Chapter 191
Chapter 191
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 191
Chapter Title: Clue (5)
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The search operation for the Ho-won Forge was divided into two main teams.
'The infiltration team and the standby team lurking nearby in case something goes wrong.'
Of course, the infiltration team was just me.
My younger martial siblings were rolling under me, but...
'Truth be told, except for So-rung, they're all sons of prestigious families or direct disciples of famous sects.'
They'd just be a burden if I brought them on infiltration.
So-rung at least had some skill at sneaking around secretly, but even he was only good at hiding, not blending in.
'He's got a naturally timid disposition, and when I had him do some simple acting while chasing his youngest uncle in the mountains west of here, it was the worst performance imaginable.'
So, the infiltration team was just me.
The standby team consisted of Professor No Sam, whom I'd drilled with strict orders to abort the operation immediately if anything seemed off with Senior Sister Kyung-hye.
Wo So-rung, who was fast on his feet and could contact the academy in an emergency.
And Jeong Hyeon and Namgung Yun, who could provide martial support in such situations. That made four in total.
"So, your name is...?"
"...Yong-gu."
Before heading into the operation,
Our group of four went over the situation one more time.
Perhaps because they weren't used to this kind of thing, everyone seemed oddly excited.
No Sam in particular burst out laughing the moment he heard my disguise and name, clutching his stomach.
"Yong-guuu-huhuhu! 'Great Dragon Eon Yong-un' felt distant from beggars, but Yong-gu? Now that's friendly!"
"......"
"Might as well join the beggars under the name Yong-gu! They'd toss you a bowl as supplies!"
Jeong Hyeon, as always, spoke bluntly to Professor No Sam.
"Professor. Brother Eon has volunteered for danger and inconvenience for the greater good. How can you mock him like that? It's not the way of the Dao."
But for some reason, there was a sly grin on his face.
- Heh heh heh. It's all your karma.
Even Master was chuckling.
Meanwhile, Namgung Yun tried to say something to me.
"Yong-gu..."
"Yun, you're dead meat."
As I ground my teeth, Namgung Yun immediately shut his mouth.
So-rung, who'd been snickering since before we met No Sam, was wiping tears from his eyes.
"Uh-huh. Euh-huh."
My lips twisted into a grin that reached my ears.
"So-rung, having fun?"
"Sorry, sorry, Brother Eon. No, should I call you Brother Im? But I really can't stop laughing..."
"Nah, seeing you laugh makes me happy too. But 'really' can't stop? Hmm, I wonder. Come here a sec? I'll make it stop for you."
"...Gulp."
Anyway.
With that, I and the four standby team members set off.
'The workshop run by this Won-hong guy has two locations.'
The shop in the academy's weapon alley and the forge that supplies weapons to it.
Both had signs reading 'Ho-won Forge'.
The place I was infiltrating was the latter—the actual forging site.
Such forges were typically located near sources of firewood and iron ore.
"That must be it."
So the Ho-won Forge was a bit away from the academy, nestled between a tributary of the Han River and some hills.
"Alright, one person each to this side and that—state your name and you can get paid!"
Master whistled at the sight.
- The forge looks bigger than I expected. All those lined up ahead—they're all laborers like you, right?
'Huh? You've never seen a forge like this?'
- Why would I ever set foot in one?
'Even you must have needed blade sharpening at some point.'
- Before that, some fool always picked a fight and gifted me a new sword.
'...Ah. Well, all the forges with shops in front of the Righteous Martial Academy have setups like this.'
It had to be that way.
Hobuk occupied a central position in the world, like the navel.
Moreover, 'weapons used by Righteous Martial Academy cadets' were practically future heirlooms.
'Excluding the government forges supplying northern garrisons for the imperial army, and the artisan guilds on Mount Mogun, this has the highest reputation.'
Anyway, conversation with Master ends here.
Linger too long, and they might finish hiring laborers.
'I'll be off.'
- Be careful. You'll handle it fine.
'Yes.'
I first handed Regret to Jeong Hyeon.
"Jeong Hyeon. Hold onto this."
"...Understood!"
"......"
"Namgung Yun, why are you staring at someone else's sword?"
"It's nothing."
After greeting the others,
"Alright, I'll be going."
"Sure. Don't push yourself. Pull out if anything feels off."
"Be careful, Brother Eon!"
Whistling the tune of 'Dokdo is Ours'—perfect for memorizing faces—I slipped into the crowd of laborers.
'Im Yong-gu. Dangyang County. Twenty-five, unmarried. Neighbor Jeong-pal is my cousin...'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'That's the blast furnace over there. That side's the grinding area. They're carrying dirt this way, so this must be where they sort the sand iron.'
Once inside the forge, I quickly mapped out the buildings.
"Laborers, follow me."
I meekly followed the low-level smith's orders.
'Gotta look at it through a laborer's eyes first.'
When hiding something,
The basics were doing it without others noticing.
'Even Demonic Cult bastards know that much.'
The safehouses and herb warehouses we'd found near Juksan followed those basics strictly.
Yet this forge was hiring outsiders.
'No reports of workers going missing, so they're not experimenting on locals.'
Starting there, I blended into the laborers.
"Workers from inside will bring dirt here. Stack it over there on the mound. Got it?"
"Yes!"
"Just a heads-up: don't wander from your spot! Forge work is all about craft secrets—senior smiths won't forgive leaks. No need to fight among ourselves!"
"Yes!"
Mingling thoroughly, I did my job while eavesdropping.
"Martial artists are griping about rising weapon prices, but we're loving it. Endless work. Especially Ho-won—easy jobs too."
Hm?
Ho-won jobs especially easy?
"Right? If this lasts a year, I could pocket enough silver to return home to Dangyang in glory—been ten years gone!"
"Glory return?"
"More like golden guard return? Like imperial troops?"
"Silk robes?"
"Pah! Who cares—as long as I've got coin when I get home!"
I spotted someone who could help me blend deeper and approached.
"From Dangyang County?"
"Aye."
People far from home light up at fellow countrymen.
But after a decade, memories fade, ties sever.
"Know an Im Jeong-pal? My cousin."
"...Huh. Jeong-pal, Im Jeong-pal."
To such a man,
I spoke as if he could vouch for me without hesitation.
"...No? Dangyang's not that small, and my Im clan is huge. Anyway, fate brought us together here—I'll call you brother from now on! Im Yong-gu. Just Yong-gu's fine!"
Bow ninety degrees first?
"Hahaha! Alright then. Name's Wang-o."
No one refuses.
'Who'd say no to a polite little brother turning you special among grunts?'
Once the brotherly banter starts, Wang-o vouches willingly.
"This is Yong-gu, my hometown brother."
"Oh ho. The flying ace from back home?"
"Pfft, no need to ask."
"Hahaha!"
Just like that, I joined a veteran labor crew, not the newbies.
And asked what I'd been curious about.
"Brothers, I'm new to hard labor, first time at a forge. Heard one of you say the work here's easy. This easy?"
They puffed up proudly.
"Easy. Forges usually have you hauling heavy metal dust, feeding furnaces—tough stuff. Here? Just move dirt."
"Other places make you dredge rivers for dirt and sift sand iron all day. Feels like three days' work in one."
"Yeah, that's why folks avoid 'em—get sick. But here, new head smith's in-laws handle the sand iron gathering."
Then, a line that cocked my head.
"In-laws?"
"Don't know details, but yeah. They handle it all—we just clear the sifted dirt. Better than pie in bed."
"And pay's on time!"
"That's key. Even that Shiyan Forge below drags months."
"Shh, we keep it quiet or others swarm. Telling you 'cause you're Wang-o's brother."
"Kuuh! Brothers only! My lips are sealed!"
"Good! Sharp kid. Let's stick together!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Having gleaned info from the laborers, I slipped out during lunch.
"Brothers, gonna hit the john."
I pieced together what I'd heard while moving.
'Reason info doesn't leak despite outsiders: everything runs normal.'
Every department operated routinely.
'Individually, all standard forge work.'
Cheap weapons? Head smith's discretion—shrewd ones do it.
Strict labor control? Obvious for secrets.
Hobuk iron from sifted earth, so dirt-hauling normal.
'But together? Suspicious as hell.'
Especially this endless dirt, handled by Won-hong's in-laws.
'Competitive pricing means good business, but way too much dirt.'
With that, I stealthily headed to the dirt's source.
'Not many guards, but buildings funnel anyone going that way into smiths' sight.'
But doable.
Summer shades everywhere for cool air.
Shadows let me cast Shadow Meld.
Swoosh—
My progress from sparring with Gong Son Mu-gyeol lightened my steps further.
Pop.
Pop pop.
Heightened senses used sparks and hammer strikes for cover.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Pop!
'Now!'
I reached the cart exit.
The endpoint: a cloth-draped area.
And inside,
a tunnel.
'Holy shit. Not under a lamp—they dug straight under the academy?'