Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Main Enemy (2)
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“This way of looking at it, I have no intention of selling.”
“Please read it.”
Cheonwi said in a low voice.
His eyes gleamed red, and his voice carried a powerful force.
Chae Jeong lowered his gaze once more.
As if beholding the famous Baek Hwa-seol rumored to be fascinating on Golden Ridge Street, he couldn’t tear his eyes away and carefully unrolled the scroll, reading it through to the end.
“You’ve read it all.”
Those standing behind him were greatly startled once again.
Chae Jeong had a nasty temper. He wasn’t the type to obediently read just because he was told to.
He was intensely greedy and obsessive, hating any blemish on his possessions. If strange rumors circulated about the Songgang villa and unrest stirred in front of the estate, it was just like him to want to confirm it with his own eyes and nip it in the bud.
That was why he had come here himself.
Moreover, Chae Jeong was clever and cunning.
The fact that he had met Cheonwi was also to gauge what kind of person this young tycoon was who had appeared right after the strange rumors to buy the estate. In other words, he suspected him as the mastermind behind the disturbance at Samsoseong. Ten armed guards proficient in martial arts waited at the back door of the guest room. If the other party turned out to be a martial artist with ill intentions, that level of preparation was hardly excessive.
“Stamp it.”
An even stronger force filled Cheonwi’s voice than before.
Chae Jeong replied.
“I shall.”
His voice was so readily agreeable that the seated attendants were once again shocked.
They doubted their own ears.
“Governor, sir… are you sure this is alright?”
One of the attendants, who wouldn’t normally dare ask such a question first, inquired with utmost caution and respect.
Chae Jeong turned to him and shot back in a sharply piercing tone.
“What? Is there a problem?”
His menace spread like a blade.
This was Chae Jeong’s true face.
“N-no, sir. This lowly one has committed a grave offense.”
“If you know it’s a crime, don’t commit it.”
This was the same.
It was Chae Jeong’s habitual retort to everyone who apologized to him.
“Please stamp here.”
Cheonwi’s voice and demeanor were as smooth as the silk he wore. With gentle hand movements, he fully unrolled the scroll and placed a pale finger on the signature spot at the very end.
Chae Jeong immediately pulled a large seal from his bosom and, as if eager to swiftly conclude the deal, stamped it with full force.
“Governor, sir, you’ve made an excellent transaction. In truth, this estate isn’t ideal for a high-ranking official on the rise. You’ve gained a great profit, so don’t regret it or second-guess yourself. I’ll handle all remaining matters meticulously through the Songgang magistracy without a single mistake.”
“Indeed, splendid. Handle it that way, and I’ll take my leave.”
“Yes, Governor, sir.”
Chae Jeong rose from his seat, even wearing a pleased expression.
As he turned to leave, he said.
“Hurry back to Suncheon Prefecture.”
Could a person change so instantly?
His tone toward his subordinates was chillingly cold.
After Chae Jeong disappeared into the inner courtyard, Cheonwi soon departed the estate as well.
Before opening the main gate, he donned the Heroic Turban and wrapped a silk neckerchief around his nose and mouth to conceal his face. Until the death notice was lifted, going out bare-faced felt burdensome.
Samsoseong was visible just next door.
It was quiet now. It was still daytime. Even before noon. Even the brainwashed Yellow Birds, influenced by the voice, wouldn’t be holding drinking parties at this hour.
Without delay, Cheonwi headed toward the magistracy.
In truth, a single stamp from Chae Jeong didn’t immediately transfer ownership of the estate. Many procedures needed handling at the Songgang Household Registry Office to make it official.
Of course, having many tasks didn’t mean it was difficult.
He had his voice.
Even a high-nosed central noble had submitted in an instant.
Cheonwi was confident he could wrap up all the magistracy affairs within half a day.
‘It’s attached.’
The problem was rather the Peng Clan.
With senses far surpassing his internal energy depth, he detected the gaze trailing him from behind. In Songgang, the only ones who would scrutinize him this meticulously were Secret Service agents.
With both arms intact, he was certain to be flagged in future reports for “review required” or “close surveillance.”
He needed to act as if they were prosthetic arms. No, it might be better to actually acquire a prosthetic.
If he amputated an arm and adapted to a prosthetic’s movements, he could convincingly mimic its unnaturalness even with both arms intact.
That way, he could freely switch between having one arm or two. For Secret Service work, the ability to alternate between one-armed and two-armed states could be a tremendous weapon.
So, don’t get caught.
Cheonwi kept his right arm pressed against his side and waist, creating a subtle difference from his left arm’s movements. Pretending stiff joints wasn’t easy, but it looked quite convincing.
He didn’t know which Secret Service agent was tailing him now, but unless they were highly experienced, they wouldn’t spot the acting. Pinpointing the center line to determine when the arm was severed—like Peng Bi could—wasn’t something any Secret Service agent could do. It was a special skill only masters of Peng Bi’s caliber possessed.
He calmly entered the Household Registry Office.
From there, things proceeded as planned smoothly.
Before sunset that day, Chae Jeong’s estate was transferred to Peng Clan ownership.
Only Haewu Sect remained.
Cheonwi chose preservation over annihilation.
He interpreted it as what Peng Bi subtly desired.
Visiting Haewu Sect, he issued an order for their men to keep their heads bowed like dead rats around the Peng Clan Songgang Branch.
The directive from Peng Clan headquarters was to “clean up” Haewu Sect. This aligned perfectly with making them unobtrusive.
“It’s handled.”
Oho reported to Pang Jun-ui.
Thus, the tricky mission concluded.
Pang Jun-ui had no choice but to acknowledge Cheonwi’s utility. He had drawn a central official all the way here and sealed the deal. Every document related to ownership was flawless.
Haewu Sect hadn’t been eradicated, but they had gone quiet.
They didn’t dare approach the branch vicinity. That was fine in its own way. They were an evil righteous faction organization plaguing the world, but slaughtering them all would have stirred the neighborhood for a while. If they stayed this subdued, it was cleaner this way.
Oho, Danmun, Cheonwi. These three always produced results, one way or another.
Pang Jun-ui couldn’t omit that line from his direct report to headquarters. He disliked the name Cheonwi enough to want to erase it, but facts were facts.
After much deliberation, Pang Jun-ui added one more item.
Cheonwi Report Attached.
Capable of producing results, but methods of handling affairs are unclear and ambiguous, defying common sense. Review needed on whether he practices sorcery.
He had read the investigation on the estate’s new owner from the moment the purchase was decided.
Chae Jeong was never the type to sell that estate easily.
Yet Cheonwi had accomplished it in an instant.
Unreasonably fast.
No Secret Service agent could have done it without violence. No one could even guess the method.
He couldn’t just praise it.
Even if the mission succeeded, he couldn’t blindly cover it up. The process mattered too. If anything a righteous clan should guard against slipped into that process, he had to investigate thoroughly, impose discipline, and prevent recurrence. That was the clan’s way.
‘I need to look into it properly.’
From the estate purchase onward, Cheonwi had ironically become Pang Jun-ui’s headache.
“You know that wild mountain behind Gold Mountain Road, where Oho and Danmun come and go? The guy living there called Daeil isn’t just a contractor we outsource to. His real identity is Peng Cheonwi, who handled branch deputy-level missions during the Taewon Prefecture incident.”
He summoned his two long-time trusted aides and laid out the facts.
They must have been shocked, but showed no sign.
Pang Jun-ui had a likable demeanor, easygoing with everyone, so agents with some experience often let their guard down attitude-wise. Even Oho did.
Not these two.
They stood respectfully with hands behind backs, posture relaxed yet awaiting orders. They were slightly older than Cheonwi. Their martial arts and records were below Oho and Danmun, but they were Pang Jun-ui’s most trusted agents.
“Surveillance is needed. There’s a separate report on the cave under his residence. Review it, and if possible, investigate inside. His constitution makes accumulating internal energy difficult, yet his past records and achievements don’t match known martial arts levels. We interpreted it as exceptional intellect, but there’s more. Definitely. If he’s immersed in some sinister study, we need to uncover it fast. Even just the voice disruption technique is a massive risk factor; if he’s dabbling in demonic outer paths too, it’ll become impossible to contain later.”
“Understood.”
They replied in unison.
“I’m not saying stick to him constantly. He’s clever. If he senses surveillance within detection range, he won’t make a single mistake. Just add two more for patrols in the area, and when a report comes that he’s left his residence, tail him then. He’s famous for his sharp instincts. Conduct tracking assuming it’s against me. Equivalent to branch chief level. He might even notice that.”
They seemed startled once more.
But no expression showed. Only a hint of holding back questions.
“Strange, right? That’s why I mention sorcery. Approach thinking you’re hunting a peak outer path deviant master. Better if it’s groundless, but if it’s true even by a slim chance, half-hearted efforts will yield nothing.”
“We’ll keep it in mind.”
Unison again.
Pang Jun-ui’s judgment was partially valid. It was reasonable suspicion.
He waved them off with a hand gesture.
Even after taking action, a nagging unease lingered in Pang Jun-ui’s heart.
He also disliked the report of contact with the top-secret figure Peng Bi.
It grated in many ways.
Cheonwi was bound to cause trouble.
Pang Jun-ui was certain. Sooner or later, he’d do something. Whatever it was, the aftermath wouldn’t be light.
He had to stop it beforehand.
To do that, he first needed to know exactly what kind of person he was.
Opportunity came sooner than expected.
The very next morning, a new report arrived with a request for cooperation.
They needed identity confirmation on a search target’s location pinpoint.
They had found Yeom Seoksan’s daughter, Seol.