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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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City that Never Sleeps.
There is perhaps no better phrase to describe Yangwi Castle than this one, meaning a city that knows no night.
This is the very place Sayoon arrives at for the first time in Chapter 1 of Heavenly Bright Moon, after the residents of Seomhwa Village are massacred and the village itself is burned to the ground.
Back then, Sayoon described Yangwi Castle as a ‘sea of people.’
It was literally that. Serving as the primary setting for Chapter 1 of Sayoon’s main story, it was a place equipped with numerous facilities designed for system support.
With a vast population came a multitude of shops catering to their needs, turning the entire city into what appeared to be a colossal marketplace.
Just as the famous American artist Frank Sinatra once said,
“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy,”
people always seek out alcohol.
Similarly, in a bustling city, alcohol was an indispensable form of entertainment.
As if to prove this, Yangwi Castle boasted countless taverns.
And among them, the most famous was Cheonghoeru.
As if to emphasize its status as a grand pleasure house worthy of representing Yangwi Castle, which had numerous taverns, Cheonghoeru always kept its lanterns lit.
Day or night.
Red and blue lanterns adorned the building, while waiters greeted guests with utmost courtesy.
From the second floor upwards, beautifully dressed women, selling smiles and laughter, attracted customers.
Beyond that, there were men who breathed fire, women who chewed iron,
And various other spectacles and curiosities to pique the customers’ interest.
Cheonghoeru, always packed to the brim, was renowned as the finest tavern in Yangwi Castle.
In Heavenly Bright Moon, it was just a place you briefly visited during events, but now that it was a reality, the grandeur of Cheonghoeru was truly awe-inspiring.
I stepped into Cheonghoeru.
“Cheonghoeru… I’ve been here before. It’s quite expensive, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“And to have an appointment here… that’s impressive.”
She had come to Yangwi Castle with me as my bodyguard, but she didn’t have much to do right now.
It was only natural. While Yangwi Castle was a bustling city, it wasn’t dangerous.
In fact, except for a few areas, the security was quite good.
A large population meant a concentration of wealth, and a concentration of wealth attracted countless wolves vying for a piece of the pie.
If those thugs weren’t kept in check, Yangwi Castle would quickly descend into chaos.
Naturally, the lord of Yangwi Castle maintained strict control, preventing such troublemakers from acting recklessly, ensuring a safe environment.
But there was one reason why I brought Chae-jin as my bodyguard.
It was because of the potential task I might receive from the person I was meeting today.
He wouldn’t invite me just for a casual meal.
“It’s an invitation. What kind of influence do I have to make an appointment here?”
“That’s true… So? Which floor are we going to?”
“Fifth floor.”
Chae-jin’s eyes widened in surprise. I waved my hand dismissively.
“It’s an invitation, so don’t think too much about it.”
“But… Cheonghoeru requires proof of qualification from the second floor upwards, doesn’t it?”
Cheonghoeru’s fame wasn’t solely due to its unique, multi-story structure, its delicious food and drink, or its numerous eccentrics and beautiful courtesans.
To access the floors above the second, one had to prove their worth.
Be it through martial arts, knowledge, music, or other skills.
Even Sayoon had to go through various events before finally meeting the owner of Cheonghoeru, who was also the head of the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild.
That process took up most of Chapter 1 and required numerous tasks, making it incredibly difficult to reach the fourth floor or above.
So, Chae-jin’s reaction was understandable.
“I’ve only been able to reach the third floor.”
“Then why not try passing the test for the fourth floor this time? I’m sure you’re capable.”
“Do I really need to? I prefer the food at our inn… ah, I keep saying ‘our.’ I mean, the food at the inn is much better. And the food you make is even better, Innkeeper.”
“That’s just an illusion. I’m just good at making things taste strong.”
Strong flavors simply stimulated the taste buds, making things seem more delicious.
Of course, I wasn’t a terrible cook, but I wasn’t on the level of professionally trained chefs either.
“Welcome, Master Yu.”
As we reached the stairs leading to the fifth floor, a large, burly man greeted me.
But his sharp gaze was fixed on Chae-jin.
Sensing his scrutiny, a combative smile appeared on Chae-jin’s lips.
“She’s with me.”
“I didn’t expect you to bring Moonlight Blade of the Moonjeong Sect. Please, come inside. The Guild Leader is waiting.”
He stepped aside, opening the way. As we climbed the stairs, Chae-jin looked at me with curiosity.
“What are you looking at?”
“No, it’s just… that man earlier. He was quite skilled. About the same level as my younger sister…”
“I wouldn’t know about that, but he was definitely a master.”
The Cheonghoe Merchant Guild was a front for the Imperial Recruitment Division.
Therefore, even those acting as guards here were masters from the military, not to be underestimated.
“…This might get a bit tense.”
Chae-jin took a deep breath, her toned body tensing up.
Seeing her subtly rest her hand on the hilt of her sword, as if ready to draw it at any moment, I chuckled and shook my head.
“There’s no need to be so tense. Or… are you not confident?”
“Of course I’m confident.”
As always, she gave an arrogant smile and patted my shoulder.
“Don’t you know who I am? I’m Moonlight Blade Chae-jin, the senior disciple of the prestigious and honorable Moonjeong Sect, even more renowned than Sunset Sword in the martial world!”
I chuckled at her playful words, delivered with a wink and a flick of her tongue.
As we reached the fifth floor, the atmosphere changed drastically.
Peace and quiet.
It was a completely different world from the floors below, filled with the sounds of music, laughter, drunken revelry, and the chatter of courtesans.
As if to emphasize this, the moment we stepped onto the fifth floor, all the sounds that had been assaulting our ears vanished.
They probably had a formation set up.
Even in Heavenly Bright Moon, the BGM changed when you reached the fifth floor.
Perhaps because of this change, a subtle smile appeared on Chae-jin’s lips.
Or maybe it was because of the two men, one middle-aged and the other elderly, who were standing in front of a large door.
“…Spear of Seomhwachang, Wi Yeol. Heavenly Net Wanderer, Gi Cha-jo.”
Both of them were masters who had disappeared from the martial world years ago.
As Chae-jin realized that she had met not only the master from earlier, but also Wi Yeol and Gi Cha-jo, I placed my hand on her shoulder.
The fabric of her outfit, reserved only for inner disciples of the Moonjeong Sect, felt smooth against my palm.
“There’s no need to be nervous. They’re not enemies.”
“Why are they here, these people who vanished years ago?”
“They’ve always been part of the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild. They didn’t disappear. They just returned to where they belonged.”
I walked towards them, and the two masters, who had been staring at me with sharp gazes, bowed their heads slightly.
Of course, I returned the gesture, bowing my head as well.
Wi Yeol, the middle-aged man known as the Spear of Seomhwachang, spoke to me politely, his tone serious,
“The Guild Leader is waiting.”
“I apologize for being late.”
“You’re not late.”
“How could I dare be late when General Cheon Il-hwa, who tirelessly works for the empire day and night as part of the Imperial Recruitment Division, is waiting? I regret not arriving sooner.”
“Heh, as expected, Master Yu has a way with words.”
Gi Cha-jo, the old master with hair as white as snow, chuckled, and I smiled back.
“How could I speak carelessly to those who sacrifice themselves for the peace and security of the empire?”
“Haha, I suppose so.”
He grinned and opened the door.
It was a spacious room, but it was sparsely furnished, devoid of any expensive items.
At the end of the room, a middle-aged man was struggling with a mountain of documents at a large desk.
He looked ordinary, but when he saw me, he smiled brightly, got up from his seat, and approached.
“Welcome, Master Yu.”
“It’s been a while.”
“Here, have a seat.”
He led me to a seat with a relaxed smile. General Cheon Il-hwa, the Guild Leader of the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild and a high-ranking official in the Imperial Recruitment Division, personally poured me a cup of tea.
Chae-jin looked surprised, but this wasn’t a reaction I hadn’t anticipated, so I just accepted it.
“Thank you for your help last time.”
“Not at all. As a citizen of the empire, it’s my duty to help.”
“Still, thanks to you, I was able to find the Recruitment Order.”
The Recruitment Order.
It was a token used by the Recruitment Division to issue orders.
It served as proof that they were authorized to recruit soldiers for the empire on behalf of the emperor.
They couldn’t issue a proper order without it.
Honestly, I thought they could still issue orders even without a single token, but what could I do if they insisted on it?
Anyway, Cheon Il-hwa had been quite stressed about losing it.
And I found it for him when I was visiting the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild to buy supplies.
It wasn’t particularly difficult.
It was just one of the side events you could do in Part 1 of Heavenly Bright Moon to increase your reputation.
Improving your reputation with the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild allowed you to receive elixirs, special treasures, or even borrow masters as bodyguards from the empire, so there was no reason not to help.
The event itself wasn’t challenging, and the location wasn’t randomized like some other events, so there was no reason not to do it.
The only concern was the possibility of being suspected of stealing or manipulating the token, but even that wasn’t difficult to deal with.
It was just a matter of gathering people’s beliefs around a predetermined truth, something I was quite skilled at.
Just like how I recruited people to the Sayoon Corps based on the truth that Sayoon was the true protagonist.
Of course, I wasn’t completely free from suspicion, but I had done a few favors for the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild and consulted with them through letters,
so it seemed like I had earned their trust to some extent.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have invited me here.
I calmed my racing thoughts and bowed my head to him.
“It was nothing.”
“Haha, always so humble. Ah, have you eaten?”
“Yes, I had a light meal before coming. But may I ask why you summoned me…?”
“Well… I was hoping to borrow your wisdom, Master Yu…”
He trailed off, glancing at Chae-jin.
“It’s Miss Chae of the Moonjeong Sect. Why don’t you have a drink with my men outside? I’ll prepare a good spot for you.”
He was politely asking Chae-jin to leave. I shook my head.
Chae-jin was my bodyguard, and even though she wasn’t a member of the Sayoon Corps, she was someone I could trust.
I didn’t know what kind of task Cheon Il-hwa would give me, but I would need Chae-jin’s help to complete it, so it was better for her to hear it as well.
“Um… Innkeeper, are you sure it’s okay?”
“I don’t think Moonlight Blade Chae-jin, the senior disciple of the prestigious and honorable Moonjeong Sect, would carelessly reveal what she hears here.”
Even though she couldn’t even count properly.
“…W-well, yes. Hehe. I swear on my sect and my martial arts that I won’t reveal anything I hear here.”
“Sigh, if Master Yu insists, then I’ll accept. So, Master Yu, this is what I’d like to ask of you.”
Cheon Il-hwa finally handed me a document.
On the document, Were the words “Yangwi Castle Missing Persons Case.”
It was another reputation-boosting event, something I was familiar with.
Then, “May I offer my humble assistance?”
If it was something that could increase my reputation, I had to do it.
If I helped Cheon Il-hwa with this on top of my previous favors, I might even be able to get help from the military masters.
Hehehe.
I’ll milk them dry and secure their support against the Iron Blood Clan.
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