Chapter 61

Chapter 60

Now that he had shed the guise of the head of the Manjin Trading Company, Gulyeontian's days were as simple as could be. He carelessly tossed the secret letters that had arrived from various places to a corner of the table and sipped his tea with a bored expression.

"Hmm."

The light taste of the tea and the simple daily routine were not at all bad.

The disguise of the head of the Manjin Trading Company had always been a cumbersome and unpleasant appearance.

He would have preferred to live quietly in a peaceful countryside, teaching the next secret master.

'But this time, I was disappointed.'

Among the few children who stood out, there was one who was a cut above the rest.

Yuxiaojang.

A descendant of the fallen Lu family, he showed an extreme attachment to his clan.

The problem began when he openly revealed his desire to restore the Lu family while dealing with Xiaojian, known for his immense strategy and scheming.

'Is he just a child?'

The boy's heart, which sought to restore his father's estate as soon as he was sent into the world, was nothing more than typical arrogance.

Moreover, the fact that he was swayed by Xiaojian's eloquence and abandoned all negotiations, rushing to shake me was the biggest issue.

Perhaps because of that, the disguise of the secret master of the Manjin Trading Company was revealed.

Of course, it was unexpected that Xiaojian knew the secret language of the secret lineage, but it was clear that Yuxiaojang's response was inadequate.

'He must be eliminated.'

Xiaojian was someone who was definitely connected to the first secret master in some way.

However, he did not seem to be a successor to the first secret master's will.

He had probably only read the writings left by the first secret master somewhere.

If an ordinary villager knew the secret language of the secret lineage, it would not be a big deal, but Xiaojian, known for his formidable scheming and strategy, was a different story.

It was clear that he would use the secret language of the secret lineage in some way.

This would undermine the authority of the underground business world.

From the perspective of the secret lineage, it was a problem that could not be ignored.

At that moment, a sound came from outside.

-It's Heligui.

Gulyeontian composed his complicated feelings and straightened his expression.

"Come in."

Perhaps because he was the current secret master who secretly controlled the power of Central Plains, he naturally exuded an air of authority, much like an emperor.

Heligui, who cautiously entered the secret master's office, bowed deeply.

"I have a matter to report."

"Speak."

Heligui cautiously raised his head to meet the secret master's gaze.

"Chunxian has returned."

"Chunxian?"

Gulyeontian knew Chunxian's character better than anyone.

She was not someone who would return until she had completed her mission.

"Did you move the Quxian Society so easily?"

It was hard to understand.

Planning a covert operation with the Gang would mean a long-standing enmity with the Wulin Alliance.

Naturally, the Quxian Society would strongly resist, so how could he persuade them so quickly?

'Is it because of the blood puppet?'

That couldn't be it either.

No matter how much he was bound by the blood puppet, if it was a matter of the Gang's fate, he would throw his life away like a straw.

Gulyeontian's gaze, filled with such doubts, returned to Heligui.

"Did the Quxian Society come with her?"

"There's more."

"Hmm?"

It was surprising enough that he had won over the Quxian Society, but who else?

"The master of the covert operation, Hongye, has also come."

"What, what did you say?"

Gulyeontian, who could not contain his shock, abruptly stood up from his seat.

Not only had he moved the Gang, but he had also recruited the master of the covert operation?

"Is Hongye submitting to this secret master?"

A woman known for her arrogance.

Hongye, the master of the covert operation, was a name that the secret lineage could not ignore.

"Would you like to meet her?"

Gulyeontian, whose curiosity was piqued, nodded heartily.

"Bring her in! Hurry!"

"As you wish."

After about half an hour, Heligui brought in Chunxian and her group.

Sure enough, Quxian was there with Chunxian, and there was a stunning beauty with them.

A woman whose age and appearance had never been revealed in the world, truly a mysterious figure.

Gulyeontian, without even glancing at Quxian, stared at Hongye with a fiery gaze.

"Are you Hongye, the One-Night Ten-Thousand-Strategies Butterfly?"

A butterfly that reveals ten thousand strategies in a single night.

Just the meaning of her nickname gave a sense of Hongye's reputation.

"I have been praised excessively by the people of the world. I dare not compare myself to the name of the secret master, so please take back your words."

Gulyeontian's expression hardened strangely.

Though the content was humble and self-deprecating, her tone was too subtle.

A tone that was neither respectful nor disrespectful, giving a strange feeling.

Gulyeontian soon smiled wryly.

"Indeed, the master of the covert operation. You are an extraordinary woman."

Hongye smiled lightly and bowed.

Gulyeontian, who received her bow with satisfaction, soon turned to Chunxian with a puzzled expression.

"What happened?"

Chunxian looked at Quxian.

"My lord persuaded the master of the covert operation."

"Persuaded...?"

Did Quxian persuade the master of the covert operation so quickly?

Most importantly, the Gang and the covert operation were in a relationship comparable to the Wulin Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Sect in the world of martial arts.

Naturally, Gulyeontian could not easily accept it.

His burning gaze returned to Hongye.

The clear suspicion in his intense eyes was unmistakable.

"Our secret lineage is breeding something called Zizhang Blood Puppet. It is a type of poison."

"..."

Gulyeontian's smile became increasingly meaningful.

"Usually, it is implanted in males. Once bonded, the male never forgets the female's scent."

Soon, Gulyeontian revealed a ghostly aura on his face and took out a jade bottle from his robe.

He then roughly shook the jade bottle.

"Ugh!"

Chunxian, who fell to the ground, screamed in extreme pain, foaming at the mouth!

"As you can see, the pain felt by the female is transmitted to the male. And..."

Snap-

Gulyeontian opened the stopper of the jade bottle and raised his finger with inner energy, causing Chunxian to panic and prostrate herself before him.

"Secret Master! Please, spare this humble servant's life!"

Gulyeontian withdrew his inner energy and smiled faintly.

"When the female dies, the male will also perish. It will expel all the blood poison it has carried for a lifetime. Even insects show such loyalty. How can humans deceive each other so much?"

He directed his final question to Hongye, who was bewildered and stiff.

"What do you think? Shouldn't you, as a human, learn the loyalty of insects?"

Hongye, though slightly pale and tense, began to recite her prepared answer slowly.

"I should learn. However, I believe that insects have their own path, and humans have their own path."

Gulyeontian's interest was piqued.

"Path of humans?"

Hongye nodded gracefully and smiled brightly.

Her gaze was directed at Chunxian, who was prostrate on the ground.

"To be honest, she is a slave, isn't she? Are you really satisfied with this appearance?"

"Hmm..."

"I, as someone who pursues human dignity, find it too sad that righteousness is bound by the ultimate punishment of death. Can this truly be called the righteousness of people?"

It seemed that Gulyeontian had to admit her logic, and his head nodded heavily.

"I admit. Frankly, it's not fun."

Zhaohui, who was watching this, gritted his teeth inwardly.

Controlling people's will with poison and calling it 'fun.' What a lunatic.

"Then tell me about the path of humans you think. What is it exactly?"

Hongye's face brightened even more.

It was a truly dazzling smile.

"I, Hongye, will become your wife."

"What, what did you say?"

Gulyeontian, extremely surprised, widened his eyes.

"Human ethics. When there is a clear human way, why rely on insects?"

To propose marriage to him?

Gulyeontian could not easily accept it.

Who was Hongye?

She was the famous master of the covert operation, who held the world's information in her hands, and the One-Night Ten-Thousand-Strategies Butterfly, known for her unparalleled talent.

Everything about her, from her appearance and age to her stage of activity and martial arts level, was shrouded in mystery. Countless martial artists struggled to form any connection with her.

Would such a great beauty of the martial world propose marriage to him first?

Naturally, Gulyeontian had to be suspicious.

"I can't understand easily."

He scanned Hongye with a meaningful gaze.

"If it's not a marriage based on affection, it's a political marriage... but don't you gain much from it?"

Hongye smiled faintly.

"Are you calling me a fool? From the moment I marry you, I will demand all the resources of the secret lineage. The support of the underground business world for our covert operation is more significant than you think. Moreover, the most important thing is that our leaders will not have to accept your blood puppet, right?"

"There is one crucial thing missing from your words."

"What is it?"

"Trust."

Gulyeontian's eyes grew increasingly cold.

"Can this marriage with you replace the Zizhang Blood Puppet and bestow the trust this secret master needs?"

Hongye smiled.

Then her response was so unexpected that Gulyeontian was momentarily stunned.

"I will have a child. As soon as possible."

"Huh?"

In a political marriage, having a child is the ultimate symbol of trust and the end of the promise.

"Do you know that I already have two wives?"

"What's the problem with that?"

Gulyeontian looked at Hongye, who asked calmly, with a baffled expression.

She was incredibly bold.

Gulyeontian had to admit that she was a woman capable of leading the world's top information organization, the covert operation.

"Remarkable. Truly remarkable."

Gulyeontian stared at Hongye with a strange emotion in his eyes.

"Did you know that I, Gulyeontian, have been waiting for an heir for a long time?"

Hongye's smile spread.

"I've known for a while."

"Huh!"

Both his main and secondary wives were unable to bear children.

This was a shameful secret of Gulyeontian, and it was related to his obsession with Yuxiaojang.

"By not only bringing the covert operation under control but also promising me an heir..."

Gulyeontian burst into hearty laughter.

"Ha ha! I also make a promise. If you give me an heir, and if it's a boy! I will give you everything I have."

"I will look forward to it."

Several months later.

Hongye's belly began to swell as if by magic.

Gulyeontian's face was filled with smiles from that moment on.

* * *

"Wow, it really works well. Is there no way to mass-produce this?"

While still showing his merchant's instincts, Zhaohui, who was actually Quxian, complained, causing Hongye to frown.

"There's no way to mass-produce poison. Do you know how painful it is to apply this?"

Hongye had received a miraculous poison from Baihualin to pretend to be pregnant.

Originally, Baihualin used this poison to enlarge her chest.

"I will charge you for everything."

Zhaohui stroked Baihualin's head, who was pouting with a displeased expression, with a contented look.

"Heh, of course, I will compensate you."

Bringing Baihualin, who had mastered the Blood Transformation Technique, into the secret lineage was Zhaohui's best decision.

The ingenious plan of marriage was her idea, and without her poison, it would have been impossible to deceive Gulyeontian.

"How's the situation?"

"It seems he's starting to trust me completely. He accepts my information without any doubt."

"Wow!"

The fact that Gulyeontian was starting to trust the covert operation's information meant that it was time for Zhaohui to make his move.

"Of course, with her belly swelling like that, how can he not believe it? Heh heh."

Hongye's appearance was unmistakably that of a pregnant woman.

For Gulyeontian, who had longed for a child for so long, it must have felt like flying in the sky.

"Don't get too carried away. With so many eyes watching, you need to manage your expression well."

With a serious expression, Zhaohui also put away his playful demeanor and nodded solemnly.

This place, Gulyeontian's manor.

Surprisingly, his other disguise was the governor of Gansu Province, Zhi Daren.

This branch manor, filled with government warriors and officials, was no different from a dragon's lair.

"By the way... did you really not sleep with her? Did you really not sleep with her at all?"

At Baihualin's question, Hongye sighed softly and shook her head.

"I told you, I didn't."

"Why not? Why create a suspicious situation on your own? I find it very unsettling."

"I was so drunk, I wouldn't remember."

"It's not that simple."

Dark Ghost Lane nodded in agreement.

"No matter how drunk a man is, he would never forget lying with a woman."

Zhaohui chuckled.

"At first, he might have been suspicious, but with her belly swelling like this, what can he do? Don't be too scared. Anyway..."

Zhaohui's gaze on Hongye became increasingly serious.

"Feed him false information."

"False information?"

"It's time to make a move."

"What about?"

Zhaohui's face gradually showed a sinister smile.

"Manjin Trading Company."

"Manjin Trading Company?"

Dark Ghost Lane had a look of not understanding.

"While the secret lineage is settling the Manjin Trading Company, it's your prediction that it will revive under a different guise, isn't it?"

"Right."

Dark Ghost Lane frowned.

"Of course, the secret lineage wouldn't sell the Manjin Trading Company to others, would they?"

"What's the good of a good relationship between husband and wife?"

"What do you mean?"

Zhaohui smiled.

"Isn't it difficult to gather the Manjin Trading Company's affiliated businesses under a new trading company's name? It's limited."

Hongye agreed.

"Right. The government might be able to handle it, but the public can't be controlled."

A new trading company could never replace the immense reputation of the Manjin Trading Company.

It would be a long and arduous task for existing trading partners and the citizens of the capital to trust a new, suddenly appearing trading company.

Perhaps the reason the secret lineage was not rushing to settle the Manjin Trading Company was due to such concerns.

"But what if the covert operation takes over all the Manjin Trading Company's affiliated businesses?"

"Ah!"

"Of course, the covert operation is not a trading company. But its reputation is no less than that of the Manjin Trading Company. It can be a name that sufficiently instills trust in existing trading partners."

Suddenly, Zhaohui smiled.

"Moreover, you are now the beloved wife of the secret master. You would be solving his dilemma, wouldn't you?"

"Ha..."

Now, Hongye felt more fear than surprise at Zhaohui's presence.

He would undoubtedly try to incorporate the many affiliated businesses of the Manjin Trading Company, which the covert operation had taken over, under the Zhao Family Trading Company.

"I will try to persuade him. But what false information should I feed him?"

"I'll tell you later. There's no point in revealing it too early."

At that moment, a strange vibration was detected in Zhaohui's sensory range.

"Hmm?"

Zhaohui was startled.

It was a very familiar aura to him.

'Demon Sect?'

There was no doubt.

The aura of demonic fire he had felt countless times among the believers when he infiltrated the Heavenly Demon City!

But the quality of its power was different.

It was almost on par with the demonic divine skill he had mastered, which was why he was so surprised.

There was only one person who revealed such demonic fire aura, but their presence was so overwhelming that it surpassed even the