Chapter 8

Muhyang arrived in Luoyang. Luoyang, an ancient capital city, remains the center of transportation, commerce, culture, and military in the region and serves as the eastern gateway to the Central Capital, where the emperor resides. The Northern Commandery is located in Luoyang, and it is responsible for the defense of the outskirts of Luoyang and the border defense against the Mongols, using the 200,000 elite troops under its command. It was also a beautiful city with a villa belonging to one of the four kings in the Central Capital, the King of Yingyang.

Muhyang decided to tour the city of Luoyang before heading to the branch, and he entered the city. As he entered through the south gate, he saw the guards stationed at the city gate. The guards' attire was different from that of the local defense forces (鄉防軍) who were responsible for maintaining public order and only mobilized during emergencies. These were the imperial guards (御臨軍) dedicated to combat, and their stern expressions and well-developed muscles indicated that they were highly trained elite troops.

The imperial guards, unlike the local defense forces, are commanded by generals and exist solely for combat. They are stationed to defend the borders, key locations in various regions, and the outskirts of the capital. The imperial guards only follow the orders of the central government led by the emperor, and their number reaches 1.12 million. Within the imperial guards, there is an army of about 100,000 professional soldiers and about 50,000 foreign mercenaries (外人軍), whose combat capabilities are stronger than the regular imperial guards.

The imperial guards are stationed at the most important military strongholds and border fortresses in various regions. Additionally, they follow the principle of "using barbarians to control barbarians" (以夷除夷), employing subtle diplomatic policies to manage the neighboring tribes, preventing them from forming alliances and ensuring they fight among themselves, thereby suppressing their growing power.

The highest ranks in the imperial guards are divided into four levels: Marshal, Grand General, Senior General, and General. Five marshals each command 200,000 imperial guards. However, in the event of a large-scale war, they also command the local defense forces and reserve forces (對備軍) from other regions, sometimes leading nearly a million troops.

There is also the position of Grand Marshal (大元帥), but it only exists during wartime to coordinate unified operations. After the war, it becomes almost a nominal position. Since the concentration of military power in someone other than the emperor increases the risk, the position is not filled after the incumbent retires.

Muhyang toured the city of Luoyang and then headed west. To the west of Luoyang, there is a large estate called Tianlingyuan. This estate owns a considerable amount of land in the vicinity and leases all the farmland to tenant farmers. The owner of Tianlingyuan, Mr. Pang, is known for being generous to the tenant farmers, earning him good reviews from the local residents. He also controls about 30% of the local business market and employs many craftsmen to produce various goods, making a substantial profit. Recently, he even established a transportation company, Tianlingbiaoju, to participate in the transportation of goods and military supplies, further increasing his profits. Meanwhile, he also engaged in illegal activities such as running gambling dens, brothels, and loan sharking, amassing a vast fortune.

Muhyang slowly rode his horse toward Tianlingyuan. As he approached, a guard at the main gate stopped him.

"Please stop. What brings you here?"

Despite the guard's stern expression and demeanor, his words were quite polite. He seemed to have received considerable training in hospitality. Muhyang replied to the guard.

"I have come to see Mr. Pang."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Yes, if you mention Dashaan, he will know."

Upon hearing "Dashaan," the guard hurriedly went inside to inform Mr. Pang. Dashaan likely refers to the main temple of the Cult of the Demon, located in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. Although it does not have 100,000 peaks, it is a mountain range with many peaks where the Cult of the Demon has its roots. The name "Ten Thousand Great Mountains" is widely recognized as referring to the Cult of the Demon. The harsh terrain and the fortresses built there have helped preserve the long tradition of the Cult of the Demon.

The guard who went inside returned and said to Muhyang.

"Please give me the reins and come inside. Mr. Pang has been waiting for you."

He quickly called a servant to guide Muhyang and another to take care of the horse in the stable. Muhyang, seeing the fuss, said,

"That horse is not a prized steed; I just bought it for the journey. There's no need to fuss over it. Just send the luggage to my room later. Thank you."

"Understood, sir."

Mr. Pang welcomed Muhyang warmly.

"Welcome. I've been waiting for you."

"Hello, my name is Muhyang. Could you please clear the area?"

Upon hearing this, Mr. Pang said,

"Chuyue, bring tea quickly. Please wait a moment. We'll talk after the tea is served."

Muhyang and Mr. Pang passed the time with stories about his journey and casual conversation until the tea was served. When the maid brought the tea, he instructed her,

"Please ensure no one disturbs us. We need to talk privately."

"Understood, sir."

After Chuyue left, Muhyang spoke.

"I have come from the headquarters. Here are the badge and appointment papers."

Mr. Pang looked at the papers and badge Muhyang handed him and then said,

"The headquarters has started a new business. We have established a transportation company, which is a significant project that has attracted considerable attention from the upper echelons of the cult. Do you know anything about the transportation business?"

"I know nothing about the transportation business or any other commercial activities. I only know swordsmanship."

"Ah, I see. Your words give me strength. The transportation business is based on trust, so it's essential to deliver the entrusted goods safely and promptly. However, there are many bandits in the deep mountains, and this area is a frontier with relatively weak law enforcement. That's why we requested some skilled experts from the headquarters. A few dozen arrived recently, but they didn't meet my expectations. How old are you, and what did you do before?"

"I am 43 years old. I worked as a black assassin (黑殺隊) and was selected as a swordsman 20 years ago. I have been training ever since. After 20 years, I have returned to the world, so I am quite unfamiliar with it. I hope you will guide me well."

When Muhyang mentioned the "black assassins," Mr. Pang's expression changed. The black assassins are a direct assassination squad under the inner chamber, consisting of outstanding talents with incredible abilities.

"Black assassins, you said?"

"Yes."

"What did you do in the black assassins?"

"I worked as a first-class assassin for about three years."

"First-class assassin..."

He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, took a sip of tea, and continued,

"Being a first-class assassin 20 years ago... You are truly remarkable. I apologize for my earlier mistake. Please forgive me."

Mr. Pang, not sensing any extraordinary aura from Muhyang, initially thought he was a low-ranking warrior or an administrative talent sent by the headquarters. However, after learning about Muhyang's background, he was taken aback. While he wanted skilled experts for the safe transportation of goods, he did not expect such a powerful one. If Muhyang was a first-class assassin 20 years ago, the rest is easy to guess. The Cult of the Demon is a hierarchy based on martial arts, so Mr. Pang was even more anxious.

However, fortunately, Muhyang is almost a naive warrior with little knowledge of business. This is likely why he was appointed as the branch leader and sent here. Mr. Pang, considering that Muhyang might also have a role in monitoring him, began to treat Muhyang with extreme caution. If Muhyang performs well and leaves a good impression, it could benefit Mr. Pang's future promotion to the headquarters, and Muhyang could become a powerful ally.

"The transportation company has been doing well recently, so we have opened several new branches. Controlling the many experts scattered across these branches is a challenge, and I have many other responsibilities, so I cannot directly manage the company. Recently, 50 experts were newly assigned from the headquarters and branches, but it's still insufficient. I requested a distinguished expert for large-scale transportation. I didn't expect such a high-ranking person to come."

"There's no need to say that. I am here as a branch leader. Please treat me with respect. It would be awkward if you speak to me like this, and my subordinates might think it strange. Just tell them that I am a newly hired expert. My name is Liuxiang, and you can introduce me to them as such."

"Well, do you need to keep your arrival a secret from everyone?"

"Yes, please keep it a secret. I trust you, but not the others. Especially, keep it a secret from your family. Since I have martial arts skills, it would be better to act as a head of the transportation company to avoid suspicion from the subordinates. I can also participate in the transportation of goods. How many experts from our cult are currently here?"

"The branch itself has about 1,000 members. Additionally, there are about 100 experts from other branches and the headquarters. Among them, about 50 have recently arrived and are stationed in various places. They handle a wide range of tasks, from front-line operations to intelligence and pawnshops. We have many legal and illegal businesses, but especially in illegal activities, martial power is crucial. We control about 30% of the business market in Luoyang, and as the transportation company stabilizes, this ratio will increase. As the company's reputation improves, we can also handle the transportation of military funds to the frontier, which will bring in even more profit. Most military supplies are handled by the military's transportation department, but the transportation of military funds is vulnerable to attacks by bandits, so we can use the transportation company for this purpose."

"Is there anyone else operating a transportation company in Luoyang besides us?"

"There are five other transportation companies. Three are small, but two are quite large. We will inevitably compete with them. However, even if we don't receive many external commissions, the volume of goods handled by the Luoyang branch is enormous, so it's still significant. Additionally, we plan to import many goods such as horses, sheep, and furs from the frontier. Once the supply routes are established, the trade routes to the frontier will open, bringing in substantial profits. We can also make a lot of money through legitimate means if we have the manpower and capital."

"What about the servants in the household? Are they members of our cult?"

"No, not really. We have expanded our business so much that we don't have the resources. Confidentiality is important, but only those who enter important areas and those we have planted as spies are members of our cult."

"Then please keep my identity a strict secret. I don't want to lose my life to an assassin. Even the most skilled expert can be killed by an assassin before they can use their abilities. Also, you should know that I practice the art of celibacy and do not engage with women. If I suddenly request a woman, it would be a fake. If you assign a woman to me, it would also be a fake."

"I understand. You need to be careful. But what about your family?"

"No, the more people who know, the higher the risk of a leak."

"I see. I should warn you that some of my children have very bad habits. They might cause trouble."

"That's fine. I can just ignore them. Also, I would prefer a smaller room away from the main house. Is there a suitable place?"

"Hmm, there's a house that one of the guards used to live in. It's old, but it can be fixed up. However, it's quite small."

Mr. Pang observed Muhyang's reaction. He found it difficult to gauge Muhyang's preferences.

"A small room is fine. I will hire a maid to cook, so don't worry about that. I'll leave for today."

The Beginning of a Strange Coexistence

The house where Muhyang stayed had three small rooms, one kitchen, and an attic. Muhyang first occupied one of the small rooms where the servants lived and started repairing the house. After giving instructions to the workers, the house was fully repaired in four days. Since the work involved turning one room into a bathroom and repairing the ceiling and walls, it didn't take long. Mr. Pang offered to provide a maid, but since Muhyang ate at the transportation company, there was no need for a maid to cook and bathe at home.

Muhyang worked hard to ensure the safe transportation of goods as the head of the transportation company. Over time, the number of people increased to about 300, and the company began to operate continuously with the influx of various goods.

Despite his busy schedule, Muhyang did not neglect his training. If he couldn't find a specific time, he