What Can You Do If I Did It? - 1
From the vast resources pouring out of our expansive territories, the massive armies conscripted from countless populations, and the talented individuals emerging from every corner of the Central Plains. There are many reasons why the government can overwhelm murim, but the most devastating factor among them is gunpowder.
A thing that can send even a skilled martial artist flying with a single shot. A destructive force capable of turning a sect's stronghold into ashes in an instant. A decisive weapon that ends wars the moment it appears. Gunpowder, the ultimate weapon usable only by the state, has allowed governmental might to surpass that of murim, forming the foundation for its control over them.
That's why gunpowder—and its key ingredient, saltpeter—is strictly controlled by the state. This was true even during the golden age of murim when the government rarely interfered. The moment word spread that a sect possessed saltpeter, the state would crush them without mercy.
"We've assembled three thousand troops to surround Bojeong, forty peak realm experts and five hundred first-rate martial artists to subdue the Peng Clan. We have ten cannons ready, and the super peak realm expert Do Ji-hwi-dong will assist the Left Vice Inspector General."
This overreaction had only intensified now that the era of non-interference had ended. Just a single tip-off that the Peng Clan might be handling saltpeter was enough to mobilize thousands of soldiers.
"The outlaws who dared harbor treacherous thoughts will tremble at Do Ji-hwi-sa's resolute decision."
"It's only natural as an official of Great Song."
The commandant shook his head stiffly at my words. In truth, he had no choice but to throw everything into this incident. If a murim clan in his jurisdiction was meddling with saltpeter and he hadn't known until I pointed it out? That could mean him and Habuk's top brass losing their positions—or worse.
He had only two ways to avoid disaster: prove the rumor false, or blow the Peng Clan sky-high along with any saltpeter.
"I'll leave the rest to the Left Vice Inspector General."
"I won't fail your trust."
His stern, solemn face seemed to pray for my success. The necks of high officials hung on how this played out.
The three thousand troops and roughly five hundred martial artists swiftly headed to Bojeong, the Peng Clan's stronghold.
Seal off the passes and advance.
The three thousand regular soldiers were more for encirclement than combat. If the Peng Clan went berserk, conscripts couldn't hold them; the regulars would just block escape routes while the martial artists moved in.
And even those martial artists probably wouldn't clash directly with the Peng Clan. Unless the whole clan had fallen to demonic seduction, they wouldn't touch saltpeter.
Mobilizing forces was really just to pressure them this time—no need for bloodshed.
Of course, if the rumor proved true, that changed everything.
"This lowly warrior from the border provinces pays respects to the Left Vice Inspector General, executor of His Majesty's will."
Looks like it was just a false rumor after all.
Quick on their feet.
Rather than greeting us at their manor, the Peng Clan head and members had come out to the outskirts of Bojeong, prostrating themselves. As if pleading their innocence and begging for mercy.
First impressions: barely passing.
If they'd stood stiffly in their manor claiming innocence, I might've been annoyed enough to order a cannon volley. A tip-off like this meant they'd been acting like dogs normally. Playing the victim after that would've been infuriating.
"Peng Jin-un, head of the Peng Clan?"
I approached the man bowing at the front.
If this wasn't the head himself, that shaky pass would plummet.
"Yes, I am Peng Jin-un."
Good—no need to revise.
"I can't keep thousands of soldiers waiting pointlessly, so I'll be direct."
"We listen intently."
I signaled Jo Wi-cheo behind me while Peng Jin-un stayed prostrated. With them all down, better to surround them just in case. If anyone acted up, we could crush them on the spot.
"Martial artists exist to devote themselves to the world's peace and the people's tranquility. Regrettably, the Peng Clan failed in that duty, yet His Majesty, in his boundless mercy, has granted you a second chance. Truly, his virtue covers the heavens and towers above Mount Tai."
Peng Jin-un flinched, but I ignored it. Ending with forced relocation instead of annihilation was mercy.
"Yet the Peng Clan, ungrateful for that mercy, dared to privately handle saltpeter, which is strictly forbidden for civilian use."
The others behind him shuddered too.
I get it. Unless you're possessed, you wouldn't.
"Of course, this is just a report. I don't believe a prestigious clan with centuries of history would defy the state's command."
Peng Jin-un bowed deeper at my reprieve.
"So guide us to your manor. I'll judge if you're innocent or truly harbor rebellion against the state."
"Yes, my lord. We shall obey your will."
A faint relief colored his voice. Natural—they'd dodged instant annihilation without even a defense.
When the Left Vice Inspector General visiting Hang Mountain headed straight to Beiping, people wondered what was up.
Skipping the Peng Clan after Lang Clan and Hang Mountain? Bojeong wasn't far—smack between Hang Mountain and Beiping. No reason to delay.
But when thousands of soldiers marched from Beiping soon after, and the reason was checking the Peng Clan for saltpeter... it felt like the sky was collapsing.
"Saltpeter? What bullshit is this!"
Absurd. No sane martial artist would touch it.
From gunpowder's invention to now, the state had controlled saltpeter with chilling rigor. Every dynasty, from unifiers to local warlords, enforced it without exception.
If a saltpeter mine appeared in murim territory, it went straight to the state. Even tiny amounts meant seizure and tracing the source—torture included.
And we'd do it knowing that? Us, already on the state's shitlist? Even unhinged sapa scum avoided saltpeter.
"...Just in case, if any bastard messed with saltpeter behind my back, step forward now."
Still, I asked the elders. If someone had, we'd sacrifice one neck to salvage this.
"We still crave life too much."
"If we wanted death, we'd have drowned quietly in the Yellow River, not dragged the clan into this."
Thankfully, they were sane—no horrific confessions like "I was smuggling it."
Good enough. The state was merciless to murim, beat us on flimsy pretexts—but they didn't fabricate crimes entirely.
Innocent, and they'd spit and leave without blood.
So prostrate and wait out the storm. We could heal from minor wounds if we survived.
That's what I thought.
"A merchant group contracted with the Peng Clan was trafficking saltpeter."
"What."
Three days later, as the Inspector Escort flipped the manor and checked our ledgers alongside the Left Vice Inspector General, he dropped that bombshell.
"...What?"
Even the Left Vice Inspector General looked stunned.
You can't react like that.
I bristled. The search lead himself acting shocked? It screamed "saltpeter was just an excuse to pressure them."
But that wasn't the point.
"A merchant group, you say?"
"Precisely, the Yinteon Merchant Group. Their capital seemed excessive for their official goods, so we investigated. They were handling saltpeter."
His confirmation made my head spin.
At least the clan wasn't directly involved. Yinteon was just a trading partner, not affiliated.
But a contracted group trafficking saltpeter? It could imply Peng Clan backing—or even accusations we bought from them.
Not worst-case, but far from best. Depended on the Left Vice Inspector General's interpretation—could end here or drag us down too.
"A merchant group..."
Cold sweat trickled at his murmur.
Please, just a warning for us. Scold us for missing our partner's dealings.
"Wi-cheo."
"Yes, my lord."
"Who'd those Yinteon bastards sell to?"
That puzzled me too. Trafficking saltpeter was mad; smuggling it was insane. What lunatic in the Central Plains would buy?
"Well..."
The Inspector Escort hesitated before continuing at the Left Vice Inspector General's prompt.
"Goryeo."
Made sense. Not Central Plains folk—crazy Dongyi barbarians.
Jo Wi-cheo's words drew a snort from me.
Of all places, Goryeo.
Habuk bordered Goryeo, sure, but who expected hitting Peng Clan would snag Goryeo too?
Damn. Foreign involvement meant this was beyond my paygrade...?