The Eldest Daughter of the Sichuan Tang Clan Protects Her Family

Chapter 39: A Clan's Son-in-Law

The Unit Leader, his gaze still fixed on the box, asked, "Have you heard about the Yoohyeon Unit Leader's blunder?"
“Yes, Lord. I have.” Hae-rak’s lips curved into a smile as he spotted a gold tortoise figurine amongst the treasures. He casually pocketed it. “The old man said to give the Moohyeon Unit a scare, but eliminate the Yoohyeon Unit entirely.”
The Unit Leader’s gaze sharpened. “You’re the only Yoohyeon Unit member left in Guangdong.”

The owner closed his eyes, his heart pounding. The Blood Cult members operating in the central plains were divided into two units: the Yoohyeon Unit, those with established bases, and the Moohyeon Unit, those operating without a fixed location. They acted independently, and most of the Blood Cult members in the central plains belonged to the Moohyeon Unit. Since most Yoohyeon Unit members were stationed at the main headquarters, their presence in the central plains was minimal. The Moohyeon Unit members infiltrated clans and sects, posing as ordinary members to gather intelligence. The Yoohyeon Unit established businesses and minor sects, collecting and relaying the information gathered by the Moohyeon Unit back to headquarters.
Though both units were considered low-ranking pawns by the Blood Cult's leadership, the Yoohyeon Unit members saw themselves as superior, relaying instructions from headquarters and overseeing the Moohyeon Unit’s activities. Some had even taken to issuing orders independently, exceeding their authority. This had led to resentment within the Moohyeon Unit, culminating in a rebellion. Fearing exposure, the Yoohyeon Unit had attempted to eliminate the rebels without authorization.
If they had succeeded, there wouldn't have been a problem. But things rarely went according to plan. Their actions had alerted the Martial Alliance to the Blood Cult’s resurgence.

The Blood Demon had patiently waited, playing dead, carefully orchestrating his plan to infiltrate and control the central plains. And he had nearly succeeded. But now, thanks to this incident, the cracks within the Martial Alliance had closed. They had formed a united front, a search party dedicated to eradicating the Blood Cult from the central plains. It was the first unanimous decision in nine years.
He could only imagine the Blood Demon's fury.
The Yoohyeon Unit member closed his eyes, bracing himself. He had foolishly hoped for a quick, painless death.

As if reading his thoughts, the Unit Leader said, "Don't give up so easily. Think. Why would the old man send me?"
“…” That was strange. The Blood Demon had three elite units under his direct command: the Red Blood, Blue Blood, and Crimson Blood Units. They were the Blood Cult’s most valuable assets. However, even amongst these elite units, there was a hierarchy. The Red and Blue Blood Units, trusted implicitly by the Blood Demon, were to establish a foothold in the central plains first. The Crimson Blood Unit would follow later, after all preparations were complete, just before the Blood Demon’s arrival.
Establishing an early presence was crucial, allowing them to place their people strategically within the various sects and clans. It didn’t make sense that the Blood Demon would give the Crimson Blood Unit Leader such an opportunity.

Suddenly, the realization struck him, and his face paled. “H-he sent you to… to eliminate all traces of us… to kill us all…”
Was the Blood Demon too squeamish to do it himself? As the terrified Yoohyeon Unit member trembled, Hae-rak tilted his head slightly.
"Send the Crimson Blood Unit to eliminate the Yoohyeon Unit? Really?"

“Th-then why would you be here… in the central plains…?”
“Because those Martial Alliance fools are determined to eradicate the Blood Cult. They’ve even formed a search party.”
“Y-yes, Lord.”

Hae-rak smiled, opening another box, this one filled with jewelry. He picked up a black jade bracelet and slipped it onto his wrist. “You know how shy the old man is. He doesn’t like his name being known. And those righteous fools are chasing after him, disrespecting their elders. Tsk tsk. Anyway, to protect our dear, sensitive Blood Demon, we’ll be closing all access points to the main headquarters for the time being.”
“F-for how long, Lord?”
“Who knows? The Red Blood Unit Leader was supposed to arrive first. Perhaps the paths will reopen when he gets here.”
The owner stared at him, his eyes wide with disbelief. Had the Blood Demon sent the Crimson Blood Unit Leader here as… a sacrificial lamb? It seemed they were abandoning the Crimson Blood Unit and the remaining Blood Cult members in the central plains, cutting off all contact.

And yet, the Crimson Blood Unit Leader didn't seem concerned. In fact, he seemed almost… pleased.
“You never know what the future holds. I thought it would be years before I had a chance to come to the central plains.” Though not yet thirty, he possessed a confidence that belied his age.
Though he had been ordered to eliminate the Yoohyeon Unit, he clearly had other motives for coming here.

‘Perhaps… perhaps there’s a way out of this,’ the Yoohyeon Unit member thought, a flicker of hope igniting within him. He swallowed nervously.
“A-are you alright, Lord?”
“Alright? I’m ecstatic.”

“What?”
“This is the first time I’ve seen the old man so cornered. Every day is a delight.” His voice was playful, almost mocking. “He knows I’m disobedient. He wouldn’t send me to the central plains, his precious playground, if he wanted things done discreetly. He would have sent the Red or Blue Blood Unit Leaders, those bootlickers who’d do anything he says. They’re much better at keeping things quiet. But he was desperate, wasn’t he? Desperate enough to entrust the central plains to me.” He chuckled. “I wonder how much he’s… squirming.”
His casual disrespect for the Blood Demon was unsettling. To refer to the absolute ruler of the Blood Cult as “old man” was already a sacrilege. And to hear him dismiss the Red and Blue Blood Unit Leaders, figures he would never even have the opportunity to meet, as mere sycophants… it was almost too much to bear.

Hae-rak, oblivious to his discomfort, leaned back against the box, a faint smile playing on his lips. He admired the bracelet he had taken from the box, twisting it around his wrist. It was a beautifully crafted piece, made of black jade and ruby, depicting a black serpent with red eyes coiled around his wrist.
The owner, watching him, realized something. ‘He has discerning taste.’ He had deliberately placed the bracelet amongst less valuable trinkets, yet the Unit Leader had immediately identified it as the most valuable piece. He noticed the jade hairpin securing his topknot as well. His cheap words and casual demeanor were a facade. Why would someone with such refined taste deliberately downplay his own value?
“However…” Hae-rak lowered his arm and looked at the owner. “I heard something interesting in Anhui yesterday. It seems one of the Moohyeon Unit members has defected to the Martial Alliance.”

The owner snapped to attention. “Y-yes, Lord! He was assigned to the Tang Clan, and he seems to have attached himself to the Clan Head’s eldest daughter. He spent several days in her quarters and even delivered a letter from her to the Namgung heir. The Namgung heir was the one who interrogated the Moohyeon Unit members on Mount Emei.”
“Really? What did the letter say?”
The owner hesitated, licking his dry lips. “Unfortunately, the Young Master burned the letter immediately after reading it. Yoonjin, the messenger, sent us a copy, but it was just a mundane message referencing Shang Yang’s ‘Shifting the Wood to Build Trust.’ We analyzed it, but there were no hidden messages or coded phrases. Ah! I have the copy in my office! Instead of wasting time here, why don’t we go upstairs? I’ll show you.”

Hae-rak tapped his knee thoughtfully. Imokjisin. Shifting the Wood to Build Trust. Building trust by keeping promises. What promise had been made between them?
“We have Moohyeon Unit members in the Namgung Clan as well. What do they say?”
“They’re suspicious of the fact that the Young Master burned the letter immediately after reading it. Such a meticulous person… it’s unusual. We questioned our informants within the Namgung and Tang Clans about their relationship, but they said there was no prior connection, that they only met during the Mount Emei incident. Oh, and Yoonjin also sent a message.” He hesitated, then added, “He said Miss Tang suspects him and requested permission to… eliminate him.”

“Hahaha.” Hae-rak burst into laughter, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he looked down at the Yoohyeon Unit member. “It’s remarkable you’ve managed to avoid detection for so long.”
“W-what should I do, Lord?”
“Kill him.”

Kill whom?
Seeing his hesitation, Hae-rak tilted his head. “Do I have to go myself? Is this Yoonjin such a formidable opponent?”
“N-no, Lord! That’s not…” He hesitated, then spoke again, gathering his courage. “J-just in case, I’ve instructed our informants within the Namgung and Tang Clans to keep an eye on Yoonjin. We might learn something new. Perhaps it would be best to wait…”

“Kill them all. And tell the others to stay put. If they want to live.” Hae-rak’s face was expressionless, his voice cold and calm, devoid of any amusement.
“…Yes, Lord.” Though he didn't understand the reason, the sudden shift in the Unit Leader’s demeanor made him suppress his curiosity. He had narrowly escaped death. He couldn't afford to provoke him now.
As the owner’s mind raced, Hae-rak’s thoughts drifted elsewhere. He had already been informed that the Tang Clan heiress was the one who had alerted the Martial Alliance to the Blood Cult’s presence. He had dismissed it as the rash act of a frightened young woman, but now, he wasn't so sure. She had discovered a Blood Cult member within her own clan and, instead of exposing him, had kept him close. It seemed she was using him, hoping to track down the Blood Cult.

‘But why not inform the Martial Alliance? Why investigate alone?’
Did she suspect the Blood Cult had infiltrated the Martial Alliance as well? But if that were the case, why alert them in the first place? His eyes suddenly narrowed.
‘Hmm, perhaps she doesn’t care about the small fry. Is she aiming for the top?’

A forbidden thought, a treacherous idea, began to take root within his mind. But he felt no guilt. He often entertained the thought of killing the Blood Demon, the so-called “father” of the Blood Cult.
So what? Even the righteous sects had their share of rebellious children. What was wrong with killing an unrelated old man?
He smiled, enjoying the thought.

“By the way, which of your businesses is the most profitable right now?”
“Currently, it’s the Anguk Merchant Group, operating in Hubei. But there’s a merchant group vying for a position in the Imperial trade. If they succeed, the Bright Sky Merchant Group in Sichuan will likely become the most profitable.”
“Oh? When will the Imperial trade agreement be finalized?”

“Th-that will likely take… five years or so.”
“Five years? That’s too long.” He frowned impatiently.
The owner quickly changed the subject. “Or perhaps… the tavern business? We’ve acquired all the establishments along the Guangdong coast. With the recent increase in coastal trade, we’re practically swimming in money!” He rubbed his hands together, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “We’ve brought in the most beautiful women from across the central plains. People are lining up to get in. If you’re looking for liquid assets, Lord, this is the perfect…”

“Shut down the brothels.”
“What?”
“It’s… unbecoming of a righteous sect,” he said, his face serious.

The owner stared at him, his mind reeling. ‘…What is he talking about?’
Hae-rak shook his head, sighing dramatically. “Don’t you understand yet? You’re in this mess because your information is outdated. Scrambling for scraps of information dropped by the central plains… By the time you get it, it’s already useless. A so-called intelligence agency ambushed in the mountains? Tsk tsk.” He looked at the black jade ornaments with mock pity. “Even if your businesses are flourishing now, overflowing with treasures, it will all be gone the moment they find you. Do you really think you can carry all this with you when you’re running for your lives?”
“…I don’t understand, Lord.”

Hae-rak smiled faintly. “Joo-in-ah.”
The owner was startled. He knew his name. He hesitated, unable to respond. But the Unit Leader, sensing his surprise, simply smiled and continued. “We’re going to become members of the Martial Alliance, gain access to their information network, and manipulate them from within.”
The owner, struggling to comprehend his words, asked, his voice trembling, “H-how?”

A chilling smile spread across Hae-rak’s face. And then, he uttered the most insane words the owner had ever heard.
“I’m going to become a clan’s son-in-law.”