Chapter 236 : Shedding the Golden Cicada Shell (3)

Chapter 236: Shedding the Golden Cicada Shell (3)

The Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect came out carrying a seated man, while surrounding him in a protective formation.

As soon as people saw the man sitting on the chair, a wave of shock swept through the hall.

“My god! It’s the Chairman!”

“It really is the Chairman!”

“The Chairman is alive!”

Some even wept tears of joy upon discovering that the respected Chairman, Hoi Jongbaek, was still alive.

That was how much trust and support Hoi Jongbaek had earned from the people.

It was also he who had built the Sky Ocean Merchant Union to what it was now.

Those who had learned the trade under him and shared life’s joys and sorrows together were naturally moved.

And soon, a roaring cheer erupted.

“Waaaah! It’s the Chairman!”

As all the escorts cheered in unison, no one dared raise objections against the returning Chairman.

Jin Pyeong, who stood beside Hoi Soyu while holding his throbbing, severed fingers, murmured,

“That bastard had a hidden card after all.”

“To think Father is alive…”

Hoi Soyu, surprised, sprang to her feet and looked toward her entering father.

Jin Pyeong ground his teeth and spoke.

“If it’s come to this, we have no choice. We’ll deal with them by force! Tell them to get ready!”

As Jin Pyeong gave his command, the escort agency head, Cheongsongcheonpil Yeogong, quickly stepped forward to block him.

“Wait! Hold on a moment.”

“What are you telling me to wait for? If not now, when will we seize this opportunity? We just need to sweep them all away at once.”

“If you use force now, you’ll not die of natural causes.”

Jin Pyeong frowned and snapped back.

“What do you mean by that?”

Yeogong pointed toward a direction with his finger.

“Look over there.”

“What?”

Jin Pyeong opened his eyes wide and looked at the people following behind the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect.

“Aren’t those Shaolin monks?”

“They are no ordinary Shaolin monks.”

Escort agency head Yeogong had been to Shaolin Temple several times for escort missions and was quite familiar with it.

He had seen those people there once.

“Those are the Reverend Arhats and the Four Diamond Vajras! Attacking them would be tantamount to attacking Shaolin itself. That Yong brat must’ve anticipated this and invited them on purpose. We’ve walked right into his trap.”

Jin Pyeong stood dazed, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.

No matter how furious he was, he couldn’t bring himself to launch an assault against the Reverend Arhats and the Four Diamond Vajras of Shaolin.

That would have been lunacy.

Even the Twelve Elders of the Golden Court Council were at a loss for words when the highly respected Reverend Arhats and the Four Diamond Vajras entered alongside Hoi Jongbaek. They could only stare blankly at Yong Hwarin leading the way.

Yong Hwarin had sought the path of victory without needless bloodshed. His strategy was to prevent them from using force recklessly.

Even if he were to put Hoi Unkyung or Hoi Jongbaek at the forefront, clans like the Bukri Clan, Songcheongmun, the Sword Poison Sect, or the Silent Tiger Sect would eventually resort to violence. To restrain them, he needed a suppressive card.

That card was precisely the Reverend Arhats and the Four Diamond Vajras of Shaolin.

In truth, Yong Hwarin hadn’t expected even the Four Diamond Vajras to come.

He later learned of the situation at Goyi Mountain from Baekseom and found out that the Four Diamond Vajras and the Five Swords of Mount Hua had gathered in Jeongju, but he hadn’t anticipated that the Four Diamond Vajras would personally come.

Even having just the Reverend Arhats led by Monk Gak Yoo would have been sufficient to suppress any military provocation from Hoi Soyu’s faction.

But now that even the Four Diamond Vajras had stepped forward, her faction had no means to act with force, even if they wanted to.

The Reverend Arhats and the Four Diamond Vajras were elites against whom even an all-out assault offered no guarantee of victory.

As Yong Hwarin walked forward, people parted to the sides like the receding tide.

Yong Hwarin approached the platform and announced,

“The Chairman wishes to speak.”

Chief Escort Hwang Myeonggi stood dazed at the sight of Hoi Jongbaek for a moment before speaking.

“Big Brother! It’s been so long.”

“Myeonggi. It has been a while. You look healthy—I'm relieved.”

Hwang Myeonggi bowed his head deeply.

Known as Chumyeongdo Hwang Myeonggi, he had once roamed the martial world and forged a sworn brotherhood with Hoi Jongbaek.

“Could you help me up to the platform?”

As Yong Hwarin placed the chair atop the platform, Hoi Jongbaek gazed over the crowd of hundreds in the hall with nostalgic eyes.

“From this moment on, I will take up the Chairman’s position once more and lead the Merchant Union. I still require rest, but once I regain my health, I shall actively resume my duties.”

As those words rang out, the workers of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union erupted into cheers.

With Hoi Jongbaek returning, Hoi Unkyung and Hoi Soyu’s factions would no longer need to clash.

Many workers had been anxiously living under the constant threat of pointless internal conflict.

Any misstep could cost them their livelihoods.

Hoi Jongbaek’s declaration made the Twelve Elders of the Golden Court Council scowl.

“And as of today, the Golden Court Council shall be disbanded!”

The magnitude of that statement caused the entire hall to stir with noise.

“What do you mean by that?”

Hoi Jongbaek ignored the words of the Golden Court Elders and continued.

“The Golden Court has protected this Merchant Union until now, but it has committed too many wrongdoings. Therefore, I will dismantle it!”

“Wrongdoings? What on earth are you talking about?”

As a Twelve Elder sprang to his feet, Hoi Jongbaek took a book from his robe.

“This is the Ledger of Misdeeds—a complete record of every wrongdoing the Golden Court Elders have committed! Shall I read it aloud here?”

At those words, Hwang Myeonggi took a step back.

Another elder stood up and shouted,

“I cannot accept this! Though the former Chairman has returned, the Merchant Union has been operating under a different system! The people here can prove that! If you support us, raise your hands!”

The elder looked convinced that the people of the union would side with them.

But the escorts and workers averted their gaze from the elders.

That single gesture revealed where their loyalties lay.

Staggered, the elder collapsed into his chair.

“As of this moment, the Golden Court Council is disbanded, and the positions of the Twelve Elders are hereby abolished!”

Though the impact was immense, there was no turning back. The Twelve Elders had nothing to say.

Bukri So murmured in a hollow tone as the Sky Ocean Merchant Union was resolved in an instant.

“Hahaha… all the effort I’ve put in… it’s all gone to waste. I’m truly curious how this Young Master plans to clean this up.”

Bukri Haeng was just as dumbfounded by the situation.

“Uncle… at this rate, we’re going to walk away empty-handed.”

“Someone like that Young Master wouldn’t back down so easily. He’s already planning his next move, so don’t worry, Young Mistress.”

Bukri Sehee grew uneasy upon hearing those words.

The two didn’t speak further as they were aware she was listening, but the phrase “planning another move” lingered in her ears.

Hoi Jongbaek continued.

“Also, arrest the criminals responsible for the murder of First Escort Chief Do Gye-gong!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect moved out at once, sealing the blood channels of First Escort Chief Baekuigeom Go Jam-mu, Third Escort Chief Jauungeom Jeon Yeong, and Fourth Escort Chief Flash of Light Dominator Sword Wol San, subduing them on the spot.

It all happened so quickly that they couldn’t even attempt to flee.

“They really did conspire together.”

Bukri So murmured.

“These men are the murderers of First Escort Chief Do Gye-gong! Furthermore, Hoi Soyu and her faction, who gave the order for the killing, must leave this Merchant Union by the end of today!”

The hall was stunned when Hoi Jongbaek went as far as to expel Hoi Soyu.

“Father, how could you cast me out?”

Hoi Soyu screamed in fury.

“Silence! I gave your elder sister full authority over the Merchant Union. But instead of assisting her, you coveted that position and invited outsiders, plunging the Merchant Union into chaos. Your crimes are grave! I can no longer recognize you as my daughter. Leave this Merchant Union by the end of today!”

Hoi Jongbaek feared that if he didn’t handle this matter decisively, unnecessary bloodshed would ensue.

At this point, expelling Hoi Soyu from the union was the best solution.

With Hoi Jongbaek’s appearance, the internal strife between the two factions of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union came to an end.

The people of the union, having endured the drawn-out power struggle, were relieved to see a conclusion.

“Thank you for responding to my request like this.”

Once things had settled, Yong Hwarin approached Gak Yoo and expressed his gratitude.

“What are you saying, Benefactor Yong? Did I not tell you? That if you asked, no matter what the request, I would come. The monks of Shaolin may not know much else, but we take our promises seriously.”

Gak Yoo looked at Yong Hwarin and added,

“These are my senior brothers. This is Senior Brother Daeheo, the head of the Four Diamond Vajras.”

It was Yong Hwarin’s first time meeting the Four Diamond Vajras.

They weren’t the kind of monks one could meet simply by wishing it.

Seeing them up close filled Yong Hwarin with a sense of awe.

“It is truly an honor to meet the Four Diamond Vajras.”

As he greeted them respectfully, Master Daeheo smiled gently and said,

“So you are the famed Heavenly Sword Hero of recent renown. It is good to meet such a young hero.”

Yong Hwarin could not sense any martial pressure from the Four Diamond Vajras.

Had he met them on the street, he might have mistaken them for ordinary monks out collecting alms.

“Having brought such distinguished guests for this matter, I will accept any reproach that may come later.”

Yong Hwarin bowed his head, and Daeheo smiled faintly.

“I heard from my junior. He said you did him a great favor. When the Reverend Arhats receive kindness, we must repay it tenfold, don’t you agree? If our presence aided your cause, then what greater merit could there be?”

“Thank you for thinking so. However, there is another matter I wished to speak to you about, which is why I called upon you.”

“Is that so?”

Daeheo was intrigued upon hearing that Yong Hwarin hadn’t summoned them lightly.

“You may not know this, but I currently have in my custody the one known as the Third Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Yong Hwarin didn’t consider the presence of the Four Diamond Vajras, the Five Swords of Mount Hua, and the Tyrant Three Sabers of the Pang Clan in Jeongju to be coincidental.

He suspected they may have been dispatched by the Northern Justice Alliance due to Eum Sajeok.

That was why he believed they wouldn’t refuse his request and brought the Four Diamond Vajras to the Sky Ocean Merchant Union.

That was the only way to protect the union without bloodshed. And his strategy had succeeded.

Thanks to them, the four sects supporting Hoi Soyu had withdrawn from the union.

Normally, these sects would never retreat without receiving compensation.

“Recently, I learned from that man Eum Sajeok where the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword is located.”

“Amitabha.”

Gak Yoo murmured the sacred name as he placed his palms together.

“Where is it?”

“He said he handed the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword over to his second senior, Lee Yung.”

The Four Diamond Vajras exchanged glances upon hearing that.

They had seen Lee Yung at Goyi Mountain not long ago.

Their expressions suggested they believed the sword had already ended up in the hands of Sam Taegong.

“But it seemed that Lee Yung still has it.”

Only then did the expressions of the Four Diamond Vajras ease a little.

“Then Benefactor Yong, do you know the location of the sword?”

“Eum Sajeok only passed the sword along—he doesn’t know where Lee Yung has hidden it. Currently, only his second senior would know.”

“Thanks to you, Benefactor Yong, we’ve gained valuable information. We will surely retrieve the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword from them in due time.”

As Daeheo clasped his hands in gratitude, Yong Hwarin returned the gesture with a clasped hands greeting.

But something about Daeheo’s words left Yong Hwarin questioning.

“They’ll retrieve it later? And yet they sent even the Reverend Arhats in pursuit of it?”