The Underworld Information Clan did not hand the opium merchant over to Pyo Hol-deuk right away. They first dragged him to one of the detached houses and questioned him briefly. Because the Black Night Gang bastards had beaten him to a pulp, the opium merchant was so cooperative that if you asked him one thing, he would spew out ten.
His name was Lee Lim. A martial artist from Qinghai. He was a criminal who had walked the classic dark path, starting as a petty thief, then moving on to murder, robbery, and banditry, before finally getting his hands into opium smuggling.
He had made a deal with an opium smuggler in Xinjiang and was on his way back to Gansu when he was discovered by a group of Murim Alliance inspectors. A sword fight broke out, and all his comrades died. He barely survived and managed to shake off his pursuers, continuing to flee.
Since Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Hubei had many righteous sects belonging to the Murim Alliance, he avoided them and ended up drifting all the way to the Western Village. He said that the opium he had on him was all he had. While they were questioning him, a small commotion arose outside.
Pyo Hol-deuk, who had somehow found out, came and, with a red face, roared in anger.
"This cannot be! Why is the Underworld Information Clan interrogating an opium merchant being pursued by the Murim Alliance! When I return to the Alliance, I will formally make an issue of this."
Geuk-hwan handed over the opium merchant and placated him with some fitting words. Only then did Pyo Hol-deuk reluctantly pretend to be persuaded and returned to his detached house. After resolving the opium merchant issue, I immediately went to the Wandering Swordsmen Inn.
To prevent Bok Ha-gyu from playing any tricks, I had to finalize the deal while Pyo Hol-deuk was still in the Western Village.
"It's all over, so now you must keep your promise."
"The master smith... is not well."
"Are you changing your tune now? The Murim Alliance inspector is still at the Underworld Information Clan."
Even with my open threat, Bok Ha-gyu calmly filled his own cup.
"Ask the Underworld Information Clan. See if the master smith has shown his face recently."
I remembered what I had heard from Geuk-hwan. He had said that Jeok Chu-yeong suddenly disappeared two years ago. Was it because of an illness?
"Then when can I see him?” “Just wait a little. A conversation will only be possible once he has recovered his strength.”
Bok Ha-gyu did not give a clear answer. Those words, spoken so calmly and bluntly, were probably the truth. If I were to draw my sword in anger, he seemed ready to face me, as if he had no choice.
Not that doing so would open the door to the master smith's residence. He was a man so shameless he was helpless, but he seemed better than those who would use plausible excuses or lies to cover things up. Empty-handed, I walked the dark night road toward home.
My mind was in turmoil, not knowing when I would be able to see Jeok Chu-yeong. A servant sent by Geuk-hwan was waiting in front of my house. I tilted my head in confusion and went to the Deep Fragrance Pavilion, where Geuk-hwan told me something astounding.
“It seems that inspector is an imposter."
I felt nothing. It was all over, so what did it matter now?
OHLICH...... No…
If Bok Ha-gyu found out about this, far from meeting Jeok Chu-yeong, he might fly into a rage, saying I dared to mock him with a fake, and draw his sword. Suddenly, my head throbbed.
"Did you receive any word from the Underworld Information Clan's main branch or the Murim Alliance?"
“No. Not yet.”
“Then did the real Pyo Hol-deuk appear somewhere else?" "It is true that a Murim Alliance inspector named Pyo Hol-deuk was pursuing an opium merchant in Gansu with some Kongtong Sect martial artists before he disappeared." “Then on what grounds did you suddenly change your mind?"
Geuk-hwan explained in a confident tone. "After receiving the opium merchant, Pyo Hol-deuk said he would leave early tomorrow morning and paid for all the requested services in full. He paid quite generously with a banknote.”
"Was the banknote a fake?" "It was real."
"Then?"
Seeing my confusion, Geuk-hwan gave a faint smile. "The executives of the Murim Alliance never open their own pouches. Most of them use the Murim Alliance's public funds.
They try to process everything through public funds, not just official duties, but even their entertainment expenses from eating and drinking at brothels.”
Misappropriating public funds is common in any organization. When I worked as a hired sword for various factions, I saw more than once how members would use public funds for their own enjoyment. As long as the amount wasn't too large, it was usually overlooked for the sake of morale.
"The Underworld Information Clan and the Murim Alliance can trade on credit. Alliance executives can present their identification token and seal, sign for it, and use a set amount of public funds on credit. And once every six months, the Murim Alliance settles the account all at once.
I've dealt with many Alliance executives over the years, but not a single one has ever paid with banknotes or silver taels.” It was information an outsider couldn't possibly know. That bastard Pyo Hol-deuk, he got caught here.
“Asking the Underworld Information Clan for help to catch an opium merchant is clearly an official duty. Even the most upright and incorruptible executive would be right to process it with public funds according to regulations. When I subtly probed, he didn't even know that he could use public funds.
That's impossible for a real inspector.” “Are you going to capture Pyo Hol-deuk and hand him over to the Murim Alliance?"
Geuk-hwan shook his head.
“The losses would outweigh the gains. Our clan is an information organization. The pavilion master's orders are to avoid conflict, and after they leave the Deep Fragrance Pavilion tomorrow, to simply confirm their movements and report back.”
"How far will you follow them?"
“We have already sent messengers to all the surrounding branches. Whichever direction they go, we just need to follow them to a point where we can hand over the tailing to another branch.”
Who would the Underworld Information Clan sell this information to? Probably the Murim Alliance. He is a grave criminal who killed an inspector and stole his identity.
The Murim Alliance would have to send a pursuit squad to eliminate him by any means necessary to save face.
"Will you accompany me?"
“A request?"
“That's right.”
I couldn't meet Jeok Chu-yeong right now, and it wasn't like I had anything else urgent to do. Pyo Hol-deuk clearly knew martial arts, but he didn't seem to be an incredible master. If we only tailed him as Geuk-hwan said, there wouldn't be much danger.
As I scratched my chin, lost in thought, Geuk-hwan brought up something out of the blue. “Was the Great Sun Forgetting Ginseng I procured for you before of any help?"
“...... I suppose so. I didn't use it myself, so I don't know for sure, but someone needed the spiritual herb, so I sent it to them.”
“Is that so?" Geuk-hwan tantalizingly set the stage and then nonchalantly lifted his teacup. I subtly watched his expression and then casually asked. "Did you happen to get another spiritual herb?”
“Of course not. Spiritual herbs are rare. The one I gave you before was extremely difficult to obtain.
It was a sign of how deep the Underworld Information Clan's goodwill and trust in you are, Hero." “So you can't get any spiritual herbs at all from now on?" “There is nothing that cannot be obtained.
It just takes time and is expensive."
“Hmm.”
He was saying there would be no more freebies. It also meant that to continue my damn inner energy training, I would have to keep earning diligently.
“......
When do we leave?" “Let's move about two quarters of an hour after Pyo Hol-deuk leaves tomorrow." Early the next morning, Pyo Hol-deuk and his guards loaded the opium merchant onto a carriage and left the Deep Fragrance Pavilion.
Exactly two quarters of an hour later, our carriage also followed them. Once we left the quiet morning streets, vast fields and wild hills covered in white frost unfolded before us. The wind blowing through the open window was cold enough to form condensation from my breath.
“I don't know if I should be riding in this.”
Hwang Hae, who was looking out the window across from me, still had a dazed expression. It wasn't easy to leave the Western Village without being seen by the Black Night Gang. If he had left on foot, he would have been caught immediately.
So when we brought the opium merchant to the Deep Fragrance Pavilion, we put Hwang Hae in the carriage as well. I had planned to put him on a cargo wagon heading to another city when the time was right, but the opportunity came sooner than I thought. Geuk-hwan, sitting next to me, spoke calmly.
"We were following them anyway, and just gave up one empty seat, so don't worry about it. Come to think of it…"
Geuk-hwan leaned towards me and lowered his voice as if whispering. “Hero Jeong, this is the first time you and I have moved together, isn't it?"
“It is.
But is it alright for you to leave the branch unattended?" The pavilion master's successor was Ye Hyang, but his closest aide who handled matters on his behalf was Geuk-hwan. Moreover, he was also the pavilion master's guard.
“It can't be helped. Hero Won and the other house guests are all away on business, so I have to go."
“What about the pavilion master's guard?" “There are plenty of other capable disciples at the branch besides me. They are all people who owe a great debt to our clan.
Their martial arts are outstanding, and they are men of deep faith and high loyalty, willing to throw their bodies in the way of a sword for the pavilion master.”
Faith...
There may be loyal people among those from the bottom rungs of society, but the word faith was something I couldn't quite understand. On the main road where the sun had not yet risen, there were no people or carriages coming and going. Pyo Hol-deuk's carriage had also vanished from sight.
In the distance, at the foot of a mountain, a member of the Underworld Information Clan on horseback waved his hand. The coachman steered the carriage in that direction. As we rounded the foot of the mountain, a familiar carriage came into view far ahead.
Whether they were heading for the nearest Murim Alliance branch or to Henan where the Alliance headquarters was located, the fastest way was to head for Hubei. Pyo Hol-deuk's carriage was not heading for Hubei, but towards Shaanxi. "So they were fakes after all.”
The carriage, which had been traveling along the main road, suddenly veered off and entered a densely wooded mountain. The long howls of wolves echoed in response to the intrusion of uninvited guests. “Did they notice us tailing them?"
Geuk-hwan also narrowed his eyes, lost in thought. Hwang Hae, who was watching with us, seemed to remember something and quickly spoke up. “If you go into that mountain, there's an old mountain path."
"Have you been there?"
“Yes.
I've been to every mountain in this area looking for firewood. From the outside, that mountain path looks blocked, but it connects to the mountains behind it and stretches north. It was abandoned after the main road was built, so now only those who know about it use it."
“If it's north, they'll end up in Shaanxi.”
Geuk-hwan clicked his tongue softly. “We've been completely outwitted.'" Tailing someone in the mountains was extremely dangerous.
There were many places to hide, making it easy to lose them, and you never knew where they might be lying in ambush. After weighing the plan for a moment, Geuk-hwan shook his head.
"Let's just check the entrance to the mountain path and then withdraw."
Our carriage also left the main road and headed for the mountain. After I, Geuk-hwan, and Hwang Hae got out, the coachman hid the carriage inside a secluded valley.
Awooooo. Awoo, awoo.
As we entered the mountain, wolves that caught the scent of humans howled from all directions. Wary of the bushes to our left and right, we moved slowly and quietly. Before long, we saw a stopped carriage.
Beyond it, an overturned cargo wagon came into view, its wheels pointing to the sky. The horse tied to the cargo wagon was also dead on the ground. Its flesh had been torn away in places, exposing white bone.
Awooo.
It seemed the wolves that were still howling had devoured it. Two guards dressed in Murim Alliance uniforms took a crate out of the cargo wagon. As they placed it on the ground, Pyo Hol-deuk ripped off the lid and bent over.
He took out something wrapped in paper, unwrapped it, and checked the contents. A small, black lump, like mud. “That... isn't that opium?"
“It seems so." After checking the goods, Pyo Hol-deuk was so overjoyed he didn't know what to do, and he cheered like a madman. “Hahahaha, Lee Lim, you son of a bitch.
You ran off with the goods, and here they all are! You goddamn bastard! How dare you betray me?"
He kicked the opium merchant to the ground and beat him mercilessly, then shouted, panting. “Take it all out and load it onto the carriage!"
“Yes!”
There were more than ten crates from the cargo wagon. If everything in there was opium… How much would that be worth in money?
The opium Hwang Hae had bought was only the size of a finger joint. Based on the price he paid then, the opium there would probably be worth tens of thousands of silver taels. Watching the opium crates being neatly loaded onto the new carriage, a picture of what had happened began to form in my mind.
That opium merchant, Lee Lim, and Pyo Hol-deuk's group were partners. In Gansu, the real Murim Alliance inspector Pyo Hol-deuk and the Kongtong Sect martial artists had ambushed them as they were smuggling opium from Xinjiang. In the middle of the fight, Lee Lim must have taken the cargo wagon loaded with opium and fled alone.
Those men killed Pyo Hol-deuk and the Murim Alliance members, then stole their clothes and identities and pursued the traitor all the way to the Western Village. Lee Lim must have taken the carriage and traveled through the mountain paths to avoid the main road, but somewhere there, the horse must have fallen or the carriage overturned.
It might have happened while moving at night, or the overworked horse could have collapsed and died. He couldn't just abandon that much opium and flee. So, Lee Lim took some of the opium with him and entered the Western Village.
His plan was probably to sell the opium, buy a new horse with the money, and then flee again with the carriage. Horses are expensive. Even an old packhorse costs at least two silver taels.
And opium is only sought by those who have used it before. It wouldn't have been easy to sell. While loitering around physicians' clinics, he happened to meet Hwang Hae, who was looking for a way to ease his mother's pain, and sold him the opium.
A short time after that, the group impersonating the inspector visited the Western Village branch of the Underworld Information Clan. With that assumption, all the events that had occurred so far fit together smoothly.
Tweet! Tweet!
Hearing the cleverly imitated bird call, Geuk-hwan, who had been watching behind us, whispered softly.
“Someone is coming. Let's move.”
We quietly got up, went around the forest, and moved to higher ground. We hid ourselves next to a rock from where we could see the whole scene at a glance. Five martial artists with their heads and bodies covered in black robes came up the mountain path and approached Pyo Hol-deuk's group.
Pyo Hol-deuk stepped forward and shouted.
“Stop!"
The martial artists stopped and took off the robes covering their heads. The revealed faces were familiar. It was Bok Ha-gyu, the Grand Venom Master of the Black Night Gang, and his subordinates.
How did that man get here… Pyo Hol-deuk looked down on Bok Ha-gyu with an arrogant expression and snorted.
“You bastards, do you know who I am? How dare someone from the dark path address a Murim Alliance inspector…”
“Cut the bullshit!!" Bok Ha-gyu roared. A thick killing intent oozed from his voice that echoed through the mountains.
It was so chilling that for a moment, even the howling wolves fell silent.
“Two years ago, after you dared to enter our gang's territory and use assassins, the Murim Alliance hasn't come anywhere near the Western Village. And yet, a mere inspector, not even an Elder or a Master, dares to threaten me. If you're a real inspector, then I'm the Alliance Leader.”
Bok Ha-gyu drew his sword and pointed it at Pyo Hol-deuk.
“Hand over the clothes you're wearing, your identification token, and your seal. Then I will kill you cleanly, without pain.”
Pyo Hol-deuk drew his sword with a cold, pale face. His subordinates also drew their swords.
Awoooo. Awoo, awoo.
As if they already smelled blood, the excited wolves howled fiercely. In a moment, someone would die and become food for those wolves. But no one cared.
Because they were sure that the ones to die here wouldn't be them.
Paang!
The two groups of martial artists kicked off the ground and rushed toward each other.
Awooooo.
The forest shook violently with the howls of the starving wolves.