Chapter 91
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: The One-Eyed Divine Thief's Hidden Treasury
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The One-Eyed Divine Thief was a figure from a full century ago.
He was a legendary thief whose name resounded across the entire Central Plains, dubbed the One-Eyed Divine Thief because a deep scar on his face made him look like he had only one eye.
"I've heard of him too."
Um Pung repeated the words Seo Mun-ha had shared.
"The treasures he amassed over a lifetime... It's enough to make anyone's mouth water."
He had stolen from countless people, warriors and officials alike, without discrimination, and the place she mentioned was the secret vault where he had hidden them all intact.
It was only natural that not only Iron Fortress City but even Seo Mun-u had poured his heart into it.
Even if the wealth he had hidden fell short of expectations in quantity, the martial arts manuals, spirit elixirs, or treasured swords were priceless beyond measure.
The emergence of such treasures into the world would turn the Central Plains martial world upside down, so every detail—from strict information control to everything else—had been meticulously arranged.
"There won't be any issues around the young lord, then."
Oh Seok-jeong let out a soft groan as he added his piece.
By his estimate, the thief's ill-gotten wealth was on a scale beyond ordinary reckoning.
It was enough not just to cover the losses of the warriors but to elevate the Seo Mun Clan several levels if things went according to plan—not as a mere clan, but on the scale of a nation.
"Still, our greed might have been a bit too much."
Seo Mun-ha shook his head, his gaze shifting to another person.
"The details are unclear, but perhaps the Baek Ri Clan's young lord shared the same intentions."
Including Baek Ri-jeong, who had his arms crossed, the Seo Mun Clan's Hangzhou branch meeting hall was filled with the same faces as before.
"Hm..."
Baek Ri-jeong seemed lost in thought, speaking far less than usual, so Baek Ri-seol stepped in on his behalf, offering her view and briefly explaining the situation.
"My brother has long been dissatisfied with our clan's external standing and its internal structure."
Jiangsu Province flourished for the same reasons as Sichuan.
With brisk trade inside and outside the Great Ming, its geography suggested it would embrace diverse cultures, but in reality, it absorbed only those from within the Great Ming—much like Shandong rather than Sichuan.
From beyond the seas to the east—Haedong and Dongyeong.
Trade with them was scant because Jiangsu's coast was mostly tidal flats.
Suzhou's prosperity as a glittering commercial hub was beyond doubt, but it teemed more with merchant houses and escort agencies than martial sects.
"Even if it wasn't the original goal, resisting that temptation wouldn't have been easy."
The Baek Ri Clan, overlords of Jiangsu Province.
They had many contrasts with the Seo Mun Clan and thus couldn't project the same influence across the Central Plains martial world. Internally, things were festering and trending downward.
"I don't know if this comforts you, but please don't worry too much."
Taking in the solemn expressions of the aunt and nephew, Seo Mun-ha continued.
"Tracing the young lord's movements, it hasn't been that long. Factoring in his escorts, the odds of him still being alive are high."
For the Baek Ri Clan, few matters were as critical as their young lord's safety.
For now, it was a blessing that his death wasn't confirmed.
"...Thank you."
Baek Ri-seol's lips curved faintly.
Given their age gap and her openly precarious position, he had expected friction with her blood kin, but despite her reserved expressions, her warm heart matched her lovely face.
"One thing, though—why are the Beggar's Sect and the authorities staying so quiet?"
Baek Ri-jeong asked, shaking off his worries.
"The Beggar's Sect can't ignore Iron Fortress City's pressure. And above all, they wouldn't believe it anyway."
"They wouldn't believe it?"
On a broader scale, the authorities were in the same boat.
"The rumor’s source is unclear."
"Hm? Aren't rumors always like that?"
"The problem is we can't track it down, even searching. Especially from the Beggar's Sect."
When it came to intelligence, the Beggar's Sect was among the top in the entire Great Ming.
Especially for thief-related matters, they were unrivaled, yet their lack of movement suggested they denied the very existence of the One-Eyed Divine Thief's hidden treasury.
"The authorities have another reason."
The One-Eyed Divine Thief was from over a century ago, not a mere twenty years.
"And that reason is..."
Among the thief's stolen goods, the more ordinary ones like gold and jewels had no traceable owners now, and even if found, it would be problematic.
Judging by the bloodbaths that had swept the imperial court, the heavens had changed hands several times.
Most owners of such gold and jewels had left no descendants, or if they had, those heirs were branded as criminals.
"So they'll leave it to the martial world and watch. That's why Iron Fortress City could even enter Hangzhou."
"Heh..."
Baek Ri-jeong sighed softly.
The news he'd heard was one thing, but Seo Mun-ha had unraveled the entire puzzle from such fragmented tales overnight.
'The world's acclaim for him is no exaggeration.'
Amazed by his accomplishments, the people in the meeting hall began discussing countermeasures.
"As reported, pinpointing the exact location is proving difficult."
Um Pung shared the results of his inquiries in the area and his assessment.
"With so many tiny islands, we'll have to keep searching steadily."
Dispersing personnel had its limits, as they had to keep Iron Fortress City in mind.
"Time is pressing, and people are reluctant to take their boats out."
The biggest issue was the lack of a way to head out to sea.
"They call it Ghostly Curved Bay, and the boatmen all shun it. Dozens of years ago, people started vanishing there. Sometimes, overturned hulls appear like ghost ships."
Unfortunately, the Seo Mun Clan's Hangzhou branch had no boats.
"What about Sang Man Escort Agency?"
Having absorbed Um Pung's report, Seo Mun-ha turned the question elsewhere.
An escort agency in the transport business should have a ship or two, but Yang Jeong expressed regret briefly.
"They might have boats, but no one to sail them. From what I hear. The nearby currents and tides are rough."
That was why Sang Man Escort Agency generally stuck to land routes over sea.
'People...'
Silence fell in the absence of a ready solution.
"People?"
Seo Mun-ha muttered to himself, his eyes widening.
"Young master?"
Yang Jeong tilted his head, puzzled by the sudden reaction.
"We have one. Someone who can sail a boat."
"..."
"I'll send a separate letter to the young clan lord, so sorry to ask, but go back and secure a boat first."
It was then.
"Steward... no, young master!"
The shout from beyond the door came in the ever-steady voice of the attendant.
"What is it now, making such a fuss?"
Brushing past the composed rebuke from Steward Oh, Seo Mun-ha peered out the window and nodded.
'I did mention it to the yamen... about headquarters.'
As if he'd expected it.
"A guest has arrived!"
It had been just a day ago.
"Oh right, a guest."
Seo Mun-ha had once fabricated the whereabouts of the Jiangnan Fiends' leader to the officials, and while quicker than anticipated, a guest at this time was practically a given.
"A really pretty one, too. Thought she was a scholar, but they say she's a patrol boat constable."
At the attendant's lowered-voice report, Seo Mun-ha rose from his seat at once.
"My guest. Better if I greet her myself."
Amid the puzzled looks, Um Pung spoke for the group.
"You know who it is?"
"Probably. A valuable guest who can help us find a boatman."
By Seo Mun-ha's order, the guest hall was now occupied by just two people after the others withdrew.
"Greetings, my lord."
The beaming Buk-gung Yeon expressed premature gratitude at his less-than-warm welcome.
"I never dreamed you'd come greet me personally."
"Before asking your business... change the title first."
"Don't like 'lord'?"
"Not at all."
"Then, benefactor, great hero, young master, big brother—which shall it be?"
"Drop the last two for now."
Buk-gung Yeon subtly revealed her fondness.
Her cheeky intentions were plain to see, especially after her previous persistent prying into his identity.
'If it's about tracking the vanished Iron Cavalry Unit...'
It didn't seem mere curiosity, but Seo Mun-ha set the thought aside for now.
A wild girl from a prestigious clan posed little threat.
It was wiser to prepare contingencies while focusing on the current Seo Mun Clan matters and at-hand tasks.
"Big bro—"
"Young master it is."
"Tch."
As she showed disappointment, Seo Mun-ha indifferently asked about her business.
"What brings you here?"
"You left a message. Word is you told me to come find you."
"I don't recall singling you out."
He spoke truthfully. At the time, he hadn't even met her or obtained the information yet.
As long as they hinted at the fiend boat constable, anyone providing the lead would do.
"That was then."
Times change, and now was now, so he dropped the pointless bickering.
"Anyway, you came to the branch for those two's sake?"
His guessed "two" referred to Yagul Gi and the Dragon King's Village debt lord, already escorted to the authorities.
"Yes."
The Jiangnan Fiends and Dragon King's Village debt lord were no small names.
"Got approval from my superiors."
Besides, they were martial artists through and through.
Clashes between officials and the martial world were rare, and without full war, compromise at the right moment was the norm.
Demonic cults were exceptions.
This cumbersome way of resolving official-martial conflicts beat endless bloodshed without precedent.
"Hold onto them until negotiations wrap up."
Buk-gung Yeon aimed to prevent rescue attempts on the detained pair.
"They won't stroll through the front gate, of course."
Side and rear gates were always options, so she prepared for the worst.
"Dragon King's Village aside, one Jiangnan Fiend remains. Their followers won't be few, surely."
"Yes. If this goes well, it'll be warning enough to those martial artists who bully commoners and throw their weight around. Bandits go without saying."
Buk-gung Yeon credited the meaningful achievement to Seo Mun-ha.
"Thanks to you, young master."
"Forgotten already? We're martial artists too."
"You're different."
This judgment came from investigating Seo Mun-ha as a person, aside from any ties to Yi Mok-yeom.
"A clan like Seo Mun is pretty clean of dust. I don't paint all martial artists as villains just because."
Nodding at her favorable view, Seo Mun-ha casually accepted the request.
"I'll tell Steward Oh. Need extra escorts?"
Her efforts to feign boundless trust were rendered pointless.
"...No, that's fine. Escort with unknowns."
Hangzhou was under strong official influence.
In other words, no Murim Alliance or Iron Fortress branch meant no mediation.
Unlike his bland response, taking full custody of the two risked enmity with connected factions.
'All the better.'
Yet Seo Mun-ha only smiled faintly.
"Negotiations will take time, right?"
"Yes, probably...?"
"Good. I need a boatman just now."
"...Young master? No way?"
"The Dragon King's Village debt lord should be better than most at it."
He could handle a small boat, at least.
"I'll keep him alive properly, so don't worry."
Buk-gung Yeon gaped, speechless.
She was known for her recklessness, but Seo Mun-ha outdid even her common sense.
"To... Ghostly Curved Bay?"
She had grasped most of the truth, but the core problem remained unsolved.
A major question lingered, too.
Why had none of the warriors sent to find the treasury returned?
Finding the hidden thief's treasures wouldn't be easy, but nothing was certain, and pondering alone yielded no clever solutions.
'So, I have no choice but to go myself.'
With his decision made, Seo Mun-ha addressed the stunned Buk-gung Yeon.
"One favor in exchange for holding those two."
Afterward, dozens of fully prepared warriors finally assembled at the dockside port.