Chapter 89
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Grotesque Justice Constable
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Early morning.
Even as the hour of the rabbit arrived with the sun rising in the sky, Seo Mun-ha was still poring over administrative duties.
In the temporary office assigned to him, he had adapted quickly and surprisingly suited the seated position well.
The only regrettable part was the utter lack of talented individuals to share his burdens.
He pressed down on his deeply furrowed brow, his solitary handling of most political affairs resembling his days in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
'A constable...'
Was it because the Hao Clan had unexpectedly recommended him for the official seal?
Or was it because his current self was repeating the past?
Forgotten old thoughts kept resurfacing in Seo Mun-ha's mind unbidden.
'I didn't want to get involved with officials if at all possible.'
The Northern Pacification Division of the Embroidered Uniform Guard primarily investigated incidents inside and outside the court and managed imperial prisons.
As such, they were constantly at the mercy of the eunuchs who controlled the court, and the ostensibly prestigious organization struggled daily with manpower shortages, no different from a flashy but useless fruit.
If the court had functioned properly, martial artists wouldn't have had opportunities to earn merits in the first place.
"It's Eom Pung, Young Master."
Along with thoughts lingering on the past, Seo Mun-ha found it impossible to shake off memories of his previous life.
'Hmm...'
Whether in a good sense or bad.
"Young Master?"
"Come in."
At the curt signal, Eom Pung entered the office.
"You didn't stay up all night, did you?"
"I had some things to think about. And some to organize."
Seo Mun-ha replied nonchalantly.
"...The two deputy stewards just set out for their respective destinations."
"I see."
"I've assigned a maid to attend to Lady Baek Ri as instructed. She'll be well taken care of."
After finishing the formal report, Eom Pung expressed concern for his well-being.
"Why don't you get some rest too, Young Master? I'll stand guard."
"Look at this instead."
What Seo Mun-ha showed him was a ledger bearing O Chong-gwan's hand, detailing the sub-branch's budget.
"Compared to last year, a lot more supplies have come in. Was the Second Young Master preparing for a war with the Black Path or something?"
Apothecary, smithy, drill grounds, guesthouse, civilian homes, and so on.
The expenditures of the sub-branch's funds were sporadically noted.
"That's not certain yet, but by tracing where the money flowed, we can tell where the main family's warriors headed."
"..."
"The sea."
Following the ledger, he pointed to a map.
A solid line etched on the small map depicted a chaotic path converging on one spot.
"It's true..."
To be precise, it cut off at one location.
"I'll look into it right away."
Eom Pung turned on his heel with evident enthusiasm.
"Don't tell Great Hero Baek Ri separately."
Seo Mun-ha added as he stopped him.
"Take a few warriors from the Baek Ri Clan with you. It might be dangerous."
Now that the connection to the Iron Arms Castle was revealed, going alone felt uneasy.
Creeeak.
Seo Mun-ha, pointedly excluding himself, soon followed his subordinate out.
Thud.
As he passed through the sub-branch's main gate, the outer steward saw him off.
"I'll be back."
"Please go carefully, Third Young Master."
Unlike ordinary warriors unfamiliar with officials, seeking out the constable fell squarely to Seo Mun-ha.
Gazing at his receding figure shrinking to a dot, O Seok-jeong mulled over his impressions in his mouth.
'He's nothing like what the Second Young Master described.'
Even after the small shadow vanished, O Seok-jeong maintained his deferential posture.
'A tiger's cub is still a tiger.'
The shift in his sentiment stemmed from witnessing the unbelievable insight and decisiveness of this youth in his twenties.
He paid close attention to the future implications of Seo Mun-ha's swift actions.
Under the name of expectation.
The circumstances differed from his visit to the Hao Clan.
Less than a day had passed, yet finding the government office was no trouble.
All it took was grabbing any of the dozens passing by and asking.
For powerless commoners, government offices were objects of aversion, so they made sure to know places to avoid.
The oft-repeated advice across generations—drumming in their ears—was to avoid entanglement with officials as much as possible.
Those who had dealt with them invariably spoke of misery, and the entrenched perception showed no signs of changing with time.
Thanks to that, the area around the office was not just quiet but desolate.
Whoooosh.
Seo Mun-ha confronted the government office head-on in broad daylight.
'Same as ever. Here or there.'
It appeared as an ordinary manor from the outside, but the relatively low walls had invisible barriers erected, taller in truth than those of the Seo Mun Clan sub-branch.
Clang.
Suddenly, spear blades crossed like a folding screen, blocking Seo Mun-ha's path.
Following the efficient movement, the two guards at the main gate unleashed a barrage of questions.
"Who might you be?"
"What business brings you to our office?"
Their tone was quite polite, all things considered.
One might expect arrogant officials to speak down immediately, but this discernment came from experience.
Those who sought out offices on their own were usually there to lodge grievances, so their reaction stemmed from Seo Mun-ha's differing demeanor.
"I'm looking for someone."
Seo Mun-ha glanced aside.
Notices plastered unevenly on the wall caught his eye.
"Someone?"
"Go back. We only accept case reports after the hour of rooster."
Seo Mun-ha shook his head.
"The Grotesque Justice Constable."
"..."
"It's urgent, so I need to see her as soon as possible."
"Urgent?"
"You're pursuing the villain Damunbi, aren't you? I know his whereabouts."
A lie.
It was just a rough guess based on the posters and portraits.
"Damunbi?"
The two guards exchanged looks.
"Isn't that the case the Grotesque Justice Constable is handling?"
"No, she's currently tracking the Jiangnan Four Freaks, isn't she?"
While they confirmed facts, Seo Mun-ha smiled inwardly.
"Ah, my mistake. He's one of the Jiangnan Four Freaks. When might I meet the constable?"
"I can't give a definite answer. You know how constables' duties are. Fortunately, the Hangzhou Magistrate's escort chief is in the office, so if you have a message, I can pass it directly."
As a flicker of suspicion crossed the guard's face, Seo Mun-ha named the Seo Mun Clan sub-branch as the location of the unknown Jiangnan Four Freaks member.
"Seo Mun Clan... I've heard of it."
Come find us yourself.
"Understood. I'll relay it as is."
Just as ordinary warriors were ignorant of official matters, a mere guard was no expert on martial artists' affairs.
"Could you perhaps tell me the Grotesque Justice Constable's whereabouts? If our paths miss, so be it, but since it's urgent, worth a try."
The soldiers briefly conferred.
'Should be fine.'
For them, it hardly mattered. As per the rumors about the Grotesque Justice Constable.
"Cheongdan County."
Cheongdan County, nestled along the Yangtze River amid dense forests.
Though on the frontier, the official roads reaching it branched out like the river itself, and bolstered by Hangzhou's prosperity, nearby villages and cities bustled with people.
"You saw it too, right?"
Amid conversations loud enough to drown out the crowd.
"Looks like a government soldier. Better not get involved."
"Mm..."
Though many entered the city, Seo Mun-ha singled out two unfamiliar travelers.
"Is something going on?"
"Well, you see..."
As fellow wanderers under the same sky, the reluctant men shared what they had witnessed.
"Not far from here."
"Damn creepy."
"If you're heading that way, be careful yourself."
Unlike the agitated men, Seo Mun-ha nodded.
"Got it."
And without hesitation, he strode out the city gate.
Clop clop.
The source of the commotion was all due to one person.
Clop clop. Clop clop.
To be precise, one person and one horse.
'A government soldier, as expected.'
Atop the plodding warhorse, a man with a shadowed face hung his head low.
'But.'
With frequent jolts, the man's body swayed against the sunset.
Sliide.
Finally losing balance, the tilting man plummeted straight down.
Thud.
Seo Mun-ha approached him immediately.
Clop.
Unlike the horse slowing to a halt, the man—who must have taken a hard hit—showed no reaction.
'...Gotta hurry.'
Covered in wounds, he had stopped breathing long ago.
Snort.
Seo Mun-ha calmly moved the corpse, closed the man's resentful eyes, and seized the dangling reins.
"Take me there."
The warhorse let out a whinny and bolted forward without pause.
Thud thud thud—!
Thanks to that, Seo Mun-ha reached Cheongdan County before long.
With horse and rider mutually at ease—befitting Seo Mun-ha's familiarity with mounts—the trained warhorse demonstrated exceptional stamina in return.
Neigh!
As speed gradually tapered, the horse halted abruptly just like at the start, rearing up on its forelegs.
"..."
As expected, embers still flickered, sparks flying everywhere.
Crackle. Crackle.
The flames had raged for some time, the acrid air thick and familiar.
Choking smoke rose from ashes, mingled with the stench of blood that numbed the senses.
Leaping down from the saddle, Seo Mun-ha surveyed the horrific village scene.
Boom.
A collapsing house, drained of strength, sealed the fate of the village engulfed by fire.
Not a single intact structure remained.
Amid debris devoid of provisions and scattered corpses, his expression soured involuntarily.
'...Government soldiers and water bandits?'
In the midst of the battlefield, Seo Mun-ha examined several peculiar corpses.
Crude armor and leather-patched rags lay scattered messily.
'Freshly dead.'
Setting aside the faint warmth, Seo Mun-ha scanned the distant mountains.
Within his vast senses, faint noises registered.
Clang—!
The clash of weapons.
Ching—!
Suddenly, a gust swept through the village, carrying the scent of grass.
Rustle.
Seo Mun-ha swiftly shifted position.
The location had changed, but the battle raged on, and as the sounds of piercing nature drew nearer, the distinctive aura seeped deep into his chest.
"Hah, hak...!"
People gathered by the riverbank over the hill.
"As a martial artist, have you no shame?!"
A roar of indignation echoed among the dozen or so.
Amid scholarly faces lingered youthful traces, and a young man clutching a boy struggled to raise his sword.
"Can you call yourself a member of the martial world after trampling helpless commoners?!"
In his coercive tone, he berated himself.
'I messed up...'
It had been a complacent plan.
'Didn't expect the Jiangnan Four Freaks to ally with the Dragon King Stronghold.'
He had fought valiantly against the unexpected water bandits, but not a single government soldier remained.
Not even among the surviving commoners—only the boy in his arms.
"Your mouth's still alive till the end!"
"Leave this one to me, Vice Leader! Considering what we've suffered, even dismemberment wouldn't sate my rage!"
The youngest of the Jiangnan Four Freaks, Yagulgi, glared with fiery eyes.
"I'll avenge our brothers too!"
Though victory was decided, he swung his sword unrelentingly.
The young man urgently shoved the boy aside and thrust out his arm.
Clang!
But the sword bounced limply, rolling across the ground.
Splat!
Moreover, a ruthless stroke severed the shoulder tendon, Yagulgi's advance ferocious.
Drip.
The young man's topknot, scraped along the ground, snapped.
Barely righting his upper body, long hair cascaded like a waterfall over his bloodstained face.
Sliide.
At the unexpected sight, the Dragon King Stronghold's vice leader muttered.
"A woman?"
Confirming his suspicion, the youth—kicked in the torso—finally screamed.
"Kyaaak!"
"Not a bastard, but a bitch?"
While the water bandit stroked his bushy beard, Yagulgi swung again to amplify her pain.
"What does it matter?!"
As he swung.
"Hold on a moment."
The vice leader placed a hand on Yagulgi's shoulder.
"Killing her easily like this would disappoint even you, Great Hero Yagul."
"What..."
"Let me have a go first."
He stepped toward the woman, not the youth.
'With such a pretty face, the stronghold leader would like her.'
As if bestowing a favor, he added.
"How about I give you a chance?"
The woman ground her teeth.
"Admit your past errors and join our Dragon King Stronghold, and that one life can be spared."
An insult like no other.
"Sure, you'd serve the stronghold leader, but better than dying, right? Even the esteemed Grotesque Justice Constable spending her life in penance would satisfy you, Great Hero Yagul."
"You dog bastards—!"
The screaming woman straightened her stance.
Though no martial artist, the humiliation and disgrace outweighed death, so her choice was set.
"Die—!"
Arms dangling, she kicked off the ground barehanded.
"Out of the way, Vice Leader."
Dismissing her negligible threat, Yagulgi brought down his raised blade.
Whoosh!
That was when it happened.
"The Grotesque Justice Constable... is a woman?"
A stunned voice cut between the man and woman.
'No, more importantly.'
The intervening third party, Seo Mun-ha, channeled internal energy against the blade's momentum.
Fsssh.
His hand traced an arc like an afterimage, deflecting the blade.
Clang!
Suddenly snapping the blade, he slowly scanned his surroundings.
"Sorry, but I have business with her."
Finally, his gaze settled on the constable clutching her shoulder.
Grotesque Justice Constable.
With her indiscriminate pursuit of cases, she had stirred up all of Zhejiang Province and earned notoriety as Hangzhou's headache.
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