Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Hao Sect (2)
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One week after eating the 100-Year Hwasu Root.
Over the past few days, Si-woo had been feeding Hwa Mu-rin chocolate in exchange for his lodging.
Before long, Hwa Mu-rin was hooked on the chocolate and would stare intently at Si-woo whenever her mouth felt empty.
"Here."
He handed a macaron to Hwa Mu-rin, who looked up at him like a puppy begging for food.
"Hah! What's this?"
"A macaron."
Hwa Mu-rin, who had long forgotten about the secret of the [Inventory], eyed the macaron suspiciously.
She examined it with a serious gaze before cautiously taking a bite.
"!!!"
Her eyes widened into circles as she let out a pleased hum.
"Mmm...!"
Si-woo watched her with satisfaction. Nodding and grinning like that, she was a sight to behold.
It felt like feeding a cute little squirrel!
'Is this what animal therapy is like?'
Si-woo wiped the macaron crumbs from the corner of Hwa Mu-rin's mouth.
She panicked and shouted.
"Wh-what! What are you doing!!"
"Huh? You had crumbs on your mouth..."
"Ugh...! I don't know!"
With her nape flushing red, Hwa Mu-rin fled into her room.
Si-woo's eyes sparkled. The reaction was better than expected.
'Skinship is her weakness.'
Upon arriving at the Hao Sect, Si-woo asked,
"This is the Hao Sect?"
"Yeah, I think so?"
It was a slightly larger building than the inn where Si-woo had been staying.
One rundown building like this in the vast Hunan Province? It felt off.
Entering the building, Si-woo spotted a familiar face.
"Bi Seong-ja?"
Bi Seong-ja, who had been sighing heavily, whipped his head around.
Spotting Si-woo, he opened and closed his mouth like a fish.
"You, you! You!!"
Hwa Mu-rin, who had been following behind, glanced at Si-woo at the sudden commotion.
"Who's that?"
"Ah... The guy I told you about who lost all his fortune."
Si-woo whispered, and Hwa Mu-rin awkwardly smiled and stepped back.
Her presence began to fade away.
Si-woo looked at Bi Seong-ja and said. It had only been a few days, but he was surprisingly glad to see him.
"Haha. Using casual speech now? You said you never would."
"Tch. You're not even my patron anymore, so what's it matter."
"I'm a customer, though. Is that okay?"
"Ah... If you don't like it, then leave."
At Bi Seong-ja's attitude, someone nearby shoved him aside and approached.
"Hehe. Welcome. This is the Hunan branch of the Hao Sect."
"...You're awfully friendly. Is it always like this?"
It was nothing like the Hao Sect he had imagined.
Wasn't the Hao Sect supposed to be a shadowy intelligence network made up of informants hiding in taverns, brothels, and the like?
A friendly Hao Sect branch? Something felt wrong.
The staff member sighed in lament.
"Sigh... That was back in the old days..."
There seemed to be some circumstances. Si-woo said to the staff member,
"Anyway, I came looking for work."
"Yes! You've come to the right place."
The staff member patted Bi Seong-ja on the shoulder.
Then he stared at Bi Seong-ja with a grin.
Bi Seong-ja clicked his tongue and stepped forward.
"Sigh... Work. Fine. What kind?"
"Something short-term with good pay."
"Damn, if there was something like that, I'd take it myself."
Pat pat.
The staff member stared at Bi Seong-ja again.
"Sigh... Wait here."
After rummaging through papers for a while, Bi Seong-ja said,
"How about this? Transporting Blue Bee Honey. Reward is two bottles of Blue Bee Honey Wine and 50 nyang of silver. That young lady back there looks pretty strong too. Perfect for the two of you."
"Blue Bee Honey?"
Hwa Mu-rin, peeking from behind, shouted.
"Blue Bee Honey! Let's do it! It's delicious!"
Bi Seong-ja looked dumbfounded.
"Delicious...? Hey, this is a delivery mission."
"So what. Anyway, let's take this one."
Si-woo looked at Hwa Mu-rin and asked,
"What's Blue Bee Honey?"
"It's super sweet honey. The bees are strangely blue. What do you think?"
Hwa Mu-rin's eyes sparkled. She really loved sweet things.
At Hwa Mu-rin's following words, Si-woo's eyes lit up too.
"Eating it increases your internal energy. It's really good stuff."
"Internal energy? Let's do it right now."
Si-woo nodded. Having tasted the benefits of spiritual herbs with the 100-Year Hwasu Root, his interest surged.
"...I said it's a delivery mission..."
Grumbling, Bi Seong-ja explained the mission.
"Pick up honey from the Blue Bee Honey Temple near Iyang City and bring it back here."
"Time limit?"
"Half a month. Got a horse?"
"No, of course not."
Bi Seong-ja shrugged.
"No horse...? Well, hustle on foot then."
As Si-woo turned to leave after accepting the request, he paused.
"Oh, right. Was there a former Hao Sect leader named Mok I-do?"
"Mok I-do...?"
Bi Seong-ja pondered for a moment, then his expression soured.
"You don't mean the lecher Mok I-do, do you?"
"Lecher...?"
Si-woo's voice trembled. A lecher?
"Mok I-do... Yeah, I remember now. About 200 years ago, he was the Hao Sect leader. The Hao Sect was at its peak back then, but that guy ruined us."
There was no respect even when speaking of a former leader.
"...What happened?"
"Sigh... In his later years, he lost his mind or something. Went around sleeping with this woman and that. No one imagined an old geezer like him swinging his dick like that. And he only targeted wives from prestigious families."
A curse nearly slipped from Si-woo's mouth. Bi Seong-ja continued.
"Eventually, trouble brewed. Got caught in the act fooling around with the Murim Alliance Leader's wife."
'Fuck, what kind of trashy drama is this?'
"Sigh... But the bastard was insanely skilled in martial arts, so he knocked out the Alliance Leader and fled. After that... He was branded a public enemy of the martial world, the Hao Sect was in chaos, and we ended up like this."
Si-woo groaned.
"Mm... I see..."
"Why Mok I-do, though?"
Forcing his gaping mouth shut, Si-woo barely continued.
"Ah, nothing. Do you know about the Iron Martial Workshop by any chance?"
"Iron Martial Workshop...? Of course. But info costs money, right?"
"How much?"
Bi Seong-ja thought for a moment and said,
"Hm... 10 nyang of silver."
Handing over the 3,000-won kitchen knife, he said,
"Damn expensive. This work?"
The blacksmith wouldn't buy it back. He said it was for research anyway.
"...Ridiculous. Pay in cash."
"Don't have any..."
Bi Seong-ja spread his palm enticingly.
"Just 10 nyang, and I'll tell you the color of the Iron Martial Workshop lady's underwear."
Si-woo flinched. Instinctive curiosity stirred.
Hwa Mu-rin, standing behind, shoved Si-woo aside and stepped forward.
"Here! I'll pay. But I don't need the underwear color."
Swallowing a twinge of regret, Si-woo perked up his ears.
The explanation of the Iron Martial Workshop followed.
Si-woo nodded.
As Si-woo walked along the road, he thought about the Iron Martial Workshop.
Iron Martial Workshop.
'A family half blacksmith clan, half martial clan.'
Originally focused on blacksmithing,
but lately showing signs of shifting toward a martial family.
'The thug's name is Cheol Gwang-o.'
The toad who clashed with Si-woo was a guy named Cheol Gwang-o.
He was the youngest son born to the previous Iron Martial Workshop leader and his new wife. As he grew, his appearance became an issue.
It wasn't that he was ugly. The problem was he didn't resemble the leader at all.
In a situation where the new wife's chastity was doubted, the family was in turmoil.
The family elders condemned the wife.
Then.
The Iron Martial Workshop leader died suddenly.
His abrupt death led to the wife taking over.
Naturally, the dirty rumors vanished without a trace.
The current Iron Martial Workshop was in the midst of a succession struggle between her and the direct descendants.
Thinking that far, Si-woo nodded.
'I get the picture.'
Hwa Mu-rin trotted after Si-woo and said,
"Haa... Blue Bee Honey! Sounds delicious."
Si-woo, watching her, chuckled softly. She was an endearing woman in her actions.
Hao Sect Hunan Branch.
The staff member said to Bi Seong-ja, who was pondering with a serious face.
"Branch Chief, what are you doing now?"
"I smell it... I smell something."
The staff member made a face like it was starting again.
"Sigh... So? You gonna investigate?"
"Yeah. Do it. My instincts are tingling."
The staff member's lower lip jutted out.
"He's barely third-rate, isn't he...?"
"Hey! That's why you can't be branch chief. You know? Back in my day..."
The staff member hurriedly interjected with a disgusted look.
"Got it. If you say investigate, we investigate. Then the investigation fee goes on your salary."
At the unexpected words, Bi Seong-ja panicked.
"Wh-what! You little shit? He reeks of it, we gotta investigate. Why put it on my tab!"
"Don't know about that. Budget's tight these days. Gotta feed the investigators... Wait. Did you gamble again?"
Bi Seong-ja straightened up.
"No! I've never gambled once in my life."
The staff member gritted his teeth and yelled.
"Fuck! Another investment? That damn investment?! Are you insane!!"
"F-fuck? You cussing at me?"
"Aaaah! Get your shit together, please!!"
"No fuck, this time it was solid. Whoa? Unclench your fist. What're you gonna do?"
Left alone, Bi Seong-ja muttered,
"Tch. Ungrateful punk... If he wasn't good at his job, I'd excommunicate him."
Bi Seong-ja's expression turned a bit serious.
"Hm... Definitely smells like it..."
"Illusion Mask Bracelet, huh... Wonder whose daughter it is this time."
He rummaged for a request to find a runaway young lady.