Who Spread Cigarettes in the Murim? (3)
Cigarettes are truly harmful with no benefits whatsoever. As the source of all diseases, I absolutely do not recommend them. This is merely a fictional depiction in the novel—please do not imitate it.
In the Jangryong Pavilion headquarters of the Murim Alliance in Hubei Province, Pavilion Lord Heo Do-hyeong was facing one nagging problem.
Lately, the warriors heading out for a smoke were taking far longer than usual to return. There seemed to be some kind of trend circulating among them, but for Heo Do-hyeong, who didn't smoke himself, it was no easy task to figure it out.
They've got their pipes right here—why the hell are they taking so long on their breaks?
Breaks in themselves weren't an issue, but if the method was wrong, it needed correcting. If they were using smoking as an excuse to slack off, the discipline of the Murim Alliance's intelligence agency, Jangryong Pavilion, could crumble.
With reports of the unorthodox factions forming the Sado Alliance and the Demonic Cult showing suspicious movements, any laxity in Jangryong Pavilion was a grave concern.
Even I, who knows nothing of the 'dan' in tobacco, can see this is pure slacking. They've left their pipes behind, for crying out loud.
As if they thought their pavilion lord was a fool. But Heo Do-hyeong wasn't the type to intimidate his men without solid proof. True to form as the head of the Murim Alliance's premier intelligence outfit, he only trusted what he'd seen with his own eyes.
He needed concrete evidence before raising his voice. With that in mind, Heo Do-hyeong rose from his desk in the office.
His plan: raid the smoking area.
Closing the distance with godlike footwork, Heo Do-hyeong silently hid behind a pillar leading to the smoking area.
Sniff sniff.
A harsh tobacco scent wafted over. Pipes left behind, yet this smell? Poking his head out just a bit, he caught the murmurings of the smoking warriors.
"Man, this is real tobacco, huh?"
"Never seen anything like it."
"Ooh, it's delicious. Why's it so good? Shouldn't it just taste like burnt ash?"
He couldn't see everything from his slight peek, but they were definitely smoking something.
Strange. Some kind of smoke trick?
No matter how hard Heo Do-hyeong strained his eyes, there were no pipes or anything like them in their hands.
"Let's go."
"We've lingered too long."
The smokers started walking away. Heo Do-hyeong leaped into the air with footwork technique, landing softly on the tiled roof of Jangryong Pavilion. Two murmuring warriors passed right beneath his feet.
It wasn't fear of being caught, but if they realized they were being watched, what would become of the pavilion lord's dignity?
Heo Do-hyeong averted his gaze from the pair and looked back toward the smoking area. One straggler kept bringing his hand to his mouth. What the hell was he doing? No pipe, just repeatedly lifting his hand to his lips—and smoke billowing out like from a musket barrel.
Unable to contain his curiosity, Heo Do-hyeong dropped from the ceiling.
Meanwhile, the lone smoker had stubbed out the ember on his cigarette butt against the floor and was tapping his foot to head back. Then—
Thud!
"Gasp! P-Pavilion Lord?"
The lord stood before him.
"What brings you here, Lord? You don't smoke."
"Uh, well."
Instead of answering, Heo Do-hyeong pointed to the short cigarette butt in the warrior's hand.
"What's this?"
A small cylindrical object. Edible? The smoke suggested tobacco, but no pipe.
"Ah, you'd find it unfamiliar, Lord. This is a cigarette."
"Cigarette? This little thing?"
The warrior pulled out a fresh, longer white one to show.
"It's normally this long. Light it up and inhale, and it shrinks like this."
"No pipe?"
"Pfft, who uses pipes these days? Anyone in the know uses these handy little ones."
"Is that so."
It made sense now why they'd left their pipes. But that didn't mean all was well.
Never heard of such a thing. Tobacco's harmful junk to begin with. Shrinking it down doesn't erase the danger.
Heo Do-hyeong wished all Murim folk would quit smoking, but it wasn't something he could force. He'd kept quiet so far. Still, this unidentified variant? No way. Especially intel unknown even to him, head of the Alliance's top spy network.
Jangryong Pavilion's motto: "Knowledge is power." No room for unknowns.
This could be more dangerous than pipes. Or perhaps a plot by the Demonic Cult or unorthodox factions to weaken the Alliance through addiction.
Heo Do-hyeong's personality wouldn't let such a mystery slide.
"Where'd you get it?"
"Heard through the grapevine—don't know details—but apparently from some inn in the Ghost Soul Great Forest."
Bingo! Even a forsaken land like Ghost Soul Great Forest was unorthodox territory.
Linked to those scum?
"Are you truly a Jangryong Pavilion agent?"
"Pardon?"
"Using some mystery item from unorthodox lands without a second thought!"
The warrior clasped his hands behind his back and bowed his head.
"M-My apologies. I just saw everyone else doing it..."
"Enough! No more excuses! Jangryong warriors suspect first, second, and third—always!"
Sensing disaster, the warrior broke into a cold sweat. He'd never seen the lord this furious.
"Report this immediately upon return. We'll dig into every detail. If it's tied to unorthodox schemes, you'll face punishment too. Understood?"
"Y-Yes, Lord!"
The warrior scurried off like hot coals on his feet. Watching him go, Heo Do-hyeong thought:
Whoever unleashed these mystery cigarettes in the Murim world, I'll uncover them crystal clear.
That night, lights burned all through Jangryong Pavilion, the Murim Alliance's greatest intelligence hub.
Hwa Hyo-seon, chief of the Green Forest Seven Villages, spent her days propping her chin on the convenience store counter, staring at owner Kim Jung-hyun. It had become routine.
Damn, he's handsome.
At first, she'd wondered about the guy who beat her strategist Gu Ja-jin. Meeting him, she was hooked on that face—handsomer than any she'd seen. So she begged to be his strategist, just to stay close.
He didn't act all lofty like orthodox warriors or strut around. Humble, elevating others. And handsome in that ordinary, approachable way—like a small, fragile rabbit that couldn't hurt a fly.
Hmm, wanna know more.
Licking her lips lost in thought, a lithe woman suddenly blocked her view.
"Huh? Move it."
"Working."
"Do it somewhere else!"
"What, you own the whole place? I'm working—mind your business."
Hwa Hyo-seon finally tore her gaze from Jung-hyun to eye the blocker. Long hair cascading down. Red martial robes with a sword at her waist. Sleeveless top over that. And those pretty eyes glaring contemptuously.
"Who're you again?"
Uninterested in other women, Hwa Hyo-seon treated her like a stranger despite multiple sightings.
Yoo Hwa-yeon bristled at the indifference.
"Yoo Hwa-yeon."
"Ah, wasn't asking your name."
"Then—"
"Some employee, whatever. Busy here. Move."
Yoo Hwa-yeon's face flushed. Being outright ignored by a bandit chief? Infuriating.
But even a pest like this bandit boss—she had no strength now. Charging in, she'd barely swing her sword before dying.
"You don't look busy. If you're doing nothing, get out. You're in the way."
"What? In the way?"
"Yeah, super annoying. Our Grand Strategist hates slackers."
Hwa Hyo-seon felt her temperature rising—like in battle. Why now? Over this brat?
Yeah. That line set her off.
"Our... Grand Strategist?"
"Oops, didn't know? We've been tight since before you showed up—I call him 'ours'."
"Kyahaha! Th-That's just a group thing, right? Reading into that? What a sad life... You're exhausting."
"Dunno. Never read into it. I just said we're close—you're the one fuming. Hwa Hyo-seon."
Hwa Hyo-seon bit her lower lip hard, fists trembling. She barely held back. Reacting to every cheap taunt would make her no better.
Instead, she plotted ways to irk Yoo Hwa-yeon.
"Kyahaha! Must be bugging you bad, huh? But whatcha gonna do? These get in the way too much."
Boob attack this time. Yoo Hwa-yeon's were nice, but hers were superior. Hwa Hyo-seon twisted her waist demonstratively.
Yoo Hwa-yeon thought, This bitch is dead. Daring to touch the forbidden zone?
She'd conceded the chest from first glance—stayed out of it. Martial skill aside, pride mattered most.
But this woman dragged her into the mud. Gesturing: Come on in, let's roll around.
Fine. Let's get filthy.
"All that flab piling up there? Eww, look at those belly folds. Can't relate—I'm toned."
Oh ho. This green kid dares scrape the Great Chief of Green Forest Seven Villages? Belly fat where?
Hwa Hyo-seon glanced down. There. Why? Too much eating lately? Booze?
Yoo Hwa-yeon's figure was flawless—perfect curves, slim waist, smooth hips. Hwa Hyo-seon bit harder.
"Aw, you look starved. Skin and bones."
"Better than pig fat like some auntie."
"Mine are big."
"Big deal? They're pig-sized."
"Keep calling me pig?"
"What else ya call a pig? Oh, wild boar? Lives in the mountains?"
Hwa Hyo-seon's rage boiled over. Today I rip that mouth off and send her to nirvana!!
"You bitch!!"
As she slammed her iron mace down—
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Jung-hyun rushed over, hand on hip, eyes feigning anger.
"Strategist! That bitch—"
Hwa Hyo-seon pointed, but Yoo Hwa-yeon had vanished. Dusting shelves, ass swaying. Hwa Hyo-seon gaped in disbelief.
"Why're you gripping that mace?"
"W-Well, uh..."
"I saw everything. About to smash the floor? Nearly wrecked the store!"
Suddenly, Hwa Hyo-seon bowed, hands clasped, enduring the scolding.
"Sorry. Sorry. Won't happen again. Yeah, shouldn't. I wasn't gonna... Got it. Never again."
Yoo Hwa-yeon stuck out her tongue from afar.
Even as Jung-hyun chewed her out, Hwa Hyo-seon vowed inwardly:
Someday, I'll shove that bitch onto the ferry across the River of Three Paths.