Sichuan Tang Clan (7)
Sichuan Tang Clan (7)
Tang Yeong-hwan truly did his utmost for us and for Tang Ui-gyeong's daughter. Saying he would resume his poison research, he wandered around, memorizing the map of the Tang Clan's underground layout, then drew it out, meeting us outside from time to time to exchange letters.
The method of delivering letters was also secretive. Outside, pretending to entrust orders to the Demonic Cult's Yeonrakchaek, who posed as a merchant, we mixed coded messages into the order lists. Then the Demonic Cult people and I would put our heads together to solve the puzzle and complete the map.
"If we dig in this direction, there's a poison pit—a single mistake could wipe us all out, I'm afraid."
"This side won't do either. They say they burn sleep incense and similar items they handle here one by one at regular intervals for security."
Thus, we completed the map at a very slow pace. The underground structure was complex and contained many dangerous items, so opinions were divided on which direction to dig. Places that seemed safe were along routes where servants patrolled or changed shifts, making it easy to get caught.
The dangerous places were not only hazardous for us; if we dug incorrectly, it could draw everyone's attention and ruin the entire infiltration plan. After several meetings, I reached a conclusion.
"Let's just dig straight to where Tang Ui-gyeong's daughter is. That would be the safest, I'd say."
"Wasn't it said that Tang Ui-gyeong's daughter emits poison? How could we approach such a woman?"
"That's precisely why it's the safest place. According to Tang Yeong-hwan, the poison always spreads like a fog, so the room's interior cannot be carefully inspected. Even servants of the Tang Clan would not recklessly intrude into a place where such an important figure as a Poison Human resides, so there is no worry of our work being discovered."
"But we can't remove the poison, can we? Since we don't even know what kind of Poison Human it is, if we get poisoned by mistake, we'll just end up holding a string of funerals."
"True. If we keep it open, the poison will leak out, causing a great commotion. So, my plan is this: we dig underground down to the room's location, then bore only a hole large enough for conversation and try to persuade the Poison Human. If we bore only a small hole, it's easy to plug immediately, so the poison won't spread far, and since we only converse when we wish, the Tang Clan won't be able to notice either."
"Persuade the Poison Human?"
"They say the Tang Clan is on the verge of completing the Poison Human. If they can control the poison at will, it's considered complete, but the Tang Clan is no fool—they surely have some means prepared to control it. Therefore, before they use that control measure, let us first persuade and make use of the Poison Human."
The merchant stroked his beard. His nodding was quite a positive response. I spoke to him.
"Who will raise conspiracy theories about those poisoned to death within the Tang Clan? If we use it well, we can topple the Tang Clan without a drop of blood on our hands. Moreover, we can also obtain an excellent asset like the Poison Human."
The merchant's eyes wavered. A Poison Human was an attractive asset. The Demonic Cult, after all, was a place that revered strength; even if obtained through experiments, one with overwhelming power was treated well there. Of course, I had no intention of handing the Poison Human over to him outright. I was the one negotiating; I'd pull it to my side.
He was merely the financier providing me with laborers and capital.
"Fine. Let's do it."
After a moment of hesitation, the merchant extended his hand to me. The way his eyes shone was quite merchant-like.
"I knew you'd say that."
Seeing him grin sinisterly and nod, it was clear he was imagining cutting my throat once the job was done and the Poison Human was in hand. The saying "kill the hunting dog once the rabbits are caught" was no ancient tale and would happen again; it struck me that Demonic Cult bastards truly were not to be trusted.
*******
Thus the plan's draft was prepared. We purchased a commercial building near the Tang Clan with the Demonic Cult's financial power, closed the shop, and deployed laborers inside. Since the bustling streets were noisy every day, we continued digging the tunnel hidden in that noise, and in the meantime, I resumed my Taijiquan training at the Taiji Sect.
"Wife."
"What is it, husband?"
"What would you think if I gained one more wife?"
"...Is it So-bin, by any chance?"
The way force entered her eyes and hands and her voice lowered, it was obvious she'd be angry if I had messed with So-bin. I shook my head and said.
"...I don't know why you thought that. No."
She was a fairly pretty girl, but I had no connection with her and she wasn't my type. Besides, she was too young. Increasing the number of women from the same sect would only be tiresome and had no advantage. Above all, with Grandmaster glaringly alive, what would he say if I seduced another disciple of the Taiji Sect?
"That's a relief."
Hong Ye nodded and said so. I looked at her and said.
"So, as long as she isn't a woman from the same sect, it's fine?"
"Don't they say heroes naturally like women? If it's a woman my husband takes as a wife, she must be a fine person. Ah, is that Hengshan Sect lady you met last time also to become your wife?"
Of course, I planned to take Im Seo-ryeon as my wife too. She was strong and a good woman, and besides, she could no longer live without me. Since I had made her into a wonderful woman, wasn't it only natural that I take responsibility? When I nodded, Hong Ye said.
"Since she is highly skilled in martial arts, I'd like to test myself against her again next time we meet."
"I look forward to it."
Thus time passed.
*****
It was quite some time later when I heard the news that they had discovered the wall. When I arrived, the laborers were already standing, drenched in sweat, and the merchant's face was full of obvious joy.
The laborers waited with wide eyes for our next order. Standing in the narrow tunnel with the two laborers, me, and the merchant, I thought we looked like beasts huddled together for hibernation. In the thick smell of sweat and earth, I spoke with a nasal voice.
"According to the map, this should be the right spot. But if we bore a hole here, won't it explode? If it touches the heat from the lighting..."
"Don't worry. Extinguish the torches."
The laborers, hearing our words, nodded and turned to extinguish the torches. After they even put out the torches near the entrance just in case, the merchant rummaged in his pocket and took something out.
As soon as it was taken out, it emitted a strong light and brightly illuminated the surroundings, and the merchant's smiling face, touched by the backlight, became even more sinister. As the laborers followed the light and came back in, I said.
"A night-luminescent pearl. Isn't it a precious item?"
"Even if it's precious, what could be more precious?"
Saying so, the merchant put the night-luminescent pearl into a lantern holder and jammed it into the ceiling. Using a bit of internal strength, he drove it in with force, and the spiral-shaped end dug into the stone, causing a dangling bright light to emerge. In the flickering light, I saw the laborers' faces also becoming tinged with greed.
Night-luminescent pearls were expensive items. If they took just one and ran away, they wouldn't have to work as laborers anymore.
Thinking that far, I couldn't help but tilt my head.
But why show the night-luminescent pearl here? Couldn't he do that after sending all the laborers away? To deliberately show the laborers the pearl—wouldn't that make the cleanup more troublesome? What on earth was he planning...?
"Uh-oh!"
Startled by the voice of one of the laborers, I turned around. The merchant's eyes flashed, and that bastard drew his sword and swung it at me. Startled, I ducked to avoid his blade, and the laborer behind me took the sword to his neck, vomiting bloody foam as he fell backward.
"Die!"
But while his swordsmanship was threatening, his inner energy was not of a very high level. The killing intent on his swinging sword faded with each swing like a torch being waved. He was breathing roughly, and behind me, two laborers lay dead, chopped to pieces.
"What are you trying to do? You pathetic bastard."
Having barely dodged his sword, I punched his staggering stomach with full force.
"Kkueoeok!"
He let out a squeal like a pig being slaughtered, his body slammed against the wall, and he collapsed with his eyes half-rolled back, frothing blood. I drew the axe from my waist and raised my arm to cleanly sever his neck.
"Euaaaaah!"
That merchant bastard let out a death-cry scream and threw his sword. When I rolled my body aside to dodge again, the sword didn't hit me but stuck deep into a pillar supporting the tunnel.
The wooden pillar that had cracked from the earlier sword fight took a decisive hit from that blow and broke in half, collapsing. The pillar supporting the opposite side also collapsed, unable to withstand the accumulated shock and load, and at the same time, the earth in the direction of the exit began to cave in.
"No, fu...!"
From the beginning, that bastard's attack had not been aimed at me. It was to collapse the tunnel's exit to prevent me from getting out.
Of course, as a peak-level martial artist, I wouldn't die just because the tunnel collapsed.
Even if this shallow tunnel collapsed, I wouldn't be trapped forever.
If I invested some time, I could get out quickly.
But that wasn't all the bastard was aiming for.
"The Poison Human belongs to the Demonic Cult!"
He shouted that and, gathering the last of his inner energy into his hand, struck with all his might. The stone wall cracked with a heavy impact sound, and from a small hole, poison smoke began to seep out.
Gasping for breath, he was the first to inhale the poison. His face turned ghastly pale before he vomited black blood, and then he trembled all over, his eyes rolling back.
The poison smoke was rapidly approaching.
It would reach me faster than I could dig my way out.
But if I dug up through the ceiling, I'd be bursting right into the Tang Clan's interior.
'Fuck.'