Cheonilhwa’s explanation was simple.
People had been disappearing from Yangwui-seong for a few days now. Related subordinates investigated, but nothing conclusive turned up.
So I thought to check if something similar had happened in another castle nearby.
“Have you looked into the back alleys?”
Where there is great light, there is also great darkness. No matter how determined Yangwui-seongju was to maintain order, the darkness was certainly not small.
Of course, they couldn’t operate openly.
“Well. We investigated the Jinwon Party controlling this side’s back alleys, but… they’re currently in quite a frenzy themselves.”
The Jinwon Party—one of the evil factions and an opponent of Sayoon’s sect. Later, the party leader took a liking to Sayoon and helped her out in various ways.
“I heard even the daughter of the Jinwon Party leader has gone missing. They would certainly want to solve this disappearance case.”
“That seems likely. Party leader Ochil cares quite a bit for his daughter.”
“Hmm. Just like you, Yu Seonsaeng. That’s right. Ochil loved his deceased wife sincerely. Their daughter is a treasure he wouldn’t trade for anything.”
It was the same in Heavenly Bright Moon.
After clearing this event, the Jinwon Party leader would come to express gratitude, and you could receive additional rewards from them.
That time, his daughter was nearly dead, wasn’t she? Saving her would make his reaction understandable.
And there’s one more related event, but that’s not important right now, so let’s move on.
After that, Cheonilhwa calmly continued explaining the situation of the missing people.
“Can we find them?”
“Well… If the Empire commits to the investigation, they could probably find them faster than I could.”
“Hahaha…”
Cheonilhwa laughed awkwardly.
As I said, if the Empire’s intelligence department moved, they’d likely find them quickly. But it seemed he didn’t want to ask for their help since the relationship between the military and the intelligence department wasn’t great.
“Still, if my meager strength can help reduce unnecessary disturbances for the Empire, I should definitely do so.”
“Sorry for the trouble every time. I’ll count on you.”
Next to us, Chaejin looked worried, as if questioning whether it was possible, but there really wasn’t a problem.
We knew who the culprit was and what their purpose was for kidnapping people.
In conclusion, the culprit was the old woman Yangmyung from the failed experiment subjects.
True to her name, she was indeed a Shin-hon-In who had frozen souls, turning them into beings that only followed the drinker’s commands.
At first, she used animals, then corpses, and now living people.
She was trying to gather them and create Shin-hon-In.
There was nothing more to say, so I got up from my seat and exited the room. Once outside, Gichajo was smiling pleasantly.
“Yu Seonsaeng, did you meet the master?”
“Yes, Gi Noya. I plan to lend my meager strength.”
“I see! Haha. Just like you, Yu Seonsaeng. If you ever need strength, just let me know. Though I’m an old man, I’ll lend my hand for you.”
“Oh my, if Gi Noya is with us, we have nothing to fear.”
“Hahahahaha! People are truly!”
“Hahahahaha!”
Gichajo burst out laughing, and I laughed too. Beside us, Wiyeol snorted, as if saying the old man was being ridiculous again, but the atmosphere wasn’t bad.
“Moonlight Sword will be with us, so please don’t worry too much.”
“Mm-mm. Understood. Do take care of your health.”
After greeting him, I stepped outside. In truth, having Gichajo and Wiyeol with me made me feel more at ease.
After all, they were masters from the military.
The problem was, if I asked them to help with this job, I wouldn’t get all the credit for it.
I can’t eat.
I have to save it and use it later when it’s needed, so for now, I have no choice but to rely solely on Chaejin.
“Innkeeper.”
“What is it?”
As I walked with two bottles of alcohol I bought when leaving Cheonghoelu, Chaejin, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up.
I turned around, and she was nervously fiddling with her long hair as she cautiously asked,
“Honestly, it would be better to have more people for this kind of thing… it might be dangerous, so maybe we should take more skilled fighters…”
She wasn’t wrong. Usually, the more people you have for this kind of investigation, the quicker you find what you’re looking for.
Moreover, since Yangmyung’s location was random even during the events, I’d need to search for him separately.
But there are so many ways to find out where he is, so why waste an opportunity to call for that old geezer?
And besides, I have someone who can fight Yangmyung right next to me.
I scanned her from head to toe. Confirming her toned body that was accentuated by Moonjeong’s tight attire, I asked straightforwardly,
“Are you not confident?”
“That’s not it.”
“If I don’t trust you, who would I trust? If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t have suggested we come together.”
Chaejin fell silent again. With her eyes slightly widened, she stared at me intensely before breaking into her characteristic arrogant smile.
“Oh, hohoho! If you trust me that much, then it’s only natural for me to repay that trust! Alright! This great disciple of the prestigious Moonjeong sect, Moonjeong Chaejin, will assist you, so don’t worry!”
“I’m not worried at all, so don’t mind me.”
Now quiet, she stared at me intently. I wasn’t really lying, so I met her gaze. Eventually, Chaejin, seeming a bit worn out, subtly looked away.
“Alright. Let’s go.”
“…But where are we going?”
“To meet someone.”
“Who?”
“The branch leader of Hao-mun.”
We walked down a path shrouded in thick darkness. Usually, at this time, one wouldn’t go into such a secluded alley.
As if to prove that, the moment we stepped into the back alley, a piercing gaze poured down on us.
Still, the reason they didn’t move was probably due to the killing intent she started radiating as soon as we entered.
The pressure of possibly having your head taken off quelled any unnecessary bravado, allowing us to easily reach deeper into the alley, which is considered a combat zone even in Heavenly Bright Moon, and where Yangmyung doesn’t dispatch soldiers for security.
We entered Hao-mun’s underworld.
Drugs, violence, women. The underworld where society’s darkness congregates has quite a few characters associated with those vices. And among them, most believed themselves to be close to death.
After all, they’re gambling with their lives, so fear of being killed isn’t a big deal for them.
Of course.
– Blergh!!
“Ugh!”
Until you realize that the killing intent really could take your head off.
As soon as we entered the underworld, a hand reached out towards me.
I wasn’t dressed in anything fancy, and even in the mirror, I didn’t look particularly easy to deal with.
Perhaps I had caught the attention of someone caught in the magic of alcohol, gaining the false bravery that comes with it.
But even so, that was not something that could be permitted. Especially not towards Chaejin who was accompanying me for protection.
Ignoring the guy who got knocked out cold, Chaejin didn’t even glance at him. Instead, she glanced coldly over the flustered people around us.
“…Do you know where you are making a fuss?”
Was it because there might be a fight? A man who had been sitting next to a shop lit by red lanterns slowly stood up and approached.
He had a fierce-looking face.
As he strutted over dragging a crude blade, Chaejin didn’t even flinch.
– Swoosh.
A warrior only speaks through action. The moment the silvery dagger, which had no clear origin, slid through the air into her sheath, the man gulped. His clothes shredded into pieces and fell to the ground like petals. Yet, not a single scratch marred his skin.
His clothes were torn to shreds, fluttering down to the ground like confetti. Yet, remarkably, not a single scratch marred his skin.
“I’m not here to fight. I’m just here to meet Hano.”
The bulky figure pondered for a moment, but that hesitation was fleeting.
Without a word, he quietly walked ahead.
Deeper into the alley than we had ventured before.
How much time passed?
Only after arriving at a place that reeked of mold did he finally step back.
As we pushed aside the worn curtain, an old man sat inside, eyes closed.
Before him lay tools used for fortune-telling.
Perhaps hearing the curtain rustle? He turned his head towards us, eyes still shut, fumbling around as if trying to grasp the fortune he sensed.
“Hey, why did it take you so long to come?! But hey, you made it. Just need a talisman and…”
“Come on now, let’s not cheat each other when we know each other. You couldn’t even use a talisman properly.”
“Tsk. I thought a sucker was here to induct a courtesan since I heard the sound of a woman’s footsteps. So, wanna read your fortune instead?”
As if he could even read it.
“F-Fortune? What are you talking about?”
“Huh? Is that not it? I thought you were bringing a girl along, considering you don’t even look once when a courtesan clings to your side.”
Chaejin felt her temples throbbing. I tried my best to ignore it while the old man, pretending to be a blind cripple, suddenly perked up at the sound of the wine bottle clinking.
“What a miracle to bring a blind man back to sight and lift a cripple just with two bottles of liquor!”
Not that it was some sort of divine miracle.
“Ah, can’t resist the booze.”
With a sly grin, he took the wine bottle I offered. One sip in, his eyes widened—guess the taste was really something.
“Is this Cheonghoe wine? Ah, it’s like watching a courtesan dance in the capital, Gaebongbu…”
That old man had quite the mouth on him. Downing a whole bottle in an instant, Hano laughed like a kid.
“I came here with a question. Do you know anything about the recent missing persons case from Yangwi Star?”
“Of course, I do. But is this related to the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild?”
“Something like that.”
“Tsk.”
“Well, I have personal reasons for this, so I’ll consider it a favor if you help.”
After a moment of contemplation, he finally extended a hand. I placed a grimy, soiled pouch in his palm, and he accepted it lightly, then unfurled a wide piece of leather that had been hiding against the wall. Revealed were hundreds of holes.
Pulling on the string connected to one of those holes, a white paper slipped out shortly after.
“Let’s see… Yangmyung, huh? Looks like they were taken to make Shin-hon-In. Ah, you know how to deal with someone in a Shin-hon state, right?”
“Who doesn’t know that?”
“Well, what is it?”
Guess who here didn’t know?
Hano and I turned our gazes to Chaejin, whose face turned red in an instant. To cover her embarrassment, she hurriedly changed the topic.
“More importantly, you found this out so easily?! But innkeeper, weren’t the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild and the Jinwondang searching for this? And you knew about it from Hao-mun?”
“The information prowess of Hao-mun is second to none on the continent!!”
As Hano raised his wine bottle, brimming with pride, I flicked the paper lightly.
Yup. The location written on it was a foothill not far from Yangwi Star.
“Anyway, thank you.”
“Come back anytime. As long as you pay, I’ll provide whatever information you want.”
With a face full of wrinkles and a smile, Hano waved his hand. I gave him a casual farewell and stepped outside, with Chaejin walking behind me, cautiously asking.
“How did you get to know Hao-mun?”
“Ah, it’s a deep story, like the ocean. I’ll tell you later. It’s not the right time for explanations now. It’s better to discuss it over a drink back home.”
“Explaining that is a bit tricky. Wouldn’t it be better to go back, have a drink, and listen instead?”
Every now and then, she would share various stories whenever she felt bored. Perhaps because I enjoyed them, she gladly accepted my company.
“Then what about this? Why couldn’t the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild and Jinkwon-dang purchase information from Hao-mun?”
That I can explain easily.
“In the past, it was Hao-mun that held the back alleys of Yangweseong.”
To establish a foothold in the back alleys, Jinkwon-dang had taken a significant amount of territory from Hao-mun. To this day, only a handful of Hao-mun’s operations remain. Of course, they conduct their own information gathering and organization, but it is undeniable that Hao-mun has faced difficulties in Yangweseong.
“Even so, I’m sure Hao-mun would have provided information if they were paid. Sure, it would be a bit pricey. But could Jinkwon-dang really trust them?”
“Well, that makes sense. And what about the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild?”
“Hao-mun does not accept commissions from the authorities.”
“Why not?”
“A few years back, the authorities commissioned Hao-mun to investigate the Demonic Cult, and during that process, Hao-mun suffered significant losses. However, in return, they received nothing.”
“Huh? How is that allowed?”
“That’s why one of Hao-mun’s policies was established: never engage in dealings with the authorities.”
“Oh… That sounds risky.”
“Hao-mun is a gathering place for those who have nothing. If they gave away information freely, they could lose everything, so they decided to take a risky stance. Even the Empire cannot break contracts with Hao-mun. That’s the gist, isn’t it?”
“Wow… So what happened to that official?”
“He made a considerable profit from breaching the contract, but later, his political enemies uncovered the corruption he had hidden and attacked him. Ultimately, he was executed. I suspect it was Hao-mun that leaked that information. But the truth is known to no one.”
“That’s terrifying.”
“Since his death, things have eased up a bit. Now, it’s possible to take commissions based on some level of friendship and trust, but officially, they refuse commissions from the authorities. If the authorities tried to approach them, they probably would’ve closed the branch and fled immediately.”
“Ah…”
“In the end, it’s a matter of trust. It’s natural not to work with someone you can’t trust.”
After that, there was no more conversation. We simply walked in silence.
Upon arriving at the large cave indicated by the information provided by Hao-mun, Chaejin finally spoke.
“…So this means the Innkeeper trusts me, right? Seeing how we’re working together.”
“I told you, I trust you.”
She gazed at me for a moment, then broke into a smirk, turning her head to look elsewhere before adding, “Heh. Then it’s time to increase my training sessions since I’m learning from someone I can trust. And as I’m moving up in the world, the fees will have to increase too.”
Wait, what? Drifting off course here?!
We were just having a good time!
Chaejin’s trust level has slightly decreased.
“You don’t want to? If you don’t, that’s fine. But you know it’ll be beneficial, right?”
That’s true. It’s definitely tough during training, but like the Sword Saint said, practicing Tai Chi and with Ogumhee has improved my health and made me more active.
I can also protect my body.
“But is it okay for just us to go here? Shouldn’t we get some support? Yangmyung is considered a decent fighter, after all.”
Chaejin’s tone was light when mentioning support.
Reading between the lines, I casually responded.
I don’t charge for sharing info.
“If it’s you, catching Yangmyung would be a piece of cake.”
Guess that was the right answer.
Chaejin’s expression turned gleeful as she flashed that signature arrogant smile, with the brilliant moonlight behind her.
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