empty space about three zhang wide, with several tables placed.
It seemed to have been made for brief martial contests or for sitting and conversing.
“Welcome, Young Hero Bu.”
And in front of the table, a man in white robes and a woman of bewitching beauty stood side by side.
“I am Baekmyeon, the one who manages the Grand Armory.”
“I am Hwaran.”
The man and woman bowed politely to Bu Eunseol.
Bu Eunseol returned the bow calmly and said in a low voice.
“The divine sword?”
“It is being brought out. It’s in the depths of the Grand Armory, so it takes time to disarm the mechanisms.”
Baekmyeon gestured to the table and said politely.
“Please have a seat and wait for a moment. We have prepared Ilwol Tea from Byeoksan.”
Ilwol Tea from Byeoksan is a high-grade tea comparable to the Oolong Tea of Swordtail Mountain and the West Lake Dragon Well Tea.
Simultaneously with those words, Hwaran placed a teacup, from which hot steam was rising, on the table.
“Please, sit.”
As Bu Eunseol sat down, Baekmyeon and Hwaran raised their teacups and said.
“Congratulations on your victory, Young Hero Bu.”
And the two took a sip of tea.
However, Bu Eunseol only stared at them, not touching the tea.
“Is the Ilwol Tea… not to your liking?”
At Baekmyeon's question, Bu Eunseol looked down at the Ilwol Tea, which emitted a clear and cool fragrance.
“It's fine.”
Then Hwaran asked cautiously.
“Shall I bring another tea?”
“No. Don't mind me.”
Bu Eunseol said in a low voice.
“I will just wait and take the sword when it arrives.”
At that, Baekmyeon and Hwaran looked at each other.
In fact, the Ilwol Tea served to Bu Eunseol contained Joyful Bliss Powder, a powerful aphrodisiac that induces strong hallucinations and lust.
‘I knew he had a strange personality… but I didn't expect him not to even touch the tea offered to him.’
The first scheme was the honey trap.
After making him drink the Joyful Bliss Powder in the tea, and once the hallucinations and lust were triggered, Baekmyeon would leave.
Then, if Bu Eunseol fell for Hwaran's seduction, they planned to lead rogues to frame him for indecency and strip him of his winner's title.
‘There's no choice.
Then on to the next step….’
Baekmyeon reluctantly tapped the table and said.
“Is the divine sword not here yet?”
A short while later, a low voice was heard from outside.
“The guards have brought the divine sword.”
“Bring it in.”
The door opened and two guards brought a large metal box, placed it on the table, and left.
When Baekmyeon cautiously opened the box, a treasure sword, flashing a magnificent light, lay inside.
“This is the Spirit Snake Divine Sword.”
The Spirit Snake Divine Sword, reflecting the light, was like a work of art.
On the surface of the slightly yellowish blade, a mysterious pattern like a dragon was engraved, and on the guard connecting the blade and the hilt, a jewel emitting a blue light was embedded.
“So this is a divine sword.”
At Bu Eunseol’s murmur, Baekmyeon blinked his eyes.
“Are you not pleased with it?”
Bu Eunseol, who had smirked, suddenly shot a gaze flashing with coldness at them.
“If this is a divine sword… then there would be no sword in the Martial World that isn't.”