Chapter 188
Chapter 188
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 188
Chapter Title: Here to Catch a Runaway
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The Underworld Sect member was on the verge of losing his mind.
They had reached their destination, but there was no time to rest.
He wanted to collapse on the ground right then and there. But the moment he saw Byeok Taesan, that thought vanished.
Honestly, he couldn't comprehend how he had managed to travel this far at such a speed.
It was clearly beyond his capabilities.
"What are you doing? Lead the way."
At Byeok Taesan's words, the Underworld Sect member forced his legs to move.
"First, I need to contact my colleagues in this area."
They had found the target, but that wasn't the end of it. Continuous surveillance and analysis had to follow.
The Underworld Sect members operating in this area, along with those deployed from nearby regions, were gathering information extensively.
Therefore, he needed to meet the person in charge and receive a report.
"Let's go."
The Underworld Sect member flinched at Byeok Taesan's words.
He remembered hearing those exact words when they left Changsha.
The Underworld Sect member sighed deeply and started walking.
It seemed it would take quite some time to shake off this anxiety.
Mount Huang is immense. Composed of dozens of peaks, finding someone who had entered it was considered nearly impossible.
Fortunately, the target, Je Wi-ryong, hadn't entered Mount Huang but was staying in a small nearby county.
"This way."
Walking without using lightness techniques, the Underworld Sect member felt like he could finally breathe.
If he had run for even another thirty minutes, he would have surely collapsed, never to get up again.
At least, that's what he thought. It had been that grueling of a journey.
Still, thanks to that hardship, they had arrived here so quickly.
Perhaps his colleagues here would be shocked to the point of fainting when they saw him.
With that thought, the Underworld Sect member headed toward his colleagues' location.
* * *
"You can assume there's no place in Jeongdeok County that his influence doesn't reach."
The Underworld Sect members who had been monitoring Je Wi-ryong in Jeongdeok County eagerly explained the situation.
Je Wi-ryong had established himself here ten years ago.
What he did before that was still under investigation. Right before coming here, he was said to have lived in Hefei.
In Hefei, he ran a business, but it was reportedly so small that it was barely known to anyone.
It was certain he had been doing something else, so that part was being intensively investigated.
Even here in Jeongdeok County, Je Wi-ryong hadn't done anything particularly conspicuous.
However, he had been quietly taking control of Jeongdeok County through various extremely secretive methods.
He had been doing this for a full ten years.
And only recently had he started to make his move in earnest.
Initially, Jeongdeok County wasn't considered very important by the Underworld Sect, so it hadn't been long since they dispatched a member here.
Nevertheless, the reason they were able to find Je Wi-ryong so quickly after Byeok Taesan's order was because of that.
"He also started using the name Je Wi-ryong around that time. That's why we found him so easily."
Byeok Taesan wore a strange expression.
"When exactly did that bastard start operating openly and reveal his name?"
The Underworld Sect member understood the intent behind Byeok Taesan's question perfectly. This was possible because he had received a small hint from Hwaok.
"It's around the same time the Heavenly Demonic Cult was cut off from the outside world."
The corners of Byeok Taesan's mouth lifted slightly.
"Where is that bastard now?"
"He is staying at the largest manor in Jeongdeok County."
Byeok Taesan rose from his seat.
"Let's go."
The Underworld Sect member flinched but quickly regained his composure and stepped in front of Byeok Taesan.
"I will guide you immediately."
* * *
"This is the place."
The manor was truly massive.
While not as large as the Golden Jade Manor in Wuhan, it was well over half its size.
Considering the Golden Jade Manor was called the greatest in Wuhan, owning a manor of this size in a small county was an incredible feat.
Byeok Taesan stood a short distance away and scanned the manor.
At that, the Underworld Sect member quickly ran to the main gate and knocked.
Soon, the gate opened, and a warrior appeared from within.
It seemed he had been guarding the gate from the inside.
"What is it?"
The Underworld Sect member replied politely to the warrior's question.
"I am here to see the master of this manor."
After speaking, he glanced at Byeok Taesan standing behind him.
The warrior's gaze also briefly fell on Byeok Taesan before moving away.
"If you wish to see our master, you must make an appointment in advance. He is a very busy man... And he is not someone just anyone can meet."
The Underworld Sect member casually reached into his robe and took out a pouch.
"Still, if you put in a good word, perhaps we could meet him, no?"
The warrior who received the pouch from him was startled by its weight.
Peeking inside, he saw it was full of silver coins.
"You can count on me. I'll inform the master right away. But what you get from him is not my concern. You'll have to handle that yourself."
The Underworld Sect member smiled faintly.
"Of course. We wouldn't have come if we weren't confident."
The warrior grinned.
"I wish you luck. Please, come inside. I'll do my best to arrange a meeting for you right away."
"Thank you."
The Underworld Sect member turned to face Byeok Taesan. He spoke respectfully.
"Young Master, please enter."
Only then did Byeok Taesan begin to walk, entering the manor.
Inside the main gate was a wide, open space.
The entire area was covered with tightly laid stone slabs, and the path leading further inside was distinguished by bluestone pavers.
The warrior was about to go inside to call the master, but there was no need.
The master happened to be coming out, seemingly on some business.
"Huh? Master?"
The warrior looked at the master in confusion. If he was heading out on business, he would have almost no time to meet these guests.
In any case, he had received a lot of money and needed to earn it, but this situation was making him very uncomfortable.
The master, Je Wi-ryong, saw the warrior's expression and the men behind him—the Underworld Sect member and Byeok Taesan—and immediately grasped the situation.
He knew the warriors guarding the main gate often made pocket money like this, so he decided to play along to save them some face.
A simple greeting and a promise to meet later should be enough, he thought.
"You're working hard. Are those guests?"
"Yes. They said they came to see you, Master."
As the warrior answered with a tense expression, Je Wi-ryong looked at the Underworld Sect member and Byeok Taesan.
But at that moment, Byeok Taesan strode toward Je Wi-ryong.
Usually, visitors would approach and greet him politely. Je Wi-ryong expected the same.
But Byeok Taesan was very different from other guests.
Byeok Taesan stood before Je Wi-ryong and simply stared at him.
Wondering what on earth this was, Je Wi-ryong looked at Byeok Taesan for a moment before asking.
"What is it? Is there something on my face? Ah, is it because of this scar? The wound is quite severe, but... being stared at so openly isn't pleasant. What do you think?"
Byeok Taesan looked at Je Wi-ryong and grinned.
"I'm here to catch a runaway."
The moment those words were spoken, Je Wi-ryong's face turned pale. His body tensed up and froze instantly.
But he couldn't just stand there. Je Wi-ryong immediately tried to turn and flee.
Byeok Taesan's foot swept lightly across the ground.
*Thump.*
Je Wi-ryong's lower body was lifted into the air.
Byeok Taesan took a step forward and grabbed the scruff of Je Wi-ryong's neck.
"Trying to run again?"
From the moment his neck was grabbed, Je Wi-ryong was flustered, unable to move a muscle.
Only his clothes were being held, so why couldn't his body move? He wanted to struggle but couldn't, which was agonizing.
He decided he had to at least scream and opened his mouth.
At that moment, an immense pain washed over him, and only a gasp escaped his lips.
"Huk!"
Byeok Taesan said calmly.
"I can't stand noise."
Byeok Taesan strode forward, then stopped and turned his head to look back.
The warrior who had tried to guide them earlier was standing there awkwardly.
"What are you doing? Lead the way."
The Underworld Sect member tapped the bewildered warrior on the back.
The warrior flinched and looked at him. With a glance and a nod, the member signaled him not to do anything foolish and to just do as he was told.
The warrior, catching on with uncanny speed, scrambled to guide Byeok Taesan.
And so, the four of them headed toward the master's chambers.
They encountered people along the way, but Byeok Taesan paid them no mind, regardless of how they looked at him or what they did.
In fact, the guiding warrior had to work hard to reassure them.
* * *
Once Byeok Taesan and Je Wi-ryong entered the master's chambers, the Underworld Sect member left.
As long as Byeok Taesan was in this manor, he had nothing to do here.
It was better for him to return to his colleagues, organize the information, and figure out what more needed to be done.
Because they had arrived so early, it was still bright out, but the sun would soon set, and darkness would fall.
It was better to hurry if he wanted to get back to his colleagues before then.
Walking quickly, he managed to reach his colleagues' location before sunset.
He didn't know how much longer Byeok Taesan would stay here.
But he probably wouldn't leave tomorrow. At the earliest, wouldn't he have to stay until the day after?
Entering the inn where his colleagues were, the Underworld Sect member cut through the focused gazes and went inside.
"No need to be tense. Everyone here is one of us."
The Underworld Sect member nodded at his colleague's words.
"Why is everyone gathered like this?"
"Perfect timing. We're about to head out for a job, so lend us a hand."
"A job?"
"Looks like something's happened down in Jeokgye County. We need to go and lend some muscle."
The Underworld Sect member frowned.
"It's not anything foolish, is it?"
"Of course not. It's related to the Golden Moon Trading Company. The order has already come down from above."
"Well, if that's the case."
There had been a lot of work related to the Golden Moon Trading Company recently. It was truly impressive to think their influence reached this far.
As the Underworld Sect member nodded, everyone in the inn stood up.
"We're going to hurry, so keep up."
His colleague set off first, using his lightness technique, and everyone else followed.
Seeing this, the Underworld Sect member sighed and hurried after them.
He had run himself to death all day, and the thought of running at night again made him sigh.
But as he followed his colleagues, he noticed something strange.
'What's this? Why is this so easy?'
At first, he thought they were conserving their strength. But that wasn't it. Judging by their expressions, they were clearly giving it their all.
Unless they were acting just to mess with him.
Suddenly, he recalled what Byeok Taesan had said before they left.
'He said my weaknesses would disappear, didn't he?'
He knew his own weaknesses well. He lacked internal energy and stamina. And his weak constitution meant his body lacked durability.
The problem of his weak constitution was something he was born with, and it had always held him back in his martial arts training.
But now, hearing that this weakness would disappear made his heart pound.
Before, he had dismissed it as a joke, a prank, or perhaps an empty promise, but now he was accepting it as the truth.
Honestly, what he had accomplished with Byeok Taesan today was also beyond common sense.
How was it possible to run fifteen hundred *li*, starting in the morning and arriving before sunset?
Perhaps the greatest masters in the world could do it.
But he was no such master.
Following his colleagues, the Underworld Sect member tried to calm his racing heart.
It seemed he had encountered a fateful opportunity.
'By the way, he'll probably do the same on the way back, won't he?'
He suddenly worried about the return trip to Changsha. Just imagining how much Byeok Taesan would push him was terrifying.
But he couldn't run away.
That would be even more terrifying.
* * *
As soon as he entered Je Wi-ryong's chambers, Byeok Taesan tossed the man aside and sat in the seat of honor.
Je Wi-ryong, who had tumbled disgracefully to the floor, quickly righted himself and knelt before Byeok Taesan.
He trembled, his face filled with fear.
Honestly, he never expected something like this to happen.
The Heavenly Demonic Cult was currently isolated. And as far as he knew, it would take at least ten years for that isolation to end.
Depending on the situation, it could take even longer.
That was why he had boldly revealed himself.
'What rotten luck. How could this happen right after I made my move?'
It wouldn't have been so unfair if he had at least accomplished something. All this time, he had been lying low, working like an ant in hiding.
He was just about to start living like a human being, so this turn of events felt incredibly unjust.
"Was it nice, living on the run?"
Je Wi-ryong slammed his forehead on the floor.
"Please, spare me just this once! I have a large family to support now! They all depend on me! Please be lenient! I'll do anything!"
Even as he begged, Je Wi-ryong knew it was unlikely to work.
The Heavenly Demonic Cult he knew was that kind of place.
Still, his immediate survival was paramount. If this could open even a sliver of a possibility, it would be enough.
"You'll do anything?"
"Yes! I will!"
Je Wi-ryong snapped his head up to look at Byeok Taesan.
But then, seeing Byeok Taesan's face, a strange thought occurred to him.
'He's too young.'
Was he even twenty? He was ridiculously handsome. Masculine, yet with fine features that made him easy on the eyes.
In any case, to Je Wi-ryong, he seemed closer to frail than formidable.
When they first met, he had been too flustered to even notice his face, let alone have such thoughts.
Seeing the look in Je Wi-ryong's eyes, Byeok Taesan chuckled.
"What? Now that you've had a good look, you think you might stand a chance?"
A chill ran down Je Wi-ryong's spine. He quickly and vehemently shook his head.
"Goodness, how could that be! Absolutely not!"
"Go ahead and try, if you can handle the consequences."
Je Wi-ryong slammed his head back to the floor, as if to say he would never dare.
But after doing so, his eyes darted around.
'But who is he?'
Je Wi-ryong's mind grew complicated.
< Here to Catch a Runaway > End