Mercenary Harem in Murim Novel

Night passed by quickly. Not even the Capital City could fight against the quiet midnight.

Even so, Ming Yuchan's estate was still filled with bright lights. In the office located at the center of the building, he was sitting on his chair, thinking about the gift given by a young merchant named Yang Ji.

In front of him, a gun lay on the desk.

The item was truly a mystery.

While the design was simple and straightforward, its power and effect were beyond his imagination.

"Do you think what he said about this weapon is true?"

Ming Yuchan asked the servant standing behind him.

"I do not know, my Lord. However, I did hear about such an artifact used by a recently rising martial art that looked pretty similar to this item. I believe you have heard of him before, my Lord."

"Mercenary Union's leader, Leo the Thunder God, right? I have a suspicion that they might make a move soon, but this is... I might have underestimated their group a little bit too much."

"My Lord, do you think Master Yang is an agent of the Mercenary Union?"

"Agent? No, no. He's not an agent. No matter how you look at him, he's a real merchant." Ming Yuchan shook his head and leaned back. "But, he's not just a merchant either. There's a hidden force behind him, something that even I cannot predict."

"Then, should we investigate his background a bit more, my Lord?"

"... You don't need to. We have established a good relationship with them."

"But, my Lord, they are..."

"Let's not be too hasty. There are many things in this world that cannot be seen, but they are there. We need to have a good relationship with anyone, even a group like the Mercenary Union. I am greedy. Even if the Murim Alliance tries to make a move, we have enough power and influence to handle them."

"Understood. Then, what should we do now, my Lord?"

"First of all, why don't you gather people to create a new guard force? We now have a treasure that can allow us to create a small Sect. Let's name it Crouching Tiger Sect, shall we? Hmm?"

A shrewd smile appeared on Ming Yuchan's face as the servant stared at him with wide eyes.

"My Lord, is that... Is that really necess- Very well. I shall prepare it right away."

"Good. And, one more thing. Stop supplying iron and steel to the Murim Alliance. Keep our storage full and focus on inner development. I have a feeling that their prices are going to rise. We can't rely on them anymore."

"Yes, my Lord. I understand."

With that, the servant bowed and left.

Ming Yuchan looked at the window and saw the stars in the sky. Countless lights filled the night, creating a breathtaking sight.

Everyone thought Murim Alliance to be the moon, the biggest star in the night sky. But, as the stars were shining bright tonight, a meteor crossed the sky, signaling a change.

One that would shake the foundation of Murim and create chaos and destruction.

Moon wasn't the biggest star.

It was just another star, a mere object that could never compare to the burning sun.

And, the meteor that was falling was no longer a meteor. It was the sun, and it would burn everything that stood in its way. It would swallow the blanket of night and bring a new dawn.

"Hmm, let's see what fate has in store for us."

With that, Ming Yuchan closed his eyes, knowing that the world was about to change.

***

Meanwhile, that person he talked about walked down the street alone after dropping Jessica in the inn for her to work on the report.

There was no need for him to be accompanied by his secretary tonight.

Leo had a task to complete. The type that would work better when one was alone.

As he walked, his mind wandered, thinking about the situation they were in.

'So far, so good. We got the Twin Spirit Artifact and a clue on the clothes we're looking for. The rest is how this girl reacts to me showing up so suddenly?'

Right now, he got rid of the merchant's disguise and acted as himself, wearing a suit and a black coat, a perfect combination to meet someone who might come from the same world.

Someone would appreciate a more familiar looking guy than someone with a different look.

Soon, Leo arrived at the gate of the eastern district where the Murim Alliance main office was located.

The gate was large and imposing, with guards standing on each side, eyeing him suspiciously. They whispered to each other, wondering what a young guy like him could possibly want with Murim Alliance.

After a moment, a man wearing a dark robe approached him. From his expression, he might have recognized Leo.

"Do you know the consequences of showing up here? I am sure you're not that stupid. Showing up in the enemy's territory alone is a suicide."

"Haha, don't worry about me. I am not here to start a fight or anything. I am just here to have a little talk with someone that might be an old friend." Leo was calm, his tone confident and relaxed. "Would you mind opening the door for me?"

"Ha! You have guts, kid. But, the Murim Alliance doesn't open the door for anyone, especially for a troublemaker who clearly wanted to make us your enemy. While I am being nice, turn around and go home. There's no use wasting your life."

"Well, I don't really have time for this."

Leo sighed and put his hands in his pockets, looking bored.

The guard looked at him with an annoyed expression, wondering what was wrong with him. But as he blinked once, Leo somehow disappeared, and the guard looked around, only to see him already walking past the gate and into the eastern district.

"W-what the heck! Where did he come from?!"

"I-it's impossible. How could he get past me?" The man in dark robe was shocked and turned to his fellow guards. "Did anyone see what happened?"

"No, we didn't."

"I didn't notice anything."

The guards looked at each other, wondering what just happened. That only happened for a few seconds.

The person in the dark robe, Chung Soo, knew Leo was a dangerous individual. The leader of the Mercenary Union suddenly came into the heart of Murim Alliance's power alone. Either he was crazy or that confident, he didn't know.

What was important was...

'I shouldn't let him enter!'

Thinking about that, he rushed forward. Qi covered his entire body, making him faster than a cheetah.

He was ready to stop Leo from entering the eastern area.

But when he got close to him, he realized that the person was no longer there. He stopped and looked around, but there was no one else except the guards.

"Where did he go?"

No Qi or presence. Chung Soo frowned and started to panic. He ran around the area, but there was no sign of Leo anywhere.

"How is this possible?"

It was as if he just disappeared.

Chung Soo could only stand there and scratch his head, wondering how a person could disappear so easily.

Then, he decided that it was better to report this and leave the area.

"Keep looking around! He shouldn't be that far from here yet!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Don't let him enter the eastern district!"

"Understood!"

The guards began to search the area, but there was no trace of Leo anywhere.

That was because he was already there, dressed in the guard's outfit and smiling as he blended in the crowd.

With the power of optical illusion, he managed to slip inside their rank and left them searching for him on the outside.

"This is too easy."

Leo smiled as he walked toward the shadow, deactivating his optical illusion and moved with purpose.

Based on the information he received, the girl he had been searching for stayed near the main street of the eastern district where many restaurants were located. It was a place where families or friends could go and have a meal together.

Usually, family members of high-ranking people stayed inside the Murim Alliance's main building. But some of them lived here.

As Leo walked down the street, he could see many couples or groups having a good time even after midnight. Some people even went to the street stalls and bought snacks, enjoying the nightlife.

Unlike the other districts, the security here was less strict, with the guards being friendly and helpful. It was as if there were no enemies around.

Leo kept his eyes peeled and tried to blend in. After a few minutes, he found the place he was looking for. A small restaurant with bustling activities. Citizens and high-ranking people mixed in, making it a popular spot.

As he approached, Leo could see a few people standing outside. A poster girl with brown hair served the customers with a smile. Her clothes, seemingly inspired by a medieval poster girl, stood out and made her look cute and adorable.

She clearly didn't have the eastern face that everyone else had. Instead, her facial features looked pretty similar to him and his subordinates.

'Found her.'

Leo nodded and walked up to the front door. She hadn't noticed him yet. He was not surprised, as he had no idea how she would react.

'I can only hope for the best. If anything happens, I will have to deal with it.'

Taking a deep breath, he entered the restaurant. The bell near the door rang, causing a few people to look at him curiously. Voices from inside rang clearly in his ear.

"Sherly, give us more ale and that crispy chicken! Hahaha, your new menu is the best!"

"Oh, shut up, you old bastard! This is a fine restaurant, not a cheap bar! Stop shouting and show some respect!"

"Hahaha, Sherly is right. You guys need to behave."

Laughter and chatter could be heard, creating a lively and welcoming atmosphere.

As Leo walked in, his eyes searched for the poster girl he saw earlier. And soon, he spotted her, her back facing him as she worked the counter.

He approached her and called out.

"Sherly, is it? What a nice name."

Hearing him, the girl's gesture seemed to say that more annoyed than surprised. She might've had people trying to woo her many times before and thought that this was the same case as always.

But when she looked back, she looked clearly surprised. Her eyes widened slightly upon seeing Leo.

Smiling, he stretched his right hand and said,

"My name is Leo. It's nice to meet you. May I have a little bit of your time?"

For a second, the girl didn't respond. Her face showed a shock as she looked at his hand. She knew what he wanted. A gesture that was unnatural in this place. Something that she had to change when she arrived at this place.

As if it was a natural thing to do, she took his hand and smiled.

"Sherly. With pleasure."

A handshake. A gesture that was common back on earth.

And, a sign that the two had finally met. People that came from a different world.