“With their influence stripped away until only Zhejiang remains, the Cloud Dragon Escort Agency faces a bleak crossroads,” Zhuge Rin observed, his tone measuring the weight of the situation. “They have but two choices: sever all ties with their dependents and rebuild from the ashes, or surrender the Agency in its entirety to the Gongsun Clan.”

“The Agency Chief must be suffering greatly from a sickness of the heart.”

“Indeed. When I checked his pulse at the Pavilion branch, the stagnation of anger had settled deep within his vitals. No medicine can reach such a malady; he has taken to his sickbed, likely never to rise with the same vigor again.”

Jin Cheon-hee felt a bitter taste coat his tongue.

“Still, his family remains healthy, and the Gongsun Clan likely paid a generous price to acquire them. If he retires now, he possesses enough wealth to live in comfort for the rest of his days. Perhaps the sickness will fade once the burden of command is lifted.”

“A sharp observation. If the Gongsun Clan had attempted to haggle clumsily, the Cloud Dragon Escort Agency might have handed over the mere shell of the organization while withholding its most critical asset.”

The escort routes.

The term encompassed far more than lines drawn on a map. It was a comprehensive archive of survival: the hidden locations of bandit encampments and tiger dens, the coordinates of reliable taverns and clean springs, and the precise resting spots that guaranteed safety. Each agency possessed a unique network of these secret veins, and the speed and security of their deliveries depended entirely on this jealously guarded knowledge.

While the White Qilin Medical Pavilion maintained its own routes focused on patient transport and herbal procurement, the commercial value of a dedicated escort agency’s network was incomparable.

Zhuge Rin continued, tapping his fan against his palm. “For that reason, the Gongsun Clan is proceeding with the acquisition to link the Agency’s land routes with their maritime trade. To achieve this hegemony, what do you think is the necessary keystone?”

Jin Cheon-hee did not hesitate. He immediately pinpointed the Gongsun Clan’s next move.

“The commercial rights to the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.”

“Indeed. You predicted it instantly.”

Finding his disciple’s acuity admirable, Zhuge Rin reached out and ruffled Jin Cheon-hee’s hair vigorously. Even though the young man was now fully grown, the master’s doting habit remained unchanged.

“Hehe.”

Jin Cheon-hee didn’t dislike it. Emboldened, he continued with a touch of pride.

“The Yellow River cuts through the northern plains, while the Yangtze dominates the south. If they control the commercial rights of these great arteries and distribute goods through them, they can link the flow directly to their maritime trade. The profits would be astronomical. The Gongsun Clan is not foolish enough to miss such a prize.”

“Then do you also know what the single greatest obstacle is?”

“The sentiment of the local residents, perhaps… but more than that, the primary barrier will be the Yellow River-Yangtze Waterway Stronghold.”

The Waterway Stronghold was a massive coalition of pirates and water bandits operating along the two great rivers. In a sense, they shared the same chaotic lineage as the Eighteen Green Forest Strongholds.

It was quite amusing, really. Just as the Gongsun Clan possessed the history and tradition of a noble family, these villains boasted their own twisted heritage. Like the Italian Mafia back on Earth, these water bandits had been pirating for generations, maintaining cozy, corrupt relationships with government officials for just as long. It was a dog-eat-dog world where legitimacy was often just a matter of perspective.

However, they also have a fatal flaw.

They were a coalition.

As a loose alliance of criminals, they suffered from the same structural weakness as the Martial Righteous Alliance: the command of the Chief Stronghold Leader was followed only when convenient. Thanks to this fracture, even when the water bandits were eradicated in Jiangsu Province, no other faction from the coalition had stepped in to fill the vacuum.

Zhuge Rin gazed at his disciple’s profile and spoke softly.

“The ‘Blue-Eyed Mad Physician’ of the White Qilin Medical Pavilion has become a figure of terror among the water bandits. Unlike the old veterans of the Gangho who act with predictable caution, he is young, overflowing with energy, and utilizes absurd martial arts in equally absurd ways. He is an anomaly they cannot counter.”

Jin Cheon-hee’s blue eyes looked up at the sky before slowly turning to meet his master’s gaze.

“Hehe. So the Gongsun Clan’s target is me.”

“Correct. My clever disciple.”

Just moments ago, he had called him foolish; now, he called him clever. Perhaps that shifting tide was simply the nature of a master’s heart.

Jin Cheon-hee walked on with that thought, trailing behind Zhuge Rin until they arrived at the reception hall. Inside the largest guest room, the two tigers of the Gongsun Clan awaited.

Jin Cheon-hee straightened his sleeves and followed his master inside.

***

“So, what is it that you desire?”

“Partnership and alliance. Would you not like to join forces with us and seize the Yellow River of Shandong Province together?”

Their prediction proved accurate.

The two handsome men of the Zhuge family exchanged a brief, knowing glance. There was an indescribable joy in engaging in a battle of wits and watching the pieces fall exactly where anticipated. It was not the visceral pleasure of a warrior, but the cerebral satisfaction of a strategist. Jin Cheon-hee and Zhuge Rin shared a look that felt as impactful as a high-five.

“I understand the proposal,” Zhuge Rin said, unfolding his fan with a snap.

Gongsun Kang continued, “Shandong Province is located to the north of Jiangsu, where your Pavilion is situated. Above Shandong lie Hebei and Liaoning. We have found it quite convenient to travel between Liaoning and Shandong by ship.”

“I would like to know the reason behind your specific choice of Shandong Province,” Zhuge Rin inquired.

“It is not a complicated matter. Whenever we attempt to enter the inland region through the Yellow River in Shandong, the Hwangbo Clan interferes. They are truly a thorn in our side. They do not even properly regulate the commercial rights, yet they insist on obstructing us out of spite. It is infuriating.”

The Hwangbo Clan.

Jin Cheon-hee recalled the twins of the Hwangbo family he had encountered during the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. The older brother, Hwangbo Mu-hwi, and the younger sister, Hwangbo Mu-ah. Both possessed straightforward, bellicose personalities, yet they detested each other with a passion usually reserved for blood feuds. Born on the same day at the same time, they engaged in daily brawls, cursing each other as “brother bastard” and “sister bitch.” Their father, the Grand Tiger Sword Hwangbo Jung-heon, constantly lamented the discord between his children, envying the harmony of other families.

In stark contrast, the sisters of the Gongsun Clan were so close that their bond bordered on perilous. Although their attempt to transfer the Clan Head position to their cousin Gongsun Yeong had failed, the day Gongsun Yeong passed away would undoubtedly herald a bloody upheaval across the Murim.

Despite their internal differences, the Hwangbo Clan and the Gongsun Clan harbored a deep, mutual animosity. However, business was business.

“I see.”

“The Hwangbo Clan has long been renowned for its ignorance and ill-tempered nature. This legacy dates back to my great-grandfather’s era…”

“……”

This was the challenge of conversing with the Great Clans. Their deep history and traditions often led them to recount grudges from the days of their ancestors as if the insults had been hurled yesterday.

Zhuge Rin cut off the story politely but firmly before it could drag on. “You must have endured immense suffering. That is why you are proposing an alliance.”

“Yes. If you lend us your strength, the Gongsun Clan will undoubtedly repay the White Qilin Medical Pavilion in kind.”

Jin Cheon-hee immediately predicted his master’s response. He wouldn’t make an immediate decision on such a significant proposal.

Zhuge Rin opened his mouth. “Let us discuss this internally before giving you an answer.”

“That is only natural for a matter of such importance. We eagerly await your favorable response.”

Gongsun Kang and Gongsun Yeong clasped their hands in a formal bow, and the Zhuge duo returned the gesture.

An alliance proposal…

Hwangbo Jung-heon was about to have a headache. However, after weighing the pros and cons, aligning with the Gongsun Clan seemed to be the more profitable path.

***

“What do you think?”

His master’s blue eyes gazed down at him. Jin Cheon-hee had never felt the man to be so imposing before; perhaps he had simply failed to realize the true height of the mountain until now. As he delved deeper into the Pavilion Master’s duties, the weight of the countless responsibilities resting on those shoulders became increasingly apparent. At some point, the existence of his master began to feel like an insurmountable barrier.

Jin Cheon-hee realized that this massive mountain was constantly challenging him. Although he was the only cherished disciple, Zhuge Rin never handed over a lesson without wrapping it in a riddle.

Gulp.

If I give the wrong answer, my study load will increase.

Despite his previous prediction being accurate, the master continued to test the disciple in the crucible of knowledge.

“Currently, the White Qilin Medical Pavilion’s alliances include the Sichuan Tang Clan, the Shaolin Temple, the Hao Sect, and the Five Poisons Sect,” Jin Cheon-hee listed carefully.

“Why do you not mention the Wudang Sect?”

“We have had exchanges with the Wudang Sect, but in the past, Master stole Daji’s artifact from them.”

“I managed to smooth that over reasonably well, didn’t I? Besides, aren’t you the joint successor of the Fist Emperor?”

The moment the disciple showed a slight opening, the master swiftly thrust his verbal blade. Jin Cheon-hee responded as if he had anticipated the strike.

“Yes. While the situation was smoothed over, there have not been many opportunities for business partnerships or personnel exchanges. Therefore, while we can say we are personally close to the Wudang Sect, it is difficult to classify it as an alliance in the true sense.”

At his disciple’s response, his master snapped his fan shut.

“You have finally grasped the true essence of an ‘alliance’ as a strategist.”

No matter how emotionally close the leaders were, or that Jin Cheon-hee was a joint successor, those were strictly relationships between martial artists. In this context, an alliance meant a symbiotic business exchange.

To put it bluntly, if the White Qilin Medical Pavilion were annihilated, the Wudang Sect would suffer no material harm. Conversely, the Tang Clan was different.

If the White Qilin Medical Pavilion vanished, the Tang Clan would lose the primary customer base for its vast supply of medicinal goods. They would have to explore new sales avenues, but the challenge lay in the fact that talisman-related herbs could only be utilized by those skilled in talisman arts. In the Central Plains, the only other establishment besides the White Qilin that employed such arts was the Dark Palace Medical Pavilion.

However, the Dark Palace dealt with the Unorthodox Factions and the Demonic Cult, and it did not officially engage in trade with the Orthodox Tang Clan. Moreover, they possessed their own supply lines, leaving them with little incentive to rely on the Tang Clan.

In essence, an alliance where both parties suffer if one fails is what we refer to as a true alliance.

The Five Poisons Medical Pavilion was an even more extreme example. It was completely subordinate to the White Qilin. If the Five Poisons were destroyed, the White Qilin would survive, as they already possessed the technology and human resources. Conversely, if the White Qilin fell, the Five Poisons would lose their funding and their protective martial umbrella, effectively leading to their dissolution.

That was the nature of their ‘alliance’.

Fundamentally, the Zhuge Clan held a deep distrust for the emotional aspects of humanity. They firmly believed that a genuine alliance could only exist in a relationship of mutually assured destruction or absolute dependency. However, in reality, even if individuals within the Gangho embraced each other as sworn brothers, they would ultimately prioritize their own sect and clan when faced with a dire crisis. Therefore, it was crucial to distinguish between personal affection and political necessity when devising strategies.

Zhuge Rin had not explicitly taught this to Jin Cheon-hee because he understood that unless the disciple came to this realization on his own, he would eventually be swayed by an emotional definition of ‘alliance’.

But to think that he has grasped this concept so swiftly.

Typically, this was the age when one would be easily swayed by affection and camaraderie. Curiously, this young man possessed an insight that surpassed his years. In such a case, it might be prudent to tighten the leash a bit more.

A mischievous smile gradually crept onto Zhuge Rin’s lips.

“So, in this instance, do you consider the Gongsun Clan and the Cloud Dragon Escort Agency to be alliances of the White Qilin Medical Pavilion?”