Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: A Maid's Deception
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Yeom Seong-in wasn't being interrogated like the others, so he was left alone in his quarters.
It was Neung Un-bi's way of showing consideration for him as the master of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild, but it was practically imprisonment.
Warriors from the Demonic Cult stood guard at the entrance, forbidding all visitors, and his meals were brought by a regular maid for him to eat inside.
He had no way of knowing what was happening outside.
Of course, Yeom Seong-in believed that his plan would not go awry.
It was a perfect plan. No, he was certain it was perfect.
But a sense of unease lingered.
Upon seeing the murder scene, not only had he instantly identified the culprit's methods, but he had also begun handling the matter with swift efficiency, as if he had rehearsed it beforehand.
Neung Un-bi… Though young, he was no ordinary man.
What if, by some chance, that man managed to catch the real culprit?
What if it was revealed that he had framed the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult?
It was a mistake. Blinded by greed, he had provoked someone far too powerful.
And Jin San of all people…
Why did that old man have to interfere and entrust the entire investigation to the Demonic Cult?
He was anxious, so very anxious. It felt as if his heart was pounding even when he was sitting still.
He tried to sleep, but sleep wouldn't come, and his eyes were bloodshot.
Bite, crunch.
Having already chewed all ten of his fingernails to the quick, Yeom Seong-in couldn't bring himself to sit down and paced around the room.
“Guild Master, I've brought your dinner.”
…!
It was the maid, Cheong-sin.
He couldn't possibly fail to recognize the voice of the woman who had served him for so long.
“C-Come in.”
“Yes.”
Creeak.
With his permission, the door opened.
Through the gap in the open door, the figures of the Demonic Cult warriors were visible, and a frightened-looking Cheong-sin passed between them.
The door closed, and Cheong-sin placed the tray of food on the table.
“Shall I prepare some tea?”
“Yes.”
While Cheong-sin prepared the tea, Yeom Seong-in cautiously checked on the situation outside the door.
There was only Cheong-sin. She was the only one who could alleviate his anxiety right now.
“Cheong-sin.”
“Yes?”
Startled by Yeom Seong-in's sudden action of approaching, embracing her, and lying down on the bed, Cheong-sin tried to pull away.
But even if he was old, he was still a man. Cheong-sin couldn't overcome his strength and could only struggle.
“G-Guild Master, what are you doing?”
Hadn't she heard the rumors?
Yeom Seong-in's wicked habit. More than a few maids had suffered his vile advances.
Tense with the fear of something terrible happening, Cheong-sin struggled with all her might.
But then, Yeom Seong-in suddenly glanced outside and brought a finger to his lips.
“Please. Just for a moment, just listen to me.”
…?
“I swear I won't lay a hand on your body.”
Yeom Seong-in soothed her in a voice so quiet it could only be heard if she was pressed right against him.
“How desperate must I be to do this to you? You are the only one I can trust right now.”
“Guild Master, what do you mean…”
“Cheong-sin, you must listen carefully. If you do as I ask, I will make sure you have more than enough to live a life of leisure forever.”
…
“You said your father is gravely ill, didn't you? I will introduce you to a skilled physician. I will cover all the treatment costs as well.”
“R-Really?”
“Of course. I'll even sign a pledge if you need me to.”
…
At Yeom Seong-in's earnest plea, Cheong-sin nodded.
“Phew…”
With Cheong-sin's consent, Yeom Seong-in glanced toward the door.
There was no reaction. They probably thought he was overcome with lust and forcing himself on the maid.
That was enough. This was no time to worry about his dignity.
“Cheong-sin.”
“Yes?”
“Do you happen to know how things are progressing outside?”
“Outside?”
“Yes, tell me everything you know in detail.”
“Oh, don't even ask. It's absolute chaos out there.”
“Chaos?”
“Yes. I don't know the details, but that old man from Zhongnan was furious, shouting at the top of his lungs.”
“Jin San, why was Elder Jin San shouting?”
“I don't know that either.”
…
True, a mere maid wouldn't know the inner workings of the situation.
Yeom Seong-in asked again with a hardened expression.
“Did you hear what he was shouting?”
“Um, let's see… ‘To think that our Zhongnan Sect formed an alliance and lent our strength to such lawless villains! You fools! What are you doing! Bring the Sect Leader and the elders here at once!’ That's what he said.”
…
“And then the warriors from Zhongnan who came with him rushed out in a hurry.”
At Cheong-sin's words, Yeom Seong-in's face contorted.
Jin San had found out.
About the countless evil deeds the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild had committed until now…
He would surely summon the Sect Leader and elders and cause a huge uproar.
With this, his relationship with the Zhongnan Sect was over.
His ties with the government were already severed, and various other allies had turned their backs on him.
But none of that mattered right now.
The business could be started over from scratch. They had the skills and the resilience to settle anywhere and rise again.
Although he couldn't access the secret funds he had amassed yet…
“Anything else? Was there any talk related to the murder of the Master Carpenter?”
“Hmm, I'm not sure about the details. But… it didn't seem like there was much progress.”
“No progress?”
“Yes. According to the men who were called in for questioning, they said it seems nothing has been uncovered yet.”
“What about the general manager? How is he?”
That was what Yeom Seong-in was most curious about.
The one who had devised the current plan was the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild's general manager, Han Yeol-bi. He was also the one who had introduced the assassin to kill Gong Tae-seok.
“The General Manager… seemed to be fine.”
“He's fine?”
“Yes. It seems he was questioned… but he was acting just like usual.”
“Is that so. Phew… What a relief. A true relief.”
“And don't worry about the Young Master either.”
“Hmm…”
He wasn't worried about his son. He knew nothing about this matter.
Only he and General Manager Han Yeol-bi knew the truth.
And even Han Yeol-bi didn't know the location of the assassin who killed Gong Tae-seok. Only he knew.
It was his final trump card, a precaution in case Han Yeol-bi ever confessed.
In the worst-case scenario, he planned to pin everything on Han Yeol-bi.
Wasn't he a man of the Unorthodox Faction to begin with?
It would be believable if he claimed it was all a scheme plotted by that filthy Unorthodox Faction man.
That all the corruption the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild had committed was his doing, and that he himself had merely been blinded by greed.
Who wouldn't believe it?
Hadn't Han Yeol-bi committed numerous crimes even within the Unorthodox Faction?
He just had to hide the assassin. As long as that man wasn't caught, he could survive somehow.
“Oh! Right, about that courtesan.”
“The courtesan?”
“Yes. The one who was poisoned.”
“W-What about her?”
“The Demonic Cult warriors investigated the kitchen too.”
“So? So what happened?”
“Pfft, what could they possibly find out? The teacups used then had already been washed and all mixed up…”
“Phew, is that so. That's wonderful. Truly wonderful.”
Only then did Yeom Seong-in let out a sigh of relief.
Nothing had been uncovered yet.
If time passed like this, even the Demonic Cult would be helpless. He just needed to erase the one remaining trace.
“Cheong-sin.”
“Yes?”
“I have a favor to ask. Will you do it for me?”
“A favor…?”
“Yes.”
Clink!
Yeom Seong-in suddenly unfastened the gold bracelet from his wrist and placed it in Cheong-sin's hand.
“W-Why this?”
“It's your payment.”
“What? Something this expensive?”
“If you follow my instructions, I'll give you more. I'll also keep the promise I made earlier.”
At those words, Cheong-sin's eyes widened and she nodded.
“You know Uamgol, right?”
“Uam… Yes, I know it.”
“When you get there, you'll find a man named Chang-jung. If you say the Yeom family sent you, people will point you to him.”
“And then?”
“Tell him to leave this place and stay away until the Demonic Cult's investigation is over. He'll understand.”
“Uamgol, Chang-jung… I understand. But what if the Demonic Cult members ask where I'm going?”
“Use your father.”
“My father?”
“Yes. Isn't he ill? They will surely have people following you. First, use this money to buy medicine for your father, and spend a night at your home.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Then the Demonic Cult warriors will no longer be suspicious and won't follow you. That's when you must go to Uamgol. Do you understand?”
“I understand. Don't worry, Guild Master.”
Cheong-sin grasped Yeom Seong-in's hand tightly and nodded.
Her devotion was admirable. Even though he hadn't treated her particularly well…
“Hmm… Take this as well.”
“This?”
“Yes.”
What Yeom Seong-in handed her next was a heavy money pouch.
“T-This much?”
“I haven't done anything for you all this time, have I?”
“Even so…”
“No. You fully deserve it.”
“Guild Master…”
Cheong-sin was moved to tears.
“That's enough. You may go now.”
“Yes. Don't worry. I will be sure to succeed in the task you've given me.”
“Good. The fate of the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild rests on you. I will never forget your contribution.”
“Yes, sir!”
Cheong-sin nodded with a determined expression.
“Let go of me!”
…?
After securing the gold bracelet and money pouch, Cheong-sin suddenly shook off Yeom Seong-in's hand and recoiled toward the door.
“Damn old man, trying to touch me at your age! I'm quitting this instant! Ugh, spit!”
…
Cheong-sin's acting was superb. She even spat and then gave Yeom Seong-in a wink.
“Open the door! Hurry!”
When she shouted to the outside, the warriors opened the door.
Creeak.
The moment the door opened, Cheong-sin stormed out without a backward glance.
Watching the door close again, Yeom Seong-in felt a repeated sense of relief.
Thank goodness. At least he had Cheong-sin…
* * *
…
Once outside, Cheong-sin carefully took out the gold bracelet and money pouch she had hidden in her clothes and stared down at them.
“Uamgol… Chang-jung.”
Muttering softly, she walked off somewhere with a hardened expression.
Her pace quickened, and in an instant, she had passed two pavilions and arrived at a small guest hall.
Staring at the door, she gritted her teeth and kicked it open with great force.
CRASH!
The door flew open as if it would break, revealing the interior.
A man and his companions were sitting on chairs.
“Oh, you're back?”
…
The one who greeted her cheerfully was none other than Neung Un-bi.
A bottle of liquor sat on the table, and from its familiar aroma, it was undoubtedly Taibai Wine from the Sinpyeong Brewery.
“So you were drinking?”
“Ah, I got bored of waiting.”
“Oh, you were bored. You must have been so very bored. Right?”
“Huh? W-Well…”
At Cheong-sin's sarcastic remark, Neung Un-bi gave an awkward smile.
“I suppose you would be. You have to actually do something to not be bored.”
“H-Hold on… What's wrong with you?”
“What's wrong with meee? Good question. Why ever would I be acting like this?”
Cheong-sin's manner of speaking had suddenly changed.
Meanwhile, her form began to shimmer and soon started to transform into a completely different appearance.
“H-Hyang-i! Wait! Just wait a second!”
That was right. Cheong-sin, or rather, the person disguised as Cheong-sin, was none other than Hyang-i.
Several days had already passed since Yeom Seong-in had been confined.
Everything had already been revealed as a plot by the Blue Cloud Carpentry Guild.
When questioned based on the evidence gathered by Wang Cheon, Ju Seung, and the warriors of the Shaanxi branch, Han Yeol-bi had confessed everything without a moment's hesitation.
The problem was the assassin. Only Yeom Seong-in knew his location.
Suggestions to simply beat the information out of him flooded in, but Neung Un-bi opposed them, saying they couldn't do that.
With the Orthodox Faction watching, they couldn't possibly resort to coercive investigation methods.
Could they afford to hear people say, ‘That's the Demonic Cult for you’?
So, it was a stratagem designed to show the members of the Demonic Cult, who thought beating people was the only solution, that there were other ways.
As a result, Hyang-i had posed as Yeom Seong-in's maid, Cheong-sin.
“Hey! You said nothing would happen! You said if I just went in and stayed still, he would tell me everything on his own!”
“…W-Well, why? Did something happen?”
“I wonder. Did something happen? Hmm?”
…
“I'm about to give you a detailed report of what happened.”
Having fully returned to her original form, Hyang-i cracked her knuckles.
Crack, crack.
At that murderous, hair-raising sound, traitors emerged in droves.
“M-Maid. You know we did nothing wrong, right?”
“…Wang Cheon and Ju Seung, get out. Branch Chief, you too. If you don't want to die.”
He could understand Wang Cheon, but he hadn't expected Ju Seung to bolt out the moment he got permission.
I should have just beaten it out of him.
I came up with a pointless plan, and now I'm the one who's going to get beaten.
…It seemed his body was going to be aching a lot today.