Chapter 202
Chapter 202
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 202
Chapter Title: Take Me With You, Too
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The Hwangbo family, of course, had its own organization for managing intelligence.
However, this organization was under the direct command of the family head, usable only by him.
This was true not only for the Hwangbo family but for all of the Five Great Families.
The family head monopolized information, releasing it only to those he chose and only to the extent he desired.
They were loyal solely to the family head.
Their loyalty was so absolute that even when a head passed his position to his successor, his authority over them would vanish instantly.
This organization was simply called the Secret Division.
Hwang Gyu, a member of the Secret Division, was currently on his way to Nanchang's top intelligence organization, following the family head's orders.
The Secret Division, dealing in information, naturally had connections to intelligence networks not just in Nanchang, but all over the world.
There was no guarantee they would provide accurate information, but there was much to be learned simply by confirming their existence and monitoring them.
Naturally, they had a line to Nanchang's intelligence organization and maintained the connection through regular dealings.
So when he first received the family head's order, he didn't think much of it.
While secrecy is crucial for an intelligence organization, sometimes that very secrecy becomes a piece of information.
Extracting information through appropriate payment and threats was a simple matter.
Besides, this particular organization operated in Nanchang. And Nanchang was Hwangbo territory.
By all accounts, it was a mission with no reason to fail and no cause for difficulty.
And yet, this simple mission had gone awry from the very start.
His usual secret contact had vanished.
He usually checked in with him about once every half-month, and during their last contact, everything had seemed normal.
This time, something had come up, so he had contacted him after only ten days.
But in those ten days, something had happened, and his contact had disappeared.
So, what choice did he have? He had to go find them himself.
Hwang Gyu moved quickly, heading for the intelligence organization's base.
His ultimate goal was to find the person or group responsible for what happened to Hwangbo Yeop.
After returning to the family estate, Hwangbo Yeop and the ten warriors under his command had soiled themselves three more times. At completely random moments, no less.
Once was while eating with his family, and another time was when he briefly stopped by a gathering of the sons of the family vassals to say hello.
After that, Hwangbo Yeop had become a virtual recluse, refusing to show his face in public any longer.
They had summoned physicians to examine him, but they all just shook their heads, unable to find a clear cause.
It was only natural that Hwangbo Wonhu was grinding his teeth, fuming and demanding they capture the one who did this to his son.
Lost in thought, he soon arrived at his destination.
Hwang Gyu stared at the place, his eyes wide with surprise.
"This is… strange."
He had been here several times before. But today, something felt different.
It was an alley lined with twelve shabby houses on either side, deserted as usual.
Hwang Gyu slowly entered the alley.
With each step, his expression gradually hardened.
"There's… no one here?"
He finally understood the strange sense of unease he'd felt upon arriving.
There was no sign of life at all.
Hwang Gyu meticulously checked each of the twelve houses, one by one.
He knew of a few of this organization's safe houses, but it would likely be useless to go there.
If the main base was this empty, what were the chances a safe house would be any different?
Hwang Gyu tilted his head as he surveyed the inside.
There were too few traces left behind.
It was as if someone had deliberately wiped everything clean.
If someone with a less keen eye or less experience and skill than Hwang Gyu had seen this, they would have assumed the residents had simply packed up and moved.
It had been staged to look that way.
But Hwang Gyu, even amidst the deception, unerringly spotted the subtle signs of discord.
"Looks like these guys were hit."
Hwang Gyu slowly looked around, scratching his cheek.
"Something definitely smells fishy."
In Hwang Gyu's judgment, Hwangbo Yeop, despite his fondness for women, wasn't a complete idiot.
His martial arts were considerable, and he knew how to use his head. He also knew how to leverage his status.
Sometimes he failed to control it properly and caused trouble, but that was something time was expected to fix.
And that same Hwangbo Yeop had been beaten so badly he'd lost his memory.
There were some signs of a fight on his body, but no head injuries, so it wasn't severe enough to cause memory loss.
The same was true for the other ten warriors.
‘What on earth did they do?’
Did they use some kind of special poison, or perhaps a unique technique?
Hwang Gyu continued to piece together his theories as he carefully examined the area again from the beginning.
He also scoured the surrounding vicinity.
As a result, he discovered signs of a large-scale battle.
The traces had been neatly erased, but Hwang Gyu was a cut above whoever had tried to cover their tracks.
From those traces, he found another set of tracks a considerable distance away.
They were the tracks of dozens of people moving in this direction.
In this way, Hwang Gyu followed the trail of clues backward, step by step, closing in on the culprit's identity.
Within the Hwangbo family's Secret Division, Hwang Gyu was the best at tracking.
And he was now putting that skill to full use.
***
Early in the morning, before the sun had even risen, Byeok Taesan left his room and began to walk slowly.
As he exited the pavilion, he saw people who had already risen and prepared, waiting quietly for him.
The moment Byeok Taesan appeared, they bowed deeply.
Byeok Taesan glanced over them.
The entire group was present.
It was only natural, as they had heard he was going to Mount Hua. They had to at least see him off.
The Divine Doctor of the Ages was the first to speak, carefully watching Byeok Taesan's expression as he offered his farewell.
"Young Master, I wish you a pleasant journey."
His heart wouldn't settle, feeling like he might be asked to come along. It was pounding so furiously he felt like reaching in and squeezing it tight.
Byeok Taesan stared silently at the Divine Doctor.
"Wh-Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Do you think a trip to Mount Hua will be pleasant?"
The color instantly drained from the Divine Doctor's face.
Seeing this, Byeok Taesan smirked.
"I'm joking."
The Divine Doctor stared at Byeok Taesan, dumbfounded. The color rushed back to his face. In fact, it returned so quickly that his face was now beet red.
‘Damn it. What kind of joke is that?’
Byeok Taesan continued to stare at him.
The Divine Doctor quickly forced a smile. It was impossible, but if by some chance Byeok Taesan could read his mind, he was a dead man.
And for some reason, the thought that Byeok Taesan just might be able to do so terrified him even more.
The Divine Doctor grinned even wider.
"As expected of the Young Master. Your humor is also exceptional."
Byeok Taesan nodded.
"I'll tell them more often."
The Divine Doctor froze for a moment.
The One-Needle Eccentric, who had approached them, chuckled and said.
"You don't need to pay any mind to this fool. Have a safe trip. I'll watch over things here."
The Divine Doctor was irked by the comment but didn't dare open his mouth.
Right now, he just needed to shut up and stay still.
He seethed internally. *Just you wait until the Young Master leaves.*
The others also took turns bidding Byeok Taesan farewell.
Then, three of the maids stepped forward.
They were the ones chosen to accompany him this time to attend to his needs.
Soso, Cheollan, and Seolhwa.
Byeok Taesan glanced at them and nodded.
Soso's eyes were sparkling so brightly that he could tell she was up to something without even trying.
The other maids all looked at Soso with meaningful expressions.
Soso was adored by everyone.
It seemed that her cuteness had played some role in her selection this time.
In any case, whatever the circumstances, it was no concern of Byeok Taesan's.
All he had to do was have a comfortable trip.
Furthermore, he just needed to ensure the others were safe while he was away.
Byeok Taesan glanced at those who were staying behind.
Seeing Cheon Gyeongwan, Yu Seoyeon, and the One-Needle Eccentric, he felt he had no need to worry.
Unless those old men Nameless had sent to Wuhan before, or someone on the level of Hyeokryeon Hwi or Hyeokryeon Gyun showed up, there shouldn't be any major problems.
Besides, there was also Yeon Harin, who was still growing stronger at a rapid pace.
Byeok Taesan's gaze shifted to Yeon Harin.
But her expression was unusually serious. With a look of resolve, she glided gracefully toward him.
"Young Master, please take me with you."
Byeok Taesan and Yeon Harin's eyes met.
A flame flickered in the depths of her pupils.
It was fighting spirit.
Byeok Taesan saw it and smiled faintly. Then he nodded.
"So be it."
At Byeok Taesan's permission, Yeon Harin's face brightened.
In truth, ever since Hwangbo Yeop's visit a while ago, Yeon Harin had felt a heavy weight in her chest.
After pondering why she felt this way, she had come to a conclusion.
It was because she hadn't been able to have a proper fight with Hwangbo Yeop back then.
Her unfulfilled desire had built up, leaving this heavy feeling inside her.
Then yesterday, she heard that Byeok Taesan was going to Mount Hua.
And to meet a master, no less.
What a golden opportunity. It wasn't easy to meet such a master, and even if she did, it wasn't easy to get a chance to fight for her life.
Byeok Taesan gave Yeon Harin a sidelong glance before striding forward.
He walked on and on.
He was merely walking, but his pace was so fast that he vanished in an instant.
Startled, Yeon Harin quickly followed after him.
The three maids also hurried to depart.
Those left behind stared silently in the direction they had disappeared, their faces a mixture of emotions.
***
So Cheongmyeong watched Byeok Taesan depart from a distance, standing apart from the others.
He still wasn't used to it.
No, he still didn't understand. Not about that man, Byeok Taesan.
But it was clear he was the person he was meant to serve.
After all, he had kept his promise.
The Divine Doctor of the Ages and the One-Needle Eccentric approached So Cheongmyeong.
"What are you doing all alone over here? Honestly, what am I going to do with this gloomy fellow? It’s a real worry."
"I am not a gloomy fellow. Please call me Cheongmyeong."
"If your name is Cheongmyeong, you should live up to it, clear and bright. Why are you so gloomy?"
"I believe I suit my name perfectly well."
The Divine Doctor scoffed.
"You start with suspicion, create worries you don't need, and spend your days wallowing in your own weaknesses. I call that being gloomy."
"I am not like that."
The Divine Doctor chuckled.
"Shall we ask the others if you're like that or not?"
So Cheongmyeong quickly held up a hand.
"Please don't."
If he just stayed quiet, the old man would surely go around telling everyone, so he quickly stopped him.
The fatigue was etched deeply under So Cheongmyeong's eyes.
It wasn't from being tormented by the Divine Doctor. It was simply from studying medicine so diligently lately.
As a disciple of the Medical Saint, So Cheongmyeong had a very solid foundation in medical knowledge.
His knowledge of medicinal herbs was also extensive.
But no matter how much he knew, he was no match for the Divine Doctor or the One-Needle Eccentric.
So Cheongmyeong learned a great deal from the two of them.
The Divine Doctor and the One-Needle Eccentric also gained something in return.
So Cheongmyeong had been taught special things by the Medical Saint.
For example, the aphrodisiac they had used on the intelligence organization a while back.
Encountering such unique knowledge, the skills of the Divine Doctor and the One-Needle Eccentric had also leaped forward.
It wasn't that the knowledge itself was extraordinary, but that it offered a new perspective.
Simply by viewing their existing knowledge and experience from a different angle, they were able to reach a completely new level.
Through this, the two were able to experience, albeit indirectly, just how great a physician the Medical Saint was.
"By the way, is there really no way to meet your master?"
"Even if there were, I wouldn't. Did I not say I've already been cast out?"
"So why were you cast out? You don't seem like the type to cause trouble… and someone like the Medical Saint wouldn't kick you out just for being gloomy."
So Cheongmyeong gave a bitter smile.
"He told me there was nothing more to teach, so I should leave. Then he vanished."
After saying this, So Cheongmyeong glanced at the Divine Doctor and the One-Needle Eccentric.
He was sure they would be dumbfounded or disbelieve him.
But their expressions were not what he expected.
"What's with that absurd 'I understand everything' look on your faces?"
So Cheongmyeong asked resentfully.
"What are you so unhappy about? If he taught you everything, you should have said thank you and gone off to practice medicine for the good of all people. Honestly, what's the use of having a good master when the disciple is in such a state?"
So Cheongmyeong bristled.
"What's wrong with my state?"
The Divine Doctor chuckled.
"Hasn't your attitude changed quite a bit from when we first met? Back then, you were all, 'I don't know anything.'"
So Cheongmyeong's face turned beet red.
"That's it. I'm not speaking to you anymore, old man."
The Divine Doctor sidled up next to So Cheongmyeong and poked him in the ribs.
"Keuk!"
So Cheongmyeong let out a bizarre sound and jumped.
"Sir!"
The Divine Doctor grinned.
"What a dramatic moan. A grown man isn't sulking, is he?"
So Cheongmyeong mumbled something unintelligible under his breath.
"What's that, are you cursing at me? You even curse in a gloomy way."
"I am not gloomy."
The Divine Doctor chuckled again.
"Anyway, take my words to heart and keep honing your medical skills. Then who knows? Maybe the Medical Saint will pop up and pat you on the head for a job well done."
Hearing that, So Cheongmyeong's expression hardened.
He stared at the Divine Doctor for a long moment before striding back inside.
"Huh? What's with him all of a sudden?"
The One-Needle Eccentric clicked his tongue as he looked at the Divine Doctor.
"You really don't act your age. Grow up, will you? When are you ever going to become a decent person?"
The Divine Doctor looked at the One-Needle Eccentric with a serious expression.
"Anyway, it seems there really is something to that story."
The One-Needle Eccentric also nodded and watched So Cheongmyeong's retreating back.
"I suppose so. I wonder… if we might end up meeting the Medical Saint himself."
The Divine Doctor grinned.
"If he comes, he'll just end up in the same boat as us. You think the Medical Saint would be any exception?"
"Who knows, we'll have to see about that."
With those words, the One-Needle Eccentric turned and went inside.
The Divine Doctor hurriedly followed him.
"Brother, what do you mean by that? Don't just leave, explain yourself! Brother!"