Chapter 86
Chapter 86
Translator: Penny
Chapter 86
Where the Cipher Leads (1)
The Ghoul landed nimbly on the rooftop, using her Lightness Skill to descend from the distant Wuhan's Premier Inn.
Chilho, who had been waiting there, asked, "What happened?"
The Ghoul shook her head. "I lost him."
Chilho was stunned. Though The Ghoul's legs were shorter than average, her Lightness Skill was renowned even within the organization.
She asked in a businesslike tone, "Did you let him go on purpose?"
In situations like this, suspicion came first, as if she had been trained that way.
The Ghoul replied with self-deprecating humor, "I appreciate you gilding my skills, but embarrassingly, I chased him to death and still lost him."
"He must be a true master."
"A master among masters."
The two watched as the nameless man killed Yeom Hwa. It wasn't Fist Arts, Palm Arts, or Foot Arts. Nor did it resemble any known form of Hand-to-Hand Combat.
"I've never seen such martial arts in my life," one of them said.
"I agree," the other replied.
"What should we do now?"
Despite the unexpected turn of events, Chilho remained in command.
"We should follow protocol and return to report," she said.
"Understood."
The Ghoul vanished from the scene first.
Chilho turned to leave, but paused to glance back at the inn. For reasons she couldn't explain, the man's image lingered in her mind.
It must be because his martial arts were so extraordinary, she thought.
With a final glance, she leaped into the air and departed.
Starting in Wuhan, rumors of The Nameless One spread like wildfire across the Central Plains.
The shock and awe were particularly intense because he hadn't acted in secret, but had openly slain the Butcher of the Heavenly Blade Gate and three of the Four Heavenly Blades before a crowd of witnesses.
The Martial Arts World went on high alert. Among them, the Pavilion of Righteous Intent within the Martial Arts Alliance was thrown into complete chaos.
A martial artist cherished by the Alliance Leader had been killed in broad daylight, right before everyone's eyes.
Sama Cheon had to immediately report this incident to Ma Bonggi in the Alliance Leader's Hall.
Knowing Ma Bonggi's fiery temper, Sama Cheon braced himself for a furious outburst. Yet they knew nothing about the culprit—who he was, or why he had committed such an act. All they knew was that people were calling him The Nameless Great Hero.
"Who the hell is this guy?"
In response to Sama Cheon's question, the Lead Strategist among the dozen or so soldiers standing in formation spoke up:
"He's never been active before."
"So he just dropped out of the sky? And you call this a report?"
At his furious rebuke, not only the Lead Strategist standing before him but all the soldiers lowered their heads.
"Find him immediately! Now!"
The soldiers surged out of the room. Just then, Sama Cheon called out to Gal Saryang, stopping him in his tracks.
"Strategist Gal! You stay behind for a moment."
Once they were alone, Sama Cheon shed his earlier fury and asked in a gentler tone:
"How have things been lately?"
"Manageable," Gal Saryang replied.
"You've gotten quite a few more gray hairs."
"Well, I'm not getting any younger."
Gal Saryang glanced toward the window, let out a soft sigh, then quickly lowered his head as if realizing he'd made a mistake in front of his superior.
"I apologize."
Lately, Gal Saryang had been living a listless life. Overwhelmed by the excessive workload Sama Cheon had assigned him—clearly intended to torment him—his face was etched with exhaustion.
As this routine continued, Sama Cheon's vigilance gradually waned. The torment had lost its novelty after a few days, and Gal Saryang's meek acceptance had dulled his interest.
In Sama Cheon's eyes, Gal Saryang had become nothing more than a former Chief Strategist, listlessly aging.
"Does anyone have any suspicions about this incident? I imagine you might have someone in mind."
When Gal Saryang first heard about the incident, he immediately suspected Baek Pyo of killing Yeom Hwa.
I heard that Pung Tavern had closed its doors. I was already worried that something might have happened to him when this incident occurred.
But it wasn't Baek Pyo. Rumor had it that he killed Yeom Hwa with his bare hands.
Baek Pyo used Sword Arts. He had never once used Fist Arts. Even if he had a hidden technique, he couldn't possibly kill Yeom Hwa barehanded.
Then who could it be?
In my experience, a martial arts master of this caliber doesn't just appear out of nowhere. Someone must be concealing their true identity.
Gal Saryang cautiously offered his opinion.
"Based on my assessment, it seems likely that this person was sent by the Ho-yeon Family."
"What makes you think so?"
"Every incident, especially a major one like this, must have a motive."
Sama Cheon nodded, and Gal Saryang continued, "Yeom Hwa openly declared his intention to kill the Ho-yeon Family disciples. Moreover, he reportedly captured Ho-yeon Tak's grandmother and younger sister, intending to humiliate them."
"Did such a thing truly happen?"
"Yes, I confirmed it through direct testimonies from eyewitnesses."
The incident had occurred so recently that even the Pavilion of Righteous Intent hadn't fully grasped the situation. Everyone was fixated on Yeom Hwa's death and the culprit who killed him.
But Gal Saryang was meticulously investigating every detail the regular strategists had overlooked.
He truly is different from the others.
While Sama Cheon might become more wary if Gal Saryang acted too cautiously, Gal Saryang judged that appearing completely helpless would also arouse suspicion. He concluded that demonstrating this level of competence would seem more natural.
"The culprit is undoubtedly someone sent by the Ho-yeon Family, or at least someone connected to them," Gal Saryang stated.
Sama Cheon nodded. This conclusion was sufficient.
Now was the time to rush to the Alliance Leader with an answer. Whether the answer was right or wrong didn't matter; it only needed to be plausible enough to satisfy Ma Bonggi.
Sama Cheon temporarily ceased tormenting Gal Saryang, realizing it was time to exploit him.
"I'm granting you full authority over this investigation," Sama Cheon declared.
"Chief Strategist!"
"Assemble a team and take full responsibility for finding the culprit."
"Thank you so much," Gal Saryang said, his face filled with genuine emotion. He was truly moved. If he were assigned to investigate this case, the recently relaxed vigilance would loosen further, giving him much-needed breathing room.
"I'm sorry for making you handle only trivial matters until now."
"Not at all. I'll do my utmost to resolve this case."
"I trust you completely."
Gal Saryang left the office. As he walked down the corridor, the weariness that had been visible in the room vanished from his eyes.
The Nameless One...
Sama Cheon had claimed the Nameless One was connected to the Ho-yeon Family, but Gal Saryang didn't believe it. This wasn't the Ho-yeon Family's usual method.
Gal Saryang could sense it:
A new, unknown change had begun.
I stood alone in the open space near the inn, reflecting on my battle with Yeom Hwa.
Through that fight, I sensed that my Immortal Crane Secret Art had advanced from Seven Stars to Eight Stars.
Considering the short time I had practiced it, this was a remarkable achievement. Of course, any martial art progresses rapidly in its early stages. While this might not apply to me, for most practitioners, the greatest hurdle arises at Eight Stars.
I wondered how much stronger the Immortal Crane Secret Art would become upon reaching Ten Stars Great Mastery.
Could the Great Mastery-level Immortal Crane Secret Art merge with the Soul-Chasing Asura Sword Art? What insights would that process reveal to me?
These questions remained unanswered for now.
Gwangdu rushed toward me.
"Young Master! Have you heard the news?"
I had a hunch what it was about, but I feigned ignorance.
"What news?"
"The Nameless Great Hero! They say he killed the Butcher of the Heavenly Blade Gate with a single punch. And he publicly declared that he'll crush the Heavenly Blade Gate if they commit any more evil deeds."
I don't think I actually said I'd crush them, did I?
Rumors in the Martial Arts World always get exaggerated like this. Still, the more exaggerated the rumors, the greater and wider the Nameless One's name will spread. That's exactly what I wanted.
"Impressive."
"Is that all the reaction you have?"
"What's wrong with my reaction?"
"Could it be...?"
Gwangdu stared intently at my face. The perceptive fellow might have figured out it was me.
"Are you jealous?"
"Hahaha!"
"Don't be like that. Young Master is cool in his own way, and the Nameless Great Hero is cool... in his own Great Hero way."
"In his own Great Hero way?"
Gwangdu hesitated before finally revealing his true feelings.
"It's just... amazing!"
"There seems to be a significant difference between 'cool' and 'amazing,' don't you think?"
Gwangdu pretended not to hear, feigning admiration.
"To stand tall and protect someone—that's exactly the kind of person I dream of becoming."
I understood Gwangdu's feelings. How could anyone newly entering the Martial Arts World not feel their heart race upon hearing such tales?
But Gwangdu, you need to understand...
While the life of a heroic warrior might seem glamorous from the outside, those who live it must overcome countless emotional trials. Before righteous deeds become a source of joy rather than sacrifice, one must repeatedly confront the hidden shame and self-doubt lurking behind the facade of glory.
I had to endure it.
"By the way, I haven't seen Martial Artist Baek around lately. I went to Pung Tavern, but it was closed, with only a note on the door saying he's taking a temporary break due to personal matters."
"He's handling some important business."
"Something urgent, then?"
I nodded, and Gwangdu's eyes sharpened.
"Everyone's working so hard. I should get back to my training too."
"Train diligently, future Great Hero!"
"Ha ha, what kind of Great Hero would I be? I'm just the Young Master's sword-bearer a hundred years from now!"
I chuckled softly as I watched Gwangdu sprint away into the distance.
Left alone, I resumed my training.
Whether you were a sword-bearer or a Great Hero, without real skill, you'd be wiped out in this Martial Arts World.
The rumors surrounding the Nameless One were far more intense than I had anticipated. This was hardly surprising, given that he had already been hailed as a "Great Hero."
Public opinion in the Martial Arts World was clamoring for a reinvestigation into Ho-yeon Tak's death. This surge in demand stemmed from the widespread dissemination of the Nameless One's words to the assembled Martial Heroes that day.
Ultimately, the Martial Arts Alliance announced its intention to meet with Mae-rang and Ho-yeon Suk-jeong. The day after this meeting, the Alliance formally declared its decision to investigate Ho-yeon Tak's death.
Under normal circumstances, Ma Bonggi would have dismissed public opinion entirely.
His changed reaction this time likely stemmed from his desire to exact revenge on the Ho-yeon Family. He had probably concluded that the Nameless One was an agent sent by the Ho-yeon Family.
An eye for an eye.
Yes, this was the outcome I had hoped for. Let them fight tooth and nail.
I received reports that Mae-rang and Ho-yeon Suk-jeong were overjoyed when the investigation into Ho-yeon Tak's death was announced.
I feel sorry for her, but the true mastermind behind this incident won't be easily uncovered.
For something of this magnitude, the decision must have come from the Patriarch level. If a proper investigation proceeds, they'll likely cut off the tail at some point to protect the higher-ups.
Still, for Mae-rang and Ho-yeon Suk-jeong, the mere initiation of an investigation holds great significance and offers a glimmer of hope.
Mae-rang, don't worry. This older brother hasn't forgotten what happened. When the time comes, I'll reveal the truth behind your grandson's unjust death.
Gong Suchan visited in the evening.
"The Taeseong Merchant Guild matter is progressing smoothly," he began, pulling a booklet from his robes.
"I came today because of the ledger you gave me earlier."
Not long ago, I had asked him to examine a ledger—the very one Yacheon of the Shandong Night Merchants had been keeping.
"Fortunately, the ledger's cipher was based on our standard system, making it relatively easy to decipher."
It seemed each group of ledger keepers had their own unique cipher.
"This document details the flow of funds."
The separate list he handed me contained the names of several Shandong figures—individuals closely associated with the Shandong Night Merchants. This information would prove invaluable when I moved to fully claim Shandong as my own.
"Yacheon had been personally investing in various Merchant Guilds across the Central Plains. When I investigated their profit margins, I found them to be remarkably high."
"Do you have an informant in the Merchant World?"
"Yes. I suspect there's an information network among the Night Merchants. If you permit, I'd like to try adding our chopsticks to their table."
"We must remain hidden."
"You needn't worry about that. Investing in a single Merchant Guild isn't limited to one or two people. It's common for dozens, even hundreds, to pool their resources. As long as we avoid greed, we'll never be noticed."
"Then what? Yacheon is already dead, isn't he?"
"Whenever Yacheon invested, there were always others investing alongside him. They're likely Night Merchants from other regions. We should focus on their investments."
"Understood. Steward Gong, handle this as you see fit."
"Yes. While profits are important, this will also help refine my investment instincts."
That was even more valuable. Steward Gong's growth was far more important than immediate gains.
"I'm counting on you."
"Yes, then I'll take my leave now."
As he turned to leave, I called out to him.
"Oh, one more thing. Could you take a look at this?"
I pulled out a necklace with an arrowhead pendant. It was the one Jo Byeok, the man who had run the brothel with the girl, had been wearing.
Seeing Gong Suchan decipher the ledger's cipher this time suddenly reminded me of this.
I retrieved the paper stored inside the arrowhead and showed it to Gong Suchan.
"Can you decipher this cipher?"
After briefly examining the contents, Gong Suchan shook his head.
"This is an extremely difficult cipher. My humble skills are insufficient, but I know someone who can decipher it."
"Who?"
"My master."
I was astonished.
Chief Steward Jong? Our household's taciturn and prickly Chief Steward Jong could decipher this complex cipher?
Gong Suchan added with a confident smile, "If it's my master, he will definitely decipher it."