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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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“Let’s sit over there and watch.”
Ignoring the stares directed at them, Namgung-Woo found an empty table and sat down.
Perhaps to facilitate negotiations and discussions between clients and mercenaries, the guild hall had a tavern-like area.
A quick glance revealed they served simple snacks and drinks but no full meals.
Peng Ha-ryeong and Yang Jeong followed Namgung-Woo to the table. Meanwhile, Yang Kwai strode confidently towards the source of the commotion.
Let’s see how he handles this. Namgung-Woo observed Yang Kwai intently.
“Excuse me, I overheard you’re looking for a Peak Realm expert.”
The young man, who had been arguing with the guild employee, turned sharply at Yang Kwai’s words.
His eyes scanned Yang Kwai from head to toe, assessing him.
“And so?”
“Having trouble finding one?”
“If you’re here to mock me, leave.”
“Mock you? You need a Peak Realm expert, right? I think I can help.”
It was the guild employee, not the young man, who reacted first to Yang Kwai’s words.
“Where are you from? We don’t appreciate other guilds poaching our clients.”
“Haha, where am I from? Hebei. I’m a mercenary looking for work, so don’t be so sensitive.”
“Hebei? You’ve come a long way. But if you want to take a job from our guild, you have to pay the membership fee.”
“How much?”
“One tael of silver per person. A one-time fee. After that, the guild handles mediation, manages deposits, and takes care of everything except the commission.”
“One tael? Isn’t that too expensive? One tael is enough for a commoner to live on for a year.”
“Do you think this is some backwater village in Hebei? This is Nanjing! Nanjing!”
Observing the guild employee’s outburst, Namgung-Woo sensed the pride and wounded dignity of Nanjing’s residents.
This explained why the anti-establishment Black Path thrived here, relatively free from government interference.
The Grand Canal, with its exorbitant maintenance costs, served primarily to transport the wealth and goods of the south to Beijing.
The cost of transporting these goods and taxes to the distant capital was astronomical. Naturally, the burden on the southern regions, located far from Beijing yet connected by the Grand Canal, was heavier than other areas.
With the populace more cooperative with the Black Path than the Imperial Court, it was difficult for officials to gather evidence and enforce regulations.
As Namgung-Woo pondered the dynamics of the southern martial world, the argument between Yang Kwai and the employee escalated.
“What, are you scared you’re not good enough? In Nanjing, you can earn five or six taels with a few jobs. If you can’t afford one tael, you’re just a third-rate nobody.”
“What? Third-rate nobody? Are you talking to Yang Kwai, a Peak Realm expert?”
While Yang Kwai was usually eloquent, he was no match for the guild employee, whose sharp tongue had been honed by years of dealing with rough mercenaries.
However, his outburst changed the atmosphere.
As Yang Kwai unleashed his suppressed Qi, the young man, who had been standing awkwardly to the side, exclaimed in surprise.
“A Peak Realm expert? You?”
Before he could celebrate finding a Peak Realm expert, he was stunned by Yang Kwai’s apparent age.
‘He looks about my age, but how is he already a mercenary…’
The young man was twenty-nine, only six months away from turning thirty and no longer being considered a “promising talent.”
He belatedly focused his Qi sense, still unfamiliar with constantly maintaining it, having only recently reached the Peak Realm earlier that year.
‘He… he really is a Peak Realm expert!’
While only Transcendent Realm experts could accurately gauge someone’s level through Qi alone, those below that level could still make rough estimations.
Yang Kwai’s Qi was similar to his own, perhaps even more refined.
The guild employee’s words confirmed his assessment.
“He’s the real deal. This level of Qi… This changes things. If you join our guild, we’ll waive the membership fee and offer you premium treatment. And that goes for your three companions as well.”
The employee was clearly experienced. He had been observing everyone entering the guild while talking to the young man.
Yang Kwai shrugged.
“Well, that’s not up to me.”
“…You’re a Peak Realm expert, aren’t you?”
“I’m just a follower. And we’re not planning to stay in Nanjing long.”
Regaining his composure, Yang Kwai turned to the young man.
“If you’re looking for a Peak Realm expert, you must have a hefty sum prepared. Cover our commission and the intermediary fee.”
“…Non-members aren’t allowed to negotiate within the guild.”
“Just increase the intermediary fee. Is that a problem even in Nanjing?”
“For a premium expert like a Peak Realm martial artist, we can make an exception. But the fee will be substantial.”
“That’s not my concern. Let’s go.”
Casually passing the burden of the fee onto the young man, Yang Kwai led him back to where Namgung-Woo was waiting.
“Not bad.”
“Haha, Peak Realm experts are highly sought after in this business, Boss.”
This explained Yang Kwai’s excitement about reaching the Peak Realm.
It was a release of the frustration he’d accumulated as a mercenary, facing discrimination for not being at that level.
While Peak Realm experts might be considered mere foot soldiers in prestigious sects, they were highly valued elsewhere.
Some even founded their own sects. Hwang Mu-tak, a Peak Realm expert, had established a powerful faction in his county.
Peak Realm experts were especially rare among mercenaries, as most chose to retire and live comfortably once they reached that level.
“So, you’re looking for a Peak Realm expert.”
As the focus shifted to him, the young man gulped.
It was surprising enough that a mercenary, seemingly his age, had reached the Peak Realm, but the real shock was yet to come.
‘That one looks even younger!’
And he was being called “Boss” by a Peak Realm expert? While martial arts skill wasn’t everything, it implied that this young mercenary possessed something special.
Naturally, the young man’s demeanor became more respectful.
‘And that woman beside him…’
While she wore practical, common martial attire, the quality of the fabric was clearly exceptional.
And the air of refinement she exuded wasn’t something acquired overnight.
Even with the veil, he could tell she was beautiful.
These observations increased his trust in them.
‘They seem more trustworthy than those other mercenaries.’
Having formed his first impression, the young man spoke.
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”
“Tell me more.”
“Well…”
With a nervous voice, the young man began his story.
His name was Wi Ji-ryang. Not Wi Ji but Wi was his family name. He was the junior sect leader of the Clear Water Sect in Cheonjang County and was heading to Gyeong-hyeon for the Four Seasons Gathering.
However, he had been attacked shortly after leaving Nanjing by someone suspected to be from the Withered Hope Society and had barely escaped back to the city.
“No one died, but my escorts were injured, so I was looking to hire mercenaries.”
“You were in quite a hurry, weren’t you?”
At Namgung-Woo’s question, Wi Ji-ryang’s expression shifted.
He seemed to understand the implication.
“There’s no harm in being prepared. It works in our favor as well. So, let’s summarize. The mission is to escort you to Gyeong-hyeon. Three people, including yourself. Given the Withered Hope Society’s involvement, combat is likely. Now, for the most important part.”
The commission.
The deciding factor for Namgung-Woo and his group.
Wi Ji-ryang, hoping they would accept, offered the maximum he could afford.
“Twenty taels of silver. And a bonus of ten more if you get us there safely before the start of winter, without any of us getting hurt.”
Thirty taels in total.
Enough for a commoner to live on for twenty years.
Even for Namgung-Woo, whose sense of finance had been somewhat skewed by his stay with the wealthy Peng Family, it was a substantial sum. He wasn’t sure if it was a fair price for a mercenary group including a Peak Realm expert, but he liked the mission.
“Alright. We’ll take it.”
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The next day, after Wi Ji-ryang paid the intermediary fee and left, having agreed to meet them at the southwest Bongtae Gate, Namgung-Woo’s group also left the guild to find lodgings.
“Wow, Boss, you’re a true mercenary! Thirty taels for your first mission! This rookie monster is shaking up the mercenary world!”
“How much is thirty taels for a four-person mercenary group with a Peak Realm expert?”
“Not bad. Usually, a first-rate martial artist gets about three taels a month. Two or three times a soldier’s salary.”
Counting Namgung-Woo and Peng Ha-ryeong, whose skills were still hidden, as first-rate, along with Yang Jeong, that would be about ten taels. The remaining twenty taels would be Yang Kwai’s share as a Peak Realm expert.
“That’s a huge difference between first-rate and Peak Realm.”
“Of course. You might not realize it, Oppa, but the gap to Sword Qi is enormous.”
It seemed like a fair price.
Not a bad start.
“Now that we’ve got our first mission, let’s have a celebratory dinner.”
“I hear Nanjing duck is delicious. They say it’s cooked differently from Beijing duck…”
“Duck sounds good.”
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Back at the inn, Wi Ji-ryang explained the details of the mission and the mercenaries he’d hired to his companions.
Upon hearing this, his companions erupted.
“Are you crazy, brother? Thirty taels of silver? What are we going to do on our way back? Have you lost your mind?”
As his younger sister raged, threatening to throw a pillow at him, Wi Ji-ryang quickly defended himself.
“Senior Brother will be healed by then! Right, Senior Brother?”
“A month should be enough.”
“See!”
“That’s not the point! You hired them just because they said they had a Peak Realm expert. Did you see them use Sword Qi? Did you even ask for their nicknames? Are they disciples of some Nine Sect’s hidden branch?”
“Well…”
Wi Seong-ha pointed out the issues he’d overlooked in his haste.
“I can’t believe you. This isn’t your first time in the Jianghu. What were you thinking?”
“Seong-ha, calm down. If they’re not Peak Realm experts, we can just back out.”
Despite Lee Gong-seo’s attempt to mediate, Wi Seong-ha remained furious.
“Senior Brother, you’re too soft. Honestly… I’ll go and set things straight tomorrow. Just watch!”
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“U-um… h-hello… m-my name is… W-Wi Seong-ha… It’s… a p-pleasure to meet you…”
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