Chapter 93
Chapter 93
Translator: Penny
Chapter 93
Between Favor and Deceit (3)
The next day, when Chu Dochi came to visit, I boldly demanded, "I need some money."
"What's this sudden request?"
"After thinking it over, I've realized that meeting you wasn't just like stepping in dog shit on the street."
"You little bastard!"
But Chu Dochi didn't glare at me with his usual murderous intensity. He already knew I was a dead man anyway. That's just how human nature works.
"Since things have come to this, I want to become a proper Knight-errant."
"What does that have to do with money?"
"Why wouldn't it? I need a good sword, good armor... I've realized it's a waste to squander my earnings on brothels."
"Sounds more like you're trying to make a quick buck than become a Knight-errant. So, how much do you need?"
"Just give me twenty thousand taels."
"What?!"
Chu Dochi's expression darkened.
"You crazy bastard! Do you think twenty thousand taels is some dog's name?"
"If I didn't know it wasn't, why would I ask you for it? Go tell Young Master Ma exactly what I said."
Chu Dochi clicked his tongue in disbelief and left the inn.
As I watched him go, I smiled coldly. Insolent intentions deserve fitting punishment.
I'd realized his plan: to make me a hero, then kill Ma Cheolgun.
Fine, I'll gladly play the hero. But he'll pay the price.
The future position of Martial Arts Alliance Leader is at stake. Ma Lingyin won't refuse easily.
The Golden Grand Banquet was still twenty days away.
Before then, I needed to uncover what lay in the Underground Secret Chamber, what trials awaited there, and how the No Regrets Demonic Spirit Pill could be obtained.
Only with this knowledge could I devise a plan to deal with what came next.
"That lunatic demanded twenty thousand taels," Chu Dochi said, his voice incredulous. Ma Lingyin, who had expected a similar reaction, instead uttered an unexpected command.
"Give it to him."
"What?" Chu Dochi thought he had misheard at first, but Ma Lingyin repeated himself.
"Give him the money."
Chu Dochi finally reacted with alarm.
"Absolutely not!"
No matter how much they needed the man, they couldn't simply hand over such a massive sum.
"That's an exorbitant amount. If you insist on paying, a few thousand taels should suffice."
But Ma Lingyin had already made up his mind.
"Haven't you ever seen someone like this before?"
"What do you mean?"
"Isn't it obvious? The sacrifice is raising his own price."
Ma Lingyin saw this as a trial of fate, a necessary step on the path to becoming the Martial Arts Alliance Leader. The grand endeavor itself was increasing the value of the sacrifice. If we're aiming for such a monumental achievement, shouldn't we be willing to invest even this much?
"Still, Twenty Thousand Taels is an exorbitant sum," Chu Dochi protested vehemently. No matter how vast their accumulated wealth, Twenty Thousand Taels was an outrageous amount.
Even Chu Dochi, who had served loyally for years, had never received such a sum. The thought of giving that much money to that man stirred jealousy, anger, and even a newfound greed for wealth.
"The greater the investment, the greater the reward. Hand it over."
The command carried a heavy weight of authority, signaling that further argument was futile.
Chu Dochi sighed.
"Yes."
The unspoken "damn it" hung in the air.
The next day, Chu Dochi returned and tossed Twenty Thousand Taels at me before leaving.
I had braced myself for a fifty percent cut, expecting to receive around Ten Thousand Taels. I never imagined I'd get the full Twenty Thousand Taels.
That Ma Lingyin was truly an enigma, his true intentions impossible to fathom.
With the Sixteen Thousand Taels from the bounty and the Twenty Thousand Taels from Ma Lingyin, I had earned a staggering Thirty-Six Thousand Taels in a short span of time.
The only drawback was that neither the bounty money from the Martial Arts Alliance nor the payment from Ma Lingyin came in small-denomination banknotes. In other words, the funds were traceable, usable by The Nameless One but not by Byeok Ridan.
In that case, there was no need to hoard the money.
I immediately took the funds to the Zhengzhou Branch of the Black Market. As befitting a major city, the Zhengzhou Branch was far larger than the Black Market branch in Shandong.
The innkeeper of the Black Market here was a middle-aged man, courteous and friendly.
"You've come to purchase elixirs?"
"That's right. Do you have any worthwhile elixirs?"
"I regret to inform you that this branch currently has no elixirs in stock. It's been incredibly difficult to acquire them lately, as if someone is hoarding them all."
I flinched at his words. I was already aware that elixirs had become scarce recently, having used the Black Market several times before.
But the mention of hoarding made my eyes widen.
Could these bastards be hoarding the elixirs themselves?
The secret test I'd witnessed in the underground chamber, coupled with their willingness to casually hand over Twenty Thousand Taels, suggested they possessed considerable wealth.
If Ma Lingyin was the tail, they must also have limbs and a torso. What if they were systematically buying up all the elixirs?
It was just a hunch, but a chill ran down my spine.
"We have many fine items besides elixirs. Would you like to take a look around?"
"Let's do that."
Hoping he'd spend some money, I followed him to the armaments display.
Given the scale of this place, the variety of weapons far surpassed that of the Shandong Black Market.
Yet I passed by the swords without a glance.
"There are many excellent swords here. Why aren't you looking at them?"
"Swords are too expensive."
"True. Swords are indeed the most expensive items."
I scanned the selection for anything worth buying, but nothing particularly caught my eye.
The only thing worth considering was a protective vest.
"What kinds of protective vests do you have?"
The innkeeper showed me several options.
The thick, conspicuous armor that looked like it belonged on a battlefield cost nine thousand taels, while the discreet, form-fitting kind went for one hundred forty thousand taels.
The cheap options were impractical, and the inconspicuous ones were absurdly expensive.
"One hundred forty thousand taels? That's outrageous!"
"You get what you pay for."
"My life isn't worth that much."
I turned to leave.
Then something caught my eye. A fishing rod stood propped against the wall, and it looked strangely familiar.
"What's that?"
"That's the Signature Weapon of the Southern Sea Fisherman."
The Southern Sea Fisherman had died over a decade ago, but we had been quite close. He had even led the charge against the Heretics and Deviants in the past.
"Are you selling that too?"
"Yes, it's for sale, but there's something you should know beforehand."
"What is it?"
"Unfortunately, the fishing line is broken and missing. Normally, this would fetch seventy to eighty thousand taels, but I'm selling it for just ten thousand taels now."
I nodded and examined the fishing rod.
"If you buy it, I'll give you a special price of seven thousand taels."
Considering the Southern Sea Fisherman's legendary reputation, this was an absurdly low price.
However, a fishing rod without a line was practically worthless. Most martial arts forms that utilized fishing rods required the line to function properly.
"Alright. I'll take it for seven thousand taels."
"Oh! You've made a wise decision."
The innkeeper was overjoyed to finally sell the fishing rod that had been gathering dust for ages.
I immediately purchased another item: wrist guards. This time, I chose the finest pair on display.
"These are the Serpent Wrist Guards, worn by Fist Hero Kwon Woong, a legendary master of Fist Arts," the innkeeper explained. "They're light yet incredibly durable."
I had heard of the Serpent Wrist Guards before. They could easily withstand most swords and blades.
Of course, they couldn't withstand the edge of the Asura Radiant King Sword, but they could block the Heavenly Creation Sword—at least, the sword's physical edge, not its Sword Qi or Sword Aura.
"What's the price?"
"Twenty-two thousand taels for the pair."
"Very well. I'll take them too."
"An excellent choice!"
The proprietor's grin widened like a blooming lotus. He had sold all his slow-moving fishing rods and wrist guards in a single day.
But at that moment, I was even more delighted. I held a secret he didn't know—a secret only I possessed.
Back at the inn, I locked my room and drew the curtains.
Then I immediately set to work.
First, I picked up the Southern Sea Fisherman's fishing rod. Channeling my Internal Force, I tugged at the handle. To my surprise, the seemingly inseparable handle detached and slid off.
Inside the handle, I found a thin rod wrapped tightly with fishing line.
I remembered seeing the Southern Sea Fisherman retrieve this line from the handle and re-tie it during a battle long ago.
The Southern Sea Fisherman's fishing line was exceptionally durable, crafted from Heavenly Silkworm Silk from beyond the borders and treated with special medicinal compounds. It was this silk that had made him a renowned master in the Martial Arts World, all with a single fishing rod.
I unraveled the entire line and wound it in layers around the Serpent Wrist Guards.
The already strong and resilient Serpent Wrist Guards, now reinforced with multiple layers of Heavenly Silkworm Silk, were reborn as truly formidable protective gear. This was precisely why I had purchased the fishing rod immediately after acquiring the wrist guards.
"Hahaha!"
A satisfied laugh escaped me. For someone who practiced the Immortal Crane Secret Art, this was an incredibly practical piece of protective equipment.
Moreover, the Heavenly Silkworm Silk camouflage made the wrist guards indistinguishable from ordinary ones. When worn beneath the narrow sleeves of my martial arts uniform, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to tell I was wearing them.
After finishing the task, I went to the window and drew back the curtain again.
Basking in the pleasant sunlight, I gazed out at the scenery for a moment.
Now, all that remained was finding a way into the Underground Secret Chamber.
What if I infiltrated the Estate while Ma Lingyin was out with her Eight Guards?
I could probably reach the Estate and even locate the mechanism leading to the underground passage.
The real problem was the mechanisms in the underground corridor.
There were four mechanisms installed in the corridor.
If even one of them triggered, the entire operation would fail, exposing my infiltration.
What if I flew across the corridor?
Wouldn't at least one of the four mechanisms activate? Considering how smoothly the mechanism that lowered me into the chamber operated, it must have been crafted by a master artisan. It's unlikely they would have designed it to be bypassed with Lightness Skill.
If infiltration is impossible, what other options do I have?
Zhengzhou was bustling with preparations for the Golden Grand Banquet.
Stages were being erected throughout the city. During the ten-day banquet, a variety of competitions and events would be held, from spar tournaments to all-night night markets selling goods, performances by renowned musicians from the Central Plains, and theatrical performances by traveling troupes. It was truly a grand festival.
I stood watching the construction of a raised platform in an open square.
Just then, someone spoke from behind me.
"I heard the Martial Arts Alliance Leader will give a speech here."
I turned to see Ma Lingyin approaching me. About ten paces away, eight elite martial artists stood guard. This was the first time I had sensed their auras up close. As I had anticipated, they were at the level of Shim Hwang, whom I had killed before.
"Shouldn't I call you 'Father' instead of 'Martial Arts Alliance Leader'?"
"Business is business."
"It's not like you have no affection for me, is it?"
Ma Lingyin smiled, acknowledging the truth in my words, before changing the subject.
"You look well."
"Money does wonders. I'm truly grateful for the twenty thousand taels you gave me. To be honest, I asked for it, but I never expected you to give it so generously. My impression of Young Master Ma has changed."
Ma Lingyin chuckled at my frankness.
"I'm glad you finally understand my feelings, even if it's just now. So, what do you plan to do with the money?"
"I'm not sure yet. I might not even be alive a year from now."
I deliberately avoided mentioning my visit to the Black Market.
"You can live," Ma Lingyin said, his eyes unwavering and sincere.
His eyes didn't flicker once. Even I couldn't tell from his expression alone that he was lying.
Of course, he was lying. His natural talent lay in deceiving and manipulating people, not in martial arts.
Our gazes naturally drifted toward the construction site.
"Do you know about the Golden Grand Banquet?"
"I've heard of it."
"Truly, every wealthy person in the Martial Arts World will be there."
"It must be quite a sight."
The Golden Grand Banquet would be held in fifteen days. On that day, Ma Bonggi would stand on that platform and deliver his speech. My heart already clenched at the thought. To think that the Martial Arts Alliance, to which I had devoted my entire life, had fallen into the hands of such a lecherous madman.
"I have a question. May I ask?"
"Go ahead."
"What exactly was in that room?"
"Curious?"
"Of course I'm curious! What materials are you trying to obtain? Is some grand ritual being performed?"
Ma Lingyin smiled mysteriously.
"By the way, who was that person who wouldn't let me enter the room earlier?"
Ma Lingyin's expression stiffened slightly, hinting at a strained relationship.
"Why do you ask?"
"I was wondering if he's your leader or subordinate."
"He's my subordinate."
I tilted my head skeptically.
"So you really do have a fondness for arrogant people."
Considering our usual banter, he might have chuckled, but his expression only grew more rigid.
Pretending not to notice, I casually shifted my gaze elsewhere and remarked nonchalantly,
"There's no need to see the room. There are plenty of other things to see now."
Sometimes, the wisest move is to step back when you truly desire something. This is especially true when dealing with someone who is proud or believes themselves to be clever. Pushing such a person only makes them more resistant. Instead, you must retreat, creating an opening for them to reveal their own weaknesses.
I chose to target Ma Lingyin's pride rather than trying to force my way through the mechanism.
"I've been thinking about the connection you mentioned earlier. It feels awkward for two men to talk like this, but I believe there's definitely some kind of connection between us."
His rigid expression softened slightly.
"Then let's meet again sometime, Young Master Ma."
I bowed immediately and turned to leave.
Now was the time to wait and see if my earlier provocation of his pride would synergize with my current words.
Hey, don't think you're the only one who can manipulate people with your social skills. If you're a viper, I'm someone who's dealt with all sorts of cunning snakes.
I'll make sure you open that door with your own hands, one way or another.