Chapter 53
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Grow Tall and Strong (3)
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In Shanxi Province, there was a gang known as the Iron Gold Gang.
This gang had started when a group of blacksmiths who operated small mines banded together, and by now, it had grown into a mid-sized outfit owning no less than three mines.
What was interesting about the Iron Gold Gang was that not all their members were martial artists.
There were martial artists among them, of course, but as a gang that controlled three mines, they had a great many blacksmiths as well.
These men wielded weapons in battle while also forging them with their own hands.
"Hm. So they placed the request?"
"Yes, Brother. They insisted it had to be you—no one else."
"What kind of request?"
"The Iron Gold Gang recently discovered a new mine..."
The Iron Gold Gang was one of the wealthiest organizations in Shanxi Province, within the top five fingers of one hand. But their greed knew no bounds, and they'd aggressively expanded, claiming yet another mine.
With so many blacksmiths at their disposal, adding one more mine didn't disrupt their usual operations.
The problem arose elsewhere.
"And a spirit beast appeared there."
"A spirit beast? Ho ho..."
Places brimming with metal qi like mines often gave rise to otherworldly spirit beasts.
For most people, the emergence of such creatures was akin to a natural disaster.
Even Central Plains masters who could slice through dozens of foes like tofu found themselves reduced to bare bones before these beasts.
"The Iron Gold Gang says that if you deal with this spirit beast, Brother, they'll entrust all their escort shipments to our Diamond Escort Agency from here on out."
"...! Is that true?!"
"Yes, Brother! The letter even bears the gang leader's personal seal."
Weapons forged by the Iron Gold Gang were renowned for their quality and sold across the Central Plains.
They might not be the absolute best, but their workshops were hugely popular.
For the Diamond Escort Agency to handle all of the Iron Gold Gang's transport?
It was like a golden goose dropping right into their laps.
"Oh, and this is a gift they sent along with the request."
"...!"
Ma Du-gwang placed a heavy money pouch in Moo-jin's hand. It glimmered with golden light from within.
"A gift for me?"
"Yes. Merchant houses always send a small token with their requests—it's their custom."
"A-accept it! We have to accept, no question!"
Moo-jin flashed an ecstatic grin as he swiftly tucked the pouch into his bosom.
"Hold on. You didn't...?"
Moo-jin eyed Ma Du-gwang suspiciously.
This unorthodox fellow knew the ins and outs of the black paths and merchant ways inside out, and he was clever to boot.
"No way you skimmed a few coins off the top, right?"
"Brother! No, I swear! What do you take me for?!"
Ma Du-gwang's lips puffed out in righteous indignation.
"Just kidding."
"Liar! Would you joke about money, Brother?"
"What're you talking about?"
"You're the only righteous guy with 'gold' in his moniker—not counting those King Yama Branch leeches who live off it."
Nicknames with "gold" usually went to unorthodox martial artists who handled money—illegally, at that. No one loved coin like they did.
"I'm not like that. Look how diligently I've been working here."
Ma Du-gwang's lips jutted out a good two inches.
"I know. Everyone's been praising you."
He'd originally just been a pair of hands to exploit, but now Ma Du-gwang was worth several times over.
Reforming those stubborn unorthodox thugs into reliable escorts was worth several men's labor on its own.
"But why'd they entrust it to me specifically? Do the Iron Gold Gang know me that well?"
"Word of you ripping that imugi apart has already spread across Shanxi Province. Even kids know the tale."
"...Already?"
Sichuan to Shanxi was several days' hard ride on horseback.
For rumors to blanket the province in mere days? Impossible without deliberate effort.
"Word is, the Beggar Clan and underground network have been spreading it far and wide. Gu the informant was over the moon about it."
"Must've been a request from the Yun family."
Yun Byok-jin, patriarch of the Sichuan Yun family who owed Moo-jin a huge debt, was surely behind it.
A man who prized honor would want to repay the favor by broadcasting Kang Moo-jin's name.
"If it's bothersome, shall I tell the Beggar Clan and underground network to knock it off?"
In the old days, he'd never have dared speak to them that way. But things were different now.
The Diamond Escort Agency was now Taiyuan's undisputed top agency!
"Let it be. They're spreading my name on their dime. No need to stop them."
"Don't you usually hate that sort of fame, Brother?"
"Mm. Normally, yeah. But I've changed my mind."
Moo-jin usually shunned notoriety, but not anymore.
Why turn away fame when suckers—no, clients—like the Iron Gold Gang would bring gold straight to his door?
"Heh heh. Money really is the best."
"... "
Watching Kang Moo-jin on the verge of drooling at the thought of profits, Ma Du-gwang mused to himself.
'He does righteous deeds, so why does he come off so...'
Corrupt?
In the dead of night, when dawn's shadow hung thick, Kang Moo-jin stepped out of the compound with Won Yu-hwa at his side.
"Let's go, Yu-hwa."
"Yes, Brother."
This wasn't an agency escort job—it was a personal request to Kang Moo-jin—so he hadn't brought any escorts.
With business booming, every hand was needed back at the agency.
Thud—thwack—
Moo-jin and Yu-hwa folded space with their lightness skills, hurtling forward at tremendous speed.
For Moo-jin, with his mastery of lightness arts, this pace was par for the course. But not for Won Yu-hwa.
Yet she matched him effortlessly, her lightness skill far swifter and more stable than before.
"Your lightness skill's improved a lot."
"Thanks to you, Brother. Being around you can't help but make me stronger."
Yu-hwa beamed and accelerated. Her feet now outpaced even Moo-jin's.
"See? I've gotten pretty good, right?"
"Haha, yeah. You've improved a ton—in martial arts overall, lightness skill especially."
He wasn't going all out, so he could've pulled ahead in an instant if he wanted. But he didn't.
No need, and they'd already arrived at Iron Cloud Village, where the mine was.
"Here we are."
Moo-jin slowed as he spotted a middle-aged man ahead.
His wild beard, burly frame, and soot-streaked face matched the description of the Iron Gold Gang's branch leader from the letter.
"The Golden Ghost Indestructible, Great Hero Kang, I presume. A pleasure. I'm Joo Moo-jang, branch leader of the Iron Gold Gang."
Despite his fierce looks, Joo Moo-jang cupped his fists politely.
A blacksmith's temper ran hot, but even he wasn't fool enough to bare it to the monster who'd torn an imugi apart barehanded.
"I've heard the rumors. They say you rip apart everyone you meet with your monstrous strength."
"...?"
"People, imugi, even jiangshi—you tear them all asunder. Most impressive. We Iron Gold Gang have no such beast among us."
"...?"
Moo-jin cocked his head at the wildly embellished tales—richer than he'd imagined.
Rip people apart?
How far had the stories twisted?
He felt a bit wronged, honestly.
Outside the Linked Qi Realm, he hadn't torn up a single person here.
"We're lucky you came, Great Hero Kang. You're the only one in the Central Plains who rips those spirit beasts apart on sight."
"No, I don't rip every one I see..."
"No need for humility. I've heard all about your prowess."
"... "
Taking Moo-jin's stunned silence as modest affirmation, Joo Moo-jang gestured toward the village.
"The village holds our gang members and over a hundred villagers."
"Mm. Got it."
"This spirit beast is pure evil. It's devoured dozens of livestock, and over ten of our warriors already."
"Do you know what it looks like?"
Most folk wouldn't fare better knowing its appearance, but Moo-jin was different.
Having faced his fill of spirit beasts and monsters in the Linked Qi Realm, he could glean much from their form and traits alone.
"Mm... No living soul's laid eyes on it."
"Fast one, then."
"Seems so. And it always brings a fog when it appears. No one's seen its face."
Moo-jin's eyes lit up at that.
'Puts out sleep gas, just as I thought.'
Some spirit beasts exhaled potent sleep toxins like mist from glands where sweat glands should be. Moo-jin had met a few in the Linked Qi Realm.
"Anyway, we leave it to you. You're the only one who can catch this vile thing in this mine."
Joo Moo-jang gazed at Moo-jin with desperate eyes.
"If you can't, we'll have to abandon the mine. Please, I beg you."
The Iron Gold branch leader gripped Moo-jin's hand tightly.
"...!"
Moo-jin's eyes flashed at the heavy pouch's feel between their palms.
"Worry not! This Kang Moo-jin will drive out this wicked spirit beast by any means and secure the Iron Gold Gang's freedom! The villagers' peace! The mine's liberation!"
Fierce zeal—never seen before—burned in Kang Moo-jin's eyes.
Truly, no motivator outshone money.
Unlike the fervor filling his body, Moo-jin didn't charge in right away.
He knew that for a hunt, blindly wandering wasn't the way—patient waiting was.
"Brother, is it really okay to just stay here? Shouldn't we scout around?"
"No. We'll wait here. Looking at the livestock it's hunted, cows are the most common. It's a gourmet of sorts."
Across from their hiding spot in the stable stood three hefty cows tied up.
Moo-jin was certain the spirit beast would target them.
"Hunting's an art of patience. Like fishing."
"Got it, Brother!"
She didn't quite get it, but Yu-hwa nodded anyway.
She trusted Moo-jin so completely now that if he called a rock a spirit herb, she'd pop it in her mouth.
About an hour later, as Moo-jin and Yu-hwa waited...
Shoooo—
A hissing like escaping air filled the air, and thick fog blanketed the village.
On a clear, starlit evening without a cloud in sight, mist cloaked only this village.
"The spirit beast."
Moo-jin sensed the unnatural qi in the fog, eyes gleaming.
"The aura confirms it—sleep gas, as expected."
As if proving his theory, villagers far off collapsed like puppets with cut strings.
Unable to resist the onslaught of drowsiness, they hit the dirt snoring, lost to deep slumber.
"Alright, get ready now, Yu-hwa. It's close."
"... "
"Yu-hwa?"
"... "
With no reply to his call, Moo-jin glanced over, head tilted.
"... "
Yu-hwa lay on her side, arms pillowed under her head, sleeping soundly.
"Oops. Forgot to teach her how to block sleep gas."