Chapter 39

One

The day before.

A group of people was crossing a winding pass as the sun was setting.

Clatter, clatter.

Two carriages, filled with silk, were being followed by merchants in a line. The merchants looked extremely tired, having endured a long journey, but they tried hard not to show their fatigue. This was because there were people who were twice as strong as they were by their side.

Twenty strong men, each with a sword at their waist, were vigilantly guarding the merchants on all sides. They all wore the same uniform, with the character 'Soo' (소) embroidered on their right chest. They were none other than the guards of the Baegun Escort Agency.

At that moment, a sly voice came from the lead carriage.

"Hey, just give me a little more information, will you?"

The middle-aged man sitting on the driver's seat was Zhang Daqiu, the leader of Huajin Merchant Guild, who had entrusted this escort to the Baegun Escort Agency.

Zhang Daqiu's gaze was directed at a man riding a horse beside the carriage. The man looked very perplexed for some reason.

"…Why do you keep asking me to say more?"

There was discomfort in Luo Jianhuo's tone, but Zhang Daqiu did not back down.

"Heh, what else could it be but matters concerning the Baegun Escort Agency and the new leader?"

Zhang Daqiu's eyes were sparkling as he asked the question. He was the type who couldn't bear his curiosity and would pay a fortune to know the truth behind the bloodshed at the Baegun Escort Agency.

Unfortunately, Luo Jianhuo only repeated the same words he had said earlier.

"Everything I told you is all there is. Unjust people caused trouble, and … the leader dealt with the situation."

"Ah, come on! That can't be all there is. Really, do you have to be like this between us?"

Zhang Daqiu continued to pester him persistently, but Luo Jianhuo remained tight-lipped.

If it were any other time, given his inherited hot-tempered nature from his father, Luo Daqiu, he would have shot a fierce glare at Zhang Daqiu.

'Ha, this guy! He's as persistent as a steel wire.'

He endured countless times, engraving the character 'endure' in his heart, struggling to hold back.

In these difficult times for the escort agency, it would do him no good to offend one of the few remaining clients.

When he pretended not to hear and stubbornly ignored Zhang Daqiu, Zhang Daqiu finally gave up, pouting and closing his mouth.

As the sound of hooves filled the air and the surroundings grew quiet, Luo Jianhuo fell into deep thought.

'…Ha, but really, how did this happen?'

In fact, the questions Zhang Daqiu was asking were things that even Luo Jianhuo was curious about. He knew nothing more about the incident than what he had heard from others.

On the day Gongzi Yi and Guo Zhushan caused the bloodshed, Luo Jianhuo was returning from an escort mission, just like today.

When he arrived at the main gate of the Baegun Escort Agency, Guo Zhushan and many guards were already dead, and the Red Cloud Pavilion had collapsed.

In the end, he saw nothing with his own eyes.

'Gongzi Yi, or rather the leader, defeated the enemies with the Twelve Thunder Swords… It's hard to believe.'

At first, he doubted his ears.

Although he had indeed defeated Jinbu Black Bear in the past, it was clear to everyone that it was a result of luck and the opponent underestimating him.

To have faced Guo Zhushan and the Red Cloud Pavilion guards alone and won was simply unbelievable.

-You should know that even doubting is a sign of disloyalty. The leader is far more powerful and remarkable than you think.

However, since his father, who was the leader, could not have lied, he was trying hard to suppress his doubts.

Moreover, that was not the most important thing now.

'…Whatever the case, the only thing to think about now is that the Baegun Escort Agency is in crisis.'

As he said, the Baegun Escort Agency was indeed in crisis.

Firstly, the lack of manpower was the biggest issue.

Due to the loss of the Red Cloud Pavilion guards, they needed people to take over the missions they were responsible for.

However, there was not enough time to recruit new guards, and the remaining three pavilions were barely filling the gap.

That was why Luo Jianhuo, who originally belonged to the Ho Yun Pavilion, was leading the guards of the So Yun Pavilion.

Fortunately, no one had left the agency after the bloodshed, or the entire operation would have been paralyzed.

However, the biggest crisis he felt was the following.

-Cough, I can't point out a specific place, but there are people approaching the clients of the Baegun Escort Agency.

According to the secret information Zhang Daqiu provided, another escort agency was trying to steal their clients.

-They slashed the escort fees to the point where it seemed profitable for us. I'm trying to maintain our past relationship, but I can't speak for other merchant guilds.

And it seemed that a considerable number of people had fallen for their persuasion.

This was beyond the norms of the industry, which he had suspected all along.

If they didn't act quickly, the Baegun Escort Agency's name might disappear into history.

'Ha, in such a situation, why is he still staying in his room without coming out…'

Worries filled Luo Jianhuo's face.

Swoosh.

A young boy peeked out from inside the carriage, which was covered with thick fabric.

"Father, my stomach feels really queasy."

"Oh, our precious son feeling queasy? That won't do."

After soothing his whining son, Zhang Daqiu turned to Luo Jianhuo.

"Deputy Leader, it's quite late. How about we rest here and start early in the morning?"

Luo Jianhuo thought for a moment.

'Hmm, if we hurry, we can reach our destination in about three hours, but…'

In his experience, it was better to cover the distance quickly rather than take a break for such a short distance.

'But…'

Swoosh.

When he turned to look behind, he saw the merchants and guards looking at him with hopeful eyes.

Luo Jianhuo, who noticed this, opened his mouth.

"Let's find a place nearby to camp."

Two

The escort group soon found a suitable campsite nearby.

Following the instructions of the most experienced Fang Lao, the guards quickly set up a bonfire and began to erect temporary tents.

Soon, smoke from cooking rose from various places.

At that moment, as Luo Jianhuo scanned the entire campsite,

"Uncle, I'll feed this horse!"

He noticed a young girl helping the guards feed the tired horses with boiled beans.

'This girl?'

She was quite familiar.

Luo Jianhuo realized late that the girl was a servant who worked at the Zongyun Warehouse.

-There's a servant who can read and write and is good at calculations. Would it be okay to bring her along for this escort mission?

He recalled the words Fang Lao had casually asked when they set out on the mission.

He had assumed the servant was a boy, but it turned out to be a girl.

He had been so focused on dealing with the persistent Zhang Daqiu that he hadn't even noticed a girl was part of the escort group.

"Hehe, isn't Xiao Yan quite brave?"

At that moment, Fang Lao, who had finished giving instructions, quietly approached him.

Luo Jianhuo greeted him politely.

Even though he was just a guard, Fang Lao had worked at the agency for much longer than himself, so he showed proper respect.

"The girl is so cheerful that not only the guards but also the escorts have no one who dislikes her."

"Is that so?"

As Fang Lao said, the guards feeding the horses were smiling at Duan Xiaoyan's words.

'Hmm.'

When Duan Xiaoyan finished her task and walked towards her tent, Luo Jianhuo let out a sigh.

He noticed that she was limping.

The fact that they were so short of people that they had to rely on a girl with a leg injury made him feel a bit disheartened.

Seeing the dark expression on Luo Jianhuo's face, Fang Lao tried to change the mood.

"…During the escort, she was always in the carriage, so she shouldn't have been uncomfortable. Don't worry."

Luo Jianhuo sighed slightly and nodded at Fang Lao's words.

At that moment,

Ding! Ding!

The alarm bell, which had been set up, began to ring loudly.

Paba!

Luo Jianhuo moved swiftly in the direction of the sound.

There was only one reason for the alarm to ring.

Intruders had appeared.

His sword, already drawn, was in his hand.

When he arrived at the source of the alarm, the So Yun Pavilion guards were already in a defensive stance.

Their expressions were tense as they faced a group of people that outnumbered them by at least ten to one.

Luo Jianhuo saw the intruders.

'Those are!'

Under the banner with the golden deer emblem, the guards of the Huangluo Escort Agency were glaring fiercely.

"Long time no see, Deputy Leader."

At that moment, a horse emerged from the darkness.

A young man, sitting on a lavishly decorated saddle, was smirking at Luo Jianhuo.

"…What brings the Deputy Leader of the Huangluo Escort Agency here at such a late hour?"

The man was Du Yueqi, the next in line to inherit the Huangluo Escort Agency and the current deputy leader.

He was dressed in expensive silk, but it was not armor, so it did little to hide his bulging physique.

Moreover, his upturned nose, beady eyes, and pockmarked skin reminded Luo Jianhuo of a wild boar.

'He has a terrible reputation… I have a bad feeling.'

Du Yueqi was known for his cruel nature and his jealousy and envy.

When he walked through the market, people would instinctively make way for him.

Knowing this, Luo Jianhuo did not let his guard down.

Swoosh.

At that moment, a middle-aged man with a fierce expression stepped forward.

Yang Jimo, the chief of the Huangluo Escort Agency.

"Hmph, for the same reason you are here. We are also looking for a campsite."

"…Then, why don't you continue on your way? I noticed that there are many suitable places for camping just a little further ahead."

Luo Jianhuo tried to politely suggest they leave.

However, Du Yueqi, after exchanging a glance with Yang Jimo, only chuckled.

"Hehe, is there any need to go so far?"

"…What do you mean?"

Luo Jianhuo felt an inexplicable unease at Du Yueqi's words.

"We are also considering using this place as our campsite."

"…!"

Luo Jianhuo and everyone from the Baegun Escort Agency were shocked, while Du Yueqi's hawk-like eyes gleamed.