The Blood Merchant (4)
A woman was soaking in a bathtub, playfully splashing around. Her charming face matched her graceful figure perfectly.
But if anyone had witnessed this scene, they would have been frozen in terror.
The bathtub wasn’t filled with water—it was filled with blood.
Most people would have been overwhelmed by the stench, but the woman remained unfazed, as if she were relaxing in a hot spring, her expression one of utter relaxation. She was the infamous Blood Merchant.
She waved her hand over the surface of the blood.
With a soft ripple, a face appeared in the blood, conjured by her dark magic. The sight of the blood-filled tub, the beautiful woman, and the face floating above the blood created an eerie and terrifying atmosphere.
“Who are you?” she asked quietly, but the face in the blood gave no reply.
She waved her hand again, and the face vanished instantly.
Just then, the blood in the tub began to bubble, and a large blood bubble rose to the surface.
The bubble transformed into the image of a young subordinate with gray eyes, who astonishingly spoke to her.
“The Dark Master has arrived.”
“Bring him in.”
“Yes.”
The blood bubble burst and disappeared.
Moments later, the Dark Master entered the room.
The Blood Merchant greeted him with a smile.
“Apologies for the lack of decorum, as you can see, I’m in a bit of a situation.”
“No need to apologize. What man would refuse the sight of a woman bathing?”
“No man would want to see a crazy woman bathing in blood.”
“If it were a beauty like you, they’d jump in even if it were lava.”
“Your compliments are too sweet.”
The Dark Master sat beside the tub. Despite their casual banter, both were cautious of each other.
Though he was her superior, he was well aware of the terrifying power of her sorcery. In his eyes, she was not someone who should be under anyone’s command. Just as the Heavenly Army had its own agenda, she likely had her own reasons for remaining his subordinate. They simply pretended not to know, each for their own purposes.
The Blood Merchant, too, was careful not to underestimate the Dark Master. He was not just what he appeared to be.
There was an invisible force protecting his immense wealth. Without knowing exactly what it was, she knew that even with her formidable sorcery, she could lose her life if she acted recklessly.
“How goes the search for him?”
“Finding someone of his caliber isn’t easy. I accepted your request on a whim, but it seems beyond my capabilities.”
She feigned helplessness, but her blood shadows were closing in on the target day by day.
The Dark Master smiled.
“That’s why I’ve come to offer some assistance.”
“That’s a generous offer. I’ll gladly accept any help.”
“I’ll give you the Grand Overseer.”
“Oh!”
“He’s the only one who has contact with the target, so he’ll surely be of use to you.”
The Blood Merchant’s eyes sparkled with interest.
“I thought the Grand Overseer was an important figure in the organization?”
“He was, but he’s a classic rebel. His dealings with the Heavenly Army have confirmed it.”
“Betraying you? I’ll make sure to check how big his liver is by cutting him open alive.”
She laughed brightly, despite the gruesome words.
“Will it be helpful?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
As he stood to go, she spoke.
“Care to join me for a bath? You’re welcome to.”
The Dark Master chuckled at her ambiguous invitation.
“Next time!”
“I’ll be waiting.”
The Dark Master walked out.
She waved her hand again, and a blood bubble formed, taking the shape of her subordinate’s face.
“Send a blood mosquito to Seong Wangbo immediately.”
“Yes, understood.”
The blood bubble burst and disappeared.
“This is getting more interesting.”
She submerged herself completely in the tub, and the blood bubbled around her.
＊ ＊ ＊
A carriage stopped by the roadside, and Seong Wangbo stepped out.
The meeting place was beyond the field of reeds before him.
He walked slowly, unaccompanied by guards. How long had he walked through the reeds, which grew as tall as a man?
A mosquito landed on his eye.
“Ouch!”
He swatted it with his palm, and the mosquito fell to the ground.
He wiped his eye with his sleeve, feeling the itch and discomfort. Blood stained the fabric.
“Damn it!”
He didn’t realize that while the mosquito’s blood was wiped away, a red dot had appeared and vanished in the center of his eye.
Just then, a man appeared before him. It was Baek Pyo.
“Follow me.”
Baek Pyo led Seong Wangbo away from the original meeting place.
They pushed through the reeds and eventually emerged onto a small path leading into the woods. Hidden among the trees and reeds were the Black Panther warriors, each exuding a formidable presence.
At the end of the path, in a small clearing, I was waiting.
Baek Pyo signaled that there were no tails, and Seong Wangbo approached me.
“How have you been?”
“Nearly died because of you. Twice.”
“Misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding? Are you bold or just shameless?”
“I tried to warn you that the first meeting was a trap. I chose a place we’d never met before, hoping you’d catch on to my warning.”
As I suspected, I had anticipated Seong Wangbo’s reaction. I could have easily exposed his flimsy excuse, but I chose not to.
If he had chosen me, I intended to use him thoroughly.
“I did think that. It was an odd location.”
“Indeed! You understood as I hoped!”
“So why did you want to see me today?”
“You asked me before if I wanted to become the highest mountain after toppling theirs.”
“I did.”
“I want to be that highest mountain.”
He knew a few words wouldn’t be enough to win me over.
“Give me all the information you have on the underground world.”
“I’ll give you everything I know, but it won’t be much help.”
“Aren’t you the overseer of the organization?”
“My role is merely to handle numbers. Only the Dark Master knows who they truly are.”
I believed he was telling the truth. If he knew everything, he would have been eliminated already.
“Moreover, the Tian family I managed has disappeared, so that won’t be much help either.”
I listened silently. The one at a disadvantage was Seong Wangbo. The power was in my hands, and I would decide after hearing him out.
Finally, he presented his offer of surrender.
“As I mentioned before, money is most precious to me. Losing it would make life meaningless.”
I nodded. At least that much was true.
“Even so, I’m willing to give up something more precious than my life.”
His next words were shocking.
“I’ll give you the Continental Trading Company.”
His trading company was one of the three major trading companies in the Central Plains. Its value wasn’t just in wealth but in its market influence, connections, and information network. Selling it would bring in an enormous sum.
Though it was so large that even selling it in parts wouldn’t be easy, I had Gong Su-chan, a capable person who could handle it.
Seong Wangbo was making a desperate final gamble.
I understood. The Dark Master had decided to kill Seong Wangbo, and he had realized it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have reached this conclusion.
“What do you want in return?”
“Destroy the underground world. That’s all I ask.”
He asked for nothing more. Even if he gave up the trading company, he likely had enough wealth to start anew.
“Redefine the order of the world.”
He wasn’t being honest.
If he had been straightforward about his situation and asked for his life, I might have felt more inclined to help him.
But he neither revealed his predicament nor his true intentions.
Perhaps that’s how his life had always been. Rather than being open with someone, he had always dealt with others calculatively. Even at the end, he was weighing his options.
In that case, I would simply use him.
I extended my hand to him.
“Let’s join forces to eliminate him.”
“Thank you. I’ll do my utmost to assist you.”
“If you wish, we can provide a temporary hideout.”
“No need. They won’t try to kill me immediately. I’ll ask for help if necessary.”
“Understood. Wait, and we’ll contact you discreetly.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
I could sense his relief. If I hadn’t accepted him, he would have been a dead man.
As he turned to leave, he paused and turned back.
“To prove my loyalty, I’ll share some important information.”
“What is it?”
“Have you heard of the Blood Merchant?”
“The Blood Merchant?”
When I shook my head, indicating I had never heard of such a thing, Seong Wangbo explained further.
“She’s a woman who uses blood to perform terrifying sorcery.”
“A woman who uses blood for sorcery?”
“She’s ageless, impossible to predict. The fact that she stepped in right after the night market that tried to kill you was shut down shows just how fearsome she is.”
Seong Wangbo spoke with utmost seriousness, as if to emphasize the importance of his information.
“Be wary of her.”
After Seong Wangbo left, Baekpyo emerged from the opposite side. The Black Panther Brigade was still guarding the area with unyielding vigilance.
“Do you think the Dark Market is unaware of Seong Wangbo’s potential betrayal?”
“They probably already know.”
“Then why?”
“They must think it’s worth the risk. They believe using him to get rid of me is more beneficial than what they might lose if he betrays them.”
“I see.”
Baekpyo smiled brightly.
“Why are you smiling?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you so sharp and focused.”
“Haha, you’re being silly.”
Honestly, I felt the same. After working alone in the shadows for so long, moving with my subordinates like this felt reassuring.
I smiled and started walking.
“Let’s head back.”
＊ ＊ ＊
“You should be careful of her.”
Seong Wangbo’s voice echoed in the mind of the Blood Merchant, who had her eyes closed, as she watched the scene unfold.
Amazingly, she was sharing Seong Wangbo’s vision and hearing.
As Seong Wangbo turned away from the group and left the forest, the woman opened her eyes.
Earlier, a mosquito had bitten Seong Wangbo’s eye in the reed forest. This mosquito was a blood familiar, a mystical sorcery that allowed her to share his sight and sound for a limited time once it bit its target.
“That old fool spilled everything about me.”
The man with ash-gray eyes standing beside her spoke with an angry expression.
“Shall I eliminate him immediately?”
She shook her head.
“Only after we’ve used him to the fullest.”
“Did you see the target yourself?”
She nodded.
“What kind of person was he?”
“He was peculiar. Seemed ruthless yet gentle, young but with an inexplicable air of experience. He gave off an indescribably strange vibe.”
She closed her eyes again, gently.
“I’m feeling a bit tired.”
Even when she had used the Soul Resonance Technique before, she hadn’t expected such a disturbance. Today’s sorcery was different, far more exhausting, draining much more of her energy and mental strength.
“I need to rest.”
“Please, take your rest.”
The man left the room.
Alone again, she opened her eyes.
“What is this filthy feeling?”
It was as if an unseen, powerful force was affecting her, like facing a dark magic that was completely incompatible with her sorcery. And it felt like an extraordinary dark magic at that.