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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Exterminate the Parasites (1)
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"First, we need to build up the Sacheon Escort Agency."
The escort agency had been one of the Tang Clan's main sources of income in the past.
They had to start there and reclaim everything one by one.
"We also need to demonstrate our martial prowess."
Dang Yu-wol's gaze swept over the clan head and the elders.
They felt an awkwardness in that look.
It wasn't the dazed expression they had seen just a few days ago.
"However, the clan head and elders can't move personally."
"That's true."
"We're in charge of hidden weapon production, poison, and medicine manufacturing right now."
"Embarrassingly, we lack the talent for martial arts."
Most of the elders strong in martial arts had died in the battle against the Five Poisons Sect.
Even those who survived had lost their martial prowess and were no longer combat effective.
"At least Elder Dang Jung-hyeop reached the Superb realm."
Dang Jung-hyeop felt bitter.
In the past, someone of his level would have ranked low in the clan's martial hierarchy.
But now, he was the strongest.
"We can't rely solely on Elder Dang Jung-hyeop to fight."
"Haa..."
"Anyway, how exactly do you plan to grow the escort agency?"
Dang Seong-u spoke up.
The Sacheon Escort Agency, the Tang Clan's current escort operation, was practically shuttered.
Who would entrust cargo to an escort agency from a weakened clan?
"Do we have anyone lining up to entrust goods to our agency right now?"
"I'll handle that part myself."
"How?"
"I've frequented drinking parties and gambling dens."
"And?"
"I didn't just mindlessly squander the clan's wealth."
—You squandered it without a second thought. But you talk a good game.
'Until I awakened to my previous life, that is.'
He couldn't deny Ye-ui's words.
But a good ending made everything good, didn't it?
Dang Yu-wol continued smoothly, without missing a beat.
—No plans to reveal your regression?
'Who knows. It doesn't seem like a wise choice.'
Dang Yu-wol looked at Dang Seong-u.
His eyes were wavering.
'Father is kind-hearted by nature.'
—Not very fitting for a martial clan head.
'He wasn't meant to be clan head in the first place.'
—Because the original clan head and heir died in the fight with the Five Poisons Sect?
'Yes. He was supposed to become the head of the Medicine Hall, overseeing the clan's medicines.'
The Tang Clan was famous for poisons and hidden weapons.
But they were equally renowned for medicines and healing arts.
For a kind and gentle man like Dang Seong-u, becoming the head of the Medicine Hall and providing healing and medicine to the people was only natural.
'If not for the war with the Five Poisons Sect, he never would have become clan head.'
And he wouldn't have had to suffer like this.
Dang Yu-wol felt deep pity for that.
—He does seem that way. Pretty soft-hearted for a Tang Clan member.
'What would happen if I told such a man about my future plans?'
—He'd worry. And probably try to stop you.
'Exactly. It's easier to seek forgiveness than permission.'
—So you're just going to charge ahead? Reckless as ever.
'No choice right now.'
While conversing inwardly with Ye-ui, the clan head and elders groaned.
Dang Seong-u looked at Dang Yu-wol and asked.
"...So you're saying you want to be sent to the Sacheon Escort Agency now?"
"Yes. I'm thinking of acting as escort agency head there for a while."
"Can you handle it?"
"I'll give it a try."
Dang Seong-u sighed at Dang Yu-wol's calm demeanor.
It felt like too much of a burden for his son.
'But... Yu-wol has changed. That's a fact.'
And the Bi-sam he had captured was a first-rate expert on the verge of peak.
Perhaps Dang Yu-wol had been biding his time until now.
Waiting for the right moment to rise.
'He thinks now is that time...'
"...Fine. I'll trust you for now."
As soon as Dang Seong-u gave permission, Dang Yu-wol stood up.
"Where are you going?"
"To prepare for starting work tomorrow. Then I'll take my leave."
He bowed and left.
Dang Seong-u and the elders stared blankly as he departed.
"Brother, it seems Yu-wol has come to his senses."
"The Tang Clan's future looks a bit brighter."
"Indeed. He was quite impressive back in the day."
Dang Seong-u sighed at the elders' words.
He wondered if it was really true.
And the next night.
Dang Seong-u clutched his forehead at the incoming report.
"This kid...?!"
The report stated that the acting head of the Sacheon Escort Agency had died by Dang Yu-wol's hand.
And gruesomely at that.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The morning after receiving the position of acting escort agency head.
After his morning poison intake and training, Dang Yu-wol returned and opened a drawer.
Inside was a small box.
—What's that?
'Bi-sam mentioned it yesterday. Father sent poison.'
Come to think of it, Bi-sam had said yesterday that there was poison received, so sell it.
Opening the box revealed a small, blood-clot-like mass.
—Oh. An Earth Soul Blood Pellet. The inner core of a century-old Earth Soul Spider.
'Yes. To one who practices poison arts, it's no different from an elixir.'
—This is quite valuable. Your father must have gone to great lengths to obtain it.
'Even before my regression, it was worth fifty nyang of gold.'
—A huge expense given the clan's current state?
'Yes.'
—And in your previous life, you just sold it off?
'...Yes.'
—What a wastrel.
'I won't deny it. And... if I don't use it now, when will I?'
Dang Yu-wol gazed at the Earth Soul Blood Pellet in his hand.
The possibilities with this were endless.
—So? What will you do with it? Convert it to internal energy?
'No. Right now, I need to cleanse this filthy body.'
Martial arts yielded better results in a pure body.
He had to purify this rotten shell.
—Oh. You're going to ingest it? Tastes awful, you know.
'Doesn't matter.'
Dang Yu-wol unhesitatingly put the Earth Soul Blood Pellet in his mouth.
The sticky blood mass filled his mouth.
As the poison spread, a sharp, spicy bitterness enveloped his tongue.
"Kuh...!!"
—Endure it. You must accept the poison essence absorbing into you.
He knew.
This was nothing to falter over.
'Yes...!!'
The impurities accumulated from his debauched life were expelled as waste through his pores.
Each time, needle-like pain stabbed his entire body.
But Dang Yu-wol endured.
—Well done. The Three Yang Return to Origin Art is a divine technique that creates three yang energies opposing the dao.
Ye-ui's voice was gentle.
He cheered on Dang Yu-wol, his one true confidant, companion, and friend.
—Your body was perfect trash just moments ago...
The immense energy and poison essence of the Earth Soul Blood Pellet purified his dantian and meridians.
Now he was ready.
Ready for three yang energies to take root in his dantian and achieve triple yang essence.
'This should give me strong resistance to most poisons.'
And that wasn't all.
The efficiency of ingesting and accumulating poison in his body had increased.
—Can you become a Poison Immortal?
'Not yet, but ultimately, that's the goal.'
Poison Immortal.
Invulnerable to all poisons, turning internal energy into ultimate venom—the Tang Clan's ideal.
In his previous life, Dang Yu-wol had researched it and imprinted the foundation into his body.
'It's what everyone in the clan dreamed of.'
—Excellent. Recovering your body is good, but...
His body was now clean.
But still only second-rate level.
Miserable compared to when he was called the Martial God.
—You don't plan to settle for this, right?
'Of course not.'
As he said.
Their enemies were absurdly powerful.
And the Sacheon Merchant Alliance issue needed immediate resolution.
'To catch them all, I need power.'
—True. Even if you kill who must die and spare who must live, you won't just let it slide?
Ye-ui's voice held doubt.
Because he knew the Dang Yu-wol from before the regression.
'As if.'
—As expected. So what's the plan?
'I'll make Blood Slave Poison. How can I trust and use those who've betrayed us once?'
A poison that made breathing or eating impossible without the caster's permission.
They became literal slaves.
'This much is necessary for peace of mind.'
—But making Blood Slave Poison is labor-intensive. And complex, with high failure rate. You sure?
It was so difficult and intricate that in the Blood Cult, only Dang Yu-wol had replicated it.
'Can't give up over that.'
Dang Yu-wol smiled.
'There are too many in the world who need to eat Blood Slave Poison.'
He grinned and stood.
Time to wash off the waste and impurities and head to work.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Normally, an escort agency bustled with cargo, escorts, and porters.
But the Sacheon Escort Agency was as quiet as a closed shop.
—I thought escort agencies were supposed to be lively...
'Weakened after the fight with the Five Poisons Sect.'
A powerless escort agency could only decline.
Dang Yu-wol looked at the agency with a bitter expression.
'But that's not the only problem.'
"Wh-who...? Eek?! Young Clan Head?!"
As Dang Yu-wol opened the door, a servant of the Sacheon Escort Agency jumped in surprise.
Why was the young head of the Sacheon Tang Clan here unannounced?
"Yes."
The servant and a few remaining low-level escorts stared at him in wonder.
But he paid them no mind.
"Is that the agency head's office?"
"Yes. It is."
He opened the door to the largest building.
A man was inside.
"My word! Isn't that the Young Clan Head?!"
The greeting was filled with feigned joy.
The man approached Dang Yu-wol with a smile.
"Goodness, what brings you all the way here?"
The sole acting head of the current Sacheon Escort Agency.
A warrior who had served as an escort since the agency's heyday and risen to acting head.
Gang Il-deok, acting head of the Sacheon Escort Agency.
"I've decided to take over as acting agency head for a while."
"...Pardon? You, Young Clan Head?"
"That's right."
Gang Il-deok looked quite flustered at Dang Yu-wol's words.
"You seem surprised."
"P-Pardon? Ah. Well."
"Doesn't seem like it's just because I'm taking charge."
"N-No, of course not."
"Escort Leader Gang."
"Yes, speak."
"As I recall, my father saved your life in the past. Correct?"
"Hahaha. Yes, the clan head saved my life."
His affable face bore a warm smile.
He looked at Dang Yu-wol with fond eyes.
"I stayed with the Sacheon Escort Agency, never forgetting that grace."
"Commendable."
"Hahaha. What is a warrior without righteousness and loyalty? Just a common thug."
Confidence oozed from him.
To an outsider, he seemed the epitome of loyalty.
"This Gang Il-deok knows the meaning of loyalty."
"Then why did he betray us?"
Gang Il-deok froze at Dang Yu-wol's words.
Betrayal.
A word unfit for one who prized loyalty.
"Wh-what do you mean...?"
"I know, so just admit it."
"I-I really don't know what you're..."
"That you're taking bribes from the Gihwan Escort Agency of the Sacheon Merchant Alliance."
"..."
"And that you sabotaged the deals with the Reverse Position Merchant Group and Guyang Smithy."
Gang Il-deok shut his mouth.
His face filled with wronged innocence.
"Should I list more?"
Gang Il-deok couldn't utter a word.
He just stared blankly.
After a moment of silence, he shouted in absurd indignation.
"I-It was just because I was incompetent!! The clan head forgave me for it...!!"
"Doesn't seem like mere incompetence."
In his previous life.
He had investigated why the clan was doomed to fall.
One cause was the Sacheon Escort Agency's issues.
"The Sacheon Merchant Alliance tempted you to deliberately cause failures."
"...No..."
Dang Seong-u had always said Gang Il-deok might be weak in martial arts, but his loyalty was trustworthy.
Yet he had betrayed them.
—Respect for people often stems from fear.
Ye-ui said indifferently, and Dang Yu-wol agreed.
—Your father is too kind.
'Yes. That's why I have to do it.'
"Why did you do it?"
"I-It's a misunderstanding."
"I know about the manor in Sacheon's Jihyang County that Gihwan Escort Agency Head Gi Yeong-gyu prepared for you."
"..."
"And you frequent Wolgang Pavilion, right? O-ryeong, was it? The courtesan you meet often?"
Gang Il-deok's expression hardened further.
The feigned innocence from moments ago was gone.
"Do you know how much I've worked for the Tang Clan?"
"Why should I care?"
"Can't you just see it as receiving fair compensation?"
"Fair..."
💥 CLANG!! 💥
As he began to reply, Gang Il-deok lunged.
His hand now bore sharp claws.
Dang Yu-wol casually deflected the ambush, remaining nonchalant.
"Die...!! Cough!!! How...?!"
Gang Il-deok could no longer swing his claws.
Poison had paralyzed his limbs.
Blood poured from his mouth, nose, and eyes as proof.
"Why would I waste words in front of someone I intend to kill?"
He had merely waited for the poison to spread.