Chapter 60: Yong Jeongheon Rather Than Jang Ho-sam
I decided to hide for a moment and watch over the spotty youth and Dokgo Jae. I needed to grasp the situation.
“What’s your affiliation?”
“I’m from the Black Death Squad’s Seventh Reserve Unit.”
“Reserve Unit? Your name?”
“Wi-seok-gwang.”
“……Never heard of you.”
“This is my first time speaking with you too, Lord Commander. I never dreamed I’d have the honor, and it’ll probably be a once-in-a-lifetime privilege. Lord Commander!”
The spotty youth continued smoothly without a hint of trembling. But I could see it clearly. His eyes darted wildly everywhere, avoiding Dokgo Jae’s gaze. And his Adam’s apple bobbed constantly, saliva pooling in his mouth.
That’s the sign of a liar.
‘He’s got some talent, but he’s not a seasoned con artist yet.’
[And it looks like he’s desperately searching for you.]
‘Yeah, that too. Bong’s gotten pretty sharp, huh?’
[All thanks to you, you rascal. Damn it.]
The spotty youth absolutely wasn’t a member of the Black Death Squad. Even a lowly reserve should be at least third-rate. But Bongmareung said he was just an ordinary commoner.
‘Then where’d he get the name Wi-seok-gwang from?’
[Looks like he’s using the identity of that demon you just laid on the stone bed.]
‘What? So he kidnapped some familiar commoner and dragged him here? What a vicious bastard.’
And it was a do-or-die situation for the spotty youth. While I was rummaging through the Blood Storage Vault for loot, his acupoints must have loosened just enough…… He could barely move his mouth and body, spitting out lies somehow.
But there was still a problem.
‘Bong, his lower body’s still paralyzed. See it?’
[Clear as day. Shaking like a dog’s legs before a heatwave.]
The spotty youth stood shakily, legs trembling like aspen leaves. Dokgo Jae noticed it right away.
“What’s wrong with your legs? Cold in the Blood Storage Vault?”
“Pardon? Ah, this is……”
At that moment, I fired off an Invisible Strike. At the Dok-bi-hyeol (Calf Nose Acupoint) below both his knees. I lightly shot invisible chopsticks right at those points.
Pop! Pop!
Hitting the acupoints dead-on, the youth flinched, then straightened up perfectly. His legs stopped shaking miraculously.
[A kind of shock therapy. Lightly striking the meridians to circulate the trapped qi.]
Bongmareung, who’d taught me the method, boasted smugly.
And the spotty one calmly unleashed his lie.
“Seeing your noble face suddenly made my body tense up. I’m fine now.”
Impressive quick thinking. Of course, Dokgo Jae’s suspicions didn’t end there. One final hurdle remained.
“Then show me your cult plaque.”
“Pardon?”
“The identity plaque with your name. Didn’t I tell you to carry it at all times?”
The demons’ identity tokens. Dokgo Jae was insisting on checking that too.
His words made me furrow my brow.
‘Weird. When I searched that guy earlier and put him on the stone bed, there was no plaque……?’
No reserve from the Black Death Squad would defy the commander’s orders. So the plaque had to be in one place.
The coachman’s seat. Probably jammed somewhere in the blood-cloaked carriage I’d tossed aside.
The Invisible Strike moved again.
“Uh……?”
The unseen chopsticks began gently pushing the spotty youth’s back, herding him toward the coachman’s seat.
This was all I could do. From here, he’d have to improvise.
‘Alright, let’s see if he can pull it off.’
I watched quietly from the shadows.
Surprisingly, the spotty youth nailed it. He nodded subtly as if he understood, then pulled a plaque from Wi-seok-gwang’s bloodied carriage and thrust it out.
“Here it is, Lord Commander.”
“Hm, thirty-one years old? You look awfully young for that.”
“Oh no, not at all. You look younger than me, Lord Commander.”
Deceiving a terrifying foe without batting an eye.
Dokgo Jae chuckled.
“Cheeky bastard. But you’ll have to face discipline from your squad leader. Slacking off on duty.”
“Yes, Lord Commander! I’ll take it gladly!”
“Get lost.”
Dokgo Jae turned and vanished down another passage.
Only then did the spotty youth relax, collapsing in a heap. Having brazenly conned the Black Death Squad Commander, he stared blankly, unable to believe it himself.
‘What a hilarious guy.’
I approached quietly. When he saw me, he jumped up to speak, but I waved him off.
We couldn’t waste time here.
“Shut up and get back in the cargo hold. I’ll help you escape.”
“Ah, yes! Great hero!”
Without question, he climbed into the cargo hold and even covered himself.
Smart guy—made things easy.
I roughly donned the bloodied carriage coat and hat, drove the cart to the gate. The door opened automatically.
“Take care.”
“You too.”
I exchanged leisurely greetings with the gate guards and slipped out, heading to a secluded spot. Then I tossed the coat and hat onto the coachman’s seat.
“No one around now. Come out.”
“Yes, Great hero!”
The youth burst out, standing politely before me.
I looked at him and asked what I’d been wondering.
“How’d you end up kidnapped?”
Maybe it was a case of shared misery. I couldn’t just walk past folks like him.
The youth began his tale softly.
“This lowly one’s called Mak Ryang, a water peddler from the lower village. Living ordinarily until……”
“Wi-seok-gwang targeted you for buying his water?”
“Yes. Said I had good color and looked healthy. So he dragged me here.”
“You’ve got unusually smooth talk for that.”
“Great hero, water selling’s half silver tongue. Water’s all the same—gotta talk it up to sell. Otherwise, cobwebs in your mouth.”
[Spot on.]
I nodded quietly. And a decent idea popped up.
Wayong Hall needed hands lately……
‘I’ll use him. Quick-witted, sharp—could even watch Tae Sa-rok.’
Of course, surviving and getting out came first. Couldn’t reveal myself, so no going together.
I nodded at the coachman’s seat.
“Know how to drive a cart?”
“Yes! Did it as a kid.”
“Full of talents. Wear the hat and coat, drive this out of Doggo Clan Manor, ditch the horse and cart. Lay low a few days, then head to Wayong Hall.”
“Pardon? Wayong Hall—where Young Master Yong Baek-heon lives?”
“Yeah. I work under him. I’ll put in a word—you could snag a spot there. If you want.”
Mak Ryang’s eyes widened like saucers. A commoner landing a job at the former Young Cult Leader’s place? Natural reaction.
“Th-thank you, but……”
“No harm’ll come. Young Master Yong’s busy prepping to face the Eight Great Clans’ challengers—needs hands.”
[Hm, pretty busy indeed. Piles of sacred relics to steal like a mountain.]
“……”
Bongmareung’s nonsense nearly cracked my expression. I cleared my throat and gestured.
“Go on. Skip Wayong Hall if not interested. Later.”
“Wait! Great hero!”
“What?”
Mak Ryang grabbed me suddenly. His fervent eyes were burdensome.
“Not sure about Wayong Hall. But you saved my life—I can’t leave without your name! Even a pseudonym. I’ll never forget.”
“My name?”
“Yes!”
I scratched my cheek. Strangely, Yong Jeongheon popped into my head before Jang Ho-sam.
Couldn’t say either outright. So I mashed them together.
“Jeongheon-sam. Remember it like that.”
“Ah, yes! Hero Jeong! Truly grateful! I’ll never forget your life-saving grace!”
“Forget if you want. Just stay safe and live well.”
Mak Ryang’s eyes trembled faintly. I left the youth bowing formally and slipped into the alley.
Time to pass through the Medical Hall and return to Wayong Hall.
The next day, Doggo Clan Manor was in uproar for three reasons.
First, the Seven Demon Lords’ Effigy had vanished cleanly from the Blood Storage Vault. Furious Patriarch Dokgo Yeong had beheaded the gate guards, the news spread. Orders poured down: find the thief by any means.
Second, Jang Mu-gil’s detachment had massacred a bunch of their men. Dokgo Hyeop returning unscathed from clashing with a transcendent master calmed things somewhat…… But explaining the incident still sparked roars.
“Young Lord, devote yourself to training until the time comes to challenge Yong Baek-heon!”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“Tch! Everyone out!”
Alone, Dokgo Yeong sensed something off.
‘An unusually eventful night.’
Fasted in deep thought, a blade-sharp tension gripped the patriarch’s quarters.
But that was upper echelon woes. The third was entirely different.
“Hey, heard the story?”
“What story? Oh, the Medical Hall?”
“Yeah! A full hour, they say! Non-stop the whole time!”
“Oh my……”
The Doggo Clan servants buzzed about Yong Baek-heon’s “exploits” from the night. Young maids blushed and fled, but the elders spiced up the rumors relentlessly. The participant raving like it was a dream only fueled the wildfire.
By the time it reached Wayong Hall.
“What? Immeasurable virility? How utterly indecent……”
Jang Ho-sam had become the owner of fantastical stamina blurring reality and dream. Left unchecked, he’d earn the bizarre moniker Illusionary Seduction Demon.
Ok Geum-ran, who’d stood in the courtyard till dawn, finally faced Jang Ho-sam crossing the gate.
“Sis? Didn’t sleep?”
“……”
She stared silently at Jang Ho-sam approaching with light steps. He knew nothing, of course.
“Why the face? Something happen? I got out safe, see?”
“Ho-sam, you……”
Her expression brimmed with misunderstandings. Clueless, Jang Ho-sam just pulled items from his bosom in response.
Four vials and the Seven Demon Lords’ Effigy.
“See? Got ’em all.”
“……!”
“Fetch Gyeon So-hee and Tae Sa-rok. Let’s wrap this up quick.”
His mind was fixed on extracting Gyeon So-hee’s Tanghyeol-go, renegotiating with Tae Sa-rok for a bigger payout. Nothing else.