Chapter 42: The Slacker Who Became Cargo (2)
“Have you reflected on your actions?”
Nok Gi stared coldly at the man before him.
“Yes, Father.”
The man—Nok Mokpung—answered with his head lowered to the floor.
His massive body was pressed close to the ground.
“If you had killed the Second Prince there, that would have been a good thing. Even if you had failed and died instead, it wouldn’t have been so bad.”
“……”
“But returning without killing him, and without being killed yourself, is the worst outcome. Was your life so precious to you?”
“No, sir.”
“Then why couldn’t you die?”
“Because it would’ve been a meaningless death.”
“And why is that?”
“If I had died by the hands of the Second Prince there, it would’ve had some significance. But I ended up fighting someone else instead. So even if I died, it wouldn’t have caused any harm to the Second Prince.”
“Hmmm.”
Nok Gi nodded.
“You make a valid point.”
“I do not fear death, but I fear a meaningless one. I wish to offer my life only when it can be useful, Father.”
“Well said.”
Nok Gi smiled.
“It’s been three years since you were adopted into my family, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Keep this in mind. I do not raise useless dogs. If you want to stay by my side, you must at least be capable of fetching a bone.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“You may go.”
Nok Mokpung quietly straightened himself.
“Yes.”
“Oh, and one more thing...”
“Yes, Father.”
Nok Gi’s eyes narrowed.
“Look further into that brat who stopped you. I have a bad feeling.”
“Understood.”
“You may go.”
“Yes.”
Nok Mokpung bowed deeply and left the room.
Nok Gi began to hum to himself.
“A useless, ambitious pig always ends up in the pot.”
His humming echoed through the room.
“Hmph.”
Nok Mokpung snorted.
“That eunuch bastard really doesn’t know his place.”
At that moment, a man appeared silently before him and stood at attention.
“Any word from him?”
The man nodded.
“Nok Gi still has his uses. He said to keep him alive for now.”
“Uses, huh... What could he possibly accomplish now that his faction has been exposed?”
“He said his mere existence is enough to bind the feet of the royal family.”
“If it’s something like that, I could do it myself. How long must we continue catering to that eunuch?”
“His Grace has other plans for you.”
“Hm?”
“There was a summons from the main stronghold. You’re ordered to return as soon as possible.”
“Hmmm, in that case...”
Nok Mokpung smiled.
“I might finally be rid of this wretched disguise.”
He walked slowly past the man.
‘Nok Gi is a man to be discarded once he’s no longer useful. Let him be for now. Once he’s outlived his purpose, everything he has will be mine.’
Nok Mokpung’s eyes gleamed.
“There’s no rush with the royal family. First, I need to take care of more pressing matters.”
Just then, an image of a man flashed in his mind.
“There’s something I want you to do.”
“What is it?”
“That boy... I believe his name was Wi Yeonho. I want everything on him. Leave nothing out.”
“Is it an urgent matter?”
“Not particularly. But nothing must be overlooked.”
“……”
The lack of response caused Nok Mokpung’s gaze to grow cold.
“Is that dissatisfaction I hear?”
“How could a lowly servant like me possibly harbor dissatisfaction toward your will, Young Master?”
“Then?”
The man bowed his head deeply and spoke.
“It’s just... I don’t understand why someone of your stature would take an interest in such a trivial person.”
Nok Mokpung let out a low sigh.
“Listen.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“The downfall of great designs often begins with small oversights.”
“……”
“And he is not a trivial person. Considering his age, the martial ability he showed is extraordinary. Someone with that level of skill deserves to be discussed as a future contender for the title of the Greatest Under Heaven. Would you still call such a person trivial?”
“The title of the Greatest Under Heaven belongs to you, Young Master.”
“Tch.”
Nok Mokpung, who disliked sweet talk, shook his head. Even though the man seemed to speak sincerely, such sincerity still didn’t sit well with him.
What he needed wasn’t honeyed flattery but honest, knife-like truth that pierced the heart.
“Even if I become the future Greatest Under Heaven, do you think I’ll be truly accepted?”
“……”
The man couldn’t answer.
“What I need isn’t recognition, but results. Results that even my father and older brother cannot deny. Results that even those haughty noblemen in the fortress can’t ignore. That’s why I can’t afford to overlook even the smallest detail. How do you not understand that?”
“I was foolish.”
Nok Mokpung’s eyes gleamed.
“And I have a feeling that boy will be a great asset to my achievements.”
“Him?”
“He hasn’t become a storm yet, but he holds the eye of one. Just wait. Soon, he’ll stir up a whirlwind across the Martial World.”
“To that extent...?”
The man found Nok Mokpung’s assessment hard to believe.
That boy named Wi Yeonho indeed possessed martial prowess far beyond his years.
But when he thought about the countless hidden monsters and eccentric masters buried within the Martial World, he couldn’t imagine someone like Wi Yeonho making much of a difference.
“You don’t believe me?”
“How could I possibly doubt you, Young Master?”
“Tch tch.”
Nok Mokpung clicked his tongue.
Of course, if that man had such discernment, he wouldn’t still be in a subordinate position.
That martial ability and that disposition—if left alone, he might just pass like a gentle breeze. But the Martial World was no place to let anyone be.
Nok Mokpung let out a bitter smile.
“Just wait and see. You’ll understand soon enough.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What are the elder brothers up to these days?”
“I don’t know the details, but I’ve heard they’ve been getting involved with the Medical Clan.”
“The Medical Clan?”
“Yes.”
“Hmmm…”
Nok Mokpung tilted his head, clearly puzzled.
The Medical Clan... What could they possibly gain from meddling with such an insignificant group?
‘If my brothers are wasting their energy on something so trivial, that only benefits me.’
Though he found it questionable, he saw no reason to interfere. What mattered wasn't what they were doing, but how much he himself could accomplish.
“And the Second Prince?”
“He’s keeping his mouth shut, it seems.”
“Smart man.”
Nok Mokpung nodded.
Startling the grass and alarming the snakes—if the royal family stirred up Nok Gi’s faction right now, it would trigger chaos. Nok Gi might not escape death, but the damage to the royal family in the process would be significant. Considering that, staying silent for now was the better move.
With the royal authority already being overshadowed by the clerical powers, if the monarchy weakened further, ruling the Central Plains would become even more difficult.
“These are turbulent times...”
Nok Mokpung smiled.
Turbulent times always gave rise to heroes.
An age of peace and prosperity might bring happiness to many, but for dragons lying in wait, it was nothing but a desert.
Nok Mokpung was one who welcomed chaos.
“Wi Yeonho, Wi Yeonho…”
A subtle smile crept onto Nok Mokpung’s face.
“Just wait. I’ll be the one to come find you.”
He began humming as he made his way back to his room, but then came to a sudden stop.
“By the way…”
“Yes?”
“That guy… He didn’t look like he intended to stay there. Do we know where he’s headed?”
“I was just about to inform you.”
“Hm?”
Nok Mokpung tilted his head.
“What do you mean?”
“That person named Wi Yeonho… he’s been registered as a cargo item by the Swift Dragon Escort Agency.”
“So, he’s joining the escort mission?”
“No, not quite. He’s literally been registered as a cargo item.”
“…What are you talking about? Explain yourself.”
“It’s… exactly as I said…”
Nok Mokpung held his forehead.
‘He’s unpredictable. Completely unpredictable.’
He realized now that he himself had already been swept into the whirlwind that Wi Yeonho was brewing.
And unfortunately, he realized it too late.
* * *
“So, let me get this straight…”
Gok Bihang, the Second Escort Leader of the Swift Dragon Escort Agency, looked at the escorts with a bewildered expression.
“You said you went to retrieve the cargo, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And the cargo?”
“Well, it’s hard to explain…”
One of the escorts glanced over at the wagon, where only a pair of feet stuck out from the top. Then, in a hesitant tone, he pointed toward that ‘cargo.’
“Well… that’s it.”
Gok Bihang’s face twisted into an indescribably strange expression.
He was both angry and confused, irritated yet somewhat understanding. A complex storm of emotion.
“…Are you playing games with me?”
“We wanted to refuse as well, but it was a request from the esteemed Great Scholarly Institute. We couldn’t say no.”
“Ugh…”
Gok Bihang felt a headache coming on.
Transporting a person and transporting cargo were entirely different matters.
If someone were to accompany an escort mission lasting over ten days, the preparations for that single person would become overwhelmingly complicated.
Even meals couldn’t be shared—there was no way they could offer the client the same food the escorts ate. Preparing three meals a day was no small task. And they couldn’t simply let them sleep on a mat on the floor like the escorts did either. It would double the preparation time.
That’s why escort missions that involved transporting people were handled separately. But now, because of this one individual, everything had become complicated. Of course, it was a headache.
While Gok Bihang was agonizing over how to send this ‘cargo’ back, the escort leaned in and spoke quietly.
“Also…”
“Hm?”
The escort stepped closer and subtly shaped his hand into the form of a coin. Gok Bihang flinched, instantly understanding the gesture.
“They’re offering four times the normal rate.”
“Four times…”
As Gok Bihang hesitated, a soft, tempting whisper followed.
“And a little extra on the side. You know? A little something, just for you.”
Gok Bihang gave in with a nod.
“If it’s a request from the Great Scholarly Institute, I suppose we can’t refuse.”
He shifted his stance without hesitation.
No matter what anyone said, the Great Scholarly Institute was an old and powerful institution with considerable influence in the Confucian Forest.
Even locally, it was considered a prestigious and respectable group.
Turning down a request from them wasn’t easy by any means.
Now with a proper excuse, Gok Bihang approved the transport of the ‘cargo.’
“Still, this is going to be a pain.”
Moving people was never easy. On top of that, he hadn’t even prepared for this kind of situation, so there would be extra supplies and food to gather during the journey. Saying the workload had doubled wasn’t an exaggeration.
“Well, it can’t be helped.”
With a sigh, Gok Bihang climbed onto the wagon.
Since it was technically cargo, he figured he should at least check it out.
“Hm?”
As he got onto the wagon, Gok Bihang was left speechless.
What was happening there was something he had never once imagined.