Monopolizing Fortunes (147)
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Monopolizing Fortunes (147)
Ju Hyeong-seon and Ju Seo-in could only marvel.
"You even predicted this far ahead? You're practically the second coming of Zhuge Liang."
Having Do Tong-dal on their side rather than as an enemy was immensely reassuring.
Ju Hyeong-seon murmured.
"If what Tong-dal says is true, then I nearly died, which means things are unfolding exactly as he wanted."
Ju Seo-in said.
"You can tell just by looking at how the imperial palace has been running lately. And on top of that, that second butcher's bastard has gone and done something like this......."
Ju Seo-in's gaze, trembling with rage, turned toward Hwangmi Dal.
"You can definitely get a confession out of the one you brought in earlier, right?"
It seemed they had decided to drop the formal speech.
"We have a certain knack for torture."
"We absolutely have to hear from him that the Second Prince is behind this. Evidence would be even better."
"If there's something you want to hear, you just have to listen for it. And if there's no evidence, you just make some."
Ju Hyeong-seon said.
"You really do seem to be someone with deep ties to Tong-dal."
* * *
After finishing dinner, Do Tong-dal and Jang Bu-ok were drinking tea alone together.
"We need to find the person who has sided with the Revenge Society."
"What? Didn't you say we could just leave them be?"
"I think it would be better if the Hwangdae Merchant Company appeared genuinely loyal to the Revenge Society. That would reduce the danger and make it easier to penetrate the Revenge Society's inner circle."
"Do you have a way to find them?"
"First, make me a Protector of the Hwangdae Merchant Company."
"What?"
He couldn't help but be surprised, because the Bae Dong-cheong he had seen so far was not someone who coveted positions.
"Once I become a Protector, I'll be able to actively involve myself in the Hwangdae Merchant Company's affairs within the Revenge Society. And people won't talk seriously with me unless I'm at least a Protector."
"Not an interrogation?"
"I'll just have light conversations."
"Can you find the Revenge Society's man with that?"
"Of course."
Including Do Tong-dal, nineteen people from the Hwangdae Merchant Company had come to Chongqing.
He planned to meet fourteen of them. For Do Tong-dal, who had mastered the Mind-Reading Art, catching someone in a lie was nothing.
First, he announced that Do Tong-dal had become a Protector of the Hwangdae Merchant Company. No one voiced any complaints about it.
On the contrary, the mood was one of welcoming him, as if Do Tong-dal had finally become one of the family.
Jang Bu-ok even held a modest celebration for Do Tong-dal. Do Tong-dal had wanted to become a Protector for a purpose, but Jang Bu-ok wanted to use this opportunity to settle Do Tong-dal into the Hwangdae Merchant Company for good.
Having become a Protector of the Hwangdae Merchant Company under these cross-purposes, Do Tong-dal began meeting people from that point on.
Sometimes he met them one at a time, and sometimes he joined a group of three or four people talking as if he had happened to run into them while passing by.
Finding someone who could be a Revenge Society spy was not difficult.
All he had to do was ask, "What do you think of the Revenge Society?" Anyone passing the Hwangdae Merchant Company's information to the Revenge Society was bound to react.
Do Tong-dal never missed even the slightest change, like a small twitch at the corner of an eye.
After meeting all fourteen people in a single day, Do Tong-dal finished dinner and sat down with Jang Bu-ok.
"Did you find out who the Revenge Society's spy is?"
"Seoindang Hall Master Hwang Chi-bang......."
"What? Hall Master Hwang? We've shared the same pot for seventeen years."
"He wasn't the only one."
"You mean there's more?"
"Subodang Hall Master Byeon Hui-song is also a Revenge Society figure."
Jang Bu-ok was so shocked that he leaned back in his chair.
"They say there's no one you can trust in this world, but even Hall Master Byeon......."
"However, Hall Master Byeon seemed afraid of the Revenge Society. He may not be acting voluntarily but under threat."
"And you learned that from exchanging a few words?"
It was an ability Jang Bu-ok could not even imagine. If he had the ability to discern lies just from a brief conversation, he would have already become the greatest merchant in the Central Plains.
"It's not that difficult."
Not difficult, his foot! It was practically a superhuman ability!
So it was hard to believe, but there was also no reason for Do Tong-dal to lie.
"From now on, we must be careful what we say in front of these two."
"Understood. But about recruiting those masters. I'd like you to hurry. If the Revenge Society summons us, won't our room to maneuver inside become far too narrow?"
That was something Do Tong-dal had also been thinking about. Since Jang Bu-ok brought it up first, it became easier to discuss.
"I don't know many people myself, but I'll do my best to ask around."
Do Tong-dal was thinking of Namgung Seol-rin, Jang Yu-seom, and Won Dae-yeon. They were currently pursuing the Revenge Society, but when the time came, it wouldn't be a bad idea for them to enter the Revenge Society together.
As soon as he finished talking with Jang Bu-ok and returned to his room, he received a visit from Jang Yeon-seon.
"Why aren't you asleep?"
Training had been so grueling that Jang Yeon-seon had collapsed into sleep as soon as she finished dinner.
"I have something to tell you."
Jang Yeon-seon leaned her upper body over the table and spoke with a resolute voice.
"I want to do it. Become the Revenge Society Leader."
"Really?"
"Yes. And then I'm going to kill everyone responsible for my mother's death."
"It looks like they'll be dealt with before you get the chance."
"There might be some who are lucky enough to survive. And......."
Jang Yeon-seon mumbled something, but her pronunciation was poor and she hung her head, so he couldn't make out what she said.
"What?"
"I said I want to be useful to you too, Master. If I become the Revenge Society Leader, I can be a source of strength for you."
"You don't need to think like that."
"I know you're amazing, Master. But two hands are better than one, and ten hands are better than two."
Do Tong-dal chuckled and said.
"Well, I appreciate you thinking that way."
"But......."
Jang Yeon-seon hesitated for a moment before bringing up the next topic.
"What are you going to do after this is over, Master?"
"Me? I'll go back to being a thug."
"Are you going back to Hangzhou?"
"Going back to where I came from after handing it over to someone else seems against the code. I'm thinking of going to Beijing."
"Why Beijing?"
"It's the biggest city. And the emperor is close by as a backdrop. It seems like it would be convenient in many ways."
Jang Yeon-seon said immediately.
"Then I'll move the Revenge Society to Beijing too!"
"Huh? We don't even know where the Revenge Society is right now."
"What does it matter where it is now? If the Society Leader moves the base to Beijing, then it moves."
"As far as I know, Beijing is where the emperor resides, so no martial sect can establish itself there."
The reason no martial sect could establish itself in the largest and wealthiest city in the Central Plains was because the Forbidden City was located there.
"But you can solve that, can't you, Master?"
"You're trying to settle in Beijing because of me?"
"How am I supposed to learn martial arts from you if you're far away?"
"That's true, but I won't be able to spend all day with you teaching martial arts like now."
"It's fine as long as we can meet often. Hehe!"
"Let's think about that problem later. But can you really become the Society Leader?"
"Don't worry. Apart from you, Master, I'm the smartest person in this family."
Do Tong-dal had no objection to that.
"I think I'll have to go somewhere soon."
"I'll go with you!"
Without even knowing where, Jang Yeon-seon insisted on going along.
"I have to move quickly this time, so I need to go alone."
Jang Yeon-seon's shoulders slumped in disappointment.
"When I get back, the Hwangdae Merchant Company will probably enter the Revenge Society."
"So we're walking into the tiger's den."
"Think about what you need to do to become the Society Leader."
"Don't worry. I won't rely on you for everything, Master."
* * *
The attack by the imperial palace and government forces on the Revenge Society's secret branch in Chukcheon County, Jiangxi Province, was over in an instant. That place was where the Dongui Martial Hall had taken refuge.
As planned, they let a few people escape alive. Since the place where the Dongui Martial Hall had hidden had been attacked, it became clear that the imperial palace's target was the Revenge Society, not the Hwangdae Merchant Company.
The news was delivered to Do Tong-dal through the Beggars' Sect branch in Chongqing. That wasn't the only news delivered.
―Attempted assassination of the Third Prince thwarted.
It was a letter sent by carrier pigeon, so it was very short, but the circumstances were clear.
The question was whether they had captured the person who tried to assassinate Ju Hyeong-seon, and if so, what evidence they had obtained.
The mastermind was obviously the Second Prince, so there was no need to wonder about that. That day, Do Tong-dal decided to head for Beijing.
The distance from Chongqing to Beijing was quite far, but using the Lightness Art and horses, it was about a five-day round trip.
Do Tong-dal also summoned Namgung Seol-rin, Jang Yu-seom, and Won Dae-yeon, who were pursuing the Revenge Society, to Beijing.
He wrote two letters to the three of them. This was because there was something they needed to do on their way to Beijing.
* * *
"Huh? Pick a fight with the Shandong Three Killers and kill them? While disguised, and differently from how we do things now?"
Won Dae-yeon asked in response to Namgung Seol-rin's bewildered words.
"Who are the Shandong Three Killers?"
"You might not know them, Sir Won. They're trash who have been notorious in Shandong Province for about five years. Several chivalrous heroes tried to stop their evil deeds, but their martial arts are quite high, so they're still running wild."
Jang Yu-seom said.
"Given that he told us to pick a fight and kill them while disguised, it seems he isn't simply asking us to perform a chivalrous deed."
"What did the Shandong Three Killers do wrong to Coordinator Do?"
But Do Tong-dal hadn't even gone near Shandong Province the entire time he was moving around.
Namgung Seol-rin grumbled.
"If this guy's going to tell us something, he should tell us properly."
"The carrier pigeon letter is tiny, so it can't be helped."
Whenever Do Tong-dal ordered something, no matter how strange it was, it always ended up making sense in the end. So this time, they had no choice but to do as they were told.
Won Dae-yeon said.
"Anyway, Coordinator Do told us to come to Beijing as fast as possible, so let's hurry and set out."
And the next day, the Shandong Three Killers, who had been notorious in Shandong Province for five years, were beaten to death on the main road.
The ones who killed the Shandong Three Killers were two men and one woman, and the incident started when they flirted with the woman.
There was much speculation about the two men and one woman, but the identities of the three were never revealed.
Having completed the good deed Do Tong-dal had ordered, they arrived in Beijing around sunset the next day.
* * *
Do Tong-dal looked down at So Cheol-eum, who was tied to a chair and slumped over.
His fingernails and toenails had all been pulled out, and his teeth were missing here and there. Judging by the salt oozing from his exposed wounds, he could guess what kind of torture he had endured.
"You haven't learned anything?"
The two Elders, Gong Pyeong-seong and Byeok Dae-man, hung their heads like criminals, and Hwangmi Dal scratched his head.
"This bastard's mouth is a complete padlock. It won't open."
Everyone feels pain differently, and some people are especially resistant to it. So Cheol-eum was probably that type.
So Cheol-eum, who had been hanging his head with his arms bound behind him, shrugged his shoulders.
"Heh heh heh...... Just...... kill me. Don't waste...... your strength."
His pronunciation was severely slurred because of his missing teeth.
"Just give me one more day and I'll definitely......."
Do Tong-dal cut off Hwangmi Dal's words.
"Should I use the Makya Sword?"
Hwangmi Dal flinched in surprise and trailed off, saying, "No, the Makya Sword is a bit......."
"Then just watch."
Do Tong-dal placed a chair across from So Cheol-eum and sat down. So Cheol-eum, who had lifted his head with difficulty, looked at Do Tong-dal through eyes that were nearly swollen shut from the beating.
"What...... are you?"
"Usually, when someone keeps their mouth shut with the resolve to die, it's because there's someone they want to protect."
The sneer visible in So Cheol-eum's eyes meant Do Tong-dal was wrong.
"But that's not the case with you. If it's not someone else, then it must be yourself, and in the end...... is it pride?"
He could tell from So Cheol-eum's reaction that he was right. Do Tong-dal grinned.
"I like that. I like people with strong pride."
Do Tong-dal tried to deduce So Cheol-eum's current status. The Second Prince's side would never use someone from the martial world, so So Cheol-eum must have been selected from the government or the military.
'Most likely the government.'
If it were the military, he would not only be too far from Beijing, but his deployment would be discovered immediately.
"So you're a government man. Considering that strong pride, the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"
He probed lightly and got a reaction. But something felt off.
"You were in the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the past, but not anymore."
So Cheol-eum growled.
"I don't know how you know me...... but you won't hear anything you want from my mouth."
* * *