Chapter 71: Bidding for the Escort Transport (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 71: Bidding for the Escort Transport (1)
[That’s...]
He seemed quite flustered by the sudden question.
It was just a thought that had crossed my mind.
Originally, Jo Seong-won had been a strong candidate for the position of Back Opening, the successor to the Beggar’s Sect. In terms of raw talent, it wasn't an exaggeration to say he far surpassed Hong Geol-gae.
When I first met him, he was a first-rate master, but now he had reached the Peak Realm.
They say that in the Beggar’s Sect, one must master all eighteen forms of the Descending Dragon Eighteen Palms for the external and internal energy to flow without obstruction. Considering he had achieved this level of strength after learning only ten, his martial talent was truly remarkable.
A flustered Jo Seong-won sent me a message via Sound Transmission.
[If that guy dies and I suddenly appear, won't everyone suspect me?]
[Probably.]
He wasn't a fool. He had enough wits to realize that much. Naturally, the arrows of suspicion would point straight at him.
[So, are you satisfied with just killing him?]
[......]
There was no answer to that.
Simply killing him wouldn't be enough to soothe his resentment. In a way, it was because of that grandfather and grandson that he had been forced to defect from the Orthodox Faction to the Blood Cult.
[...I don't think just killing him will be enough. I want him to feel even greater pain.]
[You’ve become a true Blood Cultist.]
[That doesn't exactly sound like a compliment.]
[To a member of the Blood Cult, being told you act like one is the highest praise.]
At my words, Jo Seong-won frowned and turned his head away. I thought he had fully accepted his fate as a member of the Blood Cult, but apparently, that wasn't quite the case yet.
That aside, why were the beggars of the Beggar’s Sect and those escort guards moving together like that?
I knew that unless it involved the Martial Alliance, the Beggar’s Sect usually stuck to their roles as beggars. Did they even have goods worth escorting?
The group headed toward a table where some escort guards had already secured a spot. It was right in the middle of the inn.
“Since you’re sitting in the corner with your back turned, no one recognizes you, Young Master,” Sama Yeong remarked.
I shrugged nonchalantly.
In truth, after breaking the wall, I had gained perfect control over the internal energy in my lower Dantian, allowing me to suppress my energy sense to its absolute minimum. Unless someone was one of the Eight Great Masters or close to that level, it would be difficult to recognize me through Qi sense alone.
Besides, they were so engrossed in their conversation; who would recognize someone just by looking at their back? Even the Sect Leader of the Beggar’s Sect wouldn't know it was me.
“Food’s here!”
Just then, the waiter arrived with a large wooden tray.
Song Woo-hyeon’s stoic face brightened instantly. The steam rising from the duck broth noodles carried a distinct aroma that tickled the tip of my nose.
“Where’s mine?” Song Jwa-baek asked, noticing his spot was empty.
“Oh, my apologies. The chef is pulling fresh noodles right now, so please wait just a moment.”
“Ugh, fine.”
That’s why you should have ordered the same thing as everyone else. Usually, in places famous for a specific dish, they aren't prepared for anything else. Naturally, you have to wait.
Now, shall I taste the broth first?
Slurp!
“Ah.”
“Phew.”
Various exclamations of satisfaction escaped everyone’s lips as they tasted the soup. The broth was clean yet savory—truly top-tier. Even Jo Seong-won, who had been seething with rage at Hong Geol-gae, looked slightly relaxed by the taste.
“Is it good?”
“Don’t... touch it.”
“Geez, who’s going to steal it from you?”
Song Jwa-baek smacked his lips as he watched everyone eat.
As we were dining, a boisterous clamor erupted from the center of the room. True to their nature as beggars, their voices were loud. Are these guys really supposed to be an intelligence network?
“They’re leaking information on purpose,” Jo Seong-won whispered to me.
“Leaking information?”
“It’s a common tactic. Making a scene like that is usually done to spread rumors or create a distraction with false information.”
Jo Seong-won, ever the former beggar, filled me in. So that loud chatter was for that purpose. Even organizations that specialized in intelligence had their own unique methods.
Then, a comment was made that made everyone prick up their ears.
“...Have you heard? The rumor that the Five Great Villains have appeared?”
‘The Five Great Villains?’
Who were they talking about? Even before my regression, the system of the Four Great Villains had persisted.
As I was wondering, I almost spat out my soup.
“Ah, you mean the current Blood Demon.”
Me?
My companions’ eyes all turned toward me. Of course, our ears remained focused on their conversation.
“Rumors of his martial prowess are so terrifying that they’ve spread all across Guizhou and Guangzhou.”
“They say the prisoners who survived the battle in Guangxi Province were trembling with fear.”
“That’s not all. I heard that a hidden master who had broken the wall couldn't even last a few seconds before his head was taken.”
“Heh...”
Rumors certainly travel fast. To think they had reached Hunan Province in just ten days.
It turned out exactly as Taoist Master Manjong had predicted. I didn't expect to be labeled a new villain after just a few incidents. Was it because the events were so significant?
—Your fame has truly skyrocketed, Un-hwi. You’ve made it big. Really big.
Don't do that. It’s not exactly a good thing.
I hadn't committed a single evil act, yet I was already being called a villain.
—That is true.
It seemed to be simply because I was part of the Blood Cult. In the current martial world, the perception of the Evil Faction and the Blood Cult was overwhelmingly negative, no matter how one tried to spin it. It was quite a bitter realization.
Then, Sama Yeong’s voice reached my ears via Sound Transmission.
[Hehe. To think you’re a villain, Young Master. Now you’re on the same level as my father.]
Sama Yeong was grinning ear to ear. She seemed delighted. To her, the title of "villain" wasn't a bad thing; it was merely a way to count the strongest masters in the martial world.
—Maybe she’s happy because she thinks her father will acknowledge you. A father-in-law and son-in-law both being villains. How poetic.
The Lesser Conversation Sword snickered, finding it amusing.
On the other hand, Song Jwa-baek was staring at me with a look of envy. It was as if he was frustrated that I had gained fame before him. He really burns with competitive spirit in the most useless areas.
Then, someone spoke up loudly.
“Don’t even mention it. It hasn't been long since one of the Eight Great Masters died, and now a wicked villain has been born. I have no idea what will become of this martial world.”
Glancing back, I saw the owner of the voice was Hong Geol-gae, the successor of the Beggar’s Sect. If anyone heard him, they’d think I was a plague upon the world.
Snap!
The sound of a chopstick breaking rang out. Looking beside me, I saw Sama Yeong, who had been grinning just a moment ago, now had a sharp glint in her eyes.
“That beggar is running his mouth a bit too much.”
She was clearly displeased. She had been quiet for a while since nothing like this had happened recently, but she certainly had a temper. She looked ready to jump up and strike Hong Geol-gae across the face at any moment.
However, a voice called out from another part of the inn.
“If the rumors are true, shouldn't he be called one of the new Eight Great Masters instead of the Five Great Villains?”
Hmm?
Our gazes naturally shifted toward the source. There was a group of four sitting near the entrance to the kitchen. They were dressed in neat yellow battle garb and possessed a sharp aura; they appeared to be escort guards as well.
“...My god.”
An exclamation escaped Song Jwa-baek’s lips. I could see why he was reacting that way.
There was a woman there with a chest so voluminous it almost rested on the table. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, with soft, cute features and gentle eyes.
Sama Yeong frowned as she looked at her, then glanced down at her own chest. Was she seriously comparing herself?
—Your face turned red.
What nonsense are you talking about?
—You were thinking something dirty, weren't you?
I was not.
Anyway, it seemed that woman was the one who had spoken. Judging by the striped armband on her sleeve, was she the leader of those escort guards?
As I was wondering, Hong Geol-gae spoke to her with a stern expression.
“What kind of nonsense is that? The Leader of the Blood Cult as one of the Eight Great Masters? Hahahaha!”
“Exactly. Pwahahaha!”
As he laughed, the other beggars followed suit. Why did they act more like back-alley thugs than members of a prestigious orthodox sect?
At this, the female escort leader raised her voice.
“To be called a villain, shouldn't one actually commit evil acts? According to the rumors, the Blood Demon was the one who stopped an atrocity by killing a hidden master who was trying to slaughter the Taoists of the Quanzhen Sect. I don't see how such a person is a villain.”
Hong Geol-gae’s face twisted into a grimace at her sarcasm. It seemed her logic had struck a nerve. Jo Seong-won’s lips curled into a satisfied smile at the sight.
Then, one of the escort guards sitting at the same table as Hong Geol-gae spoke up.
“It’s no surprise that the Hwangyeong Escort Agency, which even takes commissions from the Evil Faction, would go as far as to defend the Blood Cult—the very group that caused a bloodbath in the martial world in the past.”
He appeared to be the most experienced among them. He had reached the peak of the Peak Realm and was the strongest escort guard in the inn.
As I watched, Jo Seong-won whispered quietly.
“That’s likely Jang Gyeong, an Escort Leader from the Okyang Escort Agency.”
“Do you know him?”
“I know him as an escort famous for taking only major commissions in the northern Hunan region. The Okyang Escort Agency is so large that many orthodox sects and gangs frequently employ them.”
“What about the Hwangyeong Escort Agency?”
“...I’m not sure.”
If Jo Seong-won didn't know them, they were either a recently established agency or a very small one. Or perhaps both.
Just then, the female escort leader stood up. She glared at the Escort Leader named Jang Gyeong and spoke.
“Just because they were like that in the past doesn't mean they are now. We’ll have to wait and see. I was simply speaking based on the facts. And our Hwangyeong Escort Agency simply doesn't discriminate against clients like you do. There’s a world of difference in how you frame things, so stop making up such misleading statements.”
Her voice was raised; she was clearly furious.
Looking at her, Escort Leader Jang Gyeong chuckled and said, “If it’s not true, then it’s not. Why get so worked up? They say there’s no smoke without fire, and I’m just worried people might misunderstand you even more if you act like this.”
Jang Gyeong was slickly provoking her. I had heard that the rivalry between escort agencies and guards was intense, and seeing this, it seemed those rumors weren't unfounded.
“You!”
“Leader, please endure it!”
As she was about to explode, the other guards from the Hwangyeong Escort Agency held her back. They seemed to want to avoid getting caught up in a pointless quarrel. The female leader seemed to realize this as well, biting her lip as she prepared to sit back down.
But the other man wasn't finished.
“Seeing as you’ve come all the way from the rural Yeongheung in the south, I assume you’re here for the Geumhwapyeong Merchant Group’s bidding. Don't waste your time and just head back down. Do you really think a fledgling agency with barely forty people can win the contract, no matter how hard you try?”
He was quite a piece of work. He should have known when to stop when his opponent backed down, but he insisted on crushing her pride. It seemed his character didn't match his reputation. Seeing some of the surrounding guards shaking their heads, he must be quite infamous.
“Why not find another line of work instead? With your beauty and body, I think there are other jobs that would suit you much better. Hahahaha!”
He had finally devolved into crude sexual harassment.
“Can I take him somewhere quiet and beat him to a pulp?” Sama Yeong asked, her voice laced with killing intent as she sought my permission.
I wanted to tell her to go ahead, but right now, we were supposed to be members of the Orthodox Faction.
“Please endure it, Young Lady. It’s not our business, and getting involved in the affairs of escort guards will only bring unnecessary trouble,” Jo Seong-won advised her.
In the meantime, the situation looked ready to escalate further. The female leader, who had tried to hold back, stood up with a flushed face and snapped back.
“We won't know until we try!”
“I can see the result without even trying. What is there to test?”
“What?”
“We have over a hundred guards, and the successor of the Beggar’s Sect has specially joined us as a guest escort. What do you think the Geumhwapyeong Merchant Group will see in the Hwangyeong Escort Agency to give them the contract? Hahahaha!”
At his triumphant words, the surrounding guards began to murmur. It seemed they had all come to participate in the bidding for the Geumhwapyeong Merchant Group’s transport. Hearing that the successor of the Beggar’s Sect was acting as a guest escort, their faces filled with clear unease.
However, something felt off. I asked Jo Seong-won via Sound Transmission.
[Does the Beggar’s Sect usually get involved in the business of escort agencies?]
[...They do not. The ideology of the Beggar’s Sect is loyalty to the country and justice in the martial world. They do not involve themselves in anything unrelated to that.]
That was my understanding as well. That was why the people of the Beggar’s Sect shunned wealth and lived as beggars. Yet, here they were, meddling in an escort bid as guest escorts. Something smelled fishy.
[If the Geumhwapyeong Merchant Group is holding the bidding at the port, it must be for a waterway transport, right?]
[Most likely.]
Perfect. A chance to kill two birds with one stone had presented itself.
I looked at Sama Yeong and asked, “You said it would be good to disguise ourselves as escort guards, right?”
“Pardon?”
“A good opportunity just opened up.”
I stood up and walked toward them. Since everyone in the inn was focused on the friction between the two agencies, no one paid me any mind.
However, one person unexpectedly recognized me. It was Hong Geol-gae, the successor of the Beggar’s Sect.
“Huh?”
He had seen me at the Successor’s Martial Discussion, so there was no way he wouldn't recognize me. Surprised by my appearance, he quickly put on a friendly act and shouted.
“Brother So! What a pleasure to see you here!”
At those words, everyone’s attention snapped to me. Even the female escort leader was no exception.
As Escort Leader Jang Gyeong looked on in confusion, Hong Geol-gae approached me familiarly and said, “Good heavens, how could you not know this person? This is So Woon-hwi, one of the Twin Heroes.”
“The Twin Heroes!”
“The disciple of the Namcheon Sword Guest!”
The inn erupted into a commotion. I hadn't realized it, but my reputation as one of the Twin Heroes of the Orthodox Faction was more significant than I thought. The reaction was even more explosive than when Hong Geol-gae had been mentioned.
Escort Leader Jang Gyeong’s expression did a complete 180-degree turn. He cupped his fists in a salute and spoke in a warm, welcoming voice.
“It is an honor to meet the Great Hero So Woon-hwi, one of the Twin Heroes.”
“‘Great Hero’ is far too much praise,” I replied with feigned humility.
Even in that moment, Jang Gyeong’s pride seemed to swell, as if boasting that such a famous figure was now in his presence.
In contrast, the expression of the female leader who had been arguing with him grew heavy.
Hong Geol-gae asked me curiously, “Brother So, how long have you been here?”
“I’ve been here the whole time. Since before you all arrived.”
At that, Hong Geol-gae’s expression stiffened slightly. He took great pride in being a rising star of the younger generation, so the fact that he hadn't even noticed I was in the room seemed to wound his ego.
Noticing this, the quick-witted Jang Gyeong said to me, “Instead of standing here, why don't you join us for a meal?”
“That’s alright. I’m almost finished with my meal. More importantly, I couldn't just stand by and watch when it seemed our leader was in a difficult spot.”
“Leader? What do you mean by that?”
I pointed to the female leader of the Hwangyeong Escort Agency behind me and said, “My companions and I have joined the Hwangyeong Escort Agency as guest escorts for this mission.”
“!!!”
At those words, Jang Gyeong’s face froze. The female leader’s mouth hung open in shock. Without her even knowing it, one of the Twin Heroes of the orthodox martial world had just become her guest escort.
I wiped the smile from my face and spoke to Escort Leader Jang Gyeong in a chilling voice.
“What was it you said to our leader just now?”