Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Preparation
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We told the Nangong family head everything about our investigations up to that point, as well as everything that had happened the previous night.
Once the Nangong family head learned that the conspiracy of Tyrant Heaven Fortress—which had only been a hunch until then—was revealed as fact by Jo Woon-chil's testimony, he flew into a fresh rage.
“Those damn bastards…!”
And when I mentioned that I had killed Heavenly Light Division Leader Sagong Chan, he naturally regarded me with eyes brimming with skepticism.
“…Is that true?”
“The young lord didn't seem to believe it either. Rumors are probably spreading by now—why not verify it?”
At my nonchalant demeanor, the Nangong family head tilted his head in puzzlement but followed my suggestion and dispatched a servant outside the clan.
Of course, it didn't take long for that servant to return.
The servant entered the study, unable to conceal his astonishment, and spilled out what he had learned.
“The whole city is in an uproar over last night's bloody incident at Wind Moon Pavilion. From the stories going around, Tyrant Heaven Fortress's Heavenly Light Division Leader was found dead, along with five elites…”
“......”
For reference, Wind Moon Pavilion was Jo Woon-chil's gambling house.
Never mind the trivial details—in any case, upon realizing that my words were true, the Nangong family head and Nangong Hyun stared at me in shock.
I responded with a silent shrug of my shoulders, prompting them to belatedly clear their throats and regain their composure.
“Ahem, ahem! Quite astonishing, indeed. I heard the young hero is just entering his early twenties this year, and yet to have reached such heights at that age. Lady Yeo, you've raised an exceptional disciple.”
“I didn't raise him. He grew up on his own.”
“Hehe, there you go saying something hurtful again.”
“What's hurtful about it? It's not exactly wrong, is it?”
“Even so, words have their nuances…”
-Knock, knock.
“You two, save the chit-chat for later.”
Hwa Ryeon reined me and my master back in from veering off-topic.
Returning to the main subject, we put our heads together to discuss just what those bastards might be scheming.
After the passage of roughly one incense stick's worth of time, the conclusion we reached was, in the end, “We have no idea.”
I rose from my seat.
“No point brooding over it like this—we won't find any answers.”
Hwa Ryeon tilted her head at my words.
“What do you plan to do, then?”
“If we don't know the answer, shouldn't we go ask someone who does?”
She instantly grasped the implication behind my response and wore an odd expression.
“…You don't mean you're going to head over there yourself, do you?”
“Wouldn't that settle things for sure? They specifically called us to the county office to set the tournament rules anyway—we've got the perfect excuse to drop by.”
The others had been taken aback at first upon hearing my proposal, but as I elaborated, they gradually came around to the idea.
“Sounds like a solid plan. So, when do you intend to go?”
I flashed a grin in response to Nangong Hyun's question as he looked my way.
“Right now.”
*
“Keok, kehhehehe…”
Hebi County Magistrate Goo Man-deok—who had personally visited the Nangong Clan to unilaterally notify them of the martial tournament—was leaking a sinister chuckle from within a fairly luxurious carriage.
“That flustered expression of theirs… it's like ten years of heartburn vanishing in an instant.”
Ever since his appointment as Hebi County Magistrate, those wretched Nangong Clan bastards had been a constant thorn in his side.
‘The so-called Five Great Clans—hah, they're nothing but low-rent martial artists strutting around with their noses in the air…!’
Daring to puff out their chests before him, a servant of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor.
They commanded vast lands and overflowing wealth, yet they never showed even a token of “sincerity” to him, the man overseeing Hebi.
And with the Sword Lord—one of the Ten Supremes—and a host of renowned experts, it had been no easy matter to bring pressure to bear!
‘But all that's ancient history now. The Sword Lord is dead, along with most of the other big names.’
The few experts who remained had all been pulled away on outings from the clan.
All that was left in the clan compound was the unremarkable new family head, cowering in his brother's shadow, and that frail-looking young lord.
‘Not long to go now. What a long year it's been.’
One year.
After that long, drawn-out year of machinations, the end was finally in sight.
Once the Nangong Clan lost the tournament and got booted from Hebi…
‘All their lands and wealth will be mine…!’
He had made every preparation necessary for that moment.
With everything proceeding so smoothly, he felt like he could float away on air.
“Umhahhaha-!”
In the end, Man-deok couldn't hold it in and burst into booming laughter.
Merchants who had been sighing deeply amid their dismal, unsold wares turned their heads at the sound.
Spotting Man-deok as the source, they furrowed their brows or deliberately looked away.
Ever since taking up his post as Hebi County Magistrate, Man-deok had brazenly demanded bribes from merchant houses and caravans alike, engaging in rampant corruption.
He had long since squandered every last drop of the people's goodwill.
Of course, he couldn't have cared less.
“Magistrate, shall we head straight back to the county office?”
“What's the rush? Let's take it nice and slow.”
After charging ahead nonstop for the past year (though others might beg to differ), he figured it was time for a well-deserved breather—and with that, he sprawled right out in the carriage.
“Wake me when we arrive.”
“…Understood.”
The coachman, along with the escorting guards, all grimaced—but none dared voice a word of protest as they followed orders.
And so it was that Man-deok, who should have reached the county office in a mere incense stick's time, took a full half shichen instead.
Buoyed by his sweet, syrupy nap, he strode into the county office in high spirits—only to be greeted first and foremost by Cheol-u's face, twisted like some iron-forged demon of ill omen.
“What the hell possessed you to go off and handle things on your own like that!”
“Wh-what…?”
Man-deok shrank back for an instant under the intimidating aura of Cheol-u, whose frame towered a full head above most men—but he soon flushed red and raised his voice.
“You insolent wretch! I overlooked your morning insolence out of the kindness of my heart, and yet you go and pull this kind of stunt!”
“Stunt? You want me to show you a real stunt?”
Cheol-u thrust out a massive hand, as if intent on wringing Man-deok's neck on the spot.
Just as Man-deok's face drained of color beneath the looming shadow of that enormous palm, a small, slender hand intervened.
“…Enough, Division Leader.”
Once again, it was Chilji who had come to Man-deok's rescue.
Man-deok's face lit up at the sight of his savior.
But Chilji's expression, as she met his gaze, was utterly frigid.
“Magistrate, why on earth did you notify the Nangong Clan about the tournament without so much as consulting us?”
“Huh? But… wasn't that something we decided on ages ago?”
Chilji squeezed her eyes shut tight at Man-deok's utterly clueless look.
She let out a deep sigh before opening her mouth once more.
“…The situation has changed since then, hasn't it? Our strongest asset, the Heavenly Light Division Leader, is dead. We've lost any means of countering the Nangong family head…”
“Heh heh, what's that? He's just some nobody skulking in his brother's shadow, isn't he? Why make such a fuss?”
“......”
Chilji felt a sudden, murderous impulse at Man-deok's words, so utterly divorced from reality.
Just some nobody skulking in his brother's shadow?
Did he seriously think a man like that could have outshone all the other experts and inherited the family head position?
What set a murim clan apart from your average rural powerful clan was this: bloodline alone guaranteed nothing. No matter how direct your lineage, if you couldn't prove your martial prowess, you couldn't claim the seat—even if you were the family head's own brother.
And when the previous head had been numbered among the Ten Supremes of the world, those standards only grew that much stricter.
Yet the current family head, Nangong Seon-u, had assumed the position without so much as a whisper of dissent.
In other words, the Nangong Clan's experts—those still alive at the time—had acknowledged him.
To disparage a man like Nangong Seon-u as some “nobody”…
His everyday speech and conduct made it plain enough, but this Hebi County Magistrate clearly regarded murim folk as little more than street thugs.
“Ahem…”
Meanwhile, Hebi County Magistrate Man-deok belatedly realized something had gone awry from Chilji and Cheol-u's unnatural reactions and let out a forced cough.
His proposed “solution,” such as it was, was a spectacle in itself.
“W-well then… what if we just call in some other experts? Tyrant Heaven Fortress is the murim's greatest faction—they can't be short on talent.”
Chilji and Cheol-u could only gape in disbelief at those words.
“To think that comes out of your mouth…!”
“…What we need are experts on par with the Heavenly Light Division Leader—or better. Do you think we can just snap our fingers and summon people like that?”
“Uh…”
Only then did a grave look settle over Man-deok's face as he absorbed Chilji's explanation.
“Th-then what happens now? It wouldn't all fall apart after we've come this far, would it?”
“.......”
Chilji and Cheol-u fell silent.
And it was then that an unfamiliar voice rang out from behind Man-deok.
“We're here regarding the martial tournament~”
Man-deok whipped his head around.
There, at the forefront as they entered the county office, was Ja-seong's beaming, rotund face.
*
Having resolved to head straight to the county office and find out for ourselves what those bastards were plotting, I set off alongside Nangong Hyun and Seol Sojeo.
Naturally, I hadn't brought the rest of the group.
We were going to meet Tyrant Heaven Fortress men—Hwa Ryeon or my master might get recognized.
Thus, the three of us arrived before the county office.
“Isn't that the young lord? What brings you here?”
One of the guards at the main gate spotted Nangong Hyun and hailed him.
“The magistrate told me to come by. Is he inside?”
“Ah, yes. He just got here.”
Just got here… He must have left well before us—at least an incense stick ahead—yet dawdled for ages en route.
In any event, thanks to the guard recognizing Nangong Hyun, we entered the county office without issue.
And after walking some distance…
Murmurs drifted in from not far off.
It sounded like an argument.
“Hang on a moment.”
I halted the other two and channeled internal energy into both ears.
My hearing sharpened to an extreme degree, and the murmurs came through crystal clear.
-Why notify the Nangong Clan about the tournament without even consulting us?
-Huh? But… wasn't that something we settled on long ago?
I stood still for a moment, eavesdropping—and felt the corners of my mouth tugging upward of their own accord.
“Young hero?”
Nangong Hyun eyed me curiously, but my grin refused to fade.
Would you look at these idiots?