Suspicions in Seopyeong (10)
The road to Seopyeong was smooth.
After all, we had stuck strictly to the official highways the entire way, leaving no room for trouble to find us.
If we had taken the faster but harsher mountain paths, we might have crossed paths with a bandit or two from the Green Forest. The main roads, however, were regularly patrolled by government troops, and most of the traffic came from escort companies traveling with a full complement of guards. Robbery was hardly worth the risk.
“It seems ordinary,” I remarked.
“It is ordinary.”
“Isn’t being ordinary a good thing?”
“On the flip side, it also means it doesn’t draw attention, making it the perfect place to hide.”
According to the information the Hao Clan had provided, rumors suggested that one of the estates in this area was suspected of being a secret branch of the Demonic Cult.
On the surface they posed as ordinary merchants, yet many details didn’t add up.
No one could say for certain where all that money was actually flowing.
“Hye-ryeong. Where do you think the Beggar Clan branch would be?”
“Um, probably tucked away in a corner somewhere, right? Slums are usually on the outskirts.”
“Miss Hye-ryeong is correct. The places where beggars tend to gather are generally those that avoid notice.”
True enough. Beggars had no business being in the city center.
We headed straight for the outskirts of Seopyeong and made our way toward the beggar den.
“Ugh, the smell.”
“Mister, I’m getting dizzy…”
“…A truly vile stench.”
What else could you expect from a beggar den?
Dozens of beggars were staring at us. There was no way it wouldn’t reek.
I ignored the beggars whose mere appearance threatened serious damage to my eyesight and pressed forward. Had we been mediocre wanderers, some of them might have tried something, but naturally there weren’t any beggars here with the nerve to test us.
After walking for some time, we spotted the Beggar Clan branch building bearing the marker we had seen before. Without hesitation we approached and flung aside the cloth that served as its door.
“Is this the Beggar Clan branch?”
“My, my. What an important guest we have today.”
A middle-aged man with an impressively large head looked us over and offered an unpleasant smile. It wasn’t intentional; his face simply seemed built that way.
“Do you know me?”
“The Lion Sword Hero. Only a demon worshipper wouldn’t.”
Was my name that well-known?
“Well, that makes the conversation simpler. We came here after receiving information that a Demonic Cult branch is operating in this city.”
“Hmm. There is indeed one place that raises suspicions. Where did you obtain this information?”
“I won’t say. It’s a matter of trust.”
“The Hao Clan, then.”
As expected, it was difficult to fool the eyes of the Beggar Clan. I nodded and openly admitted it. The branch leader seemed merely curious; he didn’t press the matter and moved straight to the main topic.
“There is a merchant in this city named Yang Mun-pyeong. He has been here for roughly twenty years. The man runs a business centered on usury and mining, yet for some reason high-quality ore and large sums of money keep flowing elsewhere.”
“Couldn’t he simply be trading with someone?”
“He claims he is sending it to his family back in his hometown. We requested assistance from other branches and tracked the goods, but the trail suddenly went cold once it headed toward the Cheonghae region. The beggars dispatched from that branch have also gone missing. It appears to be moving further west, but there is no logical reason to transport ore and money that far, is there?”
“It does seem suspicious.”
“As the Benefactor says, it is suspicious.”
“Yet we have no way of confirming whether they are affiliated with the Demonic Cult. There is no clear evidence.”
“With the Beggar Clan’s intelligence network, surely you can uncover at least that much?”
The branch leader gave a hearty laugh at my question.
“No matter how capable the Beggar Clan may be, it is not wise to launch an investigation based solely on suspicion. Without solid clues, it is easy to invite unnecessary backlash. Especially since this particular branch was only recently established.”
“Clues, huh…”
“Ironically, the fact that we are beggars makes us stand out too much, which is another problem. An innkeeper could gather information while begging for meals, but Yang Mun-pyeong rarely shows his face in public.”
So there were limits to what beggars could learn.
“I understand the general situation. So to confirm, there is no concrete evidence… correct?”
“That is correct.”
This had become troublesome.
The documents the Hao Clan handed over had only listed suspicious movements without any definitive proof.
Had I come all this way for nothing?
“Understood. We will look into it ourselves from here.”
“How do you intend to confirm it?”
“Do you remember how I recently captured a Demonic Cult spy?”
“Ah, that incident.”
He was well-informed.
“And are you aware that Demonic Cult agents had infiltrated the Hao Clan and attempted a rebellion?”
“…What are you saying?”
“I have just returned from eliminating all of them. They went by the titles Blood Spear, Asura Blade, and the Black and White Twin Ghosts.”
“I don’t know the others, but the Black and White Twin Ghosts joining the Demonic Cult… that is surprising.”
“You know them?”
“They were notorious troublemakers. The orthodox factions were on the verge of expelling them, so it seems they latched onto the Demonic Cult instead.”
I see.
In any case, if I made good use of what happened at the Hao Clan, I should be able to determine whether this Yang fellow was a Demonic Cult pawn or simply an innocent merchant.
“Please leave the matter to me for now. I will verify it. If it turns out to be nothing, we can simply move on.”
“You seem truly dedicated to eradicating the Demonic Cult, Great Hero.”
“How could I possibly turn a blind eye to them?”
He nodded at my words.
“Very well. We will assist you as much as we are able. Since the branch has only been established for a few months, there is not much we can do, but…”
That was all they could offer.
No wonder the information had been so thin.
“Leave that part to me. If we confirm it is a branch, please gather some beggars who can work.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“In situations like this, there are only so many options available.”
Whether we infiltrated or conducted inquiries, we would have to search the places even beggars could not easily reach.
And… if my memory was correct, there should be a Hao Clan branch here as well.
“Then we will meet again later.”
“I am sorry I could not be of more help.”
“You can help me later. Later.”
We turned and left the beggar den.
“Mister, are we infiltrating now?”
“I’ll think about it.”
First I needed to meet with the Hao Clan. I sat down and idly toyed with Hye-ryeong’s cheek with my finger as she leaned against me, waiting for our food to arrive.
“Benefactor, it seems we must proceed with great caution in this matter. One misstep and instead of locating the Demonic Cult branch, we could end up shouldering nothing but dishonor.”
“I know. That is precisely why I am seeking the Hao Clan’s assistance.”
Given the Hao Clan’s cellular structure, not all information would reach the Clan Lord. Especially considering that traitors had been operating in secret for a long time, it was entirely possible that the most important details had never been passed along.
The information they had given me had been suspiciously vague, after all.
Enough to make one feel uneasy.
“I didn’t expect to use the silver token this soon.”
I casually placed the silver token on the table. It was the usage method the Hao Clan had taught me. If you set it down subtly, the waiter would notice, verify it, and summon someone connected to the organization.
After leaving the token and waiting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a waiter carrying plates in both hands approached and began setting the dishes down.
As he placed the food, the waiter noticed the silver token and froze like a broken machine. After confirming my face, he spoke carefully.
“…Welcome, Honored Benefactor.”
“After the meal, I would like to speak with the branch leader here.”
“I will report it immediately.”
Good. Things were proceeding smoothly. I turned my gaze from the departing waiter and picked up my chopsticks.
“Then let’s enjoy a proper warm meal for the first time in a while.”
“Mister! Ah~”
She was growing bolder by the day.
I accepted the piece of meat drenched in sauce that Hye-ryeong offered and put it in my mouth.
“Hehe. I’ve always wanted to try that! When I was little, I saw Mother do it for Father!”
…They must have had a truly harmonious marriage.
“You eat too.”
“Nom.”
Hye-ryeong devoured the meat I gave her like a baby bird receiving food from its mother. Feeling a slightly stinging gaze, I glanced at Mok-gyeong.
“Do you have something to say?”
“Ah, no… it’s nothing… never mind.”
From his expression, it seemed Hye-ryeong’s affectionate display had given him goosebumps. Still, telling her to stop would be too cruel, so I simply looked away and savored the brief moment of happiness.
After we finished eating, we waited for the waiter. When he saw us set down our chopsticks and look in his direction, he quietly approached.
“Please follow me.”
I wondered what sort of person the branch leader here would be.
With mild curiosity, we followed the waiter.