Chapter 152
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 152
Chapter Title: The Black Dot
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In truth, before coming here, Neung So-mil had stopped by a tavern, paid in advance, and arranged for a few bottles of wine to be delivered.
“Isn't this Shanxi Fenjiu?”
Seo Dam-myeong couldn't hide his surprise as he checked the bottles brought by the porters.
“I deeply regret that due to my lack of time, I can only offer this much. I will make sure to set aside time later to treat you with the utmost hospitality.”
“Not at all. Next time, it's my treat.”
‘As if.’
Contrary to his inner thoughts, Neung So-mil responded with a smile.
“Shall we have a drink first and continue our talk?”
As if the wine worm in his belly was already acting up, Seo Dam-myeong gulped.
Seo Dam-myeong, who immediately drained the cup Neung So-mil poured for him, wore an expression of ecstasy.
“This is incredible.”
Neung So-mil, on the other hand, only lightly touched the cup to his lips.
Normally, this would have been a rude gesture, but he didn't care.
He knew Seo Dam-myeong's personality well.
In fact, Seo Dam-myeong was likely inwardly pleased, as it meant more of the wine for himself.
After a few rounds of drinks, Seo Dam-myeong was getting tipsy, and his tongue began to slur.
Shanxi Fenjiu was a renowned liquor with excellent taste and aroma, but because it had been distilled multiple times, it was an extremely potent spirit.
Thus, gulping it down so recklessly was a sure way to end up dead drunk.
“Shall we start talking business now?”
“Huh? Ah, right. Yes. We should talk business.”
His face flushed from the alcohol, Seo Dam-myeong laughed heartily, seemingly in a good mood.
“If you promise long-term contracts for escorting goods, I'll give you a ten percent discount on the fee. And I'll personally lead the escorts.”
Neung So-mil inwardly scoffed at his boastful attitude.
He didn't know when the man had last led an escort, but in his current physical condition, it was impossible.
Aside from being so fat that it was questionable if he could even mount a horse properly, his indulgent personality made it seem likely he would cause some kind of trouble.
“Rather than that, how about you request one or two masters from your main headquarters to be dispatched? Of course, I will make a generous donation for their services.”
Seo Dam-myeong frowned.
“That might be difficult.”
“Why is that?”
“That's…”
Seeing Seo Dam-myeong hesitate and trail off, Neung So-mil put on a deliberately disappointed expression.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
“Wait, why so suddenly?”
Neung So-mil sighed at the flustered Seo Dam-myeong.
“I think I need to look for another escort agency.”
At those words, Seo Dam-myeong's eyes wavered.
“Please understand. The goods we handle are no ordinary items, so I'm anxious about relying on regular escorts. The gift I gave you was purely a gesture of goodwill, so there's no need to return it.”
Seo Dam-myeong grabbed Neung So-mil as he turned to leave without a second thought.
“My, you're quite an impatient person.”
After checking his surroundings to make sure no one was listening, Seo Dam-myeong lowered his voice and spoke.
“A problem has arisen that we can't carelessly reveal to outsiders.”
“In the Kongtong Sect, you mean?”
Seo Dam-myeong nodded.
Normally, it was a story he should never have revealed.
But he was excited by the unexpected windfall, and the alcohol had loosened his tongue.
Above all, he was anxious about losing a major client.
“The people who were supposed to return haven't. Instead, only a single letter arrived. Since then, the atmosphere at the main headquarters has changed drastically.”
Seo Dam-myeong proceeded to explain the situation in detail on his own.
“A second-generation disciple of our sect, Gong Hyeon-ja, and his disciple, Hyeon Geom. The whereabouts of those two are unknown.”
The current Sect Leader of the Kongtong Sect, Taoist Hyeongjin, had two disciples, and the elder of the two was Gong Hyeon-ja.
And the disciple Gong Hyeon-ja had recently taken was Hyeon Geom.
“Gong Hyeon-ja took his disciple on a training journey for the winter. But the date they were supposed to return passed with no word from them. The main headquarters hastily began to form a search party.”
Around that time, a letter arrived for the Sect Leader.
And Taoist Hyeongjin abruptly sent all outsiders away and sealed the sect's gates.
‘So that was it.’
Gong Hyeon-ja was the direct disciple designated to succeed Taoist Hyeongjin as the next Sect Leader.
Furthermore, his disciple Hyeon Geom was also widely acclaimed as a rising star who would carry the future of the Kongtong Sect, his extraordinary talent having been recognized.
“Do you happen to know what was written in that letter?”
Seo Dam-myeong shook his head at Neung So-mil's question.
“Don't even ask. Do you want to get in trouble? Even what I've told you so far, I only learned through a close acquaintance in the sect. So don't go blabbing about this anywhere. You must keep this to yourself. Understand?”
“Of course.”
“Then, about the business…”
“Let's continue. How could I refuse after you've shown me such trust? Here, here. Let me pour you a drink.”
Making all sorts of excuses, Neung So-mil kept offering him drinks, and Seo Dam-myeong didn't refuse, downing cup after cup.
Thud.
Leaving Seo Dam-myeong sprawled out dead drunk in the middle of the main hall, Neung So-mil left the Deungryong Escort Agency.
Returning to the tea house where Dan Ak-seon's group was waiting, Neung So-mil immediately reported what he had learned.
Unlike Cho Ak-ryang, who nodded nonchalantly, Dan Ak-seon couldn't hide her amazement.
“That's amazing! How did you find that out?”
“This is Gansu Province, isn't it? Though the Sinsobang is gone, my connections remain.”
“Even so, it's still incredible. It's information that not even the Beggar's Sect could uncover.”
Neung So-mil shrugged as if it were nothing.
“Didn't I tell you? If it wasn't him, no one would be able to find out.”
Neung So-mil gave a slight smile at Cho Ak-ryang's words.
“So, what should we do now?”
At Neung So-mil's words, Cho Ak-ryang, who had been thinking for a moment, spoke.
“The people who were supposed to return didn't. A letter came in their place… And the Sect Leader sealed the gates. What does this all mean?”
“I can't be certain, but nine times out of ten, it means the two of them have been taken hostage.”
Beom Gye-wi let out a gasp at Neung So-mil's answer.
“They kidnapped the next Sect Leader? Along with his disciple? Whoever they are, they've got some nerve.”
“Well, there was someone who murdered Kunlun disciples right on their doorstep.”
“True.”
Beom Gye-wi nodded.
“There are a lot of crazy bastards in the world. Don't you think?”
Neung So-mil gave an awkward smile at Beom Gye-wi's words seeking agreement.
Because if anyone shouldn't be saying such a thing, it was him.
“In any case, the cleanest solution is to ensure those two return to the Kongtong Sect safely.”
Dan Ak-seon tilted her head at Cho Ak-ryang's words.
“But how do we find them?”
Cho Ak-ryang's gaze naturally turned to Neung So-mil.
This time, however, even Neung So-mil had no clear solution.
“If you order me to, I will do my best, but… I cannot guarantee a positive outcome.”
Neung So-mil showed a troubled expression.
“First, there's too little information. There's no guarantee they are even in Gansu Province. Most importantly, I lack the manpower to carry this out.”
“I thought you had many people in the Divine Demon Trading Company?”
“They are not suited for this kind of work. Gathering information must be done secretly and swiftly. As non-experts, they would likely leave traces during their inquiries. And above all…”
Neung So-mil pointed out the most critical problem.
“Because of my position as the head of the Divine Demon Trading Company, I am already a public figure. If it becomes known that we are inquiring about the two missing people…”
Neung So-mil trailed off.
But one could guess the rest without hearing it.
The culprits would surely try to cut their losses.
In that case, the hostages' lives could not be guaranteed.
Just then, Beom Gye-wi suddenly spoke up.
“What about the Black Dot guys?”
“The Black Dot… you mean?”
“You said you need secretive types, right?”
Neung So-mil frowned without realizing it.
Stolen goods, all sorts of items and information, even human lives.
They were a black market organization that dealt in anything that made money.
Operating as a cell-based organization with a strict top-down command structure, almost nothing was known about their hierarchy, including their leader, the Dot Master.
That's how unsavory they were to deal with.
Moreover, due to the nature of a cell-based organization, the only people one could contact were low-level members.
Still, just in case, he asked cautiously.
“Do you happen to know someone there?”
Beom Gye-wi answered nonchalantly.
“Yeop Dan-yeong, I think he's the Shanxi branch chief or something?”
“...!”
Neung So-mil was startled.
A branch chief would be a key figure within the Black Dot.
“Should I go and bring him here?”
Neung So-mil shook his head at Beom Gye-wi's words.
“No. I think it would be better if I go.”
“Why?”
“Because there's a high probability that the three of you here are also being watched.”
He had already heard about the situation at the Kunlun Sect.
“What if the mastermind who tried to frame you seniors is also involved in this incident?”
Cho Ak-ryang's gaze grew heavy.
He hadn't considered it until now, but it wasn't an entirely impossible assumption.
“If they caused this trouble to interfere with your work, Master and seniors, they would have surely placed surveillance here as well.”
Beom Gye-wi tilted his head.
“I haven't sensed anything particularly unusual.”
“If they did, they would have assigned someone skilled enough.”
Cho Ak-ryang nodded.
There was no harm in preparing for even the slightest possibility.
“So, I will go.”
At least once he left this area, he wouldn't have to worry about the enemy's surveillance.
In the first place, there were only a handful of experts in the entire martial world capable of secretly monitoring three masters of their caliber.
Naturally, the number of personnel assigned to that task would be extremely small.
It was obvious who they would choose to watch between them and himself.
“Please just write me a letter of recommendation to prove my identity.”
Neung So-mil tucked the letter of recommendation written by Beom Gye-wi into his robes.
Afterward, he left the tea house to head for the Shanxi branch of the Black Dot, which Beom Gye-wi had told him about.
To avoid the suspicion of any potential watchers, he led his trading company out of Gansu, then had one of the members disguise himself as him and head towards Wuwei, before secretly slipping away from the group.
And he used his lightness art all through the night.
It was late afternoon the next day when Neung So-mil was finally able to visit the Shanxi branch of the Black Dot.
‘No wonder it doesn't stand out.’
A four-story pavilion stood before him.
At a glance, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary tea house.
Most of the customers coming and going were also clearly outsiders at a glance.
They seemed to be pilgrims visiting the nearby Yeongjo Temple, also known as the Twin Pagoda Temple.
Entering the tea house, Neung So-mil slowly began to climb the stairs.
However, the pavilion was only in use up to the second floor.
There were no stairs leading to the third floor at all.
As he was loitering around, a clerk approached him.
“Are you looking for something, sir?”
Neung So-mil smiled warmly and nodded.
“I am trying to build a house, but I was looking around as I couldn't find a suitable place to set up the rafters.”
At those words, the clerk's eyes glinted coldly.
He had realized it was a clever pun, a deconstruction of the character for 'shop' that made up their name.
As dusk was already beginning to fall, Neung So-mil took out the letter of recommendation from Beom Gye-wi and handed it to the clerk.
“Deliver this to your superior.”
After staring at Neung So-mil with a peculiar expression for a moment, the clerk disappeared into the crowd.
A short while later.
“Follow me.”
An unfamiliar woman approached Neung So-mil, quietly took his sleeve, and led him away.
Following the woman to a corner of the second floor, Neung So-mil found a staircase leading up.
It was a staircase that hadn't been there just moments before.
As he ascended to the third floor, sharp gazes poured in from all directions.
Their presence was concealed, so he couldn't see them, but he could clearly feel the wariness in their eyes.
Just then, the ceiling opened, revealing a staircase leading to the fourth floor.
Like on the third floor, it was a hidden door for the stairs that could be opened and closed as needed.
He stepped onto the stairs and headed for the top floor, the fourth floor.
An empty space, with nothing in it.
His eyes fell upon a simple interior, containing only a single tea table and one chair.
And in the center stood a person, staring intently at Neung So-mil.