Chapter 129 - "Let's Step on Them First"
“The investigation is complete, Young Master.”
Byeok Taesan, who had been kneading a lump of gold like it was clay, turned his head to look at Hwaryeong.
Yesterday, the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion arrived in Wuhan.
However, it appeared with two tails attached.
“That was quick.”
“With the Shadow Report Division reclaimed, there are few who can withstand the Hao Clan's interrogation.”
Still, there were exceptions, those trained to endure interrogations, particularly those involved in intelligence work.
Hwaryeong reported on this as well.
“One of them is undoubtedly someone who handles information. He had a variety of methods to resist interrogation. The other one was a typical martial artist.”
“Really? Which one was the martial artist?”
“It was the one you caught later, Young Master.”
“Well, that makes sense.”
The one captured later had been quite far away. If he hadn’t shown interest in this side, Byeok Taesan wouldn’t have bothered to engage him.
That man must have been keenly aware of his shortcomings in stealth and reconnaissance, taking extreme precautions. He must have judged that failing at spying would still be better than being discovered.
“For now, one of them came from the Golden Moon Merchants.”
“The Golden Moon Merchants?”
The Golden Moon Merchants were trying to use the Murim Alliance to seize the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion.
It was natural for them to resort to such tactics.
Still, being repeatedly entangled with them was starting to irritate Taesan.
“And the other one was connected to the Murim Alliance.”
Byeok Taesan looked at Hwaryeong.
Connected to the Murim Alliance? What could that possibly mean?
“He was a martial artist personally managed by the Vice-Leader of the Heaven Sword Corps within the Murim Alliance.”
“So, he is neither officially part of the Heaven Sword Corps nor officially part of the Murim Alliance?”
“Yes, that’s correct. He is privately raised by the Vice-Leader of the Heaven Sword Corps.”
“Are there many like him?”
It was a question about whether individuals within the Murim Alliance managed unofficial private organizations outside of its official structure.
“There aren’t many, but once such groups are established, they typically expand.”
“So, there are likely more of them?”
Byeok Taesan recalled the situation when he captured the man.
He was roughly on par with the Heavenly Divine Healer.
While the Heavenly Divine Healer might seem weaker compared to some of Taesan’s other subordinates, he wasn’t exactly an ordinary man.
If there were a lot of people like that, it could become troublesome.
“Have you confirmed how many have infiltrated?”
“We’re still verifying. So far, we’ve identified seventeen. Judging by their areas of activity, there could be around thirty in total.”
“Thirty… And the Golden Moon Merchants?”
“They’ve recently shown signs of attempting to enter Wuhan.”
Byeok Taesan smirked.
“Let’s step on all of them first.”
Hwaryeong tensed at those words. To carry that out, identifying their locations was essential.
“I’ll expedite the process.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to give them a chance to redeem themselves. Once you locate them, leave it to Yuk Taegu to handle.”
“Yes, I’ll contact him immediately.”
•••••
Yeo Cheongang, the Vice-Leader of the Heaven Sword Corps, arrived in Wuhan later than expected.
The Corps Leader, Bang Durip, had ordered him to follow the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion and ensure that the Seventh Squad Leader carried out his duties properly. If necessary, he was to provide assistance.
To do so, Yeo Cheongang even mobilized a private organization he had painstakingly cultivated.
That organization had been sent to Wuhan in advance to monitor the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion and keep an eye on the Seventh Squad of the Heaven Sword Corps. They were also tasked with gathering information about the general atmosphere and rumors circulating in Wuhan.
However, upon his delayed arrival in Wuhan, an unexpected piece of news awaited him.
“They’ve been captured? By the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion?”
“Yes. They were supposed to observe cautiously from a distance, but it seems they ventured too close.”
“Tch, tch. I told them to curb their greed.”
“It seems they made a mistake since it’s been a while since their last mission.”
“So, where are they being held now?”
“Well, that’s the strange part.”
“Strange? How so?”
“They were taken by a group of unorthodox path thugs.”
“Unorthodox path thugs? Don’t tell me the Black Lotus is involved?”
The subordinate quickly shook his head.
“No, it’s not them. It’s a group that has been active in Wuhan for a long time. To be precise, they’re closer to back-alley hooligans than true unorthodox path members.”
“Back-alley hooligans? Why would lowly scoundrels like that interfere?”
“We’re still investigating, but…”
Yeo Cheongang clicked his tongue. These men weren’t skilled in surveillance or espionage. They were warriors.
They might fare better if tasked with assassinations.
They lacked subtlety, but their martial prowess was decent enough.
"Have the Golden Moon Merchants entered Wuhan?"
"Yes. I’ve already made contact with them."
"Request an investigation. They’re the ones who specialize in that sort of thing."
"Understood. I’ll handle it. What about the rest of the men…?"
"Gather them for now. Once the Golden Moon Merchants provide information, we’ll act all at once."
"What should we do with the captured one?"
"If they can be saved, we save them. If not, we abandon them. You know what I mean, don’t you?"
"Of course. We all came here prepared for the worst. They are likely ready for it as well."
"Good. Then deal with that first."
Yeo Cheongang said this as he rose from his seat.
"Where are you going?"
"Something’s bothering me. I need to personally check on the Seventh Squad."
As Yeo Cheongang stepped outside, his subordinate leaned back in his chair with a slight sense of relief.
The place they were in was an inn on the outskirts of Wuhan.
He planned to rest briefly before heading to meet the Golden Moon Merchants.
While he was resting, the door suddenly burst open.
He sprang to his feet, drawing his sword.
A stone flew through the open doorway at high speed.
Clang!
The sword deflected the stone, and a man dressed in black rushed in, throwing a punch.
Thud!
He twisted his blade, barely blocking the attack.
It was clear that the intruder’s skills were superior. But escaping was still an option.
Fortunately, there was a window at the back.
He turned his body and dashed toward it.
Just as he was about to reach the window, a massive fist shattered it, flying towards him.
Crash! Smack!
Stars exploded before his eyes.
Before he knew it, he was rolling on the ground. The man in black swiftly bound him tightly.
"Who do you think you are?! Release me now, or you’ll regret this! Do you even know who I am?!"
The man in black grinned slyly and replied.
"Do you know who I am?"
The subordinate glared at him with fierce eyes.
"Stay quiet."
The man suppressed his pressure points, hoisted him up, and carried him outside.
Similar incidents were occurring throughout Wuhan.
From a distance, Yeo Cheongang observed the Seventh Squad and its members.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
After reporting to Jin Sahong, they had regrouped and were continuing to rest.
He had been watching them for quite a while but hadn’t noticed anything suspicious.
Still, he couldn’t make a hasty judgment. He would have to monitor them longer.
‘Where in the world are the men I sent to keep an eye on the Seventh Squad?’
The thought unsettled him.
He had explicitly ordered them to monitor the Seventh Squad, but not a single one of his subordinates was in sight.
Yeo Cheongang began to wonder if similar situations were unfolding elsewhere.
He quickly moved to the estate designated by the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion.
He meticulously searched the surrounding area but, once again, found none of his subordinates.
‘These fools must have lost their minds.’
It was unacceptable to have his orders treated so carelessly.
If he didn’t address this firmly now, it would only cause problems in the future.
Yeo Cheongang decided to return to the inn and gather his subordinates.
When he arrived, his face hardened.
The room showed signs of a struggle.
"Hah, don’t tell me... were both the ones watching the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion and those watching the Seventh Squad taken out?"
He muttered to himself, sending a signal.
It was a method of transmitting a special sound imbued with internal energy. Ordinary people couldn’t hear it, but those with the proper training could distinguish it.
The signals used a set of codes to deliver simple commands.
The signal Yeo Cheongang had just sent ordered everyone to regroup at their base, the inn.
A considerable amount of time passed, yet no one appeared.
At this point, even someone at the farthest reaches of Wuhan should have arrived. Of course, the signal wouldn’t travel that far, but the system was designed for those farther out to relay the signal.
At least one or two of them should have been close enough to respond.
But no one came.
As Yeo Cheongang’s expression grew more grave, he heard movement outside the door.
Normally, he would have assumed it was one of his men. But given the circumstances, he couldn’t be certain.
Silently drawing his sword, Yeo Cheongang prepared to strike at any moment.
The door swung open with a bang.
Then, someone barged in.
Yeo Cheongang attacked immediately, without even checking who it was.
If it had been one of his subordinates, they would never have entered so abruptly. Confident in his reasoning, he struck without hesitation.
Yeo Cheongang slashed his sword fiercely.
Because he was already on high alert, the thrust was exceptionally fast and powerful.
The man who entered, Yuk Taegu, twisted his body, narrowly dodging the sword flying toward his chest.
Seeing the blade pass dangerously close, Yuk Taegu rotated his body and countered with a sweeping kick.
Whoosh!
Yeo Cheongang ducked while extending his sword to avoid Yuk Taegu’s kick.
Yuk Taegu's attack didn’t stop there.
He leapt lightly into the air, swinging his other leg in a circular motion.
Boom!
The forceful energy imbued in Yuk Taegu’s kick flew straight at Yeo Cheongang’s torso.
Yeo Cheongang raised his arm to block it.
Crash!
A massive shockwave radiated from Yeo Cheongang as the impact cracked the floor beneath them. The ground beneath their feet seemed ready to collapse at any moment.
However, neither Yuk Taegu nor Yeo Cheongang were the type to concern themselves with such trivialities.
Yeo Cheongang slashed downward with his sword, aiming to split Yuk Taegu’s head open.
Boom!
Yuk Taegu dodged, but the energy from Yeo Cheongang’s blade erupted upon impact with the floor, shattering it.
Bang!
The two fell through the broken floor, crashing into the level below.
And their fierce battle continued.
Fortunately, there were few patrons in the inn, so the only casualty was the innkeeper. Although unharmed, he suffered substantial property damage. Even the innkeeper had long since retreated to a safe distance.
As the fight intensified, furniture, floors, pillars, and walls were all being destroyed or collapsing.
Despite the destruction, neither could gain the upper hand.
Yuk Taegu gritted his teeth. He briefly imagined what would happen if he failed to capture this man here.
A shiver ran down his spine, and cold sweat trickled down his face.
He couldn’t let that happen.
Determined, Yuk Taegu suddenly shifted his strategy, going for a mutually destructive attack.
After all, even if he sustained injuries, he had the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master on his side. He resolved to sacrifice his flesh to break his opponent’s bones.
As Yuk Taegu went for an all-out assault, Yeo Cheongang was caught off guard.
Yeo Cheongang had no intention of dying.
That slight difference shifted the tide of battle.
The once even match began to tilt in Yuk Taegu’s favor.
Finally, Yuk Taegu’s fist slammed into Yeo Cheongang’s side.
Thud!
“Urgh!”
With a groan like a deflating bellows, Yeo Cheongang collapsed on the spot.
The single blow had fractured several of his ribs.
Yuk Taegu smiled victoriously and struck the back of Yeo Cheongang’s neck with a heavy hand.
Yeo Cheongang’s eyes rolled back into his head.
“Ugh…”
Yeo Cheongang groaned as he slowly regained consciousness and forced his eyes open.
He was inside a large warehouse. It wasn’t completely dark, thanks to the torches placed throughout the space.
Yeo Cheongang surveyed his surroundings.
The warehouse was empty. He had hoped some of his subordinates might be around, but no one was there.
“Who the hell are these people…?”
Grinding his teeth, Yeo Cheongang glared around the room. He vowed to make them pay once he escaped.
This situation would provide the Murim Alliance with an excellent justification to deploy a large number of warriors to Wuhan. It was the perfect opportunity.
While he was seething, the warehouse door slowly creaked open.
A strong light spilled in through the open door.
But the light quickly disappeared as the person who had opened the door stepped in and shut it behind them.
Yeo Cheongang turned his gaze toward the figure who had just entered.
“A woman?”
She was a beautiful woman.
Gracefully, she walked toward him and offered a polite bow.
“I’m the owner of the White Flower House, a brothel.”
“A courtesan?”
The Owner of White Flower House smiled brightly.
“Yes, and also the master of the Hao Clan.”
Yeo Cheongang tried to scowl menacingly.
“Do you know who I am?”
“Of course. You’re the Vice-Captain of the Heaven Sword Corps under the Murim Alliance, aren’t you?”
“Then you know what to do. Do you really think you’ll get away with this if something happens to me?”
“I did a bit of digging and found that no one knows you’re here.”
“The Captain knows. He’s the one who sent me here.”
“I wonder if the Captain would admit to sending you here?”
Yeo Cheongang fell silent. He glared at the Owner of White Flower House with a fierce expression.
No one understood the truth of her words better than Yeo Cheongang himself. The Heaven Sword Captain would deny having sent him here. Of course, there might be an investigation later.
That’s the kind of man he was.
The Owner of White Flower House watched Yeo Cheongang’s changing expressions and spoke calmly.
“Now, shall we begin our conversation? I hope you have plenty to share. Otherwise, this will be a very unpleasant time for both of us.”
The smile on the Owner of White Flower House’s face, as she said this, was chilling and terrifying.