Episode 178
Cheon Ga-ryeong.
Hao Wen-ju’s youngest disciple.
The last time I saw her face was half a year ago.
It was a sudden reunion in an unexpected place.
I kept the jade tablet in my arms and naturally wrapped a blanket of energy around it.
“Is the competition for successor over?”
“huh. “Now the only problem left is deciding where to assign the students who failed the competition.”
It was a nice face to see after a long time.
Given the situation, the joy was even greater.
With her help, it would be easier to gather information about the Namhak Sword.
“So Sojeo will become my exclusive handler again?”
“Not yet.”
“Not yet?”
“Master ordered the training to be closed. After hearing that you were in Honam, I came to see you for a moment. “Before we begin training in earnest.”
“Is Hao Wen’s headquarters in Hunan?”
“I can’t answer that question.”
Even though he asked a difficult question, Cheon Ga-ryeong did not show any signs of agitation.
Should I say that he is also the leader of Hao Wen?
His ability to control his emotions was exceptional.
“I have some good news.”
“What news?”
“I lost the competition for successor, but I think I can maintain my position as leader.”
I looked slightly surprised.
The conversation I had with her in the past at Black Poetry flashed through my mind.
[What happens if you lose the competition?]
[Nothing special will happen, right? At best, he will be stripped of his position as leader and demoted to branch manager?]
[······Isn’t this a purge?]
[This is just a minimum measure to ensure that no one is dissatisfied with the results and plans a rebellion.]
“Didn’t you say that if you lose the competition, you will be demoted to branch leader?”
“I think it was effective to consistently express to those around me that I was not interested in the position of small gate owner. “If you want to take on the role of a person in charge, it may be better to maintain the position of leader.”
“Good.”
“Anyway, it looks like a lot has happened while I was gone?”
“Well, various things happened.”
“I’ve heard the news about you so hard that it hurts my ears. From subduing the Iron Blood Demon Army and the Vampire Demon Lord, to recently annihilating two groups of Yeongeum University.”
We chatted for a while, asking each other what we were up to.
I stood up and made a suggestion to Cheon Ga-ryeong.
“Would you like to walk for a while?”
“good.”
Cheon Ga-ryeong and I left the inn and walked along the main street together.
The streets were crowded with people.
It took a while to move around with the crowd.
Cheon Ga-ryeong asked me in full voice.
-Taking out the jade tablet means that this is a situation that requires Hao Mun’s information power.
-yes.
-What information do you need?
-I need information about Namhakgeom, an elder of the Alliance.
-Namhak sword? That’s quite a big guy. Exactly what kind of information do you need?
-I hope I can figure out a weakness or something like that.
-······Do you have any grudge against the elders of the alliance?
-It’s not like this person started the fight first.
-It’s not an ordinary request. Are you trying to ask ordinary Hao Mun-do to do such a favor?
-If I had to, I was planning to go directly to the branch manager of the business.
-No matter how much of a branch manager-level position Hao Mundo has, he does not have the authority to sell personal information about elders. I’m glad I came to visit you at the right time.
-Is that so?
-I happen to have some useful information.
-Please teach me. I will pay any amount.
-it’s okay. Let me just tell you.
Cheon Ga-ryeong laughed and played with her waist.
Judging by the shape of the wrinkles in the clothes that were revealed when the hands brushed against each other, it seemed that he was wearing the waist belt he had previously bought from Heuksi inside the palace.
-Namhakgeom has one child out of wedlock.
-Children out of wedlock?
It was an unexpected story.
A Taoist from the communal sect has a child.
Cults with Taoist tendencies often forbade marriage.
The Hwasan faction was like that, the Cheongseong faction was like that, and the Kongong faction was like that.
‘He was a great man in many ways.’
I was curious about how Jang Moon-in of the communal faction would react if this fact became known.
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In the worst case, wouldn’t Namhakgeom be excommunicated?
‘Well, that’s only when solid proof is possible.’
As Cheon Ga-ryeong said, it was fortunate that she appeared at the right time.
This was not the type of information that a single branch manager could handle.
-How does Hao Mun know that Nam Hak-geom has a hidden child?
-My mother was a courtesan. Did she say that she died after giving birth because her strength was gone?
-Is that courtesan a Hao Mun-do?
-They said that it was not the person involved, but a close senior courtesan who was Hao Mun-do. I think this is pretty good information. What do you think?
-I like it very much. Could you please tell me in more detail about Namhakgeom’s child?
-I heard this story quite a long time ago, so my memory is a bit hazy… First of all, you must have passed the age of two. Gender would be male.
-Where is he now?
-I don’t know that much. I think I should stop by a nearby branch and look through some materials.
-If you find any material, please forward it to me.
-okay.
* * *
“It’s been a while.”
“I’m sorry for contacting you so suddenly.”
“It’s okay. “Because I just happened to have some free time.”
“I couldn’t even say thank you properly before.”
“I guess I should say thank you. “Thanks to you, we were able to regain Sega’s lost vision.”
Dump base near Dongdong Lake.
Manjunggeom and I were sitting by the window overlooking the blue lake, clinking glasses together and having a light conversation.
“I said there was something I wanted to ask you.”
“yes.”
“Is it about Namhakgeom?”
“Did you know?”
“I know. I heard that Namhakgeom insisted that you be entrusted with work related to the Beast Palace. Lord Maeng accepted it again.”
“······.”
“I have to take on a troublesome task.”
“Actually, I wanted to refuse, but I couldn’t because of the atmosphere.”
“If you want to die somehow, I will try my best.”
“no. “It’s something I’ve already accepted, and I don’t want to burden my senior with this.”
Thank you for your words, but the matter had already been concluded.
Even if Manjunggeom intervened, not much would change.
Isn’t it as simple as it sounds to overturn the issue that the Namhak Sword and the Murim Lord are working together to pursue?
“I have a different favor to ask you, senior.”
“Tell me.”
“Instead of me taking charge of the Beast Palace-related work, additional personnel have been assigned to the Sichuan branch.”
“Well, that would be a natural measure. “The Sacheon branch is short of manpower due to a large-scale purge.”
I put the glass down on the table with a faint smile on my face.
While Manjunggeom had a puzzled look on his face, I put a curtain around me and spoke in a quiet voice.
“I hope to be able to fill that number with the people I designate.”
* * *
The next evening.
Cheon Ga-ryeong suddenly appeared in a deserted alley and handed me a note.
“ruler. Information requested.”
I immediately opened the note and checked its contents.
A brief summary of the contents was as follows.
『Name – Hwang Ho-jin.
Age – thirty-four years old.
Personality – None known.
Location – Seonyejang (鮮好莊) located on the northern outskirts of Changsa.
Family relationship – The biological relatives of Namhakgeom, an elder of the Murim Alliance. His mother died of weakness after childbirth.
Human relations – absolutely nothing. Interaction with others appears to be prohibited. The warriors and employees hired by Namhakgeom are watching their every move.
Special note – Hwang Ho-jin himself does not seem to know who his father is. She has a history of trying to escape the manor to avoid surveillance.
Martial Arts – Presumed to be at the end of the climax. It is highly likely that he received martial arts and elixir support from Namhakgeom. Past escape attempts were revealed to be futile. Since the witness was an ordinary person who did not practice martial arts, it may not be certain.』
After checking all the details.
I folded the paper and placed it in my arms and opened my mouth.
“It seems like Namhakgeom cares a lot about his children.”
“Looking at what we’ve shown so far, that’s highly likely. “Not only was it not enough to save a being who could be called a shameful person without killing him, but he even provided martial arts and elixirs.”
Cheon Ji-ryeong shrugged his shoulders and answered.
I stroked my chin and was lost in thought.
‘It will be difficult to prove that Hwang Ho-jin is Nam Hak-geom’s son.’
I was able to find out even though I only received fragmentary information through the note.
Namhak Sword has taken out double and triple insurance in preparation for any unexpected situation.
What more can I say since even Hwang Ho-jin, the person involved, doesn’t know who his parents are?
‘No matter how much evidence this side gathers and spreads rumors, it is extremely unlikely that Namhakgeom will be deposed.’
After thinking about various plans in my head for a while, I drew a faint smile on my face.
An interesting thought occurred to me.
‘It is not necessarily the only way to widely announce Hwang Ho-jin’s existence to those around him.’
Cheon Ga-ryeong, who was leaning against the wall and quietly looking in this direction, crossed his arms and asked.
“What do you plan to do? “If you’re going to gather evidence that Hwang Ho-jin is Nam Hak-geom’s child, then I…”
“The evidence is enough. “It will take a long time to collect, and I don’t think it will be very effective.”
“then? “You’re not trying to kill Hwang Ho-jin just to make Namhak-geom shed tears of blood, are you?”
“Is that possible?”
I looked back at Cheon Ga-ryeong with an expression as if I was asking something like that.
They killed Hwang Ho-jin.
Why did you do such a wasteful thing?
There is a way that is more pleasant and beneficial to me.
* * *
Late morning.
Hiding in the darkness with the ghost cloth spread out, I leapt silently and crossed the manor wall.
He then approached the back of the yawning warrior standing next to a large brazier and struck him on the back of the neck, knocking him out and taking the magic blood.
After placing the unconscious body of the warrior against the wall, he quietly moved along the wall.
“Ugh!”
“Bwak!”
One by one, the warriors standing guard lost consciousness and tore down the new figure.
A servant left the dormitory to go to the side room.
The husband and wife were moving ingredients to prepare the next morning.
He points out everyone he encounters and moves them to an inconspicuous corner.
It didn’t take long to subdue everyone present in the manor.
I sighed, waved my hands, and walked lightly into the main hall located in the center of the manor.
“······.”
As I entered the room that I assumed to be a bedroom, I noticed a large man lying on the bed.
The moment I carefully approach the man and extend my hand.
Sigh!
A sword rose like a thunderbolt and narrowly missed my cheek.
If my reaction had been a little late, I would have been seriously hurt.
It seemed like he was pretending to be asleep and waiting for me to come closer.
“Who are you?”
The large man quickly rolled over to the window and glared at me with wary eyes and asked.
I said, raising both hands as if to show that I had no hostility.
“I’d like to talk to you for a moment, could you spare some time?”
martial arts,
