When Ho Cheon-an fainted and got stuck with the Iron Blood Rat, investigations were in full swing at the Moyong Clan’s mine.
“The manpower office reported a 10% fee, but you were charging 20%?”
The head was sweating profusely while fumbling for an excuse.
“Well… I was just about to report it! It’s, uh, probably a time difference between the field and the paperwork…”
“They’re saying you only paid the new miners 60% of their wages, right? When did the heads get the authority to adjust miners’ pay? That power was always with the supervisors, wasn’t it?”
After the manpower office heads were grilled, it was the supervisors’ turn.
“What were the supervisors doing while the heads were arbitrarily wielding power over the workers’ wages?”
“We truly had no idea! We just issued work completion passes from our supervisory position. Interfering with the heads paying the miners their daily wage is…”
“I see. But you’re saying you’ve never had a suspiciously large deduction from those wages? Is it neglect, or did you collude with the heads to share bonuses meant for new workers?”
“That’s absurd! Even if someone made a mistake, would we just cut the wages of the workers sweating in the mine?”
“That’s true. Then let’s move on. How about renting pickaxes to the miners for money?”
“That was an order from upper management considering the damage to tools. The breakage rate has drastically decreased compared to when they were loaned for free, benefiting mine operations.”
“I see. But… the rental fee was set at 1 coin, wasn’t it? Why did you charge 3 coins for tools supplied at 6 coins each from the workshop?”
“N-no! The price for the pickaxes supplied by the workshop is actually 3 coins!”
“This is ridiculous! Is the ledger lying, or are you lying? It’s all a mess.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa said, holding her forehead.
“It’s clear that mine operations are a disaster. The four seniors will continue checking operational issues with me. The rest of you, led by the Moyong clan members, go inspect and report back after checking on the miners.”
Moyong Chan-gyeong and the other Moyong members set off for the mine, accompanied by the miners.
“Hoo.”
Amid the crowd climbing the mountain, Moyong Gwak-jeon sighed.
With the master having withdrawn, how could the mine remain the same?
He had expected such but felt uneasy seeing the scene firsthand.
‘This is all for a grand achievement.’
How desperate could the miners have been to rise up?
While thinking this, Moyong Gwak-jeon shook his head.
It was just a matter of holding out a bit longer.
‘Once the grand achievement is complete, there would be no reason for the clan to huddle. Then, we can drive out the rotten merchants and normalize the mine.’
Nodding at that thought, Moyong Gwak-jeon recalled that while the corrupt merchants were currently rampant, drawing a sword to cut down rotten straw wouldn’t be difficult.
‘As long as the mine stands strong, reviving it won’t be an issue.’
Moyong Gwak-jeon had faith in the mine.
He could send that faith because he had cultivated this mine himself. It was a mine built with effort and sincerity by me and the branch clans of Shengsu Faction.
Though he hadn’t kept an eye on it recently, it was no mine that would collapse under the tyranny of merchants.
But that belief of Moyong Gwak-jeon shattered the moment they entered Tunnel No. 8.
“…Who dug this place out so wide? Isn’t there a risk of collapse at this rate?!”
The supervisor was sweating profusely as he faced Moyong Gwak-jeon’s stern expression.
“This, this place has rich deposits, so that’s why.”
“Even if the deposits are rich, this part could collapse entirely!”
“I-I will rectify it!”
Moyong Gwak-jeon realized that this sweat-drenched supervisor had never worked in a mine. If he had any knowledge about mines, he would’ve come up with a more plausible excuse.
“Here, why are the supports made of wood? Wasn’t this place originally supported by steel supports?”
The supervisor couldn’t answer, and it was Miner Mr. Chu who spoke instead.
“Probably used to reinforce Tunnel No. 27. That one is a new tunnel, so it was probably inspected more.”
Moyong Gwak-jeon felt light-headed from Mr. Chu’s response.
“…So you pulled out the old supports? Did you really just patch it with wood without replacing them?!”
Mr. Chu looked at Moyong Gwak-jeon in silence. Moyong Gwak-jeon felt frustrated at that gaze and looked at the supervisors.
“Who allowed such a thing? And you all! Are you blind? Approving such actions in the tunnels…!”
Moyong Gwak-jeon lost his words in his anger.
It was these two years.
Even though it hadn’t been long since the mine was ignored, not a single familiar face was among the supervisors present.
“Uncle, please calm down.”
Moyong Mo stepped in front of the furious Moyong Gwak-jeon.
“Is it a serious situation?”
Moyong Mo’s question prompted a hollow laugh from Moyong Gwak-jeon.
“Haha…”
Moyong Gwak-jeon glanced at the other branch members inspecting the mine alongside him. Everyone’s faces were grim.
They, too, were once diligent in checking the mine before the grand achievement began.
They recognized the seriousness of the situation in their own way.
“You fellows, I will check this tunnel. Can you check other places?”
“…Understood. May we take a few miners with us?”
“Of course. Be as thorough as possible.”
The branch departments scattered to inspect different tunnels while Moyong Gwak-jeon looked at Moyong Mo who remained.
Gazing at Moyong Mo, Moyong Gwak-jeon pondered.
‘What if I had passed down the knowledge I’ve built working this mine to Moyong Mo? Would we see a situation like this today?’
Though Moyong Mo was diligent in her inspections, she had overlooked these hazard factors.
It was only natural.
No one in the Faction had passed on the knowledge of the mine to Moyong Mo. Even if she diligently inspected, merchants were already prepared to deceive her in every way.
What if Moyong Mo had knowledge of the tunnel and mine?
Even if the merchants were blinded by greed and didn’t hesitate to utilize any means, once faced with valid critiques, they would have no choice but to take action.
Then…
“Look here. Can you see where the rock quality changes?”
“Yes.”
“Places where the rock quality changes must be approached much more carefully than elsewhere when mining or excavating. There are often spots where rock layers aren’t securely bonded. If there’s a gap either above or below, the floor or ceiling could collapse…”
Such assumptions unlatched Moyong Gwak-jeon’s mouth.
Moyong Gwak-jeon imparted his knowledge to Moyong Mo, thinking of how her inspections would create more noise and fuss in the future.
And such Morrison’s activities might act as a major obstacle in the grand achievement.
While contemplating that fact, Moyong Gwak-jeon did not stop his speech.
As he roamed Tunnel No. 8, his mouth never rested. There were countless things he needed to point out, and the more he wandered, the darker he felt.
After some time.
Once Moyong Gwak-jeon had finished inspecting the tunnel, he descended back to the mine village. By the time he got down, other branch members had already returned from their inspections.
Despite being the first to start inspecting with meticulous explanation for Moyong Mo, Moyong Gwak-jeon’s group was the last to come down.
Moyong Gwak-jeon could guess the results from seeing the solemn faces of the branch members before hearing the reports.
“Report.”
“I inspected Tunnel No. 2. As it’s an old tunnel, it was quite deep. The tunnel had narrowed, with some cracks showing. There’s iron ore coming out, but going any deeper looked dangerous to me.”
“Speak clearly. Did you think it just looked dangerous?”
“…It’s hard to express a definitive opinion after just half a day’s inspection.”
“…I understand.”
All reports created a commotion.
Could it be that only Tunnel No. 8 had issues?
Signs of neglecting safety for cost savings and mining performance were found scattered throughout the entire mine.
Once all reports were received, Moyong Gwak-jeon wiped his face and looked up to the sky. The branch members also wore dark expressions.
He thought the rot only lay in the merchants’ attitudes.
But it turned out the mine entrusted to those merchants was just as damaged.
“…Thank you for your hard work. The investigation by the Master of the Faction and Yeon-hwa seems ongoing, so let’s wait for them before we return.”
The branch members and martial artists nodded and dispersed.
Miner Mr. Chu gazed at Moyong Gwak-jeon’s gloomy face and spoke up.
“How about checking the mine village once?”
“…Let’s do that.”
Mr. Chu led the way, and Moyong Gwak-jeon followed, getting his guidance.
“Do you remember O Gyeong Inn that served incredible beef dishes?”
“Of course.”
“That O Gyeong has closed down. With the miners’ situation getting tougher, they can’t afford to enjoy beef dishes anymore.”
“…”
At Mr. Chu’s words, Moyong Gwak-jeon shut his eyes tightly. Seeing this, Mr. Chu chuckled.
“I missed the drink you bought, Great Hero. Would you like to share a drink for old times’ sake?”
“…Let’s keep it modest since we’re still on an inspection.”
Mr. Chu nodded and guided Moyong Gwak-jeon and Moyong Mo to a modest tavern.
“Here, bring us a bottle of your best wine and some light snacks.”
“Hehe, would something like soup and stir-fried meat be alright?”
“Please serve it that way.”
“The wine costs 5 coins, and the snacks are each 5 coins, so the total is 15 coins.”
Moyong Gwak-jeon paused for a moment. Understanding the reason for his pause, Mr. Chu spoke up.
“The prices here have crept up to this level lately.”
“Our tavern is relatively cheap. There’s only this place in the village selling a bottle for 5 coins.”
Moyong Gwak-jeon shot a glance at Moyong Mo, as if asking if that was true. Moyong Mo nodded.
After paying, the wine was brought out first. Mr. Chu filled Moyong Gwak-jeon’s chipped cup with wine.
“The prices in the mine village have spiked quite a bit recently. Still, what can we do? A body worn out from sweating all day can’t trek over two villages just to find something to eat.”
Moyong Gwak-jeon’s cup shook. Mr. Chu ignored the tremor and continued drinking.
“It feels like just yesterday that we were digging Tunnel No. 2 together, but it’s already been a decade. Back then, I never imagined the mine would grow this big. Hehe. So much has changed.”
“Indeed. It’s already been a decade…”
Moyong Gwak-jeon was reminded of those days. He was so caught up in the thrill of the mine expanding that he forgot his martial arts training and took care of the mine.
That time felt far away now.
“Hehe, now I’m a father of three. My second kid is already whining to become a soldier.”
“I see. Do you visit your family often?”
“Well, every few weeks or so. Each time I go, the kids have grown even a bit taller and that’s always refreshing.”
Moyong Gwak-jeon and Mr. Chu shared memories for a moment.
“Did that really happen? How surprising.”
“Ha ha ha. It was something you wouldn’t imagine, Young Master.”
“That was indeed a foolish act.”
The two became lost in their reminiscing, with Moyong Mo in between them. Not realizing the passage of time, Moyong Gwak-jeon finally noticed the sky had darkened.
“I should get going now. What will you do, Mr. Chu?”
“Since I’ve finished my guiding duties for today, I think I’ll stay here and finish the remaining wine and snacks.”
“Very well. Thank you for the guidance today.”
“Not at all. I should be thanking you for paying for the drinks.”
After separating from Mr. Chu at the tavern, Moyong Gwak-jeon headed to the meeting point.
There, the Master of the Faction and the branch members were gathered discussing something.
“Master of the Faction?”
“Gather around. Moyong Yeon-hwa is currently in discussions with the trade guild leaders.”
Moyong Gwak-jeon joined in on that discussion.
“Now that the situation has reached this point, it’s inevitable we will need to make major changes with the merchants. We must prepare to sort them out appropriately without disrupting the grand scheme.”
“Yes.”
“There will be an impact on mine earnings, but our current regional assets are sufficient. We must proceed without faltering, maintaining the grand scheme as is.”
Hearing the words of the Master of the Faction, Moyong Gwak-jeon interrupted.
“Are you really not going to directly involve yourself in the mine affairs?”
At that, the Master of the Faction glared at Moyong Gwak-jeon sharply.
“The grand scheme comes first. Do you not know the saying that a single mistake can ruin a thousand plans? It would be absurd to leave a potential problem just to tend to trivial matters.”
“…Is that a trivial matter?”
Moyong Gwak-jeon sighed, and the unusual attitude caught the attention of the branch members.
“I must personally oversee the mine.”
“Moyong Gwak-jeon!”
Under the sharp gazes of the seniors, Moyong Gwak-jeon recalled his conversation with Mr. Chu. Mr. Chu seemed to harbor thoughts of leaving this place for another. He hadn’t spoken of it directly, but such desires were apparent from their discussion.
While the scale had increased, the barren sights of the mine village also came to mind.
“The mine can be dealt with after achieving the grand scheme!”
“It’ll be too late.”
Moyong Gwak-jeon recalled the inside of the tunnels and the ignorant supervisors as well as the rising prices.
The merchants had been relentless in usurping this mine, shuffling all personnel to suit their whims, and they didn’t hesitate to dig into its very roots.
What then has become of the mine?
Though it may seem fine on the outside, internally it’s crumbling apart.
Is that all?
All who could have warned about the mine’s dangers had long since vanished, and the skilled miners were leaving one by one.
The mine was already collapsing.
“If we don’t take action immediately, this mine will cross an irreversible river.”
It may seem like a foolish choice, but Moyong Gwak-jeon couldn’t just stand by and watch the mine he had tirelessly cultivated crumble away.
Moyong Gwak-jeon stood face-to-face against Moyong Jin-gyeong.
“You were one who supported the grand scheme; why are you acting like this now? Despite pouring your heart into the mine and revitalizing the entire Shengsu, weren’t you just lucky to discover it, ignored the whispers of those who pointed fingers at you?”
“How could I forget that?”
Moyong Jin-gyeong’s sharp tone was met with a calm nod from Moyong Gwak-jeon.
“I was simply too frustrated by those fingers pointing at me that I momentarily forgot what’s obvious.”
“What?”
“This mine is a result of everyone’s combined efforts in Shengsu Faction. Was it really luck that this mine, the heart of Shengsu, was established in less than a decade?”
Hearing Moyong Gwak-jeon’s words, the branch members shook their heads internally.
“It was the fruits of our ceaseless labor. Why did we suffer? We were embittered because our efforts weren’t acknowledged, were we not? Because we were from the Faction, as a branch clan, or just lucky. We sought to excel despite such ridiculous excuses diminishing our efforts; wasn’t that our struggle?”
Moyong Gwak-jeon dug in.
“But now we, Shengsu Faction, have ceased that effort.”
“You foolish fellow!”
“I support the grand scheme. But I must also attend to the mine.”
“The risks are too great! Do you not understand that?!”
The reason Shengsu Faction could shut its doors and keep secrets was that they had entrusted everything about the mine to the merchants.
The moment Shengsu Faction began to manage the mine directly, there would be an influx of those wanting to meet with the Faction’s seniors, and those who couldn’t meet them would surely start raising questions about why they hadn’t done so.
Not just that.
If the branch clans began managing the mine, they would reconnect with the previously discarded influences of the martial world, and if new ties opened up, the seniors would be forced to take action.
Having the branch clans directly manage the mine would exponentially increase the risk of secrets spilling.
“As previously stated, overseeing the mine isn’t something that can wait. I know this decision could disrupt the grand scheme, but… it is something we must do.”
As he said that, the nearby martial artists and Moyong Jin-gyeong, all well aware of Moyong Yeon-hwa, couldn’t raise their voices any louder, grinding their teeth in frustration.
“Isn’t it better for someone to at least watch over the mine?”
A voice rang out amidst the branch members, causing Moyong Jin-gyeong to snap his head around.
The branch member, receiving the piercing glares from Moyong Jin-gyeong and the seniors, flinched and stumbled over their words.
“I… I didn’t expect the mine to decay so badly in less than two years! I thought it would naturally maintain its state. Even if the grand scheme succeeds, it’s true the driving force would be lost if we lose the mine…”
Moyong Jin-gyeong surveyed the faces of the branch members. There were several among them in favor of the idea to directly manage the mine.
“You foolish fellows! Are you merchants or martial artists?!”
Moyong Gwak-jeon steadily countered.
“Isn’t it only natural that those passionate about cultivating martial arts would equally pour their passion into the mine?”
“You scoundrel…!”
Just as Moyong Jin-gyeong was about to speak, he was interrupted.
“The outside noise is so loud, we can’t have a proper conversation.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa appeared.
“I unwittingly overheard part of your conversation. I support Shengsu Faction directly managing the mine. With no owner for the mine, miscreants will surely rise up if we replace the merchants wholesale.”
