The White-Haired Ghost Flower of Henan’s Black Merchant Sect (4)
The Black Merchant Sect. A truly tiresome place.
Still, it was a relief. My business here would soon be over. I could finally stop being sick of it.
The sun had only just set, so the Black Merchant Sect was still buzzing with noise.
But even that clamor was gradually dying down, one by one, swallowed by the quiet that night brought.
And in the Outer Hall Master Jeong Gwang’s room, the lamp still burned bright.
I peeked through the slightly open window and saw him buried in work again, poring over ledgers.
What a strange fellow. The reason for that would be revealed soon enough.
I just hoped it was a good enough reason to justify all this.
After waiting a little longer, the Black Merchant Sect had grown quite still.
Jeong Gwang, who had been frowning at his ledger, stretched once, let out a deep sigh, then moved the lamp closer and went back to reading.
Just what was so important that he was acting like this? I was genuinely curious.
It seemed like the right time, so I dropped down in front of his room.
When I knocked, a voice heavy with exhaustion answered from inside.
I entered naturally. Jeong Gwang glanced up from his ledger, then looked back down.
A moment later, his head snapped back up with a startled expression. Clearly not the face he had been expecting.
With those words, I pulled over a chair and sat down comfortably.
Only then did his expression harden. He let out a long sigh, straightened his previously hunched posture, leaned back in his chair, and continued staring at me.
Another sigh. It seemed he had never imagined a situation like this.
His face showed a hint of discomfort, but I paid it no mind. It wasn’t important.
I simply watched him closely, every sense on high alert, wondering what he might do next.
Jeong Gwang’s eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. I only caught it because I had been watching him so carefully.
The man before me was quite experienced. He looked to be around forty, and he was no pushover.
After saying that, it occurred to me that perhaps this man had mistaken me for the watcher.
I hadn’t revealed my presence, but he might have had his own suspicions that someone was watching him.
Jeong Gwang looked at me with an expression that said he found the sudden mention of the White-Haired Ghost Flower utterly bizarre.
It was the same method I had used at the Red Enemy Gate when I smuggled out the Blue Tiger Gate Master and his disciples.
Since it had already been proven effective, there would be no difficulty here either.
There would surely be an apothecary in this place, and recruiting those who disposed of the bodies wouldn’t be hard.
Jeong Gwang stared at me for a long time with a suspicious look after hearing my proposal.
Then his heavy lips finally parted.
His speech had shifted to a more polite, half-formal tone. His voice was cautious.
That was why I smiled inwardly as I answered.
At my words, Jeong Gwang closed his eyes, rubbed his face with his palm, and muttered.
If he really did as he said, it would go against what I sought.
But even that could become an opportunity.
Even if my identity was exposed, the one who gave Jeong Gwang his mission would surely try to make contact somehow.
Then I would just have to follow that person discreetly.
It would be a bit more troublesome, but a path would still open.
Jeong Gwang, who had been covering his face for a moment, lowered his hands, let out a big sigh, and looked at me.
Jeong Gwang stared at me for a moment, then seemed to make up his mind. He slammed the ledger shut with a loud clap.
I moved again, leaving Jeong Gwang’s room, and climbed onto the roof.
Soon after, Jeong Gwang emerged from the door and walked out of the Black Merchant Sect exactly as I had instructed.
Man. Seriously. If it was going to be this easy, I should have done it sooner.
I wasted all that time testing the waters. Sigh.
Still, it was good that I had been watching from here. It wasn’t meaningless.
After all, I had met Baek Dan-yeong.
Anyway, Jeong Gwang came out of the Black Merchant Sect, and I appeared beside him.
He jumped in surprise when I suddenly materialized without a sound.
Jeong Gwang stared at me with a dumbfounded expression. But he soon steeled himself and began to move.
His light footwork wasn’t bad at all.
For someone at the Super Peak level, it was quite a respectable speed.
Moreover, he ran as if his life depended on it.
He was probably running so desperately because he believed he could save his son.
That was what it meant to be a father. What wouldn’t a man do for his own child?
Jeong Gwang collapsed when we were about halfway to Wuchang.
The man had exhausted his internal energy and was gasping for breath.
So, though I wasn’t particularly thrilled about it, I had already said I would, so I tucked him under my arm and started running.
Twice as fast as before.
Since Jeong Gwang had used up all his energy and was now tucked under my arm, he went completely limp, as if he had fainted.
With a little time left before dawn, I arrived in Wuchang carrying Jeong Gwang.
Once he regained his senses and realized where he was, Jeong Gwang clicked his tongue in astonishment, looked at me, and then led me to the Seong-chang-mun with some difficulty.
Jeong Gwang told me while half-groaning. After listening to everything, I immediately entered the Seong-chang-mun.
There were quite a few boys of similar age, so I hesitated for a moment, but thanks to the detailed description, I didn’t take long to find Jeong Gwang’s sleeping son and bring him out.
Jeong Gwang hugged his son tightly, only now truly feeling his freedom.
His son, Jeong Mu-so, still half-asleep, saw his father and was overjoyed.
I didn’t want to interrupt their emotional reunion, but we couldn’t stay here.
So I spoke to Jeong Gwang right away.