Chapter 234
Chapter 234
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 234
>Chapter Title: Degeneration (1)
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A few days later.
While a grand cooking competition was underway in Pyeongnyang County.
Hong-gae came to find Il-mok and reported.
“We’ve hit a snag in tracking the traces we suspect belong to the Blood Cult. As such, a full mobilization order has come down, so our Beggar Clan will be heading out.”
“Thank you for all your help.”
“It was a good experience for our Beggar Clan as well.”
After a simple exchange of farewells.
Hong-gae added as if it had just occurred to him belatedly.
“Oh. By the way, we got word that one of the Hao Clan elders has entered Gansu Province.”
At the mention of the Hao Clan, Il-mok furrowed his brow.
He recalled the incident where he had issued a not-quite-threat to Jeok-hwa, the Hao Clan branch leader in Nanju.
‘I clearly warned them not to act rashly.’
Of course, suspecting them just because a Hao Clan elder had entered Gansu Province might be an overreaction.
“What business does this Hao Clan elder have in Gansu Province?”
At Il-mok’s question, Hong-gae merely shrugged.
“We don’t know. We’re too busy chasing Blood Cult traces to have the leisure to dig that deeply.”
“Then, could you at least tell me what you know about this elder?”
“He’s a guy named Yang Jong, one of the Hao Clan’s Yi elders—a rat-like bastard who pulls all sorts of dirty tricks. I’m just giving you a heads-up in case.”
After Hong-gae’s brief explanation, Il-mok clasped his hands in a fist salute and offered a simple bow.
“My thanks for the Beggar Clan’s consideration.”
“No trouble at all.”
Hong-gae turned crisply on his heel, as if all business was concluded, and left the government office.
Il-mok watched his retreating figure for a moment, then clicked his tongue lightly.
‘I suppose it’s time for me to head back too.’
The demon sword had resolved its resentment and become the Ascension Sword, and the residents of Pyeongnyang County were starting to settle in.
On top of that, the fact that something unusual was stirring with the Hao Clan, whom he had warned, gnawed at him.
Having sorted his thoughts, Il-mok left the government office and headed for the manor.
“Officer Gwan. I have something to discuss.”
At Il-mok’s call, Gwan Mu-yeol followed behind him for some reason, his face pale as a sheet.
“Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
“N-no, Incarnation.”
Il-mok tilted his head, shrugged it off as nothing serious, and spoke.
“I’m thinking of leaving Pyeongnyang County tomorrow.”
“Is there some problem?”
“No problem at all. So there’s no reason for me to stay here, is there?”
“Ah….”
At the news of Il-mok’s departure, color began to return to Gwan Mu-yeol’s face.
Until the next words came.
“From now on, you’ll manage Pyeongnyang County, Officer Gwan.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Just what I said. The county magistrate, Park Chun-sik, is receiving treatment at the manor anyway, right? So starting today, you live as Park Chun-sik and manage this place.”
At the declaration that his name was now Chun-sik, Gwan Mu-yeol’s head naturally began to spin.
* * *
The next day.
As he had told Gwan Mu-yeol, Il-mok left Pyeongnyang County alone and headed for Nanju.
Baek-cheon had been left behind to manage the Hall of Arts, and Jeong-hyeon as well, for other reasons.
‘The enlightenment she gained last time aside, it seems the Alchemy Competition suits Jeong So-jeo perfectly.’
Il-mok thought of it as something for her benefit.
In any case, Il-mok returned to Nanju’s branch after quite some time.
Dam-bin, Jin Ha-yeon, and Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a, who had remained there, welcomed him.
Gu Yang-mun and Joo Seo-yeon were probably still roaming Gansu Province diligently with the Demonic Cult’s martial forces unit.
“How have you all been?”
At Il-mok’s question, the first to answer was Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a.
“Yes. We’ve been training diligently, waiting for Brother to return.”
It felt like watching a puppy wagging its tail, begging for praise.
Il-mok smiled softly, patted the head of the girl who had become a young lady, and said.
“Then I suppose I should check how much you’ve improved.”
“You’ll spar with me?”
Seon-a beamed with joy.
Perhaps because she was raised in the Demonic Cult.
To Il-mok, Seon-a seemed to view sparring as a form of play.
But regrettably, her wish to play with Il-mok would not be granted.
“Young Master. Seon-a’s growth should be confirmed not through sparring, but in real combat.”
At Dam-bin’s words, Il-mok frowned and asked.
“Does this have to do with the Hao Clan?”
At his question, Dam-bin looked slightly surprised as she replied.
“To know of Nanju’s affairs even while in Pyeongnyang County. Truly impressive, Young Master.”
Instead of mentioning that the Beggar Clan had shared the information, Il-mok cut straight to the point.
“So, what has the Hao Clan been up to in Nanju?”
“It might be more convenient to hear it directly from the witness. How about accompanying me to the red-light district?”
At Dam-bin’s suggestion, Il-mok nodded and picked up his Angry Four Heavenly Kings mask.
Following Dam-bin’s lead, Il-mok slipped out of the branch using stealth techniques and arrived at a brothel with a sign reading [Crimson Tower].
As Dam-bin and Il-mok entered the top floor of the Crimson Tower through the window, the Crimson Tower Madam bowed nonchalantly.
“Maitreya has descended! Salvation for all!! I pay my respects to the Incarnation of Maitreya.”
She had grown accustomed to Dam-bin’s unannounced visits.
“You’ve come about that courtesan?”
“Indeed.”
Dam-bin answered in Il-mok’s stead with an indifferent tone, and the Crimson Tower Madam rose and said.
“Then I’ll have her brought in.”
With that, the Crimson Tower Madam left the room and soon returned. With a certain woman in tow.
“These are the Incarnations of Maitreya.”
No sooner had the Crimson Tower Madam finished introducing them than the woman dropped to her knees, bowed deeply, and cried out.
“P-please save So-hyang! I b-beg you, Incarnation of Maitreya!”
“Oh dear! How dare you make such a request out of nowhere!”
The Crimson Tower Madam panicked and tried to stop her, but Il-mok intervened.
“Tell us in more detail. Who is this So-hyang, and why do you need her saved?”
At Il-mok’s question, the bowing woman raised her head and spoke in a tense voice.
“S-So-hyang is a courtesan who worked with me at the Red Flower House. Last night, as we were fleeing together from the Red Flower House, she stayed behind to let me escape first and got caught.”
The Red Flower House was the brothel where the Hao Clan branch leader served as madam.
“What happened at the Red Flower House that made you two try to flee together?”
As she began to ramble on at length in response to Il-mok’s question, Dam-bin stepped in.
“I’ll explain briefly.”
According to Dam-bin’s account, ever since the Maitreya Cult began managing Nanju’s red-light district, a strange atmosphere had permeated the area.
It stemmed from rumors about the brothels under Maitreya Cult control.
- Those who believe in the Maitreya Cult are given opportunities for education. On top of that, their debts are forgiven.
- They aren’t subjected to beatings for refusing to sleep with customers.
- Those literate or skilled in music can even quit being courtesans, as the Maitreya Cult pays to hire them.
Naturally, those working in brothels or pleasure houses under Hao Clan control couldn’t help but be tempted.
Especially from the courtesans’ perspective, it must have seemed like a ray of light.
There were those who chose to become courtesans willingly to earn money, but most had been sold into human trafficking, kidnapped, or handed over by parents.
The problem was that brothels and pleasure houses under the Hao Clan were excluded. The Maitreya Cult wouldn’t accept them.
In the end, the courtesans began sneaking out of the Red Flower House to transfer to brothels under Maitreya Cult control.
“Th-the brothel guards and errand boys w-watched us every single one of the twelve hours of the day. If we acted the l-least bit suspicious, they’d tie our h-hands and feet or even use v-violence.”
The Hao Clan’s response was confinement and violence.
“W-we had to spend every day locked up, forced to s-smile and sell our bodies as ordered.”
As the courtesan added her testimony to Dam-bin’s explanation, Il-mok frowned and spoke.
‘We told them not to investigate us and just stay put, and they’ve been up to utter filth.’
He didn’t think it was because they had treated the courtesans generously.
If they didn’t want the courtesans defecting, they could show some mercy too.
Sure, it might ruin the brothel’s business, but that wasn’t his concern.
More than that.
‘I’d heard the Hao Clan was a group united for survival among courtesans and errand boys. It makes no sense to lock them up and exploit them.’
It was in stark contrast to the Beggar Clan, who had gladly helped the Maitreya Cult to save beggars.
Il-mok nodded for her to continue, and Dam-bin picked up.
“Especially recently, their oppression has intensified.”
Ironically, this too stemmed from rumors related to the Maitreya Cult.
Rumors that the red-light district was recruiting more courtesans as healers or musicians.
As a result, word spread far and wide that courtesans were in short supply at Maitreya Cult brothels.
“Th-that’s why So-hyang and I tried to escape. P-please save her. They might have even used an aphrodisiac on her.”
“They’re using aphrodisiacs on the courtesans too?”
When Il-mok asked incredulously, the woman added.
“For those who resist to the end, they force aphrodisiacs down their throats to make them useful for business and drag them to customers’ rooms.”
Having heard her full explanation, Il-mok nodded and sent a transmission to Dam-bin.
- We should pay a visit to the Red Flower House first.
He had no intention of slaughtering them immediately.
Acting on one side’s word alone risked falling for lies.
For now, he planned to seek out the Red Flower House Madam and gauge her reaction.
On top of that.
‘This Hao Clan elder Yang Jong entering Gansu Province is nagging at me too.’
If the Hao Clan was mistreating courtesans this badly, perhaps that elder’s movements were connected.
* * *
One of the brothels in Nanju’s red-light district.
At the top floor of the one with a sign reading [Red Flower House].
A Hao Clan warrior had come seeking the Red Flower House Madam.
“What of that wench?”
At the madam’s question, the warrior bowed his head and replied.
“The one caught while fleeing has been strung up to the ceiling of the courtesans’ rooms as an example and is being tortured.”
“Not the one caught—the one who escaped!”
The Red Flower House Madam snapped irritably while puffing on her pipe, and the warrior bowed lower as he answered.
“Sh-she’s already gone to the Crimson Tower under Maitreya Cult control, so we have no way to….”
Before the warrior could finish, the pipe the Red Flower House Madam hurled flew toward his face.
Thwack!
“Get out!”
After chasing away her incompetent subordinate, she turned to the old man who had watched the entire scene from the side.
The old man was Yang Jong, the Hao Clan elder who had come to Nanju at her request for reinforcements.
In truth, she hadn’t planned to call on Yang Jong from the start.
Regardless of the Incarnation of Maitreya’s warning, they were too busy managing courtesans to even think of investigating the Maitreya Cult.
Then, strange rumors began to spread.
On top of courtesans being scarce at other brothels, rumors that the Maitreya Cult’s numbers had dwindled.
Realizing that continuing like this could bankrupt the business and put her in danger, she took a gamble.
She requested reinforcements from the Hao Clan headquarters, and as a result, Yang Jong arrived. With his disciples.
“This is more serious than I thought. At this rate, we’ll have to shut down in Nanju. Tsk.”
At Yang Jong’s words, laced with disdain as he clicked his tongue, the Red Flower House Madam bit her nails anxiously and asked.
“Do you have some solution, Elder?”
The corners of Yang Jong’s mouth lifted. A scar in the shape of a crossed axes (乂) marred his face centered on his nose, twisting with his smile to exude a cruel air.
“Heh heh. You don’t solve the root of the problem, so of course it grows.”
“…The root of the problem? You don’t mean… you intend to strike the Maitreya Cult?”